Blog feature on Roseberry Style

Check out this wonderful blog I'm featured on:

Roseberry Style: Happy new year!: "We're leaving year 2010 behind and welcoming the year 2011. I found some awesome New Year-related items from Etsy: Sky Rockets In Flight..."

Marja has such a pretty ETSY shop too ~ be sure to check out her sweet items using her original drawings.  Click here to go to her shop.

Thank you Marja ♥

Happy 2011!

I dabbled with a few stamped jewelry designs recently.  One of them was very popular at local shows and open houses.  It's the perfect necklace for a graduate and has been featured in 15 Etsy treasuries in the past couple of days!  Who knew that a 2011 stamped necklace could be so popular!  I'm so flattered by all of the fellow Etsians that have featured my necklace!

Wishing you a year filled with peace, love, good health and adventure!  Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

Wishing all of you a warm and peaceful holiday!  Enjoy!

Cookie Time! Chocolate Crinkles

I thought I'd post just in case you were still looking for cookies to bake this season.  These are easy and oh so good!  I like that I can make the dough a day before.  I make these throughout the year ~ they're too good to make only at the holidays.

Chocolate Crinkles


1 c unsweetened cocoa powder
2 c white sugar
1/2 c vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 t vanilla extract
2 c flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 c powdered sugar

In a medium bowl mix together cocoa, white sugar and oil. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into the cocoa mixture. Cover dough and chill for at least 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Coat each ball in powdered sugar and place onto prepared sheets.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Let stand on cookie sheet for a minute or two before transfering to racks to cool.

Baby it's Cold Outside!

One of my favorites! I know, I was quite the fashionista!

Cleveland Last Minute Market!

for complete details on the Last Minute Market & Screw Factory Open Studio and the Early Bird Hour to benefit the Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland, please visit: http://handmadefeelsgood.com/

Christmas Cookes ~ Silver Dollars

This is a new recipe I tried today and the we really liked them!  Plus they are easy to make.  I made the dough yesterday and it in the fride.  Today all I had to do was slice and bake :)  This recipe is definitely a keeper!

Silver Dollar Cookies

1 c butter

4 T sugar

2 T vanilla

2 c flour

2/3 c finely ground almonds

powdered sugar

Cream together butter, sugar and vanilla.  Stir in flour and almonds.  Roll into log (about 10 inches) and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate least an hour (mine was refrigerated overnight). 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Slice dough into 1/4 inch rounds.  Place on parchment-lined cookie sheets.  Bake cookes for 20 minutes or until lightly golden.  Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Makes 36 cookies.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

I make this dip often.  It's one of those recipes that comes out great every time and people will ask for the recipe, so make sure you have it on hand!

2 (10 ounce) cans chunk chicken, drained *
3 T butter
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing
3/4 cup pepper sauce (such as Frank's Red Hot®)
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese *

*I've never used canned chicken.  I use either leftover chicken breast or just cook a few chicken tenders up to use.
*There's been a couple times when I didn't have cheese and I made this without.  It came out just as good!
 
Heat chicken, butter and hot sauce in a skillet over medium heat, until heated through. Stir in cream cheese and dressing. Cook, stirring until well blended and warm. Mix in half of the shredded cheese, and transfer the mixture to a slow cooker. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, cover, and cook on Low setting until hot and bubbly. This is great served with tortilla chips, fritos, crackers, soft pretzels and celery sticks.

New Pandora Style Charms

I've been busy listing new items in my Etsy shop, including these new Pandora-style charms:

The Dinner Table

I'm just so proud of myself that I had to show off my dining room table actually set for dinner!  As I prepared for my recent craft and home shows, my table was where I organized, tagged and priced items.  I love this table - we're lucky to be only a couple hours away from Holmes County, OH, which is home to the Amish community.  We had this table custom made when we moved into our house.  They did a beautiful job. 

Giving Thanks

I just came home from making stuffing at my parents home.  They hosted Thanksgiving dinner up until 3 years ago when my Dad suffered his first stroke.  Now I host dinner, but the stuffing is still made at their house, in the basement - my mom is lucky to have a 2nd kitchen in her basement.  This year was a bit different.  My husband came along and watched tv with my Dad while my Mom and I worked in the kitchen.  It's hard to watch my Dad struggle sometimes with his Parkinsons Disease, but he loved spending time with my husband watching Wheel of Fortune tonight!  It was nice to see him enjoy himself. 

Meanwhile, making the stuffing gave my mom a much deserved break - she was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer and will be going in for a lumpectomy next week.  The past few weeks have been filled with pre-op appointments and tests.  This evening we were able to just chit-chat while chopping, mixing and cooking. 

