Picture from Christy’s blog, The Girl Who Ate Everything

These are baked chicken taquitos. Click that link for the original pin. Here is the link to the original blog post. Now go make them and eat them because they are delicious.

Bye.

Oh you want more from me?

Seriously, these are amazing. They are SO good and super easy to make. I made double what the original recipe called for because I made them when I was visiting my Dad, one of my brothers, and my nephews. When you have a household of mostly boys (all of them plus my kids outnumber Alice and I by 8 to 2), you need a lot of food and it has to be good. Everyone loved this. My brother took them to work the day after I first made them and shared with his co-worker. He declared them delicious and wanted the recipe for his wife.

I’m not going gluten free or carb free, but I am trying to stay away from bread, tortillas, etc., for a couple of weeks so I don’t see myself making these anytime soon. I bet there are gluten free tortillas out there…I wonder if they taste good. I bet if they aren’t good, these will make them good. The chicken mixture is magic.

Pinterest Challenge – Baked Chicken Taquitos is a post from: me being crafty

For the first WIP Wednesday of 2012 – I am working on a few projects!

Here are my fabrics for the older (2010) quilt along I found:

The fabrics are not a charm pack like the author is working with and I’m okay with that. I love these fabrics, but after looking at this picture I realize I should probably replace the two with light backgrounds. I don’t want them blending into the white on white background. I can’t wait to get started on this quilt, I am going to work on cutting everything out and maybe some beginning sewing this weekend.

I haven’t picked out any fabrics for the HST BOM yet, but I am thinking about what I want to use. I have a lot of fabric and it’s not out on shelves so it can be tough to remember what I have. I end up with boxes and bins open all over my sewing room and it becomes a mess that I don’t want to go through, I just want the room clean again! I take this as a sign to clean up the space and have a better system for my fabric. I don’t want it tucked away never to be seen again.

I also commented on Amy’s one week challenge and am working on an oven mitt. I am using the pattern from this blog post and these fabrics, I stitched them last night and will work on cutting them out, etc., throughout the week.

I tried making an oven mitt myself during the holiday break and it went horribly wrong.

That oven mitt, it only fits my kids. This is my lesson on using a pattern. I haven’t even finished it because I was frustrated. Now I think it’s funny and I’ll get the binding on this weekend.

First WIP Wednesday of 2012 is a post from: me being crafty

That blows my mind. I am excited way deep down inside. The excitement will come to the surface the closer I get, or maybe not until I apply for graduation? It’ll happen though. I have to get through these classes, but this has been a long time coming. I can not stress enough the importance of finishing your undergraduate degree in a timely manner! I am so ready to move on with my studies.

I am still working part time and the older kids are currently in basketball. The baby will probably go to daycare an extra day of the week so I can get my schoolwork done and also attend a couple of classes in person (I am taking two classes locally, from NWIC, which I am transferring to UMUC). Once basketball is over, the kids will play soccer. We are starting the semester off by not watching tv, this happened in the fall and the winter break was plenty of time to get caught up on my favorite tv shows. TV is something I can definitely sacrifice.

But I did want to find another quilt along to do this year. Last year I did the postage stamp quilt along, and it was so much work – and so very worth it. I loved making that quilt, even if it took much longer then the initial quilt along. I haven’t finished it beyond the top, but I think I will send it out to be quilted. I found an old quilt along – the Charm Pack Quilt Along that was posted in 2010. The link will take you to the blog posts that are all labeled with that, so start from the bottom and go up. I have my fabrics picked out and cut into squares already. I’ll post a picture on Wednesday for WIP Wednesday’s!

I also found the HST BOM:

This looks very fun and since it is one block a month, this is easily do-able despite my crazy schedule. I will have to have some down time otherwise I will just be crazy, and not crazy busy. I haven’t picked my fabrics for the HST BOM, but I am going to do so before Wednesday so I’ll share then!

Classes start today and I am working all week because we are implementing a new database program in my office. Here’s to being crazy busy!

QA, BOM, & Being Crazy Busy is a post from: me being crafty

One of the first craft projects I pinmarked were these page corner bookmarks. They looked fun and easy and I am always looking for projects for my kids to do. We have made these a couple of times since I found them. My son was the crafter both times and he loved it. The hardest thing about this project is getting the teeth to fit right, don’t forget to leave some room to glue to tape them to the inside. Jake gave them to his friends and heard nothing but praise for how cool they are.

Tally’s pic, from I Could Make That

 If you have really little kids, it’s easy to cut everything out and just let them glue it down. If your kids are a little older, just help with the main body of the envelope. My son is 8 and once the main body is constructed, he likes putting the rest together on his own.

Pinterest Challenge – Monster Bookmarks is a post from: me being crafty

I will say this is the messiest room in my house. It seems to be the catch all room – see the stacks of books? That is from the bookcase in the loft. We cleaned it off so it would be easier to move when we painted…two weeks ago. The loft is put back together but the books haven’t been. It’s been easy to work around them, they’ve actually been restacked twice, but of course they should be back on the bookcase.

The dresser was meant to hold homeschool items but they were shifted to the bookcase in the craft room. I’m honestly not sure what is in there now. And the chair was my Grandpa’s years and years ago, the arm (we think) is at my brother’s or my Mom’s house – Mom said I should throw it away but I don’t want to. Of course it should be used if I’m not going to get rid of it!

Since getting the laptop, no one sits at the desk longer then to print something. We really want a wireless printer, that would eliminate the need to even sit at the desk. But it is a nice desk.

I want to have different sections in the room – a sewing section, homeschool section, etc. I’ve thought about taking the top of the desk off and using the desk as a cutting station or a work station, but haven’t done so. I definitely need to get organized as we may be moving in the next few months. I know it’s smart to start now rather then to rush at the end!

Today starts the 30 Day Organizational Challenge and I signed up for this room. Thirty days is plenty of time to put like with the like, find basket and bins if necessary, purge and get the room put together in a good way. I don’t mind if I end up getting done and moving a couple of months later, I can always use the same ideas later.

PS You entered the giveaway right? I’ll be drawing names the same time as the rest of the participants, which I think is Saturday.

Organizing the Craft Room is a post from: me being crafty

This time there will be a few colors available for whatever project you will be planning for two months at a time. For February and March the colors are blue, white and gray. Here is the Flickr group and also the group Flickr discuss page.

I know I am going to make another pair of fingerless gloves for myself and probably a pair for my daughter. I also want to make a couple of blankets for nephews and so blue, white and gray will work perfect for those!

PS v2.0 is a post from: me being crafty

In keeping with the great stuff I’ve missed while not paying attention to craft blogs, over at Booga J, she’s started doing a quilt block a day. What a great idea! I love that she is following the thinking that 21 days of doing something forms a habit. I’ve always been told that and admit to rarely following along. But this, this I could do!

I’m thinking I may start this in February sometime and send some fabric to my Mom so we could quilt along side each other. Or maybe I’ll wait until she comes to visit. She is planning on staying for three weeks and we could get a lot of quilting done in that time. Decisions, decisions!

Quilting is a post from: me being crafty

All images, paper and ink Copyright Stampin’ Up. I used Almost Amethyst, Certainly Celery, Apricot Appeal and Whisper White paper, Certainly Celery ink, Sage Advice stamp set and clear embossing powder. The rhinestones are from Target.

See, a quote! I like that I lined up the hearts and the quote against the stripe, but sort of feel like something is missing in the space. I try not to always center everything – a drawback from my Desktop Publishing teacher drilling it into us that center everything is not a good thing. LOL

Oh and you can’t really tell from this scan of the card but the inside of the hearts I filled with embossing powder so they are shiny.

I try to send Valentine’s cards out every year – at least to my Mom, Dad, Grandma and nephews. I’m not sure if I’m going to use this card though. Well I mean, I’d have to make more because I just made the few to send out and one for myself! In my card making I found a LOT of pink paper … so maybe I will have to just go with pink.

Valentine’s Came Early This Year is a post from: me being crafty

I definitely miss that! The snow and the tree – that tree is beautiful. I have no idea what it is but the leaves are red and last all summer long. I’ll have to dig out pictures of that.

For my Snow theme I am going to submit another card project that I did. It was for my friend group swap and for December. It counts at January though because I just made it last week. LOL

All paper, ink and images copyright Stampin’ Up. I used Bashful Blue, Pixie Pink, Gable Green and Whisper White paper; The Snowflake Spot and Warm Words stamp sets; Pixie Pink ink pad, Pink Passion marker; Silver Embossing powder; Dazzling Diamonds glitter.

This scanned really badly. See on the snowflake in the middle where it looks … like glue is on it. It’s glitter and so it’s all sparly. The words at the bottom also have glitter on them, but this just makes them look covered with something. I need a new camera so I am relying on my scanner for these pics.

I think this is a cute card! I love the sparkle and be merry words but I wonder if this would have been better being stamped in pink and then covered in glitter, rather then doing the silver embossing on the snowflake. The glitter that I added did make it better, but it still feels like something is missing.

