Purple Onion Designs

Whatcha makin'?

 

Cranberry Sauce with Marmalade & Cinnamon

ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups orange marmalade
• 2/3 cup orange juice
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
• 1 12-ounce bag cranberries
• 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
• Freshly ground black pepper

Combine first 3 ingredients in medium saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until mixture comes to boil. Mix in cranberries; return to boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until berries burst and sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Transfer sauce to medium bowl; cool completely. Mix in parsley; season with pepper. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.)

Makes about 3 cups

Bon Appetit November 2003

Yum!  I made this last night.  I had made it last year and it was an easy cranberry sauce.  I seem to mix it up every once in awhile and try out a new recipe.  The parsley sounded a bit strange to me so I first mixed it up without and tried it.  I then took a little out and mixed in some parsley.  I have to tell you that the parsley is a must!  Seriously.

So lets see...

Jezebel Dip - check

Turnips & Bacon - check

Sweet Potato Casserole - check

Cran-Raspberry Jello Mold - check

Pumpkin Pie Crumble Cake - check

Sean is toasting the bread for the stuffing as I am typing this.  I have to get back over to the stove and cook up some more onions and celery.  I might try to get a batch of brownies made after that.  I'll make the string bean casserole tomorrow.  I have some anitpasta to put together too.  We added ham to the menu last year since we were a large crowd.  Sean wanted it again this year.  I CAN'T forget to take it out of the fridge and get it in the oven at some point.  I can totally see that happening.  The rest of my guests are bringing other dishes and desserts.  Well I am off to take a look at this bird and finish off the stuffing.

Odds are I am not making it back here tomorrow so...

Happy Thanksgiving!

    

 

 

 

 

A little more Thanks

I have to apologize to Jennifer for not posting these cards of hers.  She submitted them as part of her final projects.  I thought they were great and made me appreciate the Thankful Set a bit more.  I wanted to keep them to post with other Thanksgiving style projects.  Well I forgot to add these cards the other day.  I saw one of the cards on Jennifer's blog and that was my reminder!

 

This closeup lets you see the shimmer in the ink a bit more.

 

To Have Spirit

This beautiful layout was done by design team member Karine Cazenave-Tapie.  I have been wanting to share this for some time now. 

   

stamps used:  Blossom Set, Doodle Foliage & Tiny Ancient Alphabet

Here is another that Karine did.

stamps used:  Deco Date Circle, Scallop Circle, Deco Circle Plain, Vintage Ornate Frame, & Dirty Number Run

Thanksgiving Countdown

In exactly one week we will be celebrating Thanksgiving here in the states.  It looks like we will have 15 for dinner.  It changes a little each year but the same core group keeps coming back for more.  We have been celebrating the day with a close group of friends for quite a few years now.  As everyone's parents moved away we started to become each others surrogate family for the holidays.  I was the only one that really cooked out of the group early on so little by little everyone started to join us.  We have a fun time and the day is usually filled with a lot of laughs. 

I pretty much make the same dishes every year.  Since I only make them once a year we do look forward to them.  I'll sometimes try out something new here and there.  A few recipes have been handed down from my Mom & Sean's Mom.  Then the rest are recipes I have found over the years.  I don't do all the cooking but the bulk of it.  A few guests bring their requested dishes.  

I think Tatum & I will tackle some place cards over the weekend.  A fun little crafty weekend project.  She has made them for me in the past and has fun doing it. 

The design team mustered up some Thanksgiving themed projects already.  Take a look:

Judi made this super cute tag.  Look how she used the harlequin stamp for the turkey's feathers (which by the way she made herself).  Cute, cute.  The banner from the carnival set works perfect with this too.   

  

Waleksa also did a turkey.  A turkey napkin ring using the scallops stamp as the feathers (looks like great minds think a like here) and the round scallop ledger label for the face.

 

Waleska also made this wonderful little place card holder.  I like how she used the pine cone for the bottom of this.  It adds a little nature and texture to the piece.  Look how she used the branch stamp from the Hang In There set for the upright portion of the holder.  Clever.   

 

additional stamps used:  acorns (Thankful Set), Fourscore Titling Alphabet (small) & round scallop ledger label.

Stephanie created a fun little place card too.

 

stamps used: Deluxe Labels, Thankful Set, Seasons Definitions

This matching card is really pretty.

 

stamps:  Deluxe Label Set, Damask Stamp, Thankful Set

Aimee & Julie also made cards.  Here is Aimee's:

 

stamps used:  Dirty Number Run & Damask Stamp

I still can't get enough of Julie's cards using the Noteblocks and flowers like this:

 

stamp used:  Thank You Noteblock

The final two projects are framed pieces.  Jenn did this cute one with the doodle foliage set.  The leaves are coated with glitter to give a pretty shimmer.

   

 

stamps used:  Doodle Foliage Set & Downcome Alphabet

Christine did this incredible framed piece.  How does she have time to do work like this with such a big family?

 

 

December Daily 2008 Albums

I have more December Daily 2008 Albums & pages to share with you.  This is the project that I mentioned that Ali Edward's has everyone all excited about.  I actually am teetering on giving it a shot.  I started thinking about all the things we have going on for December and it could make for a fun album.  I just need to see if I can find the time to put the album together. 

Judi & Jenn B. did put their albums together.  They both used the new Date Me set and a few other stamps throughout the album.  I showed you a few pages from Judi's the other day.  Here are a couple more:

 

 

 

 

You can see the rest of Judi's album on her blog.

