Christmas in August blog hop!

Thoughts2Paper is having a BLOG HOP... and this hop is all about Christmas! It's coming faster than you think! Have you started thinking about shopping yet?

In hopping through you should have came from Karen's blog.....If you came here and didnt know we were hopping you can go start at the Thoughts2paper blog OR you can make your way back here. Just make sure you comment on every blog for your chance at the $40 gift certificate!

AND...... In honor of the hop Liz is generously offering up a 40% discount on all purchases until August 28th!!

Use the code:  CHAROOM
 
There are lots of good things happening at T2P at the moment. A new message board full of fun and challenges is in the works and here is a sketch contest on the BLOG right now and the prize is a PINK ATG gun! You must check it out!

Here are a few Christmasy projects to cool down your August

A Christmasy layout featuring my lil Santa baby Aubrey. She looked so sweet in her little santa hat Christmas morning. She was around 6 weeks old at the time. My mom snapped this picture as she slept in her car seat under the Christmas tree.

Supplies from the thoughts2paper store: Martha Stewart punch around the page in double loops, SEI Glitzmas papers, American Crafts felt thickers, christmas shaped buttons, zva creative jewels
Other supplies: Prima flowers, Maya road chipboard flourishes, American Crafts flair, Teresa Collins journal block.

And a little Christmas gift bag and tag.

I left the panel on the tag and the bag blank to fill in the giftees name when I get ready to use it. Here are a few closeups of the tag and the home made flower

Supplies from the thoughts2paper store: SEI Glitzmas papers, black pigment ink
Other supplies: Marvy scalloped mega and giga circle punches, fiskars large circle punch, martha stewart butterfly punch, Core'dinations vintage cardstock, a red bag

And since we are in a Christmasy mood here is a recipe for some of my famous Christmas candy

S'MORE POPS ANYONE?

50 large marshmallows
1lb of milk chocolate (if using chocolate chips you will need to add a little shortening to thin/smooth it out. I used candy melt)
1 cup of graham cracker crumbs (give or take I didnt really measure)
50 lollipop sticks
* A thick piece of styrofoam (optional but will make your life easier and your suckers prettier)

1. Insert stick into marshmallow about 3/4 of the way in
2. In a glass cup (I use my pyrex measuring cup) melt chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until creamy smooth
3. Dip marshmallow in chocolate
4. Sprinkle all over with graham cracker crumbs
5. Insert sticks into styrofoam block (if no styrofoam place on wax paper)
6. Repeat
7. Put s'mores in the fridge for 10 minutes to allow chocolate to set


I made over 100 of these and packaged them prettily with some cellophane bags and ribbons to give as Christmas gifts. Of  course that only left me with a few to photograph so these are the ones the chocolate didnt totally coat, but they were still delicious.
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As a SPECIAL BONUS if you leave me a comment AND follow this blog (or already do) you'll be entered to win this christmasy prize pack


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The next stop on your hop is..... Michelle !!

Happy Scrappin!
Sarah

Its the Scrap that Baby Blog hop!

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Welcome to the Scrap that Baby's Sweet Summertime blog hop!!

Thank you so much for hopping along on our first ever blog hop!

If you popped upon this blog and didnt realize we were blog hopping you need to go to Scrap That Baby  and start the HOP!  You will need to comment on ALL of the blogs to be eligible for the grand prizes listed on the main site. ! Plus so many of our awesome designers are giving away a prize on their blogs as well. You will not want to miss out. There are MANY MANY chances to win!

Our theme for this blog hop is SWEET SUMMERTIME!! The members of our design team will all be sharing fantastic summer projects, stories, tips or ideas for keeping cool and having fun in the summer with a baby along.

Here are a few ideas by design team mama : Sarah Rice (moi)

This first summer with Aubrey was so much fun. At first I was so stressed some of our normal summer activities, but quickly scary things became routine. The first time I took Aubrey on the boat I was a wreck! I spent $35 on an infant life vest. I wouldnt anyone hold her but me and I sat in the same place for the entire trip. Of course she loved it! She happily sat with me, the wind blowing through her hair and eating cherries. She loved looking at everything! I dont think I relaxed until we arrived at the dock. Now we are pros at boating. Aubrey even drives the boat.... see....

of course`she was on grandpa's lap but she did the steering.

We never forget the sunscreen.... afterall my girl is a fair skinned red head! Aveeno baby rocks! She also wears a hat when she isnt underneath the canopy.... in the pool I sunscreen her head. She looks like the heat miser with her red hair sticking straight up! It's pretty comical.

Speaking of the pool.....We also took her to the pool a few times.She loves baths so I knew she'd love love the pool. It gives me such joy to watch her kick her legs, squeal and smile in the water.

My best pool tip?? I bought a big hot pink laundry basket to take to the pool. It easily fits 4 big towels, swim suits, cover ups, sunscreen, beach toys, swim diapers, goggles and lots and lots of snacks. Its easy to carry in and out and if it gets wet or sandy it can easily be hosed off. I keep it packed and in my garage to grab and go. I also include a big ziplock bag for phones, camera and anything i want to keep dry.

And now Im going to share my recipe for my veggie kabobs. Im in love with them. I have made them at least once a week since we bought the gas grill. mmmmmmm  Im addicted to the farmer's market right now.

No measurements really.... but here's what you do

*Whole mushrooms (button or baby portabella... if too large cut in 1/2)
*zucchini or summer squash (or both cut in 1/2 and slice into half moons)
*red bell pepper
*green bell pepper
*balsamic vinaigrette (i make my own using the good seasons package and balsamic vinegar. Its my dirty secret. Everyone begs me for my homemade vinaigrette recipe... and its a package... lol)

Cut veggies and marinate in balsamic vinaigrette. Usually for an hour.
Preheat grill to medium high.
Thread veggies on skewers. (if using wooden skewers soak them in water for 1/2 hour)
Set aside leftover marinade for basting.

Grill skewered veggies with the grill top open for about 10 minutes. Turning and basting every 3ish minutes. You can grill them more or less time depending on how soft you want your veggies.

Remove veggies from skewers, Toss with a little marinade. Serve. SOOOO GOOD!!

Want a prize??? As an added BONUS... if you leave me a comment and FOLLOW this blog you'll be entered into a drawing to win this embellishment kit

Ki memories Chipboard alphas, KI memories gel alphas, heidi swap chipboard brackets, bling blossoms crochet flowers, fuzzy flowers, ribbons. Its so much cuter than this stinky pic (sorry for the bad picture.... i had issues today and couldnt take a pic)

want another entry??? comment on another one of my blog posts .... any post

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Our blog hop run from today, August 18th until August 22nd . Invite your friends to play for extra entries.  You must comment on all the blogs for a chance at the main prize

The Scrap that Baby blog will be drawing for prizes on Wednesday August 25th! .

The next stop on the blog hop is the lovely and talented JEN MATOTT

Get HOPPING!