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Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Keto Cheddar Cheese Biscuits Recipe With Chives

Today, I'm pleased to share my review of my quick and easy low carb cheddar cheese and chive biscuits recipe, whose not-so-secret ingredient is HighKey Keto Buttermilk Biscuit Mix.

I've enjoyed putting my own spin on my baked goods ever since I was a kid, whether I'm making them from scratch or using a high quality packaged mix as a shortcut. So, when HighKey Snacks, one of my favorite keto food brands, came out with a delicious keto-friendly buttermilk biscuit baking mix, I couldn’t wait to start playing around with my own ingredient add-ins. One of my favorite variations so far is this quick and easy, 5-ingredient recipe for keto cheddar cheese buttermilk biscuits with chives. They're so buttery and delicious, everyone in your family will ask for more, and they'll never guess these treats are keto-friendly. This is now one of my go-to low carb recipes, and I usually bake a dozen every two or three weeks, depending on whether my omnivorous husband is in the mood for some.

Keto & Low Carb Cheddar-Chive Buttermilk Biscuits

Tender, flavorful, cheddar cheese keto biscuits with chives, ready in 30 minutes or less

Enjoy Big, Buttery Drop Biscuits, Even on a Keto or Low Carb Diet

I have tried—and loved—every baking mix in HighKey’s keto-friendly, low carb product line. So, I was really excited when the company announced it was coming out with a new keto buttermilk biscuit mix. I was confident that it, too, would be a winner, and I wasn’t disappointed!

Since making a traditional flaky biscuit requires using wheat flour or other another grain, the texture of those made with HighKey’s buttermilk biscuit baking mix makes them more similar to traditional drop biscuits. Just add eggs, They’re extremely versatile and taste great, whether you eat them plain, toasted and buttered, or in sweet or savory dishes, from keto strawberry shortcake (with fresh berries and whipped cream) to sweet or savory low carb sandwiches.

Even though this biscuit mix has great buttermilk flavor, I was surprised to learn that it contains no buttermilk. In fact, it’s dairy free and soy free, and has no added sugar or artificial ingredients, so it’s a great option for people with those dietary restrictions, regardless of whether they’re following a ketogenic or low carb diet.

Two baking pans of freshly baked keto cheddar-chive biscuits

Tender, low carb, keto-friendly cheddar cheese biscuits with chives, just out of the oven

My Quick and Easy Keto Cheddar Cheese and Chive Biscuits Variation

Using HighKey Buttermilk Biscuit Baking Mix

Variety is the spice of life, especially when your food choices aren’t free of limitations. Both my husband and I are huge fans of cheddar cheese bread. These days, however, the yummy, carbohydrate-laden cheese bread we used to buy from our local bakery is now off-limits (for me, at least). My husband also loves chives. So, one of the first ideas I had for varying the original HighKey buttermilk biscuit mix recipe was to add sharp cheddar cheese and chives.

I had to experiment with the proportions bit to get the prominent cheddar flavor I was looking for. Increasing the amount of cheese also made the biscuits somewhat less crumbly, which means I can also use them as hamburger buns. And, while I love having a slice of hot, gooey, melted cheese on my burgers, using these cheddar-chive keto biscuits as a bun gives me that great cheeseburger flavor even if I don’t add any additional cheese.

I usually prefer to use fresh chives in my dishes. For this recipe, however, I decided to go with freeze-dried chives, since I would need only a small quantity, and I no longer eat mashed potatoes (which I always make with plenty of fresh chives) now that I follow a ketogenic diet. Fortunately, freeze-dried chives work fine for these cheddar cheese biscuits.

One of My Favorite Keto Bread Options

With or without chives, these cheddar cheese biscuits are not only delicious but also versatile. Even though they are moist, rich, and yummy just as is, I also I love using them to add extra flavor to a sandwich or burger, as a filling side dish to turn a soup or salad into a satisfying, high-protein, low carb meal, or just sliced, toasted, and buttered for breakfast (or a hearty snack).

Just be aware that you may want your burger with a knife and fork if you serve it in one of these tender biscuits.

Hamburger on a keto cheddar cheese biscuit

Last night's dinner: this juicy burger on a keto cheddar-chive biscuit,
served with a big, colorful, pretty and nutritious salad

Low Carb Keto Cheddar Cheese and Chive Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe

These quick and easy keto biscuits are sure to become one of your favorite low carb recipes.

