February 2021 Monthly Favourites Apple Pen and Lamy Fountain Pen

 Hello Friends! Welcome to another Monthly Favourites.  Let's jump right in.  I had been wanting an Apple Pen for a while so when I saw a sale on Amazon, it didn't take long for me to place it in my shopping basket.

My city is still in lockdown and we are still living under a Stay at Home order.  We spend so much time indoors now, online.  I figured having the Pen would increase the functionality of my tablet and possibly decrease the amount of sticky fingerprints accumulating on the screen. I was worried about the authenticity of the Pen as I was ordering it off Amazon and not through the Apple store but, as far as I can tell, it is the real thing. 

At the same time, I also ordered this amazing fountain pen.

I love the fact that it is transparent and you can see the ink level in the cartridge.  I grew up using a fountain pen in school.  However, using this Lamy fountain pen is light years away from the dodgy one that I was forced to use by my old school.  I remember fiddling with the school mandated fountain pen for hours trying to get the scratchy nib to work.  It was such a relief to use a ballpoint when I left that school.  It is funny how circular life is.  Being at home all day, every day, has brought to the forefront issues that I had never really had time to mull over.  I had just put up with using crappy disposable pens for a long time.  As so much is done digitally these days, I didn't see the need to buy pens.  After all, there are many freebie pens floating around.  Funnily enough, it was buying the futuristic Apple Pen that spurred me to get an "oldschool" fountain pen.  I liked the fact that it was refillable so it wasn't a disposable, one use only product.  The nib is so smooth. Writing in my daily planner has become an intentional, meditative act that fills me with great joy.  I pay a lot more attention to my penmanship which has tilted towards the illegible due to my increasing reliance on the digital.  The irony that I invested in a digital pen at the same time as a "manual" fountain pen didn't hit me until I received them. Ha! The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Subscribe so you never miss a post.  Note that Google Reader is no longer operational so signing up for an RSS feed is your best bet.

January 2021 Monthly Favourites The Boy The Mole The Fox and The Horse and Erbario Toscano Reed Diffuser

 Welcome Friends!  Time for another monthly favourites.  It is the start of a new year and yet it seems like it is just a continuation of 2020.  Do you feel the same way?  Because I spent so much time at home,  I really dove deep into my heart and soul.  I worked on myself and came to a few fundamental truths about dealing with toxicity in my life.  I will deal with that in a separate post because the topic needs a post of its own.  I am sure that, like many people around the world, 2020 drove home to us what really matters in life.  And if you have toxic people in your life who, after 2020, still cannot find it within themselves to exercise a modicum of kindness and generosity to the people around them, then you are permitted to shield yourself from people like that.  2020 shone a spotlight on the few people who were true friends in my life.  Speaking of friends, a good friend of mine sent me this wonderful book after she heard me raving about it.

This book is, of course, Charles Mackesy's The Boy, the mole, the fox and the horse.  It is a collection of drawings accompanied by conversational bon mots between, of course, a boy, a mole, a fox and a horse as they wander around the English countryside.  I think that the first time I read it, tears poured down my face.  It reminded me so much of my soul relationship with a dear departed fur pet.  That pet was my soulmate.  I was so damaged back then, and through my relationship with him, I discovered the unplumbed depths of love, compassion, understanding, friendship that were within me.  There isn't a straightforward plot or a conventional narrative in The Boy, the mole... but I would put it in the same stable as The Alchemist, Le Petit Prince and The Tao of Pooh.  The audiobook, whilst it doesn't have the magical drawings of the hard copy version, is equally magical in its own right as it is narrated by Charles Mackesy himself and is delightfully scored as well as accompanied with the sounds of nature.

Another Christmas gift from a different friend was this reed diffuser by Erbario Toscano.  

I popped it on a little shelf in the bathroom.  You can see it has already gone down by half in just a month which is the fastest of any reed diffuser I have tried and doesn't have a wide scent throw.  I wrote about making your own reed diffusers during Blogmas here.  I do love this one though.  It is the Spicy Vanilla which smells like an expensive men's cologne.   I have become obsessed with anything that creates a cozy, comforting home environment.  It is safe to say that my nesting instincts are in full throttle. 

