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Written by jenn
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Friday, 05 February 2010 01:57 |
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So this doesn't exactly fall under the category of something crafty but it does fall under the category of things I always think about making but don't. Last summer, I purchased a dwarf lemon tree and it apparently loves it's new home and has shown it's appreciation by producing as many lemons as it's tiny branches can hold. I found lots of uses for the lemon juice but found myself with lots of extra lemon zest. Lemon zest is amazing. Not only does it add a burst of flavor to recipes (I love to add a teaspoon or so to apple or berry recipes) but it also holds the fragrant oil from the peel.
I like to keep a container of coarse salt mixed with olive oil to smooth out and moisturize my hands because of the toll cooking/baking/washing dishes takes on them. As I was staring at the lemon zest wondering what to do with it, I noticed this mixture and immediately thought about making a body scrub. I used sugar instead of salt because, well.... I had a salt based body scrub once and without thinking used it just after shaving. It was not pretty. Besides, lemon sugar sounds much for fun than lemon salt :)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
zest of 3 lemons
3/4 to 1 cup olive oil
Directions:
Mix zest and sugar together (grind in mortar and pestle or pulse a few times in food processor if you've got one)
Add enough oil to saturate sugar and until a thin layer of oil rests on top of the sugar.
Place in air tight container and Enjoy!
*Please note, because this is made with all natural ingredients from your pantry (without preserving chemicals) this will not have the same shelf life as products purchased from a store. Keep stored in an airtight container and in a dark, cool place to help it last longer. Mine has lasted 3 weeks so far. I imagine I will get a few more weeks before it runs out or turns. Make in small batches and use often/liberally - it only costs a buck or two instead of ten or more to purchase so you can afford the extra bit of luxury in your life.
~cultivating me
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Last Updated on Friday, 05 February 2010 04:27 |
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Banana Wheat Chex Muffins |
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Written by jenn
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Monday, 01 February 2010 03:45 |
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My kids and I really love banana bread but it isn't always the healthiest. It's also not the easiest thing to pack for school lunches. We like to whip these up when we have overripe bananas lying around. They are really easy to make and school lunch friendly. Plus I get to feel good that my kids take along a healthy snack.
Banana Wheat Chex Muffins
quick, easy, yummy, healthy muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup Wheat Chex (or other bran type cereal)
- 2 overripe bananas, mashed
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole wheat flour (all purpose if that is what you have)
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400
- Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix until well combined
- Let sit for about 10 minutes before filling muffin tin
- Bake for 25-30 minutes
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Last Updated on Monday, 01 February 2010 04:07 |
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Written by jenn
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Thursday, 31 December 2009 00:28 |
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I've recently stumbled upon Eddie Ross's design website and blog and have become greatly inspired by many of his ideas. He is greatly talented but has ideas which are inexpensive, uncomplicated and beautiful. I used his idea for the paper I used to wrap my christmas presents this year. When I saw this idea, I immediately fell in love with it and wanted to give it a try. It seemed easy enough, even I couldn't mess it up and it was! I decided to use silver, blue, and white to match the colors of my wrapping paper and because I find they are lovely together.
For this project you will need:
One wire hanger (find one in your closet or beg your local dry cleaner)
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
65-80 ornaments of varying sizes and colors
Ribbon for the bow on top
Begin by using glue gun to securely attach metal caps to ornaments. This will keep them from falling off once stung on the hanger. Next, bend hanger into the shape of a circle. Once that is done, unwind the top of the wire hanger and begin stringing on the ornaments varying colors and sizes as you go. To finish, rewind the top of the hanger and use the hook of the hanger to hang the wreath. Attach ribbon to hide the exposed part of the hanger. And you're done!
