gingham and buttons

When you "stamp lift" an idea from somebody else in the crafting world we call it "CASEING" a card.  I saw what Maille did over at PTI and I just had to try something like it.  I love how it turned out.  I might get used to this CASEING stuff.  :)

You can help the people in Japan

Here's my red card and I'm using a tulip stamp that has only seen ink once in about five years.   I masked it and stamped it several times across the bottom. 

Use it Tuesday is having a challenge that will directly help the people of Japan.  Please join me in making an d posting a card to their website.  Let's get the word out about this.  Please post this on your blog even if you can't personally make a card...maybe it will appeal to others and they can.  The rules are to use RED as your main focal point.   Thank you everyone for your care and participation. Cllick on the highlighted words to go to their blog. 

Our challenge this week is related to recent world events:

Please make a project using the color RED in honor of Japan. Remember to use something from your stash you have been hoarding and please tell us in your post or project description what that item (or items) is!

As an added twist...we are going to make a donation to the Red Cross based on the number of participants we have! If we get 1-25 players, we will donate $50; 26-50 players we will donate $75 and so on up to $400! So feel free to get the word out! We would love to make a great donation on behalf of our fellow crafters. :)

P

Let the BUYER BEWARE

We were grocery shopping today in a large chain store and came across this label touting NO HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, then we looked at the ingredients.  The very first ingredient is CORN SYRUP.  Here is a study done at Princeton on the HFCS but in my opinion we shouldn't be ingesting the corn syrup either.  It is a highly processed sugar and the pancreas cannot handle all the simple sugars that are being put into our foods.  In this case something that is really not healthy for you is being marketed to the consumer as a perceived healthy product.  I say TSK TSK!! Shame on them.

 Princeton researchers had been studying not only side effects of high fructose corn syrup, but how your body reacts when it's ingested. They discovered that rats which had access to high fructose corn syrup gained significantly more weight than those with access to basic table sugar, even when their overall caloric intake was the same.

They did two studies and here are a few excerpts from their findings:

The first experiment — male rats given water sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup in addition to a standard diet of rat chow gained much more weight than male rats that received water sweetened with table sugar, or sucrose, in conjunction with the standard diet. The concentration of sugar in the sucrose solution was the same as is found in some commercial soft drinks, while the high-fructose corn syrup solution was half as concentrated as most sodas.

The second experiment — the first long-term study of the effects of high-fructose corn syrup consumption on obesity in lab animals — monitored weight gain, body fat and triglyceride levels in rats with access to high-fructose corn syrup over a period of six months. Compared to animals eating only rat chow, rats on a diet rich in high-fructose corn syrup showed characteristic signs of a dangerous condition known in humans as the metabolic syndrome, including abnormal weight gain, significant increases in circulating triglycerides and augmented fat deposition, especially visceral fat around the belly. Male rats in particular ballooned in size: Animals with access to high-fructose corn syrup gained 48 percent more weight than those eating a normal diet. In humans, this would be equivalent to a 200-pound man gaining 96 pounds.

Eggsactly

Since we had the discussion about balancing the egg on the Spring Equinox it was very fitting that Susan over at Simplicity would choose an egg image for the one layer Wednesday challenge.   So it's a one layer card, I embossed the oval with my nesties and added a matching ribbon to the duck.  I love this little duck stamp I purchased in Las Vegas years ago at the first physical stamp store I was ever in.  I didn't know you could buy stamps in a store, I thought you only got them at Stampin' Up parties.  :)  He was just tooooooo cute to leave in Vegas.

Today's Bride

Spring Equinox

It's the Spring Equinox today and you can stand a broom up all by itself and it won't fall over.  The earth's axis is spinning evenly.  Supposed to be able to get an egg to stand on end too but mine didn't.  I am boiling some now to see if that makes a difference.  Do you feel balanced today?

Editor update:  Here's the egg.  It worked boiled but I had to put it on this coffee filter.  I think the counter was too slippery for it.

Very happy Gentoo penguin

This is a very interesting video. I didn't take it and I didn't upload the music with it, just turn your speakers down a little bit. It just reminded me that we saw dolphins jumping while we were at the CA beach. At least we think they were dolphins and not sharks. I love it when that happens. :) Doin' the happy dance over seeing the dolphins.

