Mmmm, Chocolate

The most popular cake I make shouldn't even be called a cake, because it's incredibly dense and moist, more like a torte than a cake. It's chocolate cake with chocolate chips and chocolate icing, and has just made an appearance at the office potluck by request.


It's the Darn Good Chocolate Cake from the Cake Mix Doctor, except I usually substitute fat free sour cream (or yogurt), and add more chocolate chips than the recipe calls for and drizzle with melted chocolate icing, because you can never have too much chocolate. It's not completely made from scratch, but no one ever complains.

Another Doll Quilt!

I made this little doll quilt for another friend I was exchanging handmade things with. It's made from leftover scraps from a larger quilt I'd cut out a year an a half ago. I called it Hydrangea because the palette is based on the colors of hydrangeas.


It's machine assembled and hand quilted (stitch in the ditch) with traditional binding.

Back to Fruit

I'm back to my comfort zone and it shows! I was much happier painting yesterday's piece.

Oil painting, 8x8" canvas.

No Need to Knead

So I tried my hand as this no-knead bread thing and it worked! I of course substituted whole wheat flour for the regular flour it called for, but it turned out better than I expected!

Perfect with a little brie and a glass of wine!

Maybe I Should Stick to Fruit

Had a frustrating landscape painting day. I have admitted that landscape painting is not my forte, and this week's painting definitely shows it.


I told my instructor I'm taking a break from landscapes for now and going back to fruit next week.

Colorful Chickies

I am not into chickens or roosters, though I inherited a few hens and a rooster when I bought my first home years ago - the sellers even put them in the contract! It was quite the adventure figuring out how to care for them and watching all the chicken drama they got into. They each had their own personality. I wasn't all that good at country living and the chickens were left with the house's new owners when it was sold. I can't believe I actually miss having chickens sometimes, particularly after having been so dead set against them when I got that house.

I couldn't help but smile when I saw these little guys in the store. They were so colorful that I couldn't resist them, and I don't even like knickknacks or figurines (due to a strong aversion to dusting.) A lady walked by as I was picking them out (still surprised at myself that I liked them so much) and exclaimed, "Those chickens! I couldn't resist them either and had to get some last time I was here!" Well, at least I wasn't the only one!


Now they roost on the studio windowsill and make me smile every time I see them.