Let's Connect...

I am not sure what title to give to today's entry, being that it is rather late in coming and I have not even really figured out what I will share this evening, it is more likely that I shall have a title by the end of the post rather than at the beginning. It's Tuesday and normally I would bring you some kind of tutorial but sometimes it is good to break from routine and write something more heartfelt.

Perhaps it is the music I am listening to (Love is Free by 101 Strings Orchestra Sampler) or the fact that I finally watched Julie & Julia in it's entirety but I'm a bit nostalgic this evening. I've had a lot on my mind these days. I am a firm believer in that thinking too much is dangerous so tonight I just want to talk, to share with you in the hopes that you too will share something with me. The movie was great! I think it was just lovely. It made me want to cook French food, drink Bordeaux and eat chocolate! It also reminded me that I really ought to continue my français lessons on livemocha.

I bought a little composition notebook at the Dollar Tree which I plan on decorating and keeping as a French book. I had started one before leaving Florida but it too is packed away in a storage unit in New Jersey, wondering when it will come out of the dark and back into the light. I am extremely used to moving and every time I move into a new place and open my boxes it's like Christmas. I know it may sound weird but I enjoy moving...it is how I have come to know so many wonderful places and wonderful people. I am in transition at present and God only knows where I will end up but I do so much hope to one day live a year in France, another in Italy and maybe even in India some day!

I miss my friends as well but I thank God for the internet! I relish letters but can reconcile myself to receiving e-mails or wall posts on facebook. I am nearly thirty but feel fifteen and somehow I think this will not change anytime soon. I was recently looking through photos I'd taken a about 3-5 years ago while living in Cheney, WA and found a few of my earliest crafts which I love! I have this composition notebook turned into cookbook project that I've been working on for several years now and it is one of my favorite things in the world. Here is a page from it:

Tea cookie recipe from a magazine...

This notebook is like a scrapbook of recipes from magazines, old recipe cards my mom had in a little box, school recipe papers from home-ec class and the like. That is what I love about it. It's very personal and unique. Another photo I found is one I took of a notebook I had decorated with my friend Melissa Mason. I'd been inspired by a scrapbooking magazine to decorate a journal and thought it would be something fun for both she and I to do together and I hope she still has hers. Here is mine:

Melissa and I being silly, as was our custom...

There was never a boring moment when hanging out with Melissa! I miss her and all of my friends in Spokane very much. Still, I would not trade the time I get to spend with my nieces right now for anything else in this world. They are adorable and I love being with them. Lord, I feel like I am confessing tonight! Anyway, I think this next photo is something worth getting a good laugh at. My sad attempt at making a guitar cake as per Betty Crocker:

Melissa loved her cake and it is the thought that counts...

I think that rather strange looking blob next to the cake was supposed to be a guitar pick fashioned from one of the left-over cut-outs of the assembling of the guitar itself. I'm not a cake decorating artist but I do believe this cake was not a total loss and it tasted quite good! For a first attempt I think it was not so bad! Definitely could be better but oh well!

One other thing I miss about Spokane, Jane Austen Tea Parties with my friends Johanna Darnall and Lynn Swanbom. I have very few other friends who enjoy Jane Austen as much as I do. When watching Emma on PBS I could think of nothing but them. I miss them so much!. Here is one of my favorites from one such event:

Tea being poured into my cup...

I've enjoyed sharing these things with you and I hope that you have enjoyed reading! Thanks for being there! I hope to hear from you all. Let me know how you are doing and what is making you smile this week! Have a brilliant Wednesday!

Cheers!

PS: I finally found a title! ;-)

Fantastic Friday: Dreaming of France, Peanut Butter Bread and Free Music

A finer Friday I could not have asked for! I love having exceptionally good days because when you're having a not-so-great day they are the days you can draw inspiration from and remind yourself that there's always a rainbow after the biggest of storms. So, I've had all things French on my mind, so much so that I actually did a little bit of my French lessons on Livemocha.com. I was watching Julie & Julia last night and although I wasn't able to finish (the DVD was not working very well) I was already loving it and think I may just have to purchase it! I think I may also purchase that cookbook of Julia's and tackle those recipes myself (Mastering the Art of French Cooking is a cookbook that has always intimidated me but now that I am older I think I might be able to handle it).

I woke up from a brilliant dream about being in France and was happy to find the sun shining through my window and was even happier to come downstairs and drink a cup of coffee accompanying it with some toast with Nutella spread. After feeding Gianna and making sure Alyssa had some food, I sat down to watch the Gilmore Girls and then caught Paula Deen on the Food Network. Her recipes today were delicious as she had decided to "Go nutz!" The episode, Goin' Nutz! was full of great food and a nice little "tip" at the end. She made this very good looking Peanut Butter bread which I of course had to try! So I made it, although the reviews were not so great, but mine turned out wonderfully! Here it is:

Peanut Butter Bread using Paula Deen's recipe

I think the trick to the bread was baking it for about 30-35 minutes instead of the 50 minutes suggested by the recipe (I inserted a toothpick and when it came out clean took the bread out which was well before the 50 minutes). Also, adding more like 1/2 a cup to 3/4 cups of sugar instead of 1/3 cup will make it a bit better although adding honey to it when it is still warm makes it taste pretty good too! Here is the recipe. Just click on the boldfaced word to access the link!

I listened to the House of Soul sampler I got from iTunes as I was cooking and while waiting for the bread to cool some, I got on facebook to see that there was an NPR sampler available for download so I got that. Looking for more music I found samplers for free on Amazon and I want to share that link with you: Amazon Samplers. I love to listen to music as I cook or craft and even more when it is an ecclectic mixture of good tunes! So, I leave you now with some gorgeous photos of Paris, La Ville-Lumière, the City of Light since that's what I've been dreaming of lately:

{Tour Eiffel, Paris France by Philip Rood Photography}

{Collage by ..Agnes.. on polyvore.com}

{Photo from Paris Perfect}

{Mini Eiffel Tower Grater from wishingfish.com}

Ok, so that last one isn't exactly a photo of Paris but I thought it was cute and really want one! Hope you've enjoyed today's post!

Cheers!