What I am working on

Well its been a long weekend.  We almost finished one bathroom and fixed the toilet in the other.  I still have to sand and paint the guest bathroom.  Then I will be done except for a few out of the way things.  Happy days!

I do have to finish painting trim in my daughters room.  I got it all painted last night.  We painted it pink.  PINK PINK….I am talking Piiiinnnnnkkkkkk!  It will be very cute though when I am done.  I have to paint her door too.  The 3 yr old decided her door was a great canvas and expertly used markers to adorn it.  Fun, for her, not so much for me. 

So while I have been up since about 5:30 am, my motivation has been left in bed for the time being where I do believe I shall find myself momentarily.  I wiped, tired, been running a low grade fever for a few days, and need to catch up on some much needed rest.  Hopefully waking Mini up early means she too will slumber with me for a while and allow me some much needed zzzzzzz’s. 

I will be updating more probably later in the day but there is a new freebie up and I will likely be adding some tutorials, photographs, and maybe a new recipe. 

Oh and if I spelled anything wrong please forgive me…I'm fresh outta toothpicks and my eyelids are going on vacation to the south without my consent.  Darn things have a mind of their own.

sleepily,

Kerr

Crazy Change Freebie #4

Here it is.  Another freebie as promised!  Remember, there are four all together so be sure and snag them before they are gone.  If you missed any of them just click the freebie link above and it will show you all the freebies on the blog. 

Download the groupie HERE

Have fun and be sure to check out the kit if you haven't yet.  It is chock full of great backgrounds and elements!

Love,

Desperate for a nap

My wee lil friend

I found this lil guy hopping around outside my front porch.  I was taken by him  because he was soooo small.  Cute as he could be, he would just sit there looking at me.  I couldnt pass on the moment so I grabbed my Canon and starting taking so  many shots.  These are all SOOC (straight out of camera) so no photoshop magic was worked on them.  I thought they were great as is cuz he was such a cute lil dude. 

We all remember our lil froggy guy from summer.  Oh, and just so you dont sick peta on me…we found him a gorgeous lil spot over by the fountain in our front yard where he happily continued his day after his famous photo shoot. 

 

I love frogs.  Little ones, big ones, short ones, fat ones, bumpy ones, and smooth one.  I think they are just too cute.

Crazy Change freebie 3

Here is number three. Have fun…!

Download the groupie HERE

Ok gotta run…!  Be back with more later and tomorrow!  Don't forget these will expire so get them for free while you can!

My Niece and Nephew

I love my sister.  It goes without saying.  She has always been one of the most amazing mainstays in my life.  There are so many stories from back in the day when I was young and just wanted to hang out at her house.  She was my idol.  Always tan.  Perfect skin.  Perfect nails.  Perfect hair.  Yeah well, when don't you think your idol is perfect? 

Its been a few years (I refuse to out my age dang it all) and now she is happily the mom of four great kids that I am lucky enough to call my niece and nephews. 

I was so excited when they, the youngest of the four, came to my house over summer break where we built a bonfire, roasted smores, slept in a huge 12 person tent, watched movies on the laptop, and had an overall blast.  They consumed more food in 3 days than we consume in a week, but I just had a freaking blast and always look forward to having them here.  My nephew is a true charmer.  That boy is the epitome of a gentlemen, funny as a kid could ever be, and just an over all amazing boy.  My niece, the only girl, is a force of nature.  She is gorgeous, tan all the time, blonde hair, and truly unique.  I adore them both and enjoy every minute they are here.  I miss them….dear sista….please send your children to my house soon.

We had a quick photo shoot in my house and this was one pic of them that I love.

I will update this post with more pictures soon.  Right now…I have to get going with other things because we are still finishing the bathrooms and carpeting my stairs.  Oh, and now I am going to paint the middle child's room pink. 

What….I say “What” have I gotten myself into? 

 

love,

aunt (ka-ra-zay) Kerr

Digital Scrapbooking Layout

Here is another layout of my baby during a time in the tub when I couldn't really work my DSLR ( its a Canon Rebel XTi – Lens: 18-200 IS) so I did break out the Photoshop wand and cleaned them up a bit.

As I said in the other post all the products are from DSP.  I don't remember which cd its from but you can find the stuff in their store.

 

That's my baby girl.

All Girl Digital Scrapbook Layout

Its been a while since I have scrapped anything.  You know life gets in the way, you get overwhelmed, or you flat out just dont have the time.  Well after surfing through my computer this mornin I decided I wanted to revisit some of these and decided I would share them.  I have quite a few more that are resting in my external hard drive but I will be posting a few today before getting up to finish remodeling the bathrooms today. 

