Making Memories

Decadent Peanut Butter Pie

Today’s recipe comes from Suzi, MM’s HR manager. This is a favorite at her household, especially around the holiday season. She got this recipe from www.jif.com. If you are a big fan of peanut butter and chocolate, like me, you will love this pie.

Ingredients

• 1 prepared chocolate cookie crust or graham cracker crust
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 8 oz. cream cheese (at room temperature)
• ½ cup sugar
• 4 ½ cups (12 oz. container) of whipped toping, divided
• 1 jar of hot fudge ice cream topping, divided

Drizzle

• 2 Tbs. hot fudge
• 2 Tbs. caramel

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, beat together the peanut butter, cream cheese, and sugar. Gently fold in 3 cups of whipped topping. Spoon mixture into the pie shell. Using a spatula, smooth mixture to edges of pie.
2. Reserving 2 tablespoons of hot fudge, place remaining hot fudge into microwave safe bowl or glass measuring cup. Microwave for 1 minute. Stir. Spread hot fudge over pie to cover the peanut butter layer. Refrigerate until serving time. Just before serving, spread the remaining whipped topping (1 ½ cups), over hot fudge layer, being careful not to mix the two layers.
3. Drizzle with hot fudge and caramel and serve.

What I'm Thankful For Challenge - Fun Stuff

This month we've been working on a month long challenge and we're on our last week. We have spent the last four weeks creating a "Thankful" mini album about all the things we're thankful for in our lives. So far we have an album cover, a family layout, a friend’s layout, and a creativity layout. If you're just stopping by, make sure to go back and check out the previous posts for some great ideas, it's never too late to join in!

For this weeks theme, I wanted to do something fun. I started out with the idea of doing a "thankful for quilty pleasures" type layout. You know about things like chocolate, diet soda, favorite TV shows, gossip magazines, things that just make you happy. I decided to be more specific with my layout and make it about one thing that I have been really thankful for lately. Jeans! Yes, you heard me right. We're starting to get a taste of fall here in California (if you call mid 70's fall!) and it's time to break out the jeans. I love my jeans. I wear them every single day. And there is nothing that makes me feel better about myself than a great fitting pair of jeans. So yes, I'm definitely thankful for my jeans!  

What are you thankful for lately? Something fun.  Something that just makes you feel good or that maybe makes your life easier. Good hair product, a great kitchen tool, a can't-do-without cleaning product, a loaded with extras vehicle? Any of these things can be highlighted on this layout. Something not so serious and typical of a "what I'm thankful for" answer.

I had fun on this layout. One thing I knew I had to use was the metal rims. I love these things! I don't usually add anything to the inside of the tags, I love them just with the rims themselves. I just flatten them using the MM Tag Maker and then add them to my layout. I looped some ribbon through one of the tags and added a chipboard button to hold it closed. I also cut one of the metal rims in half and extended it off the edges of both pages so that it would connect in the middle.

For the second page I finally got around to using some of the clothing tags I've been saving from all my jeans. Every time I buy a new pair of jeans they always have the neatest tags, labels, and chains on them. And I save them all thinking one day I'll use them on a layout. I choose three tags and added them to my page and added just a few embellishments to go with them. 

Instructions:

1. Cut 6" x 9" yellow pattern paper for base of page.
2. Cut a 2" x 4" piece of brown pattern paper and a 6" x 4" piece of orange pattern paper. Mat them together on white cardstock and adhere to left edge of page.
3. Adhere a 4" piece of teal ribbon and adhere between the brown and orange papers.
4. Flatten empty metal rims in tag maker and add to page.
5. Loop a piece of striped ribbon through large metal rim on bottom of page and secure ribbon by threading on a chipboard flower button.
6. Thread chipboard flower buttons on edges of remaining metal rims.
7. Add a 3" x 4 1/2" photo.
8. Paint chipboard letters with sea foam paint and adhere to page overlapping photo.
9. Add journaling strips.

