baking inspiration: pumpkin bread muffins

i figured i'd start a new feature whenever i baked something tasty! so here is the first installation. let me know if you like this feature and if you bake one of my recipes let me know how you like it and how it turned out!

pumpkin bread muffins:

- 3 cups all purpose flour

- 2 tsp baking soda

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 1 tbs nutmeg

- 1 tbs cinnamon

- 1 tbs all spice

- 1 tsp salt

- 3 cups white sugar

- 1 cup oil (canola or veggie)

- 4 eggs

- 1 15 oz canned pumpkin puree

- 1/2 cup water

- preheat oven to 350 degrees - grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans (or 2 muffin pans) - sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices. set aside.

- in a large bowl (or in mixer bowl) beat together sugar, oil, eggs and pumpkin. stir in flour mixture alternately with water. divide between prepared pans.

- bake in the pre-heated oven for 60-70 minutes (if in loaf pans) or 20-30 minutes in muffin pans or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

- for best flavor store in plastic wrap at room temperature overnight before serving.

these would be awesome with a chai latte and some honey butter (that's how i had mine!) or a nice pumpkin or cinnamon latte! enjoy!

honestly,

- e

coming through the weeds

you know that i feel like if i put this down in words the powers that be are going to jinx me...but i can't resist it.

i feel kinda like when you pull the blankets off your face after sleeping under them for a while - that cool, refreshing feeling that breathes on your skin as you snuggle back in. it's comfort. it's a feeling i've not felt in quite some time. it's been one thing after another, after another, after...well, you get the idea.

it was the decision to separate, the decision to file papers, the choice to move to minnesota, unemployment, being super broke, a loooooong depressing winter that was aided by the loss of my best little companion dying, crappy job after crappy job (then working three together to try to make ends meet)...along with so many little set-backs that i'm kind of amazed that anyone put up with me cause i was a weepy mess for the majority of the time!

but - what doesn't kill us makes us that much stronger...i know the meaning of this now. i know that my time "in the weeds" was basically a really tough way to realize that i didn't appreciate the little things in life. sometimes we all need wake-up calls and sometimes they can be INCREDIBLY painful. it was just like being under those blankets - i couldn't see anything outside of it all - all i could see was this enclosing space that didn't promise me any ways out. but, i believe that God came along and started pulling the edge back little by little.

now here we are - i have so much to be thankful for. tonight i am so over-filled with joy and love that i could burst. i have found myself looking at old and new pictures on facebook tonight and many times close to the point of crying. happy crying. so strange. every time i cry i wonder how the heck that happens! aren't we all just a mystery, how we work?

anyways...thanks to everyone who has been helping me through all this, i'm sure there will be other times when life pulls the blanket back over my head and i find myself tangled and twisted but for now, i'm barely holding that blanket. i have so much to look forward to. some of my closest friends have had (or are close to having) new babies which makes me so happy. oh, and of course there is that little thing that's happening in 57 days where i get to say "i do" to my best friend whom i owe so much comfort to. i am so thankful that we're both getting a second chance to be in love. speaking of him, i'm going to leave you all with "our song"...some people might find it odd that this is ours but, like i said, we've been through some stuff together and have come out so much stronger for it. i finally am learning how to help myself (with a little help from my friends...and family).

help yourself

hope you have a gorgeous rest of your summer. peace be with you and may your days be full of blessings, even in the blanketed times.

honestly,

-e

new hair!

so, i have this process that i always seem to go through - i grow my hair out...and then it all gets chopped off. i'm not entirely sure why i do this so often but it's how i've been since senior year of high school. maybe it's cathartic? i think that i typically like to have shorter hair but now that i'm getting older i like to have some length, too. got it cut today. i'm pretty happy with it! it's cute, it's funky and it's fun. i think that i'm still adjusting to all the highlights i got put in. i like them but i think i'll stick to a little darker next time. i've gotten really used to myself with darker hair and i kinda like it. but the highlights are very pretty! my hair stylist is pretty awesome! and she's now a friend so that's kinda great. well, here are some other pics of the new hair!

honestly,

-e

a smidge of a teaser and news

ok - so it's admittedly been a horrible thing of mine to neglect this blog. seriously, deplorable...what am i thinking!? apparently those four of you who read are dying to know what's going on. well - lots!

