Signed Copy Giveaway

I'm having a giveaway on my website, Discovery Writer.  You can win a signed copy of Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin.  This book was recently nominated for the 2013 GoodReads Choice Awards.  It's a great retelling with witty prose and enchanting characters.  Giveaway expires January 18, 2014.  Check out the Giveaway at:
http://discoverywriter.com/2014/01/01/signed-copy-giveaway-rump/

BEST DARN HAM SANDWISHES YOU'LL EVER HAVE!!!

My cousin shared these rolls on facebook today and I had to share them with you.  Also...I needed to put them on here so I could create a pin for them.  Such a quick and easy way to provide dinner for the masses without spending too much time in the kitchen.  Especially as the weather warms up.  Hope you enjoy them.

Ingredients:

2 -12 packages of sweet Hawaiian rolls (the small dinner roll looking ones)
1 1/2 lbs of Virginia ham (NOT honey ...ham)
12 slices Swiss cheese
1 stick of real butter
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Onion Powder
1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Directions:
You will need two 9 x 13 pans. Place the bottoms of 12 rolls in each pan. Place ham (about 2 shaved slices or so) on the rolls. Cut the cheese slices into 4 parts and place 2 small pieces on each sandwich. Put the dinner roll tops on. In a sauce pan, mix butter, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder and poppy seeds. Wait until all butter is melted and then brush the melted mixture over the ham sandwiches. Cover with foil and let sit in fridge for 1 hour or over night. (If you want to bake them right away, you can also.) Preheat oven to 375 and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve. They are great hot and even at room temperature Enjoy!
 

Rump...A Must Read!

I am thrilled to announce that one of my good friends has published her first novel.

Liesl Shurtliff

 Her book debuted on April 9th, and I just purchased it at one of her book signings.  I've read it and I'm happy to say that my friend is very talented.  She has created a book that I will read to my kids many times over.

It's the charming story of the heroic Rump who goes on a quest to find the rest of his name.  In most cases, Rumpelstiltskin is the nemesis, but this new twist is playful and makes you root for the boy with the awkward name.

If you loved Ella Enchanted, The Princess Academy, or The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, this will be the new family favorite.  I read it in two days and am reading it a second time with my kids.  It's charming and clever, and the writing is easy and impeccable.  I couldn't imagine a book that would retell the story of Rumpelstiltskin that would convince me that his side of the story was better and a lot more fun.  I loved it and I can't wait for her next book.

Check out Liesl's website here!

Profiles

Hello world!

I have been busy since the beginning of the year, but I have been doing some crafts!

My family and I moved (again) to the Chicago area for my husband's job.

It has been a big adventure, and I am trying to get used to this cold weather and snow.

 

One of the crafts I have finished are these profiles of my children.

I love them.

Seriously, love them.

I have done a tutorial (shocking I know) on my blog Life Framed by Me.

Check it out HERE.

Happy creating, and I hope to be back soon!

Give Thanks

 

I am sure you have all been feeling thankful! I know I have been, and the holiday season is in full swing around here. I made this banner last year and was super excited to hang it up. I saw the idea at a friend's home in Texas, and kind of gave my own spin to it (she used leaves instead of squares to back her letters, I like the geometric look instead). I am not one for turorials (sorry). I don't like to follow them, and I certainly don't like to write them! So, here is a basic idea of what I did....

 

First of all, it is all made out of felt. I bought some brown felt off of the bolt since the 8x10 sheets would be too small. Then I bought a few different fall colors in the 8x10 sheets for the backing and letters. Then I just measured how big I wanted it to be, cut them to size, and then sewed the top of the brown felt so I could run a string through it. I cut everything else how I wanted and used my sewing machine to sew them on in contrasting colors. Feel free to do what you want in attaching them, it really just depends on the texture and style you want. I hot glued the circles and letters on to make it easier. As for the letters, I just blew up a font on my computer and used them as a template in cutting them out. It really was simple, just use your imagination! It could say anything you want as well, "thankful" "harvest" etc. I hope to make a Happy Birthday one soon for my children's birthdays in the spring/summer. I hope you like this idea! Anything is great with felt, I just love the stuff!

