Pink Paper Peppermints - Craft. Create. Celebrate.

ten on tuesday - 8

ten random thoughts on tuesday (night)

one

I have been tagged by three sweet friends!  Deanne, Marianna and Quirky.  I  just wanted to say thanks ladies and I am working on these!  There is so much to post and so little time! 

two

We made Glazed Lemon Scones the other day.  Oh what fun! They were yummy too, only I think I flattened them out a little too much so they weren't quite as high as I think scones are supposed to be. I'd never baked scones before though, so I was pretty happy with the way they came out!  The lemon glaze was *dee-licous* I could just eat that with a spoon - yum!  I found the recipe in the most recent issue of Family Fun Magazine. 

three

Here's the recipe and some visuals:  (you can also get the recipe here)

Ingredients:

Scones:
2 cups flour (I used cake flour and this made them very moist)
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Finely grated zest of one lemon
3 Tbsps cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 cup heavy or whipping cream, plus a little for brushing
1 egg yolk, beaten slightly
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Lemon Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1 Tbsp melted butter
2 Tbsp heavy or whipping cream

1. Heat the oven to 400°. Grease a large, heavy baking sheet (preferably not a dark one) and set it aside.

2. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the lemon zest and toss the mixture with your hands.

3. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.

4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in the cream, the yolk, and the vanilla extract and use a fork to blend the liquids within the well. Then use a wooden spoon to combine all the ingredients, just until the dough holds together.

5. Scrape the dough onto a flour-dusted surface and then, using floured hands, knead it gently three or four times to form a ball. Flatten the ball into a disk about 3/4-inch thick, then cut it as you would a pie into 8 wedges. Transfer the pieces to the baking sheet, leaving at least 1/4 inch between them. Brush the tops lightly with cream.

6. Bake the scones in the center of the oven until golden brown, about 16 to 18 minutes. Allow them to cool on the sheet for a few minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack.

7. While the scones continue to cool, make the glaze. Combine all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk them until the mixture is smooth. If necessary, you can thin the glaze with water, stirring in no more than 1/2 teaspoon at a time. When the scones have cooled for another 10 minutes, drizzle each one generously with glaze. Makes 8 scones.

(can you see my banner in the tea kettle?? heh-heh - love that - can you see the fridge open?  LittleO was getting a snack...)

four

Okay, if you've been reading my blog for any amount of time you know that I have a squirrel thing (not like a "thing" for squirrels - that would be weird - a squirrel thing - click here to catch up). 

Well yesterday when taking a peek at what people were searching for when they came across my blog I found the most hilarious search term ever.  Someone was looking for "squirrel bureaucracy".  I kid you not.

five

After I finished laughing I thought...what in the world were they looking for? What human being would want or need to know about squirrel bureaucracy?  I mean, actually, I thought I made that term up...you know?...I don't think there really *is* a squirrel bureaucracy..is there?...

Wait a minute...do squirrels get internet?  Maybe the *squirrels* were doing some research....

six

Congratulations to Lisa at The Scrap Princess Blog she won my prize at The Ultimate Blog Party! Look here to see what she won!

seven

Speaking of prizes I won *two* prizes during the blog party.  How cool is that? 

I won an Arbonne goodie bag from Stacey at The Truest Thing and some *fantastic* felt pins from Katrin at Cuteacious (you must go check her etsy shop, Kaleidoscope Style - so pretty). New bloggy friends and prizes!! What a blessing! 

eight

The quilt show was fabulous.  amazing.  I really can't describe it with words. 

I've always been a paper girl myself, but my mom has been wanting me to sew and a friend or two have encouraged me in that direction so that I was feeling kind of fabric-y already when my mom called and invited me to the quilt show.

nine

I am *so* glad I went. There was so much color and design and texture, everywhere I looked.  It was astonishingly inspiring!  Look at this!!!

This quilt was so tiny!  No bigger than your hand (those are the mini-binder clips holding it up)!

 

Felted cupcakes!! Can you get over it??

ten

My mom bought me fabric and goodies that I can't wait to show you tomorrow (plus more quilt show pics).  So much pretty!

I can't stop touching all the fabric.  Is this normal? 

I never liked the term "fat quarters" before because...you know... it had the word "fat" in it ...heh-heh...but now I {heart} the words "fat quarters"!

You know what they mean to me now?

"Here is some very expensive fabric that you cannot normally afford, but we are going to cut you a little, fat piece of it and only charge you $2.00!!  Now you can have some.  Aren't you happy?"

Yes! I am so happy!

My mom also got me a book on how to make fabric yo-yo's and ideas to use them *and* a heart-shaped yo-yo maker!!

