Gift Scrap Blog

Some of you may have noticed (and of course, missed) the “I Give a Scrap Blog” was on a bit of a holiday.  Well, we are back and better than ever.

However, you may have also noticed that some of the blog posts from April – Oct are missing.  Well, they have gone into world wide web heaven and godaddy.com says they are gone for good.

So I’m not going to dwell upon the fact that the numerous number of hours that I spent writing such life-changing posts are now gone.  We will just have to move on!

BUT, I have a favor to ask any of you who may know of a way to get rid of some of those odd characters in some of the earlier posts.  They for some reason have taken over “commas, colons, and dashes” and decided to be a part of I Give a Scrap.

See my wonderful example below…

Any help would be much appreciated!

Thanks.

For me, Sunday is a day of football, beer and friends.

My NY Giants killed it yesterday and not only was it an awesome game to watch, my friends and I enjoyed the game while eating a -

SWEET POTATO, CARMELIZED ONION & BUTTERNUT SQUASH LASAGNA.

Some of you may be a little worried about such a combination, but can I just tell you how amazing it was? Well, it was amazing.

It takes a bit of time to create this architectual masterpiece, but I highly recommend you make it.  I also suggest you make it the day before – this way you can enjoy the game and your company.

Ingredients:
1 pound lasagna noodles
Extra olive oil for coating the pasta, brushing the potatoes, and greasing the dish
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds (1 1/2 pounds)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium Spanish or other sweet onions, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rings
1 teaspoon sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves or 2 teaspoons dried basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup mixed grated Parmesan and Romano cheeses
1/2 pound butternut squash, cooked and mashed
1 pound mozzarella cheese, preferably fresh, thinly sliced
Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:
1.Cook the pasta until al dente, drain, and coat with enough oil to keep the noodles from sticking. Set aside.

2.Preheat the oven to 475°F.

3.Spread the sweet potatoes in one layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle a little oil (about 1/4 teaspoon) over the potatoes and turn to coat both sides. Bake for 15 minutes, until cooked and lightly golden. Remove and set aside. Reduce the oven heat to 375°F.

4.Melt the butter along with the 2 tablespoon oil in a large skillet. Stir in the onions and sugar and sauté over medium heat for 20 minutes, until soft and beginning to turn golden. Set aside.

5.Place the egg, basil, oregano, garlic, and salt in a large bowl and whisk together. Add the ricotta and grated cheeses and whisk to smooth. Add the squash and mix to blend well. Set aside.

6.To assemble the lasagna, lightly oil a 13 by 9-inch deep baking pan. Line the bottom with a layer of noodles. Spread some of the cheese and squash mixture over the noodles. Add a layer of sweet potatoes, then a layer of the onions. Top with a layer of mozzarella and sprinkle with black pepper to taste. Continue until all the ingredients are used and the top is a layer of onions lightly covered with mozzarella.

7. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until bubbly and golden across the top. Remove and cool for 5 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.

Note: To take the dish in a more savory direction, you can substitute other potatoes, such as russets or Yukon Golds, roasted in the same way.  I actually combined sweet and russets together and it was great.

Now, here’s even the best part.  Is it too cold for you to walk to the supermarket? Why leave when with one click, you can get all the ingredients delivered to your house from FreshDirect? (and no, I don’t work for them, I just think it’s awesome) http://www.freshdirect.com/recipe.jsp?recipeId=rec_wk_swtpto_on_sqush&trk=srch

We all know it’s hard to stop having feelings for your ex once a relationship is over.  Enough groveling and feeling sad for yourself . It’s time to pick up the pieces of your shattered heart!

Here’s how:

1. Unfriend them on facebook. Unfollow them on Twitter. Unlink them on LinkedIn.
I know you won’t be able to see their status updates on your newsfeeds, the new pictures they post or are tagged in, who they are now friends with, etc.  Stop stalking and start clicking: REMOVE THIS PERSON AS A FRIEND.

2. Go out with your friends.
I don’t care if you are not in the mood or you don’t feel like yourself. You have to go out and have some fun. It’s OK if you talk about your ex for a few minutes but if it starts to take up the entire conversation all night long – stop talking. This is a time to let loose and relax with good people.

3. Put away all their things.
Now notice, I didn’t say throw their things out. I have a theory about this. As long as their things are out of sight, it’s fine. You will know you have progressed immensely when you take a glance at an old photo album of you two, or look at a necklace he gave you one Christmas and not care at all about it.

4. Don’t try to get your stuff back.
Just think of it as a sunk cost.

5. Push them off that pedestal.
Don’t idolize them and build them up into something great. They’re not. So even if they call you/email /BBM/IM/text –  whatever form of digital communication they choose – don’t go out of your way for them. No longer do they deserve preferential treatment.

