Summer begins

Hi all, just a short post today. Going to the parade and maybe some golfing. My first tutorial video is done and on you tube. It demonstrates how to mount unmounted rubberstamps. I am posting it here on iheartscrapbookingink as well for anyone who needs it. Hope you enjoy. Have a wonderful holiday and enjoy the time spent with family and friends. We never have enough quality time. Carpe Diem, Carlotta

Well, I think I did it

Okay, I used my JVC cam corder and actually made a video. I am in the process of posting it to youtube. Since I have received several emails regarding mounting of unmounted stamps I thought it was about time. It is uploading on youtube as we speak. Apporox. 2 more hours. Just enough time for a piece of peach pie. I don't know who made it, but I think i'll wait until Monday and ask. Tomorrow starts a new Magnolia-licious birthday challenge. Good luck to you all. I'll be interested in knowing how many BINGO winners we have. Stay tuned....Carpe Diem,

Carlotta

Happy Memorial Day

Happy Thursday! It's almost Memorial Day! the official start of summer. Yahoo. So I decided to add a new componenet to my blog. My favorite video of the week. I spend too much wasted time looking for things on the internet instead of creating so I thought I'd share some of my finds with you. The only bugaboo I have with this blog style and video is sometimes you hear double voices. If you only click once on the arrow it will play correctly. Double Click and it brings you to youtube. Nope I'm not crazy yet. If this happens while you are listening just close out the you tube video and this blog video will keep playing. I love this small pizza box. This is what I use for gift card holders. I have also put small jewelry pieces in as well.

I am working on several projects as most of you know, but my favorite Is a cute Ballarina Tilda for a challenge. I will post as soon as I color her hair. Today is kind of a gloomy day here in MA. looks and feels like rain. So weird after such a beautiful day yesterday. I got my order from Cindy yesterday which included new nestabilities and my long awaited, very most favorite Magnolia.... kissing Tilda. She is so cute, she is the one sitting with Edwin at the MBB button on the top right of my blog. I think i'm going to use her under mistletoe for my Christmas cards. I can't believe I said that.....Maybe I am crazy but I do love....Christmas. Anyway, enjoy the video. Carpe Diem,

Carlotta

Traditions- High School Proms

Okay, so let me start out by saying Thank you to Viviane Casale for a lovely Magnolia card I received tonight. All the way from Brazil! I love looking at the postage stamps from different countries. Most of which I dream about visiting. Learning the language, cultures and customs of different countries really fascinates me. Often times, when on vacation I live behind the lense of a camera. I am my family's storyteller. I don't mind, since there are sooooo many stories!

I also love to quilt which is a form of story telling. It is also rich in tradition. From the patterns to the textiles used. Here in the U.S. we observe sooooo many traditions.

As I was doing my usual errands this past Saturday I noticed a yard full of teenagers dressed in formal attire posing for pictures. Ah, it's May, that time of year that most high school Juniors and Seniors are buzzing with excitement around their Prom. I am not at this age yet with Curtiss but I wonder is this a familiar tradition in other countries? This is the preable to graduation for high school seniors. The prom queen and her court are such a beautiful site! I just wonder if this is an American tradition or not. Oh, to be young again.......Here I go dreaming again. Tomorrow it's supposed to hit high 80's.....Yahoo. Happy summer, right on time for the Memorial Day week-end cook outs! Happy Monday to all! Carpe Diem,

Carlotta

Let there be cake

Okay, It's Magnolia-licious's 2nd birthday party and I haven't seen any cake? What's a birthday without a little cake. Therefore, I thought I'd share one of my all time favorite Strawberry No-Bake Cheesecake recipes. This recipe would be great at a potluck, baby shower or picnic.

Ingred: 2c Graham cracker crumbs, 6Tbsp. melted margarine, 1c sugar, divided, 4pkgs (8oz) Phillidelphia Neufchatel cheese, 1/3 less fat than cream cheese, softened, 1/2 c.strawberry preserves, 1pkg. (16oz. frozen strawberries, thawed and drained. 1 tub(8oz) cool whip lite topping thawed.

Mix graham crumbs, margarine and 1/4 cup of the sugar; press firmly onto bottom of a 13x9 in.pan. Refrigerate while preping the filling. Beat the Neufchatel cheese and remaining 3/4cup sugar in a lg. bowl with electric mixer on med. speed until well blended. Add preserves; mix until blended. Stir in strawberries. Gently stir in whipped topping. Spoon over crust; cover. Refrigerate 4hrs or until firm. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

If you would rather use fresh strawberries: Place 2 cups fresh strawberries in a sm. bowl with an additional 2 Tbs. sugar; mash with fork. Add to Neufchatel cheese mixture; continue as directed.

