KALEIDOSCOPE

While I unpack and get back to my daily routine here are ten fun things for you to read, to make, or simply to gawk at:

Image by Liza Sokolovskaya

• what can be cuter than a KNITTED OCTOPUS?

• make LABNEH or RED FRUIT SALAD for lunch

• "fortunately, it is NOT REQUIRED FOR HAPPINESS"

• AMBER and CINNAMON inspirations

• wall art COLLAGES

• can't get enough of THIS song

• adding this BOOK to my Amazon wish list

• can I live HERE?

• famous FLOORPLANS

• my sister's post about our days in PARIS

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A year ago: LEMON CURD COFFEE CAKE

I AM BACK!

I am back and I am slowly returning to the daily routine...

Sorry for leaving without any notice.  April turned out to be much busier than expected and I did not get a chance to say a proper "good bye" before my trip to Europe.  Yes, the trip I was planning a couple of years ago, finally happened and not only did I get a chance to visit France, Italy, Czech Republic, and England but I finally (after more than 14 years) saw my childhood girlfriends.

We had an amazing time and I will definitely share some images and will probably talk about this trip over and over again.  Meanwhile, thank you for visiting SAS-does and, to continue with a tradition, here is free printable June calendar:

Click HERE to download the calendar

The calendar will fit perfectly on a regular 11x8.5 sheet of paper.  All you need to do is click the link below, download the .pdf, and print it out.  The file is rather big but you will get a nice-quality image, I promise!
JUNE 2013 CALENDAR.PDF

In other news: you can now follow my blog with Bloglovin!

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A year ago: PINK HYACINTHS AND WEEKEND COLOURS
Two years ago: IKEBANA INTERNATIONAL

MAY CALENDAR {free printable}

Click HERE to download the calendar

The calendar will fit perfectly on a regular 11x8.5 sheet of paper.  All you need to do is click the link below, download the .pdf, and print it out.  The file is rather big but you will get a nice-quality image, I promise!
MAY 2013 CALENDAR.PDF

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A year ago: "MAGICAL IDEAS" UPCYCLED NOTEBOOK
Two years ago: WEDNESDA COLOURS

BLACK BEAN SOUP

Spring is slow this year. Warm sunny days turn into cool evenings. It's raining today and apparently there is snow in the forecast. On days like today I feel like staying in bed but I have so much on my plate right now: studies, work, finalizing details of my 3-week trip... I get up early, rush through my day, and in the evening warm myself up with a bowl of soup.

what you need 

• olive oil
• 1 small onion finely cubed
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can diced tomatoes  (replace with 4-5 fresh cubed tomatoes)
• 2 cups tomato juice (could be replaced by 2-3 tbsp tomato paste)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2-3 medium sweet potatoes, cubed
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground oregano
• 1 can black beans 
• 1 sweet red pepper, cut in strips
• salt, pepper to taste

what to do

•  In a large pot heat olive oil and cook onions and garlic until tender
• Add sweet potatoes, tomatoes, tomato juice, vegetable broth, sugar, and spices.  Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes (or until potatoes are tender)
• Add black beans and cook for another 10 minutes
• Add pepper, cook for 5 more minutes, taste and adjust for seasoning
• Serve with tortilla chips, guacamole, fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, shredded cheese, or a dollop of sour cream

What is your favorite recipe to keep you warm in Spring?

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Looking for more Spring recipes?  Here are some of my favorites:

WEEKLY PRINTABLE QUOTE - week 13

This quote was sent to me by my yoga teacher, who is celebrating her birthday today (HAPPY BIRTHDAY, IRINA).  I hope you never forget about joy and happiness in your life!

To print the quote simply right-click the image you like and choose to open in a new window/tab. You can then right-click the image and save it on your computer. All images are 3x4 inches.

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Click HERE to see printable quotes from past weeks.