Soap Deli News

Mango-Pineapple Black Bean Salsa Recipe

2012-02-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

Scott's cooked up another tasty creation that I wanted to share with you. This time it's a black bean salsa and there's actually no cooking involved! Black beans are so tasty and good for you!

Homemade Mango-Pineapple Black Bean Salsa Recipe

Ingredients:

3-15oz. cans of black beans, drain two of the cans

1 medium sized red onion, chopped

6-8 small Roma tomatoes, diced

1 mango, chopped

10oz. fresh pineapple, diced (You can substitute the mango or pineapple with papaya)

2 medium sized jalapenos, free of seeds and finely diced

7oz. organic cilantro, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Tablespoon white vinegar

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Cover and marinate in the fridge overnight. Serve with tortilla chips. (We like to eat the organic blue corn tortilla chips.) It's perfect for when you're entertaining or simply want a movie night at home!

Like this recipe? Also be sure to try my Homemade Black Bean Dip Recipe. You can also make black beans into burgers with some cooked down barley and small chopped veggies as suggested by Angelique C. on my fan page. Or do what Sandra B. does and combine 1 can Black beans + 1 can corn + 1 can diced tomato w/chilies + lime juice and cilantro for another fantastic black bean dip!

What's your favorite recipe for black beans?

DIY Weekend Beauty Recipes

2012-02-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

Want a weekend wind down? Here are a few great diy recipes to make for your weekend beauty fix!

1. How to Make Your Own Rose Water via Care2

2. 13 Wonderful Ways to Use Epsom Salt via Care2

3. Delicious Cinnamon & Sugar Lip Scrub via Deliciously Organized

4. DIY Chocolate Facial via Beauty With Brains

5. Wake-Up Scrub via Whole Living

6. Homemade Facial Masks via Spa at Home

Getting By On a Budget - Books to Read

2012-02-12T13:10:00.000-05:00

I got divorced just over a year ago, and I'm finally to the point where I'm going to be able to move out of my parents' house and back on my own again. Except this time around it's not going to be as easy because my income is significantly reduced over what it was when I was married and my ex-husband was the bread winner. As a result, I've really been researching ways to save money but to still be able to enjoy life on a budget. In doing so, I came across a few great books that I thought you might be interested in too!

I am super excited about the book, Make Your Place: Affordable & Sustainable Nesting Skills by Raleigh Briggs. I think this book is beautiful and it brings back memories of when 'zines were a trend and mail order was god, before the internet took over the masses and amazon made it's way into the world as the first big internet retailer. Sort of in the way that mustaches are trendy now. Except this book is much more useful than a mustache on a mug! Written and illustrated by Raleigh Briggs, this book is a DIY collection from the author's 'zines and illustrations containing her amazing ideas for making and keeping a DIY household. There are how to's and recipes for making cleaning solutions, using herbs to heal, dealing with "women" related problems, setting up a garden, and so much more. If you're interested in becoming more sustainable and a little more green, this is definite one book you'll want to buy!

You may also be interested in the book, The Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking: Decorating, Dining, and the Gratifying Pleasures of Self-Sufficiency -- On a Budget! by Kate Payne. This book is your source for decorating, homemaking, and dining on little to no money. It's the perfect book if you're on your own for the first time - especially if you have a limited budget - or just want to explore new ways of saving money. This book contains ideas for thrift shopping with a purpose, urban gardening, cleaning, cooking, decorating, saving space and more!

And if you are REALLY into growing as much of your own food as possible, definitely check out The Urban Homestead (Expanded & Revised Edition): Your Guide to Self-Sufficient Living in the Heart of the City (Process Self-reliance Series).

It'd love to hear some of the things you do to save money in your household as well as inexpensive ways to entertain or have fun!

DIY Home Decorating Ideas - Wood Grain Trend

2012-02-08T18:22:00.000-05:00

I've recently started looking for an apartment to rent so I've been extra inspired by ways to decorated your home. Here are a few inspirational home decorating ideas I've recently run across that I wouldn't mind using in my own home.

Wood grain is a huge trend lately. So exploit it's versatility and use it rooms that are shared between the guys and the girls! Left: DIY Tree Branch Side Table via ManMade; Right: David Stark Wood Slices Dinnerware Set (right) via West Elm (Try it yourself with plain ceramic plates and non-toxic porcelain paint pens. I use Pebeo Porcelaine Paint Pens.)

DIY Storage Ideas. Left: DIY Ikea Nasum Basket Shelving via Livet Hemma; Right: DIY Industrial Record Cabinet via A Beautiful Mess Blog

For more inspirational home decorating ideas and diy projects, visit my For the Home board on Pinterest. What is your favorite home decorating trend right now?

Chocolate Bark with Pistachios and Pink Himalayan Salt Recipe

2012-02-05T15:22:00.002-05:00

One of my facebook friends recently posted a delectable photograph of some chocolate bark she made with pistachios and Pink Himalayan salt. So I went hunting for a recipe to make my own for multiple reasons. One, I get chocolate cravings from time to time that must be fulfilled. Two, dark chocolate is good for your soul. It helps to prevent depression, anxiety and stress and it has all those great anti-oxidants. The darker, the better. Three, pistachios are so good for you. Nuts like peanuts, almonds and pistachios are a much healthier snack than potato chips and they help keep your blood sugar where it should be while blessing your diet with fiber and antioxidants. They may be high in fat, but it's good fat so you're not likely to pack on pounds snacking on nuts. Plus, it's been found that consuming potatoes causing a rise in blood sugar and regular consumption over time actually adds weight. So if no one is treating you to chocolates this Valentine's Day, make your own! Or better yet, make a batch for yourself and your female friends to remind them they are awesome!

Chocolate-Almond Bark with Sea Salt from Bon Appetit

Bon Appetit has a recipe for Chocolate-Almond Bark with Sea Salt. I improvised on this to get just the chocolate bark recipe I was looking for.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup raw sugar

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups pistachios minus the shells

1lb. finely chopped, unsweetened dark chocolate (62%–70% cacao)

Coarse Pink Himalayan Salt

Follow the instructions on Bon Appetit for making your Chocolate-Pistachio Bark with Pink Himalayan Salt.

There's also a great alternative to this recipe at With Style and Grace Blog that skips adding the butter and uses sweetened dark chocolate instead of adding sugar. Or, you could even consider adding dried cranberries!

Pink Himalayan Sea Salt from Mountain Rose Herbs

You can save on your purchase of Pink Himalayan Salt by buying it in bulk along with any other spices and culinary salts you like to use. Not only is Pink Himalayan Salt great for cooking - it is one of the purest salts available for culinary, therapeutic and cosmetic uses - and it contains a quantifiable amount of 84 trace elements & iron. Buy some for cooking and use the extra for your favorite bath salt recipes! I highly recommend Mountain Rose Herbs for your bulk purchases.

What are some of your favorite ingredients to add to chocolate?

