A thought for today:
"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel"--Maya Angelou
'nuff said.
~M
Friday, February 16, 2007
Monday, February 12, 2007
Fave Scrappin' Supplies
My scrappin' friend Beth recently asked on her blog, "What are your essentials? If you had to get rid of everything and just keep a modest amount, what would be on your list? What do you reach for time after time?"
I've been thinking of this as I scrapped over the few weeks since I read her blog, carefully taking note of the items I repeatedly grab for.
Now, bear with me as I try to answer. After all, I've never been able to pick one favorite of anything. When I was little, and someone asked me to tell them my favorite food I would say "corn...and steak...and fried chicken...and strawberries...and green beans..." and they would get impatient and so, "no your FAVORITE?" and I'd start in with my list again.
So, here we go...my essentials (assuming that I'd still get the obvious basics, such as a camera and album).
(1) Adhesive. My favorites for everyday scrappin': 3L Scrapbook adhesives tabs (permanent), Xyron X (permanent), glue dots, and wacky tack. For altered projects: 3M's quick dry.
(2) Cutting tools: trimmer (have yet to find "the one"), Perfect Layers with cutting mat and xacto, and my Cutterbee teflon-coated, fine-tipped scissors.
As you may have noticed my theory on adhesive and cutting tools is variety. You know when you ask your husband why he has sixteen different screwdrivers, and he replies, "well you gotta have the right tool for the job."? Well, that's how I feel about these items.
(3) Embellishments: Brads, chipboard, flowers, ribbon and Carolee's jewels.
(4) Ink: Pigma Micron pens (black for sure, colors are just a bonus. A variety of tip sizes would be nice however.) and Colorbox Fluid Chalk ink in black and brown (charcoal and chestnut roan) to be more exact.
(6) Cardstock. While I love the texture and color-matching options of Bazzill, I could get by without (*gasp* is that even legal to say?)...more important to me is the ability to match it my projects.
(7) Patterned paper. I rely on this greatly for my design element. If I had to limit the brands I bought I'd stick with Chatterbox and KI for their design sense and versatility, and Doodlebug because it's just so dang cute.
(8) And if I still had room some basic stamps (basic shapes or versatile design elements like swirls) and a small assortment of stamp pads (i.e. a staz-on pad, a versamark pad, and some basic colors).
I've been thinking of this as I scrapped over the few weeks since I read her blog, carefully taking note of the items I repeatedly grab for.
Now, bear with me as I try to answer. After all, I've never been able to pick one favorite of anything. When I was little, and someone asked me to tell them my favorite food I would say "corn...and steak...and fried chicken...and strawberries...and green beans..." and they would get impatient and so, "no your FAVORITE?" and I'd start in with my list again.
So, here we go...my essentials (assuming that I'd still get the obvious basics, such as a camera and album).
(1) Adhesive. My favorites for everyday scrappin': 3L Scrapbook adhesives tabs (permanent), Xyron X (permanent), glue dots, and wacky tack. For altered projects: 3M's quick dry.
(2) Cutting tools: trimmer (have yet to find "the one"), Perfect Layers with cutting mat and xacto, and my Cutterbee teflon-coated, fine-tipped scissors.
As you may have noticed my theory on adhesive and cutting tools is variety. You know when you ask your husband why he has sixteen different screwdrivers, and he replies, "well you gotta have the right tool for the job."? Well, that's how I feel about these items.
(3) Embellishments: Brads, chipboard, flowers, ribbon and Carolee's jewels.
(4) Ink: Pigma Micron pens (black for sure, colors are just a bonus. A variety of tip sizes would be nice however.) and Colorbox Fluid Chalk ink in black and brown (charcoal and chestnut roan) to be more exact.
(6) Cardstock. While I love the texture and color-matching options of Bazzill, I could get by without (*gasp* is that even legal to say?)...more important to me is the ability to match it my projects.
(7) Patterned paper. I rely on this greatly for my design element. If I had to limit the brands I bought I'd stick with Chatterbox and KI for their design sense and versatility, and Doodlebug because it's just so dang cute.
(8) And if I still had room some basic stamps (basic shapes or versatile design elements like swirls) and a small assortment of stamp pads (i.e. a staz-on pad, a versamark pad, and some basic colors).
Monday, February 5, 2007
Sweet and Savory Chicken Salad
INGREDIENTS
4 cups cubed, cooked chicken meat
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
1 cup chopped celery
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup minced green bell pepper
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
ground black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl, mix together mayonnaise with paprika and seasoned salt. Blend in dried cranberries, celery, bell pepper, onion, and nuts. Add chopped chicken, and mix well. Season with black pepper to taste. Chill 1 hour. 12 servings (according to the original recipe...we eat it in about 6 servings as a main meal).
LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe. Easy and good.
4 cups cubed, cooked chicken meat
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
1 cup chopped celery
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup minced green bell pepper
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
ground black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl, mix together mayonnaise with paprika and seasoned salt. Blend in dried cranberries, celery, bell pepper, onion, and nuts. Add chopped chicken, and mix well. Season with black pepper to taste. Chill 1 hour. 12 servings (according to the original recipe...we eat it in about 6 servings as a main meal).
LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe. Easy and good.
The NEW Church?
My husband and I have decided to start looking for a church to join. We were both raised in church-going families, and definitely have faith. However, our outward expression of that faith (for example, going to church or reading the Bible) have been...well...lacking. With some encouragement from friends we decided to try their church.
Before I start to much let me just say that I really enjoyed this church. The people were all very friendly...definitely people I could identify with. I could see attending other functions with them and having a genuinely nice time. The pastor had a great message, and was able to drive it home with real-life applications and humor. The music was contemporary and uplifting...not for everyone, but definitely our style.
