I then tied them up with a ribbon and added a tag.
I'm very happy with how they turned out.
What would you put on a wooden spoon?
Culinary Arts
After showing a friend a few pictures of the spoons I've been making, she asked if I could make a few for her to give as a present to a friend who was a chef. I had no idea what exactly I would burn into the spoons, but I was game to give it a try. After some thought, here's what I came up with:
I then tied them up with a ribbon and added a tag.
I'm very happy with how they turned out.
What would you put on a wooden spoon?
I then tied them up with a ribbon and added a tag.
I'm very happy with how they turned out.
What would you put on a wooden spoon?
Handmade Card Exchange
This fall, I joined a few fellow crafty ladies to participate in a homemade card exchange. The idea (not mine) was simple: we each would choose four card designs and make 16 of each. Then we'd trade so that we would each have four sets of 16 different cards. The goal was to have a set of cards for a variety of occasions -- wedding, birthday, Valentine's Day, sympathy, etc -- like the popular all occasion card sets you can buy at places like Costco.
My approach was that simple is better -- although, I did love the intricate designs created by my fellow crafters. I also wanted to put my Silhouette Cameo to good use.
My first card was the starfish. I liked it as a card for any occasion.
My second was a Valentine's Day card. I didn't want to waste any paper, so I used the cut outs to make two different ones.
My third was another all occasion card. I just loved the bright colours (you can't tell in this picture, but the green is actually lime). This could easily be a birthday card as well, I think.
And my fourth card was a simple Christmas card. I think I may make these next year and mail them to friends.
Did you make any presents to give this year?
My approach was that simple is better -- although, I did love the intricate designs created by my fellow crafters. I also wanted to put my Silhouette Cameo to good use.
My first card was the starfish. I liked it as a card for any occasion.
My second was a Valentine's Day card. I didn't want to waste any paper, so I used the cut outs to make two different ones.
My third was another all occasion card. I just loved the bright colours (you can't tell in this picture, but the green is actually lime). This could easily be a birthday card as well, I think.
And my fourth card was a simple Christmas card. I think I may make these next year and mail them to friends.
Did you make any presents to give this year?
Happy Holidays!
Dr. Squirrel is on hiatus. Check back in the new year for more thesis advice!
Happy Holidays!
Happy Holidays!
Don't Fill Your Suitcase with Books
When I was a graduate student, I often filled my suitcase with books and articles I was going to read over the Christmas holiday. There were times when I'm sure I brought home as many as 14 books. It limited what I could fit in my suitcase and it nearly broke my back. And, if I'm honest, the books and articles rarely (if ever) actually came out of the suitcase.
Don't get me wrong -- holidays can be a great time to get work done. I've written a book chapter on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day before. I've written an article during my summer vacation. I've spent Thanksgiving editing. You may recall that last month I penned a blog post titled Holidays Are For Writing, encouraging you to use the unscheduled time productively -- and holidays can be a great time to get some reading and writing done. But the operative word is "some."
The reality is that you also need a break between terms. If you're going back to school in January, you need to be fresh and rested to start the year right. If you work through all of the holiday season, that won't happen. I give you permission to marathon your favourite show. Stay in your PJs all day, curled up on the sofa, and enjoy some brain candy. You've earned it. And hopefully your mother will agree and maybe bring you a cup of tea and some cookies!
You need to take time to be with family and friends. It's important for your mental health. It's important for work-life balance. So make sure you do all of the festive things that you enjoy doing -- whether it's baking cookies, volunteering at your chosen charity, visiting family, or filling stockings for the less fortunate. Now is the time to make yourself a priority. Sure, you're in an intense relationship with your thesis now, but eventually you'll move on. You'll see other projects. One day, that thesis will just be a memory. You can't break up with yourself however! So treat yourself well.
And if you are feeling inspired to be productive in an academic way this holiday season, be realistic. Choose one book instead of 14. Bring home two articles instead of a binder full. Choose something reasonable to accomplish so that you can feel good about what you've done instead of setting yourself up for failure and letting that suitcase of books become thesis baggage (which quickly leads to self-loathing).
Happy holidays!
Don't get me wrong -- holidays can be a great time to get work done. I've written a book chapter on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day before. I've written an article during my summer vacation. I've spent Thanksgiving editing. You may recall that last month I penned a blog post titled Holidays Are For Writing, encouraging you to use the unscheduled time productively -- and holidays can be a great time to get some reading and writing done. But the operative word is "some."
The reality is that you also need a break between terms. If you're going back to school in January, you need to be fresh and rested to start the year right. If you work through all of the holiday season, that won't happen. I give you permission to marathon your favourite show. Stay in your PJs all day, curled up on the sofa, and enjoy some brain candy. You've earned it. And hopefully your mother will agree and maybe bring you a cup of tea and some cookies!
You need to take time to be with family and friends. It's important for your mental health. It's important for work-life balance. So make sure you do all of the festive things that you enjoy doing -- whether it's baking cookies, volunteering at your chosen charity, visiting family, or filling stockings for the less fortunate. Now is the time to make yourself a priority. Sure, you're in an intense relationship with your thesis now, but eventually you'll move on. You'll see other projects. One day, that thesis will just be a memory. You can't break up with yourself however! So treat yourself well.
And if you are feeling inspired to be productive in an academic way this holiday season, be realistic. Choose one book instead of 14. Bring home two articles instead of a binder full. Choose something reasonable to accomplish so that you can feel good about what you've done instead of setting yourself up for failure and letting that suitcase of books become thesis baggage (which quickly leads to self-loathing).
Happy holidays!
Just Open the Document!
Finding it hard to get motivated to write or edit? Checking Facebook again or organizing your boards on Pinterest will undoubtedly be more appealing. Perhaps you're avoiding your work because you don't know how to deal with it. You might be struggling to figure out what to say next or how to "fix" what you've done thus far. My advice: just open the document.
I've had a few non-urgent writing tasks hanging over me for several weeks now. (Ok. Two months, if I'm totally honest with you.) More urgent and impactful items have been prioritized ahead of them -- and that makes perfect sense when you think about your goals. But now that there's nothing more urgent or important to focus on, I knew it would be better to just get them done instead of having them weighing on my mind. Unfinished projects are a special kind of stress -- they expand to take up more mental space than they deserve.
Even though I knew I should complete them this week to clear the docket, so to speak, each morning I found myself doing other things, like filing. Why? Because one of the unfinished projects was a report that needed to be submitted to the funder and, despite my best efforts, I still wasn't happy with the wording. I initially put it aside so that I could think about the right approach, but then I never got back to it. If I didn't take action, I'd be a very productive procrastinator this week.
This morning, sitting at my desk, looking for "things to do," I said to myself, "Just open the document!" (Ok, maybe I yelled it inside my head, tagging an emphatic "Already!" at the end.)
Just open the document. It really was that simple. I opened it up and glanced at a few comments left in the margins, and before I knew it, I was done the editing task that had been causing me so much angst. I worked at it one section at a time, one comment at a time. It wasn't nearly as painful as I'd anticipated. Why? Because it wasn't nearly as big a task as it had grown to in my head.
So next time you find yourself avoiding your work -- whether it's writing or editing -- just open the document and see what happens. You might surprise yourself.
I've had a few non-urgent writing tasks hanging over me for several weeks now. (Ok. Two months, if I'm totally honest with you.) More urgent and impactful items have been prioritized ahead of them -- and that makes perfect sense when you think about your goals. But now that there's nothing more urgent or important to focus on, I knew it would be better to just get them done instead of having them weighing on my mind. Unfinished projects are a special kind of stress -- they expand to take up more mental space than they deserve.
Even though I knew I should complete them this week to clear the docket, so to speak, each morning I found myself doing other things, like filing. Why? Because one of the unfinished projects was a report that needed to be submitted to the funder and, despite my best efforts, I still wasn't happy with the wording. I initially put it aside so that I could think about the right approach, but then I never got back to it. If I didn't take action, I'd be a very productive procrastinator this week.
This morning, sitting at my desk, looking for "things to do," I said to myself, "Just open the document!" (Ok, maybe I yelled it inside my head, tagging an emphatic "Already!" at the end.)
Just open the document. It really was that simple. I opened it up and glanced at a few comments left in the margins, and before I knew it, I was done the editing task that had been causing me so much angst. I worked at it one section at a time, one comment at a time. It wasn't nearly as painful as I'd anticipated. Why? Because it wasn't nearly as big a task as it had grown to in my head.
So next time you find yourself avoiding your work -- whether it's writing or editing -- just open the document and see what happens. You might surprise yourself.
Scrabble Score Book
This Christmas, I've been searching for a present for my father. Somehow he is always the most difficult person to find a gift for. Initially I planned to get him a new wallet -- but my mother bought one for him a few years ago that he still hasn't taken out of the box. I also found a gadget for canning that I thought he'd like, but then wasn't sure one would be enough considering how large his batches of jam are (it separated the lids while they are are being prepared in water -- but it only held 12 at a time). My mother suggested socks and t-shirts, but I've given him those gifts so many times that I just couldn't do it again. Eventually, I decided on a custom t-shirt (fingers crossed that it'll turn out).
Despite ordering a custom t-shirt, I still wanted to find something special. I thought about a new Scrabble board, since we usually play that together at our cottage in the summer when I'm home. But there's also nothing really wrong with the board we have (although I do sometimes suspect that there are tiles missing...). Then I hit on an idea -- a Scrabble score pad, since we usually find ourselves searching for a scrap of paper to write on. Well, I found them online at a popular retailer, but they were insanely overpriced. When I found them for a reasonable price at another site, the shipping was three times the cost of the pad of 80 sheets!
So next I started googling to see whether score sheets were available online. I found several options made by individuals, some offered for free, others for a small fee. And then I clicked on a link and discovered that Hasbro provides a PDF score sheet online! Awesome! If they're providing it free of charge, then they surely can't be concerned about me printing a few, right? (Obviously, there is no re-selling going to occur).
I printed several copies using a booklet approach. I must admit, I was wishing I had a colour printer for this -- and there may be one in my future depending on how the sales go after Christmas. Then I trimmed the paper and prepared the booklet for saddle stitch binding. Next, I used some card stock to make a cover. With my Silhouette Cameo, I cut a letter and number to mimic a Scrabble tile (I found font suggestions here -- and I may have to make one of these giant tiles in the future!). When I was finished, I popped the booklet into my book press (made by my dad!) for 16 hours. And... Voila!
I'm very happy with how it turned out. It'll make a great addition to the custom t-shirt I ordered and it will be fun in the future to have a record of our Scrabble games.
Despite ordering a custom t-shirt, I still wanted to find something special. I thought about a new Scrabble board, since we usually play that together at our cottage in the summer when I'm home. But there's also nothing really wrong with the board we have (although I do sometimes suspect that there are tiles missing...). Then I hit on an idea -- a Scrabble score pad, since we usually find ourselves searching for a scrap of paper to write on. Well, I found them online at a popular retailer, but they were insanely overpriced. When I found them for a reasonable price at another site, the shipping was three times the cost of the pad of 80 sheets!
So next I started googling to see whether score sheets were available online. I found several options made by individuals, some offered for free, others for a small fee. And then I clicked on a link and discovered that Hasbro provides a PDF score sheet online! Awesome! If they're providing it free of charge, then they surely can't be concerned about me printing a few, right? (Obviously, there is no re-selling going to occur).
I printed several copies using a booklet approach. I must admit, I was wishing I had a colour printer for this -- and there may be one in my future depending on how the sales go after Christmas. Then I trimmed the paper and prepared the booklet for saddle stitch binding. Next, I used some card stock to make a cover. With my Silhouette Cameo, I cut a letter and number to mimic a Scrabble tile (I found font suggestions here -- and I may have to make one of these giant tiles in the future!). When I was finished, I popped the booklet into my book press (made by my dad!) for 16 hours. And... Voila!
I'm very happy with how it turned out. It'll make a great addition to the custom t-shirt I ordered and it will be fun in the future to have a record of our Scrabble games.
Try a New Location
Got writer's block? Just can't get motivated? Try working in a new location.
