Christmas Eve!!

Tonight's the night! If you celebrate Christmas in any way, shape, or form then you'd better get ready for Santa and presents!! Even if you don't celebrate the religious aspect of this holiday, you can at least appreciate the decorations and lights. :)

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Everyone celebrates Christmas a little differently. So if you'd like, share your traditions in the comments!! My family is mostly German, so we have our own set of traditions mixed in with some German ones. We used to open our presents on Christmas Eve, but nowadays we wait for Santa and open them on Christmas morning. We have a big dinner and lots of sweets like clementines, pies, candy canes, egg nog... and Mom's favorite Pfeffernüsse cookies!! We hang stockings and put up Christmas trees the day after Thanksgiving. Our presents are already under the tree. Santa's will come tomorrow!! We eat a big Christmas dinner around noon on Christmas day and leave our decorations up until New Years. 

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For fun, here's a link to a site to look up traditions from around the world! Christmas Around the World

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Merry Christmas Eve!!!

♥ Sam

Lunarpalooza

Tonight's eclipse only happens every 372 years or so, falling on the Winter Solstice. This last happened when the pilgrims came around in the 1600s!! Make sure if you can stay up that you do, or you'll miss an even that won't happen until at least 2382!

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Hopefully where you live is clear tonight, because where I am we have some wispy clouds making everything fuzzy!!! Grab your telescopes and your binoculars and hot cocoa and get out there!

♥ Sam

Astro Fun Tomorrow Night!!

Hello all! Schedule a friendly party on the night of the 20th-21st! It's the time of the total lunar eclipse!! Have a group bundled up with some blankets, hot cocoa, and treats while you wait. Make sure you bring your telescopes and binoculars! Cameras too! You can watch this eclipse with your naked eye, so even if you lack equipment, you won't miss out!! Be prepared to stay up late the farther east you live in the US.

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The times for the eclipse are here:

Eastern US: 

Start of the Partial Eclipse (Prenumbral Shadow): 1:32 am Dec 21

Start of the Total Eclipse (Umbral Shadow): 2:40 am Dec 21

End of Total: 3:53 am  End of Partial: 5:01 am

Central US:

Start of the Partial Eclipse (Prenumbral Shadow): 12:32 am Dec 21

Start of the Total Eclipse (Umbral Shadow): 1:40 am Dec 21

End of Total: 2:53 am  End of Partial: 4:01 am

Mountain US:

Start of the Partial Eclipse (Prenumbral Shadow): 11:32 pm Dec 20

Start of the Total Eclipse (Umbral Shadow): 12:40 am Dec 21

End of Total: 1:53 am  End of Partial: 3:01 am

Pacific US:

Start of the Partial Eclipse (Prenumbral Shadow): 10:32 pm Dec 20

Start of the Total Eclipse (Umbral Shadow): 11:40 pm Dec 20

End of Total: 12:53 am  End of Partial: 2:01 am

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The colour of the moon will change the more of the Earth that passes between it and the Sun. It can change from yellow to orange to red to maroon, even black! Make sure you take extra care as you watch, you may catch another fantastic astro-phenomenon: meteors. The Ursids meteor shower peaks on December 21st, so you may catch a glimpse of a few shooting stars during the eclipse. The extra dark will help faint stars show better, bright stars shine super bright, and make meteors easier to spot!!

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This will help you spot the Ursids, just look for the Little Dipper and keep your eyes peeled. Helps to adjust to the dark well beforehand. Avoid bright lights, lights from cell phones, etc. Red light is safe to keep your eyes adjusted, so tape some red cellophane over a flashlight in case you need a little help in the dark.

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Happy Stargazing!!

♥ Sam

Look to the Skies!!

So I hope you all caught the meteor shower on the 13th - the Geminids. I've been too caught up in finals to remember to remind you all! :) Sorry sorry. Look out for a total lunar eclipse on the 20th/21st over the Americas. Those of you in the US and Canada can see a total lunar eclipse around midnight or so, depending on where you live. I'll attach a link to a site you can check for viewing times!! :)

http://www.spacedex.com/lunar-eclipse/


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Lunar eclipses don't need special filters or lens or safety like a solar eclipse, just go outside with a telescope, binoculars, or your own eyes!!!

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Hope you all are having a good December! If you're in school and have finals like me, good luck and keep thinking sleep is on the way!! :)
For fun, here's a little bird vector sketch I made of a Painted Bunting this morning while I was waiting on a final!

♥ Sam

Time to Shop

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Just opened my very own Etsy shop. Check it out soon for art n crafts you'll love!!

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http://www.etsy.com/shop/KaleiokiStudio

♥ Sam

Happy Black Friday!