Here is my baby Selene Brooklyn, aka Mini.  I absolutely adore this picture and this layout.  None of these products are mine. 

I used to work over at DSP and you can find these products in their store.  Feel free to get ideas, copy the layout, switch it up a bit or whatever you want.  I would love to see some of the layouts you fab-u-lous digi-scrappers have done.

Feel free to comment and put up a link to one of your favorite layouts.  I am going to be picking one and showcasing a new layout every couple of weeks. 

Enjoy!

Crazy Change Freebie 2

Here is the second groupie in the set.  These are quick and easy items that you can plop on a digital scrapbook page and make quick work of your layout.  They are definitely time savers!

You can download them HERE

As always if you like em, please leave me some freebie love in the comments or cbox.  I love to get comments :)

Kerr

Crazy Change Freebie

Since I just put the Crazy Change Page Kit in my store I figured I would give you a taste of the kit by giving away a free groupie a day.  Every day for the next four days (including today) I will upload a new free groupie for you to download. 

Be sure and download them as the link will expire in 7 days!  After that they will be available for purchase in the store for 99 cents for the set of four.

 

Download the Groupie HERE

As always, please leave me a comment if you like em, love em, or leave em!   

Crazy Change Page Kit

This kit has a very old world and well worn feel to it. Its wonderful bright yet muted tones will work well with lots of pictures both old and new. Details: 300 ppi 4 crackle backgrounds 8 unique elements File Size 17.2 MB
$1.99

Antiquated Autumn Page Kit

This wonderful page kit is neutral with unique textured elements.  Traditional and simply shabby chic, this kit is a fun must have for multiple styles of digital layouts.  300 ppi 3 backgrounds 9 elements
$1.99

Tag Your it …Freebie!

Quickly here is a freebie to help you get going today.  Its a cute tag set with a hanger that has a front and back to it so that you can use it realistically. 

I hope you enjoy.  And as always, if you use please link back or put a comment in the cbox so I can go check it out.  I love to see how others use my work.

 

You can download it HERE.  Happy Thursday!

 

Kerr

Pecan Pie Recipe

We live for  pecan pie in our house.  If we make two they are gone in less than 48 hrs.  One pie alone is reserved for me (and dont you forget that husband and children…) or at least I usually claim as much. 
This year they didn't turn out as pretty as usual because we didn’t have our DELUXE recipe that we usually use but, alas, they still ‘boasted’ about putting 12 lbs on me in 24 hrs (I have a love / hate relationship with pecan pie…I love to eat it and then hate myself for doing something so dumb as to sit and eat a half of pie in one sitting.  What…?  I am just being honest here)
So anywho….when I get the DEEEEluxe version of the recipe I shall update accordingly but here is the recipe we used for our Thanksgiving feast. 

Now grab all your ingredients:  Whole pecans, sugar, dark and light caro syrup (you can sub with just one or the other but we always split them between both), butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and deep dish pie shells.

Now grab a large bowl and whisk your eggs

Grab your caro syrup, measure, and pour it in.

Make sure you get all that good stuff in there!

Now add your sugar.  Is it weird that I love this picture?  Yes, apparently I get excited by pouring sugar and getting a good picture of it.

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh baby loooook at that sugggah!

Grab the butter and pop it in the microwave for about 15-30 seconds until its warm but not boiling.  I had to let  mine cool….oops!

*Note to self: 30 seconds is toooo long in your microwave*
Pour in your vanilla

Oh baby here is my one true food love in the world in its base form

Mix it all up with your mixer on medium.  Warning…I am only using one beater cuz well….thats a whole nother blog post.  Lets just say it has something to do with a three year old and her love of singing into my beaters….nuff said! 
Hey, that’s how we roll round here.  Feel free to use two :)

Now pour your butter in making sure that you are still mixing.  Remember we only want the butter melted not boiling…

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH…..if your a batter lover (what? why did everyone look at me?)  this stuff is heaven in a bowl. 

WARNING: I do not condone eating raw eggs in batter….consume at your own risk.

***Public service announcement over***

Oh lordy, pour all that amazing goodness into the pie shell. 

Please be sure you don't leave any of this goodness behind in the bowl.

I do condone licking the bowl clean.  Just be sure no one is around to witness your temporary insanity. 

