Recommended Reading - Twilight Saga

With the August 2nd release of Breaking Dawn rapidly approaching, this is a great time for anyone unfamiliar with Stephanie Meyer's Twilight Saga to jump on board. Breaking Dawn will be the final installment in the series (Midnight Sun, an alternate version of Twilight, not withstanding), so those who start now won't have to endure the terrible wait the rest of us have suffered!

The twilight saga is, at it's heart, a story of love overcoming all obstacles. Categorized as YA because of its high school setting and mild rating, Twilight follows a young woman's journey through the heady, murky mess that is created when your First Love and your True Love are one in the same. Oh, yeah, and there's one other complication -

"About three things I was absolutely positive.
First, Edward was a vampire.
Second, there was a part of him -
and I didn't know how dominant that part might be -
that thirsted for my blood.
And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him."

Curious yet? You should be - the Twilight Saga manages to take every stereotype associated with YA romance and vampire stories, trash them, and set up in their place a gorgeous tale of what it means to love, what makes life worth living, and what things are worth sacrificing everything for. This is a must read for anyone remotely interested in 'clean' romance and fantasy novels.

Budgeting wth Mint

I have never understood why so many debt reduction and budgeting tools cost an arm and a leg. Think about it - if we need the service, then how on earth are we going to be able to spend hundreds of dollars on it?

That's the main reason why I've fallen in love with Mint.com. Mint is an entirely free service which links your bank, savings, and credit accounts, tracks your purchases, helps you keep up with your budget, and even compares your current interest rates and account types with other offers out there, so you can find better deals.

Mint also has a blog called Mint.edu which provides articles on a wide variety of financial issues. No matter how seasoned you are in the realm of things financial, there's bound to be something to interest you there.

The only downside to Mint is that not all banks are supported yet. Smaller banks and those with very advanced security features may not be on the list, so you'll want to check to make sure your institution is supported. As of right now, my bank isn't - but the Mint help section says that Mint is constantly working to expand their network, and has a request form where you can submit your institution's info and offer to beta test.

Even without being able to attach your bank, Mint can be useful - my savings account and credit cards all linked without problem, and the tracking features are wonderful. Take a minute to check the website out; I doubt you'll be disappointed!

Double Feature: Pulled Pork

When I first married and moved out on my own, I faced a real problem in the kitchen. While I knew how to cook, I came from a family which cooked for four with leftovers. We bought in bulk as a way to stretch the almighty dollar, and cooked in huge quantities. Even using leftovers for lunches the next day, DH and I were wasting a lot of food each week.

So, to cut out the waste, I started turning as many meals as I could into double features: meals in which the main ingredient would star again another night that week, in addition to our standard leftover lunches.

I try to include at least one 'Double Feature' in our menu each week...it really helps to stretch the food budget. Sound like something you might like to try yourself? Here's a couple of killer recipes featuring pulled pork.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork sandwiches


3~4 pound pork shoulder (split a larger cut and freeze the extra, if needed)
~1/2 cup of liquid smoke
1/2 tbs. pepper
1/2 tbs. salt
1 tbs. garlic powder
1 tbs. paprika
1/2 tbs. dry mustard powder
1/2 tbs. onion powder

*Mix all of the dry seasonings in a small bowl or plastic container; set aside.

*Rub liquid smoke into the pork shoulder; use your personal tastes as a guide to amount. Sprinkle with the dry seasoning, rubbing it in as you go.

*Wrap the shoulder in plastic wrap, then place on a cookie sheet in the fridge overnight.

*Unwrap the pork and place it in the slow cooker on high for about 5 hours. Cut the heat and let the meat rest for at least 10 minutes before shredding. The pork should fall apart easily using two forks.

*serve on rolls or buns with your favorite toppings (I like bbq sauce and miracle whip); refrigerate leftovers.



Quick and Meaty Twice-Baked Potatoes

Leftover pulled pork
baking potatoes (1 large or 2 small for each person)
butter, shredded cheese, and sour cream to your tastes
salt and pepper
garlic powder

Scrub potatoes, pat dry with a paper towel, and poke several times with a fork. Microwave using the potato or vegetable setting on your unit (about 8~12 minutes for 4 small potatoes).

