CW challenge for anyone. Guide on 1st post

[E.M. T.]

Beautiful quilts by you all, that have joined in with this latest challenge. I had thought of trying to get caught up with the last challenge, but it hasn't happened, I got sidetracked by a certain tea-set :whistle: I will post photos of the tea set I have been working on just as soon as I locate my camera (safe place-it is :whistle: )

[wendy w.]

Rosemary I thought you were going to show us something you made previously to do with Libby

[Nancy R.]

Rita, you may be a day late, but you are definitely NOT a dollar short! Your quilt is stunning!! I can't wait to see it quilted.

[Nancy R.]

An edible chocolate quilt..... now there's an idea. I am surprised some enterprising company has not come up with that one to sell at all the quilt shows considering the very obvious connection between quilters and chocolate. :lol: I mean Terrie's encouragement photos are all well and good, but they do lack that crunch and melt in the mouth. :lol: Thanks for the compliments ladies. I just have to figure out how to quilt it without messing it up. :unsure: Now, where did I put that burlap sack..... :woohoo: :lol:

Not sure about quilting with chocolate, but embroidery is a doddle. :P Been there- done that :silly: quite a few years ago actually

First assemble Rice paper, angelicia stem*, and Cadbury's Buttons.
1: Cut the Angelica stem into approx. 10 inch lengths, then simmer in some boiling water to soften it. (don't remember how long it took, try for 5 minutes and check) When soft it will be possible to pull it apart into long strings, pull them out and remove the soft plant matter that holds the strings together and set to one side.
2: Using a large darner sized needle (preferably stuck in a cork to give you a handle or you could use tweezers/pliers) heat this up over a gas burner and use to melt holes in the chocolate buttons, either centrally like a sequin or closer to the edge. Kitchen paper is useful for cleaning the needle as you go. It is also easier if the buttons are a touch on the warm side too, if cold they are too brittle and will just crack and have to be filed under M (for mouth)
3: Find a suitable sized needle that will pass through the holes in the buttons, and thread it with a length of the Angelica. Stitch the Buttons down onto the rice paper in any design you find pleasing carefully. This could be used as a card topper.
4: Admire & show your friends
5: Consume in it's entirety

* Instead of Angelica stem (if your garden hasn't been invaded by this plant, you could try either rhubarb or celery, as they have similar structure, but I am not sure how the celery would taste with chocolate...

[Nancy R.]

Ok Wendy, it was my first set of muggies, with the reverse applique technique.

[Nancy R.]

Completely off topic but since there is no blog space--this will do. You ladies are soooo understanding:

Adventures in cooking with Ritzy!

I would like to preface this by saying--just once, just once, I would like my cooking or baking to go with no complications! So, because I am totally inept with these things, I actually don't like to cook or bake, I only eat because I have to (think-- that doesn't include chocolate) to stay alive. I decided that since I am sick with bronchitis, I would make cupcakes for tomorrow's desert for the family. I would put them in cupcake papers and not have to touch them. I wanted to try something new--never, Never, NEVER a good thing with me and cooking--therefore "adventures" . I wanted to put a little batter in the cupcake paper, add a Hershey kiss and then put more batter on it and bake. Simple, no problem, should be a doodle (that is probably not used correctly but since I had to look it up to find out what it means--I wanted to try--let me know if it is not used in the correct way). Alas, it was not that easy.

I want you to know that I followed the directions, really I did, I measured out the oil in one cup, the water in another and put the eggs in handy reach. I used a box mix, that has been used by me and a million other Americans with no problems. That was not the case today. I will say that it has been years since I have made a cake and it is possible that they have changed the ingredients. I followed the directions!!!! So, I mixed the ingredients together and turned the beater on medium--just like the directions said!--and began what was to be a two minute mixing. As I am mixing the batter start rising on the beater--I am talking about climbing the beaters like it was a monkey. Deciding that this is a fluke, I slowly raise the beater out of the batter so the batter can fall off. Try again with the same results. After about a minute and a half of this nonsense, I decide it has been mixed enough.

