Like a biscuit in a loaf costume

Doesn't this loaf of bread look delicious?

Well, it wasn't.

I have been searching for a quick bread recipe to use as sandwich bread. Yeast breads are awesome and everything, but a concoction that can be mixed, dumped into a pan and baked immediately sounds like a dream. 

Kneading, rising, kneading, rising. Sometimes I'm just not in the mood.

So I tried this Irish soda bread recipe. 

Concealing its true biscuit identity in a loaf costume, it gave everyone a start--kind of like taking a drink expecting soda but getting an iced tea surprise instead. 

"It's OK, I guess, just not what I was expecting," seemed to be the collective opinion around the dinner table. The remains of this thing hung around the kitchen for days. No one would give it another chance. 

I believe baking powder is my ticket out of kneading and rising but this recipe wasn't it.

The search continues.

Rejected homemade ornaments

It was a day of Christmas music and craft scraps. I was in over my head.

First, I decoupaged some garden-themed fabric onto a paper plate.

They turned out kinda cute, I guess. I don't know.

While digging for fabric, I found a bag of pistachio shells I saved a few months ago.

Pistachio shells! Now those have crafting potential!

Paints stood at attention and at-the-ready.

Wouldn't it be cute if the pistachios put you in the mind of old-fashioned Christmas lights?

I found a black twist-tie on the kitchen windowsill, so I used snips of it for the tops.

Since there were so many pistachio shells already painted , I glued a bunch of them together and stuck a cranberry in the middle. 

Regarding glue: spare no expense.

I pity the person who gets my white elephant gift this year.

How are your crafting projects going?