PEANUT BUTTER OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

When I was in high school, I worked two summers at Camp Singing Wind.  First as a Kitchen Cutie and then as a Life Guard / Counselor.  The cook for the camp (Cookie) would make these peanut butter/oatmeal/chocolate chip cookies that were just fantastic.  I was never able to find a recipe that even came close to those camp cookies until three years ago.  I started combining different cookie recipes until I found a good match.  These cookies are my favorite!

~INSTRUCTIONS~

1 C PEANUT BUTTER

3/4 C BUTTER

1 C BROWN SUGAR

1/2 C SUGAR

2 C OATMEAL

1 C AP FLOUR

1 t BAKING POWDER

1 t BAKING SODA

1/2 t SALT

2 EGGS

1 t VANILLA

1-1/4 C CHOCOLATE CHIPS

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees 

Cream together peanut butter, butter, brown sugar and sugar.  When blended add eggs and vanilla.

In separate bowl combine oatmeal, flower, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Combine wet and dry ingredients until smooth.  Fold in chocolate chips.

Using medium cookie scoop, drop dough onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Flatten with a wet fork.

Bake for 8 - 12 minutes or until golden brown on edges.

EASTER BUNNY FUN

I shall name him FRED!

Two years ago I came across THE ELF ON THE SHELF at a local boutique in Lithia, FL.  It came with a cute little book to read to the kids that explains that the little Elf has come to live with the family.  He needs a name (the girls named him FROSTY PEE-KO) and every night from December 1st through Christmas Eve, Frosty Pee-ko would fly back to the North Pole and tell Santa about our day.  Every morning Frosty Pee-ko would be back but he would choose a hiding place.  The girls wake up and start searching right away for their elf.  We have had so much fun with our elf, this year he even showed up in Buenos Aires while we were there for vacation.  

Frosty Pee-ko hanging out on Abuela's lamp!

We had so much fun with Frosty Pee-ko that I thought it might be fun if we tried something similar with the Easter Bunny.  I found a the instructions for the bunny below HERE.  My goal is to have our bunny Fred hide every morning with two little treat filled eggs for the girls to find.  

HAIKU GIFT TIN

I had an extra tin hanging around just waiting to be decorated and today I finally had some down time where I could sneak away to my craft room.  I have recently discovered powdered green tea called MATCHA and after placing an order I was happy to find that I could recycle the tins into gift tins.

I used STAMPIN' UP! DESIGNER SERIES PAPER ~ HAIKU as my base.  I love the colors in this series!

I used the DESIGNER LABEL PUNCH along with the SILVER HODGEPODGE HARDWARE frame to match.  I used LINEN THREAD to tie the frame to the tin (along with TOMBOW ADHESIVE to help hold it in place).  I used Swarovski crystal beads & butterflies to decorate the thread.

I used the SCALLOPED CIRCLE PUNCH, 3/4" CIRCLE PUNCH and 1/2" CIRCLE PUNCH to create the flower for the top of the tin.  I punched out three scalloped circles in OLD OLIVE, TANGERINE TANGO and SO SAFFRON.  I cut into each groove of the scalloped circle about 1/2" to form the flower, then I cut petals off the OLD OLIVE & TANGERINE TANGO scalloped circles and then glued the individual petals onto the SO SAFFRON flower.  I topped the flower with the 3/4" circle in MORE MUSTARD and 1/2" circle in TANGERINE TANGO.  To get shape in the flower I folded the petals up first and then rolled the tips around a pencil.

EASTER BASKET FUN

Last October / November while at a STAMPIN' UP! meeting I learned how to make this box out of the BIGZ SCALLOP ENVELOPE'S ~ (SIZZIX DIE).  You can find good instructions HERE.

I used DESIGNER SERIES PAPERS ~ WASHINGTON APPLE and MAINE BLUEBERRY.  I believe that Maine Blueberry has retired and is no longer available for order from STAMPIN' UP! but the Washington Apple is so go find your local demonstrator and order some of this awesome paper!  

To attach the handles I used the small flowers from the FLOWER DESIGNER BRADS.  This is actually the first time I have used these brads even though I have had them for months.  I've been waiting for just the right project and I found it with these baskets.  They added just the right touch!

To make the filler for the baskets, I used the color combinations used on the paper itself.  For the WASHINGTON APPLE I used RIDING HOOD RED, PUMPKIN PIE, SO SAFFRON and BASHFUL BLUE.  For the MAINE BLUEBERRY I used NOT QUITE NAVY, OLD OLIVE and BASHFUL BLUE.  

I have a CARL PAPER TRIMMER that will cut through many layers of card stock at a time.  I used that with the layers of card stock for each basket.  I just trimmed about a 1/4" at a time until I had enough strips to fill the baskets.  Once I had enough paper trimmed, I scrunched it up and rolled it around in the palms of my hands to shape it.  

I LOVE CHERRY BLOSSOMS!

I love cherry blossoms!  I have four cherry blossom punches that range from 1/4" to 1" and I absolutely love them.  I do not use them as often as I would like but when I do, I am always so happy, HAPPY, HAPPY I bought them!  To give the blossoms shape, I used the rounded end cap of one of my SAKURA pens.  

~SUPPLIES NEEDED~

STAMP SETS ~ Pocket Silhouettes & Season of Friendship

CARD STOCK ~ Chocolate Chip, Pink Pirouette, Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White

INK / STAMPIN' WRITE MARKER ~ Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss, Riding Hood Red

ACCESSORIES ~ 1/4" Cherry Blossom Punch (Carl CarlaCraft), glue dots, SAKURA pen cap.