How Cool is This

I found these at greenhome.com Kinda pricy but worth it in my opinion.
Set of 8—$25.00Set of 8—$25.00

Eight plantable greeting cards that grow wildflowers when the lucky recipient plants it. What a beautiful and eco-friendly way to share and create beauty but leave not waste.

The set contains eight cards with matching envelopes, 2 of each blue, pink, green and orange per set. Each card measures 4x6 inches folded.

Each greeting card's seed paper contains the highest-quality mix of annuals and perennial seeds including: Bird's Eye, Clarkia, Coreopsis, Poppy, Catchfly, and Snap Dragon.



To plant your seeded greeting card:
1. Prepare a pot of soil or small patch of garden.
2. Place greeting card on the top of soil.
3. Spread a thin layer of soil onto the paper.
4. Water well and give plenty of sunshine.
5. Keep moist during germination. 6 - 8 weeks.

Also available are plantable cards and calendars!
Calendar
Journal
Inspirational Cards
Valentine's Day Cards
Christmas Cards


No more tossing cards out with the trash. Instead, plant them. LOVE IT!!!

Make a Difference Monday -- You're sooooo good looking!

This may not always be the right compliment to give, but it’s pretty great. If you don’t remember, this is what Seinfeld suggests that people say instead of “bless you” when someone sneezes. I don’t know about you all, but a nice compliment can last me all day. If I’m having an absolutely awful day, and someone says something nice like, “Wow, your hair looks great!”, I suddenly feel like everything is going to be ok, and that I’m worthwhile. Maybe I’m crazy. Maybe I shouldn’t take every compliment to the bank, but eh… why not. Women can sometimes be so competitive that we can come across as being hateful or self-absorbed. So many of us feel like we’ve got to be tough because we’ve got something to prove to the world. Prove you’re nice. I’m not saying that complimenting a random person will make them your best friend; it shouldn’t. It just means you are taking a second to appreciate something about someone else and that you’re quite possibly, making their day. Giving a great compliment is a gift, and so is being on the receiving end. I used to have trouble receiving a compliment. I would always turn around and say something to put myself down to negate what they said. This isn’t good. When someone compliments you, kindly and sincerely say, “Thank you.” A sarcastic, “Yeah right, thanks.” doesn’t quite have an appreciative ring. Another thing that folks sometimes do is automatically feel the need to compliment the one who gave the compliment. Don’t do this either. They’ll know you’re grasping for straws. Maybe instead, we should just accept the compliment (always acknowledge it) and then pass one along to someone else later. It’s funny how the small things can make a difference in our day. It may be funny, but it’s true. So, today, take a moment to give a compliment and make a difference in someone else’s day. If you're reading this today... you're SOOOOOOO good looking! Yeah. Go ahead. Take it to the bank ; )

Forget About it Friday -- Yatzi!

With a down economy, I think everyone has to watch spending right now. At least we should. However, it's important to have a life. So, we still have to find inexpensive ways to have fun with friends or family to avoid sitting at home and grunting like Harry in "When Harry Met Sally". My solution- game night. Right now, you're either in complete agreement, or you're making a face and shrinking back. I find myself in both positions from time to time. Games are one of those things that even if you hate them, you end up having fun playing before it's over. Enjoy a good card game like spaids, Rook or hearts with some folks or get a big group to play a game like Catch Pharase or The Game of Things. Forget about dinner, and just serve popcorn and soft drinks or dessert and coffee. You can't beat entertaining for under $10. If you don't have any games, you can generally find them for less online, or check the paper to see when Target or Wal-Mart are running a sale. Some of my favorite games are those I mentioned above as well as Like Minds, Apples to Apples, Cranium, Dominos, Monopoly, Canasta, Scategories and any of the Scene It games. It's always great to see how funny and revealing games can be. So, call up some folks or just enjoy time with the fam and have a game night this weekend. Had a bad week? Forget about it and play.

Thursday Therapy -- Chillin' and Chocolate

Sometimes we all just need girl time. So for today’s therapy, grab your best gal pals and have a blast. There are so many fun things to do with girlfriends; movies, dinner, sips n strokes, craft projects, working out etc., but I’m not in the mood for any of those today. Today is a great day for relaxation and indulgence. Yes. It’s the perfect day for a pedicure and some chocolate! My recommendation is to call your best friends (who are the reliable short notice girls), meet them for a pedi, then either head to a great restaurant/bakery or home to share some decadent chocolate. If you’re going for the at home route, my idea is to either prepare some chocolate covered strawberries and chill them ahead of time, or you can do some fun fondue. If you do this, I recommend dark chocolate chips, a little heavy cream, and some coffee liqueur. Then get some strawberries, pineapple, and maybe some pound cake to dip. If you’re worried about your waist line don’t. Sharing a dessert helps to ensure you’re not going to get too many calories. Choosing dark chocolate is also better for you because of its’ heart healthy benefits. I have a friend who freaks out any time anyone mentions dessert. She absolutely will not touch it because she’s sure it will somehow instantaneously cause her thighs to explode. She literally gasps at the very mention of anything with sugar. Please don’t do this. It’s crazy. People will really think you’re nuts if you act like you’re physically scared and taken aback by the idea of enjoying chocolate every once in a while. To put things in perspective, one dark chocolate covered strawberry is about 25 calories. That’s really not bad at all. Eating dessert with girl friends is best in my opinion because we all know that when we’re with one another, downing a huge brownie piled with ice-cream and hot fudge just isn’t going to happen like it would if we were alone. Instead, we try to create the appearance that we’re dainty and that we hardly eat anything… EVER. So, dish out the cash for a pedicure and share some chocolate and gab with your girls. It’s more therapeutic than you know.

