On a happier note...

Now for some happier news... yesterday I started making earrings again! For those of you who don't know this about me, when I was 14 (well really 13, but 2 months away) I designed my own line of earrings. For Valentines Day that year, I was trying to figure out a gift for my mom. I wanted to make her something special so I started playing around with random things we had around the house. One of these things was a box of paper clips. I realized that, using some needle nose pliers, I could shape the wire and make some pretty cute earrings! I started making more and more and had fun making interesting, whimsical designs. Soon after, I went to the craft store and bought some real earring-making supplies. I liked making my own earrings because I could make exactly what I wanted to go with any outfit, and buying jewelry was so expensive! That's when I decided to sell my earrings. Because I was fed up with the price of cute earrings in stores, I decided to make original earrings for a reasonable price. I designed a line of earrings, made cards to put them in that said "Earrings by Amber" and started selling them at boutiques and consignment shops. I actually made quite a bit of money (for a 14 year old,) and I loved doing it. I custom designed a few pairs for clients who couldn't find exactly what they wanted and I loved doing that too. At one point, I took pictures of all of my designs and made a catalogue along with all the bead and color options. Maybe someday I'll post some of those pictures. Looking back, some of them were kind of funny :) but I was proud of my work and loved being creative with it.Sunday night, Seth and I went up to my parents' house for dinner. While we were there, we grabbed my old earring supplies. Last night, we were just hanging out in our apartment (something that rarely happens) and Seth was reading his book, so I decided to make some earrings. I hadn't done it for so long and it was so much fun! I'll definitely need to make a shopping trip one of these days to replenish my supply and get some new stuff, but i made four new designs. (sorry they're sideways)

This design (above) is my favorite. The picture is a little hard to see but it's different than anything I've tried before.

I like the cool oriental-looking carvings on these beads.

Seth helped me make these ones :) he wanted me to make some BYU inspired ones.

I also used my supplies to make the little crown thing that for my Audrey Hepburn costume that I mentioned last time (for which I still need to find an event so I can wear it!) I basically used some flexible wire to string pearls and some other beads through a crown from my dance competition days (oh, and I broke the pointy top off, so it doesn't look like much of a crown now.) I just need to attach it to a little comb and my Miss Hepburn ensemble will be complete!

Yesterday, I also set up my own Etsy shop! Although it is still empty and I still need to dress it up, I hope soon I can get my earring business going again! We'll see if I can have any success in the Etsy world.

Secondly, my NEW FAVORITE recipe! My mom handed this to me on my way out the door Sunday night and told me to let her know if it's any good. IT IS! Oh my goodness. I just can't help but share it...

5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

• 4 T. flour
• 4 T. sugar
• 2 T. cocoa
• 1 egg
• 3 tsp. milk
• 3 tsp. oil
• 3 T. chocolate chips
• small splash of vanilla extract
• 1 large coffee mug (microwave safe)

Add dry ingredients to mug and mix well. Add egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in milk and oil and mix well. Add chocolate chips (it says optional, but I say they're not. WAY too good) and vanilla extract and mix again. Put mug in microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise a little over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed. Allow to cool (careful, it's REALLY hot and takes a while to cool... ok so it's not exactly 5 minute cake... I know it's hard to be this patient.) Then, tip onto a plate if desired (or eat straight out of the cup! I used a knife around the edges so it comes out clean.) Eat!

This can easily serve 2. Plus, it's pretty rich. I cut it in half to share with Seth and served with ice cream. (Note, if you can, take the bottom half. More of the chips sink to the bottom :))

... My mouth is watering again. Now for my thoughts on this recipe.

Pro's: Delicious, so quick and easy, it's cake made from scratch and it's still easier than a cake mix, makes perfect serving sizes, would be so easy for little kids to make, you could even frost the two halves and decorate them to make adorable little cakes! (I might have to try that)

Con's: Too delicious (especially with how much sugar I've eaten lately,) feels too easy, like I said, it comes out very hot and takes a long time to cool but I hardly have that much patience when making chocolate cake so I may easily burn myself, and, to quote the warning on the recipe "This is the most dangerous cake recipe in the world. Because now we are only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night." Use this recipe with caution.

:)

*amber*