MiMi-a great name for grandma

A Grandma's spin on crafts, games, recipes & lifestyle

Such A Fun Age – A Book Review

May 24, 2023 / / 0 Comments

Is it “normal” for a parent to call her babysitter late in the evening for an “emergency” babysitting need?  Is it “normal” for a babysitter to be dancing with a young child in the aisle of the local grocery store late at night that should be in bed at that late hour?  This book gains your interest right away with these questions and more that make you want to keep reading.  Even more questions quickly arise as well…dive into Such a Fun Age – A Book Review with me!

The fact that the babysitter is black and the young child is white is revealed before you even begin the book.  What I found compelling in this story is while you know it’s going to dive into the controversies of race, you also learn a lot about what makes each of them tick, which has nothing to do with the color of their skin.  To me, this book covered different subjects, which I enjoyed!

Meet The Characters ~

  • Emira Tucker – Protagonist – Babysitter/Typist
  • Alix Chamberlain – Deuteragonist – Wife/Mother of 2/Emira’s employer
  • Kelley Copeland – Deuteragonist – Films the scene in the local grocery store/dates Emira
  • Briar Chamberlain – Emira babysits her/Emira’s favorite human/daughter of Alix
  • Catherine Chamberlain – Daughter of Alix
  • Peter Chamberlain – Husband of Alix
  • Zara, Josefa, Shaunie – Emira’s friends
  • Laney Thacker – Peter Chamberlain’s co-anchor
  • Rachel, Jodie, Tamra – Alix’s friends
  • Claudette – Alix’s housekeeper when she was a child
  • Robbie Cormier – high school athlete/classmate of Alix Chamberlain
  • Ramona & Suzanne – Laney Thacker’s friends
DISCLOSURE: This site contains product affiliate links for Amazon and other companies. We may receive a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links.  Thank you for supporting my small business!

The Plot ~

The story begins with Alix calling Emira late in the evening to take her daughter, Briar, to the store.  It was Alix’s attempt to get Briar out of the house and away from a bad situation occuring there.   Instead, they find themselves in a conundrum much worse than the current issue at hand.  They are now embroiled in the middle of racism at several different levels.

The book takes you back and forth from their current lives to their past lives.  Decisions and actions made in younger years deeply affect where they are today.  One might ask, “Well isn’t this the norm for everyone?”  My answer would be, “Yes, of course!”  However, this story weaves a tale of some very deep hurts caused to others that I believe most of us would always hope we haven’t been the culprit of.

Alix Chamberlain ~

Born as Alex Murphy, her family inherits a large sum of money and quickly go from rags to riches.  However, we all know the old saying, “Money doesn’t buy happiness.”  She makes a decision her senior year, that while many would agree with that decision, it still deeply affects the lives of Robbie Cormier and Kelley Copeland, who are her classmates.  She moves on after that sufferable year and becomes a blogger and influencer, branding her work with #LetHerSpeak…helping other women find their confidence.  Along with her work comes a new version of her name…Alix!

Emira Tucker ~

Finding herself struggling with life choices, Emira is 26 and is a typist and babysitter.  Meanwhile, her three friends have “real” jobs.  The problem with this is that Emira loves both of her jobs, however, neither one provides health insurance, and she is getting dangerously close to losing coverage under her parents’ plan.  Why does babysitting have to be considered anything other than a real job?  She’s more of a mother to young Briar than Alix will ever be.  The thought of not being in Briar’s life is so painful that she cannot bear to think of it.

Kelley Copeland ~

Kelley finds himself in the middle of systemic racism while doing some late night grocery shopping.  Always surrounding himself with friends of color, he is instantly aware of what is about to happen to Emira, so he films the whole occurrence.  While Emira is not interested in pursuing any legal action, they still become friends/lovers after a second chance meeting on a bus.

Kiley Reid does a great job pointing out that while sometimes our actions are well-intentioned, they can have a very different meaning to the person on the receiving end.  She helps us to see that racism does indeed exist and helps us to understand that we need to look at better ways to help bridge the divide.

With that being said, I felt like the relationship of both Alix (Alex) and Emira with Kelley Copeland was a bit of a reach.  The fact that Kelley randomly meets Emira in the store, while having such a strong historical tie to Alix was fairly unrealistic.  I kept waiting to learn that he set up that chance encounter…but this was not the case.  Nonetheless, this book flowed easily through some very hard topics that I feel will leave everyone contemplating daily choices and actions they make.  AND….that final paragraph was everything…Don’t you dare cheat and look ahead!

