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December 3, 2021

I LOVE LISTS

Where Flowers Bloom Print by Tracy Benjamin- I love lists artwork- shutterbean.com

I LOVE LISTS 

  1. New prints in my shop! Where Flowers Bloom & Today is a New Day! 
  2. Oooh I want to stay in this cabin! 
  3. Examples of why kerning is important in graphic design. 
  4. I love microscopic worlds. 
  5. Temporary tattoos are so beautiful these days. 
  6. What’s the difference between hard & soft water? 
  7. Mexican Wedding Cookies were my Mom’s favorite. 
  8. Here’s how you can make a rose out of salami. 
  9. Ginkgo trees bring me so much joy. 
  10. A bunch of holiday hacks. 
  11. Jars filled with sunsets. 
  12. I like to imagine what my parent’s early life was like through old photos. 
  13. Holiday cards only tell half the tale. 
  14. I love the way this logo wraps around this building. 
  15. What a cute A-frame cabin!
  16. Omg there is a Malibu Barbie polaroid camera. 
  17. I used to really look forward to the treat in cereal boxes. 
  18. Listening to: The Storyteller by David Grohl
  19. Stocking stuffers: disco balls/ rainbow maker / timer cube
  20. More Americans are losing interest in having kids. 

 

Where Flowers Bloom So Does Hope print above in available to purchase in my shop!

You can also find Intentions for the Week Calendar and the Currently 2022 Workbook  (US only) there too!   If you’re international, you can buy my workbooks from my Blurb shop.

If you’re looking to gift one something from my shop to a friend or loved one before Christmas, make sure to get your order in by December 15th!  Thanks so much for supporting my small business. Be sure to follow @thehandwritingclub on Instagram. 

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December 1, 2021

Currently November 2021

Currently November 2021 - Shutterbean.com

Currently November 2021

Whenever I see ginkgo leaves, I think of my Auntie Marilyn who used to host Thanksgiving every year. She had some ginkgo jewelry I loved looking at when I was little. She died of cancer before I graduated from high school. My Mom hosted every Thanksgiving after that. My Mom was never the same after her sister died and we always felt that sting during the holidays. I became my Mom’s helper in the kitchen. She would give me chores and tasks and I’d be the one to set the table and make things look pretty.  It was just us the two in the kitchen and then it wasn’t.  

I am not sure when I took over the job to do Thanksgiving for the family. I think it was a few years before she died. She would bring her amazing stuffing and a pumpkin pie over to my house.  Every year, we noticed our table getting smaller as family members passed and other family members moved away.  I totally understand her pain of watching the number of guests lessen each year.  I drew ginkgo leaves in my Currently Workbook to remember my Mom and Aunt who made our holidays magical.   

Currently November 2021 - Shutterbean.com

YELLOW!

Currently November 2021 - Shutterbean.com

I used my favorite colored pencils for this spread. 

Currently November 2021 - Shutterbean.com

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November 29, 2021

Intentions for the Week

Intentions for the Week Workbook by Tracy Benjamin now on sale!

Intentions for the Week- Week 48  in 2021

​​Happy Monday, friends!
 
Cooper is back in school from his Thanksgiving break. He had a basketball tournament over the weekend.  Having him at home all week sure made the house messy. We caught up on cleaning yesterday. This week I am going to be doing another round of shipping for The Handwriting Club so be sure to get your order in by the 15th if you want to guarantee a delivery before Christmas.  I love sending magic out into the universe. Thanks fo joining me!  Let’s get down our Intentions for the Week, shall we? 

 

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November 28, 2021

My Everyday Life Week 47

Here’s what this past week looked like- My Everyday Life Week 47

I bought myself flowers for Thanksgiving.  Hooray for disco balls. 

My Everyday Life Week 47 of 2021- a photography series by Tracy Benjamin of Shutterbean.com

A trip to the farmer’s market did not disappoint. 

My Everyday Life Week 47 of 2021- a photography series by Tracy Benjamin of Shutterbean.com

I haven’t had beets in a long time.

My Everyday Life Week 47 of 2021- a photography series by Tracy Benjamin of Shutterbean.com

And eggplants too!

My Everyday Life Week 47 of 2021- a photography series by Tracy Benjamin of Shutterbean.com

Looking for Neiley in the crowd. 

My Everyday Life Week 47 of 2021- a photography series by Tracy Benjamin of Shutterbean.com

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November 27, 2021

Favorite Things Gift Guide 2021

Shutterbean Favorite Things Gift Guide- Tracy Benjamin shares her favorite things from the year!
 

It’s time for Shutterbean Favorite Things Gift Guide 2021- Another year, another list of favorites!  Everything on the list is something I own/something that’s brought value to my life this year. Here are some ways to treat yourself & others:

For the Home:

Bread Proofing Basket My sourdough bread game got taken up a notch with this bread proofing basket. The bread doesn’t stick and I love how it inadvertently creates these pretty rings on my bread because of the shape of the basket. If you have someone in your life who is getting into bread baking, this is a great gift. 

Ooni Pro Pizza Oven This was our Christmas present to ourselves last year. It has been a real blessing.  The best part is that it motivated my husband to get really into pizza making and he’s really good at it now.  HE NOW MAKES DINNER when it’s pizza night and that is worth every penny.  We haven’t ordered pizza delivery since!