6. Don’t look for a new love right away.
It may seem like a good idea to jump onto eharmony or match.com, have someone fix you up, or go out with your friends and try to pick up a new person. But I really feel like when you are not looking for love, it happens. People know when you are on the hunt. They can feel your intensity and insecurity and run the other way. This is only going to lower your self esteem if you keep getting rejected or not find someone right away.

7. Remember the bad times.
If you start to feel nostalgic, then think of all the times he was an a$$ and she was a bitch to you. That should do it. Remember when he forgot your birthday? Or that time when she made you go to the mall all day with her and you missed your Alma Mater play in that Bowl game?

8. Stay busy.
Get a hobby: try cooking, learning a new language, or even better – start seducing somebody they were always jealous of.  Oops, if that gets back to them

Thoughts? Think I am crazy or on the right track?

Next week, it’s  happening:

I’m turning 30.

Whenever someone asks how old I am going to be, and I say “30″ I often get a sad half grin. Like, Oh, I’m sorry, 30 is a big one.

To be honest though, I am really not freaking out about it as much as some people do. I always thought “29″ was such an odd age anyway. You are still technically considered to be in your  twenties – but it’s not like I’m the same person I was earlier on in my twenties. The beer pong table is no longer set up in my apartment; I actually enjoy sitting at a nice chilled out lounge with good friends instead of standing in a packed, sweaty meat-market bar; and I can afford to buy things that I want. (But don’t get me wrong, just because the beer pong table is out of the apartment, doesn’t mean I won’t beat you in a game).

So, instead of a being a “Debbie Downer” about turning 30, I’ve listed 10 reasons why it’s going to be an excellent birthday:

1. 1. I will smile and glow when people can’t believe I’m 30.
2. 2. I only have to wait five more years to become president.
3. I get to say, I remember when I was in my 20s.
4. I get better vibes from a round, even number.
5. More exciting to blog for a week about your 30th birthday.
6. I get to buy a new outfit for the occasion.
7. I can stop trying to find myself and instead start creating myself.
8. When I get carded it is a compliment.
9. Well, at least I’m not 40 yet.
10. I have learned from all my TV watching that 40 is the new 30 and 30 is the new 20.

So for all of you turning 30 this year, make it big. Epic in fact.

As many of you know, I love television.  Some people love to read, hike, ski, write poetry…I absolutely love TV.

Many of you also know that I love crappy TV. In fact, I’ll give anything a try at least once.

Perhaps some of you can understand where I am coming from and still catch an episode of One Tree Hill from time to time.

Yes, One Tree Hill.

Anyway, last week’s episode was quite the tear jerker. AND it actually made me think about life and…

Love.

Just in case some of you missed the episode (which I’m guessing everyone did except one or two of you…and yes I am talking about a certain best friend of mine from California who I can always count on watching cheesy TV), there were many subplots, but the most prevalent theme was to go after what you want. Don’t hesitate. Life is too short to play games, especially with love.

This is something that many of us have heard before but how many of us really live life like it might be our last day? I don’t want to get too sappy but I will leave you with this:

Smile more, go with your gut, and love like you’ve never been hurt.

Looking around my apartment, I’m thinking to myself, you know, I really like (fill in the blank). So here is my list of random recommendations for this snowy tri-state day…

1. I’m all about a bargain as most of you know. Many also know that I am quite fond of tattoos and just got one the other day. Instead of buying expensive lotion to help heal the permanent ink that is now embedded in my skin, I recommend Harmon Face Values Daily Moisturizing Lotion. Cheap and does the trick. *Note: You don’t have to have a tattoo to use this lotion

2.How annoying is it to find the right slot for your knives in your knife block? Ok, for those of you that don’ t cook and don’t find this annoying at all, skip to #3.  Anyway, the Kapoosh knife holder is amazing and it fits any knife because there are no specific slots! It’s just a bunch of plastic rods that move around. Hard to explain, just check it out, trust me. Amazon

3. I don’t know what it is about random wood and metal sculptures, but they just make me smile. For instance, I have a heart decoration on my desk and when I glance over, it just makes me happy and feel adult.

4. I will never cut a straight line again. Why should I when I can use my scrapbooking scissors and cut with an edge. Want a rugged look? No problem. Or an elegant design? Consider it done. I use them to cut edges that are a pattern rather than a straight line. Basically it looks like it took you ages to cut a picture or piece of paper into a unique design – but realistically it took no time.

