Oct 24, 2013

Cascade Springs

This glorious fall day Gordon and I took a little explore up to Cascade Springs. The first time I remember visiting Cascade Springs was August 1981 with Gordon. Since we've lived here in Utah we've made another couple of visits. I've also been there with my DeLoris. (If you want to read about those trips click on the Cascade Springs tag to the right)


The last time we were here we saw moose! I was hoping to see some today, but no luck.

I love the beauty of this peaceful place.  It feeds me soul to peruse the tranquil trails and wooden walks.


I love the geology of places. As you hike up the trails that encircle Cascade Springs you get here... a large pond that just appears out of no where!

The DNR has a wonderful web page that talks about Cascade Springs.

"At the upper springs area, more than 7 million gallons of water seeps through the ground each day."


Then that 7 million gallons burbles, rushes and sings over the rocks.


As I was headed back I was met by this beauty! This tree just felt magical... I've decided that it is a faerie tree.

Oct 18, 2013

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Last year I ran across this recipe on Pinterest!

OMSH are these ever delicious! 

I made them last night to take to a Relief Society activity. They were a hit! So I knew I needed to share the recipe with everyone!



I got the original recipe here but my recipe reflects a few changes that I've made. I'm just grateful for the blessing of finding such an exceptional recipe!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes 24-28 cupcakes


1 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 large egg, room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup BUTTERMILK (makes all the difference in the world!)
2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt (omit if using regular butter)
1- 15oz can unsweetened pumpkin puree OR 2 cups


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the top of a standard 12-cup muffin pan (in case you get some “muffin top” action). Line pan with 12 baking liners. Sift the flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk to combine pumpkin and milk; set aside also.

Using an electric mixer on medium-high, cream butter and sugar together until light in color and fluffy (I really beat mine... I think this is the key). Turn mixer down to low add eggs and vanilla. Beat well to combine (again with the beating). Next, add 1/3 the flour mixture, then 1/2 the pumpkin mixture, another 1/3 of the flour mixture, the remaining pumpkin mixture, and the last 1/3 of the flour mixture, mixing to combine after each addition. Fill baking liners about 3/4 full. Bake 20 minutes OR until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (a few tiny crumbs are OK but there should be NO wet batter). Cool 5 minutes in pan, then remove from pans to wire racks to finish cooling completely. Pipe or spread on cream cheese frosting, and enjoy!

Pipeable and Not-too-sweet Cream Cheese Frosting
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla bean paste (notice the beautiful little vanilla bean flecks in the frosting?)
a pinch of salt (omit if using regular butter)
8 oz. (1 block) cream cheese, cold and cut into 6 to 8 chunks

In a larger mixing bowl, cream the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until thoroughly blended and fluffy; about 5 minutes. Add the cream cheese, a chunk at a time, beating after each addition (just enough to work it in until it’s smooth. I just turn the mixer to low and drop them in.). Scrape the sides and mix in any unmixed bits. Be careful to avoid overbeating or the cream cheese may start to break down and become gloppy. If not using immediately, chill until needed, then beat again until smooth just before using.

Cupcake / Half recipe (no need to half frosting*)
Makes 12 to 14 cupcakes


1 cup PLUS 2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 scant cup canned unsweetened pumpkin puree 1/2 of a 15 oz. can]
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup PLUS 2 Tbsp sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature

* I tried making a half recipe in my Bosch and it was too difficult to get it right.

Oct 11, 2013

Baby-Fiona Month Stickers

I mentioned that I'd made month stickers for Fiona. I finished months 1-8 yesterday before going to take her photos for month 1. Today, after preparing for Primary sharing time this Sunday, I finished up months 9-12.

I started collecting digital scrapbook papers, elements, etc. about five years ago. I have the most wonderful

never-gets-used-up-stash EVER!

I'm still amazed at the generosity of so many talented designers. Almost all of my digital papers were FREE or at a very low cost.

I incorporate polka-dots into each design and each month corresponds with the holiday of that month (ie-Fiona will be three months old in December- so red and green). I am so pleased with the results!


I made a layer template (thank you Jessica Sprague for all of the wonderful classes I took with you! I learned SO MUCH!!)


If anyone is interested I will share my template with them. Sadly I don't feel that I can share the finished stickers since I drew from so many people's digital work.

The nice thing about the digital template is that you just open it in PhotoShop then drag your digital papers above the mask and *clip* the paper to the mask.

** AND I believe in giving credit, where credit is due...

1-  Shabby Princess French Countryside FrenchCountryside_SP_paper (1).jpg & FrenchCountryside_SP_paper (6).jpg

2-  Misty Mareda @ Little Dreamer Designs mmareda_paper5.jpg, Shabby Princess FrenchCountryside_CR_paper (3).jpg

3-  Designer Digitals Jen Adams Donnelly Giving Thanks- JAD_20061112_AdChallenge_Grateful.jpg & JAD_20061112_AdChallenge_Thankful.jpg

4-  Sweet Shoppe Designs Carnival dmogstad-carnival-paper.jpg, Dirty Feet Designs aka Heather Benson (the best I could find here was a Facebook page that MIGHT be this designer) dfd-dotsgrunge-p8.jpg

5-  Shabby Princess SP_SeasonalSampler_Amore_Paper_Hearts.jpg, & SP_SeasonalSampler_Amore_Paper_Stripes.jpg

6-  Designer Digitals Jackie Eckles Breathe Nature: JHE_BreatheNature_Paper6.jpg & JHE_BreatheNature_Paper7.jpg

