Group Assignments:

GROUP 1:

• Sandra
• Melissa
• Cindy
• Joann

GROUP 2:

• Allie
• Wendy
• Rebecca
• Kenyatta

Happy spring to all and don’t forget to link back to the Swap Post.

I will also e-mail the groups their info.

Many thanks to Sandra for creating the swap badge!! Please download the badge and display it on your blog or website. Link back to this post so others can join in!! http://catscradlecreations.com/blog/2010/02/21/spring-atc-swap/

Sign up at swaps[at]catscradlecreations[dot]com starting Feb. 25 through Mar. 4. We will be swapping in groups of 3 or 4, depending on how many people sign up. I will assign your groups based on geographic location and preferences provided in the sign-up info.

* Please put “Spring ATC Swap” in the subject line so your info will not get caught by the Spambot! *

Swap packages should be sent No Later Than April 1. This gives you 4 weeks after sign-ups to make your cards. Please wait until you receive your swap group’s preferences before making your cards! I will e-mail your groups on Mar. 5 so you have plenty of time.

Pictures!! Please e-mail me a picture of your ATC so I can post them on the website. Deadline for images is March 30. Please let me know when you have sent and received your swaps so I can update.

This is not a secret swap. You will know who you are swapping with.

***Grouping means each person will make 3 or 4 ATCs and will receive the same number.***

When e-mailing your interest, I need the following information:
* first and last name
* website (if any)
* snail mail address including country
* anything you’d rather not receive in the swap
* whether or not you are willing to ship internationally

Please keep in mind that this is meant to swap art between yourself and other artists. Have fun and make new friends!!

Please direct any questions to swaps[at]catscradlecreations[dot]com. Comments are disabled for this post.

All are invited to play! Stay tuned for more details including themes, sign-ups and deadlines.

Thanks for reading my sporadic thoughts….

I have received my intended’s address and will be creating a special jewel for him/her and mailing it this weekend. I’m not allowed to tell you who’s getting this jewel, just in case he/she is reading this. I’ll post when I receive my jewel and from whom it was sent.

I love Secret Pal stuff, and love meeting new people. This fits in both.

Please take some time and check out the participants. You’ll be glad you did. *Gift of Jewels* Roll Call

First, I made Katie a Lovey from a thread pattern written by Cylinda Matthews of Crochet Memories. The pattern is called Pineapple Cascade Angel and is also going on top of our Christmas tree this year. I’ve also completed a blue/silver Lovey and am currently working on a burgundy/gold one. I’m making them for all five girls in our family this year (my two daughters and my three nieces).

Here’s 3 month-old Katie with her Lovey, made from vintage Red Heart Baby yarn in Bright Pink.

And now for the lovelies. Because food is lovely and I want you to drool over these as much as my family did!

First, I made a fantastic dinner salad last night. I’ll even tell you how I did it.

I threw into a 6-quart bowl the following (all uncooked):

• baby spinach
• 1 pound green beans
• about 1/3 head red cabbage
• carrots
• shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheeses
• a small yellow onion
• a cucumber
• four small tomatoes

I served it with polska kielbasa cut into small bites, balsamic vinegar and basil dressing, and Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. We were all quite full after this delightful salad. We even had enough left over to serve with our homemade pizza tonight!

The salad, sans sausage (but full of color and flavor!):

And last, but not least, dessert! After washing the pans from pizza, the kids and I had fun decorating cookie dough before baking. I started the dough for Chocolate Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies (say THAT three times fast!) last night when my hand mixer died. Just died on me. I called my MIL and asked if I could borrow hers so I could get these cookies done. By the time I drove the five miles to her house in icy, -2 weather and the five miles back home (van complaining the whole trip) it was too late to bake the cookies. Especially since I wanted the kids’ help. I finished mixing the dough and put it in the fridge over night. We set up three stations for decorating the cookies: chocolate chips, coconut, and crushed candy canes.

Once baked, I drizzled melted white chocolate over the cookies. The only thing we didn’t do was to add the chocolate chips to the dough. The kids had more fun placing them on top!

And they taste absolutely delicious! Thanks for the recipe Krista!!