I am so excited, I want to cover *everything* in heart-shaped yo-yos!!

But then

will I have to cut my fabric to do that?

Because I don't want to cut it.

I just want to touch it,

and hold it

and love it.

I have to go now, the fabric is in the other room and I can't reach it from here.

♥ M~
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"All you who fear God, how blessed you are! How happily you walk on His smooth straight road!...Enjoy the blessing! Revel in the goodness!"
-Psalm 128:1 (the message)

ten on tuesday - 7

ten random thoughts on tuesday

one

The three questions my hubby asks me most often:

1.) How many pictures of that are you going to take?

2.) Did you take this out of the garbage??

3.) Without looking at the clock, what time do you think it is right now?

two

A conversation with Little O this morning:

littleO:  mama?  'scuse me, mama?

me:  yes?

littleO: is dis special to you? (holding up a scrap of fabric from my desk)

me: no, why?  do you want it?

littleO: well, no.  I just thought it was special to you and I think I sneezed on it.

three

Sometimes when I'm emailing someone in a rush and I'm typing super fast I will start to sign my name and type:

lovey  ou

instead of

love you

I kinda like it.

four

Have you ever been trying to take a photo of something in your home and you're zoomed in on it and then you tilt your camera down towards the carpet and it auto focuses and then you scream? 

Oh. 

No that's never happened to me either...I was just wondering...you know if it had ever happened to you.

five

The snow is all finally gone and I heard the squirrels again for the first time yesterday, scampering around on the roof. 

six

Snow you say? Yes, here is a look at our *one day* of snow in March. (You "zone 5 & unders don't hate me because I live in zone 8 - a little early gardening talk for ya there - heh-heh)

Teen O - he thinks this picture is pretty cool.

Caught him with the zoom trying to catch snowflakes on his tongue. He *does not* think this photo is cool.  And please don't tell him that I posted it 'cause I'll get in trouble. (heh-heh)

Snowball fight!

seven

This morning when I went in to make sure TeenO was awake (which of course he was not) I noticed he had retrieved an old pink & red flowered quilt from the closet (must've gotten cold last night). 

As soon as I saw it I thought it would be perfect for a spring tablecloth in the kitchen.  (I was just thinking of buying a new one - spring tablecloth, not kitchen)

I grabbed hold of the edge of the blanket and mostly talking to myself said out loud,

"hey, can I use *this* for the tablecloth?" 

Teen O mutters in his sleep, "yeah, but not right now, ok?" 

Oh that child knows me too well.

I'm washing it as I type.  Can't wait to see if it works!

eight

I am going to the quilt show with my mom this weekend!!!!

nine

Fabric, fabric, fabric.  I am *so* excited!  (you can't be jealous 'cause love is not jealous.  besides, I will bring you some back ok?)

ten

I woke up to a foggy, springy morning today.  And here is what I heard and saw (- more video - aren't I conquering technology?? - well, ok, after you see the video you won't think I'm conquering anything - sorry about my lame video skills - just close your eyes and listen if you have to.)

lovey  ou

M~

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"You made me so happy, God I saw your work and I shouted for joy. How magnificent your work, God! How profound your thoughts!"
-Ps 92:4 (the message)

ten on tuesday - 2

one

Garanimals are back!  Just saw them over the weekend. Isn't that funny?  For some strange reason I have fond memories of Garanimals.  I don't  have *any* idea why because look:

Yes, those are Purple, Bell Bottom, Corduroys!  *ewwwww*

But, hey, I matched...

*side note: Did you know there is a Garanimals font?? Look.

two

I have had some inquiries about the squirrels.  They are awfully quiet lately, but the weather has been weird (freezing cold one day and hot the next - rainy today) and they are usually more frisky in the nice weather.  It could also be the lack of a building permit.  You know how that squirrel bureaucracy can be.

three

Do you know where the most random thoughts for my blog come to me?  In the shower.  I don't know why, but if I don't write them down immediately I completely forget them, so now I try to dry one hand off and lean out of the shower and write them down, dripping all over my pad of paper.  Shouldn't someone invent a way to write ideas down in the shower?  You know like the astronaut pen...only...for wet stuff...instead of... space....?

four

Every time I make a peanut butter & honey sandwich for my little O, I use two knives. It's so annoying.  I spread the peanut butter on, put the knife in the dishwasher (*ugh*), squeeze some honey on, put the sandwich together and then realize that I need to cut the sandwich and the knife is in the dishwasher touching something gross, so I get out another knife.  I could just *wash* the knife in the dishwasher...but...well... I don't.

