The gift of love. and cupcakes.

I'm a summer baby, so when I was a kid my mom would take pity on me and send me to school with cupcakes on my "half birthday". This was so I got a chance to bring in treats and feel special, even though my birthday was in July. Today just happens to be that half birthday, and wouldn't you know it? I'm craving cupcakes!

:: via pinterest ::

:: via ME! ::

::via pinterest ::

:: via threadless ::

getting ready for a new arrival

I have baby fever! Relax, Mom... and Rodger... Aunts & cousins... and any baby-crazed friends. You all know it's because my nephew is going to be born this week (maybe even this very day)!!!! I'm so excited to get to hold my brother's very first baby, that I'm trolling the web for cute baby inspiration. The kid is going to be so spoiled!

I can't get over all the miniature adult details going on in the Baby Gap's Spring 2011 Lookbook. All the ruffles and stripes and pleats and baby Chucks!... I'm going to explode from the sheer cuteness of it all. Pure and simple.

sunday snack :: black bean brownies

I know what you're thinking. Black beans in a brownie sounds pretty disgusting. I was skeptical, too. However, I tried it out a while back and was pleasantly surprised, and it does not taste at all like black beans. I swear. There are two ways you can go about doing this. The easy way is to puree the black beans, add them to a pre-made brownie mix, and bake according to the directions on the box. The result will be tasty, but dense brownies. My one beef with this is that I can't control everything that goes into the brownie.

The recipe I'm going to share today is filled with lots of healthy ingredients. There's still a bit of sugar in there, so I don't advocate eating them all the time, but they're an awesome treat! The final result is a soft, slightly dense brownie that is studded with chocolate chips, and has a slightly tangy cream cheese frosting.

Why BLACK BEANS? Because they provide fiber, protein, and antioxidants. In this instance we're using them in place of oil to spare lots and lots of saturated fat. A usual practice of mine, the flour is half white, half WHEAT FLOUR to sneak in some grains but still maintain a somewhat smooth texture. AGAVE NECTAR is my favorite sweetener. It's light and very sweet, so you don't need a ton of it. It's also low on the Glycemic Index so it doesn't crash your blood sugar. I normally use it to sweeten all sorts of things like coffee, baked goods, tea and yogurt.

The EGG WHITES are lower in cholesterol than whole eggs (though it's totally okay to eat a whole egg from time to time if you don't have Cholesterol issues). FLAX SEED is pretty much a wonder substance, so I added it to get in some extra fiber, protein, and Omega 3's. It's really hard to make frosting healthy and tasty at the same time. There's still a bit of sugar in there, but I also used all natural, LIGHT CREAM CHEESE to offset that some because it's lower in fat than regular cream cheese . I used Trader Joe's brand which is produced from cows that aren't treated with antibiotics or hormones.

Ingredients:

(yields 16 brownies)

brownies-

1 15 oz. can of black beans (rinsed thoroughly and drained)

1/2 cup agave nectar

1/2 cup egg beaters

1/4 cup self-rising white flour

1/4 cup self-rising wheat flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

6 tbsp semisweet chocolate chips

3 tbsp flax seed

2 tbsp vanilla

1 tsp baking powder

frosting-

4 oz. light cream cheese

1/4 cup agave nectar

2 tbsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp powdered sugar

3 tbsp semisweet chocolate chips

• preheat oven to 350℉

• in food processor combine all brownie ingredients except chocolate chips together and chop on high until completely smooth.

• add in chocolate chips and stir until evenly distributed.

• spay an 8"x8" baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and pour in brownie mixture.

• bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

• allow to cool for about an hour.

• to make the frosting, combine the cream cheese, agave nectar, vanilla and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl. I highly suggest using an electric mixer with a whisk component if you have one for this part. Whisk on high until creamy and slightly fluffy.

• melt the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl by heating for 30 seconds, stirring, and then heating and stirring in 10 second intervals until chocolate is no longer lumpy.

• swirl the melted chocolate into the cream cheese mixture and set aside in the refrigerator until brownies are cool.

• frost the cooled brownies.

approximate nutritional breakdown (per brownie):

calories - 153, total fat - 3.2g, saturated fat - 1.7g, sodium - 65.8mg, fiber - 3.4g, sugars - 18.2g, protein - 4.3g

I got the inspiration and basis for this recipe from Dr. OZ.

inspired by :: Terry Welker

I am related to some pretty wonderful and creative people. One of them is my Uncle, Terry Welker. He is a mobile sculptor, and does some pretty amazing work. This is him in his basement workshop.

