Runs on Coffee and Cream

Recently I connected with a fellow geeky crafter, Sarah Jean, through Twitter and Etsy and I completely fell in love with her designs. Her company name is Synapse to Synapse Designs and she makes cross stitch art accessories. Her Etsy shop is filled with geeky, retro, cross stitch designs.

Even though the swap I did with Katie contained tea, it was still a Sweets Swap since the tea was sweet flavours!

Back in the Fall, Katie contacted me to do a swap since she wanted some tea from Davids Tea but unfortunately they don't ship internationally.

We ended up discussing chocolates and other treats that were found in each of our countries so the swap turned into a fun, sweets-filled swap.

This is what I sent Katie:





I had soooo much fun putting together this package for her and I squeezed in as much as I could! Katie posted about her package here.

The package I received from Katie was so amazing! I was incredibly excited to open it, and I have to be honest and say that I ate one of the chocolate bars right away but I kept the empty box so I could photograph it later.





Everything was so yummy! My favourites: Fox's Party Rings, Rowntree's Randoms, Hula Hoops Roasted Chicken, and every single one of the Pudding Bars! I actually just ate my last chocolate bar yesturday so I'm officially out of U.K. treats...



It was such a fun swap and it was awesome emailing Katie back and forth beforehand discussing our favourite treats. And I was happy to send Davids Tea to another part of the world!!

xo Jen

What current obsessions post doesn't include something about Supernatural?!? I've clearly been obsessed with this show for the last 6 months. I'm half way through Season 5 and it's so ridiculously good right now! And I have a new favourite character in Castiel.

I had to post this picture... it's very accurate!


Me and Adam are finishing up Season 2 of Pushing Daisies... we only have 2 episodes left! I absolutely adore this show and I hate that it ends after Season 2. And not only have we been watching this show regularly, but it makes me crave pie all the time!




I'm going to be taking a small break from Supernatural after Season 5 to watch the first season of Portlandia. I keep being told to watch it so I'm excited to start it and I love Fred Armisen!

Since visiting Big Al's last weekend and seeing these adorable Golf Ball Goldfish, I have become obsessed with them! If you have seen me in person over the last week, there's a likely chance I goggled images of these fish and showed them to you. Adam offered to let me use one of his many aquariums for a couple of them so we'll see.




I'm still reading my X-Men comics. I'm currently reading issues from 1993. I also read the first issue of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. I love, love, love Andy Price and Katie Cook working on this series together. Price's artwork is so perfect and I love Katie's writing and humour! I'm so excited to read the second issue which I just got.



I feel like I need a whole year off to watch and read everything!

xo Jen

I don't normally post outfit photos but it was one of those days where I liked what I was wearing and I didn't have much of an opportunity to get photos of me. So I waited for Adam to get home and passed him my camera. I think I need to start practising using a tripod...





Outfit Info:
Cardigan - Old Navy from years ago
Shirt - Em & Sprout
Skirt - Old Navy for $3
Tights - Target (one of my favourite brands for tights)


Logan loves my small sewing table and every time I'm near it, he jumps up for scratches! 

I'm a proud kitty mama and I have come across so many cat-themed clothing on Pinterest...





I want them all!

xo Jen

The last week has been a bit stressful for me. I've been stuck in my head a lot. I'm trying to be positive and luckily sewing is a great outlet for me to take my mind off things. I put on a TV show and just sew for hours. That was what I did this weekend.

Here's my month so far in photos...

My new addiction: nutella and strawberries!

There's been a lot of crafting going on.

And Supernatural watching...

Logan's been my best friend in my craft room. He loves laying on the tables.

That is until Adam comes in and then Logan just wants to be held.

We saw the cutest fish at Big Al's this past weekend - Golfball Pearlscale Goldfish!!





You know all those photos of people jumping in the air?!?! Well I caught some of the kitties.



Right now I'm just taking things one day at a time and trying to focus on all the good stuff in life!

xo Jen

I'm a pretty big fan of South Park and for the last year or so I keep saying that I need to make 'chocolate salty balls'. Even if you haven't seen many episodes of South Park, chances are you've heard Chef's (Isaac Hayes) popular song. Oh and it's definitely NSFW!!



When I tried searching online for a recipe to use or modify for Chef's Chocolate Salty Balls, I found nothing I liked. So I ended up making up my own version.



Chef's Chocolate Salty Balls


1 box chocolate cake mix + cake mix ingredients: 

• eggs
• water
• oil or unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup butter
5 cups icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
water 
semi-sweet chocolate chips
sea salt
 
Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix cake mix, all the cake mix ingredients (listed on cake mix box), and cinnamon together in a bowl using an electric beater. Pour into a greased 13 x 9 cake pan and bake in oven according to cake mix box.


