Friday, December 31, 2021

Journal Prompt 31 Dec 2021 ~ New Year's Eve!

 

You made it to another New Year's Eve! What are you celebrating from this past year? What are you most proud of?

Merry Christmas from Close To My Heart

From Jeanette: A Very Merry Christmas!

During this joyful time of year, I would like to share with you three of the things that bring the most joy into my life: My Savior, my family, and Close To My Heart.

My Savior, Jesus Christ, has been a driving and sustaining force to me throughout my life. The joy I feel in celebrating His birth at Christmastime is amplified by a lifetime of striving to know Him through prayer, reflection, and following His teachings. He has been a great source of strength to me in every endeavor, including in building and leading Close To My Heart.

My family’s love and support means the world to me! From my caring and thoughtful husband, David, to my children, who have grown into such remarkable adults, and my grandchildren, who are so delightful to watch as they grow and develop. My family is my greatest blessing, and I love the time we are able to spend together—especially during the holidays.

My company, Close To My Heart, has also been a source of great joy to me, as I know it has been for thousands upon thousands of others who have been part of our community over the years. This company could not exist without the support of my family, my Savior, and the wonderful community of crafters that has embraced it and made it part of their lives. It brings me joy to see the beauty that Close To My Heart has added to the world and the ways it has changed lives for the better.

During this Christmas season, as you reflect on what brings you joy, I am honored to know that Close To My Heart is among those things. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Love,

Thursday, December 30, 2021

101 Interesting Facts About Canada ~ National Anthem


According to 101 Interesting Facts About Canada O Canada became the National Anthem in 1927.  That isn't exactly true.

A slightly modified version was officially published for the Diamond Jubilee of Confederation in 1927, and gradually it became the most widely accepted and performed version of this song but was not the official national anthem.

The tune was thought to have become the de facto national anthem after King George VI remained at attention during its playing at the dedication of the National War Memorial in Ottawa , Ontario, on May 21, 1939; though George was actually following a precedent set by his brother, Edward , the previous king of Canada , when he dedicated the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France in 1936.

In 1970, the Queen in Right of Canada purchased the right to the lyrics and music of "O Canada" from Gordon V. Thompson Music for $ 1. The song finally became the official national anthem in 1980 with the passage of the National Anthem Act. 

~ Wikipedia






Journal Prompt 30 Dec 2021 ~ Winter Fun


Describe something you love to do on cold winter nights?



Wednesday, December 29, 2021

A Taste of Canada ~ Fiddleheads

I do enjoy fiddleheads.  They have a green bean-y, asparagus-like, pea-ish taste and they are just fun to look at.

From Chateline Magazine:

HOW-TO

It’s Almost Fiddlehead Season! Here’s How To Cook This Springtime Veggie Properly
Fiddleheads are a Canadian delicacy, but undercooking them can lead to food poisoning

by Amy Grief 

Updated Apr 9, 2019


Fiddlehead season is short, so when you see the adorable green curlicues at your grocery store or farmers’ market, buy them while you can. Before chowing down on these little springtime delicacies, there’s a few things you should know first since fiddleheads can cause food poisoning if they’re not cooked properly.

What are fiddleheads?

These tightly curled coils are ostrich fern fronds. They start appearing in late April and early May in Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and are usually found in forests, marshes and by rivers and streams. Taste-wise, fiddleheads, which are popular amongst food foragers, are often compared to asparagus and artichokes. They’re packed with nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamin A, vitamin C and are a good source of fibre.

How to cook fiddleheads

Health Canada urges Canadians to never consume raw or undercooked fiddleheads since these spring greens have been associated with cases of food poisoning. Here are its recommendations for properly preparing fiddleheads:

Start by removing as much of the brown husk as possible.
To get rid of the rest of the husk and dirt, wash your fiddleheads in multiple changes of cold water.
Cook fiddleheads before adding them to stir-fries, frittatas or any other dish by boiling them for 15 minutes. Or, steam them for 10-12 minutes.

https://www.chatelaine.com/food/how-to/how-to-cook-fiddleheads/


And here is one of my favourite fiddlehead recipes:

Journal Prompt 29 Dec 2021 ~ Family Traditions

 


What traditions in your family do you love most? How will you ensure those traditions continue?



Saturday, December 25, 2021

Canadian Music ~ Carolyn Mark


Carolyn Mark is a Canadian alternative country singer-songwriter. She has recorded as a solo artist and as a member of the duo The Corn Sisters with American colleague Neko Case, as well as with the bands the Vinaigrettes, Jr. Gone Wild, Showbusiness Giants, the Fixin's and the Metronome Cowboys. She has also provided backing vocals on recordings by The Buttless Chaps, Greenfield Main, Frog Eyes, NQ Arbuckle, Rhubarb Whiskey, and Blackout Beach.

In 2006, Mark performed on CBC Radio One's Fuse in collaboration with the band Great Lake Swimmers, a collaboration which Mark herself described as "like putting a scorpion and a mouse in a tank together and seeing what happens".

