tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-325377602012-01-29T14:26:25.727-05:00Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.comBlogger2741100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-41753849190691969012012-01-29T14:19:00.001-05:002012-01-29T14:26:25.736-05:00

 I have really short hair. And no curl anymore. Perms are no good because the hair on the top of my head won't take the curl; I always had to use a curling iron anyway.  I had a lovely 1/2" barrel iron when I lived in Germany! But it did not compute to 120v back home. I always stop at the curling iron displays looking for the elusive 1/2" one.  I bought a 1" one years ago but can only use it just

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-14588185940446706182012-01-28T17:17:00.001-05:002012-01-28T17:17:32.216-05:00

 Are you tempted by those little bags of flavored instant oatmeal?  Peaches and Cream sound so yummy.  Have you looked at the sugar content?  Have you seen the amount the manufacturer considers a serving (to keep the price down)?  Have you tasted it?  Does it have any texture at all?  Yes to every question but the last one, which is No.Want to have the yummy flavor and solve the rest of the

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-4066959255359617852012-01-23T21:45:00.001-05:002012-01-23T21:45:33.740-05:00

 A lovely stone bridge in Scotland  

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-84210151987699282322012-01-22T13:52:00.001-05:002012-01-22T14:11:00.494-05:00

The two must-see attractions in Iceland in the 70's were Gulfoss and Geysir.  Today, Gulfoss is still there in all its vastness, but Geysir does not erupt with enough regularity to attract impatient tourists, and Strokkur has taken over the top spot to see. Notice on the Gulfoss page....do you see any guardrails?  No, you don't!  We simply found the unpaved road with the basic sign that said "

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-80969409238668006682012-01-21T14:19:00.001-05:002012-01-21T14:19:27.540-05:00

I found a blog called digdares.com and jumped right into their challenge of the week.  This is the page I did, and it will go into The Iceland Years scrapbook.  Enjoy.

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-37265425156558723892012-01-21T14:16:00.001-05:002012-01-21T14:16:10.608-05:00

I had a comment from my last post from a new reader.  Blogger dropped it off somehow.  So, if you are the delightful person who has never had air conditioning, please comment again and maybe I can keep it from getting erased, and follow your blog, if you have one.

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-1308150600976051092012-01-18T14:32:00.000-05:002012-01-18T14:32:02.383-05:00

Most people who know me know we lived in Iceland back in the early 1970's, pre-kids.  Many have heard my stories.  Nobody has seen the pictures, unless they were willing to sit through slide shows back then.  I digitized some of these slides and am going to tell the story of the Iceland Years.  LOL.  Here is where we first lived. I know you can't read the scrapbook page on this blog, so :

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-16541205508490733502012-01-17T20:14:00.001-05:002012-01-18T10:09:14.093-05:00

 I have not made beef stew in years. In fact I did not eat beef for several years. I have begun to eat steak on occasion and decided to make an old fashioned crock pot beef stew, much to Larry's delight. Bought some gorgeous stew meat at Aldi's for an excellent price. For the stew, I diced carrots and onions and browned them along with the beef in my Mom's cast iron skillet. For seasoning I did

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-87143990512527313252012-01-15T17:02:00.001-05:002012-01-15T17:02:40.468-05:00

I woke up this morning with a strong urge to go shopping. I generally hate shopping, but when this particular urge hits for buying specific things, I try and listen. I am glad I did. Larry probably not so glad.  My main focus was to see if I could find a smallish cross body bag  in real, soft leather for under $100.  I have bought various fake ones and nylon ones and have made them out of

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-28383818165192976272012-01-15T11:56:00.000-05:002012-01-15T11:57:12.360-05:00

We moved onto our cul de sac when Jenni was two years old.  She is now a grown woman, and got married this past May.  When we moved onto the cul de sac, it was a magic kingdom of kids, who grew up together as their parents became friends.  These kids are now all grown, many of them married with children.  But the neighbors remain friends.  Several of these neighbors, who watched Jenni grow up,

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-67838595130807473862012-01-11T18:07:00.002-05:002012-01-11T18:07:50.225-05:00

Have begun scrapping the Iceland Years.  And the 'Beautiful' word art is to describe the frozen bushes, not the 1970's version of me.   FYI there were no trees on the island, just these little bushes.  We did see trees when we drove up to the north coast to the Arboretum.  Pics of that later.  For now, enjoy this first tidbit.

