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Saturday, June 20, 2015

Stars and stripes mandala to print and color

Stars and stripes mandala- with blank versions to color in jpg and transparent PNG format

I'm looking forward to seeing how other people color this stars and stripes mandala. I'm stuck in a red, white and blue mindset because it's nearly July, but I know some of you will use other colors that will just be brilliant!

Click the images below to print and color this mandala.

Small JPG version:
stars and stripes mandala to print and color- available in jpg and transparent PNG format

Large transparent PNG version:
stars and stripes mandala to print and color- available in jpg and transparent PNG format


Friday, June 19, 2015

Stars and Stripes printable snack tray- New Template!

Printable stars and stripes snack tray for 4th of July!

I hope you like this new snack tray! It prints out on a single sheet of card stock and the finished tray is 5x3 inches on the bottom and 6x4 inches at the top and 1.5 inches deep. As you can see, I used waxed paper to line it and protect it from moisture from the fruit. It's about a 9 inch square? I'm guessing- I didn't measure the square after cutting it.

It matches the printable stars and stripes gift box posted here.

Click the image below for a larger version, print it on cardstock, and cut out, score fold lines, fold, glue!

Printable stars and stripes snack tray for 4th of July
Want more patriotic FREE printables for the 4th of July? Click HERE

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Why I need the Ball Blue Book® Guide 37th Edition

Why I need the Ball Blue Book Guide 37th Edition #canning #bookreview #CanItForward

I planted too much zucchini.

Right now it's only seedlings, but it's still there. I can see the future and it's going to be entirely too much. But my kids, who LOVE zucchini are still think I should have planted more. After all, the package had 30 seeds and we plant all of the radish over a summer. No, I didn't plant zucchini, that's madness. But 6 of 7 seeds I planted are growing. 6 zucchini bushes.

My raspberries? Are trying to take over the world. I've mentioned them before, my incredibly sweet raspberries accidental hybrid raspberries? Once upon a time I planted 3 canes.
Yeah, that's a wall of raspberry plants. With lots of flowers.

Then of course my rhubarb, which is very large, very happy and needs to be split this year.

Which brings me to the new Ball Blue Book® Guide to Preserving (shortened frequently to Ball Blue Book or Ball Blue Book Guide)- the 37th edition is a HUGE update from last year, and every year brings new recipes and is always the most current information on safe food preservation. So even if you have old copies, it's well worth it to get the most current edition at least every other year. This year is one you should definitely have-

Same great format, this book is the number 1 canning reference in my kitchen. Yes, I have a lot of canning books and love them all- but this is the one everyone needs. It teaches you step by step canning basics, and you check out the videos on the Ball Canning website for more information. Then it has recipes.

Jams, salsas, ketchup, juices, jellies, relishes, ways to use them, non-canning methods like dehydration and jerky as well. How to preserve darn near any food item to use or giveaway as gifts (a jar of jam is a great way to say "I love you") , everything well indexed. I LOVE the index, Apples to Zucchini (well, actually Acid to Zucchini-Pineapple Doughnuts, but it sounds better the other way)

Too much zucchini- call friends, see who is willing to take zucchini. Then look up the recipes for what you know you'll still have leftover-

Several kinds of pickles, a wonderful looking jardiniere, relish, the above mentioned doughnuts, dehydrated zucchini chips. I'm set! What doesn't wind up on the grill, in soup, in baked goods or passed off to friends and family will get used in these recipes. I know my son will eat the heck out of hot zucchini pickles in the fall and winter.

Raspberries- preserves, jams, jellies, conserves, fruit leather and juice. All set there too. I know some people say they can eat all the raspberries they grow- but last year I got quarts and quarts of berries and this year is looking even bigger.

At the end of the book is a trouble shooting section, and a section that explains how to tell if your canned goods went off and how to dispose of them.

When people ask me about canning, this is the book I recommend to them to get started. It might be the only book you need. It's no fluff. There are pictures, but most of it is recipes that are clearly written and easy to read and follow.

Follow Ball Canning on Facebook and Twitter for more information, recipes and occasionally nifty jar crafts.
You can get the book from Ball Canning-  Ball Blue Book® Guide
Or you can get it from Amazon here-

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Amazon.com affiliate links don't affect your cost, and provide extra income to me personally, which helps support this site.

