Brenda Novak's For the Cure Auction

is

 LIVE! 

Though I'm sad that I won't be placing my candy up for auction, I do have three beautiful afghans this year!
Let's see how much money my three afghans can raise this year! 

This year I'm donating under For Everyone tab:

ANGELS ALL AROUND AFGHAN
Finished size 46" X 61"

Shades of Blue Flower Afghan

WOW! This afghan is already at $28 on the very first day! 

Finished size 50" X 62"

Flower Patch Afghan

finished size 46" X 53"

close up of square

border color is dark green

Brenda Novak's For the Cure Auction

Brenda Novak's 2014 For the Cure Auction opens May 1! 

My donations made $621 out of the $358,315 raised in 2013!!! 

Let's see how much money my three afghans can raise this year! 

This year I'm donating under For Everyone tab:

ANGELS ALL AROUND AFGHAN
Finished size 46" X 61"

Angels All Around afghan

Close up of angels

If you want a color other than ivory, you will have to choose it from a list of possible colors and give me 4-6 weeks to make it. 

Shades of Blue Flower Afghan

Finished size 50" X 62"

close up of flower

Flower Patch Afghan

finished size 46" X 53"

close up of square

border color is dark green

I am not donating candy this year (2014). :-( 

Catching Up

Sorry for the quiet blog last week. I know it's hard to believe, but I really couldn't think of anything to say!

I wanted to write a blog titled, DON'T BE STUPID, but I thought it had too much negativity going on with the connotation of the word stupid, plus the negative of don't. This blog popped into my head when I received a generic thank-you note for judging a contest by the contest coordinator. The note was in Arial 10, while my name was in TNR 12. The whole point of that blog would have been to keep the font the same. I would have felt a little better about my judging efforts if the coordinator had taken the time to use the same font. As it is, I didn't feel appreciated or special because it was too obvious that it was generic. 

This goes for sending queries to editors/agents. Keep the font the same. 

Look, editors/agents are well aware that you are sending out mass queries. You'd be crazy not to, but have a little bit of professional in the manner you query them. 

• remember to change the addressee's name
• find out if you are querying a male or a female (Mr vs. Ms)--and yes, I have screwed this one up
• make sure you are using their LAST name instead of their first name in your query--ditto on screwage.

In other words, double check everything before hitting the send button.

On Saturday, my daughter had her first Long Course swim meet since last year. It was a mixed meet with under 12's swimming along with the seniors, which meant my daughter swam a couple of events that don't even count for her age group (50 breast and 50 back), but it's a good practice. Long course is a relatively short season, but it's intense. If you've watched the Olympics, you've seen the distance that the kids swim in Long Course. Just stand at one end of the pool and look. It's a long way to swim 50 meters, without the turn. 

She did well, qualifying for Age Groups with 100 Free and 200 Medley. Both of which were BB times. She had a good swim with the 100 Fly (a B time), but was still a few seconds from qualifying with OAG's.

The one thing I noticed with the long course swim, is that the stroke technique is pinnacle. If you swim a 50, there are no turns, just a dive and a sprint. With a 100, there is one flip turn. So if you lose time, it's due to small issues with your stroke. 

I told her to swim hard, but I don't think she swam 100% all out in all the events, maybe 80%. The indicator is how hard she's breathing when she gets out of the pool. Breathing hard = gave it her all. Not breathing hard = 80% effort. 

Just saying. 

And, I hate to say it, but I'm not surprised that the pool guys still haven't plastered our pool. I've lost track of all the times I've heard, "You're next on the list." for the last THREE weeks. With the Oklahoma wind blowing dust, pollen, and tree crap around, this is what our pool looks like now. They had to chip the plaster away from around the fixtures and the tile, along with putting holes everywhere. Believe it or not, they had acid washed this three days ago in preparation of plaster. 

Once they plaster the pool, we can't swim in it for a month. I'm starting to wonder if we will be able to swim in it at all this season! 

I'm almost finished with this next afghan. It was made from a bunch of my leftover colors, with the exception of the border, which is dark green. I'll see how it looks when I finish piecing it together and crocheting the border, but I'll probably donate this one to Brenda Novak's Auction. Since it had so many different colors, I have to put it on the floor to see if I've managed to mix it up enough. 

