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Right now, I'm watching the very first episode of NCIS.  They are all so young!  But then again, it was 2003.  It's amazing this show has lasted so long.  It's one of my favorites.  But sometimes I feel like the show has run it's course, so it should end.  Somehow, it's never stopped me from watching it.  Definately is better to watch this than the presidential debate.  NOT getting into that!

This is a ridiculously simple card to make.  I kept eyeing this stamp set up when the Annual Catalog came out.  When we had the sale couple months ago, it was a sign that I was meant to have it.  

The DSP is Forever Greenery.  It's non-specific pattern to go with a non-specific sentiment.  It's a perfect match.  It's also on sale this month!  Yahoo!  I knew immediately this was going to be mine.  It goes with the Forever Fern stamp set, but not exclusively.  I love things that play well with others.  This month, it's on sale for $9.78. Grab it while you can!  

I hesitated with putting the bow on it.  The card needed something and that's what I came up with.  What would you have put on for an embellishment?  

Click on the above picture for dimensions and instructions.

Until next time...Stampin' Always,

Cheryl, HomeStyle Stamper

Product List

 

Ridiculously Awesome Cling Stamp Set [152512] $22.00	Forever Greenery Designer Series Paper [152492] $11.50	Just Jade 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [153079] $8.75	Garden Green 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [102584] $8.75
Bumblebee 8-1/2X11 Cardstock [153077] $8.75	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [100730] $9.75	Bumblebee Classic Stampin' Pad [153116] $7.50	Layering Ovals Dies [151771] $35.00
Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine [149653] $120.00	Flowers For Every Season Ribbon Combo Pack [153620] $10.00	Stampin' Dimensionals [104430] $4.00	Mini Glue Dots [103683] $5.25

 

 

Who's ready for the weekend?  I'm so done with this week.  Megan is still home and will go back to school Sunday.  Tomorrow I'm working all day.  Don't know if I'm looking forward to that, but I'll be there.

I was so happy Christmas Gleaming stamp set was coming back this year!  I especially loved the Brightly Gleaming DSP.  It's my favorite all time DSP.   Don't think I will be so lucky for it to return for a third year.  

Two ornaments are stamped in Night of Navy.  The third is with the brass embossing powder.  Unfortunately, I believe the brass embossing powder is retired.  You could probably substitute gold or just stamp another ornament, maybe in a different color.  That is the ornament that is adhere with the dimensionals.  

The sentiment is also embossed with the brass.  That you could easily substitute Night of Navy.  I was going to put it under the brass foil, but it had a mark on it that I didn't see earlier.  The sentiment covered it up!  Yay!  

I'm sure this set will be coming out again.  There's another whole Christmas season to get ready for!

Click on the above picture for dimensions and instructions.

Until next time...Stampin' Always,

Cheryl, HomeStyle Stamper

Product List

 

Christmas Gleaming Cling Stamp Set (En) [150464] $21.00	Itty Bitty Christmas Cling Stamp Set (En) [150513] $22.00	Brightly Gleaming Specialty Designer Series Paper [150429] $14.50	Night Of Navy 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [100867] $8.75	Very Vanilla 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [101650] $9.75
Brass Foil Sheets [153057] $5.00	Night Of Navy Classic Stampin' Pad [147110] $7.50	Versamark Pad [102283] $9.50	Gleaming Ornaments Punch Pack [150647] $34.00	Classic Label Punch [141491] $18.00
Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder [109129] $6.00	Heat Tool (Us And Canada) [129053] $30.00	1/4" Copper Trim [144179] $6.00	Mini Stampin' Dimensionals [144108] $4.00

 

 

 

 

So, last night we made homemade gnocchi.  I tried and failed quite a few years ago.  My mistake was not using enough flour, I think.  Tis time, I actually measured and weighed the ingredients.  

The basic recipe is actually super simple...potato, flour, salt, and egg.  That's it.  I used russet potatoes, but I heard Yukon Gold potatoes are the best.  

Do you know what gnocchi is?  We consider it a potato dumpling.  Some people consider it more of a potato pasta.   Either way, they are delicious.

Megan helped me make them last night.  I made the dough while she helped me with the rest.  Once the dough is made, you roll it out into a rope and then cut 1 inch pieces.

          

Then you roll the potato pillows over the tongs of a fork.  There is a gnocchi board that makes the ridges, but I don'thave one.  Megan Googled how do to them with a fork.  Easy.  Roll over the back end of the fork and roll the ends together.  

Now, you would have thought that since I actually took pictures while we were making the gnocchi, I would have taken pictures of the final products.  You guessed wrong!  Boy, what was I thinking?  And we didn't have any leftovers, so it must have been good.

Homemade Potato Gnocchi

• 18 ounces potatoes cooked and rice
• 2 tablespoons butter melted
• 1 egg beaten
• ½ cup flour + ¼ cup flour if needed
• salt to taste

Directions

• Combine riced potatoes, butter, and eggs in a bowl. Slowly mix in flour and knead until dough forms.

• Cover and rest 30 minutes at room temperature.

