Merry Christmas

Despite the frightening state of this economy, I bought these shoes. They are Cole Hahn and I ordered them off Zappos.com which assured me that I was getting a deal. Somehow I found it completely respectable to spend over a $150 on a pair of green suede heels. Actually, I still do. The shoes are awesome. And they also are among the most comfortable heels I've ever put on my feet. Cole Hahn has the Nike Support Cushiony thingamajig going on in the soles and it feels so heavenly to put on. And, they look ahmazing.

I believe in the power of heels. I understand that some find that they overly sexualize woman and force a submissiveness. Or that we just wear them because society demands it. Or that they are impractical. (I'm basically talking about Germain Greer here.) But I say that's total and complete hogwash. I feel immensely more confident when I am walking in a heel. I feel like I am taken seriously at work and in life. And hell, sometimes don't we want to feel hot and as a girl with a ton of body image issues, I must say I feel hot in a pair of heels. And my green suede Cole Hahns do the trick.

Anyway, if I'm overly sexualized in my heels, I am also apparently overly domesticated in my love of baking and cooking. The rest of household tasks can be done by robots, but the cooking is always going to be my domain. Sadly, my living situation right now doesn't allow me to cook much despite how much I love it. Since my mom has passed away, my dad's need to care for people has fallen to me which means dinner is always cooked and waiting for me. And it also means I always come home too late. But, baking is all me. And since going gluten free, I am newly obsessed with it. I love to play around with the various flours involved and tweak various recipes I've discovered. There's something oddly satisfying about watching that loaf of gluten free bread come out juuuust right.

So tonight, I baked. I have a few friends coming over some holiday cheer tomorrow night and I thought I would try and make the affair as gluten free as possible. I made cupcakes. I'm obsessed with cupcakes right now. I'm also obsessed with homemade frosting - none of that out of a jar crap. Making your own frosting takes two seconds and is sooo worth it once you realize how much better it tastes.

Anyway, this year instead of dozens of cookies, I'm focusing on cupcakes. I'm also trying to find a way to give cupcakes away to people as a little holiday token. Cookies are easy, you put them in a plate or even a gift bag or a tiny tin. Cupcakes need some planning. Suggestions?

Tonight was not nearly as adventurous as I had originally hoped it would be. I was doing a few other things at the same time - like felting for the first time, writing out Christmas cards, and watching the Muppets Christmas special. I decided to just take the easy way out and use Pamela's cake mixes and make chocolate and vanilla cupcakes. So I didn't have to play with all the flours I had taken out of the downstairs freezer in anticipation.


I also didn't make the frosting yet. That is better done tomorrow night so it doesn't get watery. I have a recipe for ginger molasses cupcakes I found on Gluten Free Girl that I didn't have the energy to try. That will be this weekend's project. The cupcakes looks good.



They taste pretty good also. And the felted bag came out pretty good as well.
It was my first felting experience. I'm excited at how well it seems to have turned out.
You can't tell much in this picture and it is still drying down in the basement. But it is supposed to be my niece's Christmas present. Or one of them at least. And I am pretty impressed at how easy it was to do.




Apparently I have become a super girlie girl in the past year. Hmm... Interesting evolution. But I still love my Converse and am still obsessed with Dr. Who.