Srsly, how did I miss Deviled Egg Day?

Apparently, November 2nd is National Deviled Egg day.I was notified of this in my lovely HungryGirl.com newsletter. Just looking at this picture makes me want to make deviled eggs . RIGHT . NOW . Srsly. So of course, I had to share it! Yummy deviled eggs with all the taste and none of the nasty fats or sugars! YAY!

Devilish Eggs PER SERVING (4 pieces): 79 calories, 1.75g fat, 403mg sodium, 6.25g carbs, 1g fiber, 2.5g sugars, 9.5g protein -- POINTS® value 2* Deviled eggs are no longer a fatty no-no. This recipe will have you churning out creamy, delicious eggs in no time. Ingredients: 2 cups roughly chopped orange cauliflower (or alternative below) 1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise 3 wedges The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese, room temperature 1 tbsp. sweet relish, patted dry to remove moisture 2 tsp. minced shallots 1 1/2 tsp. yellow mustard Salt and black pepper, to taste 10 hard-boiled eggs, chilled Optional topping: paprika Directions: Place cauliflower in a large microwave-safe bowl with 1/3 cup water. Cover and microwave for 6 - 8 minutes, until cauliflower is soft. Once bowl is cool enough to handle, drain any excess water from cauliflower. Lightly mash cauliflower, and then place in a blender. Add mayo and puree until just blended, not smooth. Do not over-blend. In a mixing bowl, combine cauliflower mixture with cheese wedges, relish, shallots, and mustard. Stir until smooth. Season mixture to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. When ready to serve, halve eggs lengthwise and remove yolks. Evenly distribute cauliflower mixture among egg white halves and, if you like, top with paprika. Eat up and enjoy! MAKES 5 SERVINGS HG Alternative! This recipe calls for orange cauliflower. If you can't find it, use regular cauliflower. But add a drop of yellow food coloring to the mixture if you want your Devilish Eggs to look like the real thing.

let's go green 'round the house

Try innovative ideas that help the earth without lightening your wallet.

1. Opt for cloth. The average American family uses 1 1/2 rolls of paper towels per week, says Earth911 (earth911.com), so cutting down to just one a month could save you roughly $45 a year. Use cloth towels or old T-shirts cut into squares to clean up spills; toss them in the wash instead of the trash. Snip old sheets to use as napkins, or buy cloth napkins in various colors, with a different hue for each family member. (Visit tablelinensforless.com to find napkins for as low as 83 cents a piece!)

2. Throw a green cleaning party. Gather your friends together to have some fun while mixing environmentally friendly cleaning products. Pool your money to buy the ingredients; everyone should leave with enough supplies to last a month. Try these three recipes: Glass cleaner: Combine 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice with 1 quart water. Pour into a spray bottle and use with newspapers to clean surfaces. Furniture polish: Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice to 2 cups vegetable oil. Carpet freshener: In a jar mix 1 cup crushed dried herbs, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 2 teaspoons baking soda. Shake well. Sprinkle a bit on your carpet, let it sit for an hour, then vacuum.

3. Boil water in a flash. When cooking pasta, use a kettle to boil water, then transfer the water to the pot. The water will boil faster, so you'll use less energy.

4. Tidy your computer. Instead of using pricey keyboard cleaners, which contain chemicals, turn your keyboard upside down and shake out dirt and debris. Then swipe double-sided tape between the keys to pick up any remaining bits. Source: Ideal Bite


5. Freshen up your oven. Cleaning your oven probably isn't tops on your to-do list, but once it's done your food will cook more efficiently, which will save energy and money. If you own a self-cleaning oven, start the cleaning cycle right after you've cooked or baked to take advantage of the residual heat.

6. Rinse and reuse. Get more life out of empty pickle, jam and sauce jars by washing them thoroughly and using them to store dry goods, homemade salad dressings and even leftovers. 

7. Take your temperature. Keeping your fridge and freezer colder than necessary can boost your energy consumption--and your bills. Your fridge should be set between 37°F and 40°F, the freezer between 0° and 5°F.

8. Keep water in the refrigerator. A less-than-full fridge has to work harder to stay cold than one that's completely stocked. If some shelves are bare, stash a few glasses of water on them to help maintain efficiency.

Reuse household items and save money

This sounds so simple, that we often forget how easy ideas like these are!!
From our friends at AllYou.com, 10 ways to give new purpose to old belongings

Transform place mats into coasters

Cut up place mats into drink coasters. Most place mats are already water-resistant and made for wear-and-tear, so no extra prep is necessary.

 

Save cereal bags

If your family loves cereal, you can avoid buying wax paper ever again. Wash and save the plastic bags that come in cereal boxes―they can be repurposed to wrap sandwiches or cold-cuts, store leftovers or freeze meats.

Put tired T-shirts to good use

 Add ripped or worn-out shirts (and other clothing items!) to your arsenal of cleaning supplies―whether you’re washing or dusting, the scraps come in handy as extra rags. (Compared to what you see at your left, which is basically a bag of cut up t shirts!!

Plant a garden using coffee mugs

Chipped coffee mugs make perfect homes for small flowers or herbs. Just fill with potting soil, plant seeds or flowers and place on the windowsill and you have your own portable garden!

 

 

Cover up with paper bags

The brown paper bags you carry out of the grocery store can be easily converted into covers for your kids’ textbooks. That’s one more thing to scratch off your back-to-school shopping list! (I used to do this as a kid, because then you had a blank canvas for all your doodles and scribbles from friends)

Get organized using coffee cans

Use empty coffee cans to hold everything from markers to macaroni! It’s a fuss-free way to de-clutter any area of your home.

