Tuesday....again, New releases & a CT call.

Well here it is Tuesday....again. Has anyone else been watching the next food networks star? I love that show. I get so many great ideas from watching those chefs compete. I love to cook so its pretty fun to watch. Anyway....one of the recipes this past week was the beer can chicken in the oven with a spice rub on the outside of the chicken. It looked so yummy! And my husband loves chicken, buuuuuttttt, we no longer drink....ever.

So I spent most of the day yesterday trying to figure out how to make that without using beer. So I modified it a bit. We love the flavored teas so I picked up a can of the mango tea by Arizona. I dumped about a third of it in my fabulous mario batali enameled cast iron dutch oven....a wedding gift I totally love....and then mounted the chicken on the can. Let me back up a sec, because I dumped some of the rub into the can before inserting it in the chicken. I cheated on the rub...I was in a hurry...and I picked up a ready made rub from World Market, which I cannot pronounce, but it did mention the "taste of North Africa" on the label. It was a tasty combination of spices including paprika, cumin, nutmeg anise, rose petals, and a few others. I combined about half of the package of that with some brown sugar, granulated garlic, salt and pepper. Dumped a little in the can along with a few pinches of red pepper flakes for good measure. Then I rubbed the rest of it on the chicken after I put it on the can....probably backwards, but I didn't want to rub the rub off trying to get it on that can!!! Put it in the oven and roasted that fella til he was done...about an hour or so. Once it was out I took it off the can and poured everything in the can back into my pan and put it on the stove to make a little glaze/sauce....I added potato starch rather than flour or corn starch for thickening (I try to cut out gluten when I can). Served it with rice and pan steamed green beans(with butter...I detest margarine).

It turned out to be quite a tasty improvisation. I think my 11 year old was completely appalled at the perversion done to the chicken for our dinner...he had a really hard time eating it...but he's not much for chicken anyway. The six year old however raved all through dinner how wonderful the chicken was. I think the sweetness in the mango tea, may have helped. He ate his and his brothers and asked for more....which in my house is nearly a miracle....my boys are annoyingly finicky. I do think your kids become less finicky if you starve them real good before feeding them(it was near 8 pm when we sat down to eat)!! Just thought I'd share my little cooking venture. Of course I have no pics, I have been quite slack about taking pictures during July.

My husband's poison ivy is finally beginning to clear up. Apparently he is extremely allergic to it. He has been to the doctor now six times in 2.5 weeks. He has had 2 shots, 2 steroid packs, he's been taking benedryl and was also given allegra and clopex lotion this past friday. He has used every over the counter remedy to seek relief...none of them worked for him. I even put him in a baking soda bath. He's been miserable....poor fella.

Well don't forget its new release day over at digital freebies today. I've released an addon kit to my A Little Elegance kit called "A Little Extra Elegance" as well as the Elegance bracket album. You can pick them both up for 30% off until Monday, August 5 here.

And you know I totally forgot to post last week that I was having a CT call! I guess I'm going to have to extend my call, since I forgot to mention it. I'm pretty laid back, I just need a little help getting layouts and promotion done! And I would like to see layouts made with my kits to help me make a decision...so pick something up. It can be a freebie or two. Right now you can pick up several freebies right here from my blog or from my Designs in Digital Store. I'd love to see what you have to show me.

so here's the fine print:

-2 layouts per kit requested-post to digital freebies, designs in digital and dst
-promote my designs at DST forums or anywhere else
-participate in SGD CT forum

How to apply:send an email to simplegirldesigns@gmail.com with:
-a link to your favorite layout using Simple Girl Designs(you can use any kit or blog freebie, or combination therein, but it must be all SGD product)
-any ct’s you currently serve on (and your handle)-a link to your best gallery
-tell me your favorite element
-anything else you think will convince me! (blinkie makers and preview masters this means you!!!!)

Check back because I'm going to have to extend my call....and maybe there'll be another freebie in it for ya! Plus later this week, there will be mega kits coming out at both stores....fun, fun, fun....and I have some pretty snazzy new releases coming out next week too!

Jeez....where did the weekend go and New Releases!

Can anyone tell me where the weekend went? I can't believe it is already Tuesday. Seems like it was just Friday and I was celebrating the 5000 hit mark with some fabulous freebies!

Well for starters, we spent most of the day Saturday getting my rising middle schoolers room changed over from little boy to big boy. That took some doing. We went through his closet, he has grown so fast, I pulled out three bags of clothing that no longer fits the boy. We got him a new desk and rearranged the room. We've gotta start putting some stuff on the walls, they are looking a little boring. I'll have to get some pics of the newly arranged room posted soon.

