Homemade Yogurt!

A co-worker recently introduced me to a food blog called "A year of slow cooking" after a conversation we were having about yogurt. Where I live, the containers that yogurt and sour cream come in cannot be recycled! Since I am very much into reducing, re-using and recycling, this drives me bonkers! We were also discussing all the stuff they add to the store-bought yogurt. This led her to decide to go ahead and try THIS recipe for homemade yogurt. When she emailed me and told me she had success I decided I was brave enough to try it too!



I can honestly tell you that it is one of the easiest things I have ever made and get this - you make it in your crock pot!!! The best part is that my boys are eating it - all I do is add some fresh fruit, a bit of granola and a teaspoon or so of maple syrup or honey to add a bit of sweetness. This is an added bonus - before trying this, I only managed to sneak the plain stuff into smoothies and frozen smoothie popsicles and occasionally substitue it for sour cream when I make tacos (except for consistency, you hardly notice the difference). I truly didn't expect them to eat if from a bowl - they ate what you see here for breakfast (and sometimes snack) almost every day last week. I am onto something here - this is so easy to make, so much cheaper and no plastic container to toss into the landfill! Can you tell how excited I am! lol

Just in case you want to try this, I will post the recipe here with the adaptation that my friend made and has worked for me. Please note that this recipe was found on "A year of slowcooking" blog and I certainly am not the one who figured how to make yogurt in my crockpot. :)

Here it is:

Add 8 cups of milk to your crockpot (I have used homo, 2% or skim)
cover and turn on low for 2.5 hours

Unplug and allow to sit for three hours

Scoop out 2 cups of the milk and put in a bowl - whisk in 1/2 cup plain yogurt (the good plain kind with active culture from the store or a 1/2 cup you've saved from making your own)
Also whisk in 1/2 cup skim milk powder
Pour contents of bowl back into crockpot and stir to combine

Wrap your crockpot well in a beach towel, all the way around, on top and under (I use two)
Allow to sit un-plugged, overnight or for 8 hours

Voila, easy-peasy, you have homemade yogurt!

Don't be afraid, go on and try it. It's the easiest thing I've ever made!

I had been planning to share this for awhile now, but seeing Jenny's request over at The Southern Institute to share "Meals kids love" prompted me to get my post done.

Happy Saturday!

Shanna :)

p.s. Pickle Pants decided that he was NOT skiing today, so Chester and I went instead - too bad for Pickle Pants, sooner or later he will figure out what he is missing! Chester mastered another run - pretty awesome for his second time out ever - oh, my muscles are gonna hurt tomorrow.....however, five hours of skiing was much more fun than the treadmill!

It's a Party - Hogwart's Style!

These are Chester's Bday party invites. After the Harry Potter Party (simply a movie-viewing party with friends), he decided he may as well make his Bday Harry Potter themed as well. Well, that makes life easy for me - already have the treat ideas, and they want to watch the second movie. It will make for a bit of a long party, but that's okay - we plan to have an "intermission" to have food, cake and gifties.

I had been on the lookout for a stamp that was somehow related to the theme just to have on hand since both boys are so intrigued by the books and movies - and came across this one a few weeks back when a few of us decided to order from Whipper Snapper. I just love that little froggie!

I'm sharing two versions because the patterned paper is from my stash and there wasn't enough of the one to make 10 or 11 invites as it is Basic Grey and there was only one of each. This paper is so ancient - it's from the "archaic" line - so glad to use up a bit of it.

It is a fairly basic card, but keep in mind I had several to make. At first, I didn't plan to color, but simply stamping on colored CS just wasn't doing it. Donna convinced me I had to color them in and add liquid glass on the bubbles (you can't really tell in the photo), and I do like how they turned out. Best part is, they are done and distributed.

Originally, I made this a folding style card, but when I got home hubby's comment was - why don't you just make them like postcards and put the info on the back to save paper? That was exactly what I ended up doing.