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-82289228424403988502012-01-08T18:39:00.004-05:002012-01-08T18:39:58.678-05:00

I need to constantly challenge myself with my art and hobbies; I get bored really fast.  With the start of 2012 I needed a new focus for digiscrap, since I have gotten reasonably proficient with PSE.  At least as much as I need to know for now.  So I need something new to learn. Since it is always fun to interact with people, I have been eager to start posting in some digiscrap galleries, but

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-80007679125164205992012-01-07T19:15:00.000-05:002012-01-07T19:17:33.016-05:00

It seems appropriate as I look forward to 2012, that I take a glance back at 2011 and list some of the big moments. This page was done for a word art challenge at Gotta Pixel. The designer sponsoring the challenge provided the basic template.  (And yes, that is me doing yoga......LOL.. wish I really looked like that!)

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-22984584811276947942012-01-06T14:32:00.000-05:002012-01-06T14:32:07.263-05:00

The weather is gorgeous, so why am I blah?  I am always blah in January.  The new year spreads out before me and I don't know what I want to do first, so I just sit and read on my Kindle!!  I made this page for a digi challenge at Gotta Pixel and thought I would share it on my blog, too.  I stopped and made this while I was hanging up a pile of clothes.  Oh well...

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-11774207479626344522012-01-06T09:15:00.001-05:002012-01-06T09:22:59.065-05:00

I love crafts; at least the idea of crafts. And sometimes I get off the computer and make something.  Mostly, however, I like to daydream about handmade stuff. The Internet  certainly aids and abets this dreaming.  And now I have found a web site that puts those dreams into overdrive.  It is the Random Tutorial Generator and is completely addictive.  Not that I am going to make that stuff anytime

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-58922532823549995362012-01-04T21:48:00.000-05:002012-01-04T21:48:36.430-05:00

Tutorial: Knotted Purse (No sew!)I love interesting purses and this certainly qualifies! Although my current faces are slouchy cross-body bags from fun fabrics, I can see doing this sometime. And anybody can make one.

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-67460059156147174882012-01-04T18:08:00.001-05:002012-01-04T18:24:06.980-05:00

This year I am ushering a new year in with a calendar I designed myself. Last year I made several custom calendars for gifts but used a freebie calendar for myself.  Granted it was from Reynold's Landing and the photos were of the beautiful golf courses, but.....Every year I make my friend Nina a bird calendar.  Actually I made her one last year using bird photos from a bird watcher's blog I

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-31010584517535709982012-01-04T16:18:00.000-05:002012-01-04T16:18:56.390-05:00

I really want to be able to blog from somewhere besides my desktop up in the corner of the rec room/my 'studio'. I have a brand new iPad that I can actually see the screen and type properly. I tend to write blogs in my head and never manage to go upstairs and get those ideas into the blogosphere.  Now along comes Blogsy and it says I can use it to blog, format, even upload my pictures, if the are

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-56288248493351778642011-12-25T22:02:00.000-05:002011-12-25T22:02:59.824-05:00

Oh my Santa was good to me. I got my IPad! And what was one of the first things I did? Downloaded Coolibah app and made these from pics I took in Texas.

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-90711602443199095862011-12-24T11:51:00.000-05:002011-12-24T11:51:51.996-05:00

A small selection of my angels. I am a Pi Beta Phi and our symbol is an angel, so I have loved collecting angel ornaments of all sorts since college. Our alumni club had an ornament swap for years and lots of angels flew out from under that tree!

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-44310247163576611952011-12-14T22:16:00.000-05:002011-12-14T22:16:27.222-05:00

Over the years I have collected quite a few adorable snowmen ornaments.  Here are the ones hanging on my tree.

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-77935124793005811752011-12-11T22:27:00.000-05:002011-12-11T22:27:28.664-05:00

Every year while we lived in Germany, the International School had a winter break, or 'ski break'.  The school organized a ski trip and we always signed up.  We went to Chamonix, France; Bad Hofgastein, Austria, and finally, Zermatt, Switzerland.  Might have that in the wrong order, but France was definitely first, where the kids learned to ski. I found a photo of Jenni and me skating in Austria.

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-18143611590117412302011-12-11T22:09:00.000-05:002011-12-11T22:09:33.593-05:00

Here are the rest of my santas.  We'll move on to the snowmen tomorrow!

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-35044513772076279312011-12-09T12:57:00.000-05:002011-12-09T12:57:00.090-05:00

Here is another Santa ornament.  This one is special because I bought it while we were in Germany, so it is not the American version of Santa, created by Clement Moore's famous poem, but the European Father Christmas.

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-71474785586064337122011-12-08T21:33:00.000-05:002011-12-08T21:33:11.168-05:00

I have collected some lovely ornaments over the years.  I took photos of them on my new Christmas tree after decorating it and thought I would post some of them to my blog.  This one was handmade by a neighbor.  I went to a Christmas party several years ago and we had the usual ornament swap.  I was the lucky recipient of this pinecone Santa.

