Cookies Packaged in Paper CD Envelopes (& cookie recipe)

Xmas is long gone but I still have an Xmas gift idea to post. :)  I made spiced sugar cookies for everyone and wrapped them in paper CD envelopes:

I had to wrap the cookies in plastic wrap so that they wouldn't make the envelope oily, so that's my least favourite part of this gift, but I thought the rest turned out really cute. :D
I used the MyMemories Digital Scrapbooking Software to make little Xmas tags for each envelope:

Just to show again that this software can be used for so much more than just the usual scrapbooking!

P.S. If you use my special discount code in my side bar here somewhere ----->, you'll get $10 off your purchase of the MyMemories Digital Software program! :)

As for the cookies, they're one of my absolute favourite cookies in the whole wide world!  I used my Xmas cookie cutters for the first time and made some cute Xmassy shapes:

Of course, with my kitchen luck, this is what happened to my first batch:

I wasn't complaining TOO much though, 'cause I got to munch all these yummy flops. :)
I did from the next batch onward get most of them done perfectly:

 So here's the recipe....ENJOY! :D

Sugar Spice Cookies

2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbs cream

• mix together 1 cup flour, baking powde, salt & all the spices.
• cream butter, beat in sugar.  Beat in egg, vanilla & cream.
• stir in flour mixture, then add enough of the remaining 1 cup flour to make the dough stiff enough to roll.
• wrap in plastic wrap and chill several hours.  
• preheat oven to 180 degree C / 375 degree F.
• place dough on adequately floured surface and roll to about 1/8" thickness - these cookies must be quite thin.  Cut into shapes, placed on ungreased baking sheet and bake for about 8-10 minutes. (mine came out perfect at 10 mins) (Note: when I used an ungreased sheet as suggested, my cookies stuck to it and broke! So I greased it with spray on grease and that worked much better)

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Digital Party Invitation

I made this invite for my parent's 60th b'day party later this year, using MyMemories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software - there are so many things you can do with this other than scrapbooking. :D  This was very handy, since the invites all went out via email.

What's fun about this software is that you can take designs and pictures from anywhere (I got this background design from the net) and incorporate them into the program - you're not bound to only use their pictures and backgrounds.
The flowers are from their program and I was able to use the program as well to design the wording, eg the "60" I made 3D and I could bend the wording too to form an arch.

Anyway, just thought I'd show what else you can do with this software.  Another idea coming soon! :D

P.S.  remember that if you want to buy this program, use my special discount code in my right side bar over here somewhere ----->, and you'll get $10 off!

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MyMemories Digital Scrapbooking Giveaway Part 2 - More Ideas

Here are some more layouts I made using the MyMemories Suite v2 digital scrapbooking software - the same software that you can win in my giveaway HERE, sponsored by My Memories! (it closes on 19 November, so you still have a few days left to enter if you want to win this incredibly fun prize!)  :)

There are hundreds of ready-to-use designer layouts to choose from, like this next one below - all the work is already done for you, all you have to do is add your photo (the only goodies I added here is the flourish at top left, and the butterfly):

And then there are probably thousands of unembellished background papers to choose from, where you can add your own embellishments...like the old-fashioned scrapbooking way. :)  I used a batty background paper and added all my own embellishments and frames here:

This digital scrapbooking software is quite addicting, I must have you know.  :)

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My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Giveaway!!

It's giveaway time!  :D

***CLOSED***

Winner will be announed on 26 or 27 November

And it's courtesy of My Memories, creator of My Memories Suite digital scrapbooking software.  If you've never tried digital scrapbooking before, now's your chance to give it a go, as we're giving away this software worth $40 to one lucky person!  See entry details below!

To be honest, I never thought I'd like digital scrapbooking, since I prefer working with real papers and embellishments....but I decided to give it a try because there seemed to be quite some hype about it.  To my surprise, not long after getting started, I actually thought it was good fun! :)  And here are some of the reasons why:

1.   there are hundreds of gorgeous decorated background designs to choose from...and I do mean gorgeous!

2.   there are tons of lovely embellishments and designs to further decorate your pages with - many of them look quite realistic too, and all you do is click on the desired embellishment to select it, and then drag it to where you want it on the page

3.   it's so simple to incorporate your photos onto your page, literally as easy as 2 double-clicks

4.   and then there are other fun things to do such as creating your own background designs from scratch, and you get to resize and flip over and spin around your embellishments which ever way you like - which does have it's advantages over manual scrapbooking :)

5.   and your embellishment stock NEVER runs empty!  Once you've got the embellishment, you can use it as many times as you like on as many layouts as you like - how's that for saving some money compared to old-fashioned scrapbooking. :)  Plus there are many other fun features and I can't mention it all here!

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And besides this super giveaway, there's an additional bonus for all my readers!  :)  If you're not  the lucky winner of this free digital scrapbooking software, you can still buy the My Memories Suite software for $10 off the normal price, but only if you use my special discount code: STMMMS59694
My special discount code will remain in my right side bar over here somewhere ----->, so whenever you're ready to buy this amazing software at this special discount price, just grab the code!  :)

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But now back to the giveaway........

Here are some samples of what I've been doing with the My Memories Suite software (click on the images to see them enlarged!):

It really is a lot of fun to work with!  I'm definitely a new fan of digital scrapbooking, and although I'll never give up real paper scrapbooking altogether, I will be spending lots more time playing around with my new software...  :)

(What's also nice is, is that it's all digital, so even if you make a spelling mistake - like I did up there in case you noticed - it's easy to fix it up before printing)  Hehe.

So if you'd like to win this awesome prize, this is what you need to do - each point qualifies you for ONE entry into the draw, so if you complete all the points, you get 3 entries into the draw!

1.   you must be a follower of my blog; I want to see your photo in my followers list in my left sidebar ;) - leave me a comment saying that you're a follower (even existing followers need to do this, otherwise you won't be entered into the draw);

2.   visit My Memories, then leave me a comment naming your favourite digital paper pack or layout;

3.   using the linky below, submit a scrapbook layout that you've created, (paper or digital layouts welcome) OR if you're not yet a big scrapbooker, you may submit any craft that you've created using scrapbook or patterned paper, and then leave me a comment saying which one you submitted - any crafts not meeting these qualifications will be deleted. :(

GOOD LUCK! :)

P.S. - I'll be annoucing the winner on 26 November (going on a little vacation from 20-25th), so if I don't have your contact details, please check back around that time to see if you're a winner!  If you don't come and claim your prize within 7 days, I'm going to choose another winner! Tnx!


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