And the Winner Is...

Congrats to Diana H.
for winning the We Know Stuff giveaway for December! Enjoy!

Many thanks to all who've entered! :)

Almost Time!

It's almost time for the drawing! Have you entered yet?

Many thanks to those who have, to We Know Stuff for sponsoring the giveaway, and a HUGE welcome to each and everyone of you!

Good luck!

~Julie

Homemade Burger Buns

Boca Burger on a homeade bun

I'm a label reader. And into healthy living, despite my unstoppable attraction to chocolates and lattes. Lately, reading the label of bread on the store shelves is like a trip back to high school chemistry class.

No thanks.

But making bread the old-fashioned way, especially during the busy month of December isn't practical in my house.

Unless I want to go without sleep.

All the coffee and chocolates in the world won't help a woman who doesn't get enough sleep. Just ask my husband.

Many years ago, I received a bread machine as a gift. For the next ten years, it took up residence in the closet, which meant it seldom saw the light of day. I mean, let's be honest. It isn't the easiest thing to haul out, especially when stored under teetering stacks of unused paper plates and cups from birthdays gone by. But this year, I made a decision to give it a new home - on the kitchen counter.

(Yes, out of the box...)

And, do you know what? It's getting use. An added bonus? Freshly baked bread is a great way to add scent to the home! And this week's bread? Burger buns! The recipe, from About.com, is originally intended for hotdogs, but the beauty of making your own dough is that you choose the ultimate shape. (In our case, it's burger-sized.) We ended up with 12 buns. The ones we did not use, we cut in half and froze for another day. (Boca Burgers are a go-to lunch in my home.)

These are likely denser than the fluffy, air-infused ones we are all accustomed to. But, I promise, you will recognize every ingredient, and chemistry class flashbacks aren't part of the process.

Try them! They are so easy - and better than bagged!

Giveaway Time Over at We Know Stuff

It’s giveaway time, and the December featured giveaway on We Know Stuff is a mini tote bag and change purse in hot aqua mint from my Julie Clark Art Etsy shop! 

Not familiar with We Know Stuff? It’s a super cool blog that truly has something for everyone – causes to support, crafts, life and living, reviews and recipes. And for those, like me, who wish they could cook, there are mouth watering photos to tempt us to try.

Have you entered the giveaway yet? Head over to the blog and read what you need to know in order to enter. (Click HERE for the link, and scroll down the page.)

Want to know little more about the set? It is made using a mod aqua mint fabric, and is machine washable. Although I do create fine art pieces, I love designing and making sustainable totes and other practical pieces. All totes and pouches are creating using cotton – never polyester or vinyl. (This particular set retails for $25.)

Love the styles, but not so much the color options? No problem. Feel free to send over suggestions and I’m open to trying new color combinations. And, let’s face it, it makes for a perfect excuse to buy more fabric!

And as we all know, fabric doesn’t go straight to the hips…

Thanks for stopping by, and welcome to the page!

Logging December Memories

Advent Calendars have always been a big part of the Holidays in my family. Whether it's hanging handmade felt ornaments on a cut out of a Christmas tree, opening paper doors that reveal a picture or message, or choosing a chocolate one, they provide a quick and easy moment of happiness during a hectic month.

For this year, I thought up something a little different. College is just around the corner, which means my daughter's calendar will be with her, at school, not sitting in the kitchen, at home. I wanted something that would capture the last few years, giving us something to look back at when we are no longer together.

Sitting atop our counter is an active memory-log. (Doesn't sound like an exciting name, now, does it?) Each day, we record something we are thankful for, something that made us happy that day, or something just plain silly! By Christmas Day, we'll have a page full of special things, which we can scrapbook, frame, or simply tuck away for another time.

Want to create one? Here's how:

Using a word processing program, make the margins narrow, then create a 4x6 table. Add a background image, but be sure to edit the picture to "washout". Add numbers 1-24 to each block, in any order you choose. Depending on the size of your family, you may want a few of these, or make the blocks larger (say, 3x4 over two pages, instead, etc.) Each day, write down something special. It can be one per person, or one thing for the entire family!

As for me, I'm tucking ours away, not to be seen again until my daughter is away at college.

Enjoy!

...and feel free to pass along suggestions for naming this calendar! :)