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Lately my mind has drifted to thoughts of peaches — as a snack or incorporated into a meal. So, when I received CookingLight in the mail and saw they had a recipe for pepper jack, chicken and peach quesadillas, I just had to try them. The prep time was only 30 minutes and the meal was delicious. For the recipe, click here.
The weather is warming and Mother Nature is revealing her colors in the trees, the fields and the flowers. Wanting to spruce up a drab entryway to reflect the colors and newness of all that is going on around me, I began searching for ways to enliven my front porch.
First, I chose a color palette — teal and red, which would make a bold statement against the light gray brick. After finding a teal ceramic bird that was the perfect color I’d envisioned for the porch, I added two teal-and-brown-striped pillows and one red to tie in with the front door.
To welcome guests, I added a fun doormat with colorful flowers. Three tiered tables add interest to the decor by allowing the plants and accessories to sit at various heights, and a solar powered lantern emits a warm glow at night.
Finally, I purchased a mixture of red and teal pots, choosing teal for the larger ones and red for the smaller as to not compete with the red front door. Nothing revives a space like live plants; I selected geraniums, petunias, a Japanese painted fern, ivy and a colorblaze kingswood torch, and voila — project complete.
If you’re anything like me, finding the right key at the right time is an ongoing hassle. I often find myself standing at the door in a balancing act of grocery bags, purse and other miscellaneous items I’m hauling in from my vehicle. Getting in the door quickly is a victory in itself.
Featured in Real Simple, these customizable keys from www.statkeycompany.com just may offer the perfect solution for this daily challenge. Now all you have to do is decide which design best fits your personality.
Danielle Davis captures the essence of a person with the click of a button, creating photography that radiates color and emotion.
“I am always inspired by my clients personalities. I want their uniqueness to shine,” Davis said. “This sounds like a cliché thing for a photographer to say, but it is very true.”
“If they are mellow then their pictures should be mellow. If they are loud and outgoing then their pictures should reflect that,” she added. “If I leave a shoot having captured their uniqueness then I feel accomplished.”
Davis has an inherent interest in composition and design and fine-tuned her skills in college as she earned her bachelor’s in fine arts from Arkansas Tech University. After college, she pursued a variety of creative avenues from painting to acting, eventually settling in Little Rock to raise a family. It wasn’t until a few years ago that she began contemplating a photography business.
With the help of her husband of 11 years and Facebook, Davis has received an overwhelmingly positive response to her photography, while also discovering that her business provides both the creativity she enjoys and the flexibility she needs as a mother of young children.
“Lets face it, it is the best job in the world to have as a stay-at-home mother of three,” she said. “I shoot on the weekends and edit during nap time and bed time.”
Q: How did you become interested in photography?
A: I have always had an interest in composition and design whether it was on a canvas, in a room or behind the lens. It is hard for me to concentrate if I am somewhere where the composition or design is not harmonious — call it ADD, ADHD, I don’t know, but it is quite distracting. When I discovered the capabilities for design, composition, color, etc. in the pro DSLRs and modern editing softwares, I was hooked.
Q: Tell me about your journey. How did you get to the point of starting your own business?
A: I never planned to start my own business. I never thought two years ago that I would be booking photo sessions nine months in advance; it’s weird. I met a mom-friend in a bible study a few years ago, Gretchen Davis. She is an amazing photographer; I always thought what she was doing was really cool. I thought she was brave to put herself out there. It is hard to do that. One day, a light bulb went off. I said, “I need to do a weekend of back-to-back friend photo sessions, rent a few lenses, and edit like crazy” then post them on Facebook and see what happens. I have been booked every weekend since, CRAZY! Thank you Facebook and my IT husband who is a genius!
Q: How do you balance work and family?
A: I don’t; I’m going insane really.
Q: What technique do you use in your photography?
A: I love using natural light, so the more I learn about lighting the more I can manipulate the mood of the shoot. With kids, [I use] lots of candy and toys. Bribery always works with the wee ones. With adults, I use good old conversation. I am easily a conversation hog, especially when I am nervous, but I have found the more I let someone talk about themselves the smoother the shoot goes.
Q: How do you make the people you are photographing feel comfortable?
A: Lots of compliments! I don’t want them to feel in anyway that I am comparing their shoot to the last client’s shoot. I was an actress during my pre-kid life, and I remember being more comfortable with more direction and knowing what the directors expectations were. So I try to communicate this to my clients.
Q: How/where do you find your creative inspiration?
A: I have a few mentors that I am always challenged and inspired by; I mentioned Gretchen earlier, also Ben Moody Sr. of Ben Moody Photography.
Q: What makes your photos unique?
A: I’m not quite sure. The more I view other photographers, the more I realize that there is always someone out there doing some semblance of the same thing. It’s frustrating to think that I am unique and find out shortly that I am not the only one with these color choices, shoot locations, camera techniques. I mean, I’m definitely not reinventing the wheel here. All I can do is strive to produce images that I am proud of and hope that it speaks to my clients and their emotions.
Q: How do you think your degree in fine arts helps in your photography?
