Bouquet for Throwing...

My friend (and soon to be bride) came up with a brilliant idea for throwing the bouquet at her wedding.  She asked me to make a bouquet that was created with items that every lady in the room will want to take home.  Delighted, of course, to be involved, I got busy. This is what I came up with. I am still working on wrapping it in ribbon, but it is almost done (unless the bride objects!).

 Bouquet Includes:

• 2 mini B&B hand sanitizers
• A pack of gum
• Two Ghirardelli chocolates
• Three chapsticks
• Two mini nail files
• Two $1 lottery tickets
• 2 oz. bottle of B&B Sweet Pea lotion

Gifts for the Bride

My two best friends are getting married this year! Though I am thrilled about their upcoming nuptials, I am not so secretly delighted to craft and create for them. This was my first "Bride" hanger, so it is a little rough. Next time I will use much thinner wire.

My friend did the embroidery on this coffee/drink coozy for me and then I sewed it all together and added the button. Why, you might ask? Because you only get to do all of this once. If you do it a second time around, you should definitely elope!

My First Craft Show

I decided to set up a craft table at our school's Spring Festival this weekend.  This was a fun way to display my items, make a little bit of money and support Oak Grove.  This also meant I didn't have spend my day inside the confides of the smoldering gym and watch kids race through the bounce house. :-).  The rain held off, the kids were thrilled to run rampant in their own school building and the PTA was able to raise funds for the upcoming year.

I received some great tips from a fellow teacher who has been creating for about 5 years now.  She was very encouraging and gave me some new ideas that I am thinking about creating in the upcoming weeks.  I am hoping to get even more involved (maybe do some actual shows) after we move up to Ithaca, NY.  If nothing else, this process of learning and making has given me an outlet to make it through the winter with hibernating!

Water for Malawi!

Dear Family and Friends,

As you know, many students, educators, community members, colleges and I have worked for years to make a BIG difference in one small corner of the world that is near and dear to our hearts – Malemia village in Malawi, Africa.  Last year, the Rotary Club of the Roanoke Valley worked with the Malawi Chibale Project to build a kitchen for our feeding program.  The kitchen has been such a blessing – providing a secure shelter for the women in the village to prepare school feedings for nearly 1000 children.  This year, the Rotary Club of Roanoke Valley is planning to build a rain harvesting cistern in the village.  The cistern will provide water that can be used for irrigation and sanitation (including hand washing, dishwashing, etc.).  World Vision is working with us to assist with the engineering plans for the project.  The village hasn’t ever seen a cistern and our sources in Malawi tell us this will be a life changing addition to the school and village community. 

This photo is before the kitchen was built.

Happy Cooks

The New Kitchen!

Simple, but life changing technology.

 In an effort to raise funds for this project, the Rotary Club of the Roanoke Valley is doing a raffle.  Tickets cost only $10.  The grand prize is a choice of a One Week Condo in Orlando  or Williamsburg.  Other prizes include a night’s stay and breakfast at the Hotel Roanoke, and many others!  The drawing will take place on May 8, 2012.   If you are interested in purchasing a ticket for this most worthy cause, please let me know.  I will make plans to meet you OR you may email me your name/address/phone number and mail your $10 to me. I will fill your ticket out for you and mail it back to you after I receive your donation. 

**Please do not feel obligated to send a donation.  I always feel awkward about these things, but I have always appreciated your love and support of the project in the past.  I figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask!   

This little sweetie knew only a few words in English, which she shared with me each morning..."Hello. My name is Violet. I am a girl."

 

 

 “Zikomo” (thank you) for considering! Jenny

Delicious Energy Balls

This is the perfect snack to take on all of your outdoor adventures or just to keep in the fridge for a quick pick me up.  I got the recipe from A Dash of Compassion (great site, FYI), but have made some modifications to suit our taste buds.  You could use any type of nut your prefer for the base, which is the part that has the good fats, proteins and energy.  I am thinking about making all types of cookies with them, such as using macadamia nuts as the base and a small portion of white chocolate chips. Oatmeal raisin would also be a delicious and easy modification.  Enjoy!

Recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls

-1 cup raw almonds
-1 cup raw pecans
-1 cup raw oats
-1/4 cup raw honey
-1 tsp. cinnamon (fresh ground is best!)
-1/8 tsp. sea salt
-1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Put all of the dry ingredients in a food processor (not blender) and blend until the mixture has a moist, but slightly chunky consistency (you will want to have a little crunch to it, almost like meal).  Add the wet ingredients and blend evenly.  Roll into one inch balls and place on a wax paper covered cookie sheet. Freeze for about one hour.  Store in a sealed container in the fridge. 

They will maintain their shape and consistency for outdoor activities...we took them camping/rock climbing and it was a wonderful treat!

Homemade Yogurt (for Meredith!)

Per a request from Mere, here is a run down on making homemade yogurt.  Even though I cannot tolerate lactose (and neither can my husband) the cultures and bacteria in yogurt make it a great way to get calcium and the important belly bacteria that your digestive tract needs.

I cannot get these pictures to turn! Apologies!