Discussion Questions ~

  1. Do you thing Emira made the right decision by asking Kelley to not release the video?
  2. What are your thoughts on Alix’s relationship with both of her daughters?
  3. Do you feel Emira should have already had a “real” job?
  4. How did you feel about Alix slipping extra money to Emira after the grocery story debacle?
  5. Do you feel that what happened in the grocery store would have gone differently if both girls were the same color?
  6. Do you feel Alix was overcompensating in her relationship with Emira?  Was she well meaning in her actions?
  7. Did you expect the connection with Alix and Kelley?
  8. Was Alex right in calling the police that night in high school?
  9. There are many uncomfortable moments in this book…can you relate with any of them?
  10. Do you think Alix was right or wrong to release the video?
  11. Do you carry any high school issues with you still today as an adult?
  12. Who do you think was better to Emira….Alix or Kelley?
  13. Is the fact that Alix keeps giving expensive items to Amira odd or only odd because they are of different color?
  14. What do you believe Emira will take away from her time at the Chamberlain house?
  15. Who was your favorite character in the book?   Why?

Other Great Reads ~

Have you read Lost Boy Found by Kirsten Alexander?  It’s a great read about prejudice, class and injustice that keeps you intrigued to the end.

If you haven’t read Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens….it’s a must read too!

Conclusion ~

I read a lot of reviews before reading this book myself.  While I believe Kiley Reid navigated eloquently through some very tough topcis, I still struggled with some of the story line.   The biggest issue for me was Kelley Copeland.  I considered him to be the antagonist in this book, but I couldn’t quite relate to him as much as I would have wished.  In spite of this, I think it is a great read for many reasons!

Happy Reading ~

Mimi

 

 

 

Mason Lid Fabric Flowers

May 2, 2023 / / 20 Comments

These showy flowers have all the personality with all the ease in making them!  You can’t beat that!  The sky is the limit on color scheme and material to create your own Mason Lid Fabric Flowers.  Read on for easy to follow steps to create your own beauties!

This post is part of the monthly Sustainable Craft Challenge that I am so honored to be a part of.  Julie Nyano gives us a theme to work with each month and we need to use at least one element that is sustainable/eco friendly.  This month’s theme is flowers.  The mason jar lids are the main sustainable item in my craft.

While these sweet diy flowers have a rustic look to them, you can use various fabrics to work these into many different decorating themes.  They also would make gorgeous package toppers if you are one of those who loves to present a beautifully wrapped package.  Skip the stem and glue them on to the top!

Materials Needed ~

  • Fabric
  • Cotton Balls
  • Hot Glue Gun
  • Scissors
  • Mason Jar Lid & Ring
  • Drill or Sharp Object to Create Hole
  • Stem/Dowel Rod/Bamboo Skewer
  • Jute (optional)

Mason Lid Fabric Flower Instructions ~

The size of your Mason Jar lid and the thickness of your material will determine how many strips of material you will need to make your flower.  A rough guideline is as follows;

Small Mason Jar Lid ~

24 to 40 strips of fabric 1″ wide by 8″ long

Large Mason Jar Lid ~

35 to 50 strips of fabric 1″ wide by 9.5″ long

I realize this is a pretty large variance of strips needed for each size, but the thickness of your material will determine the exact amount.  As an example, I used cream denim material on one flower.  This took 28 strips.  For the green checked flower, I used a lightweight polyester material.  Forty strips were used to create this flower.

The fullness you desire also has a large impact on how many strips you will use.  I like a fuller effect, so I pushed each tied strip tightly together to get as many on the ring as I possibly could.

  1. Cut strips of material.
  2. Drill a hole in the ring.  Be careful to make the hole the same size as your stem.  Since the flower is sizable when done, you will need the stem to fit snugly in the ring in order to hold it up correctly.
  3. Tie the strips around the ring.  *It is helpful if you leave the stem in the hole as you are tying the material around the ring.  It is very easy to “lose” the hole once the flower starts getting full.
  4. Cut 2 circles from the material you want for the center of the flower.  They should be larger than the actual ring.  For the small size rings used in this post, I cut the circles 4″ big.  This ensures that they will fully cover the finished center piece.
  5. Glue 3 cotton balls to the top of the lid.
  6. Place one 4″ circle over the cotton balls.  It is helpful to put a dab of glue on top of the cotton for the material to stick to.  This helps the material from shifting as you are pressing it into the center of the ring.
  7. Press the covered lid into the ring.  It is a bit tight with the strips tied around the ring, so you have to use a bit of muscle power to push it snugly in.
  8. Glue the other 4″ circle to the back of the flower.  This gives it a finished look from both sides.
  9. If you have not yet done so, add the stem

Options ~

For the stems of my flowers, I used old artificial flower stems that I was no longer using.  As usual, I have a hard time throwing things away.  Flowers in arrangements need to be replaced over time.  I simply cut the flowers off and used the stems for this project.  If you like this look and don’t have any of these laying around, here are some ideas of ones you can purchase.

