Baby, baby I got the blues...

I have been feeling a bit of the blues lately.... My kids are groung up so fast! My youngest has always been so lovey and cuddly... But his first year of elementary school has turned him into a strong and independent big boy...my dear daughter is fast approaching Teenage Years, and all this is very good but leaves me feeling that wish in my tummy for a sweet little baby to love and coddle....
And artistically, I have been searching and searching for something that will capture my ADD attention span for more than a day....
So I am trying my hand at doll-making... Killing two birds with one stone?

I am so in LOVE with Waldorf style dolls, but since I have never made any doll at all I figured I would start with ragdolls. An added bonus is using up some of my massive pile of fabrics!
I have never tried hand embroidery either... And I am thrilled to see that I am really not at all bad at it!
So far, I have completed 2 dolls... First was Frankie... She has dark brown corduroy hair, green eyes, and a cute batik dress. She came out cute but had a rough time in the birthing canal... She has one lame arm that hangs lower than it should. My dear daughter promptly adopted her!

Frankie

My next one came out much better, thanks to Momma actually following step by step directions! My son has named her Annalina... A name I have never heard but really love! She has long light Brown braids and beautiful lavender eyes... She is still waiting on her perfect outfit though.
I have four more faces done, and plan on listing these Ragamuffin Babies in my etsy shop very soon!
In the mean time, I am running a Spring Cleaning sale on etsy.... Just type in coupon code SPRINGCLEANING in at checkout to save 33% on any purchase!!!
My Piece of Peace on etsy

Annalina

Taste Test Tuesday: White Chocolate Indulgence French Toast

I recently had the opportunity to taste test Philadelphia Cream Cheese's New product Chocolate Indulgence Spreads. If you are a chocolate lover, these spreads are a dream come true! They come in three flavors... Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, and White Chocolate.

My first taste test trial was the Milk Chocolate variety. I used it in my boyfriend's birthday cake. It was a standard Yellow Cake from a Box, made super last minute BTW... This cake was set OVER THE EDGE with a sweet layer of Milk Chocolate Indulgence in place of the middle layer of icing, and topped that with a layer of fresh sliced strawberries. Topped with regular milk Chocolate frosting garnished with more strawberries. It was absolutely sinful! I am sorry now that I didn't get any pictures of it, but it was gone in a flash! The chocolate cream cheese center definitely gave it an extra-special, gourmet taste!!

Next we tried the Dark Chocolate Indulgence..... Maybe a little lazy and lacking creativity, we spread it on graham crackers and dug in! Again, absolutely delicious! The perfect balance of rich dark chocolate and cream cheese. Also great on pretzels, fresh fruit, toast... The list goes on!

And finally... A springtime indulgent treat...Perfect for Sunday Brunch out on the porch!!!

White Chocolate Indulgence French Toast


Serves 4

Ingredients:

8 slices of cinnamon swirl bread (I used Pepperidge Farm)
White Chocolate Indulgence cream Cheese spread
6 eggs, beaten
2 tsp ground cinnamon
Dash of Milk
Maple Syrup
Fresh Strawberries

Pre-heat griddle at medium-high heat. Be sure to use cooking spray or a little butter.

Make four sandwiches using cinnamon swirl bread and cream Cheese spread, using about 2tbs of spread per sandwich.

In a medium bowl, beat together 6 eggs, dash of milk, and cinnamon.

Dunk each sandwich in egg mixture, coating well. Place immediately on hot griddle and fry until toasted on each side.

Garnish with Maple Syrup, Fresh Strawberries, and Whipped Cream, if desired.

If you have tried Philadelphia's Chocolate Spreads... Share your favorites and recipes in the comments!!