Our Favourite Peanut Energy Bars

I had another great crafting weekend with the girls last weekend. I brought our family's current fave granola/energy bars and got a few requests for the recipe, so here it is...

What you'll need:

3/4 c all natural peanut butter (no added sugar, salt etc.)
2/3 c honey (or 1/3 c honey and 1/3 c maple syrup)
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c cocoa powder
2 1/2 c quick cooking oats
1/2 - 3/4 c dried cranberries (or any dried fruit)
1/2 - 3/4 c chopped peanuts, unsalted (or any chopped nuts and/or seeds)
1/4 c chia seeds
1/4 c ground flax seed (optional)

To prepare:

Line a 9 x 13" cake pan with foil.
In a large bowl, combine peanut butter, honey, brown sugar and cocoa. Microwave for a couple of minutes, stirring half way through, and stir until smooth. (This can also be done in a saucepan on the stove over medium heat.)
Stir in oatmeal, dried fruit and nuts.
Press batter firmly into prepared pan. Refrigerate for at least one hour before cutting into bars.

Girls Weekend

 Back in October, I spent a fantastic weekend at "the cottage" with some crafty friends. We love to get away at least twice a year and craft, sew, scrapbook... make stuff! I made this scarf by ripping strips of fabric and sandwiching between two layers of dissolvable interfacing. I added some bits of ribbon too. After sewing all over it with my sewing machine, I just soaked it in water for a minute to get rid of the interfacing. Here it is when it was still a little damp.

I love how it turned out and have been wearing it a lot lately.

 Love you girls! We need to do this again soon!

Tag Art

A couple of weeks ago I got busy messing up a bunch of tags with some gesso, glimmer mist, stencils, stamps and what not.

Then last week I added a little more and turned some of them into cards.  I love how this one turned out... I inked over punchinella with a Dazzle VersaMark ink pad and then clear embossed it.

Sometimes little works of art are a lot less overwhelming.

The small "how do I love thee" 3D sticker on this one is from a package I've had forever from K & Co. It's good to use up stuff!

Celebrating Life. just because

The truth is... " that feeling of growing big with possibility, that feeling you get when you are actively engaged in making things (anything!)... is pretty doggone good even when you're just all aloney or on your owny." I love that feeling! I get that feeling! I need that feeling!