Store pills in contact cases

Wash out cases that no longer hold contact lenses and fill them with a day’s worth of vitamins. Take one with you wherever you go for easy, discreet access.

Craft a bird feeder from a milk jug

Milk may have an expiration date, but its container can be used long after the last drop. Turn plastic jugs into bird feeders for your backyard simply by cutting a hole in the side and adding bird seed. Have the kids decorate, then hang from a tree.

Turn candles into pincushions

No need to toss away burned-out candles. They can become convenient homes for pins and needles.

Reinvent greeting cards

Collect the various greeting cards you receive throughout the year. When the holiday or occasion has passed, snip the cards into strips for instant bookmarks or cut off the fronts to use as seasonal postcards.(or I like to cut off the written-on page, and then use the decorative cover (now with a blank back) as a postcard! Genius!)

While we are at it, let's see some ways to re-use paper before chucking it ::

Unlike money, paper does (sort of) grow on trees, which is why it’s important to be mindful of how much you use―and waste. Check out these 10 budget- and earth-friendly tips: 

1. Print again. Reuse printer paper if it has text on only one side. It’s perfect for faxes and casual print-outs.
2. Take note. Make a notepad by stapling used printer paper, blank side up, to a piece of cardboard.
3. Let them scribble. Printer paper is great for kids to draw and paint on, and is often more cost-effective than paper made specifically for artistic pursuits.
4. Make art. Set aside an afternoon to create with your kids. The creative options are endless. Get inspired to make your own at Howstuffworks.com. Papier mâché, for example, simply uses strips of computer or newspaper to yield beautiful creations ready to paint. Get instructions at Ehow.com.
5. Cushion your packages. Newspaper or old wrapping paper can be used as package padding―shred, crumple or tear and eliminate the need for Styrofoam!
6. Make cat litter. Turn newspaper into odor-deterring kitty litter. It only takes a few simple steps―shred, soak in dish detergent and baking soda, and dry. Learn how at Planet Green.
7. Wrap it in your own style. Tape together sheets of unwanted paper, decorate and…instant customized wrapping paper! This is a great way to recycle children’s leftover artwork that doesn’t make the “keeper” pile.
8. Stuff it. Shred old paper to use as fill for stuffed animals or throw pillows. You can use any type of paper. It’s cheaper than buying synthetic padding and works just as well.
9. Create your own. Never buy fancy stationery again! Making your own gorgeous textured paper is much easier than you might think. All you need is pantyhose, bendable wire (a coat hanger, for example) and a blender. Follow the instructions at Ehow.com. 
10. Recycle it. If you’ve absolutely run out of creative reuses for your scrap paper, you still shouldn't throw any out. Paper bags, newspapers, computer paper, magazines, packaging and envelopes (minus the plastic pieces) can all be recycled. The only recycling no-nos are waxed paper, laminated paper (like that in fast-food products), pet-food bags and oil- or food-soaked paper. Check with your local sanitation department for restrictions in your area.

Suprising Ways you are Ruining Your Skin

borrowed from Yahoo Shine! Article.

Just when us gals in the
beauty department get all cocky and think we have our
skin-beautifying routines all figured out (sunscreen every day, the
right products for our skin type, eating plenty of antioxidant-rich
foods, etc.), some smartypants dermatologist comes along and dishes
out a bunch of new info to consider. We recently chatted with Dr.
Dennis Gross (who is a constant stream of amazing skincare advice,
BTW), and he opened my eyes to these five practices that could
negatively affect your skin.



1. Outdated glasses/contact lens prescription: Anything
that makes you squint — like reading or working in a poorly lit
room, or not updating your contact lens prescription — leads to
more fine lines and wrinkles around the eye area. Get thee to an
eye doctor, stat!

Related:
4 Ways to Take Years Off Your Eyes




2. Steam rooms: We all love a good detoxifying sesh in a
steam room or sauna, but Dr. Gross says to limit your exposure to
these extreme-heat bad boys because they decompose skin's
elastin and collagen. Eeeeek!

Related:
26 Secrets to Better Skin


3. Running (or any high-impact exercise): "While such
exercise may benefit our hearts, it can cause the fat pads to slide
south, and collagen and elastin to break down. If you enjoy
running, try walking," explains Dr. Gross. OMG — remember on
Ally McBeal when Jane Krakowski's character invented the face
bra for jogging? It was for this!


Related:
Celebrity Skincare Trends: 1994-Today


4. Not sleeping: Okay, it's not news that
pulling an all-nighter makes your skin look like crud the next day,
but did you know that chronic sleep deprivation leads to long-term
skin probs? "Lack of sleep can be so stressful that it
actually causes our bodies, including our skin, to generate free
radicals," says Dr. Gross. More free radicals mean you look
older, faster.

Related:
7 Bedtime Habits That Are Ruining Your Sleep




5. Tap water: Chlorine in tap water can strip the
natural oils from skin and cause dryness and irritation, especially
in the winter when there is less humidity in the air to balance it
out. I can vouch for that — I bought a new showerhead with a
built-in water filter and have noticed fewer dry patches on my
legs.

Related:
11 Great Products for Sensitive Skin


Obviously, if running is your passion then no one is suggesting you
give it up. But maybe a trip to the eye doctor is in order, and get
your sleep issues under control, why dontcha?



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  Claire!

Reprinted
with Permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.

Laptop Skin - Made from Dollar Tree Ingredients !

At my Favorite store, the Dollar Tree, they sell contact paper in the large tubes. The one I bought is white with a black etched rose pattern.
this looks pretty sweet. They DID have the woodgrain contact paper when I went to the DT yesterday.

So since I didn't feel like messing with precise cuts or measuring (even though it IS easy because the paper has a grid printed on the back) I trimmed the edges with some decorative edged scrapbooking scissors.

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