Anna's HubPages
A Bit About My Lenses
After writing at Squidoo for over a year, a friend has encouraged me to put together a lensography. Below you will find the lenses I've written, sorted into categories. Some may fit into multiple categories and get repeated, and I will add new titles as they are published.
I hope you enjoy these lenses, and feedback is always appreciated!
(image of me drawn by my daughter, Anastasia)
Craft Related Lenses
I am a life-long crafter, a certified crochet instructor and blogger. No surprise that a lot of my lenses are crafting related! If these catch your interest, I invite you to also check out my blog, Get Crafting!
- The Joy of Hooking
This is one of the first lenses I ever wrote, in honour of National Craft Month (March) and National Crochet Week (mid-March). Crochet is one of my favourite crafts, because it is so portable and can be used to make such an incredible variety of obje - Crochet Covered Christmas Ornaments
A free pattern. - Twisted Sisters & Company Fibre Mill Tour
I belong to a wonderful group of knit and crochet enthusiasts, and our awesome organiser arranged for a tour of a local fibre mill. It was a wonderful experience, and I'm pleased to be able to share about it here! - Hand Made Christmas Traditions
This is a lens about our tradition of making hand crafted ornaments, with plenty of photos. I was honoured to have it selected as Lens of the Day (Dec. 10, 2012), and it remains one of my most popular lenses. - Christmas Light Luminaries
A photo step-by-step lens on how to make Epsom Salt luminaries using a string of Christmas lights. Updated: May 10, 2013 with new photo and seasonal hint. - Salt Jar Luminaries
Another photo step-by-step lens, this time of our variation on salt jar luminaries. - Plastic Canvas Ornaments
Here is a photo step-by-step for our 2012 Christmas ornaments; metallic cord on shaped plastic canvas. - Making a Pot of Roses
A step-by-step on how to make an everlasting pot of roses. - Crochet a Simple Lap Blanket
A free pattern for a lap blanket using basic stitches, plus videos on how to do a foundation single crochet and how to wet block your finished project. - Crochet a 3 Hour Cowl
A free pattern for a simple cowl. - What Advent Really Means
Learn the meanings of Advent while making an Advent Wreath. - Make an 8 Point God's Eye
A different twist to the usual craft. - How to Crochet Easter Eggs - a free pattern
Print out this free pattern, and take part in my first Get Crafting! challenge. - "Choose Your Own" Home Made Body Sugar
New: A step-by-step on how to choose the ingredients to make personalized body sugars.
Food Related Lenses
Here is a mix of food related lenses, ranging from recipes and traditions of our own, to special events and more.
- Rediscovering Mdm Benoit
Another one of my first lenses, honouring my favourite chef and cookbook writer, Mdm Benoit, on the 25th anniversary of her death. A truly great ambassador of Canadian cuisine! - Making a Polish Easter Basket
A lens about one of my family's favourite Polish traditions. Updated: March 11 to correct typos and add photos. Updated: to include our 2013 basket and Easter morning brunch. Updated: now includes photos of our 2014 basket and blessing. - Our Easter Bread
Recipe and step-by-step photos of the bread we usually make to go in our Easter basket. - Our Easter eggs
Photos and instructions of the different ways we decorate eggs for our Easter basket. - 2012 Taste of Edmonton
One of our favourite local festivals is the annual Taste of Edmonton. Here you will find photos, reviews and ratings of the foods we tried during the 2012 festival, with links to reviews from past years as well. - Our 2012 Christmas Tourtiere
A recipe and step-by-step photos on how to make this traditional pork pie. - Making Mulled Wine
A recipe and step-by-step photos on our variation of a mulled wine we made to celebrate New Years, 2013. - Making Chevre de Provence
A step-by-step guide to preserving goat cheese medallions in flavoured olive oil. Updated: now includes more photos and modifications made for our 2014 Easter basket. - Celebrating Canadian Thanksgiving
Three recipes for the holiday table. - "Choose Your Own" Charcuterie Platter
New: Everything you need to know to make your own charcuterie platter, whether for a large group or just one person as a special treat. - Baked Le Pleine Lune with Mushrooms and Walnuts
New: I love it when experiments work! This dish was made using what has become one of our favorite cheese, with substitution ideas if it's not available in your location. - Chickpea Salad with Black Olives and Feta
New: One of my favorite quick-fix dishes, hearty enough for a meal.
Gardening Related Lenses
Here are some lenses for gardeners, or those who would like to be!