Generally, throughout university, I was able to write my papers and study from home, sometimes at a desk and sometimes at my kitchen table. There were times, however, when nothing I did could actually get me going in that environment. On these days, I joked that I needed to "institutionalize" myself by going to the library. The change of surroundings was often enough to help me get writing again or begin committing to memory the historical details of musical compositions.
Today, things haven't changed much. I still often write from home (following my writing ritual), but if I have a looming deadline or there's a hint of procrastination brewing, I'll go to my office to work on my personal research projects. I try to make it as enjoyable as possible, bringing along a French Vanilla from Tim Hortons or going out for lunch to break up the day. Being in a dedicated work environment helps me to be productive, eliminates any distractions that may exist (like laundry or other housekeeping tasks), and allows me to enjoy my free time when I return home after a productive writing session.
So, if you're having trouble powering through in your usual location, why not try something new? A new coffee shop, the local library, a friend's office, the cafe of your local museum -- there are lots of options!
Where's your favourite place to get work done?
Generally, throughout university, I was able to write my papers and study from home, sometimes at a desk and sometimes at my kitchen table. There were times, however, when nothing I did could actually get me going in that environment. On these days, I joked that I needed to "institutionalize" myself by going to the library. The change of surroundings was often enough to help me get writing again or begin committing to memory the historical details of musical compositions.
Today, things haven't changed much. I still often write from home (following my writing ritual), but if I have a looming deadline or there's a hint of procrastination brewing, I'll go to my office to work on my personal research projects. I try to make it as enjoyable as possible, bringing along a French Vanilla from Tim Hortons or going out for lunch to break up the day. Being in a dedicated work environment helps me to be productive, eliminates any distractions that may exist (like laundry or other housekeeping tasks), and allows me to enjoy my free time when I return home after a productive writing session.
So, if you're having trouble powering through in your usual location, why not try something new? A new coffee shop, the local library, a friend's office, the cafe of your local museum -- there are lots of options!
Where's your favourite place to get work done?
Rolo Snowmen
Recently, I was asked to teach a course on Pinterest in Seniors College at Cape Breton University. As a result, I found myself spending more time on the social bookmarking site, often reviewing and organizing my boards and pins. In the process, I stumbled upon one from a few years ago that I thought was cute -- Rolo Snowmen.
Like the Hand Santatizer of a few weeks ago, I thought these would be fun to have on hand to give to friends, neighbours, and coworkers during the holiday season. I had the paper and the paper cutter, so there was no reason not to have some fun.
Here's the result:
I'm still hoping to find some little black top hats to put on them in a jaunty fashion!
What do you make for friends during the holiday season?
Like the Hand Santatizer of a few weeks ago, I thought these would be fun to have on hand to give to friends, neighbours, and coworkers during the holiday season. I had the paper and the paper cutter, so there was no reason not to have some fun.
Here's the result:
I'm still hoping to find some little black top hats to put on them in a jaunty fashion!
What do you make for friends during the holiday season?
Power Through
Are you avoiding reading or writing? Has procrastination taken over? Try a power hour.
I first heard about the "power hour" as a time management strategy and procrastination buster about a year ago. As I recall, it was described to me as a way of completing tasks that you really don't like. You commit to working on a particular task for one hour and at the end of the hour, you can choose whether you continue or not. And if you decide that you're done like dinner, it's a guilt free ending because you were hyper-productive for an hour. I thought this was a great approach for my most hated cleaning tasks (aka all of them).
I really hate cleaning – washing dishes, vacuuming, dusting. Consequently, I avoid it like the plague. The result of this procrastination is that I just end up with a bigger job to tackle – more dishes, more dust, more recyclables to struggle with. Then it becomes overwhelming, which makes it even more difficult for me to get started and I start feeling bad about the situation. To break the cycle, I commit to a power hour. I’ll clean as much as I can in a one hour period and when the hour is up, I’ll do other things I enjoy doing without feeling any guilt. But sometimes I find that I end up cleaning for several hours because once I start and see improvements, I become more motivated to continue.
Of course, the power hour can be applied to other types of work, including your writing project. Here's one description of how it works.
You could do a power hour of reading, a power hour of planning (preparing an outline), a power hour of writing, a power hour of editing, a power hour of typing your bibliography in the appropriate citation style... you get the picture. You can do a power hour of anything. And then go about the rest of your day guilt-free.
So, if you're overwhelmed by your project or feeling guilty about your lack of progress, why not try committing to one power hour each day? You'll get something done that moves you closer to your goal and for the other 23 hours of the day, you can enjoy life without having to beat yourself up.
Have you done a power hour?
I first heard about the "power hour" as a time management strategy and procrastination buster about a year ago. As I recall, it was described to me as a way of completing tasks that you really don't like. You commit to working on a particular task for one hour and at the end of the hour, you can choose whether you continue or not. And if you decide that you're done like dinner, it's a guilt free ending because you were hyper-productive for an hour. I thought this was a great approach for my most hated cleaning tasks (aka all of them).
I really hate cleaning – washing dishes, vacuuming, dusting. Consequently, I avoid it like the plague. The result of this procrastination is that I just end up with a bigger job to tackle – more dishes, more dust, more recyclables to struggle with. Then it becomes overwhelming, which makes it even more difficult for me to get started and I start feeling bad about the situation. To break the cycle, I commit to a power hour. I’ll clean as much as I can in a one hour period and when the hour is up, I’ll do other things I enjoy doing without feeling any guilt. But sometimes I find that I end up cleaning for several hours because once I start and see improvements, I become more motivated to continue.
Of course, the power hour can be applied to other types of work, including your writing project. Here's one description of how it works.
You could do a power hour of reading, a power hour of planning (preparing an outline), a power hour of writing, a power hour of editing, a power hour of typing your bibliography in the appropriate citation style... you get the picture. You can do a power hour of anything. And then go about the rest of your day guilt-free.
So, if you're overwhelmed by your project or feeling guilty about your lack of progress, why not try committing to one power hour each day? You'll get something done that moves you closer to your goal and for the other 23 hours of the day, you can enjoy life without having to beat yourself up.
Have you done a power hour?
Ask Your Friends for Help
Let's face it, even the most productive and disciplined writers sometimes find it difficult to get motivated. Even I -- the person writing a blog to help you achieve your writing goals -- sometimes hit a wall.
Take Monday, November 2nd, for example. I'd been away for more than a week, I'd had a busy weekend, and the clocks had fallen back, making it dark very early in the evening. I arrived home from work around 3:30pm and was supposed to attend a writing session at 7pm. As it got darker and darker, my sofa got more and more comfortable. By 5:30, I knew that if I didn't get moving soon, I would be trapped in a sofa vortex and I wouldn't go at all.
So, I sent my friend and colleague a message asking if we could change the start time of the writing session. Lucky for me, she agreed that we could meet at 6pm instead of 7pm. I jumped off the sofa, grabbed my laptop, and headed immediately to the car. Soon installed at our writing session, we chatted a bit and wrote a bit and ate a few delicious cookies. Two hours later I had 3 pages of an article written.
It's important to know yourself -- to be able to recognize the signs that you're losing motivation -- and then take action to change things up.
And when motivation fails you, don't be afraid to ask your friends or colleagues for help.
Take Monday, November 2nd, for example. I'd been away for more than a week, I'd had a busy weekend, and the clocks had fallen back, making it dark very early in the evening. I arrived home from work around 3:30pm and was supposed to attend a writing session at 7pm. As it got darker and darker, my sofa got more and more comfortable. By 5:30, I knew that if I didn't get moving soon, I would be trapped in a sofa vortex and I wouldn't go at all.
So, I sent my friend and colleague a message asking if we could change the start time of the writing session. Lucky for me, she agreed that we could meet at 6pm instead of 7pm. I jumped off the sofa, grabbed my laptop, and headed immediately to the car. Soon installed at our writing session, we chatted a bit and wrote a bit and ate a few delicious cookies. Two hours later I had 3 pages of an article written.
It's important to know yourself -- to be able to recognize the signs that you're losing motivation -- and then take action to change things up.
And when motivation fails you, don't be afraid to ask your friends or colleagues for help.
Holidays Are For Writing
So you've got a writing deadline and you need to make some progress on it, but you're finding it difficult to carve out the necessary block of time to really get into it? Lucky for you, Wednesday is a holiday in most areas of Canada.
There's no question that you should take time to remember and to attend services in your community. But for the rest of the day, when classes are cancelled and many stores and offices are closed, you should write. (And if the stores aren't closed in your area, pretend they are!)
A holiday is a big gaping hole in your schedule. Your usual commitments aren't there. You can roll out of bed, stay in your PJs, make a cup of coffee, and get down to business. You can be wildly productive even if you dedicate only half of the day to your writing project (and the other half to a worthy endeavor, like watching a marathon of Suits).
So make the most of your holiday time -- remember and then write!
There's no question that you should take time to remember and to attend services in your community. But for the rest of the day, when classes are cancelled and many stores and offices are closed, you should write. (And if the stores aren't closed in your area, pretend they are!)
A holiday is a big gaping hole in your schedule. Your usual commitments aren't there. You can roll out of bed, stay in your PJs, make a cup of coffee, and get down to business. You can be wildly productive even if you dedicate only half of the day to your writing project (and the other half to a worthy endeavor, like watching a marathon of Suits).
So make the most of your holiday time -- remember and then write!
Santa Soldiers for Flu Season
Several years ago, I pinned a creative gift idea to one of my Pinterest boards. It was hand "Santa-tizer." I thought it was particularly cute and it made me chuckle when I saw it, but I didn't make any plans to craft my own version.
Last week, it occurred to me that this might be a fun, simple, festive item to have on hand during the holiday season if friends popped by. So, I made a shopping list and this morning I took a quick trip to Michaels for paper and Dollarama for hand sanitizer.
Here are the results:
I chose the aloe scented hand sanitizer because I thought the green colour of the bottle was appropriate to the season. I'm happy with the way they turned out. My little Santa Soldiers are lined up and ready to combat flu season!
Next up: Rolo Snowmen! Stay tuned!
Last week, it occurred to me that this might be a fun, simple, festive item to have on hand during the holiday season if friends popped by. So, I made a shopping list and this morning I took a quick trip to Michaels for paper and Dollarama for hand sanitizer.
Here are the results:
I chose the aloe scented hand sanitizer because I thought the green colour of the bottle was appropriate to the season. I'm happy with the way they turned out. My little Santa Soldiers are lined up and ready to combat flu season!
Next up: Rolo Snowmen! Stay tuned!
Coding Your Readings
I was recently asked by a student how to tackle a stack of readings. She was writing a term paper. She knew exactly what questions she had to answer in the essay and basically how the essay would be organized according to sections (thanks to a very detailed assignment description). She had all of her research gathered (articles, chapters, web resources) and I had advised her to print them all to read. But how should she read and take notes to quickly accomplish her task?
I suggested coding. I described a very basic approach that I thought would work. Since she already knew what questions she had to answer and the sections that would be in the paper, I suggested she assign each question/topic a letter (A, B, C) and then make a quick reference sheet that provided an overview of the coding (A = general history, B = business strategy, C = competitive advantage, etc). While reading, if she came upon anything that answered a particular question or fit in a certain section, she could highlight it and make note using the coding established. Then, when she actually went to write the various sections of her term paper, she could quickly scan her readings and pull out all of the pertinent information.
For some people, colour-coding helps here as well. The basic principle remains -- you assign a colour to a question, topic, or theme and then use that to help you pull together information. You can use different coloured highlighters, coloured pencils, or your favourite pens or fine-tip markers. Of course, if you have several different items coded, you have to be sure you have enough different colours in your chosen medium, since you can only use each colour once.
How do you keep track of what you're reading and how it relates to the topics you're researching?
I suggested coding. I described a very basic approach that I thought would work. Since she already knew what questions she had to answer and the sections that would be in the paper, I suggested she assign each question/topic a letter (A, B, C) and then make a quick reference sheet that provided an overview of the coding (A = general history, B = business strategy, C = competitive advantage, etc). While reading, if she came upon anything that answered a particular question or fit in a certain section, she could highlight it and make note using the coding established. Then, when she actually went to write the various sections of her term paper, she could quickly scan her readings and pull out all of the pertinent information.
