word rocks

Aren't these simple??? I got inspired by Danny Seo over at www.dailydanny.com last week. He is a green living expert with eco-friendly and crafty ideas for everyday living. I thought they would be perfect to use as place markers at an informal gathering.......I just used a set of my little alphabet stamps and a black ink pad on some rocks I collected last summer with the kiddos.

....and just check out jennifer junipers wonderful idea for wine corks as well.....hhhmm, looks like we both have food, drinks, and socializing on the brain!!

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fastnachts

My dad called several days ago to see if he could bring Cubby up to Buffalo for a while. He came today after church and the art show at preschool to pick him up. And of course he called yesterday to get my "order" of my favorite Buffalo stuff that he could bring down for me......usually it's Bison chip dip, Chiaveta's marinade, Sahlem's hotdogs....but 'tis the season for FASTNACHTS!!!!....I haven't come across them here in our area....but where I'm from the best place to get them is Eileen's Bakery.



Fastnacht is a german word meaning the Eve of the Fast. Fastnacht Day is Shrove Tuesday and that is the day before Ash Wednesday when lent starts. Eileen's only makes these scrumptious things for the six weeks of lent. And for anyone who knows me....I would literally o.d. on them when I lived at home...when there is a time limit on something like this, I just can't get enough!!! The fastnachts I know and love are a special doughnut. For this lovely little post I googled fastnachts and found there are a ton of different recipes and none of the pictures I saw looked anything like the ones from Eileen's. Hers are a little bit thicker around the edges like a doughnut.....and then the middle part are really super thin and crispy...like a potato chip. There are two kinds....the cinnamon sugar ones and the ones with all powdered sugar. My Dad brought me six of each!!! What a great guy!!!



I ate one of each standing over my kitchen sink just after he pulled out of the driveway with Cubby. Yep, they are as wonderful as I remember!!!! And Mom, I put a few in the freezer as a treat for you when you come to visit from Florida next month, I just can't guarantee they will still be there!!!

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crabcakes

I can't get over how EASY these crabcakes were to make!!!! And they were every bit as delicious as my favorite place to get them...Andora's!!! The kiddos loved them, and if you make them silver dollar size they would be a terrific appetizer as well!

Here is the list of ingredients:

1 lb. crabmeat...I got a container of it at Costco
3 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1/2-3/4 cup bread crumbs....depending on the wetness of your crabmeat
1 Tbsp. parsley
1 Tbsp. Old Bay seasoning
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. dry mustard

Drain the crabmeat. Place in small mixing bowl. Fold in remaining ingredients. Making sure to not break apart the lumps of crab

Generously coat the bottom of skillet with oil and heat over medium high heat. Gently form mixture into cakes. Cook a few at a time, turning once to brown both sides evenly. Add more oil as needed to cook the rest of the cakes. If making ahead, reheat in the oven at 250 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Remoulade Dip

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tsp. mustard
1/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce

Scrumptious!!!! Enjoy!!!!!!!

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What is it?? Wednesday

Welcome to a new feature to my blog, dear readers!! It is "What is it?? Wednesday"...a few of the soul sisters have added weekly features and I enjoy looking forward to them every week......Sunday and Friday have already been taken :) and I so I chose mid-week.....Wednesday! This weekly feature will highlight my lovely canister! I am still delighted with the simplicity of my canister and what it can hold. My family has also had fun with what they will find from week to week.

This week was cookie week! Not homemade....they went to Costco while I was away scrapbooking on Saturday and got their jumbo chocolate chip cookies...and I picked up some St.Patrick day cookies.....and of course I'm hearing the clink of the glass lid every time someone sneaks one!

I may even expand the canister idea......jennifer juniper let me know of a blog that highlighted glass containers....she filled them with ever changing treasures and collections as well....they were in several rooms in her home... I mentioned it to Cindy Lou and she expressed an interest in getting her own for her room. I said sure thing!! So, check back on Wednesdays and see what is making the treat girl and her family happy for the week.

