Boo to you!

Here is a little Halloween banner that I created for Shimmerz Paints. I used Fiery Fiesta Vibez on the chipboard letters.

 

 

 

How beautiful is my sweetgum tree? Oh, how I LOVE the fall colors!!

xo,
Lori

Back to basics...

Over the last few months, life has been crazy so I have not had the opportunity to get creative as often as I would like. I created some cards recently and figured I better get back to basics and start off simple... ease myself back into my creative groove! Last Spring I bought these beautiful papers and embellishments from The Girls Paperie. I have been dying to create with them. I grabbed my Baby's Breath Spritz and made the pretty floral paper even prettier and shimmery on these first two cards.

On this third card I used some of the latest and greatest colors from Shimmerz Paints. On the flower, I used Pop Art Pink Vibes mixed with a little Ruby Spritz to get just the shade of pink I was looking for. I used the new Peas Be Mine Pearlz on the leaves.

I guess it's time to put away the Spring and Summer papers and start creating with some warm fall ones! I suppose I'm in denial that the cold weather is coming because of this HOT weather we are having here in Idaho lately!

Happy Fall!

Lori

Seafood Chowder Recipe

Once in a while I am asked for one of my recipes that I don't have written down. I just wing it with chowder but my friend Mary Alice asked me to write it down for her. Thanks, Mary Alice! I really need to do this with many of my recipes but need a little kick in the ass. :)

This recipe makes a big ol' 8 quart pot full, which is probably about 18 to 20 generous servings.

Seafood Chowder

Ingredients

3-4 cups chopped clams (this would be about 10 pounds in the shell)
1 pound bay scallops
1 pound small shrimp (deveined and tails off)
1/2 pound bacon or pancetta, diced small.
1 stick unsalted butter
2 cups finely chopped onions
1 cup finely chopped celery
4 cloves of garlic (minced)
12 sprigs fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
3 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 quart heavy cream
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
3 teaspoons kosher salt or to taste
hot sauce (optional)
8 bottles Snow's Clam Juice (8oz each)If using pre-shucked clams
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Normally I bring clams home from Washington already shucked and I freeze them. I chop them up while they are in a big brick just slightly thawed. I use the store bought clam juice when I don't have fresh whole clams.

If you are using fresh clams, transfer the clams to a large bowl or baking dish and strain the broth twice through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, being careful to strain out the sand. You should have about 8 cups of clam broth. If not, add enough water to bring the volume up to 8 cups. When the clams are cool, remove them from their shells and chop into 1/2-inch pieces. Set the clams and broth aside.

Cook the bacon or pancetta (I prefer the non-smoky taste of pancetta) in a large heavy pot over medium heat until crisp and the fat is rendered. Pour off all of the bacon fat except 2 tablespoons. Add 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, onions, and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, thyme, and bay leaves and cook until the vegetables are thoroughly wilted, about 3 minutes, being careful not to brown.

Add the potatoes and reserved clam broth or clam juice and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer until the broth thickens slightly and the potatoes are very tender, about 30 minutes.I like my chowder very thick so at this point I melt half a stick of butter then stir in half a cup of flour. Cook this down for a couple of minutes then add to pot of chowder and stir. It will get very thick!

Discard the thyme stems and bay leaves, stir in the cream. Bring temp up to simmer. Add seafood and simmer for about 7-8 minutes just long enough for seafood to cook. Add salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste.

If you have the time, set the chowder aside for 1 hour, covered, to allow the flavors to marry. Place the pot over low heat and slowly reheat, being careful not to let boil as this will over cook the seafood. Garnish each bowl some chopped parsley.

Holy Smokes... three months??

How crazy is it that I've not blogged for three months?? It's not for lack of material, that's for sure! All three boys start school on Monday and Nate will be in first grade (ALL DAY!) so I'll be back to creating and blogging but also tackling my "I'll do that when the kids go back to school" list!

It's been a wonderful summer full of happy memories and I can't wait to recap and scrap it :)

Love and blessings to you!

xo,
Lori

Change of direction!

I love making banners! (can you tell?) I decided to change the direction with this one and make it vertical. I photographed it on my front door but it's paper so I can't leave it there. I'll have to find a place in my home for it because I just LOVE it!!

I used papers from Teresa Collins Designs Welcome Home and Mr. & Mrs Collections. Thanks for stopping by today!


Blessings to you!
Lori

A mini...

I don't do a whole lot of "mini books" anymore. I just don't know what the heck to do with them after they are done! :) I created this one for Scrappin' Girlfriends as a store sample. It is very simple. The book and the papers are from Bo Bunny. I just love love love these pictures of Joe and Nate hanging out in the back yard. They make me so happy!  You can click on each of the photos if you want to see the details.

 

I used the new Shimmerz Pearlz color "Espresso" which is a very dark brown, to distress the edges of the pages.  The stickers are from 7 Gypsies.

Thanks for stopping by today!

xo,

Lori

Inspired...

I made this banner to hang in my studio. I used Teresa Collins Designs Chic Bebe Girl collection. Love the crowns!

Find your Spahkle!
xo,
Lori

Oh, Happy Day!

Here is another banner I recently created. I got a Design Team kit from Scrappin' Girlfriends with a Maya Road chipboard album in in and a bunch of these bright colorful Fancy Pants papers. I decided to make it into a cheerful banner instead of a mini book. I used some of the new Shimmerz Pearlz on the letters and flowers. I'm so digging the color "Samrock" which is the most gorgeous shade of green!

Oh, happy day to you!

Blessings,
Lori

Graphic 45...

made me their Featured Artist for May for the banner that I created with their papers. How fun is that? You can check it out HERE and leave some love.
♥♥♥

Back to reality!!

I had SUCH a lovely time in Arizona! I'm glad to be home because I missed my guys but it was very hard to leave this paradise...

I got to hang out at the J.W. Marriot in Phoenix over the weekend and man, was it POSH!

I'll post more pics soon!

xo,
Lori

Banner Happy!

Hey there! I've been a little banner happy lately and have made several of these fun colorful decorations! Here is one that I  made for Scrappin' Girlfriends, my favorite scrapbook store! I used some of the brand new Shimmerz Pearlz paints on them. Love, love, love the opacity and vibrant sparkle of this product!  I used Carrot Top Pearlz on the chipboard letters and some of the flowers and Sunny Side Up Pearlz and Jeni B Bleu Vibez on the other flowers (all flowers from Petaloo!)

I used Graphic 45 On The Boardwalk papers for this banner.  Love this paper collection, so vintage but yet vibrant colors all at the same time!  To tie the banner together I used some beautiful hand dyed silk ribbon from my friend Cece of The Thread Gatherer!  Check out her ribbons and fibers, so gorgeous!

Hope you have a BANNER day filled with blessings!

♥♥♥

Lori

Shimmerz Pearlz has 11 new colors!

Just released today! Check out the video with some inspiring projects!
(Don't forget to pause my playlist.)