When Accomplishing Goals Gets Creative

Ever heard of Map Your Progress?

Neither had I until last weekend when I came across this post.

I read all about Amy's journey to pay off debt and mark her progress as she did so.

Resulting in a work of art. Like this.

These were the first or early prints she made, comprised of individual swirls that she would color in as she went. Each swirl representing a portion of the debt she was paying. Genius. Genius I tell you.

At least for a brain like mine, how cool it is to have something tangible to show for my effort. And not just tangible but potentially pretty. Attractive, eye-catching. A creative work of art. Both a motivation for--and a reward of--accomplishing a goal!

Her site is great has prints (or canvases) with swirls as few as 20 and as many as 365 (for you do-something-every-day-folks.) Do you know what this means? For me, it means I have some tangible motivation on the way for all my summer goals --fitness, writing, Portuguese learning --whatever I want to measure, and most likely accomplish, in a much more creative way.

 

Can you have your cake and eat it, too?

Only if you remember to hide it!

These chocolate-covered chocolate and strawberry cake bites debuted and disappeared at the YW New Beginnings activity last night. I got to eat one of the less pretty ones at home that didn't make the final cut so I don't feel too robbed. But I think another round of rolling and dipping might be in order. Really, I'm very relieved they turned out at all. Usually I don't like to try new recipes when they will be given to people outside my trusting family (it's like inviting disaster right into your day)- but these were too yummy to pass up!

If you are curious and read through to the end of the post to see the recipe, you might notice these innocent looking numbers take a little bit of work. I think somewhere around rolling the fortieth cake ball, I began asking myself what had possessed me to undertake such a project in the first place (that and the meaning of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness). My first thought was "I wonder if I could make those?" I could have easily answered "of course" without having to give my kitchen a crumb coat. My next thought, more difficult to dismiss was, "I wonder what they taste like." That did it. Chocolate cravings easily overrode any rational thought and three days later -voila - cake bites!

So are they worth the effort? You'll have to decide that for yourself. My verdict? Absolutely. Creating any art takes work, making the completion of it all the more satisfying- the upside to edible art? You get to eat it -well, if you're fast.

Cake Bites

Recipe by Kathy Oaks

Makes 40-50

1 devil's food cake mix

3 eggs

1 1/4 cups water

1/2 cup oil

1/4 cup butter

6 ounces cream cheese

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Milk, enough to make a good frosting

Dipping chocolate

Directions: Make cake according to directions on box and bake as directed. While baking, mix together butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk to make a frosting. When cake is done dump immediately into a large bowl with the cream cheese frosting (or store bought frosting) and mix it all together while still hot (it will be a little mushy). Refrigerate overnight. Roll into balls and dip in melted dipping chocolate. If balls are sticky I put them in freezer bags and flash freeze them until I'm ready to dip. They will freeze beautifully for months before they are dipped, just let them thaw for about 5 minutes before dipping to prevent cracking. Once cake bites are dipped do not refrigerate or freeze, just eat them! *You can also use cream cheese frosting that you buy at the store. **German chocolate cake mix mixed with German chocolate frosting and dipped in milk chocolate is also very tasty.