Wednesday Whatabouts -- Dream On

I’ve recently decided that I need at least three houses to fully satisfy my decorating urges. I realize that I have no need for that many houses, and that I am indeed very blessed to own one, but a girl can dream can’t she? My home décor is very traditional. I’ve got lots of greens, reds, golds, browns and black. In the winter, I love my warm colors and cozy surroundings, but come spring and summer, I want cool, clean colors and lines. For this reason, my second house would be a summer home on a quiet beach. Don’t worry. There will be no starfish or cheesy peach shell wall paper. I’m thinking more whites, blues, and yellows. My third (imaginary) house would include all cheap and trendy furniture so I could change things out as often as I desired. I wouldn’t be afraid to do funky things with color or furniture because any furniture in the house would be so cheap that I wouldn’t mind if I ruined it trying out a new finishing technique. This one would more than likely have to be in Europe somewhere. I say this never having actually been to Europe. Again… a girl can dream.
I’d like to become way more eclectic in style with the house I live in now, but it will have to be a slow process. My Mom always taught me to get traditional basics so you don’t have to worry about it going out of style anytime soon. So, as a young woman, this is the route I chose to take. It’s a safe buying choice. It’s also the boring choice. I’ve slowly begun to add more edgy pieces here and there, and have even gone a little vintage with one. It’s a step-out for me. I refuse to get into any debt and won’t buy what I want until I can pay for it at the moment, and I won’t get anything I don’t absolutely love. Until I find my next piece, I’ll just keep searching the web and picking things out of magazines that I eventually want go buy. Aaahh the damage I could do with several milliion dollars.

Tasty Tuesday --Bring on the Jerk

You all will come to find that I absolutely LOVE cooking. I take a very laid back approach so it almost feels therapeutic to me. I hope that you all will try these wonderful weekly recipes as well as taking the liberty of making them your own by tweaking them to your liking.

I try to eat pretty healthily except for the occasional weekend or holiday binge fest. I never eat anything that I hate just because it's good for me, so that makes it all the more important to find new ways to make healthy foods good enough for myself, family, and guests to really enjoy. As for the not-so-healthy foods, my Dad says it best, "Everything in moderation." Never completely stop eating foods that are fattening, fried, or sugary. It just isn't right. Just eat a little bit every once in a while and share the rest so you don't find yourself sitting with an empty cake plate in your lap. Don't eat because you're happy or sad or bored. Eat for nourishment and because it tastes good!

On to today's recipe. Since it's a great time of year to grill, we're going with grilled Jamaican Jerk Chicken. This is a recipe that is delicious and good for you. That's a combo you can't beat in my book. If you don't have access to an outdoor grill, you can always use something like a George Foreman Grill. The taste won't be quite as good, but you'll still get the over all flavor. This does require several hours to marinade, so don't try to make this last minute. You can always marinade over night, and have it ready to throw on the grill when you get home from work the next day. The main thing is that the flavors need enough time to soak in. Warning: This is spicy!! Use gloves while preparing the habanero pepper.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

1 Dried Habanero Chile (re-hydrated, seeded and coarsely chopped)
2 Tbsp Yellow mustard (I use French's)
2Tbsp Fresh Rosemary
2 Tbsp Fresh Basil
2 Tbsp Fresh Thyme
1/2 c Green Onion (chopped)
1 clove Garlic (quartered)
1 tsp. Salt ( I use Kosher salt)
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
2 Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
4 Chicken Breasts (You can choose bone in or boneless)

In a small food processor or blender, mix all ingredients except chicken until well blended. Arrange chicken on a non-metal dish. Brush 3/4 of the mixture over the chicken. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate chicken (and remaining marinade) for at least 4-6 hours. Allow chicken to set out for about 20 minutes before grilling. Cook till juices run clear turning once and brushing with remaining chili mixture.


*Note: If you are using boneless chicken, you may want to make sure the chicken is all the same thickness so to assure even cooking. To do this, place chicken on a cutting board, cover with plastic wrap, then use either a meat mallet or pan to hit it several times or until the chicken reaches the desired thickness.

Make a Difference Monday -- Be Universal

Yes, Monday is here; back to the daily grind. For most people who work, it’s a day to dread all weekend long, but for a few, Monday means a fresh start, or a new outlook. Either way, Monday is the day that I am going to choose for all of us to try to make a small difference in the world.
There is only one action that I can think of that is completely universal. Smiling. A simple smile breaks all language barriers and cultural differences. It’s amazing how a friendly smile from a stranger can brighten your whole day. There are so many people who are caught up in their own little world that they give what Seinfeld calls, “the stare ahead”. That is, if you don’t make eye contact, you don’t have to acknowledge the person. In several Asian countries, there is actually an un-written rule in driving that you should not make any eye contact with another driver. However, so many of us live our day- to- day lives this way. We walk in and out of stores, offices, gyms, churches, and restaurants giving the stare ahead and avoiding the common courtesy of a smile or holding a door open for someone else. I know when I’m having a horrible day, and someone flashes a quick smile my way it can make my attitude change in an instant. Now, please understand that I’m not an advocate of sporting a fake smile at all times. It’s just not healthy. There are times when people (especially those close to us) need to see that we’re not always hunky-dory. Allowing those closest to you to see past the surface is essential to actually becoming happy and not just the having the façade. But, I really think that in our daily activities when we’re surrounded by strangers, a smile is exactly what is needed. You never know when you can be a light in someone’s dark tunnel. Go out and make a small difference to one or a one hundred. Just smile : )