Gingerbread Cookies

With semester over, I breathed a fresh sigh of relief today and relaxed by making some gingerbread cookies. They are such a cute and festive cookie I thought they would be a treat to make, and I'd be able to freeze them and give them as gifts.  I've never made gingerbread cookies on my own before and I'm really pleased with the way they turned out. I looked up a few recipes online, and settled on using this one. (I repeat the recipe below)  They were very easy to make, I followed the recipe exactly (with the exception of grinding my own nutmeg). I think they're a lot of fun if you like to have an opportunity to get creative and finicky with some icing!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon each ground cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the molasses, egg and water. Combine the flour, ginger, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Divide dough in half. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until easy to handle.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion of dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 4-in. cookie cutter. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Reroll scraps.
3. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Decorate as desired. Yield:about 2 dozen. [I ended up with 60!]

Happily, quite a few of my ingredients were organic.

After they were all done, I quick froze them on baking sheets in my freezer and then transferred them to tupperwares in the freezer to safe space and stay fresh.

I would definitely use this recipe again. Yummy and simple!

July Style

As a young child (6 and under) I loved clothes, I didn't identify it as such, but I knew I liked changing outfits (and I did, multiple times a day) but since girliness was something that was never encouraged in my household (I am the youngest, and only girl, with three older brothers) I never thought of myself as into "fashion". I recognize that this is a young age to be talking about fashion, but it wasn't the image that fashion conjures in your mind. I wasn't following any trends, or comparing my style of dress to anyone else's.  I was just taking genuine enjoyment out of articles of clothing.  I had my favourite items of clothing (mostly brightly patterned things, or things with pictures of animals) and I also frequently raided my older brothers' closets since I admired them and wore their clothes to emulate them. I remember then though, that I had learned to not want things that were too girly. Until recent years, I rejected contemporary style completely. I had things I liked to wear but was determined to "not be like other girls" (a desire sadly learned by many women).  In high school I deliberated styled myself to set myself apart.  Recently, I have gotten really into fashion again! I say again because I find myself using the same principles I did at that age, but with pride at being a girl and being girly.  I try not to dress to impress or get the approval of others, but in a way that brings me happiness (after all, you do look down at your own clothes all day!) I pair things together that may not go well together, but also take great delight in matching absolutely everything, perfectly.  I don't tie myself to specific styles of dress- I'm a multi-faceted person, why should my style of dress be static? Clothes can be fun! And there's no need to feel guilty or shallow for liking them, I think, as long as you're liking them for your own reasons. Like when I was 6, I am totally all for the bright colours, and loud patterns and those things can really cheer me up!
This blog wasn't particularly well thought out, and I won't even proof read, but here are some pictures of a outfit that was brightening my day a few days ago.

Speaking of matchy, I used a new blue eyeliner I bought! I never thought I would put colour on my face, but I really like it! I think it's fun.

My bangs were really grown out, so I cut myself some vulcan bangs. I like my grey hair, but it fades quickly and I'm used to having such eccentric colours that I figured I might as well play with my bangs. 

Cycling and Street Style

In true form to what I purported in my first blog post, this post has a couple topics that are of interest to me! Now that it's spring I've been biking to work. It's a really easy bike ride - ten to fifteen minutes and it's very easy to avoid busy streets; which is a good thing considering that the city I live in (Regina, Saskatchewan) doesn't have much in the way of bike lanes. This daily trek has got me thinking about the problems facing bikers. Biking is great! I love it. In Regina it's usually faster than driving, or transit (like most North American cities) and it gives you that feel-good-ery of being environmentally friendly.
But it's dangerous. My father, who is admittedly a bit of a fear mongerer, always told me to "bike as if everyone is trying to kill you!".  Now this sounds pretty alarmist, but I am pretty sure he just means everyone driving in automobiles, and not that cyclists are targets for snipers and knife-weilders.
Anywho, here are my top pieces of advice for bike riders:
1) Wear your gee dee helmet. If you don't, man, I can't even. I could go into anecdotes here (ie someone I know who crashed and cracked theirs in two!) but just wear them! Ridiculous not too. You look cooler with a helmet on, trust me. And remember they are only good for one spill! Replace them often!
2) Signal! Maybe not every motorist knows the signals but they know that the weird gesture you are doing means something and so will be ready to react/watching you. And signal all the time too, someone could sneak up on you!
3) Where you can, ride in the lane. If you're like me and take less busy streets then it is easy for people to go by you. It's not worth getting a door prize (ouch), and people notice you more if you are right in traffic. Don't go straight in the right hand turn lane at an intersection. People can't tell what you're doing and will turn right into you.
Another great thing about biking is that it's a great opportunity to show off a fabulous outfit, you big exhibitionist. So dress up, get out there and bike to work! Here is my #ootd that I felt pretty spiffy in during my ride today:

The jean jacket I have had for years, I got it at Sears clearance centre in 2008 I think. It's just a standard denim jacket but it's collected some embroidery over the years when I've felt creative. Actually the back piece is the first thing I ever embroidered! My mom did the 'o' because she thought it looked like I was having so much fun :3

It makes me look super tough, no?! Also you'll notice I am wearing a scrunchie. I like them! You can match them to your lipstick (as pictured) and if you've abused your hair by repetitive colour changes like I have, they are nicer to your hair. I also embroidered a little prairie pride over my heart.

I've been really into patterns lately, so I wore one of my favourite pieces, an American Apparel dress. It's technically a dress, although I'm wearing it as a top here. It's a little on the short side (curse of being so tall) so I only wear it as a dress when I'm wearing leggings. I love the pattern and it has this totally bitchin' back which makes me feel like a ballerina. Also, it provides me with enough support that I can go bra-less. Not everyone is into that but I love having no bra on.

And I finished with a totally ace black velvet skirt from Joe Fresh, my long term pal and ol' stand by.

My First Blog Post

This web log will have two main functions:
1) a sporadic personal log of the interesting things that I do and that happen to me
2) a platform on which I can opine and publish my musings

First things first- I should tell you a bit about myself.

I am 23 years old. I live in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.  I convocated in 2012 with a Linguistics degree, but haven't found full time employment in that field. Here is what I look like right NOW- also pictured is a cat I live with named Edgar.

I have lived my whole life in Saskatchewan, save three years I spent in the Bahamas as a child and probably another year I accumulated during short stints elsewhere in Canada (Vancouver, Whitehorse, Trois-Pistoles, Winnipeg).  This makes me a bit of a country bumpkin to some, but I love regional living and take great joy in the prairies and the people here. I would also argue that living your whole life in Saskatchewan vs someone who has lived their whole life in Vancouver for example, results in no more or less of a restricted world view.

I have many interests. I love reading, gardening, and fashion. I am interested in fitness and health. I enjoy crafting- knitting, crocheting, drawing, origami, jewellery making, embroidery etc. I am interested in social justice- particularly feminism, language vitality, minority rights, the environment and the food we eat.  I am greatly intrigued by all of these things but I don't do one or the other to an excess that would allow me to think of myself as an expert.  Thus, my blog won't be easily classified as a "feminist blog", "crafting blog" or a "health blog". Especially since I plan on crapping it up with my day-to-day stuff!

Thanks!