Crafty adventures

DD Friendly: Cole Slaw

2011-11-23T23:21:00.000-08:00

One big cabbage leaf (if your making it just for yourself; if not, you can use more).
About an inch of a carrot, shredded.
Drop of fat free mayo.
salt and pepper
Cilantro (lots of it if you love it)
Drop of vinegar

This was a quick snack. You can add other veggies and such. I used what I already had in the fridge. What is your go to snack when you find yourself hungry? Do you make your cole slaw differently? How so? I hope you enjoyed this. I did. Yummy in my tummy :)

Holiday Wreath

2011-11-23T20:39:00.000-08:00

I hope your having a wonderful evening! It’s a busy busy day with last minute shopping and preparing and marinating. I managed to finish my wreath. All my materials came from unused things around the house. I hope you like it! I’d love to see your wreaths, post your links in the comments.

I'm sorry its super dark. Maybe i'll add more greenery...

Here's some cuteness:

Enjoy!

DD Friendly: Onion Mushroom Burger with Cheesy Tomato Sauce

2011-11-23T17:39:00.000-08:00

This recipe is originally from Ella (The single woman’s kitchen).

Here is what you need:

Portabella mushrooms (cut into small cubes)

Onions

3 lb of 90% lean ground beef

3 TBSP grainy mustard

salt and pepper

For the sauce:

1 can tomato sauce

Oregano to taste

A handful of mozzarella cheese

Mix mushrooms, onions, beef, mustard, salt and pepper together. Form into balls and place in oven at 350F until it’s cooked through. While the meat is baking, heat the tomato sauce and add oregano and cheese. Once the meat is ready, spread sauce over it and enjoy!

This picture does not do this burger justice.
Enjoy!

xoxo My Puddle of Smiles

2011-11-19T02:58:00.000-08:00

I the BOSS.

No, we is the BOSS.

We all the BOSS.

They are an adorable hug of cuddles XD
Insomniac, I know...spent the whole day feeling sick, this makes it better. Enjoy& Smile wide.

Bacon!

2011-11-15T13:53:00.000-08:00

I am a big fan of bacon (& so is my sweetie). But since I’ve started DD, I’ve had to switch to turkey bacon. Yes, I know it’s not the same but I do get my bacon fix. This morning I made bacon and eggs in the oven. It was pretty simple. I used a cupcake pan and 2 pieces of bacon. One to go around and the second one I cut in half and did an x. I broke the egg and then placed the overlapping pieces over the egg. It was in the oven for about 15 min (I think, my mornings are slow so maybe it was less). I don’t like the eggs runny so I made sure they were cooked all the way by sticking a toothpick in it.

This is with regular bacon (for him).

Here are a few other bacon dishes from the past few months:

Jalapeno pepper wrapped in bacon (this was real bacon, the leanest we could find but you can substitute with turkey bacon) and cream cheese filling. Here is a link to the recipe from the Pioneer woman (love her recipes!). It’s perfect if you love spicy, crunchy and cheesy all together! Yum!

Be careful with this bacon man log, it can give you a heart attack! Unless you substitute for turkey bacon and ground turkey instead of ground sausage. My sweetie found this and wanted me to make it for him. He enjoyed it! I found this recipe from Baked Bree,

here is the link.

I hoped you've enjoyed this!

DD Friendly: Spicy BBQ Chicken Patties & Easy Sushi

2011-11-15T00:16:00.000-08:00

Here is what was on my plate today:

Spicy BBQ Chicken Patties

These were pretty simple to make and super yummy!

Here is what I used:

1lb ground chicken

Bbq sauce

Chili garlic sauce

2 eggs

1/3 c cheese

I added everything together and dropped them into a pan. You can also bake them in the oven if you want. After they were done, I just added some cheese. It would have been better with veggies but today was protein day for me.

Easy Sushi

This was extremely easy!