Then on Sunday, we had two separate birthday parties to attend in the afternoon, plus I was trying to catch up on laundry. In a house full of boys, there is always a mountain of dirty clothes. Later on Sunday I surprised Alan with tickets to the RUSH concert that evening. His birthday is in August and kinda got pushed to the side with all the wedding stuff last year, so I wanted to make it special for him this year. He was completely excited and suprised and we had a great time!

So my celebration of blog visitors continues. So I am going to make a great offer for all my blog readers that stop by. I have posted a grab bag in my store at Designs in Digital. Its a great deal. Its three mini/sampler kits for three (3) dollars, that's just $1/kit. These are not duplicate items and coordinate with several of my kits available in the store 19 items in all. Click on the bag for more details.


Now take a look at my latest kit, A Little Elegance. I released it at my store at Digital Freebies last week and tomorrow, July 23 it will be released at my store in Designs in Digital. And because Meg the new owner is sooooooo crazzzzzzy generous, you can pick it for the first day for half the price! What a steal!

So mark your calendars, sign up for the DID newsletter, because from now on DID will be releasing new products each Wednesday and every Wednesday new releases will be half price. After that (Thursday-Sunday) they will be 30% off. So even if you can't get into the store on Wednesday, you can still pick up a great deal through the weekend.

And because I'm feeling so generous, here's a super steal. Everyone that buys the new kit, A Little Elegance, from July 23-July 27 will receive this bracket album for FREE! Better get shopping!


Have a great day!

~Tanya

Simple Girl Designs

Whoops....and another freebie

ok.....in an effort to thwart (dontcha just love that word) early birds who hack in to the 4 shared account and download my freebies before I had actually released them I had so cleverly checked the box "only publisher can download" and then went and unchecked it this morning when 5000 hits were counted. Unfortunately.....I overlooked the special save button next to that box and hit the one at the bottom instead.

Sooooooooo.....all the 200 folks that stopped by looking for the freebie got an error message. Jeez....I was too smart for myself. So I have fixed that and the link should work just peachy keen so give it a whirl again and if it doesn't work...Please leave me a comment letting me know if its still not working. And just because I value your time, especially those who stopped by twice. I've uploaded another little goodie just to say thanks and sorry for the oops! I was saving it for another freebie day....but....I felt so bad, just wanted to give you a little something!!

Download here
from my store at Designs in Digital
or here

5000 Hits & counting!

Well, you did it! I hit the Magic number, 5000! So, I'm throwing a little party to celebrate 5000 hits and have a fabulous party treat for ya!


Just for stopping by today you can get a door prize! A teaser kit for free just cause I think its pretty cool that I've had 5000 visits to my blog.

download it here
from my store at Designs in Digital

or here

I'll be back later to post more party news. Just wanted to get this out to you right away!
~Tanya
Simple Girl Designs

I promised....and a couple of other things!

Ok....so I promised to post a freebie today no-matter-what and I will. But first I wanted to give you more info about what's coming up in Simple Girl's Little Ole Scrap World! Ok....do you notice the counter over there to the left of the screen....you may need to scroll down. Well it is quickly approaching the 5000 hit mark! Unbelievable (to me). And my guess is that once I post all around the digi-scrap town that I have a freebie on my blog, it will go beyond 5000. So....to celebrate that little fact, I am locked and loaded to fire off a "5000 Hits Thank You Prize".

Its all ready to be linked up as soon as I am made aware of the 5000 hit mark! So be sure to come back by in the next couple of days and see if its here for you. I'll leave it up for a few days.

.

I also wanted to give you a little looksy at a portion of the August Collab kit (Punky Funky Firecracker) that will be available at Designs in Digital starting August 1. The colors are so much fun with this kit plenty of brights here! All of the designers over at DID have contributed, so it should be pretty awesome kit!

Okay, so here it is, the well deserved freebie that I promised yesterday. Its a simple quick page made from items available in my Almost White Mini-kit (which comes with another QP that you can embellish further) which you can pick up at DID or DF.

download here
and please remember to route people here to pick up this freebie, thanks!

Oh...before you leave, mark your calendar to come back soon for the 5000 hit freebie and also come back after that, cause I'm planning a special deal for next week over at Designs in Digital.

~til then,

Tanya
Simple Girl Designs

New releases! Upcoming Celebration and More sales Soon!