five

Did you know you can hit Ctrl + Z (Command + Z on the Mac, yes I *am* Mac savvy...ha-ha) and undo whatever you just did in most dialog boxes and text editors?.  And if your post suddenly disappears it will sometimes bring it back too. Ctrl + Y will redo (Command + Y on the Mac)

That's right. You're welcome.  (I like Starbucks gift cards and fine chocolates, but you know, you do whatever you think is right).

six

Remember last tuesday's ten....#two...the laundry....guess what hubby bought me this weekend?  Two new laundry baskets...*LOL*...think he's tryin' to tell me somethin'?  He made me promise not to put anything in them but laundry.   I like him.  He makes me laugh. (maybe I should blog about my lack of rubber stamps next...hmmmm)

seven

I would like to know why the magazines that I subscribe to put 7, 000 subscription cards in my magazines?  Hey, guys...you got me....I'm *SUBSCRIBED*....really...save some trees would ya? 

*side note:  I'm doing this with those extra cards now.

eight
Look at these gorgeous cookies!

They're made with these!  Isn't that cool? I really want to try them!

nine

The other day Teen-O was putting a box in the garage for me.  It looked like he was about to put it on my treadmill that is all set up and waiting for me.... and I said, "Don't put it on my treadmill, ok?"  and he laughed...out loud... I think he even snorted!  And then he choked out "Ok, mom".   

hmmph. 

What?  I'm gonna use it.

ten

These are some little birdie babies I'm working on for our Valentine Clothesline.  (more on that later.) 

Aren't they so beeeee-you-teeee-ful??  I just love birdies.

Hey that ten wasn't as hard as last time.  I think I'm gettin' the hang of this!

M~
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"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them."
-Matthew 6:26

husband's rebuttal

Ok, I have waited too long to post today...so busy (entering giveaways) doing housework and stuff. And now my hubby is patiently waiting for me to come (watch the LOST recap) spend some time with him so I have to quickly tell you that after he read my tuesday ten yesterday he had some comments...*LOL*

So here they are.

on number two - the laundry

"The easier way is you get your husband to do it...isn't it?"

on number seven - the squirrels

"Do you know how much traffic we'd get on our roof if they built a Starbucks up there?

on number ten - not sayin'/just sayin'

 

hubby: I didn't make that up you know, it's from Mad About You.
me: well it's made up isn't it?
hubby: yeah, everything is.

So there you have it.  Isn't he clever?

Ok, gotta run (LOST is calling) and get some shut-eye.

Better post tomorrow, promise.
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"when you lie down, you will not be afraid;
       when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet."
-Proverbs 3:24

ten on tuesday

I'm completely stealing the "ten on tuesday" that my friend Cathy does.  I think she may have stolen it from someone else, though, so this lessens my guilt...{heh-heh}

Hey, don't forget to enter my bloggy giveaway in the post below!  You have 'til Thursday at Midnight!

one

I have noticed that I am developing an unnatural dislike for drinking glasses.  (I know, you're thinking, "drinking glasses?" ...yes...that's the unnatural part.)  I don't know why, but when ever my son walks in the room with a glass of water with ice in it and I hear the ice rattling against the side I just get annoyed. Really, really annoyed.  Plastic cups, no problem...it's just the sound the ice makes in the glass.  Right.  I *did* say that it was unnatural.

two

There has to be an easier way to get the laundry from the dryer to the bed or the couch or wherever you're planning to leave fold it. Right?  I know, most of you probably use laundry baskets, but mine are currently all filled with other things...I'm organizing...really.  So in the situation where you have no laundry basket, there *must* be some way to get the laundry out of the dryer and to it's destination without socks and underwear trailing behind you on the floor.  Or maybe I should just clean out the laundry baskets.

three

My spell check and I do not get along *at all*.  It is constantly informing me that I am simply making up words or suggesting that I must've meant "gillian" instead of "kirigami".  And even though I love the color red, I do not like the red underlines it scatters all through out my writing, made up words or not.  hmmph.

four

I'm developing an unnatural affection for my bread machine.  I know this because yesterday when I plugged it in, instead of making the lovely little piercing beep that it usually does....nothing.  Lights didn't come on, no sound...I felt a momentary sense of panic....my homemade-bread-making-life flashed before my eyes...."ahh...bread machine...not working...store bought rolls...noooo.."  Turns out the little mini breaker on the plug had popped. I pushed the button and all was well.  Still...it's mildly disturbing that I felt the same sense of panic that I do in the grocery store when I turn around and don't immediately see my youngest child standing next to me. Well, not exactly the same...but it was close...and disturbing...

five

Bloglines makes my bloggy life sooooooo much easier.  If you do not have a bloglines account you must stop what you're doing and go here (open in a new window...please come back...you're only at number five of my scintillating ten thoughts you know) and sign up right now.  It's free and so wonderful! 

