To make a short story long.  Here is the saga that continues regarding this treat called "Amish Friendship Bread"…although I wonder how something that contains vanilla instant pudding from a box comes from a people that don't cling to modern ways…  This particular recipe comes complete with cinnamon sugar sprinkled on top and used instead of flour in the greased pan, which, as it bakes, creates a bit of a crunchy surface, surrounding the uber moist flesh of the bread.  Once you start making the batter, the house is filled with a delicious aroma, akin to scent that comes from making Snickerdoodles.  Don't you want some yet?   On our way to CHA, Monday January 25th, 2010, Megan and I went to pick up Teresa, who was hitching a ride.  (The trip is so much nicer if you can use the carpool lane so we forced her to join us!)  While loading the car, she brought out this small loaf of some sort of sweet-looking bread, which we promptly packed into our bag of snacks and didn't see it again until we were on our way home on Wednesday.  I nibbled on the bread, but decided to save a little for the family to try when I got home.  I think that it was a couple of days later that Teresa showed up on my doorstep with a gallon size Ziploc baggie with some sort

I don't know why it is so hard to blog lately…actually, yes I do!  But my intentions, which are usually good, are to get back into the rhythm.  I also want to get back to doing projects:  layouts, cards, artsie stuff.  We are going to have a really fun (if people participate!)  Relief Society birthday party this Thursday.  We are following a "green" theme…not the leprechaun type, but the "reduce, reuse, recycle" type, or as the old saying that President Hinckley reminded us of – fix it up, wear it out, make it do or do without!  So I have a few items that I am working on that I will post here once they are unveiled at the meeting!  Just in case anyone is peaking!  But for now, here is a layout that I did for one of Pinecone Press' recent books.  (I finally figured out how to photomerge!  I love Photoshop!) This is my Megan and I, I think at Disneyland, but I changed the colors to black and white…unless Megan took the picture, because her camera has that function to change to black and white…no, I think it was my camera, but heck, I can't remember that long ago.  I love these My Mind's Eye patterned papers! Now…don't you "other" kids be jealous!  I'll have pictures of all you eventually! Tomorrow, I will let you all into my "Amish

Most of the women I know lead very busy lives.  Those that don't are usually challenged in physical ways, which doesn't mean that they aren't busy, but perhaps just less active.  As women, I think we tend to compare ourselves, often in a critical way to other women that we associate with.  "If only I would exercise more, I would be more slim, like So-and-So", or "If I made more money I could afford to dress more stylishly, like Sister Perfect", or "If my house was bigger, better furnished or cleaner, then I wouldn't be embarrassed to have Mrs. What's-Her-Name over for lunch".  We often make the excuse that there are only so many hours in the day and we only have two hands and there is only so much we can do…which is all true.  Our Heavenly Father gave us 24 hours in a day, which a sizable portion is dedicated, or should be, to sleep; and part of the plan includes only one pair of hands (if we are fortunate to have them) for which we are charged to accomplish many things.  We also know that each of us has unique talents that our Heavenly Father has given us.  I also firmly believe that when it comes to our individual judgment day, So-and-So, Sister Perfect and Mrs. What's-Her-Name will not be standing there with Heavenly Father comparing us to what they have or have

The day was long, but rich and rewarding.  It is so easy to get caught up in our day to day business, the things which occupy our time.  President Monson said:  "We may find that we have immersed ourselves in the thick of thin things."  I take that to mean the things of little eternal consequence.  When we learn to care about the needs of others more than our own, we will identify ourselves with the "believers"… Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity… 1 Timothy 4:12 I must examine if I have done any good in the world today

 For some reason, when we do cookies for the holidays, the baking gets out of control!  Megan is a crazy baking machine!  She started baking early Saturday morning, baked through the day, when I stepped in and helped to decorate, then we were delivering them into the night.  After we made up the planned boxes and plates, we ended up with dozens of cookies left.  Then I discovered that Scott had ALSO ordered cookies from the YW Camp Valentine Cookie Fund-raiser…3 of them, and they are GINORMOUS!…I suggested and with Megan's agreement, that it might be nice to take some of the cookies to our respective Relief Society meetings, rather than leave them all at home where we would eventually have to eat them.  Susie also brought some cookies and the ladies were all excited for a little sugar to accompany the sweet lesson given by Tiffany.  As per request, here is the recipe again, this time with a Valentine theme! Aunt Margy's Sugar Cookies (Good for decorating!) 1 cup all vegetable shortening 1 1/4 cups sugar 3 eggs 1 Tablespoon vanilla 3 cups sifted flour 3 teaspoons baking powder 1 1/4 teaspoons salt Cream sugar and shortening.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Sift flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture.  The dough will be soft and a little sticky.  Refrigerate, overnight is preferred.  It is much easier to work with the