Prep Time:

15 minutes

Cook Time:

15 minutes

Total Time:

30 minutes

Recipe Yield:

12 large biscuits

Calories:

257 kcal

Ingredients

1 10-ounce package HighKey Buttermilk Biscuit Mix
1 ounce sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 to 2 tablespoons freeze-dried chives, or to taste
½ cup butter, very well chilled and cut into ¼-inch cubes
4 large eggs, lightly beaten

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 ℉. Line one or two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the baking mix, shredded cheese, and chives.
Stir in the chilled butter cubes, then cut in the butter with a pastry blender until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Stir in the eggs to form a soft, sticky dough.
Scoop the dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheet(s) in 12 equal mounds, spacing them well apart to allow for spreading.
Bake for 14–15 minutes, until the tops and edges of the biscuits are a light golden brown.
Let them cool for a minute or two, then remove them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Nutrition Facts

If you're on a keto diet and counting your macros, here's what the Carb Manager app calculated. Although it's based on the specific brand of extra-sharp aged cheddar cheese (and eggs and butter) I used, the calories and macros should be very similar, regardless of the brands of ingredients you use.

These big, delicious cheese biscuits are extremely filling. Each contains 2.6 net carbs, 257 calories, and just over 23 grams of fat, 9 grams of protein, and 6 grams of dietary fiber.

Helpful Baking Tips for Making Keto Cheddar and Chive Buttermilk Biscuits

Make the Entire Package of HighKey Buttermilk Biscuit Mix at a Time (and Freeze Any Extra Biscuits)

The first time I prepared a bag of HighKey Buttermilk Biscuit Mix, I measured out 1-1/3 cups of the dry mix and combined it with 1/4 cup of butter and two eggs to make 6 biscuits as directed on the package. Unfortunately, when I started making my next batch, I discovered that there was only about a cup of leftover dry mix in the package! Subsequently, I have seen comments on Facebook and Amazon from people who had the same experience after following the package directions. Now, I always make a dozen buttermilk biscuits at a time, using the entire bag of mix. Fortunately, like most baked goods, these biscuits freeze beautifully, and thaw quickly at room temperature.

Use a Pastry Blender to Cut in the Butter

When I was a girl, my grandmother taught me to cut fat into dry ingredients by scissoring it into the flour mixture with two sharp knives. That experience definitely has made me appreciate the ease and efficiency of using a pastry blender instead. In addition, this handy tool, also called a pastry cutter or dough blender, creates more uniform bits of butter for more even distribution throughout the dough. It's also possible to use a fork, but that tends to mash the butter into the flour, rather than chopping it into nice little individual flour-coated bits. So, although the HighKey Buttermilk Biscuit Mix package directions give you the choice of using a pastry cutter or a fork, I strongly recommend using the former.

Spring Chef Dough Blender on Amazon

I recently replaced my dull, 40-year-old pastry blender with a Spring Chef Dough Blender, and it turned out to be a major upgrade! It has sturdier and much sharper stainless steel blades, as well as a wide, comfortable, soft-grip handle. Both these features make it a pleasure to use, especially since this high quality, heavy-duty cutter doesn't feel heavy in my hand. In addition to cutting butter or other fat into dry ingredients, I also love using it for other cooking and baking tasks that my previous pastry blender would not have been up to, such as chopping nuts and making salsa and guacamole.

Use a #14 Scoop to Portion the Dough Evenly

Dividing any dough or batter evenly into equal-size portions is always desirable, since it enables all the biscuits, cookies, etc., to finish baking at the same time with the same degree of doneness. If you are baking for yourself or others who are monitoring their food intake, whether tracking macros on a low carb or keto diet or counting calories, protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, cholesterol, sodium, potassium, or other nutrients for a medical, health, or weight loss reason, portioning equal servings of a recipe becomes even more important. Over time, I have assembled a collection of high quality Norpro stainless steel scoops in several different sizes, the largest of which is the 4-tablespoon (#16) Norpro scoop with a comfortable, soft-grip handle, none had the right capacity to measure out 1/12 portions of this keto buttermilk biscuit dough, with or without added cheese. Guesstimating how much to overfill the #16 size always left me with too much or two little dough for the last few portions, and I was spending more time weighing each mound and shuffling around bits of dough to equalize the portion sizes than I did preparing it in the first place.

Eventually, I managed to find a #14 stainless steel scoop with a capacity of 4-3/4 tablespoons, which turned out to be the perfect size for portioning this keto biscuit dough into twelfths. It's a huge time-saver, makes nice, rounded mounds, and has a sturdy spring-action mechanism for the scraper blade.

