from 365 Days of Scrapbooking Ideas
by Better Homes and Gardens
Saturday, February 29, 2020
Friday, February 28, 2020
Public Sleeping Day
When : Always February 28th
Public Sleeping Day is an opportunity to sleep in public. We can think of a whole lot of places to sleep in the public eye. And, today is the day to do it.
You can sleep on a park bench. You can doze on a blanket on the beach. Some people may opt to sleep on the job. They do so at their own risk. Have you ever caught twenty winks on a bus or subway traveling to or from work? Sure, we all have.
Wherever you choose to sleep today, we hope it is peaceful and restful.
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Chicken Noodle Soup
The yucky old snow is here again so I thought I should share this delicious, hearty soup.
1 tsp vegetable oil
2 cups onion, chopped
8 cups reduced-fat chicken broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
2 large carrots, sliced thinly
1/2 cup celery, chopped
5 oz. dried wide egg noodles
1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cupes (about 2 cups)
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
1 medium-sized tomato, seeded and chopped
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
In large pan or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, stirring frequently. Stir in broth, garlic, thyme, pepper, carrots, celery and chicken. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until carrots are barely tender and chicken is no longer pink (less than 10 minutes). Remove from heat. Stir in zucchini, tomato and parsley. Cool. Pour into labeled freezer bag; freeze.
To Serve: Thaw. Place in large pan or Dutch oven; add noodles. Heat over medium heat until heated through and noodles are cooked through.
Per Serving: 230.3 calories; 2.9 g fat; 33.6 g protein; 29.1 g carbohydrates; 58 mg cholesterol.
Changes I made: I added the noodles and continued cooking until the vegetables and noodles were cooked.
1 tsp vegetable oil2 cups onion, chopped
8 cups reduced-fat chicken broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
2 large carrots, sliced thinly
1/2 cup celery, chopped
5 oz. dried wide egg noodles
1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cupes (about 2 cups)
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
1 medium-sized tomato, seeded and chopped
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
In large pan or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, stirring frequently. Stir in broth, garlic, thyme, pepper, carrots, celery and chicken. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until carrots are barely tender and chicken is no longer pink (less than 10 minutes). Remove from heat. Stir in zucchini, tomato and parsley. Cool. Pour into labeled freezer bag; freeze.
To Serve: Thaw. Place in large pan or Dutch oven; add noodles. Heat over medium heat until heated through and noodles are cooked through.
Per Serving: 230.3 calories; 2.9 g fat; 33.6 g protein; 29.1 g carbohydrates; 58 mg cholesterol.
Changes I made: I added the noodles and continued cooking until the vegetables and noodles were cooked.
Saturday, February 22, 2020
My favourite sketch blog
I decided to share one of my favourite sketch blogs today. It is my favourite because they are simple but can be fancied up very easily AND you don't have to crop any photos. Enjoy!
Thursday, February 20, 2020
It's Hoodie-Hoo Day
Northern Hemisphere Hoodie-Hoo Day
When : Always on February 20
On this winter day, people go out at noon, wave their hands over their heads and chant "Hoodie-Hoo".
When : Always on February 20
On this winter day, people go out at noon, wave their hands over their heads and chant "Hoodie-Hoo".
It is a day to chase away winter blahs, and bring in spring. After all, everyone in the northern hemisphere is sick and tired of winter at this point and a little crazy being cooped up inside all winter and not seeing the sun.
Get out there, hoodie-hoo, and take a photo to share.
Did you know? Hoodie Hoo Day is a copyrighted holiday. It was created and is provided, courtesy of the great folks at Wellcat.com
Get out there, hoodie-hoo, and take a photo to share.
Did you know? Hoodie Hoo Day is a copyrighted holiday. It was created and is provided, courtesy of the great folks at Wellcat.com
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
Broccoli Soup
Preparation : 10 min Cooking : 30 min
330 calories/serving
Ingredients
2 potatoes, chopped into 3 cm pieces 400 g
3 1/2 cups broccoli, cut into florets 420 g
1 1/2 carrots, chopped into 3 cm pieces 150 g
1 zucchini, chopped into 3 cm pieces 130 g
1 1/2 stalk celery, chopped into 3 cm pieces 110 g
1 1/2 onions, chopped into 3 cm pieces 300 g
5 cups chicken broth, low-sodium 1.25 L
5 tsp butter, unsalted 24 g
5 tsp olive oil 25 mL
5 slices bread, whole wheat, for the croutons 180 g
2 1/2 tbsp olive oil, for the croutons 38 mL
1 pinch salt [optional] 0.2 g
ground pepper to taste [optional]
Before you start
A blender or food processor will be very useful to purée the soup.
