Halloween Fun

When Rome, enjoy the food. And when home, make knockoffs

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Olive Garden Hot Artichoke Spinach Dip

1 Cup chopped artichoke hearts (canned or frozen & thawed)
1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
dash black pepper
On the side
Crackers
Chips
or Sliced toasted Pitas ( or baguette slices)
Boil the spinach and artichoke hearts in a cup of water in a small saucepan over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander when done.  Heat the cream cheese in a small bowl in the microwave set on high for 1 minute. Or, use a saucepan to heat the cheese over medium heat just until hot.  Add the spinach and artichoke hearts to the cream cheese and stir well.  Add the remaining ingredients to the cream cheese and combine.
Serve hot with crackers, chips, or toasted pitas for dipping.

Birthday Fun for Justy Boy

Justin eyes his Shrek green birthday cake.

Getting pics at Chuck E Cheese.

With a surprise appearance from Uncle Zeke. And Jasen being a goof...love that expression.

And Jordan is found where he often is...in the arms of his oldest brother, Jairen.

Happy Birthday Justin! Nine years old!

I just love this...

The Logan Adventure

Okay...that van was just too funny to not take a picture of. At least she's Big & Friendly!

Here are some pics from our Logan Memorial Adventure.

Linda's helping to plant some flowers. In case you wondered.

Who doesn't love Rootbeer Flavored Milk? We stopped at the Gossner Cheese Factory for samples and treats.

And here's Jordan at Pepperidge Farm. He liked the cookies. Any my purse. It's his favorite chew toy.

Happy Memorial Day!

Little bally balls

Pattern found here.

My sweet boysies...

Mother's Day Fun

Knitted this purse for Mom, and crocheted the flowers. Then made these corsages, which was super fun.

Then these little silver buckets have flower pens, for mom and the grandmas.

It was a fun, fun day!

Yay for Flowies (a.k.a. Hey Jenna! A solution for non-hat heads!)

Hats and I do not get along.  I love hats...but they don't love me.  Dorkarama.

But, I just knitted this awesome little headband (band pattern I made up, and flower crochets from a pattern I got at Piper's in Sugar House).  And it's actually CUTE.  Like, when it's ON ME.  Rather than just laying on my dresser.  Hats could never pull this off.

It does help to pull some hair out to go over the band (not out of your head...just out from behind the band), but, hey, that's HAT GOOD enough for me!

Check out the Before and After....

 

Can it really be?

It's a HAT MIRACLE!


And, here's a hat oldie but goodie.  Jordan tries out cousin Colin's hat for size.  Wow...he was so tiny!

Cupcake Love

Today was a cupcake kind of day.

I was feeling a bit...blah...so it always helps to DO SOMETHING, so, after seeing these lovely cupcakes from Joanne's month in review, I decided I must have them.

I followed Saucy's spunky, ignore the directions directions, and created these lovely morsels of cupcake goodness.

Quick directions:

You will need: one package of cake mix (use the good kind... Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines), three large eggs, one half cup of butter or margarine, and one cup of water. Saucy usually bakes with butter - she's a butter fan - but for a batch of cupcakes from a mix, margarine will do just fine.  350 for 20 min.

I even learned to toast coconut (5 minutes on a cookie sheet at 350, in case you were wondering).

And I put on my own spunky tank.

(It's true...I will be nicer).

I found I was missing the cream cheese, so I'll have to run to the store to try that kind of frosting later.  I did, however, find a cream cheese BOX in the fridge.  Good thing it didn't spoil. (thanks, kids).  I opted for the almost gone frosting left over from...yipe...St. Patrick's Day.  It was still tasty.

Mmmmm....cupcake love.

And last, but certainly not least, I ordered some yarn for this lovely cardigan from the latest Interweave Knits:

I hope the skinny arms are included.

aj

Back in the {Sculpting} Saddle Again...

It's been way too long since I've been sculpting regularly.  Most of my day goes to this little cutie:

I'm working on a new sculpt, this male below, and then here are a bunch of WIP pics of various dolls that are waiting oh so patiently....

That's funny...that last guy looks quite startled.  Been playing with premade eyes...and it's still a work in progress.  I'll have to close those lids a bit, or sculpt him with a huge spider beside him!