I missed another Sunday.  Last Sunday was just one of those days when meetings, teaching a lesson, having company and a big Sunday dinner just did not lend itself to me burying myself up in the craft cave.  But like I say, life is for living and if blogging happens to fit in, good.  If not, then I can save it for another day.  As I posted before, last Monday I spent a fun day at Disneyland with grown-ups.  It can be hard to take anything seriously when you are in a world of fantasy and make-believe…where the illusion is happiness and the reality is a lot of people spending a lot of money on something that will provide a moment of happiness in a lifetime.  Don't get me wrong…I LOVE DISNEYLAND!  But I can think of a lot of places that provide a lot more lasting joy than an "E" ticket ride ever could.  As long as we keep perspective of what it actually is, we won't be disappointed when kids (and husbands) get tired, hungry and plain old GRUMPY – no offense to the dwarf. My mom has mentioned the whole "Pleasure Island" concept before.  This time, when I went on Pinocchio's Daring Adventure, I let the similarities sink in.  A childless Geppetto crafted a boy made of wood.  He wished on a falling star that he could

 No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, but company, Scouts, Relief Society and family has kept me so busy that even visiting the Internet is an impossible thought, let alone trying to compose and post!  Until today, that is, and only for a few minutes.  I made a commitment and I kept it, so now I can work without a care in the world…ha ha ha!  What am I saying?  There's no such thing.  So I'm going to keep it fairly uncomplicated today, but this is going to be a gripe session, since I have had this little dust devil whirling around in my head and bothering me since I was at the "happiest place on earth" on Monday and it hasn't dissipated, so I need to get it out of my system and on to happier places. I made an "adults only" trip to Disneyland on Monday: Grandma N., Jake, his friend Christian, Megan (not pictured…taking picture) and I were all in the area, so we decided to all go together…no one under the age of 21 was in attendance, at least not in our party.  (Children were everywhere!  Babies and toddlers and teens, oh my!)  It still feels a little funny going without kids.  I remember the first time I did not need a stroller as part of the entourage…it was a momentous occasion!  Now, after more than

(I am trying to get everyone that comes to this blog to also visit the new justhelenscrafts blog…more ideas, less chat!  So if it doubles up for a little while, please bear with me!)  I am a fairly frugal person.  I can be kind of tight when it comes to spending money on paper crafting supplies, mostly because I already have so much that I will never use it all up…EVER!  If I can buy it at Michaels, I will use my 40% off coupon to build my stash.  But I love it when I can find something super cute that and find it in the dollar bins!  I think the key is to find it early, when they first put it into the bins, although if you don't mind using it next year, you can often find it 50% or more off after the current season is over.  But if it comes from the dollar bin, I don't mind splurging!  So this year I found this darling cupid.  On a previous trip to Tall Mouse up in Orange County, I found the little Studio G clear stamp pack that had the phrase on it.  They were a perfect match.  I don't use my chalks very much anymore, but just a little color seemed appropriate for the project.  For a finishing touch, every winged being should have a little sparkle on their

Here I am, with my daughter Megan and our friend Seija, at the CHA (Craft and Hobby Association) Trade Show in Anaheim.  Megan brought her laptop, so I can do this little post, hopefully before the battery dies!  I am so excited to see all the fun, new products…and some that are just new to me.  Not having to worry about working the show made it so much more enjoyable.  Not having to make appointments, write orders or take complaints that I knew absolutely nothing or could do nothing about, made my time a delight.  Having a new direction to take my thoughts also made a difference in my approach to crafting.  I love scrapbooking and always will, but it was fun to be able to focus on stuff that didn't have as much application in paper crafting.  I saw lots of friends, a few from a distance, but most close enough to hug.  I saw amazing new tools and product and I am even bringing a little home with me to play with and more to request and play with soon.  I am anxious to put things up on the new blog, but it will take me a few days to get things up.  But it will be fun when it's there, so check back soon!  Lots of the ideas will be borrowed and shared so don't assume that I came up