How did your January go? 

The Weekly Roundup The Ordinary Concealer Review

 Welcome to another Weekly Roundup.  It has been a slow start to the year.  We are still in lockdown 3.0 in the Big Smoke.  I think I went a wee bit overboard with the cleaning.  I added in a common laundry additive that was supposed to boost the cleaning and brightening power of my laundry detergent.  Unfortunately, my zealousness resulted in a horrid case of hives that covered me from the neck down to my ankles.  I have used a hypoallergenic detergent for decades without any other additives so I am not sure what I was thinking.  As we have been sheltering in place for almost a year, I think I have become a tad OCD with housework.  If you suffer from allergies, then you can understand that for the last 3 weeks, all I have had on my mind is managing the itching and trying to bring the hives, swelling, and rash under control. 

Never mind, enough of my woes.  I do have something new to take my mind off the ever present desire to scratch at the hives which is the long awaited release of The Ordinary's concealer.  Currently, I am using Jouer's concealer which I talked about here.  I do like it but I am not in love with it as it dries down incredibly fast so there is no blend time at all.  

At 8 ml and an incredibly affordable $5.80 CAD, one can try it out without worrying about wasting a heap of money if the shade is not right.   It is always a bit tricky when trying to choose the right shade online, however, The Ordinary offers an impressive 36 shade range. I chose 1.2N. which is a fair shade with neutral undertones.  I think I could have gone a step darker but I think a light shade is fine for covering up dark undereye circles.   I don't have a lot of opportunity to wear much makeup these days but having a concealer that makes me looks somewhat healthy and alive on Zoom meetings is a must.

The concealer is described as "high coverage."  It does a very good job of covering my dark undereye circles.  There is enough slip so that it blends easily.  I would say that it sits somewhere in the middle of a matte and a dewy finish.  I used Hylamide SubQ Eyes serum before using the concealer.  However, the concealer still settled into the dry patches and fine lines so I might need a more intense moisturizer in the future.  On the plus side, the concealer is alcohol, oil, silicone, nut, gluten and cruelty free and is vegan.  

The tube comes with a long thin nozzle. I am used to using a doe foot applicator.  However, the nozzle allows for a precise controlled use of the product as a tiny amount goes a long way.  

As you can see, it does a more than adequate job of covering the red spots (from my rash) on my hand.  I didn't put any moisturizer or primer on beforehand so you can see that it will highlight lines and creases even though the product description states that it doesn't settle into fine lines.

Overall, I am very pleased with this concealer.  And really, at this price point, one can't complain.  It does the job and I think it will be a true workhorse in my makeup routine.

Making the Most of 2021 New Stay At Home Exercise Routine

 Happy New Year and welcome back!  I really needed a break after doing Blogmas.  The province that I am in declared a State of Emergency this week (again) and issued a Stay at Home Order starting today.  Every time this happens, my emotional state tends to dip down a bit.  It's a bit of a rough start to the year but I am determined to make the most of 2021.

I received this exercise bicycle for Christmas.  I didn't ask for it and it was a huge surprise.  I had basically stopped going on hikes due to a couple of heavy snowfalls so my exercise regimen (already quite minimal) had taken a hit.  This bike uses magnets instead of an oldfashioned chain so it is really quiet. It has a digital readout screen to estimate calories burned and distance "travelled."  

The bike also has a pair of bungee cords for working out one's arms.  To be honest, I usually find workouts to be really boring which is why I prefer getting out into nature.  To encourage myself to stick with working out on the bike, I balance my tablet on top and put on a wildlife or travel documentary.  Like many people, the pandemic pounds crept up on me.  There is no doubt that I overindulged massively in emotional eating.  As we have been sheltering in place for almost a year now (!!), I hope to continue working out at home and doing what I can to maintain my health.

Have you been battling the pandemic pounds as well?

Blogmas Day 24 Christmas Eve Preparations

 Welcome to Blogmas Day 24!  Only one more sleep to go, yay!  I truly can't believe I made it to the last day.  Truth be told, there were a few instances when I thought of skipping a day or two.  I am so glad that I persevered.  