Dowel rods are another great idea.  They can be stained or wrapped in jute for a final touch.

DISCLOSURE: This site contains product affiliate links for Amazon and other companies. We may receive a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links.  Thank you for supporting my small business!

My flowers are displayed in an old bottle….yes, another thing that I couldn’t throw away. I wrapped thin jute around the top and then tied a bow over the jute.  I added spanish moss as a filler in the vase.

Sustainable Craft Challenge ~

Now, it is time to share the other amazing flower crafts created by my fellow bloggers.  You don’t want to miss out on any of these creative crafts!

Julie from Sum of their Stories created Recycled Mini Collage With Crochet Flower

Gail from Purple Hues and Me created Ironed Pressed Flowers Glass Vessel

Christine from Christine’s Crafts created Gorgeous Book Page Roses – Surprisingly Easy to Make

Mel from Decor Craft Design created DIY Flower Gift Bucket For Mom

Allyson from Southern Sunflowers created How to Update Thrift Store Find with Paper Flowers

Julie from Treasures Made From Yarn created Flora The Reversible Doll

Niki from Life as a LEO Wife created Floral Wood Letters With Free Rolled Flower Cut Files

Last month’s challenge was SOFT.  Be sure to check out this post to see all the fun ideas everyone created for this theme!  It is so much fun to see what everyone comes up with under the same theme!

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You can use the link below as well to go to all of the floral crafts listed above!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


 

Happy Crafting Friends~

Mimi

 

One Pot Sausage, White Beans & Arugula

April 13, 2023 / / 10 Comments

This aromatic dish fills the house with warmth!  The arugula turns brighter green as it cooks and creates a dish that is both beautiful and incredibly delicious.  One pot sausage, white beans & arugula will definitely have your family requesting seconds….so be sure to make enough!

If there are any leftovers, it is one of those amazing recipes that tastes even better the second day…bonus!

One Pot Sausage, White Beans & Arugula ~

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, sliced or diced
  • 2 lb. kielbasa, sliced
  • 1 bunch green onions, diced
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 15-ounce cans white kidney beans
  • 32 ounce chicken broth
  • 3-4 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • 3 cups arugula

Instructions:

  1. Heat olive oil in pan over medium-low heat.  Add sliced onions and let simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.  Add minced garlic cloves and cook through.
  2. Toss sliced kielbasa in pan with onions and garlic.  Cook, stirring occasionally until kielbasa is browned.
  3. Add both cans of white kidney beans.
  4. Season with Italian seasoning.
  5. Add 2 cups chicken broth and bring to boil.
  6. *Optional – lightly smash about 1/4 of the beans to give your dish a bit of a thicker consistency.
  7. Reduce heat to medium-low.
  8. Mix in arugula.
  9. Cook through until arugula starts to wilt.
  10. If needed, add more chicken broth to keep a somewhat “soupy” consistency.

Notes:

Kale can be substituted for arugula…or any green that you wish if either of these are hard to find.  Both add nutritional value, however, arugula has a spicier flavor.

Many meats can be substituted for kielbasa.  I have fixed it with chunks of Italian sausage and it is very flavorful as well.  Substitute to your family’s liking.

While this is not a soup, it does have a slightly soupy consistency.  Bread is a great side dish to “sop” up the extra juices.

Adding 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. dried chile flakes gives it a very tasty spicier flavor.

Arugula ~

Arugula is a member of the bitter green flavor, thus does have a slightly bitter flavor.  However, if you were to compare it to collard greens, it is much milder.  It also has a spicier taste than most of the other greens.  It is widely used in salads, thus can be eaten raw or cooked.

Arugula is low in sugar, carbs and calories, making it a great choice to add to any menu.  It is high in Vitamins A, K & C, Potassium, Calcium and Folate.  It is always good to find a food that is so versatile, healthy and delicious!

