New Look, Pastries, and Not-So-Deadly Toads

Hey! Have you noticed the new look? Thanks to my sister Sara and The Cutest Blog on the Block, Sammy's Notions is looking better than ever! Different background, header, fonts... If you're a new blogger, I would definitely recommend the above link for a great-looking blog. My profile pic is also new, again, thanks to Sara. Yesterday, we had a beautiful walk/picnic/photo shoot through some gardens on campus, then came home to do yard work. I also made cupcakes... Then today I made chocolate pastries.... I have a dessert obsession, I admit it!

These were so easy to make! 

What you need:

          

     1 pkg frozen puff pastry                                              Peanut butter (optional)                                               1  bag Hershey's Kisses                                            Powdered sugar (optional)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

                     

Directions:

1. Thaw puff pastry for about thirty minutes. Cut the thawed sheets into thirds, then cut each third into             halves. 

2. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper (or if you don't want to          wash two pans, you can just reuse one).       

3. If you're using peanut butter, spread it on the center of the pastries, leaving about a one-inch border on the long sides, and a two-inch border on the short sides without peanut butter. You can also add two Hershey's Kisses to each pastry on top of the peanut butter. If you just want Kisses, put four in the center of the pastry rectangles. 

4. Now for the folding! Pull two sides over the filling and into the center of the pastry. Pinch the open ends, and roll them up. Put the pastries folded-side down on the parchment-covered cookie sheets and bake for about 14 minutes.

5. Pull out of your oven and top with powdered sugar. Let cool, and enjoy!

(Modified from Chocolate, Chocolate and More's chocolate-filled pastry.)

One last thing. I learned today that if your dog seems to be chasing/looking for a phantom creature, it's probably best to keep him away from this said creature. Because he might find it. And he might put it in his mouth. And then he might shake his head around like he just tasted something really bad and you wonder if the toad he found was poisonous and when he throws up everywhere and has other stomach-related problems you are pretty sure that maybe it is. But don't worry: rinse his mouth with water, and once he stops vomiting etc. he will be just fine. Because apparently there is no such thing as frog-dog poisoning. :)

Seeewwww Wonderful... Summer Vacation!!

Whew! Another year of homework and finals is over and gone. It's sad to see old friends go before you do, but exciting to see what the future holds! For now, I'll just enjoy the summer with all of its blessings, busyness, and, unfortunately, boredom. So far, I have managed to fail at macaron-making, finish sewing a skirt, begin working on a dress, and make a card (to see my cards, check out my family's Etsy shop, craftycolllaborations). Oh, I also got a hair/bangs cut by my sister (who has thought I should get bangs for a while and ended up being right!). Hopefully, I can keep busy for the rest of vacation!

I have recently been asked what my favorite Bible story/verse is. I would like to share mine with you, and would love to hear what YOUR favorites are!! In answer to this question, I wrote that my favorite chapter is Hebrews 11- the faith chapter. If you have read this, you know why it's so popular!! When you need an encourager, or a reminder to stay strong, read Hebrews11! How can you feel down and out knowing all the things that our forefathers have gone through? Or thinking about the hope that there's something better for those who believe: For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.. and it sure isn't an earthly country!
My favorite verses would probably be Romans 8:38-39: For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. That's pretty powerful! The only thing that can separate us from God's love is ourselves.

Goodwill Grab

Talk to friends or family who have gone shopping with me, and you will probably get the same response: I'm a picky buyer. I like my clothes to be just right in modesty, style, and especially price. Even at places like Goodwill, my sisters can come home with a big bag of clothes, while I only find one or two things that work for me. Sometimes, it's depressing. This most recent trip was no exception, but the one thing I did find was nothing to be depressed about. It was a dress, perfectly colored, in a pretty, feminine pattern, and in a trendy style. Unfortunately, it had several problems: no sleeves, a see-through, lacy back, and it was a little too short.

Thankfully, I have a fashion-loving sister who has fixed problems like this before. So, by adding a below-the-knee skirt, a white cardigan, and a scarf, it is now one of the best pieces in my closet! You don't have to sacrifice style for modesty- you can have both!

P.S. Goodwill is a great place to find cute clothes at super cheap prices. What are you waiting for? Go check it out!

Virtuous Woman #4

Hello everyone! It's been a while since I've posted (when you get out of a habit, it's hard to get back into it!), but hopefully I'll be able to get more regular about this. It looks like we are on our fourth Virtuous Woman post, and I hope this will be an inspiration to you!

"She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens."   

                           -Proverbs 31:15

The great Bible commentator Adam Clarke put it like this: "She is an economist of time." He goes on to say that the virtuous woman's family works in the night, gets up early, and lives an orderly life. They aren't lazy. They use time wisely. There is order and structure to their lives.

