tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7493988898840560722024-03-05T16:13:15.804-08:00I have no idea what I'm doing...A blog to share random things and random thoughts of life, some crafts, some gluten free stuff, some geekery...and hopefully some laughs.Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756826423989655491noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749398889884056072.post-79185888523705299352014-07-22T16:03:00.002-07:002014-07-22T16:03:58.164-07:00Midsummer postThis year is turning out to be kinda strange. I feel like things are moving at a pace that I have no control over, but nothing significant is happening. It's like chipping away at a large stone, waiting to find that one perfect spot where the whole thing will crumble and reveal the goodies underneath. <br />
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Feeling like I'm treading water is no new sensation to me, but this time is different. There's a certain anticipation that has been building. I'm back in school, with only 2 classes left for a certificate and a professional license in my field. I've been working less, but it feels like I'm hemorrhaging money, with the promise of more clients or performing new duties on the horizon. <br />
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I've somehow decided amid all of the school and work stress, that I would be going to NY Comic Con with my sister. I've been learning how to sew garments, with my sister and mother teaching me, for costumes. The excitement for Comic Con between the two of us, is immense. Maybe the feeling of impending awesomeness, is just the thrill of planning a cool trip with my sister where we can just geek out together, maybe it's the promise of furthering my career goals by the end of the year...I'm not sure. It's all of the above, and more. <br />
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I am impatient, especially when it comes to waiting for things to happen. There are some things that just need to unfold over time, and I have to embrace the feeling of being out of control. Enjoy the ride. Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756826423989655491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749398889884056072.post-43466610392827320432014-01-20T08:26:00.001-08:002014-01-20T08:26:24.576-08:00Back to schoolI did it. I started school again! That exclamation point is placed with a kind of nervous excitement, the kind that is tinged with a bit of dread and loathing. To clarify, I like being in school. I enjoy learning, but I really dislike the mundane aspects of school work. Sitting down to type papers or write essays does not appeal to me. I look forward to the days when I'm fully licensed as a counselor and I can take short continuing education classes that interest me without homework and tests. <div><br></div><div>Anyhooooo...it adds a layer of stress to the new year, but I know it will be over sooner than it seems. I will be going part time and continuing to work part time. By August of this year, I'm hoping to be done and ready to start outpatient counseling with adults. Taking more classes was a hard decision, but I realized that I will be stuck moving laterally in mental health unless I get my license. I am looking forward to moving on to a wider variety of career options! </div><div><br></div><div>Happy New Year! Let's make it a good one! </div><div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzEhwdNnd37W08xcw3YC4MtKeKx38e7yOJPGBKIPBSfeObJaihLGgMzIHZQb-ukEJm0S9_GtQFEZ-8GHrcSYg84X2fg-aBnqc9cua62P5pirzguKFE9Jn0YoMHC1k4BoDpr3gG3GkPpkAN/s640/blogger-image-526840935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzEhwdNnd37W08xcw3YC4MtKeKx38e7yOJPGBKIPBSfeObJaihLGgMzIHZQb-ukEJm0S9_GtQFEZ-8GHrcSYg84X2fg-aBnqc9cua62P5pirzguKFE9Jn0YoMHC1k4BoDpr3gG3GkPpkAN/s640/blogger-image-526840935.jpg"></a></div></div>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756826423989655491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749398889884056072.post-6911067421856914092013-11-14T09:42:00.001-08:002013-11-14T09:42:05.517-08:00Crafting, working, crafting!A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to get noticed by someone who runs the Facebook page for Plants vs. Zombies. They posted a link to my shop, with pictures of some of my plants! However, they didn't give me any warning so I was baffled as to how I could have gotten 6 orders in a day, when I barely get 1 a month! <div><br></div><div>Well, after the initial rush, some other orders trickled in, and I quickly found myself overwhelmed. I am SO pleased that other people have enjoyed my idea, and can appreciate hand made items. I feel like its so much more worthwhile than a plastic toy made in China. But they do take a good chunk of my time and I definitely want to be consistent about what I produce! It just would have been nice if the people that promoted my shop could have given me a warning! Lol</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIgeVEggoLZem6fLOZh7OavQKINJBl_VI9AV3awWvMieQahgrqmImYXpgd3gPWBxf-bW6s-wTqEIQsw8eG4XwdVvNM6TTe9bdHFeRhGDI_90Re6gd2FndVLvzldB5y4oK_W0yUwFpAGNaf/s640/blogger-image--1317443300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIgeVEggoLZem6fLOZh7OavQKINJBl_VI9AV3awWvMieQahgrqmImYXpgd3gPWBxf-bW6s-wTqEIQsw8eG4XwdVvNM6TTe9bdHFeRhGDI_90Re6gd2FndVLvzldB5y4oK_W0yUwFpAGNaf/s640/blogger-image--1317443300.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGLCb4Ww-2_0cstVJirPnRnyQlHVBXn0RrH-kuIqvxwcac1B8sNAwCUhSQDXOTTznx9tYx4fDVB-sCXpFr-UFFZIdvSQUKbfvjTorlHEfvFh7HTc7h2m7dBbaTw-qjum7zb_Z5KrXNwZL/s640/blogger-image-443050083.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGLCb4Ww-2_0cstVJirPnRnyQlHVBXn0RrH-kuIqvxwcac1B8sNAwCUhSQDXOTTznx9tYx4fDVB-sCXpFr-UFFZIdvSQUKbfvjTorlHEfvFh7HTc7h2m7dBbaTw-qjum7zb_Z5KrXNwZL/s640/blogger-image-443050083.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqUED_Bdf1jGElVY79FgNhgumPO8YPF-m1u5eH1Ak7yGIl-90CGL7MXga1q3ay0voeseA1_o3sVPsSw2QGpr_sp8GquLJH-Q0HfwDJy_JOXrrLIy6QKOw2YQAzrbMYTB2w3OjeNVJ2fQB/s640/blogger-image--1318301175.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqUED_Bdf1jGElVY79FgNhgumPO8YPF-m1u5eH1Ak7yGIl-90CGL7MXga1q3ay0voeseA1_o3sVPsSw2QGpr_sp8GquLJH-Q0HfwDJy_JOXrrLIy6QKOw2YQAzrbMYTB2w3OjeNVJ2fQB/s640/blogger-image--1318301175.jpg"></a></div></div><br></div><div>Thankfully I'm caught up, just in time to catch up with all the work related paperwork I put off to finish my orders! I hate paperwork anyway, and it was a convenient excuse to procrastinate on my least favorite work duty. I just need to spend a few days buckling down to remove this looming cloud of guilt and dread. </div><div><br></div><div>In the meantime, I've been working in re-branding my shop. Formerly hornsofdestruction, because my old user name was forced as the official shop name, I had titled my shop "Crafty Gamer Girl" thinking I would focus on game items. My crafting has been much more eclectic, and hornsofdestruction was never intentional. So I recently chose the name Blue Milk Crafts, due to my love of Star Wars. Luke Skywalker drinks bantha milk in Episode IV, which is naturally blue...the more you know...I hope that tidbit helps someone win at Trivial Pursuit one day! </div><div><br></div><div>Thus far, I've made a craft email (bluemilkcrafts@gmail.com), ordered new business cards, and made a new, simple shop banner. It's a good start! I might try twitter again, but we shall see! All of the shop progress may need to go on hold in January if I get accepted into the post-masters program I've applied to.</div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div>When I think about the future a few months ahead, I get hesitant and unsure. I don't know where I'm going, following a few breadcrumb trails at the same time.<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> It's easy to become overwhelmed. I'm trying to keep an open mind, stay grounded, and maintain my mental and physical wellness...and I think that's all any of us can do when things start to overwhelm us! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“All that is gold does not glitter,<br>Not all those who wander are lost;<br>The old that is strong does not wither,<br>Deep roots are not reached by the frost."</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">~Tolkien, <i>The Fellowship of the Ring</i></span></div>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756826423989655491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749398889884056072.post-34305316444459028252013-08-27T16:02:00.001-07:002013-09-18T11:32:03.853-07:00Taking a break!I feel the need to break from this blog for a little bit. I'm going to leave it up and running, and I'll likely come back to it from time to time. I have not had a lot of time to craft or cook or garden, and I don't have the motivation to write. I wish I did...but I can't force it.<br />
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For now, you can find me on Tumblr, or as I like to call it, "blogging for people with short attention spans". Tumblr is a great site though. It allows you to easily connect with people who share the same interests as you, giggle over fandom jokes, and ogle beautiful people/places/things in your feed. <a href="http://porkyporkerton.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Here it is, come on over and have some fun with me.</a><br />
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I'm also on Facebook for my crafting: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Crafty-Gamer-Girl/120746298001887">Crafty Gamer Girl (Hornsofdestruction)</a> Officially, my shop name is Hornsofdestruction because it was my original username. I have never wanted it as the official shop name....I'm looking at changing it, so if you've got suggestions feel free to comment. I need ideas, since a lot of what I tried was already taken. <br />