In 2009 she co-released Let's Just Stay Here with Toronto's NQ Arbuckle through Vancouver's Mint Records. The album was nominated for a 2010 Juno Award, in the Roots & Traditional Album category. The album was also one of PopMatters' top 10 album in their Best Country Music of 2009 list. In September 2016, Mark released her eighth solo album, Come! Back! Special!

~ From Wikipedia



Thursday, December 23, 2021

Wednesday, December 22, 2021

A Taste of Canada ~ Kraft Dinner


I  posted about Kraft Dinner a couple of years ago here  . . .  https://inmyworld-pam.blogspot.com/2020/10/101-interesting-facts-about-canada_21.html

Kraft Dinner has been called the de facto national dish of Canada. Packaged in Quebec with Canadian wheat and milk, and other ingredients from Canada and the US, Canadians purchase 1.7 million of the 7 million boxes sold globally each week and eat an average of 3.2 boxes of Kraft Dinner each year, 55% more than Americans. 

Journal Prompt 22 Dec 2021 ~ Holiday Season 2021

 

How has this holiday season been different from last year? From 5 years ago?


Monday, December 20, 2021

Journal Prompt 20 Dec 2021 ~ Fun Crafts


What are some fun crafts or activities to do indoors on cold days?

Close To My Heart ~ A New Year of Creativity with Craft with Heart!

 A New Year of Creativity with Craft with Heart™!

Start off the new year with a brand-new selection of layouts and cards from our Craft with Heart™ subscription program! These gorgeous scrapbook pages and cards are a perfect way to kickstart your creativity and get your artistic wheels turning in 2022!

Every scrapbook element and card piece in a Craft with Heart™ subscription kit comes pre-cut or in convenient punch-out die cut sheets, making it quick and easy to create all of the projects included in each subscription box. Some of the papers even come pre-printed for even more crafting ease!

The newest Craft with Heart™ subscription kits will be available in just a few days, on January 1, and we can’t wait to share the awesome cards and scrapbook pages available in this upcoming Craft with Heart cycle!

As always, this round of Craft with Heart™ scrapbooking pages includes two layout options per month. Craft with Heart subscriptions are available in 4-month incremental subscriptions or in a 12-month option. Crafters can choose the option that best suits their specific needs, all with the convenience of having crafting materials delivered directly to their door!

Along with the memory keeping aspects of Craft with Heart™, this popular subscription program also includes a cardmaking subscription option! These cardmaking kits are also available in 4- or 12-month subscription options and come with all the materials you’ll need to create 24 cards—2 each of 12 exclusive designs. Each cardmaking kit also comes with mini stamp set, stamp pad, and stamp block. All you need to complete these beautiful cards is some of your favorite adhesive and a journaling pen to write your heartfelt thoughts inside!

Craft with Heart™ subscriptions are the perfect gift for yourself or any other crafter in your life this holiday season! Whether you’re giving a subscription to someone else or treating yourself, Craft with Heart is a great way to keep creativity strong as we move into the new year. Talk to your Close To My Heart Maker about starting a Craft with Heart subscription today!

Saturday, December 18, 2021

Canadian Music ~ Carolyn Dawn Johnson


Carolyn Dawn Johnson was born April 30, 1971 in Grande Prairie, Alberta to John Johnson, a farmer and operator of a seed-cleaning business, and Loretta Johnson, a supervisor of a home for senior citizens. Johnson was raised on a farm in Deadwood, Alberta with two brothers, late older brother Derwin, who died due to an undisclosed illness on Christmas Eve in 1998, and brother Greg. who is a Canadian country music singer-songwriter. Johnson co-wrote Chely Wright's 1999 single, "Single White Female," which reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in September 1999. Johnson was signed, in 2000, to record label Arista Nashville.

In 2001, Johnson released her debut album Room with a View. The album's first single "Georgia" reached No. 4 on the RPM Canadian Country Singles Chart for the week of November 6, 2000. "Complicated" was a Top Ten hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. Her next single ("I Don't Want You to Go") was also a Top Ten hit in the U.S. After a three-year hiatus, Johnson returned with the single "Let Me Introduce Myself". It was the lead single from her fourth album, Love Rules, released in 2010.

Johnson has a long list of music awards and award nominations. (Wikipedia)




Thursday, December 16, 2021

Journal Prompt 16 Dec 2021 ~ Anxious


What things make you anxious?



101 Interesting Facts About Canada ~ Nunavut



 In 1992, Inuit of the eastern Arctic began writing a new chapter in the story of Canada when they reached an agreement with the Government of Canada to create a new territory called Nunavut in 1999. Nunavut covers one-fifth of Canada – 2 million square kilometres, about three times the size of the island of Newfoundland – and is home to some 33,330 people, including 28,000 Inuit. It has 28 villages or communities, including the capital, Iqaluit, located on Baffin Island. That's where the territorial government is. About 7,250 people live in Iqaluit. 

https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1303138100962/1536244277979?wbdisable=true

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

A Taste of Canada ~ Caribou


Caribou is an important part of our Northern diet and culture and has been for generations. Most parts of the caribou are eaten, providing us with a rich source of nutrients we need to help build and repair body tissues as well as giving us energy.   