Homemaking Tips for Making Life Easier

2012-02-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

You, my lovely readers have been sharing some great homemaking tips in response to several of my blog posts, so I wanted to combine them in one location to give everyone a chance to read about them! Here are a few useful tips you may want to try yourself!

From Everyday Homemaking Tips:

The best way to get blood out of fabric is hydrogen peroxide. Soak, scrub, rinse with cool water. Repeat until clean. - by Anonymous
If you are in the middle of painting a room and you want to take a break and resume another day wrap your roller in plastic wrap and put it in the freezer, then when you are ready to paint again just thaw out your roller and your ready to go. - by abr76
BEST overall cleaner in a spray bottle, mix half rubbing alcohol{any scent}half water and a drop of dish detergent. Kills germs and safe to use. A doctor's office secret! - by Anonymous
Keep a small spray bottle of lemon juice in your fridge. If your little ones only eat half an apple, spray the other half with lemon juice and wrap in plastic or baggie for tomorrow. Cut a banana in half, spray the end with lemon juice and fit into a small plastic lid. I save juice lids of various sizes just for things like this. The best size for my bananas, SunnyD lids from individual juice bottles. It will fit snugly and keep out little flying critters and keep the end fresh. You can leave it out on a counter. - by KarenSluder
If you use a Pyrex dish to bake a chicken, pot roast, scalloped potatoes. etc., fill the dish with water, drop a dryer sheet in the dish, and rinse it out in the morning. I have found it actually works! - by Anonymous

From Home Office Organizing Tips and DIY Projects:

I got my windows tinted on my car as a present but the guy who did it told me I could no longer use the cup holders that hook on the window anymore. I found another use for them. I put one on my toilet tank and put the top back down on it to hold it steady and put a can of air freshener in it. - by Anonymous

From Household Tips for Organizing and Living:

Take your conditioner from the shower and fill half an empty spray bottle with it. Fill the rest with water and shake it up well. You have your own leave-in conditioner, detangler, whatever you want to call it. Too strong, make it a third of the conditioner and two thirds water, or one quarter conditioner to three quarters water.... whichever works for you. - by Anonymous
I HATE to iron. I took an empty spray bottle and put half of it with my liquid fabric softener and filled the rest with water. When my items come out of the dryer wrinkled I take one item out and keep the other stuff drying in the dryer to prevent more wrinkles. I lay it on a flat surface and spray it with the softener spray and press the wrinkles out with my hands. Spray and press as much as you need to. This works beautifully for denim! Just let it air dry once the wrinkles are out.
This mixture also works well for spraying down to freshen fabrics in the rest of the house that do not get washed often or at all like curtains, furniture and carpets.
Also works well for static in clothing. Or in a pinch and laundry day is not here yet, spray your not too dirty clothing to freshen it up for one more wearing. - by Anonymous

From Helpful Tips for Everyday Success:

Freezing meals is a good idea. I do that with chili beans and other soups. sometimes meatloaf or other pastas like lasagna. It really does save a lot of time and headache when you're hungry. - by ij
I took two receiving blankets and a plain metal hanger to make an earring holder. I folded one in half and draped it on the bottom of the hanger. I put my earrings on that pushing the hook/post all the way through all of the layers (to keep it from sliding one way or the other) and when they were all on it I draped the other blanket over it to help from dust settling on them and reduce tarnishing.
Another is a medium to large width chain, a plastic child's clothing hanger and two curtain rings (I used the ones shaped like a pear). Take one of the rings and hook it through one end of the chain and hang it on one side of the hanger. Do the same to the other side. Now you can hang your dangle earrings on it and hang it somewhere. If you have a very dusty house like me get a plastic grocery bag and put a small hole in the center of the bottom and put the hook of the hanger through it to protect the jewelry. - by Anonymous
Old pillowcases are wonderful for protecting clothing in a closet or when traveling. If you have old ones with a zipper, even better. Put a small hole in the center of the closed side. If you worry about fraying put a coat of clear nail polish on the edges of the hole once it is cut and allow it to dry. Whatever clothing or whatever you have on the hanger is protected. Put your choice of items on the hanger and place the hook of the hanger through the hole of the pillowcase and gently pull the pillowcase down over the hanger. I used this when moving for my jewelry with the zipper ones and even if the jewelry came off of the hanger it did not go far because of the zipper. If you have a long enough pillowcase and a short item you are protecting, you can tie the pillowcase off at the bottom too or use a rubberband (keep in mind that rubber bands break, harden and snap fairly easily too so maybe use and old twist off of a bag of bread) - by Anonymous
When you buy a frozen dinner they usually come in the black plastic microwaveable dishes. They are easy to clean and reuse. I prefer the ones in sections but any will do. If you cook a meal and have leftovers these are perfect. When you eat the meal save the black container and put the leftovers of a meal you cooked in it. Most of them will fit in a resealable freezer baggie. Put the food in the dish, put the dish in a baggie and put that in the freezer. They are very handy to have around and it is your own cooking so you KNOW what is in it too. Personally, I clean the dish and the baggie and reuse them as a pair. - by Anonymous
If you washed baby bottles by hand you likely have a unit to drip dry the bottles and parts. These work great to drip dry resealable baggies that you have washed to reuse. - by Anonymous
Take a bottle of something to drink with you easily. Get a carabiner clip (these days they are cheap and easy to get) and take an O ring (I buy them individually at Menards) that is just a tiny bit smaller than the opening of the bottle. Use a sturdy and fairly large jump ring and attach the clip to the o-ring with the jump ring. Put the o-ring over the top of the water bottle until the bottle widens. Put the carabiner on a belt loop or purse strap and you should be good to go. - by Anonymous
I do not like lotion on my hands but I love it on the rest of me. I took a round sponge about a quarter inch thick and about an inch and a half in diameter and glued it to a bottle top which was close to the same diameter as the sponge. That makes a great applicator for face cream. - by Anonymous

And, here are a few more great tips I've discovered:

Use Bar Keeper's Friend to clean your stainless steel sink. It's great for taking out hard water spots. Also try it for cleaning stainless steel pots and pans and removing stains from kitchen counters. - via Pinterest
To clean and deodorize your microwave, fill a small container with water and a dash of vinegar. Heat on high for 5 minutes, then carefully remove the dish and wipe down your microwave with a wet cloth. - via Crafty Little Gnome
Combine equal parts of water and white vinegar into a spray bottle and spritz on baseboards and kitchen floors to deter ants. Also use outdoors on your patio or picnic table right before family gatherings to keep ants away! - via Martha Stewart

How to Make a Wall Mounted Magnetic Spice Rack from theKitchn

Save money on groceries buying herbs and spices in bulk. (I buy mine from Mountain Rose Herbs.) You can either recycle containers to store them in, or craft a DIY Wall Mounted Magnetic Spice Rack to also save on kitchen space. Need more ideas for saving space in the kitchen? Mount a painted peg board on the wall to hang commonly used utensils, pots, and pans and use tiered shelves in your cabinets to organize canned goods in a way that makes them easy to both inventory and grab when you need them. You can also free up counter space by getting rid of that bulky knife block and instead mounting a Magnetic Knife Storage Strip above your counter to hold knives and kitchen scissors.