 I think many of us just muddle through life like pigeons (I needed to make the picture relevant!). We don't know where we're going, and we don't particularly care. To be honest, we won't always know where we are going. Right now, I can't tell you precisely where I'll be in 15 years- maybe I'll be exactly where I am today. Maybe I'll be on a missions trip in Africa (which is a very real possibility). No one (except God) knows! But that doesn't mean I can't do things to prepare for my future. By doing your best in what you do now, you are preparing good characteristics for the future. By stepping out of your comfort zone and doing something different, you are preparing yourself for the future. I used to be a really introverted person who couldn't talk to anyone without panicking. Thankfully, I had people and situations in my life that helped me break out of my shell a little (though I still blush and get nervous in most situations...).

 It is not God's will for us to sit down and let life run past us. We should grab hold of it, and enjoy the adventures that God has prepared for us!  

For more Adam Clarke, check out http://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/.

Organization Tips!

Every so often I get into this crazy "go through your room, get rid of lots of stuff, and find different ways to arrange things" kick. My closet took a hit, especially when I realized that I should start getting clothing I really liked instead of buying it because it fits. Anyway, I've found some neat ways to organize scarves, and shoes.

1. Shoes.

My shoes were originally thrown in one of those pop-up hampers, until I looked up cheap shoe organization and got this idea. A great storage solution for shoes is.... shoeboxes!! Pretty cool, huh? Just wrap them up with pretty wrapping paper and- voila! Instant awesomeness!

2. Scarves.

For scarf organization, I have this nifty little owl hanger I got one Christmas from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. This isn't a DIY thing, but it's still pretty cool! It has 10 or 12-ish rings for your scarves, so if you have a large scarf collection this might not be the thing for you.

For more awesome organization, check out Pinterest!

Enjoy!

Chicago

                                                   

Good evening!

It's almost the end of Spring Break (for some of us). Mine was pretty uneventful, except on Wednesday. My sister and I went on a day-trip to the Windy City- that's right! Chicago!!! Woke up at 5:45 AM, drove for  a while, hopped on a train, then took two buses to Navy Pier. We rode the Ferris Wheel, went to Auntie Anne's (best pretzels EVER), walked a lot, went to Millennium Park, took a lot of pictures, went shopping, hopped a bus, drove a while and made it back in time for church! Whew. It was great. There's something about the hustle and bustle of the city that gives a person a few more steps out of introvertedness.

Auntie Anne's
Of course, in the big city, there are many things to photograph and the lighting was perfect. When I go to an unfamiliar place with my family, I like to take tons of pictures!

Also, I have a fear of heights, so the Ferris Wheel was a little scary... It was a good thing that the Wave Swinger wasn't open- again my motion-sickness and fear of heights probably would've made me panic up there!

Crack the Whip (aka Chain)

This is a sculpture showing a game I used to play outside after church with some friends! We always called it Chain.

Captain at the Helm

Cloudgate (the Bean)

CHICAGO!!!!!!!!!

Virtuous Woman #3

All right! It's been a while since I've posted, so it's about time for a Virtuous Woman post.
Today's verse is Proverbs 31:13-14:

"She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar."

You can tell where I'm going with this one: A virtuous woman is a hard worker. Not just a hard worker, but a willing worker. She labors because she wants to! Ever heard the expression, "Idle minds (or hands) are the devil's workshop"? The virtuous woman knows this and fills her time doing important things: getting food for her family, bringing home an income and, of course, doing the Lord's work. This is another one of those "Wow! This is such a challenge!" Especially since I was just complaining about doing things around the house. As I was posting this.
What can we do to work willingly when we don't feel like it?
                     
                                  -Sing while you work

! Singing is an awesome way to shake those blues away!
                                  -Listen to music! Again, music has some sort of super power that makes you happy.
                                  -Make a game out of it! Whether dusting shelves or making things to sell, anything can                                    be turned into something fun!
                               
What can we do to keep from being idle- especially when there seems to be nothing to do??
                     
                                   -Start a blog! It's really easy and can be helpful, inspiring, creative, and fun!
                                   -Read a book! You know that thing with all of those pages you've wanted to read for                                     so long? Get it out!
                                   -Start an Etsy or other online shop! Then, make things for it (that can take up as                                            much time as you want!).
                                   -Grab your camera and get outside! Spending time in nature helps you get closer to                                      God, and is fun!

See? Fun!

   

So, it all boils down to this: work because God wants us to! "Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep, and an idle soul shall suffer hunger." -Proverbs 19:15 It will help you feel happier and, at the end of the day, you will be satisfied.