Italian Tortelli Soup

Here is a great soup for those chilly evenings ~

♦ 1 onion, chopped
♦ 1 cup sliced mushrooms
♦ 2 cloves garlic
♦ 1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth
♦ 1 can [15 oz] low-sodium tomato sauce
♦ 1 green pepper, chopped
♦ 1 cup diced zucchini
♦ 2 tbsp dry sherry or apple juice
♦ 1 1/2 tsp dried Italian herb seasoning
♦ 9 oz reduced-fat cheese-filled tortellini
♦ 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Coat a saucepan with nonstick spray. Add the onions, mushrooms, garlic and 3 tbsp broth. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until onions soften, usually 5-6 minutes.
Stir in the tomato sauce, green peppers, zucchini, sherry, Italian seasoning, remaining broth and tortellini. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with pepper.

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 278 calories, 4.8 g fat, 34 mg chol, 325 mg sodium, 5.4 g fiber *5
—Prevention's Guide to Low-Fat Living, October 1997

More Northwoods Cards

Today I went to the Y.  Yes, after taking about a month (or more) off from exercising, I am hoping to make this a habit again.  I think it works best to schedule exercising.  If you just try to exercise when you get a minute or two or three, you never really work it into your day – at least, I don’t!   Something better always presents itself.  So, I took a couple of classes – fitness and stretch which I really enjoy.  At the end of the stretch class, we have a 5 minute meditation session.  So my meditation consisted of thinking about my family – my uncommunicative son, my moody husband, and my daughter’s possibilities of getting deployed.  When I finished and went out to my car, I had a missed call and voice message from my daughter.  If I’d checked further, I would have noticed that not only did I have 1 missed call from Ashley, but I had 6 missed calls from her.  So guess what she was calling to tell me???  Yep, she may be getting deployed in the next 2-3 weeks.  The good part is it would be a 6-month deployment to HAITI!  That would be so much better than Iraq or Afghanistan!!  Plus, as an Infectious Disease Pediatrician, she would be doing what she was trained for.  She wants this so bad.  I hope it happens for her although I would miss her terribly.  But six months in Haiti  is so much better than a year or more in Afghanistan.   Her boss is submitting her name to who ever is putting together the team.  She hope to find out in a few days.

Here are a couple more of the Northwoods cards I will be doing in my class.  My card is on top and the one underneath is from the Northwoods Stamp Board.

 

Northwoods Class

I will be teaching a class next weekend at my local stamp store.  It is based on a Northwoods Stamp Board.  I have modified the cards so that I can use some of the Northwoods stamps and also some of the stamps that I already have (to cut costs!).  The cards are Valentines, but I tried to leave out a lot of the Valentine sentiments so that you could use the cards for other occasions.   Here are a couple of the cards along with the Northwood cards from the board.    What do you think?  If you would be interested in taking this class, let me know or Brenda at Stampers Alley in Mooresville.

Ways to Cut Fat in Your Diet

Go for a finer grind: When buying ground turkey or chicken, look for ground breast meat. Other cuts are higher in fat.

Watch out for porky: Be suspicious of bacon that calls itself lean. Even turkey bacon is only slightly less fatty than regular pork bacon.

How low can you go: Can't quite make the leap to skim milk? Try moving to 1% low-fat milk. Many people don't notice a difference in taste between 1% and 2%. The 2% milk still derives more than 25% of its calories from fat.

Stack the deck in your favor: A 4-ounce piece of raw meat cooks down to around 3 ounces, about the size of a deck of cards. To minimize fat content, trim off all visible fat before cooking.

Go skinny dipping: Next time you're topping off at the salad bar, keep in mind that most salad-bar dippers hold 2 tablespoons of dressing.

—Prevention's Guide to Low-Fat Living, October 1997

Ten Important Traveling Companions to Take With You

1. Confidence: for when things get tough, when you're overwhelmed, when you think of giving up.
2. Patience: with your own trials and temptations, and with others.
3. An adjustable attitude: one that doesn't react, but responds with well-thought-out actions and feelings.
4. Beauty: within yourself, in your surroundings, and in nature.
5. Excitement: new things to enjoy and learn and experience.
6. Fun: laughter and smiles any way you can get them.
7. Companionship: people to share your happiness and sorrows, your troubles and joys.
8. Health: mental, physical and emotional.
9. Peace: with others, yourself, and in your environment.
10. Love: pure, unconditional, and eternal.  

