Zentangle Easter Eggs

Zentangled Easter Eggs.
Krystin and I had a 20 minute holiday moment this morning....I went with various colors and designs, while she tackled a more geometric approach.  Fun!

Coconut Graham Crackers

Simple, quick, and extremly yummy!  Great for last minute cookie swaps, holiday parties, or if presented in a lovely flat box or tray, a great addition to a gift basket.

Lay out graham crackers on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with

• coconut and 
• chopped nuts.

In small heavy saucepan, heat

• 1-1/2 sticks margarine
• 1 cup brown sugar

Boil for 3 minutes, until liquid is gone.  Pour over crackers, and put in 350 degree oven for about 8 minutes.

Basic Beer Bread

You don't need to purchase many different mixes.  A wide variety of easy bread recipes can be made from this one basic recipe.  Simply change out the beer used for one of a different flavor.  Try using carbonated soda, or even a wine cooler for a unique flavor.  Serve along with dinner, or with some complimentary dip, jam, or cheese for a appetizer or snack.

Beer Bread:

Using 1/2 stick of margarine, grease sides and bottom of a loaf pan, then melt remaining margarine.
Combine these dry ingredients:

• 3 1/4 cup flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Add

• 12 oz of beer or carbonated beverage

Place in greased loaf pan. Top with melted margarine. Bake at 375 for approximately 50 minutes.
Allow to cool before cutting, if you can.

Ginger Beer Bread, with Apple Jelly

For a gift idea, once you've found your favorite combination, Provide a container of the dry goods, a can of the beer or soda, arranged in a lovely basket or bag, and your own hand crafted recipe tag for them to keep, so that they can re-create the recipe. I found that the dry mix fits perfectly in a quart size canning jar, and even this simplest of jars is easily dressed up to meet any occasion.

Tips on making baskets:

If you are planning on mailing the gift, consider your arrangement and setting carefully.  Any glass items should be secured, and well isolated from any heavy or moveable items. If the basket or bag will be presented or given away in person, or as a door prize, you can use a larger basket or bag - the larger the better!  Use packaging peanuts, old styrofoam, or balled up grocery bags to build up a suitable platform for your smaller item. Use tissue paper to hide your staging.

Then, simply dress up your star performer (in this case, the Beer Bread Mix with some ribbon, bows, or leftover garland pieces.  In this case, I found a plastic snowman that was looking for a craft to jump in on!  Personalize the basket to fit your intended recipient or occasion. For food baskets, I recommend avoiding using glitter or glitter covered ornamentation. The small pieces of glitter may be a turnoff to the recipient of your thoughtful gift. 
Top off your package with a handmade recipe card, encase the ensemble with a large piece of cellophane and tie it all up with some curling ribbon  If you collect baskets and ribbon pieces from other projects, a gift basket like this can be a very inexpensive, yet personal gift.

Family News Album

While cleaning the office, I realized what a gem I have in our old Holiday letters.  I've saved each one, in those years I actually managed to get one written, and I find it interesting to see how dramatically the style has changed, as technology also evolved, and my available time to throw the letter together!.  I've started work on preparing a proper display notebook containing these letters, which ultimately records our family history, as documented in holiday letters and a few other nostalgia.  For right now, I've simply started an old 3-ring binder and some clear acetate protector sheets, and loaded in the letters in chronological order.  I'm still missing a few years, and I'm sure there is a nice crafty way to dress up the cover for this valuable compendium. - Any suggestions or ideas?

 So here’s my tip number one….it doesn’t have to be a traditional Christmas letter, but once a year, or some other regular time interval, it is good to spend a few moments looking back, and documenting how far you’ve come.  It’s important to live in the present, and to have an open mind and ready spirit for what the future holds.  However, it is also a good thing to recognize and celebrate your accomplishments and progress.  

  I hope to create a nice memorial book for my grandchildren to read through so that they know a little about what my life was like.  I know that I enjoy reading details about what it was like for my own parents and grandparents, when they travelled through the paths of their lives.

   I've found a few other interesting letters, and documents that I think will end up in this same album, as well as a few ads that detail favorite annual events that our family has enjoyed. In effect, it is an instant scrapbook but easy enough for anyone to do, even the busiest of moms.