Republic of Tea- Hot Apple Cider Tea–  Instant apple cider!! I am a big fan. 

Republic of Tea Vanilla Almond Tea–  You may have seen me love on this tea with my Vanilla Almond Milk Tea concoction! It’s my go-to afternoon pick-me-up. It satisfies a sugar craving immediately without having sugar! 

Silicone Muffin Pan  If you’re ever going to make egg bites and you don’t want anything to stick, this silicone muffin pan has been a real game-changer in my kitchen. They pop right out! 

Magnetic Paper Towel Roll holder-  Our paper towel roll holder took up too much of my limited counter space and I was OVER IT. I did some research and found out that they make magnetic towel roll holders you can put on your fridge and I bought this right away. I love it. I love that it doesn’t take up counter space and it’s easy to use. Hooray! 

Water bottle–  If you aren’t the greatest at drinking water, this water bottle will help you! There’s markers on the side to show you how much water you should have had to drink by a particular time. Fill it up twice every day and you’ve met your daily water intake. Also, I love the design of it. It looks like glass but isn’t!

Mom’s favorite calendar I’m continuing my Mom’s tradition by purchasing this calendar every year. She had it in her kitchen and delighted in seeing what the artwork looked like for each month. The print quality is amazing and the colors are so vibrant. I think of her every time I glance at it. 

Timer Cube I bought two of these this year and my productivity shot up! See also: my favorite productivity tools. One sits on my kitchen counter (I use it to time myself cleaning) and the other one sits on my desk so I can employ the Pomodoro technique while I’m working on my computer. 

Nakano Nakiri Knife –  This knife is a dream to work with! It has helped me immensely throughout the year. It’s a meal prep essential! Nakano was nice enough to give my readers a discount if you’d like to order! Use code SHUTTERBEAN for 20% off. 

SodaStream We drink a lot of sparkling water in our house. Even more so when it was pandemic time and we were cutting back on alcohol consumption. The trick to actually using our SodaStream is to keep extra bottles of water filled in our fridge. That way you always have cold water ready to be carbonated at the ready. 

Flexible Garden Hose One of my pet peeves is a hose that tangles. Casey did some research and found this incredible metal hose that has been such a pleasure to use. It never tangles or crimps and it’s lightweight and easy to put away. I love it! 

Imperfect Foods:   I really used this service a lot while we were in lockdown and we couldn’t go grocery shopping easily. I still use it because I find their prices very reasonable. I have to place my order before noon on Monday and it gives me a kick in the pants to do some meal planning before the week starts. It makes a great gift for people who have new babies or could use some help around the holidays. 

 

 

CONTINUE READING

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November 26, 2021

I LOVE LISTS

Gratitude turns what we have into enough- I love lists Shutterbeanc.om

I LOVE LISTS

  1. Magical moments captured by a street photographer. 
  2. How to be the centaur of attention.
  3. This makes me want to go on a morning hike.
  4. Failed signs are kinda funny.
  5. Cleanse your eyeballs with good product design.
  6. How to feel your feelings and why you should. 
  7. I love looking through Oprah’s favorite things. 
  8. Here’s a list of things I’ve favorited on Etsy.
  9. Some tips to put your garden to bed for the winter. 
  10. Mexican pizza is the only thing I ordered at Taco Bell. 
  11. How bowling balls are made. 
  12. We watched Fight Club this week. 
  13. Time travel to Paris in 1981
  14. Here’s my favorite things gift guide from last year. 
  15. A candle to recreate the smell of a woodfire. 
  16. Stock your pantry with these canned goods. 
  17. What to do when you’re irritated and about to snap. 
  18. 5 day timelapse of 24 hours of sun in Antartica. 
  19. Ornate rugs turn into fabric puddles. 
  20. Cozy slippers:  one / two / three / four 
  21. Trader Joe’s reviews for November!
  22. Weekend Reading: Radical Acceptance

 

From today until Sunday, you can get 20% off your orders from my Etsy Shop by using the code TWENTYOFF 

If you’re doing any online shopping, you should check to see if you can get cashback through Rakuten. I’ve been using it for years. Here’s an immediate $40 when you sign up through my affiliate link!  It’s so fun to get a check in the mail every few months for shopping online.

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November 24, 2021

Cranberry Cheese Danishes

Cranberry Cheese Danish made with leftover cranberry sauce, cream cheese & puff pastry. Find this simple showstopper on Shutterbean.com

If you find yourself with a little bit of cranberry sauce leftover from Thanksgiving this year, you can make Cranberry Cheese Danishes!  Just get yourself some cream cheese and puff pastry while you’re at the store this week (godspeed, my friend!).

Cranberry Cheese Danish made with leftover cranberry sauce, cream cheese & puff pastry. Find this simple showstopper on Shutterbean.com

When I was a kid, my favorite Aunt & Uncle spent the night at our house when we had holidays together. They always brought some type of cheese danish that my Mom heated up in the oven the next morning while we all sat around in our jammies. It was delightful and it helped make their sleepovers so much fun. These Cranberry cheese Danishes might be just the thing if you’re looking to build a new holiday tradition! 

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