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    <title><![CDATA[Glam Media Network Blog Posts for - Living]]></title>
    <link>http://www.glam.com/</link>
    <description><![CDATA[Current Glam Media Network Blog Entries for - Living]]></description>
    <language>en-us</language>
    <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:01:07 PDT</pubDate>
    <generator>Glam Media Publishing Engine</generator>
    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Pan-Fried Mahi-Mahi Steaks]]></title>
      <link>http://www.blisstree.com/articles/pan-fried-mahi-mahi-steaks/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[I call this pan-fried mahi-mahi dish with wild rice and sauteed spinach a &#8220;Before The 4th of July&#8221; meal. Meaning, before we binge on hotdogs, burgers, steaks, etc, I decided to cook seafood for tonight&#8217;s dinner. 
The last time I cooked mahi-mahi, I gave in to my Husband&#8217;s request of baking the fish. This time around, I decided to just pan-fry the mahi-mahi steaks. I marinated it in a simple olive oil based marinade first of course. 
Pan-Fried Mahi-Mahi (Image  Dexie Wharton)
INGREDIENTS :
2 mahi-mahi steaks
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of 1 wedge of lime
sprinkle of garlic powder
sprinkle of ginger powder
sprinkle of dried parsley
sprinkle of red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
butter for pan-frying
Combine the olive oil, garlic powder, ginger powder, lime juice, dried parsley, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Which everything together. Pour over the mahi-mahi steaks. Coat each sides of the fish. Marinate for 10-15 minutes or so. 
Melt butter in non-stick pan. Fry the fish, skin side first. About 8-10 minutes on each sides. 
Serve the fish with Uncle Ben&#8217;s Wile Rice and sauteed spinach. 
Post from: Blisstree
Pan-Fried Mahi-Mahi Steaks]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:26:50</pubDate>
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      <title><![CDATA[Beatbox Mixer And MP3 Player for Beatboxing Wannabes]]></title>
      <link>http://www.chipchick.com/2009/07/beatboxing.html</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Beatbox Mixer And MP3 Player is truly one of the funkier iPod/ Mp3 player speaks that we&#8217;ve come across. The system showcases three &#8220;professional&#8221; beat boxers, each with two buttons that you can use to mash along with. The original Beat box sounds have been provided by Doctor BadFunk, whom we actually aren&#8217;t familiar with at all. But this is a fun accessory if you&#8217;re the type that likes to get a little bit more interactive with your music while you listen to it. The Beatbox Mixer retails for just 4.89.
&#8220;Beatboxing is a form of vocal percussion which primarily involves the art of producing drum beats, rhythm, and musical sounds using one&#8217;s mouth, lips, tongue, voice, and more. It may also involve singing, vocal imitation of turntablism, the simulation of horns, strings, and other musical instruments. Beatboxing is connected with hip hop culture although it is not limited to hip hop music.&#8221;]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:35:53</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Chip Chick]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.chipchick.com/</gf:blogUrl>
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      <title><![CDATA[Independence Day Printables]]></title>
      <link>http://www.blisstree.com/articles/independence-day-printables/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[While you are in the kitchen whipping up your world famous potato salad, you don&#8217;t want the kids anywhere near the pool, so you need some quick and easy projects to entertain them while you are putting the finishing touches on your family&#8217;s Independence Day meal. What about some July 4th coloring sheets or some fun worksheets? Here are some of my favorites:
Photo: SXC
Printables4Kids.com has a cute Happy Birthday USA coloring sheet and a variety of related worksheets.
DLTK-Kids.com has a whole stack of Independence Day printables, including Bingo sheets. (By the way, there were a couple of pop up ads.)
Kaboose has a variety of coloring sheets , including an American Eagle sheet that is sure to appeal to older children.
For older children, you may want to check out Kids Holiday Crafts . The 4th of July craft projects look like they&#8217;ll keep kids well entertained for a few minutes!
Post from: Blisstree
Independence Day Printables]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:21:25</pubDate>
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      <title><![CDATA[How to be perfectly green - just like me!]]></title>
      <link>http://www.blisstree.com/articles/how-to-be-perfectly-green-just-like-me/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[So, does the title above sound like a phrase from a Dr. Seuss book or what?! That&#8217;s about all it&#8217;s good for though. If you were looking to be perfectly green for real, you&#8217;ve come to the wrong place. What I&#8217;m here to tell you is that no one is perfectly green. Not the authors of the green living books you read, not the folks handing out green advice at popular green hot spots like Treehugger or Grist (although I love them both), and most certainly not me.