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-30543310826097124232011-12-07T16:56:00.000-05:002011-12-07T16:56:23.374-05:00

Did you know we visited East Germany about six months after the Berlin Wall came down?  We were living in West Germany and drove over to a border town one afternoon.  It was definitely stepping back in time.  The shop windows looked like they had last been decorated about the time the Wall went up.  It was a beautiful, restful town, though.  On the way back home, as we drove through several

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-9735198787064314082011-12-06T11:59:00.000-05:002011-12-06T11:59:58.877-05:00

While we are on the subject of jazzing up plain food, let's talk about canned soup.  I love soup in the winter.  I occasionally make homemade soup, but it is not my thing.  I learned several years ago that canned soup was an excellent starting point.  Remember "soup starter"...freeze dried stuff in a package?  Well I use the canned soup as a starter. First I choose a variety of soups when I have

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-69483725610953461432011-12-05T20:34:00.000-05:002011-12-05T20:34:48.024-05:00

I love roasted vegetables.  They are sweeter when roasted, they are healthy, their vitamins have not been diluted by water, and they cook by themselves.  Tonight I put my entire dinner in a 400 degree oven and 40 minutes later it was amazing! I had a piece of steel head trout that was on special at the grocery.  It is a member of the salmon family, but I think it tastes better.  I rubbed it with

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-52676950601285628462011-12-04T18:33:00.000-05:002011-12-04T18:33:02.843-05:00

I have reached the point in the digital designs gifts I am making that the designing part (fun part) is over and I have to actually make the hybrid part.  I have ordered the gift books I made and they have been delivered.  Those projects are easy, somebody else actually turns them into books. What I really hate is when the end product is something that I have to make from the digital files saved

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-62668008070785290622011-10-21T15:28:00.002-04:002011-10-21T15:30:35.260-04:00

Today the wind is calm, no clouds in the sky, the temp is in high 70's and the sunshine on the water is brilliant. I took this pic then fancied it up with my pse app. Still doesn't capture the sparkle.

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-51765864584559816572011-10-21T11:31:00.001-04:002011-10-21T15:38:00.733-04:00

Whenever Larry and I travel we tend to focus on the food. Always have. In Europe the kids always complained that Dad had to read every menu posted on every restaurant door as we walked through all the quaint city streets. It appears that blogger has dropped the photo. Not sure why. When my parents went to Scotland with us, my Mom finally asked, with some irritation, if I always started planning

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-63653221653090768462011-10-19T13:52:00.002-04:002011-10-26T10:41:24.766-04:00

As usual blog writer app published too quick. Think i need to do pic then write

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-80207005670214578722011-10-19T13:50:00.001-04:002011-10-19T13:50:21.719-04:00

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-80735830179906013452011-10-19T13:49:00.001-04:002011-10-19T13:53:20.617-04:00

In the middle ofour fall week at our beach house. Hot on Sunday, gorgeous on Monday, rainy on Tuesday, gorgeous and cool today. I took a pic from the deck and turned it into art with 1000 cameras app. I can't wait to to get it scrapped!

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-34857201744744911572011-10-04T17:18:00.005-04:002011-10-04T18:48:15.125-04:00

I was at a marvelous reunion this past weekend:  the Sandtown Community from the 1960's came together in a huge celebration of memories.  As I talked to many of my old friends, most of whom I had not seen since I was about 16, each one mentioned how they had loved my mother.  It appears that what I thought was my "personal magnetism" was actually my mother's cooking and love of talking sports,

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-1565647662476774372011-10-03T14:04:00.000-04:002011-10-03T14:04:51.934-04:00

I downloaded this freebie cluster today from SuzyQScraps.  Loved the cluster but the colors were wrong for Jenni's wedding album and I was in the mood to fiddle.  So I took this: and did some digi magic and ended up with this.I think that is amazing!

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-72070248914662079182011-09-29T09:51:00.001-04:002011-09-29T09:53:23.705-04:00

I am still building pages to use in Jenni's wedding scrapbook.  I have so many beautiful freebies, including a brag book with lovely pages, but only a jpeg file and the wrong shape.  Here it is, Faded Memories from Rasberry Designs: as you can see, it is rectangular and I need it to be square.  If I make it square as is, I have a gap at the bottom.  I could fill the gap in with another paper and

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-68536861836614915052011-09-27T13:23:00.000-04:002011-09-27T13:23:25.322-04:00

Digitally, that is.  I took this lovely cluster I downloaded for free from VerenaDesigns Moms Day collection. (for once I have a record of where I got the freebie.....) I did recolor the flower from red. This "cluster" would make a beautiful solo element on the page.  I love premade clusters because I cannot seem to put more than three elements together and clusters are simply beyond me. But.

