Hey There,

Happy Monday!  I hope you have had a wonderful Thanksgiving week.   Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday.  Most people love Christmas, but I love Thanksgiving.  It’s probably because I am so very food motivated.   I love to cook from scratch and what better meal to prepare that way.  Add family and I’m in heaven.   I’ll show you some pictures below of what I have been up to the past week.  But first, I have some timely Blog Candy to give away and it is calorie free.

Check out the 2 sets I am giving away this week, Stampin’ Up! set Tree Trimmings and Christmas Greetings.  Just in time to turn our attention to Christmas card making.

Now all you need to do to enter the drawing for these sets is leave a comment below on this blog post telling me to enter you.  If you are getting this blog post via e-mail you will need to CLICK HERE and then leave a comment on the actual blog post.  Please do not just hit that reply button (no e-mail entries, please).

I will select the winner on Saturday, December 3, 2011 using a random number generator.  Good Luck to you!  Just remember that you cannot win unless you enter.

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Now, below is my wonderful, lovely, high energy Grand Daughter, Hailie Jade.  Let me add she is the light of my life!

She was here visiting with me all last week.  Let me show you some of the fun we had.

Remember I like to cook from scratch and one of her favorite foods is pizza rolls.  So we did a made from scratch version Pizza Balls.

Pizza Balls (makes 16 balls)

1 16 oz Pkg White or Whole Wheat Pizza Dough (I make my dough in my bread machine)
3/4 Cup Broccoli Florets, cooked & chopped*

1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1/2 Cup Pizza Sauce
Olive Oil
Parmesan Cheese, grated

Additions: chicken, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, olives, pepperoni, pineapple, ham — the sky’s the limit

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Bring pizza dough to room temperature and divide into 16 even pieces.
3. In a separate bowl combine the broccoli (or whatever addition you choose), mozzarella and pizza sauce.
4. Roll out each piece of dough into a round, about 3 inches wide, and place 1 tbsp of the cheese mixture in the center.
5. Take the edges of the dough and bring them to the center, pinching along the edges to make sure they stick together, then roll into a ball.
6. Place the ball, sealed side down, in a greased pie plate and repeat these steps making the rest of the balls.
7. Brush each ball with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
8. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden.
9. Serve.

The day before Thanksgiving we made these Sugared Shortbread cookies using the Stampin’ Up! Holiday Cookie presses.   The recipe comes with the cookie presses and they are yummy and easy too.  See how beautiful they turn out even when an 8 year old makes them.

Doesn’t get any better than this, wonderful cookies, Grand Daughter and a tea party!   These beat the heck out of some of the Easy Bake Oven creations Grandma and Grandpa had to suffer through in the past, lol.

Thanksgiving Day:    Hailie and I set the table using simple place marks made using the Big Shot Machine, leaf die and a little bit of sponging around the edges.  They came together in moments and everyone was very impressed with them.  I’m thinking ornament die cuts for Christmas brunch.

Now I never said we were a normal family, it is tradition for my husband, Russ to dance the turkey around on the kitchen counter to the delightful giggles and belly laughter from Hailie.   Yes, the counter was totally sanitized after this event, so worth it, lol.

Nothing says Thanksgiving more than the homemade Pumpkin Pie.   Hailie cut two cookie cutter leaves from some extra pie crust and we baked them separately to use to decorate our pie.  Cute huh?

Oh yeah, and fresh bread, yum!   Do you get the idea that the diet went right out the window last week, grin.   I see lots of treadmill time in my future.

We were so hungry once all the food was prepared that I missed getting the family shot.    Not fair that it takes all day to cook the meal and 30 minutes to shovel it in.   But then there was a football game to be watched. 

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Looking for retired Stampin’ Up! stamp sets?  Check out my sales page, CLICK HERE.

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Reminder. . . . .

I have something to give away to one of my Stampin’ Up! customers.  For the month of November, 2o11, when you place a Stampin’ Up!  order using me as your Demonstrator,  you will receive one entry toward a full set of  Stampin’ Up! Many Marvelous Markers a $109.95 value,  for each $25 increment in merchandise purchased.  Place an order for $50 and get two chances and so on and so on.

About the Many Marvelous Set of Markers:

 ■ Dual tipped markers: .5 mm fine point and flexible brush
■ Set of 38, packaged in rigid plastic case with handle
■ Includes colors from all 4 color collections

■ Odorless, water-based dye ink
■ Coordinate with Classic Stampin’ Pads and exclusive Stampin’ Up! card stock
■ Finger grips on cap aid in easy cap removal

I hope you can get excited about this, I am!  I cannot rave enough about these markers.   Not sure what I would do without my set.  I use them pretty much every time I create something.

I will select the winning customer on December 1, 2011 using a Random number generator.   Good Luck!

CLICK HERE SHOP AT my Stampin’ Up! web site where you can shop 24/7  for all of your Stampin’ Up! products.  Your order will be shipped directly to your door step straight from Stampin’ Up!  You will also receive a special card made by me in appreciation for your order.  My customers mean the world to me.  If you would like assistance with your order, please contact me at 937-344-1312 or e-mail me at mzindorf@aim.com.  I will be glad to assist you.

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May your day be filled with sunshine and warmth.

Until my next post. . . . .

Hugs,

   Get ready for Brayer and Direct to Paper Workshops!  I am coming to the following locations, click the location name for more information.