Now when my daughter was younger I brought a fabric advent calendar that had little pouches I would fill each year - she used the same advent calendar every year and loved it. My friend had a wooden advent calendar that was shaped like a Christmas tree and her kids would take turns opening it - she also used to get them a chocolate advent calendar each so that no one went without something during the countdown!
It was only last year after my daughter moved out that I saw the post that you can see above - a lightbox to countdown the days seemed like a great idea. I'm interested to know what other people think though - a small gift or chocolate every day for the kids or just a countdown display under the Christmas tree?
Let me know if you're a Yes or a No!
If you vote advent calendars then check out a few here:
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Because of the title, I was concerned that "The Lady and the Mountain Man"
would be too juvenile to hold my attention. However, since Misty M.
Beller is a best selling author, and I liked the Montana setting, I thought
I would at least start reading it. After all, I could set the book
aside if it didn't appeal to me. As it turns out, the opening first
few paragraphs caught my attention quickly and the story line kept me
interested.
This book reminded me not to judge a book by it's title. There have
been times when a title grabbed my attention, only for the book to be a
disappointment. Even though I love the cover, this book's title didn't
appeal to me, but I really enjoyed the story and would highly recommend it
as a clean and wholesome romance for anyone.
The Lady and the Mountain Man (The Mountain Series Book 1- 1874)
The Lady and the Mountain Man
(The Mountain Series Book 1)Before his death, Leah's father had entered into an arranged marriage
contract with Simon Talbert on behalf of his only daughter. The
wedding was to take place in only 6 days. As an only heir, Leah would
become a very wealthy woman when she obtained the age of 23, in less than a
year.
When Leah Townsend overhears her fiance admit to killing his first wife
and prepared to do the same to her to gain her inheritance, she knows she
must flee Richmond, Virginia. Unfortunately, she had no idea where
she could go and be safe.
Leah's friend, companion and former governess, Emily, hatched what seemed
like the perfect plan for Leah. She would go to St. Louis, Missouri,
and stay with a family that Emily knew there. It seemed like an
ideal plan until Leah happened to discover that she was followed to St.
Louis by Simon's brother. She had to come up with a new plan, and
fast!
Leah decided to answer a newspaper ad from a gentleman in Montana who was
seeking a wife. It was a long way away, and something no one in
Richmond would expect. Plus, she would not be easy to follow.
She immediately sent a telegram to the wife-seeking man in Montana,
secured passage on a boat, and left St. Louis.
Leah was not prepared for the wilds of Montana or the subsequent events
that placed her in some very difficult circumstances causing her to depend
solely on God's provision.
My Conclusion
"The Lady and the Mountain Man" was an easy read and one that I really
enjoyed. I read it rather quickly and hated for it to end.
Fortunately for me, when I checked the following morning, I found the
Mountain series has 12 books. I immediately downloaded the 2nd book
to my Kindle.
If you enjoy romantic historical Christian fiction too, I know you will
enjoy this wonderful book.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
I really love the new features of Lightroom and Photoshop that came with the updates in October of 2020. Most of the time I have found that I have to practice several times and try to remember all of the steps for a new feature. However, with these new features I read a summary of the changes once and right away I was able to use the new features. They were that easy to use. In this post I will give you some examples of my three favorite new features.
Sky Replacement
One of the really fun new features in Photoshop is the sky replacement. You could always replace skies on photos, but in the past it required you to remember several different steps in Photoshop and it was hard to select just the right amount of sky. With the new sky replacement all you do is pull up "Sky Replacement" from the drop down menu and the sky is automatically selected. You then have a wide variety of choices on sky replacements or you can create your own skies. In the photo of the lighthouse above and the three shown below I replaced the skies with the selections already built into the system. Each replacement only took seconds. Which of these skies do you like best?
Jupiter Lighthouse with Blue Sky
Jupiter Lighthouse with Rainbow
Jupiter Lighthouse at Sunset
Color Adjustments in Lightroom
With the new updates in Lightroom, color adjustments have never been easier. First there is a color grading panel that gives you opportunities to separately adjust colors for the midtones, shadows and highlights. They are very easy to use, I suggest opening the color grading panel in the develop module and experiment with what each of the color wheels will do for your photograph.