I did have to go rushing out again to get a few things that I had forgotten.  For example, I needed to pick up some red wine for the pot roast I am planning.  

I picked up some clementines as well.  Clementines just say Christmas to me.  I also picked up this jar of cranberry orange sauce.  This was the only jar of any type of cranberry sauce left in the store.  If you have ever had cranberry orange sauce before, let me know.  

Yes, I do have a couple of very, very last minute gifts to get. I know, I know. I am thinking of digital subscriptions to magazines and newspapers.  There is no waste and it is a gift that keeps on giving.

Wishing you a Lovely, Healthy and Safe Christmas!  Thank you so much for following along with Blogmas.  It is the first time I have ever done Blogmas here on the old bloggity blog.   It gave a much needed rhythm to my days.  Even though this year has been deeply challenging on many levels, I feel a deep sense of gratitude for what I have.  Just remember that if you are alone at Christmas, please reach out,  I am sure that one of my readers would be more than happy to start a supportive conversation.  If there is anything you want me to write about next year, please let me know.  I will see you on the flip side.

Blogmas Day 23 Last Minute Gifts for Children and Tweens

 Welcome to Blogmas Day 23!  Every Christmas, I always promise myself that I will be more organized and not get sucked into a shopping frenzy but inevitably, at the last minute, I get a case of nerves and worry that I didn't get the right gift or the perfect gift or that whatever I did get just isn't good enough.  If anything, this year has taught us what is really important in life.  But still, I was beset by doubts.  This is what happens when you are surrounded by extra demanding people. It doesn't help that we are in lockdown.  Even doing curbside pickup is fraught with difficulty because although the website may say something is in stock and is available for pickup, when you go to checkout, the pickup time is weeks away because the store has to ship it over from another store or warehouse.

I went racing over to the local pharmacy today as I knew they had children's toys.  The shelves looked like a herd of elephants had gone stampeding through.  I wrote about Lego on Day Three.  The Lego boxes that you see above were literally the last ones on the shelf.  

I have no idea what to get a tween, do you?  If you have any ideas, please let me know.  They aren't properly teenagers but they aren't very young children either.  Jenga is a classic game that the whole family can play.  It was also the last one on the shelf.  I picked up a couple of Star Wars Pez Candy as stocking stuffers and, yes, you guessed it, they were the last ones.  Thank goodness for late night pharmacies! I had an elaborate blog post planned for Day 23 but I had to be honest and keep it real.  I also got groceries.  All the essential stores had massive lineups outside.  By the time I got home, I felt completely and utterly shattered.  I had an elaborate blog post planned for Day 23 but I had to be honest and keep it real. 

Only 2 more sleeps until Christmas!  How are you doing with your preparations?

Subscribe and share.

Blogmas Day 22 Planning for 2021

Welcome to Blogmas Day 22!  Every year, I get a new Moleskine planner which I have written about here.  It is something I enjoy and look forward to.  The sight of those blank pages feels me with anticipation.  Truth be told, I did hesitate this time.  Months of dealing with the pandemic and one lockdown after another has rendered me immobile with emotional fatigue.  What was the point of planning anything when the future seemed so uncertain?

There is no doubt that I have been relying more and more on the calendar in my phone.  However, I will always be an analog girl at heart and need to jot down my plans on paper.  When I saw the forest green colour of the pocket version. I couldn't resist. I always get the same style where the days of the week are on the left and there is a blank, lined page on the right.   You will see that the planners are still in the plastic wrapping as I haven't opened them yet.  I have put them in my stocking as my yearly treat to myself.

Hopefully, when I open them up on January 1st, I can move forward with optimism.

Share and subscribe.

Blogmas Day 21 Alone At Christmas

 Welcome to Blogmas Day 21!  With the expected announcement today that the lockdown had been extended,  I wanted to talk about the dreaded prospect of being alone at Christmas.  Christmas is already a very fraught time but throw in enforced isolation and all bets are off. But it doesn't have to be that way.

