Printerpix

About a month after our wedding in March of 2012, I found an awesome Groupon deal for this photo album website called Printerpix. The deal was for an 8"x8" leather bound 20 page photo book for only $9! It's normally $50! We decided to get two so each of our sets of parents would get one.

Enter stage right: Procrastination.

After hours and hours of looking through my wedding photos to choose which ones would go online and more hours captioning and tagging them, I honestly didn't feel like looking through them for a while! It sounds weird, I know but I was tired of it. I love looking through my wedding photos and relieving the moments but man, there's a point where you just have to take a break.

So here we are, January 31st, about 10 months after we bought the deal and today is the last day before it expires. Ahh! Needless to say, I'm going as fast as I can!

With that being said, I'm done here!

Do you procrastinate? What kind of cool Groupon or LivingSocial deals have you scored?

Till next time,
Catherine

DIY: Glass Etching

First of all, I have got to say that this is my new favorite thing! I want to etch every piece of glassware that we own! 

This is another project that I had been dying to try and finally got around to it! The reason it kept getting postponed was that the Armour Etch isn't exactly cheap. We fortunately found a little kit that only cost about $18 at Michael's. It was over $20 for the individual bottle but they were sold out and the next size up was almost $40 and it was way more than we needed. I think the kit was a good value because it gives you better detailed instructions and tips as well as a paint brush, stencils, and a craft stick. It also came with a small square piece of glass to practice on.  

(via)

Here is my inspiration from, you guessed it, Pinterest. Maybe one of these days I'll be clever enough to make up my own crafts! But doesn't that look awesome? I knew I wanted to etch my last name into a couple dishes, especially our casserole dish so that if I were to ever bring it somewhere, there'd be no question as to which one is ours! 

Let's get going :)

What you'll need:

• Glassware 
• Contact paper or masking tape and your printed design
• Xacto Knife
• Armour Etch
• Junk paint brush
• Preferably rubber gloves

Directions:

Gather your materials. First, if you're using my method, place a layer of masking tape onto the area you want to etch. Sorry there's no picture for this step. 

Now tape down your design on top. 

CAREFULLY cut out the design. You may need to press fairly hard to cut through the layer of paper and tape. Take your time for the best results! The circles were pretty challenging but it got easier as I kept going. 

Peel off both layers. Be sure to leave the masking tape layer for the inside of letters like "O," "A," "R," etc. 

By the magic of the internet, that was fast! 

Pull off the paper layer and inspect your work. Use the Xacto knife to fix any mistakes. 

Now get your handy dandy little kit! 

This is a small bottle but I don't think it's necessary to buy anything bigger unless you plan on etching a LOT of glass! 

Shake the bottle vigorously to mix up the cream. Apply a thick amount onto your stencil. When it's done, you can carefully scrape it back into the bottle if you used a lot. 

Now let it sit for about 5-10 minutes. It really works in a minute but I left it for longer to ensure a good result. 

Carefully wash off the cream and wash and dry as normal. Voila!

 How cool is that! I know it's hard to tell in the pictures but it looks awesome!

I also etched our name into our glass pie dish. 

But it didn't stop there! I even did the only fancy glasses we own! 

So if you look close you can see it's not perfect but really, who's looking that close? I'm super happy with the way they turned out! I love, love, love every piece!!

A couple hints:

• The instructions that came with the kit said that Armour Etch may not work with Pyrex products but it worked fine on ours! 
• Be super careful! This stuff can be very dangerous. Wear rubber gloves or just make sure to not get any on your skin. If you do, be sure to wash it immediately!
• We only found one roll of contact paper at the craft store and it was a massive amount. I knew we would never use that much so we opted for masking tape and paper. It worked fine, though! 
• If you plan to make bigger designs, then I would suggest following the original tutorial here. 
• Only etch the OUTSIDE of glassware that food/lips won't touch!

Have you ever used Armour Etch before? I think doing this to any type of glassware with a couple's last name or initial would be an adorable wedding or housewarming gift...don't you? I'll be keeping my eye out at Goodwill and thrift stores for some great glassware to work with!