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Featuring {Crafts Made Easy} by Shauna

I happen to have the most talented friends around.  I really do.  Becky of the Crafting Chicks (who happens to be a very dear friend of mine) just showcased an amazing craft that was done by another great friend of mine Shauna.  Shauna is the type of person that dreams all things crafty and then brings them into reality.  As Becky stated in her post ..."everything she touches turns to gold."  Yep, that's Shauna for you. 
Shauna recently started her own blog Crafts Made Easy and will be sharing all of her amazing creations and crafting skills with you.  Like I mentioned she's just starting up this blog, but here is a small sampling of what you can expect to see in the future.  Believe me, you won't want to miss all the fun projects that she'll be sharing.

Spell Book Pages

 

Book of Spells

 

Canvas Happiness

If you would like to know how a $5 yard sale find turned into this canvas that makes me smile (a lot), check out my post on Life Framed by Me!

 

Oh the joys of yard sales!

Girl's Camp "Flashlight" Devotionals {Flashlight}

#4 - Flashlight (the vessel)
This was the testimony evening and the bishop is in charge of the devotional.  I asked him if he had anything in mind and then asked me if there was something that I would like him to focus on.  I know that I said that there were three components, but there's a little something extra.

The flashlight itself is each young women, who when she has all of the three components, is able to shine.  But there is someone who presses the switch and someone who holds the flashlight.  That person is our Father in Heaven.  When we have our batteries charged, when we have our testimony and example, and have the companionship of the Holy Ghost, we...wait for it...become instruments in his hands.  That night I gave them these.  You can purchase them on Amazon, here.

Girl's Camp "Flashlight" Devotionals {Switch}

 
#3 - The Switch
The third component is the switch which represents the Holy Ghost.  You may have studied and prayed, you may have your testimony and are serving others, but your light won't truly shine without the Holy Ghost to inspire you in your endeavors.

For this handout, I made these.

The thing that I needed to do first was to call each mother and ask what type of light switch cover they had, single, double, etc (some light switches are shaped differently so be sure to double check).  I bought them at Home Depot and they are super cheap.

Then I purchased some wrapping paper from Hobby Lobby.  Because I was making so many, it was cheaper than buying a bunch of scrapbook paper.  FYI - wrapping paper is VERY thin.  You have to be careful not to tear the paper and beware that it can bubble more easily when applying the Mod Podge.

(I'm sorry that I don't have the completed one for you to look at.  I only made enough for each of the girls and forgot to get pictures beforehand.)

Girl's Camp "Flashlight" Devotionals {Light Bulb}

#2 - The Bulb
The second thing you need for flashlight to shine is the bulb.  The bulb represents the light that each Young Woman shines forth.  This is their testimony, their service, and the example they give to others.  It is the component that actually admits the light.

Here's what I did for the handout.

You can buy these adorable bulbs at Hobby Lobby for $1.49 each.  I also got them with the 50% off glass promotion, so hold out for that.

Then I went to the local candy store.  Where I purchased pearl Sixlets.  Do not try lemon heads, they are too big.  I wanted them to be white, but yellow would be great too.

Then I simply filled them with candy and made this handout.

Girl's Camp "Flashlight" Devotionals {Battery}

#1 - The Battery  
First you need a battery which represents the things we need to do to keep our spiritual batteries at full charge.  These things are scripture study, prayer, and Personal Progress.

Here is what I did for a handout.

I bought these containers from Walmart.  They are called 'Darice Organizer Jewelry Design Bead Storage System 12 Containers'.  These containers were the perfect size and shape for my battery handout.

Then I made and printed this to go around!  I looked at the Duracell battery really closely to make it look as similar as possible, but in cuter paper.

Inside I put this necklace, but you could also do some candy.   Then I taped the paper around it so that it could be slipped on and off.

Girl's Camp "Flashlight" {Shirts}

Well, now that summer is way over, I better return back to posting.  It's been pretty busy with that move and then a few projects that I started, but I guess that I should start with where I left off; Girl's Camp.

