Life is...

Life is full of adventures. Life can be fun, sad, silly, dramatic, and it can be the best of what you make it. Life is freedom to make decisions that will benefit ourselves and others around us. O.K. Reflect on that for a few minutes. Life is care free to me. It is living in the moment and enjoying everyday of it. What is life to you all? Until later, Peace & Love

Bountiful Treasures New Items

These are my new items I have up for grabs to sell. They are crochet hand-made purses. You can check it out on my business blog at www.treasuresandgifts.blogspot.com. Or to order them, ou can contact me at my e-mail address at bountifultreasuresgifts@yahoo.com.

These purses make great for carrying light items and just even going out to a luncheon with the girls.
This purse is super cute with white in the front and the color dusty pink rose color in the back. It's a girly, girly purse when your having tea with your friends.

This is a "let's go mall shopping" purse. With all the shopping bags of your nice purchased items. You don't need a heavy purse to weigh you down. With this purse all you need is a small wallet and great for holding your keys. Easy to get to without all the hassle of running through a bunch of stuff before you can retrieve it.

These purses are great for helping you limit a lot of knick knacks that will weigh your shoulder down. You can look at it as help purse to control all the clutter you would want to pack inside. It works for me because, I'm like that. These purses help me to control "the purse clutter syndrome." Enjoy your day and I'll chat with you all later.

Peace & Love

Treasure Ann

Food Networks Recipe For Success Top 5

Hi everybody. I've been gone a few days, because I wasn't feeling well. It's good to be back. During my recovery time I watched quite a bit of t.v. One of my favorite network is the Food Network. I love watching recipe for success. In fact, that's how I found one of my blog buddies and I now consider my friend. Big Shout Out To You L. Here are my favorite episodes on "Recipe For Success", which by the way I have collected on video tape. What can I say, they are all an inspiration to me.

Here are the top 5 great shows.5. Ace of Cakes www.charmcitycakes.com

4. Cake Love www.cakelove.com

3. Beautiful Sweets www.beautifulsweets.com

2. Loving Sullivan Cakes www.cakepower.com

1. A Dozen Eggs www.adozeneggs.com

Those are my top 5 favorite Recipe For Success episodes. They have truly been an inspiration to me. To see the owners presevere and never give up, even when it looked difficult, they pulled through. Now these people have successful businesses. I'm trying to work on that, it's a challenge, but I'm not giving up until it becomes successful.

How about you, what are your favorite Food Network t.v. shows? Chat with you all later.

Peace & Love

Treasure Ann

Recipe For White Texas Sheet Cake

This post is for Andrea from My Chihuahua Bites at www.andrearhouse.blogspot.com. She left a comment that she wanted the recipe and I'm glad to post it for you. Hope you enjoy it Andrea. Let me know how it turned out.

Peace & Love,
Treasure Ann


This cake gets better the longer it sits, so I try to make it a day ahead. My mother-in-law introduced this deliciously rich cake to me. With its creamy frosting and light almond flavor, no one can stop at just one piece!

SERVINGS: 20

METHOD: Baked

TIME: Prep: 15 min. Bake: 20 min. + cooling

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, cubed
1 cup water
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
FROSTING:
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup milk
4-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup chopped walnuts
Directions:
In a large saucepan, bring butter and water just to a boil. Immediately remove from the heat; stir in the flour, sugar, eggs, sour cream, salt, baking powder, extract and baking soda until smooth.
Pour into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 375° for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.
For frosting, in a large saucepan, bring butter and milk just to a boil. Immediately remove from the heat; stir in confectioners' sugar and extract. Stir in walnuts; spread over warm cake. Cool completely. Yield: 20 servings.

Yarn Swap & Tasting Party

So today I planned a Yarn Tasting Party with some family & friends. I'm setting up now, and these are a few pictures of what I've done so far. At this special event, we'll be swaping some yarns with each other. Each participant must bring at least 3 yarn that they don't want and swap with someone else. Who knows someone may swap for a color that they couldn't find in some craft stores. Say hello to cotton, she wants to participate in the Yarn Swap & Trading party. She's actually the first guest to arrive. Check out her name (cotton), she'll fit in great. Hehehe, I actually have some cotton yarn that I'm going to swap today.