Method
Prepare the vegetables. Peel the potatoes. Coarsely chop all the vegetables except the broccoli into uniform 3 cm pieces. Cut the broccoli into florets.
Heat the butter and oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add all the vegetables except the broccoli and cook over medium heat for about 10 min with occasional stirring. Add the warm broth and cook an additional 8 min, uncovered.
Meanwhile, prepare the croutons.
Add the broccoli stalks, which take longer to cook, then add the florets 2 min later. Cook, uncovered, 10 min maximum until the potatoes are cooked and fork-tender. Don't overcook the broccoli, so that the soup will maintain a nice green colour.
Purée in a blender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Portion out into bowls, add the croutons and serve.
Observations
The soup keeps up to 7 days in the refrigerator or up to 4 months in the freezer.
2020 Craft Room Organization Challenge ~ #8 Paper Cosmetics
How does it feel to know we are nearly done? Your crafting space should be looking a lot better by now. I bet you aren't opening 15 different containers while trying to find one item.
Challenge #8
Challenge #8
It is time to organize our "paper cosmetics": paints, inks, embossing powders, mists, and other products that add a little something special to our pages. If you do mixed media art I bet your stock of paper cosmetics is pretty substantial. Let's get started . . .
SORT: first go through each of these items and make sure your colours haven't expired. Are ink pads still juicy? Are lids still intact? Do paints still mix together when shaken? Are your chalks still intact enough to use? Sort all of your paper cosmetics into TOSS, KEEP, SELL, DONATE
PURGE: Throw out the toss items. Bag up and assign a price and your initials to the SELL pile, and put them immediately in your garage sale box. Arrange for pick-up or drop-off of the DONATE pile.
ASSIGN: Sort your KEEP pile into categories that make sense to you.
CONTAINERIZE: Inks last longest when stored horizontally, upside down (that's why Stampin' Up ink pads flip that way!) on a shelf, in a drawer, or maybe a cassette tape holder? Paints could be stacked on a narrow shelf, on a tiered rack, in spice racks, etc. Embossing powders, chalks and other cosmetics could be stored in well-labeled drawers.
EQUALIZE: take a few minutes at the end of each scrapping session, when you return from a crop, or return from a shopping trip to put your paper cosmetics away where they belong.
Please share your progress on our Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.2634152743337269&type=3
SORT: first go through each of these items and make sure your colours haven't expired. Are ink pads still juicy? Are lids still intact? Do paints still mix together when shaken? Are your chalks still intact enough to use? Sort all of your paper cosmetics into TOSS, KEEP, SELL, DONATE
PURGE: Throw out the toss items. Bag up and assign a price and your initials to the SELL pile, and put them immediately in your garage sale box. Arrange for pick-up or drop-off of the DONATE pile.
ASSIGN: Sort your KEEP pile into categories that make sense to you.
CONTAINERIZE: Inks last longest when stored horizontally, upside down (that's why Stampin' Up ink pads flip that way!) on a shelf, in a drawer, or maybe a cassette tape holder? Paints could be stacked on a narrow shelf, on a tiered rack, in spice racks, etc. Embossing powders, chalks and other cosmetics could be stored in well-labeled drawers.
EQUALIZE: take a few minutes at the end of each scrapping session, when you return from a crop, or return from a shopping trip to put your paper cosmetics away where they belong.
Please share your progress on our Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.2634152743337269&type=3
Sunday, February 16, 2020
Movie Review: American Dreamz (2006)
Have you ever seen this movie? What a riot. This movie is a satire about everything that is wrong with reality television with some great side-swipes at the American government. And I love Hugh Grant. Hugh Grant is an ideal choice to play a character inspired by American Idol's Simon Cowell. Grant plays the very personable host, a man who has every trapping of success but still isn't happy. Not every actor could portray a self-loathing individual and still retain our interest in him. Grant manages that feat. Grant's character meets his match in the unlikely form of Mandy Moore, a sweet-faced girl from the Midwest who’s chosen as a contestant on the show. Her all-American looks are deceiving, as the people around her are doomed to learn for themselves: she’s about as warm as an iceberg. I also loved Marcia Gay Harden and Dennis Quaid as the First Couple.
