Good Vibe 5: Color, Crushing, Cooking, and DAFFODILS

Hello and Happy New Year (we’re so close to 2018, eeee!)

Are you ready for a few feel-good blips to add to your mental inventory? Even just curating these 5 Good Vibes puts me in an aura of gratitude. I aim to supply happy, colorful inspiration in force — plus a SALE on one of my very favorite stamps .... let’s get to it!

GOOD VIBE #1

Never thought I’d say this, but if you haven’t crushed up a rainbow of hard candy and experimented with making your own candy agate slices — you simply haven’t lived! Hahaha! My dear (and supremely artistic) friend Trenna Travis and I used up way too much time before the holidays covering my entire dining room table and every surface in the kitchen with the makings for melted-candy geodes, enlisted our kids in making them, and now are left with the desire to make more and more!! Just what is a candy agate slice? I’ll be sharing a tutorial on the blog on Monday, and I aim to get you as addicted to this silly, sticky fun as we are! A perfectly sweet craft when you have wintertime cabin fever, and a great project for all ages.

GOOD VIBE #2

Having recently discovered Power Poppy, Eileen Hoare shared her work-in-progress with us over on the Power Poppy Facebook page (are you following us there?). Isn’t this cluster of raspberries something else? Look at the highlights Eileen achieved with her recent Christmas-gift Copic markers. Lovely blending and choice of colors (this is our digital stamp, Berry It). I do hope Eileen will share her finished product, I know I can’t wait to see how it all comes together!!

GOOD VIBE #3

HEY NOW!!! For three days only, the Weekend Stamp Steal is here with one of my very favorite stamp sets of all time, featuring a flower that is near and dear to me.... Daffodils! Pick up the crisply stamping clear polymer Daffodils for $11.99 (SAVE $6!) featuring two large images and several sentiments. Grab the downloadable digi Dancing with Daffodils for $1.99 (SAVE $4!), featuring the image with a snail and periwinkle plus one sentiment. Hurry, ends on Sunday, Dec. 31 at midnight...

GOOD VIBE #4

Come January, many folks make that resolution to eat healthier. In our house, we’re trying to get back on the stick after a few months of marvelous over-indulgence! While I don’t regret those puff pastry bites or Christmas candies, it does feel pretty great to eat healthy stuff most of the time. You just feel more energetic and the good vibes flow. I posted an Instagram pic a few weeks ago of my salmon-cooked-in-parchment-paper dinner, a low-calorie, nutrient-dense meal, and received several notes about it. It is SO EASY, my friends, and you can cook virtually any fish this way. Essentially, you are steaming everything inside a pouch. It’s pretty and can be incredibly flavorful.

Fish and Veggies Cooked in Parchment Paper

Preheat over to 350°. Start with a few sheets of cooking parchment paper (in the baking aisle or with the aluminum foil at the store) per person, trim to about 12" x 14". In the center of each parchment square, drizzle some olive oil. Then lay a piece of fish (i.e.: cod, halibut, salmon, tilapia) in the center. Salt and pepper the fish, and add chopped garlic. Surround the fish with quick-cooking vegetables like French green beans (the really skinny ones), halved cherry tomatoes, asparagus, slices of onion and mushrooms, etc. Sprinkle the whole thing with chopped herbs (i.e.: basil, thyme, oregano), squeezes of lime or lemon, more salt and pepper, chopped garlic, maybe a splash of white wine, a few capers... anything that sounds yummy to you and to add flavor. Experiment and have fun with it! Then create a little "packet" with the parchment, leaving room for air at the top, by crimping the sides of the paper together. If it won't stay closed, tie it up with kitchen twine. Pop in the oven for about 18-22 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, and the amount of veggies you have in your parchment packet.

After you remove the packet from the oven, let it sit for a few minutes to sort of settle. You can then serve everything right inside the packet, just pop the whole thing on to a plate and carefully unwrap, as the steam will be quite hot. Serve with crusty bread — dipping it into the broth that's created is one of the finest experiences on the planet. (Next to crushing up that candy and making geodes.) Bon appétit!

GOOD VIBE #5

Gotta love when you spy somebody posting a project only days after inspiration first struck! We shared a sweet notecard set by Elizabeth Zaffarano a few weeks ago featuring our Under Glass: Christmas Traditions set, and it wasn't long before Essie Swartz created her own version using the original Under Glass. They are just darling!! Be sure to check out Essie’s Instagram feed (@escards) to see the full set and all of her beautiful coloring combos.

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My dear friends, I wish you a wonderful weekend, and a Happy New Year filled with joy, peace, and boundless gratitude! Come back and visit with us Monday to see those cool candy geode slices, and then on January 5th, we’ll share our first digital stamp design of 2018. Big hugs and lotsa love,

xoxoxo,