Remove the potatoes and let them cool for a few minutes, until they're easy to handle. Meanwhile, set the oven to broil and heat the pork in the microwave just enough to take the chill off.

Cut each potato in half lengthwise, and carefully scoop out the center. It helps to leave a tiny bit of meat attached, as it keeps the skins intact.

Roughly mash the potatoes with butter, cheese, and sour cream. Mix in the pork, and season with salt, pepper, and garlic to taste.

Spoon the mixture back into the shells, then top with additional cheese. Broil for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and slightly browned.

Serve with steamed veggies, and enjoy!


With two of us in the house, these two recipes provide dinner two nights AND nearly a week's worth of lunches. If you have any variations or suggestions, please leave them in the comments below; I'd love to hear them!

Why Was Crafty Little Things Created?

I knew in December of 2006, when I accepted my boyfriend's proposal, that I was taking the road less traveled. In American culture, marriage isn't something that many people consider until their mid to late 20s, and more and more people are waiting even longer than that. A young couple marrying at the tender age of 20 often carries a social stigma, and I knew that we would receive no end of funny looks and speculation until the requisite time had passed to prove that there was no pregnancy involved in our decision.

Despite what many probably assumed, I didn't enter into marriage with any (okay, I'll be honest - many) delusions of perfect bliss in my mind. I knew it would be hard, and that nothing would be perfect (I fantasized about turning into Martha Stewart over night, but don't all new brides?). Still, throughout it all, I held on to one hope - that once I was married, I would be accepted into the world of the wives. I daydreamed about finding a mentor to take me under her wing. I pictured myself trading stories and tips with the other ladies in our "young couples" class (of which all of the female members are at least 10 years my senior), and playing Bunco at the bi-monthly ladies' nights.

By the time I had been married for a month, I learned that everyone who expressed concern over my marriage was right about one thing: my unreasonable expectations led to disappointment.

Oh, everything in my married life had been going about as I expected it to. My new husband and I experienced all of the ups and downs that newlyweds will, and came out on the other side stronger and more happy to be married to each other. I didn't turn in to Martha Stewart, but some little part of me had realized how ridiculous a notion that was, anyway. The real disappointment came when I realized that the cool distance the ladies at work and church kept was not going to go away. Shoulders still angled to block me out of those conversations I had longed to join, and my Bunco invitations kept getting lost in the mail. My bubble popped, I quietly bowed out of the running and set about trying to figure out all of this stuff on my own.

And boy was there a lot to figure out! I've spent the last year of my life finding the best detergent for my money, how to solve minor household emergencies, how to manage finances now that there are TWO people spending out of the account, how to use a sewing machine (still working on that one), how to cold call companies and read contracts for things like phone and internet service, how to file joint taxes, how to cook for just two people (and what to do with leftovers!), and how to keep a livable home and a happy husband without losing my sanity. Oh, and much, much more, besides.

Still, I consider myself to be one of the lucky ones. My mother is a very thrifty, very creative woman, and she taught me a lot in the 20 years I lived with her. I came in to marriage equipped with cooking, crafting, and penny-stretching skills which made life much easier than it could have been. I can't even imagine how someone without that background could have faired.

And all of this brings us to Crafty Little Things, and the reason for its creation. I know that I'm not the only one out there. Whatever the circumstances behind the decision, many young women just like me will find themselves walking down the aisle, with no woman to turn to for advice on the other side. What's more, in our disjointed society, that close relationship is often unavailable even to those who marry at a more "reasonable" age. So on these pages I've endeavored to put a little bit of everything that I've learned in the past year, and that I continue to learn as I go along. I don't even begin to claim expert status - I'm still a newlywed. But I survived my first year, and that's an accomplishment I'm rather proud of. If anything here proves useful to you, then I've done my job. Best of luck to you in your own home, and happy browsing!

~Lily