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Archive for the ‘In The Kitchen’ Category

Friday’s Fresh Five! (12/14/12)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Gift Ideas, Helping Others, Holidays, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Pets, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 14, 2012| 1 Comment »

dog in raincoat One step out of the front door, one downward dour look, and one step back into the house – I could tell that no amount of coaxing was going to persuade my 14-year-old dog to go for a walk in the rain. Inside, he looked at me with pleading old eyes, as if to say, “I’m not going outside, Mom. The rain is one thing, but this silly raincoat is another! How embarrassing to be seen like this!” Even though I thought he looked cute, I relented and we headed to the backyard instead.

#1 – Dog Love
man and his dog Humans and dogs share a special bond. This series of photos titled, “Let’s Take A Minute To Appreciate Our Dogs” proves that point. Seeing these photos will tug at your heartstrings and make you smile.

#2 – Gifts that Give Back
Giving gifts that give back is a win-win situation. There are websites that organize lists of charities, so all you have to do is purchase a gift card from one of the sites, give it to someone, and let the recipient choose which charity to donate to. So whether the recipient’s worthy cause supports education, animal rescue, or food for the hungry, etc., you’ll both feel good about the gift. Here are a few sites worth checking out:

Network for Good

Donors Choose

Greater Good

#3 – Samsuta Candles
samsuta candles Seeing this photo of a DIY Samsuta Candle and reading the easy directions, I eyed the bag of freshly-picked Samsutas sitting on my kitchen counter. I can only imagine what a wonderful aroma this candle must release as it burns. Honestly, I haven’t had a chance to make one yet, but it’s definitely on my “to do” list.

#4 – Rockwell’s Inspiration
Norman Rockwell inspiration Have you ever wondered what or who provided the inspiration for some of Norman Rockwell’s paintings? Take a look at The Photographs Behind Norman Rockwell’s Iconic Paintings and then compare them to the images of the paintings. It’s interesting to notice what he added or changed along the way.

#5 – Within Each of Us
“There is within each one of us a potential for goodness beyond our imagining; for giving which seeks no reward; for listening without judgment; for loving unconditionally.”
― Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

Enjoy your weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (11/16/12)

Posted in About me, Creativity, Entertainment, Gift Ideas, Helping Others, Holidays, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Photography, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 16, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Bartlett Pears

Photos by Linnell Chang

“No two are alike,” I think to myself as I study a trio of Bartlett pears sitting on my kitchen counter. Their rosy-hued coloration, their skin texture, and even their stems are all a bit different. Wanting to capture their unique beauty, I get my camera out. Some 50 photographs or so later, I remind myself how thankful I am for the invention of the digital camera. To be able to shoot photo after photo, without concern for cost, helps this amateur photographer fulfill her desire to capture the beauty found in simple things. Looking at objects through the camera lens provides me with perspectives that I might not normally have. There’s an honesty in what the camera lens reveals as it frames the art existing in everyday objects.

#1 – A Few More Ideas
Colander as a planter Simple objects can be transformed into wonderful gifts. In these economically-depressed days, it is more important than ever to be creative. With the holidays right around the corner, here are a few more creative ways to reuse things. From Earth911 comes this article on 100+ Ways to Reuse Thrift Store Finds. Remember, it’s the thought behind the gift that matters.

#2 – Free Thanksgiving Printables
Decorate your your home and Thanksgiving table with homemade decorations and special touches. It’s easy with the help of FREE printables. Here are just a few that I found:

Cupcake holders and toppers at Fleece Fun
Thanksgiving free cupcake printables

“Thankful” dessert flags from Pizzazzerie
Thanksgiving Dessert Flags

Large and small place cards at Gwenny Penny
Thanksgiving place cards Small thanksgiving place cards

Turkey place card and treat boxes at Spoonful
Thanksgiving place card and treat boxes

#3 – Don’t Forget . . .
While thinking about all that you are thankful for, don’t forget to thank yourself. Everyone’s list of self-thanks is different, but here are a few examples: thank yourself for all of your accomplishments – whether great or small; for staying true to yourself no matter what; for having a kind heart; for taking care of your body; for nurturing your spirit; for staying positive in difficult situations, etc. Along that line, Pick The Brain: Grow Yourself  has a read-worthy article titled, “7 Steps to Positive Self Talk.”