Now normally when you take the beater blades out of the batter you have to put something under it so it doesn't drop on the counter--NOT this time! Nope, that stuff stuck like peanut butter to the roof of your mouth! I have a nice little ladle that I was going to use to pour the batter into the papers. It was the perfect size to give me the amount I needed to put in the paper! This stuff is so thick it won't come out of the ladle. So I went and got a small spoon, it wouldn't fall off the spoon. I tried tapping the spoon to get the batter off--no way, ain't happenin' . I finally had to resort to using my finger to get it off the spoon. So much for trying not to get everyone sick. I tried to spread the batter in the bottom of the paper so I could put the kiss in and it would not spread. It just kept sticking to the spoon. I tried tapping the cupcake tin on the table to get the batter to level--it wouldn't do it! I followed the damn directions!!!!!! So I am telling my husband this saga and he tells me he had that happen the last time he made a cake. The only thing I can think of that may have caused this is: I normally use Crisco vegetable oil and all I had on hand was olive oil. If any of you cooking geeks know why this has happened and can let me know...never mind, it probably won't make any difference because with me it is always going to be an "adventure"!

So, as I am now prepared to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord, be blessed my friends as you have so often blessed me.

[wendy w.]

Come on Ritzy you haven't shown us what they look liked baked and how did they taste :lol:

I send you and family my best wishes for Easter and hope you feel better soon. Do you have easter eggs in America?

Rosemary I love your mug rugs, I didn't realise you learnt the technique with Libby. You don't need to place a hankie over those :lol:

[Annis C.]

That sounds like quite an adventure Ritzy! I have no idea what happened, but it must have been the olive oil. Blessings to you.

[Sharon E.]

Ritzy, I know how to cook and bake, but I HATE it!! So here is your new motto: I only have a kitchen because it came with the house!!!

I have a cute little plaque in my kitchen with that .

Sharon

[E.M. T.]

Can't imagine what happened ! :silly: :unsure: But safe to say not enough liquid in that batter ! Prob'ly not the oil but possible the eggs
were smaller., . it doesn't take much... I often leave out an egg or two but have to add water to make up volume. Now if it had been me...I'd
guess I read the measuring cup cock-eyed with my bad eye and tri-focals :side: Any how...could be they tasted just fine ....
but dry. Hope you have a great day and get better soon ! Happy Easter ! :silly:

[E.M. T.]

Oh Ritzy, hmy: I feel for your adventure in the kitchen, and hope you are feeling better soon. Following instructions can be so overrated sometimes :silly:

I agree with Marilyn, it sounds as if there wasn't enough liquid in your cake batter, personally I would have added a splash of milk, until it became a 'soft dropping consistentcy' (I know spelling is totally off) - also known as 'when it drops off the spoon easily before the count of 10'. Personally I also wouldn't have used olive oil, as the taste can be quite strong. But then when making cakes I don't use oil at all, just butter, sugar, eggs, Self Raising flour (plain flour with bicarbonate of soda already added) and milk if necessary.

Doodle - to scribble patterns on any scrap of paper/back on an envelope when either on the phone or when in meetings and the waffle is getting boring. A bit less classy than zentangles.
Doddle - 'to be a doddle' something that is easy to do, Like following instructions

Happy Easter everyone, and may your baking woes be small and lacking in 'eau de carbon' :kiss:

[E.M. T.]

Well, I haven't tried any yet but DH did and he said it was good. I was saving them for tomorrow so I will let you know the results then. They look OK. And yes, we have Easter eggs here in the States. Some can be very elaborate in design. But the ones the kids hunt for are just dyed. Many places around here hide plastic eggs filled with candy for the kids to hunt.

[wendy w.]

Ours are hollow with a bag of sweets inside 6 to 10 ins tall and yum. I used to hide them for the boys and give them riddles to solve to find them. Hope the old man has one for me tomorrow :S yes we dye eggs as well. At poultry shows there are egg classes for the best decorated egg.

[wendy w.]

When the girls were at home I wrote clues and riddles they had to figure out to find their goodies!

[Lois B.]

Ritzy, I am thinking you didn't do as bad as you think you did. My clues were the things Loren had to say. 1) "That happened the last time I made a cake." If he used the same kind of mix you usually buy perhaps it was the mix. 2) "They were good." You might not be as bad as you think. That might not be good news for you. If your baking turns out well you might be expected to do more. If I hated to cook/bake I might not want things to turn out well. hmy: hmy: Hope I didn't blow your cover. :lol: :lol: