Orange and Chocolate - part 2

Hmmm, exactly 4 years after making the quilt top and backing for Orange and Chocolate, I now have a finished quilt!

During December, at my local quilt group we were chatting about how many projects people have started and what are your thoughts for finishing them.  I mentioned that I have 14 quilt tops, backings and some bindings all together in a large plastic tub.  My intention is to quilt one per month - total 12 - during 2019.  A lady across the table from me, quick as wink, said "but you'll have 2 left over" - far too quick with her math!

When I got home, I took the lid off the tub and looked for a smaller quilt that I could easily quilt before Christmas.  I first shared my ramblings about this particular quilt in 2014....
  Orange and Chocolate 

Front of quilt with the backing and binding for the full colour combo.

I completed Orange and Chocolate a few days ago.  Yes, it has a home to go to.  Sometimes I think "I'll just finish this one" and then, quite out of the blue, a recipient appears.  Orange and Chocolate will be given to a friend who is undergoing medical treatment.  While our weather is incredibly hot at the moment, she will get cold, simply because that is what chemotherapy does to you.

Here's the front of the quilt, with it's lovely big orange flowers....

One of my friends was quite surprised by how much she likes this quilt, because when I started it she was very uncertain about the colours and the plan.  I have to admit, that without the applique flowers, it did look a little bland.  (This is the same friend who found the perfect fabric for the binding.)

The back of the quilt, with even more flowers because I cut out too many for the front.....

and a close up of the quilting, stitched with a variegated lime green thread with flowers and leaves.

Chocolate and Orange has finished up at 122cm x 160cm (48in x 64in) and will provide a much needed hug to a worthy recipient.

Pink!

When I realised we had a family gathering at our house for Easter Sunday, and that my neice's birthday is close to that date, I couldn't help myself, I had to make a cake with pink.  Something that is very rare in my house of boys.

A pale pink, nice and subtle is what I had hoped for, nope, I poured a bit too much food colouring into this icing....

A beautifully, feather light chocolate sponge, made by me.  I am so pleased with how the actual cake turned out - it was perfect and I quite surprised myself with that one!

Decorated with wafer flowers and Persian fairy floss, my niece's eyes lit up when I showed it to her.

Gathered around the outside table, we managed to shield the cake enough to stop the wind from blowing out the candles and sing happy birthday.  There was very little cake left afterwards - it was  delicious.

Chocolate Cake... yummmmm

I love it when friends have birthdays to celebrate. It means getting together to share each others company, some yummy food and catch up.  This particular birthday was no different.   A gorgeous girlfriend was turning 50, so I offered to bake the cake for her.

 Like me, she has a wonderful passion for all things chocolate.  So, what was I to do, but pull out my Great Grandmother's chocolate layer cake recipe.

Inside the cake, there were 14 fine layers of individually cooked cake, alternated with chocolate cream.  Unfortunately I forgot to take a photo of the cake when it was cut to show you the layers.

I did have a panic moment when my friend asked me to put 50 candles ON the cake.  When I was purchasing the candles and flowers, I mentioned this request to the sales lady, who promptly said "Good Luck with that". 

My compromise was to put the candles on the board, which I am pleased I did, because they burnt like crazy when lit, making me doubly glad that I had also put a hard chocolate shell around the outside edge.  Phew!

All in all, it was a fantastic day, with the sun shining, lots of lovely people gathered and my girlfriend had hired a chef for the occasion, so there was no cooking or washing up.  It was truly heavenly.