I’m loving feeling and being creative again! I’ve also been writing more and more every day. I need to put them into a file though because the desktop on my computer is littered with notepad files. LOL When I was in college I kept a journal on the computer, I don’t think I’ll do that again, but it is so easy to open the notepad program and type away when the mood strikes.

Create Your Year January Update is a post from: me being crafty

All image, paper, stamps and ink Copyright Stampin’ Up. I used Chocolate Chip, Ruby Red, Creamy Caramel and Whisper White paper, Ruby Red and Chocolate Chip ink, Warm Words and Fresh Fillers stamp sets. The ribbon and rhinestones are from Target.

I like this design but feel like something is missing. Maybe something should be on the ribbon? Maybe there should be not as many flowers? I’m not sure. I do like the overall design though.

A lot of the stamps that I own are words ~ quotes or words that make up something a phrase, like Happy Birthday or Merry Christmas. I’ve always been a writer and assume that’s why I am drawn to the words. I like the images, but find I don’t have the patience to color a stamp multiple colors or to even just color something in. I have both the SU chalks and the watercolor crayons (I bought them before I joined SU – the chalks come with the demo kit) and have never used the chalks and only used the crayons a few times. I wish I wanted to use them more, I probably need to find designs that I like and just run with it. I’ve done projects with the watercolor crayons and oh my gosh they are so fun to play with and just beautiful. That’s it, I just need more project ideas!

Welcome (a card) is a post from: me being crafty

Just for an update, here is the post sharing my very, very messy office/craft room floor.

Since I generally tend to think of myself as organized, I’m not sure what it was that made me take so long cleaning up the area. I don’t mean the past two weeks, I mean before that. I shred junk mail the day it arrives, I put my crafts away when I’m done. It just all exploded.

But first, the bathroom:

We had that small dresser in the bathroom and it just wasn’t being used properly. Sure toilet paper was in the bottom drawer, but that was it! So I bought a cute stand, a scarf and a toilet paper holder and voila! Instant adorable-ness plus I get to use the dresser somewhere else. And a plus is the bathroom looks and feels bigger now. Because that’s important right? LOL

So the dresser now houses the kids stuff in the craft room. The bookcase in here had been sort of organized. I had the bottom shelf as office supplies (labels, envelopes, plastic boxes to hold them, etc), another shelf as kids stuff (crayons, markers, coloring books, etc), another shelf for stamping/card making. But though each shelf was organized, none of it really matched. So I moved a dresser that had been in the bathroom (here is the bathroom before w/ the dresser – and after with the new stand) upstairs to be the new kids stuff section in the room.

The bookcase went from looking like this

to looking like this after

I know, I know, what fun is showing an empty shelf. But it actually stayed empty for a few days while I tried to figure out what to put on it! Now I have a bunch of craft magazines but they are only taking up about 1/4 of the shelf. It’s nice to have an empty spot in here, I know I have a lot of stuff.

Here is the rest of the room (okay the plugin I use for my Flickr pictures isn’t working and I added a bunch of notes so feel free to click on the picture to go to Flickr to read the notes. LOL)

Standing at the door

Left side of the room (sewing table hidden behind artwork that is still there!)

Closet & Right side of room

Full on shot of right side

Basically *everything* in the room has been organized. The shelves on the bookcase are better put together and three of them are housing card making supplies, ideas and samples. The closet top shelf is organzed with cds and software rarely needed, photo boxes and kids school supplies like the 30 boxes of crayons I have. LOL Two shelves are for stamps and more card making supplies, and a third is partly card stuff. I moved a shelf from the left side of the room over to the right and have utilized it much better then before.

One thing that amazes me is that I didn’t have to go buy anything – I just used what I had in the house. I knew I had a lot of baskets and plastic boxes, but really, this many? LOL Good that I am finally using them though.

The room is still relatively cleaned up. I still haven’t moved the artwork (the pictures were taken a few days ago) or empty containers nor have I cleaned off the sewing table. I admit I took a lot of my card making stuff downstairs to the family room as for the past week or so we have all been watching a lot of movies. Never one to sit still, I make cards while we are doing so. All is neat down there though, I have enough containers and craft organizing bags that I just packed up and moved out.

Whew – Finally a Tackle It Update is a post from: me being crafty

All images, paper, stamps, ink and punch Copyright Stampin’ Up. I used Almost Amethyst, Blush Blossom, Apricot Appeal and Whisper White paper; Happy Everything stamp set; Flower punch and Blush Blossom ink. The eyelet came from a pack I bought at Target.