Don't Skip the Baking Parchment Paper

These drop biscuits will likely stick, and stick badly, to the baking pan if you try to grease it instead of using baking parchment. I prefer using unbleached, precut sheets of parchment paper, which are less toxic than bleached baking parchment and don't curl like paper sold in rolls. If you are trying to cut down on single-use disposable products, a reusable silicone nonstick baking mat is a great alternative.

Consider Making Them With Extra-Sharp Cheddar

The first time I made these, I used regular sharp cheddar, and only half an ounce. (I also left out the chives.) They tasted good, but weren't as cheesy or tangy as I had hoped. So, for the next batch, I not only doubled the amount of cheese, and used aged, extra-sharp cheddar. It made a huge difference! So, if you enjoy the taste of extra-sharp cheddar, I encourage you to try using it in these biscuits.

My Favorite Brands of High Quality, Low Carb and Keto Baking Mix Products

One of the keys to my successful keto diet journey, which helped me lose nearly 60 pounds and, more importantly, has enabled me to maintain that weight loss, has been finding keto-friendly versions of my favorite baked goods.

Although I’ve always loved to bake (and still do), I also wanted to spend less time thinking about food, which meant spending less time cooking and baking, especially during the first six months of my new, healthy eating lifestyle after switching to a ketogenic diet. So, while I absolutely love using the recipes in Carolyn Ketchum’s The Ultimate Guide to Keto Baking (my keto baking bible) and my go-to low carb and keto blogs and websites, more often than not I’ve been using the excellent baking mixes from HighKey Snacks, Good Dee’s, and Keto and Co, which not only taste great but are also made with wholesome (and, for the most part, minimally processed) ingredients. You can learn more about these brands’ high-quality baking mixes in my review of homemade low carb keto cupcakes and muffins.

Keto Cheddar Cheese Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe With Chives by Margaret Schindel

Posts About My Keto Diet Journey

My First Year on The Keto Diet

Preparing to Succeed on the Keto Diet, Part One

Preparing to Succeed on the Keto Diet, Part Two

Low Carb Muffins & Cupcakes: Treats to Enjoy on a Keto Diet

Low Carb Keto Chocolate Yogurt Granola Chip Pudding Recipe

Good Dee’s Keto Cookie Low Carb Baking Mix Review

Hamama Microgreens Growing Kit Review & Success Tips

My Favorite Hamama Microgreens Seed Quilt Accessories

Keto Cheddar Cheese Biscuits With Chives Recipe

The Ultimate Keto Hot Chocolate Recipe

The Best Low Carb Keto Gift Ideas: Keto Gift Guide

The Best Low Carb Keto Cinnamon Muffins

Wholesome Yum Keto Bread Mix and Yeast Bread Recipe

The Good Chocolate 100% Organic No Sugar Dark Chocolate Review

The Best Advice to Maintain Your Keto Diet Weight Loss

My New Irresistibly Delicious Keto Cheese Crackers Recipe

Luscious Low Carb Keto Triple Peppermint Cheesecake Brownies Recipe

Quick & Easy Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix Review

Snack Better With The Best Healthy Keto Cookie Dough Bites

The Best Quick and Easy Low Carb Keto Pizza Recipe

The Best Quick and Easy Low Carb Keto Shortcake Cupcakes Recipe

Comparing the Best Keto-Friendly Chocolate Hazelnut Spreads - No Added Sugars

The Best Low Carb Keto Sandwich and Burger Buns Mix

Blueberry Biscuit Scones — New, Easy, Low Carb Keto Recipe

The Best Keto Pizza Crust Mix With 0 Net Carbs

An Unusual, Delicious Strawberry Chocolate Tea With 0 Calories

Delicious Sugar-Free Keto Cookies That OREO Fans Will Love

Healthy Pistachio Cherry Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cereal Treats Recipe

Easy, Decadent, High Protein, Sugar-Free Rocky Road Cottage Cheese Ice Cream

The Best Quick & Easy Low Carb Sausage and Ricotta Calzones

How to Make Refreshing Vanilla Italian Soda (With or Without Cream)

Reviews of the Keto Diet by Barbara C. (aka Brite-Ideas)

My Personal Keto Testimonial

How I Stayed Committed to the Ketogenic Way of Eating

Monday, November 16, 2020

Travel: The Choptank River Lighthouse

I have visited Dorchester County, Maryland many times over the years. I've visited Blackwater National Wildlife refuge, Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical park, and a pavilion area on Fishing Bay during a tropical storm. But I had never seen The Choptank River Lighthouse in Cambridge - until recently.