#4 – Learn
Watching this video whet my appetite and made me think of the words from young Oliver Twist, “Please, sir, I want some more.” In this case, I’m not literally referencing food, but the hunger to learn and to do more. Watch it and see if you don’t have the urge to go out and learn something new!

#5 – No Two Alike
“There are something like eighteen billion cells in the brain alone. There are no two brains alike; there are no two hands alike; there are no two human beings alike. You can take your guidance and instruction from others, but you must find your own path.”
– Joseph Campbell

Make this weekend unlike all others!

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Brussels Sprouts Roasted On The Stalk

Posted in Holidays, In The Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 6, 2012| 1 Comment »

Roasting Brussels Sprouts on a Stalk
Are you a hater or a lover . . . of Brussels sprouts, that is? Which category do you fall into? Scientists at Cornwall College have discovered a genetic reason why people fall into one category or the other. These scientists discovered that some people have a mutated gene which makes them immune to the bitterness of Brussels sprouts. Too bad for those who don’t eat these sprouts, though, because they are packed with nutrients – with high levels of fiber, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin K, and iron, just to name a few. I purchased a whole stalk of Brussels sprouts at an Asian market for only $3.99 and roasted it, stalk and all, in maple syrup and olive oil. For an added nutritional punch, I sprinkled fresh pomegranate seeds over it. Treat your family to this visually interesting, nutritionally-charged vegetable this Thanksgiving and you’ll feel less guilty about serving them the other nutritionally-challenged Thanksgiving fare!

Brussels Sprouts Roasted On The Stalk
Recipe from Trader Joe’s and The Fresh Market

Ingredients:
1 Brussels sprout stalk
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup olive oil
Freshly ground pepper and sea salt, to taste
Fresh pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries, for garnish

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Trim the stalk down to the fullest, best looking part, if necessary. Trim sprouts off one side of stalk to make a flat bottom. Also trim off any discolored or blemished leaves. Brussels sprouts stalk 3. Rinse stalk and trimmed sprouts in fresh water.
4. Wrap damp stalk in plastic wrap and heat in the microwave for 4 to 5 minutes (or blanch in a large pot of boiling water). Place trimmed loose sprouts in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 3 minutes.

Blanched Brussels sprout stalk

Blanched Brussels sprout stalk

5. Whisk maple syrup and olive oil together. Place stalk flat-side down along with any loose sprouts in a roasting pan and pour the maple sugar mixture over it.
6. Use a pastry brush to mop the maple syrup mixture onto all sides of the sprouts and stalk.
7. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Brussels sprout stalk

Ready for oven

8. Place in oven and roast for about 45 minutes or until sprouts on the stalk are fork tender and caramelize to a golden color.
9. To serve: Place stalk on a holiday platter, pour any syrup from the roasting pan over the stalk. Garnish with something bright and tart such as cranberries or fresh pomegranate seeds*. Roasted Brussels sprout stalk with pomegranate seeds

Serves 6 – 8

Linnell’s Notes:
1. The stalk I bought was covered evenly with sprouts, so I did not need to trim off any straggly stem.
2. Before trimming the sprouts off of one side, you need to decide first which side is the most attractive, then turn it upside down and trim off the sprouts that prevent it from laying down flat. Trim off as few as possible. I did not trim off any near the top back portion of the stalk, because when I flipped it over it was balanced and laid flat nicely.
3. If you are blanching the stalk in a large pot of boiling water, instead of microwaving it, you will have to turn the stalk over so that the both ends of the stalk gets some time in the hot water.
4. For easy clean-up, I covered my roasting pan with a sheet of parchment paper.
5. When selecting pomegranates, select the heaviest ones. They’ll contain more juice. It’s not important how red they are on the outside, unless you’re buying pomegranates to dry for decorations.
6. To serve, I just snipped the sprouts off with kitchen shears and served them on the same platter.

*How to cut open a pomegranate easily and without a mess:
1. Wash and dry the exterior of the pomegranate.
2. Fill a medium-large bowl with water and put it in the sink.
3. Cut off the top, just below the crown, and then cut the bottom off.
4. Notice that four to six sections of white membrane are now exposed. Cut the skin vertically along each section.
5. Put the pomegranate into the bowl of water and break apart along the cut lines.
6. Break the sections into smaller parts, loosening the arils and allowing them to sink to the bottom of the bowl.
7. Using a spoon or your hands, scoop up the pieces of white membrane that have floated to the surface of the water.
8. Pour the arils and liquid through a strainer and let drain.

