Recipe of the Week...Cheesy Herbed Baked Potatoes

Don't these potatoes look so pretty?? They are also scrumptious and a terrific side dish to serve on any day of the week, but pretty enough to serve when having guests for dinner.

Ingredients:

• 6 medium potatoes
• 4 Tablespoons melted butter
• Dried herbs - your choice! (I like to use parsley, thyme, basil, chives, etc.)
• 6 Tablespoons finely grated cheddar cheese
• 2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method:
Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Peel potatoes and slice half-way through as shown in photo above. Slightly fan out potatoes and place in prepared baking dish. Sprinkle potatoes with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders. Drizzle melted butter over the tops. Sprinkle with herbs and bake at 425 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle tops of potatoes with cheddar and parmesan cheeses. Return to oven and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until lightly browned, cheeses are melted, and potatoes are fork tender. Enjoy!

Have a great day!

Scrapbook Page of the Week ..."You're My Better Half"...Entered in a Challenge...

When I read that the scrapbook page challenge this week at Frosted Designs was to create a layout which included a song lyric, I knew that I had to enter this page! I created this layout of Mike and me quite a while back, and it references the Keith Urban song "You're My Better Half". The lyrics of this song always make me smile because they fit us to a "T" and they ended up making a great journaling block on this layout!! The chorus goes like this:

It's the sweet love that you give to me
That makes me believe we can make it through anything.
'Cause when it all comes down,
And I'm feeling like I'll never last,
I just lean on you 'cause baby
You're my better half.


Happy Scrappin'!!




UPDATE TO LYRIC CHALLENGE:
As of 7-29-10 I was chosen as one of the "TOP 3 FAVS" for the "You're My Better Half" lyric entry that I posted!!! Click here to check it out!!!

Have a blessed day!

Becky B.

Check this out...a new scrapbooking website!

Go to BetterScrap.com

While browsing some of the other scrapbooking blogs that I follow, I stumbled upon a brand new website that you should check out. It's called "Better Living Through Scrapbooking" and the premise behind this site is to inspire us to scrapbook all of life's adventures...good and bad; silly and sad! Here's an exerpt from their website to tell you what they're about:

 Life is awesome. It’s filled with ups and downs, good decisions and not-so-great decisions, fabulous experiences and the occasional yuckiness. Each and every moment we experience in life is ours, and we should embrace them for what they are, regardless of whether they’re good or bad. After all, every experience in life offers us a chance to learn from the outcome.


Why should our scrapbooking be any different? Sure, it’s super easy to sit down and create pages and mini-albums about the smiling shining times that we enjoy. But what about all those other times — the ones we may not necessarily have enjoyed while we were going through them, but that are equally as important? Life is not a bowl of cherries. So should our scrapbook pages be?


But the photos are only the beginning. It is just as important to create pages and projects to document our feelings and frustrations as we live our lives, however big or small they may be. This will be a foreign concept to many, and very difficult for most. And that is what brings us back to this blog.


The scrapbooking challenges, scrapbook layout ideas and scrapbooking journaling prompts ideas and prompts presented on this blog will hopefully help you begin to scrapbook ALL the experiences in life, and gain…

Better living through scrapbooking.

I hope you'll take a minute to check out Better Living Through Scrapbooking, aka BetterScrap.com.

Have a fun and safe weekend!

Scrapbook Page of the Week..."Good Times"

Happy Friday, All! Above is a two-page layout that I created using the Visual Texture layout pattern from Jeanette Lynton's book Cherish: Scrapbook Layouts Made Beautifully Simple. (Her "How-To" books, shown in the photo to the right, are FANTASTIC...please contact me if you'd like to order one for only $21.95 plus tax and shipping!)    

The paper I used is from the CTMH Perfect Day paper pack. Cardstock colors used are Cocoa, Sorbet, and Colonial White which has been sponged with Sorbet ink. On the edges of the Sorbet Cardstock I used Chocolate ink to stamp the zig-zag stitches from the Simply Stitches stamp set, which is one of my favorite stamp sets of all time!! The flower and leaf stamps are from the With Love stamp set and were stamped using Vineyard Berry and Sweet Leaf ink on Colonial White cardstock, and then cut out and attached using 3-D dots. The "Good Times" lettering was cut from Juniper cardstock using a Sizzix Funky Brush die set. The brown stitched ribbon and buttons came from Hobby Lobby. The mini White Daisy rick rack and the natural hemp are from CTMH. 

