Showing posts with label pets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pets. Show all posts

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Ice cream for dogs

I was talking to a friend the other day about her dog and she mentioned that she was taking him out for some doggie ice cream. I thought that this was a great idea so I decided to write a post about it.

As most animals are lactose intolerant (including dogs), ice cream would most likely be made of milk substitutes. My friend mentioned that her dog's favorite was sweet potato and the peanut butter ice cream.

Recipes

Flavor Ideas
  • Pureed vegetables like sweet potato, pumpkin, squash, potato, carrot
  • Pureed fruit like banana, peach, apple,
  • Flavors like peanut butter, honey, coffee, dog biscuits
  • Milk (or milk substitutes) like rice or almond milk, yogurt and soy milk
  • Savory ingredients like leftover meats, beef or chicken broth, and herbs

How to

Other Tidbits

10 Fabulous Cheap (and homemade) Cat toys and treats

I decided that it was time to make some toys for my cat. I have lots of things around the house that I want to reuse or get out of my fabric stash.
  1. Shoe box toy from this website
  2. A stuffed sock.
  3. A fabric ball: take a scrap piece of fabric and stuff it with some wadded up paper, aluminum foil or other scrap fabric along with some catnip and some noisy bells. Sew it up to form a stuffed ball and toss that around for the cat.
  4. Any object made from eyelash yarn (bonus points if that is glittery or shiny eyelash yarn).
  5. A twist-tie: just make sure that it has no exposed metal ends. I'm rather paranoid about that.
  6. The cursor on your computer screen: ever notice how a cat really goes for that little moving arrow on your laptop? Mine sits next to me and watches it move around so I let him try to attack it - provided that he keeps the cardinal rule of never stepping on the computer keys. 
  7. Crumpled up balls of aluminum foil or wads of scrap paper.
  8. Leaves or pinecones from outside
  9. Feathers (or objects that have feathers on them). 
  10. An old tie. We don't use string as I knit but dragging an old tie around on the floor works wonders.
Ideas:
  1. Homemade cat toy ideas
  2. Homemade cat treats.
  3. Top 5 Do it Yourself Cat Toys

Guilt-free Rewards for a Job Well Done

One of my problems with it comes to weight loss is struggling with the idea of rewarding myself for a job well done. It could be that I finally finished a long, arduous project or that I finally did 4 workouts this week. The first thing that I think is: I should reward myself, time for a Coke. Or, a chocolate bar. Or ice cream. 
Well, that just damaged the good chore that I finished. So, I took some time to make a list of guilt-free rewards to give myself for a job well done. I know I am not the only person thinking about this so I will share it with you.

Some of these options require finances but some are also free. What you could do is while you are working towards a goal, decide on the reward that you want to give yourself. Then put aside money for it while you are working towards the goal. For example, as a reward to myself for finishing a large project at work I can save money on the side to get my hair done at the salon. Once the goal is reached, then I can go for a morning of pampering and not worry about the finances.
  • A long bubble bath with a yummy scent and candles, perhaps my favorite music in the background
  • A mug of steaming hot apple cider or a hot chocolate with marshmellows (the diet kind)
  • One uninterrupted evening of doing an activity that I secretly love (like writing)
  • Talking on the phone with a best friend or on Skype
  • Throw a party with all of your friends -- perhaps a pot luck, movie night, etc.
  • One uninterrupted evening (or afternoon) of starting and finishing a project
  • Watching a new movie at home. This could mean renting it then giving it the full new movie treatment (for me, this is turning out the lights, stopping all projects and just watching a new movie). 
  • Going out to the theatre to see a new movie with friends (or with my husband)
  • Have a nice meal at a new restaurant
  • One uninterrupted evening of browsing my favorite websites
  • Buying and reading a new magazine
  • One evening of planning an upcoming event (like Christmas) and planning all of the items that I want to make to decorate the house or give as gifts
  • If it's summer, one afternoon sitting and tanning under the sun with a nice book or great music
  • Signing up for a class in a topic that I want to learn about (like yoga, knitting, or a language of choice)
  • Crossing an activity off of the bucket list (skydiving, rockclimbing, running a 5K, etc.)
  • Digging out the old "To Do" list and tackling one of the older ones that you've always said will never get done (ex. organizing the filing cabinet). 
  • Reading a new book (or, one of your old favorites)
  • Take on a new knitting project or spend an evening knitting
  • Take the dog out for a walk in a new area (or put on rollerblades and run with the dog) or to the park
  • Learn a new hobby from a friend (or teach a friend how to do one of your hobbies, if they are interested)
  • Have a game evening on the Wii, Xbox or whatever you have with the family. See who will win. 
  • Return to a hobby that you love but haven't done for a long time (for me, that would be genealogy or cross-stitching)
  • Try a new recipe out of a magazine for supper
  • Spend an afternoon at the local bookstore -- not buying anything -- but sitting with a coffee, paging through some books to see what is new and checking out the ones that you've always wanted. 
  • Spend a lazy afternoon on the couch doing a hobby, snuggling with the kids and the pets
  • Watch a movie that was your childhood favorite (perhaps even introduce it to your kids or your husband)
  • Trying something new with your significant other (I don't think that I need to elaborate on this one)
  • Go for a massage or spa treatment. 
  • If you are a woman, try a new makeover on yourself or go and get one at Sephora or another store with that option. 
  • Go to bed early or sleep in. Get your significant other involved in this to make sure that you are able to sleep in (or go to bed early) without any distractions. 
  • Spend an evening researching a topic that interests you but you've never had time to think about it (like a historical event, a famous person, etc.)
  • Get your hair done with color, highlights or a perm. Ask for the full treatment with the scalp massage and special conditioners that most salons do for free and enjoy the trip.

