Bouncy necklace

More details to come, but pictures now:

My mom thinks this looks like a mutation around my neck, but I like it!

Bouncy ball necklace.

Edit: Below are the details of this fun and slightly ridiculous Big Ball Necklace Craft.

The unlikeliest of materials -- pantyhose and rubber "bouncy" balls -- are transformed into a stylish statement necklace in this simple process from Erica Domesek. Mix balls of different colors and sizes with a variety of sheer textured stockings to achieve countless looks.

Tools and Materials

• Sheer stockings
• Variety of rubber ("bouncy") balls
• Scissors

Necklace How-To1. Cut legs off stockings. On one leg, tie a knot about 6 inches from toe. Place balls inside stocking leg, one at a time, stretching stocking and tying a knot after each. Repeat with second stocking leg.

2. Knot legs together end to end to create necklace.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Big Ball Necklace - Martha Stewart Crafts

Daffodil

The art of the thank you note is slowly fading into oblivion. It's just so much easier, cheaper and faster to shoot over a nice e-mail thank you than to write and mail the old fashioned way. Plus, it's almost considered polite. I don't even have most of my friends' addresses at all.

But I'm trying to bring it back.

Post-Passover seders I have at least two thank yous to write. So, slightly belatedly, I decided to put something together that was a little more personal than an e-mail.

Martha is essentially the card goddess, so naturally I turned to her. I thought that her Year of Cut-Out Cards was a great idea, and, even though it is no longer March, I decided on the daffodil design because it was the cutest... and simplest. And daffodils are the best, no matter what month it is.

I printed out her template at 1.5x the normal size because I wanted to make the flower slightly bigger. I cut out each piece separately. In order to use these pieces as templates, I taped them onto card stock. I quadrupled the card stock and cut out along the taped template borders. For the top of the daffodil, I decided to use some of the colorful fabric I had lying around.

Although these are obviously not at cute as Martha's, I think they make great homemade cards that will be perfect for thank you notes. Now I just need to round up the correct addresses.

For instructions: http://www.marthastewart.com/how-to/how-to-make-paper-cutout-cards?backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/easter-and-spring-greetings#

Congestion, needs a cure

Ok. So I have been really lame this week with posts. This in part due to the fact that I am just beginning to work on my medical school applications, and partially due to the fact that I am currently so congested I feel like I'm high.

Again, I am hoping that Martha has the cure. Today, I tried a nice steamy shower.  More specifically, I tried the second method (described below), wherein you make a tent with a boiling pot of water and a towel covering your face. Although this didn't help with my sneezing (100+ times today so far), it did clear me up significantly. I am getting so desperate I am also considering investing in some eucalyptus, camphor or menthol, which Martha suggests amplify the effect of the steamy shower. I tried the second method (described below), wherein you make a tent with a boiling pot of water and a towel covering your face.

I promise to pick things up again soon... provided my med school stuff gets sorted out and my sneezing ceases.  If worse comes to worse, I can always stop by Beth Israel Hospital and visit the expert who Martha quotes in her article, below.


From marthastewart.com: 

Q: Can steam really ease congestion?

A: Yes, it's one of the best things for it, especially when used with essential oils like eucalyptus, menthol, or camphor. Steam keeps sinus membranes moist and helps phlegm soften and drain. When an infection takes hold, mucus production increases and becomes difficult to move out.
Unlike some drying medications, steam works with the body to help it heal. What's more, moist air can reach deep into the sinus cavity to loosen blockages; the oils add expectorant, decongestant, and germicidal properties.

The easiest way to use steam involves a towel tent. Pour boiling water into a bowl, let it cool for one minute, then add two drops of the oil. Place a towel over your head, close your eyes, and lean over the bowl to inhale the vapors. (Keep your face at least six inches away from the water.)
Repeat twice a day when congested, or even as a preventive measure. If congestion lasts for more than 10 days, see your doctor. And ask about these and any complementary or alternative medicine treatments before you try them.
Dr. Merrell is chairman of the Department of Integrative Medicine at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City and coauthor of "Power Up: Unleash Your Natural Energy, Power Up Your Health, and Feel 10 Years Younger."

Allergies to what?

For the first time in my life, I have seasonal allergies. And I finally understand how much these suck. Between the constant sneezing, nose-blowing, watery eyes and all around misery, I hardly have time to enjoy this beautiful spring weather.

As always in these moments of stress, I turned to my old pal Martha. She advised a home remedy favorite: honey. Honey, as Martha's favorite health expert explains, mimics the function of allergy shots in that they provide a mild exposure to the common pollen allergens which may decrease the allergic response to them.

For this reason, it is recommended that one buy honey produced within 20 miles of your home. I'll have to be on the lookout for this purpose in the next few days!

From marthastewart.com:

If you suffer from springtime allergies, consider adding a little local honey to your prevention regimen. The theory is that, as with allergy shots, daily exposure to a small amount of an allergen can desensitize the body, allowing you to better resist it, explains Evan Fleischmann, N.D., board member of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians. In this case, that allergen culprit is pollen -- the very same ingredient bees use to make their honey.
The practice of eating honey for this purpose doesn't have much research to its credit. But some holistic practitioners have seen a drop in symptoms as a result of prescribing it to patients. To try it out, eat one teaspoon daily of raw, unfiltered honey made within 20 miles of your home.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Honey for Allergy Relief - Martha Stewart Health

Kosher quinoa

Quinoa is kosher for passover! Thank goodness, because I was running out of ideas. Plus, this gave me a way to use the dijon mustard dressing I had stored from a few nights ago.

