Project Life - How I Learned To Document Life

This has been a really fun year for me creatively as I made a commitment to complete more scrapbooking projects. If you are familiar with this very popular craft, you know that it is a very diverse, personal, time consuming, and potentially pricy activity.

Shortly after Christmas, I began searching online for scapbooking layout ideas and products, and I felt completely overwhelmed!! I managed to complete a beautiful layout early in January which took 7 hours over 2-3 nights! At this rate, I was going to have to quit my day job to complete the projects I wanted to see finished.

However, I stumbled upon a product that changed everything. It was a kit called Project Life by the inspiring and talented Becky Higgins. The concept is simple: create a layout every week that captures a photo a day with a corresponding decorative journal card and place it into page protectors. No adhesive, no ribbon, no thirteen layers of flowers and sparkles to feature one photo. It’s simple, pretty, and most of all, manageable!! I am proud to say I am currently up-to-date with my album which is bursting with photos, stories, memorablilia and some extra layouts representing special events. I no longer keep a box of “items to scrapbook”. It’s all there, in my album!! If it doesn’t fit in my album, I don’t really need to keep it. That aspect alone is so freeing!

I have developed the habit of trying to keep my camera with me at all times, so I can capture the “little things” that occur in a day. I even brought my camera to parent-teacher interviews at my daughter's school because I didn’t want that event to go un-documented.

The result is a beautiful album documenting the changes of the seasons, an array of events/play dates, and several other random moments all capturing the subtle hints of my little girl growing up in front of our eyes. What could be more precious than that?

A Definite Keeper - Lemon Confetti Bean Salad

After spending time trying to find this recipe online for a friend, I've given up and decided to post it instead!

This is such a healthy, delicious, and easy recipe to prepare. It's perfect for a potluck - it tastes as fresh and yummy as it looks. I have enjoyed it for years, since I saw it on a morning talk show (Canada A.M.?) and I frequently receive requests for this recipe.

So here it is:

1 19 oz can lentils (drained and rinsed)
1 cup canned chick peas (drained and rinsed)- I like Superstore's President's Choice organic
1 cup carrots - diced
1 cup celery - diced
1 cup red peppers - seeded and diced
1/4 cup red onions (I usually use less - about 3 tbsp chopped finely)
1/4 cup sunflower seeds (I buy roasted and salted)
1/3 - 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (this is time consuming to prepare and chop but dried parsley is just not the same!)
1/4 chopped up black olives (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Dressing:
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp tamari
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2-3 tsp dried dill weed
1/4 cup olive oil

Place the dressing in a container with a lid so you can shake it up well before serving

If making ahead, mix all together in a large bowl, keeping the sunflower seeds and dressing separate. Mix salad 15 minutes before serving and again immediately before serving. Best when served chilled...

So there you have it - just in time to try out before summer barbeque season begins! Let me know if you tweek the recipe...