Another Award

When I got home and back on the computer I found that Nancy D from crafting passions had presented me with another Stylish Blogger award.  How fun.  Thank you Nancy and I feel I've found a new blogging friend.  I love her work with cute little images and lots of design.  I'll be stopping by often .  I don't know enough of you to pass this on to more people as requested. Most of you who I follow have already received it.  I don't want it to start feeling like a chain letter.  :)   So if you would like to have this award let me know and I will add your name to the list and then you can add this to your page too.  It's kind of fun, really.   See my Dec. 26, 2010 post to see who I passed it on to.

Mojo is BAAAAACCCCKKK!

Okay, just so you know, I found my Mojo, or it found me.  I was starting to think I had depression or something the way I was so unmotivated.  Guess my body was just saying, you need some rest and when I am ready I will tell your brain and then you can jump up and begin doing things.  Yep, that's exactly what happened.  I was moping around in the morning and all of a sudden I just jumped up and started cleaning the kitchen, then hit the bedroom and put away all the suitcase goodies, then after supper I hit the craft room and mojo kicked in to stamp out nine cards in a couple of hours and then I designed a sticker card quickly this afternoon.  Got five cards ready for the mail tomorrow too.  I love MOJO!!

While I was in cleaning mode, I once again noticed the scraps sitting on the corner of the table waiting to be turned into something so here's a picture of the inspiration and also my finished products.  I only have one piece still sitting there waiting to be used.  That blue and white China vase has to be made into something and those other pieces of embellishments are going in the give away box for some kid to enjoy.  Can you see what cards I came up with with each of the scraps?  I love those kinds of challenges.   Happy Creating!!!

At the Beach

 Marina Del Ray, Venice Beach, Santa Monica, We hit all the hot spots only it wasn't so hot, it was kind of chilly really.  I was glad to have my long pants and my hooded sweatshirt on.  But it was still nice to hear the waves and see the surf rolling in.  We had to put our feet in the sand for a little bit anyway and eat at an open air eatery in Venice Beach.

 Do you know what makes this kind of track?  We just love how cute these little crabs are.  They scoot along sideways and leave this cute little trail.  They have to bury themselves fast though or the sea gulls are on them in a second.  Those gulls can gulp these little fellers down in a hurry.  Isn't he cute?

My Favorites at the Health Expo

Seeing things in action...You can't beat that.  This sprouting display got my attention last year and I went looking for them again this year.  For them it's all about eating Raw and nothing cooked.   Well, I don't do that by a long shot but I do like to include sprouts in lots of things because of their high vitamin and enzyme count.  It gives the body a rest and we don't have to produce our own enzymes for digestion because sprouts have the enzyme activity going on and they digest themselves.  Well, that's a simplified layman's way of saying it.  I'd like to sprout things on my own but whenever I've tried, and believe me, I've tried, my sprouts mold and get sad looking.  I think we don't have enough warmth in our house and since we are in the woods we just don't get rid of the dampness.  But with these sprouters I do believe anyone could make sprouts and they look so healthy and yummy and they have so much crunch.  If  I had these I would probably make a ton of sprouts and then sell them at the Farmers market.  Sprouted lentils make a wonderful crunchy summertime snack.  mmm...I'm getting hungry. LOL.  You're looking at four day growth of garbanzo beans.

Another booth I found really exciting was the GO RAW booth which is not affiliated with the sprouting company posted above.  These friendly and conscientious folks make bars, you know Health Bars that really are healthy for you and not just sugar bars pretending to be healthy for you.  The sorting process they use for their nuts and seeds is the most sophisticated I have seen and their bars when put on a plate and spritzed with water actually start sprouting.  This was major impressive to me.  Try that with your current health bar and see what happens.  Isn't this great?? Now you know you're getting live food in your body and it takes living food to create living cells.  You are what you eat.  The best part.....the bars taste really really good.  Look for them at your local health food store or Whole Foods Market.  Yum!  (I don't get any kick back for delivering this message)  :)

Natural Health Expo

Nutrition...It has captured my interest since I was twenty.  I've done a lot of research over the years and I'm always fascinated how our bodies work and how the food choices we make has a profound effect on how the body responds.  

