A Cake, Two Cakes, and a Shrug

Ok, so that title is actually a little out of order, but it's funnier that way.

For my birthday on Saturday (1/23), Richard and I drove down to Dalton GA to pick up a carpet. While we were down there we stopped at a Thrift store that was run by a mission. In the lobby they had a table of what R calls "used" baked goods. There was a sign on the wall, "Only ONE Cake Per Family." Well, we're a family, right? Sure enough, there were little birthday cakes. I got a free birthday cake on my birthday! I picked one with red roses.

Ok, now rewind [makes vinyl-record-rewinding sounds] to Monday last. It wasn't anybody in our family's birthday, but Tony had MLK day off work, so we decided to celebrate Artemas' 18th birthday a little early. I made this amazing, Amazing Fudge Tunnel Cake. Des was going to bring down a turkey to bake. Well Des and Tony ended up getting here at 7:30 PM with no turkey (it never did thaw) but with bags full of heat-n-eat hot wings, chicken tenders, french fries and stuff. So we pigged out on all that, and ate cake, which was good. We didn't get a pic of the cake, because in transferring it to a platter, Artemas dropped it. It looked like a truck ran over it. Still tasted great, though! Although I decided the recipe could use some tweaking...

Wednesday on Artemas' actual birthday we went to Dalton to order the original carpet mentioned above. The car broke down, it rained, we ended up being late to get the kids back to youth group, with $50 worth of pizzas he didn't get to share with his group. And no cake, because we weren't home since 8AM for mom to make one.

So, Thursday I made another Amazing Fudge Tunnel Cake, a la nikki, which was delicious. So here is the recipe! Enjoy!

Moist ingredients:
1+1/2 cups butter, softened
1+3/4 cups sugar
6 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
(or 1/2 tsp flavored extract like almond)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Dump all the moist ingredients in a bowl and mix on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. Mixture will look like a fluffy pudding or mousse. While this is beating, in a separate bowl put the

Dry ingredients:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 cups flour
2 cups finely ground pecans or almonds
3/4 cup cocoa powder

Dump all this about 1/3 at a time into the moist ingredients and mix thoroughly. Batter will look very thick and almost oily (that's ok!). Spoon batter into a greased & floured Bundt or Angelfood cake pan. Bake for 1 hour at 350 F. Let cool in pan at least 15 minutes, loosen cake gently around the edges with a table knife, put cake plate on top of pan and invert pan to turn cake out.

For the glaze you will need about 1/2 a jar or recipe of chocolate frosting, softened in the microwave for a minute or two or set in a bowl of warm water to thin. Pour loosely over top of cake.

A Shrug
So you know at Christmas time I was working on a wonderful, lace-back shrug in deep grape purple Australian wool. Michele in Maine sent me more of the beautiful yarn and I took the project on the road with me to FL when we went for the AMTC convention. The night before my birthday, I finished it. You can see the project with complete notes, including the lace I 'invented,' at this Ravelry link.

Even though I made the described compensation in the pattern for "large bust,"the shrug did not even meet in front by a good 12inches. I guess the girls are bigger than I thought! It fit Veronica beautifully, I could shawl-pin it in front and it looked cute on her, but she didn't like it. (Pictures were taken before ribbing was blocked.)

Then some beautiful, encouraging knitters on Twitter edified me by reminding me that a 'shrug' is back and shoulders only! I should block set the ribbing and just wear it! So I did and I like it very well!

This Is My 100th Post - Where Is My CAKE?!?

Oh wait a minute, we ate the cake this evening. We had Beverly (Betsy)'s 2nd birthday party tonight after church due to scheduling conflicts with her actual birthday, which is Monday. No matter. She is already cleverly telling us she is "doo" by pointing the index finger of each hand at us, and then turning both thumbs up to show she is thrilled.

She got lots of nice presents. A cow bowling game which is noisy and she loves it. Several little casual dresses. An annoying microphone. Three wooden tray puzzles which she can already work, even if we mix the pieces up among all three puzzles. And the BEST little red quilted bag ever, made my my daughter Desiree, who already has posted pictures of it in her blog.

