On Monday we had absolutely AMAZING weather here in the Bitterroot. It was sunny and *almost* 60 DEGREES! Yes.....I said 60! Pretty hard to imagine that pretty much the rest of the coutry is still stuck in winter. Sure signs that spring is just around the corner.....we saw a moth flitting at our window on Sunday night and I saw a bee on Monday. Pretty sure signs I'd say! But then Tuesday...and looks like today as well....it is rainy. So the dogs are pretty bored, as they missed their walk yesterday...and, well today too. Temps are staying in the 40's but with the dampness, we started our fire back up yesterday morning to take the chill off....right now as I type I have the door cracked to try to cool the house off a little bit.....it's roasting in here!
Not much other goings on. I have been swamped with sales lately, as I signed up to contribute to the Cora Paige Benefit, click HERE for more information. It really has turned into a HUGE HUGE "thing"! They are choosing to donate all the money from the etsy sales on what would have been her first birthday, March 5.
I have finally gotten the fundraiser numbers.....they were a lot lower than what I expected.....but around what John had thought. I suspect maybe two reasons for the low numbers.....one being the economy and two, I don't really think that she offered any type of prize incentives for the students who sold the most, ect. I can fill the orders for the soap from my current stock on hand.
We have signed up to take a pet CPR/First Aid class in Missoula in March.
John has an interview/testing in Missoula at their Detention Center. It really doesn't mean any pay increase, but it does mean a lot more home time....so pray for that!
And um...that's about all for right now.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
A Story Worth Sharing.....
Ok, get out your tissues, you will need them...very very sad.
http://www.etsy.com/storque/craftivism/love-is-a-movement-the-cora-project-3450/
make a purchase to build Cora's playground.
http://www.etsy.com/storque/craftivism/love-is-a-movement-the-cora-project-3450/
make a purchase to build Cora's playground.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
SCORE!!
Well.....I just got my first order from that Canadian florist! Whoo Hoo! It seems that they are in the process of opening. I think their grand opening is set for April 1st......ummmm....just realized the significance of that day......maybe not a good day for a grand opening??? hmmm......think I would reconsider. It's not a HUGE order....but still and order all the same. Who knows what it could lead to??
Here is a link to their site...pretty basic for right now....seeing as how they are not open yet
www.lumsdenflorist.com
Here is a link to their site...pretty basic for right now....seeing as how they are not open yet
www.lumsdenflorist.com
Sunday, February 15, 2009
A Formal Introduction and This and That!
For those of you who do not know........John and I have adopted another dog. A BIG dog! but she is soooooo sweet! Here name is Stella Blue and she is a dane/mastiff mix...we think. She has the head of a mastiff and the body of a great dane. It took a few days but Daisy and Stella to adjust to each other but get along wonderfully now. The people who had her...one had lost their job and could no longer afford to feed her, as they also had another large dog, a rotweiller. She was very thin when we first got her and ate like 18 cups (by mistake...seems the cup that I was using to dish out her food was a 2 cup capacity...not a 1 cup like I had thought! OOPS) of dog food her very first day with us! As of now we are trying to keep her between 5-6 cups of food a day. She weighs about 106 lbs and the vet said she could comfortably gain about 5 more lbs. We have been trying to walk her every day which is good for everyone involved (us, Daisy and her)! 
John's job is picking up and he has been very busy lately...which is a good thing! I am also keeping busy. I have work (of course)....I have etsy, and my bread orders are coming in on a regular basis now. I have 14 loaves to bake for tomorrow....I have 4 more to go! On top of all of that....Monday marks the last selling day for a fund raiser I am doing for a drama club at Tunkhannock HS in PA. When I first agreed....I figured...oh...what about 20-30 kids? No big deal! Well as it turns out there are 60 kids! Opps...little nervous about what kind of numbers they are going to turn in?? Guess I know by no later than Wednesday! I have about 5-6 weeks to get all of the order together.....so hopefully that will be enough time. Then it is time to get ready for the Farmer's Market. On top of all of that, I also have been asked to do a soap making demo for the local 4-H club AND I have been contacted by a florist in Saskatchwan, Canada and they would like to carry some of my products....I am thinking that maybe that freelance writer did run his article and she found me from there?? Guess we'll never know (well...guess I could ask her). But I have some research to do about some of the lega
lities of reselling in Canada. 
lities of reselling in Canada. 
