odd-sized photos in Project Life

I have enjoyed watching the first day of Becky's 3-day creativeLIVE class. She has mentioned that she's going to talk about odd-size photos tomorrow. I've been meaning to send in a comment for quite some time now about how I've dealt with my old photos that I haven't yet scanned to get digital versions so I don't want to put any adhesive on them. One option would be adhesive corners - but what I prefer to do it to use an Exacto knife to put 4 short slits into a 6x4 card. I just put pencil dots along each edge about 1/4" from the corner then I simply lined up a metal ruler along the 2 dots for each corner and cut a short straight line. Then I slipped in the photo. I can either put it on a plain one and journal alongside or mount on a more colourful/patterned filler card with no journaling.

What Makes Me Me

I am Brenda: a woman, a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister and a friend. | I am a lover of the outdoors: cottaging, camping, hiking, kayaking and more. | I am active: walking weekly with friends and training for my first marathon. | I am a reader: mainly popular novels, but enjoying how bookclub is broadening my literary horizons. | I am a crafter: with way more supplies, ideas and unfinished projects than time. | I am a scrapbooker: digital, paper and some hybrid too; so thankful for a life filled with memories worth keeping. | I am a photographer: more quantity than quality but gradually improving. | I am a stasher: finding it hard to get rid of life's clutter. | I am comfortable in the kitchen: baking and cooking for family and friends. | I am partial to blue: perhaps because of my eyes. | I am a chauffeur: happily driving Heidi, Stefan and their friends about town.

Created using template from Cathy Zielske provided as part of her Clean and Simple workshop at Big Picture Classes and with a few digital elements and paper from the Enjoy Life kit (part of March 2013 Digi Files) by The Cluster Queen (Melissa) whose products are available at Scrap Matters.

Chocolate Pudding Cake

On this cold and blustery night, I had a craving for a childhood favourite. It's very fast and easy to make. We like it best hot; almost right from the oven: A light chocolate cake, with pudding magically beneath.

1 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp cocoa
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp oil

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa

1 3/4 boiling water

Mix together flour, powder, cocoa and optional nuts then stir in milk and oil. Spread mixture into a 9x9 pan.

Mix together brown sugar and cocoa. Sprinkle on top of cake batter.

Pour hot water over batter/topping.

Bake at 350' for 45 minutes.

Let cool slightly.

You can serve with ice cream.

Thirteen on the 13th - January

Instead of a 'Twelve on the 12th' series (that I did in 2012), I'm planning
to do a 'Thirteen on the 13th' series for 2013. This was created using
supplies from the Everyday Life digital kit from The Daily Digi that you
receive free for being a subscriber.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg

1 cup + 2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

chocolate chips
Skor bits (optional)
chopped pecans (optional)

Cream together shortening and sugars. Add vanilla and eggs. Mix well. Blend in dry ingredients. Add chocolate chips and, optionally, Skor bits and chopped pecans.

Drop by teaspoonsful onto parchment-lined baking sheets.

Bake at 350' for 8-12 minutes.

Enjoy!

I usually double or quadruple the recipe while I have everything out. I often make some with just chocolate chips, then add in some Skor bits and finally some with pecans too. It will depend on the preferences of those who will be eating them.

Peanut Butter Cookies

I donated a year's worth of tasty treats in a United Way fundraising auction at work. It went for over $200. Nancy's kindly volunteered to help. She'll do a few of the monthly batches. I made the November batch: peanut butter cookies; half with chocolate chips.

Here's the recipe:

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
chocolate chips (optional; mini or regular semi-sweet; mini Hersey's peanut butter cups are also a yummy addition)

Mix together shortening, peanut butter and sugars. Add egg. Mix together dry ingredients then add to moist mixture. Add chocolate chips. Form into 1" ball and place on cookie tray (I love using parchment paper-lined sheets so I don't have to wash the cookie trays afterwards). Flatten with fork. Bake at 350' for 8-12 minutes depending on your oven and how well you like them baked.

I usually double the recipe (just as easy since I have all the ingredients out).

I hope you enjoy trying to make some.

I package up 4 dozen of them and kept a few for my family to try. Neither Heidi nor Roland are fond of peanut butter, so it may just be Stefan that wants some, so I may have a few extras to share at work (since I'm trying to avoid sweets this month).