The countdown has officially begun since I only have 6 more weeks before my due date and the Cabana Girls have been hard at work planning a week long baby celebration in October with freebies, games, contests and giveaways.

You’ll be able to find all the festivities on the Tiki Hut . . . → Read More: New Release Wednesday: Oodles of Doodles]]> Happy Wednesday Everyone!!!

The countdown has officially begun since I only have 6 more weeks before my due date and the Cabana Girls have been hard at work planning a week long baby celebration in October with freebies, games, contests and giveaways.

You’ll be able to find all the festivities on the Tiki Hut blog so be sure to keep an eye open so you don’t miss out on any of the fun.

New Releases

This week is chock full of new commercial use releases. These releases are available at both my Digiscrap Obsession and Digiscrap Warehouse stores and anything product with the word doodle in it is on sale for only $2.00 today and tomorrow at Digiscrap Warehouse.

Vector Doodled Garden Templates

8 Commercial Use Vector Doodled Garden Templates in .psd format at 300 dpi. Templates include 2 flowers (varying between. 1010 x 2580 pixels), 1 picket fence (varying between 1890 x 1600 pixels), 1 section of grass (varying between 930 x 710 pixels), 1 leaf (varying between 1255 x 1470 pixels), 1 bird (varying between 2850 x 2400 pixels), 1 bee (varying between 1200 x 1240 pixels) layered templates in .psd format and 1 swirl (varying between 1950 x 1720 pixels) in .png format. No credit required.

Vector Doodled Blossoms & Leaves Templates

5 Commercial Use Vector Doodled Blossoms & Leaves Templates in .psd format at 300 dpi. Templates include 3 flowers (varying between. 1230 x 1410 pixels), 1 blooming branch (varying between 1955 x 1820 pixels) and 1 leaf branch (varying between 2225 x 1730 pixels) layered templates in .psd format. No credit required.

Vector Doodled Button Templates

6 Commercial Use Vector Doodled Button Templates in .psd format at 300 dpi. Templates include 6 individual layered button templates in .psd format varying between 750 x 960 pixels. No credit required.

Vector Doodled Swirl Templates

5 Commercial Use Vector Doodled Swirl Templates in .png format at 300 dpi. Templates include 5 individual swirl templates in .png format varying between 3900 x 750 pixels. No credit required.

Layered Paper Templates – Dots & Stripes

6 Commercial Use Layered Dots & Stripes Paper Templates in .psd format at 300 ppi. Templates include (2) 5 colored templates, (2) 4 color templates and (2) 3 colored templates ready to use templates. Just add your favorite colors and textures and save. Paper Templates are sized 3600 x 3600 pixels. No credit required.

Flower Pot Templates

Customizable Flower Pot Template perfect for school, birthdays, rainy day crafts and much more. Just print the box on heavyweight paper or lightweight card stock, cut out the box then adhere as directed. Finished box measures approx 3″ x 3″ at top opening and 1 3/4″ x 1 3/4″ at base and comes in layered .PSD format and .png outline at 300 dpi. No credit required.

Did Someone Say Freebie!!!!!

I think I may have mentioned before that I decided to join the Designer Apprentice competition at Digiscrap Addicts and for week one I was given the theme of winter. Here is the mini kit that I made which is free to everyone throughout the competition. After that, it will be headed to my PDP Shoppe.

Download Here: Snow Day Elements (7)

Download Here: Snow Day Papers (6)

I hope everyone has a wonderful rest of the week!!!

Happy Scrapping!

Congratulations Valeria and keep an eye out for your coupon!

Want a chance to win LOTW and $5 to my Polka Dot Plum Shoppe? Did . . . → Read More: Layout of the Week]]> This weeks layout of the week is an adorable layout created by Valeria. Valeria used my School Days kit to scrap this gorgeous page featuring her little cutie.

Congratulations Valeria and keep an eye out for your coupon!

Want a chance to win LOTW and $5 to my Polka Dot Plum Shoppe? Did we miss your layout this week? Be sure to upload layouts created with any of my active kits at Polka Dot Plum to the PDP Gallery, DST Gallery, DSA Gallery or our Facebook Fan Page and add kalo somewhere in your layout description for a chance to win. (Note: You must ‘like’ out FB Fan Page to upload to our Fan Page.)

I love to see layouts and projects created with my kits and if you upload your layout/project to the galleries below you could win a coupon to my PDP Shoppe?

Do you want a chance to win LOTW and $5 to my Polka Dot Plum . . . → Read More: New Release Wednesday: Celebrate]]> Happy September!!!

Did You Know…

I love to see layouts and projects created with my kits and if you upload your layout/project to the galleries below you could win a coupon to my PDP Shoppe?