In the photos below I replaced the color of the flowers. This was accomplished in just minutes using the adjustment brush. I clicked on the brush, set the size of the brush I wanted and then adjusted the color in the hue slider. Next I brushed over the parts of the photo that I wanted to change the color and just that easy I turned the pink flowers into a orange colored flower.
The photo above shows the original pink flower. In the photo to the right, I easily changed the color of the flower with just a few simple brush strokes.
Neural Filters
I find it fun to try out different filters on some of my photos. With the latest update, Photoshop added a new section of filters. They are found under the filter tab and then under Neural Filters. They are very easy to try. Just click on the filter you want to try and you will see a preview of what your photo will look like with that filter. There is also a button to select if you want to preserve the color and another if want to focus on the subject. Along with those two choices there are several sliders that let you determine the amount of filter that you want to apply. In the photos below, I applied four different filters to the same fall scene.
Zazzle Products from my Photos
If you would like to see my photos on a wide variety of products, please stop by my Zazzle store at www.zazzle.com/mbgphoto
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Christmas has already exploded on the scene and I usually don't jump on board until the First Week of Advent! But, if you are crafting, you need to start before then! Cricut, a product review!
Cricut is a platform that lets you make and style so many different materials that you can use to enhance the decor in your home for just about any occasion.
Because we are so close to Christmas, we will focus on this holiday for now. Rest assured though, that Cricut is not just for Christmas. You can craft all kinds of things for other holidays too.
So what exactly is Cricut?
Cricut is a machine that cuts several different types of materials, from fabric, to vinyl and even some thin wood products. You can cut letters, designs, logos and so much more with this handy machine.
Paired with your computer, you can make your own designs and within the day have a whole series of items made with that design splashed on T-shirts, mugs, windows and more. Your imagination is the starting point.
Personalized gifts are easy and the WOW FACTOR is what makes your gifts stand out.
Do you need inspiration? There are limitless possibilities with a Cricut, but if you are stumped there are literally hundreds of Videos available to twig your imagination into overdrive.
Any new technology can cause some trepidation, but once you own a machine you will find many videos on YouTube to help you get started. There are so many videos available and also help from Cricut itself. There are idea books, downloads and more to help you organize and execute your first project without any difficulty!
I'm sure you have seen those beautiful signs with Quotes that just make your heart melt! Well you can make your own using the Cricut machine.
Cricut even has it's own blog, so that if you are stumped or need some extra encouragement, it is right there for you!
You can join the Cricut family and open an account. That will help you to see what is possible with your new machine. They will keep you informed on all kinds of new techniques and materials. Everything from wall art, decals, t-shirts, mugs, greeting cards and more can be done with your new machine.
The only thing that will be necessary is a willingness to learn and the time to execute your ideas. Once you get started though, I'm sure you won't be able to stop!
Just think of all the Holidays that you can make special with a touch of your creativity and the help of a Cricut.
Chirstmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, Spring, July 1st or 4th, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and so many more holidays. And then there are the special occasions too that will have you crafting something wonderful. An engagement, wedding, baby, new home, new job. Birthday markers like 20, 30 and beyond, all of them are crafting times and a great way to use your new tools.
I don't like to spend my money on a craft that I will only do once! Cricut is a craft that you will do all year long and for a myriad of reasons!
The beauty is, that if you can imagine it, you can also craft it and make it your own! There are endless ways to make your home and surrounding a reflection of your own personal tastes. Grab hold of some wonderful ideas and run with them. I bet all your friends will be amazed at what you can do.
You might even find yourself using your spare time to create beautiful things to make and sell. Before you know what happened, your hobby has now turned the corner and you could be enjoying self employment. You just never know what can happen when you start to create with your Cricut and show the world what you have made.
