Ok, so I have never posted a recipe before but a lot of people have been asking for the recipe for "Uncle Ivan's Nuts & Bolts". I am a visual person so I am including lots of pictures that I took while I was making them. These are a family tradition that we usually make around Christmas time and they are so, so yummy!

Uncle Ivan's NUTS & BOLTS:                                                                             (from Uncle Ivan Fines)

1 lrge. Cheerios

1 lrge Shreddies (or Wheat Chex)

1 lrge Crispix

2 bags of Pretzel sticks (I prefer the thin straight ones by Rold Gold)

1½-2 lbs. peanuts

½-1lb. cashews

½-1 lb. pecans

1 lb. butter

1 TBSP. Beau Monde salt

1 TBSP. Old Hickory Smoke salt

½ tsp. Garlic salt

½ tsp. Onion salt

1 tsp. Marjoram

1 tsp. Savory

You will also need about 3 roasting pans, and some quart sealers or large zip-lock freezer bags.

Mix cereals and nuts in a large roasting pan (I use the big foil ones that you can get from the dollar store).

I got the garlic and onion salts and the marjoram from a bulk food store, savory I already had, and the Spice Islands Beau Monde and Old Hickory Smoked Salt I got in the USA at Wegmans. Now sure where you can get them in Canada but if you google it, you can order them online as well. If you have another source for smoke salt, you could use that instead.

 Sprinkle the spices on top of the cereal mix and then stir them all together.

 Keep your butter in the fridge until you are ready to cut it. Cold butter slices easily into thin slices. You can use a cheese slicer of any type to make it easier. I have a wire one that worked great.

 Cut the butter into thin slices and then put over the cereal mix.

 Place roasting pan(s) in a 250°F oven for 50 mins, stirring often, about every 10 mins. after the butter is melted. When done, let mixture cool down. You can store it in quart sealers or use large ziplock freezer bags. If you use the bags, make sure that you squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing. This actually improves with age....a few days if you can wait that long!

This recipe makes about 10 quarts but it will be gone in no time!! Enjoy!!

An eventful year!

I am still around.....at one point I wondered for how long but that thought didn't last long because the next second I decided that I would be a fighter and a survivor!!
 This past year has been a real roller coaster. Last summer hubby was suffering from gall stones and ended up having 2 surgeries to remove his gall bladder. During the latter part of his situation, I was diagnosed with early onset breast cancer. It has been quite the journey of surgery, chemo, radiation and now recovery. I won't go into details but I am glad to be on the other side of this now.
 I love my family so very much and appreciate all they have done to support me through all of these trials. I could not have done it without them, or without our friends who have helped out in so many ways :)
 I have spent most of my time and energy recovering physically and after the beautiful summer we had here, most of my time was spent outside being creative in our back yard. I will post pictures later on.
 For now, I thought I would try getting back to blogging. I am not doing as much stamping cards or scrapbooking but I am trying to organize my craft room so that I can spend more time in there. Right now I am removing most of my Stampin' Up Stamps from their wooden blocks and using a technique so that I can use them with the acrylic blocks. This is quite an undertaking!! It will be worth it in the end as it won't take up nearly as much space.
 I will soon be going back to work so not sure what my energy level will be like. It looks like I need to update the design of this blog, so that will be fun :)

       

Still around!

Well, So much for being back soon! I have got my Crafting space finally organized and hopefully will be able to get back into gear before 2011 is done.....did I say 2011? Wow, time flies. So much to get organized but I am getting closer to my goal...painting and redoing some rooms in our house, redesigning our enclosed carport, getting gardens in and taking time to enjoy them all has taken another full year! Looking forward to doing cards and scrapbooking long before the end of the year, so time will tell.

I'll be back soon!

Wow, This past year and a half has been crazy!! With renovations, hubby taking new job out of town and starting in May, me staying back preparing to sell our home and getting 3 kids through their school year, house sells...yay!...moving to a new town and job for both of us in July 2009, I still don't have my stampin' room operational but hope to in the new year (2010) and then get back on my blog!! Oh yes and being closer to my son and his family including a new baby grandson, Liam Donald James MacKay has kept me so, so busy! I am so happy to be living in the Niagara area now.

30th Anniversary card

I made this card for my dear sister and her husband from all of our family when we had a surprise 30th Wedding Anniversary celebration for them. The item for 30 years is the pearl and I wanted to incorporate this into the card. I was inspired for the colour combo and layout from scrapnextras (http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/member.php?uid=18892) on Splitcoast.
Stamps: SU!: Always, Classic Alpha #s, Short Order #s
Paper: SU!: Very Vanilla, Soft Sky (2008 In Colour) and Spring Silhouettes DS (2008)
Inks: SU!: Soft Sky, Versa Mark
Accessories: SU!: Very Vanilla EP, Very Vanilla grosgrain ribbon, ivory organdy ribbon, mini glue dots, dimensionals, Cuttlebug embossing folders: swiss dot and frills border, oval nestabilities and ivory half-back pearls

The Ride of a Lifetime-great sadness

It was with great sadness that I read today that Daniel Hurtubise's ride across Canada ended in tragedy. According to news reports, Dan and a friend and his two children were hit by a car. Dan and his friend died, they were 16 days into their journey and had just reached Manitoba. Their goal was to raise $500,000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, (JDRF) in order to support diabetes research and to increase awareness of the disease and its complications. Dan had been a type 1 diabetic since his teen years and had just celebrated his 50th birthday, much like myself. I admire this man's accomplishments and determination, despite his diabetes. What a wonderful example he has set for others. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and the driver of the car as well. To learn more, go to: http://www.readersdigest.ca/blog/ and to http://tinyurl.com/4d9kb3

Blue Jay

I was on my way for a walk and spotted this Blue Jay sitting on a fence. He was checking out the menu at the bird feeders in the yard beside the entrance of the path. A second later he flew off to have his feast!