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-84946363712642650432011-09-05T11:32:00.002-04:002011-09-05T11:32:41.778-04:00

Join me on a paper doll journey.  I found my mom's paper dolls from the 20's and perhaps 30's in an old book.  They were cut out of a magazine, which was the way they were presented to the public.  I believe these are Dolly Dimples, or perhaps similar. I scanned the dolls and their clothing into my computer and will present each doll to you during the next weeks and dress them.  Please feel free

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-73021960300374018082011-08-20T11:15:00.000-04:002011-08-20T11:15:53.416-04:00

Larry is painting the guest room closet and has completely emptied it.  I have to decide what goes back in and what is tossed.  The problem is, this is my craft closet.  I have been sorting and tossing stuff in that closet ever since I became immersed in digital scrapbooking, since I don't need that stuff for digi.  But there is a LOT left. My first urge is to toss it ALL.  However, I know

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-75797882227959767342011-08-19T11:03:00.000-04:002011-08-19T11:03:52.283-04:00

Cioppino is a fancy name for fish stew.  I love it but have actually not made it before.  And you rarely see it on menus.  Trader Joe's has a frozen version but it is a very tiny amount in that package and you have to add a bunch more things to get it enough for two for dinner. A few months ago I bought a frozen package of "mixed seafood" from TJ's....scallops, shrimp, calamari.  No clue what I

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-24143619316077861082011-08-11T22:57:00.003-04:002011-08-11T22:59:15.773-04:00

Here is a page I made tonight using pictures from 1968 Fraternity House Party  at the Jack Tar, a motel that was just a beach walk away from where our beach house is today.  It always makes me a bit pensive when I sit on our deck on the dunes and think about being here all those years ago.  Still with my 'date' for the frat party weekend.  Still love him dearly.

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-54765639751749862902011-08-11T15:42:00.000-04:002011-08-11T15:42:38.380-04:00

The Charlotte Observer ran a recipe for zucchini and it seemed to cover all my preferences....olive oil, fried, vinegar, herbs.  I had gotten a pretty good sized zucchini at the market, so decided to make it last night.  The platter was so pretty I took a photo before we ate it.  (and used a iphone app to snazz it up) You can find the original recipe here.  I confess to not following it too

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-30128465675726636762011-08-10T15:11:00.000-04:002011-08-10T15:11:30.323-04:00

An upscale fresh fish store opened in South Charlotte this past year called Fresh Catch.  I had read a lot about it but never stopped in to see what they had.  It is all fresh, never frozen, and arrives by plane from all over the world.  I finally stopped in today. I am used to going along with the guys to Buddy's Seafood in Panama City, FL, and pointing out what I want and am familiar with

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-14990029587860246792011-08-08T17:18:00.000-04:002011-08-08T17:18:05.840-04:00

Had a nice outing today with a group from Harris YMCA. We rode the Lynx train uptown and walked to King's Kitchen. One of my very old friends happened be in the group, which made the day even better. The restaurant is famous for their pan fried chicken, and justly so. Best I have had since my mom's. Now if they could just fry it in melted Criscoe instead of healthy oil........... King's

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-87585537708058908342011-07-06T18:53:00.002-04:002011-08-08T17:06:41.555-04:00

Not at the beach but still made a beachy dinner. Thanks to phillips crabcakes in a package. Peach cobbler for dessert.

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-57496623029325927762011-06-10T10:10:00.000-04:002011-06-10T10:10:05.761-04:00

PSE blog featured instructions for grunging up a photo. Just had to try it. First photo file I found was from our trip to Rhode Island. So I chose this photo: Pretty photo of a house.  Now lets see what PSE can do to it!

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-82088263735041096312011-06-08T18:12:00.002-04:002011-06-10T10:05:41.787-04:00

Okra!!

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-77536178641597132552011-06-08T17:15:00.000-04:002011-06-08T17:15:12.897-04:00

After I posted Jenni's ice cream adventure, I remembered that my DIL, Lindsay, had helped the grands make homemade ice cream, too..... Then I opened up an old album of my own photos as a little girl and these were on a page.  More ice cream. And of  course I had to turn these pictures into a couple of scrapbook pages!!!