I mention this because every so often I&#8217;ll run into what I call an Green-Nazi. In Humboldt it happened a lot. In Portland it happens less, but it still happens. Green Nazis think they&#8217;re greener than everyone else and criticize you on lots of lame little things. You use a reusable water bottle, live in a small house, use reusable grocery bags, and make all homemade cleaners - it still isn&#8217;t enough for the Green Nazis, they&#8217;ll just whine about the fact that they found one piece of plastic in your fridge or a clothing item in your closet made from conventional cotton. If you have kids it can be even worse because the crunchier than you parents descend in and attack.
To be fair, Green Nazis types are good in a way because they do remind you of what you could be doing to be greener. But on the far bigger cons side, these folks use shame and guilt to make you feel like you should be greener, not education and support. Personally, I hate that these folks turn some people off to green living and make other green-happy people look bad. Lastly, as noted above, the Green Nazis are just plain wrong; they aren&#8217;t perfect. It&#8217;s totally impossible; well, maybe not totally, but in today&#8217;s society, being perfectly green and leaving zero footprints would be a huge feat.
If you&#8217;ve run into folks like this, or if green living is frustrating you because you&#8217;ve made mistakes, take heart and keep on trucking. To make you feel better I&#8217;ve made a list of ten anti-green things I did this week.

I left the coffee pot on overnight: This mistake surprised me because I&#8217;m normally really good about turning stuff off, and even unplugging items when not in use. When I noticed the coffee pot had been left on for about 24 hours, my first thought was HOW not eco-friendly. The second - um, I could have burned the house down (see how my priorities are screwy).
I used toxic Raid to terminate a spider and trust me I will again.
I bought non-organic apples: I HATE doing this. Apples are one of the dirty dozen but the organic apples at the store this week looked like someone ran them down with a semi, so I bought conventional.
I bought non-organic, non-fair trade coffee along with the apples. The organic was too expensive this week where I was.
I bought my son a Lunchable. One, not organic. Two, so much excess packaging it&#8217;s crazy.
I forgot to refill the water bottle in my fridge so I let the water run before filling my glass when I should have just gotten ice.
I drove to the store for just two items. Could I have lived without them - yeah probably.
I threw a toilet paper tube in the trash. I suck with toilet paper tubes.
I ran one load of wash that could have been fuller had I tried.
I bought a toxic car air freshener. Stupid because duh, I know how to make homemade and or non-toxic ones.

Do I feel guilty? Actually yeah somewhat. I usually realize when I make green mistakes and it eats at me a bit. Some mistakes bug me more than others, especially when they affect my son (like the non-organic apples). BUT I don&#8217;t let the mistakes get me too down. I&#8217;m pretty good about green living overall and more importantly I try. If you make mistakes, but try, you can&#8217;t really let yourself get too down about it, or you&#8217;ll get so frustrated that you&#8217;ll give up. Giving up is the worst green choice you can make. Small steps are better than no steps. Tell yourself that the next time you feel bad about a choice you make, avoid the Green Nazis, and trust me, it&#8217;ll all be fine.
Do you ever feel green guilt? How come?
[image via stock.xchng] 