Here's a link to short video about his process and how he manages to build such large-scale pieces in such a modest space. I'm pretty gosh darn proud to say I'm related to him.

Just thought I'd share some of my creative geneology!

A close up to one of his massive "rain" sculptures.

Some of his smaller pieces on display at the Dayton Visual Arts Center.

I highly recommend you go to his Welker Studio facebook page to scope out more of his work.

quotabili-tee :: feeling a bit dramatic

It's been a long and trying week, my friends. However, it is friday and time to put it all behind me. I don't have any huge plans or anything. I'm working out with friends Saturday and again on Sunday which is really fun for me, believe it or not! I'm also hoping to finish up the art room (fingers crossed).

With some luck and maybe some quiet time, I'll avoid this scenario:

:: from threadless ::

How about you? Was this just the longest week in history for you, too?

boot up!

I must be channeling my inner 9th grader. I never thought past the age of 14 I'd ever want to look at another pair of Dr. Martens. But here I am, drooling over leather boots and pouring over their website. My faves are most definitely the floral printed boots (Rodger, if you're listening, you know I take a size 6, but that's a size 4 by UK standards, just a gentle hint).

Authentic Wedge Boot :: Applique Norah Flower Deboss Boot :: Print 1460 8-Eyeboot :: Diva Vivianna Desert Boot :: Blake Buckle Boot

art room do-over :: I love lamp

The latest news in the continuing saga of my art room re-org is my trip to IKEA. By the way, the absolute best time to be scoping out fine Swedish furnishings has got to be at 7pm on a Tuesday night. I kept rushing because it was so empty it felt like it was closing time!

We left the store with just a few items, but of course more than we intended to buy. Apparently I'm taking a stab at refrigerator and produce organization as well, since I purchased an absurd amount of food storage containers. Eh, when in Rome...

I digress. For the art room, I ended up taking home just a couple of items. The cheapest, and probably most underwhelming would be a dokument letter tray to help keep my printer papers organized. Try not to be too excited. The coolest piece would be this Knappa Lamp. As you can see, my very handsome guy is assembling it in the picture. I'm a little freaked out by how big this thing is (Rodger is 6'4"), and how it will look in my modest art space. We always joke about the IKEA rule of 130%. Take what you see in the store and imagine it 130% larger, and that's how it will look in your home. I guess I'll find out if this holds true very soon. What you can't see in the picture of the Rodg is the Snille swivel chair that he is sitting in, and also assembled for me. I bought it in light blue. Also of IKEA origins that will be going into the room is this fun Lusy Blom Rug. I bought it about a year ago, and still love it.

(click on the image to view larger)

anthropologie spring 2011 window displays

Once again, I snagged some Anthro window display snaps from their facebook page. I'm always dazzled by their use of found and re-purposed objects. I feel slightly mocked by the idea of spring in the middle of this dreary mid-western winter, but I can't help but feel optimistic and look forward to sunnier days!

By the way, as lovely and dreamy as I find the first couple of shots, I do think they're just slightly creepy... Something about the old, papery garments, hanging dream-like in abandon... I dunno, kind of reminds me of zombies, or War of the Worlds. What do you think?

(click on images to view larger)

art room do-over :: what it's all about

Thought I'd share a couple of iPhone snaps of some recent rediscoveries. I found these little gems while cleaning up my art room (a project which is moving along quite nicely, by the way). It's turned out to be quite the little jaunt down memory lane.

This is an oil pastel illustration that I did my Senior year in high school. I remember my art teacher, bless her heart, nervously tried over and over to get me to put clothes on her. "Just maybe some little, wispy-like robes. Like a Grecian Goddess," she suggested. "Maybe you should put her in a Beefy Tee.... Save the Whales," a friend joked as she walked away. I however, stuck to my convictions, and Mother Nature remained in the buff. I think it's best this way.
I did this stippled portrait in 11th grade, I believe. A note on the back reads "Honorable Mention". I have no idea where I was going with that funky background. Laziness, I guess!
Then I found this and was almost brought to tears. It's a thank you note from my favorite teacher from college, Dan Johnson. He wrote me this after I spoke about him and his influence on me at my graduation. He has since passed away, and it was so special to still have something from him. A written sentiment.
And that, friends, is what it's all about.

sunday snack :: citrus berry muffins

More and more, people's eyes are being open to a very common misconception about muffins. Despite that they are usually fruit filled and not frosted like a cupcake, they are most often NOT very healthy. This has sent many people running from the lovely breakfast eat. However, it doesn't have to be this way! With a few modifications, you can have a tasty treat that puts its store-bought counterpart to shame.

