Long Time Coming

As you may have guessed, I'm closing my doors here - it's been a fun journey but I'm moving on to focus more on my two primaty loves: painting and baking.  I felt there was a lack of consistency here, with posts of baking, cooking, painting, clothes, home stuff...you name it and you would likely find it here.

As you may already know, I've had a blog for my artistic endeavors (which have also been quite neglected lately) but also created a new site, just for my adventures in the kitchen. I was able to transfer all of my baking recipes over to the new site and have a few more things to post - I hope you will join me there!

Thank you so much for all of your loyalty, kind words and input throughout the past few years.  It's been a fun journey and I know that this move will only bring bigger and better things! 

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Abbey Cat Mondays

I know it's been a long long time since I've posted Abbey Cat but after snapping this photo last week I couldn't resist.  It's so incredibly hot in our apartment our poor fluffy cat has nowhere to cool down - we often find her just lying like this in attempts to catch a breeze from the window. 

I hope you all had a lovely weekend, I'll be working on my Storybook Journaling tonight and hope to post more on of it tomorrow! 

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Day 7 - Storybook Journaling

Storybook Journaling, day 7!! I am really excited about where my story is going, and I can't wait to see the finished product.  It seems like it's going to take forever, but I'm chugging along! 

You can check out the rest of my pages and the other participants' journals at our flickr page. 

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Storybook Journaling Continued!

I have countless things to post, really I do....but I can't seem to get them done.  I've got a new toy I've been playing with (My camera! Finally!!!) and it's been taking a lot of my time up. I did get a chance to do two new pages in my storybook that I'm creating alongside Charlotte and the other participants from the Flickr group.  I hope to do a few more pages tonight! 

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Storybook Journaling - Day 4

Although I vowed up and down about doing numerous pages last night, I just didn't get to it.  I did only one, but am very happy with how it came out!! I hope you enjoy - I've got recipes to post (finally!!) that I'll attempt to put up tomorrow.  

You can check out the rest of the Storybook Journaling at our flickr group. Enjoy!

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Storybook Journaling!

 My amazingly talented and creative pseudo-sis-in-law and very close friend Charlotte was inspired a few weeks ago by all of the Journaling Challenges she's been seeing everywhere that she decided to create one of her own.  She just finished a 'page-a-day' type challenge with different prompts daily, but wanted to make something with a tad more substance and an awesome finished product.  She came up with the idea of making a 'Storybook Journaling' challenge, where participants create a page every day, following a storyline of their own and ending with a complete little book.  How brilliant, right?

I don't know why I'm surprised - this girl is seriously the craftiest person I know. Creativity oozes out of her like sweat (gross analogy I know, but so true). She created a Flickr group, made some very general guidelines and got us started with some adorable pages revolving around her eccentric and zany cat Weetzie.

Those of you who know me personally know far too well that I put waaaay  too much on my plate.  I felt horrible that when the Charlotte's project started out I didn't start with her...to be honest I didn't even start until this Monday, where I did 3 pages and only stopped because I was falling asleep.  I also spent some time making the general storyline, which really got me motivated to plow through it and catch up to the rest of the participants.

Lou Pinkerton is a character I've sketched, painted and drawn numerous times and like many who doodle characters, they all have their own personalities.  I was excited to give Lou a story of his own...I hope you enjoy the journey of watching this story grow, and be sure to stop by and check out the Flickr group to see everyone else's! And please, if you have any inkling of joining in the challenge, do so.  It doesn't even necessarily have to be a daily page - I've only got 3 so far! I think it's an awesome project that will help guide you and motivate you through creating something of your own that you can show your kids, grandkids and friends and family years from now.  It's definitely a project worth trying, and I hope you join in! 

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My Dress Dillema

I've got a dress dillema that I'm hoping my fellow readers (you!!) can help me with.  I've a relatively new shopper at the online boutique Ruche - they have the most beautiful lookbooks you've ever seen and I love their romatic, fun outfits.  My first purchase with them I kept two of the four tops I purchased and a beautiful necklace, a surprisingly high success rate for me.  