I decided on Martha's Quinoa Salad with Toasted Almonds. Of course, I didn't have almonds so I made due with Walnuts. I added in some bell pepper and zucchini and I was good to go.

And it was miraculously yummy!

Recipe (courtesy of Marths Stewart): 

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup (3 ounces) quinoa
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 yellow bell pepper ribs and seeds discarded, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 scallions thinly sliced
• 1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme plus more for garnish (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 medium zucchini halved lengthwise and sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 1 large celery stalk diced
• 1 lime halved

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast almonds until crisp, lightly browned, and fragrant, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Meanwhile, place quinoa in a fine sieve and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear; drain well.
   
2. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat. Add yellow pepper, garlic, scallions, and red-pepper flakes; cook until the pepper is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
   
3. Stir in quinoa, thyme, 1 cup water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 7 minutes. Stir in zucchini, cover, and cook until quinoa is tender but not mushy, 5 to 8 minutes longer. Remove the saucepan from heat.
   
4. Stir in celery, almonds, and remaining 2 teaspoons oil, season with salt, and fluff with a fork. Cool to room temperature before packing into two containers and refrigerating. When ready to eat, squeeze lime over salad, if desired. Serve with additional lime wedge and thyme, if desired.
   

http://www.marthastewart.com/256026/quinoa-salad-with-toasted-almonds

You say potato, I say sweet potato

It's been awhile since I've had sweet potatoes, or any potatoes for that matter. As I have tried to cut down on my starches, potatoes were some of the first things to go.

But, every once in awhile it's just time to splurge. I just couldn't resist Martha's Loaded Sweet Potato Skins, so I decided to make them for a main course tonight.

It was a super simple recipe. I cooked the potatoes in the oven at 425 for around 40 minutes, until the potatoes were soft. I made some buttermilk by mixing 1/4 cup of low fat milk with 3/4 teaspoon lemon juice. Once the potatoes were done, I scooped out 1/3 cup from each of them. I mixed this potato with the buttermilk while mashing.

I then placed the mashed potato mix back into the potato skins and baked these for 15 minutes. When these were done, I topped with a scallion and plenty of sour cream. Naturally, I skipped the bacon.

These totally hit the spot, and made a fantastic dinner.

Recipe (courtesy of Martha Stewart):

Ingredients

• 4 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds total), scrubbed and patted dry
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika, plus more for garnish
• 4 slices bacon
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1 scallion, sliced, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, rub sweet potatoes with oil; season with salt and pepper. Bake until tender, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool on sheet (keep oven on).
   
2. Halve sweet potatoes lengthwise; scoop out 1/3 cup flesh from each half into a medium bowl. Add buttermilk and paprika to bowl. Mash until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Stuff sweet-potato skins with filling. (To store, refrigerate, up to 2 days.)
   
3. Arrange sweet-potato skins on sheet; bake until lightly browned around edges, about 15 minutes.
   
4. Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook bacon over medium until crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain on a paper-towel-lined plate; crumble. Stir together sour cream and 2 tablespoons water; drizzle over sweet-potato skins. Garnish with bacon, paprika, and scallion; cut in half to serve.
   

Matzo that actually tastes good

Passover food usually bums me out. Although I love the seder food - charoset with horseradish, gefilte fish, kosher brisket - but the rest of the 8 days is just so lame. I can only have matzo pizza, macaroons and variations of fruit for so many meals.

Today, I tried something new. Although Martha isn't a member of the Tribe, she does have some great ideas for Passover. Today, I tried something fabulous: Matzo Latkes.

This recipe has everything a girl could ask for: lox, onions, frying oil, scallions... I am a very happy girl. Of course, there is matzo in it, but you can barely taste it over the deliciousness. Instead of the horseradish cream, I went full on ghetto and went with plenty of sour cream.

I'm off to enjoy my Saturday... happy weekend!

Recipe (courtesy of Martha Stewart):

Ingredients

• Canola oil for frying
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 6 ounces egg matzo
• 1 cup cottage cheese preferably 4 percent
• 1 large egg lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons snipped chives plus more for garnish
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 slices smoked salmon (about 1/4 pound) for garnish
• Horseradish Cream

Directions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small skillet set over medium-high heat. Add onions, and saute until translucent; set aside. Place matzo in a food processor, and process until coarsely ground; you should have 1 1/2 cups crumbs, or meal. Set aside. Place cottage cheese in the clean bowl of the food processor, and blend until smooth.
   
2. In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup matzo crumbs, cottage cheese, sauteed onions, egg, and 2 tablespoons snipped chives; season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
   
3. Place remaining 1 cup ground matzo in a shallow dish. Evenly divide chilled mixture into quarters, and using your hands, flatten each part into a 4-inch round. Dredge in ground matzo, and set aside on a plate.
   
4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook latkes, turning once, until browned on both sides. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Roll salmon slices into rosettes. Serve latkes with a dollop of horseradish cream and a salmon rosette; garnish with chives.
   

 

Waste not, want not

I believe I have mentioned my obsession with dressing before. I am constantly on the look out for new dressing ideas, especially some low maintenance options that I can throw together and then use for a few days in the next week.