Today the hubbs and I experimented with the classic muffin recipe and tailored it to our nutritional and taste preferences. We cut the regular refined flour amount in half, subbing in whole wheat flour and used Smart Balance Omega Oil in place of vegetable oil to cut the saturated fat down to almost nothing. Oatmeal adds a hearty element and fills in some of the space that would normally be occupied by refined flour. We also used Turbinado sugar in place of refined sugar because it is processed less and adds a rustic taste and texture.

I gasped as they were pulled from the oven. The smell and site of these beautiful little gems was amazing, and they taste just as good as they look. The citrus in the orange juice creates a crisp flavor, while the fresh berries burst as you bite into them. The crunchy sugar crust is pretty wonderful, too.

Here's how you can make your own.

Ingredients:

(yields 30 muffins)

muffins-

1 cup of oatmeal

1 cup of orange juice

1 cup Smart Balance Omega Oil

3 eggs, beaten

1-1/2 cup whole grain flour

1-1/2 cup white flour

1 tsp of salt

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup turbinado sugar (i.e. Sugar In the Raw)

1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries

1 tbsp zested orange peel

1 cup canola oil

topping-

1/4 cup turbinado sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

• Combine the oatmeal, orange juice, beaten eggs & canola oil and set aside.

• Mix the flours, baking soda, baking powder, 1 cup of sugar and salt in a large bowl. Create a well in the middle of the dry mixture.

• Add the wet ingredients to the well and stir until all is just combined with no lumps.

• Carefully fold in the blueberries and orange zest.

• separate mixture into cupcake cups, filling about 3/4 of the way.

• Combine remaining 1/4 cup of sugar with cinnamon.

• Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top of each cup (be sure to mix up the sugar as you go because the fine cinnamon particles will settle at the bottom of the large sugar crystals).

• Bake for 12-15 minutes or until cooked through.

approximate nutritional breakdown (per muffin):

calories - 157, total fat - 8.1 g, saturated fat - .7g, sodium 170mg, fiber - 1.3g, sugar - 9.6g, protein - 2.4g

golden lining

Yippee! One of my photos was chosen for Poppytalk's Winter Colours Blue post today! I'm the 4th row down and 2nd image in. Ironically enough, I took the picture of this teal & silver wall on a very hot summer day.

Here's some of the pics that I'll be submitting for the last Winter Colors day, which is gold and silver.

rock show poster

Just thought I'd share this show poster that I designed. My husband's band, Me & Mountains, will be making some awesome noise tonight alongside the Cincinnati powerhouse the Seedy Seeds and also the No No Knots. It'll be a night of alliterations and awesome!
Local peeps: Yes, it's a work night, and yes, it's snowing. But don't believe the newsman hype! We're not getting "Pounded with Snow". It's like, 4 inches. We've handled much worse :)

The cover is $5, and the show starts at 9:00.

61 days and couting....

Is it way to early to be looking at bathing suits and thinking about spring? It is? So what if the official first day of spring is 61 days away (and in Ohio, it's not even warm enough to dip your toes in for another 60 days after that)? A little daydreaming never hurt anyone. Especially when they involve these adorable mix & match, reversible suits from Maaji!

winter colours week

Poppytalk kicked off a fun event this week. It's called Winter Colours Week, and encourages participants to upload images that include a specified color each day. Yesterday was red (which I missed the boat on) and today is white. You just add your picture to their flickr stream, peruse what the other peeps contributed, and maybe you'll be included on their daily recap.

Here's my contribution for today. It's a self-portrait taken in my front window a few years ago.

art room do-over :: planning

I have a room in my house that really stresses me out. This room is suppose to be—and was at one time—my art room. That was until I decided I needed more storage, bought and assembled new shelves, but then ran out of time to re-organize the furniture. Then it sat for about six months (okay maybe a year), accumulating more stuff and becoming a catch-all for whatever we need to hide when company comes over. It makes me feel like one of those hoarders on an intervention show. The ones who have 15 cats, trails in the garbage to get to and from one side of the room, and that cry over throwing out a used paper plate from a birthday party that took place 15 years earlier.

