How Movies, Music and Books Help Us Be Happy

How Movies, Music and Books Help Us Be Happy

Finally--did something I saw on Pinterest

The original tee shirt scarf on Pinterest:
http://pinterest.com/pin/142356038193125104/

I have been using Pinterest for over a year. When it was introduced I loved the concept as I understood it--an online bulletin board. It was like a visual favorites folder. If you ever saw my favorites folder you would understand my interest in Pinterest--there are more than 30 sub-folders in my favorites folder (yikes).

I still love and use my favorites folder for research, quick links to frequent sites, and sites that I know I'll need infrequently but I want them accessible.

My version--if I were prone to retaking

photos I'd move the short loop closer to

my neck. My loops are fatter because I

want this to be more of an outdoor, cold-

weather scarf.

Pinterest inspires the artist in me. It has also become a way to understand the online community, visit new blog sites for their most popular posts, and get great ideas for projects from my studio.


One small problem with Pinterest for me:

  I SPEND TOO MUCH TIME LOOKING AT POSTS ON PINTEREST

To justify my new found interest in clicking and pinning and in lieu of the 12-step Pinterest recovery program I'm sure is forming as we read and write, I decided that I could not continue my obsession with Pinterest unless I used at least one pin per month.

My November project was the recycled tee shirt scarf. This looked fun, easy, and environmentally friendly. Of course, I had to put my own spin on it. Instead of the subtle gray on the Pinterest model, I chose to use two of my brother's worn out tee shirts in bright yellow and tie dye. I know just who I want to give this to for Christmas.


Check out my boards on Pinterest and follow them if you are so inclined. Those with obsessive personalities should consult a therapist before clicking this link. :)

https://pinterest.com/nachattin/

The Craft Patch: 46 Pun-Intended Thank You Gift Ideas

I love puns! Not as much as my friend Andrew Cain--but close. Although this blog post was written for summer thanks--I'll use it all year around. Enjoy!



The Craft Patch: 46 Pun-Intended Thank You Gift Ideas: With summer coming on, it's time for changes. And usually when there are changes, there are people to thank. So today I'm sharing an arsena...

Recipe by request

I put a picture of this classic family cake on my personal Facebook page and tagged lots of cousins. There were some wonderful comments and lots of "likes" so I am publishing the recipe here.

Burnett Plain Cake

—from the kitchen of Norma Anne Chattin by way of my Grandma Lizzie who claimed this recipe went further back than she did….

This is written the way she wrote it so it’s not in typical recipe fashion and that’s part of the charm.

Cream together:

·         1 cup butter

·         ½ cup Crisco shortening

·         3 cups sugar

Add:

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         ½ teaspoon baking powder

Alternately Add:

·         3 cups all-purpose flour

·         1 cup canned milk (not sweetened condensed but canned milk)

Add :

·         1 teaspoon vanilla

·         1 teaspoon other flavoring extract (mom likes lemon, I like almond, it’s also great with 2 teaspoons of REAL vanilla extract like Watkins)

Add one at a time:

·         5 large eggs

Beat really well and then beat it some more—the longer the better

Pour batter in to wax paper lined classic tube cake pan* and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cake will be golden brown.

Remove from pan before completely cool and store in airtight container.

*A note on the pan—our tube cake pans have been passed along for ages and are the kind with a removable bottom which is why you need the wax paper lining. Use just enough wax paper to keep batter from leaking. The “crust” on this cake is one of its most magnificent features and the wax paper doesn’t allow the crust to form as well.

Meaningful Advent Calendar

Sometimes you just get it right. The right gift for the right people at the right time. That's what happened last year with this advent memories calendar I created (quick & easy) for my parents. I finally published the You Tube video this week.

 

I am having issues this year with my gifts. It's not that I don't know what to do--it's that I want to do too many things...I blame Pinterest. Check out what I'm checking out by clicking http://pinterest.com/nachattin/

Enjoy an abundantly joyful Thanksgiving.

A Wordle for Lynn

Check out www.wordle.net and make fun word art for family and friends. My first one had to be for the marvelous Lynn Barwald. She's such a treat to know and love.

Thankful

Every single day I express my gratitude for at least three of the many joys of my life. While I hesitate to make commitments like "I'm now going to blog these every day in 4-part harmony with flashing lights, glitter, footnotes and drum rolls." I am writing today and showing a digitally enhanced photo (credit designerdigitals.com) of one of my blessings:

I am grateful that I have amazing neighbors on my street. I am blessed to have the two sisters next door be frequent visitors in my home where we make crafts, cook food, watch movies, and launch adventures together. This is the photo taken before we left together for church on Halloween Sunday 2012.

Added bonus: I'm glad I have a church family that celebrates the wonder and fellowship of Halloween.


Update 5.19.2014 Jade turned 13 last week!

We celebrated her entry into the teenage years with a family night dinner. We prayed together over our meal with gratitude for family and neighbors and good food.

Decorations were my digi-art using www.deviantscrap.com designers along with the dolly's eye which Jade drew this year and I photo-shopped into the poster.