Tart, Ginger Cranapple Juice

homemade cranapple juiceIt seems like everyone is juicing lately. I have to admit, I’ve been on a couple of juice cleanses and I absolutely hated it. Let’s be real, ya’ll. No green juice is ever better than a real bacon and egg breakfast. And to be honest, I feel better eating high protein, low carb instead of the other way around.

But George loves apple juice. He is such a little kid sometimes. And I do worry about the boy’s sugar intake. I can be a real mom sometimes. So, I was looking for  a way to make a healthier, lower sugar, apple juice. Here’s what I came up with:

Ingredients

  • 2 Granny Smith apples
  • 1/2 inch of fresh ginger
  • 1/2 cup of cranberry juice (no sugar added)

I don’t have a juicer, so I made this one in my blender. It works well, but it would be smoother if you choose to make it in a juicer.

Peel, core and cut the apples into bite-size chunks. Peel and cut up the ginger. Add the cranberry juice to the blender first, then add the apples and the ginger. Blend until smooth and pour over ice. Enjoy!

Cranapple ginger juice

Tart and gingery! Have you ever tried a juice cleanse? Do you think it lives up to the hype?

love,
melanie

DIY Ombre Sunglasses

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It seems like the ombre trend will never die, huh? Oh well. I love it and I’m not afraid to omber-ize everything– including my sunglasses.

Here’s the how-to:

sunglasses1Supplies:

sunglasses2

Step 1 (Optional): (Enlist your husband) to drill small holes into the ends of your sunglasses. This will allow the ombre effect to be carried to the ends of the sunglasses. If you skip this step, you will just have to end the thread earlier on the sunglasses and leave the behind-the-ear-part empty. (Fancy terminology, huh?)

sunglasses3Step 2: Place a piece of tape sticky-side up onto the back of the glasses. This makes the process much easier because the thread won’t slide around.

sunglasses4Step 3: Tie a knot on the end of the of glasses closest to the eye.

sunglasses5Step 5: Begin neatly wrapping the thread around the sunglasses. This is where you can be creative with the process and switch up your colors.

Step 6: End the thread by neatly wrapping through the hole drilled in the end of the sunglasses. Tie a knot and dot the ends with fabric glue for extra strength.

Step 7: Repeat on the other side!

sunglasses6Annnnnd done! We’re ready to hit the beach!

love,
melanie

 

 

 

Saffron Lemonade

lemonadeI watch the Cooking Channel while running on the treadmill at the gym. I should be embarrassed, but I’m not. No shame in my game.

The other night My Grandmother’s Ravioli was on and Mo Rocca was cooking with two adorable, little Indian women. I absolutely love the flavors of Indian cooking, so I was enthralled. Before the ladies began cooking, they served Mo saffron lemonade. My head almost exploded. I quickly typed it onto the notes on my phone and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.

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I googled their recipe, but I modified it a bit. I try to watch my sugar intake.

Saffron Lemonade: Makes 16 oz.
5-6 lemons
1/4 cup of sugar
2 pinches of saffron
1 cup of cold water
A handful of ice

Squeeze the lemons, add the sugar, water and saffron, then add a handful of ice and shake. The longer you let the saffron steep in the lemonade, the stronger the flavor will be. I let mine steep about an hour and it turned a gorgeous orange color.

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The flavor kind of reminded me of kombucha, but less tart. Saffron lemonade is the perfect spring drink!

love,
melanie

 

DIY Dolce and Gabbana Floral Sunnies

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Do you ever see something you want and you just can’t get it out of your head? That is how I felt about these sunglasses. It was irrational, but I after seeing them on Pinterest could not stop! I was a mad (and broke) woman desperate for a pair of Dolce and Gabana sunglasses. Knowing that my bank account & I are not friends, I decided to break out my trusty glue gun and get to craftin’!

I’m super pleased about how this DIY turned out. It was super easy & so, so cheap!

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Step 1: Break out your supplies. You will need a pair of sunglasses (I found mine at the Dollar Store), a hot glue gun, rosettes, scissors and spray paint (optional).

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Step 2: (optional) I loved the look of the black flowers so I spray painted them. You could leave the flowers as is for a more colorful look. You’ll notice I enlisted the help of George for this one. He is way better at spray painting than I am. He also had the brilliant idea to tape the flowers to a piece of cardboard, so they didn’t roll around during the spraying process.

