Happy Thanksgiving!

To all my American friends and family, Happy Thanksgiving (Feliz Día de Gracias)!

This little Pilgrim-inspired creation was a make-n-take I got to create at the A Muse store when I visited Seattle 3 weeks ago. Wouldn't this design make a cute place setting card?


This week, I've already done some prep work for the Thanksgiving meal. Yesterday I picked up my already-cooked turkey from Boston Market. I hate handling raw meat, especially a large turkey. This is the second year where I've left the job of baking the turkey to the professionals. 

I love the pumpkin pies from Costco, so I didn't bake my own. I thought I was smart by showing up right after they opened the store on Tuesday. Everyone one else had the same idea. Yikes, it was extremely busy! I had to park far away. I was glad to get out of there. I hate shopping, especially for food. I wish I had an assistant who could do all my shopping.
 
Last night, I made Pioneer Woman's mashed potato recipe. So good! Did you see Ree on Bobby Flay's Throwdown show last week? She beat him and these mashed potatoes are a big reason why. They have butter, cream cheese, and half & half. Awesome!


I also made a cranberry orange walnut relish from this recipe. I was going to make my mom's recipe, but I decided to try this new one. I like it when I sampled it.


Thanks for stopping by!

A Raspberry Cheesecake Recipe You Will Love

Hi! If you are ever in need of a good cheesecake recipe, here is a good one. I took this picture with my phone last week. I accidently left the cheesecake in the oven a couple of minutes too long, so my graham cracker crust was a little darker than usual. This cheesecake is actually baked twice. It is completely cooled in the refrigerator between bakings. The cheesecake layer is baked first for 35 minutes and then the sour cream layer is added on later and baked again for 5 minutes. This recipe is not quick and easy, but it's well worth it.

Last week on Twitter, I mentioned I was in the process of making this recipe. Sarah Martina Parker asked for the recipe. Between the cheesecake layer and raspberry topping, there is a sour cream layer. I'll I can say is yum!

I've made this recipe since about 1995. I got it from a online newsgroup at my previous job. It was published in the Lewiston Morning Tribune in 1994. I've never been to Idaho, but thank you Idaho newspaper! The modifications I've made to the recipe are to use low-fat cream cheese, light sour cream, vanilla paste, and Splenda.

RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE

My friends and family love the taste of this cheesecake. I always use low fat cream cheese and sour cream. I regularly use Splenda instead of sugar. I like using vanilla paste instead of vanilla extract; I like seeing the bits of vanilla bean.

Makes: 12 slices minimum; more when cut smaller

Preparation Time: At least 1 hour

Need: 10-inch springform pan

Bake Time: 35 minutes, plus second baking for 5 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Crust:	2 Tablespoons sugar or Splenda 1½ Cups graham cracker crumbs 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
First Layer:	3 8-ounce packages low-fat cream cheese 3 eggs 1 Cup sugar or Splenda 1 Tablespoon vanilla paste (sometimes available @ Trader Joe’s) or vanilla extract
Second Layer:	1 pint light sour cream 3 Tablespoons sugar or Splenda 1 teaspoon vanilla paste (or vanilla extract)
Topping:	1 10-ounce package frozen raspberries, unsweetened 2 Tablespoons sugar or Splenda 1 Tablespoon cornstarch

1. Mix crushed graham crackers, sugar, & melted butter. Pat onto bottom only of large, deep, springform pan.
2. Let the light cream cheese soften in a bowl at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
3. Mix together the light cream cheese, eggs, sugar, & vanilla paste until smooth and pour into pan.
4. Bake 35 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and refrigerate at least 45 minutes to stop cooking action.
6. Mix together light sour cream, sugar, and vanilla paste until smooth and spread over cooled cheesecake. Bake 5 additional minutes at 350 degrees.
7. Refrigerate until cool.
8. To make topping, cook frozen raspberries with sugar and cornstarch over medium heat, stirring until thickened. Cool and add to the top of the cheesecake.
9. Refrigerate for a few hours before serving.

Note: To save time, I make the sour cream layer and raspberry topping a day ahead of time.

Enjoy!

Anthonette Chavez

Anthonette@gmail.com

Baby Card

Hi there! Hope your weekend has been good. We had an awesome impromptu dinner at a friend's house last night: enchiladas (Michoacan style), carnitas, mashed Peruvian beans, Mexican rice, and a great pumpkin cake for dessert. {Burp!}

So on to the card. I made this simple card for a baby shower at school this week. The stamps used (Jessie's ABCs and Bannerific) are from Lawn Fawn. The stamps are awesome! I love how it's easy to line up the alphabet stamps. I also love that they included multiples of the same letter; very practical.

The patterned paper I used has texture. You can sort of see the glossy areas in this photo.

For the baby shower this week, I made a Raspberry Cheesecake that my friends love. I will provide the recipe tomorrow.

Card Ingredients

Stamps: Jessie's ABCs & Bannerific (Lawn Fawn)

Paper: White (Papertrey Ink), All About Boys patterned paper (DCWV)

Ink: Basic Black (Stampin' Up)

Tools: Corner Chomper (We R Memory Keepers)

Other: foam tape (3M), buttons (Stampin' UP), baker's twine (Etsy)

Hello Kitty Gift Bag & Matching Tag

Hello friends! I have so many projects to show you in the next weeks. Here's a gift bag and gift tag I made for PSA Essentials using their Hello Kitty Reindeer Games set of Peel & Stick stamps. I'd like to encourage you to check-out the PSA Stamp Camp blog and become a follower. Each week, Libby posts items from the design team members. Today, she posted my gift bag.