So now that the holidays are over, and the weather here is so dismal and cold I'm not to be distracted by sunshine (because I'm not sure it exists in January), it's time to take care of business. Yesterday the husband and I dove in. We got all the furniture where I like it (I think so, anyway), and started shelving some things.

It was pretty overwhelming with all the stuff I have accumulated and trying to fit enough furniture to accommodate said stuff into a limited amount of space. I'm proud to say that I only had one minor meltdown. Turns out I needed a nap... After all was said and done, I'd guess we're about 40% finished. Yay!

Anyway, so here's a glimpse at some of my plans and inspiration.

I dream of white walls, pops of vintage, and open space :: Out of all the images of offices and work spaces I've glimpsed in the past week or so, I'd say this one, from j. hische's flickr stream, is pretty close to being ideal for me. Lots of vintage touches, crisp walls and flat storage are what draw me to this space. I don't have nearly enough room to make it this airy, but this is what I'm shooting for.

Inspirational inspiration board :: Maybe I'll make a cute inspiration board like this one (by Ez) above my desk.

Shine some light on the subject :: There is one very dark corner that needs some lighting. This Knappa light from IKEA would work nicely there.

Compartmentalize :: I intend to make good use of the IKEA Billy Bookcase/desk combo that I already own. It's similar to what's going on here (source unknown).

Color code and organize :: I have neat plans for unconventional fabric swatch storage, like shown here by Wren Handmade. I also have lots of cute vintage mugs like these for keeping track of paintbrushes, scissors and other tools.

Artfully display :: This yarn storage that I found on re-nest is fantastic. I'd also like to track down some clipboards like these for unique art displays, too.
P.S. all these images and more inspiration can be found on my Pinterest Workspace board.

sunday snack :: peanut butter raspberry sandwich

Maybe I'm starting a new, semi-regular segment here on Oh, Hopscotch! Clean and healthy eating is a major part of my life. I don't pretend to be an expert, but I do know a thing or two about nutrition. So how about I share a couple of my quick snack/meal ideas from time to time?

After a heavy breakfast, I was in the mood for a light lunch today. I was just going to have some peanut butter on an English muffin with raspberries on the side. As I was spreading the PB and staring at the bright and cheery little raspberries, I had a thought. If bananas on peanut butter are such a standard combination, how would raspberries taste? MAGICAL would be the answer to that! It's a way better alternative to jellies which are seriously processed and full of sugar. It's also a sneaky way to incorporate fresh fruit into a snack or meal.

Here's the recipe, should you need one (it's pretty straight forward):

Ingredients:

1 whole grain English muffin

1-1/2 tbsp natural peanut butter

1/4 cup raspberries

To prepare:

• Toast the English muffin until slightly crispy.

• Spread peanut butter on both sides of the muffin.

• top one half with the berries.

• combine slices and enjoy!

approximate nutritional break down:

calories - 280, fat - 13g, saturated fat - 1.5g, fiber 10g, protein 10.5g

quotabili-tee :: living on the edge

This weekend I'm living dangerously, like 4 year-old birthday party dangerous. I can't think of many things more treacherous than a room full of sugar-hyped, overly stimulated, small children. That's like ankle biting age. Joking aside, my goddaughter, Miss Ava, is celebrating her step from toddlerhood to (little) big girl. I can't wait! In addition to all that excitement, I'll be reorganizing my craft room, which is a way bigger deal than I am allowing for in this sentence. More on that later!

I hope everyone has a comparably dangerous and fulfilling weekend.

(DC @ pacsun)

Jeanie Jeanie and her free goodies

Do you like wall calendars and free stuff? Well, my friend, you're in luck because I found this amazing free wall calendar. I know, it's a shiny little beacon on a cold and gloomy January morning.

You can download your very own at jeaniejeanie.com. I hope you like it because I sure do. I'm sharpening my Xacto as we speak!
Be sure to check out the rest of her site. Jeanie Jeanie is a talented lady with a great eye for design.

wedding do-overs?

So, I'm slightly jealous of all you unmarried girls, because these amazing Elizabeth Dye dresses were not around when I got married 4 years ago. Nor were all these incredible wedding blogs and resources that the web is brimming with these days... But I won't dwell on that, or ask my husband to renew our vows, just so I might be able to get my little mitts on one of these numbers. I shall admire from afar...