the most important meal of the day...

...seems to be one of the most difficult to make.  I've been wanting to try a tea ring recipe that I snagged out of a cooking magazine YEARS ago.  Last Sunday- I actually prepared to tackle this obstacle.  I had a trusty side kick-my lil cousin Ashley. 

Why did I wait so long to make this recipe??  Well, because if I don't eat pretty much right away when I wake up- I turn into Oscar the Grouch and this recipe has a rising time of 1 hour! 

 So if you're like me- eat a small snack prior to starting.  Seriously.

Everything was going swell with the recipe.  Easy- no glitches.  We let the dough raise, rolled it it flat added some cinnamon and sugar and rolled it into a log.  Then we sliced it into sections and formed it into a circle. 

Here is my trusty chef  Ash- she'll probably be out for blood after she finds out I posted this picture :)

So far so good right?!  We thought for sure it was going to be a glorious morning filled with cinnamon partries.  We popped this sucker in the oven set the timer, started on the homeade icing.  

And the timer goes off-  it's done and you should've seen how fast we jumped off the couch to run to the kitchen.  Did I mention I'm always starving in the morning?!

Looks Delish right?!  It does.  What's the problem you ask??!  Well the darn thing is SO thick it hadn't cooked in the middle at all.  It was a mess.  I added about half an hour of time in ten minute increments and it still wasn't cooking.  I then sliced it and put it on a cookie sheet to bake.  Pulled them out and they were BURNT!  Yeuck!!

Looks good, tastes too floury.  Next time- I'll subtract 1/2 cup flour, add 1/4 cup sugar.  Mutliply the cinnamon and sugar by a million.  Oh, and the tea ring??  Not again. 

Next time, I'll just slice them into rolls!

There you have it- our breakfast debacle!  Made for a funny morning and now I think I have  a better recipe for breakfast pastries! 

I'll let you know how it goes :)

in the mood to sew...

I need to get a list together of projects I want to do.  The problem is, I think of them at inopportune times when I don't have a pen and piece of paper handy. 

I figure if I write it down where all of you can see then I'll stay on track and maybe finish them.

You'll help me right?!  (This is where you give a very enthused YES!!!!)

1.)  Learn to Sew better.  There are quite a few projects I want to do, and many of them include dusting off my sewing machine.
         Jo Anns had patterns on sale for 99 cents!!!  I stocked up, I couldn't pass it up!!!  I got patterns for placemats, table cloths, napkins etc.  I was pretty excited because I'm already going to make chair cushions for our new table!!    I also got patterns for curtains, aprons, a dress etc!  I will master this sewing debacle, so if anyone wants to teach- I'm all ears!!

I also picked out fabrics for the dining room scheme.  It will be light orange and light blue with the neutrals as cream and brown.

Even better...here is a picture!!

and the pattern that I'm going to use is this one...the one at the bottomo left (black and white)

The table that we got is solid oak VERY traditional, generally not my desing asthetic, so I really wanted to but some whimsy into the design pattern and colors.  I'm trying to do an eclectic combination of prints and colors- so tell  me what you think!!

and a lasting thought, i breather quotes... 

 "Let no one come to you without leaving better and happier."

Let me introduce myself...

First off, let me first put it out there that I am technologically challenged. 

 Which, for my generation is a sad, sad thing.  I wouldn't expect anything other than the basics, unless by some miracle I can figure it out, or some tech-savvy angel appears to help me.  (Secretly, I'm hoping for the latter!)

If I had to categorize myself, I'd compare myself to a box of crayons.  I'm always colorful-joyful even.  And while there are similarities of color in your 64 count box, there are also polar opposites. 

 Let me explain.

I want to live on a horse farm.  I love the smell of grass, the great outdoors and I want nothing more than a wide front porch with cozy rocking chairs to spend the evening reading in.  This being said, you'd probably think I'm a country bumpkin...I'm not.  

As much as this side of me presents itself I am also pulled in a completely different direction.  I adore fashion, I like to take risks, and I really look like a crazy city girl on most days.  I can't stand to be alone, I'm energized by city lights and the intensity of the activities going on.

At this point, you're probably groaning, "Great, why is she telling me all of this?" 

 I'm telling you this because you should know if you follow my blog, you'll be following all my thoughts, habits, and ramblings.  One day, I may show you great recipes and crafts I'm working on.  The next it'll  be on fashion and fashion- pet peeves, and somedays you know what?  I'll ramble with whatever is on my mind.

There you have it, you've been warned, so follow at your own risk!

taraLynn