But as I was sitting there, I started looking around at everyone...something I was taught not to do growing up, but couldn't resist. The crowd was mostly 20's and 30's. Lots of young couples, but some singles as well. The unifying trait of this crowd was that everyone (except me) was wearing jeans, and a casual top (sweatshirts, plaid shirts, etc). The pastor made references to the movie, "The Princess Bride"; there was a live band with amazing vocalists and instrumentalists, and the alter was covered up with a projector screen. Even the communion wasn't traditional in the sense that they put bread and grape juice on several tables and told you to help yourself as you pleased over the course of the following few songs.
It's definitely not the church I grew up in (which wasn't even that "strict") where there was order the service (i.e. processional, recessional), order to communion, suits and dresses...maybe even hats for the ladies. There was room for the occasional humorous joke or anecdote, and it wasn't a threatening sermon by any stretch. But, it's still very different from this church we attended yesterday.
But as I sat there listening and watching, I thought this change to a more contemporary seems to be working. I know of many other churches in our city that are doing the same thing. And both of yesterdays services at this church were full and lively.
And it made me think...has any other generation in recent history changed the tradition of church-going as much as ours has? And I don't think it has. I think we were the first generation in awhile to step up and say "hey, the church thing is great, we love praying and worshipping but let's do it this way instead. Let's add music WE like, dress how WE'RE comfortable, and do away with some of the unnecessary structure".
Not only have they asked for this change but they've gone out and gotten it for themselves. With the exception of the pastor, everyone who participated in the service was in their 20's. There were several people putting the years of music lessons their parents paid for to good use yesterday. Several others were mentioned as missionaries in the flyer. And there were many others who were participating in Bible studies, organized activities, and simply reaching out and saying "hi" to the "newbies" or offering prayers to those in need.
Based on observation, this change to a more contemporary service seems to be working for the younger demographic. More and more churches in our city that are doing the same thing, or at least offering one "contemporary service". And both of yesterday's services at this church were full and lively.
And ya know what? It made me proud of my generation. I'm sure other generations have thought about shaking things up, but this seems like the first time that it's been done successfully in awhile. So many talk about the Generation X and Y as the "do nothing" crowd, the generation with no clear identity or focus, and yet those are exactly who we can credit for this change.
Now to me, whether you're Christian or not, isn't the point, I'm just glad that people in my generation, and the one after it, are showing people that we CARE, we'll stand up and DO something about it. And that's pretty cool!
While I still don't think I can bring myself to wear jeans to church, I will definitely be going back to this church and enjoying the gifts it has to offer. But as I sign off, I ask you: what do you think of the "New" church? Do you think other generations in recent history have done changed the tradition of church too; or are we the first?
~M
Before I start to much let me just say that I really enjoyed this church. The people were all very friendly...definitely people I could identify with. I could see attending other functions with them and having a genuinely nice time. The pastor had a great message, and was able to drive it home with real-life applications and humor. The music was contemporary and uplifting...not for everyone, but definitely our style.
But as I was sitting there, I started looking around at everyone...something I was taught not to do growing up, but couldn't resist. The crowd was mostly 20's and 30's. Lots of young couples, but some singles as well. The unifying trait of this crowd was that everyone (except me) was wearing jeans, and a casual top (sweatshirts, plaid shirts, etc). The pastor made references to the movie, "The Princess Bride"; there was a live band with amazing vocalists and instrumentalists, and the alter was covered up with a projector screen. Even the communion wasn't traditional in the sense that they put bread and grape juice on several tables and told you to help yourself as you pleased over the course of the following few songs.
It's definitely not the church I grew up in (which wasn't even that "strict") where there was order the service (i.e. processional, recessional), order to communion, suits and dresses...maybe even hats for the ladies. There was room for the occasional humorous joke or anecdote, and it wasn't a threatening sermon by any stretch. But, it's still very different from this church we attended yesterday.
But as I sat there listening and watching, I thought this change to a more contemporary seems to be working. I know of many other churches in our city that are doing the same thing. And both of yesterdays services at this church were full and lively.
And it made me think...has any other generation in recent history changed the tradition of church-going as much as ours has? And I don't think it has. I think we were the first generation in awhile to step up and say "hey, the church thing is great, we love praying and worshipping but let's do it this way instead. Let's add music WE like, dress how WE'RE comfortable, and do away with some of the unnecessary structure".
Not only have they asked for this change but they've gone out and gotten it for themselves. With the exception of the pastor, everyone who participated in the service was in their 20's. There were several people putting the years of music lessons their parents paid for to good use yesterday. Several others were mentioned as missionaries in the flyer. And there were many others who were participating in Bible studies, organized activities, and simply reaching out and saying "hi" to the "newbies" or offering prayers to those in need.
Based on observation, this change to a more contemporary service seems to be working for the younger demographic. More and more churches in our city that are doing the same thing, or at least offering one "contemporary service". And both of yesterday's services at this church were full and lively.
And ya know what? It made me proud of my generation. I'm sure other generations have thought about shaking things up, but this seems like the first time that it's been done successfully in awhile. So many talk about the Generation X and Y as the "do nothing" crowd, the generation with no clear identity or focus, and yet those are exactly who we can credit for this change.
Now to me, whether you're Christian or not, isn't the point, I'm just glad that people in my generation, and the one after it, are showing people that we CARE, we'll stand up and DO something about it. And that's pretty cool!
While I still don't think I can bring myself to wear jeans to church, I will definitely be going back to this church and enjoying the gifts it has to offer. But as I sign off, I ask you: what do you think of the "New" church? Do you think other generations in recent history have done changed the tradition of church too; or are we the first?
~M
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