Yes, I have spent Christmas alone in the past but I didn't feel lonely.  There is a big difference between alone and lonely.  I still decorated my home.  I made sure to stock my kitchen with all of my favourite foods.  I watched my favourite holiday movies which I wrote about here.  I bought myself a couple small things that I needed and wanted and put them aside for Christmas Day.  I made an effort to be kind to myself.  Basically, I prepared for it as if I was going to have guests over except I was the honored guest.  I have had terrible Christmas' in the past as well with out of control people.  There is always someone who decides to drink way too much or someone who decides to stir the pot and air grievances from the last 30 years. So I know from experience that Christmas is not so much about the people you are with but the feeling from deep within of peace and plenty.  If you have made it to the end of this extraordinary year with your health and sanity intact, then give yourself a huge pat on the back!  If you have furbabies, I don't need to tell you what a Godsend they are.  If you don't, going for a walk, admiring the trees and feeding the squirrels at the park really reconnects you with Nature and the cycle of life.  Just remember, I am here too.  Unfortunately, Blogger seems to have taken away the reply to comment functionality but send me a comment or a message via the Contact Page if you want to reach out.

Blogmas Day 20 DIY Handmade Christmas Crackers How To Guide

 Welcome to Blogmas Day 20!  I love the concept of Christmas crackers but the reality of them has always been a bit of a letdown.  The store bought ones tend to have silly useless trinkets inside them that invariably end up in the trash.  Homemade crackers where you choose the surprise are so much better.  I chose to make mine with tea towels as they can be added to a table setting and used as napkins.  Best of all, the tea towels can be reused instead of being thrown away once the cracker has been opened.

You will need:

Cardboard rolls

Ribbons

Tea Towels

Small gifts or sweets to fill the cracker

Optional: Christmas cracker snaps.

Cut the roll to size.  I cut mine to approximately 1/3 the width of the towel.  Fill the cardboard roll with the surprise or treat. I chose toys like a miniature BMW (one can only wish), and hand cream mini's. You could fill the cardboard roll with delicious bonbons as well.

 Roll the towel around the cardboard.  I love using tea towels with a monogrammed initial on it as you can match the letter to the name of the family member.  Make sure that the initial is facing up and outwards. 

 I used tea towels with an embroidered Dala horse as well as they are so much fun for a child's place setting.  Tie a ribbon at eachend of the cardboard roll. 

Of course, you can also use leftover giftwrap as well.  The great thing about this craft is that you can use up what you have on hand such as cardboard rolls from giftwrap, paper towels and even toilet paper.  These tea or dish towel Christmas crackers are sure to enliven your festive tablescape.

Share and subscribe!

Blogmas Day 19 Sunset Mimosa Recipe

 Welcome to Blogmas Day 19!  I picked up a bottle of rose sparkling wine from my favourite winery.  I don't usually buy rose as rose drinkers tend to be viewed as slightly naif.  But I am far from being a wine snob and for some reason, the deep blush hue just spoke to me.  It made me think of tropical sunsets, sunny days and happier times.  Plus, I couldn't find the usual sparkling wine from Jacob's Creek on the shelf.

I think that it would be perfect with orange juice on Christmas Day.  What could be more festive than a mimosa with brunch on Christmas Day?

Sunset Mimosa

Ingredients:

Champagne or Sparkling Wine

Orange Juice

Grenadine

Optional Garnishes:  Strawberries 

Combine 1 part Champagne or Sparkling Wine with 1 part orange juice with enough Grenadine to produce a sunset hue.  If you are using rose sparkling wine, you may choose to omit the Grenadine.

Enjoy!

Subscribe and share.

Blogmas Day 18 Assembling Care Packages

 Welcome to Blogmas Day 18!  This weekend is really the last couple days that you can mail off parcels or order gifts online with any hope that they will arrive in time for Christmas.  I put together a care package for a family member who does not drive and took it off to the post office today.  The line up was long but moved quickly.

