Chalk-o-late Cake

It has been a couple months since we made a practice cake.  For a while there, we were baking and experimenting to find the recipes we will use for our celebration, but then we got a little over-caked.  When I knew I was going to have the day off and the house to myself, I decided  one of the things I wanted to do was a little baking--I miss it and I haven't been carving out nearly enough time to play in the kitchen!

The silver-tray-turned-chalk-board is a little craft project I did for the Wedding.  I was wandering around an antique store with Lucy and we saw some similar trays and I knew that this was a task that I could actually replicate.  Teri and I had been considering some sort of chalkboards for the wedding to share directions and mark specific areas and recycled and repurposed silver-plated trays seemed a good fit!

All it took was a spray can of chalkboard paint.  I think they are so cute and fun that I haven't been able to wait and save them for the wedding.  I've had this one in the kitchen where we can jot little messages, draw pictures, etc. As a gal who likes words, I could go a bit crazy with the chalkboard paint and everywhere I see potential chalking surfaces...ah, the possibilities!

In reality, there has been far too much seriousness going on around here lately, and not nearly enough chocolate cake and silly messages.  Work has been heavy, the weather has been heavy, and all sorts of other stressors and considerations.  I realized today that what has truly been missing is the sense of whimsy and playfulness that Teri and I both appreciate.  Sure, we have to be grown-ups and put up with life's crappy challenges, but some fun, pleasure and lightness are needed as well.

So today I ate bacon for breakfast, watched a French film with subtitles and baked a chocolate cake.  Other than writing one article early morning, the focus has been on what feels good. Productivity be damned!