7- Designer Digitals Dana Zarling dz-adchall-5-4-paper2.jpg, Shabby Princess SP_RummageChic_Paper_Plaid.jpg

8-  Shabby Princess SP_OliviaCollection_Paper_VanillaFloral.jpg, Designer Digitals Jackie Eckles Breathe Nature JHE_BreatheNature_Paper7.jpg

9- Shabby Princess SP_SpringBreeze_Paper_BigCircles.jpg & SP_SpringBreeze_Paper_Stripes.jpg

10- ScrapArtist Mystery Scrap Challenge (this is what I have for the TOU but couldn't find a website) SA_muse_gmiller-acidrainbow-paper.jpg, Shabby Princess ShabbyP_Celebrate_StripedPaper.jpg

11-  Sweet Shoppe Designs Carnival: hroselli-carnival-paper-dots.jpg & aslagle-carnival-paper.jpg

12-  Jessica Sprague Type+Writer online class kit: NotebookCoordinates-1.jpg, & KHMize-PacificPoint-Stripes.jpg

(Whew, do you have any idea how long it takes to note each of these? But not nearly as long as it took these wonderful individuals to create them!)

Fiona's Polkie-Dottie Quilt

Yesterday when I did photos of Fiona, Camille wanted to start with her on Fiona's polkie-dottie quilt. That's when I remembered that I've never blogged about it.


To say that Camille loves polka-dots would be an understatement... so when I saw a quilt pattern for a table runner with random polka-dots several years ago I clipped it out and have been saving it for Camille's first baby!

I even bought some very cute Riley Blake polka-dot fabric to use on said quilt. But when I pulled all of it out it just wasn't Fiona's quilt...

What to do? What to do?

I dug into my stash and pulled out 20 different purples (granted, 4 were fat-quarters I'd bought for this quilt that didn't go with the Riley Blake fabric). I sent a photo of them to Camille and Kevin and they were very pleased with the idea of a two-color quilt.

I cut four different sizes of dots and then appliqued them onto the background. Then I added a checker-board border to finish it up. I also did a polka-dot quilting (actually I think it's called pebble quilting)


It's been finished and living at Camille's house since her baby shower in August. Maybe I'll have to do better with my blogging.

Oct 10, 2013

Fiona's Already a Month-old!

Maybe it's because I'm not the sleep-deprived mama but it sure doesn't seem like one whole month since baby Fiona was born! She is such a sweet little baby.


In recent months I've seen these darling month stickers that one sticks on baby's onesie to take a photo each month. What a great idea!

I was talking to Camille about this a few days ago and asked where she thought I might find them.

 Pinterest! 
 (Duh! I said the duh-part, not Camille.)

"But you could probably make them yourself!" exclaimed Camille. (Hmmm, who is sleep deprived here?)

So I went a lookin' on Pinterest and found some good ideas.

Enter PhotoShop and my whole supply of polka-dot digital paper that NEVER gets used up! Yay! (Can I just say that it used to stress me out to use my cute paper!) As I worked on the template for the basic sticker I had a brainstorm! Why not use month appropriate papers (orange for October, red and green for December, etc)?

I absolutely love that Miss Fiona has her Daddy's dimple!


But you know... even good babies get tired of Grammie taking their photo! I couldn't resist one of this darling little boo-face.

Oct 1, 2013

Zuppa Toscana

I made this recipe for Zuppa Toscana a few nights ago and it was a marvelous hit!!! It is a wonderful rich, hearty soup. If you like Olive Garden's zuppa you will love this. I tweaked the original recipe to make on the stove top instead of in a crockpot.

Zuppa Toscana **

1 lb. Italian sausages (use spicy to get that signature Olive Garden flavor)
4-6 russet potatoes, diced
1 onion, chopped
1/4 c. REAL bacon pieces (optional)
2 Tbsp minced garlic (about 3-4 cloves)
32 oz. chicken broth
1 c. water
1 c. kale or Swiss chard, chopped
1 c. heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp flour

Brown sausage links and onion in a sauté pan. Cut links in half lengthwise, then cut slices.

Place diced potatoes, garlic, water, and chicken broth in large dutch oven or pot. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until potatoes are almost tender. Add sausage and onions and continue cooking until potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes. Whisk together flour into cream removing lumps. Add cream and chopped kale to the crock pot, stir.
Cook another 5-10 minutes until broth is thickened. Add more cream if desired.

BEST. SOUP. EVER!!!!



Photo: Zuppa Toscana (better than Olive Garden!)

1 lb. Italian sausages (use spicy to get that signature Olive Garden flavor)
4-6 russet potatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/4 c. REAL bacon pieces (optional)
2 Tbsp minced garlic (about 3-4 cloves)
32 oz. chicken broth
1 c. kale or Swiss chard, chopped
1 c. heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp flour

1. Brown sausage links in a sauté pan.
2. Cut links in half lengthwise, then cut slices.
3. Place sausage, chicken broth, garlic, potatoes and onion in slow cooker. Add just enough water to cover the vegetables and meat.
4. Cook on high 3-4 hours (low 5-6 hours) until potatoes are soft.

30 minutes before serving:
5. Mix flour into cream removing lumps.
6. Add cream and kale to the crock pot, stir.
7. Cook on high 30 minutes or until broth thickens slightly.
8. Add salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste.

BEST. SOUP. EVER!!!!

** Disclaimer: I got this recipe (and photo) from Facebook posted by Jessica Lee Anderson. I don't know if she *cooked-up* this recipe or was reposting. What I do know is that this is wonderfully yummy soup and you should make some.