I love those big boxes of assorted biscuits that appear in the grocery stores at this time of year.  They are excellent quality, taste delicious and usually come in a pretty tin that you can keep for storing your own baked goodies.  I put in a few other goodies as well as practical things like a package of disinfectant wipes which are hard to find.  Remember that it isn't so much the dollar value of the contents but the feeling of pleasurable surprise that is elicited at a time of year when we have to continue to shelter in place.  Care packages that are a mix of treats and the practical are always well received. You should also keep in mind the cost of postage as, depending on how heavy the package is and where you are sending it, the cost could far outstrip the value of the contents.  As well, there are still a number of countries to which Canada Post has stopped service, so you should check first before taking your package to the Post Office.

Subscribe and share!

Blogmas Day 17 Maple Syrup Roasted Nuts Recipe

 Welcome to Blogmas Day 17!  I don't know about you but, for me, the Holiday Season is always associated with nuts for some reason.  Is it because of the proliferation of nutcrackers in holiday decor?  I just love roasted nuts and the following recipe yields a bowl of crunchy goodness that has a mouthwatering balance of the salty and the sweet.  However, if your tastes lean more towards the spicy, you could experiment with ground pepper and chili flakes.  Herbs work well with roasted nuts as well. I would recommend staying away from herbs with delicate leaves as they will likely just char.  Search out herbs with woody, twiggy leaves like rosemary, for example, as they are more robust and can withstand the heat of the oven.

Ingredients:

2 cups whole almonds

3 tablespoons maple syrup

3 tablespoons unsalted melted butter

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  In a bowl, combine the ingredients.  I used almonds but you could use any nut that you prefer such as hazelnuts and even combine seeds such as sunflower seeds. Spread the mixture over a silicone baking mat.

Place the tray on the middle rack.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Turn the nuts at the 10 minute mark.  Check every 5 minutes to make sure they don't burn.  

The smokiness of the maple syrup combined with the vanilla extract and the roasted almonds produces a magical flavour profile.  Packaged into a pretty airtight jar with a tag or label describing the ingredients, they make a delicious gift.  

Blogmas Day 16 Handmade DIY Christmas Gifts Hair Clips Brooches Pendants With Beads and Buttons How To

 Welcome to Blogmas Day 16!  I have always loved unusual buttons as I felt that they had the underrated power to really elevate an outfit.  Over the years, I have amassed a small collection of vintage buttons as well as a handful of beautiful glass beads.  I really wanted to pull them out of the depths of a dresser drawer and do something creative with them.  Here is a DIY craft that doesn't require any level of specialized skill.

You will need beads and or buttons, pin backs, fine guage wire and hair clips.  You may also want transparent fishing line, pliers and a hot glue gun. The pin backs have holes for you to thread wire or fishing line.  The hair clip had a hole at either end as well.  I used both without issue.  Because the fishing line is transparent, you may prefer using that.  You may also wish to use hot glue for greater adhesion.  I found that I didn't need a large needle to work with the wire or fishing line as both were substantial enough for me to handle them with ease.  Use the pliers to snip off the wire once you have finished threading the beads and/or buttons and secured them together to pin back or hair clip. 

This is where you can really get creative.  Select the beads and buttons you want to work with and string them together with either wire or fishing line.  I made a long dangly pendant and attached a lobster claw clasp at one end so that it can clip easily to a chain.  I used a vintage button with a flat back at the end of the pendant so that I didn't have to make an ugly knot. I also strung together gorgeous handmade glass beads on a hairclip and attached a rectangular midnight blue glass bead to a pin back to form a one-of-a-kind brooch.  Buttons with a little loop at the back are easy to string together and attach to a hairclip as well.   Each bead is handmade and is like a tiny work of art in itself.  Placed in a pretty gift box or little jewelry bag, they make gorgeous, unique gifts.

Subscribe and share with a friend.