Extra Recipes ~

One only has to search arugula recipes to find a plethura of great ideas!  Here are some I have either already made and loved or have on my “To Try” recipe list:

This Arugula Frittata by Theclevermeal.com  looks absolutely amazing.  Another wonderful thing about this one is it can be served for breakfast, brunch, lunch or even dinner (I just love having breakfast for dinner….don’t you?)  It also serves as a great vegetarian dish!

If you haven’t run across Sugar Maple Farmhouse, you really need to do so!  Wow!  Her blog is packed with some amazing recipes!  This Roasted Asparagus & Arugula Salad by Sugarmaplefarmhouse.com is a perfect example of what all she has to offer.  Be sure to check out this great recipe and more!

Meat & Veggies In One ~

I have always enjoyed meals that combine the meat and veggies in one dish.  We grew up eating a lot of casseroles when I was a kid.  However, my husband is not a fan of some of the old fashioned casseroles that I am so fond of.  Meals like this one pot sausage, white beans & arugula is basically the new way of doing a casserole in my mind.  Crazy thinking?  Maybe!  But I love it!

Maybe you saw one of my earlier posts on Veggie Filled Stuffed Peppers?  Another meal that combines all ingredients in one but not quite a casserole!  Be sure to check it out….it’s a little different take than the traditional stuffed peppers you may be thinking of.  Be sure to check out my Stir Fry Chicken & Veggies too!

Serving In Style ~

As always, I love to use fun dishware to serve up these fun recipes.  After all,  you put your love and time into creating wonderful foods….why not enjoy them in beautiful dishware as well?   I am a huge fan of Antique Farmhouse.  Have you checked out their website?  Everything I have purchased from them has been wonderful…big fan!   Here a few of their serving items:

I hope you give this delicious recipe a try and come back to let me know what you think!  If you make any changes, I would love to hear that as well!  Unti then…happy cooking my friends!
Mimi

 

 

 

Never Have I Ever – A Book Review

April 4, 2023 / / 3 Comments

*Spoilers Included*

What happens when you have two strong willed women who are more alike than either of them wants to admit?  This is a question author Joshilyn Jackson used as the basis of the current book of our book club.  Book selections have been awesome lately, as I am giving a rating of 5 out of 5 for the second time in a row!  Are you curious why?  Dive into my latest book review of Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson.

This is my first book to read by New York Times Best Selling Author, Joshilyn Jackson.  Have you read any of her books?  Interestingly enough, this book is similar to my last review, The Lies I Tell by Julie Clark in that there are 2 main characters.  In the current novel, Amy would be considered the protagonist and Roux the antagonist….but what happens when the lines between good and bad cross?  Can one person be both a villain and a hero in the same story?  Hmmmm……

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The Lies I Tell – A Book Review

March 25, 2023 / / 9 Comments

“By the time you are saying nice to meet you, I’ve already known you for months.”  Creepy….am I right?  This line from Julie Clark’s novel stayed with me through the whole book.  In today’s times where information is so easily obtained by anyone who wants to take the time to do so….well, it just hit home!  The first book I have rated 5 out of 5 in a long time….find out why in my book review of The Lies I Tell.

Meg Williams has been in hiding for 10 years.  In that time she had numerous other identities…Deidra, Sandy, Amelia, Margaret, Melody & Maggie.  The list goes on.  Why so many identities?  Exactly how does she pull all of them so successfully?  While we don’t get to know all of those other pseudonyms intimately, we do learn a lot about why Meg has decided to come out of hiding after 10 long years!

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Mediterranean Couscous/Farro Salad

March 21, 2023 / / 4 Comments

Many days I am happy that I recently discovered my dairy sensitivity because it has made me explore new foods that I have never cooked with before.  White rice, brown rice, wild rice, and different forms of pasta noodles were our staples before now.  These have been basically replaced with couscous, farro and quinoa.  Mediterranean Couscous/Farro salad is a perfect example!

Although couscous looks like a grain, it is technically a pasta made from semolina.  There are three types of couscous and I cook with the Lebanese form which is the largest in size and is often called pearl couscous.  It does take longer to cook but is worth the wait.  Farro is an extremely nutritious grain.  It is a much healthier alternative to rice.

