How often do you clean your make-up brushes?

I'm going to admit that until about two years ago, I never cleaned them.  How's that for an online confession?!  Gross!!

But now I clean my brushes regularly.  And you should too.

You can buy all sorts of special cleaning products.  But it's not at all necessary.  You can take care of business for free with what you have at home right now.  It takes just a few minutes.  But after you do this once and see all the dirty gunk that comes out, you will quickly convert to a regular brush cleaner.

How To Clean Your Make-Up Brushes

Step #1:  Head to the kitchen sink with your dirty brushes.  Set a few paper towels or clean dish towels on the counter.




Step #2:  Place a tiny dab of dish washing soap in your palm.

Step #3:  Dampen the brush under running water.




Step #4:  Swirl the make-up brush in your palm and watch the dirty yuck start coming out.  Rinse and repeat this step until the brush stops turning the soap suds dirty.  If it's been a while since you last cleaned your brushes, this step might take you four or five rounds.




Step #4:  Rinse all of the soap out of the brush.  Set the cleaned brushes on the towel to dry overnight.




And seriously...that's it!  So easy.  A very fast little project.  It's free because everyone has a little dish soap in the kitchen already.  And you will feel so much cleaner the next time you put make-up on your pretty face!

This was a gift I made for a sweet friend recently.  The Emily Bag, originally seen here when I made them for Godsister's wedding.

I was rather pleased as punch with the outcome.  Specifically because I had a difficult time finding the hardware in the correct size.  So I ended up using a piece that was a bit smaller than planned.  And I LOVE it.  A very happy outcome will be the standard for each time I make this bag again in the future.  I'm so thrilled (now...I wasn't then) that I couldn't find the original hardware!




Black satin outside and bright blue and turquoise Lilly Pulitzer fabric daisy print inside.  A happy surprise just for the bag owner.

Best source for coupons!

I have been using Swagbucks for a few years and I just can't say enough about it.  I think I've mentioned it in passing on here but thought I should do a more detailed blog post.

First things first....let me answer "what is Swagbucks?"

1.  Swagbucks is a search engine.  Like google.  But every few searches, you earn points.  Google offers no points.  Even if I want to go to google, I go there via Swagbucks in hopes of earning a few more points.  You simply download the toolbar (it's very tiny at the top of your screen) that includes a search box.  So there is no need to go to separate websites each time you want to run a search.

2. Swagbucks is a coupon resource.  But as an added bonus, when you redeem those coupons, you earn points for each one.  I go here first to search for coupons because of the points on the back end.

3.  Swagbucks offers daily poles and games and videos.  To be honest, I don't plays games and such.  But they are there.  And you guessed it...you earn points.  I believe this is how many people earn the bulk of their points.  But I am just not a game person.

Now what do you do with your Swagbucks points?

1. Redeem them for Amazon.com gift cards.  It takes 450 points to earn a $5 Amazon gift card.  It then takes about a week for the gift card code to show up in your inbox.  I bought several Christmas gifts this year with Amazon gift cards from Swagbucks.  Completely free to me!

The gift cards do not expire and you can use as many as you want during checkout.  I mention the $5 card because for the points needed, it is the best deal.  The next best deal is the $50 Amazon gift card.  You can get up to five of each kind of prize each month.  Swagbucks points keep rolling over until you redeem them.

2.  Redeem them for lots of other great prizes such as Walmart gift cards, Starbucks gift cards, Gap gift cards, Paypal gift cards or non gift card items like a kitchen gadgets, tools, clothes and more.  Again, honesty flag, I am ONLY in it for the gift cards.  Mostly Amazon.  But that's just me.  They have lots of options.

Tips.

* After you sign up, add the toolbar to all of your computers and encourage everyone in your house to do their searches there instead of google or another site.  You won't earn points for every search.  I'd guess every 3-5 searches though earns points.  The more searching, the more points.  The more points, the more free shopping for you!

* Refer your friends.  You can earn points that way too.  Up to 1000 points can be earned from each referral.

* Check Swagbucks first for coupons.  Heck, use coupons if you aren't already.  But that's a totally different topic.  (this is my second best source of points)

* Play around on the site- there are lots of ways to earn.  They have bonus points hidden in blog posts and games quite often if that's your thing.  They offer a poll daily that earns you one point.  I do this just about every day, mostly because it amuses me.  Plus I like knowing my points went up, even if just by one.

