SATURDAY SERENITY 8-1-2015

Go with the flow..... one of my favorite sayings that I've learned to follow through the years.
 

Don't fight it...... if things don't happen the way you had hoped (and planned for!)..... try to let it go.... as it may be what the Universe planned for you all along.

Sometimes it's hard... but I've learned through experience that what you thought was the absolute perfect plan for you.... really was not... and you find out maybe a year later.... why.

I hope you have a serene Saturday!

My gluten free "sweetie" desserts - low sugar too!

The other day, my husband made another gluten free "starter" for some sourdough pancakes. He has a "thing" for sourdough pancakes... he grew up eating them almost every day! And I haven't been able to eat them for years due to my gluten intolerance. 

So................. after a few days of the starter working, he made a batch... and boy were they good! Well... I decided to have him write the recipe so I could post it on my blog. I even took photos! 

Then I went to post the recipe on my blog, and discovered that I had already posted the recipe two years ago! ..... well maybe a little bit different of a recipe, but essentially the same. Boy my mind does not work as well as it used to, does yours?

And in looking at that older recipe, I decided while I was there, to go take a look at all my other GF recipes, and they all look so delectable! I decided to put links here to all of my gluten free recipes, just for the heck of it, in case any new person is just now viewing my blog. Wouldn't want you to miss out on these (scroll to end).  

And also... for your information..... my husband now pretty much PREFERS gluten free desserts over desserts made with wheat flower and more sugar! So just because they are gluten free, does not mean they aren't good............... in fact.... usually better. 

I make all of my GF recipes with way less sugar than called for... or none at all and just a little bit of agave syrup... so you see?....... these are also low sugar!

WIN WIN situation.   Here they are:

Gluten free walnut-banana-raisin bread

Yummy gluten free sourdough pancakes
   (delicious.. but my current recipe I think is even better.. let me know if you want it - hubby tweaked it a little bit)

Gluten free carrot cake
   (the BEST ever that I have ever had!)

Gluten free oatmeal raisin cookies
   (again the BEST ever and a huge hit whenever I make them)

Gluten free spicey muffins
   (also dairy, sugar and egg free)

Fruit salad with ginger dressing and Gluten free cinnamon rolls
   (OK the rolls come from a mix, but they are scrumptious!)

Hope you try one of these, even if you DON'T have to eat gluten free. Most use a gluten free pre-made baking mix, such as Bob's Red Mill or King Arthur..... and ps.s.s.s.s.t.t.t.t...... no one will know they are gluten free!

Let me know if you try any of these and what you think.

SATURDAY SERENITY - REFLECTION - 7-25-2015

Another day for reflection.......... and serenity........

Wisdom comes from reflection.....

~Deborah Day, BE HAPPY NOW!~

Can you be serene today?

 

FUN AND FUNKY VINTAGE/GRUNGE TYPE CARD.

With summer finally in full swing here, I'm finding less and less time to sit myself down at my craft table! I did manage to make a neat vintage/steampunk/grunge card for my nephew and his fianace, for their engagement party. Thought I'd give it a little spotlight here because I really liked how it turned out!

I used a purple and gray color theme, as these are their wedding colors, and I did alot of inking of edges with some Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Vintage Photo (which I love love!).  See those 3 little buttons on the top? They were some pretty vintage buttons I found at a garage sale. I love the little purple gems that sparkle and shine when you turn the card this way and that.

I tucked in a little lace doily on the left side of the photo, after sponging it with the vintage photo ink.

Don't you just ADORE this image? I found it on Pinterest when I searched for "vintage photo couple on moon". The website it's from is Deviant Art. Her images are free for personal use.  I typed the various tags text using MS Word, using a fancy font, then printed them out on cream cardstock, and cut them out with fancy edged scissors. The photo was also cut along the edges with my fancy edged scissors and ink distressed.

  
Burlap always gives something a more grunge/vintage look, so I cut strips and frayed the edges, to add under their names, and the sentiments. I stamped some little black stars on each side of the "love you to the moon and back".
  

I found this saying by searching online for engagement quotes. I thought it was just perfect. And there's another one of those vintage buttons at the bottom. Love it!

I used a little more burlap on the inside for a little added interest... and used a few little burlap strings that I had pulled out from the edges.

I made my special envelope using the We Are Memory Keepers envelope punch board. That is one of my FAVE tools.   The paper is a glittery gold paper that I got from JoAnn's. The "belly band" is made with some gray satin polka dot ribbon. It can be slid off easily. I didn't want to mar the envelope and ruin it, but taping it shut. To the belly band ribbon, I added one of my handmade shabby paper flowers using the same purple and gray papers, and a pretty lavender organza ribbon bow.

The tag is also made with the gold glittery paper (though you can't see how it sparkles in this photo unfortunately). Another little lavender bow tops it off, with their names on a little piece of cream cardstock, and a little strip of the scrapbook paper with the purple flowers glued on. Lots of distressing here too.

This wasn't really a tutorial, but I hope you get a few ideas from my card. Happy crafting!

 

SATURDAY SERENITY 7-18-2015

Wishing you a very serene Saturday today in this (sometimes too busy) beautiful world where you live.

Deschutes River at La Pine State Park, in La Pine, Oregon.

SATURDAY SERENITY 7-11-2015

I was looking through some of my old photos yesterday, looking for something "old" to post on my Facebook page for Throwback Thursday. I found some pictures of me with my beloved horse, Buddy, from around 15 years ago.

2000, by Mt. Adams, Washington at Walupt Lake in the Goat Rocks Wilderness area. 

Where has the time gone? As I gazed at these photos, it brought me such a sense of pleasure and peace. I realized "this is serenity"................remembering times we enjoyed and that are so precious to us.

2002 by Yakima, Washington.

1997 south of The Dalles, Oregon.

Sometimes

Serenity is

Simply getting lost

in something

you love.

~Marilyn McLeod~

I hope you get lost today in something that brings you serenity.


 

SATURDAY SERENITY AND HAPPY 4TH! 7-4-2015

It's a little hard to be serene today... with all of the 4th of July activities going on! But I'm trying..... I'm not one for crowds of people and lots of noise.... especially in this super HOT weather we are having here in central Oregon.

There's an old preserved ghost town in Fort Rock, Oregon, about 45 miles from where I live, and for some reason, going there and just listening to the past.... gives me a feeling of peace and serenity. What was it like to live back then?

Life has its rhythm and we have ours....

They're designed to coexist in harmony....

So that when we do what is ours to do....

And otherwise let life be....

We garner acceptance....

... and serenity.

~Victoria Moran~

I love this quote - I'm trying to live by it today... and let life have its own rhythm, even though it is rowdy and loud! I'll attempt to coexist with it. I'll sit and contemplate life as it was 150 years ago.....

..................and be thankful that the people of this great United States of America have had their freedom for over 200 years.

I'll celebrate in my own way......... and remain serene if I can.