How-To Photos and Chocolate Candy

When you flip through a quilt book and you see the "how-to" photos, have you ever thought about what goes into setting up those photos? There's more to it than I ever would have believed before we started Piece O' Cake.

It is important to think about the photos as you write a book. We make a note of where photos need to be placed in the text and what those photos need to illustrate. After the quilts are made and the text is complete we go back and put together the "props" for each and every photo that you see in our books. 

Sometimes it's important to show a progression of steps. For example, it takes several steps to make a 9-patch. On photo shoot day there isn't time to cut strips, sew strips, cut some more, sew some more, etc, while the photographer waits. It's just like a cooking show - each step has to be prepared individually, in advance. 

The baggied-up bits in the plastic bags in this box will be turned into wonderful how-to photos in our next book. I'm always amazed at how little space they take up. Of course, the quilts will be shipped in other boxes :-).

In addition to working on the photo samples I had my 5 year-old granddaughter, Elanor, for a couple of days this week. Steve and I took her to the pool yesterday afternoon - to wear her out a little. It ended up wearing us out too! We all slept well last night. 

Elanor and I made some tasty and easy candy today (see instructions below). We played with rubber stamps and pretty paper. And we went shopping! For Barbies and pretty ponies!

I have to admit that I was never a fan of Barbie. Elanor, however, is all girl and Barbie makes her very, very happy. Especially the bridal Barbie we got today. Ken is still at the store so I don't know if Barbie will ever be Mrs. Barbie.

Rocky Road Candy

1-2 cups of chocolate suitable for candy making. In a pinch Baker's Semi-Sweet bakers chocolate will work. Chocolate chips might work, but your candy will be prone to melting easily.

1-2 cups of salted, roasted peanuts

1-2 cups of mini-marsh mellows

Elanor added 1/2 cups of red hots and they're pretty good.

We added 1/2 cup of pecans because my husband likes them.

Add other ingredients to taste.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over very low heat.

Stir in all ingredients.

Spoon out in mounds on waxed paper.

Put them in the refrigerator to make them solid quicker.

We put the candy in baggies for her favorite people after it got hard enough to handle. Elanor made cards to go with each bag. She was very pleased with the gifts she made.

If you have never made chocolate candy before, know that almost anything tastes better with a chocolate coating. Oreos, cornflakes, nuts, graham crackers... you get the idea. There is some really fine chocolate made especially for candy making. Google "chocolate for making candy" and you'll get lots of information.