So next up, the camp shirts.  The previous year, they had done two shirts.  This was good because some girls wanted pink and some wanted blue, so we got both.  This was bad because it was a little overwhelming until I saw that Jodi had made an adorable bleach shirt, and I just had to try it.  But first, the printed shirts.

Shirt #1:

I made this image and sent it to a shirt printer.

I love how it turned out.

Shirt #2:

(Note: You must use 100% cotton to give the splattered effect.  These shirts are from Hobby Lobby, but only the Fitted Shirts were 100% cotton.  The normal t-shirts are 50/50 cotton/polyester.  This doesn't produce the same effect.)

I made this image, cut it out, and pinned it down to the shirts. Make sure that you place a towel or liner inside the shirt to prevent it from bleeding through the back as well.

Then spray it with bleach.  A little can go a long way, so be sure to keep it light and wait to see how it looks.  You can always do more later.

 All in all, they turned out great, and the girls were wild over them.

Papers Everywhere!

So I don't know about you, but I am not a fan of clutter. Since school has started I feel like it has increased 10 fold! My kids come home with so many papers everyday! They usually end up in a stack on the counter. I had to find a better solution....

 

 

While walking around Target one day I found these magazine holders in the $1 section, and a light bulb came on! I could store all of the junky papers on my counter in these, genius. They even had some really cute and up to date styles. I just printed out my kiddos names on the computer, laminated and slapped it on. Easy! It is such a good feeling to have somewhere to put all of the homework traffic!

My New Discovery

Hello everybody! I (kind of) feel like I am recovered from summer and back into the blogging world!I hope that summer left you with tans, memories, bottled peaches and lots of parade candy :). I know that is what mine left for me! Anyway, I am ready to post some fun ideas and tricks that I have been stashing away for Cookie Nut. The first is something that I am sure you have never heard of, spray paint. Well, I am sure you have heard of it, but maybe didn't realize all of the possibilities! Or was that just me? Probably. I am just fascinated and excited about all of the things that I want to transform with spray paint! My little 2-year-old was in desperate need of a "big girl" bed, so I decided to upgrade my older daughter's bed so we could pass hers along. My Mom had an old bed that she was getting rid of, so I snagged it and decided to spruce it up a bit. Here is the before.... 

 

 

 I won't go into all of the steps, but I will direct you to All Things Thrifty. This lady has some amazing things on there, and her tutorials were very easy to follow. Her Painting Furniture 101 tutorial can be found here. I followed her proccess exactly. My result was this......

 

 

I love it! I used Krylon paint in Blue Ocean Breeze. This is the first piece of furniture that I have painted on my own, and I just think it is grand. I can't wait for what is to come! And if you already have this whole spray painting business figured out, please share your expertise with me!

YW Value Necklace {Giveaway}

Yes, it's a giveaway!  What a way to kick off from summer break.  I made these necklaces for my Young Women for Girl's Camp.  As with any jewelry project, there is usually leftover supplies.  So, I made a few extra.  Two I gave to the leaders who came to camp with me.  That was such a huge help.  And then I decided to make one for a giveaway!

 

This necklace has a each color representing the Young Women Values.  All the beads are generally  the same size, but there are a few different styles within them.  It will come in this clear, screw-top container.

To enter this Giveaway, you must:

• be a follower or become a follower
• post this giveaway on Facebook, blog, website, twitter, etc

NOTE - Becoming a follower counts as 1 submission. Posting on Facebook counts as 1 submission.  Posting on your blog counts as 1.  ETC.  You can have a whole lot of submissions :-) just be sure to leave a comment for each submission.

Giveaway closes September 15th!

Friday's Feature {From T Shirt to Necklace} and Summer Break

 We've had a lot of changes this year.  Camie had a baby, Jodi moved to Utah, and I will be moving to Utah next month.  After some thought, we decided that it would be great to take a break for the rest of the summer.  This will give us a chance to get things settled, get the kids back in school, and then return to the fun!

Posting will resume September 1st.  But don't go anywhere, our first post back will be a Giveaway!


Since we will put a hold on our Friday Feature/Link Parties as well...here is the pick from last weeks submissions.  From T Shirt to Necklace by ..CreaCtive..