For some people, colour-coding helps here as well. The basic principle remains -- you assign a colour to a question, topic, or theme and then use that to help you pull together information. You can use different coloured highlighters, coloured pencils, or your favourite pens or fine-tip markers. Of course, if you have several different items coded, you have to be sure you have enough different colours in your chosen medium, since you can only use each colour once.
How do you keep track of what you're reading and how it relates to the topics you're researching?
Shimmering Acorn Ornaments
About a year ago, I stumbled upon a photo of painted acorns on Pinterest. They were very pretty and it was suggested they could be used in a glass container as seasonal decor. I thought they might make very cute Christmas tree ornaments if I could figure out how to put a hanger on them. I pinned the idea, but left it untried because I didn't have a source for acorns.
Fast forward to this month, when I went on a trip to Toronto. There was an unexpected side trip that my host probably didn't think I'd enjoy. In fact, he warned me that as we pulled into our destination, I'd hear acorns being crushed under the tires of his car. "Did you say acorns?!?!?" "Yes, acorns." "AWESOME!" While he attended to his task, I picked as many acorns as I could hold in my hands up off the ground. I sealed them in a plastic bag until I got home.
Yesterday afternoon, I opened my ziplock bag and emptied the contents onto a baking sheet. I then put the acorns in the oven for a few hours to kill any nasties that might be living in them. Once cool, I noticed a few of the caps had popped off. Perfect!
I made a few hangers and glued the caps back in place with the hangers between the caps and the acorns. Then I left them to dry overnight.
I should note that in the future if I was to make these again, I'd probably try to drill into the cap near the stem and put a small eye hook in for hanging -- but I don't currently own a dremel or drill (that will hopefully be remedied this Christmas!).
Today, I took a trip to Michaels to purchase some metallic paint. I used to have a lot of craft paint on hand, but much of it was getting old, so I tossed it all and have been buying what I need as the need arises. I wasn't sure what colour I would buy when I went, but once there I decided that copper would be the perfect colour.
Tonight, I painted the acorns and left them to dry hanging from a wooden spoon propped on Mason jars. I also painted the others and propped them on their caps to dry.
I'm very happy with the way they turned out and think they'll have a nice shimmer next to Christmas lights on a tree. I may add a clear coat over top to protect them -- we'll see.
What colour would you paint your acorn ornaments?
Fast forward to this month, when I went on a trip to Toronto. There was an unexpected side trip that my host probably didn't think I'd enjoy. In fact, he warned me that as we pulled into our destination, I'd hear acorns being crushed under the tires of his car. "Did you say acorns?!?!?" "Yes, acorns." "AWESOME!" While he attended to his task, I picked as many acorns as I could hold in my hands up off the ground. I sealed them in a plastic bag until I got home.
Yesterday afternoon, I opened my ziplock bag and emptied the contents onto a baking sheet. I then put the acorns in the oven for a few hours to kill any nasties that might be living in them. Once cool, I noticed a few of the caps had popped off. Perfect!
I should note that in the future if I was to make these again, I'd probably try to drill into the cap near the stem and put a small eye hook in for hanging -- but I don't currently own a dremel or drill (that will hopefully be remedied this Christmas!).
Today, I took a trip to Michaels to purchase some metallic paint. I used to have a lot of craft paint on hand, but much of it was getting old, so I tossed it all and have been buying what I need as the need arises. I wasn't sure what colour I would buy when I went, but once there I decided that copper would be the perfect colour.
I'm very happy with the way they turned out and think they'll have a nice shimmer next to Christmas lights on a tree. I may add a clear coat over top to protect them -- we'll see.
What colour would you paint your acorn ornaments?
Now is Not the Time to Save Trees
So, you're writing your thesis (or major research paper or dissertation). You've probably got a tonne of articles, book chapters, and other resources to read. Maybe you're trying to save money by reading them off your computer or iPad. Maybe you're trying to avoid "wasting" so much paper. Maybe you're trying to save your back because paper copies are heavy to carry... But really, you should just print them and get on with reading, analyzing, thinking, and writing.
Don't get me wrong -- I'm the first person to say that you should only print what you must, that you should use recycled paper, that you should print on both sides (shrinking the pages so that two can be printed on each side), that you shouldn't waste paper. I'm a big fan of the three Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle). But this is one of those times when I say, "Print! Print it all!"
There's a practical reason for this: with a print copy, you can highlight important parts and make notes to yourself in the margins. You can colour-code and label. Now, I know many people will say that they can highlight and make notes on electronic copies -- and that is true -- but it's really not the same. Returning to the annotations in an electronic copy of an article can be quite clumsy and time-consuming. The benefit of the hard copy is that after you've done the reading, highlighting, and notating, you can then physically rearrange your sources for the writing process. You could pile them according to topic area, you could stack them in the order you intend to cite them, you could arrange them in any number of ways that suit the task at hand. And as you work through a stack for a particular section of your thesis, you can move them to a discard pile, which can be surprisingly motivating as you actually see your progress (with fewer and fewer articles left to reference).
There is something about the way that we physically interact with our readings and hand-write notes that helps with recall and thought processes. And it certainly can't hurt to give your eyes a rest from all of those glowing screens. Maybe I'm old school on this point, but I really do believe hard copy is better.
So take it from me: now is not the time to save trees. And if you feel guilty, then plant a tree or two when you're finished your thesis.
Don't get me wrong -- I'm the first person to say that you should only print what you must, that you should use recycled paper, that you should print on both sides (shrinking the pages so that two can be printed on each side), that you shouldn't waste paper. I'm a big fan of the three Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle). But this is one of those times when I say, "Print! Print it all!"
There's a practical reason for this: with a print copy, you can highlight important parts and make notes to yourself in the margins. You can colour-code and label. Now, I know many people will say that they can highlight and make notes on electronic copies -- and that is true -- but it's really not the same. Returning to the annotations in an electronic copy of an article can be quite clumsy and time-consuming. The benefit of the hard copy is that after you've done the reading, highlighting, and notating, you can then physically rearrange your sources for the writing process. You could pile them according to topic area, you could stack them in the order you intend to cite them, you could arrange them in any number of ways that suit the task at hand. And as you work through a stack for a particular section of your thesis, you can move them to a discard pile, which can be surprisingly motivating as you actually see your progress (with fewer and fewer articles left to reference).
There is something about the way that we physically interact with our readings and hand-write notes that helps with recall and thought processes. And it certainly can't hurt to give your eyes a rest from all of those glowing screens. Maybe I'm old school on this point, but I really do believe hard copy is better.
So take it from me: now is not the time to save trees. And if you feel guilty, then plant a tree or two when you're finished your thesis.
Wood Burning Ornaments
When I was sick earlier this year, I took up wood burning. I started thinking that making ornaments might be fun and found inspiration on Pinterest. I went out and purchased a few wooden rounds to test, but didn't find time to get back to the project until last week.
I started out with two basic ideas, just to get back into the groove. What I've discovered is that the wood that these rounds are made out of is really soft and leads to an uneven burn if you're not careful. Still, I like the way they turned out. I'm thinking I may stain them more of a golden colour, since the wood is so very, very pale. Hanging from a red ribbon, I think these will make a nice gift.
I saw a few cute designs on Pinterest that featured foxes, so I may try something like that next month when I have more time.
What would you like to see on a wood burned ornament?
I saw a few cute designs on Pinterest that featured foxes, so I may try something like that next month when I have more time.
What would you like to see on a wood burned ornament?
Writing Rituals
I have a confession to make. It is impossible for me to get any writing done in my office. There are distractions everywhere. Even with the door closed, I can see movement in the hallway. It breaks my concentration. I sit and stare more than I type. The phone rings. The temperature isn't right. Students want to chat. Colleagues pop by. Emails ping. Papers beg to be filed away. There can be no quick trips to the cafeteria to caffeinate because people I haven't seen in months seem to come out of the woodwork on writing days.
And so on writing days, I am most productive when I am home. I have a writing ritual. It developed during my PhD and has served me well. Sure, some say you should write everyday and perhaps that does work for some people. But for me, the blitz marathon writing session works. I'm in a hyper-focussed state. I'm productive. I get it done.
Writing for me is best done at a dining room table. I attribute this to the fact that as a kid, I sat at the dining room table with my sister and mother (a teacher) while we all did our "homework." At the same table, my father (an entrepreneur) balanced the books or prepared estimates related to his construction business. That's where I developed study habits and learned to focus on the task at hand. During my undergraduate degree, I installed myself at an aunt's dining room table when writing papers. She totally got it. And I admit to being a little lost in my master's degree when there was no dining room table at which to work (I lived in residence). Large tables in libraries served as substitutes.
The space is helpful. I spread out my materials around my laptop and still have room for a notepad to write ideas and reminders.
I also have a particular coffee that I drink when writing: Illy. It's delicious, but expensive. It's saved only for special occasions — like writing. I make a pot and a promise: I will begin writing before I start the second cup. It hasn't failed me yet.
And then I transform into a marathoner, writing for hours on end. I write from the outline in my head or notes scrawled on paper, and then revise and expand. I always print a copy when editing because I can more clearly see how to re-order arguments, sentences, paragraphs, and sections.
It's my writing process and it works for me. And so I feel very strongly that it's important to establish your own writing ritual -- something that works for you and makes the process more enjoyable.
* This blog was originally published on the Cape Breton University website in February 2014.
A Halloween Village
Last winter, I purchased the cutting files to make a Christmas village with my Cameo. I found a church, a town house, a shop, a house, and a barn designed by Marji Roy. I loved them and made a set out of white card stock to decorate my apartment for Christmas. Following the tutorial, I lined my buildings with wax paper so that the windows would appear frosted -- it was a winter scene after all!
I have since wondered what they would look like in other colours. For example, I've seen them on Pinterest made from what appears to be kraft paper and they look fantastic. I am thinking about trying that for this winter. In the meantime, I thought I would experiment with making them in black for Halloween.
This time I lined them with orange tissue paper and added a few purple pumpkins and orange chocolate balls. Sure, it's not spooky like some of the Halloween villages you can buy from the design store, but I like the way it turned out. I'm thinking about adding a graveyard to the church if I have time before Halloween. Next year I may try making the village in purple and orange!
How do you decorate for Halloween?
I have since wondered what they would look like in other colours. For example, I've seen them on Pinterest made from what appears to be kraft paper and they look fantastic. I am thinking about trying that for this winter. In the meantime, I thought I would experiment with making them in black for Halloween.
How do you decorate for Halloween?
Reward Yourself
A little reward can go a long way when you're trying to finish that thesis, major research paper, or dissertation. I believe very strongly that you should take the time to identify goals and milestones, as well as the rewards that go along with them. If you celebrate your accomplishments, you're more likely to have accomplishments.
The key to setting rewards is to be sure they match the task at hand. If you write one sentence, you probably haven't earned an Ice Road Truckers marathon. But if you've read a 20-page academic article filled with jargon, I'd say you deserve a coffee break with an episode of Scandal on Netflix.
For writing, I think it's useful to have rewards at several levels. For example, for every five pages written, you might enjoy a movie or a few chapters from a novel (or coffee or whatever else motivates you). For every chapter completed, you might treat yourself to lunch or supper at a favourite restaurant with a friend. And when you complete the draft, why not enjoy a spa day followed by dinner at your favourite Indian restaurant with a bottle of Wolf Blass Brown Label! (I know I certainly did when I submitted my dissertation for examination!)
These rewards can be used in the research or data collection stage as well. Set your tasks for the day, block the time to do them, and when you've completed them, enjoy the reward you've identified. Got a stack of articles to read for a literature review? Read an article, watch an episode of Community, read another article, watch an episode of Community, read yet another article...
You get the picture: reward yourself. But remember that you can't have the reward until you've reached the milestone!
The key to setting rewards is to be sure they match the task at hand. If you write one sentence, you probably haven't earned an Ice Road Truckers marathon. But if you've read a 20-page academic article filled with jargon, I'd say you deserve a coffee break with an episode of Scandal on Netflix.