Layout of the Week

Do you want a chance to win LOTW and $5 to my Polka Dot Plum Shoppe? Did we miss your layout/project this week? Be sure to upload layouts/projects created with any of my active kits at Polka Dot Plum to the PDP Gallery, DST Gallery, DSA Gallery or our Facebook Fan Page and add kalo somewhere in your layout/project description for a chance to win. (Note: You must ‘like’ out FB Fan Page to upload to our Fan Page.)

New Releases

My new release Celebrate is 20% off today only. You can save even more with this month’s subscriber coupons.

Not a subscriber yet? Subscribe here for monthly coupons, sales and freebies.

Celebrate

Full Size 12″x12″ Kit. Includes 14 papers and 45 elements. All papers and elements are at 300 ppi. Personal Use / S4H / or S4O OK.

Elements Include:

4 Balloons, 2 Banners (1 Blank), 3 Doodled Buttons, 2 Cakes, 4 Candles, 3 Cupcakes, 3 Fasteners, 4 Flowers, 3 Frames, 2 Journal Strips, 1 Set of Leaves, 4 Party Hats, 2 Curly Ribbons, 4 Ric Racs, 1 Twirled Stitching, 1 Wavy Stitching, 1 String

14 Papers Include:

10 Multi-Colored textured Patterned Papers and 4 Textured Solid Papers

Creative Inspiration

Angie	Angela
Sarah	Melanie
Melissa	Melissa

September Plum Pickins

Sweet Treat

Full Size 12″x12″ Mini Kit coordinating with the September’s Plum Pickins Color Palette. Includes 8 papers and 12 elements. All papers and elements are at 300 ppi. Personal Use / S4H / or S4O OK.

Elements Include:

1 Bead Spill, 1 Button, 1 Cupcake, 1 Frame, 2 Heart Flowers, 1 Heart Journal, 1 Curly Ribbon,.1 Flat Ribbon, 1 Ricrac, 1 Ricrac Ribbon, 1 Stitching

Papers Include:

4 Multi-Colored textured Patterned Papers and 4 Textured Solid Papers

Have a great week everyone!

\

QOTD: What is your favorite celebration to scrap?

Good luck to everyone!!!

Have a great day!

Just include the element below in your layout for one extra point. There are two additional secret elements on select PDP Designers blogs to earn additional points as well.

To find the out the two additional designers who are hiding elements . . . → Read More: Scrapzilla’s Secret Element!]]> Looking for an extra point in Polka Dot Plum’s Week 1 Scrapzilla Challenge?

Just include the element below in your layout for one extra point. There are two additional secret elements on select PDP Designers blogs to earn additional points as well.

To find the out the two additional designers who are hiding elements just visit the Scrapzilla > Week 1 thread at PDP’s forum.

Below you’ll find one of this week secret elements:

Download Here: Scrapzilla Secret Element (119)

I can’t believe I down to the last two months of my pregnancy. This summer has gone by so quickly and our new little babes will be here before we know it.

This week was also the first week of school for our boys. I can’t believe they’re starting school already. It . . . → Read More: New Release Wednesday: Grow Your Garden]]> Happy Wednesday!!!!

I can’t believe I down to the last two months of my pregnancy. This summer has gone by so quickly and our new little babes will be here before we know it.

This week was also the first week of school for our boys. I can’t believe they’re starting school already. It seems like not too long ago we were visiting them in the NICU waiting for them to come home.

I don’t post too many personal photos but I just had to share the boys’ photo from the first day of school. They are just too handsome in their school uniforms.

(Yes, that’s me in the reflection. It was so crazy with all the other children running around I didn’t notice the reflection until after we got home.

Note to self: Clone out the reflection!)

Featured New Releases

These new releases are 20% off today only at Polka Dot Plum. Don’t forget it’s the final week to use this month’s subscriber coupon for those who subscribe to my newsletter.

Grow Your Garden

Full Size 12″x12″ Mini Kit. Includes 10 papers and 20 elements. All papers and elements are at 300 ppi. Personal Use / S4H / or S4O OK.

Elements Include:

1 Bird, 1 Bow, 1 Butterfly, 2 Buttons, 2 Doodled Flowers, 2 Craft Flowers, 1 Flower Scatter, 2 Frames, 3 Flat Ribbons, 2 Flat Ric Rac, 1 Folded Ric Rac, 1 Set of Stitching, 1 String

Papers Include:

6 Multi-Colored textured Patterned Papers and 4 Textured Solid Papers

Creative Inspiration

Charlie	Angie
Aly	Melissa
Melanie	Sarah
Melissa

Hybrid Flower Pots

Cute hybrid flower pots are ready to print for almost any occasion. Perfect to fill with school supplies as a desk gift for a teacher/co-worker (layer the included flowers to create adorable flower topped pencils), fill with flower shaped suckers for a special sweet treat, or any other occasion you can think of. Just print the pots on heavyweight paper or lightweight card stock, cut out the pot then adhere as directed. Finished box measures approx 3″ x 3″ at top opening and 1 3/4″ x 1 3/4″ at base and comes in .png format at 300 dpi.