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Ok, now you know where to find me. I'll still keep posting random things when the urge strikes so stay tuned. :D<br />
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<br />Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756826423989655491noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749398889884056072.post-17210532618898896432013-08-06T18:17:00.002-07:002013-08-07T12:56:27.365-07:00Back to Busy for an IntrovertAs usual, back to work means less free time, but I also feel like my personal life has been hectic this year. I'm noticing that during the last 6 months, there have been more family and friend obligations than I have had in a long time. When you're an introvert, it's hard to not have enough quiet time or alone time. One event is fine, but if a few social events pile up without a break, it starts to wear me out. <br />
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I find that there are a lot of misconceptions of what the word "introvert" really means. Many people have a tendency to use it synonymously with the words antisocial, awkward, and shy. I am none of those things. Of course introversion will manifest itself differently with every person...life is on a continuum and there are varying degrees between extremes. There are introverts that are ALSO socially awkward, antisocial, and shy...or any combination of those traits. However, there are also extroverts that are all of these things or a combination of those traits. </div>
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As general definition, I tend to say that introversion means that you lose energy during social interactions, while extroverts gain energy from social interactions. For me, this means that every time I spend the day with friends or family, I need time where I don't have to interact with anyone for a while. I feel mentally drained, and sometimes physically. I enjoy social interactions with the people I love, and I even get lonely every once in awhile, craving a social day. </div>
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This whole concept influences my work as well, since I'm a counselor and a behavior therapist. I spend my work time engaging with people, and I get frustrated if there isn't down time between clients. When I get home, I want to lay there like a potato and not speak. I can't neglect my husband when he's home, but I'm inclined to retreat even from him if I get overworked. It's a fine balancing act, for an introvert...work in a social environment, and sustain healthy relationships, all while maintaining a personal sense of wellness. I've realized that I don't do well at anything in my life, if I don't balance my time. It will be different for everyone, but for me, that means an afternoon or a few hours ever other day where I am not required to talk to people, even my husband. </div>
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Finding balance should be a goal for everyone, introvert or extrovert. Maintaining mental wellness is imperative for everyone. Here's some points I frequently make with parents of my clients:</div>
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<li>You can't take care of your loved as well as you'd like, or perform in your job as well as you'd like, if you are not taking care of yourself first. </li>
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<li>It isn't selfish to need down time or personal time, whatever it may mean to you. A manicure every month, a coffee or ice cream treat once a week, a daily 15 minutes to listen to music or meditate...figure out what you need to feel good, and do it! "Treat yo self!" </li>
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<li>Know your limits, and learn to say "NO!" to people (in a nice way, of course). If you know you won't enjoy a social event because you're tired, don't go! And don't feel bad about it! </li>
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I know these ideas may seem like common sense, but you'd be surprised how many people I talk to that have trouble with these points. If you feel overwhelmed, keep these ideas in your head going forward, and I guarantee things will start to shift back into balance. </div>
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Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756826423989655491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749398889884056072.post-622229135398924912013-07-26T10:37:00.000-07:002013-07-26T10:37:33.333-07:00A Seller's Rant and a Rupee Project<br />
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I have a bit of a perfectionist streak, and I find it difficult to get my clay crafts as perfect as I would like sometimes. I actually get angry when I look online at some of the poor craftsmanship I find on sites like Etsy, where crafts people are trying to sell clay items that are covered in fingerprints, have visible joints in the clay when it would have been easy to hide with a little extra smoothing, or just look nothing like what they are intended. I don't want to call anyone out directly, but do a search for something popular like "zelda" on Etsy and I'm positive you'll find some examples. </div>
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There's a huge difference between crafting items I feel like making, versus crafting things with the intention of selling. There are a few issues to consider when you're thinking about selling your wares. </div>
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The first issue is the concept of easy and consistent production. A good example to use is my butter earrings. They are very popular, but they are hard to make. I hand cut a small stencil for each earring, and stencil the letters, paint the lines, and then have to clean them up and glaze them. They take a lot of time, and while the sticks of butter themselves are easy to produce, the steps to get to the finished product are tedious. A more simple design, like the rupees featured below, are easily reproduced and don't require much more work beyond the shaping of the clay. </div>
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The second issue is pricing. How much is your time as a crafter & creator worth? Sites like Etsy factor in here as well. You will find some items that are skillfully crafted with prices that undervalue the time and effort put in, but you will also find some items that are woefully overpriced. I perused shops that I admire, and used their pricing to get a starting point. In addition to estimating material costs, I started using a timer for batches of items I make, and paying myself an hourly wage based on that time. Don't undervalue your time! Personally, I'd much rather pay $10.00 for a handmade version of a trinket, versus a cheap plastic mass produced version for $5.00. </div>
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The third issue is figuring out the types of items that you can do well, that will also sell. There area many sellers on Etsy making really cool things, but they don't sell. People aren't interested, the seller hasn't promoted their stuff, or a combination of the two. I recently started selling items at a local used video game store, and I've shifted my focus away from mushrooms and moustaches to game related items. I always created game and Star Wars items, but not regularly. Now it will be much more of a focus. </div>
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<b>Moral of the story/rant about selling</b>: Produce quality items, don't undervalue your time, and find a theme that works for you. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">On to the rupee project! </span></div>
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This was my first time making a mold for clay. Sculpey sells a mold maker compound, and it's super easy to use if you have something you'd like to reproduce without having to sculpt it every time. I created a "blank" half of a rupee out of bulk polymer clay. I made sure it was as close to perfect as I could get it. Then I pressed it into the mold compound and baked it. Perfect rupees every time! </div>
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This was the first rupee I made. I used a metallic shimmer finish on the red clay. I like the way it came out, but it was a little too metallic instead of looking like a jewel. <br />
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For the large batch, I switched to iridescent powder, which certainly changed the look slightly. I prefer this one, and I think I'll be experimenting with translucent clay in the future to give it even more of a jewel look.<br />
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Prepping for glaze! <br />
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I highly recommend trying a mold if you have never done it. It will rock your world. It would be more difficult with items that have significant details, or if you were planning on doing multiple clay colors in the mold, but it can be done! Experiment!<br />
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I've also continued to crochet in my free time. Here's the pile of squares I have at the moment. I have a long way to go, but a little at a time. I didn't realize it would take 100 squares to make a throw size blanket! <br />
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I'm going to go make myself another cup of coffee and clean the house today. I have one tomato turning ripe, and one pepper...I'm super excited! More gardening stuff to come!</div>
Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756826423989655491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749398889884056072.post-20245686432902100552013-07-16T18:41:00.001-07:002013-07-16T18:52:36.821-07:00A day offOver the weekend I was privileged to be puppy sitting for the cutest corgi ever. If any dear readers are coming over from Facebook, you've already seen the plethora of pictures I took. I couldn't get enough of his little face and fluffy butt. Here we're my faves:<br />