It was a drab and rainy day. We were driving around, exploring. We had visited Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge again but with the pouring rain, it was difficult to get photos of the birds. There were plenty of birds to see... being water birds, they didn't seem to mind the rain. We also drove around the small town of Cambridge, Maryland.

We ended up in Long Wharf Park. With the heavy rain, the birds outnumbered humans. And we had a perfect view of The Choptank River Lighthouse from the comfort of the Jeep.

The Choptank River Lighthouse, Cambridge, MD

This lighthouse is a replica of historic, river lighthouses of Maryland. Specifically, a replica of one of the Choptank River Lighthouses that were at Choptank River Station. Yes, "lighthouses" plural at that original site. The first lighthouse at Choptank River Station was built in 1871. After that structure was destroyed by an ice floe, a different lighthouse was moved to the site in 1921. Then in 1964, that lighthouse was removed and replaced with a modernized flashing light.

With visiting the current Choptank River Lighthouse, I learned that it is a screwpile style lighthouse. I have seen many photos of this style of Maryland river lighthouse but never thought about the architecture.

This structure also houses a small lighthouse museum. It is normally (pre-pandemic) open to the public, no charge but donations are welcome. The space (also during normal times) can be rented for events.

I definitely plan to visit again on a sunny day so I can sit and watch the boats sailing in and out of the marina.

Dorchester County, Maryland is a wonderful place to visit. It is a rural area teeming with wildlife, migratory birds, and recreational activities related to water. Every single time I visit I wonder about Harriet Tubman's life and marvel at her bravery walking though these marshes and forests.

Related Links:

Our Mary Beth is the Review This lighthouse contributor and photographer. If you love lighthouses, be sure to look for her lighthouse reviews and her photography store. I enjoy touring this wonderful lighthouse parks through her stories and photos.

If you are unable to travel to Maryland's eastern shore in person, and enjoy reading historical fiction I recommend Chesapeake by James Michener. You can see my book review here. The area and it's rich history makes my visits even more meaningful.

For more information about the history of the original Choptank River Lighthouse, it's replacement, and this replica in Cambridge, refer to Choose Cambridge: About the Lighthouse.

For more information about types of lighthouses, including the screwpile style and Alexander Mitchell refer to Chesapeake Chapter United States Lighthouse Society: Types of Lights.

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Sunday, November 15, 2020

Gifts that Fit in a Mug - 10 Mug Theme Ideas

Review of Gifts that Fit Into a Mug

Mugs are a lovely, personal, and often affordable gift. However, sometimes they aren't quite enough. If you need to add something to your mug-gift, consider filling the mug with several small items or even pricier contents.

Here Are 10 Theme Ideas for Gifts that Fit In a Mug:

Fill a mug with any combination of these suggestions, then wrap it with clear cellophane paper and tie a lovely ribbon around it.

1. The Sweet Tooth Mug - Retro Candy

When filling a mug with goodies, we usually think of chocolate or candy. For older folk, consider choosing candy from their youth.

2. The Crazy Cook Mug - Small Kitchen Gadgets

For the cook in the family, or as a hostess gift, fill a mug with small handy kitchen gadgets. Consider items like; wine corks, a garlic press, citrus squeezers, potato peelers, chip clips, and whisks. Add whatever the cook would appreciate.

3. The Destined To Be a Star Mug - Make-Up

If you're fortunate enough to know the type of make-up your recipient prefers, then fill a mug with several of her favorites: Mascara, lipstick, blush, eye shadow, foundation, and concealer. Use hair or make-up brushes to add a bit of height and layering. Choose a fun-girly-mug, fill it, then wrap it with lovely girly cellophane.

4. The Diva Mug - A Mug of Underwear - What?

If you can't stand being predictable, then a mug full of underwear has your name written all over it. Stuff it full with themed underwear; days of the week, funky colors, funny sayings ... you get the picture. Stack them up so they're double the height of the mug.

5. The Next J.K. Rowling Mug - Note Pads & Writing Tools

For the artsy-fartsy type, put a few narrow writing pads in the middle, then surround it with pencil crayons, pens, pencils, and markers. Save some money and take a trip to your local Dollar Store and gather up the items you need.