I understand and expect that when I order things in the mail I won't like everything I receive. When their last  lookbook came out I ordered a few things, one of them being this adorable and wonderful dress (below).  Everything else I purchased this time will be returned, but I'm stumped on this dress.  It's beautiful, and fits me like a glove with beautiful detailing around the neck and lower half. It hugs in all the right places and I even think the bright pink belt pairs perfectly with it.  

From the Clouds Ruffle Dress, $59.99
Passionate Heart Applique Wide Elastic Belt, $15.99

Now here's the problem: When I purchased this I didn't realize how dressy it was.  I imagined it arriving to me and being a more causal, cotton dress that I could wear running errands or going to the park...normal things.  However this dress is well...dressy. It would be perfect for a brunch with the ladies, a shower of some sort or a semi-formal social function, which I regrettably don't have too many of at this point in my life.  

Realistically, I will never use this belt for anything other than the dress, so I'm just going to assume that it's part of the dress. I tried all the other belts that I have and this one by far looks the best; the color pops and adds that perfect touch. Aside from this dress I'll never wear it (it just isn't 'me'), so for arguement's sake I'm going to assume that they are combined, and the dress was $75.98.

Do I keep this beautiful, classy, adorable dress even though I have no real occasion for it? I'm sure parties will come up (there is actually a family function in a few weeks that I could wear it to...) and it will get worn but is it right to keep something that you really like if you have no real intent for it?  It's certainly not an everyday dress but I could see wearing it if (no, when!)  I get into event planning to meet clients and as a fun work outfit.  

So kind readers, what should I do? Should I keep it and hope to wear it sometime in the future, or should I save my $76 and return it because I don't have an occasion for it?  Have you ever purchased an outfit with no immediate use in mind, and if so did it eventually get worn?  Help me!! 

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Absence

I've been so wrapped up and busy the past few weeks I've barely had a chance to pop in and say hello! We've been unbelievably swamped and I sadly haven't baked anything in over a month; I've got two batches of banana bread waiting to be made but I haven't been able to get moving in the kitchen. 

I had surgery on my knee last week and was out of work - I thought this would enable me to catch up on this blog, to cook and bake every day and get things done around the apartment but I did absolutely nothing. The week flew by and I only succeeded in watching loads of bad movies, sleeping a lot and organizing some old photos I've been meaning to go through.  

I'm slowly getting back on my feet - I can't stand for too long and still am in pain but am excitedly anticipating my transition back into exercising in a month or two.  I've never felt so unhealthy in all my life! Not being able to exercise is definitely taking its toll on me. 

I've been hunting online and done tons of research for a new camera and think I have narrowed it down to the Canon Rebel T2i.  I'm getting restless using my dad's old Minolta - It's a great camera and I love playing with it but it just doesn't have many of the features that today's cameras have, like strong macro settings and video capabilities.  I've been patiently saving up money from my Etsy sales and hoping I'll be able to treat myself for my birthday this summer!

I also found this amazing company that makes camera bags for women - they are beautiful and I am so thrilled about the hobo bag (below) for my camera and all it's needs.  It's padded just like a normal camera bag so I'll be able to happily carry my camera wherever I go without having to cart around a purse as well. 

I've been very lazy on the artistic side as well and want to get back into sketching and painting every day. I find myself yearning for an artistic outlet and I miss painting terribly. I've actually got 6 or 7 completed sketches that I'm ready to paint, and 2 paintings that I've had ready to post in Etsy for months with no time to do so. I've got a lazy weekend coming up, so hopefully you'll see new prints there! 

Does anyone else's life seem like a neverending list of chores and obligations?? I've been so busy I can barely breathe! 