Today, I found a fantastic salad dressing idea that was both brilliant and resourceful: Martha's fabulous No Waste Dressing.

I had an almost-empty glass bottle of dijon mustard lying around, a product of my obsession with kosher salami sandwiches. The dressing recipe was as simple as chopping up a glove of garlic and placing this, along with balsamic and olive oil into the bottle with the remnants of the mustard.

The resulting dressing was surprisingly tasty. I plan on throwing together some quinoa in the next few days, and this will make a great topping for these salads. I'll post again with the results!

Recipe (from Martha Stewart):

Have a tiny bit of mustard left in the jar? Toss in a few ingredients, and shake a tangy Dijon vinaigrette right in the container. A crushed garlic clove, some chopped fresh herbs and minced shallot will add the right flavor. Pour in balsamic vinegar, season with salt and pepper, then close the lid and shake. Add olive oil; shake again to emulsify the dressing, and then drizzle over your favorite salad. With a tightly sealed lid, it will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: No-Waste Dressing - Martha Stewart Crafts

Totes attempt

Martha's Glittered Tote Bags looked like a fantastic idea. I had been on the market for a catch-all day tote in which to stuff all my random odds and ends, ant thought this would be a great way to customize a boring old tote into something unique and different.

Although it didn't turn out quite as planned, I will definitely be attempting this again.

I had bought a tote made of synthetic material at Joann's a few weeks ago. Instead of exactly following Martha's directions, I decided to use the embossing technique.

The issue is that the tote preceded to melt under the heat of the embossing gun. While it started out looking nice and glittery, it ended up with gaping holes.

I'll have to stick to Martha's instructions next time: using glue to highlight various areas of a set design and placing different colors of glitter in each section.

Instructions (courtesy of Martha Stewart):

Tools and Materials

• Gem-Tac permanent adhesive
• Small (1/2-ounce) glue bottle with ultra-fine tip
• Printed cupcake or Francesca and Sharkey tote bag
• Glitter in a variety of colors
• Scrap paper
• Rhinestones (optional)
• Skewer and beeswax (optional)

Glittered Tote How-To

1. Fill glue bottle with Gem-Tac adhesive. Use a fine bead of glue to highlight one area of design; shake one color of glitter onto glue. Allow to dry for a minute or two, then dump excess glitter onto a piece of paper. (Create a funnel with paper to carefully pour excess glitter back into canister.)
2. Repeat to add more colors of glitter, if desired.
3. Use Gem-Tac to adhere rhinestones for detail, if desired. (On the show, Martha adds rhinestones to create necklaces on Francesca and Sharkey.) For easy handling of rhinestones, try using a skewer with a bead of beeswax molded onto one end.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: How to Make Glittered Tote Bags - Martha Stewart Crafts

Put a ring on it

I am one of those people who is constantly losing things. Perhaps "losing" is the wrong word, because I usually find whatever I was missing days/weeks/months later in the corner of my purse or in my clothes hamper or my underwear drawer.

In an attempt to remedy my inherent absent-mindedness, I have attempted to employ some strategies to keep my rate of loss at a manageable level.

Today, my mom opened my eyes to an awesome Martha idea: the Key Ring Cardholder. I had always seen my mom pull a key ring out of her purse with all her cards on it, hole-punched. It was only today that I learned this was a Martha tip... I should have known.

Instead of a giant, over-sized wallet or keeping the cards loose, this is an awesome solution. I merely had to punch holes in my cards - library, gift cards, gym cards etc - and place the cards on one of those metal rings that open and close really easily (the ones that you can put note cards on, for example).

I hope that this will keep my disorganization in check and prevent my constant scrummaging around.

Passover, do over

Today was Passover day two. I just returned from another fantastic meal with more of my wonderful friends; I have never felt so loved! I am so grateful to all these Jewish mothers for taking in a displaced LA girl away from her family on such a family-based holiday.

As I am currently in a food coma and too exhausted to really get into any serious Martha crafts this evening, I leave you with this: Martha's take on a traditional seder plate.

For those that don't have multiple seder plates of their own, Martha suggests merely arranging each of the required items on a large plate in smaller bowls. This is a simple solution to dinners with 30+ people, as many seders are.

I promise much better posts for the rest of this week as the non-seder days of Passover commence. Until then, time to sleep off more wine and tons of brisket...

Chag Sameach!

Or, Happy Holiday! In this case, Passover.

In order to brush up for the Seder tonight, I took a little time to read up. Unsurprisingly, the always prepared Martha Stewart had just the thing: a review of the Seder and descriptions of each things. As I will be spending most of tonight drinking the requisite four glasses of wine and visited with friends I haven't seen in too long, I leave you with the following Passover Seder instructions, from http://www.marthastewart.com/article/the-seder-ritual-the-order-of-the-seder:

These Hebrew terms lay out the sequence of the seder, which has been the basis for Passover celebrations for thousands of years. First, the table is set and the candles are lit.

