My friend, Vicki, and I go to make cards....yes! Greeting cards. For me, I try to make a variety of Christmas cards. I know, crazy! It's February and I'm making Christmas cards. We spend the weekend at the beautiful Flanders Hotel in OC, NJ with 160+ others. Most are making scrapbooks, but we love cards.
(Here's the room of half the attendees-Crazy, isn't it?!?!)
I love Christmas! Sending cards to all our family and friends allows us to send some holiday joy from our home to theirs'. For many, it may seem a chore, but I feel its the only way I get to keep in touch. I mail to many who may not reciprocate, but that doesn't matter to me. I love the choosing of the supplies, designing of the cards, and the peace and joy in crafting the cards.
(Vicki and I working in our room the night before THE event)
(My gift bag idea instead of giving a gift card in a reg card)
George, Ian, and I love to get together and open all our holiday cards that arrive. We admire the pictures and reminisce over our memories of each person who sends us one. It touches us to receive each one. It's such a simple joy, yet so impactful. I've got a special place where to hang them throughout the holiday season.
(A card I designed for the upcoming season)
(Another I designed, but already modified for the "final" card)
Yes! It's a journey creating a home and this one little holiday tradition is such a simple one. By starting in February, I don't have to feel pressured to "get it all done" during the holiday rush season. What about you? Do you love getting those holiday cards?
]]>Retail stores don't offer any help. All they've got are some cute little bunnies peeking out for me to buy. Well, this year, I said, "ENOUGH!". I flipped over my placemats to their plaid (Yep! We sell those! And in 3 colors and sizes too.), left out my red chair cushions, floor mats, towels, and couch pillows and decided to roll with a Valentine's Day/cardinal bird theme winter decor.
Pinterest...here I come! I found this awesome bird house decor to use as a centerpiece in my breakfast nook. Problem is, it's not available for sale. After an hour, I made me a pretty good replica of it. What do you think? Trying to go for not too Christmasy, but wintery...did it deliver?
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-Courtesy of HGTV
This table really is just some white bunnies, faux grass, and some eggs. Got some old milk glass serving pieces? A perfect way to show them off!
-Courtesy of French Country Cottage
Pick up a bouquet or two of some white and pale pink roses, add some petals down the center of the table, and show off those antique dishes you've had stashed away for years. Nothing welcomes spring like some blooming flowers!
-Courtesy of Decopad
How simple is this one? Use some white pedestal servers (or really it would be nice without too!) with glass containers filled with white eggs and white tulips. I would recommend you see if you can find some faux eggs though. :) Love the white, on white, on white theme here!
-Courtesy of Design Chic
Love the pop of color from the salad dish, napkins, and bowl. They used a few vases with flowers and some bunny egg holders and tiered plates, but your eye is really taken to the blue of the tableware. Perfect if you don't have many Easter table pieces and still want to have a spring look.
Mud Pie egg cups are a great way to welcome guests of all ages. Use for serving hard boiled or soft boiled eggs, jelly beans, deviled eggs, and more. Of course, you can get them at Kristin's Great Finds! :) May you have the BEST holiday brunch ever for you and your family!!
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Check out the How-to instructions at The Paper Mama
Here's a cute and easy DIY project with some humor thrown in.
Check out the How-to instructions at Kitchen Fun with my 3 Sons.
Wanna add a little scare to the greeting of guests? Here's the perfect wreath make knocking on your door a little squeamish.
One of Martha Stewart's great projects.
Here's a great idea to really WOW the neighborhood. Your family and friends will want to know your trick...for sure!
Unfortunately, I couldn't find the source to direct you to for more help.
My hairdresser does a version of this decor and it is AWESOME. A great way to do this is to buy the pumpkins at the Michael's clearance sale with a coupon. I LOVE it.
Check out Don Morin's site for his instructions. You can do a smaller, modified version.
Now this one requires a little more thought. You can be as creative with your pose and clothes. Love the plastic drop clothes they used in this photo. A tulle slip would work good too. Spray paint some of it with glow in the dark paint or use some fairy lights.
Wrap a small part of your body in plastic wrap…..Wrap 2 layers of packing tape over the plastic wrap….Cut a single line down tape to loosen and remove from body (use scissors so you don't cut yourself) ….Cut the slit you make in removing with another layer of packing tape.....tape together the various body parts to make the model. Use some florist wire to hold the form....hide some wire to use as stakes to hold on to the ground on floor. A fun Pinterest find…
There are a LOT of scenes you can find with skeletons posed in multiple ways. This was a great one that looks great for a front door whether in a countryside or city scene.