moved into a new apartment, still looking for sustainable work....GOT ENGAGED! yup, i used caps...never do that so you know how flippin' excited i am about marrying this guy! he's amazing, he loves me for who i am, no matter how screwed up i am and it's all ditto back in his direction. i also started writing in a freelance capacity which is fun and kinda nerve-wracking!

anyways - we're getting married in 90 days from today, yup, 90! no, i'm not preggers, we just wanna get hitched and do it in a non-fussy way. i'm going to post some d.i.y. wedding projects here over the next couple of weeks along with some apartment goodness. i love my new place and can't wait to share it, but tonight it's just not so pretty!

i've had a bit of a breakthrough today - i am going to be making some changes and i think i'll be better for it. those are just two of my little to-do lists at the top. i find that life goes smoother when i write lists... i get rather neurotic about them but oh well.

and here is just a little teaser of the new apartment to keep you coming back in a week!!

oooh la la! it's an un-styled look at the corner of my bedroom

(the other corner is full of laundry), don't you just love that fan!? ::gag::

honestly,

-e

lemme dust off the cobwebs!

i can't believe it's been so long since i've posted. maybe it's been because i've been far too busy. maybe it's been because winter did a doozy on my mood or maybe it's because i can't seem to figure out where life is going these days!

not sure which but i do know that three jobs (two now...that was not planned) is definitely one way to fill time. why is it that it's so difficult to find a job these days that actually pays decent money, has benefits and treats me like a human being? i didn't spend all that time in college working my butt off to learn how to make cones at dairy queen...seriously (nothing against dairy queen or people who work there but they rubbed me the wrong way this week).

life has been picking up speed and then dropping down to a lull for quite a while. to say it's like a roller-coaster ride isn't too far from the truth. to add to the joys of this insane life of stretching $20 for a week, i'm moving into a new apartment at the end of the month. it's some exciting stuff! 300 more sq. ft. than my current apartment for very little extra money so i'm very happy! it's interesting to note that this is the first time in my adult life that i haven't had my family help me move. of course ryan and his family and my friends are volunteering to help and i hope that it goes smoothly, but there is just something heart-breakingly homesick about not having my mom and dad around to help me move. i don't know if i'll be able to make it through the traditional first-meal-in-the-new-digs of take-out chinese without tearing up a bit.

i'm not saying i want to move back to memphis. nothing wrong with that city but it's not the place for me at this point in my life but i do wish my family lived close by. i miss those friday nights when i could just call up my folks, throw on some sweats and head over for a backyard bonfire. those nights were good for this introverted soul of mine. i look forward to maybe living in the same city as them again someday.

eh, i just feel a little jostled around and kicked in the stomach lately. and yes, i know it will get better and yes, i have trusted God with this. but i have also talked to God about how the past few years have felt a little rough and would he please quit thinking i'm so strong? he knows, it's all good. he's big enough for me to be occasionally mad at him.

speaking of which, i think ryan and i finally found a church that we are starting to feel comfortable in. for as many years as i have worked in ministry it's a strange thing to be hunting for a church from this perspective! it's a cool little community. full of artists and environmentalists...when i finally have enough money i can even subscribe to a CSA (community supported agriculture) program through the church which would provide me with organic veggies every week. sounds pretty awesome to me. we're still playing it a tad shy with the church for now. i've got some wounds there that i hope will heal with time. i just have to remember that it's a community of broken people and that broken people hurt each other sometimes.

well - hope the update post wasn't terribly boring. i'll try to be around more often. once the move is over i will have more space in which to craft again! i am even going to attempt to make some pillows and possibly a quilt coming up soon. we shall see! anyways - have a good one.

honestly

-e

ink & whimsy - my 'business'

hi guys! so, exciting news! i am starting a hobby/business called ink & whimsy! i decided that there aren't enough baby announcement/thank you note/birthday invite companies that do things for the funkier, more inked ladies and gents out there! if i were a mom i think i'd like something that was a bit more 'me'. ya know? so, i'm starting ink & whimsy to help that out!

check out my etsy shop: www.esty.com/shop/inkandwhimsy !