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-82912983412178146442011-06-07T14:43:00.002-04:002011-06-07T14:46:58.184-04:00

What does a new ice cream maker and fresh blueberries from the State Farmer's Market mean? Ice cream! (but next time they'll use real cream and whole milk...why go halfway with a treat?) (paraphrased by Nancooks) ---Jenni Thornberg

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-55102550984879452202011-05-23T23:23:00.003-04:002011-05-23T23:28:43.357-04:00

I love the column in our newspaper, Desperation Dinners.  The other day I decided to find their blog so I could put my favorite recipes into my Paprika app.  This recipe is their most recent and I made it today for lunch.  It was really refreshing and good.  I highly recommend you give it a try.  You can find this recipe and more at kitchenscoop.com

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-2681190244773592362011-05-17T13:09:00.002-04:002011-05-17T13:12:12.069-04:00

Here is an excellent article from today's newspaper: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/05/17/2301966/good-nutrition-can-taste-good.html

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-39406300586558513532011-05-11T16:49:00.000-04:002011-05-13T16:30:00.443-04:00

I like unripe bananas. Once they get spots, they are gone to me. Usually people put them into banana bread or pudding or such, but I only like plain, sliced bananas. Or whole. My daughter gave me this really cool book: Hometown Appetites, the Story of Clementine Paddleford, the Forgotten Food Writer Who Chronicled How America Ate.  The first two recipes already intrigue me.  But more on

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-29497387817797774472011-05-10T16:55:00.000-04:002011-05-10T16:55:20.249-04:00

The wedding was last weekend and was Jenni's dream wedding.  It was amazing and perfect.  The new couple are now spending two weeks in the tropics, unplugged from the world. Her mother is not unplugged, however.  I am back, immersed in PSE8.  Fiddling around with wordart today and made this: I shrunk it down tiny for the web and lost much detail, but the pattern inside is of bubbles. As she

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-33701449426921389702011-04-28T19:24:00.002-04:002011-04-28T19:26:24.763-04:00

I made really good fresh asparagus tonight. I did not heat the oven. I made it fast. Sautee a sliced shallot in evoo. After it softens, add asparagus and carrot ribbons (use a potato peeler). Season with salt and pepper. Here is the new trick: glaze with a nice balsamic vinegar. Amazing.

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-16818481490378462562011-04-27T20:06:00.000-04:002011-04-27T20:06:23.641-04:00

I logged into the Scrapgirls chatroom this afternoon for their Mischief Week 'Mess or Masterpiece' Challenge.  We were given instructions for how to pick random papers, embellishments, and one photo.  Amazingly, this photo of Larry as a teenager on his horse was the one the fickle finger of fate landed on.  I completely recolored the papers I got stuck with.  The flower stayed the same, but I

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-53597903416916112232011-04-27T10:34:00.000-04:002011-04-27T10:34:40.092-04:00

I need to remember this layer effect more often.  See the difference between the full color and the desaturated one?  (photos from 1980's)   Desaturating got rid of the awful sunglare  in this shot.  To make the layout, I copied the square part with the kids and then put a white layer in between and used the opacity slider to make the base look like vellum.  A tip I got online somewhere.  

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-72176715949448388332011-04-25T22:13:00.002-04:002011-04-25T22:15:50.649-04:00

Relaxing with PSE and some pictures from Biltmore House trip several years ago.  From this:  To this: from this:                                                                to this >                                          

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-78307628633146480812011-04-24T20:38:00.003-04:002011-04-24T20:41:24.264-04:00

This recipe is very literal. You take tiny round potatoes and boil them. Drain. Then lay them on one end of a towel. Fold the towel over on the potatoes and gently smash each one. Put each smashed potato onto a oiled pan, brush with evoo. Roast at 425• til nice and brown. Sprinkle with salt and serve.The recipe idea came from current issue of Everyday Food magazine.

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-88531012903159420862011-04-24T11:07:00.000-04:002011-04-24T11:07:38.665-04:00

No, not sewing patterns, knitting patterns, or quilting patterns.....I am talking about patterns for Photoshop Elements.  Patterns that allow me to make my own digital papers in any color i want.  No searching through my files for just the right pattern and color.   I went online to search for free patterns and textures for PSE and found this site.    I downloaded the different files and put them

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-45663266475285580592011-04-17T18:00:00.000-04:002011-04-17T18:00:11.358-04:00

I have hung onto this picture for many years.  I love the way it looks like Jason wants to punch his daddy.  The climate has not been kind to the 1970's paper, and the color is really bad. Through the magic of Photoshop Elements editing I got this result:  Now I can enjoy the photo I love so. The papers and flower were a free kit called Dream a Little Dream.

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-38100960534936020072011-04-17T16:51:00.000-04:002011-04-17T16:51:14.677-04:00

Jenni is getting married in a couple of weeks.  Her two best friends are her bridal attendants and a couple of weeks ago they went on a girls' weekend to celebrate.  She shared the pictures with me and I share a page I made with you.  I used Template 24 by No Reimer Reason and the yin_oceanspray minikit.