Chef says to mix it with a wooden spoon, but I ended up using an electric mixer after this picture was taken.

Take cake out of the oven when it is done and let cool completely. Make buttercream frosting during this period. Mix butter, vanilla extract, icing sugar, and water (add by teaspoon) with an electric mixer until you reach your desired frosting consistency.



Crumble up chocolate cake in a bowl and add frosting to the cake mixture. Using a spoon and possibly your hands, mix the frosting and cake together. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop balls and put on a baking sheet covered in wax paper. Place the baking sheet in the freezer and let balls harden.



Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler (I put a small pot into a larger pot that has water in it). I attempted dipping the balls in the melted chocolate but they just fell apart. So instead I used a spoon to pour melted chocolate over frozen balls. Sprinkle sea salt on top and place balls in the refrigerator to harden the chocolate coating.




These turned out so incredibly sweet. I shared these with family, friends and co-workers and I heard nothing but compliments about these treats. But you cannot eat more than 1 or 2. It hurts your teeth. But the sea salt mixes very well with the sweet chocolate.

Looking back, I think my downfall for the balls was using homemade buttercream. It tastes amazing and to be honest, without the chocolate coating, the balls taste like a mashed up Oreo. I think if I used canned, store bought frosting, the balls would have hardened more.

If you're looking for a fun treat, give these a try!

xo Jen

I received a gift card for Cineplex movies at Christmas and well, it's already used up completely! Last weekend me and Adam went to see Django Unchained and then last night I went to see This is 40 with friends.



Django Unchained was a great movie. There was actually a lot of funny parts, the soundtrack was perfect, and the acting was phenomenal. Tarantino really is an extremely talented writer and director. The cast in all of his movies are always incredible. Between the actor's talent and his writing and directing, all of the characters he creates are great. The cast was amazing in Django, especially Christopher Waltz. I really enjoyed the fact that I couldn't stand Waltz's character in Inglorious Basterds but yet I loved his character in Django. I definitely recommend this movie, especially if you're a fan of Tarantino's work.



This is 40, however, wasn't quite as good. I did laugh at a lot of it and I enjoyed the general idea of the movie. Plus I love Paul Rudd and I was pleasantly surprised by some of the actors that were in this movie that I didn't know about - Chris O'Dowd, Lena Dunham, John Lithgow.  But the movie seemed to drag on a bit and some of the humour was a little too over the top or just over used.



There are a bunch of movies out now that I'm itching to watch... Butter, Someday this Pain Will Be Useful to You, Ruby Sparks, and For a Good Time Call. I have a lady date to watch For a Good Time Call next week.



What movies have you watched recently or want to see?

xo Jen

I never really heard much about HBO Girls when it aired. I saw a few article headings about it and the odd comment online, but I didn't pay much attention to it. The only reason I watched the entire first season about a month ago was because a friend recommended it to me a couple of times. And typically we have similar taste in TV shows.



My initial feeling of the show was that it was very raw and real and I think I was thrown off a bit by this. I didn't finish an episode feeling especially happy. I continued to watch the season and about half way through, I was completely hooked and felt connected to all the characters. I think because of how 'real' and not glossed over this show is, I felt myself connecting to the characters because I had been in some of the same situations as them, or felt similar things that they were feeling. I had insecurities and feelings (past and present) come out while watching certain episodes.



This is why Lena Dunham has become one of my favourite females. Her writing is incredibly realistic of females in their 20s... maybe not all females, but I sure did feel like she knew me in my early 20s (and hell, even sometimes now in my late 20s). Deep down I knew I wasn't the only 20-something female who still didn't have it together and this show really lets all of us know that we're not alone when trying to figure out life. It's been compared to Sex and the City which I don't entirely agree with. Yes, it's about 4 female friends trying to figure out life and love and jobs. But it's still different. Lena is writing for a different generation and I feel like her writing is more honest and realistic. These girls are struggling to pay rent and are not walking around in designer clothing. I recently watched Tiny Furniture which is a movie Lena wrote and directed. It had a similar feel and idea of Girls. I once again connected with Lena Dunham's character when it came to her career and job aspirations and her mishaps with the men (boys?) in her life.


At 26 years old,  Lena has accomplished and achieved so much and I find this incredibly motivating and inspiring.



I look forward to see what other work she writes and directs. I'm also excited to start Season 2 of Girls and see how the characters develop and where the show goes.   

Have you watched Girls?

xo Jen