I try to post more this week, but I'm finally writing on the Mystic Elements stories and want to crank out as many words as possible. Another goal I have for this week is to update this blog, fixing my links, and updating the blurbs on the stories now that I know what the stories are all about! 

That's it for today. Later, Peeps!

Monkey OFF my Back

Wow, I never realized how much the Brenda Novak For the Cure Auction candy donations would be like the monkey on my back.

I knew it was there, as it periodically yanked my hair, or tickled my neck, or simply threw poo around.

But there wasn't anything I could do about it . . . until now.

The candy boxes are packed, labeled, and ready for mailing.

And I DO want to thank all the ladies who donated and won my candy. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did making it. Yes, I know I complained, lamented, and gritched, but that's my process . . . actually, making candy is very similar to writing a book.

Here's what the box of Truffles looked like:

Here's the note I put inside:

 

 

I opted for the milk and dark chocolate mixture, and I picked the chocolates that came out a slightly bigger mold.

 

Cup 'o Joe (Kahlua) the only one molded in white chocolate didn't make the cut because the mold was a little too small for this box insert.

 

Amaretto--one of my favorites--didn't make the cut either because of the specialized shape, a slightly elongated heart. I would have had to destroy one of the candy wells to make it fit in the box insert.

 

As I've mentioned before I make my own fillings so I know which ones work better with the milk chocolate or the dark chocolate. Some of the fillings can stand up to both the coatings, but I went for the checkerboard 'look' of the finished product.

 

A couple of the fillings turned out so much better than I expected--Pilgrim's Progress (maple with minced walnut--while some of the other new flavors will need a little tweaking.

 

This doesn't mean the flavors are bad, just that they aren't as strong as I would like them to be.

 

When I was making my fillings, I gushed over a couple of them: Bronx Cheer (raspberry) and Midnight Magic (blackberry).

 

Bronx Cheer was EVERYTHING I could possibly wish for (it's in the dark raspberry shell). It turned out perfect, right up there with my best flavors: Limoncello, Key Lime, Strawberry Margarita, Grand Marnier, and Black Forest.

 

While Midnight Magic was good, it wasn't up there with the right flavor tone as it had a slightly sweeter taste rather than the tart one I was trying to make. 

 

I'll be tweaking the fillings today or tomorrow. Along with some that I didn't pack in the box: Mango Madness, Cranberry Delight, and Pom Pucker.

 

But there's no hurry now since I have this monkey off my back . . . now, we have to finish making Halloween costumes, get ready for my daughter's birthday and Thanksgiving before I have to even think about making chocolate again.

 

Later, Peeps! 

Candy, Candy, Candy!

I've been a little busy this week molding candy.

No, this isn't the candy that I make for Christmas, but rather the candy for the Brenda Novak Auction winners from last May.

I waited until cooler weather, simply because I didn't want the winners to get a pile of chocolate goo in the mail.

The Sea Salt Caramels were made about two weeks ago. Remember that fiasco? First, I cut the caramel pieces too small, then too large. I then made two 'perfect' batches back-to-back. When I dipped them they got all gross and melty--but I have to say, they tasted REALLY AWESOME! . . .no wonder I didn't lose any weight this week--many of them were too large for the form in the chocolate box. The next day I had an epiphany about checking the calibration of my candy thermometers (insert thermometers in boiling water--212 F or 100 C. Easy-peasy), and discovered that the thermometer I used on the last two batches was low by 10-12 degrees! YIKES!

Two new batches were made, using my good candy thermometer. I actually 'measured' the caramel pieces pre-dipped, so they would fit in the forms, so the five Sea Salt Caramel boxes are ready to go.

Of course, there will be some variation in size due to the candy maker's (ME) inability to cut and dip 'Perfect' pieces of caramel.

Onward to the truffles! Yes, I make all the fillings. It took me a few years of experimenting, but for the most part I'm happy with the results. Some of the newer flavors need a touch of tweaking.

Here is a picture of how I stored these babies. Normally, I have a separate box for each truffle flavor, but since I only made one batch, which gives me eight pieces, of each flavor. I mixed the candies in the storage containers to save on space.

23 flavors of candy

 

One of the winners wanted all her pieces to be dark chocolate, but that isn't happening.

 

Look, I know my flavors. I know which ones can stand up to the dark chocolate and which ones that will be overwhelmed by the dark chocolate . . . though there are a few experimental ones in the dark chocolate, namely Whiskey Toffee Crunch, Rum Raisin, and Pomegranate Pucker. Those might not make the cut into the auction boxes. . . . I'll have to sample them later

 

Sucks to be me, right?