It creates a little button at the top and bottom of your screen.  Anytime you read a blog that you just fall in love with and want to know when the author updates you click on the top button and subscribe.

The button at the bottom of the screen is your "notifier".  Whenever any of your bloggies are updated a happy little orange dot appears and you click and read!  You don't even have to go directly to the blog,  you can read all your blogs in one place.  (Although you wouldn't want to miss the lovely...say...pink and red colors of your favorite blog which won't show up in the reader.)
   
six

The stats for my blog are very detailed.  It's a little creepy actually, I can see where visitors are from, what kind of computer they're using, their screen resolution etc.  Anyway, whenever I look at the details and see that one of my visitors is using a Mac I feel flattered for some reason.  I have this vision of them sitting cross-legged on the beautiful hardwood floor of some spacious loft apartment in New York, sipping a latte and thinking, "wow, she's kind of creative, she is worth reading on my über cool Mac."  I don't know why...Mac people...they are usually...all...hip and design-y and stuff.  So, you know, if you're reading this on a Mac...can I have your autograph?

seven

The squirrels that have been running around on my roof are making so much noise now that I think they *must* be building something.  I hope it's a Starbucks.

eight

It makes me so uncomfortable when the people on Amazing Race rip open their clues and then throw the paper strip on the ground. Every time they do it I just cringe.

Every. time. 

I mean, I know there are probably like a million crew members hanging around and picking up after them when they leave...it just bugs me. You are a *visitor* in a foreign country for goodness sakes!  Pick up your garbage!

I didn't realize how much it bothered me until this morning while watching Dora the Explorer with my little O.  Dora and Boots started pulling sticky tape off their shoes and I cringed thinking they were going to throw it on the ground and then go on with their adventure, but the wonderful artists had drawn a little green mesh trash can beside them and they threw the tape in it before moving on. Ahhhhhh...a sigh of relief.  Yes, that is what you are supposed to do with trash. 

I just don't like litter.

nine

Moonsand is magic. Really.  How does it stay wet like that when you leave it out all the time?

ten

My husband has this made up expression that he uses to get out of an awkward moment in a conversation.  It goes like this,

"I'm not sayin'...I'm just sayin'".   

It seems like it doesn't make sense and actually it really *doesn't* make sense, but it works surprisingly well.  Here's an example.

hubby: "So am I the only one actually putting the dishes *in* the dishwasher today?"

me: *raised eyebrow and awkward, annoyed silence*

hubby:  "I'm not sayin'...I'm just sayin'"

You see, you really can't come back from that.  What is the reply to that?  The conversation just sort of ends and he actually *has* said something that he said he didn't say.

I like it.  I've started using it on him. heh-heh

Well, that's it.  There's my first "ten on tuesday".  You know, to be honest, I did it because I thought it would be a quick way to do a short blog entry, but it really seems like I just wrote *ten short blog entries*. 

I really don't know if it's worth it.

I'm not sayin'...I'm just sayin'.

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  "How great is the goodness
      you have stored up for those who fear you.
   You lavish it on those who come to you for protection,
      blessing them before the watching world."
-Psalm 31:19 new living translation

simple saturday - part two

Can you actually go deaf from silence?  I can't tell if I'm deaf or not right now.  There is no sound...no vroom-vroom sounds, no video game sounds...no, "give it back...or I'm telling!", sounds....oh wait... there's the squirrels again....whew...

Being alone....don't believe the hype.

{There is now a crow involved in the squirrel skirmish on the roof...I may have to break up a fight yet today...heh-heh}

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"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." -Philippians 4:11-13

quiet and peaceful

Today's simple saturday will be photo-less because the family is participating in a homeschool service project and the camera is here with me...alone...with a slightly soar throat and an overwhelming desire to sleep all day thanks to my friends at Nyquil.

In case you missed that first part.  I'm alone.  All day.

I'm not actually sure what to do because I don't think that's ever happened before.  I mean there was that one time, in my mother's womb....but other than that...

The first thing I did was use the bathroom with the door unlocked and nothing but silence knocking (not counting the sound of the squirrels running around on the roof which is actually kind of charming unless they lean in a window and ask me to settle whatever dispute they seem to be having).   It was magical.

Next I placed something on the kitchen table and came back later to find it still there....right on the table where I left it...astonishing...

I'll keep you updated, but it looks to be a pretty boring, quiet and fabulous day here.

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"They found lush pastures there, and the land was quiet and peaceful."
-1 Chronicles 4:40