For writing, I think it's useful to have rewards at several levels. For example, for every five pages written, you might enjoy a movie or a few chapters from a novel (or coffee or whatever else motivates you). For every chapter completed, you might treat yourself to lunch or supper at a favourite restaurant with a friend. And when you complete the draft, why not enjoy a spa day followed by dinner at your favourite Indian restaurant with a bottle of Wolf Blass Brown Label! (I know I certainly did when I submitted my dissertation for examination!)
These rewards can be used in the research or data collection stage as well. Set your tasks for the day, block the time to do them, and when you've completed them, enjoy the reward you've identified. Got a stack of articles to read for a literature review? Read an article, watch an episode of Community, read another article, watch an episode of Community, read yet another article...
You get the picture: reward yourself. But remember that you can't have the reward until you've reached the milestone!
Saying No
It can be very difficult to say no when someone asks you to do something. It could be a short contract for that favourite professor of yours, it could be a favour for someone you'll need for a job reference in the future, or it could be your friend who is searching for volunteers for an upcoming fundraiser. It's important to be realistic about whether you can take something on and to say no when the request will impact your writing schedule or have little benefit to you.
Before committing to anything, I always find it helpful to first ask a question. "When would you need it by?" Then I decide whether that would work for my schedule and respond accordingly. For example, I was contacted by the editors of a book to review a chapter on Saami music. Since they hadn't included a deadline in their email request, I immediately replied asking what their timeline was. It turned out that they expected a turn-around of two weeks. Since I had several other commitments during that period, I replied that I couldn't possibly provide a review until a date four weeks later. They agreed to my timeline and I booked time in my schedule to prepare the review by the deadline I had suggested. Of course, if they said they were firm on the two week turn-around, I would have suggested they contact someone else and I would not have agreed to do the review.
It's also important to consider whether the request is reasonable. Is it coming at the last minute or is the person contacting you early enough to allow you to find a way to work it into your schedule? Is it a relatively quick task that you can accomplish in a few hours, or are you likely to invest 40-50 hours of your precious time to complete it? Are you being asked to do it pro bono or will you be paid fairly for your work? I'm not suggesting that you shouldn't invest your time in worthy projects as a volunteer. I'm just saying you should know what you're getting into up front and make an informed decision.
You must also consider the true impact and benefit to you, your CV, and your future employment. There may be trade-offs and they may be worth it, but be sure you're realistic about it. For example, if you're a doctoral student and you're offered a course to teach part-way through a term because the professor teaching it has had a medical emergency, you need to think things through. It will result in a significant impact on the time you have available to complete your own research and writing goals (class time, office hours, prep time, marking, email exchanges with students, etc). However, if you are thinking about university teaching as a career, the course will look great on your CV, you'll have course evaluations to put into a dossier, you'll get to find out whether you really like teaching, and it may open the door to other teaching opportunities. The benefits may outweigh the impact to your research and writing schedule. In contrast, sitting at an info booth as a volunteer for four days during a conference may in fact have very little benefit for you, though you may feel good for having helped out and the organizers may have appreciated your work. Only you can decide whether that is worth the impact.
Again, I'm not saying that you shouldn't volunteer. Volunteers are critically important to society and volunteering is often the mark of a well-rounded individual in job searches. What I am saying is that you should do things that you love and are passionate about, and that will also have some benefit for you (such as feeling good about your contribution, having the opportunity to take on a leadership role, or learning a new skill). I'm also saying that you must be certain that you can fit whatever you commit to into your schedule and that it won't negatively impact your research and writing goals.
If you decide a request isn't reasonable, that it will negatively impact your own academic progress, or that it has little benefit to you, it's ok to say no. "I'm sorry, I'm not able to take on any additional commitments right now." If you know of someone who would genuinely be interested in the opportunity, you could also say, "You might want to check with so-and-so. She's been looking for a volunteer outlet recently."
It's true that saying no takes some practice. One strategy when asked to do something is to not respond immediately so that you don't feel like you're on the spot. My colleague who has lots of wisdom to share noted that she has started responding to requests by saying, "I'll have to check my schedule and get back to you." That takes the pressure off of having to answer right then and there. Instead, she really can take the time to check her schedule to see if she's free. It also buys time to think through the benefits and impacts of saying yes before making a decision. It's important with this strategy, however, to get back to the person as soon as possible with your decision -- don't use it as an avoidance tactic.
Finally, it's easier to say no if you already have a list of the types of activities you will not do or do not have time for. One of my colleagues calls this a "Not To Do List." It is a list of the types of things she is frequently asked to do that are of little benefit to her, don't align with her own volunteer priorities, or that she just doesn't like to do. For example, when I was a graduate student, I often would agree to write CD reviews for a quarterly publication of a music society. I did it because it would build my CD with something until I had legitimate publications based in my own research. I also did it to be involved in the society. Now, however, CD reviews are on my "Not To Do List." In the context of my CV, they offer very little benefit other than adding bulk. I am now a director for that society, so I am involved in other ways. Finally, I don't remember the last time I actually held a CD in my hands and, when you move as often as I have, they just become something else to lug around from one apartment or one province to the next. Now if I'm asked to review a CD, I say, "I'm sorry, I don't review CDs. Perhaps one of the graduate students in Memorial's ethnomusicology program would be interested?"
So what should be on your "Not To Do List"? Only you can know. Perhaps you won't add any new volunteer opportunities or you'll choose one cause (say, Multiple Sclerosis) and only volunteer in relation to that. You might limit the types of volunteer activities you engage in (for example, if you feel really awkward selling tickets because you have no family in the area to force them upon). Maybe you feel like a book club would be "good for you" but you actually hate reading the books and going to discuss them -- just don't do it! The important thing here is to identify activities that you won't do and then actually write them down and post them somewhere near your schedule. That way, if you're asked to do something, like join yet another committee that will meet a lot and accomplish nothing, you can respond, "I'll have to check my schedule," and while you are checking your schedule, you can re-check your "Not To Do List."
Do you have a "Not To Do List"?
Before committing to anything, I always find it helpful to first ask a question. "When would you need it by?" Then I decide whether that would work for my schedule and respond accordingly. For example, I was contacted by the editors of a book to review a chapter on Saami music. Since they hadn't included a deadline in their email request, I immediately replied asking what their timeline was. It turned out that they expected a turn-around of two weeks. Since I had several other commitments during that period, I replied that I couldn't possibly provide a review until a date four weeks later. They agreed to my timeline and I booked time in my schedule to prepare the review by the deadline I had suggested. Of course, if they said they were firm on the two week turn-around, I would have suggested they contact someone else and I would not have agreed to do the review.
It's also important to consider whether the request is reasonable. Is it coming at the last minute or is the person contacting you early enough to allow you to find a way to work it into your schedule? Is it a relatively quick task that you can accomplish in a few hours, or are you likely to invest 40-50 hours of your precious time to complete it? Are you being asked to do it pro bono or will you be paid fairly for your work? I'm not suggesting that you shouldn't invest your time in worthy projects as a volunteer. I'm just saying you should know what you're getting into up front and make an informed decision.
You must also consider the true impact and benefit to you, your CV, and your future employment. There may be trade-offs and they may be worth it, but be sure you're realistic about it. For example, if you're a doctoral student and you're offered a course to teach part-way through a term because the professor teaching it has had a medical emergency, you need to think things through. It will result in a significant impact on the time you have available to complete your own research and writing goals (class time, office hours, prep time, marking, email exchanges with students, etc). However, if you are thinking about university teaching as a career, the course will look great on your CV, you'll have course evaluations to put into a dossier, you'll get to find out whether you really like teaching, and it may open the door to other teaching opportunities. The benefits may outweigh the impact to your research and writing schedule. In contrast, sitting at an info booth as a volunteer for four days during a conference may in fact have very little benefit for you, though you may feel good for having helped out and the organizers may have appreciated your work. Only you can decide whether that is worth the impact.
Again, I'm not saying that you shouldn't volunteer. Volunteers are critically important to society and volunteering is often the mark of a well-rounded individual in job searches. What I am saying is that you should do things that you love and are passionate about, and that will also have some benefit for you (such as feeling good about your contribution, having the opportunity to take on a leadership role, or learning a new skill). I'm also saying that you must be certain that you can fit whatever you commit to into your schedule and that it won't negatively impact your research and writing goals.
If you decide a request isn't reasonable, that it will negatively impact your own academic progress, or that it has little benefit to you, it's ok to say no. "I'm sorry, I'm not able to take on any additional commitments right now." If you know of someone who would genuinely be interested in the opportunity, you could also say, "You might want to check with so-and-so. She's been looking for a volunteer outlet recently."
It's true that saying no takes some practice. One strategy when asked to do something is to not respond immediately so that you don't feel like you're on the spot. My colleague who has lots of wisdom to share noted that she has started responding to requests by saying, "I'll have to check my schedule and get back to you." That takes the pressure off of having to answer right then and there. Instead, she really can take the time to check her schedule to see if she's free. It also buys time to think through the benefits and impacts of saying yes before making a decision. It's important with this strategy, however, to get back to the person as soon as possible with your decision -- don't use it as an avoidance tactic.
Finally, it's easier to say no if you already have a list of the types of activities you will not do or do not have time for. One of my colleagues calls this a "Not To Do List." It is a list of the types of things she is frequently asked to do that are of little benefit to her, don't align with her own volunteer priorities, or that she just doesn't like to do. For example, when I was a graduate student, I often would agree to write CD reviews for a quarterly publication of a music society. I did it because it would build my CD with something until I had legitimate publications based in my own research. I also did it to be involved in the society. Now, however, CD reviews are on my "Not To Do List." In the context of my CV, they offer very little benefit other than adding bulk. I am now a director for that society, so I am involved in other ways. Finally, I don't remember the last time I actually held a CD in my hands and, when you move as often as I have, they just become something else to lug around from one apartment or one province to the next. Now if I'm asked to review a CD, I say, "I'm sorry, I don't review CDs. Perhaps one of the graduate students in Memorial's ethnomusicology program would be interested?"
So what should be on your "Not To Do List"? Only you can know. Perhaps you won't add any new volunteer opportunities or you'll choose one cause (say, Multiple Sclerosis) and only volunteer in relation to that. You might limit the types of volunteer activities you engage in (for example, if you feel really awkward selling tickets because you have no family in the area to force them upon). Maybe you feel like a book club would be "good for you" but you actually hate reading the books and going to discuss them -- just don't do it! The important thing here is to identify activities that you won't do and then actually write them down and post them somewhere near your schedule. That way, if you're asked to do something, like join yet another committee that will meet a lot and accomplish nothing, you can respond, "I'll have to check my schedule," and while you are checking your schedule, you can re-check your "Not To Do List."
Do you have a "Not To Do List"?
Tis the Season?
Last weekend I finally got TV after many years without it and last night I reconnected with some of my favourite shows, like How It's Made. While sitting on my sofa, watching an episode on how canvas teepees are made, it occurred to me that perhaps I should do something productive. I pulled out my stash of polymer clay and decided to make a few ornaments.
These snowmen have been one of my favourite things to make for many years now. They are quick and easy, and (I think) very cute. Sometimes they have hats, sometimes scarves. Sometimes they are standard rotund snowmen, and sometimes they are smores-inspired (mini marshmallow shaped and standing on a chocolate base).
I often have dozens of these (and other ornaments) on hand the month before Christmas, because I make them while watching TV or movies. It's nothing to make 10 of them in a sitting. By the time Christmas comes around, they are all gone. I give them to friends and family, and sometimes I bring them to work and leave them in the common area for anyone who wants one. A few years ago, I did this at the university, and I was surprised by how quickly 20 or so of them disappeared (I suspect that some people took more than one...).
Sometimes I think I should go into production and try selling them at Christmas craft fairs. I've often wondered whether they would sell or not. Perhaps one day I will test it out -- but in the meantime, I'll have to restock my supplies.
These snowmen have been one of my favourite things to make for many years now. They are quick and easy, and (I think) very cute. Sometimes they have hats, sometimes scarves. Sometimes they are standard rotund snowmen, and sometimes they are smores-inspired (mini marshmallow shaped and standing on a chocolate base).
