Stamp Classes

I’ll be doing a few classes at Stampers Alley in July and August.  We’ll be making various shaped cards.  I’ve been having fun creating different cards for this.  Here are the ones I will be doing July 25.  If you’re in the area, come join us!!

This is a mini backpack!  It opens up and you can put some small items inside.

This is a refreshing glass of lemonade!

This teacup actually has a teabag inside!

This goes on your water bottle to hold your drink mix!

Water Aerobics

I've been trying to get my exercise in. Sometimes when it's so hot outside, it's really hard. Who am I kidding? It's always hard for me to want to exercise??? The past couple of weeks, at least once a week, instead of going to the "Y", I've been going up to our neighborhood pool and trying to exercise in the water instead. At least by walking in the pool, you stay cool!

Water aerobics is refreshing, easy on the joints and fun! For people with arthritis or other medical issues, exercising in water is a great way to exercise your body with little impact on your joints but still works your heart and major muscle groups. This is also a great way to exercise if you are dealing with low back pain or a pregnancy. Water buoyancy helps give you the support that reduces the stress of carrying your weight. Another benefit of water aerobics is that you will be less likely to get injured, or to be achy and sore the next day after exercising. That is certainly on the plus side. Water aerobics focuses on your cardiovascular fitness but most of the exercise routines can help you improve your balance, strength and flexibility. For those of you who have arthritis, exercising in water is a gentle way to move your joints and muscles. The warm water can help to decrease your stiffness and pain. If you are suffering from osteoporosis, water aerobics can also help build muscle mass and improve your balance and coordination, which can, in turn, help reduce the risk of falls. It’s amazing what you can do in water but can’t even attempt on land. The classes in water aerobics that I take sometimes at the "Y" supply floating devices so that you can concentrate on the exercise instead of staying afloat.

Secondly, what is water aerobics? How many of you have done an exercise video, perhaps Jane Fonda, Richard Simmons or Kathy Smith? Simply said, water aerobics is like doing an exercise video, but in the water. During your water aerobic class your instructor will usually combine several techniques from land aerobics such as walking/running backward and forward, cross-country skiing, jumping jacks, while including arm movements in the routine.

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, gives this definition of water aerobics: “Water aerobics or ‘waterobics’ is the performance of aerobic exercise in shallow water such as a swimming pool. In some areas it is known as AquaFit or ‘aqua aerobics’, and is a type of resistance training.”

Check out how many more calories you burn by walking or jogging in water. Amazing, isn’t it? These numbers are for a 30-minute workout. Most water aerobic classes are 45 to 60 minutes.

Land walking: 135 calories
Deep-water walking; 264 calories
Jogging on land: 240 calories
Deep-water jogging: 340 calories

The Mayo Clinic states that if you do one hour of water aerobics you will burn the following calories, based on your weight.

160 pounds ~ 292 calories
200 pounds ~ 364 calories
240 pounds ~ 436 calories

What are some of the health benefits from exercising in water? You will get aerobic benefits from water aerobics. You can burn 400 or more calories in a one-hour class. If you work out three times a week, you will achieve maximum fitness gains, which are listed below.

• Strength and toning. Moving in water requires 12 to 14 times more muscle resistance than land exercise.
• Flexibility and range of motion. It's easier to move your joints in water.
• Cardiovascular. Aerobic activity stimulates HDL (good cholesterol), while deep breathing increases the oxygen your body absorbs.
• Circulation. Warm water helps to increase blood flow.
• Weight loss. You'll burn more calories in water due to resistance. Walking for a half hour burns 135 calories on land or 264 calories through deep water.
• Endurance. You can exercise longer in water without getting overheated or tired. On top of the fitness gains look at the health benefits – better circulation, good cholesterol and weight loss (Woo! Hoo!).

Fajitas

I made fajitas yesterday and they were so yummy AND so easy! I just have to share with you.

1 1/2-2 lb beef flank steak, cut into thin strips *
1 can (10 oz) Rotel
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & chopped
1 T minced fresh cilantro or parsley
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1 each medium sweet red pepper & green pepper, julienned
8-10 flour tortillas
Sour cream, salsa, shredded cheddar, optional

1. Place beef in slow cooker. In a bowl, combine everything else except the last 3 ingredients. Pour over beef. Cover & cook on low for 7-8 hours. Stir in red & green peppers**. Cook 1 hour longer or until beef & peppers are tender. Thicken juices if desired.
2. Using a slotted spoon, place about 1/2 cup beef mixture down the center of each tortilla; fold sides over filling. Serve with sour cream, cheese & salsa!