Post from: Blisstree
How to be perfectly green - just like me!]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:06:50</pubDate>
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      <title><![CDATA[Cheating At Work - Cops Caught Kissing]]></title>
      <link>http://www.blisstree.com/articles/cheating-at-work-cops-caught-kissing/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Have you heard about the police chef in Ohio who was caught on video &#8220;canoodling&#8221; with another officer, while in a police cruiser and on the job? And there was a prisoner in the back seat. From what I saw of the video, they don&#8217;t really do much, just kissing, cuddling, but both officers are married. He&#8217;s 57 and she&#8217;s 30.
On the day that the video was taken, June 2, the two officers weredriving back from Cincinnati, where they picked up a burglary suspect, to their town of Perry Township, 50 miles away. In the video, the female officer is seen checking to make sure that the suspect in the back seat was asleep. The dashboard camera&#8217;s red light, that signals that it is active and on, was tampered with, so the officers did not know that they were being taped. An anonymous tip brought the tape to attention.
Have you ever been involved with a co-worker? Either while single or in a relationship? Have you been tempted?
When I was very young (19) I was engaged and my boyfriend wasaway atboot camp. While he was gone, I went down to Southern California to live with my dad for a few months. I worked in a restaurant there and a guy that I worked with seemed to find my engagement a challenge. He worked me day after day, in an attempt to get me to cheat on my fiance, but I never did. One time, after a particularly bad argument with the fiance (we argued a lot an he is now married to someone else - I believe happily and for a long time 18+ years), I thought, hey why not, maybe I should do it just this once. I did not follow through with it, I did not cheat at that time.
People spend a lot of time at work and they form connections with the folks they spend that time with. Sometimes these connections are a distraction and a way to escape the stress or even boredom of Real Life. In the case of my restaurant boy, I was lonely and young, away from my friends at that time, and this boy was very cute. It was tempting, but cheating sucks and I have rarely even come close to doing it.
I&#8217;d like to say that I&#8217;ve never done it, but that would not be completely honest and I&#8217;ve made a habit of being honest withyou readers. Idid make a fewmistakes in the past (way, way, way in the past), but they were not with someone at work (which does mean that it was alright). These days, nothing could be farther from my mind. The boyfriend that I have is all that I can handle.
Being in a committed relationship is like a job in that you have to work at it every day. You have to remind yourself what you are there for and reaffirm your commitment. You have to be a good co-worker or you run the risk of a bad performance review or possible termination - I&#8217;m talking divorce or breakup here, not death.
&#8220;Canoodling.&#8221; Isn&#8217;t that a silly word?
Image credit: Sxc.hu 
Post from: Blisstree
Cheating At Work - Cops Caught Kissing]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:57:31</pubDate>
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      <title><![CDATA[Chicken Parm Pasta Salad]]></title>
      <link>http://www.blisstree.com/articles/chicken-parm-pasta-salad/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[We&#8217;re going to a picnic tomorrow, and one of the things we have to do is bring a &#8220;dish to pass.&#8221;  Since it&#8217;s summer and I know we&#8217;ll be having burgers and brats, I wanted a starch to go along with the rest of our meal, but also something that would be substantial in and of itself.  When I need a recipe like that, I usually pick a pasta salad.

While I normally don&#8217;t like creamy, cold pasta salads, this one from Betty Crocker is delish!  It doesn&#8217;t have that heavy mayo taste, and also isn&#8217;t drenched in salad dressing.  The cooked chicken give it some depth, and the croutons and Parmesan topping make it really unique.  Also very easy to make.
Image:  sxc.hu.
Post from: Blisstree
Chicken Parm Pasta Salad]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:26:44</pubDate>
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      <title><![CDATA[Deals at Crabtree & Evelyn]]></title>
      <link>http://www.splendicity.com/articles/deals-at-crabtree-evelyn/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This week, Crabtree &amp; Evelyn just announced it is one of &#8212; what, thousands? &#8212; of shops to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy within the last few months. I&#8217;ve always preferred their body lotions and soaps to Bath &amp; Body&#8217;s line and found the news sad and disappointing. And then I visited their website and learned how I could pitch in to help keep them afloat, while stocking up on wonderful products.
As you can imagine, there are some major sales cooking at Crabtree, with select items, including solid perfumes and home fragrances, slashed by up to 75 percent off their retail price.
Found Solid Perfume
Some of their body lotions and creams are buy two, get the third one free &#8212; and I&#8217;m delighted to see the Rosewater Triple-Milled Soap with Cold Cream is one.
Rosewater Triple-Milled Soap with Cold Cream
I&#8217;ve tried La Source Mini Revitalising Mineral Muscle Soak and can&#8217;t believe it&#8217;s going for just $5. Infused with peppermint, it soothes your muscles and makes for a perfectly fresh and relaxing summer bath treatment.
La Source Mini Revitalising Mineral Muscle Soak
Act quickly &#8212; these deals may not last!
Images: Crabtree &amp; Evelyn



