Our scrapbooking retreats wouldn't be complete without Grisel's Wild Buffalo Dip.  At about 1:00 in the morning when dinner is a faded memory, we bring out the dip.  Don't deny it girls.  You know who you are!  To make this wonderful appetizer, you'll need the following ingredients:

Grisel's Wild Buffalo Dip

2 cups cooked, chopped chicken

Frank's Red Hot Sauce (to taste)

1 8 oz. bottle of Bleu Cheese Dressing

1 8 oz block softened cream cheese

grated sharp cheddar cheese

Mix the cream cheese and salad dressing until well blended.  Add chopped chicken and stir. Place this mixture in a small baking dish.  My dish was about 7x7 inches.  Pour on the hot sauce.  I added a generous amount so that I pretty much saw a sea of red with very little of the white mixture peeking through.  Top this with grated cheese.  Bake in a 350 degree oven until the cheese melts.  Serve with tortilla chips, triscuits, or cut up celery.  Prepare to be amazed! 



Making cards for my mom is always fun, because she's my biggest stamping fan.  She saves all the cards I give her in a special box.  I really like the following card, and it's too bad I can't give it to her.  She reads my blog.  (Hi Mom!)  Good thing I have some other surprises up my sleeve for her for Mother's Day.

Materials Used:
Cardstock:  Whisper White 5 1/2 X 4 1/4 for card, 4 x 1/2, Old Olive 5 1/2 x 3, 4 1/4 x 1 7/8, Not Quite Navy 4 1/4 x 3, scraps
Designer Series Paper:  Paisley Petals (This new paper is gorgeous!)
Ink:  Old Olive, Not Quite Navy
Stamps:  Fabulous  Phrases and Broadsheet Alphabet
Embellishments:  white button, Old Olive ribbon, twine, brads
Tools:  small and medium oval punches, bold blossom punch

(cased from SU demonstrator Mary Fish)

I love it when the nice guy in the big brown truck leaves presents on my doorstep...especially from Stampin Up.  It's always fun to play with new stamping stuff, and I've been doing just that.  Here's a Mother's Day card that I cased (copy and share everything) from the talented SU demonstrator Mary Fish.

Here are the things you'll need to make this card...

Materials Used:

Cardstock:  Whisper White to make a 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inch card, 4x3, 2 3/4 x 3/4, Pear Pizzazz 5 1/4 x

3 1/2, Rose Red 5 1/2 x 1, 3x1, scraps of Bashful Blue, Pumpkin Pie, Concord Crush, and Rose Red

Designer Series Paper:  Concord Crush

Stamps:  Something to Celebrate

Ink:  Concord Crush

Embellishments:  Pear Pizzazz ribbon in lengths of 6 1/2 and 5 inches, brads

Tools:  Fun Flowers Sizzix Die, Big Shot, Scallop Edge Border Punch

Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions!

We Hobbies love Mexican food and try to slip it into the weekly menu at least once.  I've been making a casserole that is one of our favorites for a long time.  I received the recipe from my dorm mom, Sheila, at college at least twenty four years ago.  Ouch that hurt to write!  Considering that my keys are lost half the time, I can't believe that I've kept up with the recipe that long, but I'm glad I did! It's been wonderful to get reacquainted with Sheila recently through Facebook.  Not a sweeter lady exists! 

 Ms. Sheila

Here's what you'll need to make Sheila's Mexican Casserole:

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1 can diced Rotel tomatoes

1 pd. hamburger meat

1 medium onion

1 bag crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos

Brown hamburger and onion.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Drain.

In a separate bowl, mix soups and tomatoes. 

Add the soup mixture and meat together.  Heat through.

In a casserole dish, put a layer of crushed Doritos on the bottom.  Top with half the meat mixture and then cheese.  Repeat making another layer of crushed Doritos, meat, and cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. 

Team this casserole up with a green salad, and your tastebuds will do a happy dance! 



My son has had the most awesome teachers!  I can't believe it's almost May and time to think of end of the year gifts.  This project shows one of the things he'll be giving his teacher in a few short weeks. 

I started out with a simple composition notebook. 

It was altered with some scrapbook paper, ribbon, and diecuts. I simply used strong adhesive runner to attach the paper to the front and back of the notebook. 

It needed a matching card. 



I hope she'll like it!  

Materials Used:

Paper:  Real Red Cardstock (SU), Grade School Paper Stack with Glitter (Hobby Lobby) I love this paper pack! 

Accessories:  Red Striped Ribbon-retired (SU)

Ink:  Real Red (SU)

Stamps:  Word Play (SU)

Tools:  Makin the Grade Cricut Cartridge for apples, Plantin Schoolbook Cricut Cartridge for the envelope, Cricut, Decorative Label Punch (SU)



Is this not the cutest little card?  It's perfect for writing a small quick note.  The sentiment can be changed to fit any need. 

I folded a piece of patterned paper and layed it on the oval scallop die just short of the bottom blade so that the fold would stay intact, and I wouldn't end up with two oval pieces of paper.  I then added the handles.  They were made from the same die cut.  To finish the project, I added the embellishments and sentiment.  Easy!

Materials Used:
Cardstock:  Chocolate Chip and White
Designer Series Paper:  Old Olive
Stamp:  Short and Sweet
Ink Pad:  Old Olive
Accessories:  Old Olive Ribbon, Stitched Felt Sweet Pea Flowers-these are retired, but you could use lots of other things...paper flowers, large brad, punches, decorative buttons
Tools:  Oval Scallop Frame for the Sizzix
All products used were from from Stampin Up.

(I got the idea for this project from wonderful Stampin Up demonstrator Becky Roberts.)

Since Mother's Day is coming up in three weeks, I've been busy making things for that special occassion.  I'll be sure to share those with you in the weeks to come.  Here is a two page layout that we made in my last scrapbooking class.  My mama's picture is going to look beautiful on it! 

My photography skills need some fine tuning, so thank you for being patient while I'm learning.  This photo doesn't show off the bright beautiful colors in this layout as vividly as they appear in person. 

Materials Used:
Paper:  Dark Teal, Light Teal, Red, and White Cardstock (all from Hobby Lobby)  The printed paper was also purchased from HL.  Isn't it beautiful? 
Stamps:  All Year Cheer (retired) and Notes and Details (both from SU)
Accessories:  White Ribbon (SU)
Tools:  Scallop Circle #2 Sizzix for the Big Shot, Doodletype Font in the Cricut