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See! He's the cutest little guy! He could be a little annoying...I would say that anything that nips at your muffin tops while you're trying to chill on the sofa could easily qualify as "annoying". But it was a great experience, and I think my husband is much more inclined toward getting a puppy than he was before. <br />
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In other news, we had a few days straight here in central VA without rain. It was sunny and hot for the last few days, so I went out to give the veggies a good soaking with the hose. While I was spraying, a darkish cloud moved overhead and I experienced a really beautiful sun shower. I could see the line where the rain stopped. Extremely cool and a little zen. I watched the sky for a bit, enjoyed the sun filtering through the crepe myrtles, and took note of all the bug and butterfly activity that was going on around me. It's soothing for me to take a moment to just observe, passively. Listen and look. Notice the feel of the huge drops of rain. Then back to watering and pulling weeds! </div>
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I have a pumpkin that is steadily getting bigger. The issue is the fact that my pumpkin plant decided to grow up and over the bunny fence. I've heard of ways to make a little hammock for trellised acorn squash, so I will have to hunt down some old or cheap hosiery. He's still palm sized and I hope he doesn't fall off before I make a hammock! </div>
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I've also been thinking up ideas for the next round of craft projects. I'm trying to take advantage of extra free time while work is still slow. Tonight I plotted out the squares for my mother's blanket, since I decided to add in a variation with the colors for a little more interest. Here's my crazy sketch: </div>
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I don't know if any of you other crochet people plan out your blankets like this, but drawing it was annoying. I'd love to hear any tips or tricks if you guys have them! I need an app for the iPad...</div>
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I'm going to try to get some paperwork done tonight too. Taking advantage of that productive feeling while it lasts!</div>
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Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756826423989655491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749398889884056072.post-27835451013563153682013-07-12T08:12:00.001-07:002013-07-12T08:19:28.219-07:00Trying to be healthy is a real pain.In the last few weeks, I've started working again. It's been great, even though paychecks are on a month delay...yay....more waiting! I still have some craft projects to work on though, and since I'm still part time, I will have <i>some</i> time to work on them. <br />
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This weekend I get a bit of excitement! I'm puppy sitting for my sister and her boyfriend. They have the cutest little corgi puppy and I'm going to convince my husband we need a dog! (Good luck with that!)<br />
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How could you not fall in love with this cuteness?!<br />
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The biggest bummer over the last two weeks has been an almost constant headache. It might go away for a day or two, but I've had a headache for 12 out of the last 19 days. It was so noticeable, I decided to start tracking my health stuff using this app on my iPad: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/track-share-life-tracking/id326385763?mt=8" target="_blank">Track & Share</a><br />
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So far, the app has been well worth the $5.00. You can pretty much track whatever you want. It comes with items (like happiness, stress, sleep) ready to track, that are already set up into different categories (Mood items, Health items, Gratitude Diary, etc), but it's fully customizable and super easy to use. It even produces a graph for you. For those of us who like to work with data, it's convenient because I was about to make my own spreadsheet in Excel to track this stuff. <br />
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In light of the headaches, and the fact that I don't have health insurance, I've been trying to research what it could be that triggered it. There are a number of variables at the moment, and it's hard to pinpoint a cause/effect situation.<br />
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<u>Issue 1:</u> I have allergies. There could be a mold problem in my house, and there is definitely mold at my client's house. And it's been a surprisingly wet spring/summer.<br />
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<u>Issue 2:</u> I'm back to work after having a few months off. Stress levels jumped significantly in the first few weeks back, particularly paperwork as I never had a training at the new company.<br />
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<u>Issue 3:</u> I have celiac disease and at least one other autoimmune disorder. It could be any number of things related to that. I'm pretty positive I haven't been glutened, since we haven't been eating out. Everything in the house except a single loaf of bread and some frozen biscuits for my husband is gluten free, and the hubs is good at avoiding cross contamination for me.<br />
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<u>Issue 4:</u> I have mild scoliosis. My mattress isn't good for me, and we were using the guest room mattress until we realized switching it wasn't comfortable for guests either. <br />
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Something has to change. It's hard to get anything done with a headache, nevermind trying to work with kids with autism where you need to be alert. Soooo....I came up with a plan of action. Start taking my claritin daily again (I was feeling excessively dry so I stopped). Stay on top of my paperwork so it doesn't overwhelm me. Change supplements so that I'm targeting my inflammatory response to different things. Use a heating pad to help relax my back at night, paired with a cup of hot green tea and some aromatherapy. Start back with daily yoga. Switch out the mattress for a better one that my mother left in our attic.<br />
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Hopefully that will help get my body back on track! <br />
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Hooray for corgi puppies over the weekend!!!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="color: #e69138;">Fun fact:<span style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19.176136016845703px;"> </span></span><span style="line-height: 19.176136016845703px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #e69138;">Welsh folklore says that Corgis are the preferred mounts of fairy warriors! </span> </span></span></i></span><br />
<br />Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756826423989655491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749398889884056072.post-78694592022240577412013-07-02T10:18:00.000-07:002013-07-02T10:29:07.618-07:00Garden updateI still don't know what I'm doing, really. This is my second year, and I'm still having a hard time figuring out what decimates my smaller plants every time. Two peppers down and two eggplants destroyed. Also, cucumbers baffle me. I can't seem to get them going from seed. Here's the bed of peps, eggplants, and cukes: <br />
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You can kind of see, that I tried a barrier method of chopsticks and bamboo skewers, to help with what I thought were birds picking off leaves. I still don't know if it's birds, squirrels, or something else....but somehow, my small plants keep dying when I put them out. I've fertilized with a liquid seaweed fertilizer, and an organic slow release. We've had a lot of rain lately, so I'm not sure if they're over watered. But on a more positive note, other things are doing well.</div>
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Tomatoes are growing like gangbusters. I have a bunch of flowers on the cherry and the beefsteak.</div>
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I honestly didn't realize how much space a pumpkin plant would need (in the back), and I've definitely got to figure something out so I can keep it till it produces something. The bush type zucchini is doing well though.</div>
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And the last bunch of stuff I've been growing is herbs. So far, they are mostly in pots. I'm going to need to transplant the more hardy plants in an herb bed in front of the shed. The rosemary, lavender and thyme will move there this fall (probably...if I have time and energy). Then warm weather herbs will get planted in between when the weather gets nice again. I also bought a cute little bay tree, but he's so small right now that he's staying on the kitchen window sill for a while. I've been drying lavender for the last two years, and I'm now working on drying some thyme and chocolate mint. I hope they store well!</div>
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Chocolate mint, rosemary, and empty strawberry pot. My wild wonder strawberries died early. The chocolate mint has a great flavor. Much more mild than a peppermint. I think it will make a great tea. If you grow mint, be careful. It is very invasive and best left in pots instead of the ground.</div>
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Snap dragons that are looking ragged! English lavender on the left, lemon thyme on the right. The lemon thyme is awesome...very lemony and a yellow trim on the green leaves. <br />
