Ruby Blooms

Showing posts with label dad. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dad. Show all posts

Monday, March 14, 2016

Baking and Cooking....Who? Me?

Chef Marci from La-La Land Crafts

Hi Everybody!


I don't know about all of you but I seem to go through phases of things that I am interested in. I have tried quilting, scrapbooking, knitting, crocheting, sewing, cross-stitching, and more! In all that time of going from one interest to another I never dreamed I would end up with an interest that landed me in the kitchen! While I was growing up both of my parents cooked and both had very different approaches as well. My mom was all about getting the food out of the pan and onto the table. She grew up cooking for a family of five and sometimes more if family dropped in and even though I was an only child she still cooked as though a brood of people would be eating with us. With my mom the food tasted great but wasn't much to look at (you really demonstrated your level of trust of her by taking for granted that what she called fried green tomatoes was truly that).  My dad on the other hand made great food that was also pretty, he cared about how things were presented, even his mashed potatoes looked so pretty you almost didn't want to disturb them with a spoon (almost they were free of lumps and full golden butter melting into the creamy mashed potatoes). They both typically cooked out of a box or from a can, mostly likely because they both grew up not many years out from the Great Depression although at least my mom's father did keep a garden.

So all of the above jabber leads me to say that I have a collection albeit small of dishes that are quick, easy and tasty. Unfortunately for me since I am diabetic many of those dishes are now rendered mostly useless because they are heavy on the carbohydrate side. So I am learning what it means to eat low carb, not with bars or canned shakes but with real food. The thing that is surprising me is that I am enjoying it! What is happening! Now my Amazon wish list is full of things such as a standing mixer, a set of nice sharp knives (turns out that if you don't use your knives for anything other than cutting open packages you don't know they aren't sharp enough for cutting up vegetables), a magnetic knife bar for the knives that won't fit in the block that's on my wish list, and other kitchen tools that I find myself daydreaming of or wishing I had while preparing a meal.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would find myself acquiring board after board on Pinterest about baking, cooking, and other dishes that will fit into my dietary needs. My YouTube account is full of playlists on baking with almond, coconut and cashew flours and I have just spent a full day preparing food. There was a time that I would have scoffed at that sort of idea and now I am savoring it. It's funny, I find myself at times taking a mental step back as I see this new interest of mine growing and I shake my head that it's happening and it makes me think of my dad. He used to tell me that he found the kitchen relaxing as he washed dishes by hand, creamed mashed potatoes and prepared other dishes the hard way (my terminology not his).

Now as I learn more and do more and create more I find myself having not just a joy of eating but truly a joy of cooking. What interests have any of you all found yourselves in that you never would have been able to predict and are you still doing them? Thank you all so much for stopping by and thank you so much if you were able to endure this far in. I truly appreciate your time and attention!

Wishing you sunshine and smiles,
Kim :)

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Valentine Series 2016 Card #3





Happy Hump Day!!! 

 When I was a kid but old enough that Valentine's Day at school did not include bringing the little cards with a sucker attached to them for everyone in your class I wanted a real Valentine. I had fantasies of being the girl in school who instead of getting one of the candy grams that were being pushed by the cheerleaders I would get a real gift. I would be in the middle of a really boring class (preferably science or math, I loved english) and the office secretary would loudly stumble in interrupting the class so that all eyes were on her and her arms full of a dozen red roses, a box of heart shaped chocolates (the ones that taste terrible but it's the thought right?) and the cutest stuffed teddy bear holding an "I Love You" heart. As all the girls were holding their breath hoping that it was for them she would call my name and I would timidly raise my hand because I didn't have a boyfriend but it would all be for me and the note would be sweet and charming and signed, "you're secret admirer."  

Yeah well, none of that ever happened. What did happen every year, every Valentine's Day no matter how much I kind of rolled my eyes and said things like "Mooom it's not a real Valentine's gift" my mom would come home with a card, chocolates, and usually a stuffed animal. The card would tell me what a great kid I was and how much I was loved and would be signed by my mom and dad. Not both names by my mom but each one would sign their own. I haven't thought about this in years! Looking back on it I always loved it and it made me feel special. Looking back now I am super grateful that they did this for me. 
Long road to say that I think it is important to let the people you love know they are important to you not just your girlfriend, boyfriend or spouse. So I like to make Valentine's cards that don't necessarily scream about love and being mine forever but are just cute and a great way to say "I am thinking about you, I love you and hope you have a Happy Valentine's Day!" 
Today's card is just that type of card. I am a coffee lover and it was so much fun coloring this image, using the coffee cup paper, and even the embellishment. I will probably give this to a fellow coffee lover so that they know I love coffee but I love them more (at least after my first cup of coffee when I can think straight).  

Ingredients:


  • Latte Anya stamp from The Greeting Farm (sorry couldn't find it on their site to link to it)
  • paper is from my stash
  • Hello sentiment is a dienamic die from My Favorite Things
  • the sprinkles are from Doodlebug Designs as is the little coffee cup
  • I used glossy accents on the button on the hat and her boots


Well I appreciate you stopping by and I sure hope someone makes you feel special this Valentine's Day! 

Wishing you sunshine and smiles,
Kim  :)