There's a lot more photos available at Stacy Horn's site.
Here's a great theme for creating with your kids. The tombstone inscriptions are some creative. An awesome project that makes for some fun times thinking up your own sayings.
Head over to the Pretty Prudent site for lots more photos on this scene.
The best is their piece de resistance to greet guest at their door. Check it out!
Hope you got some creative juices flowing. Love to see what YOU concoct for this Halloween season. Please feel free to post photos of your decorations.
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Either way, here's a great idea for a gift. Set up a food brigade!
I got this idea from my cousin when she did it for her grandfather (mother's side, she's related to me on her father's). He was older and seemed to have everything one expected he could use or need....except...she knew he LOVED homemade cookies and no one around to bake them for him.
She arranged to have a woman in his town (who must have baked some awesome cookies!) make and deliver a batch to him once a month. They agreed on a price for each batch and how many months she could afford for this gift to last. How great is that?!?!
The woman got to make some extra cash AND Grandpop got some tasty treats! Oh! and the best part...my cousin got to be a hero every time the new batch of cookies arrived. How awesome is that??
Don't think to limit it to desserts. Maybe some homemade soups, meals, fresh veggies or fruit, chocolates...you get the gist!
With a little bit of thought, you can probably think up some great things they would love. Please feel free to share with us if you've got a similar story. We would be so happy to hear them. :)
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These days we are aware of the need to recycle but for some, recycling has become a way to take trash and create not only beautiful art but also a sustainable living for themselves, their families and their community. One such community in Haiti is thriving from recycling the most unlikely of materials... discarded oil drums. Artists in the village of Croix-dex-Bouquets take large steel oil drums, cut them open, draw a pattern on the metal, then begin to create art sculptures with chisels, dies, and large hammers. “Clang! Clang!”, is the musical sound that can be heard as the artist smooths out the steel’s rough edges, beats out complex convex and concave shapes, and creates a piece uniquely their own.
The people who create these works of art have wonderful imaginations when it comes to their craft. The complex details that they can create with their simple tools are sure to amaze you when you realize how hard their work really is. How many of us could sit for hours each day and pound away with a hammer and chisel on a piece of metal to make a living? Each of them has such a commitment to their craft.
We carry a large variety of these Metal Artworks. Surprise someone with a gift that will last for many years to come! Please share some pictures with us where you have one hanging.
]]>Take a moment and think back to your childhood. Was there a special trinket she always wore? A special collection or figure she would put out for a holiday or special moment? If so, where did they go? Did they get broke? Lost in a move?
If she still has this special item, is it part of a collection? Are any of the pieces/parts chipped or glued back together?
Hey, we know that raising kids is hard on your prized possessions. Kids seem to have an innate instinct to know what items Mom loves the most and find an accidental way to break them. It happens.
Now would be a great way to track down a replacement. Use the internet to find one. Boy, will she be so happy to know you remembered.
If you can't find a replacement or her collection is still in good shape, perhaps there are pieces she doesn't own yet? Does she have something like a treasured nativity and doesn't realize there are add-on pieces? This would be a great gift too!
Kristin's Great Finds sells a lot of brands for nativities and know they add pieces to the collection every year. It can get hard to remember which pieces were added when. Giving Mom a piece she doesn't have is a great way to show her you thought of her, PLUS may (finally) get her to stop telling the story of how a prior accident happened when you broke the last one!
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Is your little one dreaming of her very own Mermaid party? Don't worry. You can plan one very easily!
First, start with an awesome invitation that let's all attending know the party's theme. We found this great one and think it would be great to showcase the party girl!
You can order them easily on artfire.com.
Next, but the BEST part is to order the cake. :) Here's some great ideas we found.
Simple DIY one from Betty Crocker
Have someone's birthday, Christmas gift, retirement party, or some other kind of occasion coming up and you need to find the perfect gift for them? Looking for a meaningful gift that isn't as benign as a gift card? Something to add to a gift to give it a "personal touch"?
Create a list of some of their favorite sayings! Are they notorious for always having a saying, like "Don't cross your eyes! They will freeze like that!". I had a coworker who ended every phone call with a comment, "Keep Smiling". Maybe they had a biblical verse or a line from a movie/song they quote all the time?
Take some time and ask fellow family members, friends, or coworkers. I'm sure there are lots of delightful and funny sayings your loved ones is always using. Some may be little short stories to enclose with the sayings. For my Grandmom Perri..don't dare jump on her beds or get in trouble because, "I'm going to get my hot cake turner on you!" is one that comes to my mind. Uh huh! Every one of us grandkids could provide an example when that line was used on us!
Print the list using some really nice paper or have them written in an album. Allow family members to write each entry and sign it with their name. Have some artist members in the family? They could draw some illustrations to go with them. Use some old photos to go with each saying. Get creative!
It is sure to bring some happy laughter for the day. What a great way to create a time for family to reminisce on fond memories. This list or album is sure to become a treasured heirloom for many generations to enjoy!
Hope you got some inspiration for your gift giving! Check back next month for another one. Have some ideas that were well received? Please share! We'd love to hear about them.
]]>What's a great memory worth to you? For most, they are priceless!
Did your great memories (even the ones rated as good) even cost you anything? Ok, maybe it did cost the price of admission to an event or location, but for many, there is no cost.
Memories are made from the feeling of a moment. Do you remember the way you felt when you walked down the aisle to get married? Maybe it was leaving for that adventure of the first time at college? Could it be driving for the first time SOLO? Ah....there's so many that I couldn't possibly mention them all here.
These that I do mention may seem to be those BIG ones. Everyday you may be creating a memory for someone in a small way. Trust and believe, it doesn't have to be anything you even see as a big deal.
I learned this lesson when I was still working at my job. The senior manager was trying to boast morale and held a meeting. She asked staff for suggestions for things they would like to see improved or changed. Another manager was writing down all the suggestions, when someone loudly exclaimed, "Bring back the cookies!". Of course, this was written down with all the other ones.
Weeks later, after our senior manager evaluated all the suggestions, she called another meeting for all to attend. At this time, I was one of 4 supervisors who reported under the senior supervisor. She requested we stand at the front of the room for this meeting (no clue why, even to this day!). The doorway to enter was in the front of the room and a table was placed inside this entrance. On the table, two large trays of cookies were laid out. Let me say these were those cookie trays you would buy at a grocery store or a place like Sam's Club. Nothing wrong with them....they can be really tasty, right?
Wrong! As staff filed in, they saw the cookies, helped themselves to a few, and and (without further comment) moved on to sit down. As I said, myself and the other 3 managers were standing next to the wall where those cookie trays were placed. As the senior manager called the meeting to start, she said how she reviewed the staff's suggestions and was going to make a few changes as they requested. She pointed to the cookie table and commented how she hoped they enjoyed having their "cookies back". Ok...drumroll please....
There was dead silence, until..(not sure who), called out, "Those aren't the cookies we meant! We want Kristin's cookies!!". This prompted several others to join in and start calling out similar things, like "Where's her cookie tray?", "We miss her cookies". Wow! Here I stood at the front of this room full of people and was dumbfounded that this simple thing really meant so much to them.
I love to bake. My family and I can't possible eat it all. So....I would take a lion's share of what I baked to work. As life got busy, I had not been taking any baked goods in for quite some time. Again, I say Wow! I never knew (or even imaged) that this was creating such a memory for them. Who would have thought so?!?!
Truthfully, some of the most simple things can create a pleasant memory to others. Hope this story helps you to create some cookie memories of your own. Love to hear if you have any similar stories to share. :)
]]>Eggs can be used completely, meaning you just crack the egg and put the whole egg in the recipe.
Some recipes will require you to separate the egg white from the yolk. Once separated, the recipe may have you just mix the white or the yolk in (without anything further required). Whew! These are the easy ways that eggs can be used.
It starts to get confusing when the recipe says, frothed, soft peaks, stiff peaks. What does all that mean?!?! Truly, it's not that hard.
All three of these methods require you to separate the egg white from the yolks.
A few things to note before starting:
Frothing eggs means putting the egg whites in a mixer on a low setting for a minute of two. Here's what they will look like:
This stage has some air whipped in to the whites, but it is still very "loose" in its consistency.