Mediterranean Couscous/Farro Salad ~

One only has to type Mediterranean Couscous Salad into the Pinterest search line and you will get numerous versions of this recipe.  I added a link in one of my posts recently that took you to one of the recipes I tried and loved ➡️➡️Surviving a Dairy Free Life – With Recipes!  Since first trying some of these recipes, I have tweeked them a bit to come up with something a bit different.

The basic ingredients are typically the same in most recipes you see.  One of the biggest differences is that I mixed couscous and farro in the same dish.  What is awesome about making Mediterranean Couscous/Farro Salad is you can add in items you may need to use up from your fridge and it’s still amazing.  The dressing you use is basically what makes the  biggest difference in my opinion!

Ingredients ~

  • Pearl Couscous – 1 1/2 cups
  • Farro – 1 to 1 1/2 cups
  • Garlic – minced – 2 to 3 cloves
  • Chicken or Vegetable Broth – 32 ounce
  • Bell Pepper – Orange, Red, Green and/or Yellow – diced -I used only 1 orange bell pepper
  • Onion – Red and White – diced- 1/2 each of medium sized onion
  • Tomatoes – diced (whatever is in season – Cherry, Roma, Campari, Plum, etc) – 1 1/2 cups
  • Banana or Poblano Pepper – diced – 1 pepper
  • Black Beans (or beans of choice) – 1 can
  • Basil – to taste (I used about 3 tsp)
  • Salt & Pepper – to taste
  • Green Onions – dehydrated or fresh – chopped – 1/2 cup fresh or 2 Tbsp dehydrated
  • Tbsp. Olive Oil – divided – 4 Tbsp + 1/4 cup
  • Lemon Juice – 2 tsp. or 1 lemon juiced
  • Red Wine Vinegar – 2 Tbsp
  • Scallion Oil – 1 Tbsp.
  • Feta Cheese – For those who are NOT dairy free like my husband 😜

Instructions ~

Heat 4 Tbsp. olive oil in pan.

Add garlic and onion.  Cook on medium-low heat until translucent.  (A good garlic press is so important to have in the kitchen….I personally love the ones with the built in cleaner to help get all the bitty pieces out!)

Toss in couscous and farro.  Cook until browned (about 5 minutes).

Add chicken/vegetable broth.  Start with half of the 32 ounce container.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce to medium/low heat.  Add broth as needed to keep the couscous and farro moist.

Remove from heat and let cool.

In separate bowl, add bell pepper, tomatoes, poblano pepper, black beens, green onions, basil salt and pepper.

Mix veggies with cooled couscous/farro mixture.

Whisk together remaining olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar and scallion oil.  Add in a bit of extra basil, salt and pepper.  I love using a salad dressing shaker when making all of my dressings.  Toss the ingredients into the dispenser, make sure top is closed and shake until mixed.  Then move the top piece over to pour.  Such a great tool from countertop creating to kitchen table. In fact, many times I leave a dressing “undressed” and let everyone top their own according to their preference.

As stated above, you can add in so many different ingredients according to taste or just what you need to use up in your fridge.  I do always try to add some type of pepper in addition to the bell and green pepper.    The poblano is one of my favorites because it doesn’t pack a lot of heat but still gives some great additional flavor.  However, I do use other spicier peppers at times too because my husband prefers a lot of spice!

I would like to also note that it is very common to use chick peas in this recipe, which are very good.  I had to make a change due to food allergies.  What I have found when making the Mediterranean Couscous/Farro Salad is that many different “beans” are good in this recipe so choose your favorite and enjoy!

Pairings ~

This salad is awesome when paired with grilled salmon!  However, it is truly a great accompaniment to almost any main dish…or honestly it is great served as the main dish as well!  I love making it for dinner and then using the leftovers for lunch….meal prep at it’s finest!

 

Have you tried this recipe?  Let me know in the comments below!  I look forward to hearing from you!

P.S.  Are you looking for some other fresh recipes?  Check out my delicious stir fry chicken and vegetable recipe here!

Happy Cooking ~

Mimi

The Newcomer – A Book Review

March 15, 2023 / / 7 Comments

Letty Carahan has found her sister, Tanya,  dead and is now on the run.  Making things more interesting is that she has “abducted” her neice, Maya, as well.  Did she actually find her dead or is SHE the murderer as Tanya’s ex is claiming?  As the story unfolds, we are left to decide who the actual murderer is.  See what you think as you follow along in The Newcomer – A Book Review.