• Dust counter with flour and roll out a ½" to ¾" thick rope of dough. Cut into ½" slices.

• Gently roll gnocchi pieces on a gnocchi board or the back of a fork to create ridges.

• Cook in boiling salted water, about 3 minutes, or until it begins to float.

• Remove from boiling water and transfer to an ice bath for about 1 min.

• Toss with oil and refrigerate until ready to serve.

I would definately make these again.  They were basic gnocchi and I want to experiment with other flavors too.   We have made them in the past where they were fried in brown butter and used as a side dish.  

Also,  they will freeze well too.  I don't know if they will ever last that long in my house.

Here is where I found the recipe:  https://www.spendwithpennies.com/homemade-gnocchi-recipe/

Until next time...Stampin' Always,

Cheryl, HomeStyle Stamper

 

 

 

 

I can't believe what I am watching on TV this evening.  Megan has me watching the Bachelorette.  Really??  Ok, just cut to the drama and that's all I need to see.   That part does look intriguing.  Otherwise, I feel like my brain cells are dying.  The wine is tasting pretty good.  It's Stella Rose, Peach. Yummy!

If you have a bunch of scraps, this might be a fabulous way to use some of those up.  In all honesty, I was disappointed it didn't use as many scraps as I would have liked.  But, there will be more scraps to use up by the end of the Christmas card season.

I don't have a dimension for each individual piece of the scraps.  They were pretty much as I found them.  Just make sure they don't go over the width of the paper they are being adhered to.  In this case, the Whisper White is 3 7/8 wide.  Also, double check that there are no gaps between the edge of the Whisper White and the scraps.  

For a change, there are no dimensionals used!  For me, that's super unusual.  I don't usually make completely flat cards, but there wasn't a need this time.  Instead, I added the Real Red Rhinestones.  No dimensionals doesn't mean no bling!

Click on the above picture for dimensions and instructions.

Until next time...Stampin' Always,

Cheryl, HomeStyle Stamper

Product List

 

Snow Wonder Cling Stamp Set [153344] $22.00	‘Tis The Season 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [153489] $11.50	Real Red 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [102482] $8.75
Garden Green 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [102584] $8.75	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [100730] $9.75	Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad [147084] $7.50
Tear & Tape Adhesive [138995] $7.00	Red Rhinestone Basic Jewels [146924] $7.00	Paper Trimmer [152392] $25.00

 

 

 

 

I apologize for not posting in a while.  It's been an emotional week for my family.  Thursday, we had to put our beloved sheltie, Mia down. She's had some health problems in the past few months, but definately took a turn for the worst.  She was 14 years old, so we didn't want to put her through too much.  The decision was still super tough. Megan came home so the four of us could all spend the last night with her.   I always said, besides her barking, she was the perfect dog.  She left a huge hole in our hearts.

    

Now, back to business.

We made this card two months ago in club. I don't know why, I never posted it.  It happens.  I took inspiration from Pinterest, but it wasn't a Stampin' Up! card.  Amazing, right?

Now, for club, I had the middle strips go all the way to the end.  Mine were cut too short and I didn't like it.  The inspiration card didn't have the strips in the middle. The sentiment was stamped directly onto the card base.  

To get the perfect split in the middle, I used painter's tape and grid paper.  Measure 1 1/2 inches down from the top and that's where the top of the painters tape goes.  Then, I used the lines on the grid paper to make sure it was put down straight.

I also noticed some stems were too long and would go over the other end of the tape.  So, make sure the stems aren't inked when stamping the ferns.  

The color pallet is beautiful.  All subtle colors in their own way.  The Misty Moonlight was a little bit dark, so I stamped off first.  It made a huge different.  

 

 

While you have the stamps inked, don't forget about the inside.  This is what we did.  There's plenty of room for you to write a message.

I still can't figure out why I hadn't posted this card sooner.  Two months!  That's crazy on my part because I love this card.  

Click on the above picture for dimensions and instructions.

Until next time...Stampin' Always,

Cheryl, HomeStyle Stamper

Product List

 

Forever Fern Cling Stamp Set (English) [152559] $24.00	Timeless Tulips Photopolymer Stamp Set (English) [151534] $18.00	Shimmery White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [101910] $10.00
Highland Heather 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [146986] $8.75	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [100730] $9.75	Misty Moonlight Classic Stampin' Pad [153118] $7.50
Seaside Spray Classic Stampin’ Pad [150085] $7.50	Highland Heather Classic Stampin' Pad [147103] $7.50	Mint Macaron Classic Stampin' Pad [147106] $7.50

 

 

 

We had a wonderful surprise this weekend.  Megan kept telling us she wasn't sure about coming home this weekend.  Thursday at lunchtime, the front door opens and there she was!  It was fabulous being able spend some time with her.  As usual, the weekend flew by and she had to leave.  I tried getting her to stay one more night, but she had homework and a test to study for.  I guess that was a good reason for going back.

Look at all the patterned paper!  It's not often that I use that many patterns in one card.  Two are more subtle so I believe that's the reason they all work.  And of course, I had to use the pattern piece that has the holly leaves on.  