The Natural Health Expo has grown tremendously over the last few years.  It's amazing the amount of people that attend and the vast array of products that are being marketed.  One thing I know, just because it's sold as a health food doesn't necessarily mean it's healthy for you.  I'm a label reader and I encourage you all to be one also and even then our food supply in the U.S. is based on economics and there are a vast amont of food suppliers trying to deceive the public and make you purchase their product which they are marketing to make YOU think it is healthy.  Let the buyer beware.  Join me this Monday evening on a conference call where I'll be presenting some of these deceptions and what to look for.  E-mail me and I will give you the number and time or ask me for the recording if you are reading this after March 21st.   Look at ALL the people.  

Here's a shot I liked from the Organic Valley people.  It was fitting except one of the guys on the wagon was consistently on his cell phone;  kind of taking away from the old fashioned look.  ha. ha. 

It's been such a long time

EEK!  Can it be I have not posted since the 5th of March and today is the 20th.  I didn't have much ambition at all while I had that sinus infection.  I used Afrin spray and Ear Planes for the trip to CA.  I was kind of worried about my ears blocking up on the plane going out there.  Whew!  Glad for modern science.

It is the first day of Spring today so I will post some springlike pictures that I took in California while we attended the Natural Health Expo West.  I walked to the Expo Center from the hotel a couple of days and took some pics on the day I remembered my camera.  :)  It will be a while before we see any roses here in WI those are usually late June here. This of course made me think of "stop and smell the roses"

Then there is this lovely Bird of Paradise.  So gorgeous.  I am fascinated with how these grow so abundantly and reproduce themselves over and over. Better than my favorite Star Gazer lilies because they are beautiful but we only get one flower per season.  On these beauties the little pearl like drops that run along the top of the purplish part is where the nectar is and it is so delightful  to look at.  I tried to capture that portion from the top down but it looked just too strange on the picture so I am satisfied with looking at this full shot of this gorgeous "bird".  Now to not make each post too long I am going to make several smaller posts. I hope this beauty makes you smile as much as it did me.  Oh my, look at it's red neck.  Sigh...So pretty. :) Click on the individual pictures to see them up close.

The Piano Tuner

 It's too bad I didn't take a video of the piano being tuned.  There's something so nice about hearing the tuning fork and the strings coming into balance.  Keith Bible is very impressed with the stability of our Kwai piano.  He says it doesn't need tuning, he'll just do a bit of fine tuning on it.  The best thing for the piano is having the humidifier pouring out water for the thirsty piano in the winter time.  It's 41 % humidity in here right now and Keith says that's just about right for the piano.  And then of course piano tuners always play so beautifully and I'm enjoying that.  Keith does have a nice soft touch and way of playing.

Bread Making

 I've had these pictures of the last batch of bread I made for a couple of weeks now.  It just smelled so good and I know I have posted bread pics before but maybe you won't get tired of them, just like I never get tired of seeing the amazing process of a little yeast, flour, salt and water and how it smells and tastes. A little leaven, leaveneth the whole lump.   I make the batch and we have fresh bread dough to be made for about three days straight.  mmmmmmm  Can you smell it?
http://www.amazon.com/Artisan-Bread-Five-Minutes-Revolutionizes/dp/0312362919  The recipe I use is from this book available at Amazon.

Snow Removal

It's starting to seem like spring.  I am going to remove the winter decorations and add some pussy willows and bright tulips in here. My plants are crying to be put into the ground, enough of being in this dry house they say. It's nice here today with thirty degrees and just a slight breeze and the sun broke through about an hour ago.  The other day even when I wasn't feeling very well, I needed some fresh air so I set out to slowly remove the snow from the last storm off the deck.  I stuck the yardstick in the deepest part to see how much had blown off the roof.  It was heavy snow but I just bundled up good and shoveled a small amount at a time so I wasn't working my heart too hard with this infection going on.  It seemed a good accomplishment when I got it finished. :)

Waiting

Still not feeling very well and I'm waiting for the piano tuner to come and can't seem to get motivated to do anything that requires being up. Thought I would play catch up and post a couple of pics and do a bit of personal blogging.

My head seemed stuffier today than yesterday, it still does and it's noon now so maybe this is going to be an all day thing.  I thought I would feel better than this after two days of antib's.  Since I couldn't get anything to open up I figured I might just as well make some more of that good soup.