Till next time,
Catherine

A:
600 warm up (100 free/50 non-free)
8x50 @ :50 (25 FAST!/25 easy)
2 x [2x50 FAST! @ :45
     100 pull @ 1:45
     4x50 FAST! @ :50
     200 pull @ 3:30
     6x50 FAST! @ :55
     300 pull @ 5:00]
6 minute kick (:30 easy/:20 FAST!)
8x75 @ 1:30 (25 underwater kick/25 non-free/25 free)
200 cool down
*4500 total*

B:
600 warm up (100 free/50 non-free)
6x50 @ :60 (25 FAST!/25 easy)
2x50 FAST! @ :55
100 pull @ 2:00
4x50 FAST! @ :60
200 pull @ 4:00
6x50 FAST! @ 1:05
300 pull @ 6:00
4x50 FAST! @ 1:10
200 pull @ 4:00
2x50 FAST! @ 1:15
100 pull @ 2:00
6 minute kick (:30 easy/:20 FAST!)
6x75 @ 1:45 (25 underwater kick/25 non-free/25 free)
200 cool down
*3600 total*

C:
600 warm up (100 free/50 non-free)
6x50 w/:15 rest (25 FAST!/25 easy)
2x50 FAST! w/:10 rest
100 pull w/:30 rest
4x50 FAST! w/:10 rest
200 pull w/:30 rest
6x50 FAST! w/:10 rest
300 pull w/:30 rest
4 minute kick (:30 easy/:20 FAST!)
200 cool down
*2500 total*

The Chunky Sprint Set

Ryan Woodruff

Follow @WoodruffRyan

LCM

18 x 15 meter sprint @ 2:00

#1 - from a start
#2 - 7.5m in and out of a turn
#3 - from mid-pool into a finish

All start and turn sprints are timed to the head crossing the line. Swim easy between the repeats.
Use this chart to give your athletes goal times for each of these 15m Chunks


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Maya Angelou and New Friends!

The wonderful and wise Maya Angelou spoke tonight at Randolph College in Lynchburg. I'd love to tell you how great she was, but unfortunately I didn't get in!

I met up with a new friend from a book club I just joined and we had a delicious light dinner at Rivermont Pizza before getting in a tremendously long line just before 6pm. Dr. Angelou was scheduled to speak at 7pm. We knew we should arrive early because students and teachers were allowed in first but there were no tickets, just first-come, first-served basis. What we didn't realize was that all of Lynchburg decided to show up!

After waiting for over two hours and meeting up two other ladies from the book club, some police officers came and told everyone that the building was full and we had to leave. Such a bummer! We got as far as her tour bus, but no further. Despite not being able to see Maya Angelou speak, we had a great time hanging out and chatting with other folks in line. It ended up being really fun!

We left Randolph's campus and walked a couple blocks over to Mangia to sit and chat some more with drinks and appetizers. They had the most adorable old man playing classic and ragtime piano the whole evening! One more lady from the book club came by and joined us and shared some things that Ms. Angelou said. She was lucky enough to know a Randolph alumni and was able to get in!

Overall we had a great night, had a little preview book discussion, ate good food, swapped stories and came up with great ideas like a cooking club expanded from the book club.

Did I mention I ran out into the street to try and help catch a loose dog?

Yeah that happened too.

It was a great night and we made some great memories! Can't wait for our first book club meeting on Saturday! We're reading MWF Seeks BFF-My Yearlong Search for a New Best Friend. It's really good!

P.S. This was my 100th post!!!

Have you ever read any of Maya Angelou's work? What's your favorite poem or book?

Till next time,
Catherine

Cameron Diaz Workout and Diet Secret

Cameron Diaz Workout and Diet

What you need to know

Cameron Diaz Workout routine and Diet Plan
Cameron Diaz fitness Secret training
Cameron Diaz Workout for what to expect when you're expecting

Cameron Diaz was born on August 30, 1972 is an American actress. She is most popular for her roles in The Mask, My Best Friend's Wedding and There's Something About Mary, Charlie's Angels, The Holiday, The Green Hornet and Bad Teacher. She received Golden Globe award nominations for her performances in the movies There's Something About Mary, Being John Malkovich, Vanilla Sky, and Gangs of New York. Cameron is 5' 9? in height and having weight about 120 pounds. Her measurements are 34-23-35. Let us look at her fitness training.