The picture used in this post is my niece's home! She has made signs, stockings and pillows to help her fill her home with Christmas! And that is just a small sample of the things she has made. What is stopping you?
Happy Holidays and Let's Get Creating Some Beauty!
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
In 2019, I was introduced to Ian Rankin via Carleton University’s Learning in Retirement program, Classics of Detective Fiction: From the 1960s to Today. I really enjoyed Rankin's Black and Blue, which was the book we read but only recently returned to start at the beginning of the series and read Knots and Crosses.
When Rankin wrote Knots and Crosses in 1987 he thought he had written a standalone crime detective novel and had even planned on killing Detective Rebus at the end of the book. Success for Rankin and Rebus was not fast in coming. After publishing Knots and Crosses to little fan fare, Rankin put Rebus aside and moved on to write his next book with no idea that he would eventually return to Rebus' world and that he would still be writing books for the series in 2020
Anyway, I read Knots and Crosses. I really enjoyed it. I recommend it. Need I say more? Well, yes, I suppose I should because you may not have read anything by Ian Rankin and you may not have seen my earlier review of the eighth book in the series, Black and Blue.
I wrote about the number of covers that the eighth book has had and you won't be surprised to hear that this book also has had many covers. I had to work a bit to find a picture of the original cover, which I believe the image at the bottom of this page to be since Rankin describes the original cover as having knots and crosses on it and this is the only one that fits that description.
Knots and Crosses is a classic detective story with a strong plotline. It was written in 1987 and based firmly in the Scotland of the time. It is considered British Realism Noir or Tartan Noir as it was written by Scottish writers and is set in Scotland. The Scottish story has style elements from other American and European crime writers of the same time period.
Detective Rebus is a former Special Air Service (SAS) officer now doing police work and coping with a difficult past in a very destructive manner. Typical to noir, he is a working class main character who doesn't have ordinary heroic qualities like idealism, courage and morality. He's a drinker and a smoker and does not have many friends nor successful relationships. He is not above stretching the law in an effort to solve the case he is working on, which is also common in gritty, noir detective novels.
Because Knots and Crosses is the first book in the series, we are given the back story of Detective Rebus while he attempts to solve the nasty case of a serial murderer who is killing young girls and advertising that fact to the police.
Another review on The Guardian says, "It is not always easy to read because of the context, but it grips you so hard that it feels compulsory to read on..." Yes, this book has some uncomfortable moments but it will have you wanting to know who did it and you will read on.
Finally, in the year that this book was written, Kirkus said, "Solidly drawn characters, keen psychological insights and an intriguing, well-knit plot—along with a rather florid but individual writing style—make Rankin a newcomer to watch." More than twenty successful novels later, I say they were right with that prediction.
Knots and Crosses comes HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
WHO WILL LIKE KNOTS & CROSSES?
If you enjoy a well-written detective novel, I believe that you will enjoy this one. It is a crime fiction classic now and it is immensely readable. It does have violence, sex, drugs and murder but nevertheless I enjoyed the story, getting to know Detective Rebus a bit better in the process. For armchair travelers, it is also a look at the nice and the not-so-nice underbelly of Scotland's Edinburgh.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Christmas and the holidays mean one word in this house - Fudge! It was and is the annual tradition to make fudge for the Christmas holidays. Fudge is not difficult to make, but does require strict attention to the recipe for a successful fudge dessert. I have compiled a few tips and tricks to make fool proof successful fudge for the holiday season.
The Original Fantasy Fudge Recipe is my favorite fudge recipe. It is tried and true. A smooth and creamy consistency that melts in your mouth. This is fudge made with marshmallow creme in a jar - old school with the original recipe ingredients. The recipe on the jar of today is slightly different from the original and as always, Grandma knows best when it comes to recipes.
Fudge Tips And Tricks
One cooking tip I have learned through which is now probably hundreds of times making fudge (disclaimer: the annual Christmas fudge tradition has transitioned into making fudge a few times a year, so I am not 100, but have probably made fudge at least 100 times through my fudge career) is the boiling time.
