{Butterfinger Ice Cream}

Here's the recipe I told you about yesterday---Every time I make this, I wonder why I don't make it more often....then I look down at my rather round shape and I remember---yep, it's not a low fat version---but it's a must once a year, people! I hope you'll try it---it's amaaaaazing! Again, the ice cream is just an amazing vanilla ice cream and we add Butterfingers---you can add whatever your family likes!




I have a large ice cream maker (had---wait until you hear that story), so I make a recipe and a half---but for the normal ice cream maker (the old fashioned ones ( 5 qt.??)----not the new fancy, shmancy Cuisinart), one recipe is just right. Since I was making so much, I had to use the industrial size bowl and my hand mixer. I NEVER use my hand mixer for major things anymore---Joshua wouldn't even do it---his "arm gets too tired with that thing"---he's right, but spoiled....but this is another story, yes?

First, beat your eggs until light and fluffy~

then add the sugar & salt and mix well.

Add in the evaporated milk and whipping cream (I TOLD you it wasn't low fat~)

Add in vanilla and break up the Butterfingers---7 regular ones per recipe. We use the food processor for about half of them

And then use the "smash 'em up version" for the rest---you need some big chunks!!

Mix this all together and pour into an ice cream maker "thingy"---the proper term, I'm sure! Add whole milk to the fill line on said "thingy".

Here's the interesting story part....oh, FIRST as I was packing up to go to our friends' party, I realized that I only had a little bit of rock salt---WHAT? Why am I NOT the girl who remembers EVERYTHING when she is at the store, why oh, why, oh why??? Anyway, just a tip here: don't try to find rock salt at 3:45 pm on July 4th---everyone has already bought it--seriously---it's GONE. BUT, another tip: Kosher salt does the trick---so, there ya have it---BACK TO THE INTERESTING STORY (which I'm sure is much more interesting to me than you.) I get it all to the house and get all the salt and ice put in around it, put on the motor, plug it in----and hear the most interesting noise---not at all the normal, obnoxious noise I usually hear when it's churning, but a whiny, non turning sort of noise---yep---the motor was having one heck of a death party---and RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF MY FOURTH OF JULY ICE CREAM!!!

So, I'm in a bit of a panic---but my lovely hostess and her husband just happen to have a very similar model made by the same company and voila, it works----chaos averted, whew! (I am a bit sad that we have lost this machine---because I REALLY wanted to try Pioneer Woman's Blackberry Ice Cream soon----perhaps they will have these models on sale since the Fourth of July is officially over----I might need to help the economy with a purchase.)

So, here's the final product---I didn't take any pictures of people enjoying it----I should have, but I was scooping and didn't want to touch my camera at that point! Below is the actual recipe---and if you really lasted this long---you deserve some great Butterfinger Ice cream----I give you permission to have some.

Fourth of July Ice Cream
(yes, that's really the name of it)

6 eggs
2 c. sugar
1/2 t. salt
2-8 oz. cartons whipping cream
2-cans evaporated milk
2 T. vanilla
Whole milk enough to fill freezer to the fill line.

Beat eggs until thick. Add sugar and salt and mix until fluffy. Stir in cream, evaporated milk and vanilla. Mix well.***(if adding Butterfingers or other additions, add them in now). Pour into freezer and fill with whole milk. Follow Ice Cream maker's instructions to finish the ice cream.

A few variations on vanilla:
Butterfinger: 7 regular sized bars, crushed
Chocolate: 1 & 1/2 c. Nesquik
Strawberry: 1 qt. mashed with a touch of sugar added to them

{Happy Fourth of July}

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!

Joshua wanted to do some sparklers last night---so we went outside around 9:15. I told him to go get his shoes on and he came down in all this camouflage stuff---LOL! What is that about?


In my earlier parenting days I would have had a fit (I wasn't as enlightened as some of you) --- this was not what I had in mind for my 4th of July pictures! But now---in my "old age" (*wink*--sort of) I just went with it! I love his little quirks and his fun personality. I really had to crack up with the gloves! What a hoot!

We are going to some friends' house to celebrate today. I'm bringing hot dogs and buns for everyone and Homemade Butterfinger Ice Cream----I'll take some pictures and share it with you all---it really is a great ice cream. The vanilla is amazing and you can just add whatever you like to it to make it "yours". My family likes butterfinger---this started YEARS ago when Dairy Queen first came out with the Butterfinger Blizzard! This was the first one, people! My mom found an ice cream recipe that tasted EVEN better---and we've made it ever since!