Blogmas Day 15 DIY Handmade Essential Oil Reed Diffuser How To

 Welcome to Blogmas Day 15!  Now that we are all spending so much more time at home, nesting and making the home as cozy as possible has become a national, if not, international obsession.  A big part of creating a homey ambiance is deploying delicious fragrances into the air.  I love a good scented candle but I don't love worrying about the flame.  I much prefer reed diffusers because they are scenting the air 24/7 without me having to worry about leaving an unattended lit candle.  However, essential oil reed diffusers can be prohibitively expensive.  In the past, I have bought reed diffusers that had no scent throw whatsoever. As well, until smell-o-vision is invented, ordering reed diffusers online is a risky business.  Below are the instructions for a handmade, DIY essential oil reed diffuser.  The great thing about making your own is that you can personalize the scent.  Even the most clumsy amongst us can master this as it really doesn't require any special skills at all.

You will need:

1/2 cup safflower oil (you may adjust the amount of carrier oil depending on the size of the display container you will be using)

9 reed sticks

30 drops of each type of essential oil

1-2 tablespoons of isopropyl alcohol

display container with a narrow neck opening

Mix everything in a glass bowl or a glass measuring cup then pour into the container of your choice.  When choosing essential oils, imagine your favourite perfume or scents.  Do you just want a single note or a medley?  Adjust the levels of the essential oils according to which ones you want to dominate. Think top, middle and base notes.

I would advise against using carrier oils that are thick or have a strong aroma such as olive and sesame oil.  A thick oil will have difficulty travelling up the reed and a strong aroma will interfere with the fragrance of the essential oils.  I chose safflower oil because it is readily available at the grocery store and is affordable.  You should use a glass container that has a narrow neck opening as the essential oil mixture will not evaporate as quickly.

You can use vintage perfume bottles, glass jars or even glass vases for your display container.  I decided to use the vase as the opening was sufficient to hold 9 sticks and I didn't have to shorten them.  You want to have a sufficient length of reed protruding from the top.  The reeds should be flipped once a week to maintain a constant scent throw.  

Handmade essential oil reed diffusers make a lovely gift.  Just decant the essential oil mixture into a pretty lidded jar that is leakproof, arrange it in a box or basket with the display container, the reeds and a festive note describing the essential oils that you chose.

Subscribe and share with your friends.

Blogmas Day 14 Bingeworthy Netflix Shows The Queen's Gambit and The Crown

 Welcome to Blogmas Day 14!  I wrote about holiday movies worth rewatching here on Blogmas Day Eight.  But there have been some new offerings on Netflix that had me settling in with my favourite snacks.  The whole world has been buzzing over The Queen's Gambit.

via imDb.com

I am completely clueless when it comes to chess but it just goes to show how gripping this series was and is in that it can captivate the imaginations of viewers who know nothing about chess.  Maybe it was the fact that I was bullied while in school and sought solace in books but I was able to identify with the main character, Beth Harmon, and her deep loneliness.  The series is only 7 episodes and I readily admit that I blew through it in an evening but I just had to keep watching if only to watch Beth Harmon kick ass on the chessboard whilst rocking 60's glam.

Season 4 of The Crown is available on Netflix now. This season introduces Princess Diana to the storyline.  Somehow the writers have managed to flesh out a story that everyone already knows and make it believable and engrossing.

via wikipedia.org

As much as the relationship and doomed marriage of Prince Charles and Princess Diana takes center stage in Season 4, the underrated turn of Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher was what really blew me away.  Yes, Gillian Anderson, somehow, with bouffant hair and stiff British accent, brought the Iron Lady to life.  I wonder what Maggie Thatcher would think of what's going on in the world now?

Subscribe and share with your friends.

  

Blogmas Day 13 DIY Christmas Gifts Handmade Tea

 Welcome to Blogmas Day 13!  Are you a coffee or tea drinker?  Myself, I love a cuppa first thing in the morning.  I have a family member who is obsessed with herbal tea.  If you read Blogmas Day 12, you know that I wrote about growing a herb garden.  If you have been harvesting and drying your herbs all summer then transforming the fruits of your labour into a sweet DIY handmade Christmas gift is simple.  If you don't have any homegrown herbs at hand, then loose herbal teas are readily available at your local health food store.  

The wonderful thing is that you don't need any type of culinary skills at all.  Mix in whatever tickles your palate such as chamomile, rosehips, hibiscus flowers or green tea.  Spoon in a generous teaspoonful or two into little drawstring bags available at craft stores and in health food stores.  