Friday, December 16, 2011

5 Simply Fabulous Lunch Wraps

There is a wrap at a particular coffee shop that I LOVE. Whenever I forget my lunch, I get this wrap there on the way to work. I got thinking though: this is so incredibly good that I am sure that I can make it at home. Then I realized that there are other simply fabulous wrap combinations out there as well. Here are 10 that I thought of (and tested!):
  1. Thai Tuna Wrap: make a chili lemon mayonnaise with chili powder, lemon juice and mayonnaise. Add a chopped red bird chili. Add 1 can of water-packed tuna, 2 tbsp chopped green onions, 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander, 1/4 cup cooked brown rice and 1/4 cup shredded cooked carrot. Mix together and add to a sun-dried tomato wrap. Wrap and refrigerate before eating.
  2. Horseradish Beef Wrap: Mix together 1/4 cup chopped leftover beef roast and 1/4 cup leftover sauteed onions and mushrooms. Add 2 tbsp prepared horseradish sauce (I like a lot more) and mix. Add to a sundried tomato wrap with some sliced red pepper strips. Wrap and refrigerate before eating.
  3. Vietnamese Spring Rolls: Cook some rice noodles and shrimp. Also wet some rice paper. In the cooked rice paper, add a handful of cooked rice noodles and three to four shelled, cooked shrimp (tails removed). Add a long sprig of fresh coriander and strips of cut red and green pepper then roll up like a wrap. Also, make a peanut dip with 2 tbsp natural peanut butter, 1 tbsp ketchup and 1 chopped red bird chili. Serve immediately with the dip. (These can be refrigerated but I find that the rice paper and the noodles get a little hard.)
  4. Antipasto Wrap: add some leftover cooked, chopped chicken to a bowl and mix with 3 tbsp chopped, drained sun-dried tomatoes, 3 chopped canned artichoke hearts, 1/4 cup cooked, drained frozen spinach and 1 oz feta cheese, crumbled. Mix together. Add to a sun-dried tomato wrap and wrap up. Serve immediately (because it might get soggy).
  5. Greek spinach wrap: cook some frozen spinach then drain it well. Add to a spinach or pesto tortilla with some leftover chopped chicken and light feta cheese. Wrap up and serve immediately.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Stenciled cup towels

Yet another project that adds a touch of Christmas to every room! This time, it's my kitchen. I bought these simple white cup towels and stenciled them with blue paint, almost the same way that I did my shower curtain so I won't bother repeating the instructions.


Cup towel # 1:


Cup towel #2:


Notes:
  • As these cup towels are now painted, I don't think that they can be washed -- even by hand. So, sadly, these are decorations only and cannot be used. They look nice though! I will work on an idea that is washable for next year.