I received a complimentary copy of this book to review, I received no other compensation, and my review is my honest opinion of the book. You can read more about my review policy here.




Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Red, White and Blue Printable Gift Box

We hold these truths to be self-evident...

I have a bunch of book reviews coming up soon, and some more printables to match this simple gift box, plus a photo post because I have so many photos taken in the last few weeks.

I hope you like this patriotic printable gift box. Click the image below for a larger version, and print on card stock, cut out, score folds, fold, glue!

Patriotic Printable Gift box #4thofJuly #IndependenceDay #printable #giftbox #party

Want more patriotic FREE printables for the 4th of July? Click HERE

Monday, June 8, 2015

Joy Coloring Page

Joy coloring page example


Today's Joy coloring page is an experiment. It's a fairly simple design, but I wanted to see how something like this would look in positive and negative images and to see what you would think of it. Do you like coloring pages with a lot of black in them for a darker look?

Click the images below to print and color larger versions of this coloring page!

Joy Light- Small JPG
Joy coloring page- available in a negative version as well in both JPG and transparent PNG format. #coloring
Joy Light- Transparent PNG:
Joy coloring page- available in a negative version as well in both JPG and transparent PNG format. #coloring

Joy Dark- small JPG:
Joy coloring page- available in a black on white version as well in both JPG and transparent PNG format. #coloring

Joy Dark- transparent PNG:
Joy coloring page- available in a black on white version as well in both JPG and transparent PNG format. #coloring



Thursday, June 4, 2015

Heart Mandala for Summer 2015

Mandala to color- blank available #coloring

Loving Day is coming up, so I have hearts on my mind again. Loving Day is the anniversary of the Loving vs. Virginia decision by the Supreme Court on June 12, 1967 which made interracial marriages legal across the US.

It's also my husband's birthday!

I hope that you all enjoy this hearts mandala to print and color!

Click the mandala for a larger version, print and color!
Small jpg
A heart mandala to print and color- also available in transparent PNG format

Transparent PNG
A heart mandala to print and color- also available in jpg format



Monday, June 1, 2015

Book Review- Healing Herbs

Book review - Healing Herbs by Tina Sams #foraging #plants #herbal #cookbook
I'm a big fan of foraging and using the things that grow wild around my neighborhood, so this is a book that I was very interested in reading.

Healing Herb's- A Beginner's Guide to Identifying, Foraging and Using Medicinal Plants is a lovely collection that's great for beginners because it covers easily identifiable plants and has recipes and tips for using them. Tina Sams has a blog and a magazine called The Essential Herbal and is very knowledgeable in her field. The photographs in this book are clear and gorgeous.

Starting with my favorite- dandelions, which are close to the end of the book.
The dandelion chapter is being used as my example of why this is a great book because I really love dandelions.

Each chapter starts with some history and scientific information about the plant, along with the medicinal uses. Then it gets into recipes! The recipes included are ways to incorporate easily found "weeds" into your skin care regime and diet.

Recipes include an infused skin care oil, dandelion fritters, dandelion root cocoa, a tea for PMS symptoms, green eggs and an infused vinegar.

I love the way this book is laid out, and the flowers and plants chosen for inclusion. There are recipes I've never tried before like gulkand, an uncooked rose petal preserve. The book includes things that can be found in your yard like plantain and dandelions, and a lot of things that can be easily grown or ordered if they don't grow wild in your area. For example, lavender doesn't grow easily here, but there is so much wild chamomile in my neighborhood that I've never even considered planting it in my yard. Raspberries grow wild up here, but I also have my own little thicket.
wild chamomile
Chamomile
There were some things not included, so I'm hoping for a sequel that will have recipes for things like shepherd's purse and spruce tips, but I'm really happy with what is included.

If you're someone just getting into foraging and wild crafting, this is a lovely book full of great photos, information and recipes. If you're more experienced and have a good library already, this may not have any new information for you but it's still a very pretty book. 

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Amazon.com affiliate links don't affect your cost, and provide extra income to me personally, which helps support this site.

I received a complimentary copy of this book to review, I received no other compensation, and my review is my honest opinion of the book. You can read more about my review policy here.