These are some of the yarn (above picture) that I will be contributing for the yarn tasting. The yarn tasting is sort of like a wine tasting. Trying different flavors of wine. I'm not an expert on wine tasting events, but yarn tasting is sort of like that. To use as an example. We don't eat yarn at a tasting. What we do is try different fibers, and weights of yarn with different kinds of crochet hooks or needles if you will. They are different kinds of sizes of needles and yarns or fibers which is the correct terminology. To learn more about crocheting and what's involve of the life of a crocheter, go to Crochet Guild of America at www.crochet.org.

These are some of the yarn that we will be trying out.Some goodies I'm working on to give to some of the guests.

I had left over goodies for Valentines, so I thought it would make a good party favor to give. Since it's still February, this favor will fit right in.

Here is one of the many things that I've been working on. I call this Crochet Art, and I named this piece "Childhood Memories". This piece was inspired when I was growing up. My mom would have milk & cookies ready for us when we came home from school. Those were the days, when there were no worries and everything was as is.

Well I gotta go, my guests will be arriving soon and there are more things that I need to work on before we get started.

Have any of you host a yarn tasting or any kind of tasting party or any party for that matter? Were any of you ever invited to a themed party recently? How much fun it is isn't it?

Take care everybody. Chat with you later.

Peace & Love,

Treasure Ann

My Valentine's Swap Package Has Arrived

When I heard the horn blew outside, I knew it must be the mail lady. I looked outside my door and yep, it was the mail. Talk about excited when I went out to meet her. She had a nice big package for me. It was my Valentine's Day Swap package. I could hardly wait to open it. This was my first swap that I did and I really enjoyed it. Thank you to Andrea at "My Chichuahua Bites" www.andrearhouse.blogspot.com for hosting it. She paired me with a sweet lady, Aubrey from "The Fam Five" www.thefamfive.blogspot.com who sent me these lovely gifts.

She had it so nicely wrapped and pretty. I think it's nice to get lovely packages in the mail besides those dreaded bills. Isn't it pretty, very Valentinian. :)
She got all of my favorites. Like my readers say, "it's just like Christmas."

I've been trying my hand at scrapbboking and I love it. I'm pretty crafty fanatic, so I love my scrapbooking paper. I can't wait to get creative with these.

I love anything with nuts in them. It can be peanuts, walnuts, pecan, cashews, etc. Any kind. I love them, and Aubrey hit the nail on the head when she got me "M & M's peanuts. Looovvvve it. OMG, thank you Aubrey!!

Oh, I can't tell you how much I love yarn. Whoo hoo, yay! I have a big stash and I love buying it. I'm always constantly crocheting something. Be it an afghan (blanket), a scarf, hat, pocket books, and lap throws. Crochet is my first love of arts & crafts. So I was very excited about getting these pretties.

By the way, I didn't specify what color I like and yarn to Aubrey, and she actually got the colors that I really favor. In the crochet/knit world we call it varigated yarn. This is a technical term that really says, it's a multi-color yarn. Those colored yarns of that type are my favorites. (I just had to put a little crochet lesson in there girls. :) I guess you can tell how much I love this craft.)

Here is my beautiful card that Aubrey sent me. I have to tell you the title, because it is so sweet. The front of the card says, You're all kinds of sweet! Then it has 3 tiers of a tray with lots of goodies on it. How sweet is that. It fits me, because I like to bake different kinds of sweeties. She sent me a journal, which I love, because I'm a writer and I constantly love to write things and jot things down. I'm going to make this journal, my "aspirations and dreams journal." When I get my dreams accomplished, they'll be a page where I would write down that I completed that particular goal. I think I'll also put in there how I'll go about making my dreams come true. That way I can look back at it and see how I did it. Last but not least, she got me some jewelry beads. I like to make jewelry, so I'll be using those right away.

Thank you so much Aubrey!! I really appreciate my things and I love everyone of them. Thanks for being a great swap partner. Happy Valentines Day!

Who's going out for dinner? Who's having a Valentine's party?

Whatever you do, I'd like to wish my blog friends, visitors, lurkers a Happy Valentine's Day to all of you. Make sure you do some thing fun this weekend and live care free, enjoy life and I want you all to have...