ENJOY!

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Severed Finger Cookies

Posted in Holidays, In The Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 16, 2012| 7 Comments »

Severed Finger Cookies

Long dirty fingernails punctuate irregularly-shaped fingers. An extreme paleness gives them a ghostly appearance, while thick red puddles form around their severed ends. Strewn across an old chopping block, the fingers suspiciously point to a nearby meat cleaver and to a handwritten note that says, “For Dessert.”

Severed Finger Cookies
Recipe from Rachel Ray Magazine

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2¾ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Raspberry jam

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Mix in the sugar, egg and vanilla, then mix in the flour, baking powder and salt. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Using your hands and working quickly, roll a heaping tablespoon of dough into a finger shape. Place the fingers about 3 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Stick a sliced almond on one end of each for the fingernail. Use a table knife to make three crosswise knuckle marks in the middle of each cookie.

3. Bake until lightly golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.

4. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, cook the jam over low heat until it reaches a saucy consistency. Once liquefied, remove from the heat and pour into a small bowl; dip the severed end of each cookie into the sauce.

Makes about 50 cookies

Linnell’s Notes:
1. I made the dough the night before, took it out the next morning, and let it sit on the counter for a little bit, until it was pliable enough to shape.

2. I covered my cookie sheet with parchment paper.

3. Sort through the sliced almonds before you begin and put “nail-worthy” ones in a small bowl. This will make the assembly of the “fingers” faster. Carefully press the sliced almonds onto the dough fingers. If you press too hard, you can break the almond slices. However, if you do not press them into the dough well enough, they fall off after the cookies are baked. A few almond slices fell off my cookies, but I just stuck them back on with a dab of jam. It created the look of “bloody cuticles.”

4. These are sturdy and not delicate cookies. They seemed a little dry to me, so the next time I make these, I will make the fingers a little smaller and adjust the baking time. Their texture makes them good cookies to dunk, though!

5. After 15 minutes in the oven, take a look at the cookies. The cookies won’t be golden at this point, but you do need to keep an eye on the thin almond slices. They can darken or burn quickly, so don’t set the timer for 25 minutes and walk away.

6. I used cherry jam instead of raspberry jam. I strained the jam for cherry chunks before heating it. I also microwaved the jam instead of putting it in a saucepan. It just seemed simpler to do that.

7. I put a wire rack over a piece of waxed paper. After dipping the severed ends of the cookies into the jam, I put them on the rack. Any sticky jam drops fell onto the waxed paper.

Enjoy these Halloween cookies!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (10/12/12)

Posted in About me, Creativity, Entertainment, Environment and Ecology, Gardening, Health, Helping Others, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Jewelry, Photography, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 13, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Sycamore tree bark

Photo by Linnell Chang

Giant leaves crunched under our feet as we walked along a pathway. “You should see these trees,” my mom said as we approached a grassy common area in her neighborhood. A row of tall sycamore trees dominated the landscape. Incredible patches of bark, resembling camouflage, covered their large trunks. They looked like an artist splashed paint on them. Taking my camera out of my pocket, I focused on the bark of one tree and while looking through the viewfinder, I spotted something interesting. A profile of a face and a neck, complete with an Adam’s apple, sat in the middle of my LCD screen. Blotches of reddish hair, a round eye, and a curve of a smile further defined the face. “Art within art,” I said to myself as I snapped the photo. Can you see the face?

#1 – Oh, the Possibilities!
Seeing the possibilities in things is a talent upcyclers possess. Awhile back on this blog I mentioned that I shred empty toilet paper tubes and add them to my compost bin. Well, there are more creative ways to reuse those toilet paper tubes! Check out these upcycling ideas from other bloggers:

Toilet Paper Roll Wall Art

Paint With Toilet Paper Rolls

Painting with toilet paper tubes

Toilet Tube Gift Boxes

Toilet paper roll gift boxes

Toilet Paper Jewelry Tray

toilet paper jewelry box

Seed Starter Pots

tolilet paper seed pots

#2 – Strength Training
Don’t see any reason why you should lift weights? Take a look at the 10 Reasons to Strength Train infograph and you’ll discover more than one reason why it’s important. strength training infograph

#3 – Clever Science
Science World Museum clever ad To reinforce the notion that science is interesting and exists everywhere and to entice more people to visit their museum, the people at Science World in British Columbia presented a clever series of billboards. Which billboard catches your attention?

