Friday, January 28, 2011

How-To: Spicy Dark Hot Chocolate

spicy_hot_chocolate.jpg

This yummy spicy dark hot chocolate from Brett Bara of Manhattan Craft Room looks DELICIOUS! Perfect to warm you up on a frigid winter's day!

Thursday, January 27, 2011

How-To: Homemade Pet Treats

pettreats_chickennoodle.jpg

The finished product is "bark" when broken up into pieces appropriate for the size of your pet.

I'm always looking for tasty treats to make for my sweetie pie and I'm super excited about making "bark" for her. We don't have a dehydrator so I'll have to try the oven on low and see how that works..

Monday, January 24, 2011

Craft: Origami Heart Valentines

Craft: Origami Heart Valentines

I'm totally going to make these for my staff this year.


There are full instructions at Zakka life: crafts, recipes, and life along with a sweet little template to keep you on track with your folding :D

Knitting Basket Birthday Cake

yarn_basket_birthday_cake_1.jpg

yarn_basket_cake_2.jpg

This cake is awesome! Check out the posting and story on KnitHacker

Outdoor Ice Bunting

I love this idea and am determined to test it out at Grandma's house sometime this week - a fabulous way to brighten up her front porch - I'll hang some outside her big front window too so she can enjoy looking at them :D


Original idea, photo, and instructions are at Two Chicks and a Hen: How to Make an Outdoor Ice Bunting

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Friday, January 14, 2011

Savory Carrot Soufflé

savory_carrot_souffle.jpg

This looks so amazingly delicious! Carrots, parmesan Cheese, milk, cream, and nutmeg oh my!

Thank you Craft and Ecualombian for sharing.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Managing School-Community Partnerships is a Full-Time Job

Managing School-Community Partnerships is a Full-Time Job
Posted by Michael Robbins on January 11, 2011 at 02:50 PM EST

Partnering with faith and community organizations is a proven means for schools to boost attendance, improve behavior, and achieve measurable gains in learning – all outcomes we want to see from our School Improvement Grants at the U.S. Department of Education.

Not surprisingly for many schools, the task of seeking out and sustaining these partnerships frequently gets pushed to the bottom of an endless to-do list. A proven way to reap the benefits of community partnerships is for a school to designate a skilled, experienced person for precisely this job.

Read more at The White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships.


More about the School Improvement Fund from the US Dept of Education

In conjunction with Title I funds for school improvement reserved under section 1003(a) of the ESEA, School Improvement Grants under section 1003(g) of the ESEA are used to improve student achievement in Title I schools identified for improvement, corrective action, or restructuring so as to enable those schools to make adequate yearly progress (AYP) and exit improvement status.

The Department of Education Appropriations Act, 2010, provided $546 million for School Improvement Grants in fiscal year (FY) 2010. In addition, the U.S. Department of Education (Department) estimates that, collectively, States have carried over approximately $825 million in FY 2009 SIG funds that will be combined with FY 2010 SIG funds, for a total of nearly $1.4 billion that will be awarded by States as part of their FY 2010 SIG competitions.


I work in the Community Arts Partnerships Department at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, MI.

Community Arts Partnerships (CAP) collaborates with Detroit community organizations to create art and design education, experiences, and resources for local youth and families in support of individual and community development.

In support of this mission, CAP provides programs that foster positive youth development through visual arts programs focused on skill development, self discover, and self expression, bring education in art, design, and new technologies to youth in under-resourced inner-city communities, inform young people about career and educational opportunities in the visual arts and design, and bring the arts to bear in the re-development of the city of Detroit and its diverse neighborhoods and communities.

The CAP office partners with organizations within a 25 mile radius of the College for Creative Studies (CCS) that serve youth and families that are at least 51% free/reduced lunch eligible.

CAP's goal is that students receive diverse input from a truly diverse faculty and staff. In 2010, CAP's faculty, staff, and artists were nearly 47% African American, 39% Caucasian, and a 14% mix of other populations including Latino, Arab-American, Asian-American, and Native American. 81% of our employees live within CAP's core target area including the cities of Detroit, Highland Park, and Hamtramck.

It is very rewarding to serve the community is such an impactful way. I love Detroit and look forward to the wonderful things that will happen here in the near future.

Eatsy Find: Homemade Granola

My mom makes the most amazing granola ever - here is a recipe I stumbled across on Etsy's "Eatsy" :D Enjoy! ~Lynnifer

Granola Recipe 1.0
Yield: About 9 cups


This recipe is just a starting point. Granola is one of the most adaptable foods you can make. Use up the oats you have, if you’re low on those stir in extra nuts, seeds, or other fiber flakes. If you’re low on honey or maple syrup, do as Michelle does when in a pinch and make use of the jam jars in your fridge. The important thing to keep in mind is to add enough oil so the dried ingredients crisp. I like olive oil (after all I’m part Portuguese) and Michelle, a more sensible cook, likes coconut oil. Tweak to your liking.