* Use the toolbar for every search you ever do!  It becomes a habit and the point really do add up quickly.   It's is just so fun to get a gift card that was truly free to you!  (this is how I earn the bulk of my points)

For my fellow Starbucks lovers...this is a great deal and is available through March 03 at Target Starbucks locations.  Get a FREE pastry treat with any grande or venti espresso bevvy.  Nom nom nom!

The Butler Besties sent these for my birthday.  I mean, seriously!  I am a very lucky girl with the most amazing girlfriends to love on me!!

Trees covered in snow.

I don't mind snow.  In fact, I LOVE to watch the snow fall.  So when I got up last night and looked outside to find this, snowflakes falling down, I smiled.  For a brief moment.

But y'all, I am just sooo ready for spring.  I tend to get restless and itchy for it in March and April.  Even if we haven't had a bad winter, I am just ready spaghetti to not wear a zillion layers and see things growing and feel warm sunshine on my face. 

Yes, snow has it's moments.  But come March first, my patience wears mighty thin with the fluffy white stuff. 

Spring has not yet sprung up here in the North Pole.  But the dream is alive.  Sundress and fresh tomatoes and sandals and leaving my house without 437 layers of puffiness are in my future.  I think. 

And I am just itching for a new bag!  Something fun and fresh but also big, sturdy and useful. I can't get enough of all things bright and cheerful in the middle of all this dreary blah weather.

Here are a few of my current bag crushes...

Sag Harbor by Jack Rogers

Kate Spade Signature Spade

Michael Kors Jet Set Saffiano Tote

Michael Kors Miranda Pebbled Tote

That's what I told my momma when she came back in the room early yesterday morning to find me in the very center of her our bed.  I suggested she take a turn in my dog princess bed.

OK so I've said it for my entire life, I don't watch or care about awards shows.  With the exception of the Tony Awards.  But outside of that, I don't at all get into them.  I absolutely loathe the red carpet junk.  Bleh.  Who are you wearing?  Who cares! 

Instead I watch Oprah blow my mind. 

Her Life Class guest was someone I knew about from Bestie, Dr. Gary Chapman.  He wrote The 5 Love Languages. 

So I took the quiz and was surprised.  I thought I would be more evenly split.  But I was significantly a Words of Affirmation girl. 

And then the good Dr. commented about someone who did not grow up hearing many or any positive words, might crave them as an adult, but also not know how to handle receiving them.

That.  Is.  Me.

My mouth was open.  I just totally had an ah-ha.  Because I crave positive affirmation.  To the point that I will jump on you to ask if the food was good enough or gift was what you wanted.  I need to know I did a good job.  But then when I get my answer, I am completely squirmy and weird. 

Y'all know, my life is one perpetually awkward moment.

I heard mostly negative stuff growing up.  And to this day, it is rare that I hear anything positive from a loved one.  Rare. 

But then Elizabeth Hasselback talked about how her husband's love language is so different, almost foreign, to her own.  And how she has to make a conscious effort to speak his language to show him she loves him.

And another light bulb went off.

So Cousin and I have this running dialog mocking our family.  Because our family discusses exactly NOTHING.  We do not talk about deep issues.  Ever.  We are polite to a fault.  Even during our Christmas tradition of the Dirty Santa Game (aka White Elephant or Yankee Trade).  Someone will get a gift that the person next at bat will want but they won't steal it.  We are too polite.  To the point that it's uncomfortable sometimes.

So when I think of my childhood (and adulthood) and how I never feel loved because I never ever hear positive affirmations, I wonder if those loved ones were loving me.  But in one of the four other languages that I don't speak.

My second language was Gifts.  Which I expected.  And is also not a language particular people in my life speak.  I'm not even just talking about receiving gifts.  But giving them too.  That is a major way I show my love.  But if that's not a way someone receives love, well it's no different than one of us speaking English and the other speaking Russian.  So if I give a gift and it gets almost no reaction, that crushes me.  I wonder if knowing more about this changes my reactions to things like that in the future. 

