A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood...

The weather has been gorgeous this week! Sunny, high's in the 60's, cool enough to go on a run with a light jacket on.  I worked in the yard earlier this week and again today, it felt great to get outside and clean up the yard.  Still have lots of sticks from the ice storm, but the flower beds are getting in shape.

 I started two projects today, one was a thrifty craft, the other an experimental recipe.

First, the craft!

I was inspired to make a spring time/easter wreath, and I didn't want to pay JoAnn thirty dolla for her handiwork.  So...I picked up the grapevine wreath at Goodwill, only $1.99!  I bought some fake flowers and ribbon at the Dollar Tree along with some moss, that will be for another project.  I also set up a craft table in our TV room today.  I had to move the couch, but I think the change is nice.

Before...

After...

I love it! Although my bow making skills have yet to be perfected, I think she's cute.  It just screams Spring.  Wow, I didn't realize how pink it was until now..oh well!

On to..the bread!
So as I was crafting, I was listening to the steady whirl of my bread machine.  I decided to make some homemade healthy-ish cinnamon raisin bread.  I took a trip to Dorthy Lane markets last week and tried their artisan purple wheat raisin bread.  Purple wheat you ask? Yes, the bread was purple and delicious.  So, having polished off the half-loaf I bought, I wanted to try my hand at cinnamon raisin bread.  I also had some buckwheat flour that I thought might be good in a loaf.  I used 1 cup all purpose white, 1.5 cups whole wheat and 0.5 cups buckwheat flour as my base.  I also used honey and sugar for sweetness. I found a simple recipe online and gathered my ingredients...

..and made me some bread!  Although mine is no Dorthy Lane, its not too bad. Hubby and I had some with strawberries and vanilla ice cream.  If I was going to make it again, I think I would increase the sugar, it was a little too yeasty for me, but good raisin and cinnamon taste.

Man, it was a productive day..Tomorrow will be busy too, but hopefully the good weather holds, I will be running 5 miles tomorrow :)! Pin It Now!