Jenn just shared her album pages with me and now I get to share them with you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jenn also has all her pages posted and they can be seen here.

I can't wait to see these pages filled girls! 

And the Date Me set goes to...

   

The winner of the Date Me stamp set is Noelani!!

Thanks so much for everyone who stopped by and left a comment.  I really enjoyed seeing which projects were everyone's favorite.  I know you made the day of a few design team members as well.  :)

We will continue to post samples using the new stamps and do more giveaways over the next couple of weeks.  Please make sure you keep stopping by.  We love the company.  Take a minute to leave a comment.  They are fun to read and very much appreciated.

 

Date Me

Its now time to start blogging about some of the new stamp sets.  The Date Me set has really been a hit in both the English and French versions.  I have actually been a little surprised at how many of the French sets I have sold here in the states.  I can see where the appeal is but it is still interesting to see. 

Liz Tamanaha of Paislee Press Designs created the set for me.  It is based on her original digital design that you can see here.  Liz used to be a paper scrapper and customer of mine.  I loved her work and you can see her older designs throughout the gallery.  Liz crossed over to the digital world several years ago.  She eventually started doing her own digital designs.  If you are into digital scrapping you have to check out her designs.  Liz's "Press Lines" are some of my favorites.  You can see them throughout her blog and in her shop.

I was sad when Liz stopped paper scrapping but I started to realize that her digital designs were even better.  This is coming from someone who still prefers the look of paper over digital.  Liz & I started to do some catching up a few months ago and we decided to try some of her designs in rubber.  The first of the stamps is the Date Me set.  Here are some samples from the design team to get your creative thoughts flowing.

Jennifer really does some great projects.  That is what I was so drawn to on her blog.  Take a look at the different ways she used this set. 

 

 

 

 

 

Jennifer used the Trick or Treat Bagstamp for the shopping bags in this card.  She just covered up the words with cardstock.  Cute, huh?

Waleska did this great layout and a calendar mini. 

 

 

 

 

Courtney whipped up this fab card.

 

additional stamps used:  Merriness Set

Stephanie also did some cards.  It is funny because I figured most people would feel this set was for scrapping but it really is so versatile.

 

Oh look Aimee did some cards too!

 

 

 

Pam Callaghan and Heidi Sonboul also got to play with the set last month.  These are the designs they came up with.  First up is Pam.

 

 

 

The last samples for today are Heidi's.

 

 

 

 

   

The other absolutely fabulous idea for this set is Ali Edward's December Daily Album.  This is such a great project.  A few of the girls on the design team have mentioned using this set for their albums.  I have a sneaking suspicion they are not the only ones.

**edited to show a couple of Judi's December Daily Album pages.  

                                               

                                                       

So what do you think?  Pretty fun set, right?  Leave a comment on how you got to the blog and your favorite project.  I'll pick a comment at random and the winner will receive a Date Me set!  You have till Sunday night.

 

Round and Round

I am so into all the round layouts and mini's that have been hot this past year.  There is something so fun about them. 

Take a look at the one that Hilde submitted for the DT call.  How cool is the edging she added using the scallops stamp?

 

Stamps used:  Scallops and Fanciful Labels

Susan did a round layout too which has such an elegant look to it.

 

Stamps Used: Vintage Ornate Frame

Hilde's final project was this lovely mini album of her girls.

 

 

Stamps used:  Fanicful Labels, Music Background, Scallops & Fairytale Set

Lots of cards!

I am trying to finish up all the final submissions from the Design Team.  Today I am going to post all the great cards they made.  Then there should be one more post before I start to share this month's samples.

Hilde Janbroers

  

Stamps used:  Early 1900's Music Background,Fanciful Labels

Julie Dudley 

 

Stamps used:  Doodle Flowers, Vintage Postmark Set

 

Stamps used:  Doodle Flowers

Susan Lui

 

Stamps used:  Ornamentals Set, Stitches Set

Meg Schumaker

 

Stamps Used:  Stems & Grass, Birthday Wishes,Late 1800's Script Background

 

Stamps Used:  Bare Tree, Late 1800's Script Background and Birthday Wishes

 

Stamps used:  Doodle Flower Sentiment Set

   

Stamps used:  Doodle Flower Sentiment Set

Christine Penaflor

 

Stamps used:  Script Hello Set, Scallops

Jennifer Holmes

 

Stamps used:  Doodle Birthday Set

Laura Craigie

 

Stamps used:  Doodle Heart Set & Birthday Wishes

 

Stamps used:  Thanks, Skinny Dip Alphabet, Doodle Heart Set

 

A Few Projects

Here are a couple of projects that the design team submitted.  Nathalie stamped this wooden box with the Garamouche Alphabet.  It is filled with these little ABC cards for her son.  Each letter is placed on a card stamped with the round Scallop Ledger Label. 

 

Christine submitted several holiday themed projects.  Take a look at this wonderful Christmas Countdown project. 

 

 

Christine also made this fun Fa La La La La tin using the Merriness Set and the Early 1900's Music Background.

 

Christine's final project was this holiday gift box using the Happy Holidays Noteblock.  The Noteblocks really make for some quick and easy projects.

 

Sharon made this "to do" diary that is packed with lots of stamps. 

 

 

   

Susan created this fab little tag.