5. For those of you that live in NYC, we are used to cramped spaces. We laugh at the idea of having a dining room table! Well, if you have an open wall, I totally recommend this wall-mounted table. It folds flat to save space and flips out when you want to eat. Voila! You have a table. Grab two stools and you are set for a romantic dinner. I have only seen this at IKEA and I recommend staining it a color that matches the rest of your decor. Visit IKEA

For more information about anything I mentioned, please email info@GiftScrap.com or post a comment! Love to hear your recommendations as well!

Yesterday on the NJ transit train, I was a tad early so I snatched a seat in a row by myself so I did not have to make any awkward early morning conversations with random strangers – but there was one problem.  The seat I took so eagerly was the seat that made my commute “backwards.”

I have done this trip a few times now and I thought I knew the direction of the train. Before the train started to move, I glanced at my fellow riders facing me on the other seats. I thought to myself, oh, poor things, I hope they don’t get motion sickness because they are going to be riding backwards! Little did I know, I should have said that to myself.

You may be thinking, why didn’t she move right away when the train started to move? Is she that lazy? Well, before I could, all the forward facing seats had been grabbed and the ticket taker was right next to me clicking away on my train ticket.  Once they put that clicked paper ticket back on your seat, I feel like there is no turning back.  It’s a done deal. You’re stuck.

Am I the only one that hates not facing the right direction on the train? It’s like life is moving backwards and I pray that motion sickness does not hit.

Luckily I survived to tell the story.

No vomit and my life moved forward the rest of the day.

Last weekend was one of the best weekends of my life.  Why you ask? Well, I found a Michael’s craft store in Manhattan.

When I found it, it was like the skies opened and the angels began to sing…I was in heaven.

It may not seem like a big deal to those who live outside of NYC, where the huge craft stores flood your streets and it’s only a car ride away, but for us Manhattanites without a car and few and far craft stores in the city, this discovery was epic.

I felt like Christopher Columbus on the Niña, Pinta, and Santa Maria.

There are small mom and pop stores here and there in NYC, which I am happy to support, but there is nothing I enjoy more than the craft store giant like Michael’s.  The hearty discounts, cornucopia of aisles, and abundance of knickknacks that I definitely don’t need, but desperately want.

Ah, it was a great day – and going to be a glorious year.

Michael’s is on…

808 Columbus Ave (on 100^th Ave)
New York, NY 10025-5139
(212) 865-0813

And I’ve even found one coupon for you to print…

Happy Crafting!

If anyone knows other great craft stores in NYC or in your hometown, please share!

Tiger Woods

“I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated. What I did is not acceptable.”

Tiger Woods stepped out of his safe sexless hiding place of three months into the jungle today…to announce to the entire world that he’s a scumbag.  He didn’t put the blame on anyone else but himself, and begged the public to leave his family alone.

Well, here’s what we now know about Tiger:
1. Sorry golf fans, he won’t be swinging any clubs anytime soon.  But when he does step out onto the green, TV ratings will definitely skyrocket.
2. His wife didn’t hit him (but I’m sure she wishes she did throw a punch or two).
3. He is definitely no role model. Duh.
4. Even the golf great can appear vulnerable.
5. Everyone went to lunch a half hour later today.

After his apology, what is everyone’s reaction?

The optimistic reaction: The American hero has issues, but at the end of the day, he’s a human being.  Admitting that he was wrong and telling everyone that he is a cheat was probably one of the most difficult things he’s ever had to do. But we all have made mistakes, right? Maybe Tiger really is on course in becoming a better man.

The pessimistic reaction: Please, that speech was coming straight off paper, not from the heart! It was nothing but a staged public relations stunt. Come on people!

So you’re single.

You live alone…or even worse, you live with 6 roommates and you are 30+ years old.

And it’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow, so you are even more depressed.

Don’t be! Here are some reasons why it’s good to be single on this Hallmark Holiday…

1. Who wants to leave the house on a Sunday? Sundays are days of rest.
2. Save some money.  No need to buy a tacky heart-shaped gift for anyone – instead, invest in something for yourself!
3. You have work on Monday! No one wants to be all hung over on the first day back to work.  You just saved yourself a massive headache.
4. It’s better to be single than stuck in a bad romance (love that song by the way Lady Gaga).  Trust me, I watch a lot of reality TV and there are so many unhappy couples out there – just check out a repeat of “Wife Swap” or even worse, “Tool Academy.” Guaranteed that will make you feel better.
5. Celebrate your friendships. Don’t fall into the mindset that you have to be in a couple to be happy. Be thankful for the true friends in your life and get them a tacky present if you must buy something.

So Happy Valentine’s day everyone and keep your chin up!