A: Oh my, it was crucial. I mean, my whole life I have had an awareness of design, but college really developed my awareness for color choices, composition, depth of field, contrast … and the list goes on. I have had a few people say, “Oh wow, you have developed into a professional photographer over night.” This isn’t true. I built a business over night, but I have been building portions of my craft for over a decade: Four-and-a-half years in college, five years worth of commissioned paintings, pre-kid jobs having to do with business, acting and communication. It has definitely been a lengthy process. The really cool part is that I think I have finally found “it.” You know that nitch that we sometimes search for. It seems like the whole “process” that I have been through had a greater plan.
Q: What are some short-term and long-term goals for your business? for you?
A: Short term goals — Not to tick any of my clients off; I’m a people pleaser … to a fault. Long-term goals — Man, I am super competitive with myself. I just want to be doing new and different things from this point on. I don’t want to look back five years from now and see the same style of photography in my portfolio. It would be awesome if at some point I could impress my husband.
Q: Do you offer any other services other than photography?
A: Yes, I do a different series of commissioned paintings every year. I am slowing down with that though; [it is] extremely time consuming and tough on my joints.
Q: What do you enjoy doing in your “down” time?
A: Is this a trick question?
Cold weather got you down? This tomato-cheese ravioli soup is a great way to add some warmth to your day. Requiring only 13 minutes for preparation, dinner will be ready in no time.
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can stewed tomatoes 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning 3 cups frozen cheese ravioli or fresh cheese tortellini (about 12 ounces) 1 small zucchini, sliced 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Combine first three ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Add ravioli, zucchini and pepper; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 7 to 8 minutes or until pasta and zucchini are tender. Servings: 4 (1 1/4 cup) Per serving: 317 calories, 6.3g fat, 14.6g protien, 47.9g carbohydrate, 0.7g fiber, 39mg cholesterol, 653mg sodium
— From Cooking Light: 5 Ingredient 15 Minute Cookbook by editors of Cooking Light magazine
If moving furniture has left indentions in your carpet, place a piece of ice on the spot, let it melt and then use a brush (such as a toothbrush) to “refluff” the carpet.
— seen on HGTV
DON’T aim too high. Your goals need to be realistic. Start low and work your way up.
DON’T keep you resolution secret. The more people that know, the more people holding you accountable.
DO reward yourself for the little milestones for keeping your resolution. For example, if you goal was to lose 15 pounds, reward yourself for every 5 you lose.
DON’T make too many resolutions. It is hard enough to keep one.
— courtesy of Dori Haddock, licensed clinical social worker with Baptist Health Behavioral Services
— Benjamin Franklin
Each new year brings reflection of the past and resolutions for the future. 2010 is no exception. Whether it is shedding a few pounds, spending more time with family or tightening finances, setting a realistic goal and staying motivated is often key to any lifestyle change.
“Evaluate what you want to do differently to make your life better and/or more fulfilling,” said Dori Haddock, licensed clinical social worker with Baptist Health Behavioral Services. “Don’t worry what other people expect you to do; it has to be something you want to change.”
One of the biggest challenges to maintaining a New Year’s resolution is motivation. Keeping a reminder of your goal is helpful in pushing forward.
“Have a visual reminder of what you are trying to accomplish,” Haddock said. “For example, if you are trying to lose weight, put a picture of yourself up that either reminds you of the weight you are unhappy with or a picture of the weight you want to be.”
Another motivator is to surround your self with people with similar goals.
“It is easier to accomplish things when you have to worry about someone other than yourself,” Haddock said. “However, you still have to be able to accomplish it regardless if they help or not.”
Surrounded by coughs and sniffles daily, it may seem the only protection against colds and flu is to hibernate through the season. However, there are precautions that can be taken to protect yourself and your loved ones from falling victim.
Dr. Daniel Knight, chairman of the UAMS Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, offers some tips on staying healthy.
1. Avoid others with cough and colds.
2. Wash your hands after shaking hands or coming into contact with others.
3. Don’t eat or drink after people with colds or flu.
4. Get your flu shots, both regular and H1N1.
5. Keep others healthy by staying home when you are sick.
But when is sick, sick enough to stay home?
“You should stay home from work or school when you think you have the flu, have a high fever or have a significant cold that you can spread to others,” Dr. Knight said, adding that you should see your doctor if you continue to get worse or don’t get well after several days, have a persistent or high fever, severe headache or stiff neck, severe or continuing nausea and vomiting or significant shortness of breath or chest pain. Also visit your doctor if feeling fatigued or confused.
Eating healthy and taking a multivitamin daily also help keep your immune system strong.
“Unless you have another problem or a continued digestive problem, this will probably suffice,” Dr. Knight said. “Other vitamins and health remedies probably don’t do much unless you have a specific deficiency, like B-12 deficiency for example.”
He also recommends avoiding immune boosters.
“You are wasting your money and exposing yourself to unnecessary risk of side effects and interactions with other drugs you may be taking,” he said. “For example, some of these can elevate blood pressure and counter-act your blood pressure medicine.”
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