I often have dozens of these (and other ornaments) on hand the month before Christmas, because I make them while watching TV or movies. It's nothing to make 10 of them in a sitting. By the time Christmas comes around, they are all gone. I give them to friends and family, and sometimes I bring them to work and leave them in the common area for anyone who wants one. A few years ago, I did this at the university, and I was surprised by how quickly 20 or so of them disappeared (I suspect that some people took more than one...).
Sometimes I think I should go into production and try selling them at Christmas craft fairs. I've often wondered whether they would sell or not. Perhaps one day I will test it out -- but in the meantime, I'll have to restock my supplies.
Getting a Handle on Time
How many times have you told yourself that you don't have time to write? To go to the gym? To read that novel for your book club? Like most people, you probably are busy and perhaps even over-committed. Because you're running around from school to work to extracurricular activities, while also trying to have a social life and manage your living space so that you don't end up on an episode of Hoarders, it can seem like there's no time left. The first step to getting a handle on time is a time audit.
The concept here is pretty simple: you map out all of your existing commitments (big and small) to identify space in your schedule for writing (or whatever other activities you need to do to accomplish a particular goal). If your main commitments are generally consistent from one week to the next, you can probably do this audit once a term or season. If, however, your commitments shift -- for example, if your work hours as a cashier at a retail store change every week or two -- then you'll want this to be more of a living document and update it more frequently.
You can download a blank schedule and complete it in paper form or you can open up a spreadsheet or document on your computer or tablet and create your own. The important thing is to be thorough when identifying and blocking activities and commitments. Include classes, work hours, exercise time, time for studying, time for commuting (especially if you take the bus or live a significant distance from school or work), time for meals, other personal time, recurring appointments or meetings, etc. In fact, if there is one television show that you absolutely must watch each week, add that in as well (just don't schedule in multiple shows per day or a show for every night of the week). And if you have responsibilities related to other people, such as taking mom to church or the kids to hockey, then you'll need to include those activities as well. Colour code if you like. When you're done, you'll have your own version of something like this:
Following this process, which really doesn't take a lot of time and is time well spent, you quickly see where your pockets of open time exist -- and hopefully you do have some. Some people will have more open time than others, of course, and open time will change as circumstances do. For example, if I had done this time audit in June, there would be much less white open time in my schedule: 5pm-9pm Sunday through Thursday would have been filled with course prep and teaching. So, when I said during the summer that I'd like to be swimming in the evenings, but I didn't have time, that was an accurate statement. Now that the fall has arrived and I'm not teaching, it is in fact a lie that I've been telling myself.
Pockets of open time identified, you now have the power to block off time for writing (or, for me, swimming). Even if it's just an hour or two that you can commit, it will get you started on your goal.
Now, some of you undoubtedly are thinking, what if my time audit reveals no open time? I suppose that is possible (though in most cases I don't think it's probable). Nevertheless, if you do find that there is no white in your colourful time audit, you have some decisions to make. The only way to finish a major research paper, thesis, or dissertation is to actually commit some time to it. If you can't find a few hours a week, then you need to make time. This may mean taking a temporary leave from your volunteer activities, cutting back on work hours, asking family members or friends to take the kids to hockey, or spending one hour at the gym instead of two. Only you can decide what activities you'll compromise on to make time for writing. If I may, though, I would suggest that you attempt to maintain a healthy amount of sleep, time for prepping and cooking food (instead of turning to fast fixes), and some sort of physical activity, since these are important for general health and well-being.
One last point: once you've blocked writing time in your schedule, remember to defend it. Treat it as if it's your job or an appointment with a specialist -- don't be late and don't think you can just not show up without repercussions. And if someone asks you to do something, like volunteer for a very worthy cause, during your writing time, politely say no because you are already committed at that time.
The concept here is pretty simple: you map out all of your existing commitments (big and small) to identify space in your schedule for writing (or whatever other activities you need to do to accomplish a particular goal). If your main commitments are generally consistent from one week to the next, you can probably do this audit once a term or season. If, however, your commitments shift -- for example, if your work hours as a cashier at a retail store change every week or two -- then you'll want this to be more of a living document and update it more frequently.
You can download a blank schedule and complete it in paper form or you can open up a spreadsheet or document on your computer or tablet and create your own. The important thing is to be thorough when identifying and blocking activities and commitments. Include classes, work hours, exercise time, time for studying, time for commuting (especially if you take the bus or live a significant distance from school or work), time for meals, other personal time, recurring appointments or meetings, etc. In fact, if there is one television show that you absolutely must watch each week, add that in as well (just don't schedule in multiple shows per day or a show for every night of the week). And if you have responsibilities related to other people, such as taking mom to church or the kids to hockey, then you'll need to include those activities as well. Colour code if you like. When you're done, you'll have your own version of something like this:
Pockets of open time identified, you now have the power to block off time for writing (or, for me, swimming). Even if it's just an hour or two that you can commit, it will get you started on your goal.
Now, some of you undoubtedly are thinking, what if my time audit reveals no open time? I suppose that is possible (though in most cases I don't think it's probable). Nevertheless, if you do find that there is no white in your colourful time audit, you have some decisions to make. The only way to finish a major research paper, thesis, or dissertation is to actually commit some time to it. If you can't find a few hours a week, then you need to make time. This may mean taking a temporary leave from your volunteer activities, cutting back on work hours, asking family members or friends to take the kids to hockey, or spending one hour at the gym instead of two. Only you can decide what activities you'll compromise on to make time for writing. If I may, though, I would suggest that you attempt to maintain a healthy amount of sleep, time for prepping and cooking food (instead of turning to fast fixes), and some sort of physical activity, since these are important for general health and well-being.
One last point: once you've blocked writing time in your schedule, remember to defend it. Treat it as if it's your job or an appointment with a specialist -- don't be late and don't think you can just not show up without repercussions. And if someone asks you to do something, like volunteer for a very worthy cause, during your writing time, politely say no because you are already committed at that time.
Tasks Take Time
How long have you had that To Do list? Have you managed to scratch anything off it? Or does it just keep getting longer?
While it's true that making a list of the things you need to do is an important starting point when attempting to better manage your time to achieve your goals, most people miss the critical next step: blocking time in your schedule to actually do one of those tasks. Without a dedicated time for a task, especially if it is a significant one like conducting a literature search or transcribing an interview, it easily becomes something that floats from one day to the next, haunting you like a ghost. Should you call Ghostbusters? You could, but they wouldn't be much help.
Instead, try sitting down with your task list. Identify which tasks are quick and easy, and which ones will require more time or are likely to be more difficult. If anything can be accomplished immediately (make a hair appointment), then do it. For everything else, book time your schedule -- and be realistic about just how much time you need.
For example, I recently was discussing writing with a colleague who wanted to revise a paper for publication. In addition to addressing the reviewers' comments, she needed to transition her citation style from one (say, Chicago) to another (say, APA). Because she was unfamiliar with the new style required, and because online guides are often incomplete, she needed to obtain a paper or electronic copy of the complete citation style guide. Now, this may seem like a simple task, but weeks had passed and she still hadn't obtained it. I suggested that she book time in her schedule to either borrow or purchase the guide. The library option would probably take 15 minutes some day that she was on campus, while the purchase options could range from 5 minutes for an online vendor to 45 minutes if she went to the mall. If she committed the time in her schedule to "just do" the task, not only would she complete it (which brings its own sense of accomplishment), but she would also get rid of that ghost that was haunting her (at least temporarily).
You see, when we carry these incomplete tasks around with us, they take up mental space and they often result in feelings of guilt or inadequacy. But if you systematically tackle them, one at a time, you gain the upper hand, you gain control, and you feel better.
And when you do complete each task, remember to congratulate and reward yourself for a job well done.
While it's true that making a list of the things you need to do is an important starting point when attempting to better manage your time to achieve your goals, most people miss the critical next step: blocking time in your schedule to actually do one of those tasks. Without a dedicated time for a task, especially if it is a significant one like conducting a literature search or transcribing an interview, it easily becomes something that floats from one day to the next, haunting you like a ghost. Should you call Ghostbusters? You could, but they wouldn't be much help.
Instead, try sitting down with your task list. Identify which tasks are quick and easy, and which ones will require more time or are likely to be more difficult. If anything can be accomplished immediately (make a hair appointment), then do it. For everything else, book time your schedule -- and be realistic about just how much time you need.
For example, I recently was discussing writing with a colleague who wanted to revise a paper for publication. In addition to addressing the reviewers' comments, she needed to transition her citation style from one (say, Chicago) to another (say, APA). Because she was unfamiliar with the new style required, and because online guides are often incomplete, she needed to obtain a paper or electronic copy of the complete citation style guide. Now, this may seem like a simple task, but weeks had passed and she still hadn't obtained it. I suggested that she book time in her schedule to either borrow or purchase the guide. The library option would probably take 15 minutes some day that she was on campus, while the purchase options could range from 5 minutes for an online vendor to 45 minutes if she went to the mall. If she committed the time in her schedule to "just do" the task, not only would she complete it (which brings its own sense of accomplishment), but she would also get rid of that ghost that was haunting her (at least temporarily).
You see, when we carry these incomplete tasks around with us, they take up mental space and they often result in feelings of guilt or inadequacy. But if you systematically tackle them, one at a time, you gain the upper hand, you gain control, and you feel better.
And when you do complete each task, remember to congratulate and reward yourself for a job well done.
A New Blog for Thesis Strategies
Recently, two graduate students I know organized a group here in Sydney called the Cape Breton Graduate Research Community (CBGRC). The idea emerged from a conversation we had about how difficult it can be to focus on writing once you've finished all of your course work. Any number of challenges may confront you, including general procrastination, a lack of motivation, or time management issues when part-time or full-time employment becomes necessary. It's also important to note that writing is often a solitary activity and just what goes into writing a major research paper, thesis, or dissertation often can't be understood unless you've been through the process. Consequently, family and friends may struggle to understand how best to support you through the process.
As we discussed these challenges and strategies for dealing with them, I mentioned that during my master's program at University of Alberta, a group of us met weekly at a coffee shop to discuss our work and vent about whatever needed venting. It brought a social element back to our work and established a support system. For many of us, though admittedly not all, it was an important source of motivation and helped us achieve our goals (we had a 75% success rate in our group of four). Perhaps a similar group would help graduate students in the area? Enter the CBGRC.
The CBGRC exists both as a virtual group on Facebook and as real, live social group that meets at the Cooperative Study Club on Monday nights. While the group has only met twice and hasn't fully decided how it will run, its founding members decided that once a month they would invite a guest speaker who could present on some relevant topic, such as breaking through writer's block or editing strategies. I was only too happy to accept the invitation to be the first speaker on the topic of time management, which is critical for success.
And so on Monday of this week, I brought to the CBGRC a list of the tips that I thought would be useful for time management. I also shared my personal electronic calendar with the members so they could see how I manage my time (colour-coded by priority areas). I also encouraged them to do a time audit to determine just how much time they have in their lives for writing once other responsibilities and commitments were accounted for (eating, sleeping, exercising, working, attending classes, etc). I invited them to create their own "Not To Do List" (shout out to JMcD) to help them say no to new projects or tasks that may encroach on their writing time. Hopefully, everyone took something useful from the session.
Having reflected on the presentation I gave, I've decided to establish this blog for the participants in the CBGRC and anyone else who is writing a major research paper, thesis, dissertation, or any other academic work. I hope to provide a few practical strategies based in my own experience and motivate the members to persevere when writing gets tough. And anyone with alternative or complementary strategies or personal experiences to share is invited to contribute them.
So, stay tuned for the first strategy next week in a blog titled "Tasks Take Time."
As we discussed these challenges and strategies for dealing with them, I mentioned that during my master's program at University of Alberta, a group of us met weekly at a coffee shop to discuss our work and vent about whatever needed venting. It brought a social element back to our work and established a support system. For many of us, though admittedly not all, it was an important source of motivation and helped us achieve our goals (we had a 75% success rate in our group of four). Perhaps a similar group would help graduate students in the area? Enter the CBGRC.