So, what are YOUR plans for this holiday? I hope you get to spend some time with family or friends. Whatever you are doing, be thankful you live here---even if you are frustrated with things at this point in our country's life, it's a GREAT place to live. I, for one, am SO GRATEFUL the Lord brought me into this world HERE. How blessed I am!! I could have been born ANYWHERE! See you tomorrow~

{Yep......I have issues...}

OK----now, I'm going to be a little vulnerable with you here---I have issues. There, I said it---it's out there---here's the one I'm talking about today (because let's face it, I have LOTS of issues!) I used the wrong color on a color challenge & it's bothering me----seriously? Don't I have more important things in my life to be worried about? OH YES----but many of those things I can't control.....I CAN make a new card to get the Sahara Sand off my mind!



Yesterday I posted my Raspberry Suite Color Challenge card---here's the swatch again so you can see the colors--I didn't have any Soft Stone, so I used Sahara Sand.....clearly I need better lighting!

So, since David is out of town and I had some extra time last night---I did another card. I kept it pretty similar to the first one, but I used Basic Gray instead of Sahara Sand....and even though this gray is a little darker than Soft Stone, I feel better---OK, no making fun of me in the comments---just leave me with my issues!

This time I started with an A2 card in Basic Gray and stamped the largest image from Polka dot Basics in Versamark. I embossed them with Black powder. That looks so nice on the gray. I set that aside and stamped the smaller hearts from Heart Prints in Pure Poppy, New Leaf, & Raspberry Fizz on Stamper's Select White cardstock. I stamped some extras on another piece of paper so I could pop up a couple of them----see detail picture below. I stamped the sentiment from the Friends 'til the End set. I really love that set.

Again, I used my Uniball pen & ruler to draw a box around the images. I messed up a little bit, so I "embellished" it with some stick-on Crystal Elements gems. (It's always a good idea to have extra embellishments on hand for just such occasions!) I layered the image on some True Black cardstock and popped it up on dimensionals. Finally, I tied some black satin ribbon around the card below the image.

Ahhhhhhhh, now I feel better now....much better! Thanks for looking---and I'm trusting you to keep my secrets!


Stamps: Polka dot Basics, Friends 'til the end, Heart Prints
Paper: Basic Gray (SU!), True Black, SS White (PTI)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark (Tsukineko), Pure Poppy, New Leaf, Raspberry Fizz (PTI)
Accessories: Black embossing powder (Ranger), Heat tool (Marvy), Crystal Gems (Mark Richards), Dimensionals (SU!), True Black satin ribbon (PTI)

{A Color Challenge}

Every week when Dawn McVey puts her color challenge up I swear I will get to it---and then the time passes and I don't. Color IS a challenge for me, so I tend to put it off. I decided I had no excuses today, and I went for it---here's the picture for the challenge. You still have plenty of time to get in on it if you want.


I actually made another card first and I hated it---I had finished all the elements, but when I put it together it just looked BAD---so I threw it out. REALLY---the things I could keep I did, but a few elements I just needed to throw out! :)

Anyway, I don't have Soft Stone cardstock (HORRORS----a Papertrey cardstock I don't own---I seriously think it's the only one.....wouldn't you know?I guess I *NEED* it, huh?) SOOOOO, I used Sahara Sand instead. It truly looked a little more gray in my room, but when I brought it out in the dining room to photograph it, it doesn't look very gray at all. I had some Basic Gray from SU, but it still looked too dark---it would have looked better than this, I think---oh well! C'est la Vie--I had fun anyway! I started with a 5 x 5 card of Sahara Sand. I stamped the damask star from Star Prints in three colors on to Stamper's Select White cardstock. Then I stamped the sentiment from the same set in Memento Tuxedo Black. I "boxed it all in" with a black Uniball pen.....no Copic multiliner for me----I don't own one, so I used what I had! :) I layered that image with Raspberry Fizz and Pure Poppy papers. I tied some saddle stitch ribbon around the whole card (I cut a hole in the fold of the card) and then added three buttons to embellish---there it is! I hope you enjoyed it---and go try this challenge yourself---it was much easier when I went with SIMPLE---the first one was much too complicated and it just looked bad!

Thanks for looking! Have a great day~

Stamps: Star Prints
Paper: Pure Poppy, Raspberry Fizz, SS White (PTI), Sahara Sand (SU!),
Ink: Pure Poppy, Raspberry Fizz, New Leaf (PTI), Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Saddle Stitch True Black ribbon, Vintage buttons (PTI), Foof-a-la button (red--gotta get some pure poppy buttons, people!), Uniball black pen

{CPS 122}

I got a chance to play this morning before my kids woke up (yes, I do LOVE summer---because I get to play in the morning before my kids are up)! Anyway, I decided to do a quick anniversary card using CPS 122. It's a nice simple layout this week, so I knew I could get it done before I had to make breakfast!