Break out those bad boy pecans and grab yerself a handful.  Now, I know there are many ways to skin a cat (please don’t try and prove that theory) but this is how we roll around here.  We hand place our pecans delicately after pouring in the batter.

However you want to do it feel free.  I am just showing you my way of doing it.

disclaimer: those are not my hands.  I cannot take pictures while holding pecans in one hand and placing pecans with the other.  If that were the case then I would actually be able to walk, chew gum, and talk on the phone all at the same time.  One can dream…

Carefully place your pecans around the pie starting at the edge as shown.

uh huh…..

second row…

wow thats looking good…

mmmmmm…..

last pecan!  Now grab some tinfoil and pull it out about 2 inches.  Tear off two pieces roughly the same size.  This isnt crucial as far as size goes but it is crucial to make for a nice crust while these babies cook.

Here we are all wrapped up and ‘ready, ready, ready to rrruuuunnnnn’ .  Thats my best impression of the Dixie Chicks.  Now, don’t actually run to your oven but place this bad boy in there to get reaaaaalllllly happpy.

Here it is.  But, its not quite done yet.  We still need about 12 minutes left before the center is no longer wiggling like a weeble-wobble.  You know its done when it doesn’t jiggle and wiggle.  Its usually around 55 minutes you will start noticing it getting firm.  It can sometimes take as long as 65-70 minutes (especially if you have a dorky electric stove and two pies involved) to completely cook. 

Here is the finished product.  Not our most beautiful pie but that sure wont be stopping me from devouring it within hours of stuffing myself full of turkey dinner.
 

Printable PDF Pecan Pie Recipe 

Pecan Pie Recipe
1 bag whole pecans
½ cup of dark caro syrup
½ cup of light caro syrup
3 eggs slightly beaten
1 c sugar
2 tb real butter – melted but not boiling
1 ts vanilla extract
Preheat 350 degrees
Cook 55-65 minutes
Cover crust with foil for the duration of cooking time
Tip: Don’t get your foil into your mixture or when you pull it off it will pull up your pie and possibly the pecans with it.

Updates

With the new look and all the work going on to update the blog I will be making it so it acts as a website and not a blog.

If you have any issues please just let me know but from now on the start page will be  the beginning page and you can use all the links up top and the labels on the side to find the posts your looking for.

If you subscribe in reader all the new posts will show up in reader (or at least they should).  I hope this all works and thanks for understanding all the craziness that is my blog lately I am just trying to make life easier for me so I can update everyday and bring you new things more quickly and easily.

 

Kerr

Happy Turkey Day!!!

Well, I must say im slaaaaaaaacking today.  Im a bit tired but hey…got most of the prep work done yesterday.  The MOM is here and she took over and did the early early morning chores (thanks MOM your a dream…err maybe that was a dream anyway).  So now fresh pumpkin pie spices, sweet potatoes (candied yams), and pecan pies are filling my house with the most incredible smell ever.
Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate it and pictures will be up later showcasing our feast that I plan on needing a serious trainer to work off those calories. 
By the way, is it even legal to want to consume 32,000 calories in like two days?  You tell me!

Gobble Gobble….my lil turkey dude wants to get a tan so I am going to help him with that.

Kerr

Turkey Brine Solution

Ok so you have never brined a turkey right?  Or anything for that matter.  Well guess what, this is one of those things your going to wonder why on earth you never tried it before.  Its easy, doesn’t take as long as you think, and with little preparation you will have a heck of a delicious turkey that people will be bowing down and kissing your lil toes for the luxury of a great thanksgiving.

Now you must forgive me, I was busy  in the kitchen today taking mad pictures and cooking multiple turkey day items and realized when all was said and done I hadnt gotten any prep photos of my brine or during it so…one picture is all you get but mostly its just throwing a bunch of spices and seasonings in water so your good trust me!

1. 1 cup of kosher/coarse salt
2. 1/2 cup of light brown sugar – packed
3. 5 large bay leaves
4. 2 tb of black pepper corns
5. 1 tb of powdered garlic
6. 1 tb of dried rosemary
7. 1 tb of rubbed sage
8. 1 tb crushed coriander

Bring 2 quarts of cold water to a boil in a large stock pot.

Add all of your ingredients to your pot.  Stir until dissolved completely.  Remove from the heat.  Add 2 more quarts of cold water.  Stir.  Let sit to cool.  Put in the fridge or add ice to completely cool down the brine.  We dont want no stinking warm brine trying to cook our lil birdie. 