Happy Scrappin'!!

Single Layer Card #3

Above is a photo of the 3rd single layer card that I created...it's a mini-card measuring 3" x 4 1/4".

CTMH Materials used:

• Colonial White Cardstock
• "Words to Live By" Stamp Set
• "Simple Stitches" Stamp Set
• "Say it in Style" Stamp Set
• Amethyst Ink
• Pansy Purple Ink
• Sorbet Ink
• Autumn Terracotta Ink
• Sunflower Ink
• Desert Sand Ink
• Sweet Leaf Ink
• Topiary Ink
• Blush Ink
• Cranberry Ink
• Crystal Blue Ink
• Outdoor Denim Ink
• Chocolate Ink

Non-CTMH Materials:

• Tape-Runner Adhesive
• Navy Gingham Ribbon
• Glue Dot

Method:

Cut cardstock 6 1/2" wide x 4 1/4" tall. Score longwise at 1/2" and 3 1/2". Fold 1/2" flap forward and tack down with adhesive. Fold card in half on remaining score line.

Using 1" square stamp from the "Words to Live By" stamp set, stamp 6 squares in different colors in a grid pattern as shown in photo above.

Choose 3 word stamps from the "Words to Live By" stamp set, (I chose Kindness, Friendship, and Happiness), and using coordinating inks, stamp sentiments in 3 of the 6 blocks as shown in photo. Stamp a heart, flower and star from the "Words to Live By" stamp set in the remaining blocks, using colors that coordinate with the blocks.

Using Chocolate ink, stamp Thank You from the "Say it in Style" stamp set, centering sentiment under the blocks as shown in the photo.

Outline the blocks using chocolate ink and the zig-zag stitches stamp from the "Simple Stitches" stamp set. Stamp 2 zig-zag stitches along the edges of the front flap as well, and adhere a gingham bow in the center as shown above.

Have a blessed day!

Recipe of the Week...Peach Cobbler

A couple of weeks ago I was going through my recipe files and found Mike's mom's recipe for peach cobbler. I had all of the ingredients in my pantry, so I whipped one up for him! I tweaked her recipe slightly, though, by adding some ground cinnamon to the batter, and it turned out delicious! Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you're set!

Ingredients:

• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 1 - 29 oz. can of peach slices in syrup, drained
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method:
Melt butter in glass baking dish. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and milk to form batter. Pour batter over melted butter in baking dish. Arrange peach slices on top of batter. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. Serve warm and refrigerate any left-overs. If desired, serve with vanilla ice cream.

Have a blessed week!

Mushy Post Warning!! Celebrating 23 Years of Marital Bliss!

On July 17, 1987 I married my best friend and the love of my life, Mike Brown! I am so honored and proud to be his wife of 23 years! We were very young when we married, (I was 20 and he was 2 weeks away from turning 21), but I can honestly say that we are more in love now than on the day we married! Here are a few tips for what we believe makes a marriage successful, (they've worked for us, anyway!)...

• God must be an integral part of a marriage! We've always taken to heart the verse from Ecclesiastes 4:12..."A cord of three strands is not quickly broken".
• Always think of the other person first...before speaking or acting ask yourself, "How would I feel if he/she said or did that"? When you know that you've said or done something that may have hurt or upset the other, be quick to say you're sorry and to ask for forgiveness. (Be quick, as well, to grant forgiveness!)
• Never try to change or control the other person...that is a losing battle! No one likes to be under someones thumb. Love and respect your spouse for the individual that they are.
• Speak kindly to each other...as the old adage goes, "You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar". Yelling is disrespectful and only creates walls between you...and no problem has ever been solved with a wall in the middle.
• Find opportunities to spend time quality time together, but don't be glued to each others hip. It's important to remember that each of you are an individual and you don't have to be together 24/7. You appreciate the other person more if you've had time for yourself.
• Be true and honest with each other - ALWAYS!
• Laugh...ALOT!!! Enjoy and celebrate the simple, crazy, everyday joys that come your way!

