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Is everyone ready and raring to go for Valentine’s Day next month?  If not, don’t worry!  I have a great line up of crafts, recipes, and fun stuff to do with your Valentine, all starting next week!  I can’t even believe we’re almost in February already…

And speaking of February, Black History Month begins February 1^st, a time to celebrate the achievements by black Americans and a time to recognize the role African Americans have played in U.S. history.  As a tribute, I have a great collection of classic literature by famous black writers, coming your way every Friday in February.

And I know there are lots of other cooks and creative minds who follow The Hob-bee Hive, so be sure to Like us on Facebook and feel free to post your new recipes, crafts, photos, and ideas on our wall for everyone to see!

I’ve also got to be one of the only 20-somethings left on planet Earth that doesn’t have a smart phone.  I can call, text, and take a picture…and that’s about it.  So when I think of a great idea or remember that I need to buy toilet paper or eggs, I actually have to write it down in my to-do list.  No apps, no fancy phone gizmos or bells and whistles, just the trusty ol’ pen and paper.

Therefore, I carry my to-do list with me almost everywhere.  It fits snug in my purse so it’s not cumbersome to carry and I even pimped it up a bit, so it’s not boring and official looking when I whip it out to empress everyone (or prove that I’m still living in the 18th century).

This is a super fun and easy craft to do if you’re looking to reface an old journal or notebook.  This is also a great handmade gift for someone who’s going off to college, a little frazzled when it comes to remembering things, or someone who just adores the simplicity of pen and ink.

Cute Journal or To-Do List:

Materials:

• 1 journal or small note pad
• Scrap paper
• Various ribbons
• Hot glue gun
• 2 buttons
• Needle and thread
• 3-Hole Punch

Instructions:

1.  Remove all the paper from your notepad.  Also remove the front and back covers.  Discard the spiral.  Set aside the paper for now and decorate the front cover however you see fit.  I used some scrap paper and ribbons on mine.  Use a glue gun to adhere your embellishments to the cover.

2.  Use the three hole punch to create two hole punches in the cover, back cover, and paper.  If the holes don’t line up exactly, it’s not the end of the world.  It gives your to-do list a nice homemade look!

3.  Once you’ve made your holes, string some thread or yarn through all the holes.  Tie as tightly or as loosely as you see fit.  I tied mine tight enough to hold the paper, but not too tight that I can’t untie it and add more paper if I need to.

4.  String some thread through one of your buttons so the loop is in the back of the button…meaning put one end of your string through one hole on the button.  You are going to want to make a little loop to hold your note pad closed, so you’ll be tying the excess string in the front to make a loop:

5.  Use your needle and thread to sew a button to the back cardboard so the loop you just created has something to attach to.

6.  And there you have it!  An easy to-do list or journal for your needs or the needs of someone else.  Like I said, you can decorate the front and back however you’d like!  And feel free to post your creations and ideas on our Facebook page!

While I love a good soup and sandwich night, sometimes there’s just nothing like pizza and beer…and with the insane traffic I had to endure on my way home from work, that was just the thing to cheer me up!  And I’m not talking those crappy frozen pizzas…I mean delicious and hearty handmade rustic pizza!

This rustic pizza was kind of our own invention…with random stuff we had in the fridge.  The dough is easy to make and doesn’t require a long rise, so it’s great for nights when you don’t really want to wait to eat.  But I will say that the dough is very soft (we learned this in a very unfortunate way), so it might be wise to place the dough on your cooking stone or pan before you start adding your toppings.

Rustic Pizza:

Ingredients:

For Crust:

• 1 package of yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt

Toppings:

• 1 cup BBQ sauce
• 2 large chicken breasts, cooked and diced
• 1/2 red onion, chopped into small pieces
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups Mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2.  Dissolve yeast in the warm water.  Once dissolved, add flour, oil, sugar, and salt.  Mix until everything is combined and dough begins to form.  Let it rest for about 5 minutes.

3.  Spread dough onto greased pan.

4.  Spread BBQ sauce on dough and top with chicken, onion, and cheese.  Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.

And so begins Lost in Austen, a fabulous “choose your own adventure” style book through the novels of Jane Austen.  Filled with hilarious scenarios, comical illustrations, and true Austen wit and charm, this wonderful read lets you decide whether Elizabeth (you) ends up with Mr. Darcy or Mr. Wickam…or maybe another male figure in one of Austen’s other novels.  You decide what paths to walk, who to approach at parties, and what do to about sick sisters.  All of your decisions result in you either losing or gaining points, connections, accomplishments, or failings.  For the true fans of Austen’s wonderful books, this read is an absolute joy.

For those who are interested, here’s how my adventure turned out!

I started with 200 Intelligence Points which quickly diminished to 30.  Let’s just say I decided not to let Mr. Darcy get away with anything…and I paid for it!  Luckily my pride gained me more confidence points.  I started with 200 and ended with 230, so that’s not bad!  As for my fortune, I started with 50 and ended with 60, so not much of an improvement…I guess that’s why I have such strong confidence

Throughout my travels, I gained two superior connections—Charlotte Lucas and Mr. Wickam—and didn’t manage to get any inferior connections, so that’s good.

My list of accomplishments included Fluent in French, ability to do screen covering, dancing the Boulanger, and being highly observant.  My much longer list of failings included being resentful, a love of walking in bad weather, no style, taste, or beauty, incredibly noisy, blind partiality, willfully prejudice (no surprise according to my point score!), and poorly timed liveliness.  Ugh…sigh.