This movie is definitely not to be taken seriously. Just enjoy it.
Saturday, February 15, 2020
Scrapbooking with Sketches
Scrapbooking With Sketches: Black & White Edition
Paperback, 97 Pages
List Price: $17.81
Price: $14.25
You Save: $3.56 ( 20% )
Prints in 3-5 business days
Not sure how to put together your layout? Sketches are a great tool for planning layouts.
Also available in full colour and ebook editions. Check Author's Spotlight for pricing.
Also available in full colour and ebook editions. Check Author's Spotlight for pricing.
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
Basil-flavoured Chicken and Pepper Stir-Fry
I really enjoyed this recipe, especially the sauce. Of course, I threw in extra vegetables.
Preparation : 10 min Cooking : 15 min
240 calories/serving
Ingredients
1 yellow or red sweet peppers, cut into 1 cm-wide strips 200 g
1/2 onions, halved and cut into 1 cm-thick wedges 100 g
3 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into 1 x 5 cm pieces 200 g
paper towels
2 tbsp cornstarch 16 g
1 pinch salt [optional] 0.2 g
ground pepper to taste [optional]
1 1/2 tbsp canola oil 23 mL
3 tbsp water 45 mL
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce 23 mL
1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar 23 mL
30 leaves fresh basil, larger leaves torn in half 16 g
Before you start
Put the serving dish in the oven at the lowest setting to keep the meat warm while you cook the vegetables.
Method
Prepare the vegetables : Cut the peppers into 1 cm-wide strips; halve the onions then cut them into 1 cm wedges; mince the garlic. Cut the chicken into strips ½ to 1 cm wide and about 5 cm long. Pat the strips dry with paper towels, then toss them with the cornstarch until they are coated. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat half of the oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the chicken pieces in batches, so as not to overcrowd the pan. Cook until browned, but not completely cooked through, 4-5 min total. Transfer the chicken to a plate and keep it warm in the oven.
Pour the remaining oil into the pan, then add the onion and peppers. Cook over medium-high heat, tossing often, until they begin to brown and soften, about 5 min. Add the garlic then cook until fragrant, about 1 min. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour in the water, soy sauce, and vinegar. Put the chicken pieces back into the pan. Cook, with tossing, until the chicken is cooked through, about 3-4 min. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the basil leaves, adjust the seasoning then serve.
Sunday, February 9, 2020
Movie Review: Driving Lessons (2006)
Hubby and I had a look through Maitlin's list of 151 movies and picked this little gem. I definitely had never heard of it before. Driving Lessons stars two faces familiar to Potter fans: Rupert Grint,
who plays Ron Weasley, and the wonderful Julie Walters, who plays Ron’s mother
in the Potter movies. But that's not where I know Julie Walters from. I kept staring at her and staring at her and finally realized she is Rosie from Mamma Mia.
We thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It was funny and sad and dramatic and totally enjoyable. Watching Ron grow in maturity and strength was truly charming. And Julie Walters as the mad as a hatter Dame Eve Walton is a riot to watch. Her eccentric behaviour is totally engaging. Eve takes a theatrical approach to almost everything in life, and introduces the
sheltered teenager to a world in which his poetic nature can blossom. Despite
their age difference, these two characters create a strong bond of
friendship.
You really need to check out this movie.