You can take the quiz for yourself and read up on the episode too.  I think this would be especially helpful if you are actually in a relationship.  But I am having OMGs and Ah-ha's about family and friends and associates too. 

As always, Bestie was right in her recommendation of this book!

So go take the quiz and tell me, what's your Love Language?  And were you surprised?

Did y'all see my Bestie's big announcement last week?

She's prego again.

Times two.  Twinkies on board.  Brewing two cups of baby.

She's still processing and flipping out.  Excited but nervous about the logistics.  I love it.  I mean, hello, not my body.  So naturally I am elated for her.  The next few years are obviously going to be tough.  Two babies arriving just before Sammy Sam turns two. But oh my...they are going to have so much fun!

So if you have not already, please go over and congratulate Bestie on her two buns in the oven.  Few people have worked harder or longer to reach this amazing goal in life!

Six months ago I decided to flip my birthday blues frown upside down by doing 35 (one for each year of my life) Random Acts Of Kindness on the day of my birth.  I planned and planned and took a lot of time to figure this all out.  I left room for truly random acts but was prepared with more than 35 should I need them.  Many were planned to be free to me, as I think that's sort of the beauty in it all- not spending a lot to spread a little joy in the world.

Um, yeah.  That was all well and good on paper.  Paper, people.  But in reality...things did not go as planned.

First, I got a much later start than I planned on.  My first stop was at the post office and I was there for almost an hour because every single person in the long line in front of me had a super special needs situation that required three years worth of personal hand-holding.  Had not planned on that either.  Then I had a devil of a time trying to convince people I had no agenda other than being nice.

So the bottom line is that I have not finished my goal.  This is all taking a LOT more time than I ever expected. 

I still can't believe how hard it was to be nice without a hidden agenda.  Like, it was really hard!  Who knew?!

My full post will come some time next week I guess.  I really want to finish this list. 

Come hell or high water, I will spread kindness, dammit!

Oh and thank you big buckets for the sweet birthday wishes here, on Facebook and on Twitter.  Totally made my day brighter!!

XOXO,
KK

Today is my dark day.


Birthdays are really hard when you are not where you want to be in life!  The are just big day-glow reminders of time ticking away.

But I have BIG plans to put out big bunch of positive energy into the world today.  Maybe a little bit of it will find its way back to me this year.

source

I've mentioned a few times that I love to make freezer meals.  Prep once and eat many times.  I love using a burst of energy to my advantage on all of my lazy busy days.

A favorite is having a bag of breakfast burritos ready to go in the freezer.  I honestly don't eat them very often for breakfast though.  They usually become a breakfast-for-dinner kind of thing.  And they normally have veggies in them like peppers and spinach.  But the day I made this batch and took photos, I didn't include veggies for some odd reason.  But trust me, they are better (and of course healthier) if you toss in some veg.  Regardless, they are an easy and tasty go-to meal for any time of the day.  And a perfect single girl dinner.

Breakfast Burritos

Ingredients:
* tortillas of choice
* scrambled eggs
* cheese
* veggies- cooked or frozen is fine
* cooked meat of choice (bacon, ham, sausage)

Directions:
* Lay a tortilla flat on counter.  Add about 1 tsp of cheese, a few tbls of scrambled eggs, and a bit of meat (in this case, 2/3 slice of turkey bacon).  Add any veggies you have handy.
* Fold up bottom of tortilla.  Fold in sides.
* Wrap each burrito in plastic wrap.  Freeze wrapped burritos in freezer zip top baggie.












To eat a frozen burrito, simply unwrap the plastic wrap.  Place burrito on a damp paper towel (wet in sink and then wring nearly dry) and loosely wrap around tortilla.  Microwave in 30 second increments until you figure out how long it takes (for my microwave it takes about one minute).  Enjoy!

Sunday was so much fun!  Not only did I go to another From Scratch Club food swap, but I dragged my cute Cousin along too.  We both had a ball, met nice women, ran into friends, tasted some incredible nibbles, and left with a bag full of fun treats!

So as Cousin lives on a farm and has 10 chickens, I encouraged her to bring eggs and that was the perfect swap.  Everyone wanted her farm fresh chicken eggs and she got all of the best swaps.  Including the Armenian Eetch.  Yeah, we didn't know what it was either.  And it's not GF.  But OMG is it delicious!!  I will post a recipe when I get around to making it next week or so.

