Good Grief Girdie's blog

Good Monday Morning

I know it's to early for seashells and mermaids, but I have been playing around with them for my upcoming classes for early spring and summer.  I have wanted to play with my Catherine Moore mermaid stamps for sometime and just now getting around to it.  So here is a little peak at what my table looks like.  The picture above is shrink plastic with this awesome stamp from Stampington. I am incorporating several elements to this project.  You will have to come back sometime to see the finished samples.

turning these silver shells into these turquoise shells with glimmer mist, of course!

 

Then my friend Miss Brenda from Vintage Bee Designs shared this wonderful Mother's Day idea with me, and of course it is so sweet, and this will become a class. But don't call the store yet because we have no dates or samples yet.  I will let you know.  Keep checking back.

a little shrink will be added...............

 

Well that is what has been going on over here.  Lots of fun classes in the works and the sun is shining.  I think SPRING is right around the corner and these classes will hopefully push it closer.

 

Have a SuN SHIinEY day!

intermediate soldering with Miss H..................

Here she is in action.  The BEST soldering teacher ever!  I mean it.  She is really one of the best teachers I know of. You will learn the basic soldering techniques. She also shares her knowledge of what the best tools and products to use.  You will walk away feeling like this is something I can do and feel good about what you have made.  

All of us in the afternoon class had already taken her beginners class.  What I love about Heather's classes is she keeps them small so if we need help she is right there.  I think that is so important in this kind of class.

We learned how to do the soldering with lace, beveled glass, old button with patina and a round bauble.  And if you look really close to the round bauble it is Heather's.  When I was helping her pack up I picked it up not knowing it was hers........... so Heather sorry.............everyone who reads this will know it's not mine because not a one of us did ours!   It never fails I am always picking up stuff when class is over that isn't mine.

I need to polish them and clean them up a bit but I just wanted to let you all know what we all did this weekend at the Paper Crown.  If you did not get to join in on the fun, Heather will be back to teach these classes and more.  If you are interested and want to know dates of when she will return, call the store 405 848-2389.  You won't be sorry, I promise!   Thanks Heather for a super fun weekend!

 

Now for the recipe for those Apricot Bars from class thursday night..........

 

Apricot Cream Cheese Streusel Bars  ( from the Magnolia Bakery cookbook in New York)

 

CRUST

1 cup unsalted butter softened and cut into small pieces

2 cups flour

CREAM CHEESE FILLING

8 oz. cream cheese

1/3 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla

STREUSEL TOPPING:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 cubes unsalted butter softened

APRICOT FILLING

1 jar apricot preserves ( preferably unsweetened)  I used low sugar

 

Crust:  On medium speed beat together the butter and flour until crumbly.  Transfer to 9x13 pan and pat the crust evenly into the bottom of pan and bake for 15 minutes at 350.  Take out and let cool for 45 min.

Cream cheese filling:  beat together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy.  Add egg and vanilla and continue to beat until well combined.  Set aside.

Streusel topping:  Mix together the flour and sugar.  Cut the butter in until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Then using your hands, toss until the ingredients are well combined.  Set aside.

When crust is cool, spread the cream chees filling evenly over the crust leaving a 1/4 inch edge all around.  Gently spread a thin layer of apricot filling over the cream cheese.  Sprinkle the streusel topping over the entire top.  Bake for 35 minutes.  Cool to room temperature and cover tightly and let it allow to set overnight before cutting.

These are delicious !

These are what they will look like!

 

Hope you all are enjoying your weekend.  It has been a busy week .................

spring girdie and class.........................

Girdie got a spring makeover this week.  She is all decked out with bird houses, twigs, nest, eggs , burlap, moss and a bird or two.  She is sporting her original crown!  This is the crown that introduced me to Cindy and the Paper Crown.  Cindy put on a contest for decorating crowns about 3-4 years ago when she moved into this location.  And guess what.......... I won. The fun hasn't stopped.

 

Now she is already for spring and we all hope she brings us some spring weather..............

This little doll was the main attraction to the treat table for class this week.  The reason is our sweet friend from Georgia ( Maria) that flies in to take classes at the Paper Crown gave me this  little vintage doll dress she is wearing.  The last class Maria came to  brought this to me and said it was her mother's and  wanted me to have it , because she knows about my dolls.  You really can't see all the fun little cowboys, wagons and so many other cute figures, but it is so cute. Anyway I wanted to share it with the girls in class and you all.