Unfortunately, the holly had to be fussy cut out.  No dies included with this set.  Bummer.  On the bright side, there's only one holly to cut out.  The outline is stamped in Shaded Spruce and the inside is Just Jade.  Don't forget to add the red rhinestones for the berries.  Bling!  Bling!  

The sentiment is from Itty Bitty Christmas stamp set.  Make sure you stamp the sentiment before you adhere the cardstock together.  It fits perfectly in this corner! I love this stamps set.  With the sentiments so tiny, they fit just about anywhere.  

Click on the above picture for dimensions and instructions.

Until next time...Stampin' Always,

Cheryl, HomeStyle Stamper

Product List

 

Joyful Holly Photopolymer Stamp Set [153440] $17.00	Itty Bitty Christmas Cling Stamp Set (En) [150513] $22.00	‘Tis The Season 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [153489] $11.50	Shaded Spruce 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [146981] $8.75
Just Jade 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [153079] $8.75	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [100730] $9.75	Shaded Spruce Classic Stampin' Pad [147088] $7.50	Just Jade Classic Stampin' Pad [153115] $7.50
Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad [147084] $7.50	Paper Snips [103579] $10.00	Red Rhinestone Basic Jewels [146924] $7.00	Mini Stampin' Dimensionals [144108] $4.00

 

 

 

 

 

It's the last share on the Beautiful Autumn Bundle today.  And what a coincidence.  Stampin' Up! just posted a video about this bundle about 2 hours ago!  It's a quick video.  https://www.facebook.com/stampinup/videos/2851797941765351

 

Beautiful Autumn Photopolymer Stamp Set [153450] $17.00

Autumn Punch Pack [153609] $39.00

Beautiful Autumn Bundle (English) [155189] $50.25

After really looking at this set and the samples SU! has provided, I'm looking twice at this set.  I love the punches!  Such a cute size.  They can easily be tucked anywhere on a card, or even in scrapbooking.  

Here are the last two samples.

     

As usual, I love the simplicity of these cards.  You see the stamped images and the sentiment.  Things don't get lost on these.  Stampin' Up! has provided a recipe for these cards!  Yay!  

The cards look pretty straight forward.  I haven't used Magenta Madness yet, but it is definately growing on me.  It really pops on both of these cards.  

Have a great weekend!

Until next time...Stampin' Always,

Cheryl, HomeStyle Stamper

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had a good surprise today.  Megan kept saying she didn'tknow if she was coming home this weekend.  She hates making decisions, so we weren't surprised she hadn't decided.  Chris was upstairs for a few minutes before his next call.  Right after lunch the front door opens and she is standing there!  It kind of freaked us out a bit since no one was supposed to come home, but we recovered very quickly.  I'm busy all day tomorrow, so I'm hoping to talk her into staying until Monday.  She doesn't have to go onto campus until Tuesday (maybe) for class, so there's no hurry to get back!  

Stampin' Up! has decided to give us another fabulous sale!  Certain DSP packs are on sale for 15% off!  

Who doesn't love a sale?  

And this sale runs all the way to the end of October.  To be exact, online order are taken until October 31, at 11:50pm MT.  That's right, you have all October to decide which DSP packs you need.  

 

• Artistry Blooms Designer Series Paper [152495] $11.50. NOW $9.78 USD 
• ‘Tis The Season 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [153489] $11.50  NOW $9.78 USD
• Artistry Blooms Designer Series Paper [152495] $11.50  NOW $9.78 USD
• Forever Greenery Designer Series Paper [152492] $11.50. NOW $9.78 USD
• Poinsettia Place Designer Series Paper [153487] $11.50. NOW $9.78 USD
• Trimming The Town Designer Series Paper [153491] $11.50. NOW $9.78 USD
• Toile Tidings Designer Series Paper [150432] $11.50. NOW $9.78 USD
• Peony Garden Designer Series Paper [152483] $11.50. NOW $9.78 USD
• Whale Of A Time 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [152460] $11.50. NOW $9.78 USD
• Magic In This Night Designer Series Paper [153517] $11.50 NOW $9.78 USD
• Snowflake Splendor Designer Series Paper [153512] $11.50. NOW $9.78 USD
• In Good Taste Designer Series Paper [152494] $21.00. NOW $17.85 UDS
• Playing With Patterns 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [152490] $11.50. NOW $9.78 USD
• Playful Pets Designer Series Paper [152489] $11.50. NOW $9.78 USD

      Plaid Tidings 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [153527] $11.50. NOW $9.78 USD

 

I'm thinking that the Toile Tidings might be calling me.  I've had my eye on it, but never made it into my order.  But then, Plaid Tidings, Peony Garden and Snowflake Splendor are also very tempting.  And you just can't go wrong with In Good Taste.  I love the realistic images on that paper. It is my favorite in the new Occassions catalog.

Don't forget, you do have until the end of October to order, but you just never know about supplies running low and going on backorder.  If there is one that you need by a specific time, don't wait to place that order.  

I'm around if you have any questions.

Until next time...Stampin' Always,

Cheryl, HomeStyle Stamper