dough bits, originally uploaded by mintyfresh.

There is something special about making things from scratch. Whether it’s a batch of caramels, a delicious curry, or even something crafty, making something from a pile of raw materials always makes me happy.

Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of making. Tree cozies, fantastic curries, websites and more have all appeared like magic from piles of fabric, cans of coconut milk, and relatively boring HTML code.

But I have a rule about making things: I don’t make bread. In fact, I am terrible at bread. Beyond terrible, really. It never rises, it never turns out the way I want it to, it’s just generally an all-round disaster.

This weekend though, with time on my hands, I tackled bread. Monkey bread! Which sounds ridiculous, but it is really just ridiculously delicious. And oh so bad for you, with it’s butter, sugar, caramel goodness. And better yet, it worked! It rose, it baked, it was even fluffy in the middle. Hooray!

Things that are making me smile this week:

• World’s biggest silpat as a christmas gift finally getting some use (2′ X 3′!).
• A few days off after a gruelling few weeks of work.
• Hot yoga! In the middle of the day! Just because I make my own schedule.
• Nice weather and photos just waiting to be taken.
• New projects.
• Listening to old Nirvana albums and sewing up a storm.

sunday., originally uploaded by mintyfresh.

good things happen on Sundays

• homemade tortillas, made with love and our new mammothly heavy tortilla press.
• feeling ready for Monday.
• afternoon naps, freshly laundered sheets, and waking up to sunshine on your face.
• Alma. If you have not seen this deliciously creepy yet beautiful (!) short film yet, give it your next five minutes.

saturday., originally uploaded by mintyfresh.

I never would have pegged myself as a runner. Sure, I play soccer, and sure, I like team sports like ultimate, and I cross-country ski, but I’m not sure that if my creative self had to label my athletic self, that “I run” would have been anywhere in that vocabulary.

Cue last summer. The busiest summer ever. The longest work hours I had ever worked. A pitiful amount of time to rest, relax, or more importantly, create things. And I wanted out. Every morning, I walked to work, and all I really wanted to do was kick into high gear and move. Quickly. So I did what more sane people probably wouldn’t do, and joined a running clinic. From “OMG when is this single minute over” to “5K” in just a few mere weeks. I was pleased as punch with myself until I got too busy to attend the last half of that clinic.

Fast forward to February. Not only have I conquered my first 5K on my own, but I’m running big distances in big long stretches of time without feeling as if I am slowly torturing myself (though I will admit to thinking sometimes that I would rather do ANYTHING than that last three minutes. ANYTHING.).

With more free time on my hands these days (which means more 2pm trips to the gym), a minor aversion to disgusting powergel packs to conquer, and a nagging-Nike running chip on my hip, I have registered and starting training for my first actual race. In May!

Won’t you join me? And if you’d rather let my feet hurt for you, feel free to sponsor me (and donate to the Ottawa Hospital) in my quest towards my first (and well-earned) race medal.