Three paper flower pots, 1 set of solid flowers, 1 set of patterned flowers and 1 flower pot outline to score boxes before assembling are included with this set. Step by step instructions included. Personal Use Only.

New Commercial Use Releases

This commercial use new release is available at all of my commercial use stores; Digiscrap Obsession, Digiscrap Vault, and Digiscrap Warehouse.

Doodled Celebrate Templates

7 Commercial Use Doodled Celebration Theme Templates in .psd format at 300 dpi. Templates include 2 balloon (varying between. 550 x 300 pixels), 1 banner (varying between. 900 x 3430 pixels), 1 cake (varying between. 1950 x 2100 pixels), 1 candle (varying between. 300 x 1500 pixels) and 2 party hat (varying between. 1230 x 1900 pixels) templates in .psd format. No credit required.

Have a great week and…

Happy Scrapping!

QOTD: What is the name of this kit?

(Hint: This kit has already been previewed on a blog other than mine. You might have to search all the pickin’s to find the . . . → Read More: Sneak Peek Tuesday: Where Does Your Garden Grow?]]> Leave an comment on this blog post for this week’s Sneak Peek QOTD and you can win this kit for free!

QOTD: What is the name of this kit?

(Hint: This kit has already been previewed on a blog other than mine. You might have to search all the pickin’s to find the plumtastic post with this week’s new release and kit name for your answer.)

Good luck to everyone!!!

Have a great rest of the day!

I am this week’s Designer of the Week at Polka Dot Plum! We have a week full of plum fun scheduled and would love for you to come and join us.

The first contest begins this morning and is easy peasy. Just hop on over to the PDP Blog and leave a . . . → Read More: Polka Dot Plum’s Designer of the Week!]]> Woo Hoo!!!!

I am this week’s Designer of the Week at Polka Dot Plum! We have a week full of plum fun scheduled and would love for you to come and join us.

The first contest begins this morning and is easy peasy. Just hop on over to the PDP Blog and leave a question you want me to answer on Wednesday. One lucky question will be drawn as the winner for a secret prize.

You can find the full schedule in the ad below:

We hope you decided to join us!!! Have a great week everyone!

I think I’ve mentioned before how much I LOVE Alton . . . → Read More: Recipe: Salsa]]> We have had such an abundance of tomatoes from our garden this year that I needed to find a recipe to use them and freeze them. Since we had family in town last week we decided what’s a better dish to make then SALSA!!!

I think I’ve mentioned before how much I LOVE Alton Brown on the Food Network. His show Good Eats is wonderful as he explains the science behind the foods we eat and why certain foods mesh (or don’t mesh) with others. He gives straight forward answers without all the fluff you find in a lot of other shows.

I decided to try Alton’s salsa recipe since the ingredients were ‘picky husband approved’. LOL!  The only ingredient I left out was the 1 red bell pepper, fine dice since hubs does not like those. A couple of additional changes I had to make were:

• Since I was not able to find any dry ancho chiles so I substituted this ingredient with dry new mexico chiles which are slightly hotter on the Scoville Scale but close in taste and texture.
• Finally, since we are not big cilantro fans I opted to use parsley instead as suggested in the recipe.

There was something missing though. I still haven’t pin pointed exactly what was missing but if I were to make the recipe again I would make the following changes:

• We love big bold and spicy at our house but biting into even a minced piece of jalapeno got to me over the weekend. Maybe it’s the pregnancy but that was just a bit too much. What I think I will do next time is roast all of the jalapenos so they have a sweeter, less spicy kick.
• Since finding dry ancho chiles is a bit difficult in this area I think I may substitute with ancho chile powder instead so I can still have the smoky flavor which you get with a smoked pablano chile.
• For the chili powder, I added one tsp. to the recipe I made. I may adjust this to a bit more with the next batch that I make, depending on how it tastes after I add the ancho chile powder.
• Cumin, I can’t seem to get cumin out of my mind. I love cumin and use it regularly in my chilis and soups. It provides a warm depth to any recipe and it may be that extra oomph and depth I am looking for in this recipe.
• Instead of parsley I think I will use thinly sliced scallions for a little more flavor. It will take a lot for me to ever use the cilantro. LOL!

Here is the original recipe from Alton Brown courtesy of the Food Network.

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
Show: Good EatsEpisode: Chile’s Angels

Ingredients

• 6 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 seeded and minced jalapenos, plus 2 roasted, skinned and chopped jalapenos
• 1 red bell pepper, fine dice
• 1/2 red onion, fine chopped
• 2 dry ancho chiles, seeded, cut into short strips and snipped into pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lime, juiced
• Chili powder, salt, and pepper, to taste
• Fresh scallions, cilantro or parsley, to taste

Directions:
In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Place in refrigerator for up to 12 hours for flavor infusion.

Serve with tortilla chips.

I hope you enjoy the recipe!