#4 – Pumpkin Beverage Dispenser
DIY pumpkin beer keg Seeing is believing. Picture apple cider streaming out of a spigot stuck into a pumpkin. Sounds pretty fun. Although the directions Carve Your Pumpkin Into a Beer Keg mention beer as the beverage of choice, I think serving any beverage in your “pumpkin keg” will make fall entertaining more festive!

#5 – Seeing the Distance
“Always concentrate on how far you have come, rather than how far you have left to go. The difference in how easy it seems will amaze you.”
― Heidi Johnson

Have a lovely autumn weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (9/21/12)

Posted in About me, Aging, Creativity, Entertainment, Gardening, Health, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 21, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Red Bartlett Pears

Red Bartlett Pears by Linnell Chang

The first day of autumn tip-toes in this Saturday. Nowhere is the change of seasons more evident than at farmers’ markets. Displays of summer produce, such as musk melons and heirloom tomatoes, nestle up against fall standouts, such as pears, apples, and butternut squash. Are you ready to let go of summer and welcome in fall?

The changing of seasons creates a whole-body, sensory reminder of the passage of time: Our internal clocks try to adjust to the changing lengths of day; our sense of taste and smell reacquaint themselves with seasonal palates; our eyes feast on the shifting colors around us; our skin begs to be covered or uncovered; our ears pick up once familiar sounds – birds chirping, winds gusting, air conditioners or heaters humming, leaves rustling, fires crackling . . . . At the beginning of each season, I always say “This one’s my favorite!” And so it is.

#1 – Pears
Pears are good sources of phosphorous and Vitamin A. When selecting pears look for firm, well-colored, aromatic fruit with no blemishes or bruises. Ripe pears should be refrigerated and will last anywhere from 2 days to a week. If they are not ripe, put them, bottom-sides down, in a paper bag and store in a cool place. To hasten the ripening process, put a banana or an apple in the paper bag with the pears. Visit local farmers’ markets to find more varieties of delicious pears.

#2 – Nature and Art

Neil Dawson Sculpture in Gibbs Farm

Neil Dawson Sculpture in Gibbs Farm

On a beautiful piece of land, complete with rolling hills and adjacent harbor, exists a spectacular sculpture collection. Gibbs Farm in New Zealand is home to more than two dozen enormous pieces of artwork. This interesting juxtaposition of calming rural scenery and contemporary art can be seen by appointment only and is definitely on my bucket list of things to do! Check out some of the installations and their descriptions on Twisted Sifter or go to the Gibbs Farm link above.

#3 – Sugar, Sugar

This week I read an online article in a Harvard Medical School publication regarding computer games and brain fitness. The article states, So far, it looks like simply playing games that require concentration won’t help you remember important names, faces, and appointments. What can work are practical tools designed to address specific problems encountered in daily life . . . to stay sharp, your mind needs regular workouts in creative thinking, problem solving, and intellectual focus. To stretch and exercise your brain, choose an activity you enjoy—reading, playing cards, or doing crossword puzzles are some good examples. If you’re feeling ambitious, try learning to speak a new language or play a musical instrument.

Well, I just discovered this Sugar, Sugar game in which a player has to figure out ways to funnel sugar into coffee mugs. I believe this game, and the others I’ve linked to in the past, all require concentration AND problem-solving. And since the Harvard article says that learning a new language is good for the brain, why don’t we just play our favorite games in different languages?

#4 – Eyes: Windows Into You

Eyes are not just the windows to your soul. They are also windows into your health. According to this pictorial article, “Eyes can be very helpful when it comes to diagnosing an illness.” Reading this article keeps you more in tune with what your body’s telling you and that’s a good thing.

#5 – The Two Most Important Days

Have a great weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (9/14/12)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Entertainment, Gardening, Helping Others, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 14, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Photo by Linnell Chang

As if on a trampoline, squirrels jump through the canopy of my Japanese Maple tree. Every year they bounce and weave their way around the delicate branches in search of winged-seeds also known as samaras. Literally going out on a limb to get to these seeds, the squirrels break branches as they go, leaving behind branches bent at 90-degree angles and piles of broken branches below. Trying to keep an open mind, I remind myself that squirrels also need to eat. But thanks to a new bird feeder and some messy-eating birds, enough bird seed manages to fall to the ground to feed the squirrels and some ground-feeding birds, too. So far, so good – no new broken branches in sight.