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-50987000149087488072011-04-16T13:32:00.000-04:002011-04-16T13:32:34.970-04:00

The only time I ever ate starfruit was in 1972 when I bought it from a fruit stand in Miami, Florida. I have seen it from time to time in the grocery stores around here, but never thought about it. This week it was very cheap and right beside the mangoes. So here is what it looks like sliced on your plate.  It is a mild, slightly citrusy taste and a crisp texture.

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-49604139019078600872011-04-16T12:48:00.000-04:002011-04-16T12:48:12.417-04:00

I love chopped, hard cooked eggs in tuna salad.  I love plain egg salad.  I hate to boil and peel eggs.  My solution?  Break your eggs into a microwave safe container with a good lid.  Microwave on medium setting for 2+ minutes, or until done to your liking.  Note:  pierce the yolks with a fork before cooking, but they will still explode.  Hence the good lid.  Which will blow off anyway.  Clean

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-6312866297656184682011-04-12T13:12:00.000-04:002011-04-12T13:12:43.975-04:00

Since I have been advancing in PSE, and have learned to use templates, I decided to join a Scrap Challenge with Scrapper's Guide.  For joining, you get some free goodies.  It promotes their website. I used one of their kits, called Southern Days.   Now if I can figure out how to post it to their gallery......

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-33717762211668379712011-04-07T10:43:00.007-04:002011-04-16T12:51:54.620-04:00

I love the idea of Thai style peanut noodles. However, anytime I would eat them at a restaurant they were too rich and 'peanutty '. I never tried to make them at home til I found this recipe I made these last night and they are delicious. The recipe calls for 3T peanut butter and a can of chicken broth. So not so rich and heavy. Note that I did use my old friend JIF. http://

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-30270253420837748972011-04-05T18:58:00.001-04:002011-04-05T19:00:16.184-04:00

Cleaning out drawers and found a note on how to fade out a busy background in PSE, then add a paper.  So I randomly picked this picture of me at my wedding shower: and ended up with this: Now THAT is cool!

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-40367205785372766092011-04-03T19:01:00.001-04:002011-04-03T19:06:34.070-04:00

I am cleaning up my "studio" (fancy name for room above the garage) in preparation for my son's family's visit in May.  Since I have items collected over the years from quilting, sewing, knitting, and now photos that stretch back to the late 1800's for my digiscrapping projects, it is an undertaking. I accomplished a lot today....got rid of about 100 books to Friends of Library.  The space thus

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-4086715412364195812011-04-02T18:26:00.002-04:002011-04-02T18:29:21.931-04:00

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-56497220152584374752011-04-02T18:25:00.005-04:002011-04-02T18:34:08.103-04:00

I finally came back to this old friend. Over the past years I have bought all the healthy versions of peanut butter. What they all had in common was "store in refrigerator after opening". COLD. ICK. On Friday in 7:30 am yoga class we were discussing the problem of being hungry during class, but breakfast and 'downward facing dog' leads to indigestion. One of the class members had a brilliant

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-67118226368360131232011-03-24T14:58:00.000-04:002011-03-24T14:58:22.956-04:00

And it gets better.....daughter sent me two apps for my iphone; she is feeding my digiscrap addiction. An app that lets me transfer photos back and forth wirelessly between iphone and computer. No more emailing myself. And an escrap app that I look forward to using. Now I can digiscrap on vacation!!!!! I do so go into withdrawal when I am away from my computer with PSE and MM installed.

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-27774118017497927062011-03-24T12:50:00.002-04:002011-03-24T12:52:01.051-04:00

What can make a 63rd birthday tolerable? This edible arrangement from your son and his family! I did a happy dance when i got it. Lots of chocolate too. Yummy!

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-47594479421168576312011-03-22T21:40:00.002-04:002011-03-22T21:42:04.997-04:00

Why oh why did my mother put my hair into a ponytail? But then there are the knees.....

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-77108400210208833462011-03-21T21:20:00.001-04:002011-03-21T21:21:58.063-04:00

I discovered dingbats today.  I read a tutorial in PSE magazine again and decided to explore.  Dingbats are fonts that are drawings instead of letters.  I downloaded a whole bunch of free sets.  Then I made this border (I colored the dingbat just like you would a coloring book.  Fun.) Do not know where the black background comes from. The background is actually transparent. Blogger put the

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-77079996924191221622011-03-20T10:03:00.002-04:002011-03-20T10:10:17.110-04:00

We also spent a day at Universal Theme Park. The destination was Harry Potter fir Sawyer's birthday, but alas, that segment is small and the crowds large. We had to get a time pass and it was for 6pm. So we spent most of the day in Dr Zeuss land. It ended up being lots of fun.

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-3909850110747905102011-03-20T09:52:00.002-04:002011-03-20T10:11:29.966-04:00

Spent the past week in Florida with my grandkids and their parents. Did a 12 hour marathon at Magic Kingdom. As we left the park, the Electric Parade was a grand sendoff.