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Dill, basil, and cilantro (coriander). They were getting a little scorched when I had them out by the rosemary and mint, so I moved them to a slightly shadier location (the benefit of pots for annuals). The basil and cilantro keep trying to bolt, but I have been cutting them down so I hope to get some more leaves. <br />
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The bain of my gardening existence has been crepe myrtle suckers. The rosemary/mint pic shows the sheer magnitude of growth on a stump that hasn't been weed whacked recently. We had a big mess of crepe myrtle, intertwined with some other mystery plants in that area of the yard. My husband is industrious in his demolition of things, including some of the front bushes, an old dead dogwood, and a row of bushes on the side of the house. Here's a "during demolition" pic:</div>
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As great now that the mess is gone, but there's still a stump, AND I did not get all the roots out when I dug my beds. Now there are crepe myrtle suckers growing everywhere in the beds, and they are making me crazy. You can pull them out as much as you want, and they will be back a few days later. In the fall, I will probably have to re-do the old beds anyway, with different boards...I guess I'll be digging deep for roots too. The projects never end!</div>
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Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756826423989655491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749398889884056072.post-52255496520912123392013-06-28T14:25:00.002-07:002013-06-28T14:26:08.799-07:00Mushrooms!I have been meaning to make more mushrooms out of clay, for terrariums or potted plants. They are a little bit more time consuming, because I paint them by hand to get different effects. I use a white or terra cotta clay and then prime, paint, and glaze. I enjoy the red and white mushrooms myself, and it seems that lots of other people enjoy them as well. I'm going to focus on a series with red and white for a while. <br />
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See? They are fun!<br />
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I do enjoy real mushrooms and fungus too. I try to base any mushroom designs off of real life, but my creations are certainly more stylized. I enjoy taking pictures, whether it's with a crappy cell phone camera, or with a slightly less crappy Sony Cybershot. Here's a mushroom I found at a client's house two years ago. <br />
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<span style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>"Nature alone is antique, and the oldest art a mushroom."</i><i>--Thomas Carlyle</i></span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><i><br /></i></span>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756826423989655491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749398889884056072.post-66237636114632605752013-06-26T12:35:00.000-07:002013-06-26T12:35:01.944-07:00Back to work...My old client FINALLY got re-approved, after 2 1/2 months of waiting. I'm certainly thankful to have steady income again, but part of me is not excited to return to a job that has a lot of cons. I had a different post ready to publish, but it was too negative for my liking. I don't want to wallow in the downsides of my job, because I enjoy the job itself. The interaction with my clients and their families, is what makes me keep doing what I'm doing. <div>
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Most of my clients are on the autism spectrum, and have low verbal ability. I have been bitten many times, had clumps of my hair ripped out, had clothes torn, watched a kid eat one of my toys, been spit on, peed on, and dealt with a kid purposefully pooping on the living room floor during a tantrum. And still there are hugs and squeezes, a kiss on the cheek from a child, a parent saying "Thank you for what you do"...the love that I feel from my clients and their families is overwhelming. The first time you witness a kid make a full sentence you can understand...just wow...you feel like you've helped make a difference. And not just a "I make a difference in the world" feeling, but a very specific "I'm making a difference for this kid and his family" kind of feeling. That is worth all the other junk I have to deal with. Part time hours, no benefits, lots of driving, working in the evening, tons of paperwork....when I sit down to look at a behavior graph and see a downward trend, it helps me keep going. I'm smiling as I write this. </div>
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I didn't intend to get into working with kids with autism. I had graduated with my B.S. in psychology, and wasn't sure what to do with it. Getting my first full time job at a school for autism seemed like a good step, even though I had little experience with education or special needs kids. There was certainly a learning curve...for the first month or two, I felt like I needed to quit almost every day. The job was difficult...stressful and exhausting, with a hint of danger (wearing arm guards and jean jackets to protect from bites and scratches). I even got hit in the back of the head with a chair when a student threw one. But I stuck it out...and I've learned and grown through this work. I am able to stay calm during a crisis and I have more patience than I thought was possible. I've learned to not hold a grudge (you can't stay mad at a kid who bites you, and then kisses you 5 minutes later), and I've learned that kids will feed off your energy and model everything you do. This kind of work forces much more self awareness...you have to know when you are starting to get burnt out or need to step away because you're losing your temper. Growth is never a bad thing, and applies to many other areas of life.</div>
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6 years later, I'm still working in the autism field...I know I won't be doing this forever, but what a ride it's been!</div>
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I'm crafting more clay items, and I'm still plugging away at my first blanket. Hopefully I'll have some more craft stuff to post soon!</div>
Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756826423989655491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749398889884056072.post-13474005286201449482013-06-18T10:32:00.001-07:002013-06-22T14:14:45.090-07:00Frustrated with the Universe.It happens to the most positive and inherently happy of people....frustration has creeped in.<br>
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Things in my career have not worked out the way I planned over the last few months. It's funny how when someone gets attached to an outcome, the disappointment is felt more deeply. It's a very Buddhist concept, and one that I've learned the hard way over the years. Yet, I still occasionally fall into the trap of expecting events to unfold in a particular way. It is human nature, and a Buddhist would argue, that it isn't our <u>true</u> nature. It's all part of this brain, body, soul intertwining experience...and the brain and body are able to trick us into believing that they are "where it's at". That they <i>are</i> the truth. But they aren't...emotions pass, thoughts are fluid, and the essence of <b>YOU</b> ultimately isn't what you experience through the senses. <br>
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Anyway, I'm getting a little too philosophical...back to the original discussion. Frustration, disappointment, and lessons learned.<br>
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I started a position at a new counseling firm, and 2 1/2 months later, I still don't have a client to work with. That's right, I haven't worked <i>at all</i> for the last few months. We have clients that are waiting for approval from Medicaid, but until I get an authorization, I can't work with them and don't get paid. It has been frustrating, to put it mildly.<br>
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This position was supposed to be a positive change, a way for me to remove myself from a toxic work environment, and have more opportunities. I was going to making more hourly, have more freedom within the constraints of Medicaid requirements, etc, etc. The list of benefits, as perceived by me, can go on and on....<br>
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While this change did not manifest itself in the ways that I had planned or expected, it managed to be a positive change in many ways. I have tried to find meaning in the ways of the universe, and I think I have found some insight into this situation. Here is what I have learned during this experience:<br>
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<li><b><span style="font-size: large;">I wasn't taking enough time to do things I enjoy, and this forced time off has allowed me time to experiment.</span></b> I knew I needed time off from what I was doing to recharge...I'd factored in two weeks of rest, but after the two weeks was over, I still didn't feel rested. Working with kids with autism can be difficult. Working as a counselor can be difficult. Counselors and therapists are frequently burnt out, and a burnt out counselor is not as effective. </li>