The Newcomer is the 28th book that Mary Kay Andrews has authored but the 18th under this pen name.  Her pen name was inspired by the names of her children.  The change in name also found her writing in a different style as well, which found her hitting the New York Times bestselling author list!  Prior to this, she has written 10 mystery books under her real name, Kathy Hogan Trocheck.

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DIY Sock Bunnies

March 7, 2023 / / 35 Comments

It’s time for a little spring crafting and these adorable DIY sock bunnies are a perfect project to get you started!  This is one of those crafts that you probably have most (if not all) of the items needed laying around your house!  Another craft that you can get creative with on the embellishments.  Let’s have some bunny crafting fun!

You may remember that I am part of a monthly Sustainable Craft Challenge with several other very crafty women.  Julie Nyano gives us a theme to work with each month and we need to use at least one element that is sustainable/eco friendly.  January’s theme was WARM so I crafted a  DIY Snowy Luminary and February’s theme was LOVE, and I shared a DIY Valentine Branch Tree with you.  This month’s theme is SOFT!  Read on to see how to make sock bunnies as well as many other awesome soft crafts!

DON’T Throw Away Those Mismatched Socks!

What do you do with those poor lonely single socks that have lost their mate?  When my kids were young we would often make sock puppets or they made a great dusting “glove” for the kiddos.  My daughter, Karleigh, would just wear mismatched socks…she went through a period where that was cool! (It drove me bonkers!😜)  There are tons of great ideas out there to utilize those old socks that are never going to warm your little toesies again….the DIY sock bunnies are one of those great ideas!

Longer socks will work best for this project but you can complete these with almost any size sock.  Keep in mind that the smaller the sock, the smaller your embellishments will need to be and that gets a little tricky (especially if you have chunkier fingers like me!).  Once you start making these you will have a hard time stopping!

Items Needed ~

  • Sock
  • String
  • Rice
  • Hot Glue Gun & Glue Sticks – or Sewing Items
  • Ribbon
  • Embellishments
  • Scissors
  • Pinking Shears (optional)

Making The Body ~

Fill a sock with rice.  The amount of rice you will use will vary according to your desired final outcome.  Once you fill it about a quarter of the way start pinching where you think you should tie the string to form head and body.  If it doesn’t seem quite right, then add (or take away) rice to your liking.  Keep in mind that you want to have plenty of leftover at the top of the sock to create floppy ears.

Once you get it filled to your liking, tie some heavy type of string to form the body and then another piece to tie off the top of the head.

It’s Time For Those Bunny Ears ~

Pull the top part of the sock up in the air and cut down the middle of the sock.  Find the middle of the sock and start cutting down the middle to form the ears.

Continue cutting all the way down to the top of the head of the sock bunny.

It’s starting to look like a cute little bunny…am I right?  Now you need to fold the ears in length longways to create a finished ear.  Pull each ear up and round off the top of them.

Now you are ready to adhere the edges.  You have two options here:

  1. hot glue down the edges
  2. sew down the edges

Hot gluing is obviously the easiest and quickest method.  I actually love the finished look of both methods.  I did find that when I sewed them it gave the ears a more “ruffly” look.  You get to decide what look you like best!  Below is the bunny with the sewn ears.

DIY Sock Bunnies Embellishments ~

Now it is time for bows and scarves (or whatever you decide to embellilsh your baby with).  I have an assortment of wired ribbon that makes it easy, however, I found that I enjoyed cutting strips of material with my pinking shears too!  It is helpful to attach the bows first to see how much “face” space you have left for the eyes, nose and whiskers.  There is some trial and error here depending on the size of your sock bunny.

Playing around with some old scrap material can be fun to see what the finished look will be.  For me, it was helpful as I discovered that some materials I thought would be great didn’t give me the “look” that I was going for.  Trial and error at its finest!  You might even want to put some cute little flower bead or fun jewel at the center of the bow.

You can also cut off the cuff of extra socks to create a scarf type look.  Cut the entire cuff and then place it around the neck.

The Cute Little Nose & Whiskers ~

The sky is the limit with the objects you can use for the face embellishments.  Small wooden half balls came in very handy for the nose.  I also love the cute little pink bead for the nose!  For those of you who like to work with embroidery floss, it would be easy to do a few quick stitches to make a nose that way as well!

DISCLOSURE: This site contains product affiliate links for Amazon and other companies. We may receive a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links.  Thank you for supporting my small business!

Jute or hemp both have a great weight to them that works great for the whiskers.  It works best if you hot glue the whiskers first and then add an extra dollop of glue on top of the whiskers to place the nose.  It seems to secure the whiskers on much better.  A Cherry On Top Crafts is a great place to get new supplies if needed!