Spinach, mushroom and feta quiche

I made this lovely quiche for breakfast this morning and decided to share the recipe with you. The best thing about it is that it is a base recipe that you can adjust and add your own combinations. I have some ideas at the bottom.

(don't mind my picture, I forgot to use cooking spray)


Ingredients:
  • 1 cup cleaned, sliced mushrooms
  • 1 cup dethawed, cooked spinach (from frozen)
  • 1/4 cup sodium-reduced feta cheese, chopped up
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 cup Bisquick
  • Cooking spray (ex. PAM)

Directions:
Turn the oven on 385 F. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Meanwhile, add vegetables and feta cheese to a baking dish and stir well. In another medium-sized bowl, crack and add eggs. Discard shells and remove any traces of shell from the eggs. Add milk and Bisquick then stir together well with a whisk to break up any lumps. Add to baking dish with vegetables then bake for 40 minutes. Serve!


Notes:
  • The base for this quiche is the milk, Bisquick and eggs. Once you have that down, anything is possible.The cheese ratio is usually 1 cup of shredded cheese but I reduced it given the strong flavor of feta cheese.
  • I have also made quiche muffins before. I sprayed the muffin tin with cooking spray then I mixed it up in a mixing bowl then added it by a 1/2 cup measuring cup to each muffin. Baking time is around 30 minutes.
  • I added no salt to this particular combination because I had feta cheese in it. However, with other combinations you might want to add salt and pepper to taste before baking.

Combination ideas:
  • Green pepper, mushrooms and ham with shredded cheddar cheese
  • Shredded apple (or pear), ham and very sharp or old shredded cheddar cheese
  • Hot salsa, corn and shredded cheddar cheese
  • Broccoli, ham or bacon and cheese (blue cheese, Havarti, cheddar, etc.)
  • Leftover chopped chicken or turkey, green pepper, spinach and cheese (any of the above choices although feta would be stellar)
  • Red pepper, asparagus and Swiss cheese (or Emmenthal, Havarti, Gouda, etc.)
  • Sliced potato, bacon and 1 cup very sharp or old shredded cheddar cheese
  • Red pepper, pepperoni and mozzarella cheese
  • Caramelized onions, mushrooms and leftover beef roast with cheese (perhaps cheddar or Havarti)
  • Roasted cauliflower, red pepper and onions with Jahlsberg cheese (or Havarti, Gouda)

Stopping static electricity in the winter

We have a problem in this apartment once the snow begins falling: static electricity. We pet the cat and we pass a static shock or when we sit down on the couch. It drives me crazy! So, we looked up ways to get rid of it. That's when we learned that it is caused from a lack of humidity in the apartment, most likely because we closed the windows and it's cold outside.

So, this is what we do come December until about March or April.


We heat up a pot of water on medium heat and add 2 cinnamon sticks and whatever else I have in the house. Great additions are anise pods, nutmeg, orange peels (or any citrus peels), apple peels and dried herbs. The house smells fantastic and this eliminates the static shock.

Notes:
  • Do not forget about the pot of boiling water!!! I did that with my copper Dutch oven only to find it completely ruined. Fill it with water every hour or so. Sometimes I put a kitchen timer on for an hour to remind me to come and refill the pot.
  • The water will turn darker with the addition of spices like cinnamon, anise and nutmeg. That's why the water in my pot is dark brown in the picture. Nothing is wrong with it, it's just been boiling down brown spices.
  • This does eliminate most of the static in our apartment. We have an 800 sq. foot apartment and this works for almost every room. For a larger space or greater effect, you may need an actual humidifier.

Glamorous glittery ornaments

These are some wooden die-cut ornaments that I bought from Dollarama last year. They come in sets of 4 in various wordings (Noel, Peace, Love, etc.). I got the idea of making these brilliant glittery ornaments from looking at a magazine with some similar ornaments on it. I just thought: those are so lovely...I can make those myself!


For this project, I used the wooden ornaments, acrylic paint, paintbrush, an orphaned container to hold paint/glue, glitter glue, fine glitter in color of choice, a 1/4 teaspoon or small spoon, newspaper, and ribbon or embroidery floss for hanging. I also used a second container which held water when I was painting.


To start, I cut the ribbon off because it didn't match the style of these ornaments. I will restring it later. 