Place the filled tea bags in a pretty container.

Attach a festive tag describing the unique ingredients handpicked by you.

Blogmas Day 12 Indoor Herb Gardens

 Welcome to Blogmas Day 12!  We have all seen the rise in popularity of gardening this year.  Sadly, I don't have a garden or outdoor space to partake in this hobby but I didn't let that stop me.  I have tried umpteen times to grow herbs indoors.  I have tried growing them from seeds and cuttings and buying them fully grown but my attempts always fizzled.  However, when I saw potted herbs for sale at my local grocery store this summer, I decided to try again.

Several months on and I am happy to report that my basil plant is still going strong.  It is saving me a fortune and I always have fresh basil leaves at hand.  Having plants to look after helps me to feel less disconnected to nature as I shelter in place.  I will say that the trick for me was to have it by a window getting as much fresh air as possible during the summer months.  As well, when choosing one, check the leaves closely for signs of insect infestation.  Take it from me, I have purchased potted herbs in the past and brought them home only to discover that they were completely riddled with bugs.  There isn't any point in spraying them with insecticide because then you are left with a herb plant that you can't eat.  You also want to choose one that looks healthy and has fulsome foliage.  I did get a potted thyme at the same time as the basil but it died within 48 hours. I think that set a record for how quickly I had a plant die on me. I should have known better as it was looking a little on the crispy side.   It was the only one on offer at the time so I didn't have much choice.  Basil is a heavy drinker and requires frequent watering.  However, if your basil plant looks limp and droopy, a good soaking will perk it up very quickly.  The delicious fragrance of its leaves certainly beats any artificial air freshener hands down.

Subscribe and share with your friends.

Blogmas Day 11 Delicious Cheddar Cheese Mashed Potatoes Recipe

 Welcome to Blogmas Day 11!  As we move steadily towards the Big Day, I am sure our collective thoughts are swirling around and around as to what the main dish, the star attraction, is going to be on the day.  Whether it is turkey, chicken or beef (or in the case of a family member who is vegetarian, a Tofurkey), let's be honest here, it's the SIDES that we lust for.  Here in the Northern Hemisphere, with the temperatures falling and deep in another lockdown, the lure of comfort food that is filling and deeply satisfying can't be denied.  Here is my take on that staple side dish, mashed potatoes.

Cheddar Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

3 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes (if you can't find Yukon Gold, use yellow potatoes)

salt

1/3 cup unsalted butter

1/2 whipping cream

1/2 cup creme fraiche

coarsely ground pepper

1 cup roughly chopped or crumbled medium cheddar cheese

a sprig of green onion, chopped

Peel the potatoes.  You can quarter the potatoes either before or after cooking. I used a steamer to cook the potatoes but you can also boil them.  If you boil them, season the water well with salt.  Simmer until they are very tender and can be pierced easily with a fork.  

For the first time, I was unable to find Yukon Gold potatoes so I had to use yellow potatoes.  Yukon Gold potatoes are the very best for mashed potatoes so I was stricken with concern and anxiety at their absence in the grocery store.  If you are able to find them, please let me know.

Next, pass the potatoes through a potato ricer.  Hands up if you were ever made to mash potatoes with a masher as a child.  If you like lots of texture in your mash, then stick with a masher.  But if you want mash that has the fluffiness of a cloud then a potato ricer is your best friend.

I got mine years ago from Williams-Sonoma.  It comes with 3 discs with holes of varying diameters, depending on how fine a texture you are aiming for. It is called a potato ricer because what comes out really does look like rice grains.

Add in the butter, whipping cream, creme fraiche and cheddar cheese.  Add coarsely ground pepper to taste. Garnish with the spring onions. Serves 6 to 8.

