Scrawny list this month:

Finance Related:

THIS Is What A Week’s Worth Of Food Looks Like Around The World http://diply.com/budget101/article/week-food-world

Planner Related:

A Walk Through My New Bullet Journal http://www.passionthemedlife.com/2016/03/31/a-walkthrough-of-my-new-bullet-journal/

Webster’s Pages Narrow Traveler’s Notebook inserts—link 1 http://websterspages.com/shop/color-crush-personal-planners/new-accessories/travelers-notebook-inserts.html

Webster’s Pages Narrow Traveler’s Notebook inserts—link 2 http://websterspages.com/shop/color-crush-personal-planners/new-accessories/travelers-notebook-inserts-2588.html

(I found these notebooks are a larger Joann’s Fabrics store as well.)

Student Bullet Journal http://www.bohoberry.com/student-bullet-journal/

Zenkraft Bifold TN (possible wallet potential) http://zenkrafttravelersnotebook.blogspot.com/2016/04/zenkraft-manila-sunset-field-notes-pro.html

Random:

How to Use Lemons Around the House http://www.candysfarmhousepantry.com/?p=149

Recipes:

How to make Glazed Blueberry Muffins (regular + gluten free) http://www.michellerogers.fit/2016/04/02/make-glazed-blueberry-muffins-regular-gluten-free/

Margarita Lime Tequila Cookies http://sequinsinthesouth.com/margarita-lime-tequila-cookies/

Cookie Master Mix http://www.candysfarmhousepantry.com/?p=283

Travel Ideas:

Monticello Artisan Trail http://eatmovemake.com/2016/04/monticello-artisan-trail/comment-page-1/

Happy reading!

Here’s what I’ve been working on this month:

Baby Blankets:

Bernat Baby Little Royals

Same picture from another post because they’re identical.

Cotton Dishcloths:

Bernat Port & Red Licorice

Quantity made: 9

Yarns are very similar in dye coloring, so I combined them.

I’m putting craft show inventory on hold for a little while so I can work on a personal project. Once it’s done, I’ll share it.

So I fell down the Traveler’s Notebook rabbit hole and have lost myself in the Chic Sparrow Oubliette.

I’ve been using Canyon’s Crème Extra Wide for almost a month and wanted to try out a Wide size. What attracted me to the Wide size was Jennifer’s Size video. She showed how an 8.25” x 5.25” Moleskine notebook fit into the Wide, but then also stated that a Wide works if you want to carry many Narrow sized inserts.

I have Canyon’s Extra Wide filled with 4 Piccadilly inserts of the same size as the Moleskine. I immediately moved the four notebooks into the Wide. I loved how they all fit perfectly, IMO, which very little overhang. The Extra Wide was nice, but there was too much overhang for me.

Since the Narrow inserts as well as the Piccadilly inserts fit nicely in the Wide Sparrow, I feel this will be a great option for #onebookjuly this year.

The notebooks are the same in the Wide as they were in the Extra Wide: Bullet Journal, Writing Notebook, Blogging notebook, and a blank one.

This Wide was purchased second hand from a woman on the Chic Sparrow BST group. She included a ruled Moleskine insert as well as Rose project life care and postcard (Think Good Thoughts and Good Will Find You) with a note on the back.

The front has an inscription: To Thine Own Self Be True. I needed this phrase more than I knew. The past couple of years for me have been all over the place and I stopped being me. I’m finally starting to get back to being me.

The leather seems to be thicker than that of the Extra Wide.

I’m really glad I bought this. I’m really happy with it.

Here’s the YouTube video link: https://youtu.be/SsNzXM1m13A

© Cori Large 3/17/2016

When you come across an article on the internet, but you don’t have time to read it, what are your storage options so you can access this article again at a later date? If your first thoughts were Save as a Bookmark, Download to My Computer, and/or Print It Off, I’m going to share with you three other options you can use to keep track of interesting articles and websites.

I use a mix of all three of the below suggestions, depending on the part of my life the article pertains to.

If you don’t want to wrangle a million bookmarks or digital clutter or waste paper and ink/toner, here are my suggestions:

• Formal Citations (with the Academic in mind)

If you’re looking up many articles for research papers, dissertations, theses, or other professional work, having formal citations handy for your paper is a must. I have a Word document where I save citations from Professional Journals in my field of articles I may want to refer to later. I do categorize these citations: Bibilomania, Collection Development, Library Career Expectations & Outlook, etc. The categories are alphabetized for easy location.

• Excel or Word document with Links

I use this set up for my Monthly Blog Links posts. Again, there are categories I save links under, but instead of using formal citations, I use the article title followed by the hyperlink.

In the Excel spreadsheet, it’s the same idea, but I added two more columns: Read? Review? These columns are incomplete at this time

• Pinterest

When I first got started on Pinterest, I was saving whatever I wanted to read under a designated board. We all do right? Well, when I went back to read the pinned article, I had a difficult time finding it. So I created a board To Be Read and moved all appropriate pins to that board. Once I’ve read it, if I want to keep it, I repin the post on the appropriate board. If I don’t want to save it, I just delete the pin. It has helped me keep better track of what pins I want to read and I don’t waste time searching through all my boards.