So here's some pics of why it's such a pleasure to make it.  Don't the ingredients just look beautiful?  I forgot to put the tsien peppers in there, they are the tiny red hot Thailand peppers and I used six or seven of them today.

Since I've already posted the details on how to make this the other day I will just add the new picture of the final product and also the noodles I used in this batch.  They are the cutest little noodle packets. They are very thin and these are wheat noodles and each little bundle is tied with a thin read thread.  Isn't that cute? One bundle is one serving.  They really don't even need to go in the pot.  I just removed the thread and broke the noodles in pieces and put them in my bowl.  Then I spooned some of the hot broth over them and covered with a plate for a couple of minutes.  Spooned in the rest of the broth and I had this beautiful yummy soup to enjoy. 

Now I wanted to add this picture to show the pretty red cup and the very nice place mats that Gilbert came home with the other day.  We sit and watch the birds from our dining room table and the mats are a perfect statement for us.
Gilbert was at Younkers the other day when they were having this huge sale and he went wandering over to housewares. I just dropped and broke the last favorite cup that he gave me.  He also brought home a golden yellow one that I have been using these last couple of days.  He's always so thoughtful like that.  I wish I was more like that.  I'm not really a great shopper.  I fix my mind on what I need to get and that's all I go in for and come out with.  I don't really like looking around at everything, it's too much commercialism and it overwhelms my brain. (i guess????)

One Layer Wednesday #43

It's been five days since I made a card.  I was having withdrawals.  I had to make this quick one just to remind my fingers how to do this thing called card making.  The challenge was one layer with shimmer.  No embossing. I masked the oval with a large post it.  Rubbed versamark in the open area.  Brushed on bronze pearl-ex powder starting on the mask and moving towards the center.  You must tap off the excess or it will be way too dark. Then spray with a fixative.  I originally had the leaf in the oval but it just didn't look quite right.  I tried it  on scrap paper first for the most aesthetic look.  I like how this turned out.   And that's it, it's only 8:30 and I am taking my weary body to bed.  Thanks for looking.  This card took about two minutes to make.

food to keep you well

As I was lying on the couch for three days I wasn't bored as we have a beautiful large picture window and all our bird feeders are there.  They entertained me. Yesterday when I flipped over the sayings book in the bathroom here's what it said.  As long as you have a window, life is exciting.  Appropriate, yes?

Last week we stopped in at the Asian grocery and found all kinds of goodies.  We came home with new and exotic fresh green herbs; three different kinds, some fresh lemon grass stalks, pumelos, mangos, limes and another strange fruit that tastes like a pear and kiwi combined and is real fibrous. Tastes good. We bought jars of sauces and pastes and coconut milk and baby bok choy.  I determined to learn how to get those flavors of the soup we eat at the Thai restaurant.  It's called Hot and Spicy Shrimp soup.  Well, I went digging on youtube and came up with this recipe called Tom Yom Kai. I'm putting the video right on here.  It's so simple.  Since this sinus thing flared up it is the only thing that sounds good to me and I have made variations of this every day since Friday.  That's almost a full week.  I am not tired of it yet.  I love the taste of the lime juice in with the spice and the salty of the fish sauce.  If you can't get lime leaves (we couldn't) you can just thinly cut the green part of the peel of the lime  and toss that into the soup.   I was hungry for greens so I washed and cut the baby bok choy in half and added several of them. Here's the result.  Anyne want to join us for dinner?

on not feeling well

Generally I wouldn't post about being under the weather because who really cares?  Right?  But it is my blog and I guess I can blog about whatever I want.  So I have a sinus infection, I was informed by the doctor this afternoon.  It's contained, nothing in the chest, nothing in the ears, no swollen glands; just a massive plugged up head, teeth hurt, face is swollen and I have been through five, yes FIVE boxes of Kleenex since Friday. The last time I had a sinus infection was in 1982 and that was my last antibiotic too, but there is a time for anti-b's and I will dutifully take them to relieve this pain.  I have laid on the couch for three days straight.

This is the thing that has saved me.  It's a nasal irrigator and it works so much better than a nettie pot.   If you have allergies or are prone to sinus infections you will want to get one of these. Hmm...I'm laughing, I don't think I would buy a used one. ha ha  I am going to finish this on another post.  I cannot figure out how to get this insert to go over to the right to let me type around it. See you in the next post.