We didn't eat dinner until 9PM, though I cleverly put the Penne Rigatti in a slow oven before I went to church. We had garlic bread and salad, and went through 3 2-liter bottles of soda and 2 gallons of tea. Sounds like a party. Oh and Beverly chose her own cake... strawberry (Bink!) with chocolate frosting (Bown!), and we ate it ALL. See How much she enjoyed it?

Des did B's hair. She wanted it put up because baby Hannah had hers put up. See?

I rode the motorcycle to church this evening. Veronica, my 10yod, rode with me on the way there. We went to the 5:30 service as a family, then Richard and most of the kids came home. Diantha, Artemas and I stayed to work the nurseries. Allen came to check pick-up tags for the kids, so Artemas rode home with him. So Diantha rode home with me. We took leathers with us, because we knew it would be cold riding home after dark. We went in the bathroom where she donned a pair of leather pants over her jeans and put on Richard's leather jacket. I put my fringed leather chaps on over my jeans and a tunic sweater and then a leather jacket. I said to one of the coordinators on the way out, I just love going to the church were the biker chick can keep the nursery and nobody cares. LoL. If you are ever in Knoxville, you should check out our Faith Promise Church, where the word comes alive and is relevant to lives.

It occurred to me as I rode there how completely trusting my daughter had to be to ride with me. Most of the time she can't see the road. She has no idea of what is ahead or what dangers there are. Even if she could see things happening on the road ahead, she has no access to the controls, nor would she have any idea of how to properly control them if she did. She has to totally trust me to look out for her, plan the route wisely, keep watch ahead, and protect her. She can enjoy a lot of freedom that other little girls riding by in cars don't have, but it is only because someone trustworthy is holding the reins (in this case, handlebars).

Then I thought how much this is TOTALLY like this ride through life I am on with Jesus. Much of the time, I can't see the road ahead, but it doesn't have to hamper my enjoyment. Even if and when I can see trouble coming, my solution to the problem most of the time wouldn't be the right one... it would be like trying to avert my motorcycle from danger without ever having used the controls before. I have learned I can totally trust the Lord to look out for the best for me, plan my steps wisely, be ever watchful, and protect me.

Because of what Jesus did for me through salvation, I can enjoy a lot of freedoms that others traveling this road, having to make their own way and create their own (false) safety, don't have... but it is only because I know that even should something bad happen, I am safe in His hands.

Riding the motorcycle is a balm, or a "defrag" if you will, for my spirit. But having the Lord at the controls in my life is what makes it a happy ride.

Romans 10:8-11
"...Salvation that comes from trusting Christ – which is the message we preach – is already within easy reach. In fact, the Scriptures say, 'The message is close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.' For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Because it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, 'Anyone who believes in Him will not be disappointed.'"

Just a Little Artsy Fartsy Stuff

Today we baked muffins. Took muffins to my spoiled dh at work. Walked. Came home and baked a red velvet cake for my sister's birthday, baked a HUGE Chicken Pot Pie, ate dinner, took cake to my sister.

Sometime during the day Josiah helped me dye some olive colored Merino wool into a deep forest green, and I dyed some mulberry silk into a rusty mauve color. Then I carded those with some indeterminate wool in shades of purple with hot pink nepps. I did up 2, 1.5 oz. batts. The colors aren't the most usual together, but I think they will spin into an interesting yarn. This is one of the things I am sending to Japan in a goodie box.

I finished listing the handspun yarns from Japan in my My7kids Etsy shop, at least the ones I am listing in yarn form. I am keeping a couple myself and putting the donation money in for those. And a couple of them I am going to knit into an item to sell in the HeartFeltFun Boutique at Etsy and give the donation from them that way. Go take a look at these wonderful, fun, funky art yarns!

I also got an Etsy treasury today in wonderful Coffee colors... visit and click on stuff!

Oh one MORE little thing. Easter is coming soon! Here is a page with the baddest Easter eggs ever!