Cake, rice, and sweet potato

Hiya everyone!  Hope all is well with you and yours.  We've had major repairs to do (septic and pumps) along with family member projects (hot water tanks and spigots) so we've been busy and I haven't done too much stitching.  But we finished yesterday so I'll return to Eunice today.  Every once in a while I get a bug to work on something that is time consuming and often never even materializes to my satisfaction.  These did.  I made a set with houses for a friend but needed to replace an older order that has bugged me.  It ended up that I remembered how much this friend loved A&E's, and since I was working on one anyway, voila!!  She will be getting these and I get to keep the houses!  One of these is only reproduced because she is a friend of the designer and it can't be done again or sold - I know someone will ask because of its popularity, but no can do! 

I'm going to have to stitch a lot more if I want to come up with some new labels. In the Company of Friends (click on) is doing printed sampler labels on boxes and other items and a wonderful site to browse.  Lots of great items and fabulous gifts for stitchers.  And here's my first attempt at the rice stitch.    

It's going to take a while to do the entire alphabet in this but I will.  I was going to use eyelet in one row but this linen is coarse, yet soft, and the tension will be tedious.  So far I think I've come up and gone down with that needle in every possible direction.  I need to look it up again and follow a stitch pattern.

I want to mention that if you plan on using the pearl gray to tone down your floss, use a tiny bit of the powdered in a cup of hot water and test the intensity.  I just tried it again and used a sprinkle of the powder, maybe even less than 1/8 tsp.  If you need more you can always add but start with the tiny amount, and if too dark, add more water and dip quickly.  My reds needed a soak time and the yellow - one quick dip!

Now for a few pictures of my favorite summer plant - the lime sweet potato vine.  Since the house is bare of shrubs in the front and very stark and primitive, I don't like a lot of flowers and use the vine for color, and simple white miniature petunias.  The back is loaded with flowers and color and that's where I spend time.

Now for the cake.  For those of you with gardens, another way to use zucchini.

 

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Preheat to 350 degrees.

In large bowl combine 1 double chocolate (or dark chocolate fudge) cake mix, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 3 eggs, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1 1/4 cups of black coffee and blend.  Beat 2 minutes at medium speed, then fold in 1 cup shredded unpeeled zucchini, 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, and 1/2  cup chocolate chips.  Pour into a greased and floured 10" tube pan or bundt pan and bake for 50 - 60 minutes.  You can add a chocolate drizzle or glaze but it's not necessary.  Very moist and delicious!

That's all I have to report!  Today will be a day of a little rest and I MUST make a decision on this kitchen layout.  Both plans are good and each has pros and cons so how do I decide?  I've drawn the plans, like them both, and will of course want the one I didn't choose when it's finished.  But this time, picking #2 first is too risky!!!  And I also need a haircut.

Have a beautiful day and thank you very much for taking the time to read this sometimes boring and not very stitchy blog of mine. 

***********************