The Cure for What Ails You!

I think I've just discovered baking therapy. Last night I got home from work, a little beaten down and worse for the wear. I pulled out my mixing bowl and pans and proceeded to make a huge batch of chocolate banana bread, peanut butter chocolate cupcakes and coconut chocolate cupcakes. And VOILA, I felt renewed and had dozens of baked goods to show for it. The best part is that I'm allergic to wheat so I can pawn them off on everyone else!!

So for any of you looking for a cure for the blues, here's a perfectly amazing recipe to try.

CHOCOLATE BANANA BREAD

1 cup margarine, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
6 bananas, mashed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup lite sour cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans. In a large bowl, cream together margarine, sugar and eggs. Stir in bananas and vanilla. Sift in flour, baking soda and cocoa; mix well. Blend in sour cream and chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of a loaf comes out clean.

A dining room I like . . . and other small victories.

So I PROMISE not all of my posts will be about my house projects, BUT I've been working hard on them and wanted to share.

After 2 years of looking for the right table, paint color, chairs, etc., I'm finally happy with the dining room AND even ended up saving money on the deal thanks to craigslist! I love Craig.

HERE ARE A FEW OTHER FAVORITE THINGS AROUND THE HOUSE.

This is a cardboard sign courtesy of my creative genius sister, Cubbie. It hangs prominently in my basement in honor of her brilliance.


Two favorite things -- art and books.


I searched for a huge map for my kitchen forever and finally found one at Ikea. It even matches the colors in my kitchen, although not really that table cloth.

Mysteriously WONDERFUL Wednesday

So I just got called down to the front desk to find this waiting for me . . .
And this was the mysterious card. I'm a HUGE Friday Night Lights fan so it must be someone who knows me well enough to know that. Hmmm.

Any guesses?

Nickle & Dime-ing!

I think it might be in my genes to love all things garage sale, antique shop, free-from-the-side-of-the-road, etc. So here are a few of my favorite “finds”.

One of my first purchases. A $25 chair from an estate sale, where I had to throw a few elbows to capture this gem.

I LOVE this lamp. $2 from my old roommate's garage sale.

A Luckett's Store find. It was being pulled off a truck and I snagged this baby for $10. I sanded down the trim and painted them, and voila!

This was free! I painted it and changed the knobs. They're cute little clocks now.
A craigslist purchase, changed from gray paint with black industrial knobs to cute yellow with flowers.

Garage sale post!

A pair of matching garage sale chairs for a total of $5 with homemade pillows.

A gift from my friend Jill from a garage sale in Amish Country, no less. Scandalous and AWESOME!

Now, who's excited for Garage Sale Season to start?!!!!