The Cup of Fortunes: Week 20 (May 11-17)

I made a cheese souffle. I've never eaten a cheese souffle nor have I ever made any type of souffle. I started watching a show on HBOMax/Food Network called The Julia Child Challenge a few weeks ago, and the most recent episode I watched was the souffle episode. I don't know if I like this show, but I was watching this particular episode, and one of the cooks left the cheese out of his cheese souffle. And it still worked and the cheese became a cheese sauce and it was great. So I thought, if this guy can legit forget the cheese and it still works, I can do this too. 

It's a lot like making a Dutch baby, which is something I excel at, just on a smaller scale. I have ramekins that feature whales and starfish in Santa hats, I have cheese, and I can whisk like a champ. Why not make a Friday evening dinner something fun and special? 

It turned out beautifully. I used this recipe, which is adapted from Judith Jones's cooking for one cookbook. Jones was the editor of Mastering the Art of French Cooking and wrote her own cookbook, The Pleasures of Cooking for One. She wrote the book after her husband died and she had to adapt her cooking for just herself. The cookbook encourages people to cook for themselves and make wonderful food. This recipe was easy to make and I will absolutely make it again. 

Just look at it. It's so pretty. 

I don't know that the cheese souffle has anything to do with this week's fortunes, but it feels like it belongs with these fortunes. I don't know why but it does. 

A three fortune week is a lot. I have to stitch a little more each day, but it's worth it to make progress on this year's stitch journal. This set of three was an interesting combination - they're all inspirational fortunes with a little bit of motivational fortune for fun. I particularly like the third fortune; it reminds me of the work of an artist I talk about on some of my tours, Janaina Tschape. We had her series 100 Little Deaths on exhibit several years ago. The idea of leaving a little of ourselves behind wherever we've been is very much a part of this series. I absolutely believe this, and that every place adds itself to our lives. I wouldn't be who I am today without the places I've been. 

I don't know what the big change is, but I'm guessing the fact that it's not in my nature to give up will help me with whatever it is. 

Here are this week's fortunes and lucky numbers. Three fortune weeks are a lot in the best way. 

May 11

May 12

May 13

May 14

May 15

May 16

May 17

Weeks 1-20 - moving the fabric to the right for the next four weeks.

WIPs, the Plants, and Other Small Joys

I made some progress on Scream 6 this week. I need to do one more pass with the darker purple and blue before I can finish the hoop and hang this one. Almost there...

The back of this piece is also lovely.

Almost done.

I finished the trinket mirror earlier this week. I like the way it turned out and the fact that I was able to re-purpose this part of the travel case. These are fun and easy to make, so I definitely want to try another one.

I did some more flower pressing last weekend. I used flowers from my friend's yard and my parents' yard. Dark colored peonies work really well, as do pansies. 

Pansies, roses, and begonias (left), peonies and azaleas (right)

Calling this one Willow Woods. It looks more like a flower than the other two. I also got some green in from the leaves. 

I'm working on another one with Sweet William, some type of rose, and some daisies, but it's not done yet. I got a lot of green from the Sweet William leaves which is nice. I'm going to start stitching on the first one this week. 

Which quote do you like better? It's for the one in the hoop - that was the first flower pressing I did.

This week also brought a new piece of art from an artist I collect and a super fun find at a thrift store. I'm slowly redecorating my house with new to me items from thrift and vintage stores, and re-purposing things I have around the house. I'm working on my kitchen right now, and plan to work on my bedroom in June and July. Super fun!

How fun is this? I think it's from the mid-1960s.

A flower bloomed on the edible flower plant! I wasn't sure a flower was ever going to bloom, but I saw a bud this week. It opened up this morning. I'm going to add it to a salad for some added color. The lettuce is still going strong. After I cut the leaves today, I may have enough for an entire salad from what I grew. Wild. 

I hope you do something for yourself this weekend. Make a cheese souffle. Plant some plants. Go to a thrift store. Read a book that's been in your to be read pile. Take care of yourself.