Recipe // Home is With You Cookie

With Valentines Day coming up I thought it would be fun to make cookies with the boys. My mom gave me this huge house cookie cutter and it reminded me of my favorite songs "Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. You can listen to it HERE.

I used my grandma's yummy sour cream sugar cookie recipe. These cookies are so addicting!

You will need:

* 2 cups sugar

* 3 cups flour

* 2 eggs

* 1 cup sour cream

* 1 cup butter

* 1 tsp. baking soda

1. Mix all ingredients and if you feel the dough is too sticky add a cup at a time until it is the consistency you like. I usually add around 5.

2. Flour breadboard and use cookie cutters or roll into balls for baking.

3. Bake at 350 degrees until slightly brown around the edges. They will be soft when you take them out but will firm up while they cool.

I cut a heart shape out of the middle of the house cookie and filled it with 4 of these hard candies. When melted they formed the heart shape.

Swoon.

We made other regular cookies as well that Dylan sprinkled with pink, red and clear candies, but this home cookie was my favorite. 

Happy Baking!

Linked up HERE

april

xoxo

Photo Luggage Tags // Tutorial

Hooray! Today is my mom's birthday! We made her a few things this weekend and these photo luggage tags were one of her favorites! They were super easy and not expensive at all. My mom travels a lot for work and I thought these tags with her boys sweet faces would be a great reminder of home.

First I took the kids to take pictures and then loaded them into Photobucket and added the "come home soon" message. I saved a few photos on a zip drive and went to Kinko's. I printed 4x6 photos on their machine and cut them to size on their paper cutter. Did you know they have an entire luggage tag section at Kinko's? You just put your photo inside and place in the mini laminating machine. This took 5 minutes!

Swoon.

You can write your info on the back of the luggage tag before you laminate it or write on the plastic with a Sharpie. So easy.

I love having things that are personalized, and I'm not going to lie, I have every intention of going back to make a few for myself!

april

xoxo

Sweet Saturday Link Party V.24

What in the 83 links? Wow, I am once again blown away by how creative people can be. I swooned over so many recipes and crafts it's not even funny! I think I "followed" 20 blogs this week! So many new friends and ideas.

Here are a few features from last week:

Heart Moccasins

By: Blissful Whimsy

Chocolate Heart Garnish

By: Celebrations at Home

Used Dryer Sheet Envelope

By: Sunny Vanilla

Paper Clip and String Earrings

By: Pitter and Glink

If you were featured feel free to grab a button from the button link.
Congrats!

Here are the details:
*Please link up your crafty, yummy or DIY post, not your blog address
*It would be great if you could include the button from the sidebar or link back to gingerbread
* Comment on other friends' post, comments are sweet!

Every week I will highlight a few projects from the previous week, so you can check back next week to see if you were featured!

Thank you so much for sharing your artsy goodness, I love seeing your creative projects!

Thank you so much!

Ok, let's see what you have to share!

april

xoxo

Photo Accessory // Balloons

Are you planning on taking pictures of your kids? I suggest balloons on a sunny day. The best 10 bucks I have ever spent. There is just something about the different colors that make every picture happy and bright!

We decided to leave the balloons tied to the side of the road so that everyone who was driving home from work would smile when they saw our balloons. 

These photos will be used for some crafty goodness this weekend, more on that next week!

Happy Friday, don't forget to link up to Sweet Saturday later on today!

april

xoxo

Fabric Magnetic Bookmark // Tutorial

 I always have my nose in a book. Whether it be a vampire story, inspirational words, or love story I always have a stack of books on my nightstand. I read every night, I literally can not go to sleep unless I read for half and hour. Sometimes I loose track of time and read for 2 hours without even knowing that much time has gone by. Those lead to very tired morning and lots of coffee! 

With little ones running around and getting into my things I had I big problem with my book markers being pulled or knocked out of my books. Boo right? Then it would take me forever to find my place again.

My mom recently bought me a sweet little magnetic owl bookmark. After I used it I was in love. Even if your book is knocked on the floor the bookmark stays put! Problem solved. Duh, I never knew. 

But guess what? I need more than one, so I decided to make a few more for my other books. Let's preface this post by admitting that my sewing techniques are pretty raw, but I'm learning. So if my stitching looks amature, it's because they are. :)

See me? Nose in book.

I used vintage fabric scraps I already had.

You will need:

* Fabric

* Needle and thread

* Hot glue gun

* Magnetic strips 

Sew your design on your bookmark. You can use buttons or fabric, whatever you choose.

Fold over your bookmark to make sure you are happy with size. You don't want it too large or small.

Hot glue your magnets to your fabric making sure they will line up perfectly when folded in half.

My magnets had a self adhesive strip but I still used my glue gun.

It lays nice and flat in your book.

Voila! Let dry and you are done!

My new bookmark is happy and colorful! 

Happy Reading!

* Linked up HERE

april

xoxo

Sponsorship // February

Are you looking to advertise your blog or shop in February? Although I have had so much fun meeting new bloggers this past month swapping buttons I have decided to go back to taking paid sponsorships. 

I am so excited for February, with Valentines day coming up, I have some really great crafts and recipes lined up for ya! I may or may not be wearing these vintage glasses. Ha!

Gingerbread has grown so much over this past month, I can't wait to see what February has in store!

