A Sweet Surprise!!

My Oldest and his beautiful Girlfriend called today to say they were on their way over because they had something for me! I laughed and said well...I'm still in my pj's...{it was WAY past the getting dressed time!!} He said they would be here in a minute...Fun!! When they arrived they handed me a little pink box of goodness...seriously...

Macarons from La Boulange Bakery in San Francisco! Oh my! Look at these little beauties...so pretty and its a no wonder they are used in so many desert tables!!

According to Wikipedia...A macaron (French pronunciation: [makaˈʁɔ̃])[1][2] is a sweet meringue-based confectionery made with egg whites, icing sugar, granulated sugar, almond powder or ground almond, and food coloring. The macaron is commonly filled with buttercream or jam filling sandwiched between two cookies.

I can't wait to try them, the last time they were over we had been talking about them and how I wanted to try them!! I am going to save them for after my workout...{Yes, I am rewarding myself with a little happy Macaron for working out....LOL...as counter productive as that May sound...I can't wait!!}

What a nice and sweet surprise!! Thank You!!

Hope your day has been as sweet!

Valentine Treats!!

Hello!!! How are you??!! Are you getting ready for Valentines Day? Is your home getting little bits of red, pink, and teal accents around? Valentines is such a silly fun holiday!!

The best part of Valentines....is making yummy treats and sharing them with people you heart...I know it makes me feel happy!! The packaging makes it super cute for giving too and makes whatever is inside the bag, tastier too, I'm quite certain of that!!!

The Treats: I made the standard recipe for rice krispy treats....let them stand for a bit and then poured the melted caramel all over the top of the cooled rice krispy treats! {I scrapped the bowl and ate that spoonful bit of leftover goodness too!} I then cut them apart and dipped them in melted chocolate and added some sprinkles...you know you have to have some sprinkles. Easy and YUMMY...did I say Yummy and easy!!??!!

The packaging was easy....Scrapbook paper and bits of this and that...easy and fast! That cute red button says in French...."I am Loved"....its from Helzberg Jewelry stores. They have them in all different languages....If someone buys you jewelry...well, you are loved...The same thing happens if someone gives you Chocolate Covered Caramel Rice Crispy Treats...You Are Totally Loved!

Hey, have you "Liked" my HappyLittleArt Facebook page yet? Its an easy way to know when there is a new post here on the blog!! You can Like it HERE!

Hope you are having a great week!!

Valentine's Countdown Calendar Sneak Peek!

It's Friday the 13th!! Are you superstitious? I was reading an old article about Friday the 13th being unlucky on The National Geographic News and in one part of the article it said:

"According to Fernsler, numerologists consider 12 a "complete" number. There are 12 months in a year, 12 signs of the zodiac, 12 gods of Olympus, 12labors of Hercules, 12 tribes of Israel, and 12 apostles of Jesus.
In exceeding 12 by 1, Fernsler said 13's association with bad luck "has to do with just being a little beyond completeness. The number becomes restless or squirmy.

This fear of 13 is strong in today's world. According to Dossey, more than 80 percent of high-rises lack a 13th floor. Many airports skip the 13th gate. Hospitals and hotels regularly have no room number 13.

On streets in Florence, Italy, the house between number 12 and 14 is addressed as 12 and a half.

In France socialites known as the quatorziens (fourteeners) once made themselves available as 14th guests to keep a dinner party from an unlucky fate."

Interesting indeed, I say....and its a good thing I'm working with the Number 14 today!!

Since I never got around to finishing my Christmas advent calendar....I had good intentions but it just never happened and I really wanted the Kids to have the fun of the countdown....so...I'm making up for it with a Valentine Countdown Calendar...a countdown to Love Day!! Here are some of the boxes I have done so far...

The little Martha Stewart boxes I found on sale are perfect. I tucked 5 little candies into each box and added a little tag inside that has an activity typed on it. I used the numbers I had printed out at Christmas time {free, Thank You!} from Just Something I Made and decorated each box!! I can't wait till the Kids get to open one each day!

The activities in these 5 boxes are:
1. Bake and Decorate Cookies and Share with Neighbors
2. Watch a "Love" Movie with Popcorn
3. Play a Game of "Scrabble"
4. Go Out to Eat - Must Wear Something Red
5. Make Homemade Valentines

I Still need to find about 5 more activities (inexpensive and fun)and buy a bag of mixed candy to finish the rest of the boxes but I thought I'd give you a sneak peek at my Work in Progress!

Hope you are having a great day and don't go under any ladders, cross a black cat or step on a crack!!!

Can Cookies Ever Be Bad??!!!

I have lots of New Year Resolutions. I make them every year and try hard to continue them for longer than the first three weeks of the year. This year is essentially no different except that this year, I've already jumped started a few of my resolutions and I'm not taking my failures too hard. When you're too hard on yourself for the small failures you set yourself up for quitting. We don't want to quit we just want to chug along and do better!! With each new day I get up, I have a new chance at succeeding and reaching my goals for 2012...Isn't that great?! You bet it is!!

As with most people, one of my goals is to lose weight and get healthier...I've been on Weight Watchers and working out seriously, for about 2 1/2 months now. I've lost countless inches and almost 25lbs. I've got a ways to go...but I feel healthy and good. Better, in fact, than I have in years!! I am consistently trying new things to stay in my point range for the day all the while adding good sctuff to nosh on...Today I had the brilliant idea that I would make this recipe. Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies with no sugar....only 3 WW points and hell...a cookie with no sugar can't be bad for breakfast can it?? No it can't...of course not....and definitely not when its packed with yummy good things perfect for your insides and out.....so I set about making these delicious sounding treats.

I was out of Almond meal...That sounded funny...like I often use Almond Meal...not..never before, so I substituted Ground Flax Seeds and swapped applesauce for the oil. Please don't ever do that.....Oil is good. I WILL remember that for next time!! {Next Time??! The Kids just screamed!!!}

After following her directions....I baked these beauties and boy did they smell good. They really did. Like banana bread, which is what I probably should have made instead. The timer went off...and I waited till they cooled and told everyone to try these...YAY...healthy cookies....everyone said okay...yum....and then...and then....I saw one Kid feeding it to the dog...who then promptly spit it out all over the floor...what? What? The oldest said "Wow, these taste really Healthy, Mom!"

What was going on in here? They are delicious cookies.....baked to perfection with dried raisins and cherries in them....how could they not be AwEsOmE?? I would have to risk eating the 3 points now instead of after my workout like I wanted.....I went to the kitchen and tried one....hmmmmmmmm.....they lacked something....they were chewy and full of stuff....and good for you....but dang it....they were NOT the awesomeness I had expected, they were not sweet and ooweey ...they were....HEALTHY and they tasted like it! Could I salvage the cookies so they would at least get eaten and not ALL by me? I did what only I could do....I tossed a bunch of icing on them and sprinkled them with pink sanding sugar....Nothing tastes bad with icing and Pink sanding sugar!!

I had told my Workout Bestie that I would bring her a couple to enjoy after our workout and for tomorrow morning....I'm a little hesitant but I thought...If I packaged it up all cute...it will taste better too...Right?? Of course!! So I quickly packaged a few up to share with her...with silly little fun proverb tags that say things like.....: Don't Bite off more than you can Chew!! Too funny!!!! At least we'll have a laugh!!

I'm quite certain there will be way more kitchen failures...and I'm sure lots of people have made these cookies and thought they were the best thing since...well since cookies....but for me....I'll skip making Healthy Cookies for now and eat the bad ones in moderation!!!
Have a Great Day!!