For this card, I cut my paper 9.25" x 8" & scored it at 4". This will fit in a regular no. 10 envelope. I used Smokey Shadow as my card base and punched the bottom with the Flowers Border punch by Fiskars. I used some Ever After paper---the "Something New". This is my first time to use Ever After and it's really beautiful paper. I stamped the sentiment from Damask Designs in Vintage Cream ink on Smokey Shadow cardstock and embossed and cut it with a Spellbinder's Double Ended tag. I popped that up on dimensionals and threaded it with Vintage Cream Satin ribbon. I added the buttons with a glue dot after I stitched them with embroidery floss. (I know, it's cheating, but remember, I'm trying to beat the clock here!!)

That's all for today! Joshua and David are about to have a major nerf battle---they have both built a fort in their bedrooms and are preparing for war---yes, David is my husband---not my second son!! :) You gotta love a dad who will do battle with his son.....er....you know what I mean!!! :)


Stamps: Damask Designs (PTI)
Paper: Smokey Shadow, (PTI), Something New, Ever After (Cosmo Cricket)
Ink: Vintage Cream
Accessories: Double Ended Tags (Spellbinders), Vintage Cream Satin ribbon & buttons (PTI), DMC thread, Dimensionals (SU!), Cuttlebug (Provocraft), Flowers Border Punch (Fiskars)

{Giving Thanks}

Well---it IS a little soon to be thinking of Thanksgiving since I don't want to rush my summer away, but I colored this picnic basket with pumpkins in it and wanted to make a card---this will be one card that I have done ahead of time!

I started with Pumpkin Pie cardstock. I used my Swiss Dots embossing folder on Kraft cardstock. I had colored the basket ahead of time with Copic markers---e-mail if you want specific colors---I can't believe anyone cares about MY coloring! I tied some saddle stitch New Leaf ribbon around the Kraft cardstock. I cut & embossed my focal image using a Spellbinder's Labels Two die. I antiqued the edges and added some buttons tied up with jute twine. The sentiment was added before I attached the Kraft cardstock~

I hope your day has been a good one. I began peeling wallpaper in my bathroom today----I've needed to do this since we moved into this house 9 years ago, but I have been busy peeling all the OTHER wallpaper in the house. Yes, every room except two bedrooms had wallpaper---my dining room and the kids bathroom had TWO LAYERS. SO, I just decided I needed to start---it's the LAST ROOM to do! (I've actually redecorated several rooms since we moved in, but I just couldn't deal with anymore wallpaper!) Anyway, hopefully I can finish peeling/scraping tomorrow---I don't really have any money to redo my bathroom right now, but if I'm in the mood to get rid of the wallpaper, I should go with it! Paint is pretty cheap and I can finish everything else up as I get the money! SOOOOO, that's what I'm up to this week! What's going on at your house?



Stamps: Vintage Picnic
Paper: Pumpkin Pie (SU!), Rustic Cream, Kraft (PTI)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories/Tools: Cuttlebug, Swiss Dots embossing folder (Provocraft), New Leaf Saddle stitch ribbon, Vintage New Leaf buttons, Rustic jute twine (PTI), Dimensionals (SU!), Antique Linen distress ink (Ranger), Copic markers

{Americana}

A⋅mer⋅i⋅ca⋅na

–noun

1.	(often used with a plural verb) books, papers, maps, etc., relating to America, esp. to its history, culture, and geography.

2.	(used with a singular verb) a collection of such materials.

---

Origin:
1835–45, Americanism; Americ(a) + -ana

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.

This is what I think of when I see this Vintage Picnic basket with the Fourth of July items sticking out! I grew up in a very patriotic family----I love this country and I like to celebrate it's birth. I love reading about Michelle Wooderson's big Fourth of July party she has and seeing all the cool stuff she's using to decorate. I must say---I looked at her site to see how she colored this image---I'm still new to the Copic world and she's a pro---so, I just copied it---I admit it. Now, I didn't copy her card---just the coloring---AND, mine is not so great---but I'm trying!

I love Vintage Cream ink on kraft cardstock. This card was simple to throw together. I stamped the image on Rustic Cream cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink & then colored it with Copic markers. Since I had colored the image ahead of time, it took almost no time to make a card. I layered the image on Scarlet Jewel cardstock. Then I punched the stars out of Scarlet Jewel and Spring Rain. I added a Rustic Wood button tied on with Rustic Jute twine. I finished the card up with some Scarlet Jewel twill. So fun! I've been using Vintage Picnic a lot to color lately, so hopefully I'll get some more cards made with the images.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Stamps: Vintage Picnic, Polka dot Basics
Paper: Kraft, Scarlett Jewel, Spring Rain, Rustic Cream cardstocks (PTI)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Vintage Cream
Accessories: Copic markers, Star Punches (SU!), Rustic Wood button, Rustic jute twine, Scarlett Jewel twill