Here's a closer look at the tag. I found this gift bag in an expensive pack at Michael's. I loved the mustard color. It goes very well with my favorite Crushed Curry paper from Stampin' Up.


For those of you asking, PSA Essentials products are available online at places like FineStationery.com, CambriaCove.com, and Expressionery.com. They are also available in stores like Papyrus. For a complete list of stores, check here.

Have a great day!

Hello Kitty Gift Bag & Tag Ingedients
Stamps: Hello Kitty - Reindeer Games (PSA Essentials)
Paper (all Stampin' Up): Very Vanilla, Crushed Curry, Melon Mambo, patterned paper
Ink: Grapefruit (PSA Essentials)
Tools: 1 1/16" circle punch (EK Success), 1.25" circle punch (All Night Media), 2" circle punch (Fiskars), Crop-a-Dile (We R Memory Keepers)
Other: gift bag (Michael's), Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue, pink lace, foam tape (3M), Silver thread, eyelet (Making Memories), Copic markers, glitter pen (Sakura), button (Papertrey Ink)

Coordinated Letter Box Set

This is the lovely letter box set of cards and goodies I made during the second class last Saturday at the A Muse Art Stamps store. The amazing Julie Ebersole was the teacher.

We made:

• the box
• dividers for the interior of the box
• 4 notecards
• decorated Post-It note pad
• sleeve for postage stamps
• decorated metal paper clips

All the paper was already cut and scored by Her Royal Rubberness herself. LOL! I got to use a Slice machine for the first time to cut the bird and branch silhouette for the outside of the box.

I love Julie's design style. I loved her use of the silver washi tape on the upper right-hand corner of the notecard. Silver washi tape is yummy!


We did have some excitement during the class. I man walked in through the back door of the A Muse shop (I didn't see this happen) and landed up in the owner's office. From the corner of my eye, I could see a man that kept peeking out of the office. I didn't know this was the owner's office, and the man, I assumed he worked for A Muse. Well....he didn't! The owner walked into her office and did a big step back when she met up with him. He claims he was moving and was looking for boxes. Ya...right! She asked him to leave. Luckily, nothing was missing from her office.


Thanks for stopping by!

Seattle Was a Blast!

Hola! I had the best time in Seattle last weekend. It was my first trip there. Loved it! From the moment Ericka picked me up at the airport, until I flew out on Sunday evening, we were shopping at craft stores, talking about stamping, taking stamping classes, or actually stamping. On Friday night (actually, Saturday morning) we were up until 3AM! We were in her studio working away.

We had to be up early on Saturday because we had 2 classes at A Muse Art Stamps store taught by the A-M-A-Z-I-N-G Julie Ebersole. Her Royal Ruberness did not disappoint. She is so fun! These had to be my favorite classes ever. I can't remember enjoying a class so much.

Here are the cards we made during the first class. They are all fun and they are all very "Julie". I LOVE Julie Ebersole's design style!

Well, the guys and I are going to dinner right now. I'll post the projects from the 2nd class tomorrow.

Have a great one and thanks for stopping by!

How To Videos From PSA Essentials

Hey there! Just a quick blog post since I'm running late to help set up the book fair at school. I'm pretty excited because I'm flying out tomorrow morning to Seattle...just me! While I'm going to miss my 2 favorite guys, I'm visiting one of my best friends, Ericka. Ericka has been inviting us to Seattle for years, but this is my first trip to the city. On Saturday morning, we are taking two A Muse Artstamps classes from Her Royal Rubberness (love that nickname), Julie Ebersole. It will be a thrill to meet her. I've admired her work (and sense of humor) for quite some time, so I can't wait. Besides the classes, there will be sightseeing, shopping, making cards in Ericka's studio, and meeting some of her friends.

Before I go, I wanted to let you know about some great videos that Libby at PSA Essentials created:

• Libby Demonstrates Peel & Stick Stamps
• Quick How-To on Switching Cartridge

Adios!

Last-Minute Halloween Project

Hi all! Sorry for posting these several days late.

I decided to make these last Thursday night around 10 PM. I needed them for the Little Guy's classmates the following day. My Costco had a large pack of mini-playing cards in the Halloween section. I decided to give them to his classmates, instead of candy. Kids get too much candy on Halloween anyway. These were the leftovers I handed out to little ones on Halloween night. I also handed out candy.

These were simple and I was able to make them pretty fast.

The stamps are from two PSA Essentials stamp sets: Hello Kitty Trick or Treat and UBU Happy Halloween.

Treat Cover Ingredients

Stamps: Hello Kitty Trick or Treat, UBU Happy Halloween (PSA Essentials)

Paper: white (Papertrey Ink), Basic Black (SU!)

Ink: black, orange/black (PSA Essentials)

Tools: 1.75" circle punch (SU!), 2" circle punch (Fiskars)

Other: Copic markers, Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue