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!

Mother's Love

Yesterday, I read a forwarded posting from another blog "A Mountain I'm Willing to Die On".
First of all - the title grabbed me and pulled me right on in...really?  what mountain might that be?
I still don't know the answer to that first question, because I found her writing so very moving, and appropriate, and just plain wonderfully supportive of life, that I guess I simply joined her on that mountain.

The piece I read was at:
http://momastery.com/blog/2012/01/22/a-mountain-im-willing-to-die-on-2/

In case the blog disappears one day, the takeaways for me are:
"Children are not cruel", they practice what they see and interpret from around them, and it is our job, those of us who are no longer children, to demonstrate for them what we most want to see in them.
"People are heart-breakingly sensitive", and receptive to even moderate criticism.
"I don’t know much. But I know that each time I see something heartbreaking on the news, each time I encounter a problem outside, the answer to the problem is inside. The problem is AWAYS me and the solution is ALWAYS me. If I want my world to be less vicious, then I must become more gentle. If I want my children to embrace other children for who they are, to treat other children with the dignity and respect every child of God deserves, then I had better treat other adults the same way."
The rest of the blog is a lovely letter to her child, in which she pledges her promised embracement, and indeed, celebration, of all that her child is, and will be, no matter what path her child takes.
This particular woman has strong faith, and normally, I don't  make it through writings like this one, but there is a lovely reward in reading the entire message.  She ends her letter of love to her child with this simple statement:
"You are okay. You are a child of God. As is everyone else. There is nothing that you can become or do that will make God love you any more or any less. Nothing that you already are or will become is a surprise to God. Tomorrow has already been approved.
And so baby, your father and I have only one specific expectation of you. And that is that you celebrate others the way we celebrate you. That you remember, every day, every minute, that there is no one on God’s Green Earth who deserves more or less respect than you do, My Love."
Simply. Beautiful.  That is a mother's Love.

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.

Bubble Solution

Combine:
1/3 cup dish soap or baby shampoo
1 1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons sugar (or corn syrup)
1 drop food coloring (optional - not recommended for indoor use)
Pour into unbreakable bottle or bowl.
To blow bubbles, experiment using plastic straws, pipe cleaners or bread ties formed into loops, slotted spoons, anything from your recycle bin that has a hole or holes in it. Even a loop of yarn or rope can be used - and some pretty amazing large bubbles can be achieved with the right creative efforts.

Notes:  The sugar makes the bubbles last longer.  Some dish soaps are more bubble friendly than others, - many recommend Dawn, but your mileage may vary. Try brands that are more highly concentrated, or decrease the amount of water used in your mix.
Add glycerin to make bubbles with a bit more staying power.

Modeling Dough

Modeling Dough from your kitchen!  Mix 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of water, 1 Tablespoon of oil, 1/2 cup of salt, and 1 teaspoon cream of tartar in a pan.  Add food coloring if you desire.  Cook over medium heat until mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and becomes doughy.  Knead until cool.
Not meant for human consumption, especially after it has been played with!  Dough can be used and reused - keeps for 3 months unrefrigerated.