Substance of Living

If you find yourself single for whatever reason on this Valentine's Day, send out thoughts of love and let the self-pampering begin.   Treat yourself special.  After all, aren't you the best person to be around? Whether February the 14th falls on a work day or not, enjoy some quality time throughout this month.  Here are some ways to luxuriate in your independence: Have fun! Make a Cuddle Basket the day before to enjoy during tonight's movie marathon or some good ol' binge watching of your favorite series.  Include items like a new throw blanket, hot chocolate ( here or here ), gourmet popcorn , and some semi-homemade cookies . Swaddle in your blanket and journal or read. Linger in your lounging wear. Dress up and go to a museum. Treat yourself to something at a spa. Try going tech-free; set your phone for emergency or to receive calls only from your favorites list. Go sightseeing in your own city or visit somewhere that's within a day's drive. Cook yourself a ...

Do you remember playing with homemade dough when you were little?  Oh my gosh, my middle sister and I would sit at the kitchen table for hours playing with our dough.  Mom would put a few drops of food coloring so we would have colored dough - like the kind that was available in the stores.  We would use cookie cutters, make our own shapes, blend the colors together to make another color.  We sometimes even saved our creations.  Searching (falling down the rabbit hole) Pinterest one day, I came across  this recipe By Oleander and Palm.  Aren't her ornaments gorgeous in their simplicity? She puts her designs in the oven to dry.  I read in another blog that you can also air dry them.  So I did; and I used this recipe that uses cinnamon !  Oh, they smell heavenly! I used cookie cutters on hand.  Here's the kicker.... patience was my friend.  It took about a week for the dough to thoroughly dry.  I started them out ...

Merry Christmas!  December is about family and getting together to share special moments.  So, with all of us running around, we've selected a few books to enjoy this month when you get some spare time or need to unwind. Ways to give books this month: Be a Secret Santa and give a book to a friend, co-worker, neighbor, or family member anonymously Hostess Gift - Give each party attendee a book at the end of the evening Bring a book to give as a Hostess Gift when you're invited to a dinner or party Advent Calendar - Choose one person to give a book to each day or give a book to a different person each day Choose a theme to give - Christmas, cooking, mysteries, biographies, travel, hobbies Give a gift that fits each person's personality or hobby.  Say someone likes crafts and mysteries, did you know that there is a genre that includes these two items? White Christmas by Emma Lee-Potter Forever Christmas by Christine Lynxwiler Bah, Humbug! by Heath...

Likelii Summer is over.  The children are back in school.  The holidays are quickly approaching and that means gifts. Are you a wine drinker and stuck in a rut?  Don't drink wine and find yourself in a situation that you have to purchase wine?  What do you do? I've been holding out on you.  I found out about Likelii earlier this year.  In all fairness, I did have to try it out to see if it would give viable choices for different situations.  I'm now sharing with you because it does work. If you're familiar with Netflix or Pandora and how these two sites offer suggestions then I think you will appreciate Likelii 's wine recommendations.  You enter a particular wine you enjoy and then the site recommends other wines you might like. Apothic Red Last year I found a new wine at Costco that was smooth, relatively inexpensive, and readily available.  That wine was Apothic Red .  I typed in "Apothic Red" as my choice and the s...

I belong to a sewing group that is comprised of amazing women.  I joined the group last year but the ladies have been together for about five or six years. The sewing group is called "Sew Much Fun" .  We get together twice a month for about two hours at a time and create projects for charity.  All the fabric and notions have been donated by local businesses and people in the area cleaning out their fabric stashes. Everything we make goes to charity in one form or another.  We make items to sell at a craft fair each year and are able to give money to charities through the sales.  We also make items specifically for charities such as book bags for the library and senior center, duffel bags for children having to leave their homes, and pillow cases for the children's home. Another lady takes all our scrap fabric and makes dog beds for the local animal shelters.  Nothing goes to waste. This month we are making pillowcases, book bags, and finishing up pr...

I'd like to start with a personal note by saying , "Happy Father's Day, Dad!" Father's Day is a time to reflect on the men who have made us who you are today.  These men may not have been our dad and they might not have even been a dad.  They did, however, play an important role in our life.  Sometimes we are molded by a smile or a few words of encouragement.  Sometimes it is a hug. Who are fathers?  Are all fathers dads?  No.  They can be Coaches, Teachers, Big Brothers, Supervisors, Neighbors, Uncles, Strangers.  They teach us through love and support.  They instill in us honor, pride, honesty, self-respect, and inner strength.  They show us how to give our children and future generations a chance. Have you been looking at your dad and wondering who he is or what he even enjoys?  Remember back a few (OK, maybe more) years and think about how you spent time with him.  Were you in the garage working on engines?  We...

Sweet and Spicy Nuts I love it when a recipe actually works.  Not only that it works but EVERYONE loves it.  That's the case with these sweet and spicy nuts.  Chris Nease of Celebrations at Home shared an incredible recipe for Sweet and Spicy Pecans that I've made several times over now. I tend to use whatever nuts that are in the house and each batch has turned out perfectly.  I follow the recipe verbatim except for the nut selection.  I'm not going to take credit for the recipe so you'll need to be sure to visit Ms. Nease's blog.  While you're there, check out all the other great things she has to offer. These nuts start out with a slight sweetness to them and finish with some heat.  Neither overly sweet nor too hot.  Of course, you could always alter the recipe one way or the other. Whip egg whites until peaks form. Add nuts to the egg whites. Spices and Sugars Combine the sugar and spice mixture with the nuts ...