Then, I painted them. I had to do it in two coats and allow drying time in between. I had a system of side one, dry, side 2, dry, then edges. Then I did it all again.




Then, it was time to glitter! The fun part!


I used a smaller paintbrush and painted a thin layer of glitter glue onto the ornament in sections - one letter at a time.  I was moving pretty fast because I couldn't let the glue dry.


I added the glitter to a 1/4 tsp for dusting on the glued part of the ornament.


I dusted the glue part all over with the glitter.


Then I shook off the excess. I reused that glitter over and over until I needed more from the container as I painted each letter with glue then glittered.


Here is the glittery masterpiece! (I only did the front). 


Then I used some leftover brown yarn and strung it up using a wool needle, or knitting needle. Done!



Estimated time for this project: two evenings (about 3 hours each). It took a lot of time to for the painting as it had to dry on all sides. Also, painting the inside curves took more patience. Glittering took time as well but it went fast with a great movie playing in the background.

Notes:
  • These were cheap wooden ornaments from Dollarama but this could probably be done with foam cut-outs too, but perhaps skip the painting part. 
  • I used acrylic craft paint. 
  • After the glitter has adhered to the glittery glue, it should not come off. Whatever excess comes off will come off, but don't expect for it to peel off or anything. Although, some comes off on your fingers when you touch it (that is to be expected though). 
  • You could use some spray sealer after glittering to be sure that nothing comes off. 
  • Once the season is over, simply wrap these in tissue paper and store away for next year. Fabric wrappings aren't really ideal as they can make the glitter come off.
  
Ideas:
  • There are so many color combinations out there for this one! I used a paint and glitter that matched for a glamorous look but you could try a color and glitter that are different colors (ex. white paint, pink, blue or red glitter). 
  • You could keep the original tag if it matches your decor more. It might be more difficult to paint around though. 
  • You can use many things for threading these ornaments: thin ribbon, embroidery floss, yarn, twine, and metallic string.

Secret Santa Gift Ideas

Are you running a Secret Santa this year? Or, you can't think of anything to get for the event? Well, here are some gift ideas that may inspire you this year. These are also some great gender-neutral ideas if you are searching for gifts for relatives and friends as well.
  1. Gift cards: this could be for the grocery store, department store, theatre, coffee shop or a restaurant.
  2. Stainless steel coffee travel mug.
  3. A coffee set with a mug and a bag of coffee beans
  4. Box of chocolates, shortbread or candy: this one is harder as so many people have food allergies but you could ask beforehand if anyone objects. You could also make these at home instead of buying them. 
  5. Office gift box: think of something that everyone in the office uses and constantly runs out of, like pens, pencils, card clips (if you need a pass that you clip to your clothes), silverware, etc. Just buy it separately and put it together in a basket or something like that.
  6. Bottle of wine or other spirits.
  7. Gourmet cooking set of flavored olive oils, vinegars and jams: If you are crafty, you can make this at home.
  8. A USB key or SD card.
  9. A nice photo album or photo frame.
  10. A box of homemade Christmas cards with envelopes.
  11. A fun new calendar for their desk. Perhaps one of those daily or monthly ones.
  12. The latest best seller (hardcover or soft cover) on a topic that everyone enjoys or a book on a topic that everyone enjoys.
  13. A holiday-themed candle (I'm always surprised how many men dig candles).
  14. A sick kit: pack a basket with cough drops, Neo-Citran, and other things that you use when you are sick. 
  15. A set of nice wine glasses (shot glasses, or bourbon glasses)
  16. A nice Christmas ornament
  17. Any cooking or baking equipment: mixing bowls, baking sheets, cookie cutters, whisks or other utensils. 
  18. Small appliances like a kettle, toaster oven, coffee grinder, power whisk, etc.
  19. A nice throw or blanket for the house
  20. A DVD of a movie or TV show that everyone enjoys or one that fits the season.