 

And now you know why I will ALWAYS be on Weight Watchers and fighting to keep my weight under control!

 

Left side, starting from the bottom left corner, candies from left to right, lovingly coated in milk chocolate . . .

 

Box One: Frangelico, Barenjager (honey), Gingerbread, and Cherries Jubilee (cherries in a white truffle base)

 

Box Two: Black Forest (cherries in dark chocolate truffle), Midnight Magic (blackberry), Mango Madness, and Pilgrim's Progress (maple with walnuts)

 

Box Three: Strawberry Margarita, Grand Marnier, Amaretto, and ButterShots

 

Right side, top to bottom, starting at the top right corner, smothered in dark chocolate . . . with the one white chocolate exception , , ,

 

Box Four: Rum Raisin, Cranberry, Pomegranate Pucker, and Chocomel (caramel)

 

Box Five: Bronx Cheer (raspberry), Key Lime, and Peppermint Schnapps

 

Box six: the only one coated in white chocolate is . . . Cup 'o Joe!, Whiskey Toffee Crunch, Limoncello, and last, but certainly not least, Ride the Wave (salted caramel)

 

Some candies have fun names, other candies I simply used the base liquor as the name. Yep, all of the candies are made with booze, although I cook the alcohol out of the filling. So they are child friendly.

 

Gotta go pack some candy after I test drive a couple of flavors. FYI: I do test the fillings prior to molding them, but the flavor profiles change when they are molded in chocolate.  Then I have to see how I can put them in the boxes to make them look the prettiest.

 

Later, Peeps!

 

 

Brenda Novak's For the Cure Auction Update

Brenda Novak's For the Cure of Juvenile Diabetes is now closed for 2013.

Brenda's efforts have raised $358,315!! with a total amount raised in all the years she's been doing this of over 2 MILLION dollars to help find a cure of Juvenile Diabetes.

My efforts were small compared to some authors, but every little bit helped.

My candy and afghan raised over $621!

My Angels All Around afghan raised $130.

 

Five boxes of Sea Salt caramels raised $255.

 

 Five boxes of Chocolate Truffles raised $236



The smallest bid that won a box of chocolate truffles and Sea Salt Caramels went for was $43.

The highest bid that won a box of chocolate truffles and Sea Salt Caramels went for $60.

Two people bid and won BOTH a box of Seas Salt Caramels AND a box of Chocolate Truffles.

The afghan will by USPSing it's way to the northern reaches of Alberta Canada today, but alas the chocolates will have to wait until Oct-Nov. to be made, boxed and mailed.

I want to thank everyone who supported this wonderful cause. It is close to my heart since juvenile diabetes runs in my family, along with adult-onset diabetes.

Later, Peeps!

Brenda Novak's For the Cure of Juvenile Diabetes Auction

Started at the beginning of May and will run to May 31. I've been remiss about posting this, but it was in the tabs of my blog header.

There are tons of items/vacations/writerly/non-writerly/crafty/non-crafty/books stuff to bid on.

Of course, I've donated to the cause again this year.

Today is a one day auction for my truffle candies. At 6:30 AM, they already are going for $23.

Check the links for the other items to pull you to the page and then see what other stuff is available for the bidding!

Brenda Novak's 2013 For the Cure Auction is open to donations! Click the embedded link to find all sorts of goodies that will be up for auction. Plan ahead. The auction starts May 1 and closes May 31, 2013. Many of my chocolates will be up for one day auctions. I'm supposed to be notified so I can tweet/FB/Google+ my peeps!

This year I'm donating under the Art, Jewelry, Handcrafted items:
 
Currently going for a STEAL at $70. Last year this afghan raised $160!

ANGELS ALL AROUND AFGHAN

Angels All Around afghan

Close up of angels

If you want a color other than ivory, you will have to choose it from a list of possible colors and give me 4-6 weeks to make it. 

Under For Everyone tab are my chocolates, scroll down to find them.
FIVE boxes of artisan chocolates

Molded candies:

Truffle filling flavors offered--yes, I make all my own fillings using prodigious amounts of butter, heavy cream, high quality Ghirardelli chocolate (white and dark), liquor, along with appropriate fruits and nuts.

