Relationships Should Come With a Manual

They really should come with a manual or warning label. At least then you would know what to expect, how to troubleshoot, and when to give up.

Birthdays, Good Friday, and Earth Day

Too many days wrapped all in one. Today is Thomas's birthday, Good Friday, and Earth Day [plus the day Water for Elephants comes out, but we're not going there :) ]. Thomas is coming over soon for his birthday, so I'm currently baking Red Velvet Brownies with a Cream Cheese Topping. Its playing as non traditional birthday cake. The recipe is yummy. I made my first patch of them a couple of weeks ago.

I'm not sure today feels too much like Good Friday. I know it should, but people root themselves into tradition. Normally, we would all be getting ready for visiting my grandma on Easter. But she's in a nursing home. So no more holidays at her house. And I've spent every holiday at her house since I was born. It'll take some time for the holidays to feel like holidays without that tradition.

I love the idea of Earth Day. But people should do good things for Mother Earth on more than just one day. And yes, I know some people do. But a lot of people just do things on this day every year. And I know I could do more. A person can always do more. :)

Oh, for anyone saying "RECIPE!" after reading Red Velvet Brownies, here it is...

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Red Velvet Brownies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients
*1/2 cup butter (at room temperature)
*1 1/4 cup sugar
*2 eggs
*2 tsp vanilla extract
*1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
*1/4 tsp salt
*3 tbsp cocoa powder
*2 tbsp red food coloring
*4 oz cream cheese (for frosting, at room temperature)
*1/4 cup butter (for frosting, at room temperature)
*2 cup powdered sugar (for frosting)
*1 tsp vanilla (for frosting)
*2 tbsp milk (as needed, for frosting)

Instructions
1) Preheat oven to 350.
2) Butter or spray an 8 x 8 cake pan.
3) In a small bowl, combine cocoa powder, red food coloring, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to create a paste.
4) In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then add remaining teaspoon of vanilla. With the mixer on medium speed, add in cocoa powder mixture. Beat until batter is completely red. (If at this time your batter is NOT red, you can add a little more food coloring if desired. Color will depend on brand.) Add flour and salt, mixing until just combined.
5) Spread in the 8 x 8 pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.
6) Cream Cheese Frosting: Start with your ingredients at room temperature. Beat the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla. Beat in powdered sugar, adding milk as needed to reach a spreadable consistency.

Picture of my brownie, not just some random pic

Craft Room

You wouldn't think a woman would need an entire room for crafts, but if you know me, you know I do a ton of them. Sewing, jewelry... all sorts of crafts. I need more space that just my bedroom for all of them. I have containers of stuff everywhere! Ribbon, beads, fabric, etc, etc.

Well, anyway, since my brother moved out, the empty room has been converted to my craft room. Being converted is more like it. There is already a sewing table for my machine and a medium sized table for me to do make my jewelry on. The table is an old card table. I clean it and recovered it. Brings it make close to new. :)

I just need to get the rest of my supplies moved from my bedroom to the craft room. And replace the ceiling fan in there; its seen better days.

But it makes me rather happy to have a place to work on my creations. I have enough space to sew clothes, make jewelry, and anything else I want to. :D

Hoping to Start a Blog

I have posted for this blog before, but it never panned out. So I'm hoping to start posting on a regular basis.