Angel Hair Pasta with Garlic Shrimp and Broccoli
Ok...haven't done this in a while. Maybe it's because it's laziness or maybe there was nothing worth reviewing! But this recipe we (ok...John) made today was awesome! It was very simple to make, but it will seem like you spent hours slaving away in the kitchen. We did make a few changes....we left out the hot sauce and substituted steak sauce for the worcheshire sauce (simply becuase that was what we had on hand). Next time I think we may add crab meat to it also. We also used a basic basil type of pesto.
INGREDIENTS
1 (12 ounce) package angel hair pasta
2 1/2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons pesto
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
1 dash hot sauce
1/2 (16 ounce) package frozen broccoli florets, thawed
1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 cloves garlic, minced
DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Melt 1.5 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly stir in milk and cream; simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in pesto, parsley, garlic, Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, white pepper, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer.
Meanwhile, place broccoli in a steamer over 1 inch of boiling water, and cover. Cook until tender but still firm, about 2 to 6 minutes. Drain.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet. Saute shrimp, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt for 5 minutes, or until shrimp are pink.
In a large bowl, toss pasta, shrimp and broccoli; pour sauce over and serve.
INGREDIENTS
1 (12 ounce) package angel hair pasta
2 1/2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons pesto
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
1 dash hot sauce
1/2 (16 ounce) package frozen broccoli florets, thawed
1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 cloves garlic, minced
DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Melt 1.5 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly stir in milk and cream; simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in pesto, parsley, garlic, Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, white pepper, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer.
Meanwhile, place broccoli in a steamer over 1 inch of boiling water, and cover. Cook until tender but still firm, about 2 to 6 minutes. Drain.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet. Saute shrimp, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt for 5 minutes, or until shrimp are pink.
In a large bowl, toss pasta, shrimp and broccoli; pour sauce over and serve.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
VALENTINE'S DAY GIVEAWAY
Hello! As I'm sure many of you know.....Valentine's Day is just around the corner! And in honor of that fine day, my fellow soap buds and I are having a giveaway. Just visit our team site for all the details and to sign up! No need to be a member of etsy of sign up...so go...now! And tell all your friends about it too! There are two baskets to be given away chock full of awesome soaps, lotions and who knows what else!
Monday, February 2, 2009
Blog About It!! Copy, paste and pass it along!
It is a Blog-in. Help pass it a long.
As parents and concerned citizens I’m sure most of us at one time or another have been confronted with the question of lead poisoning. But have you asked yourself what your government is doing to protect your children from lead contained in toys? The answer? They're banning toys, taking books from schools and libraries, hurting low income families, killing entrepreneurial spirit and risking putting the economy in an even greater depression than we've seen in decades. I'd like to introduce you to their solution: the CPSIA.
Do you know about the CPSIA? No? Then I ask you to take a few minutes to find out about it.
The CPSIA stands for Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, a new set of laws that will come into effect on 10 February, 2009 and will impact many, many people in a negative way. Make no mistake, this is very real. View it for yourself. If Forbes, the American Library Association and numerous other media are paying attention, perhaps you should too.How will these new laws affect you? Well, here are a few examples:
To the Parents of Young Students:Due to the new law, expect to see the cost of school supplies sky rocket. While those paper clips weren't originally intended for your student to use, they will need to be tested now that your 11-year-old needs them for his school project. This law applies to any and all school supplies (textbooks, pencils, crayons, paper, etc.) being used by children under 12.
To the Avid Reader:Due to the new law, all children's books will be pulled from library and school shelves, as there is no exemption for them. That’s okay though, there's always television. Our children don’t need to learn the love of reading after all.Article from the American Library Association http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=1322
To the Lover of All Things Handmade:Due to the new law, you will now be given a cotton ball and an instruction manual so you can make it yourself since that blanket you originally had your eye on for $50 will now cost you around $1,000 after it's passed testing. It won't even be the one-of-a-kind blanket you were hoping for. Items are destroyed in the testing process making one-of-a-kind items virtually impossible. So that gorgeous hand-knit hat you bought your child this past winter won’t be available next winter.
To the Environmentalist:Due to the new law, all items in non-compliance will now be dumped into our already overflowing landfills. Imagine not just products from the small business owners, but the Big Box Stores as well. You can't sell it so you must toss it. Or be potentially sued for selling it. You can't even give them away. If you are caught, it is still a violation.
To the Second-Hand Shopper:Due to the new law, you will now need to spend $20 for that brand new pair of jeans for your 2-year old, rather than shop at the Goodwill for second hand. Many resale shops are eliminating children's items all together to avoid future lawsuits.