Share and Enjoy:


	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	


Post from: Splendicity. Check out our new community features! 
Deals at Crabtree &amp; Evelyn
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:28:21</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Spa Beautifully]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.spabeautifully.com/</gf:blogUrl>
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      <title><![CDATA[Enjoy Racing at Arlington Park]]></title>
      <link>http://www.thechicagotraveler.com/enjoy-racing-at-arlington-park/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Have you ever been to see the thoroughbred horses run? It&#8217;s quite a spectacular event. Back before the days of casinos, it was about the only legal way to gamble. Arlington Park is an awesome track. They are gearing up for the Miller Lite Party on July 11th beginning at 2:30pm. It&#8217;sa great reason to sneak away from work early. It&#8217;s Friday, why not
There will be live racing along with simulcast racing and of course, Miller beer. Some local Chicago bands are playing and there will also be blues in the evening by Kevin Purcell and the Nightburners.
Have you learned to play Baggo yet? If so, you are not alone. I haven&#8217;t quite learned it either but there will be games and also some help with instruction.
Photo Credit: Flickr]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:23:43</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[The Chicago Traveler]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.thechicagotraveler.com/</gf:blogUrl>
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      <title><![CDATA[Have a great Fourth of July!]]></title>
      <link>http://joannagoddard.blogspot.com/2009/07/have-great-fourth-of-july.html</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Have a very happy Fourth of July! What are you up to? Alex and I are visiting my parents in Michigan and eating grilled shrimp on the deck. A big kiss to you all, and in the meantime, here are a few great posts from around the web this week...I'm scared of subways, but maybe swings would make them more fun!Socks for your chairs.Fun stationery article in the NYTimes.LOVE the White House flickr stream. So down to earth.Pretty polka-dot dress...and a toilet paper wedding dress!The house that used to be there.Le sigh. I miss Domino.Now you can say "I do" at this Brooklyn bank. Gorgeous.Awesome baby announcements by Mandate Press.Cool-as-hell wedding.Picasso plays with light.Old Hollywood street style makes me swoon.As a huge beard fan, I love this manly hair font.Name tags, but way cooler. A young designer slammed American Airlines for their poor web design, and he did a quick redesign. A seasoned designer at American Airlines wrote back a wonderful letter explaining what happens about big companies. I thought his response was brilliant.Ballet dancing to Michael Jackson. xo]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:30:00</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Cup of Jo]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.joannagoddard.blogspot.com</gf:blogUrl>
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      <title><![CDATA[4th of July from the Garden Recipes]]></title>
      <link>http://www.blisstree.com/articles/4th-of-july-from-the-garden-recipes/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[If you&#8217;re looking for ways to use up your garden bounty this 4th of July check out this round-up of garden fresh, 4th of July minded recipes.

Fresh 4th of July Veggies:
Fourth of July Roasted Tomato Salsa Recipe
Orzo Super Salad
Southwestern Style Potato Salad
Crispy apple coleslaw
Mushrooms, tofu, red onions, lemons (and more) grilled kabobs
Corn on the cob three ways - be brave and just click one - make whichever one you land on&#8230;

Corn on the cob
Corn on the cob
Corn on the cob

Juicy &amp; Fruity:
Savory Apple Onion Tart - not too juicy, I know, but I defaulted the apples into the fruit category over the onions. 

