Yule log...

 Kelly and I have always wanted to make a yule log.  This was the year. We took the plunge and made the traditional Christmas cake.

Yule Log Cake

3/4 c. Flour

1/3 c. Cocoa

1 t. Baking Powder

1/2 t. Salt

4 Eggs divided

3/4 c. Sugar

5 T. Sour Cream

1/4 c. Butter melted

1 t. Vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 17x12 inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper.

 Whisk together dry ingredients.  Then separate egg yolks from whites. Mix yolks with sugar and whip.  Add sour cream, butter, and vanilla.  Whip whites until soft peaks form then fold into cake mix.  Spread into jelly roll pan and bake for 10-12 minutes.  Slowly roll up.

Allow to cool.  Meanwhile, make the filling.  Whip 1 c. Cream, 1/4 c. Powdered Sugar, 1 t. Vanilla.  Whip until peaks form.  Unroll the cake, spread the filling, then reroll without parchment paper.

Frosting

1/2 stick of butter melted

1 1/2 c. Powdered Sugar

5 T. Cocoa

1 t. Vanilla

3 T. Cream

Pinch of salt

Beat And spread over Yule log.

It turned out perfectly, but was one heck of a sugar rush   Ella was tired just watching us.  

We had a very Merry Christmas.  I hope everyone also enjoyed the holiday.

Merry Christmas...

 My present is done.  My husband built the last shelf for my sewing nook.  Needless to say, I'm thrilled.  Now back to quilting.  Here are a few photos.

The shelf fits perfectly under the Murphy desk.  A great place for storing the printer and laptop.

I was able to iron and fold most of my material.  Now I can just look up and see what I have.  It feels good to have all of my sewing and crafting supplies all in one spot.

I found a new recipe, but had to tweak it some. 

No-knead Cranberry Walnut Artisan Bread

3 c. Flour

1/2 t. Instant Yeast

2 t. Sea Salt

1/2 c. Walnuts (I used sliced Almonds)

1 c. Dried Cranberries

1 1/2 c Warm Water

1/4 c. Honey

Mix dry ingredients and dry yeast.  Mix warm water and honey.  Mix water and honey with dry ingredients.  Cover and let rise.  The recipe says for 12 hours.  Ha, that didn't happen.  After two,  I somewhat punched it down.  You are supposed to put it in a Dutch oven.  I don't have one.  I covered my cast iron skillet with olive oil, put a lid on top, and baked it at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.  I took the lid off and baked it another 15 minutes.  If you want the real and much more complicated version it can be found at: The Busy Baker.

We will stay put for Christmas.  I hope you all find peace.  I am looking forward to a new year.

Progress...

 This weekend's addition to the sewing nook was a Murphy desk.  I love it.  

Here it is.  There is a chalkboard in front. This will be great when I'm figuring measurements.

It folds down and provides a wonderful work space.  The tabletop is the perfect size for cutting material. It was also easier to iron larger pieces of fabric.  

Inside there are lots of nooks and crannies to store things.  I know things still look a little cluttered. I'm working on it.  I spent several days ironing and folding my fabric stash.  I am almost done.  Now it will be where I can see it for inspiration.  

Things are looking up at work.  We finally get to reopen our campus.  This week we get some of my students that had nowhere to go for Christmas 🎄.  We are overjoyed.  It has been the longest nine months of my life.  

It was a beautiful sunset tonight.  As Ella and I went for our Sunday walk, a flock of geese flew over our cabin with it's Chrismas light blinking.  The sky was fuscia and a brilliant blue.  I wasn't fast enough with my camera.  Guess I'll have to hold that picture in my mind.

Is there a picture you hold in your memory?  Hope everyone is making progress with their Christmas lists.

Christmas present...

 My husband has been giving me a Christmas present every weekend.  You may ask yourself how do I rate?  My Christmas wish this year was to get my sewing nook the way I want it.  My husband rose to the challenge.  

My first present came last weekend.  It was the shelf under the window.  This is for my crafting supplies.  On top is my little ironing board.  If you are wondering why it is so short, it is so the desk drawer opens.

This weekend he made a shelf for above my sewing machine. It will hold sewing supplies and books.  My favorite part is we put an LED light under the shelves.  It makes all the difference.  Other than the window, a tiny lamp, and sewing machine light, there was no light in the nook.  When the sun went down, I had to stop what I was doing.

We have two more storage shelves to go.  Here is where we are.  I am waiting for a Murphy desk that folds down.  This will be for drawing, material cutting, and bills.  Then once that is up one more shelf.  The final step will be to alter the desk so the sewing machine is flush with the desk top.

The weather has been amazing.  We took Ella for a run today and hardly needed our coats.  We had two feet of snow this time last year.

I am thankful for a warmer than normal winter.  That brings my week to a close.  Have you done any renovations lately?  What does your project workspace look like?  Hope everyone has a fabulous week.