2013 Upcoming Classes at THE DOO!

Hi everyone!

WISHING you and YOURS a very HAPPY and HEALTHY 2013!!

MARK YOUR 2013 Calendars for my next class dates at

Scrap-a-Doodle Doo

37C Swan Street

Ramsey, NJ

201 818 7060

Saturday, January 12th, 2013 11am - 1pm

Birthday EXPLOSION Box!

 

This not only makes a great Gift Card Holder - it is ALSO a MINI ALBUM!!

This class and kit were such a hit, we are bringing it back for all of you who may have missed it. You will be provided with instructions that you can use to re-create this cool mini album in the future too - You will impress your friends for sure!!

Here is a Sneak Peek -

COST for the CLASS or KIT is just $22.00 - All items will be pre-cut for you too!

SEATING AND KITS are LIMITED -

so PLEASE CALL THE STORE ASAP 201 818 7060 to reserve yours!!

THE SAMPLE IS IN THE STORE!!

** MORE DETAILS and CLASS SUPPLIES LISTS will be on the SCRAP-A-DOODLE DOO Website soon! **

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And.... I am having LOTS of FUN working on my next project right now !!

YOU ARE NOT GOING TO WANT TO MISS THIS ONE!!!

PLEASE SAVE THE DATE for my 2nd Class of 2013 at THE DOO

Saturday, FEBRUARY 23rd, 2013

11am to 2pm

We will be making a

"PROJECT LIFE-LIKE" (not so mini) BOOK!

Want to learn a little bit about PROJECT LIFE?

 

Know what it is - but feel a little OVERWHELMED?

Well, I've come up with a way to participate in the PROJECT LIFE Craze - but on a less demanding level. This "not so mini" book, will be a great place for you to document 12 IMPORTANT ~or~ EVERYDAY things that happen to you in 2013!!

SEATING for this Class is VERY LIMITED - only 7 Seats or Kits!!

Here is a SNEAK PEEK of my "work in progress!"

PLEASE CALL THE STORE 201-818-7060 to reserve yours ASAP!

** AND IF YOU DO GET A SEAT - be sure to SNAP a photo in the Month of January and bring it to the class to add to you book that day!! **

** MORE DETAILS and CLASS SUPPLIES LISTS will be on the SCRAP-A-DOODLE DOO Website soon! **

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

 

((Hugs)) ~ Sherri

If Our Tree Could Speak.....

I Hope Everyone had a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

I borrowed this idea and title from the very talented Nathalie Kalbach's Blog.  Please be sure to go check out her Christmas Tree's story when you are done reading here!

 I LOVE our Christmas Tree, and think it is one of my favorite parts and decorations of the Holiday Season!

Finding just the right Christmas Tree is always a challenge! We in the Caramico household will not settle for just any 'ol tree.  We search and search until we find just the right one - and according to my husband and sons - it has to be the BIGGEST one possible!!  

( I have to be the practical one and have to keep reminding them that the ceiling is only 8ft tall!)

Their criteria is TALL and WIDE  - and I go along with them -because :

1.  I want to make them happy and

2. We've collected so many ornaments over the last 30years - and we need a place to hang them all!! :-)

This year's search was a little early.  We went on the hunt on Nov 25th, so that the tree would be up and decorated by a Holiday Party we had in our home on Dec 8th. We've been able to enjoy the tree's beauty and wonderful smell for the last 3 weeks, and I'm lovin' it!!   

We only went to 2 local places - the first one has been a "first stop" for the last few years - we haven't been lucky finding a tree there - but there are live animals -and my "boys" (23 & 18) insist we visit them!   ( Yes, I did make Baaa.. noises at them and they happily returned the favor!)

There were bunnies in a hutch there too, along with chickens just walking around! But again - no tree to fit the "Caramico Criteria!"

 So - off to our next stop - No animals at this one - but VERY nice trees!!   After talking the boys - well, mostly hubby, out of a tree the would have required a hole cut into the ceiling - we settled on a beautiful one - although they insist it isn't the biggest one we've brought home!  

So - here is our Tree's Story - 

IF OUR TREE COULD SPEAK  - it would tell you ....

...how after being pushed and pulled through the netting contraption ( I have to say - I wasn't sure it was going to make it through....)  we hoisted it up on the roof of the car, and it's trunk showed through the sunroof.  We wanted to make sure it didn't fall off on the way home!

...how we brought it into a nice warm house and let the branches warm up and relax for a few days....

.... how after a few spins - we finally decided what was the front, and lots and lots of colorful lights were added!

Next it would tell you that it was time to hang some special ornaments for this family... (in no particular order!)

One of their first ornaments - I can't believe it has held a place of honor on 29 Christmas Trees before me! 
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This is their FIRST ever White House Ornament, from the early 1990's.  One is added each year and is a special gift from Meem and Pop.  These ornaments were the last ones to be hung on my branches - I'm told that is how it is always done!

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This is a very special ornament - it was their first beloved Portuguese Water Dog - Lily's ornament, and am proud to hold it up high in a place of honor for them.

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There is a new Portuguese Water Dog Puppy in the house!! I have to say - she has been very well behaved and has not bothered me at all!!  This is her special ornament and the 2nd time it has hung on a Christmas Tree!