 As of this posting, they are going for $35-38/box

 

-Amaretto—Amaretto di Saronno (almond) liquor

-Bäranjäger—a honey liquor

-Black Forest—minced cherries soaked in Kirshwasser prior to blending into a dark truffle filling.

-ButterShots—Butterscotch schnapps made into a dark truffle filling

-Chambord—Puree of blackberries and raspberries (seeds are strained out) and Chambord liquor

-Cranberry Cosmo--cranberries, vodka, with a twist of orange zest

-Frangelico—Frangelico (hazelnut) liquor

-Gingerbread--ginger root in vodka, with cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and molasses

-Grand Marnier—juice and zest from oranges and Grand Marnier

-Key Lime—Juice and zest from Key Limes, and Tanqueray Gin

-Limoncello—#1 favorite flavor “perfect combination of sweet, lemony tartness”—lemon juice and zest, and Limoncello liquor

-Peppermint Schnapps—Rumple Minze schnapps and peppermint oil

-Rum Raisin—Raisins macerated in Bacardi Select rum

-Strawberry Margarita—frozen strawberries, lime juice and Cuervo Gold tequila

-Whiskey Toffee—Jack Daniels black label whiskey and toffee pieces

AND

Five Boxes of Sea Salt Caramels

As of this posting, they are going for $43-50/box!

Sea Salt Caramels—seriously to DIE for—buttery, creamy caramel with a crunch of sea salt for the sweet and salty treat we all seem to crave-milk or dark chocolate dipped

Please take some time and look over all the wonderful items that have been donated to the cause. Many of them have reserves that have yet to be met. Please help Brenda raise donations for Juvenile Diabetes research.

 

Later, Peeps!

Yarn

So I wonder which one I'll chit-chat about today:

A) Spinning a good yarn, i.e. telling a good tale.

B) Yarn the material used in knitting or crocheting. Originally spun from wool, but now made from synthetic fibers.

Hm, A or B? A or B?

Actually, I thought about B, but if I have time I might touch on A.

Today, the topic is yarn, the material. And as any good blog reader wonders, "What's up with that?"

Here's the dealio. I finished making the Angels All Around afghan and mailed it to my brother--hopefully this bro will think to send me an email to let me know it arrived safely--*hint, hint*--and yes, this is a sore subject on many levels.

Anyhoo, the yarn brand I usually buy from Hobby Lobby--I Love this Yarn--was cleaned out. Though I did find six skeins (I had an extra one already) of the same lot number of Ivory to make another Angels All Around for Brenda Novak's For the Cure auction in May. But they didn't have enough skeins of a light and dark color to make a different afghan called, Comfy Cozy.

1 of 12 strips, dark sage green

Red Heart had two colors that would work, plus it was a dollar less per skein. I chose dark sage for the centers of the strips and light sage for the borders. The strips are narrower than the other patterns, but I have to make more of them.

While crocheting the first strip, I wasn't paying attention to the texture since hubs and I were catching up on Arrow, and I was learning a new pattern. I started crocheting the second strip while watching the kidlet at swim practice. That was when I started to pay attention to the texture. Maybe it was just the heat and humidity in the natatorium, but I really don't care for the texture of this brand--it's coarse to work with and doesn't slide through my fingers as easily. *blech*

Oh, I'll finish this afghan, and the colors will look very pretty, especially if my other bro has brown leather furniture, but I hope the yarn becomes easier to work with.

We shall see. I'll discuss spinning a good tale vs. diagramming sentence structure at a later date.
Won't that be special?

Later, Peeps!

For The Cure Auction

is now over. This year, she raise over $300,000 dollars!

And my donated items raised a total of $429!

Brenda Novak started this auction to raise monies to aid research to find a cure for Juvenile Diabetes. Her son has juvenile diabetes, and so do my sister and niece. It runs in my family, along with Adult onset diabetes. And yes, I'm keeping a sharp eye out for symptoms in my daughter since she is at one of the pivotal ages for it to strike.


If you never clicked the FOR THE CURE tab, then here is a picture of ANGELS ALL AROUND afghan that fetched $210!

A five one-pound boxes of my artisan candy raised $219, from $40-$50 a box! WOW!! 

Here is the descriptions I sent to the winners of the candy.

I probably need to work on the mouth-watering descriptions, but I tried!

The molded chocolates can be made with milk, dark or white chocolate (though the only one I like coated with the white chocolate is Kahlua) shells.