I really hope you have enjoyed this five week challenge, I know I have! I want to thank MM for giving me this challenge and I want to thank all of you for creating along with me. I hope you continue creating pages for this album until it's all full. And remember to share your layouts with us by uploading them to the MM Idea Gallery. Thanks everyone!

Laura Vegas

Clear Creations Idea

Today's idea is an oldie but goodie.  This sample used a popular product from MM called Clear Creations. They are transparent so you can put them over photos, paper, etc. They can be attached with staples, brads, glue dots, just to name a few.

Maggie created this sample using the Clear Creations, mini blossoms, Funky Vintage paper, and Defined stickers.

Decorating Your Home with MM: Advent Wreath

It's hard to believe, but the holidays are upon us.  Making Memories has some wonderful project ideas in a new book especially for this time of year called A Season of Joy.  You definetly want to get your hands on this book.

Today we are going to feature a project from that book.  This Advent Calendar was created by Wendy.

1. Make a list of 24 activities to do before Christmas
2. Print activities on the back of patterned paper
3. Roll ideas into scrolls and tie onto wreath with ribbon
4. Use Tag Maker tool to create a numbered tag for each day
5. Add shimmer stickers to each tag
6. Tie one number onto each scroll
7. Remove one scroll every day of December until Christmas

Supplies: Tag Maker and small round rims, shimmer alphabet stickers (silver, red, and green), MM Kids paper (Kate), holiday papers (Stitched Stripe, Holly, Poinsettia, and Lauren Tweed), and hoiday trims: Making Memories

What's Shipping in November?

The following items are headed to your local scrapbooking stores.  Check them out.

Embellishment Jars Medium
Having an organized workspace can make all the difference in the world, and here to help you are empty storage jars in sets of 4 medium jars.  Now you can stow away all your embellishments and still be able to see what you have. 

Shaped Pebble Brads
Looks can be deceiving.  To the untrained eye a pretty little epoxy-covered sticker, to the trained a fully functioning brad.  Get the best of both with Shaped Pebble Brads.  Available in 3 shapes, 2 color families each.

Shimmer Brad Value Packs
Attaching has never been so easy or so glamorous.  Add that little somethin’ somethin’ to any project using shimmer brads.  Medium circle brads available in black and white or polo club.  Star brads available in springtime or in bloom.

Cracker Toffee

Megan Hinckley, from customer service, has a reputation around MM as being a fantastic cook.  She is the one that we all flock to when we have a company party because her dishes are always the best. Today she is sharing a family favorite recipe with us.

One of the

Hinckley family’s favorite treats around this time of year is Cracker Toffee.  My family is originally from England, so every year around Christmas, my grandmother and aunts host a traditional English dinner with roast, potatoes, Yorkshire pudding (yum!!), and our version of English toffee-Cracker Toffee.  It has the great taste of toffee without being rock hard, and is complete with a sweet nutty-chocolate flavor.  The recipe is easy and takes less than 30 minutes to prepare.  We hope you enjoy a taste of our family's tradition!

Ingredients

• 1+ sleeves of saltine crackers (also known as soda crackers)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup (2 cubes) butter (or margarine)
• 12 oz package of chocolate chips
• Chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, or almonds all work wonderfully)

1. *For best results follow the directions exactly*Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Prepare a 10"x15" cookie sheet or jelly roll pan by lining it with foil and spraying it with cooking spray. 
2. Line the cookie sheet with a single layer of saltine crackers (you may need to break a few in half so the entire bottom is covered).
3. Bring brown sugar and butter to a boil in a saucepan.  Boil for 2 minutes.  Pour hot mixture over crackers and spread until crackers are covered. 
4. Bake for 5 minutes in a pre-heated oven (400 degrees F.).  Remove from oven and carefully press down any crackers that have bubbled up. 
5. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top and let pan sit until chocolate has mostly melted.  Use knife to spread chocolate around.  Sprinkle with chopped nuts.  Cool in fridge.
6. When completely cool, break into pieces and store in air-tight container. 
7. Enjoy!!

What I'm Thankful For Challenge - Creativity

This month we're working on a month long challenge and I hope you have all been enjoying it so far. We are creating a "Thankful" mini album about all the things we're thankful for in our lives. We've already created our album cover and a few pages to go inside.