#1 – Be Open

Photo by Linnell Chang

How open to life are you? Is your nose so close to the trees that you can’t see the forest? Leo Babuta wrote a post for Zen Habits titled How to Become Open to Life. Even if you feel you already lead an open life, this article is a good reminder of some of the ways we close ourselves down.

#2 – It’s Not What You Think
Imagine pairs of gummi worm chromosomes or ocean waves constructed on a roll of painter’s tape. Artist and photographer Kevin Van Aelst creates fascinating images and brings new meanings to “mundane and relatable artifacts of our daily lives.” His images force your brain to be open, to ignore the expected, and to focus on the grander idea.

#3 – Dishwashers Aren’t Just For Washing Dishes!
Are you open-minded enough to steam fish fillets in your dishwasher? Check out the versatility of this appliance by reading 6 Unconventional Uses For Your Dishwasher.

#4 – A Meal With Imagination
Even with an open mind, you wouldn’t eat the spaghetti made in this video! The fun food comparisons highlight the creativity of this production and make it enjoyable to watch.

#5 – Do Everything
“Do everything. Love as much as you can. It may hurt, but it helps us grow. Give all you have . . . you may be poor but you will be content. Always forgive . . . your heart can not afford not to. Teach what you know and learn what you don’t. Stay open to all.”
Unknown

Have a great weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (9/7/12)

Posted in About me, Creativity, Entertainment, Helping Others, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Organization, Pets, Photography, Style and fashion, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 7, 2012| 1 Comment »

After a day filled with swimming in the pool and catching Frisbees at the park, Buster, my grand-dog, wasn’t busting any more moves. Although still a pup, his grandparents managed to wear him out. By the time his parents came home from their honeymoon, a few weeks later, he was one tired dog. Life’s tough when you’re a spoiled puppy!

#1 – Hallie Paints
I love animals and I’m a sucker for dogs. Knowing that about me, you’ll understand why I had to post about a blind dog who paints and raises money for an animal rescue program. Read Hallie’s story, watch her paint, and then take a look at some of her work. Perhaps, you have the perfect spot in your home for one of Hallie’s works of art?

#2 – Top Tips
Who doesn’t like a tip that either saves you money or makes your life easier? Here are a few sites to check out:

Food Tips That Will Change Your Life
“Freeze grapes to chill white wine without watering it down.”

Unique and Useful Tips!
“Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.”

Coupons and Sales
“The Body Shop is offering free shipping with your order of $30 or more for the rest of today, 9/7 only.”

#3 – Time for a Shuffle Break?
Sometimes my blog posts write themselves and sometimes they need a little more help. Whenever I feel creatively blocked, I seek out one of my block-busters. Besides twirling my Greek worry beads and turning the handle on a little music box that plays “If I only had a brain,” playing computer games also helps me to relax and channel my creativity, not to mention procrastinate. Here’s a game called Shuffle that I just discovered. Play it and see if it doesn’t help you unwind a bit.

#4 – A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words

“Conversations are at the heart of what it means to be human.” Theodore Zeldin
Photo by Steve McCurry

To visit photographer Steve McCurry’s blog is to go on a journey – a journey around the world and into the lives of others. His photographs provoke emotion and the accompanying quotes inspire.

#5 – Internally and Eternally Young
“Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up interest wrinkles the soul. You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt; as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fear; as young as your hope, as old as your despair. In the central place of every heart there is a recording chamber. So long as it receives messages of beauty, hope, cheer and courage, so long are you young. When your heart is covered with the snows of pessimism and the ice of cynicism, then, and then only, are you grown old.”
― Douglas MacArthur

Have a great weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (8/31/12)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Health, Helping Others, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Kids, Photography, Recipes, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 31, 2012| Leave a Comment »

One penny, one lottery ticket, and one ounce of luck . . . that’s all it takes. Who doesn’t like the thrill of potentially winning something? That’s what I thought when I made these fish-lottery favors. Wanting to combine a fun activity with a fish-themed party favor, I created these “Lucky in Love” fish for all the guests at my son’s wedding rehearsal dinner. Since I never throw anything “useful” away, I was elated to find a use for a stack of paper fish frames that remained after cutting out 300 paper fish for the wedding. After carefully cutting the fish silhouettes apart, I glued colored paper behind them. Then with repositionable adhesive, I attached a lottery ticket to the paper and added a “fish eye” or penny for scratching. One fun idea, one way to repurpose, and more than one winner!