Step 3: Let the rosettes dry & heat up your glue gun. I also cut some of the “leaves” off the rosettes to place them closer together, but that is an optional step.

Step 4: Working your way inward, place a small dot of glue on the sunglasses. Put rosette into the glue and hold for 10 seconds or until cool.

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Step 5: (optional) Hit the beach in your fabulous new sunnies! You’re a doll!

love,
melanie

Love Libraries: A New Direction?

At ALA

I’ve been out of the blog-o-sphere for about a week now attending the American Library Association Conference. Ok, I posted from my phone at the conference, but that doesn’t really count. Taking a forced break has given me the chance to really think about this blog, the direction it is going, my future, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah. (Side note: Can you believe hotels and airports still charge for Wi-Fi?! LONG LIVE LIBRARIES!)

What has really surprised me is how much I love writing about my job. The place I work sometimes gets the best of me, but I am so incredibly thankful that I found librarianship.

I love doing reader’s review here on the blog– which I rarely get to do in “real life.” I love scouring the Internet for new and interesting projects in the world of libraries. I love getting people excited about technology, and yes, excited about books too. Librarianship never bores me, unlike so many other hobbies I dabble in.

I know I probably worry unnessarily about the “direction” of this blog. I started it off as a wedding blog for Christ’s sake! But I may be taking a turn toward writing more about books, technology, and you guessed it, libraries.

I hope you’ll join me in this journey.

love,
the sometimes indecisive librarian,
melanie

Love Friday: June 15th

Today I’m keeping it short and sweet. I’ll be in professional development at work all day. Ugh. And quite frankly, I’m exhausted. I’ve had very little time to do any internet souring this week. But I did stumble on the best flowchart I’ve seen in a long time via Teach.com.

I think I even discovered a few new books!

Have a beautiful and restful weekend, ya’ll.

love,
melanie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love Books: The Magicians

Tell me a book is about young adults dappling in magic and I’ll read it. Tell me it’s about borderline alcoholic, young adults dappling in magic and I’m grabbing the book out of your hand and running for the door.

The book I just gracefully snatched out of your clutches is The Magicians by Lev Grossman.

The Magicians is easy to compare to the Harry Potter series. Both are about young magicians attending a school for magic. Both feature a young man as a protagonist and are written from a third-person perspective. But that is where the similarities end.

The Magicians was surprisingly fast-paced and modern unlike the Harry Potter series, which is timeless, but can be a bit slow. The Magicians was also very adult, so I wouldn’t recommend this one to the kiddos.

Quentin, the protagonist, is an unhappy young guy who stumbles through a garden in Brooklyn and ends up at a school for magic. Quentin, always dissatisfied with life, thinks this new school may be the key to happiness. He makes friends, he meets a girl, he studies diligently, but he still isn’t happy.He graduates and soon after, his childhood fantasy comes true, but will it lead him to happiness? Dun. Dun. Dun! You’ll have to read it to find out! (How very Reading Rainbow of me!)

My favorite part of the book? The reality of it all. Magic, if real, would exist in the world of Grossman’s novel.The characters have major flaws. They drink, they do drugs, they have sex with the wrong people. They don’t wave wands or wear capes. They truly seemed like real people with a talent.

I also enjoyed the peach-Schnapps-drinking bear. Just read it, you’ll understand.

Have you read The Magicians? What did you think?

I’m checking out the sequel today!

love,
melanie

Love Friday: June 1st

As you read this I’ll be on my way to our state capital for a potential opportunity. I’m terribly nervous already and by the time I arrive, I’ll probably be sweating profusely. I’ll be rehearsing in the car and I’ll definitely appear maniacal to my fellow drivers. This is how it always goes. I worry too much. Everything will be fine. It’s just an amazing opportunity and I really want to do well.

Here’s some things that have been distracting me this week:

10. 

This F. Scott Fitzgerald quote is particularly relevant today. Found on Piccsy.

9. Feather Love Photography’s shoot for Rue Magazine with pool-side recipes!

8.

Before there was Photoshop. 20 classic pin-up girls before and after on Buzzfeed.

7. 

HOMEMADE BAILEY’S IRISH CREME! via The Cupcake Project. I had no idea!