This clay bowl is super easy to make…the hardest part is actually just rolling out the clay.  You can make this bowl any size you’d like, but the smaller the better.  Use it to store jewelry, buttons, or nick nacks.

Clay Bowls:

Materials:

• 1 package of Studio by Sculpey clay (I used Peapod, #6452)
• 1 clay roller
• 1 plastic bowl from a deli
• Wax paper
• Aluminum foil

Instructions:

1.  Condition your clay by working all the little squares in your hand piece by piece.  Once the clay is warmed up and workable, roll it out into a disk shape, as big as you can make it!

2.  Cover your plastic bowl with wax paper and carefully lay the clay disk over the bowl, open side down.  Work the clay around the bowl until you have it in the shape you want.

3.  Carefully wrap aluminum foil around the clay bowl and press gently to secure.  Remove the wax wrapped bowl from the clay (the aluminum foil will help the clay bowl keep its shape as it bakes).  Bake according to package directions, removing the aluminum foil during the last 5 minutes of baking.

4.  Let the bowl cool completely after baking.

5.  Decorate the lid however you’d like.  I used a colorful ribbon and wrapped it around the lid several times.

This simple yet delicious meal was a cooking experiment that turned into something amazing.  With chicken, pitas, red bell pepper, and goat cheese, you can have an easy and quick dinner any day of the week!

(Thanks to my awesome man-friend for submitting this recipe…and making me dinner on countless occasions.  You’re the best!)

Chicken Pita Pockets:

Ingredients:

• 1-2 chicken breasts, thawed and butterflied
• Course sea salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• Cinnamon to taste
• Cumin to taste
• Paprika to taste
• Garlic powder to taste
• 1-2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced into quarters
• Goat cheese to taste
• 4-8 pita halves

Instructions:

1. Place chicken on a cutting board.  Mix salt, pepper, cinnamon, cumin, paprika, and garlic powder in a small bowl.  Once combined, sprinkle over chicken on both sides.
2. Using an indoor grill, an outdoor grill, a Foreman grill, or just a skillet, cook the chicken until juices run clear (cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your chicken breast.  Butterflied chicken usually cooks much quicker, so be sure to watch it carefully so as to not overcook).
3. Once chicken is fully cooked, set it aside to rest for 5-10 minutes.  Then slice into bite-sized strips.
4. Place red bell peppers on the grill and top each slice with a teaspoon or so of goat cheese.  Cook on the grill until cheese begins to melt.
5. When you’re ready to eat, heat up your pitas in the microwave for about 10 seconds.  Fill with chicken and cheesy peppers.  Serve with rice or salad.

In the fall of 2007, a young computer science professor by the name of Randy Pausch was asked to give his “Last Lecture” speech.  Ironically, this loveable husband and father of three had plenty of inspiration for this talk, having been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer only a few months before.

With a 6-month life expectancy looming over his head, Randy took this opportunity to really make the most of every ounce of life he had left.  In his speech, entitled “Achieving Your Childhood Dreams,” Randy talked about living in the moment, dreaming big, and helping others to live and dream as well.  In this poignant and meaningful lecture, Randy also talks about family life, falling in love, and how his illness, the “elephant in the room” as he calls it, has completely changed his outlook on living and loving.

A few months after Randy’s “Last Lecture”, which you can watch in full on YouTube, a book titled The Last Lecture was published.  While this is not the full account of Randy’s speech, it is an intimate and moving account of Randy’s struggles with creating this “Last Lecture”, his difficulties in coming to terms with his ultimate demise, and what he wants to leave behind for his wife and children.

The Last Lecture brought up every human emotion possible.  I laughed, I cried (a lot!), and found myself recounting my own childhood dreams, my own wishes and hopes, and found a new passion for making sure I live each day to the fullest.

Perhaps the most touching thing about this heartfelt book is that this man, who has done everything from collegiate teaching to working as a Disney Imagineer, truly wanted nothing more than to be with his family.  For his wife, his three young children, his students, family, and friends, The Last Lecture is a beautiful and sorrowful goodbye from a man who doesn’t want to be remembered for the way he died, rather for the way he lived.

NEXT WEEK:  It is a truth universally acknowledged that a young Austen heroine must be in want of a husband…and you are no exception.

That is, until you run out of toilet paper.

Here’s an easy way to keep cords labeled and untangled so they’re easy to find and use.  All you need is a toilet paper roll, some scrapbook paper, and a glue gun.

Cord Storage

Materials:

• Toilet Paper Roll
• Scrapbook paper
• Ribbon
• Glue Gun
• Pen
• Scissors

Instructions:

1.  Gather your materials.

2.  Lay the toilet paper roll on the scrapbook paper, pretty side down, and measure where the paper needs to be cut by making a small mark with your pen on the paper on either side of the toilet paper roll.  Cut the paper and set extra paper aside.

3.  Glue paper to toilet paper roll and add ribbon, if desired.

4.  On the scrap paper you set aside, write what the cord storage will be holding.  In my case, it’s my cell phone charger.  I just used the other side of this scrapbook paper, which was double sided, but you can use whatever you’d like.

5.  Place your cords inside and store away!

I’ve done this for all my chargers now, as well as  my extension cords.  It’s also a great way to use up leftover paper scraps that are too small for anything else.