—Barbara Cage

 

New Stamps in the House

I took time today to PLAY!!  I put together my new stamp sets that I got from SU yesterday.  I'm loving the new "clear" stamps.  They're not really clear but are packaged so much better for storage now.  I've had a few questions about the stamps so I took a few pictures of how you put them together.  They come pre-cut so you just have to punch them out from the rubber sheet.  Sometimes, I still trim a little off the stamps. 

There is a sticker sheet with the pictures of the stamps on them. 

So you peel off the white protective cover from the stamp and put the sticker on the stamp.  The sticker will cling to the acrylic block and you will be able to see how to place the stamp on your project.

I played around today with the Love Bandid set from the Occasions Mini.  I fell in love with this set!!  It is really cute.  I just love the little guys!  Check it out (remember - you can click on the card to make it bigger):

I made a little scene card!

Card stock:  Melon Mambo, Green Galore, Garden Green, Crushed Curry (sun); Bashful Blue, White

The decorate punches on the corners are from the new Scallop Trim Corner Punch (Occasions Mini).  I tore the Green cardstock to simulate grass and snipped it a little bit.

How do you like it?

You can use material in the Big Shot to make neat things!

I finally had time to play today - at least half the day.  This morning I just had to sweep my kitchen and give my poor neglected plants some water.  Then I decided it was past time to take down the Christmas Thanksgiving decorations!  Yes, my friends, I said Thanksgiving!!  Isn't that sad?  Since we were gone during Christmas for 3 weeks, I never put up any Christmas decorations and had just left my Thanksgiving ones up.  But, truthfully, I have only gotten them as far as the kitchen table.  Tomorrow maybe they'll make it out to the garage!  Sonny wanted to go into town and I figured if I'd ride along with him, I'd get lunch in a restaurant instead of a sandwich at home!!  Score!  We had good intentions of going to the Y, but neither of us were in the mood or felt up to exerting the energy.  I guess we can blame it on the colds that we have had!   When I returned home, my Stampin' Up order was waiting for me!  I didn't order much - really trying to conserve the $$$.  I got Love Bandit from the Occasions Mini, the Big Shot Bigz XL Flower Folds Die and Whimsical Words free from Sale-a-bration Catalog. 

I have been wanting the Flower Fold Die to make a pin/brooch like I've been seeing all over the internet.  I need to go to a fabric store and get some vintage-y material.  My sister brought me some scraps of her material so I used some of it to make this brooch:

For this brooch I started by cutting out four flowers of the same size. I folded each of the flowers in half, then I laid each of the flower halves down, with one half of the petals overlapping onto the previous flower half, almost like weaving the flower petals together.  After you have the four flower halves interlapping, I loosely tacked them together, with large stitches. Then I repeated this several times, making as many different little flower pieces as I wanted. For this brooch, I made a set from the smallest flower and one set from the next size up flower. 

When I finished the flower pieces, I layered them on top of each other, kind of overlapping and random.  Next, hot glue a small circle of felt over the stitching on the back and secure a pin (or hair clip or whatever). Finish off the flower by adding the flower center which in this case was a purple button with a Kraft Cordurory Button on top.  I used my hot glue gun for the buttons also.

Using fabric with the Big Shot and dies is very popular, and this is such an easy project.  Here is another project made with the Big Shot and SU's Scalloped Square Die.  My sister, Marianne, made me this bag for Christmas.  She also made a Beatles bag for Ashley and normal purses for our Mom and our other sister.

Vintage Vogue

It's past my bedtime but wanted to quickly share a card I made last week for a good friend.   This card is like a box card.  It is open in the middle with a piece of acetate over the front.  Maybe you can make out what I'm trying to say from the visual!  I used the new Vintage Vogue stampset from the Occasions mini catalog on the card.

Tomorrow I will be getting some new goodies and hopefully will have time to play!  I have been gone every day this week and hope to have most of tomorrow and Friday to myself to do what I want.  I am going to try and go to the Y in the morning .... I have GOT to get back to exercising!!  My weight is just starting to creep up on me again.  Think it has anything to do with that bag of Dove Chocolates I keep popping in my mouth?

Stay tune for some creativity in the next couple of days!!

Getting Old, Jeff Reed and Monday Mailer .... all in one!