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<li><b><span style="font-size: large;">I <i>was</i> able to remove myself from a toxic work environment. </span></b> The anxiety I was feeling was not worth the job security. I didn't feel supported by my clinical director, and she was focused on money and not the human aspects of the job. Counselors aim to help people...if you got into this field to make money....well....you're going to be disappointed. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><b>My husband and I are able to live off of a lot less money than we thought.</b> </span> This has not been ideal, financially speaking, but it has been done successfully. I am super grateful for all the comfort we have in life, even when we are "struggling". We have been able pay all of our bills (mortgage, two car payments, utilities, etc), and still eat well, on one paycheck...with a little frivolous spending left over. We made some smart financial choices in the last year, and they've paid off. We lowered our mortgage payment so we could buy a second vehicle. We canceled our exorbitant cable bill and just pay for internet...with an old school antenna on the plasma TV. We cancelled a pricey cell phone plan and just deal with 20 bucks a month on iPad data and some pay as you go flip phones. All of these little things have added up to a significant savings...and I've been thankful for it.</li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Avenues of opportunity <i>have</i> opened, even if it was not in the way I anticipated.</b> </span>The day I quit that job, there was an energy shift. That <i>same day</i>, I got a call for a position that I'd applied for more than 6 months before. I've been able to work on items for my Etsy shop. I have expanded my ideas about what is possible in my career...looking in different cities, applying for a broader range of positions, looking into ways get my license and broaden my expertise. </li>
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The moral of this story is: when there is no plan, <i><span style="font-size: large;">all</span> </i>the potential paths and opportunities are opened up to you. I feel that the universe, God, whatever you want to call it, gives you opportunities that you can choose to take...or not to...the choice is ours. We can choose to see them or choose to ignore them and keep going about our business. </div>
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I am still frustrated, but I can see that there is a larger picture unfolding. The frustration mostly stems from impatience in knowing the outcome of the current events...I'm want to see the results, instead of waiting to see where these circumstances are leading. </div>
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I will work on staying present, focusing on the "now". I'm going to take a break to watch and listen to the rain in my garden. </div>
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Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756826423989655491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749398889884056072.post-85777306074113474922013-06-17T11:00:00.001-07:002013-06-17T11:02:24.769-07:00Plants vs. Zombies Desk BuddiesI finally finished my first attempt at PvZ desk buddies. I think they turned out pretty fabulous...but I'm biased. This is one of my favorite games to play when I am bored! I have all the plants in my in-game zen garden, and I might try to make all the plants for my clay zen garden. I'm not sure yet!<br />
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I wish I could get the colors on my camera adjusted properly. I tried many settings and none of them are right. One of these days, I will buy a better camera. My camera is an older Sony Cybershot, and I think at this point, the camera on my iPad might be better! The only issue I have when I take photos of my work, is that any imperfection is magnified. You notice all kinds of little fuzz and dirt pieces you didn't see before. I'm determined to have a hepa filtered craft room one day, to help reduce the dust. A girl can dream!<br />
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Anyway, here are the pics. Enjoy!<br />
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Who else is excited about PvZ 2 coming out for iOS soon?! I can't wait! Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756826423989655491noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749398889884056072.post-85549028364360649432013-06-15T10:16:00.000-07:002013-06-15T10:16:38.707-07:00Gardening and Crafting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Over the last few days, I haven't been doing much else other than gardening and working with my clay. We have had a LOT of rain, so the storms have impeded the garden progress at times, but I can't help being thankful for the rain. I only wish we had installed rain barrels already! </div>
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Here is the newest bed:</div>
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I know, I'm a little late putting them in the ground. I had issues getting the seeds started. Plus, the plants are still a little small, and I was hesitant to put them out too soon. My smaller, tender, tomatoes were shredded by some unknown force of critter origin...and I didn't want the same to happen to these guys! I'm hoping now that they are out in the sun and well fertilized dirt, that they will start growing better. <br />
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We have our first heirloom Amish Pie Pumpkin! I'm so excited to make a pumpkin pie with a pumpkin that came out of my yard! This plant is a little cramped for the beds I have, but I learned my lesson for next year. A large portion of the front end of the vine snapped when I tried to move it away from the bunny fencing, even with my efforts to be exceptionally gentle. It eventually rotted apart, and I had to toss it. I was sad at the loss of two potential baby pumpkins...but that's gardening I guess. At least it has more room in the bed for the few pumpkins that have started already!<br />
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Here's one of the bunnies we have in the neighborhood. There are a few, and I've seen two at a time roaming through the yard while gorging themselves on our dandelion field (aka the back yard). I enjoy watching them, so I haven't wanted to repel them. But I was super paranoid about them getting into the beds, hence the bunny fence. However, I was reading that bunnies tend to stay out of raised beds anyway, due to fear of putting themselves in a vulnerable position. Even so, I'd rather be safe than sorry...and the fence still serves a good purpose: it keeps some of the roaming neighborhood cats from pooping in my beds! Cleaning someone else's pet's poop piles out of my garden beds, was not something I was expecting...</div>
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Most recent crafty endeavors have involved working on some video game themed items. I just finished up some Plants vs. Zombies based desk buddies. I've gotten some really good feedback on these, so I'll be making more soon. This is one of my all time favorite games, which I keep on my iPad and my PC. I sucked my husband into playing as well, and he's taking to playing on the iPad while we're settling in bed for the night. <br />
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These pics are while they are still in progress. I'll be posting some "formal" pics when I finish up the touch ups and sealing. I've got a big pile of baked clay items to paint and seal, which I can hopefully get done this weekend. Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756826423989655491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749398889884056072.post-26040958454400623082013-06-10T08:58:00.001-07:002013-06-10T09:03:20.522-07:00Granny Squares are Great!I'm still a noob when it comes to crochet. I've been steadily working my way up to more complicated projects. I had always looked at a granny square and thought "That looks hard! I better wait to try that till I'm a little better at crochet in the round..." But really it has been quite easy, and I regret postponing my attempts.<br />
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One day at the store, I was looking at acrylic yarns and thought "Screw it, I'm going to start a blanket." I picked out a color palate I felt was pleasing to the eye and bought some yarn to start. I went with Caron Simply Soft yarns, in Pagoda, Persimmon, and Heather Grey. I can't seem to capture the true colors with my camera. The pagoda is much more green than it looks, and the persimmon is much more orange/coral than it looks in the photos. I need a better camera!</div>
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It's much easier to do a granny square than I previously assumed, especially when you get in a groove. It takes me a little longer sometimes because I frequently attempt to watch a show while I'm crocheting. There's lots of eye movement from my hands to the screen, and it slows me down quite a bit! 9 squares completed, only about 90 more to go!</div>
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I originally thought I would keep my first blanket attempt, since I knew there would be some measure of trial and error. I've made some mistakes. The first two squares were more difficult while trying to figure out the pattern and what worked best with tying off and changing colors, etc. And in one spot, I have 4 double crochets instead of 3...I didn't catch it until I had tied everything off....oh well! When I picked out the colors, I was thinking that my mother would love them...and sure enough, I asked her if she wanted this one and she was thrilled. So my mom will get the first blanket ever made by her first daughter! </div>
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Since I still haven't had any progress on getting a client started up again with my counseling, I continue to not be working at all. I'm up to 2 months, where I'm technically employed but do not have a client to work with. This has been stressful, but I'm trying to keep my mind off of it by crafting, cleaning my house, and cooking awesome dinners. I don't have much space to craft, so the dining room table gets overrun. This is what it has looked like for at least a month:</div>