To the Entrepreneur:Due to this new law, you will be forced to adhere to strict testing of your unique products or discontinue to make and/or sell them. Small businesses will be likely to be unable to afford the cost of testing and be forced to close up shop. Due to the current economic state, you'll have to hope for the best when it comes to finding a new job in Corporate America.
To the Antique Toy Collector:Due to the new law, you'd better start buying now because it's all going to private collection and will no longer be available to purchase. “Because the new rules apply retroactively, toys and clothes already on the shelf will have to be thrown out if they aren't certified as safe.” http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123189645948879745.html
To the American Economy:Already struggling under an economy that hasn’t been this weak in decades, the American economy will be hit harder with the inevitable loss of jobs and revenues from suppliers, small businesses and consumers. The required testing is far too costly and restrictive for small businesses or individuals to undertake.
To the Worldwide Economy:Due to this new law, many foreign manufacturers have already pulled out of the US market. You can imagine the impact of this on their businesses.
If you think this is exaggerated, here is a recent article from Forbes http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/16/cpsia-safety-toys-oped-cx_wo_0116olson.html
And for those of you prepared to be stupefied and boggled, The New Law http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html
Did you know? If this upsets or alarms you, please react.
As parents and concerned citizens I’m sure most of us at one time or another have been confronted with the question of lead poisoning. But have you asked yourself what your government is doing to protect your children from lead contained in toys? The answer? They're banning toys, taking books from schools and libraries, hurting low income families, killing entrepreneurial spirit and risking putting the economy in an even greater depression than we've seen in decades. I'd like to introduce you to their solution: the CPSIA.
Do you know about the CPSIA? No? Then I ask you to take a few minutes to find out about it.
The CPSIA stands for Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, a new set of laws that will come into effect on 10 February, 2009 and will impact many, many people in a negative way. Make no mistake, this is very real. View it for yourself. If Forbes, the American Library Association and numerous other media are paying attention, perhaps you should too.How will these new laws affect you? Well, here are a few examples:
To the Parents of Young Students:Due to the new law, expect to see the cost of school supplies sky rocket. While those paper clips weren't originally intended for your student to use, they will need to be tested now that your 11-year-old needs them for his school project. This law applies to any and all school supplies (textbooks, pencils, crayons, paper, etc.) being used by children under 12.
To the Avid Reader:Due to the new law, all children's books will be pulled from library and school shelves, as there is no exemption for them. That’s okay though, there's always television. Our children don’t need to learn the love of reading after all.Article from the American Library Association http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=1322
To the Lover of All Things Handmade:Due to the new law, you will now be given a cotton ball and an instruction manual so you can make it yourself since that blanket you originally had your eye on for $50 will now cost you around $1,000 after it's passed testing. It won't even be the one-of-a-kind blanket you were hoping for. Items are destroyed in the testing process making one-of-a-kind items virtually impossible. So that gorgeous hand-knit hat you bought your child this past winter won’t be available next winter.
To the Environmentalist:Due to the new law, all items in non-compliance will now be dumped into our already overflowing landfills. Imagine not just products from the small business owners, but the Big Box Stores as well. You can't sell it so you must toss it. Or be potentially sued for selling it. You can't even give them away. If you are caught, it is still a violation.
To the Second-Hand Shopper:Due to the new law, you will now need to spend $20 for that brand new pair of jeans for your 2-year old, rather than shop at the Goodwill for second hand. Many resale shops are eliminating children's items all together to avoid future lawsuits.
To the Entrepreneur:Due to this new law, you will be forced to adhere to strict testing of your unique products or discontinue to make and/or sell them. Small businesses will be likely to be unable to afford the cost of testing and be forced to close up shop. Due to the current economic state, you'll have to hope for the best when it comes to finding a new job in Corporate America.
To the Antique Toy Collector:Due to the new law, you'd better start buying now because it's all going to private collection and will no longer be available to purchase. “Because the new rules apply retroactively, toys and clothes already on the shelf will have to be thrown out if they aren't certified as safe.” http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123189645948879745.html
To the American Economy:Already struggling under an economy that hasn’t been this weak in decades, the American economy will be hit harder with the inevitable loss of jobs and revenues from suppliers, small businesses and consumers. The required testing is far too costly and restrictive for small businesses or individuals to undertake.
To the Worldwide Economy:Due to this new law, many foreign manufacturers have already pulled out of the US market. You can imagine the impact of this on their businesses.
If you think this is exaggerated, here is a recent article from Forbes http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/16/cpsia-safety-toys-oped-cx_wo_0116olson.html
And for those of you prepared to be stupefied and boggled, The New Law http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html
Did you know? If this upsets or alarms you, please react.
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