A fave class layout and ***kit*** news

Well, our first Inspired to Scrap class has ended and I just have to say that it was so much fun to plan!  I hope everyone who took the class enjoyed it and was inspired to get some pages completed.  I won't be sharing most of my layouts from class (although you can still buy the class content and samples in the Inspired to Scrap Store), but I do want to share one of my favorites.

Thanks for a great class and I hope to see you all in our next class in September.  It is 15 days of inspiration and challenges to get you scrapping. 

***Also, watch for the reveal of our very first kit in a couple of weeks (or less!). I ordered everything today and expect the items to start arriving late this week or early next week!!!  Fun!!***
Stacey

Whew! Lots of scrapping for class!

Been busy scrapping and working on samples for the Inspired by Borders class this weekend! It starts on Friday and there's a TON of great inspiration packed into the weekend. I can't wait to share what I have been working on. :) I don't want to give anything away, so I am not going to show you much...but here's a tiny little peek at a bit of a layout from day one (our technique day!).

Hope to see you in class!!
Stacey

Inspired to Scrap Class Schedule

Hey everyone!  We've posted the class schedule for Inspired to Scrap and are busy working on the first class coming up in just over a week!!  You can see the list of classes on the site home page- http://www.inspiredtoscrap.net/home.htm and you can register for them in the store- http://www.inspiredtoscrap.net/apps/webstore/

Our first class is a member inspired class based on a couple of requests. It is a weekend class - August 27-29 and it's called "Weekend Warriors- Inspired by Borders."  We are focusing on border strips and punches.  Anyone have those sitting around??  Yeah, I thought so...most of us probably have some. :) We'll be focusing on new ways to use those punches and pre-cut strips.  As a BONUS, we are including a really cool technique called "patterned paper transfers" using products you probably already have. You will receive daily instructions, ideas, tips and samples within the setting of a private message board.

* For those of you unavailable that weekend, you can still purchase the class (and any of the classes!) and you will receive the class content in a document after the class is over. You'll miss out on the fun of chatting and sharing during the class, but you can still learn some techniques and gain some inspiration.

I hope you will join us for an Inspired class this fall and get more pages completed!!
*Head on over to our message board and gallery if you haven't already joined! :)

New layout-Scraplift challenge

I posted a scraplifting challenge on the Inspired to Scrap blog today.  It is a challenge to lift one of your own layouts! Here's the page I completed for the challenge.  Head over there to see the page I lifted and our guest designer takes on the challenge as well.

Hope you get some time to scrapbook today!!

Chicken Taquitos and Refried Bean Soup - WW recipes

Here are a couple of tasty and low point recipes. These are great together (dip the taquitos in the soup) or separately.

Chicken Taquitos- From Hungry Girl

MAKES 4 SERVINGS 4 pts for 2 taquitos
Ingredients:
8 small (6-inch) yellow corn tortillas
One 9.75-oz. (or 10-oz.) can 98% fat-free chunk white chicken breast in water, drained well
1/2 cup salsa
1/3 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp. dry taco seasoning mix
Optional: red enchilada sauce, additional salsa, fat-free sour cream, for dipping

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
~In a medium bowl, combine the chicken and salsa, and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
~Remove chicken mixture from the fridge, and drain any excess liquid. Add cheese and taco seasoning, and mix to combine. This is your filling. Set aside.
~Prepare a baking sheet by spraying with nonstick spray, and set it aside.
~Dampen two paper towels, and place tortillas between them. Microwave for about 1 minute, until tortillas are warm and pliable.
~Take one tortilla (keep the rest between the paper towels), spray both sides lightly with nonstick spray, and lay it flat on a clean dry surface. Spoon about 2 heaping tbsp. of filling onto the tortilla. Spread it evenly across the entire surface, and roll tortilla up tightly, so that you have a cigar-shaped tube. Secure with toothpicks and place seam-side down on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
~Bake for 14 - 16 minutes, until crispy. Allow taquitos to cool for 5 minutes. If you like, dunk in enchilada sauce, salsa, or sour cream!

Refried Bean Soup

WW Points: 1 point per Cup (10 servings)
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes with green chiles
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup onion, finely chopped
2 cans fat free refried beans
3 cups fat free chicken broth, divided

Directions:
1. Combine tomatoes, garlic, onion, and 1 cup of broth in a large pan; boil for five minutes, stirring often. (I like to blend the tomatoes up so there are less chunks.)
2. Stir in beans and remaining 2 cups broth; simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring often.
I got this recipe from-http://thematzats.blogspot.com/

Enjoy!!! Happy Cooking!!!

New sketch and layout

Good morning everyone!  I posted a new sketch over at http://www.inspiredtoscrap.net/  . I hope you'll check it out and share what you do with it! Here's the layout I created using it-

There's a gallery over there you can post your version of the sketch in. See you there!!

Organized scrappy area and a prize!

I've finished cleaning up my scrappy area for the first challenge on Inspired to Scrap...woohoo! Here are a couple of photos-

You can see a short video of me in my scrap space if you go to the Inspired to Scrap blog. I also have a cool prize up for grabs...

Check out the details here.
Have a great Friday!!! 

Inspired to Scrap!

I am so excited to tell you about my new site- Inspired to Scrap! The home page is http://www.inspiredtoscrap.net/ but the real fun is starting on the blog and message board TODAY! So go check it out, join my first blog challenge (don't forget to add the blog to your reader!), join the message board (you'll have to complete your profile and wait for approval before you can post) and tell me what you think!  I hope we can all be inspired to scrap together!!!

Big news....

I have something big I am working on!! Stay tuned! Any guesses? :)

Blueberry Coffee Cake

What do you do on a lazy Sunday afternoon when it is too hot to go outdoors? (After almost melting riding bikes to the park to play!)
Make a blueberry coffee cake, of course! LOL
I had some fresh blueberries from a farmer's market that I needed to use and this sounded oh so good after our bike ride.
This turned out moist and soft and delicious! We ate dessert before dinner (and after). I hope you'll try it. (Frozen blueberries should work, too.  Toss them in a bit of flour before folding them into the batter.  Frozen berries will often turn the cake a little greenish...don't worry, that's normal!)

Blueberry Coffee Cake

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter

3/4 cup white sugar

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups blueberries

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped pecans

3 tablespoons butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees .Grease and flour a 9 inch springform pan. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated. Stir in the blueberries. Pour batter into prepared pan. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, cinnamon and chopped pecans. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over the batter.

Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool and enjoy.

Happy baking!