My PB, extracts and Cousin's eggs.

I brought...

(1) Set of Vanilla + Cinnamon Extracts
(1) Set of Vanilla + Clove Extracts
(1) Set of Vanilla + Nutmeg Extracts
(5) 8oz containers of homemade Maple Brown Sugar Vanilla Bean Peanut Butter (recipe coming soon- it's crazy easy- and pretty much exactly like the almond butter recipe)




I came home with...

* Pistachio Butter
* Tomato Jam
* 2 small jars Spiced Apple Jelly (but I gave one to Cousin because sharing is caring, y'all)
* Almond Joy Butter
* Spice Kahlua
* Caramel butter (came with Kahlua trade)
* Water Kefir Grains (I will post next week on how my first kefir turns out)
* Stir Fry Sauce
* Romesco Sauce

Seriously...I did AWESOME!!  I mean just look at that fun list that came home with me.  I've been eating the pistachio butter and my fancy pants peanut butter on a banana for breakfast all week.  Delish!  I had some of the spiced apple jelly on toast but will use the rest soon on pork.  It's awesome with the spices!  I have my first batch of water kefir doing its thing in the kitchen.  I didn't even know what kefir was until Betsy, the swapper who made it, explained it to me.  Here is her explanation because there is no way I could do a better job trying to tell you what it is or how to make it.  The stir fry sauce was genius.  Cousin and I were flipping over it- so good.  I will post the recipe shortly as she shared it at the swap.  And the rest will get nibbled over the next week, fear not.  The tomato jam is like homemade ketchup and so tasty.




Things I wanted but didn't get but will either try to snag next time or just make on my own...

* Mustards.  There were several really delicious mustards being swapped and Cousin and I were in taste bud heaven.  But one of the gals who runs the swaps told us that they are really easy and fun to make.  So that is on the agenda for us soon.  I LOVE a good, grainy, spicy mustard.

* Spiced Ketchup.  Cousin was lucky enough to snag a jar!  It had cinnamon in it and was just sooo delicious!  Hopefully I will be lucky enough to have a summer overflowing with tomatoes to make things like ketchup and tomato jam, in addition to my favorite salsas.

* Armenian Eetch.  As I said above, it was very unique and yummy.  The gal who made it served it on lettuce, like a little wrap.  Cousin went home with this too!

* Beet Hummus.  Not only was in so delish, but it was a stunning shade of deep beet red.

* Homemade Butter.  She actually wanted to trade with me for an extract set, but I had already given it away.  Next time!


I love how creative everyone gets at these swaps.  The item that is the strangest and most unusual is by far the most popular each month.  Everyone just wants to try new flavor experiences.  And everyone really seems to care about quality ingredients.  It's just such a fun and tasty way to spend an afternoon.  Cousin was hooked and said she's excited to join me next month too!

OK so I have been posting about food swaps for months now.  Specifically since last summer.  Has anyone else been brave enough to find one in your area and try it out?  I sure hope so- they are a ball!

This is a very inspiring video about a group of farmers who make musical instruments out of landfill trash for the local community.  And they create a landfillharmonic.  Beautiful!

A few weeks ago my dad asked me to help him with an appetizer to bring to a party.  He brought home several bags of these meatballs that last time he went to Ikea (I am allergic to that store.  Seriously cannot go inside without having an internal meltdown.).  He loves them.  So I just used what he already had and made what I thought was a pretty tasty little sauce.  So simple and from what I heard, it was quickly gobbled up at the party.




I did this in my crockpot and he just took it with him so they stayed warm.  I dumped in the big bag of frozen Ikea meatballs and added my sauce creation.  One jar of tomato pasta sauce, about two tablespoons of strawberry jam and about two tablespoons of soy sauce.  I mixed together the jam and soy before pouring into the crockpot but that honestly wasn't necessary.  Then set it on high for about three hours.  Mix to make sure everything is coated and you are ready to go.




It wasn't overly sweet or overly salty or spicy.  Honestly, it was totally just right!  A really nice balance and great for a party appetizer.

Last week Nemo blew through town.  Except he leaned left and buried Boston.  We lucked out with only seven inches.  Whew!  I don't know what I would have done with two feet!