Watermelon stars
4th of July fruit kabobs
Grilled Pears with Currants

Spicy Fish Tacos with Pear Mango Salsa
Watermelon and Tomato Salad
Got fruit trees? Try Grilled Summer Fruit
4th of July Treats:
Ice pops are the best starting point for 4th of July garden treats. For one thing, they&#8217;re icy cold goodness during a hot day, and secondly, you can seriously use almost ANYTHING from the garden to make these. I&#8217;m talking carrots, herbs, tomatoes, berries, and so much more. You can even make plain old ice water pops with tiny edible flowers embedded for some beautiful and refreshingly easy pops. See 32 Unique Homemade Popsicle Recipes &amp; Ideas to get started.
Red, white, and blue summer berry trifle
Lemonade Mousse

Caramel Apple Pie
Ecstatic Organic Rose Vanilla Ice Cream

Little Extras: 
Dilled Cucumbers
Edible flowers galore - put them on cakes, in salads, and more!
Blueberry-Lime Habenero Sauce
Organic herbal sun tea
[image via stock.xchng]
Post from: Blisstree
4th of July from the Garden Recipes]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:26:02</pubDate>
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      <title><![CDATA[Boost Your iPhone Signal with the zBoost-ONE UMTS]]></title>
      <link>http://www.chipchick.com/2009/07/cell_phone_signal_booster.html</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Do you live or work in an area with bad reception? The new zBoost-ONE UMTS has been designed specifically to increase the range of 3G zones. That makes it perfect for smartphone users who have a Blackberry, iPhone or Pre running on UMTS/HSPA (2100MHz) in an area where 3G is week. The device is also the first one piece 3G signal booster - there are no unsightly external aerials required. The zBoost-ONE UMTS is designed to be placed in a window and it will be able to extend a data area for up to 13 square meters.
Designed for consumers and network operators, the zBoost-ONETM UMTS 3G signal booster consists of one base unit with no external aerials and extends 3G Voice and Data Zones for single or multiple users in homes or offices using UMTS/HSPA (2100MHz). Internationally, the high data speeds of UMTS are now most often utilized for Internet access making the zBoost an ideal product for people with smart phones like iPhone, Blackberry and Palm.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:20:30</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Chip Chick]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.chipchick.com/</gf:blogUrl>
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      <title><![CDATA[Health Risks of Speed Eating]]></title>
      <link>http://www.blisstree.com/articles/health-risks-of-speed-eating/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[You may think it&#8217;s fun to watch speed eaters cobble down hotdogs this weekend, but the &#8220;sport&#8221; of competitive eating has some considerable health risks.  While the percent of the speed eating population is not large enough to warrant a scientific study, several former speed eaters are dealing with obesity, clogged arteries, and other gastrointestinal problems.

One competitive eater even found that after a while, his stomach would not register being &#8220;full&#8221; when he ate normally.  This condition, called peristalsis, means that the stomach is not contracting.  Despite the health risks, however, many speed eaters look back on their &#8220;reign&#8221; fondly.  

Image: sxc.hu.
Post from: Blisstree
Health Risks of Speed Eating]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:27:31</pubDate>
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      <title><![CDATA[Which Type of Sunscreen?]]></title>
      <link>http://www.blisstree.com/articles/which-type-of-sunscreen/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[As the sun gets hotter these days, protecting yourself from its grueling rays should be a top priority.  Do you use sunscreen?  Do you know the best type of sunscreen to use?  You should use the highest possible sunscreen number you can.

One source says that you &#8220;get 99 percent sunburn protection with SPF 90, versus 96 percent with SPF 30.&#8221; While a few extra points might not seem like much, they can add up over the years.  Use the highest you possibly can.
Image:  sxc.hu.
Post from: Blisstree
Which Type of Sunscreen?]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:14:25</pubDate>
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      <title><![CDATA[Patriotic White Chocolate Chip Cookies]]></title>
      <link>http://www.blisstree.com/chocolatebytes/patriotic-white-chocolate-chip-cookies/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Chocolate by itself isn&#8217;t always easy to dress-up for holidays, but by combining white chocolate chips with dried fruit you can get a yummy, creative treat for a festive red, white and blue cookie!

Patriotic Red, White and Blue Cookies
adapted from allrecipes.com
2/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cups dried cranberries
3/4 cup dried blueberries
2/3 cup white chocolate chips
 Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
 In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Combine oats, flour, salt, and baking soda; stir into butter mixture one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets.
 Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in preheated oven, or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.
[image: flickr]
Post from: Chocolate Bytes



   
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      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:07:15</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Chocolate Bytes]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://chocolatebytes.com/</gf:blogUrl>
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      <title><![CDATA[Classic 4th of July Berry Cakes]]></title>
      <link>http://www.blisstree.com/articles/classic-4th-of-july-berry-cakes/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[One of my favorite thing about celebrating holidays is the creativity that starts to flow when it comes to cooking, baking and food in general!