I hope this post has been helpful. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the Comment section below.

© Cori Large March 6, 2016

Everyone loves a good deal right? I tend to find the best deal on stationary and school supplies around October and November. Usually, my deals are on Mead Flex Binders, but this past year it was Pilot G2 gel pens.

I happen to stop into my local Walgreens for a look around, mainly looking for flex binders. But I found something much much better!

All on clearance for about $0.35 each!!!

Color breakdown:

8 Black

5 Red

1 Maroon

2 Blue

5 Orange

3 Lilac

4 Teal

2 Pink

2 Navy Blue

10 Green

I even got to take the display so I could keep them organized!

What’s a good deal you’ve come across lately?

© Cori Large March 6, 2016

Kinda like Oprah, but I can’t afford to give away free cars.

Here’s a list of some of my favorite things. Feel free to hum the tune in your head and sway back and forth.

• Mead Flex Binders-both regular size and mini flex size
• 
• 
• Sharpie pens
• 
• Pilot G2 gel pens—maroon, teal, lilac, and pink 4 pack
• 
• Fresh espresso
• Soft yummy yarns
• 
• Bamboo knitting needles
• 
• Fuzzy socks
• Fires in the fireplace
• 
• Warm chocolate chip cookies
• A Florida peach fresh off my tree
• 
• Cozy corner mysteries
• 
• Christmas lights
• 
• Puppies
• 
• Perfectly fitting jeans

What are some of your favorite things?

YouTube video link: https://youtu.be/FBFzUP-qkMQ

© Cori Large 12/31/2015

There’s a game called Desert Island. The basic set of rules state: “You’re stranded on a desert island. You can only have three (or one or two) books with you. What are they?”

The rules can vary and one of the variations I’m doing is Top Three Books. I chose to do a themed version of it and choose my top three cookbooks

My First Baking Book

Author: Helen Drew

Copyright date: 1991

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/First-Baking-Book-Helen-Drew/dp/0863186505

Why: Purely sentimental reasons for bringing this book along. I did a whole post on this book. You read it here [insert link]. I fondly remember reading through this cookbook multiple times, childish fantasies filling my head about making the cookies within. To date, the only recipe I’ve actually make from this book is peanut butter cookie recipe. (My dad’s favorite!)

TM 10-412 War Department Technical Manual: Army Recipes, August 1946

Author: War Department

Copyright date: August 1946; post-WWII, and one year before the War Department became the Department of Defense; possibly the last version of this book.

Why: I’m fascinated by the quantities: Apple Crisp for 100 (40 lbs. fresh apples; 1 oz. nutmeg; 3 lbs. sugar, granulated; 7 ½ lbs. sugar, brown; 4 lbs. of flour; 4 lbs. butter).

I’m also fascinated by the hardware use: Mess Kit Spoons, No. 56 dippers, and No. 10 can. I wonder what the equivalent sizes are. I’ve been researching by haven’t found much. This book is very interesting to look through. It gives you an idea of what the food options were for soldiers during World War II. If this book could be converted to modern measurements, it could really work for a caterer. And my husband made a good point: if I was stranded on a desert island, there may be recipes in here for the tropical fruits I would find.

More information from the Library of Congress: https://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/SciRefGuides/technicalmanuals3.html

The Taste of Home Cookbook: Timeless Recipes from Trusted Home Cooks: from the World’s #1 Cooking Magazine

Editors: Taste of Home editors

Copyright date: 2006

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/The-Taste-Home-Cookbook-Editors/dp/B007K5DRQM

Why: This is a wonderful beginner’s cookbook! It would make a great gift for newlyweds or anyone who is interested in learning how to cook and bake. It has substitution charts and equivalent charts on the inner front and back covers, Kitchen Basics chapter, and each chapter, especially the meat ones, contain cooking charts and helpful hints. Lots of variety in the recipes! This would also be a good book to study.

© Cori Large Feb 12, 2016

With as many flex binders I have, I have been asked how I stayed organized with them and don’t forget what is in which binder. And the honest truth is, I keep a list. The list gets updated whenever the contents change.

Here’s a quick list of what is in each regular size flex binder:

Pink/Magenta/Berry: general notebook, just full of notebook paper

Black w/ Pink Tiger Stripe Duct Tape: full of dividers; another catchall; address book

Red: I’ve moved my non-fiction books that are on my Goals list to this notebook: Bobbin Lace Workbook, Genealogy Workbook, and the Recipe book. The Journal Prompts book will eventually be added to this one.

Purple: Crafts by Cori paperwork

White 5 subject w/ Real Tree ® Pink Camo: Nutritional Anthropology class notes

Green: Goal setting and progress updates

These notebooks do change out their contents fairly often. Or I combine things and leave some of them empty.

© Cori Large 3/4/2016

I’ve been thinking lately about phrases and quotes that mean something to me and have been influential to my life. I’d like to share 5 of them with you and why they mean so much to me.