Kadesh
The first of four cups of wine is poured; the blessing is said to sanctify the feast day.
Urechatz
The hands are washed before handling the karpas.
Karpas
A vegetable is dipped in salt water, then eaten.
Yachatz
The middle of three matzos is broken. The larger half is wrapped in a napkin and hidden for afikoman (dessert).
Maggid
The second cup of wine is poured, and the story of the flight of the Jewish slaves from Egypt is told.
Rachtzah
The hands are washed before the meal.
Motzi
A prayer is said before breaking bread.
Matzo
The matzo is blessed.
Maror
The bitter herb is tasted.
Korech
A "sandwich" of matzo, bitter herbs, and charoset is eaten.
Shulchan Orech
The meal begins.
Tzafun
A child discovers the afikoman, which is then eaten.
Barech
The third cup of wine is poured, and the grace after meals is recited. An extra cup of wine is also poured for the prophet Elijah, and a child opens the door of the house to invite him in.
Hallel
The fourth cup of wine is poured, followed by psalms of praise and a prayer.
Nirtzah
The service concludes with a hymn, which is traditionally followed by playful songs for the children.

Cheesecake cupcakes

I haven't had cheesecake in so long! Today, I decided to change that.

The one problem was that I don't have a cake pan... so I decided to make some cheese cupcakes. Thankfully, Martha had a recipe that was for just that: Mini Cheesecakes with Apricot Jam. I decided to combine this with her Classic Cheesecake recipe, taking the crust from the classic cheesecake, the cheesecake part from the Mini Cheesecakes recipe and omitting the apricot.

I started by making the crust, which was as simple as crushing graham crackers in a food processor and adding in agave (substituted for sugar) and butter (I used vegetable margarine). I pressed this mix on the bottom of cupcake tins in the cupcake pan. I baked this for a bit and took it out to cool.

Then it was time to make the cheese part. I mixed together low fat cream cheese, agave, vanilla, eggs and non fat sour cream. I poured this mix into each cupcake cup with the crusts. This, I baked for around 20 minutes... until the outside of the cheesecakes was hard, but the middle was still jiggly.

I had to chill these cheesecakes for four hours (which will end up being overnight), so I haven't tried them yet. But they look delicious! I'll update tomorrow with the full results and pictures.

Recipe (courtesy of Martha Stewart):

Crust: 

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus room-temperature butter for pan
• 12 graham crackers (3-by-5 inch)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make crust: Butter a 9-by-3-inch springform pan. In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until fine crumbs form; add melted butter, sugar, and salt, and pulse to combine. Press crumb mixture into bottom and about 1 inch up side of pan. Bake until set, 12 to 15 minutes; let cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven to 325 degrees.

Filling: 

1. Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees. Beat cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, then vanilla. With mixer running, add eggs slowly, scraping down side of bowl. Add sour cream and salt. Pour batter into muffin cups, filling almost to the tops.
   
2. Bake until sides are set but centers are wobbly, about 20 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks. Wrap tins tightly with plastic, and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
   
3. Warm jam in a small saucepan until liquidy. Strain through a sieve. Spoon 1 teaspoon jam on top of each cake. Cheesecakes will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

Edit: I just tried them and these are DELICIOUS. I'm in love.

Paper flower power

The minute I saw Martha's Shaped Crepe Flowers, I knew I had to make them. There is something delicate and almost elegant about these - and for a starving post-college student with an online designer clothing shopping addition they make a nice, virtually free decoration that doesn't look tacky.

I bought a roll of 24-gauge wire, which is super thick and stable. I covered this from top to bottom with flower tape. Incidentally, this stuff is AWESOME. It is super sticky and just clings to itself so you can roll it around wire and it stays put. Aside from the fact that my fingers are a bit raw from rolling so much of it, the flower tape worked like a charm.

Once all the wires were prepped, it was time to create the flowers. I cut out 4" x 2.25" rectangles of tissue paper in orange and purple... after all, it is Laker season!! I centered a .5-inch wooden ball in the middle of each of the tissue paper rectangles. I then rolled each of the sides up, wrapping the tissue paper around half the ball in a rounded shape. I tapped five petals to each wire at the top, using floral tape. I then cut the long ends of the petals off, keeping the rounded shape, but getting rid of the excess.

I think these are really pretty! They are now sitting next to my TV in style.

Instructions (courtesy of Martha Stewart): 


Flowers crafted from colorful tissue or crepe paper are graceful, inexpensive to make, and always in season. Arrange them on tables, use as boutonnieres, or create a whole bouquet.
 
How to Make It
 Tissue Bubble Flower: Attach 12 (or 6 pairs) artificial stamens to 24-gauge cloth-covered floral wire by wrapping with green floral tape. Cut five 4-by-2 1/4-inch pieces of tissue paper. For each petal, wrap tissue halfway around 1 1/2-inch Styrofoam ball; twist ends, and remove ball. Attach one end of petal to the base of stamen with floral tape. Add the other petals one at a time, taping in place. Trim pointy ends. Gently pull petals away from the center.

Read more at Marthastewartweddings.com: Shaped Crepe Flowers

Polish with a bit of a shine

My personal favorite: Essie's light purple "Lilacism."

Manicures are definitely my guilty pressure. I know they're not that expensive, but spending an extra few dollars here and there really adds up. Plus, I have no idea how people keep their nails from chipping immediately after getting them done. Maybe it's my inherent impatience or my antsy-ness, but less than or equal to two minutes after the cosmetologist finished my nails at least one is chipped or smudged. And I always feel too bad to make her (or him!) redo what I had so quickly undone.

So I recently invested in some nail polish and I tried to do this myself. Thankfully, Martha had some tips on her site for perfect polish, general instructions to make sure I don't screw up too badly.