Happy Friday! Looks like Pickle Pants and I are hitting the (bunny) slopes tomorrow - it's his turn this weekend - once again I'll need some luck folks - those of you who have the pleasure to know my Pickle Pants know how frustrated he can get.....I'm hoping that the need for adventure he has will override the frustration of learning to ride the Grip tow. Yep, that's the part that makes my entire upper body ache for nearly a week!

Cheers,

Shanna :)

What I used:

stamps: Whipper Snapper, CTMH sentiment

papers: Basic Grey & CTMH CS

copics: YG93, YG95, E25, E19, E31, T3, YR24

Tulip Thanks

Super quick post for today. Here is another photo card using a photo I took at my little brother's place last spring. Him and my new sister-in-law moved into their new house during the winter and were treated with hundreds of spring flowers come spring! Beautiful perrenial gardens - I was green with envy - oh to have that many spring bulbs - the effect was amazing! I couldn't stop taking photos. I'm sure they thought I was a little out there - I even ended up with grass stains....
Anyhooo, hope you've having a good week, ours has been super busy so not much time for visting. Hope to catch up with you all soon!
Cheers,
Shanna :)

Happy Spring & some thrifty finds.....

Hello, and thanks for stopping by!

Today I have a super simple card to share. I have made a New Year's resolution to work on using some of my extensive stash of ribbon.....yep, I have a bit of a ribbon problem. I just really like it, ah, a lot....

Anyhow, this super simple card fits in with this week's challenge at Raise the Bar - "I'm just saying" - a challenge to use a sentiment only, no images.



I just had to share my thrift store finds with you today. I stopped by on my way home from work just in case I happened to find a pair of skis in great condition for Chester. Fat chance for the skis - however, I can never turn down the chance to walk thru the book section.... here is what I found:

The Neverending Story original price $9.99

Anne of Green Gables original price $4.99

Bridget Jones's Diary original price $12.95

The Hound of the Baskervilles - with beautiful linen cover original price about $20 I think

Lord John and the Pirvate Matter - hardcover! original price $ 35.95

Olivia - board book original price $ 11.99

Cook's Notes journal orignal price unknown, but a very cool book

Over $100.00 worth of books before taxes....

So I didn't head out empty-handed, but I'm just getting to the best part. When I got to the till, I said to the lady, "I'm not sure of the price of these." She starts making a little pile for FREE...I look at her confused and she says, "you can go pick another if you like, it's Buy one get one Free day." I decide not to go back as the babysitter is at home with the boys and I don't want to be late. She rings up my sale, and it comes to, wait for it.....$1.97. I paid under two bucks for this entire stack of books, many of which are actually on my "to read" list as opposed to just, oh, I found a good bargain and some of which are hard covers, all in excellent if not brand new conditon! Made my day, let me tell ya! What a way to end my workday on a Monday!

Here's hoping your day was as good as mine! Hmmm, maybe I"m onto something here - a weekly Monday trip to the thrift store might do me some good, and save me some money on books!

Shanna :)

Easter Wishes

Happy Sunday! Thanks for stopping by!

When a few of us got together to scrap, we got talking about the new Lily of the Valley release and then went on to discuss how we should really ink up some of the lotv stamps we already own. So - we challenged ourselves to make and post a card using any lotv stamp within the next two weeks. Here is what I came up with.... Since I usually send a few Easter or spring cards, I figured I may as well ink up this lil' cutie. I coupled him with some papers from Basic Grey's Urban Prairie line and voila. You can't really tell from the photo, but I just had to add some pink flock to his tummy and paws - just for you Lee-Ann!

Skiing update - Chester and I had an absolutley fantastic time skiing yesterday! It was his very first time on skis, but after an hour lesson and a few more runs down the "bunny" hill together, we hopped the chairlift and did his first "green" run together. He was so excited! We repeated the same run several times. It was a fabulous day, but we both defintely have sore muscles today! lol I am hoping to take Pickle Pants next and maybe fit in one more trip to the mountain with Chester - we shall see what the weather does in the next couple of days. It depends on how much my sore muscles can manage as well, lol!