Friday, December 9, 2011

10 things to do with eggnog

'Tis the season for lovely eggnog! I'm so excited! Here are 10 ideas for how to use up that eggnog this holiday season.
  1. Steam some eggnog instead of milk and add it to your coffee for an eggnog latté.
  2. Eggnog cheesecake -- or try eggnog cheesecake bars. You could probably take this very recipe and cut it into bars with caramel on the top.
  3. Grog -- add a shot of dark rum to some eggnog for a spirited drink. Or, try an Eggnog Russian.
  4. Try making homemade eggnog.
  5. Drink it warm with some spices like nutmeg and cinnamon.
  6. Make a smoothie using eggnog as the liquid instead of water, juice or milk!
  7. Make an eggnog punch! Here is a recipe for Peppermint Eggnog Punch.
  8. Eggnog truffles.
  9. Eggnog cookies.
  10. Eggnog fudge.
Or, you could take any of these ideas and put them into Google Search to find other recipes.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Stessing about the "To Do" List

I'd like to think that I can get things done but sometimes I fall short of reaching my goals. I aim high ("I'm going to organize the entire storage room tonight!" or "I'm going to finish the entire craft bag today!") and sadly do not meet those goals. I have been giving this some thought though and here is what I came up with:
  1. Is my goal too high? Am I aiming on doing everything in one evening or day? Perhaps I should break it down into manageable parts and get each of those done before moving forward.
  2. Do I like keeping a "to-do" list, without actually doing it? I like having a list of things to do but that doesn't mean that I should do them. I just like to know that it is there.
  3. Do I focus on the things that I'd like to get done instead of the priorities? Definitely. Ironing clothes versus stenciling something, guess what comes first.
  4. Do I get angry at myself for not getting something done? Of course. Sometimes I crawl into bed then remember that I was supposed to do something that evening. Then I kick myself (figuratively) and make a mental note to do it tomorrow...and spend the rest of the night thinking about it. Is that really necessary?
  5. Do I multi-task? All the time. I don't have the patience to wait on something to finish, so I start something else. Before I know it, I have 10 things on the go. I'm lucky if I can remember what I was doing from the beginning again.
  6. Must I do it all myself? Are you guilt of thinking that you are the only one that can do it right, thus you must do it yourself?
What are some strategies to change this thinking?

I seem to be a person who loves a to do list. Seriously. I love having this immense list of things to do because it keeps my brain active. I am constantly thinking of things that I have to do although they are not necessarily in order by priorities. Here are some strategies that I will be trying to get things done:
  1. Write it all down: open a Word document and write down the entire to-do list. Use only one document. Then, categorize it: priority (paying rent, ironing, laundry, etc.), work, upcoming events (ex. Christmas presents), hobbies, etc.
  2. Do the priorities first: instead of stenciling something, I should focus on getting the laundry done. I mean, I will love a stenciled cup towel but I will need clothes to wear tomorrow. Besides, there is no reason that I can't stencil while the laundry is being done, a ha!
  3. Pick action days: I like this idea from Get-it-Done Guy. Take a day (say, Saturday) and save the non-priority to do list for that day. Do the chores (develop pictures, pick up super glue, etc.) and then mow through anything else that needs to get done. Whatever gets done that day gets done but instead of focusing on what didn't get done, focus on what did.
  4. Focus on one task at a time: that will be painful for me, but there are some things that can be multi-tasked (ex. dust living room while dishwasher is going) and some that cannot (ex. washing the car and mowing the lawn). I have started to stop myself whenever I have too many things on the go and I focus on one thing at a time. Instead of doing up Christmas cards over many nights, it did it all in two nights. Then it's done!!
  5. Separate everyday tasks from other tasks: everyday tasks are the things like doing dishes, vacuuming and laundry versus re-organizing the storage closet, knitting a scarf, and mending a pair of socks. Make up a routine for the everyday stuff so that it gets done on a regular basis so that you can separate the two.
  6. Stop thinking that you are the only one that can do it: I am very guilty of this kind of thinking. Sometimes I think that I should do it because I would do it better than someone else. However, I am learning to delegate tasks to someone else. This does mean letting go of some control but expecting to do everything myself is ridiculous. It might not be done the same way but (a) the task is done and (b) because it was done a different way I might have learned something that I hadn't thought of before.
  7. Applaud the tasks that are complete instead of focusing on those that are not complete: so you didn't finish organizing the CDs tonight. Change your thinking and remind yourself that the task is half done. Or, focus on the long list of things that are now done instead of berating yourself on those that are not. Positive thinking is reinforcing and will lead to you getting more done.
What are some things that I have learned?