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Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

I hope everyone is enjoying the green!! Cubby came down stairs this morning and I wished him a Happy St. Patrick's day. We had the Today show on...Al and Meredith were in Dublin. They had all kinds of fun things on....funny shamrock glasses, scarves, and hats. Cub ran upstairs and came down with this hat on!! My Dad's girlfriend sent it to him a while ago just for fun....but he loves to dress up these days and he's had it on all day. Even to run into town to pick his best buddy up to play.....He LOVES, LOVES all holidays...and can't wait when I get the bins out of the attic to decorate. He couldn't believe I had no decorations for this holiday...I'll have to work on that! Maybe I can pick up a few cute things at Michaels or Joannes tomorrow on sale for next year.



We stopped at the bakery to pick out some cupcakes for a treat. You know I can't make it through a special occaision without one!!!



And here's a little bracelet I whipped up last year because I had to have something green and lucky and for the day! I don't have an Irish heritage...but it's always fun to pretend!! Have fun!

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croppin'

What a wonderful day!!!!!!!....a dear friend from the Nail Shack invited me to an all day 12 hour scrapbooking crop!!!...I've really only been to two other crops and they just keep getting better! I was a little behind the eight ball yesterday morning...I had to stop at the post office to mail out some ebay packages, then get gas and fill up my "bucket" with Diet Coke....ran in Target to get my niece a birthday present and only then I was on my way.....but it was gorgeous and sunny and I was listening to my new tunes from my personal d.j. :) and loving life!!! At two different times red male cardinals flew right past my van...and I know my favorite scrappin' buddy was thinking of me, even though she couldn't make it....I got there about 10am and by the time I unloaded my van, got set up, checked everything out and got settled in I didn't actually start working/playing until 11.....The Hostess was soooooo nice!!!!!!! She put a lot of time and effort into making our day terrific! There were drinks, snacks, candy and a catered lunch and dinner with yummy desserts too! She was way more than helpful with her new favorite treasure....the cricuit expression....it is sooooo cool...she's taken four classes on how to use it....however, it may be out of the treatgirl's league....I'm not too handy with electronics!! But The Hostess helped out, and made me the cutest title for one of my pages. The day was flying by....and I was very happy with my progress...I got five pages complete! I am going to try and scrap every Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday night......it's a little schedule I made up for myself to try and keep this momemtum going...I HAVE to get through two years worth of pictures/memories to be able to start Cubby's book!!!!!!! He's FIVE!!!!!!!! I know...it's supposed to be all fun......I do want to keep up!

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treat bags

I'm here to say that I think treat bags have gotten a bad rap. I know you're probably thinking, "Yeah right...she's the TREAT girl!" Well, I am.....and I guess that may have something to do with it....but who doesn't love a treat?? Especially kiddos at a party. I love planning my kids parties...and personally I think the key to a successful kid party is the number of children invited. Which is directly related to the treat bags. When you invite the child's whole class to the party this directly relates to what you can do....lots of kids = junky treat bags...a few kids and you can make them a bit more substantial filled with a few quality things and a bit of candy. I generally have the parties at my house and I know my limits...I don't do well with tons of kids....so I always have them invite just 5 or 6 friends and it works out great....and this all stems back to the treat bags!! I got these cute miniture lunch boxes at Joanne's in the dollar section months before Cubbys Thomas and Friends birthday party when he turned four. I bought a bunch because they were so cute.....and then they ended up coordinating perfectly with the theme of his party. Bonus!!



Cubby loves helping with the treat bags (he calls them "goodie bags" and I think it's adorable!) we send in to school for holiday parties. He loves to go to the Dollar Tree and pick out the things we put in.....a favorite is a packet of Kool-Aid....cherry for Valentines day....at just ten cents I think it something different. I'm probably the only adult you know that still loves it! :)He helps me fill them with the goodies, and the whole time is picking which one will be his when he passes them out at the party.




I LOVE,LOVE celophane too!!!....it just always makes things look bigger and better! Another thing I try to do is to make sure the container is practical and can be used for something else...Cindy Lou and I found these adorable cupcake bins in the dollar section at Target...we picked out shower gel, lotion, and lip gloss with some candy and when they were wrapped up with a name tag they were just too, too cute!!



Cubby is totally into clear bins!! He has to have one for every genre of his toy inventory...Star Wars action figures, transformers, chapstick collection, miniture football helmet collection, to name a few. It makes it easy for him to grab one to bring along when we have to sit at football practice or a restaurant. So it was his idea to get his friends a bin this past year for his treat bags. Again, I love that that when the treats are gone....the bin can be used for something else. They're only little once.....let them have treat bags!

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