Friday's Feature {Brag Books from Paper Lunch Sacks} }

There were a couple things that I wanted to select this week, but I chose this one from From Dahlias To Doxies.  I love this because these are all things that I always have on hand.  So simple and so adorable.  These would be great quiet books for church as well.

Rules:

• Any creative idea will do
• No selling or promoting, so no etsy stores
• Giveaways are now permissible ONLY if they are a handmade object
• Grab a button to link back to this blog
• Start sharing!
• And don't forget to check out other link party projects.

<br /><center><a href="http://cookienut.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i709.photobucket.com/albums/ww91/pleasantsunday/LinkPartyButton.jpg" /></a><center><br /><br /></center></center>

Girl's Camp "Flashlight" {Flag}

Shortly after I called to a Beehive Adviser, I was also called to be the Ward Camp Director.  I LOVE Girl's Camp.  I have been wanted to serve in Young Women's for a long time mostly so that I could go to camp.  I just wanted to kick back and enjoy it, but that doesn't happen when you need to get paperwork, collect money, and come up with all the fun ideas and devotionals.

The Young Women's theme this year has been "Arise and Shine Forth".  So, it wasn't surprising when our Girl's Camp theme was "Ignite the Light".  Our stake assigned each ward a light source.  Our ward was the flashlight.  When I first heard it, I thought "BORING!"  But when the wheels got turning, things started coming together and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

The best thing about this, is that it is totally something that would work for any Girl's Camp because you always have flashlights.  This would be a great idea for mutual as well.  I will totally use this sometime in the future.

First off, I would like to show you the design for the ward flag.

Flag:

With a projector and a sheet, we blew up the image and penciled in the lines.  Then all it took was a little fabric paint and some gems to turn it into something fabulous!  And yes, we used a little bit of glitter fabric paint.  Glitter fabric paint is a little more opaque, so you need to do several coats.

Friday's Feature {Super Easy Dutch Oven Bread}

For me and my family 

summer time = camping time 

and camping time = dutch oven cooking.  

So, I decided to feature this Super Easy Dutch Oven Bread .  You can find this recipe and several others over at From Dahlias to Doxies.

Rules:

• Any creative idea will do
• No selling or promoting, so no etsy stores
• Giveaways are now permissible ONLY if they are a handmade object
• Grab a button to link back to this blog
• Start sharing!
• And don't forget to check out other link party projects.

<br /><center><a href="http://cookienut.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i709.photobucket.com/albums/ww91/pleasantsunday/LinkPartyButton.jpg" /></a><center><br /><br /></center></center>

Summer Bucket List

We are in the process of moving back to Utah (YIPEE!) right now, so things are getting a little crazy. All of the fun that I wanted to kick off summer with seems to be taking a back seat. My poor kids seem to already have cabin fever and we aren't even a week into summer! As soon as we are settled in back at home I hope to have the summer fun in full swing! I found a "Summer Bucket List" on pinterest and kind of modified it to make it more applicable to me and my kids. I want to check off this list and hope it gives you some ideas for an awesome summer break!!

Summer Bucket List

*Picnic at the park

*Find all the constellations in the sky

*Have a water fight

*Go on a photo walk

*Feed the ducks

*Try a new food

*Play frisbee

*Scenic drive

*Homemade ice cream

*Art museum

*Sidewalk chalk art

*Nature hike

*Create an obstacle course

*Visit a new park

*24th of July event

*Write a book or short story

*Camping

*Eat watermelon

*Road trip

*Drive-in or backyard movie

*Visit a place with trains

*Fly a kite

*Wade in a river

*Attend an outdoor play

*Homemade popsicles

*Friendship bracelet

*Scavenger hunt

*Ice skating

*Roast marshmallows

*Rodeo

*Water balloons

*Tell a ghost story

*Visit the farmer's market

*Summer scrapbook

*Make a cardboard city

*Concert in the park

*Water ski

*Book club

*Sleep outside

*Plant something

*Lemonade stand

*Take a picture everyday for the entire summer

*Horseshoes

*Wash the car by hand

*Attend a county fair

*Climb a tree

Happy Summer!