Summer has been so busy this year. I can't believe we are appoaching the last leg of summer and school is right around the corner. So close, we are going school shopping this week.(well I got 30% at kohl's on top of their sale....can't miss that right? Since I have an up and coming middle schooler, we need to shop for some more appropriate middle school clothes and shoes. And then of course there's my 6 year old fashion diva....who really only wants to wear Tony Hawk or something that looks like it could be Tony Hawk. We've been getting Josh's room ready for middle school...got him a desk, we're going to get in there this weekend and organize it better, (there are still some winter clothes in there...ahem). I think all this getting ready is just to help get me ready more than anything. 5th grade was a pretty easy year for us. And I have heard nightmares about kids starting middle school.....so I am bracing myself for a wild ride.



On the scrapbooking front, I am currently selling at two stores, Designs in Digital and also Digital Freebies. Designs in Digital has recently gone through an ownership change and those of us still over there are working to make the store really great. Right now there's a super cool design contest going on. So check it out and vote(free download) for one of your friends or a rising designer. The winner will join the Designs in Digital Design team.



We have so many things coming up at Designs in Digital. In August we will begin the Scrap Factor Contest with a fabulous grand prize, so check back for more details. Each of us at DID have designed original mini-kits as part of the start-up packet you can get to participate in the challenge. Here's a peek at my kit that's included in the start up packet:

This kit will not be available for sell until after the challenge, plus I have an add-on kit I will offer at that time too. BUT I will offer a coupon to get the add-on for FREEEEEE for all of those who buy the start-up packet! Check back here for more details about this contest and also hopefully soon a preview of the entire startup kit!!

Later this week I hope to tease you with the upcoming August mega kit at Designs in Digital....so far it is looking awesome! And again....I will have an accompanying pack of some type!

I have some fabulous new releases this week at Digital Freebies. As I am setting up store there, I am adding product and all of my stuff will be on sale as it is added to the store over the next few weeks. At digital freebies this week you will find my latest kit, A little Elegance, where it is currently on sale for 30% off this week only.

You'll also find my recent Almost White Mini-kit at 30% off there as well!



I have also uploaded an older kit, which is quite lovely for this time of year, Fishin' Hole and the Fishin' Hole QP's...all 30% off this week!! How cool is that!







Be sure to check back I am working on a little celebration because my hit counter is approaching 5000 hits! Wow! 5000 hits. That's something worth celebrating, right! So I am planning something special for all you folks that stop by and check out my little life. I've been trying to get together a freebie for blog readers....so hang in there, its a coming. And I'm toying with a grab bag sale to celebrate hitting the 5000 mark. I'd love to hear what you think about grab bags!

Ok...this was incredibly long....I promise to be back in the next 24 hours with some kind of a freebie, you deserve it!

~Tanya

Simple Girl Designs

getting back into the groove of things!

Brand new mini-kit in my store at Designs in Digital:

Almost White mini-kit and it comes with a bonus quick page.

find it here.

Also available as separate paper and element packs!

find it here.

find it here.


And that is a perfect way to celebrate a Brand New Shopper Sale going on now at Designs in Digital!!! If you've never shopped at Designs in Digital, this is the sale for you! The entire store is 60% off for first time shoppers. Click on the ad to go the store page and get more details!

Enjoy the sale!!!

~Tanya~

Simple Girl Designs

summer, summer, summer

Where on earth did spring go? It was a glorious spring here in the Carolinas. And summer has been quite bearable. I guess the beautiful spring kinda kept me busy and away from blogging. Lots has happened. Let's catch up a moment, shall we?


The school year ended with a bang. Two graduates, my kindergartner and my fifth grader. So I am just a few short weeks away from being the frazzled mother of a middle-schooler. Not too happy about that either.

My little garden patch has kept me quite busy. I am now harvesting tomatoes, cukes, eggplants, watermelon and peppers, tons of peppers. We had our first watermelon on Saturday...the boys were super excited to eat a watermelon that we planted and raised. I made pepper jelly last weekend and made peach jam from peaches we picked up at a peach farm on our way back from the beach. I picked wild blackberries on the side of the road Saturday, got two whole quarts!!! I made blackberry jam with those. Not sure why I am making so much jam...but hopefully it will turn out tasty! I plan to make pickles and maybe something with tomatoes to can as well. Our pumpkins are coming along nicely as well. Hopefully we will have our own pumpkins this year and not have to buy any from a market.

my little basket of harvest goodies!

Proud watermelon farmer!!

Homemade Peach Jam!

Homemade Golden Pepper Jelly!

I also have been busy creating stuff for my digital scrapbooking store over at Designs in Digital. Check out these new kits just loaded this week!

I just recently got an opportunity for a three month stint at Digital Freebies, so I am super excited! I have new releases coming out tomorrow at Digital Freebies. Check back here for a fabulous freebie and updates on what's going up in the stores. Take a peek at my latest layouts on your way out!

credits here

credits here