Manish Arora - revisiting

We saw him back here, it's time to revisit!  

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Creativity is my first love.

Designer Tahir Sultan

Navajo needlepoint horse chairs

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A Giveaway! - My Point Exactly...

"My Point Exactly" has been a favorite of mine, a book I wrote some years back.  It's time to say goodbye to my friend.  I only have a few copies left that I will be keeping for myself, but I came across one copy that got a bit of a tear on the back.  Nothing major, just enough to make it a GIVEAWAY!    

So here's what you need to do...  Sign up to follow this blog, which will give you notices of workshops, sales, giveaways, recipes, thoughts, updates, a whole lot of goodies.  Anyone who signs up between today and April 1st will be among the possible winners, I will be using the handy-dandy- random-number-picker.  PLEASE, make sure you add your email address.  I won't be able to add you to the raffle without an email address cause then I won't be able to send you the prize!  

Now, some of you ask... what if I'm already signed up as a follower?  Easy peasy, just leave a comment on the blog letting me know your email address.  That's all.

Come say hello to me on the blog and get a good bye gift.  I will draw the winner on Monday, April 1st!!

xo

Orna

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No Passover Panko for me!

This week I went shopping for Passover, things like Matzo, Matzo Meal, nuts, etc.  The grocery store where I shop opens 5 rooms full of Passover items.  Every year it seems like there are more Kosher-for-Passover everyday items, such as garlic flavored wholewheat Matzo , Passover pancakes, boutique flavored marshmallows.  But this year they have really gone all the way with Passover noodles, Passover Panko, Passover red velvet cake mix.  What is going on here??  There is no way these items are as tasty as their non-Passover counterparts, so why bother?  Seriously, can't one live without noodles for a week?  What makes celebrating this holiday, or any holiday, special?  Making it as close to what is done on regular days so that we don't give anything up or aren't inconvenienced in any way?  Or is it so we do things differently?  Make it memorable.  Eat the Passover way for a week.  Can't be that hard!

Here is one of my favorite, very easy, recipes for a Kosher-for-Passover dessert, (or any special event dessert).  I translated it for you:

Chocolate Mousse Cake

In case you want the Hebrew...

Cake bottom:

4 egg whites

1.5 cup sugar

1.5 cup shredded coconut

Mousse:
7 oz bittersweet chocolate
4 egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream
1.5 tablespoons sugar


For the cake bottom...
Heat your oven to 360°.  Beat egg whites with sugar at medium speed till stiff.
Add the shredded coconut  by folding it into the egg whites.
Spread on the bottom of a 10" round cake pan or a 10" x 12" glass dish.
Bake for 20 minutes.  Let cool.

For the mousse...
Melt the chocolate.
Add one yolk at a time to the chocolate, mixing each one in well.
Whip the heavy cream with the sugar until fluffy and soft.
Mix 1/4 of the whip cream into the melted chocolate until smooth.
Add the chocolate/whip cream mix to the rest of the whip cream and fold in.

Pour the mousse on to the coconut bottom and chill for 4-5 hours.

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I need your input... what do you think?

I've waited to show you my "new" living room.  I just can't seem to settle on the "add-ons", i.e. rug, pillows, artwork etc.  I waited for over a month for the rug I thought would be perfect for the room.  It arrived.  At first I was happy with it and then, for a split second, I thought, "that looks like I spread a kitchen towel on the floor", and it was over!  Now I can't get that image out of my head.  Every time I look, there is that darn dish cloth!  

These photos aren't good quality, but I just had to get your input.  What do you think?  Towel? Rug? 

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Please read this.

I don't usually use this blog for causes I believe in.  I stay away from politics, I don't preach, I don't argue, I don't bring any of that into this place.

But this time I must.

We brought Nina home from Cambodia 11 years ago.  We were part of the last group of parents allowed to bring their children home from that country.  Since then no adoptions have been allowed.  Children who were in orphanages in Cambodia in 2002, 6-9 months old, as our Nina was, are still in those orphanages.  They have not been allowed to have a family.

Please read about this documentary, Stuck, HERE, and if you feel you can, please sign the petition to support bringing children home to families.

This is our Nina, 11 years after coming home, composing music on the piano she loves.

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Bursting with pride!!

I just LOVE it when stitchers send me photos of my designs that they have completed stitching,  LOVE it!

Here are a few of late...

Hanging Gardens, (one of my Cyberworkshops),  stitched by Suzanne Allen.  

How exquisite!  Thank you for making my design dance and sing!!

 

Sunflower stitched by Diane Trobaugh.  Diane's ANG chapter

stitched this design and Diane chose colors and 

canvas with a daring spirit and I am so proud!

Do you have any of my designs that you stitched?  Have you changed colors?

 Even better!  Send me your photos!!
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THANK YOU!  Ada Haydon answered my plea and here are 3 pieces she stitched years ago...

 From left to right:  Cedars of Lebanon, Reflections of Joy and Magic

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