Stitching Competition!

Just a little note out to stitchers out there. One of my dear friend, Barbara, who owns The Sanguine Store, is having a stitching competition using Carrie's Thread. I won't be participating, unfortunately due to a busy schedule ahead... *wink *wink

Now to access directly to the competition Do's and Don'ts, click here. You could e-mail Barbara directly from there to ask any questions that you may have. I hope that you guys will enjoy stitching the chart, as its a really lovely chart! Good luck!

Finally!

Its over! Thank goodness its finally OVER! I'm talking about the French Presidential Election. It has been going on and on for several week/months now. And basically I'm getting sick of hearing about it every other day!

And mind you the French can go on and on about it. Be it what is Mrs Royal is eating to what Mr Sarkozy is wearing (what colour and why!!). If I were to elect a candidate, I don't really care what he/she is eating or wearing. What matters most is what he/she is capable in doing for the country. Gees! Talking about something to talk about. More like something to gossip about no?

Well no guessing game here who won anyways. My curiosity is that why didn't the left wing won the majority veto when Mrs Royal is such a popular choice with the people? I think it has a lot to do with their socialist policies which I really think quite "traditional" in terms of catching up with the times now. Its not that I disagree with them but honestly it needs polishing up a little.

Like the one with the generalisation of the 35 hours work week. My logic is that, if you want to earn more, then work more. She logic is that of not everyone wants to work more to earn more..... Hmm.... Yes its true that if one works more, they won't be able to have the family life they wanted to have. But what about those people who don't have children? Or don't want to have children? These people are a plenty here in Europe. We can not condemn them to earn the minimum no? Its unfair to singles/married people without children. what are they going to do with all those "extra" holidays they have when they can't even go off for a nice vacation just because they are earning the minimum wage?

Are people now just happy to be earning the minimum wage? May be. May be not. I'm sure many young/middle aged people aren't. Living costs are going up every year and not to mention consumerism. People may want to earn more may be not just because to buy things or go for a round the world tour but for a better retirement later in life or for better education/well being of their children.

But then again, it is a fact that the more we earn, the more we tend to spend! Its a fact and I think one has to be disciplined enough to put something aside. I know myself, I tend to be succumbed to spending on little things I don't really need at times. That's unless I spent at least 30 mins in the store staring that that thing and at the same time snapping myself out of it! which in any case happens not that often.... That's why now I've resigned myself to staying in instead of going out for no reason and stitch! But I still have to keep myself out of online shops from time to time! ARRGGHHH!!.....

Cake anyone?

Which is better? Cake with flash?

Lately I've been on a "house arrest" by my gyne and hubs. Its soo..... BORING to just stay at home and almost always doing stitching (well this is not boring but strains my back from time to time). So I decided to bake a cake for tea yesterday.

This recipe was borrowed from Amy Beh of Kuali.com, called Orange Raisin Butter Cake. Hmm.... I don't think its suppose to be called that way though since I've used more cherries than mentioned in the recipe. Why not Orange, Cherry and Raisin Butter Cake? And mind you we don't have cherries yet. More like have to wait till end of May or June for fresh cherries to arrive at the market place.

So instead of fresh cherries I used FROZEN ones! hehehehe... The miracles of food technology now! And since I don't have self-raising flour on hand, had to mix my own.... Nowadays, I like using slightly brown cane sugar than white sugar. I think it has to do with the taste. Plus I heard that white sugar has more calories than cane sugar since white sugar here are produced from a kind of sweet potato. Anyway, I don't really care from where or what its produced from, I just like the taste of cane sugar better.

OR without flash?

And the final result? 2 loaf of really nice smelling cake baking in the oven ready for tea! A nice break from stitching I could say so myself no?