We'll have to see how long this lasts, but it looks good now... at least in my opinion! I made sure to take extra time to add base coat, and then two thin color coats and then top coat. Emphasis on thin coats - I usually glop on as much as I can but I tried to refrain. The hardest part was making sure I actually left the suggested two to three minutes in between coats.

Instructions (courtesy of Martha "a true lady never has chipped nailpolish" Stewart):

Always start by applying a base coat to your nails, which gives polish a better surface to stick to. Certain formulas also harden or strengthen nails, helping them to grow. Then put on nail color in two thin coats. Thick layers take longer to dry and won't adhere to nails properly, so polish may peel.

Let nails dry two or three minutes between coats. Brush across the tip of the nail as a last step; this helps set the polish. Avoid quick-drying top-coat formulas; they can seal the outermost layer before the other coats have had enough time to dry, causing polish to chip sooner. Instead, use a regular top coat and let your nails dry thoroughly -- about 20 minutes.

Read more at Wholeliving.com: Your Best Body For Summer

I got my polish from Amazon - Essie is usually super expensive, but you can usually nab it for cheaper online. Essie Nail Polish Spring 2010 Collection - Lilacism #705

Pen-palling the old fashioned way

Does any one else miss the good old fashioned days when pen-palling was done on paper instead of by email? Ok... I know I'm being hypocritical. After all, I am communicating through this blog, online, at this exact moment.  It's great to have this convenience and I can't imagine how I would be keeping in touch with my college friends if I didn't have the internet. I would have to pick up a phone or something and that just wouldn't fly. 

BUT there is something to be said for the traditional route. Yes, I am talking about *GASP* good old snail mail. Even that term makes it sound sad and outdated. Who, asides from me of course, actually likes snails? Not many.

I love the feeling of getting letters in the mail: the surprise of opening my mailbox to see something personalized, the beauty and the feel of the paper card, handwritten of course, and the thoughts painstakingly written down instead of typed at rapid speeds.

Plus, I absolutely love card-making. As I have mentioned before, powder embossing is one of my favorite things. The simplicity of the craft is excellent and the result looks professional. The best part is that even the mistakes seem intentional, smudges appear whimsical instead of sloppy. At least that's what I tell myself.

I followed Martha's instructions for Heat-Embossed Personalized Stationary.

A few weeks ago, I went a little crazy because Joann's (I swear, I don't get any money for promoting them! I just love this place!) was having an intense sale on stamps. I bought approximately five hundred (only a slight exaggeration) clear acrylic stamps and the corresponding acrylic mounting mold. This is MUCH cheaper than buying rubber stamps one by one: each individual stamp was one or two dollars and the acrylic mounts go for less than three. Plus, the ones I bought were self-sticking so all I had to do was peal the stamps off and re-stick them to the mount. Once I was done, I simply removed the stamp and I can use both the stamp and the mount for another day.

I covered the stamp with embossing ink and stamped it onto some card stock that I cut and folded into a card shape. I bought tinted embossing ink so I could easily see the outline of the stamp. I poured plenty of embossing powder on the stamped area and poured the extras back into the bottle. After a few seconds of heating with the embossing gun, the resulting card was good to go.

Now I just need people to send these to...

Instructions (courtesy of Martha "it's cooler to send snail mail" Stewart):

Tools and Materials
 Clear acrylic stamp mount
Letter stamp set
Card Stock
Embossing pad
Embossing powder
Heat gun
Decorative stamps (optional; we used Martha Stewart Crafts Butterfly and Bird stamp sets)

Heat-Embossed Personalized Stationery How-To
 1. Arrange clear letters on stamp mount.
2. Press lettered stamp onto embossing pad. Stamp onto card using firm, even pressure.
3. Sprinkle embossing powder over stamped design. Tap card to remove excess powder. Brush gently with a makeup brush to remove any more excess powder around the design.
4. Hold a heat gun two inches from the design and move the nozzle in a circular motion, melting the powder-coated areas. Gently wave the card to cool and set the design.
5. Repeat with other decorative stamps, if desired.
6. If the paper curls after you have finished the design, heat the back of the card, and fan it again. Place the card under a heavy book for 5-10 minutes (this will not smudge the design).
Resources
This lovely craft is featured in "Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts." Clear acrylic stamp mounts and clear acrylic stamp sets in Serif Font, Butterfly, and Bird, from Martha Stewart Crafts, are available at Michael's and Walmart. Embossing pad, powders, and heat gun provided by Ranger Ink. Be sure to read our new crafts blog for a behind-the-scenes look at our crafting department.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Heat-Embossed Personalized Stationery - Martha Stewart Crafts

Shortishbread

Let me just say... yum!

More to come soon. I'm out for drinks :)

Edit: This recipe was super easy. As my roommate astutely pointed out - this is essentially a pie crust. 

I baked steel cut oats in the oven until they were browned. I then blended the oats in the food processor with a 1:1 ratio of whole wheat and white flour, agave and vegetable margarine. I spread resulting dough in a rimmed cookie sheet and topped it with whole oats. This I baked for circa 20 minutes until it was nice a brown.

The shortbread was crumby, soft and so sweet and wonderful. Not so bad for a quasi-healthy dessert.

Recipe (courtesy of Martha "I'm too hot to eat fattening things" Stewart):

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/3 cup confectioners sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325. Spread oats on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast until fragrant and lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Let cool completely.
   