I really love this wreath I made and I am ignoring the perfectionist in me who wants to take it apart and start again. I can see where the colors/patterns are grouped together and could be spread out. But, in the end, I made this, it makes me smile and I don't need much more than that. It's a lovely addition to our Christmas decorations. |
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Last Updated on Thursday, 31 December 2009 00:50 |
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"The Magician's Elephant" (7/1000) |
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Written by jenn
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Thursday, 31 December 2009 06:45 |
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I read this book one chapter at a time with my 10 year old son. His teacher suggested he spend some extra time reading out loud and I thought reading a book together was a fun way for him to do that. I had not idea how fun it would be for me too.
This book was darker than I had anticipated but not scary or sad, just not as light hearted as I had anticipated. However, it was also full of mystery and hope. We both savored every page of the story. It was very hard at times to limit ourselves to just one chapter and so a few nights we read, 'just one more'. The vocabulary was challenging for my son every now and then but he has a slew of new words tucked into his brain which is a marvelous thing.
I will always treasure this book for it's story but also for the memories I now have with my son and our new found time together each night. It was sad to come to the end of this book but we already have our next one picked. It's the first book in a series so it looks like we'll have many nights like this ahead of us :)
From the cover:
What if? Why not? Could it be?
When a fortuneteller's tent appears in the market square o the city of Baltese, orphan Peter Augustus Duchene knows the questions that he needs to ask: Does his sister still live? And if so, how can he find her? The fortuneteller's mysterious answer (an elephant! An elephant will lead him there!) sets off a chain of events so remarkable, so impossible, that you will hardly dare to believe it's true. With atmospheric illustrations by fine artist Yoko Tanaka, here is a dreamlike and captivating tale that could only be narrated by Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo. In this timeless fable, she evokes the largest of themes - hope and belonging, desire and compassion - with the lightness of a magician's touch
Pages: 201
Pages read to date: 2259
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Last Updated on Thursday, 31 December 2009 22:23 |
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"A Christmas Passage" (6/1000) |
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Written by jenn
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Wednesday, 30 December 2009 22:48 |
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My mom bought me this book a few years back. I am sure it was a christmas present and I am sure she bought it thinking I would be able to relate to one of the characters - she's going through a divorce and so was I at the time. I'm not sure why it took me so long to read this book. I suppose I figured this book had some sort of happy ending and I really wasn't in the mood for books like this at the time. I was in a very dark place a year ago and I remember scoffing at any idea of happy endings. I just didn't see how they were possible in general and especially in my life. I got over it.
I needed a book to read and it was almost Christmas and I thought this book was appropriate. It's exactly the kind of book I expected it to be. It reminded me of a Hallmark Channel movie. The plot is sort of cliche and I saw most of what was coming before it came and yet I still liked this book. I'm a sucker for cheesy feel good stories - you should see how many movies I recorded from the Hallmark channel over the last few weeks. I believe once again in happy endings and in the impossible. It's nice to immerse myself it the thought of them every now and then. This would be a great book to read while traveling or sitting at the beach - entertaining enough to keep me interested but not too complicated I have to devote most of my attention to it. I liked it, I didn't love it.
From the cover:
Christmas Eve morning at a crowded airport threatens to become Christmas Day when a heavy snowfall waylays five strangers on their way to Asheville, Nor Carolina. Marta's traveling with two children and the weight of a bitter divorce on her shoulders...Andy, a widower and Vietnam vet, reminisces at the airport bar when he notices the presence of a female soldier...Specialish Ilena is on leave from Iraq, fraught with guilt about leaving her comrades...Reggie, a laid-off assembly worker, contemplates his uncertain future... and wealthy businessman John is troubled by the untimely death of his high-powered, workaholic father.
As the Travelers reflect on their lives, a new challenge soon arises: their plane is grounded. But in the spirit of the season, a good samaritan offers to drive them to Asheville. Then her van gets stuck on a snowy road - and the real journey begins for an unlikely group who have more in common than meets the eye as they embark on a magical passage that will show them the true meaning of Christmas
pages: 274
pages read to date: 2058 |
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