Runs on Coffee and Cream

I bought myself a large donut pan last year but never got around to using it. I guess I was lacking inspiration? Well, I found a new recipe recently and got around to making a batch of homemade baked donuts. And now I'm hooked.

I'm a huge fan of Sally's Baking Addiction for recipes. I've loved every recipe I've tried through her site. So when I came across her recipe for Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donuts I knew I had to try it. The ingredient list isn't scary, the process sounded easy, and the recipe only makes 7-8 donuts which is the perfect amount for us.


Now let me tell you, this recipe is amazing! It was super easy, the donuts were incredibly good, and I now want to manipulate this recipe to make different variations. Be warned, donut pictures and recipes are going to be happening this year.

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 large egg
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup yogurt (I used vanilla flavoured yogurt)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Topping Ingredients

1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Donuts fresh out of the oven.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray your donut pan with a non-stick spray.

2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Set aside. Whisk egg, brown sugar, milk, and yogurt together until smooth. Add the melted butter and vanilla and whisk until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

3. Spoon the batter into the donut cavities or spoon the batter into a large ziploc bag. Then cut a corner of the bag and pipe the batter into the donut pan. This is so much easier and less messy! Fill each donut spot 3/4 of the way full.

4. Bake for 9-10 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Cinnamon Sugar coating added.

5. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl for the topping. Melt the butter in a separate bowl. Dip the donuts in the melted butter and then dunk into the cinnamon sugar mixture, coating all sides. Place on wire rack to dry.

I ate a donut with fresh topping and then hours later when the topping had dried a bit. I preferred them after a few hours. But you might like them better with the slightly sticky fresh coating.

Finished donuts!

I love how they look! And I promise they taste as good as they look too, I swear! Definitely try out the recipe if you've been wanting to make baked donuts at home.

xo Jen

I'm having a hard time believing that January is just about over. This month has been all about new things and new beginnings; we've been organizing and decluttering, I've been buying new fabric and starting new sewing projects for cons, and I'm trying to organize my life with an in-depth planner.

New fabric!

More new fabric! How great is the Homer one?

The start of my addiction to planner stickers.

A winter walk at Bell Park.

That's a frozen Ramsey Lake in front of me.

The turtles are getting so big.

Logan being super adorable but a really bad assistant in the craft room. He believes all fabric and envelopes are for him to lie on.

I hope January was a great month for you! I'm excited to see what February has in store.
xo Jen

I'm addicted, obsessed, and so in love with all the planner stickers out there! I've been making weekly trips to Michael's Craft Store to see what stickers I can pick up with their coupons. Then there's Etsy... there are a ton of sellers that sell planner stickers and they're so cute! I've already made a couple of orders but I wanted to share the ones that top my wish list right now.


1. Sweet Treats Planner Stickers Kit 
2. Gilmore Girls Planner Stickers Kit


3. Cat Lady Planner Stickers
4. Sci-Fi Galaxy Spaceship Stickers
5. Bubble Tea Stickers

There are so many more that I've saved to my favourites on Etsy but I need to take a break and start using the pile of stickers I've acquired over the last month.

What are some of your favourite sticker sources?
xo Jen

The weather has been dark and dreary the last couple of weeks. Instead of snow we've been getting freezing rain and the afternoons get warm enough to turn our snow to slush. It's gross and depressing. I've been spending more time indoors since going for walks is extremely unappealing right now.

Seconds

I've been reading a lot this month and one book I finally finished was Seconds by Bryan Lee O'Malley (author of Scott Pilgrim). This book has been on my to-read list forever and when I saw it at my local library I knew I had to take it home to read. I loved it. The art was adorable, the characters were lovable, and the story was very interesting. It was a fast read and I already want to re-read it. Have you read Seconds yet?


La La Land

I've been sharing my love for La La Land all over my social media pages and I'm not sorry about it. I went to see it last week at the theatre and I completely fell in love with it. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone were perfection. The soundtrack warms my heart, the settings and wardrobe make me so happy, and the story line was incredibly sweet. I cannot recommend this movie enough. Go see it!


What have you been loving lately?
xo Jen

When I was approached by Wayfair to share some tips about how to stay productive at home it got me thinking. How do I stay productive at home? I've been running my Etsy shop, selling at conventions, and working with other websites while also working at a steady job for years and years now. Ten years to be exact. I feel like staying productive at home has just become routine for me; it's my way of life.

