Review This Reviews!

Monday, May 1, 2017

Pati's Mexican Table Review

I love food but I'm not a foodie. I enjoy cooking and baking but I'm not very good at it. I need recipes that are easy to follow with explanations of any "exotic" ingredients. You may wonder why I am writing a cooking show and cookbook review if I struggle in the kitchen. Well, that is exactly why I want to share what I know about Pati's Mexican Table. Pati Jinich takes some of the mystery out of Mexican cooking and presents it in a way that is easy and delicious.

Pati's Mexican Table Review

Pati's Mexican Table is a cooking show on public television channels. This weekend I was very fortunate to find a cooking show marathon that featured Pati's cooking shows back-to-back. I was in tamale heaven! And I had forgotten about creative gelatin desserts. With Cinco de Mayo approaching, she made me crave authentic Mexican food.

Many of the recipes featured on the show are listed on her website. While the internet makes finding recipes a snap, there is something I really like about having either a cookbook or a printed recipe. I don't seem to lose track of where I am or what I'm doing if the printed recipe is with me in the kitchen while I cook.

That's why I am thrilled to see that she has two cookbooks offered for sale.

Pati's Mexican Table is a cookbook filled with authentic Mexican recipes. Customer reviews are highly complimentary of this cookbook. The notable "pros" about this cookbook are the very helpful "cook's tricks" and the sidebars that explain ingredients or cooking techniques. These extra instructions are helpful in successfully making the recipe. One of the few "cons" listed by a few reviewers is that this cookbook does not list all/exactly the recipes shown on the television show.

Pati's Mexican Table cookbook

Mexican Today

Pati's second cookbook, Mexican Today: New and Rediscovered Recipes for Contemporary Kitchens offers authentic Mexican favorite recipes with a contemporary twists. Again, the cookbook features helpful advice and sidebars that are especially helpful for those of use who aren't formally trained in the kitchen.

Authentic Mexican food is plentiful when I travel to the area I was raised. When I am away from that area, I find myself missing authentic Mexican food. With Pati's television show and cookbooks for inspiration, even I should be able to make some delicious meals for Cinco de Mayo and all through the year.

Mexican Today cookbook by Pati Jinich

Sunday, April 30, 2017

Two Ways to Add a Rustic Look to a Room Without Treating the Walls

Create a Rustic Theme in Your Space Without Painting or Treating the Walls

Painting isn't a big deal. Unfortunately, most people think a rustic look is created by adding barn wood or other wood treatments to the wall. While it's true that barn wood walls make a stunning addition to a country theme, it's not the only way to achieve a rustic effect.

Barn Wood Draperies - A Wood Look With Cloth

Barnwood drapes come in a variety of styles and designs. You can see additional choices when you visit the barn wood drapery photo.

If your room has a large picture window or a sliding door, the drapes will add an impactful rustic feel when closed.

However, you don't need a window to put drapes up. By putting drapes on a feature wall that doesn't have a window, you create the illusion of more space while adding to the country feel.

In fact, you can have something behind those drapes: Behind the drapes, go ahead and feature a faux window or 3D country scenic wall decal. Open the drapes, and you've created a third dimension.

Faux Wood Area Rugs - Rugs that Look Like Hardwood

Did you get an area rug that looks like a hardwood floor? Of course, most of us know about the typical bamboo floor rugs, but the ones that surprise people are rugs explicitly designed with fabric/cloth to look like a wood floors.

The above rug has a rubber backing and thus may not have the feel of a traditional area rug. Think of it as a giant mouse-pad. However, you can put a piece of carpet foam underneath to increase the low pile. However, to be aware, it is pretty soft to begin with.

A good spot for this rug is under a coffee table. With the light barn wood drapes and a matching area rug, you only need to add rustic accessories: pillows, throw blankets, trinkets, and rustic lamps. You've completed the theme without opening a can of paint.

Have fun with your paint-free redesign.

FOLLOW US ON:

Saturday, April 29, 2017

A Bird in the Hand-i-Craft

Bluebird Plush Toy in Crochet

A review of crafty toy birds.

There are several 'Bird Days' throughout the year, with the first one occurring on January 5th (National Bird Day). This reminded me that I wanted to show off some of the bird handicrafts I have come across in my crafting journey.