2. In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, salt, and 1/2 cup cooled oats; process until finely ground, 1 minute. Add butter. Pulse until mixture is the consistency of coarse meal. Transfer to an 8-inch square baking pan; press firmly into bottom. Sprinkle remaining oats on top, and press gently.
   
3. Bake until firm and lightly browned, 30 to 35 minutes. Using a paring knife, immediately score shortbread into 16 squares; then score each square diagonally into 2 triangles. On a wire rack, cool completely in pan; gently invert, and break along scored lines.
   

http://www.marthastewart.com/258747/oatmeal-shortbread?czone=food/cookies-cnt/everyday-favorites

Mind your peas and penne

It's no secret that I love pasta. Not only is it simple, but it's also filling, delicious and, thanks to the invention of whole wheat pasta, at least partially in keeping with the whole pre-diabetes diet.

In an attempt to get my veggies, I always try to load the pasta with lots of different-colored vegetables. Today was no exception.

I found a recipe on Martha's site that looked completely perfect - loaded with vegetables, fast, efficient and delicious. So, today I made Martha's Gemilli with Squash, Peas and Basil. I know it's not necessarily squash season as we are now firmly in spring, but I don't really care because squash is filling and tasty.

I couldn't find whole wheat gemilli, so I substituted whole wheat pasta. I cooked this per usual and after it was almost done, I three two yellow squashes and half a bag of frozen peas into the pot. After two minutes, I drained the water, keeping a 1/2 cup behind for the sauce.

Once I let the water drain, I poured the pasta mix back into the pot. I added in butter, 1/4 cup pasta water, lemon juice and parmesan cheese (which I might have gone a little bit overboard on, but I love cheese). After a quick stir, I was done!

The pasta was perfect in every way... at least an 8/10. I wouldn't change a thing. Except there wasn't enough cheese, so I added in some mozzarella too; and then it really was perfect.

Recipe (courtesy of Martha "pasta for every meal"  Stewart):

Ingredients

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 8 ounces gemelli or other short pasta
• 3 medium yellow squash, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas
• 4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves
  
  Directions

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 2 minutes less than al dente. Add squash and peas; cook until squash is crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta mixture, and return to pot.
   
2. To mixture in pot, add butter, lemon juice, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and 1/4 cup pasta water. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. If needed, add enough pasta water to create a thin sauce that coats pasta. Stir in basil, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan; serve immediately.
   

http://www.marthastewart.com/263079/gemelli-with-yellow-squash-peas-and-basi?czone=food/dinner-tonight-center/dinner-tonight-main-courses

Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3...

I have a test tomorrow. On many biology things with names like "membrane attack complex" and "adrenocorticotropic stimulating hormone." And this is just the beginning. If/when I finally get to medical school, memorization and the stress of keeping a ridiculous number of minutiae in my tiny brain will undoubtedly take over my life.

All in all, I'm really going to have to learn how to deal with stress. Although I'm not totally freaking out right now, it's always good to practice some techniques for those bigger, more stressful moments that are soon to come.

Martha, correctly I think, suggests stretching as a way to ease the stress away. I was willing to give it a try. She has a list of some great stress-reducing exercises on her Whole Living site: from the Chest Opener to the basic Standing Body Hang. The best part is that all of these are ridiculously easy - perfect for a quick study break near bedtime.

Now, it's back to studying. The immune system is not going to memorize itself...

Cards for spring

Despite the fact that it still barely in the 50s, it is technically spring right now. I get that April showers bring May flowers, but what does a cold, dry April bring? Let's hope that May will not be flowerless, because that would just suck.

In honor of the spring bloom, today I made a fun floral card. I thought that Martha's Tissue-Paper Flower Card was just perfect to celebrate the onset of this season... and a hopeful way to prepare for the eventual May bloom.

I cut out circular pieces of tissue paper, which I never seem to run out of. I scrunched them up in the center, making a bit of a folded shape that resembled Martha's own version. Then, I used tacky glue to affix the flowers onto a plane white card I bought at Joann's. I drew in stems using a bright green pen I had lying around.

It doesn't look quite as professional as Martha's, but I think the card has a nice, homemade feel that makes the card more personal. Now I just need to figure out what/who I am going to use it for...

Instructions (courtesy of Martha "April showers can suck it" Stewart): 

Tools and Materials

Tissue paper confetti circles (You can make your own from tissue, magazine, or other lightweight paper.)
Tweezers
Craft glue
Ready-made card, or card stock folded in half
Acrylic or watercolor paints, optional

Mother's Day Card How-To

1. Use a pair of tweezers to pick up a tissue paper circle, scrunching it with the tweezers into a puckered flower shape.
2. Dip it into the glue and place the scrunched paper, glue side down, onto the card. Once glued, use tweezer points to increase the pucker of the paper if desired.
3. Use the same method to add a smaller paper circle in a contrasting color to the center of the first circle and smush with tweezers. Add as many as three layers.
4. Paint on a stem, if desired (or use a brush-tip marker).

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Mother's Day Tissue Flower Card - Martha Stewart Holidays

Completely unhealthy but amazingly delicious chocolate chip cookies

Ok, so I splurged a bit today. And made some REAL chocolate chip cookies. Well - I did use a ratio of 1:1 white and wheat flour and employ agave instead of brown sugar, but still... these are deadly.

And delicious.

Recipe (thanks Martha "I shouldn't eat this but I will" Stewart):

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (about 12 ounces) semisweet and/or milk chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter with both sugars; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; add the salt, vanilla, and eggs. Beat until well mixed, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
   
2. Drop heaping tablespoon-size balls of dough about 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
   
3. Bake until cookies are golden around the edges, but still soft in the center, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool on baking sheet 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.
   

 http://www.marthastewart.com/281905/soft-and-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies?czone=food/cookies-cnt/everyday-favorites

I heart sequins.

But you already knew that. I promise that I'm almost done with my sequin jewelry. Maybe.

So I've done a necklace, rings and now I give you... earrings!

I kind of sort of love these a lot. I'll need to clean off the excess glue at some point, once they completely dry.

I'm off to enjoy my Friday in this fantastic city. Until next time... sparkle on.

Yoga the pain away

In preparation for memorizing tons and tons of new bio terms (fun fact: students in the first two semesters of biology learn more new words then students in the first two semesters of Spanish), I really needed something to clear my mind and stretch out my tightly wound body. Business casual just does not facilitate comfort and due to a combination of inappropriate shoes, fitted pants and shirts that prevent me from moving my arms.

In sum, today, I needed some yoga. Thankfully, Martha has a yoga pose of the day; more thankfully, today's pose was a perfect mix of lazy and hip-stretching.

As Martha (or, more specifically her Whole Live staff) writes about Thursday: "Worries have been accumulating -- and they're cluttering your head. Left unchecked, even the tiniest stressors will inhibit your best ideas from coming through." Agreed, Martha, agreed. By Thursday, as with today, things just seem to pile up. Piles of thrown off clothes are all over my floor and I am too exhausted to pick them up. My weekly Monday test looms over my head. And it's not Friday aka the best day ever so I still have work tomorrow.

So today, I did the Supported Pigeon (pictured above). It may not have the most graceful of legs, but it really is a great pose. Because I have particularly inflexible hips (and can't sit Indian style without pain), this pose is particularly difficult for me... but also, particularly rewarding.

I like this so much, I might have to incorporate some simple yoga into every day. It just takes a few minutes and I really do feel like I can take on the world (or my biology studying) after.

Instructions (from Martha "My Favorite" Stewart):


What It Does
 
Opens the hips and groin, lets go of stress and pent-up emotions, quiets the mind, and promotes emotional release.


How to Do It
 
Sitting cross-legged on the floor, swing your left leg around, extending it straight out behind you, tops of the feet and toes against the floor. Fold forward at the hips.
For added support, put a folded blanket or pillow under the right hip. Rest your forehead on a cushion or blanket and relax into the pose for 2 to 5 minutes. Repeat with the other leg.

Read more at Wholeliving.com: Step 4: Make Lasting Change

Glitter with a twist

Some of you might remember the fantastic glitter craft I made for my friend back in February. I really love this type of art as a fun, easy and personalized present idea.

When another close friend had her birthday a week or so ago, I decided to reprise the craft again. But I wanted to one up myself. I wanted to make the craft bigger, badder and better.

Years ago, I became really into embossing. Essentially, the process consists of putting a sticky material onto a stamp, stamping onto a surface, sprinkling embossing powder over the surface and heating the surface with an embosser until the special powder melts and becomes permanent. For my Bat Mitzvah, I spent hours in my basement hand embossing every name card with butterflies (naturally that was my theme). They looked totally professional (at least to my new-woman eyes) and were an affordable solution to an already expensive event.

Today, I decided to combine these two of my favorite things: Martha's glitter craft and embossing. I went through the same process as I used with the original craft. I found the perfect picture of my fantastic friends and uploaded the photo into Martha's glitter tool on her website at http://www.marthastewart.com/glitter-painting. Once the photo was converted into a PDF, I printed it and was ready to glitter emboss.

Instead of spreading particular swaths of the picture with glue, I spread it with embossing glue. This stuff is super sticky so of course I now have glitter all over my body, bedspread, stuck to my walls and coming out of my ears (ok, that last one is an exaggeration, but it really is everywhere). I worked with one swath of the photo at a time, each a different dress. I dumped plenty of embossing powder over the newly sticky area, dumped off the extra back into the powder container and heated the area with my embossing gun until the powder melted completely. In this fashion, I worked the photo in different colors.

To finish the photo off, I mounted it on card stock. I folded the card stock in half to make a super cute card that you can convert into a frame! I sent the card, along with some other Martha goodies to my friend who is all the way in the Caribbean working hard towards her Veterinarian degree. Although I would rather be with her lounging on the beach, I hope this package will bridge some of the gap. (Love you, Chlo!)

Materials/Extra Information

As I have Amazon Prime, I tend to get a ton of my stuff on Amazon. You can buy an embossing gun on Amazon for as little as $16 dollars. Any any old embosser will do; you don't need anything fancy to get the job done.

You can also buy embossing powder on Amazon, or at Joann's which is my personal favorite craft store. They aren't too expensive and are on sale a lot, which is awesome.

Tassels on my ears

I have talked a lot on this blog about my desire to add some sparkle to every outfit. As my mom immediately noticed when she first set first in New York a few weeks ago, everyone here lives, breathes and dies black from head to toe. Black boots, black pants, black sweater... it all gets a little gloom and doomy, especially when warmth seems as far away as ever.