Here are some fun photos of Mike and me through the years...

While we were dating...circa 1986

Our engagement picture...March 1987

Taking our vows....July 17, 1987

Cutting our wedding cake...

A little smooch...

Officially Mr. and Mrs. Brown...

Summer 2010...

Twenty-three years has sure gone by quickly! We have been so blessed during our life together with a wonderful son, good jobs, a beautiful home, terrific friends and family, good health, and just the simple, uneventful gifts that happen while spending each day together.

In closing, I'd like to share a link with you to a blog honoring a couple that has been married for an INCREDIBLE 72 years!! Go to http://the-ogs.com/ and check it out! Their video clips are a HOOT!

Blessings,

Just for Fun: A Challenge from Queen Bee Studio....

Queen Bee Studio

Deb from Queen Bee Studio posted a funny challenge, which I'm participating in today. Her challenge was to create paper images of our girlfriends! I'm extremely blessed to have many wonderful friends, and I wish that I would have had the time to make an image to represent all of them, but with work and family responsibilities there's only a limited number of hours in my day left over for crafting! With that said, since I wanted to take part in Deb's challenge, I decided to make images of my sisters-in-law, Sandy and Lea Ann, for the girlfriends challenge. (I also made an image of me, since the three of us have so much fun when we get together!)

Here's our images, left to right, Sandy, Lea Ann and me:

Here are actual photos of us:

Sandy and Me

Lea Ann and Me

Sandy and Lea Ann are two of the sweetest and most remarkable ladies that I know, and I consider myself SO FORTUNATE to call them my sisters! The best thing about my sisters-in-law also being two of my closest friends, is that I know they've always got my back and that I can go to them for sound, honest advice at any time! (Yes, they're the ones who will honestly tell me if an outfit makes my rear-end look big!!! Hee! Hee!) I credit Sandy and Lea Ann with helping to shape, (or beat into submission - HA!), their baby brother - my sweet hubby, Mike - into the kind and considerate man that he grew up to be. On a funny note, my father-in-law, (Sandy and Lea Ann's dad), has nicknamed us his "Three Mothers", because we're always checking up on him! That's what good daughters/mothers do, isn't it?!?!?

I had actually planned on posting a paper image of my hubby, Mike, (because he's my very best friend of all!), but I got busy and didn't get his image finished. I'll finish it soon and post it at a later time...possibly on a scrapbook page along my image to commemmorate our 23rd wedding anniversary, which is today!

Have a fun and safe weekend and be sure to click on Deb's "Girlfriends" link at the top of this post to check out her awesome artwork!

Scrapbook Page of the Week...."Mom"

The scrapbook page that I'm featuring this week is in honor of my mom, who a year ago this month was diagonsed with triple negative breast cancer. (Click on this link to read about triple negative breast cancer: http://www.tnbcfoundation.org/). It's been a rough year for her, (surgery, radiation and chemotherapy), but thanks to many, many friends and family members lifting her up in prayer, she's doing really well! The cancer was found during her annual mammogram, so in running the risk of sounding like your mother...BE SURE TO GET YOUR YEARLY MAMMOGRAMS!!! We have no history of breast cancer in our family, and she didn't meet any of the "criteria" to have triple negative breast cancer, so we are very thankful that it was caught early with a mammogram! She has an appointment with her oncologists next week, so we're hopeful that the tests continue to come back clear.

The CTMH materials that I used to create this page are:

• Amethyst cardstock
• Sorbet cardstock
• Paper from the "Bella" collection
• "Playful Flourishes" stamp set
• "Rustic Letters" Stamp set
• Topiary ink
• Chocolate ink
• Pansy Purple ink
• White Daisy mini rick-rack

Non-CTMH materials that I used are:

• Purple satin ribbon
• Green polka-dot organza ribbon
• Purple polka-dot grosgrain ribbon
• Square swirl clip
• Dragonfly charm
• Scallop paper punch
• Circle paper punch

Wishing you a blessed day!

