Paper Trees

Paper Trees

Here's a seriously quick and easy little something you can give away or make a bunch for your house. Make a trio with large, medium, and small trees! Use crazy colors, earth tones, or whatever matches your decor.

The more I get involved in projects, the more I dislike paint, glue, and mess. These trees are about as and mess-free as it gets - just paper and pins!

For this size of tree, here's what you'll need:

Styrofoam Cone: 3 7/8 x 8 7/8 (medium size)
Paper: 3 1/2" x 1" strips, approximately 15 for the base, 14 for the next row, and so on.
Push pins
Bow

NOTE: If you're doing a trio, the large tree strips need to be 4" x 1", the medium tree 3 1/2" x 1" and the small tree 3" x 1" (go up or down 1/2 inch)

Start your base row up high enough for the paper to sit on the table without getting bent.








I arranged my loops over/under like this. Do it how you like, but this makes the tree look symetrical and fluffy.







Here's the bottom row finished

Start the next row just far enough above to where you don't see any of the bottom row pins.

Do this all the way around!

When you get to the top, it's good to pin everything down like this or you'll have corners poking out.


And to finish it all off, pin a bow right on top.









No glue, no mess! Just cute!






If you want to see a gallery of these, as well as other varieties, go here to Splitcoast Stampers.

Cookies

Cooking 101 - Peppermint Crunch Cookies

IS IT TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE?! After I wiped the tears from my eyes in the baking aisle of the store, blinked back the blurriness, and came to my senses, it really was true that the candy-lovin' geniuses out there FINALLY made peppermint chips for the holidays! I quickly snagged a couple of bags (gonna go back and get more) with NO idea what to do with them...but it didn't matter!

The recipe is on the back of the bag, but here it is:

(NOTE: These are kind of thin and soft - I like mine to be less thin so if you're a "thicker" cookie gal then scale back a little on the butter. )

2 sticks butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 3/4 c. flour
1 c. old fashioned oats
1 c. sweetened, shredded coconut
1 1/4 c. coarsly chopped pecans (or whatever nut you like)
1 1/2 c. Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips

Preheat oven to 300 degrees (I used 325). Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugars until fluffy (about 3 minutes). Beat in egg and vanilla. On low speed, add baking soda, salt and then flour. Mix completely. Stir in oats, coconut, pecans, and peppermint chips.

These cookies spread WAY out, so drop small spoonfuls of dough onto cookie sheet (about 1 Tbsp). Bake for 12-15 minutes or until edges are slightly browned and middle is still gooey. Remove from cookie sheet and let cool.

AND THEN EAT ABOUT A HUNDRED OF THEM with some PEPPERMINT COCOA!

Merry Christmas

French onion soup!

French Onion Soup

4 cups beef broth
3 cups yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 cup freshly grated
Parmesan cheese
sliced French bread
additional Parmesan cheese

Pour broth into a slow cooker set on high; cover and set aside to warm. In a skillet over medium heat, cook onion slowly in butter until tender; cover and cook about 15 minutes. Add salt, sugar, flour. Stir well; add to broth in slow cooker. Cover and cook on high setting for 3 hours, or reduce heat to low setting and cook for 6 to 8 hours (preferred). At serving time, stir in cheese. toast bread under broiler; place in bottom of bowl and ladle soup over bread. Sprinkle with additional cheese. Serves 8.

Finals are over! Now its time to party!

Hooray for another fun filled semester at the Y to be over. I have to tell you its been rather crazy with all that goes on with working full time and school, but it has flown by. I should have known that the week of finals my laptop would decide to crash. It did this last year, but luckily I had most of the last of the semester on paper for studying. oh well. Brad and I went and picked out his amazing tux for the wedding and also did some Christmas shopping and caroling with his singles ward... It probably would have been more fun if we were not freezing while being pulled behind a truck going at least 25 mph. Christmas is my favorite time of year, what makes it Christmas though is not the actual day it the events that lead up to it. Making cheeseballs as friends gifts and fruit cocktail with the family and all the family parties and music make this holiday a time that is fun and enjoyable, especially being so far from home.
he wedding plans are coming along. Luckily, my mom is superwoman and is able to plan any kind of event with no problems at all. It will be such a beautiful reception and I look forward to not ever being engaged again. I love brad and I see him as my best friend who I get to have for ever to play and travel with forever. I am so blessed and I hope that everyone has a great Christmas. Love Jess

It has snowed!