For me, one of the best parts about the 4th of July, aside from the fireworks and an excuse to spend the whole day outside with family and friends, are the fun desserts that people are inspired to create and make.
I&#8217;ve always loved the now-classic 4th of July berry cake. I made one years ago for a get-together and have wanted to try again, but I&#8217;m afraid it would go bad before my family had a chance to devour it, and I hate the thought of any of it going to waste!
Anyway, with some strawberries, blueberries and whipped cream, the cake couldn&#8217;t be any easier, and variations of the cake are plentiful! You can easily convert any of the ideas below into cupcakes, and check out the ideas for patriotic cookies, too!
 Flag Cake from scratch
 Easy American Flag Cake
 4th of July Jello cake with red and blue Jello
 4th of July cupcakes from Martha Stewart
 For a cool spin on the standard cake, try a 4th of July ice cream cake
 Red, white and blue flag cake using a box cake mix with pudding
 Step-by-step pictures and instructions for a Flag Cake made using just frosting
 Red, White and Blue cupcakes with colored cake batter and frosting
 American Flag Cookies
 4th of July cookie cutters &#8212; choose from fireworks, a grill, and even an Uncle Sam silhouette!
[image: flickr]
Post from: Blisstree
Classic 4th of July Berry Cakes]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:26:22</pubDate>
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      <title><![CDATA["Real Oilcloth" and How to Make It]]></title>
      <link>http://www.curbly.com/ModHomeEcTeacher/posts/6857-real-oilcloth-and-how-to-make-it</link>
      <description><![CDATA[
Why do they call it "oil"cloth? Probably because the recently advertised "real oilcloth" that is all the rage&nbsp;is made from cotton fabric covered with a petroleum based coating. However, genuine oilcloth, the real thing&nbsp; grandma had on her kitchen table was made from cotton duck, canvas or linen that was


coated several times with linseed oil&nbsp;to give it a waterproof-ish surface. The fabric could be dyed or printed before the linseed treatment.
Genuine oilcloth is biodegradable in a landfill. The falsely advertised "real oilcloth" made from PVC or polyvinyl chloride does not break down in a landfill.&nbsp;
If you need&nbsp; your custom fabric laminated with a PVC coating, here are a number of companies who will do the job for you.
If you'd like to give the real thing a try, here's what you need:
Heavy cotton duck or canvas
Wooden stretcher frame
Staple Gun
Linseed Oil and paintbrush
Oil paint or oil dyes if you want to create your own design
Now here's how you do it:
1, Stretch fabric onto frame for stability and smoothness
2. Create a design by tie dyeing, stamping or painting with oil dyes or paints
3.&nbsp; With long brush strokes, cover entire piece of fabric on the good side, let dry, repeat
4.&nbsp; Add design between coats of linseed oil and keep coating and letting it dry
5. Once it's good and coated, remove from frame, trim edges and use as desired
If you want to make an entirely water resisitant piece, make the item and dip it completely in linseed oil,&nbsp;let dry and repeat.
Oilcloth Upholstery Tip:
When using real or PVC oilcloth, use thicker staples, staple diagonally to the grain of the fabric and use a heavier&nbsp;grade of fabric. Laminated fabric tends to tear like paper if you staple with the grain and using finer staples. 
I've used Custom Laminations on the list of fabric laminators and they have been most satisfactory.
Via
&nbsp;]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:24:39</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Curbly]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.curbly.com</gf:blogUrl>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Save Money on International Calls, Win a Skype Unlimited World Plan Voucher]]></title>
      <link>http://www.chipchick.com/2009/07/cheap_international_calls.html</link>
      <description><![CDATA[If you&#8217;re planning on traveling this summer - especially overseas, brace yourself. Renting a phone, using a hotel&#8217;s phone, or buying prepaid sim cards, all end up being very expensive. Likewise, if you have a loved one who will be traveling, you&#8217;re likely to rack up a big bill on all those long distance calls to them. That is where Skype&#8217;s Unlimited World plan comes in. For $12.95 a month, you can make unlimited calls to landlines in over 40 countries worldwide. Voicemail is also included with the plan. All you&#8217;ll need is an internet connection, and the easy to use Skype software to get up and running. We have Three Unlimited World Plan vouchers to give away - each with a three month plan, plus they each come with a snazzy Freetalk Wireless Stereo Headset. I&#8217;ve been using the Unlimited World Plan to call a friend overseas and the call quality is great. It has also been saving me a nice chunk of change, because I no longer have to use my cell phone to call my pal. And I can keep yacking as long as I want to, without feeling stressed about what my bill is going to be at the end of the month.
Want to win a three-month-long SkypeUnlimited World plan voucher? E-mail us a note about how or why you would use the service to speak to your friends or family internationally. Put &#8220;Skype Contest&#8221; in the subject line.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:08:02</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Chip Chick]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.chipchick.com/</gf:blogUrl>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Meet Chan, Pie and Gnon, the friendly teethers]]></title>
      <link>http://www.babygadget.net/2009/07/meet_chan_pie_and_gnon_the_fri.php</link>
      <description><![CDATA[