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I'm finishing up quite a few video game related pieces. During this last month, I lost some steam...I've been slacking on putting the final touches on some of the items, but hopefully I'll be finished up by the end of the week. I also get sidetracked by crochet projects which are easier in a lot of ways...they are often less steps, less cleanup, and more instant gratification. Completing one project before starting another, should really be a goal of mine! </div>
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Enough chit chat, back to crafting! Hope to have some more pictures up soon!</div>
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Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756826423989655491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749398889884056072.post-24257705442682049392013-06-02T08:44:00.000-07:002013-06-02T08:47:46.936-07:00Escarole and Bean Soup: A TutorialA lot of non-Italians might be asking: "What is escarole?" Well, it's related to chicory and looks like <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=escarole&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=r12rUfiEGuTC0QGZ2IHoAw&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1920&bih=965" target="_blank">this</a>. Looks kinda like lettuce, but it certainly doesn't taste like it. It's a bitter green, in my mind, comparable to kale or collards. We live in Virginia, and escarole isn't the easiest thing to find. Collards are in abundance in the regular grocery store, but escarole is harder to hunt down. I found this bunch at a locally owned natural food store, <a href="http://ellwoodthompsons.com/" target="_blank">Ellwood Thompson's</a>. And this escarole was local to boot, grown right in Henrico County! <br />
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A popular Italian American dish is escarole and beans. I decided to try my hand at making an escarole and bean soup. It's really healthy, easily modified to your tastes, and simple to make with few ingredients.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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A head of escarole<br />
1/2 an onion (red, white, yellow...doesn't matter really)<br />
a few cloves of garlic<br />
1 can of cannellini beans (or great northern beans)<br />
4 cups of chicken stock (I used a box of low sodium, organic, but use what you like, homemade is best!)<br />
salt and pepper<br />
crushed red pepper (optional)<br />
olive oil<br />
Parmesan cheese<br />
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Step 1: Clean your escarole. Isn't it pretty?! Just chop off the bottom and rinse really well. Use a salad spinner if you have one, to get most of the moisture off. Just treat it like you would lettuce.<br />
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Step 2: Chop your onion and garlic. Honestly, the onion is optional, I just happen to like the extra flavor. You could use extra garlic if you want. I use a LOT of both. I coarse chopped the garlic, and the onion could have probably been sliced a little thinner in retrospect.<br />
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My husband felt that I should remind you of the all important beer drinking (in my case, cider or wine drinking!) that should occur while you prep the food!<br />
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Step 3: When everything is prepped, heat up some olive oil in a decent size pot (I think mine was a 6 quart). Medium heat. Saute the onion first, until it starts to <a href="http://reluctantgourmet.com/cooking-techniques/more-specific-techniques/item/60-how-to-sweat-vegetables" target="_blank">sweat a little</a>. Then add the garlic and continue to saute. Sprinkle with a little salt. Right before I add the escarole, I add my crushed red pepper to help bring out the flavor. <br />
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Step 4: Once the aromatics have sweat a little (onions will be getting translucent), you can add your escarole. As you can see, it will cook down quite a bit. </div>
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Step 5: When the escarole is starting to soften, add your beans, and your stock. Some recipes suggest adding a chunk of parmesan while you simmer, but that's optional...it adds some extra salt and flavor. Cover the pot, and bring to a simmer.<br />
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Step 6: Let it simmer for a while. Add some salt and pepper, at whatever level you prefer. Taste it, taste it, taste it! Add herbs if you feel like it needs them! You want the beans to warm through, and flavors to meld together. It shouldn't take too long, maybe 20 minutes maximum. You don't want a big bowl of mush. In the meantime, grate your parmesan. I'm sure a nice romano would work here too. <br />
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Tada! Finished and ready to eat! <br />
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I had never made escarole for my husband before this dinner, and he enjoyed it. If you like collards, kale, or other greens, you'll probably like it. This is just one of many ways you can use it! Experiment! </div>
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<br />Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756826423989655491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749398889884056072.post-5134778248769066182013-05-31T17:47:00.000-07:002013-05-31T17:55:25.088-07:00Possible Glutening? I'll Know in an Hour....Coincidentally, this is the last day of Celiac Awareness Month! And I may have been glutened...<br />
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Tonight, the hubs and I decided to get a small bit of sushi from a local place. I've been there many times before, but they do their carry out orders from a location across the street. When I called to place the order, I asked about whether the spicy sauce they use has any soy sauce (which isn't gluten free). She said no, but there is soy sauce in the rice. In my head, I was screaming "What?! Are you sure?!" But I was at a loss...I'd never heard this before...from this place, or at any sushi place I'd gone to. So I just said "Uhhhhhhh, I'll have to call you back" and hung up on her.<br />
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At my husband's suggestion, I got on the phone with the main store, and told them of the interaction I just had with their "to go" store. The lovely lady informed me that there was indeed, <u>no</u> soy sauce in the rice. Wonderful...I'll call back and place an order. <br />
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But...this had me second guessing EVERYTHING. What if the original person was correct, and they had mixed the rice differently that day? Did they get the rice from the main store, or did they make their own in the "to go" store? The "to go" menu didn't have the same (gf) or (gfo) labels (gluten free or gluten free option)...maybe they make it differently all the time? Maybe the main restaurant server was new and didn't know? Who gave me the right information?! AHHHHHH! <br />
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This is a good example of the difficulty that happens when attempting to eat out with a food allergy or sensitivity of any kind, not just Celiac disease. It's a risk every time...because that server just has to not remember something correctly, or not remember to go the kitchen and read a label for you...and you're sick. In most cases, I would ask more questions, be specific, or just pass on anything questionable. In this case, I decided that calling back or getting upset wasn't worth it. I decided to trust that one of my favorite restaurants, who has never glutened me before, would not steer me wrong this time. <br />
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I finished my sushi about 20 minutes ago, and no tummy rumbles yet...I may have escaped without consequence...Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756826423989655491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749398889884056072.post-64735281582872298212013-05-29T11:28:00.000-07:002013-05-29T11:28:53.279-07:00Sleeping With The Windows OpenI'm always reluctant to put in the window units at our house. Our house isn't large, but it still takes 3 units to cool the house effectively. One smaller unit in each of the bedrooms, and one large unit in the main living space. The main reason I don't like putting them in, is the battle with white noise. This isn't a quiet white noise, like a small fan going. This is a loud and invasive white noise, that causes you to breathe a sigh of relief when they are off for a while. If it wasn't so damn hot and uncomfortable to sleep at night, the choice would be easy. We finally put the A/C in our bedroom the other night, and I did a little happy dance getting ready for bed in a nice cool room. <br />
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The A/C unit also helps with filtering pollen, which is a godsend for someone with allergies (me). Breathe Right strips help a little, and so do eye drops, but nothing beats a good air filter. Leaving bedroom windows open during pollen season isn't the best option....<br />
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Another complication: because of my paranoia of living in a less than reputable neighborhood, I don't like to leave the windows open wider than the little security tabs. I'm sure they aren't much help in preventing a break in, if someone really wanted to get in...but it adds to my piece of mind when I'm sleeping. The downside is severely reduced air flow in the 2 inches of open space that is left. <br />
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Lately, we've had some birds singing at night...sometimes till 3 or 4 am, and LOUDLY. Last night I noticed that the bird was in our front bushes, right outside the window. I sat and listened for a while, and realized it had to be a mockingbird. There were calls that sounded like frogs and car alarms, thrown in with the largest variety of calls I've ever heard! Here's a sample of what I found on YouTube:<br />