 1.  Heat one gallon of milk to 180 degrees F in a pot (I use our stew pot).
2.  Cool the milk to 110 degrees F.  It can be left on the stove to cool or the pot of milk can be placed in a sinkn of cold water to quicken the process. 
3.  While the milk is cooling, mix a yogurt starter packet (which can be purchased online) or use one cup of your favorite yogurt (PLAIN!) with probiotics. You can find these at any local store.  We use Thorne brand probiotics and just empty three casules into the yogurt and stir.
* We really like Chobani Greek Yogurt. It makes a nice, thick finished product and is easier than buying starter packets.
***Half the point of doing this is getting rid of the sugar and corn syrup found in store bought yogurt! Do not use flavored yogurt!
4.  Mix the yogurt mixture with about 2 cups of the cooled yogurt.  STIR WELL! I use a whisk.  Add the remaining milk.
5.  Now, the incubation process...We have a yogurt maker, but you can warm your oven to 110 degrees F, put the milk and yogurt mixture into a ceramic soup pot, TURN THE OVEN OFF and let the mixture sit in the oven for 5-6 hours. Or, you can buy a yogurt maker and place the mixture in there for eight hours.
6.  Taa-daa! 8 hours later you have homemade yogurt for the week.

 Add berries, granola, honey...whatever you please. I use the yogurt to substitute for butter, oil, etc...in recipes, as well. Makes great tzatsiki sauce, too!

Hoppy Easter!

I love these little sweet and salty treats! For Easter, I made them into eggs in a nest. They made the 8 hour bus ride to Jamestown and back much more enjoyable, though I would do anything for my students.  I tried the gluten free pretzels for myself and a co-worker and they were just as delicious.

Now Selling: Java Gloves!

No school today, so I have been busy, busy!  I just wanted to share some of my new styles of drink cozies.  These little guys are the perfect gift for a simple, special way to show you care.  Check out my new Etsy Shoppe to purchase these little cuties!  Option to purchase as a gift basket also available.

Now selling a Cups in Grandin Court, Roanoke City.

 I have coupled this java glove with a reusable mug, one time and a $5 Starbucks gift card to make the perfect inexpensive and thoughtful gift for those coffee and tea lovers in our lives. (I would use a local gift card to gift to someone in town).

Spring Is In the Air

Call me a liberal, but I love the fresh smell of the earth in the spring time.  After a weekend of rain, the weeds easily pulled out of the garden.  Last year was my first vegetable garden and, though it was fun, I learned A LOT about placement.  We are organized and ready to go.  Tomato, lettuce, pepper, onion, cauliflower and leek seeds are sprouting in a mini-greenhouse in the basement. The fresh air calls to me to come play and I obey.

The crazy fencing is to keep the hungry deer and their new babies away from the garden. Our neighbors aren't so fond of it, but it really has worked.  They won't jump into anything they perceive may be entangling. 

Some day I may have a rototiller, but today I have a hand tiller. Hard work equals a very good night's sleep.

Getting organized.  Visualizing each plant and their space requirements is the biggest challenge.

I will not spend my entire summer weeding! Hay is down for mulch in between rows. Hope this works!

This season should be really fun.  The kale, swiss chard, oregano, rosemary, thyme and lemon thyme survived the winter as if it had never come (come to think of it, winter really never did settle in).  I am looking forward to a more organized sanctuary for the spring summer. Seeds will go in over spring break and I will hope that what little frost may be in the forecast has seen it's last days.

Crayon Rolls

There is no one more fun to try out new ideas on than my nieces!  I made these darling crayon rolls for them.  No more spilling baggies of crayons in the car. They should make to my girls in about a week. Hopefully my guinea pigs like them.  I am thinking about making one for each of the students in my class for a summer send off. They have done such a great job this year.

Hello Sunday: Blue-Rasp. Breakfast Cake

Although I love the sunny weather, the rain has encouraged to bust a move inside so I can get outside as soon the sun shows it warm face.  Sunday breakfast is here again. And it was delicious. 

Recipe: 

Cream together:

1/2 cup coconut butter (room temperature)

1/2 cup raw honey (room temperature)

zest of one lemon

Blend in the following ingredients:

1 TBS pure vanilla extract

1 large egg

1/2 cup plain (or vanilla) yogurt

1tsp salt 

2 cups gluten free baking mix

Stir in: 

1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

Top with a dollop of butter and enjoy this delectable Sunday treat! 


***Note: because of the raw honey and the lack of 48 cups of bleached, processed sugar, this will not be the sugar blast that you may expect from the photos. Be prepared for a healthy way to enjoy a cakey breakfast dish.

My Latest Baby Clothing Bouquet

This bouquet features something unique...my mom embroidered these adorable baby hoodie towels with the name of the baby-to-be's very excited Grandma and her very special last name, Starr.  They are so sweet I almost thought about having a baby (for about three seconds and then I pictured the sleepless nights and moved on :-).  The photos don't do the towels justice. They are just so precious. A bit awkward to place in the basket, but adorable. I can't wait for this basket to be delivered!

Chocolate Espresso Waffles

After a wonderful weekend at the VSRA conference in Richmond, I needed some real food. Gluten and lactose free is turning out to be a very unfriendly combination in public eateries. :-(.  Needless to say, gluten and lactose free chocolate and espresso waffles were just what we needed.  I found a new gluten free mix at Whole Foods in Richmond.  That place is like a playground for me!  They turned out great...light and fluffy, which is a concern with gluten free mixes.

Can you guess where I am from?

Recipe

1 1/2 cups of Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix

1 TBS finely ground espresso grounds

1 TBS espresso sugar (or brown sugar and add another TBS of espresso grounds) 

1 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder

1 TBS olive oil

2 eggs

Add almond milk and whisk until desired consistency 

Bake in waffle iron and enjoy!