I've decided that I don't like getting OLD!!  But I guess it beats the alternative until someone finds a fountain of youth SOON!!  Last night, I noticed a spot floating around in front of my right eye.  I got pretty scared after my eye problems from a few years ago.  For those who don't know, a couple of years ago, I woke up one morning and the vision in my right eye just wasn't right.  I went to my opthamologist who examined me and eventually referred me to a specialist who examined me, did some tests and referred me to another specialist.  This took about 3-4 weeks.  The final Retina Specialist determined that I had suffered a small Retina Artery Occlusion (or retina stroke).  A portion of my center vision was lost.  It really bothered me quite a bit at first but over the years, I've gotten used to it.  So, first thing this morning, I called my eye doctor and begged to me squeezed in to his appointments today.  After dilating my eyes and examining me, he told me it was called a Vitreous Detachment.  These clumps occur when the vitreous gel begins to liquefy or shrink, usually with aging, and detaches from the retina.  A couple of friends have told me that they also have these and eventually, I will get used to them and not notice them.  So, along with not having central vision, I now have a floating spot! 

Ashley returned from her cruise today.  She was cruising to sunny, warm Cozumel!  She said the temperature highs were maybe 50 degrees and it was windy, cold and rainy!  But, she still had a good time.  She has taken this cruise for 4 years.  It is called the Rock Boat Cruise and is hosted by Sister Hazel (a band).  A bunch of other bands are on board and I believe it is a virtual rockfest!  She was hoarse when I spoke with her this afternoon so I believe a good time was had by all.  And to top it off, she called me again tonight and was UBER EXCITED!  She and her friends were having dinner in Tampa and Jeff Reed .... the Pittsburgh Steelers KICKER was sitting at the table next to her!  Well, folks, she is as big a fan of the Steelers as anyone!  She went over and told him she was a super fan and could she have a picture please!  I can't wait to see the picture!  The only thing better would have been to have Big Ben sitting there too with Hines Ward!

OK - I do have a card to share with you.  I received this Valentine card last week from my Monday Mailer partner.  Yes, our program has started up for January.  Our theme this month is Hearts and Flowers.  I'm hoping to get some good ideas for some heart cards.   I really like this card and I don't have this flower but I have always admired it.  (NO .... I don't need more flower stamps!!)

Tomorrow I am expecting a delivery from Stampin' Up.  Unfortunately, I have a busy day and may not get time to play with my new goodies!  I have a mammogram in the a.m.; then taking my Mom to lunch.  Then we are going to hear a program put on my Newcomers group from a Cardiologist.  And tomorrow night, I have Bunco!  I'm making up for lost time!!

Scrunchy Flowers and Family Christmas

I finally had time … and felt a little better …. to make a few cards.  This is one of them.  (all items by Stampin’ Up)

The card is made with SU Red cardstock.  I ran the white piece through my Big Shot using the Finial Press Embossing Folder.  I cut the red and black piece out using the Top Note and ran the black piece through the Big Shot using the Elegant Bouquet folder.   I used the Filigree Brads on the side and SU Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon (turned over to the solid side).  The “scrunchy flower”  is 5 pieces of pieces of DSP (Night and Day from Holiday Mini) punched out with the Scallop Circle Punch and scrunched up.  Then I poked a hole in the middle for a brad and put a Red Corduroy Button on with Dimensional Tape. 
I was going to send this card to my Secret Sister, but then I realized the Night & Day DSP is retired now!  Her loss!! 
I’ll be making some more of these “scrunchy flowers.”  They’re pretty cool!

I’m feeling much better today and finally was able to sleep good last night.  Friday night I slept downstairs in my chair wrapped up in Sonny’s Snugglie and my Steeler blanket!   And Saturday, I felt about the worse I’d felt all week.  I thought my cold was coming back for a second round, but guess it was just giving me it’s last hurrah.  Today, Sonny has been sneezing and blowing.  I sure hope he hasn’t caught my cold …. you know what babies men are when they are sick!  I have been really careful and have been washing my hand much more than usual.  But, I’m sure after being cooped up in the car with me for two days, those germs were having a field day.

Today we celebrated Christmas at my Mom’s.  She actually kept her Christmas tree up which is a big deal for her!  She is usually pretty superstitious about not having the tree up when the New Year arrives.  All my life, she’s told me that was bad luck.  We all had a nice visit and my brother even came with his two kids (without his wife, of course but that’s another story).  My sister, Marianne and her family and me & Sonny & Ashley all chipped in and bought Mom and Angela (my sister who lives with Mom) a Wii!   Every time we get together Marianne brings her Wii over to my house or if we’re at her house, Mom & Angela play with her Wii.  And Mom has been wanting to buy it for Angela (who’s she kidding?)  We thought this would be a good way to get them both up and moving.  Now they have to pool their money to buy the Wii Fit.