6. Stop the Snobbery! Why you’re wrong about community colleges and don’t even know it. Love this article seen via In the Library with the Lead Pipe. Although my experience as a librarian at a community college hasn’t been quite so rosy, I can relate to the sentiment of this article.

5. 

This lovely veil is by Twigs and Honey on Etsy. I’ve been trying to decide if I’m a veil girl or if I should go with just a hair piece for the wedding. Thoughts?

4. I know it is another coffee-related recipe, but damn, I love the stuff! Cappuccino Pops!

3. 

Modcloth’s Nine to Fine Stylebook is super cute. It makes me wish I put more thought into my work clothes!

2. I don’t need to buy ANYTHING right now, but these MiH Jeans would look awesome on me. Have I tried them on? No. But I just know it!

1. 

And whenever I’m nervous or sad, I look funny videos of kittens and Damn You Auto Correct. It never fails to make me feel better. The top 25 is gold!

Wish me luck!

love,
melanie

Love Food: Infused Strawberry Vodka Lemonade

Infused vodka is one of those things that seems really difficult and maybe a little snobby, but it’s actually stupid-easy. Making grilled cheese is harder than making infused vodka, I swear. For this recipe, the hardest part is waiting a week for the fruit to mingle with the vodka.

Infused Vodka Ingredients

  • Enough fruit of your choice to loosely fill a mason jar (approximately 2 cups)
  • Approximately 12 oz. of vodka (I recommend at least triple-distilled)
  • A cool, dark place and patience

To make infused vodka all you have to do is wash and cut your favorite fruit, put it in a mason jar, and then fill the jar with vodka. Screw the top on the jar and leave in a cool, dark place for a week. Shake everyday, if possible. One week later, drain out the fruit and voila, you’ve got infused vodka!

I tried several different fruit-infusions: blueberry, lemon and strawberry. By far, the strawberry was the best. Below is the recipe I made with the infused strawberry vodka. I actually don’t usually enjoy vodka, one too many bad college nights, but this recipe made me a believer in the magic of the clear spirit.

Infused Strawberry Vodka Lemonade

  • Two shots of infused strawberry vodka (recipe above)
  • 6 lemons
  • A handful of ice
  • 2 tablespoons of sugar

Squeeze the juice from six lemons. Add the sugar and vodka to the lemon juice. Pour or shake over ice.

Tip: I like to put my drinks in mason jars with lids, so I can easily shake the drink. James Bond style.

This recipe will make 2 small-ish drinks or one large-ish.  ;)

Did you have any special spirits over the holiday weekend?

love,
melanie

Love Friday: May 25th

I’m a little late on the Friday Love because I had to go out of town for a doctor’s appointment. Doctor’s appointments are always quite the tragedy for me. I have a terrible fear of needles and I had to get stuck twice this time. Apparently when you are so nervous that you are sweating and crying, your blood doesn’t want to evacuate you body…

It’s embarassing, but good to share our fears, don’t you think? Anyway, these links are making me feel loads better.

10. 

This gorgeous ’40s hair tutorial from The Beauty Department and Lauren Conrad. 

9. 14 Easy Ways to get Insanely Motivated from INC. All easy in theory.

8. 

Etsy’s How-to Tuesday‘s 10 colorful crafts links. I particularly like this one by Hew and Sew, because it is EASY!

7. The Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction finalists look excellent. I’m especially excited to read Swamplandia! A surrealist story about 12-year-old gator-wrestling Ava Bigtree and her eccentric family. Sounds good, huh?

6. 

This kitchen is so gorgeous. I don’t even usually like green, but this is divine.

5. Since my tragic doctor experience today, I’ve been Googling how to overcome fears. I found this article from The Positivity Blog to be comforting.

4. 

Sparkly Lemon Cookies! By Martha, of course.

3. This summer, Barnes and Noble is offering a free book to kids who read 8 books and fill out a reading journal!

2. 

I’m thinking about buying a pair of Saltwaters for the beach because I despise flip-flops. Are Saltwaters too cliche? It seems like I see them everywhere, but they’re some of the only sandals I’ve seen that I don’t hate. The gold is kinda pretty, right?

1. 

I’m so excited about this movie! I hope it lives up to my expectations, it looks AH-MAZING!

Have a great Memorial Day weekend! Do ya’ll have any plans?

love,
melanie

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