My Sadie, however, LOVES snow.  Loves it!  She is just the most adorable little being on the planet when she walks in fresh snow.  She loves to run in it and jump in it (sometimes so deep that I have to lift her out) and her absolute favorite thing to do is eat it.  She's so weird and wonderful and just melts my heart with her pure delight!








This year, we added a coat to our super cold day routine.

I am not a dress up your dog sort of person.  However, Sadie is 10 and we have some really cold days around here.  I bought the coat on a whim, hoping she would tolerate it.

The results...she LOVES it.  If I hold it up, she comes running and wagging her tail.  She would wear it inside if I left it on her.  Ah-dor-able.  As you can see, the straps are too long and I need to cut them.  But we make it work until I get around it that little task.




Oh how I just love this little fur baby with my whole heart!

Most of the time, I am pretty healthy in what I eat.  But the other evening, I was searching for a quick dinner option, and realized I had a bit of brie in my fridge.  And well...this is what came of it.  The most delicious and decadent quesadilla ever.  So good!




Brie and Apple Quesadilla

Ingredients:
* two tortillas of choice
* very thin slices of brie cheese
* very thin slices of granny smith apple









Directions:
* Layer cheese, then apple, then a bit more cheese between two tortillas.  Cook on grill pan until crispy on outside and melty on inside.




Oh.  My.  Word.  This was just so delicious!  Low cal, notsomuch.  But we all need a treat now and then, right?!

I spied this on Pinterest a while back and finally tried it about a month ago.  I am pleased to tell you that THIS REALLY WORKS!

So I buy bananas at least once a week.  And it doesn't matter if I buy them as green as an apple, within two days, they all have brown spots.  And then the next day, they are really only good for smoothies and banana bread (which I make about once a year).

Totally frustrating.

But this tip is so easy, pretty much free, and really, truly extends the happy period of your bananas.

Start with a bunch of bananas.




Take a small piece of tin foil.  It doesn't matter which side (shiny vs. matte) is up or down.




Wrap foil around the top portion of banana bunch.  Each time you pick off a banana, tighten the foil cap.  (I reuse this foil many times over so really there is very little waste.)




And there you have it.  Happy bananas.  That will extend the "good" period by several days.  I have no idea why it works (my guess is something to do with oxygen and other science-y business) and don't care.  It does.  I just works.  And that's pretty much all I need to know.

Thanks Pinterest!

I am knee deep in a full on search for a new direction in life.  I need a new career.  And if I could find one that would still let me work from home, it would be a miracle.  I don't like office politics.  But I know that's a long shot.  Feel free to offer up suggestions. 

For fun though, let's share. 

If salary and holidays weren't an issue, what would your dream job be?

So we left off last week with me arriving at the show.  And being grateful I was there.

You are sent to wait in a big room with chairs and a TV blaring, ironically, other daytime TV talk/game shows.  And that's when the people watching fest begins.  Just a little bit of everything was in that room.  Including a man so crazy that he was eventually escorted out.  It.  Was.  Awesome.

To get from that waiting room into the official audience room, you walk single file through this long maze, take an elevator ride, pass another set for another show (Sports Center) and then enter from behind the set.  It was fascinating to see how big and complex everything is.

Once in your official audience seat, you shove your coat and bag under your seat.  And I know this might be silly to some, but I've never noticed (or perhaps I just don't really ever watch talk shows...said the girl who wanted to go to one live) audience chairs filled with stuff.  I guess they just make sure the cameras don't include that?  So moving on.  But that was seriously fascinating to me. 




The studio is so bright.  And really fun with the brick (looks real- totally plastic) and wood (also fake) and giant windows (totally fake- there is a hallway behind that wall).  There is an audience cheerleader to build up everyone's enthusiasm and make everyone do what they want you to do like clap for hours on end girl who I believe is named Jen.  She was hands down my FAVORITE part of the show.  She is hilarious.  Very sarcastic and funny.  Before, during and after the show she gets the audience pumped up and makes people dance and all sorts of silly things.  I want that job.  I would be good at that job.  I wish I knew what the real title of that job was.  She also tells the audience when to clap and when to stop clapping at the start of a segment and before they go to commercial.  Seriously...that might be my dream job.  She was so fun and Dad and I kept saying how she really made the experience completely awesome.






