A glimpse of what matters to this writer most and what makes her heart beat a little faster
You can find my writing for #fridayflash right here in: The Creative Writing Corner of Estrella Azul category ;)
I would appreciate any constructive criticism you can offer, and thank you so much for reading!
“ It’s not always the gifts that are wrapped
which are the best,
but simply those that are shared.
Gifts of time, love, and laughter…
Happy memories that warm the heart
at Christmas time and always.”
May the holiday season bring You joyful memories,
snug moments and may the coming year abound
in good luck and happiness!
(Happy seriously belated Thanksgiving?) 
Here is a list of ten things I’m thankful for, all year round:
1. Hugs; virtual and real-life ones
2. Handmade greeting cards; well, handmade *anything* really
3. My online jobs; the jury is still out on the new real-life one
4. Cuddles from the Chef
5. My books; and notebooks, and laptop
6. Smiley people
7. Love letters
8. Family; either blood-related or not
9. the Universe providing
10. Stroopwafles!
PS: also thankful for the inspiration for this blog post, j!
… because those Vlogbrothers video titles are awesome and they are always my favorite of their videos.
Here are my thoughts from places, while on hiatus these past few weeks. ( Missed you guys! <3 )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am completely fine with having to reorganize my suitcase several times before leaving, both home and the places I visited, because I packed too many books.
~~~~~
Everywhere I go, I see hearts. And everywhere I go, I see something I can turn into art.
~~~~~
People who disagree with you and correct you every step of the way, even if they are actually adding to the conversation, are so tiring.
~~~~~
Life and death are so intertwined; just like each and every moment in between.
Death has a way of catching up with you when you’d rather try and recover from a loss… But if there is such a thing as a beautiful death, it must be that of simply falling asleep and dying of old age.
Funerals are for the living. And when you miss a burial, you can’t help but feel that loss just a bit more painfully every single time the subject comes up.
~~~
Thinking of Connie’s Sky, I took pictures that day. And though I’m so many miles away, and was very far even from an internet connection – I felt so very human and so connected to Connie Hozvicka, to Jill and to Judy. I think it’s within human nature to forget this sometimes, but we do hold each other’s hearts in our hands.
~~~~~
Annie Q. Syed said in one of her Still Sundays posts, which I managed to read while on hiatus, that: “in stillness I am reminded life changes course in the small plans that may appear magnified because there is no map.”
I fully understand that. And would like to add, that, sometimes even with a map it’s possible to lose track of our journey and spend too much time in paper towns.
~~~~~
I left behind a love letter in one of the passenger cars of the steam train we rode in. Because there is magic in everything. 
~~~~~
Balance. Not easily found. Not easily kept. I’m still searching for it. For just the right balance that I need. I finally feel like I’m on the right track.
“ It’s not always the gifts that are wrapped
which are the best,
but simply those that are shared.
Gifts of time, love, and laughter…
Happy memories that warm the heart
at Christmas time and always.”
I hope every one of you who celebrates it has a wonderful, love, light and laughter filled
Christmas/Yule/Hanukkah/Hogswatch/Kwanzaa/Samhain/Festivus/etc.
May you have a lovely and especially relaxing time and find your desired amount of books/bookish/writerly/foodie/crafty goodies under your tree.
Last week, I told you all about my gift in a jar Chocolate Chip Cookies for the Chef.
Now, for the seamstress in my life, I decided to make a sewing-kit jar. Here’s how I did it.
Sewing-kit jar
Fill the jar of your choice, with different things a seamstress would appreciate (I chose beads, embroidery thread, yarn, buttons, chalk, pins and needles, etc.)
I really liked the idea of the pincushion lid, but knew my grandmother wouldn’t really want to keep the jar, so I decided to make one of these really cute Tuna Can Pincushions I’ve had my mind on ever since my friend Patsey posted her tutorial.
After I finished both the jar and pincushion, I stuck the tuna can pincushion onto the lid with a simple double adhesive tape so it would stay on there until/during Christmas gift giving and then come off easily.
Happy crafting everyone 
Sometime last week, I stumbled upon Myra’s blog post, 12 Homemade Gifts In A Jar and I was floored. I instantly fell in love with all of these ideas, and since I’d personally love to receive something like this, I decided to make some gifts in jars myself.
The first one I made is a gift to the Chef in my life who doesn’t really like the precision of measuring ingredients for baking. I figured this would be the perfect St.Nick’s Day gift – and I was right, he loved it
Chocolate Chip Cookies – Homemade gift in a jar
(I used my own adapted version of this Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe.)
Layer the ingredients in a large enough mason jar, starting with the necessary dry ingredients like sugar, flour (+ baking soda and salt mixed into it), cocoa and only then add your additional dry ingredients like chocolate chips, hazelnuts, Rahat Locoum (Turkish Delight), granola, cereals, raisins, etc.
Screw the lid on the jar, and cover with a circle of fabric or a paper doily, held down with a rubber band. Cover the rubber band with yarn or ribbon and tie a bow. For additional beauty, tie a cinnamon or vanilla bar into the bow. (I did that just before gifting the jar.)
Print out a gift tag-type paper with the recipe, or simply glue further directions onto the jar like I did, mentioning what else needs to be added, at what temperature the cookies need baking and for how long.
* I personally added a bunch of extra ingredients the original recipe didn’t include, so I upped the quantity of eggs and butter needed. Make sure you do the same if you need to.
Come to think about it, I’ve actually given gifts in a jar before, in the form of homemade beauty products. I think my Beauty the natural way recipes (Face Mask, Bath Salts, Exfoliating Body Scrub, Body Balm, Facial Scrub, etc.) are perfect for the ladies in your family so flip through the pages and feel free to prepare any of those. I’m sure they will be greatly appreciated.
Hope you all like these ideas, and check back next Wednesday for part 2
PS: there are a ton of gifts in a jar ideas out there on the web, you’re bound to come across the perfect one for your loved ones.
Wishing everyone a wonderful, sunny day filled with joy and lots of happy moments!
Happy Easter!