You can use canned fish if you want; I used fresh fish (don’t remember what it was called but my sweetie caught it :D ). I took out the bones and forked the meat a little bit and heated it. Then I just placed it on the sea weed wrap and rolled it. That’s about it. You are welcome to add veggies, I just forgot. I used ginger and low sodium soy sauce. Enjoy!

Fall Deco Preview & My Plate

2011-11-10T18:25:00.000-08:00

Here's whats on my plate today:

Oat bran w/ unsweetened cocoa and splenda for breakfast.

Ground turkey soup for lunch.

Shiritaki noodles with steamed asparagus, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, garlic and chicken.

I was planning on making DD Friendly oreo cookies but didn't have enough time. I promise I'll make some soon!

Here is a preview of my fall table deco:

I cant wait to finish! What's was on your plate today? Do you have any fall decorations already set up? I'd love to see it!

Christmas Button Earrings

2011-11-10T00:51:00.000-08:00

No, I promise I have not forgotten about thanksgiving and fall. I will come back to it; I promise I have something planned. But these turned out way better and easier than I thought they would.

Here is what you need:

earrings

buttons

jewels

glue gun (if you want a super strong hold, you can use E6000 )

Glue the top and hold, glue bottom and hold.

How simple was that?

I hope you enjoyed this quick tutorial :)

Featured: Ella @ The working woman's kitchen

2011-11-08T18:16:00.000-08:00

The single working woman's kitchen has great DD friendly recipes like this no crust pizza (which is super yummy!).

Click on the picture for the recipe!

I haven't been posting as much as I would like but I have been working on a project. Here is my inspiration:

Your probably thinking: huh? Why would someone wanna make a cat castle? LOL You'll see once I'm done :)

Giveaway winner & a little about me

2011-11-07T01:49:00.000-08:00

Today's winner is Lilia!!! I will email you with details :) Thank you to everyone else who participated! You will get a chance to win :) Watch for another giveaway at the end of the week! XOXO

I can't believe it is November! Can you? It has gotten cold so fast, I'm surprised it hasn't rained a lot (so far); "Knocks on wood".

What do you love about fall? I adore cute boots!

Lets play an A-Z kind of game. I'd love to know more about you! Here's a little about me:

Age: 22

Bed Size: Twin

Chore that you hate: vacuuming with the old Kirby we have (only because it’s so heavy).

Dogs: They are ok but I prefer cats.

Essential start to your day: Chocolate in my oat bran (just a little :P) and caffeine.

Favorite color: Teal

Gold or silver: I like silver, gold is traditional and feels sacred.

Height: 5'3"

Instruments I play: None but back in the day I played the violin.

Job Title: Stay at home daughter. LOL just kidding! I promise I’m looking!

Kids: None.

Live: Tacoma

Mother's name: Anna. I was named after her. Maybe they just ran out of names, idk.

Nicknames: None

Overnight hospital stays: None. The only time I did have to be in the hospital was for an outpatient surgery (or whatever they call it).

Pet peeves: Smoking around me.

Quote from a movie: This is not madness. This is SPARTA!

Righty or lefty: Right

Siblings: 7 brothers, 4 sisters. I know, I know…

Time you wake up: Around 8, even though I go to bed around 2 am. The sunlight hits my face and I just can’t go to sleep.

University attended: I went to TCC and I was going to go back but they recently had budget cuts so boohoo for me.

Vegetable you hate: Celery! Yuck!

What makes you run late: The kitties. They jump on my jeans and cling for life, thus making me late for anything and everything, well, sorta.

X-Rays you've had: On my leg when I broke it in the 1^st grade and on my chest in 12^th when my doctor made me get treated for TB (completely unnecessary ).

Yummy food you make: Vanilla cupcakes and DD friendly pho tai. mMm

Zoo animal favorite: Big cats.

Since Thanksgiving is right around the corner, what are ten things your thankful for?

Here are mine:

1. My salvation
2. My parents.

3. My siblings.

4. My sweetie pie.

5. Fireplaces.
6. Knowing my future is in God’s hands.
7. My church.
8. Freedom in America.
9. Waking up to fuzz balls.
10. Comfy beds.

Luna made herself comfy in front of the fireplace :)

Sugar Free: Strawberry Crumb Pie

2011-11-06T18:59:00.000-08:00

I have not been posting as much as I have been wanting to. I've just been a bit busy lately but I promise that this recipe is the best pie I've ever made. I hope you like it too!

Crumb crust:
1/3 c. brown sugar splenda
1/4 c. splenda or preffered sweetener
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 c. melted butter
1 1/3 c. all purpose flour or whole wheat

Strawberry filling:
1 lb frozen strawberries (you are welcome to add more)
1 Tablespoon water
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon unflavored gelatin (I preffer Knox, it is already measured to 1 tablespoon)
1 c. splenda/ sweetener
pinch salt

Quick Directions:

In a bowl, combine lemon juice, water and gelatin. Stir a little until it dissolves and let sit for 5 minutes.
Cook strawberries on stove for a few minutes. Add splenda, gelatin mixture and salt. Let simmer for about 2 minutes. Once the two minutes are up, let cool for 30.
Combine flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and sugar. Add butter. The end result will be very crumbly.
Scoop a few tablespoons of crust into cupcake pan or one pie pan. Press it down just a little bit (or a lot if you want a less crumbly crust). Add strawberries.
Bake at 350F for 20-23 min or until crust is ready.
Refrigerate for a few hours (2-4 or over night).

I hope you enjoy it! Let me know how it turns out.

Past Creations and First Giveaway

2011-11-04T12:47:00.000-07:00

Get ready for lots of pictures! This summer I made lots of mini projects and a big one. Enjoy!

I made this frame for my lovely niece for her birthday.

This is one of my favorites. It can be worn on a headband or necklace.

I made these for my sister, Liliya. I used buttons and fabric flower petals.

Love the color combo :)

The only picture I found of these. Why didn't I take more? :( These coasters were
a gift to my someone special.

My Biggest Project

My inspiration

My creation

I'm sorry the quality of my pictures really suck. BOO

Anyway, if you want to enter my first GIVEAWAY, leave me a comment below and you could be the winner of this beauty:

or this one!

You choose!

Let's hope this first giveaway is a success :)

If you would like to see a tutorial on any of these, let me know!
*Winner will be announced Monday morning!

Sugar Free: Chocolate Fudge

2011-11-02T00:07:00.000-07:00

I'm in love, with splenda. It doesn't have a weird aftertaste like other artificial sweeteners that I've tried. When a recipe calls for 1/4 c. sugar, 2 tablespoons is all you need to get that same amount of sweetness. This chocolate fudge, that I found at Fred Meyer, has splenda. If your not big on making chocolate fudge, this is definitively for you! The only sad part about this is that it is not DD friendly. BOO :(

F.Y.I. This product contains Maltitol, which may cause a laxative effect if you eat more than 100 grams. And also, it is not a low carb or low calorie food.

What do you think? I think this will be the last time I'll buy it, it didn't satisfy me even though it was chewy and fudgy...

I only had one tiny piece and I don't feel so great.

DD Friendly: Dark Chocolate

2011-11-01T21:19:00.000-07:00

Don't worry, they have milk chocolate too!

I don't know about you but I need my chocolate! My brother found this at Trader Joe's. Just one bite curbs my craving and I don't feel the need to shove my face in chocolate cake. Have you tried them? What do you think? Are they Dukan worthy? Hmm, I sure think so!

DD Friendly: Bottoms up!

2011-10-31T19:30:00.000-07:00

Mint Pink Lemonade

The day is winding down and you just need a...

DD friendly drink. It's hard to beat cravings so this drink will help. It's sweet and refreshing!

Here's what you need:

Unflavored carbonated water

1/2 cup of lemon (or lime) juice

1 lime (or lemon)

1 Sugar free instant light drink powder

1 cup chopped fresh mint

You can blend the mint, powdered drink, lemon juice and lime together then put in a pitcher and fill with the carbonated water. I chose to not strain the mint but you can strain it.

mMm Enjoy!

If you try this, let me know how it turned out, I would love to hear from you!

Hair Accessories Tutorial

2011-10-31T14:09:00.000-07:00

Good Morning Sunshine!

Astrid

I hope that you have had a wonderful, relaxing weekend. Mondays can be 'blah' and hard to get back into the routine of a busy week. It's not all gray and sad, there is SUNSHINE (that you can wear in your hair!). I promise it will make you feel better, so SMILE!

Here are your materials:
Thread & needle
glue gun
hair clip
bead or button
yellow fabric
black ribbon
non slip grip pad (is usually used under a rug)
white fabric square (preferably thick)

Step by step:

Step 1: Fold and cut fabric until you have squares. Trim around the corners to make them round.

Step 2: Fold the circle twice to resemble a triangle and stitch the pointed tip to the center of your white square. Then repeat on the opposite side. After you have four (make sure the tips don't overlap), add four more on top (trim them down just a bit or a lot )

Step 3: Tread a bead or button into the center.

Step 4: Glue your ribbon onto the clip. You can put ribbon around the entire clip or just the top part.
Step 5: Glue the non slip grip strip under the top piece.
Step 6: You can continue to add one on the bottom (optional).
Step 7: Glue the clip onto the backside of your flower.

Ta Da!
All done. I hope I did not fail to mention anything. If you have any questions, let me know and I will try my best to answer them. Which is your favorite? I love the button version better. Heads up: watch for my first GIVEAWAY at the end of the week. Enjoy the rest of your Monday!

I love putting it on my belt :)

Paper Roses

2011-10-30T11:44:00.000-07:00

It's Tutorial time!

Here is what you will need:

Glue gun (you can use other glue but it takes longer)

Paper (I used dictionary pages)

scissors

paint and brushes (optional)

Step 1&2: Choose your paper, fold and cut to your desired shape

Step 3: Trim into your desired shape and paint the edges of the petal.

Step 4: Glue along the straight edge and from one end, begin to roll (cone shaped).

Step 5: Take the next petal, glue it, and position it in the center and fold the corners.

Step 6: Repeat, repeat, repeat until you get the desired size.

Step 7&8: All done! You can leave it as is or cut a prepared petal in half and make leaves.

If you wish, you can make a wreath or bouquets of roses. Have fun and don't get your fingers burnt!

Silly Saturday

2011-10-29T18:33:00.000-07:00

Hi! I hope you are having a lovely Saturday! Today is a super special day because it’s National Cat Day! Do you have any? I do! My Lola had kittens two months ago; she has been a little busy mommy. There are a lot of kitties who need hugs and kisses that are waiting to be adopted and loved. So go to your local shelter and show a kittie some love!

I received a package today and received a complementary sample treat for Lola! Boy was she excited. YUM

Anyway, off to food we go. What did you have for lunch? I had a small breakfast so my big lunch made up for that!

Baked fish with red onion, shirataki noodles with steamed veggies and salad: lettuce, red pepper and an egg. While waiting for the fish to bake, I came across this nifty little thing:

Eggies! My dad ordered them from a catalog. I think it would be more impressive if they had fun shapes like 3d hearts and stars and such. So silly but fun. Maybe put jello instead for Easter eggs? What do you think? Would you use this product? My dad sure loves his shopping ;)

Aren't they kind of cute?

Ta Da!

Bite on this: DD Friendly: Raspberry Rose Meringues

2011-10-28T23:27:00.000-07:00

Hello Lovelies! I hope you have had a wonderful day. I discovered something phenomenal today, something that made me supper dupper happy. Ever get something like that? Well, my happiness comes from DIAPER CREAM. Sounds totally weird right? About two months ago I tried a product and my skin was ok but the next day after I used my usual facial regimen, my skin was terrible! It was irritated, red, and super dry. I was horrified! I never had this sort of problem before. So I tried a few hypoallergenic creams here and there but nothing helped! So anyway, earlier today I was babysitting and thought; if it helps a baby’s bottom, it should help my face. I went to the store and I bought a tube and applied it after rinsing my face. My skin feels awesome!

On to a different topic: Raspberry Rose Meringues SF

My inspiration came from Sweetapolita. I followed the recipe exactly except for when it calls for 1/4c sugar; I substituted with 2 T of Splenda. This was a hit with my parents but my siblings thought it was “just ok”. I was aiming for a “Wow” or “MMM!” effect. If I had dark chocolate, I’m pretty sure they would have been better coated on the bottom. These Meringues were fun to make, it got pretty messy. Have you tried making them before? How did they turn out?

I hope you enjoyed my post! Goodnight!

P.S. Since you asked, here is the recipe; enjoy!

3 large egg whites

pinch of salt

1 package (3 ounces) SUGAR FREE Jell-O (I used raspberry but you can use a different flavor)

2 Tablespoons Splenda or other sweetener of your choice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

* Remember to beat the eggs until fluffy then add the salt, splenda, jell-o and vanilla. Beat for 5 min. Bake at 200F for 2 hours and leave in oven overnight.

mMm Food!

2011-10-27T22:42:00.000-07:00

Hey! This is my second post of the day but I'm just super excited about posting about this topic. I don’t know if you have heard about the Dukan Diet (I prefer to call it more of a lifestyle change) but I am currently on it. I started in July (2011) and have lost a total of 30 pounds. I am half way to my goal weight and suddenly am stuck (for almost a month, BOO). Once in a while, every other week or so, a few pounds will go down but not enough to make me jump for joy. Anyway, I just wanted to share with you my meals for the day.

For breakfast I had Oat bran (2T) with low fat milk and a yogurt. For lunch I made my DD version of zuppa toscana.

·         Ground Italian sausage mixed with lean ground beef +egg+spices
(You don’t have to use Italian; I just had some left over- I don’t think we are allowed to use Italian but it was just a little ;D )
·         1 big red pepper+ 2 small peppers sliced
·         ½ sliced onion (I like mine big)
·         Water
·         ½ white cabbage sliced
·         Cheese (to top it in the bowl)
·         Parsley
·         1 pkge Fettuccini style shirataki noodles chopped
·         1 scrambled egg (sounds weird, I know, but yummy)

YYou can also add: kale, chicken bouillon, 2 tsp garlic puree, 4 Tbsp bacon pieces. I just tossed in what I had on hand (didn’t really feel like shopping).

For Dinner, I made

Sweet and Spicy Cumin-Infused Meatball Deliciousness.

I followed just about everything except adding in cumin, pork, beef stock, and I kept my eggplant big. Follow the link on the picture or the title ^ for the original recipe. I will be posting dessert tomorrow!!!

Rustic Christmas Fragrance Deco

2011-10-27T17:52:00.000-07:00

Hello! I'm Anna and this is my very first blog post. I have been contemplating for months on when I should start posting and what to start with. I know it’s still October but I just can’t wait for Christmas so I decided to put a little deco that smells great and can be placed anywhere!

Here is what you need:

· Package of cranberry dry fragrance (has cones, colored wood chips and etc.)
· White ribbon with gold rimming
· Glass vase
· Yarn ribbon (I used the one that came with the package)

Here is how I did it:

· Placed the white ribbon inside the vase.
· Picked out a few cones and placed in the bottom.
· Then filled the vase almost to the top with the contents of the fragrance package.
· Picked out the bigger and darker colors and placed them at the top and more cones on top of the wood chips.
· Tied the yarn around the outside of the vase and Voila, all done.

I hope you enjoyed this post!