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-66821799228532510312011-03-11T10:13:00.002-05:002011-03-20T12:09:40.383-04:00

Got a recipe from newspaper and made this last night. It looks better than it tasted. But hubby did like it. I usually do a sweet/sour type glaze on chinese stirfry and this was strictly savory. Too salty. The technique I did like, though, was to mix chicken cubes in a slurry of cornstarch and water. Made a nice crust. Although I am using my deep fat fryer next time. That oil in the skiller

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-30326051129718409382011-03-10T10:41:00.010-05:002011-03-10T13:14:09.682-05:00

I spotted this tweet today and it caused me to reflect on my own "Barbieless" childhood. From Magnum Photo tweet: This week in 1959, the first Barbie doll made her debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York. I was 11 years old when Barbie appeared.  My mom did not approve of the doll.  Of course everybody I knew got one eventually.  Except me.   My Mom compromised with this doll:

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-51682211267347380822011-03-08T20:06:00.001-05:002011-03-08T20:06:12.192-05:00

Inspired by Mad Hungry with Lucinda. The salmon is pan seared and glazed with soy, honey, and sesame oil. Thevspinach was wilted this afternoon, dresses with vinegar, soy, sugar, and sesame oil and chilled. Steamed rice. Jenni's roasted sweet potatoes. Melted coconut oil, brown sugar, coriander, s&p poured over the potato chunks and roasted til caramelized at 350•

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-76822797846505307812011-03-08T10:15:00.002-05:002011-03-08T10:44:49.459-05:00

Easy oatmeal. Put raw old fashioned oats in casserole. Add flax meal and frozen blueberries. Pour water over just until mixture is submerged. Microwave For 2 cups oatmeal I did three minutes. Serve with milk or nondairy beverage. Leftovers warm in microwave, so make a big batch like I did. For one serving just use 1/2 cup oats.

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-29692385971303196942011-03-06T18:53:00.002-05:002011-03-08T10:45:35.080-05:00

I am continuing to scrap my old photos of my grown kids. Here Jason is building a cute snowman. I wandered through my snow themed didgi stuff and used a clever template. This is harder than it looks! Quick pages are so much easier!

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-25994540732779505472011-03-06T12:43:00.000-05:002011-03-06T12:43:10.579-05:00

Regular readers might have noticed that the pictures I blogged from my iPhone just got smaller.  When I upload them to the blog there does not seem to be a way to adjust their size and they swallow the page.  I discovered I can log in on my desktop and shrink them.  So I did.  Looks much better

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-81104563415084306012011-03-06T10:18:00.002-05:002011-03-06T12:40:42.141-05:00

We used our gift certificate for dinner at The Wine Shop in Foxcroft Village last night. We had a lovely bottle of wine, a cheese and charcuterie platter, truffle pomme frites, and this yummy burger. Leftovers for lunch today. Thanks, Jason and Lindsay, for the enjoyable evenung!

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-21367138158101619882011-03-06T09:19:00.002-05:002011-03-06T12:38:55.986-05:00

My grandsons are lucky. Their mom makes clever cakes for their birthdays. I need to go through my pics of their birthdays and collect the cake pics for a scrapbook page. This is the cake she made for Grif. Cutest cake I have ever seen. Wish I could have seen it in person! (we are spending next week in Orlando with them....but the cake has been eaten)

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-54890523913056191442011-03-06T09:13:00.002-05:002011-03-06T12:40:21.406-05:00

Here is a pic of the final product. The secret to crock pot wings is to crisp them in a hot oven before serving. Any sauce recipe can be used in the crock pot

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-62411236232963617352011-03-04T15:46:00.002-05:002011-03-06T12:39:43.413-05:00

I am preparing buffalo style chicken wings in the crockpot. Here are the 'chicken wing portions' as named on label. What is missing? Drummettes. I will be aware of the terminology next time. At least we won't be fighting over the drummers portions.

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-75938913637848874682011-03-04T15:35:00.001-05:002011-03-04T15:35:58.006-05:00

See this label?

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-65752381743259229032011-03-02T18:12:00.002-05:002011-03-06T12:41:25.022-05:00

Got the full blogging app today so am uploading a picture of a "popcorn" tree ready to explode into a frenzy of white flowers. These Bradford Pear trees grow fast and fall apart. Our neighborhood has lost a lot of them but we have enough remaining to put on a real show every March.