Since I arrived seven months ago (how time flies!), I have learned to spice things up with just a dash of shine or shimmer or a pop of color. If I'm being honest this often becomes a bit more than a dash or a pop, and more like my entire outfit, but some people just love the spotlight.

Well... to the craft. Martha's Tassel Earring was just the anecdote to the goth look that I needed. And it took all of three minutes.



I bought some generic gold tassels and simple earring bases from my favorite craft store, Joann's. The best part about this place is that they have sales constantly. Seriously, if you shop there never by anything not on sale because if you wait a few days it will be 40% off and you'll just feel silly. It's totally worth the minimal shipping cost if you shop in bulk, which is what I do.

All I did was hook the loop of the tassel over the open loop of the earring. I think that three minutes might even be an exaggeration. It took more like 30 seconds; the hardest part was opening the ridiculously stubborn plastic earring packaging that would just not come apart.

I think these are funky, if a little out there, and perfect for a dull outfit like the ones I wear almost every day. Although I do want to look like a New Yorker, sometimes it's nice to have my inner funky shine through.

 
Instructions

Tassel Earrings How-To
 Choose the size and color of your tassels, available at M & J Trimming (800-965-8746). Use needle-nose pliers to open the wire loops on the earring backs (we got ours at jansjewells.com) and insert the top loops of the tassels inside. Pinch the wire closed around the tassels.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Tassel Earrings - Martha Stewart Crafts

Eggplant parm, with a catch...

... it's healthy!

Eggplant parmesan has always been one of my splurge foods. The combination of cheese, tomato sauce and breading is absolutely perfect. What's not to love?

Sadly, the breading part of the whole eggplant parmesan situation is really not that good for you... at all. And I have been *trying* to eat better, even if I'm not always successful. Thankfully, Martha had a solution to my eggplant parmesan cravings: a Lighter Eggplant Parmesan. Of course, tons of cheese isn't going to be SUPER healthy, but I think I get some bonus points for at least trying. Right?

Martha's recipe was simple. I baked slices of eggplant (I got a mini-eggplant at my local market: adorable, and the perfect size for just me!) in the oven at 450 with olive oil, for around 10 minutes. Meanwhile, I mixed together the sauce: non-fat Greek yogurt (substituted for skim milk because I didn't have any milk in the fridge), whole wheat flour (substituted for white flour), marinara sauce and garlic. I cooked this on the stove for a few minutes so it would thicken.

Finally, I stacked eggplant and sauce, starting with marinara, and then alternating eggplant and the pink sauce. I topped with plenty of mozzarella and parmesan. After 10 or so minutes in the oven, I was done!

While it certainly wasn't the breaded, fatty eggplant I was used to, this recipe made an excellent substitute that was still delicious!

Recipe (from http://www.marthastewart.com/263749/lighter-eggplant-parmesan):


Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant (2 pounds), sliced 1/2 inch thick crosswise
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 cup fat-free (skim) milk
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup homemade or best-quality store-bought marinara sauce
• 1/2 cup grated part-skim mozzarella
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Arrange eggplant on two rimmed baking sheets. Brush eggplant on both sides with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown and very tender, 20 to 25 minutes, turning slices and rotating sheets halfway through.
   
2. Meanwhile, make sauce: Off heat, in a medium saucepan, whisk together 1/4 cup milk, flour, and garlic. Gradually whisk in remaining 3/4 cup milk and 1/2 cup marinara sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook until pink sauce has thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
   
3. Spread cup marinara sauce in the bottom of a shallow 2-quart baking dish. Alternate layers of baked eggplant with pink sauce. Dollop with remaining cup marinara sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake on upper rack until browned and bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes.
   

Finger sparkles

As you may have noticed, I love sparkles. There's just something nice about a touch of wearable glimmer to make an outfit a little bit more special.

I particularly love rings. For awhile now, I have been making rings out of a variety of found objects, buttons and the like. Today, I decided to try something new.

I really enjoyed Martha's bold bauble project, which I created in honor of Mardi Gras back in early March. The necklace was super fun, and really simple to make. Today, I decided to adapt this same technique and make some bold bauble rings to add some sparkles to my fingers as well.

The technique was simple enough. I had some leftover wooden beads that I had used from the wooden bead dye project. I figured these would be a perfect size for a chunky statement ring.

I rolled a strand of sequins (I did one in gold and one in silver) around the wooden bead, gluing along the way with tacky glue, my favorite. Of course, the tacky glue got everywhere: my hands, my pajamas, all over the sequins... but that's just the danger of crafting.

Once the wooden beads were completely covered, I used hot glue to glue the baubles on top of two ring blanks, one in gold and one in silver.

The resulting rings are fun, funky and definitely make a statement. I think I'll wear these when I'm feeling kind of dangerous...


Tools and Materials

• Wooden beads or foam balls
• Strung sequins
• Tacky white glue

Sequin-Wrapped Beads and Foam Balls How-To

1. Pull 1 or 2 sequins off the thread to create a lead end. Starting at the top of bead (or foam ball), secure lead end with a dab of glue.
2. Apply glue one section at a time, and adhere sequin strand, spiraling it tightly and applying pressure as you work. Leave bead holes open if you'll be stringing them; otherwise, cover with sequins.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: How to Make Sequin-Wrapped Beads and Foam Balls - Martha Stewart Crafts