Perfect, creamy, melt in your mouth fudge with this recipe requires five minutes of rocking and rolling boiling. Not a second more, not a second less and the fudge comes out perfect.
The second cooking tip I have learned is to stir stir and stir. While the ingredients are boiling the fudge must be stirred constantly or the bottom will burn on the pan. Not only does this ruin the taste the pan will be absolutely horrendous to try and clean. Just when your arm is exhausted is not the time to walk away from boiling ingredients - keep stirring!
The third cooking tip I have learned is to split the cooked fudge into two batches: one with nuts and one without. Fudge lovers are definitely in two distinct groups as to if fudge should be with or without nuts. I prefer fudge without nuts so am very partial to leaving the nuts out entirely. This is a large recipe so there is plenty of fudge to make 3/4 of a batch without nuts and 1/4 batch with nuts or vice versa.
Fun Fudge Recipes From The Savvy Age
What else can you do with Fudge? Alot! Fudge is such a hit for the holidays with a little experimentation I have found fudge is also quite versatile. The favorites fudge spin off recipes so far:
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Let me start by saying that I'm NOT a self-publishing guru. I'm just a work-from-home-self-taught woman who decided to jump in and tackle some of those dreams left dying on the table.
I've written quite a bit here on ReviewThisReviews about self-publishing books. You'll find a list of the links below.
To date, I've self-published eight books and am currently writing the ninth.
The topic of the books are Riddles, Poetry, and Sayings for Cards. Currently, I'm focussed on building a series of Riddle Books. There are five riddle books in the series and the sixth should be published in one to two months.
A General Overview of What to Do When You Self-Publish (According to my Personal Journey)
Note: To date, I've only published via Amazon's KDP self-publishing platform
Amazon Author Page: Once you've published your book, complete a detailed page about yourself on Amazon's Author Central Page. Here's Amazon's author central page for the USA. When publishing my books, I had to create author central pages for the UK and USA separately. Perhaps, Amazon will amalgamate things at some point, so we only have to do it once. Here's the UK author central page in case you need it.
Amazon Author Page Photo: Decide whether your Author Central page will feature a Logo or your personal photo. At first, I put up my logo but changed it to my personal photo. I prefer to emphasize that I'm just a regular person, not a 'big company.'
Build a Website that Relates to Your Books: If you've never built a website or can't, you can hire someone or just build a blog related to your books. I've built websites (I'm not a website building guru either!), so I was able to create a website to coincide with my Riddle Books. You can take a look at my StumpedRiddles.com website here. Think about how you want people to navigate your site before you build it; write it out, give it a lot of thought. The ease at which people can work their way through your website is important. The top navigation bar on my riddles website features these tabs: Home, Riddles, Answers, Riddle Books, About/Contact. Within those headings are subheadings. Don't forget to include all the legal jargon you need on the site.
Facebook Business Page: Build a business Facebook page that features a Shop with your books. It takes a little learning, and you need a certain amount of products before you can build a shop. I chose to link my books back to each of their product pages on my website; that way, when you publish your book on multiple platforms (not just Amazon), you don't have to worry about changing links - since each product/book will direct back to your own product page on your own site.
Social Media Main Photo & URL Names: Create social media pages for your business/books. Decide whether you want to use your logo or your personal photo. I decided to use my Riddles logo for my social media pages, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. However, I created a Promo-Video and included that video at or near the top of each social media site: It features my personal photo and personal story. You'll have to choose your social media URL based on what's available; I wasn't able to get "Riddles" - it was taken. However, I choose URL's that were close: Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Promo-Video: Create your promo video using your favorite video platform. I used Animoto. If your book/business dictates it, I would suggest being personal while describing your books' purpose. You can take a look at the promo video I created here.
Your Tag Line and Book Purpose: If you're able to establish a "purpose" for your books, create a consistent tag-line that describes your purpose and includes that tag line on your social media, website, and books. The tag-line I came up with is "Turn the World Off With a Smile." It's a twisted variation of a lyric line in the Mary Tyler Moore theme song. I know, I'm aging myself! That lyric was "she can turn the world on with her smile." Given the craziness of the world today, I decided my riddles are created for the distinct purpose of helping people to "turn the world OFF with a smile."