Let the craziness and shopping begin!!!

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Haha, yeah so everyone's driving like a maniac and buying things left and right. I'm getting ready for my last leg of this semester by packing my tree and goodies to make during the cold nights. Our trees are up at home (the real tree will be home when I come home) and decorated all nice! We've got a warm fire in the fireplace and movies on the tv. This is the life!!

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Hope you all have a lovely start of the winter season with whatever you enjoy and celebrate. I'd love to hear about them! (Feel free to comment!!!)

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For the start of the Christmas season, or just the holiday season, here's another delicious recipe:

Sam's Deep-Dish Apple Pie

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Make: 10-15 mins Bake: 40-45 mins

You will need: 

CRUST! - To make this a quick little recipe, just use a prepared pie crust (or even your own). I recommend Pillsbury, or the one in the last recipe I posted. 

Filling:

6 apples (best combo - 4 Gala and 2 Pink Lady) Try mixing very sweet with slightly tart; sliced and diced any way you want, good with and without skin

2 tablespoons of flour

3/4 cup of sugar

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon of lemon juice (highly recommended fresh squeezed lemon, about 1/3 of the lemon will do it)

1/4 of a stick of butter

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Slice apples. Small, medium, large chunks all good. I use medium. Peeling is optional.

3. Add to big bowl. Begin adding other ingredients in order listed above.

4. With a large spoon, mix will. Fold ingredients until well-mixed.

5. Lay down first pie crust in your pan. make sure this one is well stretched, but no tears or holes. 

6. Pour in bowl of ingredients.

7. Take other pie crust for top and place, making sure you cover the whole thing.

8. With your fingers, pinch the edges together. Might be hard since there's a lot of filling!!!

9. Slit top lightly. Maybe make a design, like a tree or a star or your name. 

10. Sprinkle top with cinnamon and sugar to taste.

11. Bake for 40-45 mins. 

Let it cool for a while, there's a lot to cool!!!

Add some ice cream or cool whip on top and serve!!! Yum yum...

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Enjoy yourselves!

♥ Sam

Home for Turkey Day

Hello everyone! I'm finally home with mom and dad (and my cat and dog) for a few days. Thanksgiving break is great! (except for the traffic, yuck.) Time to eat good food, mainly pie, and put up some Christmas trees with a fire in the fireplace and good x-mas music playing while baking cookies... :)

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New stuff coming soon! Especially craft how-to guides and ideas! But first, a quick recipe for Thanksgiving!!!

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Best Apple Pie Ever 

-Sam's Chunky Apple Pie-

Make: 20 minutes; Cook: 40 minutes

Ingredients

2  cups  all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out dough

1/2  cup  whole-wheat flour

1/4  teaspoon  baking powder

1/2  teaspoon  sugar

1/4  teaspoon  salt

1 1/4  sticks chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

6  tablespoons  block-style, cream cheese

1/4  cup very cold water

2  teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Cooking spray

3 pounds peeled apples (a mix of Gala and Granny Smith, or Golden Delicious), cored and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges (can be altered any way you like.)

1/4  cup  granulated sugar

1/4  cup  brown sugar

1/4  cup  all-purpose flour

1  tablespoon  vanilla extract

2  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice

1  teaspoon  cinnamon

1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground nutmeg

1  large egg white, lightly beaten

vanilla ice cream

Preparation

1. Place flours, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a big bowl; stir. Add butter and cream cheese; stir until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add water and lemon juice; stir just until dough forms.

2. Transfer dough to a floured surface (i.e. cutting board or waxed paper); form into a disk. Separate disk into 2 halves; wrap both tightly in plastic wrap. Chill at least 1 hour.

3. Preheat oven to 375°. Coat a 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray. Turn 1 dough half out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 13-inch round (or big enough for your pie plate); transfer to wax paper. Cover and refrigerate. Fit remaining circle of dough into pie plate; trim edge, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang for crust. Using a fork, lightly pierce dough all over; chill until firm (about 20 minutes), or freeze 10 minutes.

4. In a large bowl, combine apples and next 7 ingredients (through nutmeg). Spoon filling into dough in pie plate; top with chilled dough. Fold overhang under edge of bottom dough; crimp overlap decoratively, using a fork or fingers. Brush egg over dough (add a little cinnamon and sugar for extra flavor); bake in middle of oven 40-50 minutes or until crust is golden and apples are tender. Let cool. Cut into slices, top with ice cream; serve.

For extra great filling, mix your filling in a bowl and let it sit in the fridge for a while. This makes that gooey goodness you find in pro pies. It'll be juicier, tastier, and BETTER. :)

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Have a happy Thanksgiving!!!

♥ Sam