« May 2011 | Main | July 2011 »
Some of the beauty-review ladies I have been watching on YouTube have issued the tag-game challenge of 'what's in your purse?' and since tomorrow is the first day of summer I thought I would do something different and play along! This is just a silly video share that's kind of fun as I take a break from cooking and crafting...and anyway, isn't it secretly kind of interesting to snoop in someone else's purse?
...Check back next Monday for another great recipe video!
These fantastic Sour Cream Pancakes are so easy to make - they'd be perfect for the kids to whip up for dad today!
I've had the recipe since 2007 and I think this is the first time I've made the pancakes...they were sooo good! They are super fluffy and the flavour is amazing - both my DH and DD mentioned they tasted like donuts. We enjoyed them so much that I'm sure any time I have sour cream in the fridge, the family will request these Sour Cream Pancakes.
You can find the recipe from Chatelaine here.
I am beyond excited to have and share this product with you: Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Polish Strips. I first learned about the Incoco nail polish strips, which are almost the same thing, but they aren't available in Canada. That made me remember an ad in one of my magazines for the Sally version. I researched it on-line and watched several video reviews about the product - and everyone raved about them!
Basically, the kit contains a manicure in a box. The real nail polish strips are applied directly onto clean, dry nails and that's it - no drying time and they last up to 10 days. You get 16 strips in the box, of various sizes, plus a cuticle stick, mini file & buffer. The really cool part is that there are so many patterns available to choose from. Unless you are really bad at applying 'real' nail polish, in a pinch for a night out, or have no time to dry your nails, I don't think the solid colour choices are worth it (remember, you are only getting one application per box vs. dozens in a bottle of liquid polish)...but...the patterned versions would be impossible to do at home, making them a really fun purchase. You can see some pattern examples in my photo: #360 Laced Up, #320 Kitty, Kitty, #220 Cut It Out, and #350 Misbehaved.
Once I knew I really wanted to try these out I went on a hunt for them. They weren't available in my town so I searched on-line and found a company selling them in Canada for $9.69 with no shipping. The only problem was they didn't have any patterns left, but I did select two glitter ones: Blue Ice and Bling it On, because I was so desperate to try them. Then, when I was shopping in another city I discovered they were available at Wal-Mart. They had many to choose from and were priced at $8.97 a box. They even had the leopard print which apparently is in big demand even in the States! I grabbed the ones shown above, plus one with little flowers all over it (which I'll give to my daughter for her birthday - very bohemian!). It is a more costly system than painting your own nails but still cheaper than a salon manicure...and just plain fun! How else could you have lace on your nails for a special occasion?? Here's my video overview of what you get in the pack...and below I review what it's like to actually use the strips, as well as a few tips and observations for you.
Here is a photo of the first application I tried: Kitty Kitty. Pretty funny, huh? I followed the directions exactly, paying special attention to having clean, dry nails so the strips would adhere well. On the first nail, I tore the top corner of the strip - they are a little bit delicate and you can't stretch them too much or they break. Fortunately, I was able to use a leftover strip to re-do the pinkie. Since each strip gives you 2 sides to work with, once I applied it to my fingernail, I used the other end to apply to my toe nails. It cuts the cost of the package in half if you can get a matching pedi out of it! You want to make sure you get the correct size of strip for each nail...and if in doubt, it's better to go bigger. I had one or two nails where the strip did not go all the away across to each side and you can see a strip of my real nail. (It's very slight, and unnoticeable at a glance but next time I would use a larger one for complete coverage). Once the strip is firmly touching the nail, there's no turning back. They are a little unforgiving in that way. Make sure to centre them well before smoothing them down. I discovered that it is possible to use a much larger strip (eg. the thumb-size strip) on a smaller nail and then scrape away the over-lapping part on your skin with the pointed end of the orange-wood cuticle stick. It's not ideal, but it does work...sometimes it's necessary to either fix a fingernail or stretch the set to get them on your toes as well. There are many more large sizes in the box so I didn't have any pinkie size ones to use on my small toenails. There is a nail polish smell to the strips when you open the foil seal on the package but it dissipates as the day goes on. Apparently it's better if you don't wash your hands for a few hours after application to ensure a good bond. Also, there is no mention in the directions about applying (or not) a top-coat in the following days. For certain you start with bare nails since there is a base coat - colour/pattern - top coat built into the strips and you need clean nails for good adhesion, but there is no instruction about follow-up topcoats. Most of the reviews I've watched and read did suggest using a top coat to seal and protect the manicure.
At first, I thought the strips were not as easy to apply as I thought they were going to be. But after I did my second nail I got the hang of it and had no problems after that. There were also enough strips that I was able to re-do my mistakes - since I couldn't stand not having it perfect! The polish was easily removed with regular nail polish remover. Most reviewers have been able to avoid chips for over a week so I will keep you posted on how they fare on me - since I'm pretty hard on my nails. (So far they have lasted a week...I 'chipped' one but the rest are fine, other than at the cuticle where my nails have actually grown out! I'm going to change it tomorrow just because I'm ready for a change!) I am very pleased with the results and am definitely thinking of all the times I would like to use the nail polish strips and which patterns will go with which outfits! The leopard print is a bit wild for me - but I do like the way it looks and I love it on my toes! It looks great with sandals and since this particular pattern looks much smaller way down on the feet, it's not so 'in your face'. That being said, I went shopping and the first store I went into, after about 10 seconds the assistant said "Oh, I just love your nails! Is that the new Sally stuff?", so that was kind of funny and the first time a stranger has said something about my manicure or nails...ever! Now...which one am I going to try next?
