I spent Saturday up in Payson teaching at Paper and Metal Scrappers. I love the atmosphere in that store...it's warm and friendly, plus it's fun to teach women who are really into learning new techniques and thinking outside of the box.
During the afternoon class, one of the owners, Brenda, and I were chatting about the new kit that I just released for preorder on creatologie. She was commenting about the cool binding and that launched us into a discussion of creativity and new ideas.
I told her that I had taken a combo of bindings, added my own solutions to a couple of challenges I was having with holding the book together and voila...a new twist on some old ideas.
We concluded that, in this age of information and the internet, where a concept is broadcasted everywhere in a matter of minutes, there are really very few new ideas. Even when you think you have come up with something new and different, it's funny how someone will say that they saw something really similar somewhere. Really, when you think about it, many of us are exposed to the same sources of inspiration so it would follow that our brains take us down the same pathway, right? And, maybe creativity is mostly about taking an old idea and putting a new twist on it. What do you think?
Last night's dinner definitly was a new twist on an old idea.
Did any of you grow up eating hot dogs and beans on a night when your mom didn't feel like cooking? Do any of you use that as a fall back meal when you don't feel like cooking? From my end, the answers are yes and yes!
I didn't feel like eating ordinary hot dogs and beans last night so, instead, we got hot dog and bean soup. (I need a gourmet name for this...maybe you have a suggestion or two???)
Here's what went into the soup: one chopped onion, 3 cloves minced garlic, 3 stalks of celery, 5 nitrate/nitrite free hot dogs (they now have these at Costco...yippee), a package of pre-cooked, steamed 6 bean medley (available at Trader Joe's) (you could substitute a medley of canned beans as well), 1 can diced tomatoes with juice, 1/3 cup Acini di pepe pasta (they look like little white balls when cooked), 1 box of beef broth and salt, pepper, parsley, basil and bay leaves to taste. I pre-sauteed the onions, garlic and celery and then added everything else. Cook until the pasta is tender, then add some winter greens or, in my case, I used salad "herbs" from Trader Joe's (whatever they are...they look like spring greens but since there are bags labeled as such, I have to assume they are different). Cook until the greens are wilted. Serve soup with grated Italian cheeses, crusty bread and dipping oil. YUM!
So there you have it...a new (gourmet) twist on an old (reliable and basic) idea. Do you have any funky recipes that you've put together from a basic meal you grew up eating?
Just a few more things...on Thursday, we set a new record for number of kits sold on a launch day...thank you to all that ordered...it was amazing! Also, Ashley updated last month's kit orders and there will be some creatologie girlfriends "Diamond Girls" aprons going out soon. And thirdly, I wanted to mention that someone had written to ask if the book could be used as a travel journal for a trip to Europe...yes, absolutely, yes. The female images that are used in the book are definitely "Old World" European, so using it for travel memories is a great idea! For any Renaissance Men out there who take classes or order kits, if you don't want to create a book for or about women, this is a great alternative.
I think that's about all for today...hope you have a great Monday!
Hugs,
Carol