A Winter Storm Is On The Way

Well, it's a fact. No matter how hard we try to shrug off the winter blues and get happy, old man winter still has his say. This blog is coming to you from what for the moment is sunny Ohio, soon enough to be icy and piled high with snow. I've been in touch with family and friends and I think we are all ready to weather this storm! We have food and gallons of water, candles and batteries and gas lamps, wood for the wood burners and fireplaces and generators and other means to heat with for those that need them. For all of you...I wish you warmth, safety and a friend with a snowplow! Don't forget to charge your cell phone.

It's times like this when I am thankful that I enjoy time at home playing with my dog, making jewelry and reading books. I guess you will all find out how bad the weather was and how long it lasted by how many new pieces of jewelry you see posted in my Etsy shop this weekend. Stay safe and think warm thoughts!

Soup's On!

If you follow this blog, this know that I have been focused on trying new things to chase away the winter blahs. Well, it's the very end of January and there is plenty more winter ahead for most of us so I thought I would share another idea I had and followed through on with you. =)

I enjoy cooking. I enjoy the hunt for just the right recipe. I like the preparation and Lord knows I love eating! But, I hate a messy kitchen. The only thing I hate more than a messy kitchen is being the one person who has to clean it up! That being said, I don't do a lot of old-fashion, hands on cooking ~ although my dog does appreciate it when I do! That is a story for another time.

So, I found this amazing recipe for soup! Ya, soup! I don't even like soup and I only eat chicken noodle soup when I am sick or if frozen to the bone, I may opt for chili or beef stew. But anyhow, I made soup for supper last night and my daughter and I thought it was delicious! It has stuff in it that I don't eat and it is much better for me than most things I consume so I am actually quite pleasantly surprise. You are going to be too.

Doesn't it look yummy? Here is the recipe. If you want to try it just copy and paste it to a Word document and print it out.
1 - 13 oz. Can Drained Chicken Breast, shredded
1 - 11 oz. Can Diced Tomatoes & Chiles
1 - 28 oz. Can Diced Tomatoes
1 - 4 oz. Can Green Chiles
1 - 15 oz. Can Kidney Beans
1 - 15 oz. Can Black Beans
1 - 11 oz. Can Whole Kernel Corn
1 Envelope Taco Seasoning
1 Envelope Ranch Dressing Mix

Dump everything into a crock pot and heat on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours.

Garnish with Sour Cream, Shredded Cheese, Chopped Green Onions and Tortilla Chips.

That's it! Wash your cutting board and you have a clean kitchen again. My kind of meal! Now, if you try this, come back and leave me a comment so I know what you thought about the soup. This is a very easy way to try something new and shake off the winter blah's. Enjoy!

Digging out of the Winter Blahs!

It's such a great feeling to be creative. It brings a smile to your face and a sense of satisfaction just to have something new to focus on. In the wintertime especially, with all the illness, the cancellations and the higher bills, it is easy to feel blah.

So, what do you have to do to get started? Well, let's see...You are inside, it sure isn't fit to be outside! Let's face it, you are bored with all the snow and the cold so let's start here. Set aside some time to commit to a new project. What will it be? I'll tell you what it doesn't have to be...it doesn't have to be you creating something for someone else to buy! When was the last time you did something just for you? We get all of our creative juices tied up in our online identity, our Etsy or Artfire shops, and suddenly it's all about the sale. Step back and take the time to come up with a project that is 'me' focused.

My Etsy shop is full of jewelry so I am not going to make myself a piece of jewelry, that would be too easy. I know how to sew - I could make a pillow for the couch.
I could buy one off of Etsy too but that wouldn't help get my creative juices flowing. Unless, I bought one from Mason Moonbeam on Etsy and then made one or two to compliment them. There ya go! Two things I love to do...shop and create. I'm warming up to this idea, how about you?

I enjoy painting, rooms, glassware, picture frames oh yes, picture frames! I have some photos I need to share and I know where I can get some awesome frames...from my friend who owns the Mishawaka Art and Frame Gallery in Indiana. Her frames rock! An added bonus. I have a road trip to plan. A 3 hour drive will get me there and of course there will be chat time and maybe a meal! After some time with friends, I'll be back on the road again with my frames in tow. My project awaits when I get home. I will simply frame up my picture of my grandson, find the perfect location and hang it up! Completed project! Wow! Just thinking about this is making me feel better!

Don't sew or paint? Do you quilt? Crochet? I know you shop! This time visit an Etsy shop to buy instructions and quilting materials try Village Quilters on Etsy.

For beautiful yarn try Erin 48 on Etsy. You will find wonderfully bright and cheery yarns to brighten your day, even if it is cold!

If you don't sell jewelry in your online shop and you enjoy dabbling in the craft from time to time there are a number of fabulous supply shops on Etsy. My project was to open a 'Creative Supply' of my own and clean out my closets in the process! Check out The Jeweled Hummingbird on Etsy and see what you find that you like to make yourself something special. But, my new supply shop no longer counts as my project because I have come full circle and as soon as I began to publish my items it became all about the sales!


So, here are some ideas I have come up with to help your creativity to blossom while you are waiting on the snow to melt and the cold winds to cease blowing. Just remember, you must promise before you buy that as soon as the materials arrive you will complete this project. Do it for you!