The nuggets of cheddar cheese hidden in the luscious creaminess of the potatoes which itself has been amplified by the lashings of butter, whipping cream and cream fraiche really takes this unassuming vegetable to another level.  Above, I have paired the mashed potatoes with Italian sausages from Eataly.  I have noticed that food prices have risen during the pandemic and heard that they are set to rise again by 5% next year.  If you are like me and having to keep a sharp eye on the household budget, then having a few tried and tested basic recipes in your arsenal really helps to alleviate the worry.  I am not that interested at the moment in recipes that call for a laundry list of exotic ingredients.  First of all, how am I going to get my hands on them in the middle of a pandemic?  I don't want to spend hours ordering them online and then spend weeks waiting for delivery.  It all just seems too much of a faff.  Mashed spuds is a universal favourite which you can dress up with what you already have in your refrigerator. What is your favourite side dish?

Subscribe and share with your friends.

 

Blogmas Day 10 How To Deal With Maskne

 Welcome to Blogmas Day 10!  One side effect of wearing masks is, yes, you guessed it, Maskne.  Who knew that years after I left breakouts behind, I would be dealing with congested pores again.  You would think that all that humidity swirling around my face would be beneficial, rather like an enforced face sauna.  But instead, what I end up with are itchy rashes and breakouts.  Admittedly, there is a health and hygiene safety reason why we must wear masks.  I am not making light of the issue at all.  But if you, like me, are doing your best to follow health guidelines and wear masks whenever you go out, perhaps you have noticed your skin playing up as well.  So here is what I have learned in dealing with Maskne.

First, I have ramped back on my makeup routine.  I gave up lipstick, blush and highlighter.  No one ever saw any of that and it all rubbed off on my mask anyway.  At most, I put a bit of concealer under my eyes, some CC cream on my forehead and neutral eyeshadow.

I try my best to cleanse my face once I get home and take off my mask.  I really don't use any fancy facial cleansers.  In fact, my go-to for years has been baby wash and a cotton flannel!  I figured that if it is gentle enough for a baby then it should do the trick for my face.  Whatever you use, make sure it is free of fragrance, is hypoallergenic, and is free of other irritants like SLS' and parabens.  Basically, when your skin is in an agitated state, you don't want to put anything on it that is going to aggravate it further.  The cotton washcloth provides a gentle exfoliating action and gets tossed into the laundry regularly.

Speaking of laundry, you may also want to look at the type of detergent that you are using.  I am not pushing any particular brand.  The above is just what I am using at the moment.  I have used fragrance free hypoallergenic detergent for years as I had a family member with severe ezcema.  If you are using fabric, reusable masks, they should be washed regularly, preferably with hypoallergenic detergent.  That mask is pressed against your skin for a sustained period of time so any detergent residue embedded in the fabric will also be rubbing onto your skin and possibly causing skin sensitivities.

We have so many stressors to deal with right now and Maskne shouldn't be one of them.  If you have any further suggestions, please share in the comments!  

Subscribe and share with your friends.

Blogmas Day Nine Purdy's Chocolates

 Welcome to Blogmas Day Nine!  There is no doubt that the Holiday Season is coupled with lashings and lashings of chocolate.  I've spoken about my love for Purdy's Chocolates here and here but I truly adore this Canadian chocolate company.  I made sure to pick up a box of my favourite, Sweet Georgia Browns, before the second lockdown as the Purdy's stall nearest to me is inside a mall and doesn't have a street presence.  I just wasn't sure how they would manage curbside pickup and didn't want to take the chance of not having my favourite chocolates during the holidays.  Yes, I know, I am that much of a dedicated fan.

The sweetness of the caramel and chocolate balanced against the contrasting textures of the pecans and gooeyness of the caramel is an unparalleled delight.  

I spotted this box of matcha chocolate balls which I thought would be a perfect stocking stuffer for someone I know who is obsessed with matcha tea.  You can also get the boxes of chocolate prewrapped which is a real timesaver.

Luckily Purdy's is also available online for those of you who weren't able to stock up before lockdown or are still in lockdown.  Considering how delivery times are anyone's guess nowadays, I would suggest putting in your orders soon.

I do think that taking the time to indulge in something luscious and decadent with a steaming mug of your favourite tea or coffee is practically a necessity now as a way of combating the stresses of our lives.  

Let me know what your favourite treat is!

Subscribe and share with your friends.