Messages of Love...

My friend Heather of the EO is doing a very special thing for a very special little girl. Please drop by her blog when you have a chance and read all about little Tuesday and how you can help.

Thank you...

Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness. ~Seneca

So Lovely...

Today I had to take a late lunch. And because I had to take a late lunch, I used my lunch to go thrifting.

Does anyone love thrift store shopping as much as I do?

There are a couple of favorite spots I like to shop at for the best stuff ever! One of them being Arc Value Village... Somehow they get the best "junk".

Today I happened to score the following all for $13!

Cottage Living Magazines

3 really good books:

Emily Dickinson's Collected Poems

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

Disturbing the Peace by Vaclav Havel

I also got these really cute wannabe Cath Kidston Dishes

some Valentine decor

and this pillow...

Which later inspired me to do this to my dining room...

FUSCHIA FANTASTICO! Yes I did it... I painted one wall of my dining room fuschia! There is no turning back... I love it and I'm looking forward to decorating that one last room that usually sits sad and empty. Eventually I will finish it and make it all my own... and entertain and feed people to no end!

But the really awesome part about my day was what was waiting for my on my front steps!

My long time friend Julie sent me a very coveted Shabby Chic poster I have been wanting for awhile.

Mine is red, even better!

I just don't know where to hang it? Maybe the bathroom... because that would be very apropos.

And she also gave me this sweet little card

Thanks Julie! You're the BEST!

So many little sweet things in one day makes a girl very happy.

Check out The Inspired Room when you have a chance... It is a lovely website!

TWD~Fresh Ginger and Chocolate Gingerbread

I literally sat on my couch last night debating if I wanted to make this recipe. I needed about 5 ingredients and I weighed the pros and cons of going out in the frigid January night to purchase said 5 ingredients. Finally, about 8:00 last night I said, Oh why the heck not! I got my buttermilk, bittersweet chocolate, ginger and molasses and decided to skip the ginger stick thingies... I just didn't think these things needed THAT much ginger!

I personally felt like there was a lot of steps to making this gingerbread, with melting the chocolate and all... then later melting more chocolate to make icing. I dumped half a bowl of buttermilk on the floor... (no cat to lick it up anymore, whaa, whaa... oh wait, my cat wasn't allowed to eat dairy anyway) And then once the bread was done resting I couldn't get the darn thing out of the pan!!!! It was stuck to the bottom! So i pleaded and prodded with it and FINALLY I pulled it out of the pan with big chunks stuck to the bottom. Nice Sabro, Nice!

I was able to frost it and then let it set, and cut only about 6 nice pieces from the only part of the bread that wasn't deformed.
I thought it tasted pretty good. But the icing was STRONG! The coffee really came through. As we say in Minnesota OOOOFTA!
Overall I would say it's pretty tasty... but not my favorite Dorie recipe I've made.

I would like to buy a va va va voom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is what Kelly told me when she saw my hat. That is very nice of my cousin to say. She is totally awesome! (as if you didn't already know that?)

I entered a knitting contest sponsored by Lion's Brand Yarn and Vanna White. If I win not only will I get $1000 but I will win a trip to visit Vanna White on the set of WHEEL. OF. FORTUNE.

I'm crossing my lil' fingies... Hope you'll do the same for me too!

***and just in case you think i'm making this whole thing up, here is an actual picture of me, wearing said hat. ***

Let's Talk Lost!

Lost was amazing! Probably because I'm a big nerd and I love Quantum Physics, Time Travel and STRING THEORY! Any show that can incorporate String Theory into an episode is by all means the best show ever!

So how will the Oceanic 6 get back to the Island?
How will John die, in order to bring back the others?
Who are the mysterious flame throwing people?
Will Desmond make it to Oxford to find Daniel's mother?
Anna Lucia and Libby making a comeback? YES!

I'm giddy with anticipation!

It's Back!!!

TWD~Berry Surprise Cake

This was a Berry good lesson in following directions! I did not do a Berry good job! The Surprise is that I am Berry bad at egg ribbons and egg diva cakes. I'm Berry MAD!

Actually, Im not mad... but just really disappointed.

I think I might turn this into Berry Surprise Cup Cakes.

My cake came out flat as a pancake. I was warned that it would by countless TWD bakers. I used a 9inch Springform, thinking I could defy gravity.

So with my pancake, I decided to be resourceful and skip hollowing out the cake (because I physically couldn't) and thus just spreading the filling on top.

The filling was delish, after adding more sugar. The berries in the filling were sublime. The berries and filling on top of the cake... YUCK!

My cake tasted like thick eggs! I do not like thick egg cake, Sabro I am!

It looked pretty though.

My only hope is to make some more filling, salvage the berries and whip up some cupcakes or something? I have no clue. Because I REFUSE to serve this to anyone!

Whoa is me.