Andy's Idea Factory

As the light begins to extend as we approach Spring Equinox (happy spring!), our bodies want to wake up earlier and stay up later, whether our schedules or minds want them to or not! I'll be the first one to admit that I'm not a morning person, but every photographer will attest that there's something magic about the "magic hours." The "magic hours" are the times around sunrise and sunset where the light is simply magical. It catches the ridgelines and mountainsides turning them to rose, it glistens off water and reflects off the clouds, but while it's magical for some subjects, it's also not good for some. For instance, faces become back-cast, shaded, glared, or blown out, but silhouettes are gorgeous during the magic hour. Action shots are blurred out of focus and again dark or blown out, but the animals are always out at the magic hour, especially in spring. And the spring season adds to the magic hour because the light is still softer due...

March 27, 8:30pm, Your Time Coming up on March 27th is the 3th annual Earth Hour, when individuals, families, businesses, organizations, corporations and governments around the world will come together to make a bold statement about their concern for climate change by doing something quite simple—turning off their lights for one hour. Earth Hour began as an effort led by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to raise awareness about climate change and show leaders that we are looking for solutions. In 2007, 2.2 million people took part in the world's first Earth Hour in Sydney Australia. Just one year later, 50 million people in 370 cities and towns, in more than 35 countries worldwide switched off their lights for Earth Hour. Earth Hour 2010 aims to reach more than one billion people in 1000 cities around the world, sending a clear message that we care about this issue and want to turn the lights out on dirty air, dangerous dependency on foreign oil and costly climate change impacts, and ma...

I promise to take a few weeks off from cooking-talk after this one, so as to not cram my gluten free life down your necks... but these two recipes were made in the K-house last night, and are just too darn good not to share! Although these recipes are both a little more labor-intensive than I normally go for, they're WELL worth the extra work/time. Steps: Start the cookie dough the night before, letting it soak up all the flavors through the night. Start your enchiladas the next morning, making your house smell amazing all day. Bake the cookies while you're eating (they take longer than most cookies). This is a great meal to make for a very busy-day schedule, come home to a 2-minute dinner and dessert! Recipe #1: Slow Cooker Chicken Enchiladas (adapted from Prevention recipe) INGREDIENTS: 1 pound(s) boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders 2 Tablespoons chicken broth 1/2 cup finely chopped onion 2 cloves minced garlic 1 can of Rotel tomatoes and jalepenos mix 1 cup whole ...

After way too many comments at the Superbowl party I have decided to post the well-received Gluten Free Cornbread recipe I found. It's loaded in sugar and I when I asked if I should cut that down when I made it again, the troops screamed in opposition. Apparently that must be what makes it so good! I must give credit to CookinOnThePrairie for the original, but the recipe actually called for sugar substitute like Splenda. I don't use chemicals either, so I've adjusted it a little to compensate. Also see my additions if you don't have the G-Free special ingredients. . . This went great with both the Mexican Chili and Buffalo Chili we had for the Superbowl, sure wish there were leftovers!! Ingredients 1/2 cup rice flour 1/4 cup tapioca flour *(sub rice or other gfree flour mix like Arrowhead OK) 1/4 cup potato starch *(sub corn starch OK) 1 cup cornmeal 2/3 cup sugar 3/4 cup light olive oil 2 eggs 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 t...

Self helping yourself is a January tradition; as far back as I can remember at least, we've been making new years resolutions... with hopes to learn something new, live a healthier life, or clear something out. We diet, start jogging, quit smoking, learn a new language, listen to gurus, and we change; or we try to. All in one month. When February comes have we stuck with our new? Have we stayed away from our old? That's the hard part. We have such good intentions, and that's the easy part. Here are my top 10 favorite ways that I Self Help mySelf! Happy New Year everyone, may it be a bright, powerful, self-helping year for all! 1. Intention. As I said, that's the easy part. But by consciously intending your wishes, they really do come true. The key there, and everywhere, is consciousness, mindfulness. Without it we forget the keys on our way to the car, we trip over our own feet, and we simply don't connect to the source that guides us, so we stumble along with...

Posting this one earlier than Weds for all you procrastinators :) DIY Gifts, Kits , and Baskets you can make with stuff from around your house in less than an hour if you receive from a stranger, forgot to shop for a last minute party, or procrastinate without savings! After a visit to the dollar store in late November, I've usually stocked up on little dishware sets, colored glass bottles and jars, candles, and other inexpensive items that can be used as last minute gifts for the holidays, hostesses at parties, and housewarmings. Then when I'm in a pinch, I'm able to throw together some stuff that's always around the house. While you may not have pre-planned like this, some of these things will be around your house, too, I bet! Kits: Putt herbs and garlic in a small bottle, filling with olive oil and pairing with four olive dishes. Fill small cello bags with herbs from the garden like peppermint, chamomile, and sage and pairing with a small tea set or just one tea ...

Chocolate Lavender Bathtub Cookies This year one of my new gifts is a chocolate bath cookie that my dear friend Heather at Aroma Pharmica posted last year, and was reposted on one of my BlogHer peers, Mom Most Traveled . Talk about making the bathtub a heaven on earth, this cookies are almost good enough to eat! Chocolate Lavender Bathtub Cookies 2 oz. Cocoa Butter 2 oz. Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 cup Oatmeal, Fine 1/4 cup Whole Milk Powder 1/4 cup Hot Chocolate Mix 3/4 cup Epsom Salt 1 cup Cornstarch 1 cup Baking Soda 1/2 cup Citric Acid 1 tsp. Lavender Essential Oil Directions Warm the cocoa butter and olive oil in a hot water bath until completely melted. Remove the Cocoa Butter and Oil from the heat, allowing it to cool slightly, but not to harden. Next, line a small baking sheet with waxed paper and set it to the side. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the Oatmeal, Whole Milk Powder, Hot Chocolate Mix, Cornstarch, and Epsom Salt. Stir the ingredients well, making...