Saturday, February 8, 2020
Wednesday, February 5, 2020
Watkin's Guadalajara Soup
Ingredients
2-1/2 pounds/1.1 kg lean, boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch/2.5-cm cubes
1 tsp/5 mL garlic liquid sauce
1 cup/250 mL coarsely chopped onion
2 tbsp/30 mL Watkins Organic Chili Powder
1 tbsp/15 mL Watkins Organic Cumin
1-1/2 tsp/7.5 mL Watkins Organic Oregano
1/4 tsp/5 ml, or to taste Watkins Pure Ground Black Pepper
7 cups/1.75 liters water
1/3 cup/80 mL Watkins Beef Soup & Gravy Base
1 cup/250 mL dried pinto beans or small red beans
3 cups/750 mL thinly sliced carrots
1 can (7 oz/198 g) baby corn, drained and cut into bite-sized chunks
Directions
In a large Dutch oven or kettle, brown pork in garlic liquid spice. Add onion and continue to cook until onion is limp. Add next seven ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 1-1/2 hours or until beans are tender. Add carrots and simmer an additional 30 minutes; stir in corn. Serve hot.
Makes 8 servings.
Craft Room Organization Challenge #6 ~ Ribbons and Fibres
Are you ready for Challenge #6? Let's talk about Ribbons and fibres. I must have done a lot of collecting of fibre in 2019 because I had to update my storage system to fit everything. I'm pleased with the new plan and I have shared my photos in Album #6 on our Facebook group.
There is no "right" way to store your ribbons and fibre. The most important factor is that the system works for YOU. First, let's make some S.P.A.C.E.
SORT: Gather together all of your ribbons and fiber, and sort them into piles: KEEP, TOSS, SELL, DONATE.
PURGE: Throw out the TOSS pile. Immediately make arrangements for pick-up or drop-off of the DONATE pile. Bag up, and assign a price and your initials to the SELL pile, and immediately put these in your garage sale box.
ASSIGN: Sort your KEEP pile into types/colours of fibre and ribbon. If your ribbons are in a big wrinkled mess, take time now to give everything a pressing (careful with the heat, some synthetics may melt!).
CONTAINERIZE: Consider the space that you have, and the way that you work. Here are some ideas that work for both ribbons and fibres:
1) on those little cardboard bobbins meant for embroidery floss
2) organized by colour in big clear glass jars on a shelf
3) wound and paper clipped and stored with their coordinating embellishments
4) Cropper Hopper mini embellishment boxes and sorted by colour
5) in small ziploc bags stored in a photo box, or on a big ring
6) in sports cards organizer pages, sorted by colour and in a binder
7) wound on index cards and stored in a photo box
8) loosely tied on a big ring
EQUALIZE: take a few minutes at the end of each scrapping session, when you return from a crop, or return from a shopping trip to put your ribbons and fibres away where they belong.
Share your progress by posting photos at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.2634149603337583&type=3
There is no "right" way to store your ribbons and fibre. The most important factor is that the system works for YOU. First, let's make some S.P.A.C.E.
SORT: Gather together all of your ribbons and fiber, and sort them into piles: KEEP, TOSS, SELL, DONATE.
PURGE: Throw out the TOSS pile. Immediately make arrangements for pick-up or drop-off of the DONATE pile. Bag up, and assign a price and your initials to the SELL pile, and immediately put these in your garage sale box.
ASSIGN: Sort your KEEP pile into types/colours of fibre and ribbon. If your ribbons are in a big wrinkled mess, take time now to give everything a pressing (careful with the heat, some synthetics may melt!).
CONTAINERIZE: Consider the space that you have, and the way that you work. Here are some ideas that work for both ribbons and fibres:
1) on those little cardboard bobbins meant for embroidery floss
2) organized by colour in big clear glass jars on a shelf
3) wound and paper clipped and stored with their coordinating embellishments
4) Cropper Hopper mini embellishment boxes and sorted by colour
5) in small ziploc bags stored in a photo box, or on a big ring
6) in sports cards organizer pages, sorted by colour and in a binder
7) wound on index cards and stored in a photo box
8) loosely tied on a big ring
EQUALIZE: take a few minutes at the end of each scrapping session, when you return from a crop, or return from a shopping trip to put your ribbons and fibres away where they belong.
Share your progress by posting photos at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.2634149603337583&type=3
Saturday, February 1, 2020
Scrapbooking With Two-Page Sketches
Scrapbooking With Two-Page Sketches: Black & White Edition
Paperback, 91 Pages
List Price: $10.66
Price: $8.53
You Save: $2.13 ( 20% )
Prints in 3-5 business days
Not sure how to put together your scrapbooking page? Sketches are a great tool for planning layouts.
Also available in colour.
Also available in colour.
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