1. “I don’t believe in twisting yourself into knots of excuses and explanations over the food you make…usually one’s cooking is better than one thinks it is…and if the food is truly vile…then the cook must simply grit her teeth and bear it with a smile—and learn from her mistakes.”
   1. Simplified to “Never apologize.”
   2. Julia Child
   3. Why: As someone who is self-taught in the kitchen, I always felt the need to apologize in the beginning if I didn’t think my dish was good enough. This quote boosted my confidence and I no longer apologize for my food. I know what I make tastes good and I know it’s cooked right. That’s all that matters to me.
2. “Once is happenstance; twice is coincidence; three times is enemy action.”
   1. Sir Ian Fleming
   2. Why: This quote makes me laugh more than anything. My husband and I use it a lot around our house when things going a little wonky. I also was unaware of the full quote until recently. I thought the quote was just “Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence.”
3. Use It Up, Wear It Out, Make It Do, or Do Without.
   1. Depression era quote
   2. Why: When my husband and I moved into our first apartment, having to act like an adult and pay bills, etc. really hit me hard. I knew we were going to have bills and all that, but the realization of “Oh crap! I’m the one responsible” was a big pill to swallow. I’ve heard this quote over the years, but when it came to living on our own I really took it to heart and used the lesson behind it to save us money and not be wasteful. Now that we are in a bigger house, I still have this quote in the back of my mind when it comes time to buy something or doing something around the house. I use the lesson to guide me in looking at all our options and not just on the easiest, most convenient, and more expensive option.
   3. Here are some ways I’ve implemented this quote in my life: Indoor Drying Rack/Room and Examples for this quote
4. Done is better than perfect.
   1. Who said it: Sheryl Sandberg
   2. Meaning: Perfectionism is a hindrance.
   3. Why: I read this quote on a planner blog. Don’t remember which one, and it’s been used multiple times. For me, perfectionism doesn’t keep me from starting something like it does for others. Perfectionism keeps me working on something until it is perfect. This quote has given me permission to walk away from something once it’s completed. That may sound strange to some, but some of us need a quote or book or something similar to tell us that we can step away from something.
5. Be the change you wish to see in the world.
   1. Who said it: Gandhi
   2. Why: I love this quote. It is one I do my best to live by. I wish the world was kinder and more tolerant, so I try to treat people nicer, smile more (you’d be surprised how much a smile can help), say please and thank you, and not jump to conclusions about someone. It’s not easy sometimes, but I do try.

What are some quotes that mean a lot to you and why?

© Cori Large February 12, 2016

This post was requested by one of my YouTube subscribers. She wanted to see a walk-through of my ringed planners/binders.

Day-Timer Personal Size Malibu in Rose Gold

This one was pretty much my EDC (Every Day Carry) until recently. It contains pretty much everything. The dashboard is a paint card I picked up at Walmart. Post it’s for quick notes.

Quick breakdown of the guts: numbered dividers are #1: grocery/shopping lists; #2: workout/health tracker; #3: categorized To Do lists; #4: editorial calendar; #5: blog chart; #6: finance ledgers. Calendar top tab is my calendar: MO2P for future planning; WO1P for at a glance; and DO1P sheets for dailies. I only keep a month’s worth of dailies in here at a time. Project top tab has my Nutritional Anthropology class information in it. Information top tab is a catchall.

The front cover pockets haven’t changed much. Blank deposit slips, mailing labels, receipts that need to be dealt with.

The back cover pockets have changed slightly. The big pocket still hold extra notepaper. But the two smaller pockets are now one big pocket. I used my seam ripper to cut through the double seam. This bigger pocket is more useful to me that those two smaller ones. And since I don’t plan on selling this binder, I don’t care how that would affect (effect?) resale value.

Mini Flex (aka the Mead Shopping OrganizHer)

My original pink on started coming apart on me, so I replaced it with one of the 50 that I bought. You can read about that here [insert link]. My Mini Flex has always been a sort of catchall for me. I use it mainly as a refillable notebook and brain dump book. I do keep a list of blog post topics in it, in case I’m somewhere and I can write for a few minutes. I’ve also started a story in here. There are two dividers. The first divider has my blog idea list and some personal information. The second divider is where I keep paper for writing and brain dumping. I do have post its on the dashboard in the front and I refill those as needed.

A5 Filofax Finsbury

This binder was a gift from my cousin-in-law, and has a more in-depth post about her history coming.

I honestly didn’t know what I was going to use this binder for. Then I started working on my Filofax and Mini Flex Hacks post, which you can read here [insert link], and my usage issue solved itself. My MIL got me a set of dividers, some paper, and the hole punch to go with it for Christmas. The dividers are labeled as such: Plain Paper, A to Z, Story Stuff, To Be Filed, and To Be Typed. All of these are fairly self-explanatory. Papers move from the Mini Flex to the A5.

If you’d like to see more, please click on the YouTube link.

© Cori Large February 19, 2016