The truffle fillings are made with pure cane sugar, heavy cream, Ghirardelli white or dark chocolate along with the various fruits and/or liquor.

 -Limoncello—#1 favorite flavor “perfect combination of sweet, lemony tartness”—lemon juice and zest, and Limoncello liquor

-Key Lime—Juice and zest from Key Limes, and Tanqueray Gin

-Peppermint Schnapps—Rumple Minze schnapps and peppermint oil

-Grand Marnier—juice and zest from oranges and Grand Marnier

-Amaretto—Amaretto di Saronno (almond) liquor

-Frangelico—Frangelico (hazelnut) liquor

-Whiskey Toffee—Jack Daniels black label whiskey and toffee pieces

-Rum Raison—Raisons macerated in Bacardi Select rum

-Strawberry Margarita—frozen strawberries, lime juice and Cuervo Gold tequila

-ButterShots—Butterscotch schnapps made into a dark truffle filling

-Chambord—Puree of blackberries and raspberries (seeds are strained out) and Chambord liquor

-Black Forest—minced cherries soaked in Kirshwasser prior to blending into a white truffle filling. Excellent with the dark chocolate coating.

The hand dipped candies are coated with milk chocolate, with the exception of the Grand Marnier Caramels:

-Sea Salt Caramels—seriously to DIE for—buttery, creamy caramel with a crunch of sea salt for the sweet and salty treat we all seem to crave

-Grand Marnier Caramels—a Grand Marnier and orange infused caramel dipped in dark chocolate

-Devil’s Cut Whiskey Caramels—“the angels might enjoy the whiskey evaporated out of the barrel, but give the devil his due with the intensely flavored bottom of the barrel whiskey”

-Bananas Foster Caramels—bananas cooked in brown sugar and rum equals heaven in a caramel

-Chambord Caramels—Chambord, blackberries and raspberries (seeds are strained out!)

-Aftershock Cinnamon Caramels—Aftershock schnapps

-Cherries Jubilee Caramels—pureed cherries macerated in brandy

Or

Buttery Pecan Toffee—Pecan toffee is hand dipped in milk chocolate and tossed with ground pecans

So if you didn't bid on any items this year, then stick around you'll get a chance to bid during May 2013!

Or you can email me and place an order for Christmas!

Later, Peeps! 

For the Cure of Diabetes 2012

Today is the first day of Brenda Novak's For the Cure of Diabetes auction!

Diabetes runs in my family, juvenile and adult onset, so this auction is close to my heart.

There is a TON of items you can bid on, just search down the left hand column for the category of your choice. Personally, I'd look through all the categories because you never know what gems will be hiding. There is everything from Once in a Lifetime Experience to having your name put in a Best Selling author's book--heck, I'd do this for free!

Brenda is even giving away an IMac for the highest number of bids.

There are items for writers, aspiring writers, readers or simply because.

I had to search for a little bit to find out where my items have been placed. They are under: Art and Handcrafted Items.

My candy offerings are there . . . holy-moly! One is already up to $25?? On the first day of auction? Are you kidding me?? Wowzers! My afghan has received zero bids so far. I hope that changes as the month continues.

Take your time, look through all the offerings and bid on the one(s) of your choice. The proceeds go to a good cause.

Later, Peeps!

Making Caramel

As you all know, I've been making candy again--caramel to be precise.

I've been haunting the Internet looking for good recipes, copying and printing them only to change them around and make them my own by not bothering to *measure* anything.

I made two whiskey caramels. The first one I actually followed the recipe. The second one I didn't. Guess which one was the winner in my family . . . yeah, the second one. It's called Devil's Cut Caramel, and there's a story behind this.

I wandered into the liquor store last week to restock my Jack Daniels Black Label whiskey. It was slow and I started chatting with the owner. I'd talked to him quite a bit before Christmas and he knew I used liquor to make my fillings. Anyhoo, one question led to another and he was telling me the story of the Devil's Cut whiskey (Jim Beam). When one makes wine or other alcohol, you lose a little bit of the product every time you have to transfer it (the dead yeast and other solids fall out of solution during fermentation)--this is called the Angel's Cut. But the Devil's cut is when the distillers reuse whiskey barrels to pull the flavors out of the used oak to infuse the new blend. 

I had to try it.

When I got home, I made the whiskey caramel. Mmmmm. Good stuff. New recipe is a winner.