This weeks theme is creativity. I'm pretty sure you are all thankful for your creativity. I know I am. I do have some family and friends that don't fully understand my passion for scrapbooking - they think I'm crazy for spending my time playing with paper and glue. But creativity is so much a part of my life! It's my creative outlet, something just for me. I feel so much happier when I have a little time to just play and create each day. And that is why I'm so thankful for my creativity.  I can't imagine what I would do without it.

 

I have two main obsessions when it comes to my scrapbook supplies. Buttons ... I have nine huge jars of them on my shelves! And chipboard ... I have more alphabets than I know what to do with (because you'll never know when you need an extra letter) and all the shapes I can wish for. So how cool was it that MM came out with chipboard buttons! These buttons are so much fun to use and I just loved the idea of lining them all up across my layout. I usually go the safe route and tie a little thread through the holes. But I wanted to add a little something extra to a few of the buttons. So on the bigger buttons I choose to add some silver. A few mini brads on a couple of the buttons ... and a bead chain with a little tag through the other. 

Instructions:

1. Cut a 6" x 9" piece of pink pattern paper to use as base of page.
2. Cut a 3 1/2" x 8" piece of yellow pattern paper and a 2" x 8" piece of striped pattern paper. Mat them together on white cardstock and round the bottom corners. Adhere to top edge of page.
3. Arrange chipboard buttons all the way across where the two pattern papers meet, but do not adhere yet.
4. For the smaller round and flower buttons, thread the centers with floss or thread. Tie some on the back of the button and some on the front.
5. For the larger buttons add mini brads to a few of the centers. For one button, add a chain cut down to size and add a small white word tag to the chain.
6. Once the buttons are all ready, adhere to page. Use pop-dots on a few for extra dimension.
7. For title of page, use clear alphabet letters.
8. Adhere a 2 1/2" x 5" photo and add journaling strips.

Make sure to share your layouts by uploading them to the MM idea gallery. Can't wait to see what you create! And I'll see you next Thursday when we create our last "thankful for" challenge layout. I promise ... it'll be a fun one!

Laura Vegas

Great Idea for Noteworthy

This great idea come from Jamie Harper.  I loved the way she used the Noteworthy product.

 

By the way, don't you love the sock monkey!

Thanksgiving Table Setting

Thanksgiving is this Thursday.  Can you believe it?  Here is a quick idea for a Thanksgiving Table Setting.

Items Needed:

• Kraft Paper
• Cardstock
• Rub-on Alphabets (Circus, Providence)
• Crystal Brads
• Card envelope

Instructions:

Placemat

1. Trim 2 12” x 12” pieces of Kraft paper in half (diagonally).  You will have 4 triangles.
2. Create frame by slightly overlapping 4 triangles of paper.
3. Add crystal brad at each point of inside diamond to hold in place.  Glue pieces down if desired.
4. Use rub-ons to create a title “thankful” on monarch paper. Mount title behind placemat.

Favor Box

1. Download a bag template (or use a die-cut) from any site on the internet.
2. Trim a piece of multi stripe paper and wrap around box.
3. Add crystal brad and rub-ons for names.

Utensil Holder and Napkin Holder

1. Wrap a piece of ribbon around envelope and tuck flap under right side of placemat, leaving room for utensils.
2. Trim a 9” x 9” piece of monarch cardstock.
3. Wrap cardstock (like an ice cream cone) to create napkin holder.
4. Bend bottom of cone and fasten with a brad.
5. Glue the back flap of cone.
6. Trip top of cone to create even edge.
7. Use rub-ons to create monogram.

Noteworthy Samples

I LOVE MM's Noteworthy collection! I realize that I'm a bit biased, but it's fabulous. It's so easy to scrapbook with because it's classic yet sophisticated.

Today I thought it would be fun to show a little Noteworthy Eye Candy!

If you have created some projects using the Noteworthy collection, we would love to see.  Upload your ideas to the MM Idea Gallery.