Winnie the Pooh’s thoughts on rushing

I have noticed lately that I always feel like I am in a rush. It doesn’t matter if I give myself ten extra minutes to get to work – I still end up power walking and get impatient when I get caught behind slow movers. And then I came across this quote that really helped me see things in a new light:

“Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.”

- Winnie the Pooh

My jobs are in fast paced environments so I know there will always be times where I need to rush but I’m starting to think there are lots of times where it wouldn’t hurt to slow down and appreciate things. So that is exactly what I will aim to do!

Relaxed & Flowy Shirt

I really love the summery style of having a flowy, slightly see-through shirt that you wear over a tank top. So I was really excited to come across this pattern, and then even more excited to come across this knit fabric:

That whole process is incredibly simply and shouldn’t take you more than a couple of hours. Here are the steps I followed (though you might have to make alterations depending on the fabric you use and how you want it to fit):

1. Buy 3/4 of a yard fabric and thread of a matching colour.

2. Fold fabric in half so it creates a large square. Then move the trim of the top half up so it is about 5 inches shorter than the bottom half. If you are shorter or just want a shirt that isn’t too long, trim off a few inches of the fabric along the top (meaning you will be cutting off the fold). If you are tall or want a long shirt just cut directly at the fold. You should end up with something that looks like this:

3. Pin pieces together along the top edge. Sew halves together, leaving hole in middle – this hole will become the collar so make it as wide or as narrow as you would like the shirt to be. I made mine quite wide because I like the fall off the shoulder effect but you can also make it high neck if you would like.

4. Lay the fabric flat on the floor again. This time pull the top piece down so the bottom edges of the pieces line up. Beginning at the bottom left corner start pinning the two pieces of fabric together from bottom to top – you don’t need to go all the way up because you will need room for arm holes. Repeat on right side.

5. Stitch pieces together while leaving 8-10 inches on either side for arm holes.

6. I was lucky in that my fabric was already closed off at the bottom but if yours isn’t you may want to zig-zag hem to make sure it doesn’t unravel. I also zig-zag stitched the collar and arms just to make sure my shirt would last.

7. You’re all done! When I finished mine I discovered a few fabric related issues like the collar not hanging right but they were quick fixes. So if you try this out and it doesn’t come out quite how you wanted just let me know and I’ll be glad to help out! Here’s a look at the final product:

I find it makes your average tank top and jeans just look so much more dressed up so I really hope you get a chance to try it out! Happy sewing!

Dr. Seuss wisdom for the day

Dr. Seuss always manages to say things just right:

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” – Dr. Seuss

Dollar Store Flower Arranging

For my birthday my friend gave me a lovely bouquet of flowers which I then arranged into a wonderful centerpiece which brightened the kitchen table for several days.

However, as flowers are bound to do, they died – leaving a sad and empty table behind. Fortunately the dollar store stepped in and solved all my problems. They had an entire section devoted to fake flowers and from there I managed to collect a cheap collection of flowers that won’t die on me!

For the base I simply filled an old plastic pineapple container with pebbles and an assortment of fake flower petals. Then I arranged the flowers. It would have been easier if I had a pair of wire cutters to break the flowers apart but I made do and just did a lot of bending and folding.

Not the most glorious arrangment in the world but it’s a start! The kitchen looks far more lively and on top of that I have been introduced to a whole new world of dollar store decorating. All I need is a pair of wire cutters and my house will become a fake flower oasis!

Makeup Organizer

Every since I was a little girl I have always wanted to have my own vanity desk. At first is what just based on the fact that it seemed entirely princess like but then as I grew older I was drawn to the concept of having somewhere to sit and do my makeup instead of having to stand over the bathroom sink. Though my room isn’t really big enough for a desk dedicated to makeup and hair – my mom found an old shelf that would at least give me somewhere to keep all my beauty tools and once I added a mirror to it I had my very own makeup station. Still no chair or princess feel to it but it served its purpose quite nicely. That was until I discovered that such a small space could not house my makeup collection. Eyeshadows would roll off the side and shatter, finding the right blush would require a time consuming unstacking and restacking and many things would just plain go missing. But then when I was in dollarama yesterday I came across a wooden container that was originally designed for desk use. After spending a grand total of 4.50$ I had all the paints, brushes and tools I needed to finally organize my makeup. Within a few hours I had created this:

Which then turned this disaster:

Into this:

My creation is the perfect size to house lipsticks on one side, lip liners and glosses on the other and then eyeshadows underneath. Plus my major blushes and bronzers sit perfectly on top. Now I can find everything easily and not have to worry about things rolling off and breaking. So if you’re in need of a good organizer just hit up your local dollar store and get crafting!

Airplane food

Now I know this might sound very unusual to a lot of people but I just have to say it…I LOVE airplane food. I constantly hear people complain about how gross it is and maybe “technically” tinfoil covered, pre-made food isn’t considered sheer decadence but I can’t deny that airplane food brings me a great deal of joy.
Just picture it: the stewardess comes shuffling down the aisle calling out a refrain of “chicken or pasta”? When she gets to you, you make your selection and are handed a tray of carefully engineered goodies. There’s a main course, a salad, a nice roll of bread and even a brownie or piece of cake for dessert. You get to snack away while enjoying the in flight movie and not worry about a thing because it’s vacation time!
Maybe it’s just that I’m in a really excited state of mind at the prospect of travel while I’m eating it. Or maybe I’m just really easy to please. Either way – I eagerly anticipate my next in flight meal. Even though I know my next airliner feast is far away because they only provide food on flights that are over 5 hours – I’m ready for it. It cannot come soon enough!