i am soooo excited! granted, there isn't much up there yet but rest assured i'm still working my little design-y brain off on it! i'm hoping that this will be something that will add to my income. i figured, if i can't seem to find a design job right now why not start my own!? so, check it out and let me know what you think!

honestly,

-e

my new venture!

i have something fun in the works! i won't tell you about it too much this week, just know that next friday i'll have a fun announcement! here's a sneak peak ;)

i'll let you know more soon!

honestly

-e

the winter in me...

i have been having a tough, really tough go of it lately.

some days i'm hanging by a thread, ready to cry at the slightest change of plans or the smallest memory (mainly, still, of my timber). other days i just go through life - i work, i come home, i watch weeds (way too many episodes but i love that ryan and i are watching it together!). i feel like i can't get enough time off lately but when i have time off i get antsy.

it is winter.

it has been for a while now. and that's ok.

it is also winter in me. and that's ok, too.

i am trying to accept that life has dealt me some crazy blows over the last year and that it's ok to pull inside and recover. it's ok to not be happy all the time. it's ok to not fake a smile and to actually be upset and let that be known.

that being said, i look forward to spring! the snow is so peaceful and pretty and the cold is bracing but i am ready for cute dresses and the chance to wear my flippy floppies (yes, mom, i'll get a pedicure first!!). it is time to slough off the winter and make some positive changes. it is time to invest more in my life than "what makes money"...cause, let's face it, most of the time, a job is just a job...and that's definitely the case currently.

i got a new charger for my camera since i've apparently misplaced the other one, and i intend on taking my art back up again. also - working on writing some music...i know, wow!

it is time to come on out of the snow and start coming back into myself. i believe some of the wounds of going through a divorce, and uprooting, a new life, losing my best buddy are starting to heal a little. of course they will always change who i am but i'm starting to realize that that's ok.

i am hoping that this period of winter in me is thawing. we'll see - it's going to take time but i'm getting there. here's to spring.

honestly,

-e

my best friend

my sweet timber,

i will never forget you. you have been a constant comfort through many storms of life. i can't see how i'm going to be able to move on from this catastrophic loss and i feel as though someone pierced a hole in my heart. i know some people would say "he was just a dog" but we know better, huh? you understood me better than any human ever has. you knew exactly when to put that sweet nose under my hand to be petted, when to snuggle up next to my legs and put your head in my lap. you even knew that the best thing to do when i was crying was to come and lick away my tears. i have never felt safer than when you were snuggled in the bed beside me or barking at anyone who passed within 100 feet of our house. i loved quiet nights sitting out in the backyard with you on alert next to me...you were always hunting something. i won't forget the silly little circle wag you always did with your tail (and that you taught to the greyhound!) and the howling at sirens that was always so funny and so eerie. i remember when i first met you, all your beauty, your gentleness, your sweet nature - i fell in love instantly. those first few weeks i felt as though i had a wild coyote running through my house and yard, you were so different, so exotic compared to any other dog i'd ever met. i almost feel like i did the morning i took off in my pjs, barefoot and running through the streets trying to find my baby, thinking i had lost you for good. but no, you had just wandered out of the gate and couldn't find your way back - you didn't get far and you were trying to come home.

right now the sweet memories are a little painful. they keep mixing with the memories of your last day and how difficult that was. it's hard to sleep for all the dreams i'm having of you and all the guilt i have for not getting to spend as much time with you as i have wanted over the last fourteen months. i know you'll forgive me and i hope i do someday, too. i just thought i had more time. you were so healthy and happy in your new home and at least you were just across town instead of all the way back in memphis. but it was still so hard to be there and know that i had to go home and leave you every time. i hope this will get easier, that i can focus on the fact that you're up in heaven with hobie, korey and kermit having a great time herding a ball around, marking everything you can, running, jumping, playing in the snow you loved so much and waiting until i'm ready to come join you. until then i think that the snow, red rubber balls, sirens and so many things will make me remember you. i miss you so much, mutt mutt. you were my best friend and i don't know how i'm going to go on without the promise of you waiting for me. i love you with all of my heart and can't wait until i can hug you again and run my hands through that thick, crazy fur of yours.

your best friend.

merry christmas to all

and to all a good night!

merry christmas from truth, lies and honesty! i pray that this holiday season finds your heart warm and your blessings many. i am counting in my blessings an amazing family that i get spend time with, a great new home, a free plane ticket to get to my parents house, the snowiest december in minneapolis history and the love of an amazing man (who i wish was with me this christmas!). blessings to you and tidings of great cheer!