To get stiff peaks, beat the egg whites on a high speed for several minutes. The egg whites will start to have a fluffy appearance, with a little bit of "looseness". The term "soft peak" comes from the appearance of what happens should you pull your beater straight out of the whites. The whites will start to make a peak, but the tip bends over and won't stand tall. Here's a photo:
Notice there are marks left in the egg whites where the beater went through, but the path isn't well established. To get them to stiff peaks, beat them on a high setting for a few more minutes. You will have stiff peaks when you get a defined markings left in the whites. The white will be very light and fluffy in appearance. Here's a photo of how they will look:
I HIGHLY recommend you use 2 bowls (or drink glasses are what I use), if more than 1 egg needs to be separated. By doing so, this will avoid you having to throw all the whites out, should you break one yolk during separating. Here's how I would prepare for beating egg whites:
A final note: don't be nervous trying new recipes when you see these terms. Some of the BEST recipes that I have tried are when they have eggs with stiff peaks. Hoping you will share some of your best recipes below. Here's to Happy Baking!
]]>I prefer to use semi-sweet chocolate chips or Merckens brand chocolate wafers. When using wafers, I tend to mix 1/2 milk chocolate and 1/2 dark chocolate for a less sweet taste. Some bakers have melted up chocolate bars as well (excellent way to get rid of those Easter bunnies, Halloween or Christmas candies!).
To start, put the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and cook them for 20 seconds. They will still look pretty much the same as they went in. DON'T let this fool you. You will need to stir them some. If not, the chocolate will burn. Trust me. :) Here's a photo for you to start to see the process:
Cook for another 20 seconds, then take out to stir. (If your chocolate looks more melted than this, then do these next steps in 10 second intervals.) Again, make sure you do a through job or any chocolate not moved around will burn. Here's what it looks like after the second 20 second rotation:
You will see some melting now. After stirring, put back in the microwave for another 20 seconds (10 seconds if melted more). This next photo is when you know you are almost to the melted phase.
Notice there is still a few chunks? If the bowl is really hot to the touch, you may be able to keep stirring and get all the chocolate to melt. After a few seconds of stirring, if there are still some chunks, you will want to put back in the microwave for 5-10 more seconds. Here's what you want it to look like:
There are a few do's and don't's when working with chocolate.
Here's a few do's
Here's a few don't's
A few things to keep in mind concerning chocolate. You can add extracts to flavor it, but make sure it is oil based (remember that water will discolor it). Same goes if adding color to white chocolate, use a paste type of dye. If using chocolate that is not chips, wafers, or candy bars, you will need to add paraffin wax (weird, I know! Without it, your chocolate won't "set".). Lastly, chocolate is susceptible to absorbing odors. This is the reason you don't want it near anything that it will pick up the odor or flavor of.
May you have fun working with chocolate! There are so many things you can do with it! I will be sharing some of my favorite recipes with chocolate soon. Keep an eye out for my future postings. Love to see some photos of things you create with chocolate. Feel free to post below!
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We all have those loved ones, family or friends, that are difficult to buy for. Maybe that is due to them seeming to have everything in life they could want...or maybe it is due to health or geographical limitations..or maybe it is due to not having a close personal relationship with them.
Giving the perfect gift doesn't have to be perplexing to figure out, cost a lot of money or ingenuity, or be blah! bland! (like another tie or sweater, although that MAY be what this person really wants???).
One gift suggestion may be gifting them a reprint of a treasured family photo. Lots of families seem to have those old photos that got stashed in photo albums or given to Aunt So-n-So and now your loved one doesn't recall where it got to.
With technology advances such as they are today, you could have that treasured photo tracked down and reprinted (and framed!) for display in their home. For many, just viewing some of the old photos brings back treasured memories they want to share with all generations.
Some people love to learn more about extended branches of their families. This would be a great way for the newest generations to learn and find out about their historical family roots.
Crack out those family albums, use Social Media to get back in touch with long distance relatives, call upon close family friends. This would be a great way to track down old and meaningful photos for them. Hey, there may even be ones your loved one never got to see or completely forgot about!
Imagine their delight to see these again? Make an event out of the day! Stage a showing! Who knows, it may become their favorite gift ever!
May some of our ideas be helpful to provide you with a meaningful and memorable way to express your love. We plan to share more ideas every month. Have some to share? Please comment below and let us know if you have any that you'd like to pass along.
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Truthfully, I would have thought the good ole' US of A would have been the front runner by far. Wow!
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Easter Egg hunts can be the best! The race for getting there first, for getting the biggest, the most out of everyone, or the eggs holding the greatest prizes! Is this how your hunts seem to go?
For your littlest of little ones, it may not be so fun. It may just seem they find an egg, yet reach for it too late. Someone beat them to it at the last split second!
Maybe one hunter does seem to get an overload of the plastic eggs that hold the "best" treasures inside. Does someone in the hunt always seem to hold a lion's share of goodies?
Or ever have one hunter that always seems to have an overabundance of eggs spilling from their basket? Could it be this was one hunter that was faster than everyone else or just an uncourteous hunter that always swooped in at the last second to cut in on the other hunter's find? This can seem so unfair to some children and really not make the Egg Hunt fun.
There's an easy solution to make sure EVERYone has fun on the hunt! Plan ahead of time for each hunter to have their own special color that will be for them (and them alone) to hunt. This plan is best with those plastic eggs that you can put goodies inside (Yes! Those cheap ones that all the stores sell in a pack of 12ish). If you have 6 hunters, then purchase 6 different color of eggs and the hunter can ONLY get that color egg during the hunt. If they find eggs of another color, then they aren't to take them.
By planning ahead for this hunt, you can assure you divvy up the treasures so that each hunter gets an equal share of the best ones. Also, this will help for the Easter Bunny hide the eggs based on a level of difficulty appropriate to each hunter's age and/or skills.
Also, this will help you plan if you wish to enclose a treasure that is gender specific. You can plan ahead of time which color will correlate to the girls and which will be for the boys.
Best of all! You will know at the end of the hunt if all the eggs were found. By counting each color, you will instantly know if some are missing. Finding eggs in the middle of July is so NOT fun. The candy is so not a treat then! :)
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We were driving to do some shopping when my son shared this awesome game that's played "on the road". It's the Yellow Car game! :)
Simply, you get a point for every yellow car that you spot and call out, "Yellow Car!" before anyone else in the car (Yes! Similar to the Punch Buggy game..am I showing my age?!?!..except no hitting allowed...isn't that great!!). The only rule is that it can't be a commercial vehicle. If you call for a yellow car, and it turns out to be a commercial vehicle, you lose a point.
The yellow car can really be any type of vehicle. A motorcycle, a truck, etc. Anything with wheels that you can spot during your drive qualifies.
During our month of playing, my family decided to add some bonuses. A yellow Jeep was 10 points (vs the traditional 1 point). A pink car was 50 points. A purple car was 25 points. A yellow Punch Buggy was 25 points. You can add whatever other rules and bonuses you want.
We loved this game, as it allowed almost ALL who rode in the car to participate. Age didn't matter, as long as they knew their colors. It didn't involve anything high tech and engaged everyone to participate. It is a quick to understand game to play, so those new to riding with us picked up the game easily.
AND it helped keep the "how much longer to we get there" questions at bay. How much better could it be?!?!
Love to hear how you fare with this one! Who's going to be the high point winner in your family?
]]>Am I the only one excited? Getting out the schedule to make sure I do not miss the ice skating competitions? I have a feeling there's a few of you out there addicted to watching the curling events (USA starts on Feb 11 at 7:05 pm EST-Just sayin').
I remember being a kid and having to wait until after the "Nightly News" to get highlight footage (or live footage if we were so lucky), but hey! That was back before cable TV offered more than the 4 channels and the Olympics (both summer and winter) happened in the SAME year. Yes, I know, I am showing my age. I just love how the Olympics would bring us all together to watch and see what athletes would win metals. It would be so cool to go to school and talk with your friends about the suspense and drama that went along with a USA win. I still remember cheering on Mary Lou Retton for her perfect vault. Who can forget the developing story with Nancy Kerrigan's attack? I wanted the Olympics just to give her the gold metal by default due to that incident! Didn't she deserve it?!?!
As the different games have passed through the years, I now find how it brings George, Ian, and I together for the 2 weeks of events to watch all the events. It's a great family tradition to turn on the TV at night, get a snack, and settle in for some great sporting events. Will you be watching? Will you be cheering, groaning, and holding your breathe with us as the competitions unfold? Love to hear from you all, while we create some great family time and memories together......
GO USA!!!
]]>Merry Christmas to you all!
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You've got the date and time. You've chosen the theme. You've picked the best place to have your party. Now it is time to make your sales pitch! This means an enticing party invitation that sells what a great time your guests will have when they attend your party. Some things that need to be considered prior to printing them out though.
1. How many invitations do you need? If you need 20 or less invitations, you can go "all out" and opt to have some really creative and fun ones made. You may wish to go for some intricate and/or personalized ones. There's some truly unique and handcrafted ones that you could try that don't have to be too much hassle. Here's one we saw that was ingenious and didn't take too much handy work. (http://www.bucketsandspadesblog.com/2011/10/balloon-invitation.html).
There are some pretty crafty looking ones that you could print up on your computer and use a little effort to put together. The rest of their party decor was so cute too! (http://www.cleverkidsparty.com/kidspirateparty.html)
These kind of party invitations would really set the mood and "sell" your guests that this is a one-of-a-kind party they definitely don't want to miss.
If you need to distribute more than 20 invitations, you may wish to enlist some help to make some creative ones like theses examples or opt for ones that can be made and printed en masse.
2. Do you want to have an RSVP or a "Regrets Only" request? It seems a lot of guest do not always reply. If a head count is really important for your plans, you may wish to provide a phone number to text a Regrets Only message to. This way they can respond whenever they can think to do so.
3. When and how do you plan to distribute them? Invitations with bulkiness are best hand-delivered, as you don't want to rely on expensive postage carriers to deliver your hard work. Consider that a bigger affair like a wedding or milestone birthday party (like Grandma's 70th birthday) are ones that guests need more time to arrange for attendance. For these bigger parties, you should distribute your invitations 6-8 weeks in advance. For smaller affairs, like a kid's party, retirement dinner, etc, you should plan to distribute 3-4 weeks in advance. The more time you can provide guests will be best for them to make plans, but you don't want it too far in advance that they will forget about the party.
Remember that the invitation is your first contact with guests to "sell them" on your party's theme and expectations for their time spent at the event. Be creative. Be fun. Give'em something to talk about before they even get there!
We would love to see your party's invitation and handiwork. Feel free to post your's on our Facebook page at Kristin's Great Finds.
We LOVE sharing these fun and creative ideas when we see them online. View our board, "Awesome Party Invitations" on Pinterest for more great ideas.
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It's a day of parades, music, waving the "grand ole red, white, and blue", and placing flags at the graves of fallen soldiers. For many, it is a day of BBQ'ing, decking out the house and kids in red, white, and blue, and hanging with friends and family. However one chooses to celebrate, the focus of the day is an important reminder of the sacrifices many have made to protect our freedom. THANK YOU to all who have been effected by these sacrifices. May God bless you and the good ole US of A!
]]>To BBQ means to slow cook and baste your fare throughout its time cooking. It takes hours for the slow cooking to occur, like 5-7 hours, over a low heat temperature (like 200 degrees). Some who BBQ prefer various wood varieties for cooking, while some prefer charcoal. There's many debates among BBQ'ing aficionados which is best.
Your choice of fare to BBQ may include pork, beef, game (venison, buffalo, pheasant, etc), chicken, or seafood. It seems the preference differs mostly due to regional consideration. The Southeast mainly prefers pork, while the South Central region (like TX) prefers beef. Whatever your choice of fare, it is sure to taste awesome with your preferred basting sauce or rub. There's many varieties to consider...like the thicker tomato based BBQ sauces, a dry rub, or an oil and vinegar seasoned basting sauce.
Another big consideration is how you plan to cook your feast. Digging a pit is one preference. Whether it is in your yard or at the beach, some believe this is the best method as the ground helps to maintain even heat during cooking. Another method is with large smokers. I've seen some specialty built smokers with a side door that allows for "feeding the fire" throughout the cooking time.
BBQ'ing seem to be more than a hobby to some. You'll find advocates who will passionately argue why their method is the best. For many, these methods and recipes have passed from generation to generation. Either choices you make, I am sure it will be some awesome tasting grub!
May is National BBQ month. Whatever and however you choose to BBQ, don't forget to serve it up in style! Kristin's Great Finds has some great platters and serving pieces to use at your BBQ!
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You'll need:
1 3/4 Cups Flour 1/2 Tsp Salt
3 Tbsp Sugar 1/3 Cup Butter
2 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder 1 Egg
1/2 Cup Chips, Fruit, Nuts, etc 1/4 Cup Milk (approx)
Measure the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter in to a food processor. Blend until the butter is cut in and you can't see it. Add the egg and blend until mixed in. DO NOT PUT THE CHIPS, ETC IN FOOD PROCESSOR. While the food processor is on, pour in milk one tbsp at a time. Add milk a little bit at a time, just until you see the dough starting to stick together. You want a moist dough, but not overly sticky.
Spread some flour and your chips (or whatever you choose) on a non-stick surface (I prefer one of those Corelle brand cutting boards) and place dough on top.
You will want to fold this extra flour and chips in to the dough. If you added too much milk during the mixing phase, you can just fold more flour in to the dough at this point. Keep folding the dough in half until it is firm and no longer sticky.
Flatten the dough in to a long rectangle, then cut in half, and half again. I cut the sections into diagonals to give them to scone look. My favorite tool is a pastry cutter/scraper, as it gives a clean cut, then lets me scrape it off the board to place on a cookie sheet. You will get 8 medium size scones from this recipe.
Bake on 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. The tops will be lightly brown.
For the drizzle, you will need:
1/2 Cup Confectioners Sugar (AKA 10X Sugar or Powdered Sugar)
1/2 Tsp Almond Extract (optional)
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon (optional)
1 Tsp+ Milk
Mix the sugar, extract, and cinnamon with a tsp of milk. You will want to add just enough milk to make this "loose". If you add too much milk and the drizzle is too thin, then add more sugar. Let stand to dry.
I will be posting a video on a way to drizzle these with very little mess. Let me know if you try these scones. Love to hear what you think!
]]>Google Docs is a great place to store your list. Not too tech savvy? Use index cards and a recipe style box. Either method is perfect for allowing updates that occur throughout each year. Start your list with all the names and addresses of your family, friends, coworkers, etc. By starting now, it will give you plenty of time to assure you have names spelled correctly, addresses in their proper context (include apt numbers, directional suffix like NW, etc), and address are current.
Through the coming months, jot down anyone you may have forgotten, created a new relationship with, or someone who did you an extra special favor/project. Christmas cards are a great way to show those you care about appreciation and goodwill for the upcoming year. By using a Google Doc or index card, you can add or remove names quickly and easily. They provide flexibility to add names that you may only wish to send a card to for that year.
Don't forget to make notations for those that you wish to send a card to due to their role in your daily life. For people like the kids' teachers, your mailman, garage man, etc, you may not have a specific name that you will be giving to yet If you know you will have 2 teachers in the upcoming year, just make a note of this on your list with a generic title, like "4th Grade Teacher".
By starting your list this early, you will already have an idea of the number of cards and stamps you will need. Perfect if you want to buy a few extra stamps each trip to the post office. By the time November rolls around, you'll be ready to get those cards in the mail early!
]]>Oh! Behold! The infamous red candy dish! This sugary haven was simply known as Grandmom's red candy dish. To us 13 grandkids (and many, many other extended family and friends!) , we knew there would be a stockpile of sweet treats held inside. As soon as we got to Grandmom's house, we would beeline it over to the candy dish. Oh! What to choose? A Mary Jane? A Hershey Kiss? A caramel swirl? The list of choices would change and evolve through the years and seasons. There would always be too many to choose from.
And boy! Would she know if you tried to take too many. With the lid in one hand and your fingers ready to pluck another piece, you would hear, "Now get out of that candy dish! You are going to ruin your dinner!". She could be in another room and had some magical powers to know what we were doing. She ALWAYS knew when you were ready to sneak another. Hmm...Score another point for Grandmom.
This family tradition was so simple, yet SO IMPORTANT to us kids. We knew she thought of us and loved us, as it always seemed to have our favorites held inside for one of our visits. It's been 15 years since my Grandmom has passed from this Earth, but her tradition has not been forgotten.
Have a great family tradition to share? We would love to hear from you! Please contact us and share. We'd love to feature it in our monthly post honoring family traditions!
]]>May is halfway through and that means another school year is winding down. Wow! Where does the time go? May always seems to be a month that flies by. It's so easy to slip in to "summer mode", but I have to try and remember is's a time for goodbyes too. It means my son, Ian, will be leaving another grade level (and his teachers) to move to a new set in the fall.
May is a time that I try to make sure they know how much I appreciate what they've done throughout the year. I like to send them a handmade "Thank You" card and a small gift. It's been a little harder now, as Ian is in middle school. He went from having 2-3 teachers (including his elective teachers) to 6-8 teachers. Also, it has been a little harder, as he has male teachers now. Previously, I could send the teachers all the same thing, but things like a candle just don't seem appropriate for male teachers...or is it just me?
With this many teachers, I've learned I have to limit what I can spend. Some ideas for gifts that I have given are:
1. Soap. I've sent some of the Mistral soap. Both the men's and women's scents smell fabulous. With their large size, they last for weeks!
2. Laundry Soap. I've sent some of the Le Blanc laundry soap and dryer sachets. The Portfolio scent is one formulated with a men's scent, so I've got the male teachers covered too. I've gotten lots of compliments on the dryer sachets too!
3. Haitian Metal Art. The pieces like the birds and sun/moon really seem to be favorites. Makes a great gift, as it can be used inside or out. You could split up some of the sets too!
4. Gift Cards. Yes, I have given the "old standby" of a gift card to Panera Bread, Starbucks, or our local convenience stores known as, Wawa. I try to send a little something small with these, like a small box of chocolates. Who doesn't love to get a little something that's gift wrapped? :)
Whatever you may choose, I am sure the teachers will be very appreciative that you cared enough to thank them. Kristin's Great Finds have lots of great items for your gift giving needs!
Got some great ideas to share? Please feel free to comment below. We would love to hear them!
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They can be, with a little advance planning. The most important step is to know WHAT the main purpose for the event is. You should be able to say, "This party is really to celebrate ______________ with ___________." Sure, it may be easy to say it is to celebrate Sally's birthday, but is it just that? Ask yourself what it will involve or with who. Her family? Classmates? Friends?
If the party is to celebrate with friends, then you know to focus your planning more on the group fun. Family? You should be planning more about the sitting together and chatting to catch up. School and classmates party? This will have to be a quick party and adhering to the teacher's rules. Once you have established the core reason for the party, it will become easier to establish the guest list, decorations, food, etc.
For a friends party, the day is more about the activities and party theme. Kids do not seem to care about the food much (except the cake and ice cream) or the specific decorations. For a school party, its more about the special treat. And for family, it's all about the food and decorations!
Take your time and spend it on those areas that seem more of a priority for the guests at the party. Don't stress trying to do it all. Remember, it's a celebration! The fun will be long remembered, not the small stuff you forgot or didn't have go perfectly.
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Happy Earth Day! To some, it may mean a community celebration, while to others it may hold no significance. One doesn't have to go to a huge event to just bask in the glory of the day and show appreciation of Mother Earth. Today could be a start on just cleaning out one flower bed or pulling some weeds. Ya, I know....ew! Who wants to do that?!?! Here's 5 tips to make it less of a chore.
1. Multi-task. Sit and pull weeds while talking to a friend or while taking a dog for a walk
2. Make it a game. Make it that every trip you walk by a section of your yard, that you pull 3 weeds (or whatever number works for you)
3. Use as brain draining time. Go out when you need some "down time" and need to think something through. You won't even notice what you are doing, as your mind is working on other matters.
4. Get the kids involved. Incentive the kids in to thinking its a game or pay them so much for each job.
5. Reward yourself for a job well done. Treat yourself to lunch or a small token that would give you something to look forward to once the job is complete.
As a last resort, you could always pay someone. This kind of defeats the mission of celebrating Earth Day, but you may enjoy your yard more if it was already cleaned up. If you have to, you may need to barter a neighbor or friend with one of your special pumpkin pies, meatloaf, a ride to somewhere, etc....you get the drift. Just don't be shy to ask for their help and offer something in return. If you can get out and enjoy this glorious day, then it will be well worth doing this little bit of work! Happy Earth Day!
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Perfect for a baby shower, a Winnie the Pooh party, or if you need a fun spring themed goodie. These are easy to make, yet will fool everyone in to thinking you must have gotten them at a bakery. The items you will need:
**Yellow (Vanilla) Cupcakes
**Cupcake Liners (I specifically picked out the yellow ones)
**Buttercream Icing (made from your favorite recipes)
**Yellow Food Dye
**Black Icing (I buy this premade in a tube)
**Slivered Almonds
**Yellow Peanut M & M's
**Pastry Bag (for filling with icing)
**#12 Round Tip
Bake your cupcakes and make your buttercream icing according to the instructions of the mix or recipe. Dye your icing a pale yellow. Fill the pastry bag with the yellow icing and use the round tip to pipe and fill the cupcake's top to form a base, then pipe upward creating a mound to be the hive. Place the M & M's to be your bees. Choose their location to try and hide any imperfections (gaps) you may have made when creating the hive. The slivered almonds should be placed on either of the M & M's. These will be the bee's wings. Puncture a small hole in the tip of the black icing tube. Give each M & M's 2 eyes and 3 stripes. To add some extra dimension, you could draw dash lines behind each bee. Use a pedestal plate to show off your designs!
I made these for a fundraiser bake sale. Guess who's were the first ones sold off?!?! :)
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