turkey feathers

Make a Wish

Someone was in the kitchen this week mixing up a cake.  Not just any cake.  A birthday cake.  I wasn't supposed to be in here, peeking. . . let alone snapping pictures, but I couldn't resist.  After all, the blog must be fed, and besides I could smell the chocolate all the way down the hall.  But then, I had to endure an entire day of waiting until it was finally time to taste it.  I'm telling you, Grace's real-life cakes are as amazing has her miniature ones.  She went through all of my recipes and settled on this Cocoa Cake.  It's a simple recipe that never fails.  But somehow it always taste better when she makes it. 

Especially iced with Espresso Frosting:   

1/3 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder

3 cups confectioner's sugar

1/3 cup softened butter

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3-4 Tablespoons heavy cream; heated

1 Tablespoon instant espresso coffee crystals

Dissolve coffee crystals in warmed cream and set aside.  In mixing bowl combine; powdered sugar, cocoa powder and salt.  Stir in the coffee-cream mixture and vanilla; beat until smooth.  At this point, adjust consistency if necessary (add more powdered sugar if too thin or cream if too thick), then add the butter and whip until it reaches a fluffy spreading consistency.  Makes about 2 cups frosting.  Try not to eat it all before you get the cake iced.  It's REALLY good on brownies too I found out. 

I must be getting old.  Birthdays make me so nostalgic lately.  If you grew up in the Los Angeles area you may remember Sheriff John's Lunch Brigade and the Cartoon Time show that debuted in 1952.  This was one of the TV highlights of my youth.  My favorite part of the program was when he did the birthday announcements and dedicated birthday wishes to kids born on that day. To celebrate he sang the Birthday Cake Polka:

"Put another candle on my birthday cake, were gonna bake a birthday cake. Put another candle on my birthday cake. I'm another year old today."

There was this huge birthday cake on a carousel, decorated with thick frosting, candy, and lollipops with "Happy Birthday Brigadiers" on the side, and it rotated while he sang.  But the craziest thing of all was,  he'd mention the location of where the birthday girl or boy should go look to find their presents.  Like he'd say, "Happy Birthday to you Suzy, I think you'll find a nice surprise waiting for you under your bed."  Wow, did that impress me.  I actually thought (being a gullible kid) that he was looking right through the TV screen at us.  Unbeknowns to me, this information had been provided by parents weeks beforehand and was written on cue cards.  But still it was that personal touch that made a deep and obviously lasting impression on me.  If you too just happen to be feeling nostalgic for old-timey shows, check out these on TV PARTY and TV ACRES for some great campy ones. 

Seeds of Friendship

Toni (Simple Sparrow), organized a little get-together at her parent's house this weekend; we drove up to meet her along with Blair and Alicia for a day of fun, food and friendship.  It seems a little surreal somehow when meeting people for the first time, face-to-face, after communicating mostly online and through blogs.  I admit, it's a crazy medium for making friends.  But there it is.  Technology at its best.  And I'm happy for that.  And for getting to know each of them a little better through our shared interests. 

So, today a "friendship quilt"; stitched together in 1994.  Impossible to think it's been that long, but the date is embroidered right on it, so there's no denying it. Yep.  It's been THAT long.

Patterns and inspiration came from the book, GATHERINGS by Sally Korte, Alice Strebel, and Sue Ellen Wassem, published in January 1993.  It is out of print, but older copies may still be found here and there.  (Glad I kept mine!)

Easing Back In

 We are back from our trip to the Oregon coast and the cool weather seems to have followed us home.  A light rain is falling now, another sign that summer is fading.  I guess that means it's time to toss out the flip-flops, slide into my new house slippers and embrace autumn.  I do love it so.

After any trip, it always takes time for real life to come back into focus.  I am getting caught up, unpacking and finding my groove.  I was delighted to find the lastest issue of ME Home Companion waiting in the mail bin and wasted no time getting cozy with it. Ah, yes, it is good to be home, back where I belong.

 
Project show and tell; here is something I made and found useful for taking my embroidery on the road.  The double-sided quilted cotton works well for this, and it can be embellished with embroidery or applique as I have done. 

Updated 2010:  Pattern and directions for my autumn Applique Leaf Bag is in my book EMBROIDERY CRAFT: Stitching Through the Seasons (page 115).  

My felt needle case cottage tucks in nicely too.  PDF pattern for this is available on my website along with other free stuff here.

Recipe for Success

 September snuck up on me, but the evidence of freshly canned jars of applesauce sitting on the pantry shelf, is one of the tell-tale signs that summer is winding down even though the days are still hot.  I've already spotted a few red maple leaves on the trees in the yard reminding me that a new season is about to begin.   That quiet season. There's a stillness in the evenings now too, punctuated by the cadence of cricket song and I sense a subtle change in the air as autumn makes it's surprise entrance.  We've had a flurry of friends dropping in and out these past few weeks and it's forced me to slow down and relish the remaining days of dry weather out under the shade of the trees.   I really welcome this time to relax but all the while, my mind has been swirling with ideas and projects I intend to start or finish.  With so many things going on, I haven't made as much progress on the dollhouse bakery as I would've liked to, however this much anticipated package just arrived (like two minutes ago, so this post will be short and sweet because I simply cannot wait another moment to find out what lovely little things we have!)  So if that doesn't spark things up and get me motivated, I don't know WHAT will.  Here's a sneak peek at how the shop is shaping up.