Remember Sophie, the teether giraffe? I wonder if these fungal characters will turn out to be like her: a whole lot cheaper on the continent than in the States (read the post I just linked to to see comments explaining how much less that toy costs in France). 

As with Sophie, you might just find that you like them well enough that you just don't care. Who knew you could make a mushroom cute? A quick search for 'Chan, Pie and Gnon' - a working on the French for mushroom, champignon - will find you many retailers, but I saw them first at Ecobaby Gear, where each costs USD $14.00.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:07:59</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[BabyGadget]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.babygadget.net/</gf:blogUrl>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Scratch & Sniff...]]></title>
      <link>http://www.sheerluxe.com/newsletter/scratch-sniff.htm</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Were suckers for the right packaging  we see it and we want it, whether its the cool branding of a an Innocent Smoothie, the cheeky retro boxes of our favourite Benefit buys, a Le Labo fragrance, or a Diptique candle. And let's face it, UK high streets just wouldn't be the same without a Starbucks logo (or three).



Weve got a new brand crush in the form of Green &amp; Spring, a lust worthy new skincare range created by the couple behind super-luxe Cowley Manor and its award winning Spa in the Cotswolds. 



The packaging is as cool and clean as Cowley and the lotions and potions inside - made from herbs, flowers and plants native to the British isles - smell like HEAVEN.

Think expensive spas, ultra chic hotel rooms, and luscious herb gardens in summer... Trust us when we say these fragrances are to die for  if only you could scratch and sniff your computer screen...

Our bathroom staples? Their Relaxing Hand Cream  the perfect concoction of marshmallow, comfrey, lavender and camomile.

And for softer than soft post-sun skin, try the incredibly rich Indulging Body Cream (a serious treat for you or a deserving friend).

Visit www.Liberty.co.uk]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:06:20</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[SheerLuxe]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.sheerluxe.com</gf:blogUrl>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Ed Hardys Black Label Covers Your Phone in 24 Karat Gold Swarovski Accents]]></title>
      <link>http://www.chipchick.com/2009/07/ed_hardy_black_label_iphon.html</link>
      <description><![CDATA[A while back we covered Ed Hardy&#8217;s line of crystal-studded Icing iPhone cases. Now Ed Hardy has a new line of iPhone cases in their Black Label collection, and this collection is aimed at the highend. These cases are also covered in Swarovski crystals, but each design is hand made. Alternatively, you can send in your device and their designers will attach the crystals directly on to your phone (any type of phone), instead of as a case. You get to choose a pattern you like and a designer will then contact you and send you a digital proof for a truly custom piece. The Black Label collection costs $800, and if you want to go all the way - for an extra $250 you can also have them us 24 karat gold dipped Swarovski accents.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:54:51</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Chip Chick]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.chipchick.com/</gf:blogUrl>
    </item>
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