New Yellow Hexagon Table Center

I want to start posting in 2011 

by hoping all of you are having a pretty good New Year!

New Year resolutions..?, sure! Don't we all...?

But I've learned quite a while ago

I need to take one step at a time, and that's what I've been doing.

I did finish my latest project,

another hexagon table center.

This one's a bit different

from the ones I had made for Christmas gifts.

I have just been playing with whatever I can do with hexies,

experimenting new finishings, backgrounds, backings, 

colors, final composition and so on.

For the runners and table centers backings I have been using felt, for the simple reason it gives it a good, sturdy and "clean" finish,

and plus felt backing it's just perfect for a table.

Also I've been using applique stitches

to secure and at the same time quilt the top to the backing.

It's snowing again today

and believe me,

it's not very normal here in East Tennessee to have this much snow and this often, specially so early in Winter.

The beauty of it is only overcome by the hazard it brings,

because
our area is not as well equipped

for this kind of weather

as for instance the area where my son lives, in Canada.

I've also been busy getting ready for my new job,

lots of studying and updating on specific industry terminology in both languages (English and Portuguese).

As you might remember,

 I took an over-the-phone interpreter job

and will start working next weekend.

I have been on training and will finish it early coming week.

Still feel a bit nervous and anxious,

it's definitely a completely different professional field from my special education teaching career,

but hopefully everything will be alright.

And for today this will be it.

I'll see you all soon!

Chocolate Truffles and Winter Storm

Well...
this is it for us here!

The big winter storm ended up just being a slushy mess...

It is still pretty, but terribly wet!
And not very cold neither.

We don't even have a inch of snow...

The cats, on the other hand, really think it's very cold.

Earlier this morning there were five of them

all snuggled up togheter on the same chair...

lol... and they were hungry too...

Anyway... here's some cat prints on the snow.

Definitely...

it just feels like staying inside.

Sooooo...

trying to fight away this cabin fever days...

I felt like I was needing something sweet!

Considering I am getting really really low on my groceries supplies

(I have not been able to go to the grocery store since early October),

I had to decide for some chocolate truffles.

I found the recipe on my recipe's binder,

and since I had all the ingredients... I went for it!

They came out really good.

And it's a very easy recipe...

• 3/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• powdered sugar
• dessert sprinkles

Over low heat melt the butter on a saucepan.

Add the cocoa powder, stirring until smooth.

Then add the sweet condensed milk, stirring constantly until mixture is thick and smooth, about 4 or 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Cover and refrigerate for about 3 or 4 hours.

Shape into 1 inch balls. Roll in powdered sugar or dessert sprinkles.

Et voila! Bon appetit!