P.S. I just saw a version of these by O.P.I. the other day...BUT... they were almost $15, didn't have as nice designs and the packaging said "lasts up to 2 days"!!! I think I'll be taking the Sally ones that last up to 10 days, thank you!
This plastic dome by Nordic Ware is used to prevent spatters & splatters in the microwave. It fits over standard 10-1/2" dinner plates and is tall enough to cover even the biggest helpings. It avoids having to use plastic wrap, paper towels, wax paper, or napkins. It's vented so that the steam can escape without all moisture being lost. After microwaving, the dome also helps to keep the food hot before serving. It's easily washed by hand in soapy water. It's not too cumbersome to store - I just turn it upside down in the 'Tupperware' drawer and nest other round containers inside it.
Even though the cover is made to use in the microwave, I also like to use it to cover a plate temporarily before serving. I often prepare lunch for my son and/or husband and if I have to go out before they get home I'll just cover the plate with the dome for 15 or 20 minutes. It works well to keep it fresh and untouched until they get to it.
You can purchase the cover on-line at Amazon but I bet the major discount retailers carry it (or something very similar) too.
This is one of those hearty soups that is perfect for a cold winter day...but the recipe sounded so good I just had to make it straight away even though it's almost summer!
Nutritionists are always recommending the good things found in leafy greens and kale is often mentioned as a superstar. Adding kale to soup seemed like an easy way to boost the family's diet, and paired with fibre and protein-rich lentils, makes this soup a power-house recipe. The thinly sliced Italian sausages (there are only 2 in the whole pot) enticed DH to try the soup so I don't feel too guilty about the extra fat they add. The recipe calls for 4 cups of water to make the broth but I'm sure you could use chicken stock instead for even more flavour and I added freshly ground pepper as well. Even my DD had a bowl after school and ate it all up! I found the flavour really good but didn't really like the kale leaves that much. I think I should have trimmed them a bit more - they were a tad tough at the stems! If you'd like to make this soup (now, or next winter!) you can find the recipe here.
I think this is a really cute card! I wanted to use the Cupcakes Make Me Happy stamp from the Smirk For Her clear acrylic set I picked up so I thought a shaped card would be a perfect project for it. I cut the card using the Cards Creative Feature button on the Sweet Treats Cricut Cartridge. I sized it on my Gypsy to fit a 5-1/2" square envelope. I cut the base in Close to Cocoa Textured card stock and the cupcake in Natural White card stock. I cut the inner mat (the shift image on the Cards feature) in Natural Vanilla. The cherry layer is cut in Real Red and I covered
it in Glossy Accents for a shiny look. The paper liner layer is from the Sweetpea Stack. I stamped the sentiment in Chocolate Chip ink.
This will be the perfect card to include with a gift of homemade cupcakes.
This scrapbook page is just fun, isn't it? I didn't have to look far for inspiration - you can't get any more obvious than Ronald's yellow, red, and white colour scheme! Fortunately, I had just enough scraps left over in the (former) Disney Power Palette from Creative Memories to complete the page.
The colours from the Mickey Mouse paper matched perfectly. I added several strips of the patterned paper, including one I punched with the Creative Memories Bubble Maker. I continued the bubble/circle theme by attaching a whole bunch of buttons to the bottom border of my page with glue dots. I also punched out three circles of differing sizes, matted a couple of them, and popped 2 of them up on dimensionals.
I rounded the corners of a trimmed journal box and cut the 'just chillin' title from the Create a Critter Cricut cartridge on my Expression. I used Ruby Red Textured card stock for the phrase and regular black card stock for the shift-layer. I adhered the chillin' slightly off-centre to give a bit of a shadow effect. It's a very playful layout for a photo of my kids being silly together!
If you like your brownies dense and fudgey, you'll love this recipe! It's a super easy batter to prepare since all the ingredients are combined in one saucepan. (It makes a nice big 9x13 pan of brownies too - with or without nuts.) These Craggy-Topped Fudge Brownies were definitely a hit in our house and I think they could become my #2 faves...
I've shared a simple fettuccine alfredo recipe in the past, but this one is even faster and easier!
While the noodles are boiling (about 1/2 pound of them), saute a clove of minced garlic in a tablespoon of olive oil for a minute over medium heat. When the pasta is cooked and drained, simply add the garlic to the pot, along with a cup of 2% evaporated milk, 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and a 1/4 cup or so each of chopped parsley and fresh basil (you can use dried in a pinch). You only have to stir over medium heat for about 3 minutes to heat the pasta through. Season with a bit of salt and pepper and you're done! So good and so fast. If you keep a can of evaporated milk and a package of dried fettuccine in the cupboard you can have dinner on the table in minutes!