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats or equivalent measurement with oat bran, barley and flax seed mixed in
1 cups raw almonds or pecans, roughly chopped
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup coconut flakes
3/4 cup honey or maple syrup
3/4 to 1 cup olive oil or coconut oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup chopped dried cherries, currants, yellow raisins or a mix of all three

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, mix the oats, nuts, pumpkin seeds, coconut flakes, maple syrup or honey, oil, salt and cinnamon together. Spread mixture on a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until golden brown and well toasted.

2. Transfer granola to a large bowl and add the dried fruit, tossing to combine.

granola2-560.jpg

Photo: Maple Spice Granola from larissalmarks

Etsy Find: Big Eye Birds

Wedding Cake  Topper - Big Eye Birds - Love Birds in Paper Mache
zoom
They met, they fell in love, they decided that wedded bliss was for them.

This listing is for the actual birds that you will receive. There is space at the front for adding flowers to match your cake or anything you can find to tie these birds into your wedding theme.

The big eyed birds decided to take the plunge and have wanted to share this day with you. He in his top hat and tux and she in her best white and matching crown.

They have copper wire legs and feet and are attached to the wooden base. The base is a 5" round wooden base with vintage foreign text covering the top and the bottom and has been washed with many colors for an extra antique look matching both birds. They stand about 6 inches tall.

The birds are made from paper mache with a paper clay top hat and crown. Painted with many colors of acrylics and some colored pencil and clearcoated for a shine and for protection.

They will come to you signed and dated on the bottom, ready to share with you that special day.





These birds are so adorably charming.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Celebrity Crush: Vin Diesel

Celebrity Crush: Vin Diesel

Call me crazy but I LOVE Vin Diesel.



I love to pop in one of his movies (Riddick is my all time fav) and just listen to his dreamy voice... They're making another Riddick movie - Riddick Returns - and I can't wait! We're going to see it in the theaters for sure :D

Etsy Find: Claro Walnut Headboard & Bed Frame

Claro Walnut  Headboard & Bed Frame
zoom
Solid Claro Walnut Slab Headboard
Includes full size walnut platform
Slab size roughly: 50" x 70" x 2" thick



I'm in LOVE - it is my dream to make a beautifully carved wooden headboard for our King Size bed but I would certainly "settle" for this one!

How-To: Homemade Butter

Maize Hutton shows you how to "spread the love" this Valentine's Day with her recipe for homemade butter. You can even make it organic or add in flavors to make it more unique. Chili butter anyone?!


My mom makes the most delicious Honey Butter ever - I could just eat it by the spoonful!

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Amazing Cakes

Mike's Amazing Cakes

My sister is a budding cake artist and she will soon be making cakes like Mike McCarey.

Here is the wedding cake she made last summer:

Wedding August 14, 2010



She's also gotten into the habit of making cakes for extra credit in her classes. I need to get pictures from her to share.

European History - Bust of Hitler
Chemistry - Moles
English - Lord of the Flies

and some more that I can't remember...

Her birthday cakes include a birds' nest and bear that I'll get some pictures for too.

citrus wallop fruit salad

citrus wallop fruit salad

citrus & peels

This salad sounds AMAZING! Check out Everybody Loves Sandwiches for the full recipe and more tantalizing photos :D

Nutella: Homemade Deliciousness

Nutella: Homemade Deliciousness



Visit Bon Vivant: Life's simple pleasures for more delicious photos and the recipe. YUM!

Monday, January 10, 2011

I LOVE the Arab American National Museum

Welcome to the Online Activities Dashboard for the Arab American National Museum


Here you can experience the Museum from any location, any time, via your computer.

EXPLORE the Museum’s collection of artifacts

SEARCH the AANM Library & Research Center’s media collections

LEARN about the inner workings of the Museum on the Curatorial Blog

ACCESS a searchable national Community Resource Directory of Arab American artists and organizations

Click on the iTunes logo to download Museum programs FREE from iTunes U.

Watch videos about the Museum and its programs.

Arab American Road Movie part 1

View images from AANM events and exhibitions, and add your own.

foursquare

We're reimagining our visitor loyalty program. Check in to the Arab American National Museum on Foursquare to find out more!

Get instant updates on AANM events and exhibitions and converse with others interested in history, culture, art and related topics.

Click on the Twitter logo to connect and share info on Museum events and related topics.

Click on the Yelp or TripAdvisor logos to read visitor reviews of the Museum and post your own.