Don't get me wrong, there are days when I feel like staying on the couch all day and watching television. Especially on chilly or rainy days, and when a cat has snuggled up with me. But even on those days I feel guilty not being productive at all. So those unproductive days tend to be pushed away by mid-afternoon and I get back to work, no matter how small the task.


Tips to Stay Productive

Here are some of my tips on how I push myself to be productive at home, especially on the hard days:

• Plan ahead of time.

All these items can be found in the Wayfair's Office Furniture section.

How cute is that Potted Pen Stand? And I'm surprising myself more and more when I pick white over other colours, but it's become my favourite backdrop for pops of colour through accessories.

What tips do you have for staying productive at home?
xo Jen

It's no secret that I've been buying more Korean beauty and skin care products over the last year. I've had nothing but success with most of the products and I've found new makeup favourites as well. I hadn't actually heard of Peripera but when I saw that they were releasing a Powerpuff Girls line via the Internet, I knew I had to look into it!

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I'm a complete sucker for eye shadows. I have at least 20.... but in my defense I wear different colours all the time. I so want the Bubbles palette after seeing the swatches.

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I'm not much of a lipstick person but from what I've read in the reviews, Peripera seem to be known for their vibrant lip products. I may try out an Ink Stick but I have my heart set on the lip tint which I think is perfectly represented with Buttercup on the packaging (she's not much of a lipstick girl either).

What pop culture line will these beauty companies come out with next?! First Pokemon, now Powerpuff Girls. I think a Sailor Moon line would be pretty perfect.

xo Jen

Funko has some serious skills to make everything adorable. So adorable, it hurts my wallet!

They released their Pint Size Heroes line last year but the collections they released initially didn't really grab me. Then they put out Batman ones and Adam added a few of the blind bags to my Christmas stocking. That was it, I was hooked!

Look how cute they are!

I ended up getting all the Gotham City Sirens and the figures are beyond adorable. They're tiny and well-detailed. They only stand at 1.5" tall!


Now they've released a line of Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers Pint Size figures and I'm swooning after getting the Green Ranger in my blind bag.

I want all the Rangers!

As long as Funko is in business and releasing new figures, I will forever be a child filling my home with tiny adorable toys.

xo Jen

I ended 2016 in a donut onesie, playing Sushi Go with Adam, and joking around with him and my Instax camera. It was a great way to start the new year.
 

Over the holidays I was able to try the eggnog and gingerbread frozen yogurt at our local froyo place. The eggnog one was incredible!

We have been getting snow regularly since 2017 started. Living in this city really is like being inside a snow globe.

I received a ton of tea for Christmas but I'm not complaining. I've been having a cup of something new every night and I've already found a few new favourites.

It's been cold but it hasn't stopped us from venturing out for walks to local coffee shops and catching Pokemon.

How's 2017 been treating you so far?
xo Jen

Recently I've been spotting flared jeans more and more... it's like my high school days have come back to haunt me. It's funny how fashion trends come in and out of style. I tend to gravitate towards the fashion styles I wore in high school. I'm not entirely sure why. Maybe it's a comfort thing? Either way, I'm happy to see flared jeans again and to give my legs a breather from all the skinny jeans.

Flared Jeans

I picked up a pair of high waist, flared jeans from American Eagle and I'm so in love with them! The downfall though? They're not great in snow since you can't tuck them into boots. But believe me when I say I'll be rocking them come Spring with flats and sneakers.

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Cabin Socks

I stole two pairs of Adam's oversized cabin socks years ago. I wear them to bed or around the house during winter. They're huge, thick wool socks that are so comfy. But I can't wear them out of the house because they're too big. So I've invested in a few pairs of ladies cabin socks to wear out of the house. I'm obsessed. Warm, comfy socks have become my weakness. I basically live in them with leggings and my furry winter boots. It's very similar to the look below (but add on a winter coat).

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Swing Dresses

I've been addicted to swing dresses since I bought my first one at Old Navy a year or so ago. Since then I keep picking up more whenever Old Navy puts them on sale; different designs, long and short sleeved ones. They're beyond comfy, perfect to pair with leggings and easy to dress up or down. I'm actually nervous for when the style will go out of fashion because where will I buy more? But after checking out the 2017 spring fashion trends, I think they'll be sticking around with styles from the 70s being strong this year.

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What fashion trends are you coveting?
xo Jen

Coffee, planners, and more coffee...