What About Those Eyes ~

Small flat back resin round crystal beads became eyes for mine.  I played around with buttons too but decided I like the soft shimmer of these resin crystal beads.

The striped bunny (isn’t she so cute?) ended up with the black stripe right where I needed the eyes to go.  I wanted the eyes to stand out more so I glued the black crystals on a white button to make them pop.  How does your sweet bunny look?

March Sustainable Craft Challenge ~

As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, this project is part of a very fun craft blog hop.  I hope you have as much fun as I did creating these “soft” and adorable bunnies.  Bonus…you get to also check out all of these other amazing “soft” crafts by my fellow bloggers.  You’re going to love them!  Check out each of their links in green below!

Julie ♥ Sum of their Stories ♥ Upcycled Sweater Easter Gift Bags

Gail ♥ Purple Hues and Me ♥ Loopy Yarn Lamb Treat Jar

Christine ♥ Christine’s Crafts ♥ DIY Hair Towel Wrap

Marci ♥ Stone Cottage Adventures ♥ DIY Cozy Weighted Warmer

Allyson ♥ Southern Sunflowers ♥ No Sew Drop Cloth Bunny Pillow

T’onna ♥ Sew Crafty Crochet ♥ Crochet Tabby Cat

Julie ♥ Treasures Made From Yarn ♥ Stash Buster Blanket

Mel ♥ Decor Craft Design ♥ Upcycled Bottle Vases With Soft Spring Colors

Niki ♥ Life as a LEO Wife ♥ Farmhouse Chunky Yarn Wreath for Spring

Aren’t these all so fun?  This is my third month to participate in this Sustainable Craft Challenge and I just love everything about it.  I have found myself focusing on items I throw away and thinking about how I can use it for something else instead.  Last month’s challenge found me diving in very seriously to the other blogger’s posts and creating some very fun new crafts!

Happy Crafting My Friends !

Love Mimi

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Last Flight – A Book Review

February 16, 2023 / / 7 Comments

*Contains spoilers – Contains Book Club Discussion Questions*

How far would you go to save your own life?  It’s a compelling question that thankfully most of us have not had to think about.  However, the two main characters in this book do!  Both Claire and Eva are plotting ways to save themselves but both for different reasons.  Do they succeed?  Dive into my new post about The Last Flight – A Book Review.

Author, Julie Clark, does a fantastic job hooking you from the very beginning.  We quickly meet both main characters and then are taken back and forth between their lives in an easy flow of Claire’s frightening present day life and Eva’s tragic past life.   We get a small glimpse into their lives colliding early on but don’t fully understand how their “chance” meeting was actually meticulously planned early on.

Continue reading

Surviving A Dairy Free Life

February 10, 2023 / / 15 Comments

Two weeks ago I discovered that I am allergic to dairy…and I am ok with it!  You think I’m crazy for thinking that?  I can understand your thoughts, but if you knew my health history through the years you would understand.  I left the doctor’s office in tears…not from knowing I have to change my world a bit but rather from happiness that I FINALLY have some real answers.  Now it is time to learn all about surviving a dairy free life!

I have been put through test after test….after test through the years.  The blanket answer back then was Irritable Bowel Syndrome.  Can you say Metamucil?  Please understand that I am not saying Metamucil isn’t a good product, but it only works for specific situations….which just happened to NOT be what I needed.  There was never a full battery of blood tests run on me until 2023!  My loved ones urged me (well pushed is more like it!) to go to a functional medicine doctor and I FINALLY listened.

The Medical Results ~

An extensive blood panel was performed and voila…dairy (and a few other things that I will get into later) is the culprit!  Through teary eyes I looked at the results that the doctor was going over with me and asked her, “Do I dare hope that THIS is truly what is wrong with me?”  Well, it’s only been a few short weeks, but friends I cannot even begin to tell you how much better I am feeling already.

Brad and I headed out to SO MANY health food stores to get our pantry set up with all the new food items I would need to switch to.  *Brag alert….my husband has been truly amazing with all of this…from shopping with me and scouring food labels to trying out new dishes with me (which if you know Brad….well, you just know!)   The items I can eat became a bit more difficult because I am also allergic to coconut, vanilla, oats and garbanzo beans.  These just happen to be many of the items that are substituted in dairy free products…ugh!