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Breaststroke Set Working Race Tempo

Ryan Woodruff

Follow @WoodruffRyan
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SCY

This set is intended to help breaststroke swimmers build and maintain their tempo during a race. We use Finis' Tempo

Cleaning Clogged Drains with Vinegar and Baking Soda

I don't know about you, but the fewer chemicals I have in my house, the better. If I can use a natural cleaner over something harsh like bleach, ammonia, or other conventional cleaners, I will. I had heard that vinegar is great on just about anything to clean. You can read one of my first posts where I cleaned mold off of a door with vinegar here and here! The second link has visuals. In addition to being a great mold killer, vinegar, especially paired with baking soda, works wonders. 

I first heard about using vinegar and baking soda to clean pipes/drains on Pinterest. Of course. One of these days I'll come up with something original! Ha. The link to the original pin site is here. 

So if you're like me, your hair seems to constantly clog the drain in the tub/shower. And if you're not fortunate enough to have a garbage disposal, eventually crumbs and bits of food cause a gross buildup in your kitchen sink. You might be ready to reach for the Drano but wait! There's an easier way! 

I have no idea how much Drano costs, but I'm fairly certain that white vinegar and baking soda is cheaper. And, much safer. 

So read on if you want to effectively, cheaply, and safely clean that nasty, backed up drain! 

All you need is:

• Distilled white vinegar
• Baking soda
• Boiling water
• Lemon juice (Optional: I used it to shine the sink) 

And in no time you'll have a sparkling sink and no more standing water! 

 Ok it may be hard to tell because of the quality of the picture but the left side has been cleaned and the right side is still nasty.

Dump a lot of baking soda into your drain. Fill it up if you want! It's fun to watch the reaction.

Then pour in your vinegar. No precise measurement, just pour until it foams nicely.

 Bubble bubble toil and trouble! That pesky junk in the drain shall be no more!

Let the baking soda/vinegar reaction sit for a minute, up to 15 if you want, then pour in a kettle full of boiling water. This will help flush everything down.

I was so excited to see how fast the water drained after I did this! I'll definitely be doing it on all of our drains, especially the tub! Gross. 

I quickly got motivated to give the sink a good scrub down. I sprinkled baking soda all around the sink then scrubbed with a regular sponge. The mild abrasiveness cleaned it really well. I then poured lemon juice on the sponge and wiped down the sink for a lovely shine. 

It may not seem like much, but it's a big difference, I swear! It's not the nicest sink, but it's what we've got! And that was probably the best it's looked since it was installed. The joys of renting. 

What are some of your favorite cleaning methods? Do you like to go all out with the strongest grade stuff available or do you like to use the not-so-harsh natural versions?

Till next time,
Catherine

A:
500 Choice warm up
8x50 @ :60 (kick hard on wall between intervals)
9x150 pull @ 2:05 (descend 1-3, 4-6, 7-9)
8x50 @ :60 (vertical kick between intervals)
9x100 pull (3 @ 1:25, 3 @ 1:20, 3 @ 1:15)
8x50 @ :50 (IM Switch)
300 cool down (50 kick/100 swim, repeat)
*4200 Total*

B:
500 Choice warm up
6x50 @ 1:10 (kick hard on wall between intervals)
6x150 pull @ 2:40 (descend 1-3, 4-6)
6x50 @ 1:10 (vertical kick between intervals)
6x100 pull (3 @ 1:50, 3 @ 1:40)
6x50 @ :60 (non-free/free by 25)
300 cool down (50 kick/100 swim, repeat)
*3200 Total*

C:
400 Choice warm up
6x50 w/fins w/:10 rest (25 kick/25 swim)
6x150 pull w/:20 rest (descend 1-3, 4-6)
6x50 w/fins w/:10 rest (25 kick/25 swim)
6x50 pull w/:15 rest (2 FAST!, 1 easy)
200 cool down
*2400 Total*

Kale White Bean Soup

All of these cold days have had me on a roll with my Crockpot, and this savory soup was the perfect healthy "warm-up" I needed! It was SO simple to make and tastes great as leftovers- I always mention this because I am always cooking for just myself, so it is important to me that it freezes well and still tastes great :)

warm, simple, yummy

Ingredients:

3 14-ounce cans Vegetable Broth

1 15-ounce can Tomato Puree

1 15-ounce can Small White Beans: drain & rinse

1/2 cup uncooked brown rice

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 t. dried basil

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

2 garlic cloves, chopped

8 cups coarsely chopped fresh Kale or Spinach leaves

Parmesan Cheese- finely shredded

mmmm garlic :)

