How old
would you be
if you didn’t know
how old
you are?
-Satchel Paige
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Year: 2015
You are beautiful
Can you imagine
the pleasant surprise
to float by this building
and read this message
on a recent dinner cruise along the Mississippi River
while visiting New Orleans?
I love to think about the person or persons that took the time to do this.
I can almost envision the beauty in their eyes, their hands, their heart.
There is something beautiful to be found in everything –
Absolutely everything.
Just open your eyes…
and your heart.
You are beautiful!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Things to Keep Open
Good things to keep open…
our hearts
our minds
windows on cool summer evenings
windows on hot summer mornings
old books
new books
eyes to see the beauty around us
ears to hear the birds singing
back doors for friends
doors to bakeries, bookstores, and antique shops
our lives
to each other
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Chocolate Chunk and Fresh Red Raspberry Chocolate Muffins
Last week I wrote about “perfect pairs.”
But seriously…
does anything “pair” better than the divine taste of rich, creamy semi-sweet chocolate and the tangy, sweet, juiciness of fresh red raspberries?
Oh these muffins!
They are pretty much heaven in a paper liner!
If you are looking for an amazing muffin recipe that goes as wonderfully with coffee in the morning for a decadent breakfast treat as it does with red wine or milk for dessert or as a snack, look no further. Here is a recipe I slightly adapted from Creme de la Crumb. ENJOY!
Chocolate Chunk and Fresh Red Raspberry Chocolate Muffins
Ingredients:
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chunks or chips
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 cup red raspberry Greek yogurt
- ½ cup Half & Half
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup semi sweet chocolate chunks or chips
- 1 pint fresh red raspberries
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line muffin pan with liners.
- Combine flour, sugar, 1 cup chocolate chunks or chips, cocoa powder, and baking soda in a large bowl.
- Whisk egg, yogurt, milk, and vegetable oil in another bowl until smooth.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Scoop into muffin pan.
- Divide raspberries and remaining ¼ cup chocolate chunks among the muffins (just sprinkle the chocolate chips on the tops of the batter and gently press the raspberries into the top – I used 3 raspberries per muffin)
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before removing.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Lovely as a Tree
It’s Sunday again, and that means design team inspiration for The Paper Players!
This week’s challenge (#PP259) is a sketch challenge, and here is the sketch we were to use to design a card from:
I needed a birthday card this past week for a dear friend who is hitting one of those biggie decade birthdays so thought I would use the design to make his card.
I used my ALL TIME favorite most versatile stamp set in the entire world (I might be exaggerating a teensy bit, but hopefully you get my point). Lovely as a Tree from StampinUp was one of my very first stamps I bought, and one that I still use often – Winter, Fall, Summer, Christmas, Masculine, Feminine. Such great versatility.
I think I did pretty good sticking close to the design sketch and like how this birthday card turned out for our special friend.
Play along with us – any of you paper players! I’d love to see what you design with this sketch.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Orange you Sweet?
How do you know when you have one of the best of besties?
Answer #1,743: When she brings you flowers… just because… even though she abhors cut flowers.
I sure have a best bestie!
Wishing you a best kind of weekend.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
WordPress Daily Post Photo Challenge: Today was a Good Day
Expressing in Abstract Watercolor
Sometimes I just want to splash water and paint on paper. Can anyone relate?
I have no subject in mind, don’t feel like sketching, just want to express….
color…. feelings…. heart…. love…. maybe a little bit of peace or beauty.
These two cards were the result of that – done a week or so apart when I just needed to splash in paint puddles.
Not much talent at all involved here, but a great experience. And… if my very un-educated expressions in watercolor inspire anyone to step outside their comfort zone and try – and then find the joy – my heart is filled.
These turned into note cards I needed to use recently to express sympathy to a few friends who lost loved ones.
I hope they feel the love, and it brings them a bit of peace.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Thursday Chuckle with Charlie
Hi Friends!
In case any of you are wondering….
I am settling in pretty nicely at my new home.
No more rope…
No more leash…
The doggy door is O P E N….
and I am FREE!
(well – at least within the confines of those dreadful red flags!)
Life is good…
with my new family at lifeinbetween!
Charming Chuckles,
Charlie
Caramel Stuffed Milky Way Cookies
Can you even imagine…..
cookies with chopped up mini Milky Way bites…
and then….
stuffed with some ooey gooey caramel right in the middle?!
Yep – that’s what I made last weekend when I needed a treat to take to a party.
I had the cookie dough ready with the chopped up Milky Way bites, when my oldest son texted me a photo of some caramel stuffed chocolate chip cookies with this message:
“Here is your next challenge.”
Well – I do love a challenge…
And I did happen to have a bag of caramels in the pantry…
so why not?! If caramel stuffed chocolate chip cookies are good, wouldn’t they be even more amazing with chopped up Milky Way bites?
And O. M. G.!
My youngest son said they are his new fave! Woohoo! Score!
Milky Way Caramel Stuffed Cookies
Ingredients:
4 sticks butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
5 cups all purpose flour
2 8-oz bags Milky Way Unwrapped Bites, chopped
1 bag of Kraft Caramels, unwrapped
Directions:
With electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until completely incorporated. Add vanilla and eggs, and beat until light and fluffy. Add baking soda and salt, and mix another minute. Gradually add flour and beat until well incorporated, but do not overbeat.
Fold in chopped Milky Way Bites. Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. With your hands, form a cookie dough ball about 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Push a small indentation in center with your thumb and place an unwrapped caramel. Wrap dough around to enclose. Place on baking stone. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Do not overbake. Allow to cool on baking stone for 2-3 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to cool completely.
Enjoy the chocolatey, caramely, ooey, gooey yumminess!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Perfect Pairs Wedding Shower Gift
Yesterday I shared the beautiful celebration of this adorable and perfect pair, Candace and C.J. at the bridal shower I attended for Candace this past weekend.
And, as promised, here is the “Perfect Pair” gift basket I made as my gift for them.
It was so much fun trying to think of perfect pairings to include in this gift basket.
I am sure there are so many more pairs you can think of, and you can customize the gift for your “perfect pair.”
Some things are simply practical, and others I found on Candace’s gift registry.
Does anything “pair” better than peanut butter and jelly?
A pair of gloves just made perfect sense.
I also had fun creating all the pear/pair tags with a variety of watercolor wash colors…
and thinking of little things that would make their home cozy and special.
Pen and paper… will they scribble little love notes? create shopping lists? wish lists?
A fun bag or basket pulls it all together and adds to the fun and practicality of the gift.
If you are looking for a fun and creative bridal shower gift, consider this idea for your perfect pear pair!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
the creative life in between 