The CBGRC exists both as a virtual group on Facebook and as real, live social group that meets at the Cooperative Study Club on Monday nights. While the group has only met twice and hasn't fully decided how it will run, its founding members decided that once a month they would invite a guest speaker who could present on some relevant topic, such as breaking through writer's block or editing strategies. I was only too happy to accept the invitation to be the first speaker on the topic of time management, which is critical for success.
And so on Monday of this week, I brought to the CBGRC a list of the tips that I thought would be useful for time management. I also shared my personal electronic calendar with the members so they could see how I manage my time (colour-coded by priority areas). I also encouraged them to do a time audit to determine just how much time they have in their lives for writing once other responsibilities and commitments were accounted for (eating, sleeping, exercising, working, attending classes, etc). I invited them to create their own "Not To Do List" (shout out to JMcD) to help them say no to new projects or tasks that may encroach on their writing time. Hopefully, everyone took something useful from the session.
Having reflected on the presentation I gave, I've decided to establish this blog for the participants in the CBGRC and anyone else who is writing a major research paper, thesis, dissertation, or any other academic work. I hope to provide a few practical strategies based in my own experience and motivate the members to persevere when writing gets tough. And anyone with alternative or complementary strategies or personal experiences to share is invited to contribute them.
So, stay tuned for the first strategy next week in a blog titled "Tasks Take Time."
Creativity Lost and Regained
It's been several months since I wrote an entry for this blog and there are many reasons for that. I was recovering from an illness that left me with hardly any energy for a long time. Then I had to pack up my crafting area while a new door and windows were installed in my apartment. Next, my evenings were filled with course prep and teaching. Before I knew it, it was August and I was busy attending Action Week events, singing in the Jazz Festival, and traveling home for a vacation. In short, there's been little time for crafting, baking, or any other hands on creativity in my life (though, there has been some writing and singing).
This past weekend, however, was an opportunity to get back into the kitchen. My friends were involved in the Rotary fundraiser in North Sydney and I decided to bake cupcakes for the auction. Admittedly, I wasn't sure about this idea. For a moment, I wondered if I should paint some chalkboard wine glasses instead, but I did recall that cupcakes had been in the auction before, so I figured why not. And even if they didn't make a lot of money, every dollar would count.
After quite a long hiatus from Pinterest, I found myself browsing the site during my vacation. I was intrigued by and had pinned a recipe for Neapolitan cupcakes. They looked delicious and I was happy to have a reason to experiment with the idea. The cake was chocolate and vanilla, and the frosting was strawberry. Naturally, I had to make it my own, so I decided that strawberry cream cheese icing made with real strawberry puree would put them over the top. I also thought they needed a little something special on top. I considered several options: strawberry jelly beans, dark chocolate pieces, the little strawberry candies from a box of Runts, whoppers. In the end, I decided a cherry sour would be the "cherry on top," so to speak.
And so I set about baking cupcakes and then making frosting. While conditions were fine for baking, they were quite challenging for frosting. The humidity was incredibly high on Saturday. My strawberry cream cheese icing made with Madagascar bourbon required significantly more sugar than normal to be of an appropriate consistency (I've since Googled and discovered that the addition of cornstarch would have helped the situation -- good to know for next time). Eventually, the battle with humidity won, I topped each cupcake with a pink swirl and a cherry sour. I then chilled them until it was time to drive to North Sydney.
Now, naturally, I had to cut open one of the cupcakes to try. Quality control is an important part of baking, especially if you intend to auction off your goods! I was very pleased with the results. The inside of the cupcake was a sight to behold! The chocolate cake surrounded the vanilla. These were some of the most unique cupcakes I'd ever seen. I'm honestly still not sure how exactly that effect was accomplished! And the icing, of course, was as heavenly as ever. You really can't go wrong with strawberries and cream cheese.
About an hour before I was due to be in North Sydney, I removed the cupcakes from the fridge and packaged them for the event. I had picked up brown cardboard cupcake boxes from Michaels for this purpose (yay 50% coupon!) and placed four in each. They looked pretty and professional, which made me very happy. (I am only sad now because I didn't take a photograph of them in the boxes!) I figured the auction organizers could decide whether to split them up or not.
Dressed and ready to go, I was very concerned about the humidity melting my cupcakes and even more so about the cherry sours melting and running all over the icing. (Then they'd be Dexter-inspired...) I rushed to the car and turned the air conditioning on bust for the drive over. Trying to avoid them toppling over, I held the handles of the reusable grocery bag they were in as I made a few sharp right-hand turns. I briefly paused at my friend's house and gave her a cupcake to try before we continued on to the event, which was held at the Yacht Club. Cupcakes delivered, I strolled around to see the other auction items. I was surprised to see just how many homemade items were available: jam, pickles, beets, fudge, bread... I felt less self-conscious about my contribution as a result. My friend and I grabbed wings and fries, and sat down at the best table in the joint (right next to the door) to wait for the auction to begin.
I eventually learned that the organizers had decided to break up the cupcakes and auction them four at a time. I wasn't sure this was a great strategy, since I couldn't imagine anyone paying much for just four of them, but I noticed that this had been done with several of the other homemade items. At this particular auction, that approach seemed to work quite well. Jams, beets, and fudge were all going for $25-30 each. And when the time came for my three boxes of cupcakes, they did equally as well. Who would have imagined that my cupcakes were worth more than a Joe Carter (Blue Jays) autographed picture? Not me. (And probably not Joe Carter either...)
So, it was good to get back into the kitchen after many months away from baking and I had a lot of fun at the auction. And now I must put on my thinking cap to decide what I'll make for a cake sale later this month! Stay tuned!
This past weekend, however, was an opportunity to get back into the kitchen. My friends were involved in the Rotary fundraiser in North Sydney and I decided to bake cupcakes for the auction. Admittedly, I wasn't sure about this idea. For a moment, I wondered if I should paint some chalkboard wine glasses instead, but I did recall that cupcakes had been in the auction before, so I figured why not. And even if they didn't make a lot of money, every dollar would count.
After quite a long hiatus from Pinterest, I found myself browsing the site during my vacation. I was intrigued by and had pinned a recipe for Neapolitan cupcakes. They looked delicious and I was happy to have a reason to experiment with the idea. The cake was chocolate and vanilla, and the frosting was strawberry. Naturally, I had to make it my own, so I decided that strawberry cream cheese icing made with real strawberry puree would put them over the top. I also thought they needed a little something special on top. I considered several options: strawberry jelly beans, dark chocolate pieces, the little strawberry candies from a box of Runts, whoppers. In the end, I decided a cherry sour would be the "cherry on top," so to speak.
Now, naturally, I had to cut open one of the cupcakes to try. Quality control is an important part of baking, especially if you intend to auction off your goods! I was very pleased with the results. The inside of the cupcake was a sight to behold! The chocolate cake surrounded the vanilla. These were some of the most unique cupcakes I'd ever seen. I'm honestly still not sure how exactly that effect was accomplished! And the icing, of course, was as heavenly as ever. You really can't go wrong with strawberries and cream cheese.
About an hour before I was due to be in North Sydney, I removed the cupcakes from the fridge and packaged them for the event. I had picked up brown cardboard cupcake boxes from Michaels for this purpose (yay 50% coupon!) and placed four in each. They looked pretty and professional, which made me very happy. (I am only sad now because I didn't take a photograph of them in the boxes!) I figured the auction organizers could decide whether to split them up or not.
I eventually learned that the organizers had decided to break up the cupcakes and auction them four at a time. I wasn't sure this was a great strategy, since I couldn't imagine anyone paying much for just four of them, but I noticed that this had been done with several of the other homemade items. At this particular auction, that approach seemed to work quite well. Jams, beets, and fudge were all going for $25-30 each. And when the time came for my three boxes of cupcakes, they did equally as well. Who would have imagined that my cupcakes were worth more than a Joe Carter (Blue Jays) autographed picture? Not me. (And probably not Joe Carter either...)
So, it was good to get back into the kitchen after many months away from baking and I had a lot of fun at the auction. And now I must put on my thinking cap to decide what I'll make for a cake sale later this month! Stay tuned!
I've Lost That Crafty Feeling
I haven't been feeling very crafty lately. I'm not sure why that is, but I suppose one can't feel that way all the time. As the days have passed, I've thought about doing something almost every evening, but inspiration never really hit (even after scrolling through Pinterest). I've also thought about my withering blog (and felt a little guilty in the process), but until just now -- this very minute -- I had no idea that a full month had passed since I last blogged! I honestly have no idea where the last month went.
Tonight, after finding a kernel of inspiration on Pinterest, I decided to use up some leftover paper from previous bookbinding projects to make small notebooks. Nothing fancy here. The pages were end pieces that I didn't want to recycle because they could be used for scribbling notes.
In the first notebook, I used a Christmas card from a neighbour as a cover.
In the second, I used a Kashi granola bar box and decorated it with some washi tape (Kashi, washi -- they go together).
Perhaps not very exciting, but at least I did something!
And hopefully that crafty feeling will return very soon.
Tonight, after finding a kernel of inspiration on Pinterest, I decided to use up some leftover paper from previous bookbinding projects to make small notebooks. Nothing fancy here. The pages were end pieces that I didn't want to recycle because they could be used for scribbling notes.
In the first notebook, I used a Christmas card from a neighbour as a cover.
In the second, I used a Kashi granola bar box and decorated it with some washi tape (Kashi, washi -- they go together).
Perhaps not very exciting, but at least I did something!
And hopefully that crafty feeling will return very soon.
Pinterest Experiments
I was an early adopter of Pinterest, the online bulletin board where you can pin your inspiration for later access from any computer or handheld device. A few years ago, I even taught a social media course for seniors in which I demonstrated how to set up and use Pinterest. I likened it to the bulletin board my mother had in her laundry room when I was a kid. She would clip useful information, such as explanations of laundry symbols, from magazines and pin it on the bulletin board for future reference. Pinterest is that bulletin board on steroids.
Honestly, it's addictive. I can waste hours on there scrolling through craft and DIY pins, as well as cooking and baking pins, and repinning the most appealing ones to my own boards for later reference. I also pin from other websites when I see something of interest.
Since I love to cook, bake, and craft, I have started testing some of the pins on my board and updating the descriptions to reflect my experience. I post the results to an album on facebook called Pinterest Experiments for my friends to see. This, of course, seems to be common practice -- just this weekend a friend shared the results of one of her tests (sadly, a fail). And one can't forget the popular sites of Pintester and Pinstrosity.
So, this weekend I was inspired to try a recipe for white chocolate lemon truffles, partly because I was in the mood to make something, partly because a friend likes white chocolate and I thought they might make a nice Easter present, and partly because the day before I had purchased cute mini cupcake liners and wanted an excuse to use them. I consulted a few different recipes that I had pinned and settled on one that sounded best, then picked up some white chocolate while getting groceries.
The melting and combining was easy enough and before I knew it my white chocolate ganache was ready to be chilled. I had two hours to wait, so I decided the best use of that time would be to make a box for the truffles. Sure, I could present them in a piece of tupperware, but where's the fun in that? After a quick google, I decided that Aunt Annie's method would work just fine. I carefully measured the size required to fit the paper cups that would hold my truffles and then cut and scored the back of a Rice Crispies box. I folded it into shape, glued the tabs, and held them in place with binder clips. And voila! I had a box. [Note that the picture is a little deceiving --the top of the box (seen on the right) is 1/8" larger in width and length to fit over the bottom (seen on the left).]
And then because this didn't take nearly long enough, I watched a foreign film called The Lunchbox on Netflix (by no means an endorsement, though I do like the looks of an Indian lunch box and sort of want one).
When it was time to scoop and roll my truffles, I did run into a minor issue. The mixture was too soft to hold its shape. So, I scooped out portions to make 1" balls, tossed them quickly in icing sugar so that they wouldn't stick, and let them slump on a baking sheet lined with foil. Once I was done, I put the sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes before attempting to roll them again. This time, they held their shape. Success!
Naturally, I tasted two for quality assurance purposes before packaging any for giving. It was the right thing to do.
Now, I had intended to cover the box that I'd made either with paper or washi tape, but once I saw it put together, I decided that I liked the look of the unadorned Rice Crispies box. So, instead, I just removed the binder clips, lined the box with wax paper, added 6 mini cupcake liners, and popped the truffles inside.