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I should record my own video to put on YouTube because our guy is certainly interesting. At least I can hear him when I choose to, and not have to deal with him keeping me awake. One plus to the white noise that is loud enough to drown out a car alarm. </div>
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I've done my gardening for the day, and decided to hunker down in the cool bedroom since it's close to 90 degrees out today, and the other window units have yet to be taken out of the attic. Later I will be venturing out to a talk at Ellwood Thompson's <a href="http://ellwoodthompsons.com/forgiveness-farming-with-joel-salatin-2/" target="_blank">Forgiveness Farming with Joel Salatin</a>. It's going to be awesome and informative. For those of you haven't seen it, watch the movie <a href="https://www.google.com/webhp?source=search_app#sclient=psy-ab&q=food+inc+movie&oq=food+inc&gs_l=hp.1.1.0l4.1277.1992.0.5016.8.6.0.1.1.0.146.630.3j3.6.0...0.0...1c.1.14.psy-ab.IyhQDd6l6JQ&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.47008514,d.dmg&fp=e1e8bbf4c12c461c&biw=1280&bih=685" target="_blank">Food Inc.</a> It featured Mr. Salatin and his farm, <a href="http://www.polyfacefarms.com/" target="_blank">Polyface</a>, which I plan on making a trip to visit in the near future. </div>
Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756826423989655491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749398889884056072.post-43199089789464868472013-05-23T14:50:00.000-07:002013-05-23T14:50:53.775-07:00I Hate Earwigs.....I fully admit, I'm no country girl. I spent my early years in Queens, NY and cried the first time a stick bug landed on me. The only bug I will touch willingly is a ladybug....I don't know why, but they are just not as creepy. <br />
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I had a firm "if you come into my house, I will smush you!" policy for bugs, until I met my husband. Now we have a catch and release policy for most bugs. He taught me a technique using plastic cups and junk mail, which I use for the friendlier bugs. I still kill things like house centipedes (google them if you have the stomach), and especially earwigs. <br />
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Unfortunately for me, gardening usually involves some contact with bugs. I've developed a more understanding perspective over the years. Oddly enough, I've done exceptionally well in outdoor activities like hiking and tent camping. When I'm outside, I'm in their house (so to speak), so I don't mind as much. Today I was dead heading my snapdragons, and I felt something pinch my unloved finger. I dropped the bud, and much to my dismay, watched an earwig crawl out of it. Cue 15 minutes of hand washing and heebee jeebies. (Not really 15 minutes but you get the point!)<br />
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So my veggie garden has been doing ok this year, until last night. I think a vole shredded two of my tomatoes....both Amish paste variety, which I was looking forward to. The two in the middle were the ones that suffered the onslaught. I kept a spare indoors in a peat pot just in case of critter eating, so I'm prepared to replace one.<br />
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Here's the zucchini that got shredded. I planted two close together, because I figured at least one of them would die. Sure enough....<br />
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My husband is exceptionally pleased that the Amish Pie Pumkin is doing well. He's dying for some pumpkin pie this fall.<br />
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I have been procrastinating on building my 2 additional beds so it looks like I will have to add some wire mesh underneath....hopefully that will suffice in making the beds more "vole resistant"....Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756826423989655491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749398889884056072.post-42251230956106167832013-05-20T13:17:00.001-07:002013-05-20T21:16:53.184-07:00Polymer Clay GaloreI have spent much of this weekend working on polymer clay jewelry and trinkets. This is in preparation of potentially selling them in a local video game store, so all of the items will be gaming related. I'm excited to have a focus for my crafting, and it's good to get things done now, while I still have the free time available. Things are picking up at work, and hopefully I will have a client to work with soon, which will be the end of my free time. <br />
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So far, I've been able to finish up a few World of Warcraft inspired Hearthstones. The swirls glow in the dark! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUELDSkJTV_5QoL232zR7FCmKPdtxTvb-u0MdwFExXjfdw6RQViNXtNhdTiEMDWtQfcBjOvYf8-zlqL7LuhFNpqv2oy4d9OcbidvR65t8ZyAri7ZExcD1ITn8_YtcllX8fjL25s7_i4hC/s1600/hearth+hand+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUELDSkJTV_5QoL232zR7FCmKPdtxTvb-u0MdwFExXjfdw6RQViNXtNhdTiEMDWtQfcBjOvYf8-zlqL7LuhFNpqv2oy4d9OcbidvR65t8ZyAri7ZExcD1ITn8_YtcllX8fjL25s7_i4hC/s400/hearth+hand+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This morning I finished up a tray of Pac-Man ghost earrings, which I've made before. I have a pair for myself, and they have been in my Etsy shop for a while. This is a new batch, with new colors I haven't made before. Here's a shot before they went into the oven to bake. Can't wait to get them painted! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8UD8C48KJfTF-rA-unJRSJM0dKm6hmIWhjg33WwQ9_1NvisrfKbMxt-hWdLWCfa5lJzDMYB0oyrItmY7JyGhq0WCLsExYedlKtcHtMDkyxUGWE0Zu1x-OJsK5ElT6hKO9gQabYfZUMC27/s1600/DSC04616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8UD8C48KJfTF-rA-unJRSJM0dKm6hmIWhjg33WwQ9_1NvisrfKbMxt-hWdLWCfa5lJzDMYB0oyrItmY7JyGhq0WCLsExYedlKtcHtMDkyxUGWE0Zu1x-OJsK5ElT6hKO9gQabYfZUMC27/s400/DSC04616.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The purple & green thing at the top of the pan, is one of my clay tools that I use regularly. The rubber grip was caked in clay and falling off, so I threw a quick handle on there out of clay to make it a little more comfortable. </div>
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The downside to working with clay in heat and humidity is that it gets overly soft. And having the oven warming up for baking items doesn't help at all. Sometimes details you try to put in, won't stay if you try to move the piece. Thankfully, the few items I've been working with have been simple, but I've still had some difficulty with excessive sticking to my work surface. Instead of putting in the air conditioners, I'll put my clay chunks in the refrigerator to cool it off and harden it up a little between passes. Far too hot and lazy to lug the air conditioners out of the attic today.</div>
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Right now, I'm taking a break to eat some chips and guacamole! But then I'll be back to work later! Hooray for productivity! </div>
Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756826423989655491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749398889884056072.post-66222348130819636622013-05-17T09:25:00.000-07:002013-05-20T21:17:23.390-07:00Etsy and BlogsSince my work load in my counseling has decreased, I've been working at increasing my exposure online to my Etsy shop and blog. I've been spending a lot of time playing on other social media sites too. Which is great, but it will never be a substitute from getting out in the world and talking to people. <br />
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This weekend, my sister was visiting with her boyfriend. We spent some time wandering around a part of the city with lots of small shops and restaurants. We popped into a used video game store to take a peek, and I noticed a large shelving area that appeared to have handmade, gaming related items. I spoke with the man working there, who happened to be the owner, about whether they sell a lot of the handmade stuff. He became visibly excited when I shared some photos of items I've made that were game related. We wound up exchanging information, and I agreed to work on some clay items this week to bring to him. </div>
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I've been thinking of trying out craft shows, and been considering selling to local stores. I've walked by that game store <i>many</i> times but have never gone inside. It just goes to show you, nothing will get the same success as selling yourself in person. And you can't know the answer to the question, unless you ask. If I saw other people's handmade work, and didn't ask if there was room for mine...well, that would have just been silly.</div>
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I already have some ideas about what to work on, and I'll be going to the craft store today to pick up some supplies! It's exciting to have a more focused project and a goal, as opposed to making random, whatever I feel like, kind of items. Stay tuned for photos.</div>
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In other news, my friend Ben Yolton, is an awesome artist and just recently started an Etsy shop. I wish him much success, and encourage you all to go check it out! <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/YoltonsArt" target="_blank">Yolton's Art</a> </div>
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Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756826423989655491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749398889884056072.post-59434568625842673742013-05-14T12:17:00.002-07:002013-05-20T21:17:34.873-07:00Star Wars SwagSo....I was browsing <a href="http://www.reddit.com/" target="_blank">Reddit</a> today and noticed this posted by user <a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/brownstudy" target="_blank">brownstudy</a>: <br />