Prices and policies are HERE

Email me if you have any questions:

gingerbreadgirlblog@yahoo.com

april

xoxo

DIY // Kitchen Cabinet Chalkboard

I have a secret place where I get my chippy wood lovelies. Alleys. No really, I tutor once a week at a library close to a sweet community of upper class older houses. The houses have 3 or 4 alleys that weave throughout the neighborhood. A lot of the owners of these small craftsman houses replace their windows and doors, and where do you think they put their old vintage chippy wood goodness? In the alley behind their house, with the trash. 

What?

I know, not in the trash, I don't touch trash, but they are up for grabs, which means free. I generally spend only 15 minutes a week driving through the alleys and I have found the most delightful chippy wood windows, window frames and cabinet doors. 

I found 2 of these chippy wood doors last week and decided to turn them into tall chalkboards.

Here's what they looked like before I painted them. I cleaned them up with some soap and water.

I love all the chippy wood and scratches, the green paint peeking through is my favorite!

Simply tape off your area with painters tape and apply 3-4 coats of chalkboard paint to your cabinet.

Let dry and your done!

Write your favorite inspirational quote or let the kids draw a masterpiece.

Dylan loves this chalkboard! My Emerson quote didn't last very long, it's now covered with dinosaurs and numbers.
Now go drive though some alley and see what you can find!
Happy Wednesday.
Linked up HERE
april
xoxo

My New Obsession // Glasses

Good morning, well, I hope you had a good morning. As for me I woke up and had an MRI technician put a cage on my face, earplugs in my ears and subjected me to loud noises for 30 minutes. Good times right? But with lots of prayers I was able to lay still for the entire time, I did it, and I am so proud of myself. I should receive some results in a few days! Thank you for all your well wishes on yesterdays post, it truly helped put my heart at ease last night. If you are new around here you can read about my recent heath problems here. 

In some kind of awkward transition I will tell you about my new fashion obsession: Glasses.

I have always loved glasses but always been to afraid to sport them. I'm not at ALL a fashion girl, I'm more a T-shirt and jeans girl, like every day. 

But with all my health problems I feel like on my good days I need to do what I want and not care what every one else thinks. Who cares right?

So I have been indulging in my new accessory a lot, and I love it!

Do you ever put something on in the morning and second guess yourself, afraid that maybe it's too much?

That's what I used to think about my glasses, not anymore.

What do you think?

* Linked up HERE.

april

xoxo

Mud or Stars

{source}

I'm crazy. Today at least, going out of my mind with stress, worry and a general lack of concentration. 

This happened a few minutes ago:

Me: "Hello I need to schedule an MRI."

Receptionist: "When would you like to schedule your appointment?"

Me: "Well I want to get this over with so I want the soonest appointment you have."

Receptionist: "I can get you in tomorrow morning at 7am."

Me: "WHAT? Um OK I'll take it." {Imagine the look of fear on my face}

Receptionist: "Oh ya, be here at 6:45 to fill out paperwork."

Me: "Awesome."

Can you believe it? Perhaps its an answered prayer that I will be able to get this over with AND my mom is working from home tomorrow so she can watch the kids, but at this point my mind is spinning. Not so much because of the procedure but because now I will know if that really bad possible diagnosis is true. 

Fear.

I'm reading a really great book right now by Linda Dillow called "Calm My Anxious Heart". In it she talks about finding contentment with circumstances. She tells a story about two women. One is content with her life because she looks for all the good around her, and the other focuses on the negative, making her bitter, angry and discontented. 

Two women looked through prison bars,

One saw mud, the other saw stars.

I really wanna see the stars, but lifting my head above the mud is so hard sometimes. It's a daily struggle to be thankful for what I have when there is so much I still want and accomplish.

But I have to. It's the only way for me to find peace, and that's something I so badly crave.

Right now I'm thankful for my health insurance and supportive family. I am looking forward to the day when I have the answers to my medical problems no matter how bad the results are, at least I will know.

I need to find peace right now, with the circumstances I am given at this moment.

Do you see the mud or the stars?

Please say a little prayer for me friends, it's gonna be an early morning!

april

xoxo

Easy Ensenada Style Fish Tacos

I first had these yummy tacos on a day trip south of the border to Ensenada, Mexico. I LOVE the creamy white sauce and punch of lime juice paired with the fried fish. This recipe can be modified for those who don't eat fried food, you can substitute the fried fillet for a low calorie baked fillet of fish. This recipe is tailored for mommies on the go, such as myself, but if you prefer to BBQ or pan sear your fish you can. I simply use frozen fish because it fits my scheduling needs.

 You will need:

* Family size package of frozen fish fillets, cooked according to directions

* Cilantro {1 bunch}

* Cabbage {1 head}

* 2 Limes

* 1/2 Cup plain yogurt

* 1/2 Cup sour cream

* Corn tortillas

1. Mix together sour cream and yogurt to make your "Ensenada sauce" and spoon onto taco.

2. Enjoy!

My boys don't eat these tacos, but I just serve them the fish and some veggies, so everyone gets a yummy meal.

april

xoxo

DIY :: Quotation Block Arrow

I have been feeling particularly creative lately. I have found that once I get into "a zone" I am getting different crafty ideas at work, doing the dishes, crazy places!

So I thought this quote was perfect for me right now!

This quote block is my reminder...

You will need:

* Label maker

* Your favorite quote

* Block of wood

* Paint and brush

* Painters tape

I recommend painting your design first and then adding your quote. I made my chevron design using painters tape. Swoon.

This project was super easy and I love it.

I hope you do as well.

april

xoxo