Cookin' Up Creations

America The Beautiful . . . for the most part we all live in different locations…from East and West to North and South, the USA is filled with beauty . . . both in nature and hearts. We've all seen the beauty of the sunset, the majesty of a thunderstorm, the birds on branches, flowers blooming, the seasons changing, freshly fallen snow, rainbows, majestic mountains, sparkling lakes, wooded paths, ocean waves crashing, dessert blooms. We’ve taken road trips and vacations where we have taken pictures that might be so random they don’t end up on the pages of our books . . . maybe it’s the hot air balloon that suddenly appears in the sky above you, or a sign that brings a smile to your face, maybe a barn quilt painted on an old barn that has seen better days, or even an Amish buggy towing a boat. The beauty goes beyond nature and is seen in the love and kindness of a stranger that helps you after a storm, a kind teacher, the mailman who leaves biscuits for your dog, the neighborhood kids with their lemonade stands, playgrounds and smiles, the person in the grocery line who lets you go in front of them. In these times when we are dealing with so many negative things in the news, where so many only think of themselves, where our country is experiencing unrest, where truth is up to what an individual wants it to be . . . in these times, I think it would be a great thing to just focus on how beautiful our country is and some of the ways we see her.

Remember - A new Blue Plate Special challenge is posted each Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and participants have until the 3rd of the following month to complete and post their creations.

Prize will be a $20 Gift Certificate to their favorite online store (random drawing).....



*Winner will be chosen via Random.Org.



Hello everyone! I'm a day late posting my America the Beautiful Project for Friday 7/15. Please excuse my tardiness...

For my America the Beautiful project, I focused on a picture my daughter recently sent to us of herself at a rooftop bar called "La Vie" in Washington DC. I love EVERYTHING about this photo! The nod to DC in the colors of the decor. The gorgeous flowers draping from the pergola. An absolutely beautiful scene from Washington DC that one does not often equate with the Capital City. My challenge to you is to use a beautiful picture taken at a place where you'd least expect on your project. Maybe it's a flower growing out of a crack in the sidewalk? Maybe it's an act of kindness happening on a busy street? I'm excited to see your beautiful pictures and projects!

This is darling! Such a great photo! Love how you captured the city pattern paper.

Wonderful layout! Great challenge too!

I have to say that I probably would never have scrapbooked this photo. I ran into it in my memories and just happen to be ordering some new prints. This was a very popular ice cream place downtown Salt Lake City. We would go there for special occasions. The closed their buisness years ago but still sell their ice cream in stores. I had not been downtown for a long time and I had to take a double look when I saw this! Jimmy Johns painted the ice cream cone black and left it on the roof. I had to take a pic from the stoplight because I thought it was so funny. I did it as an 8x8 so it can go in my all about me book! Thanks for stretching us to the max! haha

Great page and challenge, Stephanie.
Great page, Tamara

cute page, Patti

Tamara wrote: Sat Jul 16, 2022 2:41 pm I have to say that I probably would never have scrapbooked this photo. I ran into it in my memories and just happen to be ordering some new prints. This was a very popular ice cream place downtown Salt Lake City. We would go there for special occasions. The closed their buisness years ago but still sell their ice cream in stores. I had not been downtown for a long time and I had to take a double look when I saw this! Jimmy Johns painted the ice cream cone black and left it on the roof. I had to take a pic from the stoplight because I thought it was so funny. I did it as an 8x8 so it can go in my all about me book! Thanks for stretching us to the max! haha

so. . . the effort they took to paint it black?? seems that same effort could have been used to just take it down??

Patti wrote: Mon Jul 18, 2022 4:21 pm

such a cute old fellow.

tammyfolk wrote: Tue Jul 19, 2022 7:33 pm

Tamara wrote: Sat Jul 16, 2022 2:41 pm I have to say that I probably would never have scrapbooked this photo. I ran into it in my memories and just happen to be ordering some new prints. This was a very popular ice cream place downtown Salt Lake City. We would go there for special occasions. The closed their buisness years ago but still sell their ice cream in stores. I had not been downtown for a long time and I had to take a double look when I saw this! Jimmy Johns painted the ice cream cone black and left it on the roof. I had to take a pic from the stoplight because I thought it was so funny. I did it as an 8x8 so it can go in my all about me book! Thanks for stretching us to the max! haha

so. . . the effort they took to paint it black?? seems that same effort could have been used to just take it down??

Unless it is somehow connected to the roof and it would’ve ruined the roof to take it down or left a whole is all I can think of. But it’s so funny every time we drive by it because it used to be a green pink and white ice cream cone