I dont want to be whinny but I hate the snow! Probably because my truck is lame in the snow and being from AZ, but we lucky people up in Utah had 4+ inches fall today. Brad and I spent some time plowing snow with his trusty 4-wheeler. It was fun to cruise the sidewalk getting rid of the snow that people would end up trying to trench through. Its cold and I already look forward to spring. Brad on the otherhand couldnt be more pleased! He acted like a little boy Christmas morning. Snowmen were built and snow ball fights could be seen everywhere. Im glad that snow can bring so many people joy!. - jess

Engagements Done by Amanda Stephans

Brad so great on the quad

Shower night pix

I love Thanksgiving by Jess

This week has been so wonderful. Christi and I flew down this past Friday and had a whole week and a half with the family and friends in AZ. It was perfect weather and it was a much needed break from the craziness of Provo. So many fun and great things to do. Brad and Ray took Christi and I shooting at the Four peaks area. The dogs and Quad were a fun addition and although the targets were pretty free from holes it was fun enjoying the beautiful AZ desert. My Brad flew in a few days later and the family had fun showing him around AZ and introducing Brad to the many family here on Thanksgiving day. Thanksgiving was with the Stapley side this year, Jessie Pitcher one of the aunts did a fabulous job of hosting and it was good to see everyone.
Brad and I went ring shopping and found a really great titanium ring for the big Jan. 5th day. It was so fun to hit the ASU USC game. Although we were whooped and have no chance of getting into the rose bowl it was Brads favorite to have his football on turkey day. The reception plans are going great here in Mesa. My mother is super woman and has most of it planned. We have spent a couple days decorating the yard with white twinkle lights and setting up for Christmas. Amanda Stephan also took us out to take some engagement pictures for our wedding invites. The invites are coming out I promise!. Mesa temple lights are up and they look incredible! I am glad to get an early peek before the pain of going back to freezing UT.

Such great sisters, getting me ready for my upcoming marriage

Aunt Colleen is super Woman!

Nichols sisters and Gma

So many sweet Aunts that helped with the shower

Ray is my Maid of Honor.

Pink lingerie from Ray and Blob

Jess's Bridal Shower

Ray and her MD commercial

No comment?

Red neckin at the Bell with the Dog in the back!

Ray and Brad Shooting with baby Brooklyn

Shooting with the Fam

Flying jack

The Poopers

The family at Mama Mia

Christi and Ray

Blob the dog and scuz cruisin

A weekend of Fun! by Jess

So Brad and I are always so crazy busy with either school, work, or anything else we don't see alot of each other during the week. Since Friday night is our only night to date we end up going on so many fun dates!. Last night Brad and I went and did some goofy golfing... or "put put golf" is what they call it in UT. Um I don't want to brag but I did whoop Brad... (it doesn't matter by how much it is still me winning)! haha After playing the arcade and getting our cheesy prizes we decided to hit a dollar movie. We saw Rush hour 3! it was so funny! I love Jackie and for being a third I was impressed that it was still worth spending at least a dollar to see. Afterwards Brad and I hit a local sushi joint. Brad is all about the BBQ and the pizza and everything that I don't eat; so for him to go and get fish, raw no less is a HUGE sacrifice for him. He is so wonderful. Last night we shared a roll that had the best cavier on it with Eel and lobster, with a side of Octopus. I loved all of it. I got brad to try the eel, but the octopus was not going to happen. We had some great laughs at least.
I look back on being engaged for 3 months with two more still to go and I think that it has been so great to have so many opportunities to date and to see each other in different situations. Although its been long I wouldn't want our courtship any other way. We have dated through almost all the seasons and although Brad has a huge obsession with football we have learned to compromise and things could be alot worse. Brad is doing alot of the planning for our reception up here in Provo. I am really proud of him, because this being his last semester he has so much on his plate. He is doing great with school, work, and keeping me happy as well. I look forward to many great times to come with the man that I will be with forever. He is selfless, sweet and considerate and constantly makes me laugh. Life is great.

Brads my happy boy. He has a permagrin when he is in his element.

Beautiful View of Antelope Island. It is the stinkiest place though