Here's hoping you have had a wonderful and relaxing weekend,
Shanna :)

What I used:
stamps: Lily of the Valley, CTMH sentiment
papers: Basic Grey, Urban Prairie
embellishments: Bella Bling (I did not spill it this time), SU ribbon
copics: R000, R81, Y32, Y35, YG93

Fearless at Five and Penpals anyone?

It's Friday - where did the rest of the week go??? Oh yes, must share what happened on Wednesday evening....hubby plays squash on Wednesday nights......so around 8:30 Wed evening, hubby calls to say he is on his way to the ER because he has turned his ankle. Okay - we agree that he will call me from the ER to let me know how it's going. He got lucky and the place was nearly empty - in and out in less than two hours. Thankfully, Danderella's hubby was willing to come and sit at the house while I rescued hubby from the hospital. The best part of this story - hubby calls to say I can come and pick me up and says, "Can you bring me some sweats?" Me - "Sure, but why.........?" Yep he went to the gym in his shorts and a hoodie and it must have been -25 celcius on Wednesday night - can you say dufis?? I'm thinking maybe he learned his lesson - or maybe not - ya know - sort of like when your Ma used to say "Don't forget to wear clean underwear!" Oh well, when all was said and done, hubby came home on crutches, but with nothing broken.

The layout I am sharing today is one I started eons ago, back in the summer, and finally finished last weekend. The random buttons are on there to avoid publishing photos of other people's children on my blog. This Bo Bunny paper was fun to work with and I was able to fit in quite a few photos of the party.

Chester is interested in having a penpal. If any of you know a child between the ages of about 7 and 10 who might be interested in correpsonding, please email me so we can discuss.

Well, Chester and I are heading to the ski hill in the morning for his first ski lesson - wish us luck!
Have a fab weekend,
Shanna :)

Holiday Cheer

Happy Wednesday - time for the downward slide to the weekend!
I started this card on the weekend and finally managed to get it done last night.....but not before spilling an entire twelve compartment container of Bella Bling all over my scrapspace - amazingly, I did not swear, but I very nearly cried........and almost gave up on the card for the night.

However, I was determined to get this done since I had two challenges in mind for it. Firstly, I chose this image because the challenge at Raise the Bar this week is "Mug shots" and it is brand spanking new from Whipper Snapper, so I was really looking forward to coloring him. And because I am also adding this to my stash of Christmas cards (I am now up to 25!), I am also entering this over at Christmas Card Challenges. This week's challenge is to use punches and though I didn't use a punch, I did use a nestability - close enough I suppose since the main challenge is simply to make a Christmas/Holiday card. Oh, I am going to be so organized this year! (the power of positive thinking...)

And here is the inside....I found the paper was light enough to stamp on and so should be light enough to be able to see the writing when we sign the card.

This card was rather painful to make - I agonized over the design and what ribbon to use, what embellishments, then the Bella Bling "incident" happened - in the end though, I think it was maybe worth it? What do you think?

Happy Wednesday!
Shanna :)

What I used:
stamps: Hero Arts sentiment, Whipper Snapper
papers: CTMH Indian Corn Blue, Echo Park - Wintertime line
embellishements: Basic Grey embossing folder (a gift for Christmas), SU felt ribbon, clear button, embroidery thread, SU felt snowflake
copics: R27, R29, E77, E79, B00, B34, C0, YR18

Welcome to the Neighbourhood

Happy Tuesday!

Here is a quickie I put together inspired by a piece of fabric my Ma picked up for me at a yardsale last summer for .25 cents! Although I hate having yardsales, I love stopping at them once in awhile to check for books, antiques or crafty items. I once nabbed a whole basket full of rick rack for super cheap!

I love birdhouses and just couldn't resist cutting this out with my pinking shears and sewing it onto a little card. Simple and cutesy. There are a few other cute "pictures" or "scenes" on the fabric that may eventually make it onto cards as well.

Have a great day!

Shanna :)