I can't be to blame if you eat way too much of this. Not my problem. Then all you can do is make a cup of tea. Get ready to relax with some good ol' fashioned coloring and block everyone else out. Hope you enjoy your day! Carpe Diem, Carlotta

May Showers will bring June flowers I guess

Okay so what's new? More rain of course. (To be followed by sunshine all through the weekend. UUGGHH... I need a little glimmer so, I decided to create a new instructional file on how to make your own glimmer mist with stuff you might have hanging around the house. It's cheap and easy. It was either that or post a fav no bake cheesecake recipe (only to land on our hips). I still might do that tonight :) I'm stuck on the cake thing as I've been cought up in the Magnolia-licious birthday celebration. The Yahoo group is turning 2! Gee folks with kids, remember the terrible 2's? What a whirlwind. I think we the Mods at Magnolialicious have a wonderful, exciting and creative year in store for everyone. With such a large group and so much creativity, your cardmaking, scrapbooking and papercrafting skills can only bloom and grow. As most of you know, I love all things bling so I thought Shimmer mist appropriate for a tutorial.

How to make your own Shimmer Mist:

Ingredients: Stampin Up Shimmer paint or similar (it is not in the catalog any more but it is still available), Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint, item # 116806, $5.95 (gold - only one with glitter)

hand sanitizer, I purchased Walgreens brand hand sanitizer. It comes in individual packs for around $1.69 or packs of 5 for $4.99. You could use any brand you want, just be sure that the active ingredient is alcohol. In the Walgreen's brand the active ingredient is: Ethyl Alcohol 62%. I've used rite aide brand liquid as well with good results.

an eye dropper (medicine dropper), plastic cup, water.

If you choose another brand of hand sanitizer you will also need to purchase a mini mister of some sort such as from Ranger (pictured above).

Directions:

Unscrew the top of the hand sanitizer and pour out a small amount (This will not be used)

Drop in 5-7 drops of shimmer paint (I love the champagne color) into the hand sanitizer. Screw lid back on. Shake extremely well before misting. If there is paint showing on the bottom of the hand sanitizer bottle, you need to shake it some more.

Put water in the plastic cup and clean the eye dropper so that all the shimmer paint is removed. You might have to do this a few times.

When spraying with the mist use some type of container or box with sides to it, to prevent the mist from spraying on things other than your project.

When spraying, it is okay to see water spots or paper rolling. The spots will dry and fade, plus the paper returns to its normal shape as it dries. Don’t over saturate though. Allow time for your items to dry thoroughly before using. It does dry quickly.

When you make up your Shimmer Mist, be sure to take a marker and label your container so there is NO DOUBT as to what is in it! If someone would accidentally use this on their hands, they will be one twinkling person. I store my shimmer mist separately from the regular hand sanitizer and store the container vertically NOT horizontally.

USES: You can use on cardstock, silk flowers, paper flowers, ect. Knock your socks off

Hope you Enjoy. Carpe Diem!

Carlotta

May 4- Birthday Time

Hi all. Happy early Cinco De Mayo. I can't believe it, my 42nd birthday is coming up quick. No big gifts this year. We just found out we need to replace the furnace! Uugghhhh. First the fridge then the furnace, what next? Well I just have to remember it could always be worse. At least we are all well. Curtiss survived Nature's classroom much better than I did. But, was he exhausted when he got home. OMG. They worked them morning till night. For my birthday and Mother's day I think I will plant two rose bushes and some annuals. DH has the yard and landscaping looking great. Now we just need some color. Our family continues to grow as well. Several cousins are expecting. One couple with twins on the horizon! Man I've got to get crackin on my Tilda with baby and Pregnant Tilda stamps. Cards, tags and boxes to make. Oh my! I've only got one baby card done so far but I've got a couple months :) I think this one is cute. Have a great week. Carpe Diem! Carlotta

Copics:R04,20,81,85c1,CB,E00,000,11,13,35

YR02,04,12,23,Y02,21,atyou Spica Blossom

White inkessentials pen. DP Daisy D's,Michele Ackerman

Flowers Prisma, ribbon: stash, sentiment Studio G

Paper Neenah 120, Ink Memento TB

Hope you enjoy this sweet Tilda