Now…get yourself a huge brining bag or a huge plastic bag for say sweaters and put ur lil guy in the plastic bag.  Put your bag (turkey dude in tow) into a new stock pot or can or something that will hold your turkey but fit in your fridge.  Now pour all your brine over the dude and then seal him shut.  Put him in the fridge so he sleeps in a blissfully happy brine bath till your ready to cook him.  Be sure to rinse him very very well before cooking him and pat him dry.  Cooking that lil guy is next! 

Where’s the picture you say???  Well here is a quick look at my brine in my stock pot.  Nothing special but man it can work some serious magic on our lil dude.  He be one way happy dude tomorrow!

 

Free Page Kit - Black Ice

Well I told you I would be coming up with some cooool freebies and here is one of many to come. 

This gorgeous kit is elegant and perfectly timed for gorgeous holiday photos but will work well for all year and can be dressed up or dressed down for a fabulous layout any time of year.  Enjoy. 

Download the page kit HERE

Oh, please leave me a comment here on my blog if you like this kit. 

Hey you never know...I might get all sentimental on you and pick some lucky gal to win a special lil somethin' somethin'.  Yup, that's how I roll.


'Kerr'

New Freebies Coming Soon!

Get ready to start surfing this blog alot!  I am going to be updating alot and regularly with photo tips, tutorials on digital scrapbooking, digital freebies, dinner on a dime original recipes and more! 

I hope to see you all around here soon.  I will also be starting to offer large digital scrapbooking kits at low low pricing...crazy low pricing.  So as soon as I get a store worked out and ready I will let you all know! 




Kerr

Photo from Halloween

My middle child is quite the card.  She could literally run the free world (you think I kid!) and often times I find her trying to rule my house like Judge Judy.  Well it was quite fitting when she decided she wanted to be Cleopatra for Halloween.  We had fun doing her makeup and I thought she was just gorgeous.  I just love this pretty little face, and yes, I am biased. 

 

Camera Stats:

Camera Model    Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XTi
Shooting Date/Time    10/31/2009 6:52:52 AM
Shooting Mode    Shutter-Priority AE
Tv( Shutter Speed )    1/8
Av( Aperture Value )    6.3
Metering Mode    Center-Weighted Average Metering
Exposure Compensation    0
ISO Speed    100
Lens    18.0 - 200.0 mm
Focal Length    173.0 mm
Image Size    3888x2592
Image Quality    RAW
Flash    On
Flash Type    External E-TTL
Flash Exposure Compensation    0
Red-eye Reduction    On
Shutter curtain sync    1st-curtain sync
White Balance Mode    Auto
AF Mode    Manual focusing
Picture Style    Portrait
Sharpness    3
Contrast    2
Saturation    2
Color tone    2
Color Space    sRGB
Noise Reduction    Off

PB&J Disaster with some itsy bitsy spider thrown in

This face is a face I love and adore.  I cherish her smile, her little cherub cheeks and even the fact that she refuses to wear clothes.  She literally will wait for me to turn around and go about my business and BAM (my best Emeril impression there) she is nekkad again! 
So here is my beloved little sweetie in a diaper sans clothes (see above :eyeroll:) so happy about he ‘sanwichhh’ that she decided to feed it to her arm, belly, legs, and diaper.  Oh, and what you see her doing there is the song the itsy bitsy spider.  She thought she was soooo coool singing while once again nekkkad (thats naked in Kerr speak) and smiling about the fact that she ate her whole pb&j.

No my child does not always look like this she is rather cute when she leaves her clothes on but alas you try dealing with a three year old and explain that clothes weren’t made to be looked at but to be worn……its a losing battle I fight at least 268 times a day. 

And if your wondering this is what my child looks like when she doesn’t decide to paint herself with her pb&j sanwichhh.

Any ideas on how to get your child to keep their clothes on?  I need em!

Love,

Desperately seeking duck tape aka Kerr

Requests

Do you have a tutorial in photoshop you would like for me to do?  What about how to use that darn new digital camera your hubby came home with? 

If you would like to see a specific tutorial leave it here in the comments and I will try and do it for you! 

Please put any other requests here as well like "Hey Kerr, you cheapo how about some freebies?"

Or "listen digi scrappin girl, how about some new super kits to buy for the holidays!!!" 

Or maybe "Dang girl, get a new blog look cuz this one just doesnt do it for me!" 

Leave your comment and I promise I will do my darndest (you know between washing that I never do, and cooking that I do more than I should, and surfing the web more than I need to) to get it done with screenshots and all for your sanity for a step-by-step guide to solving a problemo.

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