Rank Amateur

Or, as Craig has been known to say, a no talent hack.

Since I was the lucky recipient of a new pink camera for my birthday last month, I've been having fun trying to take better pictures. I'm still an amateur and have no idea what aperture and shutter speed mean, but I'm just using a point and shoot, so I guess it doesn't matter much. All I know is the camera I have now is a million times better than the one I had been using for a few years. I wonder if the amount of times I've dropped it over the years had anything to do with it's lack luster picture quality. Something to ponder....
I'm happy to report that I've yet to drop my new camera, but I did get some goo of an undetermined source on the strap.

Because I have too much time on my hands, I've been using my camera quite a bit lately.

Since Caroline spent practically the entire day at our neighbor's house yesterday, I REALLY had some time on my hands.

Between cleaning an endless scattering of crumbs in the kitchen, driving through icy sludge to visit Wal Mart and enjoying some quiet, I managed to bake two different items for Craig's co workers. I made white chocolate cranberry brownies and toffee bars.

As I was preparing the brownie batter, I took the time to admire how pretty dried cranberries are.

Bejeweled and festive.

I also have fascination with mounds of chopped chocolate. Can you blame me?

Melted chocolate isn't half bad, either.

Mmm... a glossy pool of creamy goodness.

I much prefer dark chocolate to white, but for some reason, the combination of white chocolate and dried cranberries screams winter to me. It must have something to do with Starbuck's Cranberry Bliss bars; they're such trendsetters.

And trendy is my middle name.

Yep, I've just about managed to catch up with the trends of the early 90s with my pegged jeans, Sam and Libby flats and hypercolor tshirts.

Ha! Just kidding. Pegged jeans make my legs look even shorter and stubbier than they are.

Not that my baking ventures have anything to do with my stubby legs.

Nope, certainly not these white chocolate cranberry brownies. They're blameless.

Toffee is another of my holiday favorites.

Good thing these went to work with Craig. I'm not sure my legs need any more help in the stubbiness department.