If you're into crafting at all, you know that there's no such thing as a clean craft drawer.
In fact, my incredibly talented and artistic aunt Georgeanne, told me once that there's no point in having a craft drawer if you have to keep it clean.
And I completely agree with that.
But, I've found that keeping it a little organized (at Ryan's behest), has made some projects come together a little faster. Here are some of my suggestions...
• Invest in those little plastic drawer sets. If you're into paper crafting, keep your paper scraps in one drawer, glues/tapes/adhesives in another, and any beads/eyelets/wires/attachables in the third drawer. Just try to keep it straight; but don't let the organization hinder your creativity.
• When I started knitting, I immediately went out and bought any yarn I fancied. And then when summer hit and knitting fell by the wayside, there were mountains of unused yarn everywhere. Moral of the story? Buy most of your yarns (or crafting supplies) for specific projects. OF COURSE, leave yourself some room to grow--get a couple of things that simply inspire you. Those are the things that will find their way into some of your favorite crafts, whether you intended them for it or not. Just be wary of sales--while they're great for getting what you need, be careful not to be tempted into purchasing too much of what you won't use. (Guilty as charged.)
• Plastic shoe boxes with snap-on lids (can be bought for about 97 cents) are perfect for storing acrylic paints, brushes, sponges, and various other art media. They also stack atop each other perfectly, and since they're clear you can see right in and get out what you want.
That said, DON'T let your creativity be stifled by keeping things organized. In fact, sometimes it's inspirational to drag everything out of the crafting closet and just spend a day creating! At the end, you can spend time re-organizing (it'll be easier the second, third, eighteenth time you do it....).
Happy crafting!
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Friday, July 20, 2007
The Benefits of Simplicity
At the behest of my boyfriend Ryan, I rid my world of many "trinkets." Of course, before we shared a home, my pre-Ryan bedrooms or apartments were cluttered with so much miscellany that one could have mistaken them for an odds-and-ends shop.
But then, he taught me the phrase "Less is more."
Granted, I was resistant at first. (And still tend to be; my bedside table is home to a candle, a photo, a small sacred heart tin, and a wooden angel figure my mom gave to me. And, I've still managed to scatter some of these trinkets throughout our apartment... a picture frame here, a vase there, two more wooden angel figurines over yonder.)
But I have learned that less truly is more.
Here is a short list of some of the advantages of decorating in my edited style.
1. Dusting is much, much easier. Before when I had to pick up between 20 and 50 things and replace them just to clean, I opted to leave them there. These days, despite living with a puppy in addition to a guy, everything stays cleaner because, well, it's just much easier to look at a desk and say, "all I have to pick up is that one thing and this will look beautiful again."
2. General sense of peace is no longer something reserved for meditation rooms or spas. Coming home to a simple, clean home makes all the difference in one's attitude.
3. Clutter can be wiped away quickly. We have implemented mail-sorting routines, and even though we fall down on the job often, it's easy to pick up and clean. A surprise visitor? No problem. The lack of clutter in our home makes it a breeze to snatch up what's not supposed to be there and hide it away until we have time to really clean.
Now, if only putting away laundry were as easy....
I hope to get back into regularly -scheduled posting. Tomorrow, I'll write about how to keep your creativity clean--and remain, well, creative!
Budget Girl, signing off.
But then, he taught me the phrase "Less is more."
Granted, I was resistant at first. (And still tend to be; my bedside table is home to a candle, a photo, a small sacred heart tin, and a wooden angel figure my mom gave to me. And, I've still managed to scatter some of these trinkets throughout our apartment... a picture frame here, a vase there, two more wooden angel figurines over yonder.)
But I have learned that less truly is more.
Here is a short list of some of the advantages of decorating in my edited style.
1. Dusting is much, much easier. Before when I had to pick up between 20 and 50 things and replace them just to clean, I opted to leave them there. These days, despite living with a puppy in addition to a guy, everything stays cleaner because, well, it's just much easier to look at a desk and say, "all I have to pick up is that one thing and this will look beautiful again."
2. General sense of peace is no longer something reserved for meditation rooms or spas. Coming home to a simple, clean home makes all the difference in one's attitude.
3. Clutter can be wiped away quickly. We have implemented mail-sorting routines, and even though we fall down on the job often, it's easy to pick up and clean. A surprise visitor? No problem. The lack of clutter in our home makes it a breeze to snatch up what's not supposed to be there and hide it away until we have time to really clean.
Now, if only putting away laundry were as easy....
I hope to get back into regularly -scheduled posting. Tomorrow, I'll write about how to keep your creativity clean--and remain, well, creative!
Budget Girl, signing off.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Falling down on the job
My faithful blog readers (of whom there *might* be four, but let's try and grow that number, shall we?), I do owe you an apology.
It has been several days since my last post.
And I have spent a lot of money on food lately.
So, I will be starting fresh today. I have a couple more recipes for you. These are a little fancier, but still able to be done on a dime. I also happened upon a great wine sale at my local grocer, and bought 2 bottles for about $8 total. One bottle was pretty good; the other was a little hit-and-miss. But, for the casual glass with dinner, they worked just fine.
I'm no sommelier, but I think I've got an ok system for choosing good wines under $10. One of my favorites is the Cabernet Sauvignon from the Chilean winery called 120. They just upped the price from about $5.50 to near $9, but it is still a great value for a really good wine. Many of the Australian wines, too, come in with a small price tag but generally have a nice palate.
Now, for the recipes.
Flank Steak with veggies (props to my friend Louise for this one)
Flank steak is a pretty cheap piece of meat. Make sure you buy it tenderized. One $4.25 piece is plenty for 2 people.
Season the steak with sea salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder. Set aside.