So What Now? ~

With all of that being said, I want to explain why I am blogging about it!  You already know that I love to write about food…we will still be bringing you amazing recipes for those without restrictions.  I am just adding an extra tab under Recipes named Dairy Free.  Even if you aren’t dairy free, I promise you, you are going to want to check out some of these recipes because …. well because even Brad likes them!  🤣

I also am going to get very personal with you right now because I think it is important to be transparent.  I have struggled with diarrhea horribly for years.  The word colonoscopy literally just makes me cry. (not kidding!)  It’s a horrible thing to never know when it is going to hit you.  (Speaking of that, did you know that Duluth Trading Co. sells Sh!t Kits?  I kid you not…and they are a very wonderful thing!)  Let me just tell you, that already (several weeks into my new diet) I have gone out to eat several times and have not had to run to the bathroom.  I drink coffee…and nothing!  It’s freaking amazing!

Recipes We Have Tried…and Loved ~

The first recipe that I made was Mediterranean Couscous Salad.  I had cooked with couscous quite a while back and wasn’t a big fan.  This time I bought a different brand, and for us, that made a big difference.  Let me clarify, it wasn’t so much the brand but the size.  I had no idea until now that there are 3 different sizes of couscous.  We like the pearls which are larger (and to me not as mushy).  I’m including a link to the brand we love, but obviously you can get it at most stores.

DISCLOSURE: This site contains product affiliate links for Amazon and other companies. We may receive a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links.  Thank you for supporting my small business!

I actually really love Bob’s Red Mill brand of many products!

Mediterranean Couscous Salad ~

Jessica Gavin from Jessicagavin.com pinned this delicious Mediterranean Couscous Salad which is incredible.  It is so delicious that Brad took some for lunch the next day….and that NEVER happens!  Use the link in green to get her recipe.  I had to change a few things to meet my dietary needs:

  • Garbanzo beans – removed (unfortunately)
  • Feta cheese was a no for me but a yes for Brad so I just kept let him top his salad as he wished
  • Extras of the other veggies were substituted to make up for the loss of garbanzo beans
Salmon and Crushed Cucumber Grain Bowl ~

WOW!  This was so good!  Instead of cooking the salmon on stovetop as they did,  Brad smoked salmon for ours and it was delcious.  I’m also a little funny about seafood leftovers and by smoking the salmon it does last longer in the refrigerator than conventionally cooked salmon.  This allowed for a delicious lunch the next day!  Use this link for the Wild Alaska Salmon and Crushed Cucumber Grain Bowls by Purewow.com here!

Using the fresh herbs is vital to the freshness of this dish.  Farro which is a high protein, high fiber whole grain wheat, helps to give you that “full” feeling that you don’t always get when eating salmon alone.  Also, as stated earlier, I love Bob’s Red Mill products so that is the farro I used!

Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread ~

There really weren’t a lot of changes that needed to be made to make yummy banana bread, however, I followed This recipe by Annie from MyLifeAfterDairy.com.  After making this recipe, Brad took his first bite and asked, “Remind me what is different in this recipe from the normal cinnamon swirl banana bread you have always made!”  Then we both decided that we actually like this recipe even more!  Check out the recipe in this link  ➡️➡️ Amazing cinnamon swirl banana bread by Mylifeafterdairy.com.

The couple of changes that I did have to make were:

  • substitute maple syrup for vanilla
  • substitute vegan “butter” for coconut oil

You do not have to make these changes if your are just allergic to dairy.  As stated earlier, I am also allergic to vanilla and coconut.

Adding In The Right Supplements ~

You have to be sure to make up for the nutrients that you will be missing when cutting dairy out of your world.  My practitioner helped me with this.  I am also learning what foods I need to add more of to my diet along with these daily supplements.  A prime example is changing from a breakfast of eggs and toast to eggs with avocado, tomatoes and spinach.  This is even Teddy Ruffsavelt approved ⬇️!

Conclusion ~

As stated earlier, whether you are allergic to dairy or not, these recipes are truly amazing!  Heck, I’ve shared some dairy free recipes with you before I even knew I needed to cut out dairy.  This chicken stir fry recipe for instance is delicious and dairy free…who knew?  Anyhoo, give these a try and let me know your thoughts!  Also, I would love to hear some of your favorite recipes if you are on this dairy-free ride with me.  There are definitely hard days without cheese….but surviving a dairy free life so far has been pretty good!

Happy cooking and happy health to you all~

Mimi

 

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