But this a talk about whiskey and I managed to get off track. Grrrr . . . doncha hate it when I do that?!

Basically caramel is burned sugar.

 *Be very, very careful when working with sugar! It sticks to skin and has to melt off with water. Do NOT try to pull it off!* Yes, I have the scar to prove it!

In a pan you put sugar and water, dissolving the sugar and then boiling it on low until the bubbles become tiny. Many recipes tell you to wet a brush and brush down the sides to prevent crystallization. Don't waste your time. Swirl the contents occasionally. Now this is the tricky part--don't walk away.
When the sugar water thickens slightly (coats the back of a spoon), it becomes a simple syrup, which is used in many recipes especially mixed drinks. Keep cooking the caramel and the color starts to change from a light tan to a dark amber. This is the critical time. If it goes too long, you've burnt it and have to start over again. Keep swirling and looking at your color with a bright light. When it hits the color you want add cream, butter and whatever else you need for your recipe. When you add the cream and other ingredients, it will solidify, but keep on swirling/stirring as it will remelt the solid sugar caramel. Just don't scrape the sides! (this is where the crystals will bite you in the butt!). Taste to check your flavors. And there you have a basic caramel to use in nut tarts or as a sauce for bread pudding.

BUT making caramel is also a technique.

To get the yummy hard caramels, you have to go a step further. The mixture MUST cook until it reaches the 'Hard Ball' stage on a candy thermometer 250-266 degrees F.  If a dollop of candy is cooled in water, then it can be depressed slightly when pressed between your fingers. Again, patience is a virtue because this tends to be a slow process, but once the liquids cook out enough, then it quickly reaches temperature. Once it reaches the correct temperature, the mixture is poured in a prepared pan (9 x 9, foil lined, sprayed with cooking spray for quick release), and cooled.

Some of my caramels (Grand Marnier, Chambord, Bananas Foster) aren't 'true' caramels, but they still have the wonderful mouth feel when you bite down and 'strings' apart. Plus once you coat them in chocolate, who really cares? I know I don't.

If you want me to stop talking candy, then you'll have to tell me . . . but then again, it's my blog and I'll do whatever I want. :-)

I WILL BE DONATING FIVE ONE-POUND BOXES OF MY CANDY TO BRENDA NOVAK'S FOR THE CURE AUCTION. Sorry, but I will only be able to send it to auction winners in the Continental United States. The cost to ship it, plus the heat will make it impossible for me to ship it anywhere else.

Later, Peeps

Experimenting with Caramel

Sooo . . . I've been experimenting with making caramel fillings. Well, one actually. The sea salt recipe was such a success that I wanted to try different flavors for caramel.

I love caramel, its rich, buttery goodness with each bite. The stiffness of it before it gives way, leaving impressions of your teeth in it. The way the chocolate covering enhances the flavor of the caramel. Ahhhhh . . .

Okay, I just love candy.

AND making it, so I thought I'd experiment with other flavors. The first one on my list was--Whiskey! I love the earthiness of a good Tennessee whiskey that I thought I'd try to incorporate the flavor into a caramel. The first batch didn't have the deep flavor that I was looking for--and I used nearly two cups of the stuff. Part of the problem is that alcohol tends to hit the sinuses with its essence which adds another level of enjoyment to the experience. Well, the alcohol cooks out, and no, I'm not about to add it after the fact. 

The texture was a little softer than I wanted, I was shooting for a stiffer caramel that could hold up to being cut and dipped, but it was incredibility smooth and buttery with just a hint of flavor. Once it is dipped, it will be harder to detect that flavor. I'll just have to figure out a way to concentrate the flavor. Once I figure out the recipe, then I can try other caramel flavors. I still like the idea of rum caramel, bananas foster, and cinnamon. Any other flavors you might be interested in me trying to make?

Oh, you want to know what brought on this fit of madness?

A few years ago, Brenda Novak's youngest son was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. She started a crusade to fight the disease and to provide money for much needed research, so she started an online auction that warped into For the Cure. With the exception of last year, I have donated a crocheted afghan--and I probably will crochet one again this year--but since I make 'artisan' candy, I thought I might donate a few boxes. I do have a few concerns about this, so it might not happen.

Yeah, I know it's a little

Anyhoo--I thought I'd experiment anyway . . . I have to get ready for candy season next year, right?