In a large saucepan, melt about 2 tbl butter. Add shallots, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes. You can also throw in any fresh herbs: basil, oregano, or rosemary would all be good. Add about a glass of wine, and reduce to a thickish sauce (or cook until the veggies are very tender). Broil the steak for about 5 minutes, being careful not to dry it out. (Just in case, make sure your veggies have a lot of sauce, so you can sop it up with the steak.)
Grilled or Baked Salmon and Asparagus
Salmon is such a great, filling fish. We don't eat it enough. But, if you buy it in season (watch the prices at your local store), you can get a real deal for 2 people.
I have a couple of different recipes I like for salmon.
Pecan-crusted Salmon
Mix bread crumbs, pecan pieces, and any dry herbs you enjoy. I buy Italian bread crumbs and then just add a little more oregano and garlic powder. Rub on fish. Place 1 tsp butter on each 6-oz fillet. Broil in oven until opaque throughout.
Grilled Herbed Salmon
Create a "dry rub" for your salmon. I like to use cilantro, lemon pepper, sea salt, and garlic powder. Rub onto fish. Grill in a ridged pan on the stove, making sure that the heat is not so high that you'll burn the outside before the inside is cooked.
Grilled Asparagus: marinate asparagus (only buy IN SEASON!) in Italian dressing, or olive oil and vinegar with a smattering of your favorite spices. Don't overdo it. Before grilling the fish, throw it on your pan and cook until tender.
Cream Cheese Rustic Tart
This is a variation on an Italian recipe. My mom had the great idea to simply replace the mascarpone with cream cheese (the real stuff, not the fat-free kind!), which saves about $3. You can use any fresh (bakeable) fruit that's in season... Peaches, pears, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, pineapple....come up with your own winning combo.
1 Failsafe pie crust
8 oz cream cheese, room temp
1/4 c granulated sugar
4 or 5 peaches, pears, strawberries, or any other bakeable fruit
1/4 c blueberries (frozen is fine) --optional
Roll out pie crust in a "rustic" fashion and transfer to a cookie sheet. Cream together cream cheese and sugar. Fold in fresh fruit. Pile mixture onto pie crust, and then fold the edges of the crust over. Be sure not to close it up; leave a hole in the middle (you'll see the fruit). Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes.
To get a shine on your crust, baste it with an egg before baking.
Enjoy your budget gourmet!
I'll be back sooner than last time.
It has been several days since my last post.
And I have spent a lot of money on food lately.
So, I will be starting fresh today. I have a couple more recipes for you. These are a little fancier, but still able to be done on a dime. I also happened upon a great wine sale at my local grocer, and bought 2 bottles for about $8 total. One bottle was pretty good; the other was a little hit-and-miss. But, for the casual glass with dinner, they worked just fine.
I'm no sommelier, but I think I've got an ok system for choosing good wines under $10. One of my favorites is the Cabernet Sauvignon from the Chilean winery called 120. They just upped the price from about $5.50 to near $9, but it is still a great value for a really good wine. Many of the Australian wines, too, come in with a small price tag but generally have a nice palate.
Now, for the recipes.
Flank Steak with veggies (props to my friend Louise for this one)
Flank steak is a pretty cheap piece of meat. Make sure you buy it tenderized. One $4.25 piece is plenty for 2 people.
Season the steak with sea salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder. Set aside.
In a large saucepan, melt about 2 tbl butter. Add shallots, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes. You can also throw in any fresh herbs: basil, oregano, or rosemary would all be good. Add about a glass of wine, and reduce to a thickish sauce (or cook until the veggies are very tender). Broil the steak for about 5 minutes, being careful not to dry it out. (Just in case, make sure your veggies have a lot of sauce, so you can sop it up with the steak.)
Grilled or Baked Salmon and Asparagus
Salmon is such a great, filling fish. We don't eat it enough. But, if you buy it in season (watch the prices at your local store), you can get a real deal for 2 people.
I have a couple of different recipes I like for salmon.
Pecan-crusted Salmon
Mix bread crumbs, pecan pieces, and any dry herbs you enjoy. I buy Italian bread crumbs and then just add a little more oregano and garlic powder. Rub on fish. Place 1 tsp butter on each 6-oz fillet. Broil in oven until opaque throughout.
Grilled Herbed Salmon
Create a "dry rub" for your salmon. I like to use cilantro, lemon pepper, sea salt, and garlic powder. Rub onto fish. Grill in a ridged pan on the stove, making sure that the heat is not so high that you'll burn the outside before the inside is cooked.
Grilled Asparagus: marinate asparagus (only buy IN SEASON!) in Italian dressing, or olive oil and vinegar with a smattering of your favorite spices. Don't overdo it. Before grilling the fish, throw it on your pan and cook until tender.
Cream Cheese Rustic Tart
This is a variation on an Italian recipe. My mom had the great idea to simply replace the mascarpone with cream cheese (the real stuff, not the fat-free kind!), which saves about $3. You can use any fresh (bakeable) fruit that's in season... Peaches, pears, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, pineapple....come up with your own winning combo.
1 Failsafe pie crust
8 oz cream cheese, room temp
1/4 c granulated sugar
4 or 5 peaches, pears, strawberries, or any other bakeable fruit
1/4 c blueberries (frozen is fine) --optional
Roll out pie crust in a "rustic" fashion and transfer to a cookie sheet. Cream together cream cheese and sugar. Fold in fresh fruit. Pile mixture onto pie crust, and then fold the edges of the crust over. Be sure not to close it up; leave a hole in the middle (you'll see the fruit). Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes.
To get a shine on your crust, baste it with an egg before baking.
Enjoy your budget gourmet!
I'll be back sooner than last time.
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