Whether crafty birds are carved out of wood as toys, room decor or jewelry, knitted or crocheted as cute plush animals, or sewn into soft pillow toys, they all make adorable toys for children to play with or teens or college kids to use to decorate their room. Birds appeal to many people and the choices in hand-crafted items are truly unique.

Wooden Seagull Ornament

Hand cut out of maple using a scroll saw, this seagull coastal scene ornament is sanded smooth and finished with Danish penetrating oil. A cabled cotton cord is included to hang the ornament. Ornament size is 3" diameter by 1/4 inch thick.

Seagull wooden ornament is handmade by Susan in Missouri and available in her Etsy Shop Ooh Look It's a Rabbit.

Bird (Owl) Lanyard

Hand-crafted Owl Lanyard

Both a useful and a decorative item, lanyards for I.D. badges or keys come in very handy. For bird fanciers, this owl fabric lanyard from Kathie of CutePurseNalities on Etsy is handmade using 100% cotton fabric and a silver swivel clip.

The fabric has adorable little owls in green, brown, orange, red, yellow and blue on a white background.

Amigurumi Bird Stuffed Toy

Amigurumi Animal Plush Bluebird on Etsy

Cute & cuddly, this roly-poly bluebird is handmade in royal blue and white acrylic yarn. The beak and feet are orange and bluebird has red tuffs on top of his head.

Bluebird's eyes are plastic craft eyes and he is filled with soft new polyester fiberfill. Little bird measures approximately 4 x 4 inches. He's a cute round roly-poly animal just the right size for little hands to hold.

Plush bluebird toy in the Etsy shop of Coastal Crochet Crafts has been sold, but contact this crochet website to order your own. :)

Hand-Sewn Hummingbird Softie

Hummingbird Hand-Sewn Soft Toy

This Hummingbird is great for playing or decorating your child's room. Wonderful for Baby as a first toy or for a child to play with. It makes a great gift for a Baby Shower!

I love Hummingbirds they are fun to watch - so busy ... so cute and colorful. I always wanted to hold one ... and now you can too ;-). Hummingbird plushie measures 8 x 4 x 2.5 inches (across wings the measurement is 12 inches).

You can find this delightful hummingbird hand-sewn toy in the Etsy shop of RB Query of California.

For other craft items and ideas, check out the reviews at

ReviewThisCrafts.com

Friday, April 28, 2017

Stellaluna (Fruit Bat) Children's Book Reviewed

If you ask my daughter what her favorite childhood book was, she would quickly answer, Stellaluna. She loved that bat! Actually, she still feels an affection toward the book and her Stellaluna plush bat.

Based on a child's opinion, this is one of the best books in her library. If I had to guess, I would say she felt genuine heartbreak for the little bat who was separated from her mother after an owl attack, and extreme joy when they were reunited.

As an adult and parent, I rate the book as the best because of the writing style and real animal facts woven throughout the story. Children are being entranced by the fiction story as well as educated about fruit bats. Personally, I like all bats, but I think the choice of a fruit bat is perfect for a child's story. After all, fruit bats eat fruit!

The illustrations in this book are fabulous! They are accurate depictions of a bats body features and give the bat a gentle, endearing face. If you have ever looked at a fruit bats face, you would find they have rather cute furry faces in reality. Bats are the only mammals that can fly. Except for the wings, they look like other mammals. As a matter of fact, they are called flying foxes because they facially resemble a fox.

Stellaluna - Recommended Children's Book

Scanned photo of one of the Illustrations in the Book

Stellaluna is a baby bat who hasn't even learned to fly yet. Her mother carries her with her when she is flying. One night, Stellaluna and her mother are attacked by an owl. Stellaluna is knocked from her mothers grasp. As Stellaluna is falling to the ground, she snatches hold of a tree branch and cries out to her mother, but her mother doesn't answer. When she can no longer hold on, she slips and falls further and lands in a bird's nest full of baby birds.

Because Stellaluna is starving, she finally opts to open her mouth, close her eyes and accept the disgusting live lunch the mother bird is feeding her babies. Stellaluna has to learn to live like a bird in order to survive, but she still sleeps hanging upside down. Her adopted siblings are intrigued and want to hang upside down too. The mother bird returns and reprimands the babies, saying they will fall and break their necks. As the babies return to the safety of the nest, the momma bird refuses Stellaluna admittance unless she promises to behave and stop being a bad influence on her baby birds.

The birds and baby bat grow up together, eat together, and learn to fly together. Landing gracefully like the birds proves to be impossible for poor Stellaluna. Their differences are once again obvious and embarrassing for Stellaluna.

There is more to this fabulous story, including how Stellaluna is reunited with her mother, but I will let you discover the rest of the story for yourself.

My Opinion of Stellaluna

StellalunaThere are several reasons why I would recommend this book for children. I have already mentioned the educational value and the exceptionally entertaining writing style of the author. But, I would also like to point out the real life lessons about how we can all learn to live and love others in spite of our differences. How we can learn to survive even when we are out of our element. Children won't recognize those lessons as they read the book, but they may well recall the lessons taught when they encounter challenges at school or later in life.

Not only are the differences between bird and bats evident when reading the fiction story, there are "Bat Notes" at the back of the book that share real facts about bats. A wonderful addition to help children learn fact from fiction.

This book is loved by both girls and boys. Our son also lists Stellaluna as one of his favorite childhood books. How do I know? He walked by while I was writing this review and said, "that is a great book!"

Stellaluna Plush Bat

Stellaluna Plush Toy Animal

In 1994, the Stellaluna plush was available to purchase with the book. Our daughter has the plush Stellaluna. They are no longer produced and can only be purchased from secondary markets like Amazon.com or Ebay where they are pretty expensive.

However, a child will not recognize the difference in the original Stellaluna plush and a fruit bat plush. I recommend choosing one that resembles Stellaluna and allow you child to enjoy having a little fruit bat of their own.

Read More Book Reviews at
ReviewThisBooks.com

Stellaluna Children's Book Review Written by:

FOLLOW US ON:

Thursday, April 27, 2017

Reviewing Tips on Backyard Perch for Bird Photography

Goldfinch on Perch

Backyard bird photography can be a relaxing and rewarding hobby. There are many books to give you ideas on getting the most of backyard bird photography and they contain tips on everything from feeders, to lighting, to setting up an ideal setting for the birds.

Setting up a Natural Looking Perch

On this page I would like to concentrate on one aspect of backyard bird photography, setting up a natural looking perch. I have been photographing birds for a few years now, but I always felt I was fighting the background and surrounding features in my backyard. I would photograph birds on the feeders and sitting on the shepherds hooks but just never quite got that photo I was trying to get. When our photography club announced that our speaker would be talking on backyard bird photography I was really excited to be going and getting some tips.

When the speaker first started he showed us lots of photographs he had taken of birds on natural looking perches. I thought they looked great and figured he had to be out in parks or the woods to capture the birds sitting on those perches. Then he told us his secret. He creates his own perches in his back yard and trains the birds to come and sit there. He does this by watching the birds habits when feeding and then setting up a natural perch nearby. In his example he showed a feeding box he had made that he sat on the ground and then mounted a branch, using an old tripod, to hang just above the feeding area.

I liked his idea, but I have a small backyard and wanted to keep my backyard attractive and yet still use the natural perch idea. The next day I was wondering around my backyard thinking about the lecture and I came across a big tree limb that had fallen in the storm the night before. I took the limb and buried it in an old flower pot and then moved it near the bird feeders.

Perch Limb

I set up the perch and now I had to wait for some birds to come. I had my camera set up on a tripod just inside our patio doors and I would sit and watch all the birds but they never landed on the perch when I was watching.

Backyard Bird Books

Moving Perch for Birds Convenience

I next decided to move the perch between my finch feeder and my songbird feeder to give a better landing place for birds waiting to get their turn at the feeders. In just a few minutes I captured a photo of the first bird landing on the perch. Since then I have captured many birds sitting on the perch. I have added some green plants to the container to make it more attractive and I am quite pleased with my first attempt at setting up a perch.

Photos of Birds Landing on Perch

Here are some of the photos I have taken in the last week. I have my camera set up just inside our glass patio doors and the photos are taken through the glass. I have the camera on a tripod and I have a remote shutter that I have close by when I am sitting at the table in front of the doors. This way if a bird catches my eye I can grab the shutter and click away. The camera is set at aperture priority with a f5.6 setting and is focused at the very top of the perch.