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Well, it seems that MANY ornaments hanging on my branches have something to do with Coca-Cola - I guess since so many members of this family work for Coke - it is only natural -and their red color scheme helps to make me look even more festive!

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I'm told this red pine cone hung on their 94 year old Grandmother's tree, and is a family treasure!

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It is so hard to imagine that their oldest son Nick is now 23 yrs old. He made an adorable little cherub with a big smile in this ornament made out of a jar lid and some decorations.

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This ceramic baby ornament came from a craft fair and was personalized for their youngest son Jake

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I'm not frightened by this smiling ornament - Jack Skellington, from Disney's Nightmare Before Christmas is a favorite of their youngest son Jake, and can hang from my branches anytime!

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This is one of their first ornaments - it is from their Honeymoon trip to Hawaii, 30 years ago - somehow it no longer says Maui - just Mau - the "i" went missing years ago!

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This ornament came from their 2nd Cruise on board the Disney Magic - sure wish I was on that ship right now!

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Believe it or not - this is actually a hand painted oyster shell from one of their favorite vacation places - Myrtle Beach, SC - so cute!

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Look at this is a special little grouping! Can you see the little house made out of beads on the top left - there are 2 of them on my branches - each son made them in pre-school. They say "Houses are made out of brick and stone.... Homes are made of Love alone."  The beautiful ship in the middle is from their first Disney Cruise on the MAGIC in 2001 with 13 family members. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is on the bottom left of the photo, and was a gift to their oldest son Nick in 2007, when they went to Italy.

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I also have lots of Hallmark ornaments hanging from my branches. I heard the ones from the Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, are some of Nick's favorites - oh look - a Diet Coke can ornament photo bombed this shot! 

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A Walrus on a Christmas Tree? - why not - this guy is cute and makes people smile when they stand in front of me and see him smiling back with that big "toothy" grin!

One of my favorite parts of being a Christmas Tree, is on Christmas Eve, when all of the presents are piled underneath me.  This year, Maggie, the Portuguese Water Dog posed prettily for the picture :-)

And here I am - in all my GLORY - shining brightly out the window and standing proudly, holding so many precious ornaments and helping this family to CHERISH the memories that they bring back to them each year!!

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I hope you and yours had a WONDERFUL HOLIDAY and I send you WISHES for a VERY HAPPY and HEALTHY NEW YEAR!

All the best to you!
((HUGS)) ~ Sherri

Christmas Breakfast Recipe

'Tis the season for sharing - and eating!  I want to share a YUMMY French Toast Casserole that I have made in the past.  It was served to us at Bed and Breakfast in Pennsylvania many years ago and is really REALLY good! ( I tweeked it a bit, over the years, and everyone loves it!)   I'm sorry, but I don't have a picture of it.   My sister-in-law asked me for the recipe, so I thought I would share it with you too!


Overnight FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE
9 x 13" glass pan  Oven 330 degrees for 50-55mins

(1) lg loaf of cinnamon raisin bread, cut into 1x1" squares -enough to fill the pan to the top
(2) 8oz pkgs of cream cheese -softened
(1 1/2) sticks of butter
(1)  Cup Maple Syrup (divided )
(10) Large Eggs
(2 3/4) Cups Half and Half
(2) teaspoons vanilla
Cinnamon Sugar *made with 1 Tablespoon cinnamon & 3/4 C white sugar

Spray glass pan very well with cooking spray.  Mix cream cheese, butter and 1/2 C of the maple syrup until smooth.  Place 1/2 of the cut bread into the prepared pan.  Drop, by spoonfuls, half of the cream cheese mixture over the bread and sprinkle with half of the cinnamon sugar.  Cover with the remaining cut bread, and drop the remaining cream cheese mixture over the 2nd bread layer -being careful not to place it on top of the mixture you dropped on the first layer.   Mix the eggs, vanilla, remaining 1/2 C maple syrup and half and half together and pour over ingredients in the pan.  Sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar.  Cover and refrigerate over night - at least 7-8 hrs.  Bake uncovered 330 degrees for 50 -55 mins.  Enjoy with extra maple syrup.


ENJOY!!

Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas!

((Hugs)) ~ Sherri

Our Tropical Get-a-Way

It's been a crazy few months here in our house -  We were blessed beyond measure to have been able to take a 14 night Disney Cruise to Hawaii to celebrate our 30th Wedding Anniversary in October, ( and to be happily married for 30 years too!) 

Upon our return -we hit the ground running - and got home the night before Hurricane Sandy hit the east coast - and were lucky to only have had to deal with a week of no power and gas lines.    Then it was time to get back into our routine, get ready for Thanksgiving, and now Christmas.

I just wanted to take a minute to share a one page layout that I made while scrapping with a group of friends at the end of November. 

I used Graphic 45's Beautiful Tropical Travelogue to accent this photo of my husband and I, that was taken by the ship's photographer.  To say that we had an AWESOME time on our trip -returning to the place of our Honeymoon, would be an understatement, and getting there on a Disney Cruise made it even more "WONDERful!" 

I hope you like it and it inspires you to get your crafty on!!

The papers, and most of the elements were purchased at my Favorite Local Scrapbook Store

Scrap-a-Doodle Doo, in Ramsey, NJ

((HUGS)) ~ Sherri