Recipe of the Week..."Craisin Chicken Salad"

This week's recipe comes from my sister-in-law, Sandy, whose birthday is tomorrow. (HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SANDY!!!) Sandy works with a lady whose daughter owned/operated a restaurant in Tulsa where this chicken salad was served. The daughter doesn't share her recipes, but Sandy was able to sweet talk her into telling what ingredients she used. Sandy wasn't able to get the exact amounts, so I made a batch of this delicious salad and estimated the amounts that I'm sharing with you below:

Craisin Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 large can of white chicken meat, drained and shredded with a fork
• 1/2 cup Hellman's mayonnaise (Sandy said that the main secret to this dish is using Hellman's mayo, NOT Miracle Whip!)
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup Craisins
• 1/2 cup halved, seedless red grapes
• 1/4 cup chopped red onions (if preferred, green onions may be used...I don't like raw onions, so I used about 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder instead)

Method:

Combine all ingredients. I added about a teaspoon of lemon juice to the mixture, to help keep the halved grapes fresh. If the mixture seems a little dry, add more mayo. Refrigerate until ready to serve. May be served as sandwiches using croissants and lettuce leaves,  or as a snack using "Townhouse" or "Topper" crackers. Enjoy!!

I made a batch of this and took it to work for a secretaries salad luncheon a couple of weeks ago and it was a hit! If serving a large crowd, the recipe may be doubled.

Have a blessed day!

"Happy Birthday" Single-Layer Card #2

A few days ago I posted a single-layer card that I'd made for a challenge which used only a single sheet of paper or cardstock and a single piece of ribbon. Stamps and ink could be used to decorate the paper or cardstock, but no additional layers of paper or embellishments could be used. I really enjoyed the challenge of using very basic materials to create simple and elegant cards, so I made a few more to share with you in posts during the coming weeks. Here's a photo of the outside of the second single-layer card that I created:

Here's a photo of the inside of the card:

CTMH materials used are:

• Blush cardstock
• Cranberry ink
• Cranberry velvet ribbon
• "Soul Mates" stamp set
• "A Little Everything" stamp set
• Sponge

Non-CTMH materials used:

• Paper corrugater
• Glue Dots

Instructions:

Cut blush cardstock 12" long x 4 1/4" wide. Score at 6" (center) and fold in half. Using a paper corrugator, run about a third of the cover of the card through the corrugator. Lightly sponge Cranberry ink over the corrugated area of the card. Fold 1/4" of the right edge of the corrugated cover over, then fold another 1/4" of the corrugated cover over and using Glue Dots adhere the corrugated flap down. (This will reveal the stamped image that you'll be stamping on the inside edge). Swipe the edges of the card along the Cranberry inkpad to give definition to the outer edges. Stamp desired design and sentiment on the cover of the card. Stamp sentiment on the inside of the card, as well as a border stamp along the right edge, as shown in photos. Cut 12" of ribbon, tying ends together to form knot. Cut unknotted side of ribbon, and attach to card using Glue Dots, and lining up edges of ribbon on backside of card as shown in photo #2 above. Card will fit in standard A2 envelope.

Have a blessed day!

NEW FEATURE: Scrapbook Page of the Week...

I've decided to add a new weekly feature to Scrappin' Becky B., which is the "Scrapbook Page of the Week". I've been an avid scrapbooker for about 15 years now, and one of the things that I love so much about this hobby is that I've always got a project to work on! The page that I'm sharing with you this week is one that I created as a tribute to my Granddaddy Franklin. He was an AMAZING man and a huge influence on my life! He was a survivor of the Great Depression, a WWII veteran, a devout Christian, as well as a kind and loving family man! He loved to be outside and to grow things...the photo featured on this scrapbook page is one of him proudly standing by a sunflower he'd grown from a seed. I was so fortunate to grow up living next door to him and getting to see him everyday. He battled Alzheimer's in his latter years and passed away in 2005.

The quote I featured on the journaling tag, by Marcel Proust, was so fitting to the kind of man my granddaddy was:

Let us be grateful to the
people that make us happy.
They are the charming
gardners who make our
souls blossom.

