B & A

I found this AWFUL looking chair at the Goodwill for $5.

I thought, Hey, I could do something with that chair.

So I spray painted it white and then i put the zebra print on the seat.

I'm not sure if I like the zebra print. Maybe i should go for a bright fuchsia pattern?

Either way, I think this chair looks 557% better.

Before:

After:

TWD~Banana Creme Pie

I must admit that i actually didn't make this last night. But I have made it several times before.

And it is always a hit!!! It has a very distinctive taste, unlike other banana creme pies. I think it's the cinnamon and nutmeg that give it a special ooomph!

I blogged about this pie a few summers ago. Actually it was the day the I-35W Bridge collapsed here in Minneapolis. The pie is still delicious, but this pie also reminds me of a sad day. So if you want to read about that, you can read it here.

Truthfully, I couldn't make pie last night because it was the MN Twin's Home Opener! Woot Woot! Tonight I am going to the game and I PUMPED! Go Twins!

I am also PUMPED because I just found out I won a give-away!!! One of my favorite blogger gals, Heidi Ashworth hooked me up with a book she wrote! I've been wanting to read this for awhile and now I won it!!! Thanks Heidi! The book is called Miss Delacourt Speaks Her Mind and you can find it at Amazon. Go check it out!

The Time Has Come....

Go Twins!

Craftation

I am fully in craftation mode. I have no idea what that means, but I'm going to start using it.
There is a local flea market\craft\bake sale coming up and I really want to have a little booth. I can swing the baked goods but could i make some cool crafts? Well I can try. $15 gets you a booth. So heck, why not try? Anyway I am really into modge podge decoupage thank you ma'am crafting. This one is going to be a paper weight. I think. Or I might also make a shadow box and add a nest and some eggs and trinkets. The possibilities, are endless.
Check out The Inspired Room for more Beautiful Life Friday ideas.



I'm also training my cat Noir to be a super model kitty... So far he has got down, shy and demure. I'm growing to like this chat cat everyday.

I'm kinda getting really excited!

When you work in the library of a public school, during the summer it turns into a ghost town. No teachers, No students, No administrators... Just a handful of custodians and office secretaries.

My summer consists of working the months of June & August, and having the month of July off.

Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy the students and the teachers are great. They all keep me on my toes. But it is also a nice reprieve to have quiet and order in a library for a change. You wouldn't think that a library\media center would be loud and chaotic... but IT IS!

I am antsy just thinking about what my days\weeks will consist of come June 4th....

1. Loud(er) music from Pandora.com (no hushed tunes so kids wont get distracted, as if!)

2. LCD projector + big screen = movie days! (cause you can still work and watch movies at the same time!)

2.5 *Added movie bonus*... If I'm watching documentaries (which i love) no one can accuse me of wasting time. They are educational. der!

3. Breakfast on Wednesdays with the secretaries. (that was my idea!)

4. Long walks on my lunch break or long lunch breaks at home on my patio. (exercising and saving money. woot woot.)

5. Rolling into school with wet hair, flip flops and shorts... priceless!

TWD~Coconut Butter Thins

First things first, Sorry for the hiatus... I've been awfully busy lately which has lead to little or no baking on my part.

Second of all, I do not like coconut, well in some things I do. But not shredded coconut.

So these technically are NOT Coconut Butter Thins... They are Almond Butter Thins with a cute little chocolate chip on top.

I took a long look at the recipe and said, Holy Jamole! This seems quite the process for some cookies. Lime zest, do not have, Shredded Coconut, Nish Nish! Macadamia Nuts? Do I look like my economy has been stimulated lately?

But in my endeavor to be more resourceful and upbeat I decided to make my own version.

I also was not too keen on the putting the dough in baggie and rolling it out and using a ruler and doing math.

So i mixed everything up and then added a heaping handful of almonds to the dough. And a drop or two of Almond extract and oh yeah Curry powder.

Well I added that to my flour. Why you ask? Well because I did not have ground coriander and I read on the comments that you could use Curry powder. I can't even taste it.

I did not put these in a baggie, did not roll them out nor did I put them in the fridge to chill. Just plopped them on a cookie sheet avec parchment paper and viola... the yummiest little cookies I've had in awhile.

They were super light and crisp and had crunchy bits of almond.

Job well done.

And the little chocolate chip morsel on top... just a faint hint of chocolate to bring it all together.

It's good to be back!

A New Friend

I am back at work. It was really really hard to go back to work today. I usually have no problems going to work on a daily basis. I have grown to actually like my job. I mean it's by no means my dream job, but it's not stressful, I have great co-workers and the pay is pretty decent. And the best part is the breaks, including the whole month of July off!!!! So I can hardly complain.

But it was hard coming back today. I had such a great break! I saw so many friends old, new, newer... I kept thinking, how did I get so blessed?

I spent a big chunk of time in Michigan visiting my dearest friend Rachel. I wish it didn't go by so fast!

Thursday, I made lunch for a current co-worker and then had Thai food with a former coworker Michelle.

There was lattes with Megan and Nori and then happy hour with Heather of the EO.

And a great night at Ellen's and Sarah's house with some great people like Steve & Jeanelle and Kelly and Don.

Saturday was a fun day with Shannon my sister from another mister... or as I like to call her my Phantom Leg.

And that brings me to Sunday. A very nice day spent at my parent's house out in the country. One baby horse was born (and about 20 more on the way!). Spring is in the air! Farm babies!

And I brought home a new little friend.

His name is Noir. (French for black)

He is a lot bigger than when this picture was taken last September.

As the White Stripes sing, I can tell that we are gonna be friends.