december came

And so, with a flourish & a powdery white flurry of snow... December came. It is a busy (but in a happy way) month -- one of my favourites. Yummy things baking in the oven, delicious scents wafting through the air, Christmas cards to be made & sent, packages waiting to be wrapped in pretty paper... it's a wonderful time. 

We rejoice as we celebrate the greatest Gift of all, brought to us in a lowly manger. We remember the year past. All the precious moments we have gathered in our memories, to treasure for many seasons ahead, perhaps even forever. We prepare for the year ahead. Making resolutions, new plans, preparing to set exciting new projects in motion, and breathlessly awaiting to to see where they will take us.

That's the beauty of December. Embrace it with me, won't you?

e

p.s. I have been a little sick these past few weeks, thus the lack of posts. I'm feeling better now, but I probably will not be posting here again til the new year. With the holidays being just around the corner & me still having come last-minute things to take care of, I just won't have the time to sit down & write a real post. I'm sorry for the lack of activity on here lately, & I'm looking to change that in the new year. Thank you all so much for all your sweet comments & support!!! I know it sounds cliche, but -- they mean a lot -- & they really do! :)

p.p.s. Did I forget to say? I'm also planning on giving this place a little facelift over Christmas break. ;)

cinnaberry cake || a christmasy recipe

The snow is falling softly outside, the Christmas tree lights are twinkling, & a distinct happy thrill is in the air. The holiday season is almost upon us & what better way to celebrate than by sharing a recipe?
You may or may not know this, but I love baking. I consider it an art... a wonderfully delicious & creative art. And so, feeling extremely adventurous the other day, I decided to create my own holiday recipe. All my favourite Christmasy ingredients in one cinnamony, delightful cake!

ingredients: 
~ 1 cup sugar
~ 1 cup dried cranberries
~ 1 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (can be substituted for one additional cup oats if nut-free is desired)
~ 1 cup oats
~ 1 teaspoon cinnamon
~ 2 1/4 cups flour
~ 1 teaspoon baking soda
~ 6 eggs
~ 1 teaspoon vanilla
~ 1 cup melted butter
~ 1/2 cup milk

directions:
Mix together the sugar, cranberries, walnuts, oats, & cinnamon in a large bowl.

In a smaller bowl, mix the flour & baking powder together. Then, add them to the cinnamon-cranberry mixture. Stir til combined.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, butter, milk, & vanilla.

Slowly pour the liquid mixture into the cinnamon-cranberry mixture, in three separate portions - stirring in between additions.

Pour mixture into a cake mould.

Place your creation into an oven preheated to 375F & bake for approximately 20 minutes, or til toothpick comes out clean.

After your cake is done, you may want to add icing. I personally just prefer a little dusting of powdered sugar on top - it gives it a little extra wintery flair.

And ta-da! Your Cinnaberry Cake is all set & ready to serve (or eat all by yourself as part of a midnight baking experience, & that's ok - I won't tell ;)... & it didn't even take you half an hour. Now go sit by the Christmas tree, inhale the cinnamony scent in the air, drink some hot cocoa (or coffee), & eat your sweetly delicious slice of cake.
cozy warm hugs,

e

p.s. who has snow? we have about five inches already! :)

shelby || senior shoot

I had the wonderful opportunity of taking a friend's senior portraits a couple of weeks ago. To tell the truth, I was actually pretty nervous at first. I don't have much experience with posing, so I was extremely terrified I'd end up with an average of twenty photos & twenty boring poses. So I scoured through Pinterest like crazy the night before, & even printed out a posing guide and make a whole list of notes (because I'm organized like that... yes).
Despite my fears, however, the photoshoot went great! Shelby & I had tons of fun, even if we DID get lost in the woods of the conservation area... & may or may not have stumbled into someone's backyard by accident. At one point, we even met a guy with a Nikon D600 who walked up to us & actually took our photo for the local newspaper. It was a wonderful adventure. I was surprised at how easily I got used to the whole 'photoshoot' atmosphere. The posing & everything kinda just 'clicked in' with me. I simply can't wait to do this again!
Hope everyone is having an exciting November so far!

hugs,
eve

p.s. my little sister & Shelby's little sister tagged along as well. they're so cute together! <3