So this year I'm thankful for my parents.  It's been a rough year, but we've helped each get through some of the tough days.  We've also had many good days and we'll continue to do so in 2011:)

I wish you all a warm and peaceful Thanksgiving ♥
Kathy

Craft Show Display

I love looking at other crafter's displays!  So I thought I'd share mine from a show I did this past Saturday.  I only had a 6 foot table, so it seemed a bit cramped, but overall I received a lot of positive feedback.  It sure is a lot of work though.  I spent most of the day sitting, and the metal chair wasn't the most comfortable.  I was tired by the end of the day.  The show was in my hometown and several friends and relatives stopped by which was nice :)

*Easy* Apple Strudel

Seriously,  if I can make this strudel, you can make it too!  I recently came across 2 recipes for strudel using puff pastry.  This was my first time using puff pastry and it was pretty easy!  Below is the recipe I came up with after combining a bit from recipes I've read.  I'm thinking of adding this to our Thanksgiving menu.  The only problem I had was that I didn't great the cookie sheet - both recipes I read said there was enough butter in the pastry to keep it from sticking.  Well, mine slightly stuck.  So next time I think I'll put a light spray of PAM down.

1 sheet Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
1 can apple pie filling
1 golden delicious apple, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

Thaw pastry sheet at room temperature 30-45 minutes, until you're able to roll out. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Roll out the defrosted puff pastry to form a rectangle and lay on a lightly greased baking sheet.  I lightly floured the pastry before rolling.

Unfold pastry on lightly floured surface. Roll into 16x12-inch rectangle  (I didn't measure mine). Place apple slices down center of pastry. Spoon pie filling on top, stopping about an inch from sides.  Neatly fold up both ends to meet in the middle and seal with egg wash. Flip the strudel over on the baking sheet, so the seam side is laying flat down. Tuck ends under to seal. Brush top with egg mixture. Cut several 2-inch slits about 2 inches apart on top using serated knife.  Sprinke top with turbinado (raw) sugar.

Bake 35 minutes or until golden. Cool on baking sheet on wire rack 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Open House

I had my first jewelry open house Thursday evening.  My sister-n-law graciously hosted the event.  What a fun evening of friends, drinks, food and of course, jewelry!  I wasn't sure what to expect and certainly learned alot.  I received a lot of positive feedback on my displays, especially the holiday-themed table.

My sister-n-law and mom helped make a scrumptious array of finger food and snacks.  I will be posting recipes and ideas this week.  We had lots of food that is perfect for entertaining and holiday parties.  Below is a quick sneak peek at some of the goodies!

We recruited my dad to help prepare some of the food.  Even Lexi, my nephew's boxer hung around the kitchen - of course she was waiting for crumbs to fall!

Have a good week!   xo Kathy

First Snow

Well it was bound to happen - the first snow of the season.  It's actually quite pretty - a coating of fluffy white snow on the gold and red leaves that are still left on the trees.  It's just not fun driving in.  Glad it wasn't icy today.  Tomorrow it's supposed to be back up to 50 degrees.  Welcome to weather in Cleveland:)

Open House Preparation

My sister-n-law is hosting an open house Thursday night to showcase my jewelry.  Why is it that no matter how prepared you are, there's always a last minute rush!  Thank goodness we're not having company over for dinner any time soon.  I've taken over the dining room!  I'm just about done putting tags on everything. 

I plan on hanging holiday-themed earrings on a small Christmas tree.  So I had to go in the basement and dig through a couple boxes! 

Wish me luck!!

The past couple of days have been such a treat for us in Northeast Ohio.  70 degrees, blue sky and stunning foliage... perfect for walks and working in the yard.  I felt like we were getting ready to hibernate - putting away the patio furniture, planters and bikes in the shed. 

We got everything out of the vegetable garden.  Doesn't it look empty?  Seems like I was just planting tomatos the other day.  The summer sure did fly by quickly!

New Bracelets

I just finished taking photos of several new bracelets.  I'll be listing these soon in my Etsy shop!

"Blue" Snowflakes!

My hands are getting a lot of attention!

I recently purchased Sally Hansens "Gray by Gray" nail polish - a pretty slate/gray/blue color.  For some reason  the color caught my eye as I was browsing the beauty aisle at Target.  So as always, I walked out of Target with a bag full of items I didn't intend to buy (but that's a whole other story!).  Supposedly it's one of the 'in' colors this season.

And by the way - I've listed some new snowflake earrings in my Etsy shop.

Holiday Designs

New holiday earrings available in my Etsy shop!

Welcome October!

Fall Recipes ~ Apple Bars

I found this recipe on allrecipes and it caught my attention because it was low-fat.  They turned out very moist and everyone loved them.  I added a chopped apple, but the original recipe did not call for that.  These were so good I think the next time I make them I'll omit the frosting.  The bars come out pretty thin, so if you want a thicker bar, use a smaller pan.   Enjoy  ♥

Apple Bars

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup applesauce
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (I used a combo of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves)
1 apple peeled and chopped  (I used a golden delicous)

Frosting:
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons margarine, melted
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.

In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, brown sugar and egg until smooth. Stir in applesauce. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice; stir into the applesauce mixture until well blended. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are golden. Cool in the pan over a wire rack.