Painted turtle

Well this guy was right in the middle of the path, far from home. We checked him out and he checked us out too. We went to put him in the water and he must have know because his head and legs came out and he was squirming! We got a quick pic and then set him down on the edge of the pond and off he went, happy as could be.

Eastern Kingbird

It is funny, this Kingbird is always in the same place when we see it. This time it did not fly away!

Blog work

OK, My siggy is not turning up anymore because we are working on some changes to my blog....hopefully it won't be too long and you will see my new look (sort of) just a couple of changes. This weekend is a "dud" as everyone is sick with some yucky stomach bug. It is so beautiful outside too. That reminds me...when we went for a walk the other evening we got some good pics of an eastern kingbird, I will try and post a pic.

My new siggy

How do you like my new siggy? Cool eh? That awesome lady, Beth Silaika designed it for me. She also did my watermarks and my banner, which I still love. You can find her at: http://freckledandfun.blogspot.com/ Hope everyone is having a wonderful day!!

Missionary good-bye

I made this card as a goodbye to one of our Sister Missionaries who was returning home to Utah. Sis. Laris was here for 7 months and seemed like family...well that is because she is, the big, big family!! We gave her a nice picturesque book about Ontario as she spent 2 years here. It is always hard to say goodbye but I am sure her family will be glad to have her back home again. We were truly blessed to have her devote this time in her young life to share the gospel.
I wrote a note on the inside on very vanilla using my computer and then I stamped some of the smaller flowers and the dove around the writing...it was very pretty.
Stamps: SU!: French Flair, Words of Wisdom, Carte Postale
Paper: SU!: Chocolate Chip, Sage Shadow and Very Vanilla
Ink: SU! Chocolate Chip and Sage Shadow, Versa Mark
Accessories: Nestabilities scallop and plain ovals, dimensionals
I really liked this colour combo from the previous card so I used it again!

Sympathy card CASed

I CASed this pretty card from "scrapshappen" on SCS. I only made slight changes. Thanks for sharing Paula!
Stamps: SU!: Warmest Regards, Baroque Motifs
Paper: SU!: Chocolate Chip, Sage Shadow and Very Vanilla
Ink: SU! Chocolate Chip and Sage Shadow
Accessories: SU! circle scallop punch, circle punches, grosgrain ribbon

Visit with Grand kids

The kids had a great time at the park. It was so nice to see them again.

Robin's Nest

I have found that if I go for a walk out behind our place, it is like a bird sanctuary! I have taken a lot of birdy pics that I will share. Today I found this robin's nest in a little tree by the path. I thought it would go with my last post.
I have been off work this past week with a shoulder injury. I feel really bad for the girls at work but it had got to the point where I was in agony all day and all night with it. I am going to physio now which is very painful but I am slowly regaining ROM with it. T3s are my best friend right now. At least my legs work, so I try to get out for a walk a couple of times a day and do some of my stretching exercises along the way.

Baby Robin came to visit

This sweet little robin landed on our porch and after a while it took a brave flight into the tree from whence it came. It clung to a stem of a leaf but the wind was blowing and it fluttered around. It ended up coming to rest on this fence post under the tree and the mommy robin came and fed it after a while. Eventually it made it to a stronger branch in the tree and the mother bird continued to watch over it and feed it after what was probably it's first flight. It keeps me in awe at how wide spread the instincts of motherhood spread throughout nature. Motherhood is indeed an awesome thing.

Happy Mother's Day!!

This card was made for the sweetest, kindest, most generous, loving and wonderful Mom in the whole world....My Mom. I actually spent hours making this card, thinking of her all the time and all the wonderful things she has done for our family. She has been a wonderful example to all of us. I am so thankful for her in my life.
Stamps: SU! Close to Nature, Canvas Background, All Holidays
CS: SU! Bashful Blue, White Confetti, Glossy White, vellum
Inks: Black Stazon, SU!: Bashful Blue, Mellow Moss, Tempting Turquoise, Summer Sun
Accessories: Marvy Giga scallop oval, Marvy Mega plain oval, glue pad, Dazzling Diamonds, stickles, glue dots, 3/8" and 7/8" white organdy ribbon
To all the mothers out there checking out my blog, Have a very Happy Mother's Day!!

My First Swing card

Here is another one of my old cards, it was my first swing card and although it was a lot of work, I love how it turned out. I should do another one of these soon...maybe for Mother's Day? Hmmmm.....
Stamps: SU! Simply Said and Dots and Daisies background stamp
CS: SU! Basic Black, Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White
Inks: Basic Black, Tempting Turquoise, Pixie Pink
Accessories: Dazzling Diamonds, 2-Way glue

Past creations

I did this card ages ago and gave it away. I recently was able to take pics of a couple of my old cards.
This one was done using the "Dazzling Diamond Dust" technique which I learned from Splitcoast Stampers.
Stamps: SU! Doodle This and Wonderful Words
CS: SU! Tempting Turquoise, Pixie Pink and Whisper White
Inks: Basic Black, Tempting Turquoise, Pixie Pink and Certainly Celery
Accessories: Blender Pens, Ticket Corner punch, Versa Mark, Dazzling Diamonds, Heat Gun

A Card!!

Can you believe it? I actually made a card!! This is for my sweet sister's birthday but she was away and I still have to give it to her. I tried doing two different cuttlebug embossing folders on one card and I love the way it turned out. I used the paisley and swiss dot CB folders, Whisper White and Tempting Turquoise CS and Tempting Turquoise ink for the SU! Warmest Regards greeting, all together with the May Arts white swiss dot ribbon which I just love.
So Ginny, if you see this on my blog before I give it to you, Happy Birthday big sis!