Now the guests.  I knew that morning who they were via email but it seems not everyone got that email.  Not sure why they told me and not others but whatever.  After googling, I realized I knew one of them as I have on and off watched (and do like, but just never remember to actually watch)  New Girl with Max Greenfield.  The other guest, the one who took up the bulk of the show, was hypnotist Paul McKenna.

I have struggled with what to say about Paul McKenna for over a week now.  But bottom line, I think he's a crock!  And I think Anderson did too.

Paul "hypnotized" a bunch of audience members the day before our show.  Then during the show, he magically hypnotized them again just by clapping and telling them they were hypnotized.  Riiiight.

But they weren't going to be chickens clucking or something like that.  No no, he hypnotized them to be famous people like Oprah, President Obama and Martha Stewart.  But they weren't supposed to channel those people.  They were just supposed to be themselves as those people.  And Paul interviewed them.

Are you lost.  Because everyone in the audience was too.

On several occasions, Anderson said "I don't understand what's going on."

It was not like these people started talking in a new Oprah-like voice.  They sounded like themselves.  But pretending, badly, to be those famous people.  And the questions he asked them did nothing to help matters. It got really weird.  And uncomfortable.  Like everyone knew he was a crock but him kind of weird.

After realizing Anderson was not buying into this one bit, Paul offered to demonstrate a more scientific experiment.  That was not scientific and proved absolutely nothing.

And finally, he hypnotized a woman who had a huge fear of elevators to ride in one.  She did.  Good for her.  But no one believed that she did so willingly.  My money is on that poor girl never riding on another elevator again.  In fact, I bet she took the stairs out of the building, just a half hour later.

I believe the people hypnotized did believe they were hypnotized.  I don't think they were lying at all.  But this Paul guy is just a total piece of work.

My hands down favorite bit was when Paul told Anderson that before he meets with celebrities, he hypnotizes himself to be that celebrity.  Then when he meets with the celeb, he already knows the answers to the questions because he was just them the day before.

I couldn't make this up if I tried!

He (or his publisher) gave us all a book, CD and DVD.  Lucky us.  I might add it to my family Christmas dirty Santa gift as a gag.




Max Greenfield was adorable.  He talked about his wife and little girl and that was sweet.  But his segment was super short.  And after Paul's many segments, we were all a little low on energy.  You are required to clap an obnoxious amount in these shows.  Who knew one could get tired by clapping?!

Anderson's show was cancelled for next year.  Which is sad.  But I think I figured out why.  And if his peeps are reading, perhaps they can save the show by noting my insights.

1. The show format is not at all original.  It's Anderson and a guest host (who was sort of annoying but I forgot her name already) and a side kick.  Just like every.  other.  show.  They need to lose the guest host.  If they want a second host, ala Kelly Ripa, just have a regular one.  Otherwise, ditch it altogether.  And the side kick guy is terrible.  He distracts from the show.  So not only does he not add to the program but he depletes it.

2. This show employs half of Manhattan.  There were three staff members (that I could see) for every audience member.  Most just stood around the entire time.  That was much talked about by audience members.  Streamline a little!

3. Anderson doesn't interact with the audience.  Not before the show.  Not during the commercial breaks in the show.  Not after the show.  No photos.  No banter.  A little of that would have gone a long way to build up some natural enthusiasm in the audience.

That said, I honestly had a fantastic time.  I wasn't there because of the show guests.  I was there for the overall experience.  And I am so grateful that I had the unique opportunity to see how a show is produced.  I would do it again in a heartbeat!

Oh and because everyone has asked, yes, Anderson is completely adorable and pretty in person.  But he is so much smaller than I realized.  I thought he was tall and thin.  And he is thin.  MUCH thinner than me.  He is a very small guy.  But not very tall.  I kept calling him petite and my Dad said I couldn't use that to describe a man.  So he's a small guy.  Not tiny but not super tall as I had imagined all these years.  But he's every bit as cute as you see on TV.








I know this post is insane but I want to include the last part of my trip.  We went to the 911 Memorial.  And I am so grateful for that experience too!  It was so beautiful and moving and just very personal.  I highly recommend that everyone add this to their agenda the next time you are in NYC.