Of course, the final step was to tie it with a ribbon (and then put it in the fridge so that they won't melt before they are delivered!)
So, all in all, this was a great Pinterest experiment. I'm sure that I will make the truffles again. In fact, I think that in the future, I will try them with different flavours. As I read through the comments on the various truffles recipes, a few ideas stood out: key lime, orange, and coconut. It's hard not to go into full out truffle production, to be honest!
What flavours do you think would work with white chocolate truffles?
Honestly, it's addictive. I can waste hours on there scrolling through craft and DIY pins, as well as cooking and baking pins, and repinning the most appealing ones to my own boards for later reference. I also pin from other websites when I see something of interest.
Since I love to cook, bake, and craft, I have started testing some of the pins on my board and updating the descriptions to reflect my experience. I post the results to an album on facebook called Pinterest Experiments for my friends to see. This, of course, seems to be common practice -- just this weekend a friend shared the results of one of her tests (sadly, a fail). And one can't forget the popular sites of Pintester and Pinstrosity.
So, this weekend I was inspired to try a recipe for white chocolate lemon truffles, partly because I was in the mood to make something, partly because a friend likes white chocolate and I thought they might make a nice Easter present, and partly because the day before I had purchased cute mini cupcake liners and wanted an excuse to use them. I consulted a few different recipes that I had pinned and settled on one that sounded best, then picked up some white chocolate while getting groceries.
The melting and combining was easy enough and before I knew it my white chocolate ganache was ready to be chilled. I had two hours to wait, so I decided the best use of that time would be to make a box for the truffles. Sure, I could present them in a piece of tupperware, but where's the fun in that? After a quick google, I decided that Aunt Annie's method would work just fine. I carefully measured the size required to fit the paper cups that would hold my truffles and then cut and scored the back of a Rice Crispies box. I folded it into shape, glued the tabs, and held them in place with binder clips. And voila! I had a box. [Note that the picture is a little deceiving --the top of the box (seen on the right) is 1/8" larger in width and length to fit over the bottom (seen on the left).]And then because this didn't take nearly long enough, I watched a foreign film called The Lunchbox on Netflix (by no means an endorsement, though I do like the looks of an Indian lunch box and sort of want one).
When it was time to scoop and roll my truffles, I did run into a minor issue. The mixture was too soft to hold its shape. So, I scooped out portions to make 1" balls, tossed them quickly in icing sugar so that they wouldn't stick, and let them slump on a baking sheet lined with foil. Once I was done, I put the sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes before attempting to roll them again. This time, they held their shape. Success!
Now, I had intended to cover the box that I'd made either with paper or washi tape, but once I saw it put together, I decided that I liked the look of the unadorned Rice Crispies box. So, instead, I just removed the binder clips, lined the box with wax paper, added 6 mini cupcake liners, and popped the truffles inside.
Of course, the final step was to tie it with a ribbon (and then put it in the fridge so that they won't melt before they are delivered!)
What flavours do you think would work with white chocolate truffles?
Mini Mason Jars
Mason jars seem to be everywhere these days, especially on Pinterest. You'd swear they could save the world all by themselves with so many uses! I tend to be less enthused by their use in various crafts because, ever the practical person, I often think, "That's a waste of a perfectly good jam jar!"
Yes, I grew up in a family where canning was a common practice. Making raspberry jam and pickled beets each year was -- and continues to be -- a family affair. I also recall bottled moose, lobster, peaches, and pickled eggs in the storage space under the stairs when I was a kid and can only assume my father was responsible for them (though it is possible he received some from friends and family). Now, of all of these, I think lobster is the most brilliant. Why? Because when you sit down to bottled lobster it's pure heaven. No shells to struggle with, no special tools required -- just enjoy. Heaven. (Admittedly, it's probably less heavenly if you're the person who prepares it in the first place...)
In my family, we all agree that there is no jam better than my father's. No pickled beets with quite the right balance of sweet and sour. Substitutes will not be tolerated! And the truth is, it's rather fun to go through the annual canning ritual, which invariably includes a debate over which recipe we usually follow, an emergency trip to a store for either sugar or vinegar, and some frantic moments as the assembly line struggles to get the hot jam/beets into the hot bottles and topped with hot lids while it's all still -- you guessed it -- hot. But then after it's all cleaned up and the pots and tools are put away for another year, there is nothing sweeter than the pop of the lids as they seal. Now that I'm living away, I'm not always able to be home to be part of this excitement, but I often will try a new canning recipe each year. Among my experiments have been rhubarb chutney, plum jam, and plum sauce in recent years. (One year there were a lot of plums in my life, when a few gallons were left at my door by a friend only too happy to be rid of them.)
Anyway, if there is one lesson I learned from my father, it was that his Bernardin and Mason jars were precious and that you could give jam away to friends and family only if they agreed to return them once empty. I even remember him giving a bottle of jam to a cousin who lived in St. John's (a 7.5 hour drive away) on the condition that the bottle would be returned. I recall my cousin joking that she'd return it if she could have a refill. We all laughed at the time, but by the following year, the jar had been returned. Canning was serious business.
When I think about this jar return policy, it seems a little silly. After all, you could just buy new ones. But on the other hand, it also makes total sense to me. Canning jars were made to be reused, not disposed of. Thought not terribly expensive, they aren't cheap either if you have to buy anew each year. And you certainly wouldn't want to get halfway through your batch of raspberry jam only to discover you've run out of jars and have to track down more late in the evening or on a Sunday when the stores are closed (less of a problem, now, of course -- but back in the day...).
Consequently, you can see why I'm not one to pin dozens (or hundreds) of Mason jar projects. In my world, they're for canning and, sometimes, for temporary storage. Unless, of course, they are tiny Mason-style mugs.
About a month ago, I found myself traipsing through a Dollarama. I was in search of spoons for my new wood burning hobby. In one of the aisles I found a display of mini Mason-style jars with handles. Four in a pack for $2. I couldn't resist, though I had no idea what I would do with them. Once home, I thought about using chalkboard paint on them, not unlike the wine glasses I've made before. I thought they might make a cute gift. And over the past week, I've given them a few minutes of my time each day.
I'll admit that I'm disappointed with them. Despite using a template and measuring and taping them off, the chalkboard rectangle looks off. If I had my time back, I probably would have used some sort of oval stencil. I've also been thinking that they might make cute votive holders -- perhaps painted black with a clear heart for the flame to show through. I've also thought that it would be fun to forget about paint altogether and to pour some colourful layers of wax in them to make candles.
The good news is that I can start over! It's pretty easy to scrape the paint off before it's cured, so I may just take a knife to it and return it to a blank slate (pun intended).
I expect that there are many uses for these little Mason mugs, beyond shot glasses (ok, more a jigger than a shot and maybe a double at that) or candle holders. If you had small spoons, they could even serve as mini parfait or trifle dishes! But the ones that I purchased are limited because they have no lids (ah, Dollarama). Versions with lids are available at Michaels and, as depicted in-store, would make cute vessels for candy favours at a wedding or baby shower. With lids, they could be spice jars or salt and pepper shakers. They could hold homemade beauty products or gifts of hot sauce. They could be fitted with mini lights and used as patio lanterns!
Alright. That may be going a little too far with things. But the point is, there's lots that could be done with these. So it's looking more and more like the paint will be scraped off and something new will be done to them. And when I figure out what that's going to be, you can be sure I'll post again.
Until then, Mason jars are for jam.
Yes, I grew up in a family where canning was a common practice. Making raspberry jam and pickled beets each year was -- and continues to be -- a family affair. I also recall bottled moose, lobster, peaches, and pickled eggs in the storage space under the stairs when I was a kid and can only assume my father was responsible for them (though it is possible he received some from friends and family). Now, of all of these, I think lobster is the most brilliant. Why? Because when you sit down to bottled lobster it's pure heaven. No shells to struggle with, no special tools required -- just enjoy. Heaven. (Admittedly, it's probably less heavenly if you're the person who prepares it in the first place...)
In my family, we all agree that there is no jam better than my father's. No pickled beets with quite the right balance of sweet and sour. Substitutes will not be tolerated! And the truth is, it's rather fun to go through the annual canning ritual, which invariably includes a debate over which recipe we usually follow, an emergency trip to a store for either sugar or vinegar, and some frantic moments as the assembly line struggles to get the hot jam/beets into the hot bottles and topped with hot lids while it's all still -- you guessed it -- hot. But then after it's all cleaned up and the pots and tools are put away for another year, there is nothing sweeter than the pop of the lids as they seal. Now that I'm living away, I'm not always able to be home to be part of this excitement, but I often will try a new canning recipe each year. Among my experiments have been rhubarb chutney, plum jam, and plum sauce in recent years. (One year there were a lot of plums in my life, when a few gallons were left at my door by a friend only too happy to be rid of them.)
Anyway, if there is one lesson I learned from my father, it was that his Bernardin and Mason jars were precious and that you could give jam away to friends and family only if they agreed to return them once empty. I even remember him giving a bottle of jam to a cousin who lived in St. John's (a 7.5 hour drive away) on the condition that the bottle would be returned. I recall my cousin joking that she'd return it if she could have a refill. We all laughed at the time, but by the following year, the jar had been returned. Canning was serious business.
When I think about this jar return policy, it seems a little silly. After all, you could just buy new ones. But on the other hand, it also makes total sense to me. Canning jars were made to be reused, not disposed of. Thought not terribly expensive, they aren't cheap either if you have to buy anew each year. And you certainly wouldn't want to get halfway through your batch of raspberry jam only to discover you've run out of jars and have to track down more late in the evening or on a Sunday when the stores are closed (less of a problem, now, of course -- but back in the day...).
Consequently, you can see why I'm not one to pin dozens (or hundreds) of Mason jar projects. In my world, they're for canning and, sometimes, for temporary storage. Unless, of course, they are tiny Mason-style mugs.
About a month ago, I found myself traipsing through a Dollarama. I was in search of spoons for my new wood burning hobby. In one of the aisles I found a display of mini Mason-style jars with handles. Four in a pack for $2. I couldn't resist, though I had no idea what I would do with them. Once home, I thought about using chalkboard paint on them, not unlike the wine glasses I've made before. I thought they might make a cute gift. And over the past week, I've given them a few minutes of my time each day.
The good news is that I can start over! It's pretty easy to scrape the paint off before it's cured, so I may just take a knife to it and return it to a blank slate (pun intended).
I expect that there are many uses for these little Mason mugs, beyond shot glasses (ok, more a jigger than a shot and maybe a double at that) or candle holders. If you had small spoons, they could even serve as mini parfait or trifle dishes! But the ones that I purchased are limited because they have no lids (ah, Dollarama). Versions with lids are available at Michaels and, as depicted in-store, would make cute vessels for candy favours at a wedding or baby shower. With lids, they could be spice jars or salt and pepper shakers. They could hold homemade beauty products or gifts of hot sauce. They could be fitted with mini lights and used as patio lanterns!
Alright. That may be going a little too far with things. But the point is, there's lots that could be done with these. So it's looking more and more like the paint will be scraped off and something new will be done to them. And when I figure out what that's going to be, you can be sure I'll post again.
Until then, Mason jars are for jam.
Snow Days Mean Puzzles
Last January (2014), on the first snow day of the year, I popped over to visit my elderly neighbours and found them working on a puzzle together. They invited me to join them and four hours later we were eating pizza and ice cream, and putting the final pieces in place. It was a great afternoon and, ever since, snow days have meant puzzles.
I remember enjoying puzzles as a kid. In particular, I had an awesome Garfield puzzle -- one of him entertaining at night on the fence -- that I put together countless times. Over the years, however, I got out of doing them. I'm sure more than a decade passed before I put another one together. Then, sometime around 2007, while doing my PhD in St. John's, NL, I discovered a local company that made custom puzzles. The prices were reasonable and if you lived in the area, you could pick them up instead of paying for shipping. Clearly, this was the perfect gift for the person who has everything and wants nothing, so I ordered one of our cat Tigger for my mother for Christmas. I remember hiding it at the back of the tree and making the gift card out to "The Cabin" (a play on a family joke about everything being for "the cabin" -- as in, "Don't eat that cheese. It's for the cabin."). When I was home and at the cabin (which I refer to as the cottage, since it is more of a summer home than a shack) the following summer, I put the puzzle of Tig together and once again enjoyed the challenge of fitting the pieces together. But, as the years passed, I again fell out of doing puzzles.