Here is Maria with the doll.........Thank You so much Maria!

I have the most giving, generous and sweet students.   I feel so privileged to teach and get to know each and every one of them. I always look forward to class to see each one of you and  hear what is going on and all the laughs we share.  Thank You girls! Like I have said before you make my job so much fun.........

  The girls did an amazing job on their mystery quote books.  The mystery was, each kit had a different little girl for the cover and the inside of the book was different techniques with paint, water colors, walnut ink, glimmer mist and all kinds of ways to use paper that you tear, staple and use  the scraps of what you have torn off.  I hope they enjoyed the project.  It was a first to do a class this way.

That is it for now.  Have a great weekend . I am headed off to the Paper Crown to take a soldering class from my most favorite teacher ever........the talented Miss Heather Ales from Dallas Texas. I have said before, if you ever have a chance to take one of her classes, do it.  She is the best!

cutie.................

This little cutie welcomed each student to class last night!  Check back tomorrow for class pictures and  high lights of the evening.

 

enjoy your friday...............

more is more

I'm still in shrink mode!  I wanted to add a few more elements to each bracelet and wanted to show you all.  I have had a few questions about what kind of shrink I used.

This is the shrink I used for the computer.

And this is the shrink I used to rubber stamp on.  You can buy both of these at your local Hobby Lobby and sometimes Michael's has it.  The computer shrink cost is around $ 12.99 for 6 sheets.  The other is $ 6.99 for 10 sheets.  I use black Staz-on stamp pad.

Here is a piece of lace I wanted to use.  I cut off of a piece and decided to shrink it.  This is a black and white piece.  I wanted you to see how small it shrinks to.  I think it shrinks to 1/3 of the original size. I also did one in the original pale blue color.  It adds a little different look and I like how it gives the bracelets a little different look.

Okay I promise that is it on the shrink!  I love to shrink and I hope you give it a try............!

mystery class opening...............

If anyone of you live in the Oklahoma City area and want to take this class tomorrow evening, we just had a cancellation.  If you are interested call the Paper Crown 405-848-2389 to reserve your spot! Hope to see one of you tomorrow night!

shrink fun

Any of you that know me know that I have always loved shrink plastic!  I try to incorporate these fun little pieces of plastic into all the projects I do and teach.  Last month in the Country Living magazine they had an article on shrink plastic jewelry, all done on the computer.  I loved the way it looked and thought I would give it a try one more time with the shrink computer plastic. I had tried it several years ago and did not have any luck.  So I used the download  pictures on the article and then added some of my own.  I love how they turned out and been shrinking away.  It is a good think I bought a new heat gun last week!  I have always said that when I look at a rubber stamp to buy, I always look at it like "How will this SHRINK"!

  I 

I even did one in black/white.  

I even did my business cards.  They are a little dark but I was just trying to experiment!  You can go to the website at www.justsomethingimade.com! 

And then I decided to pull out some of my treasures I bought back in November at Silver Bella and started to make some necklaces.  I am not quite finished with them, and have had fun putting them together.

I don't know about you but I feel a sale coming on...............we'll see!

simple decorating

I have been thinking of this simple little decorating idea for a while.  I found this awesome frame over the weekend.  I then gathered up a few little odds and ends , used some clothes pins and now I have a wonderful old look on this blank wall above this bed in my guest room!  I am getting ready to paint and redecorate this room.  It's just taking a little longer to get the ball rolling. I am not quite sure what color I want to use for the walls.  All the furniture is white distressed.........I have a few ideas.  

 

Hope you all enjoyed your weekend.  Here's to a great week ahead!

bike ride...........

It looks like a great weekend to ride bikes.  I pumped up my tires and I am ready to go!  The only difference between the first two pictures and the last one, I won't be wearing the same outfits. ha ha

 

Happy riding!

Chalkboard Glimmer Mist

I love anything Dresden and I love the bright gold color, but sometimes it is a little to bright.  I am working on a project and didn't want the bright gold, so I decided to spray these gold dresden corners with the new Chalkboard Glimmer Mist in Cotton Candy.  I love the way it tones it down.

Then I sprayed these with Mint Chocolate Chip!  I love how it gets down in the creases.

It really does make a difference.  I sprayed them twice. In between each spraying I dried them with my heat gun.  

What would we all do without GLIMMER MIST PRODUCTS!