MerRy ChrIstmAs!

my home at christmas

i realized that i haven't posted any christmas decor or pictures of my tiny slice of minneapolis in a while! it's been a snowy week up here in the midwest - in the minneapolis metro we got about 23 inches of snow saturday morning and all the way until around 3am on sunday morning. to say it was insane would be belittling the storm. it was monumental! the 5th largest storm in the history of minneapolis and i got experience it as my first winter got well underway up here! i was happy to be burrowed in (my second job called and told me to stay home saturday and my other job told me to stay home sunday!) spending my time watching christmas movies on netflix wii, writing christmas cards, wishing i had made a grocery run and glad to have my boyfriend here!

so, here is what the hibernation cave looks like right now! (here is one photo - click this link to go to my photostream: scrumpygirl13 )

i promise!

the etsy shop should be open soon! i had a delay in production due to the fact that i was working too much! but, i've been a little elf lately so i should be able to update it soon. i've got quite a few things to put up in there, just need to do a photo-shoot with my bestie, jill! in the mean time, enjoy something that makes me happy when i'm sad: marcel the shell with shoes on

thankfulness

i wanted to do my thanksgiving day post on thanksgiving while i'm curled up on the couch enjoying my first real day off since october, drinking coffee, eating a cinnamon roll, watching the parade and scheming the pie baking for the afternoon. but...alas, the internet is still not working at the apartment so i'm posting early!

this has been a year of up's and down's, sometimes more down's than up's but it's ok. i am thankful that i have made some changes that really have helped me realize who i am. it's been difficult but i feel like i've really been able to grow up a lot in the last year.

mostly, i am thankful for the people in my life. they have supported me, carried me, listened to me, made me laugh when i wanted to cry, let me cry if i needed to and made me feel like i'm not alone when things are rough or great. i really miss my family. it's tougher than i thought it would be to move and to leave my parents in memphis. but at the same time i think it's given me some perspective on what my own dreams and my own goals are. i miss my friends in memphis but am thankful for their love and support that i feel through the internet! god bless facebook and twitter, right!?

i am thankful for the blanket of snow that has covered the twin cities! this is the third snow that i've experienced up here so far which makes me so happy! i have long missed the changing of the seasons and the bite of a cold fall/winter. of course, this means that tomorrow is going to be -10...it's like the weather is making sure i know what i'm getting into! my sweet mom and dad are sending me some much-needed snow boots! i can't wait until they get here, then i won't have to worry so much about falling on my butt on the way to the bus stop!

i am thankful for a new life. new surroundings in a city i love. the love of people in my life and the weather. mostly, i am thankful for all of it. i'd write more but then i might make myself cry! so, instead of me making me cry...here is something my sweet nana wrote when i asked her to talk about thankfulness:

"Thanksgiving brings many memories of all those turkey dinners, trips to the grandparents and later trips to our children to celebrate the occasion. My reflections dwell more on what I am thankful for -- for the 54 years of marriage to my dear sweet husband with only regrets that we couldn't grown older together -- for the six wonderful children that this marriage produced and the six in-law children that they brought into this family -- followed by nine grandchildren and three spouses and one dear little great-granddaughter. They now number 25 - each one so dear to my heart. I am so truly blessed and deeply grateful for all that God has given me."

how's that for thankfulness? :D i love my nana! here's a great pic of my mom and her mom (my nana)
hope everyone has a fabulous thanksgiving!

honestly,

-e

Guest Post - Consider Lilies DIY Fall Wreath :D

laura is one of my long-time friends (part of a group of six of us we've called "the lakehouse girls" - we've been friends since high school) and i am so honored and thankful to have her post on my blog! she is such a cute and crafty mom of two (with a third on the way!) who has the coolest ideas about home decor, grace and family. please visit her blog considerlilies and her etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/considerlilies

and without further ado - here is her fabulous guest post!