All products used on the page are CTMH except for the following items:

• The chipboard letters that spell "granddad"...I already had those on hand, so I just random stamped on them with the CTMH "Abundance Borders" stamp set. The torn/distressed heart has also been decorated with random stamping using the same stamp set
• The button
• The sunflower and leaf punches

The CTMH paper I used is from the "It's a Guy Thing" paper pack. I also used the CTMH "Simple Stitches" stamp set....it's one of my all time favorite stamps. I just LOVE the detail that it adds to paper craft projects!

Wishing you a day full of blessings!

Recipe of the Week..."As American as Peanut Butter Pie"

Happy 4th of July! I hope that you are enjoying this great day celebrating our nation's freedoms! During church service this morning, our pastor read a wonderful statement made by Benjamin Franklin to the Continental Congress. I found it so moving that I wanted to share it with you here:

Ben Franklin, during a critical impasse during the Constitutional Convention, 28 June 1787, attempted to introduce the practice of daily common prayer at the Convention, with these words:


... In the beginning of the contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger we had daily prayer in this room for the Divine Protection. -- Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a Superintending providence in our favor. ... And have we now forgotten that powerful friend? or do we imagine that we no longer need His assistance. "I have lived, Sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth -- that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings that "except the Lord build they labor in vain that build it." I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel: ...I therefore beg leave to move -- that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the Clergy of this City be requested to officiate in that service.

How powerful is that?!?!? It's so important that we remember where our true freedom and liberty comes from, and that without a good and merciful God we wouldn't be the nation that we are today.

Now for the recipe of the week! I made a couple of peanut butter pies today, so thought I'd share the recipe with you...it's a fantastic pot-luck dish to take because the recipe makes two pies!! My good friend, Sarah Kearnes, shared this recipe with me a few years back it's always a crowd pleaser! You're not going to believe how easy it is to make!!

Ingredients:

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup peanut butter (I like to use crunchy!)
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened (I like to use low fat cream cheese)
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla
• 8 oz. tub Cool-Whip
• 2 ready made chocolate cookie pie crusts
• Chocolate syryp

Method:

Mix the first 4 ingredients together and beat on medium speed until combined. Fold in Cool-Whip. Spoon into the chocolate cookie pie crusts and drizzle top with chocolate syrup. Refrigerate until firm and serve.

SO EASY AND DELICIOUS!!!

Have a blessed 4th of July!!

One Layer Card Challenge...

While browsing the online CTMH consultant artwork page I stumbled across a card challenge by Nikka Geers. (Check out her blog at http://nikkageers.blogspot.com/) The challenge is to make a card by using only one piece of cardstock and one piece of ribbon...that's it...no other papers! I thought this would be a GREAT way to demonstrate how wonderfully versatile CTMH stamps are, so here is the card that I created to enter in the challenge:

Materials:

NOTE: All materials are CTMH unless otherwise stated

• Colonial White Cardstock
• Sorbet Ink
• Garden Green Ink
• Creme` Brulee` Ink
• "Soul Mates" Stamp Set
• "Say It In Style" Stamp Set
• Sponge
• Acrylic Blocks
• Green Polka-Dot Organza Ribbon (Hobby Lobby)

Directions:

Cut a piece of Colonial White cardstock 4 1/4" wide by 12" long. Score at 11 1/2", 8 3/4", 3 1/4", and 1/2". Fold on scored lines to form a "gate" as shown in the photo above. (The card's folded dimension will be 4 1/4" x 5 1/2".) Sponge Creme` Brulee` ink over the entire front of the card. Outline the outer edges of the card with Garden Green ink by rubbing just the edges of the card on the ink pad. Stamp other images as shown in photo using Sorbet and Garden Green inks. Punch a hole through the center of each of the flaps and tie a piece of organza ribbon through the holes to keep the gate front of the card closed. Viola`! A super simple card that can be created in a few minutes, and it didn't even require adhesive!!! A photo and/or sentiment may be added to the inside of the card. I'm thinking about using this pattern for my Christmas cards this year and adding our family photo on the inside.

This is the first challenge that I've participated in...if you'd like to join in too please go to Nikka's blog for the instructions/details. I LOVE the idea of only using a single piece of cardstock and a single piece of ribbon to create a beautiful and easy card that's quick to assemble! Keep watching my blog for more cards using this technique!

Have a blessed day!