* I used a skirt steak & didn't cut it - just put the whole thing in the crock pot frozen & shredded it after cooking.

** Sonny doesn't like cooked green peppers (and I didn't have red peppers) so I threw them in at the end - while I was setting the table & fixing the drinks just to warm them up.

I didn't have fresh garlic - just used the minced in the bottle that I keep on hand.

Also didn't have fresh cilantro or parsley - used dried parsley.

It was really good & soooo easy!! Put it in the crock pot about 11; played all day and it was all ready when we were hungry around 7 pm!!

Doctor Bag

Don't miss your chance to get this incredible Big Shot Doctor's Bag this week at 30% off the regular price. This bag is awesome - don't you just love it?

Regular Price: $69.95
Special Price: $49.99

Item #113474

Your Savings: $19.96!

This offer is only good for ONE WEEK: starting today through Monday, July 13th, 9:50am!

NMBS Blog CASE

I’m a member of the NMBS (No More Bad Swaps) group.  Periodically, they have a featured “nimbee” and ask that you CASE one of their cards.  So, that’s just what I did today!  You can check out her blog HERE.  Here is Adela Rossol’s card:

Here is the card I made:

I used the stamp set, Echoes of Kindness, a retired hostess set, and Flight of the Butterfly.  The sentiment, cherish, comes from the Baroque Motifs set.  I colored the flowers using my Blender Pen and Rose Red ink and the leaves are done with Old Olive marker.  The base card is Bordering Blue and the flower image is matted with Rose Red and Old Olive.    The DSP is non Stampin’ Up.

411 Challenge

I made my card for the 411 Challenge last night. It’s also going to be a birthday card for a friend who lives in England.

Here is the challenge sketch:

Here is my card:

The stamp sets are from Great Impressions but all other items are from Stampin’ Up. The paper is: Certainly Celery, YoYo Yellow and the new In Color, Bermuda Bay. I colored the cars with my Copics and used Glossy Accents on the windshields.

Happy Birthday Tom!

Red, White & Blueberry Smoothie

Here’s a yummy and patriotic treat!

INGREDIENTS
1 cup whipped cream
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1 dash of lemon juice
Sugar, to taste
A few small, fresh strawberries, to garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix together all ingredients in a blender and blend until desired thickness.
2. Wash fresh strawberries and slit at the bottom to use as garnish for individual glasses.

(from Home Made Simple)

The Star Spangled Banner

The Defense of Fort McHenry by Francis Scott Key

20 September 1814

Oh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming? And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep, Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes, What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep, As it fitfully blows, now conceals, now discloses? Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam, In full glory reflected now shines on the stream: 'Tis the star-spangled banner! O long may it wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion A home and a country should leave us no more? Their blood has wiped out their foul footstep's pollution. No refuge could save the hireling and slave From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave: And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand Between their loved homes and the war's desolation! Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation. Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just, And this be our motto: "In God is our trust." And the star-spangled banner forever shall wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Top 5!!

I'm excited! I made a card last week for the challenge at THIS site and it was was chosen as one of their TOP 5!! Yay!!

Now on to do this week's challenge!

Make some Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS
1 box Devils Food Chocolate Cake Mix
1/4 cup oil (follow package instructions)
1 cup water (follow package instructions)
3 eggs (follow package instructions)
1 package flat-bottomed ice cream cones
Optional Toppings: chocolate cookie crumbles, sprinkles, chocolate chips
Consider Substituting: 1/3 cup room temperature brewed coffee for a robust, gourmet flavor.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, milk, coffee, butter and vanilla extract. With an electric mixer, blend the ingredients on low speed just until incorporated.
3. Once mixed, beat the mixture on high speed for 2 minutes. Add the eggs, then beat on high speed for an additional 2 minutes.
4. Transfer the batter into a container with a pour spout (a liquid measuring cup, for example), then carefully pour the batter into each ice cream cone, filling each 2/3 of the way full.
5. Place the cones on a cookie sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Frost with Creamy Marshmallow Frosting (see recipe below) and decorate with your choice of toppings.

Creamy Marshmallow Frosting

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 egg whites
2 cups (one 7-ounce jar) marshmallow cream topping

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Boil 6-8 ounces of water in a medium-size saucepan. In a small heat-proof mixing bowl, combine the sugar, egg whites and water, then place the bowl on top of the saucepan to create a double boiler.
2. Use an electric mixer to whip the mixture until soft peaks form. Add the marshmallow cream and continue beating into stiff peaks. Remove from heat.
3. Blend in the vanilla extract on low speed. Use a spoon to frost your Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes.