Honeybee Housewife

Ribbon Board

2014-02-26T06:39:00.001-08:00

I have been on a mission to make decorative wall hangings for the babybee on the way. This craft idea came to me when I was at Target. They had ribbon boards for sale and the construction was just so basic. I had to try and do it at home. I had saved a Valentines Day chocolate box for some future craft, as it turned out this one was a perfect fit.

I am all about using what is on hand so instead of buying batting I used a worn out bleached stained towel that still had some fluff to it. Honesty it was just to unsightly to use for anything other than cleaning or a craft project. The fabric that was to cover the board was a lovely cotton sundress (at one point) that had also been worn to the point of rags. Over all this was a fun and easy project that cost me nothing and was fun to make.

Step 1

I placed the shape to be covered over the fabric to make sure all edges would be evenly covered. Once the general shape was cut I trimmed the towel as I hot glued it. I really want the towel to be smoothly placed and with out lumps. Once the towel was secure I add the next layer of fabric.

Step 2

I place ribbons over the covered board making a grid. I suggest pinning the ribbons together temporarily if you plan to sew buttons. If not sewing buttons put a drop of glue where the ribbons overlap you can then move the grid over the board freely until you find the right position.

Step 3

Once you are happy with the layout and size of the grid glue the ribbons starting at the top edges of the board then the bottom, lastly the sides. Once you have the grid inplace go back and place small drops of glue under the ribbon crossings, this should be the only glue on the top surface of the board. This is what will keep your pictures from sliding straight down.

Paper Machė Hot Air Balloons

2014-02-23T15:35:00.001-08:00

Originally this was a project to hang over the baby crib, but the size and colors fit perfectly in the boy's room. I was really excited to do this craft. It had been ages since I worked with paper machė. I knew it was going to be a lot of work, but it was a whole new experience with two little boys running around. I thought I would never finish. I did think of the kid and husband factor when I started so I planned my craft in phases. It was just hard seeing it sit while I had to care for the household.

Step one -Preparation of newspaper strips. I decided thin was best. I had seen several people use wide cut strips of paper but the balloon size I was working with was on the small size so I figured thin strips would wrap easiest and give me a smooth finished surface. I also needed a way to store my materials and hang the balloons. A settled for a small box that I could store easily on top of my refrigerator, and some thread and tacks.

Step 2- Making the paste. Since I had little experience with paste I looked on line and found a simple supper cheap recipe. All you need is equal parts flour and water. Don't bother trying to mix by hand, put the ingredients in the blender it is soooooo much easier. You don't want to deal with lumps trust me. This paste is really thick and if you want to add a bit more water you can, but the more flour the stronger it will dry. I only covered the balloons in one layer of paper and paste then let it dry. I TESTED for weakness and added another layer on the softer areas.

Step 3 once I was ready to paint I consulted the net again, and I am glad I did. My original idea was just to paint with craft paint, but I learned it was better to paint a layer of Gesso beforehand. This really helped my paint cover the surface with out any hint of newsprint showing through. I also used paint that had a glossy finish. I accidentally did buy one color that was just a standard finish and it looked really bad. So stick to the gloss.

Step 4 - Once my balloons were painted I had to figure out how to make the baskets to hang from the balloons. I will just say it was trial and error. In the end I made them out of cereal boxes, a glue gun, and covered them with a layer of paper machė. Once dry I applied Gesso then paint. I had purchased some colorful twine like string from the dollar store and a small picture hanging kit when planning this craft . I used the spooled metal wire in the kit to make little key ring hoops then notted the twine to the ring with two long ends hanging down. I then poked a hole on the top of the balloon, running the twine inside the balloon. I then used a hot gluegun to fix the two ends to the inside of the balloon. At the bottom opening I punctured to holes parallel to each other for the basket strings. My baskets are not square so on shorter sides I made two holes and ran the string threw the inside of the basket then up to the balloon where I fixed them with a knot and hot glue.

In the end I added one last string from the top ring to the ceiling. I was much relived when it was all over. I would definitely do this project again but maybe next time I will go X - Large and use my fitness ball!

Soap dish improvement

2014-02-23T08:05:00.001-08:00

I am feeling very crafty lately! I think it is my impending delivery date that has put me in overdrive. Soon I will have no time for glue guns and paste it will be all bottles and burping.
This is a quick dollar store craft that costs about three dollars to construct. You will need: 2 Candlestick holders, a metal tray, and a glue gun.

Step 1- Glue the two candle stick holders together.

Step 2- Glue holder to the tray.I added an extra ring of glue to the outside of the two points I glued together.

The important thing to remember is balance when placing objects on top.This arangment works for me because the glass dish is very heavy and centered on the tray. I wouldn't recommend pump dispensers.

Dreaming of Spring

2014-02-04T09:11:00.001-08:00

I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL SPRING.. I desperately needed some color in the house to cheer me up this artic winter in Arkansas. This is a cute little craft that took me an afternoon and has brought me joy as I wash dishes and look out at the frozen landscape.

You will need
★Paper streamers
★ floral wire
★floral tape
★scissors
★clear tape

I wasn't planning on blogging this craft so pictures are a but lacking, but I drew you a picture.
It's a relatively simple idea.
1. I cut the streamers a little over a foot in length.
2. Take your floral wire and tape it to the streamer then twist and pinch the streamer around the wire.
3. Wrap the floral tape around the base of your flower and onto the floral wire.

Date Cookies

2013-09-16T19:07:00.001-07:00

This maamoul recipe makes the best cookies. I have to admit that I did mess up my first batch, but it was by no way the fault of the recipe. My husband bought self rising flour and I didn't notice. The cookie was a bit salty and I was at a loss as to how it could of happened. Three days latter when I went to make banana bread I realized the mistake.

Time for Raspberry Leaf Tea

2013-09-15T11:02:00.000-07:00

I want to say it's that time of the year again, but this doesn't happen every year. I am pregnant! Child number three should come May first according to doctors. I am already fussing about my doctor visits and venting my frustrations about how far apart my appointments are and the quality of my care. I can't help it I have never been happy with my doctors. I always leave the office feeling frustrated and rushed. Anyway, due to my condition I am once again off of caffeine and back to herbal tea.

I am well aware of the caffeine vs no caffeine debate, but honestly I know my body the best. After drinking a coffee, tea, or cola I feel I have just stressed my system. Make no mistake I love black tea and coffee in all forms, but it just doesn't work for my body now. I am already thinking of my post baby coffee It's iced with cream and sugar, maybe a bit of caramel.

Back to reality.

I shared my big news with my mother by asking for some tea. She didn't understand at first, but once I mentioned raspberry she understood. The benefits of raspberry leaf are many including strengthening the womb,so it serves my purpose exactly. Herbal tea can be great for you but really nasty in flavor. I once ordered a pregnancy tea that smelled so bad I could't even brew it. The one herb that I don't have an issue with is raspberry leaf. My mom would steep raspberry leaf and nettle overnight for the following day for her own health reasons. I couldn't deal with the nettle, but the raspberry was drinkable in large amounts.,especially if you make some hibiscus tea and mix the two with lots of sweetener.

I love the personal touches each Etsy seller adds to orders. I am really looking forward to a surprise tea blend that smells just wonderful. It is fruity, sweet smelling and even made my mouth water.Thanks mom.

Five Minutes

2013-06-04T21:43:00.000-07:00

Mothers day was almost a month ago and I am just now posting the blog draft I had started. I really don't know what happened to my time, I think it had something to do with sick kids and then who knows. My husband totally surprised me on my big day with flowers. Normally he would ignore the day like all other holidays, but I was having a particularly difficult time dealing with the children and to top it off I was crying over a kids book that arrived in a surprise parcel from my mom. She sent a card/ note, a refrigerator magnet, some stickers for the boys, and one of my favorite books from childhood.

I loved the illustrations as a child and still find them delightful , but the story got to me in a way that I hadn't expected. Mrs. Large (elephant mama) is wanting a bit of time for herself so she attempts a bath, but her kids follow her and destroy everything. It is funny and horrifically true. I was crying at the end. It was so damn cute like my kids, but just awful. Seriously, I used to have time to take baths, read books, work on projects, eat a warm breakfast, and finish a cup of tea while it was still hot. That was in the past. I deal with all this and more because my boys are worth it, but it seems a bit insane at times.

Oatmeal

2013-04-22T10:59:00.001-07:00

Still waiting for my new Camera charger.

Son number one is a picky eater. He chews his food then sprays bits in all directions. Supposedly this is a stage some children experience. I have done everything I can think of to nip this problem, but it continues. I have taken precautions to limit the amount of mess made, but honestly I am ready to stick him and his highchair out the back door.

This morning he ate yogurt with no problem then half a hot dog ( No bun) with minimal issue along with milk from his milk only red bottle . I know hot dog for breakfast isn't ideal, but what can I do? We did eggs in every form only to have them smashed, spit and stopped on, other breakfast food like pancakes and cereal are even less of a win.

The day was a cloudy dark and my mood matched. After all the crazy fun of morning feeding I needed a pick me up. What better than baking a fresh batch of Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. I had to turn the afternoon around. Since I had no current recipe for Oatmeal cookies I went to Martha for guidance. Sorry mom....

cookie link

Almost French Toast

2013-04-11T16:26:00.001-07:00

This morning a strange urge for french toast struck me. The idea of bread soaked in egg then fried and smothered in syrup seemed palatable, but then I remembered the smell and the fantasy was all over. The smell of the egg cooking ruins it for me, not to mention the texture of the finished product that grosses me out. Instead I remembered a recipe for french toast muffins that was all about the oven and no toast or egg soak involved . I don't know why it is called french toast muffin , I guess it sounds better than sugar muffin for breakfast. The recipe came from a pin I saved off of Pinterest, to go to the direct blog page for the recipe check the link
http://velvetlava.blogspot.com /2009/02/i-am-now-in-muffin-loop.html .

The muffins came out great, but the topping was a bit unfinished, next time around, I am going to try filling the cups less and do a classic crumb coffee cake topping. I did the topping this time as directed, but used half brown sugar and half white, then put the muffins under the broiler for a minute or two. The butter and sugar bubbled to make a bit of a crust . Actually I didn't follow directions perfectly, but well enough.

2013-04-06T08:05:00.003-07:00

Recently I have been feeling some of my long lost of energy returning. This oddly coincided with the first birthday of my youngest. He is more active than ever and quite the handful or should I say arm full ( he weighs in at 26 pounds and 30 inches) never the less I feel rejuvenated. For better or worse my two boys keep each other occupied giving me windows of opportunity, but I also feel it's something else. A weight has been lifted form me, it could be that winter is winding down and Spring has arrived, but I feel it is more than seasonal. I have started a new personal project that takes a lot of consideration and Me Time.

My one year old (left) and his older brother of two and a half (right)

I have been artistically uninspired I mean this in the most severe way. I would sit with the intention of creating a masterpiece and end up with doodles and eraser marks. Epic Fail. My husband tried to be supportive and inspire me with a book project that was based around action adventure stories. I was interested but lost my zeal for the project rather quickly. It was a great idea, but not self centered enough to bring me out of my slump. I realized I have to find a center inside my self to be able to produce art that mean something to me personally, then to the viewer.
My relationship to my work has been distant at best, and I have failed to make a connection for some time. To resolve this issue I have been picking up books rather than a brush. I am redeveloping my creative process from scratch. It is a slow going process , but I hope I will be passionate again about what I communicate in my work.

Lazy Me

2011-07-21T10:18:00.000-07:00

This month I have been preparing to move. My kitchen and house have been in such a disarray which has caused my blog, my life, my focus to suffer. You would think I was all work ORGANIZING, PACKING, CLEANING, but that hasn't been the case. I have spent the majority of my time watching Korean dramas, drinking Starbucks frappuccinos , McDonald's Ice coffee, baking cakes, .....and watching more Korean drama. I did do some packing at one point, but I have since opened those boxes looking for random things. I am just so unmotivated to get on task.

Just this last Tuesday I made this Red Velvet cake for a women's support group so I have technically done something memorable.

Sorry everyone I will confess it was a box mix cake so you will I find no recipe for Red Velvet. However, I did make the Cream Cheese frosting - I used about:

2 cups of powdered sugar

1/4 cup butter

4 oz cream cheese

vanilla to taste (clear vanilla to keep the frosting white)

A bit of milk at the end (if needed)

I whipped this up with an electric mixer then covered my cake. It was just enough for the job. When I was spreading it over the cake it wasn't as white as it became after hardening in the fridge. The swirly look was an accident, but really impressed me. I did have to make a little bit more frosting for the star kisses; One egg white made with meringue powder, clear vanilla, powdered sugar a bit of milk and about a spoon full of cream cheese. I made this a bit stiff and worried it wouldn't pipe properly, but I was wrong it almost was to soft. I quickly did my decoration and used white chocolate chips for accents in between the frosting kisses. I was surprised how nice it looked, this was a last minute cake and my hopes hadn't been to high.

I am not sure what is going to happen with the big move and all. I hope to take pictures of the place before and after we move in. I am excited about a bigger kitchen and the fact we will be in a house not an apartment! I am also expecting a lot more work being in a more country environment. This could be one of the reasons for my current "Vacation Mode".

Summer Sprinkle Collection

2011-07-15T21:48:00.000-07:00

I have always had an issue with the cost of getting a respectable sprinkle correction started. Don't get me wrong I love to decorate my cakes and cupcakes with sprinkles. I will even buy cute specialty sprinkles, (like the pearly kind) but the average sprinkle just isn't worth it. Recently a friend was making fourth of July cupcakes and couldn't find red, white and blue star sprinkles. This got me thinking how hard would it bee to make my own sprinkle??

A month or so ago I made cupcakes for a Henna party and used a frosting to piping decorative stars. After a day the stars turned hard and a little crunchy. Then the idea struck me like a day old cupcake to the head...What if I used this frosting for sprinkles?!!?

I new if I was thinking this someone else had too....and sure enough I was right.This link to Rainbow Sprinkles is easy and fun. I used meringue powder to make my egg white and used orange extract, but other than that I followed the recipe. The stars and strips dried at the same rate (24 hours). After the sprinkles completely dried I broke them up and moved them to a DRY container. The only problem I had was finding a safe place to keep them while drying, and waiting a full 24 hours! To get these awesome colors I used gel food coloring and regular liquid fluorescent coloring.

A much faster sprinkle can be made with regular granulated sugar and food coloring. I would of liked to use larger sugar crystals, but I was determined to use what I had in house for this sprinkle collection.

I used a glass bowl and simply added sugar and food color then mixed with a spoon. Mix the color evenly and if the color is to light just add a drop or two more!

Creating a cute home for my Summer Sprinkle Collection was just as important to me as making them. I recently rescued (from my mom's garage) a spice cabinet that belonged to my great grandmother. This little cabinet had a thick layer of dust and spices dating back to 1993! With a bit of block oil I restored the wood finish and bleached the glass jars. I had found a perfectly cute home a sprinkle could be proud of.

To make my bow secure, I used a tiny dot of hot glue. You can't even see it!

Coffee Cake

2011-07-08T19:28:00.000-07:00

A Classic Coffee Cake recipe

After thinking about the cake my mom made for my grandmother, I had to make one for myself. Last week I made a fantastic Red Velvet cake with cream cheese frosting, but this time needed a break from frosting. I know that sounds strange, who could ever get tired of frosting! I don't know what it is maybe something in the air or the summer heat that has me out of sorts. Any who, this classic American standard was a nice sweet diversion from the normal cake frosting.

First step

Butter and flour your baking dish then put a side. I used a 7in x 11in, but you can use 9in x 13in, I don't think it matters. I was also thinking to make this in cupcake tins, but I used the last of my cupcake papers.

I like to prep my baking dish first, so I can use the smashed butter cube in my recipe, also when the batter is ready I get impatient to get it in the oven.

You know the excitement of it all.

Second step

The topping.
One stick soft unsalted butter,
One teaspoon cinnamon,
One cup flour,
One cup brown sugar
.

Mix your topping together.
Note: It should be a coarse consistency.

Make sure you don't have any flour or butter chunks.
If you like nuts this would be the time to add.
I recommend Pecans or Walnuts.

Step Three The cake
Mix together
1 cup (two sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed, light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

Using electric mixer combine ingredients.

Add eggs and vanilla towards the end.

Step Four

In another bowl add:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of salt (about a 1/4 teaspoon)

With a spoon mix dry ingredients together.

Step Five

Combine dry bowl (in three portions)

into the wet bowl, alternating with 1/3 cup milk.

When you mix your dry into wet some of the flour will get out of control and end up out side the bowl rather than in. To prevent this you can fold in the flour mix. In these pictures I am combining my dry ingredients into the batter and used my mixer (turned off) to roughly mix the flour on the surface into the

batter. I then add some of the milk and continue to mix on medium speed.

Your finished batter should be light and smooth.

It should also be a bit thick and hard to pour.

Remember to level out your cake before adding the topping.

Bake cake between 325 or 350 depending on heat of your oven.

I started out at 325 for 45 minutes then increased the heat to 350 for 15 minutes. Once I got a clean tooth pick test, I turned on the broiler to brown up the topping for about two minutes. This is the most dangerous time for your cake! Watch carefully or you will burn the top.

Fresh out of the oven!

This cake was even better the next day.

I hope you try this recipe!

Crafty Milk Can

2011-07-03T09:11:00.000-07:00

I have news! We are moving to a new Apartment! The husband wants to be closer to his job. This means time to clean out the closets! My biggest motivation is the reality that the new apartment will be so much smaller. This relocation has me frantically trying to reduce the amount of crafty project pile up.
The Milk Can I have been stock piling these cans for about half, if not more of BABY BEE'S life.The plan was to turn these food safe containers into cute Carmel corn, cookie, brownie, macaroon, tea, candy,(I think you get the idea) gift containers. Why did I wait so long to do this??? I don't know, it seemed like a process that would take a lot of time. It is was way easier to toss this idea in the closet than actually do it.

Step One Remove the old label. I used my Cutter Bee craft knife, but a sharp tip kitchen knife or scissors should also do the trick. The goal is to make a strait cut then lift the label with minimal damage. You will use this paper as a template to measure the exact size of a new label. Don't worry about lifting a bit off the side of the container, you will cover the evidence so it doesn't matter, unless for some odd reason you make a whole in the side....(this shouldn't happen).
Step Two Clean out all milk powder residue. I refrained from water use. The container is coated with a water resistant paper, but I didn't want to test it so much. A good wipe removed the little bits of powder especially around the top metal lip that remained. I did wash the plastic lid with warm soapy water. Make sure to dry very well.
Step Three Find suitable paper. I used two gift bags and wrapping paper. Stiff gift bags cause more trouble when gluing to the container. Note when using gift bags: Disassemble the gift bag and make a flat surface so you can see how to maximize the paper and avoid any wrinkled spots. One other thing to consider, if your paper has a pattern make sure to notice what direction it is going
Step Four Time to glue. Wrap the container being aware of the edges. One of my labels went a bit crooked, because I didn't pay attention to this point. I had to cut a whole new label. When your ends meet make a line of glue on the container itself and attach the lower paper then apply a second layer of glue on the paper, but not on top of the exact location your first glue line. Make sure your paper is pulled tight around the entire container, then lay it over the adhesive and smooth to finish. I used a hot glue gun to secure the paper, but it did get a bit hot on my fingers. Paste or glue stick could also work

The Finishing Touch. This is the part that I like the most, giving a bit of personality to your gift container. You can glue as little or as much as you want I started out with an information card. This can have a special message, recipe, or simply a To & From. Other ideas for embellishments are stickers, ribbons, scrapbook embellishments, faux flowers, strands of beads or pearls, small toys even hard candy. This decorated can was made for my Grandma's birthday. One of the hardest things to do is finding a gift for her. The woman who has it all. When I visited my mom last Wednesday we had to think of something fast the big day was Friday. In the end we agreed food was the best option. Since my Grandma loves her coffee we decided to make coffee cake and cut it into round to fit inside the tin.

The tin fit 3 cakes. The concern was how to separate the rounds of cake. The answer was easy. My mom divided each layer with parchment paper then placed a cake round individually in the center of a coffee filter. Sorry, no pictures. I am sure it looked cute. I wasn't around when the actual baking happened (Thursday) and someone.....forgot of photo log it. Anyway. The gift was delivered that evening. Friday morning Grandma had an extra special morning coffee.

Book time

2011-07-01T16:43:00.000-07:00

Ribbon makes a cute and practical
bookmark!

With all the non-stop fun of being a mother of an 11 month old, I decided to add one more activity to my list.
Reading A Novel.
I realized it had been over a year since I read any fiction (aside from the news). During this time my brain steadily adjusted to picture books with the simple yet profound message ( to it's target audience 2+) of color identification and name that farm animal. I had to make a change fast. Looking for a book presented some problems. If I was going to read a book it couldn't be just any book. Like that trash Oprah has in her book club. I am sorry to all those who like her recommendations, I just can't read them. I say this after enduring two of her picks. When I think about it that was about a year ago........
Any way after a full year of steady metal retardation I needed a shock to break me out of farmville and the memories of nauseatingly bad fiction. I found a book that fit my current state better than I imagined, both in title and Author. The Idiot By Fydor Dostoyevsky.
The title is what grabbed me. I don't think this great Russian author would spend his time writing about a simpleton that can't wipe his own ass, nor am I in that bad of a state. I rather mean to say this book fits my need for a dramatic novel that is both adult themed and written beautifully. Since this is a Russian novel I am guessing it will be a tragedy, but I plan to enjoy it thoroughly.
I can't read with out TEA
A pot of tea for one is a great addition to any afternoon read. When baby bee takes his afternoon nap I warm water for his bottle and my tea. I will admit if I don't have a cup of tea I will no doubt fall asleep and so much for book time. This is just a fact. No matter how fantastic or boring a book I can't keep my eyes open. It is a combination of lack of sleep and mental relief that the little human that depends on me for everything is currently satisfied and unconscious.

Today it is black tea with green cardamom.
I recently switched from Swan Brand Tea to Al-Kbous Tea. It was gifted to us by a Yemeni friend. At first I didn't know what to do with it. The tea is like fine coffee ground, that made my tea infuser useless. I worried my tea would be grainy, but in reality the grounds settle nicely on the bottom of the pot. The tea has a bold flavor and can hold it's own if you like to add milk/creme or a spice like cardamom.
Green Cardamom is the same as regular... just green and stronger in smell. I add only two pods to my personal pot for a subtle flavor. Depending on how fast I drink it, I may or may not remove them from the tea.
You can get Cardamom in a powder, but it is more expensive. When you use as much as I do in cooking it is way more economical to get it in the pod form. My pods are looking a bit old in this picture, but if you get a bag you will see how green they come and the aroma is amazing.

As you can see no grains of tea in my cup... but

when you get to the end of your pot BEWARE!

I drink this tea very hot with a lot of sugar

and most importantly in very small cup..

Perfect Place for Pins

2011-06-14T20:11:00.000-07:00

This is a great way to keep pins and Brooches safe and in a convenient place. When it comes to Brooches I just love them. I think they are the best accessory to class up an outfit. I wear mine daily to keep my head scarf in place. A little bit or a lot of sparkle makes my day.

One problem I ran into was keeping my Brooches safe. I had lost many rhinestones and jewels due to poor storage conditions. It goes a bit like this... I am in a hurry to remove my scarf. I take the brooch off, toss it in my bathroom drawer, or in my medicine cabinet. During this time in the drawer my jewel studded beauty gets thrashed and looses some of its luster or it falls out of the cabinet into the sink. In the end I have one less accessory. Many of my little beauties are vintage from my mom's Etsy Store. She restores all the jewelry in her store, taking care to make sure each piece is in the best condition. I really feel terrible when I have to explain how I lost a jewel due to pure neglect. These fancy little pin cushions have helped save my collection of pins and Brooches. Originally the idea was intended to class up a sewing table or add a special touch to a sewing box. I personally think these little beauties are to cute to stick in a box. I have mine in full view. This is a simple project that anyone can do with little difficulty.

What you will need

Pin Cushion

Velvet

Small Container
(a teacup works great)

Straight pins

Cut your velvet to the appropriate size to cover your pin cushion, A little over lap is okay

Pin the material to the top of the tomato cushion (green part).This may take a few pins. I do it this way because it is stiffer at the top and more difficult to stick pins in. Try and make the fabric as smooth as possible. Once you have your cushion covered and secure fit it in into your teacup, pin side down. The cushion should fit snugly in place.

Easy Right?!!

Home Grown

2011-06-12T23:16:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday I visited my mom and her garden. Here are a few pictures from my visit.

Typically almonds are not consumed until the hulls are remove then place in the sun to harden - at least that's the way we have always done it. That process is to long for my husband. I guess it is common practice in Palestine to eat the almond while they are still "Green". He actually picked one of these right off the tree and took a bite, then decided it was still to soon . Honestly, I wouldn't know to me it is all to soon.

Growing up I hated yard work. I couldn't, for the life of me figure out why someone would want to grow food when it was readily available at the market. I'm not sure what happened to me, ( maybe it was growing a baby that changed my mind) but I totally enjoy plucking onions out of the dirt. These onions are sweet and awesome in a summer salad or sandwiches.

Boysenberry picking is always a pleasure. I had to go home with a basket of berries, even if the heat was getting a bit uncomfortable. The weather has a major role in how long the berry season lasts at my mom's house. It gets so hot the berries just shrivel up on the tree. I hope I can get another basket this next week. I love summer, but I am not looking forward to the extreme heat of the valley.

The story of the boysenberry begins with Rudolph Boysen. He was a farmer who experimented and came up with this new strain of berry, but the plants kept dying. Walter Knott was able to save the berry and make it famous. For more about the boysenberry, Walter Knott, his famous farm, and Theme Park check out Knott's Berry Farm . I love this story, it gives you a real nice slice of American pie!

After my visit and tour of the yard I had to get moving on down the road. My little boy had enough of just about everything and needed to take a nap. We packed up in a hurry and started the trip home, but not before my mom gave me a nice cool drink for the road. This was a new one for me. I didn't know two of my favorite things had been combined, Green Tea and Ginger Ale!

Shaved ice with Berries

2011-06-10T20:42:00.000-07:00

After picking berries in the summer heat I needed a cool treat. This is a simple summer dessert that will cool you down fast. The concept is simple shaved ice and Sweetened Condensed milk, then add your topping(s). You can get creative with the ingredients, sweet red bean paste, peaches, mango's, pineapple, banana purée or berries all work well. I used fresh picked Boysen Berries. The unexpected rain gave my parents garden the extra water it needed to produce the sweetest berries yet!

The only problem you may run into is the shaved ice. I suggest a snow cone maker. My blender worked well enough, but the ice still had a few chunks.

Helpful Hints

Have all your ingredients ready before you prepare your ice.
purée a small portion of your fruit to get more flavor
don't be shy with the condensed milk
don't get greedy and use a big glass, I made this mistake and my mouth was frozen
try layering fruit and ice it looks amazing
save unused condensed milk in a squeeze bottle

Henna Party

2011-06-06T20:14:00.000-07:00

Saturday night I invited some friends over to my house for a last minute henna party. A friend brought the henna and I provided the snacks and dinner. She made the henna herself from a powder, essential oils, lemon juice, and water. I suggest making your henna. Sometimes the pre made cones of henna can be to dry or have additives that could irritate your skin.
For more Henna or Mehndi check out these pages

Information about Henna

Mehndi Artist

I had wanted to decorate a cake with henna design but my time had run out. I then found the cutest cookie ever! The idea shows up on several different blogs, but I think this is the original .

I used my own favorite gingerbread recipe and then followed the example on Sprinkle Bakes blog. It was so easy and fun. As you can see my henna skills are not so great. I need to bake more cookies.

Last minute chocolate cupcakes whith chocolate frosting.

I know they look poor ....almost naked with no design.

A little bit better....but still simple.

The turquoise frosting was orange flavor.

Good Morning White Chocolate Soy Mocha!

2011-05-25T09:26:00.000-07:00

Out of curiosity, I picked up a box of Coffee flavored soy milk . I am not a fan of soy so I had low expectations ,but I was pleasantly surprised!

In this drink

2oz boiling water

heaping spoon of instant coffee

handful of white chocolate chips

Creme Coconut

Coffee flavored Soy Milk

Ice

Mix hot water and Instant coffee,

add white Chocolate chips- If your chips are not melting

put coffee mix in microwave for 10 seconds to help the process

add Creme Coconut to taste

add Coffee flavored Soy milk

shake and pour over ice

Jelly Sweets! I just love them.
It isn't everyday I find one I can eat. I am turned off in a major way by gelatin. First, it has a crazy extraction process . Secondly, I am Muslim and I don't dig on swine. I don't even like to take a chance that piggies maybe in my jellies. It starts in the back of my mind, images of animal carcases being dissolved in acid. Don't get me wrong I love meat. I eat hot dogs, I know the ickyness of meat processing. I just don't want to open a jelly cup and see a sad little horse or piggy looking at me. It is a sensitive subject.

These jelly cups are made with Carrageenan a red seaweed product. I have been looking into gelatin alternatives for the last couple of months. I have found Asian products use a variety of seaweed based gelatin. This was a great comfort to me and my vegetarian friend Kelly. Agar-Agar is a great seaweed gelatin and I found it easy enough at my local Asian market. It has many names, so it is best to take them all with you and ask for help.

Creme Coconut

2011-05-23T20:45:00.000-07:00

German Chocolate cupcakes

with

Coconut Cream Cheese frosting

The coconut cream cheese frosting was an experiment.

I added some sweetened coconut creme to my cream cheese frosting recipe

and used a bit of lime zest and shredded coconut for garnish.

I will do this again!

Virgin Pina Colada

1/4 cup Coconut Creme

Thick slice of fresh Pineapple

and ice

Yellow Drink Umbrella and Pineapple wedges are a must!

Strawberry Lychee Smoothie

2011-05-20T15:31:00.000-07:00

Today after my work-out I was starving! I wanted to make some pasta, but I looked at my scale ( I recently moved my bathroom scale to the kitchen) and lost the urge for carbs. Then my attention shifted to my overflowing fruit basket. I don't know why but it looked like a lot of work to peel and I had fruit salad for breakfast. Then it came to me! Smoothie Time!

In this blend :

Fat Free Strawberry Yoplait Light

Fresh Strawberries

2 Lychee (can)

nectarine

ice

1.Rinse and cut off inedible parts of your fruit 2.Add your fruit and a few spoons of Yoplait to blender 3.Add ice and blend. Pour in your favorite cup and enjoy.

Success at the Market

2011-05-19T07:53:00.000-07:00

My Husband took over the food shopping some time back. He looked at it as one of his responsibilities as a provider to bring household necessity. I appreciated it greatly since I had an aversion to grocery stores. For years I avoided them. The last place I wanted to be was the frozen food section in an overpriced chain store. Then to make matters worse, stuck in my kitchen for hours cooking! It was also agonizing to see how much food cost. All I could think about at the check-out line was how I could of bought a new dress or a pair of sandals for the same price. What a wast.

Two years latter I have started to change my mind. This came with a new interest in food and cooking. My husband brings great things from the grocery store, but I needed a new twist or two. Variety is the spice of life!

I was so amazed with what I found today during my shopping. I am still a thrifty shopper when it comes to food, but I have learned that doesn't mean I have to sacrifice quality. For example look at my finds today at the 99cent Only Store, some are even certified organic!

Sambazon Acai Smoothie Packs

(4 individually packaged in a bag)

This is going to be my good morning smoothie!

http://www.sambazon.com/

Pearl Soy Milk coffee flavor

http://www.pearlsoymilk.com/page/flavors/coffee.php

Pom Light Wild berry Tea

http://www.pomwonderful.com/products/tea/light-wildberry/

Santa Cruz Champagne Style sparkling Lemonade

http://www.scojuice.com/products/champagnestyle

package of three Romaine Lettuce hearts,2 cantaloupes, bag of fresh Anaheim chilies (not hot),

acai smoothie packs, two quart containers of Yoplait yogurt in plain and strawberry, one dozen medium eggs, 1gallon of milk, can of jumbo olives, French bread, Russian black bread, and drinks!

My second store today was a new experience. Vallarta Supermarket , the happiest grocery store on earth! I walk in and a splash of color and bright lights impressed me and upbeat Hispanic music played a little bit to loud for background music. I found my self happy to be shopping for vegetables and fruit! In my opinion Asian and Hispanic markets have the best deals on produce.

One quick shot of some of the fun that is Vallarta.

Jamaica (Hibiscus) for sale!

Coconut crazy.

Two brands of coconut water and the long awaited Cream of Coconut! I have been on the hunt for Goya Creme De Coco for a drink recipe that supposedly is pure coconut bliss!

Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce

This little can of goodness is a must have

if you like spicy Chipotle flavor.

At the end of my food shopping I revised my receipts and felt a sense of satisfaction. I saved on basic food items so in the future when a recipe calls for an expensive ingredient or I want to treat my self to a tasty gourmet item from a more expensive grocer It won't hurt my budget!...... In all fairness the extra money saved is most likely going towards shoes.

Hibiscus Tea

2011-05-17T23:32:00.000-07:00

Hibiscus Tea

with

Strawberry for cuteness

I have seen flor de Jamaica (Hibiscus) all my life in taco shops and Mexican markets, but never gave much attention to it. Years latter I was on a diet of Starbucks Passion Tea and Honey Oatmeal bars, (don't ask me how this diet came about, I think I was just poor at the time) when I started to enjoy the flavor of Hibiscus, one of the many ingredients in Passion Tea. When I married I rediscovered this yummy drink , only this time the name had changed to karkadé.

I got hooked again on this non-caffeinated tea during pregnancy. Supposedly Hibiscus has blood pressure lowering qualities , but I can't back that up with research. It was however a great help to me as a flavor saver in pregnancy teas. Now days I just drink it with a bit of sugar ...okay a lot of sugar.

The tea is dark red and refreshing to drink as well as admire in a pretty glass. It seems to quench my thirst better than regular black ice tea on a hot day.

The way I make my tea is simple.

I start with a large pot, fill with purified water. Purified water gives a clean taste to any beverage. It makes a real difference in drink quality.
Add in your Hibiscus flowers. This is relative to how big a pot you are making and how strong of a flavor you want. I like a strong tea, so I use about 3 handfuls to a pot. A strong flavor gives this tea a juice like quality.
Bring your flowers to a boil, for just a minute then turn of heat. At this time I add my sweetener( to taste).
I cover the pot with a lid and let sit for an hour or two. The way my brewing method works is, when I remember the tea again it is ready. Once the tea is perfect strain out your flowers and pour into a pitcher or storage container. Do not cover until cool.

In my home town Hibiscus flowers are easy to find, just about every grocery store has them. If you have tried and failed to find them in major supermarket try the smaller international markets. In middle eastern markets the flower is called Karkadé and in Hispanic markets flor de Jamaica. You can also find Hibiscus at health food stores sometimes in a tea blends.

This brewing method is not the only one out and about, but it works splendidly in my opinion. After brewing a pot or two you will find your way with this tea and develop your own preferences. Enjoy and expect good things!

My First Mother's Day

2011-05-10T22:41:00.000-07:00

How do best friends know when you need them the most? I have wondered this periodically when my closest friend swoops in, with face masks, moisturizers and Jelly sweets that save the day.

My stress level has been on the rise lately. Even my little baby bee has been extra fussy. I think everyone has moments of frustration, but mine has been more like a month AHHHHHH . Then an unexpected surprise came calling. I got the best Mother's Day love package.

This love package had a Special Mother's Day card, Juicy Sandals, Mango Jelly sweets, Korean Black Ginseng, DDF Sulfur mask, 40 Carrots serum, Cosmedicine Hydra Healer, Borghese pure perfection mineral powder, blemish tool, Primal handmade cupcake soap, and a Bee scrubber for my kitchen.

I will admit being a mom for the first time has been a joy and a frustration. Some things that I used to find relaxing I don't have time for or have just forgotten about. I am guilty of neglecting my skin care regime....but I have taken steps recently to remedy the issue. I purchased a new cleanser (40 Carrots creme cleanser) and a new facial scrub( Clinic 7 day scrub) , but I was missing moisturizers. I have always had combination skin and that was prone to breakout. I used to go oil free, but I am getting older so the moisturizers of my youth just don't cut it. I worry about wrinkles and dark circles. This skin saver love package really was in every way just in time. I recommend Cosmedicine Hydra Healer, a little goes a long way. I wasn't sure about the moisturizer at first in seemed to heavy but I was so wrong. My skin is clear and feels soft and hydrated.

Jelly Sweets and good skin don't solve the world problem or mine,but they never hurt.

Thank You! Thank You!Check out my friends blog for best beauty information!

http://www.lipglossloveaffair.com/