Peppermint Mocha

Lately I've been working a lot of 6 a.m. shifts that are leaving me exhausted and I'm dragging my butt out of bed every morning. And it's no secret that I'm a huge coffee lover so I've been consuming a bit more than normal to offset my tiredness. I picked up a box of Starbucks VIA Instant Peppermint Mocha Latte recently since they were on sale. I've been enjoying one every couple of mornings which have made my 6 a.m. shifts a little less horrible. They're not as good as a fresh one from Starbucks but they are a nice treat in replace of my regular coffee.

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Planner Stickers

The new year brought a new planner for me to fill up for 2017. I've set a goal to make use of my planner more. To control my scatterbrain, anxiety, and stress by being a bit more organized. This has created a new obsession however... planner stickers! I keep looking at them at Michael's and I'm just waiting for them to go on sale before buying more. I've also been spending way too long on Etsy looking at stickers on there too. I'll be sure to share my favourites in a future post.

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What are you loving lately?
xo Jen

February
The Lego Batman

March
Logan 
Power Rangers


May
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2

June
Kingsman: The Golden Circle
Wonder Woman


December
Star Wars: Episode VIII

I'm most excited for the next Star Wars movie for obvious reasons but all the other movies on my list look so good!

What movie(s) are you most looking forward to?
xo Jen

As I read more and more books I'm finding authors that I like and will stick with no matter what. There are a few books I'm really looking forward to finally reading in 2017 by these authors.

1. Marissa Meyer

The author of The Lunar Chronicles, Marissa Meyer is releasing the first book of her new series, as well as a graphic novel.

Wires and Nerve Volume 1


The graphic novel follows Iko, the adorable android from The Lunar Chronicles series. I'm SO excited to read this.

The Gatlon School for Vigilantes

"There are two rival schools in Gatlon City: the respected and exclusive Morris Academy that has turned many an evolved youth into celebrity superheroes, and the Gatlon School for the Gifted, which has a slightly less impressive reputation. Students of Gatlon tend to be relegated to minions, placeholders, or—at best—sidekicks."

This is the first book in The Gatlon Trilogy. Honestly, the synopsis has me thinking X-Men and this doesn't bother me at all. I want to read this series so bad.

2. Veronica Roth

Veronica wrote the Divergent series, and though the series took a nosedive towards the end, I still really enjoyed the universe she created.

Carve the Mark


"On a planet where violence and vengeance rule, in a galaxy where some are favored by fate, everyone develops a currentgift, a unique power meant to shape the future. While most benefit from their currentgifts, Akos and Cyra do not—their gifts make them vulnerable to others’ control. Can they reclaim their gifts, their fates, and their lives, and reset the balance of power in this world?"

Yet another sci-fi fantasy novel set in a dystopian future where people are born with 'gifts'. I'm hoping not to be disappointed with the first book of her new series. I loved how Divergent sucked me in and I flew through the book. I'm really hoping this series is just as enthralling.

3. David Arnold

So I've only read one other book by David Arnold, Mosquitoland. But I absolutely adored it. The story, the characters, it was all good.

Kids of Appetite


"Victor Benucci and Madeline Falco have a story to tell.
It begins with the death of Vic’s father.
It ends with the murder of Mad’s uncle.
The Hackensack Police Department would very much like to hear it.
But in order to tell their story, Vic and Mad must focus on all the chapters in between.

This is a story about:

1. A coded mission to scatter ashes across New Jersey.
2. The momentous nature of the Palisades in winter.
3. One dormant submarine.
4. Two songs about flowers.
5. Being cool in the traditional sense.
6. Sunsets & ice cream & orchards & graveyards.
7. Simultaneous extreme opposites.
8. A narrow escape from a war-torn country.
9. A story collector.
10. How to listen to someone who does not talk.
11. Falling in love with a painting.
12. Falling in love with a song.
13. Falling in love."

I'm super excited to read this book. Not only does the synopsis sound interesting but it's also vague to the point of mysterious. Hopefully there will be a character or two that I bond with in this book, like in Mosquitoland.

4. Lauren Graham

Yes, THE Lauren Graham. I just finished up Lauren Graham's autobiography, Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls, and Everything in Between, which I adored by the way. Because of this book I was informed Lauren had written another book.

Someday, Someday, Maybe


"A charming and laugh-out-loud novel by Lauren Graham, beloved star of Parenthood and Gilmore Girls, about an aspiring actress trying to make it in mid-nineties New York City."

The story sounds fun, especially since it takes place in the 90s and I can relate to all things 90s. I'm expecting it to be a fun, easy read.

What books should I add to my to-read pile for 2017? I will take all your recommendations!
xo Jen

*All quotes and pictures are from Goodreads*