SEI: For Dad

Today, I'm sharing a project created for SEI using the Spring Picnic collection.  This collection is full of family elements and beautiful colors, making it a perfect choice for a layout about Father's Day.

For Dad

Supplies

Spring Picnic (Grandma's Blanket, Clear Skies, Family Gathering, Stickers, Alphabet Stickers, Sundries, Vellum Blossoms, Wood Pieces)

I started with a 7.5x9  piece of patterned paper, and folded the top left corner down. This made a great location to tuck in a journaling card. I then topped the folded down corner with a heart. I trimmed down a border strip to 7.5 inches, and tucked it under my background piece. 

Next, I trimmed a piece of patterned paper down to 7.5x5 for a photo mat, and stitched it down. Finally, after sticking down my photo, I tucked in all of my other embellishment clusters, and added the title.

Thanks for stopping by!

Bible Journaling: 2 Corinthians 5:17

I have been looking for a journaling Bible for the past few months, and had a hard time finding what I wanted. I was looking for a KJV with wide margins, and no lines, but the only one I was able to find was $85 dollars. This past week someone had posted a link in a group on Facebook to the exact Bible that I was looking for, and it was only $45! (Find it HERE) So, I quickly ordered it, and it came two days later. I LOVE it...it is so beautiful, and fit my qualifications exactly! I have been taking some notes in a notebook to get ready for when I finally purchased a Bible, so I couldn't wait to get started.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Cor. 5:17

I had heard this verse quoted at the end of a song I was listening to, and I knew it was to be my very first entry :)  The song itself was about being brand new, and the phrase "all things new" just kind of stuck with me. I started by underlining my verse with a Zig pen...these pens are great for Bible journaling because they do not bleed. I currently only have black, but am looking to get some colored pens soon (I hope). I stuck some designer tape along the side, and added my phrase of choice in assorted letter stickers.

Being in Christ means putting away the old course of living, relinquishing all external things, and embracing the indwelling presence of Jesus. He gives us a new heart, new spirit...and in them new life and joy....new eyes to see,  new ears to hear, new feet to walk, new hands to work, a new name, and a new song. He makes ALL THINGS NEW. 

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

SEI: Adventure

I'm catching up on some posts this week. Today, I'm sharing a layout that was up last month over at the SEI Lifestyle Blog.

Adventure

Supply List:

Hoo's Sweet (Little Petals, Sweet Owls, Pulled Taffy, Playful Expressions, Stickers, Dimensional Foam Stickers)

Forever Sassy (Assorted Overlays, Stickers)

Chalet (Sundries)

I combined the Hoo's Sweet and Forever Sassy collections to create this page. The colors in theses two collections coordinate perfectly, and I love mixing and matching elements to fit whatever theme that I need.

The base of my layout is a 4x10 and 6x6 piece of patterned paper on white cardstock. After choosing all of my embellishments, I just started playing around with the elements on my page, tucking things here and there until I liked how it looked. I finished up with a few stickers, and a thin strip of striped patterned paper stitched along the top and bottom of the page.

Thanks for stopping by!

Rhubarb Cake with Vanilla Sauce - THM 'S'

My dad recently gave me a huge bag of rhubarb...which of course, I was super grateful for :) I was kind of torn, though...because I have this cake recipe that everyone loves, but it was 'off plan' for us (We have been following the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle for a little over a year). I could have just cheated and made it (I mean, what's one time?), but I really just wanted to find a way to be able to enjoy it anytime. So, I made the recipe as written and just swapped in on-plan ingredients (THM Baking Blend for flour, Truvia/ Swerve for sugar, and heavy cream instead of milk). While the flavor was right, the texture wasn't great. It was delicious...but more of a cobbler than a cake. So, I did a little research (mostly just going over other cake recipes that use alternative flours), and tweaked it a bit. Here is what I came up with....

(The full recipe is written up at the bottom of this post.)

You will need 4 cups of chopped, fresh rhubarb.

There was only one egg in the original recipe, but I increased it to three.  And even though you will use the whole eggs, they need to be separated.

Cream together the butter, sour cream, and sweetener, add in baking powder, and baking soda. Then, add in the egg yolks, and mix in THM Baking Blend and Oat Fiber.

The egg whites need to be beaten until stiff with 1/4 t. of xanthum gum.

Fold the egg whites into the batter. I know it seems like a lot of extra work...but it really is worth it. This is what gives the cake volume.

Then fold in the rhubarb.

