Author: Kristin

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Leawood Kansas Made This Young Reader Take Down His Little Free Library, and Here’s What You Can Do to Help

Kristin

(Photo Credit TAMMY LJUNGBLAD/THE KANSAS CITY STAR) Leawood, a small town in Kansas, has certainly poked the hornet’s nest. I can all but guarantee you they had no idea what they were getting themselves in to when they ordered the Collins family to remove their 9 year old son, Spencer Collins’ Little Free Library. The story is all over the news sites, and you can read more there but basically it boils down to this: Spencer Collins is an avid reader so he and his family set up a Little Free Library on the edge of their property to encourage book sharing in their … Continue reading Leawood Kansas Made This Young Reader Take Down His Little Free Library, and Here’s What You Can Do to Help

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Southern Holiday Traditions: New Year’s Black Eyed Peas and Cornbread Waffles Recipe

Kristin

Growing up in Oklahoma, I was always told to eat black eyed peas on New Years Day so I would have luck all year long. I never really liked black eyed peas. I never really liked plain beans of any kind, and that was the only way my family cooked beans. Bleck. Even though they were ick, I would always choke down at least a spoonful to make my dad happy, and besides, maybe, just maybe it actually works. Who couldn’t use some extra luck? As I’m sliding in to adulthood (kicking and screaming), my family’s traditions are starting to … Continue reading Southern Holiday Traditions: New Year’s Black Eyed Peas and Cornbread Waffles Recipe

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Leftovers Sorcery: Wilted Kale Recipe

Kristin

Kale! Who knew it was so yummy!? I had kale for the first time this New Year’s Day when I added a handful to my Good Luck Black Eyed Peas recipe. I assumed it would be similar to the greens I grew up with (Poke salad, Collard and Mustard Greens), but it is so much better. It is heartier and much less bitter, so I was definitely ready to go another round with Kale and use up my leftovers from the black eyed peas. Usually when I’m trying to get ideas of how to use new-to-me ingredients, I Google until my … Continue reading Leftovers Sorcery: Wilted Kale Recipe

Knitting

Chunky Crochet Moebius Scarf

Kristin

I work at a high traffic desk near a drafty swinging door in my day to day life, and with the cold snap we had here recently, have been freezing my tuckus off.  It is a highly professional environment (suits and all that) so I really needed a new scarf that I could wear all the time while still looking somewhat nice. Enter the Chunky Crochet Moebius Scarf. I made this pattern last year for office Secret Santa Christmas gifts and it whips up in no time. It is a really straightforward single crochet pattern on a large hook. Some … Continue reading Chunky Crochet Moebius Scarf

Recipes

Learn from My Mistakes: Old Time Beef Stew

Kristin

I have been trying to revitalize some of my cooking styles and work some new classics in the mix. The men in my life have been ordering beef stews in restaurants quite a bit here recently and especially since the cold snap. I have a tomato based stew that I have been making since I was a kid (total family recipe) that I really enjoy, but I’ve never really eaten and certainly never cooked a non-tomato based stew when winter weather practically demands and nice thick stew, so I thought I would try to find a nice, classic stew recipe … Continue reading Learn from My Mistakes: Old Time Beef Stew

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Turkey Meatloaf Holiday “Cupcakes”

Kristin

Holiday Season is here! I am so stinkin’ excited I can barely contain myself. This seems like the one time of year where crafters can throw it all on the table and not have to get too major of a side eye from non-crafters. You know the one. The look that ever so slightly says, “What is wrong with you? Why would you even THINK of making something like that? Can’t you just buy (fill in the blank)?” And we know the answer to that look: Of course not. It wouldn’t be as much FUN if we went out and … Continue reading Turkey Meatloaf Holiday “Cupcakes”

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Which Glue Can I Use?

Kristin

I came across this amazing and incredibly handy glue selection chart over at design*sponge via lifehacker (don’tcha just love lifehacker?) and just simply adored the work they had done. I wanted to print it out to hang on the inside of my craft cabinet since it is such a wonderful reference tool, but found that it just wasn’t as large as I would have liked. I tried expanding the image, but it lost so much resolution that it was unusable. I had a little free time, so I decide to whip up my own version that was full page sized. … Continue reading Which Glue Can I Use?

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Tighten Up for the Holidays

Kristin

I have never been one for the female rituals of excessive makeup, giddiness over shopping for new outfits or carefully planning my appearance for events (unless it meant outlandish costumes and extravagant fantasy makeup, then it was weeks of excited planning and long nights sewing). This year I decided I would like to change that. I have a holiday party to attend with my significant other coming up soon, and since this is our first holiday together, I wanted to try the full party prep ritual. I am starting to see the charm of the long preparation. I can see … Continue reading Tighten Up for the Holidays