What are your favorite tips for organizing or cleaning your home that you find you use on a regular basis?

Valentine's Day Sensual Massage Oil Recipe

2012-02-02T18:41:00.000-05:00

Lover's Essential Oil Kit from Mountain Rose Herbs

We're on the final countdown to Valentine's Day! And just in case you're still looking for Valentine's Day gift ideas, I wanted to let you know that Mountain Rose Herbs is offering their Lover's Essential Oil Kit at 25% off during the month of February! This kit is a collection of organic essential oils perfect for inspiring love, passion, and attraction. Use them to create an enticing massage oil for your special someone or perhaps whip up an aromatherapy blend to use in your diffuser on romantic date nights at home. The Lover's Essential Oil Kit comes beautifully gift wrapped and contains a 1/8 ounce vial of organic Clary Sage, organic Ylang Ylang, organic Palmarosa, organic Sandalwood, organic Patchouli and a 1/24 ounce of true Rose. Simply visit Mountain Rose Herb's Monthly Specials page to take advantage of this great offer!

To create a sensual massage oil for your Valentine, try mixing 2oz. of Sunflower Oil, 2 oz. of Rosehip Seed Oil, 2oz. of Jojoba Oil, a few drops of Vitamin E, and 10 drops each of Sandalwood, Patchouli, and Rose Essential Oils. Or, whip up some natural massage melts with your favorite combination of essential oils. (For more Valentine's Day gift ideas, click here.)

Organic Raw Cacao Beans from Mountain Rose Herbs

This month Mountain Rose Herbs is also offering 20% off Organic Raw Cacao Beans. If you recall from my post in January, black tea, dark chocolate and fish can help to reduce stress, depression, and anxiety. Cacao Beans are no exception! Not only do raw cacao beans which not only taste great, but is high flavonoids, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Cacao also acts as a natural antidepressant in the body through natural elements that elevate the mood, help increase focus, and give feelings of attraction, pleasure, and excitement. So, what are cacao beans? Cacoa beans are basically raw chocolate and are the seeds of the fruit of the native South American cacao tree that have been dried and fully fermented. They contain no sugar and are a great source of magnesium. To consume cacao beans, you may simple eat them straight. Or you may choose to blend them into smoothies, freeze then eat cold with some raw honey, blend with maca into an herbal tea, blend with a sweetener and nuts for a natural chocolate bar, or crush and add to ice cream as a substitute for chocolate chips!

Also check out Mountain Rose Herbs this month for 20% off herbal bath salts, 20% off red algae salt, 15% off Grateful Heart tea, 15% off Kristine Brown's Herbal Roots Calendar, 25% off their Lover's Essential Oil Kit, 25% off Hops Flower essential oil, 20% off Hawthorn Leaf/Flower, 20% off Mugwort, and 20% off Olive Leaf.

Valentine's Day Gifts - Yes, It's Almost Time!

2012-02-01T20:57:00.001-05:00

It's officially less than two weeks until Valentine's Day! Do you your gifts ready? Since my boyfriend and I are currently looking for an abode to share I decided to buy him something I know he'll use again and again for Valentine's Day - a french press. I also bought him some whole bean organic fair trade coffee from Larry's Beans to pair with it. He loves their Bean Martin Roast, but Fresh Market happened to have some of their El Salvador Dali Blend here locally so I picked up some of it for him to try. And lucky me. I happened to walk in on my guy making reservations for me for Valentine's Day at one of my favorite restaurants downtown - Lucky.

Homemade Valentine Cards: Stitched Heart Bookmarks from Thirty Handmade Days

If you're still not sure what you'll be gifting that someone special, you can find lots of do-it-yourself ideas on my DIY Valentine's Day Gifts board on Pinterest like the one above for crafting your own stitched heart bookmarks via Thirty Handmade Days Blog. Or you can browse my Valentine's Day Gift Ideas board for a lovely selection of handmade Valentine gift ideas you can buy.

What will you be gifting this Valentine's Day?

Natural Homemade Hair Mask and Hair Conditioner Recipes

2012-01-29T18:59:00.000-05:00

My Bleached & Dyed Hair, May 2010

I have long, fine and straight hair that gets super dry in the winter which, of course, leads to frizz. And it's not pretty. Unfortunately it's still in the growing out stage from me wreaking havoc on it just under two years ago when I decided to dye it dark brown - so that it looked black - and bleach out "highlights" that I dyed a bright magenta. At this point, I could hack it off to the point where my "healthy" hair has grown out, but that would mean hair no longer than my chin - again. With cold weather still lurking about, I'm not sure I'm ready to make change. So what that means is shampoos and conditioners for dry and damaged hair and the occasional deep moisturizing treatment to wrangle it back in line.

So what's a girl to do when even Aussie's 3-Minute Miracle and Anti-Frizz Cream aren't quite doing the trick anymore? Go old school and turn back to the basics for a deep conditioning hair treatment. Old school remedies from the kitchen really do work! Mayonnaise is great for moisture. Just apply and cover with a shower cap for about 8 minutes, then wash out. Or grab the olive oil from the pantry, heat a little in the microwave until warm, apply to hair and let sit for about 5 minutes, then wash out for a simple, yet effective hot oil treatment. Food not quite your gig? Raw butters and oils are great for your hair. Shea butter makes an excellent hair conditioners and oils like jojoba oil are great for moisture and shine! (You can buy quality, organic butters and oils from Mountain Rose Herbs.) There's no need to buy hair care products with lots of "extras" and chemicals. In fact, preparing your own hair masks, hot oil treatments, and conditioners will save you money in the long run! If simple is just not your style, then you can play around with a combination of ingredients for the perfect treatment.

Longhairloom.com has a great selection of natural hair care recipes from A to Z! Everything from an aloe & jojoba glossing gel to a vinegar rinse! My favorite recipes from Long Hair Loom are the Mediterranean Hair Mask - 2 egg yolks, 1 mug olive oil, 1 mug rum, 3 Tablespoons honey - and the All Natural Kitchen Deep Conditioner - 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon shea butter, 1.5 Tablespoons yogurt, 1 Tablespoon honey, 1 Tablespoon coffee, and 1 egg. For instructions on making these recipes and to find more recipes like these, visit Longhairloom.com.

You may also be interested in these hair recipes:

What type of hair do you have and what's your favorite product to keep it looking it's best?

Homemaking Tips and Shopping Trips

2012-01-28T16:39:00.000-05:00

Printed Halter with Knit Back from The Limited

Feeling a bit insane this week. The hormones are a little wonky. Plus I had to buy new clothes for work as I seem to have gone up a size this winter. Not the way I wanted to go clothes shopping. I ended up at The Limited where I was able to catch some good deals on some quality clothing that was not made in China. Basically I scored four work outfits consisting of four tops and two pairs of pants in brown and gray for about $200 that work now for winter with a cardigan or jacket and into spring and summer without. (And they help hide the waistline!) Really disliking supporting clothing manufacturer's that import from China for the sole fact that they don't follow our trademark, copyright or patent laws and regularly rip off artists across the board in everything from clothing and accessories to film and art. Would love to see trade laws change on countries that aren't part of trademark and copyright treaties.

So anyway, as a result of possibly having to replace my entire wardrobe I asked for suggestions for getting some indoor cardio on my facebook page and ended up buying Start! Walking with Leslie Sansone 1 & 2 Mile Walk on DVD. (It came with a free 7-day Amazon on Demand Video rental of the video good for one month.) Really hoping this is something I'll be able to stick with. My friend on facebook - and yes! I know her in "real life," was able to drop from 200lbs. to 145lb. with her DVDs which I think is amazing.

Steampunk Art Print Apocalyptic Twins Holding Bomb"Anticipation" by Harriet's Imagination

I also dreamed about a devil zombie apocalypse that slowly unfolded. Every time I woke up I'd just fall back asleep and dream about a worsening twist to the strange dream. Told my brother about it and he suggested I read the book One Second After by William R. Forstchen. Apparently it's a "this really could happen" apocalypse book about the United States being hit with bombs that knock out our communications with an EMP and send us back into what is essentially the Dark Ages. The west coast is then occupied by China purporting itself as humanitarian aid, but they never quite leave. Very unsettling. I may borrow it from my brother after I get over being freaked out by last night's dream. Hormone fluctuations always bring with it the most visual and imaginative dreams for me. Does that happen for anyone else? (And, if you love apocalyptic art, be sure to check out some of the amazing artwork from Harriet's Imagination!)

But enough about me. I recently discovered some great tips and diy projects online that I want to share.

Dishwasher Hippo Print from TheLSDesign

If you don't already know, vinegar is terrific for just about everything that has anything to do with cleaning. (Grab some DIY Cleaner Recipes here.) But did you also know you can use it in your dishwasher as an eco-friendly rinse aid? Not only is it all natural, but it works! Whole New Mom suggests combining white vinegar with a little bit of food coloring and simply using it in place of your regular commercial brand rinse aid. The food color makes it easier to tell when it's time to refill than simply vinegar on its own. (Click here for an eco-friendly dishwasher detergent recipe!) (Plus, be sure to check out TheLSDesign if you're looking for some less than traditional, fun works of art for your kitchen! I am in LOVE with her Tasmanian Devil Blender Hybrid Print!)

With spring creeping up, I have getting outdoors and gardening on the brain. Make pathways and gardens easy to spot at night by decorating the boundaries with glow in the dark rocks! Simply paint your favorite rocks with Rust-Oleum Glow-in-the-Dark Brush-on Paint or Krylon Glowz Aerosol Spray Paint. They'll soak up the sun during the day and then glow from the day's charge at night! Apply several coats for an especially bright glow.

Black Widow Spider Glow in the Dark Rock from Rock Artiste

If you want to be extra artistic and have a knack for painting, consider painting decorative designs on your glow in the dark rocks. A black widow - like the one pictured above from Rock Artiste - gives an even more creative touch to your garden. (For high weather areas, consider following with a polyurethane or oil base clear coat over your final project.)

Liquid Castille Soap from Mountain Rose Herbs

Save money by making your own homemade foaming soap! Just fill a re-usable foaming soap pump with liquid soap and water. I like Dr. Bronner's Liquid Castille Soap and the Unscented Organic Liquid Castille Soap from Mountain Rose Herbs - 16oz. is just $6 plus they have a great selection of organic essential oils you can scent your soap with! Alternately, you can recycle your old commercial brand soap pump once it's empty and refill the same way you would an "empty" foaming soap pump by filling it about 4/5 of the way full with water then topping off with your soap. Whole New Mom also suggests adding a squirt of glycerin - also available from Mountain Rose Herbs - for extra moisture and a few drops of your favorite essential oil for fragrance. For more frugal homemaking ideas, check out my blog article, Household Ideas for Pinching Pennies and Stretching Your Dime.

For more tips and DIY projects, be sure to check out my boards on Pinterest!

New Handmade Soaps and a little Nom, Nom, Nom.

2012-01-26T20:39:00.000-05:00

I have three new handmade soaps curing as of several days ago that I think all just smell fabulous! I have also ordered some lavender essential oil so I can make an all natural lavender soap for spring, and of course, I have my order in with my co-worker's daughter for some super awesome, tasty Girl Scout Cookies. Yes, I am a bonifide Girl Scout Cookie addict. My favorite Girl Scout Cookies are the Peanut Butter Sandwiches or what used to be called Do-Si-Dos. (Psst. Serious Eats has a knock off recipe for their tasty peanut butter sandwich cookies on their blog.)

But on to the soaps! You can look forward to these beauties being available for sale from Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen in about three weeks.

Bella's Kiss Handmade Shea Butter Soap - A lovely, soft and feminine blend of Violet, Gardenia, Jasmine, Grapefruit, Vanilla, and White Woods. This scent is perfect for teens and young women! Though I'm late 30s and love it too!

Abalone & Sea Handmade Salt Bar Soap - A fresh, unisex scented sea salt bar soap with shea butter that combines the scents of Daylily, Sea Shell Abalone, Lime, Ozonic, Sea Spray Accord, Rose, Jasmine, Freesia, Lily, Beach Daisy, Woods, Musk, and Marine. I made this one for my boyfriend who was a huge fan of my Big Lick Salt Bar.

Pomegranate Cream Handmade Shea Butter Soap - I've had this one before it just looks a little different this go 'round. This soap boasts a fabulous scent combo of exotic, spicy pomegranate, wild bergamot, dewberry, iris, and jasmine followed by spicy notes of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, with base notes of precious woods and cedar. Currently you can buy a goat's milk lotion from Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen in this scent here!

And just in case Peanut Butter Sandwiches are not your favorite cookie, I won't tease you by just giving you just one recipe for making Girl Scout Cookies. There are also recipes for making Caramel DeLites or Samoas at Yum Sugar, Tagalongs at Baking Bites, Thin Mints at Baking Bites, and Trefoils or Shortbread Cookies at CDKitchen. What's your favorite Girl Scout Cookie to buy?

Artisan Loose Leaf Teas from The Cozy Leaf

2012-01-22T17:07:00.000-05:00

I am a huge fan of loose leaf teas, but my favorite teas are loose leaf artisan teas. I love sampling new teas blended up by handmade artisans and have been on the look out for even more great teas since my favorite tea artist closed up her shop. Recently I discovered a new shop with hand blended loose leaf artisan teas located in Wichita, Kansas called The Cozy Leaf.

Sample Pack of 6 Artisan Loose Leaf Tea Blends from The Cozy Leaf

I purchased Abby's - of The Cozy Leaf - Sample Pack of 6 Artisan Loose Leaf Tea Blends and received my purchase on Friday. I've been sipping ever since! According to the February 2012 issue of Reader's Digest Magazine - my mom is a devout subscriber - black tea, dark chocolate and fish can help to reduce stress, depression, and anxiety. So I've really decided to up my daytime consumption of a quality black loose leaf tea to at least once a day. (I believe the article recommended four cups a week.) Besides, there's just something about a cup of fresh brewed, hot tea that relaxes you despite the caffeine. My favorites thus far from The Cozy Leaf are the Organic Fit and Active Loose Leaf Tea - this is an Oolong tea blend - and the Organic Peaceful Dreams Loose Leaf Herbal Tea. I always love a nice cup of herbal tea before bed! Abby also has an organic Cream Earl Grey Tea in the works which is my very favorite tea of all time! I'm super excited for it to become available so I can try it out!

I like a hefty, strong cup of tea so rather than the recommended 1 teaspoon per 4oz. cup I generally opt of a rounded Tablespoon of tea per 6-8oz. of water. Herbal teas I steep for a good 10-15 minutes to reap the benefits of the herbs in the blend. I also really like the Traditional Medicinals herbal tea blends. While not an artisan tea, they are organic and their Organic Cold Care PM has been fabulous with this last cold I caught! Plus there's a coupon for $1 off in February's Reader's Digest. (I buy mine at Kroger.) I'm also a big fan of the artisan, flavored black loose leaf teas at Tea for All Reasons.

If you're a fan of tea, but not the caffeine, and your favorite artisan teas aren't available in decaf, you can decaf the teas yourself. Simply bring your cold water to a boil, brew your tea for about 30 seconds, then immediately remove the tea, drain your tea leaves and re-brew with a fresh dose of boiling water for the recommended 3-5 minutes. This method removes most of the caffeine from any of your teas - just as much as a commercial decaffeinated tea - but won't result in a loss of flavor for oolong, green or white teas. Black teas on the other hand can lose some flavor and may need to be steeped longer. Also, keep in mind decaffeinating your tea can cause a loss in the health benefits of your tea. I brew all of my loose leaf teas in T-Sac Tea Filters as I find them easy to use for whatever amount I choose.

Loose Leaf Tea? Make Your Own Tea Bags! via A Beautiful Mess

You can also make your own tea bags from coffee filters. A Beautiful Mess Blog has a simple DIY tutorial for doing so with a decorative touch that would make them great for gifting or as favors. Love tea as much as I do? Check out my Everything Tea Board on Pinterest for more tea related projects, products and ideas.

Are you a tea drinker? What's your favorite tea to drink and when is your favorite time to drink it?

Scott's Simple Homemade Chili Recipe

2012-01-21T18:32:00.000-05:00

During the cold winter months there's nothing like a huge bowl of chili to warm you up! So I thought I'd share my boyfriend, Scott's, homemade chili recipe. It's easy to make and tastes delicious even leftover the next day!


Scott's Homemade Chili - Simmering in the Pot

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds ground beef
2-3 16oz. cans stewed or diced tomatoes
1 16oz. can tomato paste
4-5 16oz. cans of dark red kidney beans (Alternately you can mix light red and dark red kidney beans or use black beans as a healthier alternative.)
1-2 medium to large onions (white or yellow), diced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeds removed and diced finely
1 or 2 sweet bell peppers - yellow, orange, or red, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 package regular chili seasoning - Scott uses Kroger or McCormick brand but says you can use almost any brand as long as you choose one with the fewest ingredients which means less fillers and preservatives
1/2 bottle of good beer - Scott chose to Star Hill Brewery's Northern Lights Indian Pale Ale for this batch (optional, but always recommended)

Directions:

Cook the ground beef until brown and cooked through. Drain.
Combine cooked beef in a large pot with other ingredients, only draining two of the three cans of stewed/diced tomatoes.
Cook over med-high heat uncovered until the chili reaches a semi-boil.
Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring frequently for 2-3 hours
For extra heat, add more jalapenos, habanero chili peppers or ground cayenne pepper to suit.
To serve, top with your choice of garnish such as chives, salsa, sour cream, shredded cheese, tortilla chips, or whatever you like best on your chili!

Bowl of Chili Ready to Eat and Topped with Shredded Cheese

Like this recipe? Then be sure to try Scott's recipe for Seared Sashami Tuna and Sauteed Shrimp in an Orange-Soy-Ginger Reduction Sauce with a side of Asparagus. It also includes the addition of tasty beer and a bit of wine in the recipe - though optional, of course.

My son and Scott with Pepper Stickers on their noses.

Using your own produce from your vegetable garden for your homemade chili? Then save the seeds for next year's planting! Simply keep the seeds you remove from your peppers and dry on a paper towel. Then store them in my Printable Seed Packets! You'll find printable seeds packets for cucumber/squash, tomato, parsley/herbs, red pepper, and a radish. But you can put anything you like inside as there's a spot on each packet to write what's inside! Plus there are five different sticker designs - including the fun pepper stickers on Cody and Scott's noses - and red pepper gift wrap for gardening related gifts!

What are your favorite toppings or ingredients you like to include in your homemade chili?

Printable Garden Seed Packets for Saving, Gifting, or Favors

2012-01-18T19:17:00.000-05:00

With spring right around the corner you may be thinking about your upcoming gardening project or even easy party or wedding favor ideas for a spring wedding. So I've created some fun printable seed packets with matching labels and even red pepper gift wrap to make saving your seeds for the following year, creating seed packets as favors or including seed packets in spring gifts that much easier! (Check out a fun gardening gift idea here.)

Just download the pdf file with the printable garden seed packets, red pepper wrapping paper, and matching garden stickers labels. Cut out the seed packets along the outer edges, fold the flaps down and glue the packets together.

Then fill your packets with seeds and seal shut by gluing down the top flap or sealing the flap with a sticker label.

There are five different printable seed packet designs to choose from: cucumber/squash, tomato, parsley/herbs, red pepper, and a radish. But you can put anything you like inside as there's a spot on each packet to write what's inside!

You can use the stickers as seals for your seed packets or print out a sheet for the kids to play with! Just print on sticker label sheets and cut along the outer edges. Alternatively, you can print the labels onto cardstock and use as gift tags, punching a hole into the tag with a hole punch and tying on with ribbon or string.

Download my printable garden seed packets and labels here. These printables are free for personal, non-commercial use.

Do you save seeds from your garden for the following year? What are your favorite seeds to save? (For more fun gardening ideas, visit my Gardening Board on Pinterest.)

Spring Gardener's Handmade Soap Giveaway

2012-01-17T19:08:00.000-05:00

Love to garden? Then get a jump start on spring with a chance to win two extra scrubby bars of Handmade Exfoliating Lettuce Gardener's Soap from Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen!

Formulated specifically for regular gardeners so your skin is less likely to dry out from repeated washings - which is often the case with commercial soaps made primarily from industrial foaming agents - this handmade gardening soap contains an abundance of goat's milk, shea butter, cocoa butter, olive oil, rice bran oil and even colloidal oatmeal. (It's the same great recipe as my bestselling Unscented Goat Milk Soap.) And because dirt and grime rest for no one, this soap bar also contains natural, exfoliating fine ground pumice, apricot kernel meal, and ground calendula petals to scrub clean even the dirtiest of hands. Plus it smells great, boasting a garden fresh scent combination of spearmint, lettuce, and rain.

In addition to winning two bars of gardening soap, the prize for this contest also consists of any handmade soap of the winner's choice from Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen. You only need to answer with the bar of soap you'd like to receive if you win in order to enter. (All other entries are optional.)

Can't wait to win? Buy all the handmade soaps you could possibly need from Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen and save 15% off your entire order through 1/31/12 when you apply coupon code: SPRINGGARDEN to your cart at checkout. Shipping is capped at $6 no matter how much you buy! Also be sure to stop back by Soap Deli News for an upcoming post featuring free printable seed packets! And don't forget to check out all of my great handmade diy gift ideas and printables for Valentine's Day!

Enter now via Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Artistic Inspiration

2012-01-15T16:38:00.001-05:00

Looking for a diy craft project or maybe an instructional art lesson to liven up your free time? Here are a few of my favorite art instructional blog posts to inspire you!

1. Hand Carved Stamp Tutorial via Geninne's Art Blog

2. How to Use Watercolor Pencils via Wayward Girls Crafts

3. Tips for Taking Photos of Your Pets via The First Lime

4. Drawing Inspiration with Sharpies via Cornflower Blue Studio

What are some of your favorite art projects?

DIY Lip Balm - Homemade Chocolate Mint Lip Balm Recipe

2012-01-11T19:35:00.000-05:00

Want to make some of your very own lip balm for those dry winter lips? Here's my own recipe for a lip balm rich in moisturizing butters with a fun Chocolate Mint flavor! Plus it's vegan!

Handmade Chocolate Mint Lip Balm Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 oz. (by weight) unrefined cocoa butter
1/2 oz. (by weight) refined shea butter
2 Tablespoons Carnauba Wax (also known as Candelilla Wax - vegan)
1-2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (More for softer lip balm, less for harder lip balm)
3 ml Chocolate Devil Food Cake Flavor Oil
2 ml Peppermint Essential Oil

Equipment:
digital scale
12-15 .15 oz. oval lip balm tubes with caps
12-15 28x70 shrink wrap bands (optional)
plastic disposable dropper with ml markings or pipette
glass pyrex container
spoon or stir stick
microwave or double boiler

Instructions:
1. Measure out your carnauba wax and weigh out your cocoa butter. Place these ingredients in a glass pyrex measuring cup or bowl. (I use carnauba wax as it's a vegan alternative to beeswax. You can substitute with beeswax if you like or use half beeswax and half carnauba wax for a shinier lip balm.) Microwave in 1 minute increments until mostly melted.

2. Weigh out and add the shea butter to the wax and cocoa butter. Microwave until melted. Stir well. (Optionally you can use a double boiler to melt your ingredients.)

3. Measure out the olive oil - I used Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil for this recipe - and stir into the wax and butters. Two Tablespoons makes for a softer lip balm which is great for winter, but if you opt for more olive oil, you may want to use lip balm pots in the summer. Alternatively use 1 Tablespoon olive oil for a harder balm.) Re-melt at any point if needed.

4. Measure out the flavor oil (or fragrance oil approved for lip balm use) and peppermint essential oil with the dropper and add to melted lip balm ingredients. Mix well. (Feel free to substitute other flavors or essential oils if you like.)

5. Then using the dropper, fill the lip balm tubes one at a time. You can help your lip balm tubes stay standing by setting them in a tray of epsom salts to keep them in place. My batch made a baker's dozen. I filled my lip balm tubes completely so each contain .2oz. or 5grams of lip balm.

6. Allow to cool completely, then cap and label. If you'd like you can also seal the lip balms with shrink wrap bands by simply placing the bands over the lip balm container and applying heat with a hair dryer.

I have created some free printable labels for your lip balms that you can download here. There's a space for the name of a loved one for gifting! These would be great as wedding favors, stocking stuffers, even Valentine gifts for the kids at school.

Looking for organic oils and butters for your lip balms? Shop Mountain Rose Herbs.

(This lip balm recipe and accompanying printable labels are free for personal, non-commercial use.)

Handmade Valentine's Day Gift Guide

2012-01-09T10:30:00.000-05:00

Don't just give any gift this Valentine's Day, give the gift of handmade! Following are a few of my favorite handmade Valentine's Day gift ideas.

(Clockwise from left to right.)

1. Handmade Heart in Velvet Shea Butter and Goat Milk Soap handmade by Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen

2. Handmade Valentine's Day Cards - Set of Four - "Love Is All You Need" handmade by Julie Ann Art

3. Handmade CupidOo Red Bowl - Set of Five handmade by Atelier OKER Ceramic Design

4. Handmade Chocolate Sugar Cookie Heart Bites handmade by Danielle's Sweet Shop

(Clockwise from left to right.)

1. Handmade Edible Vintage Lace Pink Heart Cookies handmade by Katie's Something Sweet

2. Handmade Hearts a Flutter 3D Heart Oatmeal Bin Organizer handmade by Hoganfe Handmade Originals

3. Handmade Fabric Floral Bracelet handmade by Melasha Cat

4. Handmade Pink Organza Bobby Hair Pin handmade by Mamma Mia e Me

(Clockwise from left to right.)

1. Handmade Victoria Bouquet Lollipops handmade by ZukrBoutique

2. Handmade Love Bird Appliqued Leather Purse handmade by Rose-Anne Russell

3. Handmade Set of Three Lip Tints handmade by Etiquettes

4. Handmade Organic Vegan Vanilla Bean Infused Sugar handmade by Twig and Leaf Botanicals

(Clockwise from left to right.)

1. Handmade Valentine's Day Wolf and Heart Brass Locket handmade by Amber Sky

2. Handmade Alice in Wonderland Heart Corkboard handmade by Uncorked

3. Handmade Heart Tether Blue and Green Small Curio Cabinet handmade by Leah Pettway Fine Art

4. I DO Take This Handmade Pottery Mug handmade by Twisted River Clayworks

For more handmade Valentine's Day gift ideas, be sure to check out my Valentine's Day Gift Ideas board on Pinterest!

Additionally, you may want to take advantage of my HUGE Closeout Sale on all Handmade Artisan Goods from Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen. Receive 75% off all products in my Handmade Artisan Goods section including sale items (excludes bath and body products) through 1/15/12 at 11:59pm. Not valid on past purchases and coupon code: CLOSEOUTART must be applied to your cart before payment. Take advantage now and save HUGE on gifts for Valentine's Day, upcoming birthdays, or even treats for yourself!

Printable Soap Labels for Valentine's Day or Wedding Favors

2012-01-08T16:12:00.000-05:00

Looking for a unique way to wrap and label your handmade soaps for Valentine's Day gifts or wedding favors? Then try my free, printable Valentine's Day soap labels for your gift giving needs!

Three fun label designs plus a few heart stickers make this the perfect printable for customizing your soaps for Valentine's Day or wedding favors!

To get started simply wrap your soap in clear plastic wrap, craft paper, or scrapbook papers.

Then print the free pdf download with the soap labels from Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen. (Download here.) You may use these labels for your own personal, non-commercial use.

Finally, apply the labels to your gift packages or favors however you see fit. Have fun and be creative!

You may also enjoy my Printable Love Bird Valentine's Day Cards and Printable Valentine's Day Gift Wrap available from Soap Deli News. For my DIY gift giving ideas, visit my DIY Valentine's Day Gifts Board on Pinterest. And for handmade Valentine's Day gifts you can buy, check out my Valentine's Day Gift Ideas Board.

DIY Valentine's Day Gifts You Can Craft and Give

2012-01-07T16:08:00.001-05:00

Whether you're on a budget or simply want to give the gift of handmade this Valentine's Day, here is a lovely collection of DIY Valentine's Day gift ideas to get your started on giving the perfect gift for that someone special.

1. Charming Bookmark via Country Living - Pretty and romantic, these easy to craft ribbon bookmarks would make a wonderful gift for your Valentine tucked inside a romantic book. May I suggest Other People's Love Letters: 150 Letters You Were Never Meant to Seeby Bill Shapiro?

2. DIY Painted Block Puzzle via Momtastic - This painted, wooden block puzzle is a perfect gift for young children. Give blank wooden blocksa Valentine's Day them with painted hearts or other romantic symbols for a gift that will last a lifetime.

3. Stenciled Animal Mugs via Country Living - This idea is easy and simple. Stencil a new or thrift store mug with PermEnamel Paintfor a customized Valentine's Day gift. It doesn't have to be an animal. Hearts or X's and O's, even initials will give it romantic flair.

4. Personalized Embroidery Hoop via The Joy Cottage - Customize a special message for your Valentine that can be hung on the wall as an everyday reminder of your love. Tuck your favorite fabric into an embroidery hoopthen cut out your message in coordinating fabrics and sew on. Then seal the back with some pretty scrapbook paper cardstock and hot glue.

DIY Beauty Gift Idea from Be Beautiful Blog - Handcraft a teacup sized spa treatment for Valentine's Day with homemade, heart shaped sage and fennel bath melts made from dried sage, crushed fennel seeds and shea butter. Combine with an oatmeal, ginger and almond bath bag and an easy to make massage oil and you the perfect bath and beauty gift for your sweetheart! (You can shop for organic ingredients for this project at Mountain Rose Herbs.)

For more beautiful handmade, DIY gift ideas for Valentine's Day, be sure to visit my DIY Valentine's Day Gifts Board on Pinterest. And for handmade Valentine's Day gifts you can buy, check out my Valentine's Day Gift Ideas Board on Pinterest.

Handmade Valentine's Day Cards - Of a Non-Traditional Sort

2012-01-03T19:45:00.000-05:00

Valentine's Day is on it's way, and for me, that brings back fond memories of receiving Valentine's Day cards through elementary school exchanges - even from the boys you couldn't stand or the jealous little girls who would knock you off the monkey bars on the playground. How long did we keep those silly little cards before our moms finally tossed them anyway? They were so prized because they were so much fun. Sentiment on Valentine's Day is especially appropriate though, I think. But that doesn't mean it has to be overly romantic or even mushy. They can still be fun just like when we were kids. I for one appreciate Valentine's cards that are witty, raw and fun. They still possess a little romance, just in an unexpected way. Therefore I'll be giving some of my favorite people handmade Valentine's Day cards from Julie Ann Art!

The boyfriend, well, he'll be getting a card assuring him that he's my favorite thing to do. But if that's a little too sultry for your sensibilities...

Then let your loved one know it's just "you and me" with this cute card that features a heart engraved on wood proclaiming that your love is forever.

Or skip any hint of romance all together with a card that's basically crap. Whatever you decide to say and however you decide to say it, Julie Ann Art has the perfect way to get your point across this Valentine's Day. Whether witty or charming or just plain freaky, her fun and brilliantly designed 5 1/2" x 4 1/2" cards all come blank inside for sharing your own private message and are printed on quality, 80lb. acid-free white card stock.

Be sure to have fun with some of Julie's other cards for Valentine's Day as well with messages like "You're my favorite boyfriend," "You're my favorite bedhog," and "You're my favorite baby daddy." To view Julie's full line of Valentine's Day and other greeting cards, visit her shop online. All of the cards from Julie Ann Art are high quality, professionally printed cards featuring original designs by Julie herself that you'll be proud to share with that special someone who drives you crazy.

What's your favorite way to say "I care"?

Seared Sashami Tuna with Sauteed Shrimp in an Orange-Soy-Ginger Reduction Sauce Recipe

2012-01-02T14:20:00.000-05:00

For New Year's Eve my boyfriend cooked me up a special dish choosing from several of my favorite foods to eat: tuna, shrimp and asparagus with the fact that I love sushi niggling in the back of his head. The dinner was in truth a great experiment that we both thought turned out to be a great success. Scott, my boyfriend, calls it Seared Sashami Tuna and Sauteed Shrimp in an Orange-Soy-Ginger Reduction Sauce with a side of Asparagus. You may want to file this one in your recipe book as simply "DELICIOUS."

Following is the recipe for Scott's dinner. Keep in mind that for him cooking is an art - and while he by means thinks of himself as a great chef - he doesn't treat his dishes like and exact science. He likes to have fun with his food preparation and all ingredient amounts are approximate because he never measures anything. Basically, he considers himself a self-taught cook who just likes to eat. He rates his own recipe 4 out of 5 stars and I think that's pretty darn accurate. I encourage you to try this recipe, play around with it a little yourself with a little more of this, a little less of that and maybe something we never would of thought of. Then come back and tell me how it turned out! You can want to cook this up for your special someone on Valentine's Day!

Ingredients:

2 Wild Sashimi Tuna Steaks (Our steaks were approximately .43lbs. each bought from The Fresh Market at $14.99 a pound.)
1/2 lb. large, raw and peeled deveined shrimp
1-2 lb. of fresh asparagus depending on your love for this vegetable
Cayenne Pepper Sauce (We used Frank's Red Hot Original)
Soy Sauce (We used Asian Gourmet)
Toasted Sesame Oil (We used Eden Selected)
Peanut Oil (You can substitute canola oil if you have nut allergies)
Horseradish (We used Agrosik)
Pickled Ginger (We didn't like the way the yellow pickled ginger looked in the jar, so we bought pink pickled ginger from the prepared sushi section of The Fresh Market. It's our favorite.)
Fresh Garlic
A large California Naval Orange
Black pepper

Optional Ingredients:

(Because it's fun to get a little crazy.)

Brooklyn Brown Ale or your beer of choice
Schmitt Sohne Reisling (Ya know, the label on the bottle screams, "Pick me, pick me!") or your white wine of choice
Château Morrisette Sweet Red Table Wine (or your red wine of choice)

Directions:

This recipe can be made using one pot, a random dish for marinating the tuna and shrimp, one large sauce pan to minimize clean up later - and a colander. You'll also need a knife and a spatula at minimum. So even bachelor's wh generally eat out can probably swing this one as long as their stove top works.