My Alterations: I couldn't find cans of vegetable broth, so I used 1 1/2 boxes of it (I aimed for the 42oz total). You can also substitute Great Northern Beans with the Small White Beans if that is what you have in your cabinet! I did not use Parm Cheese to top it. Lastly, I substituted the Brown Rice with Quinoa that was already cooked... not sure if this messed up the recipe, but I thought it tasted fine! I've been on a Quinoa kick (yay protein) and had no brown rice on hand :)

mmmm onion :)

Directions:
1. In a 4-Quart slow cooker, combine the vegetable borth, tomato puree, beans, rice, onion, basil, salt, pepper, and garlic.
2. Cover, cook on low-heat setting for 5-7 hours OR high-heat setting for 2 1/2- 3 1/2 hours.
3. Just before serving, stir in the kale or spinach and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese

kale= SO good for you!

Clearly, this soup was SO simple to make. I started it at 3 in the afternoon and enjoyed it at 630/7pm, it worked so well. Initially (before adding the kale) I thought the soup looked SO boring and empty, which I thought could be from my cooked-quinoa substitute (maybe the rice was supposed to soak up some of the broth?). After adding the kale, it looked much prettier!

Nutrition Per Serving (6 servings): 150 calories, 9g protein (more with quinoa), 31g carbs, 3g fat (with parm), 8g fiber

Kale's benefits are plentiful! First of all, it is packed with fiber which helps to keep you feel "fuller for longer". 5 grams are in ONE cup... there are 8 cups in here. Don't forget to drink lots of water when you consume fiber (otherwise it will have opposite effects and "bind" you up...) It is super beneficial for your immune system (fight that flu!) with its Vitamins A & C! It even prevents wrinkles, helps your skin, hair, and nails, AND helps keep your vision and bones strong. Plus, it doesn't really taste like anything, especially when combined in soup. So why wouldn't you eat it?

I hope you enjoy!

Morgan

IM Set with Lucas Ferreira of Gwinnett Aquatics

Lucas Ferreira

Gwinnett Aquatics


SCM



I
thought I had seen a set just like this or at least very similar when I
came up with this set, but looking over the site I couldn't find it, so
here it goes:



We
did this with our top middle schoolers (11-14). We swim SCM, and
intervals listed are for our top group. The set was adapted all the way
down to 6 different intervals and distances (

Week in Review

60 Miles
12 Mile Long Run
8k Race in 29:32
7 runs
1 Lift session
1 Deep Stretch Class
1 Mobility Class

I hadn't planned on racing the CRC 8k, but after the gun went off and my legs felt good, I decided to.  I had contemplated running with Anna and holding hands as we crossed the finish line, but my competitive spirit got the best of me and I decided to take advantage of this situation to test my fitness.  I went through the first mile with Ben Hovis' high school star, Emma, on my right shoulder.  We came through in a relaxed 6:01.  I didn't want to run over 30:00 for this race, so I set my sights on the guys in the club that I normally beat and tried to catch them.  Mile 2: 5:57.  By the 2.5 mile marker, I had caught Matt Rich and John Fillette.  Up until that point, I had several men to set as targets to reach, but after that, it was somewhat lonely.  There was a pack of guys about 200m in front of me, so I kept driving my pace to pass them.  Mile 3:  5:54, Mile 4: 5:55.  I passed all the people who were within a reasonable distance of me and continued to pass more in the last mile.  I felt relaxed until the fifth mile and began to feel fatigued before crossing the finish line in 29:32.

While I would have liked this effort to feel a little bit easier than it actually did, I am quite happy with where my fitness stands right now.  Over the past three months, I've averaged under 40 miles a week and haven't done any real workouts.  This race effort only puts me 83 seconds from my 8k PR, which I hope to break this year.

Additionally, I was able to hit 60 miles and still put in a decent race effort.  I plan to stick between 60-70 miles for the next couple of months so that I can stay healthy and avoid overtraining.  I may perhaps do a Fall marathon, but we'll see how this spring training segment goes before making any decisions.

My Heaven= Protein Shakes

If you follow me on Instagram (morganberg14) you would have seen my brief post about how OBSESSED I am with my protein shakes. My new �creation� has gotten me even more excited about them, so I figured I�d share my secret. (Isn�t my life insanely exciting? Haha)

pure bliss

As you know, I totally love Muscle Milk. I was so afraid to try it at first (about a year ago) because I didn�t want to �bulk up.� Last year, I only knew guys that drank Muscle Milk, but boyyy has that changed this year! All of my pageant friends drink Muscle Milk, hence how I was persuaded into trying it. Let me tell you: this was life changing. My tastebuds have never been happier. After a year of enjoying it after workouts, I am clearly not �bulky� and still have tons of toning to do! Therefore, do not be afraid as I was!

fav flav!