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This is freakin' sweet. Most of you might not know who this bounty hunter is from Star Wars, but he is one of my favorites. I still have my action figure from the 80's. Here he is sitting on my desk...he even found Mario's green mushroom. He's too badass for words.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8GF_ptk0RBGdY50bidwZmF3YouBsbYqXaaWE3JeSghY-eO1ig4oDu3Js1SNSOshM3HztzVgAL3PzN0r4MlqABlJroGG6weGouYdMhnXu79ulqn6oyaUk2Jd7JiLgvFs3rauNP1jrY6NA0/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8GF_ptk0RBGdY50bidwZmF3YouBsbYqXaaWE3JeSghY-eO1ig4oDu3Js1SNSOshM3HztzVgAL3PzN0r4MlqABlJroGG6weGouYdMhnXu79ulqn6oyaUk2Jd7JiLgvFs3rauNP1jrY6NA0/s400/photo.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
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Anyway, I want one of these shirts, and I'm sure you do too. Go to <a href="https://www.teepublic.com/show/3122-ig-88" target="_blank">TeePublic</a> and pre-order one right now. It's kind of like Kickstarter, in that if there aren't enough backers, the order gets cancelled. So help me out. I want one of these suckers! </div>
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Back to my major event of the day....the real life tetris game that is trying to put away groceries from Costco. *sigh*</div>
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Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756826423989655491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749398889884056072.post-21345140014948269622013-05-13T11:07:00.000-07:002013-05-13T11:07:47.582-07:00Allergies and GlutenI woke up this morning with a terrible headache. This is not uncommon for me. I have had seasonal allergies for most of my adult life. I didn't know that if you have headaches more than 3 times per month, you should see a doctor (at least that's the recommendation from many professionals). At the high point of my celiac symptoms last year, I was experiencing 4-6 headaches a week. I was taking ibuprofen like candy. However, I had no reason to think my headaches were caused by anything other than my allergies and chronic sinusitis. <br />
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According to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness: A 2012 survey found that 35% of people at risk for celiac disease had no reason to suspect that the symptoms they were experiencing were due to undiagnosed celiac disease.<br />
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In my case, this was very true. Tiredness can be blamed on poor sleep and respiratory allergies. The poor sleep can be blamed on lack of exercise and work stress. Tingling in my fingers can be blamed on previous nerve damage and scoliosis. Joint pain can be blamed on lack of exercise. Bloating can be blamed on too much salt, not enough water, etc. The skin rash can be blamed on dermatitis from soaps. It goes on and on. I even have another autoimmune disorder, and an aunt with multiple sclerosis. Until I experienced considerably inconvenient IBS symptoms, I was not able to piece it together. <br />
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This first spring of being gluten free, my allergies symptoms have improved. Even my husband noticed a difference in my symptoms. I don't know if my headache was legitimately due to high pollen counts, or was caused by something I ate. Last night I made a bean soup, which came with a seasoning packet. I opened the innocuous looking spice packet and dumped it into the pot. After I took a bite to test the level of seasoning, a wild thought appeared: "I should read the label because I have no idea what was in the packet." </div>
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Now here's where it gets tricky. The spice packet contained both maltodextrin and modified food starch, neither of which specified wheat. If the item was FDA regulated (a bag of beans should be), companies are supposed to identify if these two came from wheat sources and place an allergen warning at the bottom. <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If the item is a meat, poultry, or egg product, it falls under USDA regulations, which does not require labeling to specify the source and just saying modified food starch or maltodextrin is allowed. These should be avoided like the plague. There are sources that will tell you maltodextrin is safe, even if it is from wheat, but I don't buy that (I'm no scientist or doctor, just a cautious celiac). Just like companies can label their reduced gluten beer as "gluten free", 5 ppm might be teeny tiny, but it isn't gluten free. <br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, I might have a few bites to see if I can handle it. I have heard stories of other celiac people who have bad reactions to maltodextrin and modified food starch, even when it specifies the source. I am becoming increasingly convinced that I need to cut out all processed foods, even the ones geared toward a gluten free diet...<br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">If my gluten free buddies out there have any additional comments or stories, please chime in. I'd love to hear other experiences!</span><br />
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Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756826423989655491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749398889884056072.post-77747252110645934422013-05-11T17:39:00.001-07:002013-05-11T17:47:50.004-07:00Weekend GardenerSince we moved into our house, my husband and I have tackled a lot of bush and tree removal in the yard. The demolition part of gardening is a quick reward. The yard looks immediately tidied and spruced up. Currently, we're in the planning and planting phase. We've moved on to defining beds, and adding new, removing old, or moving favorite plants. Over the years, I've come to appreciate some of the features left behind by former owners, like the beautiful and healthy azaleas we have...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuXOsrhOe8GgHR7XdhA32mhyphenhyphenJbp3SZX64OsXy5EGL1mwqmTgYPvQx1WgwqyeECX_JXgZf1t6DItCxTN0DD1Vf1QPnaAeU9aeRNGNW-0ZtI_3ZuiHRXCFeGJUdcrnIzlQcBAJ0ZYqH04eQC/s1600/DSC04547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuXOsrhOe8GgHR7XdhA32mhyphenhyphenJbp3SZX64OsXy5EGL1mwqmTgYPvQx1WgwqyeECX_JXgZf1t6DItCxTN0DD1Vf1QPnaAeU9aeRNGNW-0ZtI_3ZuiHRXCFeGJUdcrnIzlQcBAJ0ZYqH04eQC/s400/DSC04547.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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But I've also come to hate some of the other features, like the yucca plants that get overgrown with trumpet vines and poke my husband's ankles while he mows...or the current crappy view on one side of the house (see pic below).</div>
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We are lucky, because even though we are in the city, there is a lot of wildlife. I've seen a deer in the neighborhood before...but we have tons of birds, squirrels, and regular bunny visits. Last year, the two vegetable beds were full of veggies (and I've added two more), but I had few problems with the wildlife. Sure, I had to battle with cut worms, caterpillars, beetles, aphids, and powdery mildew...but no bird, squirrel, or bunny issues that were obvious. </div>
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I simply put up bunny fence around the raised beds (you might be able to see in the pictures, and there is my little bunny friend). No other deterrents were needed. I don't know if it is because I keep the bird feeders well stocked in other areas of the yard, and regularly throw out munchies for the bunny...but we will see if my luck holds out! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsOazH518hS3g2qwBH1EWSO_iU4mzEir0_Y_6oKnOgcvZx8QNEPVPY4_56-hqi0PWr4Q7s-fALJArrnHuUyYwc4P-C5dVlwepkbirDiRnW5LLJusm3iSUiELMTzVE6i4rxPmtund1M1Or/s1600/DSC04560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsOazH518hS3g2qwBH1EWSO_iU4mzEir0_Y_6oKnOgcvZx8QNEPVPY4_56-hqi0PWr4Q7s-fALJArrnHuUyYwc4P-C5dVlwepkbirDiRnW5LLJusm3iSUiELMTzVE6i4rxPmtund1M1Or/s400/DSC04560.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756826423989655491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749398889884056072.post-34074792546230209372013-05-09T10:38:00.000-07:002013-05-20T21:18:12.194-07:00Treasury Thursday (Etsy)One fun feature of Etsy is the ability to create treasuries. You search for items based on your unifying theme of choice, whether it's color, style, mood, season, etc. I shared my Mother's Day treasuries in an earlier post. <br />
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I decided to create one that celebrated the great weather here in Richmond today. It's one of the first days in a while that it hasn't been raining, or bumped the thermometer over 70 degrees. This is the longest we've gone into spring with the heated mattress pad still on the bed. But I've also been enjoying all of the geeky crafts that are on Etsy lately....I recently bought <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/129138568/walking-dead-daryl-dixon-hipster-cool" target="_blank">one of these shirts from Enlightened State</a>, to wallow in my love of Walking Dead until the new season starts.<br />
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Combining geekery and spring greens was easy and actually produced a pretty cute treasury. Enjoy!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/treasury/OTM4OTk5MXwyNzI0NDI1MTQ0/spring-green-for-geeks" target="_blank">Spring Green for Geeks</a></span><br />
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<br />Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756826423989655491noreply@blogger.com0