6. The Green Giant Mug - Gardening Gadgets & Accessories

There's an endless list of items for this one! Seeds, plant spike fertilizers, gardening gloves, small hose attachments, and small gardening tools. Don't worry if the items are taller than the mug, even by a lot, because that makes the gift more substantial and looks prettier. Head to the Dollar Store for this one; you'll find many ideas in this category.

7. The Phone Addict Mug - Techie Gadgets

If you're willing to spend a little more, fill the mug up with tech gadgets such as ear pods, earphones, a phone case, a phone holder, and how about a phone jail. A phone jail is too big for the mug, so get the jail and put the mug with all the gadgets inside - lol.

8. The Stay Calm and Carry On Mug - Soothing, Calming Items

Fill this one up with things that help a person unwind: A stress ball, bath beads, bubble bath, fidget spinners, vitamins, and soothing foot insoles.

9. The Pandemic Mug - All Things Related to Crazy 2020

It might be challenging to find smaller items from 2020 for a mug, but it's not impossible. Here are several ideas; face masks, a 2020 ornament, a toilet paper Christmas ornament, a funny 2020 t-shirt, a stress ball, a thermometer, a spa gift card, a lottery ticket because, yah, why not, it's 2020.

10. The Lucky B*stard Mug - Every Thing Related to Good Luck

Fill this one with items that scream good luck and positivity! Lottery tickets, crystals, a rooster keychain (roosters are a symbol of good luck), astrology gadgets, their birth sign on gadgets, a small astrology booklet, and a personally written letter bragging them up about how awesome they are.

You Can See Some of the Suggested Products Here

If gifts that fit in a mug are a bit too much work, check out these 10 small gifts that can fit into an envelope.

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Saturday, November 14, 2020

Using a Lightbox as an Advent Calendar - Yes or No?

Today I'm going to review an alternative to the usual advent calendars as a way to countdown to Christmas - a lightbox!

Forget the advent calendars and try adding a lightbox underneath your tree for a fun countdown. You can get your own...
Posted by Christmas Tree Ideas on Wednesday, November 13, 2019

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?

Lightbox Holiday Decor - can it replace an advent calendar?

Let me know if you're a Yes or a No!

If you vote advent calendars then check out a few here:

Farm Advent Calendar

DIY or Reusable Advent Calendars

The Great Christmas Countdown is on

Christmas Lego Advent Calendars Lego Advent Calendars

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Friday, November 13, 2020

The Lady and the Mountain Man (The Mountain Series Book 1) Reviewed

This book took me by surprise!

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.

The Mountain Series: Books 1 - 3: The Mountain Series Box SetCheck Price The Lady and the Mountain Promise (The Mountain series Book 4)Check Price The Lady and the Mountain Call (The Mountain series) (Volume 5)Check Price This Treacherous Journey (The Mountain series Book 6)Check Price This Wilderness Journey (The Mountain series Book 7)Check Price

Check Out More Book Reviews at
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The Lady and the Mountain Man (The Mountain Series Book 1) Reviewed by:

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Thursday, November 12, 2020

Review of Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom Updates

Jupiter Lighthouse with Cloudy Sky

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 pretty blue sky background

Jupiter Lighthouse with Blue Sky

Jupiter Lighthouse with Rainbow

Jupiter Lighthouse with sunset sky background

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.

fall scene with wheelbarrow and fall flowers

wheelbarrow of pumpkins and gourds with fall flowers

fall scene with fall flowers, pumpkins & gourds

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

Folded Holiday Card

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Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Home Made with Love, Christmas Crafts to Blow Your Mind

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!

christmas tree and christmas stocking on the mantel

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!

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Tuesday, November 10, 2020

Ian Rankin's Knots and Crosses Book Review

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.

REVIEWS

"Most of Knots and Crosses is claustrophobically situated inside his mind – and it’s a lonely, uncomfortable place. His asperity, his broken marriage, his drinking, his cold flat, his falling asleep in chairs because he can’t quite drag his tired hide into bed … Perhaps you could argue that these too are the stuff of cop cliché. But they feel real here. He feels like a character with weight. Rankin...nails the essentials." I agree with The Guardian, Rebus seems perfectly developed in this story.

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.

Ian Rankin's First Book, Knots & Crosses

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.

On Amazon, you will find Knots and Crosses by clicking here and all of Ian Rankin’s Inspector Rebus novels by clicking right here.

See you at

the book store!

Brenda

Treasures By Brenda

Quick Links:

Buy Knots and Crosses on Amazon.

Read my review of Rankin's Black and Blue.

The Dogs of Riga, a Scandinavian Noir novel.