AND THE WINNER IS, Anita McTighe! Congratulations, Anita! Look for an email from me asking for your shipping address. Thank you all for participating. If you are interested in making this quilt, there’s a link to the ePattern in the next paragraph.

Stars in the Garden was first published as a book in 1998. It was reprinted as a pattern a few years later and it now available as a downloadable ePattern (click here). This week’s giveaway is a copy of this classic book.

This is what the completed quilt looks like:

Leave a comment below to enter the drawing. I’ll use a random number generator to choose a winner Thursday morning, March 2, 2017. Good luck!

And the winners are: Cindy Walker and LaVerne Alves. Congratulations! I’ll send you and email asking for your mailing address. Thank you all for posting your comments. Mark your calendars for the next Wednesday Giveaway.

Amish-Inspired Quilts was published in 2006 and is now only available in a downloadable format. I have 2 copies so there will be 2 lucky winners!

Add a comment to this post to be included in the drawing. All comments made from the time the post goes up until I can get to my computer on Thursday morning will be included. Good luck!

Side note: I use the random number generator that comes up when you google ‘random number generator’. That seems more random that asking Steve to pick a number :-).

In my world, a little bit of chocolate is the perfect way to end the day. I’ve been taking added sugar out of my diet and had finally gotten used to 99% cocoa chocolate bars and they are 1) expensive and 2) hard to find. So I consulted google and found recipes for making my own chocolate bars. It’s so easy that I thought I’d share the process with you.

NOTE: 100% cocoa chocolate is an acquired taste that took me a while to get used to it. You can add sweeteners (listed below).

The 3 main ingredients are cocoa powder, coconut oil, and coconut butter. Coconut butter is very flavorful and more solid at room temperature than coconut oil is. I like a coconut oil that has some flavor. Cocoas have different flavors so try a variety to find the ones you like.

You can get creative with additional flavors. I typically add vanilla, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper.

In the past I have added 1 tbsp, you could add more to taste. A friend adds Stevia. You could add plain old sugar, maple syrup, whatever sounds good to you.

DIY Chocolate Bar Recipe

• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup coconut butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla (other flavor extracts could be fun to experiment with)

Optional add-ons: toasted nuts, crushed hard candy, coconut, etc.

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a bowl with a spout.

Warm the coconut oil and butter in the microwave until they are liquid. I find it easier to measure the warmed coconut oil and butter in one of these measuring devices.

Whisk the coconut oil and butter, and vanilla into the dry ingredients.

You can taste the mix at this point and adjust the flavor by adding whatever you think it needs.

You will need to pour the chocolate mixture into something to harden. You can line a pie plate with waxed paper. It works, it’s just not optimal. Silicone candy bar molds work much better. If you use silicone molds, place them on a cookie sheet for stability. Pour the chocolate into the lined pie plate or candy mold.

Sprinkle with whatever you like. I add unsweetened coconut flakes.

The chocolate will harden quicker if you place it in the refrigerator. When it is hard, remove it from the mold.

This chocolate will melt easily so I store mine in the refrigerator.

Sit back and enjoy!