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-88150584863873680632011-03-01T13:45:00.002-05:002011-03-01T13:50:45.839-05:00

I just found this blogger app that should let me blog from anywhere I am with my new toy. This is a test. Since it seems to work, I will download the full app so i can also post pictures i take with my phone. Wonders will never cease

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-67136834714230234602011-03-01T12:45:00.000-05:002011-03-01T12:45:13.859-05:00

I'm on a roll with blogposts.  You might not hear from me again for awhile. Anyway, I love this picture of my son when he was little.  I love the way he is examining his bacon.  So I played in PSE and made this page:

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-34112589162327050942011-03-01T10:51:00.000-05:002011-03-01T10:51:31.045-05:00

February breathed its last yesterday.  It was windy all day, and bad storms last night (which missed us except for the rain).  Today is March 1 and it is gorgeous.  No wind.  No rain.  Which means this month is really gonna get us at the end.  Oh my. Anyway, in attempt to become a better food blogger, I took photos of the dinner I made last night. Phillipine Vinegar Chicken legs, rice, and

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-61288120818862431132011-03-01T10:33:00.005-05:002011-03-01T11:26:28.307-05:00

I have been having fun looking at all the free wallpaper pics available to my iphone and downloading them to play with in PSE.  I saw this picture of a squirrel and decided to share my squirrel story with you. Yes, he is cute.  I have a lot of squirrels in my backyard.  Probably because I have so many trees. Many years ago I decided to get a bird feeder.  I went and bought one designed like

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-84504190716281569572011-02-28T16:15:00.001-05:002011-02-28T16:16:04.999-05:00

I just finished making an album of my grandsons' visit to the zoo in Houston.  I had to share this page I made of the youngest, Grif.  Of course he was not really this close to the animals;  I removed him from a couple of pics and placed him into two more.  Photo merging. I am actually getting pretty decent at PSE8. What makes Grif reading the map so meaningful and amusing....his Papa Larry is

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-22022813003480056412011-02-14T17:27:00.000-05:002011-02-14T17:27:12.364-05:00

My daughter is wondering about her mama.  Here are the last two scrapbook pages I have made.  They are pages with pictures of me as a girl. This is the original b&w pic.....so boring. I am on the phone.....one phone in the hall; black; rotary; cord; party line!! Here is a fresh take: Much more eye catching. Now this is a complete page I designed, using some premade stuff but changing colors

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-30309348922953229782011-02-11T15:35:00.000-05:002011-02-11T15:35:13.400-05:00

I tried Vietnamese soup or "Pho" once, years ago.  I was completely unimpressed.  Since then I have developed a taste for foods flavored with fish sauce, cilantro, sricha, etc.  Tastes change.  So today when I spotted this blog post from Food Republik, I was intrigued.  For one thing, the photo looked wonderful. It was time to make our lunch.  I had rice sticks, cilantro, edaname chicken broth,

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-34748732897583107862011-02-08T20:11:00.001-05:002011-02-08T20:12:27.556-05:00

Oh my, Jenni's salmon cakes were wonderful. Those potatoes put them over the top! Don't hesitate to try them. I did use fabulous marinated roasted fresh wild red salmon. That added a lot to the wow factor

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-5841596181545096192011-02-04T13:52:00.000-05:002011-02-04T13:52:11.308-05:00

These lovely salmon cakes were made by my daughter, Jenni.  I plan to make then soon. This is how she made them:  Chunked up some sweet potato and russet potato, boiled then mashed, stirred into a leftover flaked salmon fillet with some breadcrumb, egg beaters and old bay/s/p. Dipped patties in more breadcrumb and pan fried. Sauce is Greek yogurt with a touch of mayo, added lemon juice, old bay,

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-33384295572179238842011-02-01T13:14:00.000-05:002011-02-01T13:15:09.944-05:00

I really, really hope this photo just has not aged well, color-wise. I hate to think I wore orange. Even if it WAS the 1970's? Now you see why women who lived through the 70's dislike many of the current styles/colors/patterns!This is an old snapshot I found of me and hubby. We had been married about 2 years and were living in Miami, Florida. We drove down to Key West. It was a very quiet

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-19705394227546363032011-01-31T12:23:00.001-05:002011-01-31T15:33:27.440-05:00

How many of you have opened a can of soup recently and burst out laughing?  And I am not talking basic Campbells, here, I am talking fancy soups, such as Wolfgang Puck, Pacific, Progresso, etc, etc. I refer to the laughter because there just is not much in that can but broth anymore.  The flavors are there, though.  So......I dump the can in the pot and then look at the picture on the label or

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537760.post-29712613601247222122011-01-30T14:39:00.000-05:002011-01-30T14:39:38.983-05:00

I had fun with these two pages.  It is a freebie quick page from a blog train.  I cut out the radio in the pic and replaced it with an iphone. The photo is of me, many many years ago.

Nanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12387018788847383474noreply@blogger.com1