Asparagus Prep: First you'll want to prep your asparagus for later. Rinse your asparagus in cold water, then snap off the ends. You'll know where to snap because if you try to snap too low you'll get some resistance. Move higher if this happens and you'll end up with great tasting asparagus and no chewy, tough ends to contend with. (It still boggles my mind that there are restaurants who leave the ends intact.) Bring a pot of water to a boil, then blanch the asparagus in boiling water 1-2 minutes until bright green. Transfer to a colander and drain. Set aside. (I'll admit we did consider buying both white and green asparagus, but as I'd never tried white asparagus, I chickened out.)

Make Your Marinade: Your marinade is what will later become your Orange-Soy-Ginger Reduction sauce. So be sure to reserve about 1/3 of this marinade for your sauce later on. First, however, you're going to make a marinade for the shrimp and tuna.

In a food processor combine approximately 1/8 Cup peanut oil, 1/4 Cup soy sauce, 1/8 Cup toasted sesame oil, about an 1/8 Cup pickled ginger, your whole naval orange peeled and sectioned, 3 cloves of fresh minced or chopped garlic, a dash of black pepper, 1 Tablespoon horseradish, 2 Tablespoons of the hot sauce, and if you want to be silly like us - a dash of beer or wine or both just for kicks. Blend well.

Then pour about 2/3 of the marinade into a dish with the shrimp and tuna. Allow to marinate for approximately 10-15 minutes.

Cook the Asparagus: While your tuna and shrimp marinate, you'll prepare your asparagus. Add a little peanut oil, toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, and a couple of teaspoons of the marinade into a large sauce pan over medium high heat. Once hot, add the asparagus and saute for 4-5 minutes. Remove from pan and cover.

Sear the Tuna: Using the same pan you just sauteed the asparagus in and still over medium-high heat, add a bit more peanut oil and soy sauce and a Tablespoon of the marinate to prep the pan. Add your sashimi tuna steaks to the pan and sear on each side for 1 - 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from pan and plate. (You want it rare inside because rare tuna is tasty!)

Saute the Shrimp: Again, you'll use the same pan you just seared the tuna steaks in. Add a bit more peanut oil and soy sauce and about a Tablespoon of marinade to the pan. Add the shrimp and saute over medium-high heat until pink, turning once. Remove the shrimp from the pan - while reserving as much "juice" as possible in the pan - and drain the shrimp in a colander.

Prepare your Sauce: Now you'll make your Orange-Soy-Ginger Reduction Sauce. To do this, simply pour the remaining marinade set aside earlier into the sauce pan you just used to cook the tuna, asparagus and shrimp. Add a touch more peanut oil followed by a shot or two of wine. White is recommended - we used a Riesling only because that's what I like to drink - but you can go a little wild like us and add a shot or two of red wine as well. Oh, and maybe just a touch more beer. We did. Leave the marinade mixture on medium-high heat stirring occasionally until it reduces into a sauce.

Plate it and serve: Plate your shrimp with tuna and pour as much sauce as desired over the tuna and shrimp. Add asparagus to the side and serve immediately.

The center of the tuna when cut should be rare with just the edges seared. I like to eat mine with some fresh pickled ginger.

As an afterthought, Scott also made the suggestion of encrusting the tuna steaks with sesame seeds and a bit of cracked peppercorn and sea salt by coating the surface of the tuna just before placing in the hot oil in your pan.

Download printable instructions for this recipe here.

Looking to purchase quality, organic herbs, spices and seasonings for your own gourmet dishes at home? I highly recommend shopping Mountain Rose Herbs for the best quality and prices. Not only will you receive a great product, but you will save a lot of money by buying in bulk over shopping for spices at grocery stores.

Printable Love Bird Valentine's Day Cards

2011-12-30T18:25:00.000-05:00

Tell your special someone just how much you love them with a Valentine's Day Card! I have created two very special "love bird" note cards that are perfect for sending that romantic note or giving as Valentine's Day cards.

Created from my own original art collages, these two note cards feature two love birds kissing on a branch and a single bird delivering his own special love letter to a mailbox. These Valentine's or sweetheart cards measure 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" and fit inside standard invitation sized envelopes available from most craft or office supply stores. Simply print the cards onto a sheet of cardstock, cut the page in half, fold, and include your handwritten message inside. You can download these cute little love bird cards here. You can also download free love inspired wrapping paper and gift tags for Valentine's Day here.

Want more of these sweet, round little birds? Then check out my Free Printable Owl Notecards for a set of four cards featuring birds having some seasonal fun!

Celebrate the New Year! Free 2012 Printable Calendar.

2011-12-29T21:26:00.001-05:00

2012 begins as a New Year this Sunday! I plan to ring in the New Year by celebrating New Year's Eve with my boyfriend as his band, Grass Monkey, plays at Awful Arthur's in downtown Roanoke, VA. And while I am "slightly" prepared to celebrate, I'm not at all prepared in other ways. So to help get me there I started by doing something very basic - I printed out a 2012 calendar to keep me on track.

My Owl Barn Blog has a free 2012 printable calendar you can download and print. Not only does the calendar feature lovely illustrations of owls by a number of artists, but you can customize your calendar by choosing which owl you'd like for each particular month. The entire calendar only uses three pages of paper to save on ink, with each month measuring about a quarter page.

Keep the calendar as three full size sheets, punch with a hole punch and insert into a binder for work or school. Alternately, print your calendar on cardstock and frame the 8.5"x11" pages in separate pages side by side in your kitchen or office.

Or you can do like I did and cut out each month and clip or staple them together. Or combine the months with with binder rings through hole punches in the tops of each month. Have fun creating your own calendar for 2012! You can find the free download here.

Alternately, you may be interested in buying some handmade calendars from other talented artists. You can find a small selection of 2012 illustrated calendars for sale as featured on my blog.

How will you be ringing in the New Year?

Printable Valentine's Day Gift Wrap

2011-12-28T18:44:00.000-05:00

Oh my, Valentine! Valentine's Day will be upon us in around six short weeks, so now is the time to start crafting clever diy gifts or perhaps browsing to buy something special. I like to recommend shopping handmade whenever possible for a truly unique gift that's sure to be treasured. But of course, no gift is complete without the appropriate gift wrap. So I've drawn up some fun designs for Valentine's Day wrapping paper and gift tags to make your packages extra special! These wrapping papers are perfect for small gifts such as handmade soaps, gift cards, and jewelry!

This Valentine's Day wrapping paper and gift tags set features carved stumps, doxies and pastel hearts. Get creative and add additional elements to your packages such as ribbon, yarn, twine, cardstock tags, bark, and even live foliage.

You can download these free printable papers and tags as a pdf file from Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen here. Print, cut, wrap and gift. Feel free to use these downloads for your personal, non-commercial use.

Will you be making gifts for Valentine's Day this year or giving the gift of handmade?