This January (2015), I remembered the custom puzzle I'd ordered for my mother and thought again that it might be the ideal gift, this time for a friend. I asked her for her favourite high rez photo of her Doxie and a few weeks later the puzzle arrived in my mailbox. Again, I was happy with my purchase. But I had a lot of time to think during January and February due to an illness that put me off work for a few weeks, and I started to wonder whether I could make a puzzle with my Silhouette Cameo. After all, it said that it could cut cardboard. In the design store, I found a few templates for puzzles, but I wasn't sure I liked the shapes or the sizes, so I just left it as something for another time.
Last night, though, as I awaited the start of the storm, I mentioned to a friend that I was in dire straits. I had run out of wooden spoons and so would not be able to burn designs into them (my new hobby) during the storm. Whatever would I do? He suggested that I make something with my die cutter instead, perhaps a puzzle. Perhaps a puzzle, indeed! Today at about noon I started researching how to make puzzles and cut box board once again. Armed with a few tips, such as taping the cardboard to the mat before cutting, I purchased a puzzle design and was off to the races! Er, I mean, craft room!
I decided I would make a test puzzle out of a candy box. After all, I have several of these lying around because I use them in bookbinding. I measured my cardboard very carefully and adjusted my puzzle design so that it cut the section I wanted. Then I taped it to the mat, loaded it into the machine, selected my cut settings, and sent it to cut. A few minutes later, I had my first puzzle.
I closed the software and turned off the machine, returning everything to its place. Then I carefully pulled the cardboard off the mat and was thrilled to see that the cuts were absolutely perfect. I pulled all the puzzle pieces apart and took them to my dining room to put the puzzle back together. Luckily, it was a small puzzle (just 36 pieces), because I couldn't really remember what the image had looked like. No worries, though! In no time at all, I had it together.
Earlier in the day, my friend asked about the thickness of cardboard required for a puzzle. I thought box board would work and she didn't. I decided the only way to know would be to test it. Now, there's no question that the cardboard from the candy box I used is too thin. It holds together well enough for a small puzzle like this one, but it would be horrible for anything larger. (I will note, however, that the puzzle in my Christmas cracker this year was made of cardboard that wasn't even as thick as the cardboard I used today, so it really depends on your purpose and preferences, I suppose.) The thicker box board found in a cereal box, on the other hand, works fairly well. (I say this based on a cutting experiment that must be kept secret for now.) I'm not certain yet, however, what the size limits of such a puzzle might be.
And so I have satisfied my curiosity in terms of cutting puzzles using my Cameo. It's pretty cool. I find myself hoping that some of my friends who eat cereal will save their boxes for me so that I can make a few more. Wouldn't a Cheerios or Cocoa Puffs or Lucky Charms puzzle be fun? (I'd use one of the larger templates of 100+ pieces.)
I also find myself dreaming of owning a colour printer. I have joked many times in the last year or so that my monochrome laser printer was limiting my creativity. Now I am certain it's true! With a colour printer, I could make custom puzzles using photographs or other fun images. And who knows what else?!?!?
There may be a trip to Staples in my future.
I remember enjoying puzzles as a kid. In particular, I had an awesome Garfield puzzle -- one of him entertaining at night on the fence -- that I put together countless times. Over the years, however, I got out of doing them. I'm sure more than a decade passed before I put another one together. Then, sometime around 2007, while doing my PhD in St. John's, NL, I discovered a local company that made custom puzzles. The prices were reasonable and if you lived in the area, you could pick them up instead of paying for shipping. Clearly, this was the perfect gift for the person who has everything and wants nothing, so I ordered one of our cat Tigger for my mother for Christmas. I remember hiding it at the back of the tree and making the gift card out to "The Cabin" (a play on a family joke about everything being for "the cabin" -- as in, "Don't eat that cheese. It's for the cabin."). When I was home and at the cabin (which I refer to as the cottage, since it is more of a summer home than a shack) the following summer, I put the puzzle of Tig together and once again enjoyed the challenge of fitting the pieces together. But, as the years passed, I again fell out of doing puzzles.
This January (2015), I remembered the custom puzzle I'd ordered for my mother and thought again that it might be the ideal gift, this time for a friend. I asked her for her favourite high rez photo of her Doxie and a few weeks later the puzzle arrived in my mailbox. Again, I was happy with my purchase. But I had a lot of time to think during January and February due to an illness that put me off work for a few weeks, and I started to wonder whether I could make a puzzle with my Silhouette Cameo. After all, it said that it could cut cardboard. In the design store, I found a few templates for puzzles, but I wasn't sure I liked the shapes or the sizes, so I just left it as something for another time.
Last night, though, as I awaited the start of the storm, I mentioned to a friend that I was in dire straits. I had run out of wooden spoons and so would not be able to burn designs into them (my new hobby) during the storm. Whatever would I do? He suggested that I make something with my die cutter instead, perhaps a puzzle. Perhaps a puzzle, indeed! Today at about noon I started researching how to make puzzles and cut box board once again. Armed with a few tips, such as taping the cardboard to the mat before cutting, I purchased a puzzle design and was off to the races! Er, I mean, craft room!
I decided I would make a test puzzle out of a candy box. After all, I have several of these lying around because I use them in bookbinding. I measured my cardboard very carefully and adjusted my puzzle design so that it cut the section I wanted. Then I taped it to the mat, loaded it into the machine, selected my cut settings, and sent it to cut. A few minutes later, I had my first puzzle.
Earlier in the day, my friend asked about the thickness of cardboard required for a puzzle. I thought box board would work and she didn't. I decided the only way to know would be to test it. Now, there's no question that the cardboard from the candy box I used is too thin. It holds together well enough for a small puzzle like this one, but it would be horrible for anything larger. (I will note, however, that the puzzle in my Christmas cracker this year was made of cardboard that wasn't even as thick as the cardboard I used today, so it really depends on your purpose and preferences, I suppose.) The thicker box board found in a cereal box, on the other hand, works fairly well. (I say this based on a cutting experiment that must be kept secret for now.) I'm not certain yet, however, what the size limits of such a puzzle might be.
I also find myself dreaming of owning a colour printer. I have joked many times in the last year or so that my monochrome laser printer was limiting my creativity. Now I am certain it's true! With a colour printer, I could make custom puzzles using photographs or other fun images. And who knows what else?!?!?
There may be a trip to Staples in my future.
Wood Burning: Totally 80s Wish Book
Recently, I've spent a lot of time on Pinterest. I like to click on the Hobbies & Crafts category and just scroll through the images. Sometimes I re-pin what I see, but mostly I just scroll, curious about what other people are up to and what's trending. About two weeks ago, I noticed several pins in which individuals had used a wood burning tool to embellish wooden spoons. It intrigued me and so today I headed out to Michaels.
When I got home, I received a BBM from my sister wondering what I was up to. I told her I had bought a wood burner. She replied, "That's totally 80s Wish Book." She was right. In fact, I remember one Christmas that I picked out a wood burning craft kit from the Sears Wish Book and asked Santa for it. It was a basic set -- I'm not even sure if the burner had more than one tip -- and it included several pieces of wood that had been stamped with designs to burn. That was probably the 80s. And the kit was probably a lot like this one. I remember how excited I was to set up at the kitchen counter with it and let my crafty juices flow. Alas, it never really worked the way it should and I remember the handle feeling very hot when I held it. Like so many craft kits for kids, it was a disappointment. I think my parents packed it back up and returned it to Sears. (I can't recall how they explained returning defective gifts to Santa, but I sure wish I could, because I'm sure it was priceless. Likely as good as the time an Easy Bake Oven refill kit arrived from Sears a week after Christmas and they told me that Santa had found it under the seat of his sleigh and made a special trip back to bring it to me...)
Not surprisingly, then, I was skeptical of the tool I had purchased, especially since I thought I had "cheaped out" on it. I was very reluctant to invest a great deal of money into something that I knew would be a passing fancy. But as I opened it, I noticed it was of a reasonable quality. I plugged it in (side note: it definitely could use a longer cord) and waited for it to heat up. I was almost afraid to pick it up, remembering the sensation of holding one as a kid, but, to my surprise, it wasn't hot at all. Let the burning begin!
I tried the general purpose tip on my first spoon, but really didn't like the results. Then I switched to a pointed tip and was happier with the line it produced. There's no question that wood burning is an easy craft that requires practice to master. Still, I had fun trying it out and the more burning I did, the more ideas I had for future craftiness. I could imagine burning designs on wooden ornaments for a Christmas tree or on inexpensive cutting boards to snazzy them up.
Of course, when I decided that I needed a wood burner two weeks ago, I hadn't thought about the fact that a wood burner would actually burn wood and cause some smoke and a burning smell. (I know, Duh!) As soon as I started and smelled it, I started to worry that it would somehow set off the smoke detector in my apartment. I realize that probably was a ridiculous thought. It didn't produce that much smoke, but I have an irrational concern about this sort of thing after living in Burton's Pond Apartments, where the smoke detectors were extremely sensitive and would alarm if you even thought about making toast. Instead of doing what many did back in the day to disable those hyper-sensitive devices, I closed the doors between the kitchen and hallway, and turned on my kitchen fan. Sure, it was probably overkill, but I'm happy to say that I didn't set off the alarm. (When spring finally arrives, I'll open the balcony door instead.)
So, what can I say? It looks like I've got a new hobby (at least for now). I've got a few spoons left to practice on and I'm looking forward to pinning some new inspiration for future wood burning projects. If you've got ideas, please share them!
When I got home, I received a BBM from my sister wondering what I was up to. I told her I had bought a wood burner. She replied, "That's totally 80s Wish Book." She was right. In fact, I remember one Christmas that I picked out a wood burning craft kit from the Sears Wish Book and asked Santa for it. It was a basic set -- I'm not even sure if the burner had more than one tip -- and it included several pieces of wood that had been stamped with designs to burn. That was probably the 80s. And the kit was probably a lot like this one. I remember how excited I was to set up at the kitchen counter with it and let my crafty juices flow. Alas, it never really worked the way it should and I remember the handle feeling very hot when I held it. Like so many craft kits for kids, it was a disappointment. I think my parents packed it back up and returned it to Sears. (I can't recall how they explained returning defective gifts to Santa, but I sure wish I could, because I'm sure it was priceless. Likely as good as the time an Easy Bake Oven refill kit arrived from Sears a week after Christmas and they told me that Santa had found it under the seat of his sleigh and made a special trip back to bring it to me...)
Not surprisingly, then, I was skeptical of the tool I had purchased, especially since I thought I had "cheaped out" on it. I was very reluctant to invest a great deal of money into something that I knew would be a passing fancy. But as I opened it, I noticed it was of a reasonable quality. I plugged it in (side note: it definitely could use a longer cord) and waited for it to heat up. I was almost afraid to pick it up, remembering the sensation of holding one as a kid, but, to my surprise, it wasn't hot at all. Let the burning begin!
Of course, when I decided that I needed a wood burner two weeks ago, I hadn't thought about the fact that a wood burner would actually burn wood and cause some smoke and a burning smell. (I know, Duh!) As soon as I started and smelled it, I started to worry that it would somehow set off the smoke detector in my apartment. I realize that probably was a ridiculous thought. It didn't produce that much smoke, but I have an irrational concern about this sort of thing after living in Burton's Pond Apartments, where the smoke detectors were extremely sensitive and would alarm if you even thought about making toast. Instead of doing what many did back in the day to disable those hyper-sensitive devices, I closed the doors between the kitchen and hallway, and turned on my kitchen fan. Sure, it was probably overkill, but I'm happy to say that I didn't set off the alarm. (When spring finally arrives, I'll open the balcony door instead.)
So, what can I say? It looks like I've got a new hobby (at least for now). I've got a few spoons left to practice on and I'm looking forward to pinning some new inspiration for future wood burning projects. If you've got ideas, please share them!
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