This year I was running an experiment on getting things done. I wrote down what I wanted to accomplish and worked on doing it. I got tired of saying "I will do this" and moved to a more affirmative position of "I will do this task this weekend". Here are some things that I learned:
  1. Check in with the master to do list once per month: since I had written it down, I could check it off once the task was done and reread the list to see what I could now work on. After 12 months, the number of checkmarks is surprising -- and encouraging.
  2. Accept that some things will never get done: I have good intentions on writing something down to do but that doesn't always mean that it will get done. It might. The list serves as a reminder. Some things are out of my control (ex. composting in Ottawa apartments hasn't arrived yet) and some things are (finish Christmas card list). Do what I can do, keep tabs on what I cannot.
  3. Use the written list as a "brain dump": once it is written down, stop thinking about it. I used to cycle things around all day thinking "I really want to do this" or "This weekend I want to do this". Once it was written down, I wrote when I wanted to do it then emptied my brain of those thoughts. It relieved a lot of stress because now I can focus on other things (work, hubby, cooking supper, sleeping, etc.) without constantly reminding myself that I have to do something.
  4. Put some obvious things on the to do list: for example, "Spending time with husband". It's funny how often an evening is spent just watching TV and we think that this counts as time together. No, time together is going out on dates and such. It seems obvious but once you write it on the list, it becomes more real.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Restringing Christmas ornaments

I bought some lovely wooden ornaments for my tree but I absolutely hated the flimsy little string that came with it. It didn't match my decor and I knew that I had to restring them with something stronger.

For this quick project, I used the wooden ornaments, scissors and jute twine (bought from Dollarama).

I cut the string that came with the ornaments with the scissors:




Then restrung the ornaments with jute twine that I cut to the proper length then tied a knot at the top:





Then I was done!


I did these ones too:


Estimated time for this project: about 10 minutes. Perhaps less than that to cut then restring each ornament but 10 minutes total.

Notes:
  • You can do this with any ornaments. Now I am looking at my collection for other ones where the flimsy string just doesn't fit the style of the ornament. This also works for heavy ornaments with tiny strings.
  • This was so easy and logical that I thought it would be silly to post this but you'd be surprised how many people don't buy ornaments because the strings are too thin. So, here is an idea for all of those out there.
Ideas:
  • I used jute twine but you can easily restring ornaments with embroidery floss, ribbon or anything else that fits your theme. It all depends on how you decorate.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Stenciled brown paper bag

I was about to throw this bag out when I remembered that Christmas is coming and I needed to wrap some items. So, I got out my stencils and started painting. Why not reuse something like this? It's just going into the recycle anyways.


For this project, I used some leftover newspaper, a stipple stenciling brush, acrylic paint in pink rose, an orphaned container to hold paint, tape and plastic snowflake stencils.


I used the same method as I did for my snowflake shower curtain: use the tape to adhere the stencil to the paper bag (in this case), use stipple brush to paint the stencil, remove stencils and then let it dry.



Stencil the back then the two sides. Done!

Estimated time for this project: about 1 hour, including drying time for the stencils. It was a very nice Saturday afternoon project!

Notes: 
  • There was a hole in the paper bag where a staple had fastened it shut but I stenciled over it to hide it. 
  • I have to note to properly clean that stipple brush after painting with it. I now have dried paint goo in it and once it's dry, it's hard to remove. Note to self!! 
  • To wrap, simply place the item in the bag and roll the top down. Staple or tape into place and add a pink yarn pom-pom or some other pink bow and a tag (perhaps a monogrammed felt one?).

Ideas:
  • This will work with any stencil and almost any color paint. I did this in pink to match my mom's Christmas decor as that is where I will be this year. However, I could have easily did this in red or brown for my own Christmas colors. 
  • Every time a brown paper bag comes into the house, save it for this project. This one was used to deliver Thai food to my door. It wasn't stained so I reused it. Can you imagine how many bags you'd have if you use them for your groceries or delivery? You'd never need to buy wrapping paper again.

How to reuse a planter

Has your plant died recently? Or, perhaps you have planters lying around the house or garage just waiting for spring. Well, here are some ideas on what to do with those planters during the off-season -- or any time of the year.  

1. Use it to hold vegetables in the fridge: despite what your planter is made out of (plastic, terracota, ceramic, porcelain, etc.) it can go in the fridge. Clean it, and use it to store items like apples, oranges, onions, potatoes, peppers and such. It actually helps you to organize your fridge.