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Death by Chocolate Cookies

My grandpa is, shall we say, not the easiest person to please.  So when he told me he loves fudgy, chocolaty  treats I made it my mission to bake him some tasty gooey treats that he can snack on in between my visits.  I found a few recipes that I thought could work and mixed them together with great results.  They were the richest, most chocolaty cookies I've ever had and I couldn't stop eating them! Their texture was much like a chocolate chip cookie but they tasted like the most delicious brownie you've ever had - next time I will try to add walnuts to them to cut a bit of the sweetness and add that perfect crunch.  

Death by Chocolate Cookies (click for printable recipe)
Adapted from Love from the Oven

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter
1¼ cups sugar
2 eggs
2/3 cup cocoa powder
2¼ cup flour
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2½ cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and put rack in center of oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  
2. Using an electric mixer at medium speed combine butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time, then mix in the cocoa powder. Scrape bowl and mix again until just combined.  
3. Add flour, salt and baking powder and mix on low until just combined.  Gently fold in chocolate chips. Warning: this dough is SUPER thick!
4. Roll heaping tablespoons into balls and place about 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Flatten tops slightly with a spatula. Bake 10-12 minutes, rotating halfway through baking.  Cookies are done when resistance is met when poked slightly about halfway in from the edge of the cookie.  Don't overcook! These are much better as soft cookies. 
5. Allow to cook 5 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to cooling rack.  Enjoy! 

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Flourless Chocolate Cake

(I posted this last week, but during the complications on Blogger it got deleted! I'm so very sorry. Here it is, again.)

A few weeks ago during Passover I surprised my coworkers with this flourless chocolate cake.  I had been holding onto this recipe for a while and hadn't had a reason to make it until now, where many of my fellow employees were on dietary restrictions for the holiday.  

The recipe came together rather simply and I really loved the new glazing trick I learned: add a bit of glaze, freeze and then finish, to create a smooth and flaw-free cake (see below for more details).  Although rich, this cake isn't overly sweet or heavy. It's fudgy and decadent but leaves you craving more rather than feeling bloated.  Enjoy! 

Flourless Chocolate Cake (click for printable recipe)

Adapted from Bon Appetit 

Ingredients: 

1½ cups semisweet chocolate, chopped

¾ cup unsalted butter at room tempurature

6 eggs, separated 

¾ cup sugar

1 tbsp vanilla extract

½ cup heavy whipping cream

½ cup light corn syrup

1 cup semisweet chocolate, chopped

about ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. For the Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 9-inch springform pan and line bottom with parchement paper. Butter paper. 
2. Stir 1½ cups chocolate and butter in heavy saucepan over low heat until melted.  Remove from heat and cool until lukewarm, stirring every few minutes. 
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat egg yolks and half the sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until mixture is thick. Fold cooled chocolate mixture and vanilla extract into yolk mixture, set aside. 
4. Using clean, dry beaters (very important!) beat egg whites until soft peaks form.  Slowly add remaining sugar and beat until medium-firm peaks form.  Fold whites into yolk mixture in 3 batches until just combined. Pour into pan.  
5. Using aluminum foil, create a hood by centering 2 or 3 long pieces under bottom and bringing up to the center of the cake - leave at least 4 or 5 inches from top of pan for the cake to rise, and fold foil into itself so it remains closed. Bake about 50 minutes, or until cake is puffed and cracked and toothpick inserted in center brings up a few moist crumbs.  Cool cake in pan on rack.  
6. Gently press down crusty top to make even cake, then invert onto cake plate or stand (you will be icing the bottom of the cake). Peel off parchment paper.  
7. For Glaze: bring heavy whipping cream and corn syrup to low simmer in small saucepan.  Remove from heat, add chocolate and whisk until smooth.  Spread about ½ cup glaze over top and sides of cake and immediately freeze for 4 minutes. Remove and pour rest of glaze over cake, smoothing as much as you can.  Create a border with chocolate chips along outside of cake, and chill cake for 1 hour. Once glaze is set, sprinkle chocolate shavings all over cake.  Enjoy! 

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