DIY Fall Wreath

Hi there! My name is Laura and I am a wife (my favorite thing to be!), a mom to two of the greatest little kids ever, and a homemaker. I like to make stuff when I have time and you can keep up with all of that over at my blog, ConsiderLilies.

I am digging the ruffle trend I see everywhere these days, so when I decided to change out the wreath on the door for fall, ruffles seemed like the thing to do...

For starters, collect all of the items below. For the ruffles, I bought some colored felt and whipped them out on the sewing machine (this takes just a couple of minutes) to the desired length. (To make ruffles, set your sewing machine to the longest possible straight stitch setting. DON'T backstitch. When you're done, pull on the loose strings at the end and it will gather.)

Then start wrapping the wreath base in yarn (it will take less time if the yarn is thicker) and glue it with craft glue on the backside as you go.

After that, place your ruffles where you want them and glue them down in the back as well. Affix your little bird (I used straight pins) and you're done!

Thanks, Erin, for treating me to a little spot on your blog:). I'm feelin' honored! And happy fall to everyone!!!

booo internet!

i swear, i get all geared up to be a great blogger and then the internet at my apartment all but completely craps out! it's soooooo frustrating. this is the third time that a technician will be coming out to see if they can fix it. i've decided that this is it! if they can't then i'm switching!

so, that said - sorry for the lack of posting! it's so annoying. i have a guest post by my dear friend laura of consider lillies (http://lauracatemann.blogspot.com/) all ready to go but i can't get the internet to work so i can't upload it! boo! i swear, it will get done this week!

i'm also still planning on opening up the etsy shop either this week or next week, depending on if i can take some time to go to a caribou coffee or something to hook up online. so annoying!

but in good news - got christmas music playing, experienced my first minnesotan snow! (it was a record breaker apparently!) so the ground is white, the music is going, i'm bundled up with a new hat and i looooooove this time of year! what's your favorite thing about the holidays?

honestly,

-e

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!

hey guys!

thanks for your votes yesterday on the logo. it really helped and i decided to go with the horizontal one (even made the brown a little lighter). the logo is part of my big announcement for the month of november! ya ready for it?

i am opening and etsy shop! it's not ready just yet but i wanted to go ahead and tell you about it with the hopes that maybe sharing the idea will keep me motivated to finish up the last bits of it! i am designing jewelry, clay creations, knitted creations and any other number of handmade crafts to sell on it and it will be called, you guessed it - simple nature!

i chose the name because i like the idea of handmade things harkening back to a different era that was more simplistic in nature. whenever i make things by hand i feel like i am really owning my creativity and that my creations are really a part of who i am. so, i am aiming to open the shop next week. you can check out the store (although it's empty right now!) at this link: simplenatureonline

check back next week and there will be stuff up! i will post about the opening of it next week as well! thanks so much and enjoy life!

honestly,

-e

logo design - which one do you like better?

hey guys, so, here is a logo i'm working on and i seriously can't decide which one i like better. do you have an opinion? (please ignore the odd white space issue with #1)

logo 1:

logo 2:

so, leave me a note and lemme know!

honestly,

-e

Guest Post : The Reel Momma!

i have been truly blessed in my life to have wonderful friends! one of them is my dear friend lee ann from the reel family ( http://www.thereelfamilyblog.com/ ) - she's hilarious and amazing and i have had the sheer pleasure of knowing her since the 11th grade! she has agreed to do a guest post for this blog today. enjoy her candid thoughts on thankfulness and go visit her blog! you'll love it!

As a child I was lucky enough to meet an amazing group of girls that together as we grew up instead of growing apart we turned into dear friends. When Erin asked me to stop by for a visit at her home in cyberspace I was truly honored that she thought of me. Erin is one of those girls turned dear friend and I truly cannot remember life without her.

On daily basis you can find me over at The Reel Family Blog where our life revolves my attempts to battle a messy toddler and husband with my OCD cleaning habits and all that lies in between. We talk party planning, cooking and parenting as I entertain you with stories of my “all-boy” child and our attempts to navigate this great river called parenthood.

