Almond Crunch Bar Smoothie

This smoothie tastes just like an almond crunch bar. Like, dead on. It also takes about five minutes to make, and you put booze in it. Anyone have a better way to start the weekend?

 What you need:

4 bananas

6 oz. frozen peaches

4 cups of almond milk (I used vanilla)

6 ice cubes

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

3 shots amaretto

Candied ginger (for garnish)

What you do:

Blend everything up (besides the candied ginger) until it is nice and smooth. Then after you pour it, sprinkle some ground ginger on top and add a piece of candied ginger to the rim of the glass! Et voila! I found a way to make a smoothie unhealthy!

Fidget Work

      The last few days I have had a cold that I just can't seem to kick. After driving a grand total of fourteen hours this weekend and running around like a maniac, being stuck on the couch feels weird to say the least. After hour three of bumming around, I finally scrounged up the effort to walk upstairs and grab some craft supplies. I didn't want to get into anything too in-depth or messy (considering that right now I can barely manage myself, let alone a puddle of glue, etc.) so I finally settled on making a pair of earrings. 
      The pair I made is simple and actually only took a few minutes, but I really like the way that they came out. The beads felt nice in my hands as I was working with them (the white ones are glass and the blue ones are stone), and the methodical bending and trimming of the wires was soothing. I felt like it made my whole day better, even though it only took a few minutes.

Do you have fidget work you do to relax? I love knitting, jewelry making, hand sewing, and am just starting to learn how to embroider (more on that later...)I'd love to hear about what you do to keep yourself busy when you're feeling under the weather!

P.S. Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Amaretto Cream Cheese Frosting

Sometimes there is nothing better than baking something delicious on a lazy weekend afternoon. The light shines through my big kitchen windows, I put on an album I've been meaning to listen to, and get to enjoy the lovely smell (and taste) of some sweet treats! 

Baking is very therapeutic to me because it is both creative and calculated. Some measurements, especially in gluten-free baking are extremely important to produce a stable product, but the flavor combinations and aesthetics are all up to the creator. Here's what this Saturday looked like:

Gluten-free Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Amaretto Cream Cheese Frosting and Blackberries

Makes nine cupcakes

Ingredients:

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

4 eggs

1/4 cup melted butter

3/4 cup honey

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line nine muffin cups with paper liners. If you have a twelve muffin pan, fill the remaining three cups half-way with water to prevent burning. In a large bowl, combine the coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs, butter, and honey. Blend the wet ingredients into the coconut flour mixture with a handheld mixer until thoroughly combined. Fill baking cups up about half way.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. If you're like me and have no toothpicks handy, the old school way to do this is to pluck a piece of straw from a broomstick (make sure your broom is made out of real straw, not plastic or nylon) and wash it and dry it before inserting it into the cupcake. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for one hour, then frost and serve.

The Frosting:

Makes two cups

Ingredients:

8 ounces of cream cheese at room temperature

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup of amaretto liquor

Sprinkle of powdered sugar (optional)

While you're gathering up your materials, throw your bowl and beaters in the freezer. The chill will help to produce a more stable whipped cream. In a deep bowl, whip the cream with a handheld mixer until stiff peaks form.  In a separate larger bowl, whip the cream cheese and amaretto until well combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese. If sweeter frosting is desired, sprinkle some sifted powdered sugar and blend. Use immediately or store in a tightly sealed container for up to two days.

Three Items Under Two Dollars For A Rustic Vanity

I bought all three of these objects intending to decorate them with dried flowers, crystals, etc. However, when I got them home and looked at my vanity, I thought the simplicity of them looked beautiful in itself. The bottle works great as a bobby pin receptacle because a million don't pour out at once.

To give you an idea of prices here:

1. Grapevine Wreath- $1.99

2. Plain Glass Votive- $0.79

3. Apothecary Bottle- $1.00

Sometimes things are just meant to be simple!

Holiday Adorned Branch DIY

Although I love classic red and green decorations for Christmas, I was ready to branch out (hah) and try something different in my bedroom this year. In addition to the purple tinsel tree that lights up my window, I hung this simple piece above my bed. Best part, it only cost me two dollars.

What you'll need:

A large branch

Embroidery floss

Ornaments (these were from the dollar store)

Scissors

A hook

What you do:

Tie loop of embroidery floss on top of branch to form hanger. I used two separate color strands for added strength.

I found it easiest to hang up the branch while I was tying the ornaments on, so that I could see how the different lengths looked together.

Tie ornaments at varying lengths with floss. Trim excess.

I kept my mine pretty simple, but I'm sure you could have loads of fun adding silk flowers, glitter, and paint!

Happy Holidays!

Typographie Vintage