Typically, I toss around 3/4c. water, 5 ice cubes, and 1 scoop of Muscle Milk into the blender. It isn�t chalky at all, and was my version of �dessert� every day. It honestly tastes like a milkshake! I order mine from GNC.com for around $28 per jug- with 35 scoops in each jug, I'd say this is a great deal (cheaper than a daily Chobani or protein bar!)

But now�. It tastes even more heavenly. My friend Steph suggested tossing in a half frozen banana into it. I thought this sounded weird at first, but it is so delicious! It makes it creamy, and Dairy-Queen-Milkshake-style. Usually, I put the first half of my �daily-banana� into my unsweetened oatmeal for breakfast, and the other half goes sliced-up into the freezer for my post-workout protein shake!

thick, milkshake, protein, heaven

 You can definitely switch up these ingredients (I experiment every day) but this will surely satisfy your tastebuds... and sweet tooth!

2/3c. Unsweetened Almond Milk 

1/2 Frozen Banana

1 serving Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt

1 scoop Muscle Milk

1 T. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

2 Ice Cubes

I added in the cocoa powder because I have been craving chocolate and love a banana-chocolate combo. Plus, it only adds 10 calories and 0 grams of sugar. HECK YES. Throw it all in the blender with the ice cubes and frozen banana on the bottom, and add more or less almond milk as needed (depending how thick you like it). If it isn�t sweet enough for you, try adding � t. Truvia for an actual sweetener with no calories (NO SPLENDA). This has been the only way I�ve found I can tolerate the plain non-fat greek yogurt. Mixing it with the banana and Muscle Milk definitely covered up the taste of the bitter plain greek yogurt� yet it added 17g of PROTEIN! Yay!

I have been using the graham cracker muscle milk, but you truly can use any flavor! You could add some all-natural peanut butter, cinnamon, or try it without the cocoa powder. Mix it up! Today I didn�t have any greek yogurt, so I just did the Muscle Milk, Almond Milk, Banana, and Ice Cubes. It worked fine without yogurt!

 340 calories, 8g fat, 33g carbs, 16g sugar, 36g protein

Have fun, and get ready to enter Heaven on Earth!

Morgan

YEC East

No time to write...so late! We had a great first day of YEC despite 2-3" of snow here in Virginia Beach!

YEC was wonderful. I love waking up to a beautiful beach sunrise every year.

Till next time,
Catherine

**Long Course Meters**

A:
200 swim/200 pull/200 kick/200 swim
6x50 @ :60 (descend stroke count 1-6)
4x300 @ 5:30 (50 kick/100 swim, repeat)
4 x [50 pull @ :60
     100 pull @ 1:30
     150 pull @ 2:15]
6x150 @ 2:45 (50 free/50 non-free/50 free)
*4400 Total*

B:
200 swim/200 pull/200 kick/200 swim
6x50 @ 1:10 (descend stroke count 1-6)
3x300 @ 6:45 (50 kick/100 swim, repeat)
3 x [50 pull @ :60
     100 pull @ 2:00
     150 pull @ 3:00]
4x150 3:30 (50 free/50 non-free/50 free)
*3500 Total*

C:
200 swim/200 pull/200 kick
6x50 w/:10 rest (descend stroke count 1-6)
2x300 w/:20 rest (50 kick/100 swim, repeat)
2 x [50 pull w/:10 rest
     100 pull w/:10 rest
     150 pull w/:10 rest]
2x150 3:30 (50 free/50 non-free/50 free)
*2400 Total*

Halle Berry Workout and Diet Secret

Halle Berry Workout and Diet

What You need to know

Halle Berry Workout routine and Diet Plan
Halle Berry fitness Secret training exercise
Halle Berry Workout catwoman shape

Halle Berry workout and diet. Halle Berry was born on August 14, 1966 is an American actress. She is best known for her roles in The Flintstones, Bulworth, X-Men, Die Another Day and Cloud Atlas. She also won the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress for her role in Catwoman. She with the help form her trainer Harley Pasternak used the 5 factor fitness plan to get into Catwoman like shape. She follows the 3-2-1 Health and Fitness Training Method, which add in of cardio workout, exercises, and core work. Halle is 5' 6? in height and having weight about 52 kg (115 lbs). Her measurements are 36-26-37. Let us look at her fitness

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YEC East Weekend

Well, my husband and I are in Richmond safe and sound! We're staying with my parents tonight then they are dog sitting for us while we head to Virginia Beach early in the morning for the second YEC!