Peace & Love,

Treasure Ann

The Cats Out Of The Bag

This was my first Swap and Andrea at www.andrearhouse.blogspot.com was gracious to host a Valentine's Day Swap. My swap partner is the wonderful Aubrey at www.aubsfamfive.blogspot.com. I had to borrow her pictures because, smarty me forgot to take pictures of what I sent before I packaged them up. Thanks Aubrey for letting me borrow. :)

Now that she has recieved them, I can let the cat out of the bag. I've visited her blog and she said that she really loves the things she got. I'm so glad. "Your welcome" Aubrey, I hope you continue to enjoy them. I can't believe I've been missing out on these fun-filled swaps, it's been a blast. Happy Valentine's Day Aubrey!!

She said that mine is already on it's way, so I'll post pics of what I got when it comes. On Aubrey's blog she asked what is anyone's plans for Valentine's Day. So I'm copy catting her with the same question she asked her readers, I'm going to ask mine. What are your plans for Valentines? As for me I'm planning to throw a Valentines Party with family and friends. Then I'm going to pass out some goodie sweet treats to all my guests.

Have a good night everyone. Remember to always have these things in your heart...

Peace & Love,

Treasure Ann

White Texas Sheet Cake/Bad Grammar

I'm a perfectionist about my grammar, and I just want to apologize about the bad grammar below the post. Sorry girls. O.K. skadoodle on down to the post entitled "White Texas Sheet Cake" and enjoy. Peace & Love, TA

White Texas Sheet Cake

First time I've tried this cake. It calls for sour cream, and when I read that I had a feeling it would turn out moist. Between sour cream and buttermilk, it is like the secret ingredient for making baked good come out moist. I got the recipe out of my Taste of Home Baking Book and it is a really easy recipe. It took no time for me prepare the ingredients and the cake only bakes for about 20-22 minutes-depending on you oven's temperature.

This picture came out blurry, but it tastes better than it looks.
I love sheet cakes, because all you have to do is make the batter and spread the frosting.

Sheet cakes are great to make especially if you want to whip up something sweet really quick.

Don't get me wrong though, I love to challenge myself on complicated recipes and others that you have to be detailed about, that's where the fun is.


But sheet cakes still are #1 on my list to do as well. The frosting is made up of powdered sugar, and walnuts were added in them.

DELISH!!!

Have any of you ever wanted something sweet and wanted to bake up something quick to eat? Tell me, what are some quick homemade treats to bake? and what are your favorite cookbooks? I may go out and find it to buy. My favorite is in the picture above, "The Taste of Home Baking Book." I 'm always, most of the time trying something out of that book, more than the others I have, and believe you me, I have quite a lot.

Peace and Love,

Treasure Ann

Shouts Out To My Blogger Friends

I just want to tell my blogger friends, thanks for being good friends. While I have a few good friends outside of my computer, there aren't to many people that will let you be yourself.

The friends I have outside of the computer screen-accepts me for who I am and I appreciate that to them. I wanna give a shout out to them and especially a shout out to my blogger friends. Here are the "Top Ten Reasons" why I'm giving my blog buddies a shout out and a thank you. Here we go:

#10-You never judge

#9-You are always encouraging. You never say negative things.

#8-You are so appreciative for what you are given; in thoughts, awards, smiles (although I can't see you, I know your smiling on the other end), etc.

#7-You offer great advice

#6-Your always there in my corner

#5-It's always a comfort and a lot of fun hanging out with you all

#4-Your ever so inspiring

#3-Your always motivating

#2-You let me be myself

#1-[Last but not least] Your loyal friends. I wish I could meet you all, but for now through blog land is the closest we'll have to accept. If I could, I would cook a feast of food for all of you in honor of your sweet way of being my friends.

SHOUTS OUT TO ALL

MY BLOG FRIENDS!!!

Peace and love ya'll

Treasure Ann

Where Do I Start?

I have so many things going on. I don't know where to begin and finish. Here's a few going ons and projects I have been active in. *Crochet art project *Reading at least 2 books *School of course, studying to be a certified Health Specialist *Art Projects *Writing and working on a book-make that 2 (An autobiography of my life and an Arts & Craft book with memories of my childhood) Where do I start? Can anyone give any suggestions. Much appreciated. It seems I have too much on my plate. Peace and love.