Here are some additional articles I've written relating to self-publishing - Again, I'm not a guru, just learning as I go!
As I learn more, I'll add more articles here on ReviewThisReviews. My next learning journey will be how to self-publish on platforms other than Amazon. That should be challenging.
Here's the first riddle book I created - I went through several cover designs before finally deciding on this one:
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
I was first introduced to Panko flakes over 6 years ago when I met my new daughter-in-law, whom I will introduce here as J. She is a delightful girl who is originally from South Korea. She's also a wonderful cook, naturally specializing in Asian dishes (which my son loves). One of the first dishes she made for me was Panko coated shrimp deep fried in a Wok. It was absolutely delicious.
I watched (and helped) J. make the Panko Shrimp that evening and, after tasting how good the Panko coating was, I have used it ever since. J. does a lot of food shopping at a local Asian Market, but I found a product similar to her Asian Panko Flakes in a product by Progresso. Not only is it good on shrimp, but it is equally delicious on fried chicken fingers and on pork chops.
Progresso Panko Crispy Bread Crumbs
Panko is drawn from Japanese crusine. It is a delicious flaky bread crumb which can be used in a variety of recipes. My favorite way is as a coating for fried meat and seafood. It adds a golden crispness to fried creations and makes the food crunchy and flavorful.
Panko bread crumbs can be used in many ways.
It makes a delicious stuffing for chicken breasts or pork chops when combined with cheese, onions and herbs.
You can make quick croutons by browning in a skillet with melted butter and spices for a tasty salad topping.
I haven't tried this yet, but I can just imagine how tasty it would be to replace your usual amount of regular bread crumbs with these Panko bread crumbs in your favorite meatloaf recipe.
Mix these Panko bread crumbs with olive oil and your favorite seasonings and sprinkle on top of casserole in the last few minutes of baking.
Panko Crispy Bread Crumbs come in two varieties – 'Plain' and 'Italian Style'. I prefer the Italian Style because they are so deliciously seasoned that no additional seasonings are needed. The Plain version is good if there are specific seasonings you prefer to add to your bread crumbs.
Panko Coated Pork Chop Dinner
My teenage grandson's favorite meal served by his G-MA (the grandmother name he calls me) is pork chops and white rice with butter, along with applesauce. Here is a sample of our Panko-coated pork chop dinner.
Panko Fried Shrimp Recipe
Panko Fried Shrimp
For your dining pleasure (and a tasty way to duplicate the delicious deep-fried shrimp meal my daughter-in-law J made me), here is a recipe for Panko Fried Shrimp from AllRecipes.
Recipe: Japanese-Style Deep-Fried Shrimp
Ingredients: shrimp, seasonings, flour, eggs, Panko flakes and oil for frying.
Directions:
Place the flour, eggs and panko crumbs into separate bowls.
Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or deep skillet.
Dip each shrimp into the flour mixture, then into the egg, and finally into the panko crumbs to coat. Fry a few at a time until golden brown.
Drain and serve. Yum!
Progresso
The Progresso brand has been around for more than 80 years. Begun by the merging of two prominent Italian importing companies in New Orleans in 1925, they specialized in canned Italian food products. They are most known for their soups, as well as canned tomato products, olive oil, spaghetti, ravioli and beans. Progresso was acquired by Pillsbury in 1988 and today it is in the General Mills family of products.
Where to Purchase:
Progresso Panko Crispy Bread Crumbs are available on Amazon, which is convenient as it is delivered right to your door. And, in addition, besides the single packages, it is also available in bulk (6 and 12 box units).
It is also available online and in-store at Target and Walmart.
Wherever you purchase your Panko Crispy Bread Crumbs, it is a very tasty product to have on hand for all the reasons I mentioned above.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Farm Advent Calendar
DIY or Reusable Advent Calendars
The Great Christmas Countdown is on
Lego Advent Calendars