We love going to VA Beach for YEC even if it is in the winter. We get up early in the day and we get to see the most beautiful sunrises from our hotel. I hope to have some great photos to share soon! Lets just hope the snow that's on it's way doesn't keep any students from coming to YEC!

Till next time,
Catherine

DIY: Make Your Own Vanilla Extract!

Vanilla is a delightful flavor that most of us probably use quite often in the kitchen. If you buy the real stuff, it can be expensive! I've recently learned that it can be made fairly inexpensively. All you need is a couple vanilla beans and some vodka! 

My husband and I really don't drink (if anything, a small glass of wine with family) so buying a whole bottle of vodka just seemed silly. I told my mom about making vanilla and she offered some of hers. That being said, she helped drop the cost of this project for me! The cost of vanilla beans can seem high, but if you're making vanilla, it seems to even out. I paid almost $7 for two vanilla beans at my local Food Lion but you can probably find them online at a wholesale price. 

I first found this nifty DIY on A Beautiful Mess. These girls gave a quick tutorial here. She reused a maple syrup bottle which I think looks adorable! I have real maple syrup in a similar bottle that I wanted to use but it wasn't empty when I wanted to try this! Maybe next time. 

Gather your supplies! 

• Vodka
• Vanilla Bean(s)
• Bottle or jar
• Liquid measuring cup
• Scissors
• A funnel can be helpful

All Natural Madagascar Vanilla Beans

I love this little bottle with a cork stopper. It originally had bread dipping oil in it that my aunt had given to my mom as a gift. I've recently developed a borderline obsession with saving jars and bottles so I made sure she saved it for me! 

Directions:

Cut the beans down the middle long-ways. Some sites have recommended scraping the beans out from the inside. If you do that, you'll need to filter your extract before using it in a recipe to keep the beans out. But then again, it probably doesn't make a difference.

Two beans cut length-ways will give you, obviously, four strips. 

Now measure out your vodka. You will need 4oz for every vanilla bean. (Psst, 8oz=1 cup). I had two beans so I poured a whole cup.

This is where the funnel comes in handy. Shove the beans into the bottle and then pour in the vodka. And this is where I warn you to measure how much your bottle/jar can hold beforehand! My bottle held just under a whole cup. It was maybe 1/10th of a cup too much or some absurdly small amount. I doubt it will effect the extract. I've actually read that you can continue to add vodka as you use the vanilla and it will continue to "brew" more extract. It was also advised on one site to keep the liquid line above the beans so they don't dry out. 

And now, we wait! This picture was taken as soon as I finished. It only took about an hour to begin showing color but it will take about a month before you should start using it. I've got a little bit of store bought extract left so by the time I use that up, I'm sure the homemade stuff will be ready. 

This was taken about 2-3 weeks later.

This is after more than a month. It's dark amber and ready to use! I don't bake a whole lot (trying to keep sweets out of the house!) so I haven't used it yet but I'll try and whip something up soon to tell you all how it was!

Tips: 

• The brand of vodka isn't very important. It's said that you can basically just get the cheapest one because you're not going to be drinking it so the quality doesn't matter. The alcohol is the necessity. 
• It will take at least a month before you can use the extract. It takes time for it to age. 6 months is best from what I've read. It can last indefinitely but the beans should probably be cut to shorter lengths so that the liquid does not drop below the tops of the beans.
• "I don't want to put vodka in my cupcakes!!" ....is what you might be thinking. Don't worry! The alcohol will burn off when you cook whatever treat you're making! Not to mention, the amount of vanilla usually used in a recipe is fairly small in comparison. 
• Making lots of bottles of vanilla extract would make great gifts! Just keep in mind you'll need to make them at least a month in advance!
• According to BlogHer, vanilla may be in short supply very soon! So, stock up! 
• Some helpful websites: Vanilla Review and Amadeus Vanilla Beans. 

Do you always buy real vanilla extract or do you go with imitation? Can you tell if there's a difference?

Till next time,

Catherine