The cake has a streusel topping. It includes 1/2 cup of oatmeal...but since it is spread over the entire cake, we are still safely in 'S' category....unless you eat the whole cake, which I don't recommend :)

Spread your batter in a greased 9x13 pan, sprinkle with topping and bake at 350 degrees for 30 min.

There is also a vanilla sauce to drizzle on top. Melt 1/2 cup of butter in a sauce pan, and then whisk in 1/4 t. of glucomannan.

Next, whisk in 1/2 c. of Swerve plus 2 T. brown Truvia (or just regular Truvia). Then add 1/2 c. of heavy cream, 1 t. vanilla, and 1/2 t. of cinnamon. Bring it to a low boil for about 3 to 5 min.

My personal opinion is that the cake is best served warm with the hot vanilla sauce on it. But, my husband prefers it cooled :) Store the left over sauce in the refrigerator. If you store it in a glass jar, you can just reheat it in a pan of water on the stove.

I was really happy with how it turned out....maybe even better than the original off plan version!

Rhubarb Cake

2 T. butter, softened
3/4 C. Swerve, 1/4 c. Truvia

1 C. sour cream

3 eggs, separated

1 3/4 C. THM Baking Blend, 1/4 C. Oat Fiber

1 1/2 t. baking powder 

1 t. baking soda

4 C. fresh, chopped rhubarb

Streusel Topping

1/4 C. THM Baking Blend
1/2 C. oatmeal
1/4 C. Brown Truvia
4 T. butter, melted

Vanilla Sauce

1/2 C. butter

1/4 t. glucomannan

1/2 C. Swerve

2 T. Brown Truvia

1/2 C. heavy cream

1 t. vanilla

1/2 t. cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and grease a 9x13 baking dish. Separate eggs, and beat egg whites with xanthum gum until peaks form. In a separate bowl...cream together butter, sour cream, and sweetener. Mix the egg yolks in to the batter. Add baking blend and oat fiber. Gently fold in egg whites, then fold in rhubarb. Spread in prepared pan.For the topping...mix together baking blend, oatmeal and brown Truvia. Pour in melted butter, and mix with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle topping over batter. Bake for 30 minutes.For the vanilla sauce....melt butter in sauce pan, and whisk in glucomannan. Then add sweetener, heavy cream, vanilla, and cinnamon. Bring to a low boil for 3 to 5 minutes. Serve over warm cake!

     Enjoy!

Mother's Day Apron Card

Well...I'm a little late in sharing another Mother's Day project. But, I went through all of the trouble of taking photos and editing them...so I figured I should probably post it :)

Apron Card

Supplies

Stampin' Up! (Very Vanilla Cardstock, embossing folder)

Imaginisce (Family Fun collection)

SEI (Basic Sundries)

Bella Blvd (Brown-Cream High Five Alphas)

To be honest, this isn't my original idea, 

I was inspired to make my apron card by this one...

...and I found it HERE.

Thanks for stopping by today!

SEI: Father's Day Cards

Today, I have a couple of cards up over at The SEI Lifestyle Blog...

Father's Day Cards

I created these cards using the Hello Handsome collection. This collection is perfect for anything masculine themed from dads to birthdays, and even babies! 

Best Dad Ever

Supplies:

Hello Handsome (Note Cards, 6x6 paper pad, Stickers, Sundries, Kraft Chips)

For the first card, I covered about 3/4 of a note card with patterned paper. Centering the sentiment along the left side, I stitched it down. I then had lots of fun building myself a little 'dad' from the Hello Handsome sticker sheet.

Next, I arranged the stickers on a die cut piece of white cardstock. I centered it on the patterned paper side of my card, and popped it up with some foam tape. To finish it up, Kraft Chip stars were added, and I topped the hat with a button.

You're the Vest

Supplies:

Hello Handsome (Note Cards, 6x6 paper pad, Stickers, Sundries)

For the second card, I created my background using 4-6x6 pieces of patterned paper. I started by making 4 evenly spaced marks along the left side of the card (each slightly over an inch). I adhered the first piece down by lining up a corner to the top mark, and lined up the following three the same way using the first one as a guide.

Next, I trimmed off the access paper, I then hot glued a vest sticker from the Hello Handsome sticker sheet to a mini wire hanger from the Sundries kit, and popped it up using foam tape onto 3 inch circle of white cardstock. Using more foam tape, I adhered the circle to the center of my card. I then added the sentiment to the base of the circle for the finishing touch.

Two Father's Day cards down...and only one more to go! I'd better get busy :)

Thanks for stopping by today!