- Your Balcony Garden
A lens to help you plan and start a small-space garden. - Accessible Garden Beds
The housing co-op I live in decided to build fully accessible garden beds for our mobility challenged members. This lens is about what we learned about planning and designing accessible, raised bed gardens. - Our Accessible Garden Beds Construction
Showing how our co-op's accessible garden bed were built. - DIY Pallet Planter Platform
New: An easy project that will help make moving your balcony garden pots around a breeze.
Edmonton Festivals, Events and Celebrations
My adopted city has many great things to check out. Here are just a few of them.
- Edmonton's Whyte Ave Art Walk
My older daughter is an artist, and the photos of this lens were taken during her third year participating in this amazing art festival. Edmonton is just overflowing with talented artists! - The Works Art & Design Festival 2012
One of the longest running art festivals in Edmonton. - Edmonton International Street Performers Festival
One of our favourite festivals, hosting great talent from around the world. - 2012 Taste of Edmonton
Edmonton is also home to some amazingly talented chefs and an incredible diversity of cuisines. - 2012 Edmonton Heritage Festival
This festival showcases the many ethnic communities that make their home in the great city of Edmonton. - Visiting Putrella
About our visit to the Muttart Conservatory to see Putrella, the corpse flower, on its first day of blooming - a once in a generation event!
Special Interest Lenses
My interests sometimes leads me to a wide variety of topics. Here are just a few of my special interest lenses.
- Don't Vote... If
Some people just shouldn't vote. Something thoughts to share during some of the most volatile electioneering I've ever seen, in both Canada and the US. - Civilian Preservation Technologies - An Interview
An interview with a multi-talented martial arts instructor and a man I am honoured to call my friend. Updated: Feb. 23, 2012, now includes testimonials and videos. Updated: July 16, 2013, now includes link to a radio interview. - Join National Novel Writing Month!
For budding writers who need just a bit of extra incentive to get into the groove, perhaps National Novel Writing Month is what you need? - The Story of Finn
A fun story about how our newest addition to our family came to join us.
Reviews: movies and television
My reviews and analysis of various shows, including some older classics.
- Endhiran (Robot) Movie Review
Action? Music? Beautiful babes? Good vs Evil? Amazing costumes and coreography? It's all here! - Star Wars Original Trilogy - Unaltered
Han shot first. Of all the details modified over the years since the original Star Wars movies hit theatres, that one change exemplifies why the changes in the newer versions irritate. To be clear, I am no purist. I actually appreciate... - Inconceivable! The Princess Bride
The movie that became a cultural phenomenon. - Atlantis: The Lost Empire, and Disney's Missing Princess
A movie review, and why Princess Kida deserves more attention. - Is God Dead? A Review of "God's (Not) Dead"
A review and analysis of the movie, "Is God Dead?" - The Perfect Poirot
Agatha Christie's books remain popular today, with bold, unique and interesting characters that stand out, even to those who have yet to read her books. Among these is the fastidious private detective, Hercule Poirot. This is a character that...
Reviews: books and prodcuts
Reviews and commentary based on my personal experiences.
- Taking it Easy with the Crock-Pot Slow Cooker
I see them all the time, but it's usually around Christmas that they really start ramping it up. The advertisements, featuring hapless, bumbling, foolish men who are in the dog house for committing that most terrible of crimes. They bought their... - Captivating Triops
Get this kit to hatch your own prehistoric creatures. - A Childhood Favorite: Spirograph
As a child, one of my favorite things to do was go through the Sears catalog and dream. We lived in the boonies and making the hour-long drive to the city (then more driving to get where we needed to go) was a rarity, so the Sears catalog saw... - Hangin' In There: The iGrip Mobile Phone Holder
Some time ago, while stopped at a red light, I watched a man crossing the street in front of me. He was dancing. Enthusiastically! Sadly, I was not in a position to record this in any way. It's not the first time I've seen some fun or unusual... - Subliminal Power 2 Software Review
A personal review of the updated version of Subliminal Power software. - Subliminal Power Software Review
Review of Subliminal Power, a customizable software to help you improve your life. - The Philosopher's Kitchen, for the Historical Foodie
For almost as long as I can remember, I have had a love of history. No, I didn't care for famous leaders, political intrigue, border changes or battles. What interested me was how people lived. I wanted to know what ordinary folks wore, what sort... - For the Well Rounded Crocheter - Plus Size Crochet Review
A review of the pattern book, Plus Size Crochet. - Making Memories with Love You Forever
"I'll love you forever I'll like you for always As long as I'm living My baby you'll be." It was in the late 80's when I first heard those words, read to me by my sister-in-law, as she told me about her favorite book to read to her