   
2. Use it to store cat or dog toys: every night, pick up the toys off of the floor and put them in the planter. Put the planter up high to store the toys and when you want them again, simply take it down and start tossing them around.

   
3. Use it to display ornaments for Christmas: fill a cleaned planter with ornaments, pinecones or leftover garland and wrap a long ribbon around it, tied with a bow. Display as a table centrepiece or on a night table. 


4. Use it as a transfer vessel: if you store potatoes, onions, pears, apples or anything else in another room, you need to put them into something to bring them to the kitchen. Clean a planter and use it as the transfer vessel. 

5. Use it in your home organization: if you have a shed or a storage room, use it to store smaller items like tennis balls, paint brushes, tools and/or nails, cleaning cloths, etc. This is a bonus if your planter is meant to mount on the wall.  

6. Use it to hold crafty or office items: this could be sewing thread, yarn, knitting needles, small bolts of fabric, embroidery floss, etc. It would be great for holding office supplies or scrapbooking supplies as well. Display it on your desk so that you items are within reach.  


7. Use it to hold scraps of yarn: put the leftover bits of yarn in here for whenever you need a small amount to hold stitches or other uses.  


8. Use it to hold small sports equipment in the summer: when you take the kids out to the park, use the planter to hold the baseballs, tennis balls, badminton birdies or other small items so that you don't loose them.


9. Use it to hold fabric handkerchiefs: once you have a collection of fabric handkerchiefs you need to put them somewhere. Decorate the planter with a ribbon, clean the inside and store them all rolled up in here. Take one out whenever you need one.


10. Use it to hold your keys or electronics by the door: everyday when you get home, put your keys, iPod, cell phone or other daily items here so that you always know where they are. Put the planter on a stand by the door and make a habit of always putting the items here. If you have a key ring, it's still perfect for the electronics. It's also great for holding gloves and scarves in the winter time.

    Christmas ribbon out of old men's shirts

    I took one of my husband's old, ratty button-up shirts and turned it into long strips of Christmas ribbon for myself. I can use this fabric ribbon over and over again to wrap presents or as part of my everyday decor. It's easy to make too!



    For this project, I used 1 old men's dress shirt that matched my Christmas decor, scissors, an iron, matching thread, pins and a sewing machine. A seam ripper, measuring tape and dressmaker's pen would be helpful as well.

    To start, I took an old dress shirt (that happened to be in my Christmas colors, cream and red) and cut it into pieces like I did to prepare for my apron. Next, I took the back and cut out strips that were about 20 inches long and 3 inches wide (I needed at least 1 cm on each side for seam allowance). I was lucky because I had a fabric that was checker-print so I just followed the lines. If you don't have this, mark the measurements on the wrong side with a dressmaker's pen and then cut out.

    Ironing

    Now, I got out the iron. I really hate ironing but this time I did it. I pressed each strip with the seam allowance (1 cm on both sides) so that it would be easier for me to sew it down.


    Sewing

    Next, I threaded the sewing machine with matching thread, pinned the ribbon and sewed the seam allowance down. I sewed it first very close to one edge, then close to the other for top-stitching. Since it was all ironed down, this was very easy.

    That's it! That is all that it took to make these strips of ribbon.

    Estimated time for this project: an evening or about 3 hours. It took time to cut up the shirt then cut the ribbon out. Ironing took about 15 minutes then it took about 2 hours for me to sew them all up. For one ribbon, I'd say that it took about 45 minutes.

    Ideas:
    • You could easily do this with old dress shirts (or pants, skirts) in solid colors or patterned or old skirts, pants, etc. 
    • You could try different textures like tweed, corduroy, jean, etc. Mine is a fine whale corduroy.
    • You could sew smaller strips together to make a longer ribbon. 

    Wednesday, November 30, 2011

    Ice Cream vs. Frozen pudding

    Whenever I crave ice cream, this is what I do:


    That is frozen pudding. It doesn't matter what kind (I have tried nearly all of them from the grocery store) but if you add them to the freezer overnight and eat them whenever you have an ice cream craving, you could save at least 100-200 calories. And it's still a frozen, cold treat.

    Making a lazy supper better...

