Happy Caterday

No more photos mom!!!

Washi Tape Banner Tutorial

Banners continue to be a trend in scrapbooking and I have a tutorial for you today on how to make banners with washi tape.

You can see the complete details on the Scrapbook {Express}ions blog.

I used a sketch for my layout from the Page Maps 7th Anniversary Celebration.

Taco Tuesday: Chorizo Potato Tacos

Some of you may know that I like cooking (and eating) about as much as I like scrapbooking. It's a debate over which is my favorite. I have contemplated starting a food blog for a while now but have been a little intimidated by the process and all the great food bloggers out there. So, for now, I'll just share some recipes here. Taco Tuesday seemed like a good place to start.

I love tacos and I love chorizo so when I saw this recipe in the May issue of Cooking Light, I knew I had to try it. With modifications, of course. I almost always modify a recipe when I make it.

Chorizo Potato Tacos
2 Poblano Chiles
1 russet baking potato, diced
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup fresh corn kernels (2 ears corn)
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
2 tsp. cumin
5 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces mexican raw chorizo, casings removed
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
2 ounces manchego cheese, about 1/2 cup

Cut poblanos in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Coarsely chop.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add potato; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove potato; place in large bowl. Add poblano to pan; cook 2 minutes. Add onion to pan and cook an additional 3 minutes, then add corn, red pepper, cumin, and garlic; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add onion mixture to potato. Add chorizo to pan; cook 1-1/2 minutes, stirring to crumble. Return potato mixture to pan. Stir in broth and salt; bring to a boil. Partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer 6 minutes or until potato is tender, chorizo is done, and liquid almost evaporates.

Working with 1 tortilla at a time, heat tortillas over medium-high heat directly on a gas burner for about 15 seconds on each side or until slightly charred. Or heat a cast iron skillet and place tortillas in skillet until warm and slightly crunchy, turning every minute or two. 

Place about 1/3 cup chorizo mixture in the center of each tortilla; top with 1 Tbl. cheese.

Adapted from Cooking Light, May 2013

Creative Scrappers May Sketch Challenge

I used  Creative Scrappers' May Sketch for this layout of the main street in Bayeux, France. I admit I didn't follow the sketch very closely, but the strips from the sketch inspired me to use the different cards at the top of my layout. A sketch is all about inspiring us to scrap, not necessarily follow it exactly, right?
 

Basic Grey NSD Challenges

Basic Grey posted a bunch of challenges on their blog on National Scrapbook Day. I finally got around to working on some of them.

Els Brige's challenge was to create a project where the top half features all of your photos and embellishments and the bottom half is left alone to allow for white space.  I used papers and the small envelopes from the Clippings collection and letter stickers and canvas flower from PB&J. I am also entering this in the Basic Grey Challenges Blog Mix 'n Match challenge. I used this sketch for the layout from Page Maps' 7th Anniversary Grand Prize Challenge.

Kelly Rasmussen's challenge was to embellish a tag. I used PB&J papers, some cute chipboard houses from the same collection, and a Wander Wollie.

Joy Taylor's challenge was to create a card. More PB&J paper and flower and another Wander Woolie.

Paper Secrets Sketch Challenge

Paper Secret's May 1st sketch challenge is to use this sketch and a polaroid.

I created this layout and used a chipboard polaroid frame on my photo of the Eiffel Tower.

NSD Creating Keepsakes Challenges

One of the National Scrapbook Day challenges on the Creating Keepsakes blog is to create a custom background for your layout. I actually created two layouts yesterday for this challenge.

I stamped some brown dots with a Bo Bunny background stamp on this layout.

 This one uses paint splatters on the background pattern paper.

NSD Crafty Steals Challenges

Here is my card for the Crafty Steals National Scrapbook Day blog challenge which was to use washi tape, blue and a punch or die cut shape on a project.

And for their Facebook challenge to include yellow, twine, and a square, I created this layout.

Scrapbook {Express}ions Single Page Sketch Inspiration

I'm starting off my projects for this month for Scrapbook {Express}ions using the single page sketch.  As you can see, I didn't follow the sketch exactly. When I cut the piece of Pretty Paisley/Strings of Beads Cardstock, it just didn't seem like enough on the layout so I added a strip of the Linen & Lace - Aqua/Tiny Stripes Cardstock. I moved the embellishment cluster to the bottom left of the layout and added a Canvas Stickers banner as my title. Remember you can always adapt sketches to work with your style, the size and number of photos you use, and so many other ways.
One thing I didn't realize when I purchased the Let's Do Coffee/Jot In A Journal Cardstock is that there are french words in light grey on the paper. This was perfect for my photo from Paris.


We'd love you to join along in our monthly sketch challenges.

I am also entering this layout in the Simon Says Stamp Passport to Fun challenge.