A single animal, the caribou, provides a remarkable array of materials used to provide tools, clothing, shelter and crafts, as well as food.  There is no waste of the caribou.

In some areas, caribou hunting is managed to help herds continue to recover and increase in size. For that reason, caribou may not be as available to all northerners as in the past.  Check with your Local Renewable Resources Offices regarding hunting restrictions in your area.

What do we know about caribou?

Northerners have traditionally relied on caribou as a major food source.  Caribou can be eaten raw, frozen, aged, roasted, dried or made into jerky, sausage, roasts and steaks. Smoking or drying helps preserve the meat and increases the amount of nutrients due to moisture loss during the drying process.

Nutrients found in caribou

Most parts of the caribou are eaten, providing us with a rich source of nutrients needed for health.


Journal Prompt 15 Dec 2021 ~ Poem

 

Write something creative about the holiday season such as a poem or short story.


Tuesday, December 14, 2021

Journal Prompt 14 Dec 2021 ~ 5 Talents



What are FIVE things you are good at?


Book Review: The Secret Speech by Tom Rob Smith

Front Cover

I didn't read the first book by Tom Rob Smith which introduced the main character of The Secret Speech, Leo Demidov.  I don't think it matters so much except that some of the reviews I read suggest Child 44 was a better book than The Secret Speech.  Since I haven't read the first book I can't compare them and I don't see that as a problem really.

The book is based in post war Russia and involves murder and mayhem, action and adventure . . . and the attempt by Demidov to atone for his past as a security officer and torturer for the former Soviet state.  This may be considered a thriller or action adventure book by many but I think it is an historical novel because the author is writing about a real time and place in history and only some of the characters are fiction.

It is a thrilling read and I recommend it highly.

Monday, December 13, 2021

Close To My Heart ~ Gearing Up for a Year of Crafting!

 Gearing Up for a Year of Crafting!

Gearing Up for a Year of Crafting #closetomyheart #ctmh #ctmhremembertoday #perpetualcalendar #photocalendar #cutabove #monthsoftheyear #newyear #svg

As we approach the close of 2021, we do one of the most human things possible and turn our thoughts to the future. We plan, prepare, and hope for things that are to come. Are you prepared, or are you preparing, for a successful new year?

As you consider the possibilities that a new year brings, we would like to share several products to help organize your time, set goals, plan, and prioritize events.

REMEMBER TODAY

Gearing Up for a Year of Crafting #closetomyheart #ctmh #ctmhremembertoday #perpetualcalendar #photocalendar #cutabove #monthsoftheyear #newyear #svg

The exclusive Remember Today products are available in several kit options, one as a layout kit for creating 13 12″ x 12″ single-page scrapbook layouts, and two kit options using those same single-page layouts to create a 12-month calendar.

Gearing Up for a Year of Crafting #closetomyheart #ctmh #ctmhremembertoday #perpetualcalendar #photocalendar #cutabove #monthsoftheyear #newyear #svg

With the Remember Today stamp set, we can keep track of special dates, set goals, and even set reminders—and we can do it all in style with the beautiful designs included!

Whether you use the layouts to build a calendar or a scrapbook album (or both!—scrapbook your calendar pages at the end of each month!), the Remember Today pages and stamp set are a stunning way to plan for, make, and preserve wonderful memories in the year ahead!

PERPETUAL CALENDAR & MONTHLY STAMP SETS

Gearing Up for a Year of Crafting #closetomyheart #ctmh #ctmhremembertoday #perpetualcalendar #photocalendar #cutabove #monthsoftheyear #newyear #svg

Sometimes we need to look at the bigger picture, and a perpetual calendar is a great way to do it!

This last year, we rolled out a series of stamps dedicated to each month, aptly named Months of the Year ðŸ˜‰. Each stamp set is full of sentiments, borders, and icons for creating seasonally specific artwork all through the year. Pair these stamp sets with the Perpetual Calendar to design and create its pages!

Gearing Up for a Year of Crafting #closetomyheart #ctmh #ctmhremembertoday #perpetualcalendar #photocalendar #cutabove #monthsoftheyear #newyear #svg

Because Close To My Heart serves a global market, we’ve created two stamp sets for each month—one for crafters in the northern hemisphere, and another for artists in the southern hemisphere, to reflect the difference in seasons!

MONTHS OF THE YEAR SVGS

Gearing Up for a Year of Crafting #closetomyheart #ctmh #ctmhremembertoday #perpetualcalendar #photocalendar #cutabove #monthsoftheyear #newyear #svg

The last products we’re highlighting today are the digital art files included in our current Core Products Catalog, specifically the months of the year SVGs. Although we are only showing four examples, we have all twelve months of the year designed and ready to go. (Click here to see all available digital art files.)

Each month is available as a downloadable SVG file. Once you download the file, you can manipulate the images in a design software, like Cricut Design Space™. Resize it, remove layers—whatever you want, the file is yours! (Each different color shown in the artwork indicates different layers that can be edited and cut individually with your chosen software and personal cutting machine.)

There you have it, several great resources to help you get ready for the coming year—or to celebrate the year that we’re bringing to a close! ðŸ™ƒ