#1 – One Body, One Site
Thanks to the wedding, for the first time in my life, I’ve been exercising seriously on a regular basis. I’ve learned that I can get a thorough workout with very little equipment – so basically there is no excuse for not exercising! Whatever exercise equipment you have at your disposal, you’ll want to check out excercise.com for its list of exercises and videos. Whether you have no equipment at home or only a set of dumbbells or only an elliptical trainer, this site has exercises for you to do!

#2 – One Day

Photograph by Lee Jeffries

One day a man with a camera sees a homeless woman and takes her photo. The result of that experience is a collection of black and white images taken by photographer Lee Jeffries. He has journeyed across the world and into his heart to capture faces of the homeless. Through his powerful portraits, Mr. Jeffries emotionally affirms the saying that “the eyes are the windows to the soul.”

#3 – Cooking for One or Two
The kids are all gone. No more cooking for my army of hungry children. It’s been a difficult adjustment for me to scale back on the amount of food I buy and prepare, but I’m slowly adapting. If, like me, you find you are now cooking for one or two, you may want to check out these recipes that are formulated to serve only one or two people.

#4 – Create One Meaningful Life
You’ve got only one life, so make it meaningful. From GPS for the Soul comes this article Tools for Creating a Meaningful Life. Ira Israel, the author gives us 10 things to be mindful of as we go about our lives.

#5 – One Thing

This weekend – do one thing that you’ve always wanted to do, but never have!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (8/24/12)

Posted in About me, Aging, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Helping Others, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Organization, Photography, Recipes, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 24, 2012| Leave a Comment »

The outside temperature says it’s another hot summer day, but the heat doesn’t stop me from going outside with my camera. I know I will never get this day back again, so I seek to capture bits and pieces of it to enjoy and to record in my memory. Looking through my camera lens, I see things differently. Something mundane or ordinary becomes extraordinary when focused on intently. If you always look at things from the same distance and in the same way, they will never change. However, if you zoom in on them, you might see them in new and exciting ways.

#1 – Creativity in the Kitchen
Creativity reigns in the kitchen if you think outside the box. Here’s a series of ideas from Easy Food that are so interestingly-good, they need to be shared!

#2 – Reuse It!
While cleaning out my craft closet this week, I came up with a way to keep my many spools of ribbon from becoming a tangled mess in their tray. After cutting tubular accordian-foam sleeves, that protect fruit packed in boxes, into narrow bands, I placed a band around each spool of ribbon. Each band gently prevents the ribbon from unrolling. These bands work so much better than rubber bands, which can crush the ribbon, or tape, which can leave a sticky residue on ribbon. I’ve also used these foam sleeves to keep my rolls of wrapping paper from unrolling and for protecting fragile Christmas ornaments while they are in storage. Three ways to reuse something that’s normally tossed away!

#3 – Dimensions in Art

Sculptural Painting by Shintaro Ohata

Born in Hiroshima, Japan, artist Shintaro Ohata creates work of art that depict the “little things in everyday life.” His charactersistic style tells his stories by combining 2-D and 3-D elements – by placing sculptures in front of paintings. Additional dramatic effect is created in his artwork by his extraordinary ability to paint light and by his use of a young girl as his subject and representation of youth.

#4 – Cases for Cheer
Here’s an example of someone who looks at and thinks about pillowcases differently. When her Great Aunt Willie passed away from ovarian cancer a few years ago, 10-year-old Madison Zenker, founded Cases for Cheer, a nonprofit that makes and donates colorful pillowcases to cancer patients. Now thirteen-years-old, Madison continues to bring cheer to those going through cancer treatment and is a wonderful example of how someone so young, with a simple idea and the desire to help others, gives hope for the future of our world. If interested in donating funds, fabric, or time to Madison’s cause, check out Cases for Cheer.

#5 – Fountain of Youth
“There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.”
Sophia Loren

Tap into your “fountain of youth” this weekend by doing something you love!

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