For me, parenthood was an “AHA” moment in truly understanding the depths of thankfulness. Sure, I have always been thankful of my many blessings. But, there is something about motherhood that for me was soul changing.

Waking up to each morning to pitter-patter of feet and a soft call for “Momma” overcomes me. I am overtaken with love and gratitude that I was chosen to be his Momma. It makes me thankful for each and every day I have been given. My heart now walks outside my body and love so much deeper.

My husband is the light of my life; he is my person. I have always loved him but now my love grows daily. Each day I swear I couldn’t love him more until I see him interact with our son or go about our daily partnership in this life we have made. To an outsider our daily world may seem mundane but together we tackle life. And, to me, there is nothing like it. There truly is nothing better than us.

And as crazy as it sounds it even makes me more thankful for my past. Hindsight is always 20/20 and I can look at my life and see how each path lead me to road I am on today. I found my person; he’s my perfect match, my soul mate. I found the job I was made for. I spent a lot of life chasing dreams of professionalism. Along the way I realized, work to me is nothing more than a means to pay the bills. I was made to be Craig’s wife and EJ’s momma. And when the world seems dark and life is heavy I try to focus on the reality that this is best times of my life thus far. I am thankful for each day, for each quiet morning in PJ’s with a cup of coffee and Sesame Street playing the background. I am thankful for the blessing my husband has given me by shouldering the weight of finances and working hard for us everyday. I am thankful for family, the one that made me and the one that I have made.

So as we embark on yet another Holiday season I find myself not thankful for things that I have in my life but the people. My friends, the old and the new, who without them my life would be so incomplete. My family who loves always and supports unconditionally. My husband, my best friend who makes me laugh and smile and loves me through raging hormones, childbirth, and both good and bad times. My son who taught me what love really is and reminded me who and what are really most important in life.

i am thankful for...

sitting around the campfire last night with my friends got me thinking about thankfulness. i guess that's a good thing considering what month is now upon us, huh?

well, i have some exciting stuff coming up this month on this blog!!

it's all about thankfulness.

i am very excited that some of my best friends are going to write a couple of guest blog posts for you lovely readers to soak up! some are going to be about crafts, others about traditions and some about thankfulness and what that means to them. i even hope to have a very special blog post from my most favorite woman (or maybe even two of them) ever!

i will also be doing another give-away this month so keep posted to win some fabulous goodies!

there may also be an exciting announcement coming up later this month that i can hardly wait to share with you guys but i really need to just be patient for a bit! so that's my november teaser! it's going to be a great month!!

and thanks to all who voted on my poll - looks like this dorkus is going to keep the blog more-or-less the same as it's been. much love to all!!

honestly,

-e

november already!?!?!?!?!

it's tough to believe, isn't it? it feels like yesterday should have been summer to me, although here in minnesota the temps are far from summer temps! i absolutely love the cooler weather here, and yes, i do know it's about to get a whole lot cooler and snowy! i'm excited, ready and a little apprehensive.

halloween was pretty uneventful for me this year - seems like that's been the trend for the past three years, sadly. three years ago i had a horrible bronchial infection which caused me to cancel my annual party, last year, well, that was the whole beginning of the divorce thing and i didn't really think a celebration was in order. this year, well, working seven days a week definitely lends itself to a bit of unpreparedness (that's so a word!) and having a tiny apartment kind of aids in the whole inability to throw a party! i guess i'll just look at these last three years of no-party-ness as preparation for a gigantic party next halloween! i literally cannot wait!

we went bowling on saturday night, i dressed as a modern day demeter (goddess of fertility) and my boyfriend was a modern day baccus (god of food and wine). it was pretty fun, i even almost broke 100 on my second game which cracks me up - but i still beat the boy so that's what matters! last night i got to tag along with my best friend, jill and meet a new friend, megan, who was amazing! we hung out at her house in the front yard, roasted marshmellows and handed out candy to little trick-or-treaters! it was fabulous! then we followed it up with a bonfire at jill's house with friends and family in attendance. i even got to see my friend, naja, who moved up here from memphis some years back.

well, it was amazing and i hope you had a great halloween! we are going bowling again tonight because we obviously like torture! have a wonderful first day of november and look for another update this afternoon about the month of november and this blog!

honestly,

-e