    I didn't want to cook last night AT ALL. No way, no how. So, I bought a bean and cheese burrito with the thought that supper would only take 2 minutes. Then my conscience stepped in saying: you have time to sauté some vegetables. I listened and it only took about 15 minutes. I did the dishes while this cooked.


    Sautéed cabbage:
    • 1/4 Savoy cabbage, shredded
    • 1 tbsp butter
    • sodium-reduced chicken stock
    • salt
    • pepper
    I heated up the cast-iron pan to medium and melted the butter. Add the cabbage and sauté but let it stick on a little bit. I cooked it for about 15 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so. I added a splash of chicken stock whenever it was needed then seasoned it with salt and pepper before serving.


    After I cooked some cabbage and green beans, I felt better about the burrito. At least I was getting some veggie intake!

    Product review: Juicy Fruit Dessert Gum

    I have been watching the commercials for dessert gum but it was only a few days ago that I found it available in Canada. I was delighted! I bought all three kinds: Apple Pie, Strawberry Shortcake and Orange Creamsicle.


    Orange Creamsicle: I found the flavor of this gum rather fake but it is a pretty good imitation of an orange creamsicle. The taste lasts only about 10 minutes but that is alright. The texture doesn't change over time (like regular Juicy Fruit gum) and I've found myself chewing it for a few hours without even realizing it. Overall review: 6 out of 10.

    Strawberry Shortcake: the flavor of this gum came off as REALLY fake to me. I have to give them credit though because you can almost taste the bun, strawberries and whipped cream. The flavor isn't so great once it fades away though and I found that it had an aftertaste. I don't think that I will buy this one again. Overall review: 4 out of 10.

    Apple Pie: this was the STAR! I absolutely love this gum! It really does taste like apple pie with cinnamon and everything! The flavor is truly stellar and although it fades after 10 minutes, I don't care. I love this gum and I will buy it again. I might even chew this in place of apple pie. Overall review: 9 out of 10.

    Main points:
    • Texture: good, doesn't change over time
    • Flavor: only Apple Pie one was good but all of them last only about 10 minutes
    • Price: SCARY. I think they are $2.49 per package which is insane. Wait a few months until they are about $1.50.

    Sunday, November 27, 2011

    Embroidered Felt Gift tags

    This was a great idea that I had to use up leftover felt from my Felt Gift Bags. These are green, reusable gift tags that I can embroider and monogram with the recipient's initials and then use it every year. I can ever color-code the embroidery floss by person (pink for mom, green for dad, purple for myself, etc.). What a great idea!

    For this project, I needed strips of leftover felt (cream felt is best), embroidery floss in colors of choice, an embroidery needle, a hole punch and scissors.

    To start, I needed tags. So, I took the scraps of leftover felt and cut a tag for a template, about 1.5 inches wide by 3.5 inches high. I simply took a scrap, folded it over and cut to those dimensions.



    Once I had the first tags cut out, I used them as templates and cut out more to those dimensions.


    Once I had a stack of tags, I had to give them a hole. I took a single hole punch, positioned it and punched a hole. It took a lot of strength (and it did hurt my hand) but I did make a hole. For a few of them, the punch didn't go through all of the way so I used scissors to cut the hole out.






    Now that I had some tags with a hole, I got out the embroidery floss and a needle. I cut a length of floss and split it into three threads (it is usually wound with six).



    I did a running stitch border around the edge with the embroidery floss and around the punched hole. I now have tags that look like this:



    The back looks like this:


    I didn't monogram these yet but I think that I will with the first initial of the recipient. I think that I will also color-code these so that each person has their favorite color. I can pick whatever style alphabet that I want for the letters and I am thinking of a nice, modern font.

    Estimated time for this project: about 30 minutes for one. It doesn't take long to cut these out, but hole punching can be hard. The actual embroidery took about 20 minutes as I didn't do a quick running stitch -- it looked sloppy. I took the time to put the needle in and out.

    Notes:
    • I did the embroidery around the hole punch in the beginning as a detour then continued around the edges again. You can see that in the above picture. 
     Ideas:
    • You can do this in your Christmas colors instead of color-coding it. 
    • This would look excellent with a darker felt and lighter embroidery floss. 
    • This is a fabulous idea for using up leftover pieces of felt. You can do it in any color with white embroidery floss.