Sidenote about Target: You are stopping by the dollar section when you go right? I love that spot! And of course it is placed perfectly, at the front of the store where you can’t miss it. I think it was right before Christmas that they had the section stocked with scrapbooking/stamping/card making supplies. I grabbed some stickers and eyelets and also grabbed rhinestones that were in their stationary/scrapbooking section that were on clearance.

I am still loving this card design! I liked it so much that I made it my group swap birthday card. I picked paper color and just went with it. The stamp set come with other words – days, life, everything to name a few – and I want to experiment with different words with this design. And probably different embellishments too – flowers won’t work for everything. I need to make a birthday card for my Aunt’s birthday next month so I think her card will be the first I’ll experiment with.

Another Birthday Card is a post from: me being crafty

This is the first month that I am making my own swap cards for my team demo meeting. My team is actually back in WA State, I signed up with one of my very good friends there. It is all her fault I love this! She made a set of cards for me for a previous demo meeting so I was a little nervous to make my own.

All images, paper, stamps, ink, eyelet and punch Copyright Stampin’ Up. I used Pretty In Pink, Perfect Plum, Sage Shadow and Whisper White paper, Happy Everything stamp set, Perfect Plum ink, Soft Subtles eyelets and Flower Punch.

I made a pink Happy Birthday card! The design is all my own too. The only thing I was thinking was I wanted a strip or I wanted half of the card to be a different color. I really like how this turned out – simple and pretty. I can’t wait to see what cards I get back!

Demo Group Swap Cards is a post from: me being crafty

I took a picture last night before going to bed to show the progress I made yesterday. But my camera battery died and I didn’t get a picture today. I’ll get one tomorrow once I am all the way done with the floor. I’m so excited – I’ve been putting this off for WAY too long and am just thrilled that I’m almost done. You have no idea!

Too busy to post! is a post from: me being crafty

(Click on the picture to go to flickr and my notes!)

Embarrassingly enough, this has been this way for the past few days. Scratch that, it looks better then it did this weekend. Yes, I have a lot to get done. I’ve never posted a messy room picture before so I’m going to just do it and get it over with! I will be back later tonight to post my updated picture, done all the way or not!

First Tuesday Meme is a post from: me being crafty

So I’m about to post my first Tackle it Tuesday meme, and I want to do the self portrait Sunday too. I always forget about other days, but maybe if I write them down I’ll remember.

I’m going to post the Tackel It Tuesday’s as Craft Challenges – it will be a challenge to get my craft stuff organized! It seems no matter how long I work on it, it just doesn’t get done. Well today that ends!

Memes is a post from: me being crafty

I took yesterday off the computer so I’m a day late.

What are your craft resolutions this year? Craft ideas, tips, organizational habits you hope to have?

My first order of craft resolutions is to get my office/craft area straightened up. I started the other day – I now have about five piles of paperwork that I need to put away. LOL But once that is done, I am going to rearrange my crafty stuff. I’m so excited! Yes, I’m an organization geek. LOL

I am participating in the Create Your Year that Aimee started – the first theme is out!

I also do a card swap with some friends in WA State (oh how I still miss WA State! Even a year later.) and, yes I admit it, I’m two months behind. How embarrassing! But by this weekend I hope to mail them out so I’ll share scans when I get that done.

I have a lot on my plate! But for now I think I will get the kiddos ready (we are still adjusting to going to be so late on NYE I think – the kids slept in and we just had lunch right before I sat down) and go outside. They both got scooters for Christmas and have been loving them. Plus it gives me the chance for a) fresh air (always good – and needed! LOL), b) ipod listening, c) journal writing (in this day of blogs and email, I still keep a journal once in a while. I started a new one for the new year) and in general reading like magazines. I actually would like to research homeschool curriculum (see blog for full story there) but we don’t have a laptop.

So what are your crafty resolutions? I hope your year is off to a great start!

Happy New Year & My Plans is a post from: me being crafty

Check out Create Your Year. I only recently “met” Aimee, but I can’t wait for this to start! I love craft challenges and look foward to creating!

“Create your Year” is a year long creative meme for bloggers. Each month will have a theme to inspire your creativity. You can express the theme using any medium that you like, if it gets your creative juices going, do it! You may also do as many projects as you would like, from one on up, as long as you do at least one for the month.The purpose behind the project is to live a creative year and share it with others. You may choose to participate for the whole year, or just a month, or anywhere in between.

Yay! Look for the first theme next week!

Join Create Your Year is a post from: me being crafty