Learning a new language

I would say that I’m one of those people that constantly needs to be learning – and I think a lot of people are like that. If you’re like me and don’t like to ever be bored, I have a new way for you to get your brain going: learn a new language. It’s nice because it’s a hobby that you can do alone or with people. If you want to do it on your own during your down time – that’s great! Or if you want to pick up a class or start a language learning group with your friends – that’s wonderful too!

Right now I’m using an old Spanish textbook I had kicking around to rekindle my linguistic skills. If you aren’t fortunate enough to have a beginner’s language book lying around your home, you can easily find one at your local library. There are also lots of great free podcasts on itunes so you can listen to the language on top of just reading it. If in addition to all that you can find a friend who you can practice speaking with – you will be absolutely golden.

It’s such a rewarding endeavor because at the end of it you’ll be able to communicate with people you might otherwise never have been able to. And there’s always more to learn and more practicing to be done so you never stop being stimulated. It may seem daunting at first but I really hope you get a chance to try learning a new language. I promise it’s worth it!

What about you? Do you have any hobbies you would recommend? I’m always in search of new ways to enjoy my down time!

Asparagus Salmon Risotto

I fortuitously stumbled across this recipe when I was having a craving for seafood but needed to serve the meal I was planning to someone who couldn’t eat shellfish. The dish has the perfect creamy texture and the asparagus and salmon provide the perfect pops of flavor. It’s great comfort food but is also unique and fancy enough to impress your friends and family the next time you’re cooking for them.

Ingredients:

- 1 cup arborio rice

- 1 cup salmon, cut into cubes

- 1 cup asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces (and sliced in half lengthwise if stems are very thick)

- 1 small onion, diced

- 3 tablespoons olive oil

- 2 tablespoons butter

- 1 cup white wine

- 3 and 3/4 cups chicken stock

- zest of 1 lemon

- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

- 1 teaspoon salt

 

Directions:

1. Place chicken stock in a large pot and bring to a boil.

2. Melt olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over low-medium heat. Add the onions and let them sweat without browning (about 3 minutes).

3. Add the rice and let is toast for 2-3 minutes while stirring. Mix in the wine and let it cook until wine has mostly evaporated.

4. Begin adding the stock to the rice mixture 1 cup at a time. Every time you add a cup, wait until the liquid has mostly been soaked in before adding the next cup. Continue this process for a little over 15 minutes. By that time you will have added all the chicken stock.

5. Stir in the cheese. Sprinkle salt over the salmon and asparagus and add them to the rice mixture. Add lemon zest and stir through.

6. Place cover on the pot, turn the heat to low and allow to cook for 5 minutes. When time has elapsed check to see if salmon and asparagus are at desired tenderness. If not replace lid and allow to cook longer while checking frequently. You may also turn off heat and let it sit.

Note: Cooking times may very depending on the heat you use so check frequently and be prepared to adjust accordingly.

This was my first experiment with risotto and I will definitely be trying it again because the dish was absolutely divine. I hope you enjoy!

Spinach & Goat Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

My roommate found a recipe for Gouda-stuffed mushrooms but because we love goat cheese so darn much we decided to make some alteration to the recipe for our dinner party. It was a real hit among our guest so I highly recommend it!

Ingredients:

- 25 small/medium button mushrooms

- 1 tablespoon oil

- 1/4 cup bacon bits

- 1/8 cup frozen spinach (thawed and drained)

- 1/8 cup well diced onion

- 2 cloves of garlic, minced

- 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

- 1 tablespoon basil

Directions:

1. Sautee onions and garlic in olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat for 3 minutes. Stir in spinach for 1-2 minutes. Add bacon bits and combine for 1 minute.

2. Remove from heat and transfer to small bowl to cool. Mix in goat cheese, basil and bread crumbs.

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash mushrooms and remove stems so a small hole is created in each mushroom cap. Lay them top down on a cooking tray. Place a small ball of cheese mixture into each mushroom cap.

4. Bake mushrooms in oven for 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving as the juice created by the cooked mushroom will make the inside very hot.

This is sure to be a unique and delicious treat for your guests!

Feta Pomegranate Salad

This pomegranate salad makes for an excellent starter or side dish. Plus, adding some grilled chicken will quickly turn it into a hearty meal if that’s what you’re searching for. It’s very easy to make and serves 4-5 people comfortably.  Healthy, simple and delicious!

Ingredients:

- 1 head of red lettuce

- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

- 1/4 cup crumbled feta

- seeds from half a pomegranate

- 3 tablespoons olive oil

- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 1 teaspoon sugar, splenda or honey

 

Directions:

1. Combine lettuce, onion, feta and pomegranate in large salad bowl.

2. Put oil, vinegar, salt and sugar in a small tupperware container. Put the lid on and shake well.

3. Slowly pour dressing over salad bit by bit while mixing until desired amount has been added. Once everything’s evenly distributed it’s ready to go!