Wednesday Works

I thought I might try this Wednesday Works post to do as a weekly thing of what I did for that day. So I'll try to keep up with the schedule every Wednesday to keep you posted of what's happening in my life for that particular day.

So here goes; I might miss a few things and errands that were put in action today but, without further ado. (Some might be to detailed) and if the list tends to get too long, I'll stop at #10.

*Note: These might not be in chronological order.

1. Every morning of course I like to have a morning devotion. That's reading a scripture out the Bible; my favorite is Psalm 23 and Psalm 37. Then I pray. *So since this is an everyday thing I do, I won't list this next Wednesday-I'm just getting all the ones that's new to you out the way first.*

2. Eat Breakfast.

3. Get ready to open up the shop.

4. Wait on customers.

5. Do business paperwork and business product, when there's a break.

6. Work on a few crochet art pieces or some other art project. (I'm sort of a mixed media artist)

7. Wash clothes, dry them and fold. (As women, I don't know, I guess we are suppose to love to do the laundry, but I'm one of them women that don't. In fact that maybe the most dreadful chore I do.)

8. Oh yeah, I definitely had to do my taxes, you know how it is bizz people-reporting and filing. Not fun, but you do what you have to do.

9. O.k. I haven't done this part yet, but I'm getting ready to; and that's take a good hot bath, fix me a nice hot cup of cocoa, get my "Family Circle" magazine, sit down on the couch with a very nice warm blanket, looking through my magazine and afterwards watch a nice down to earth movie, like "Sense & Sensibility".

10. Tell you all have a good evening.

What was your day like today?

Gotta go, my hot chocolate is waiting for me, and my magazine is calling.

Peace and love,

Treasure Ann

O.K. I'm Curious

Ever since I've been a little girl, I've always been intrigued of where people come from. Well not currently where they are from, but where have their ancestors originated from. I'm fascinated about their background and culture.

Whenever my family and I went out shopping or went traveling, being a curious little kid, I found it interesting and so amazing to hear other people speak in another language of their native tongue. You know being little your world is small, and I was so excited to see and hear other people from another country come to my country. I would hear people speaking in french or spanish, sometimes I didn't even recogonize their language-I was always thrilled to hear them speak. I've always had an interest in other people's background, their ancestry roots and the different kinds of cultures, and practices they had in their families that were a part of their life.

So here's where I get curious, interested and wanna know. Please share with me your family roots, background, culture or if you can trace back where your ancestry heritage originated from.

**I'm really curious though about your ancestry roots and what background race that runs in your veins.**

For the little that I do know, here's my background race that runs in my veins. In the light of what I currently know I'm still researching my background. I want to go back a little further to find out what tradition and practiced cultures that my ancesters have had as part of their life as well as their lifestyles.

O.K. Here we go, again for what little I do know and I am still learning about my family history. From reliable sources, facts and history from the old and wise in my family; I am part African, European and Native American descent. Now I haven't got it down to the details from what tribe in Africa and what specific descent of Europe-(this is only my guess, from stories told and gathered facts of what I heard from my family, my conclusion of specifically of Europe descent of what I may be is possibly Ireland (?).) The other part of me, which is Native American descent-I'm still working on the what tribe part. I hope to get some leeway on those missing pieces, but overall I embrace every part of me, and it's amazing that with all the beautiful parts of me, my ancestrial race, I can see some of the ways of them show up in my life, my career, and my art work, pieces and crafts. I embrace every aspect of who I am and it's wonderful to see how it has helped me appreciate everybody's great differences.

So come on everybody, those of you who are old blog friends, new ones or just someone visiting for the first time. Tell me what's in your blood-so to speak. Tell me about your wonderful background, or where did your great, great great great, great, great, great (well you got the picture) great grandparents originated from. Please share, it just so interesting.

Oh yeah, don't forget, for those who are interested, PBS channel 7 is showing a documentary about tracing one's roots back. The program is called "African American Lives" it airs tonight at 7:00 p.m. and Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is conducting documents and research tracing African-American and Oprah Winfrey's family history. So if you get a chance check it out. I've seen it before and it is very interesting.

So don't forget share, share, share who you are deep down, way back. Have a great day everybody and I'll chat with you all later.

Peace and love,

Treasure Ann