In a small bowl, mix together the confectioners' sugar and margarine. Stir in vanilla and milk until smooth. Spread over cooled bars before cutting into squares.

Mum's the Word Treasury

My latest treasury, featurning glorious mums! 

New Pandora-Style Charms

I love these little charms!  I've just added these new ones to my ETSY shop.

Orange and Brown

I'm in an orange and brown mood since the Cleveland Browns are undefeated in pre-season football!  Ok, yes, they have only played one game, but it's not very often that us Browns fans can say we're undefeated!   These smokey quartz and carnelian earrings are perfect for game day!

Sunday Meal Planning

I try to plan our most of our meals for the week on Sunday.  It makes it easier when I come home from work knowing that I have what I need.   And now I'm planning my meals around tomatoes.  I thought I'd share a few of my favorite ways to enjoy tomatoes ~ nothing too fancy here, just good food with fresh ingredients!  I'd love to hear your favorites too!

1. Pasta with Garlic and Tomato - heat light olive oil in a pan and saute fresh chopped garlic until fragrant (be careful not to let brown).   Add in cherry or grape tomatoes which have been cut in half.  Saute for a few minutes until tomatoes start to wilt a bit.  Add in cooked angel hair pasta.  Toss with your favorite cheese - we like either feta or parmesan.  This is also good with canned artichokes added in too.
2. BLT - I can't resits making a BLT with fresh beefsteak tomato slices.  It reminds me of a diner up in Rogers City, Michigan that we used to go to when visiting my Aunt.  They made the best BLTs and hashbrowns.  Nothing beats comfort food at a diner!
3. Caprese Salad - layer slices of fresh mozzerella and tomato.  Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle kosher salt and black pepper.  Top with a few sprigs of basil.  Perfect on a hot summer day!  Or, just a big tomato slice sprinkled with salt and pepper.  Yum!

New Designs

New Swarovski pearl and crystal earrings available soon in my ETSY shop. 

ETSY Finds ~ Tomato Red

I've been seeing tomatoes everywhere - my garden, the markets and at roadside produce stands.  I searched ETSY and found some great items in shades of tomato red.  

  

1. Apron from Poppy's Garden Gate
2. Bowl from Clay Lick Creek Pottery
3. Earrings from Lush Boutique
4. Glycerin Soap from Paintbox Soapworks
5. Neckwarmer Scarf from Albertine's Creations
6. Picture Frame from Art City Frames 

 I hope you enjoy browsing these shops as much as I did!

Garden Bouquet

I've been riding my bike every night.  I love looking at people's gardens as I ride by, especially hydrangeas.  I love the various shades of pink and blue.  My hot pink blooms have been stunning this summer and I love bringing the blooms inside!

New Charms

New charms now available in my Etsy shop!

Harvest Time

Custom Wedding Jewelry

I love weddings!  All the details - colors, flowers, cake - and especially jewelry!  And I'm tickled when I'm asked to create jewelry for the bridal party.  Here are earrings made for a local bride.  I think her maids will love them!

Summer Tomato Salad

Ahhhhh..... fresh tomatoes!  Nothing beats a homegrown tomato!  My grape and cherry tomatoes are starting to ripen.  After work today I went to the garden and picked a basket full of them.  They are so sweet and full of flavor ~ so I like to keep recipes simple when using them.  My favorite is to toss them with cucumber, onion, fresh mozzarella and some basil.  A simple dressing of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar finish the salad. 

This was my main course tonight - paired with a chilled glass of limoncello, it was a perfect summer dinner!

Custom Wedding Jewelry

I just finished up a few custom jewelry orders for wedding parties.  I'm always so flattered when a bride purchases my jewelry for their wedding:)  Here are a couple sets:

Swarovski Pearl Earrings ~ New Designs

Pandora Style Charms ~ New Designs

New to my Etsy shop are Pandora-style charms.  My husband gave me a Pandora bracelet several years ago and gives me a new charm either for my birthday or Christmas.  It's fun to look at my bracelet and remember the different occasions. 

I wanted some dangles to add to my bracelet, so I made a few for myself and had a few people  ask where I got them.  So I decided to add them to my shop.  Right now I only have a few with either pearls or crystals, but I plan to be adding many more styles.

Patriotic Strawberries

I came across these chocolate dipped strawberries on allrecipes.com.  Isn't this a cute idea?  It's just strawberries dipped in melted white chocolate, then dipped again in blue sprinkles.  Clever idea!

Happy Birthday America!

Happy 4th of July!  Enjoy your day and be safe!

Chocolate Pretzel Rods

When you need a party favor or just some fun snacks, think of chocolate dipped pretzels!  I bought the long pretzel rods and dipped them in milk and white chocolate.  Then topped with red, white and blue sprinkles.  These were favors for a party, so I bought cellophane bags at Joann Fabrics - they have bags in all shapes and sizes and special ones especially for pretzel rods!  I was amazed at all the different shapes and colors of sprinkles available too!

They were a hit at the party!