• Around home - Blog - Kitchen

    T Tuesday: rum cake edition

    This year for Christmas we changed things up a bit.  In the past several years we’ve had a Christmas brunch and it worked out very well since the kiddos weren’t too great at waiting to open presents. In those days I think they would have preferred everyone spend the night and get up at 6am.  Since they are older now, we decided moving back to a more traditional time for our family was best. That meant we’d need a dessert.

    I decided to make a rum cake. I’d made this one before and it was so yummy. The recipe comes from a cookbook called Booze Cakes that I checked out from the library.  The first time I made it I used a vintage Nordic Ware bundt pan in the classic bundt shape. This time I decided to get a little adventurous and use my fancy bundt pan since it looks a bit like Christmas trees.

    rum cake

    As it was baking, I was realizing that the tree pan was smaller than the classic pan…I kept watching it in fear that it would run over as it baked. I was lucky…

    rum cake

    Look how beautifully it came out of the pan! I took a lot of time preparing the pan in hopes that it would work.  So cute!

    rum cake

    Remember I mentioned this was from a cookbook called Booze Cakes…yeah…that bottle was full when I started and I wasn’t sampling. I don’t even like rum in drinks…but I sure do in cake!!!

    Just before serving I dusted the entire cake with powdered sugar giving it the appearance of snow. I totally forgot to snap a photo though. You’ll just have to take my word for it. It was yummy and boozy.

    The kids head back to school after winter break so I’ll be all by myself for a change…well I’ll still have Marvin to keep me company.

    Marvin

    What are you doing today?

  • Art - Blog - Creativity

    A second look: what I love about altered books

    For this first edition of Second on the 2nd for 2017 I thought we’d take a second look at a post that highlights all the things I love about altered books and/or art journals. The altered book in this post is my Nature themed altered book I created following the AB 101 weekly lessons presented by our lovely hostess Elizabeth. Yes, I had created altered books previous to this but it was fun to follow along and be “forced” to try new techniques through the lessons along the way.

    Take a look:

    10/6/2009


    I love the slightly wavy pages from layers of paint, glue and 3D embellishments.

    I love how the edges get all gunked up with various colors as I work through the book. Some could think this was a failure on my part to properly protect the other pages. To me it adds to the beauty.

    Who could resist decorative edges?!? Not this girl.

    I’m drawn to the way an altered book looks as it stands. It tends to pop open a bit so you get a little peek at what’s inside. Delicious.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    This book permanently lays on a side table highlighting the decorated edge. It makes me happy to see it there all wavy and wonky with shiny bits and babbles just daring you to pick it up.
  • Blog

    2017 Word of the Year

    I am super excited about my word of the year!

    woty-renew

    Renew…the word is so simple yet can mean so much. Renew can be to begin again or with increased vigor. Renew can mean to restore and rebuild. Revive, reinvigorate, reaffirm…see where I’m going here.

    The New Year always gives us a blank slate…a place to jot down our hopes and dreams, makes goals and see them through. So often we create lofty and/or unattainable goals for ourselves in the name of “resolutions”. I swear the majority of people do this knowing full well that they’ll quit within the month. It’s become a big joke. It is for that exact reason I made the shift to a single word.

    So how do I want to honor that word throughout the year…

    I want to renew some friendships I have let slide. Renew my effort to create a healthy and sustainable lifestyle for myself and family. Renew my vigor for this wonderful life I’ve been given. Renew myself in mind, body and spirit and when I fail I will renew myself again…not give up. My word of the year is very self centered and self serving this year and I’m not going to apologize for that.

    Just a few inspiration thoughts I gathered on Pinterest to go along with my renewal.

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