Spring Time Quilt Finished

I finished this little quilt that grew from the Spring-looking strips I put up on my design wall a few days back.

Here are the strips after I had added some to them, sewed them all together into a tube, cut them into 2 1/2" strips and them unpicked each row to line up as I wanted them.

I have been so inspired and encouraged by Wanda over at Exuberant Color.  I learned this technique by watching her at work.  Hers are a much more sophisticated mix of fabrics, but I think even these simpler fabrics look mighty pretty done up in the Trip Around the World pattern.

In the background you can see Ray (Horatio the Hornblower).  He is ruling the roost out there.  Our Miss Ru does love that boy.  She gets a real charge out of hearing him crow!  Funny.

I backed the quilt with a pink fabric with white lettering.

And I quilted it on the quilt frame with my new machine.  Absolutely no problems with it this time.  AND I even used the Connecting Threads Essential Cotton thread that I love so much with nary a broken thread!  Yippee!  I have no idea what I was doing wrong, but I think it's just that the Janome 1600P-DPX is just really picky!  The needle is round, so there is no flad edge to be sure you're lining it up correctly, and if it's not - you got trouble!

Obviously, I am still in training on the new machine, but I'm getting better.  You quilters who do such awesome and perfect work just amaze me.  Don't think I'll ever reach your level of perfection, but I sure am having fun playing around!

Oh, I almost forgot, Connecting Threads also has some nice quilt labels that you can download.

Speaking of playing around, I guess I'd better go put the chickens back into their pen before they finish destroying everything in our back yard!

Hope your day is wonderful, and that you are having a lot of fun!

Hugs and kisses,

A Nice Day, Chickens and Rooster and a Finish

It is such a nice day again today.  I am loving this warmer weather.  I'm ready to start getting things planted in the garden, but it's a little too early for that.

And this handsome guy we have named Horatio the Hornblower, and he is a rooster.  And noisy, hence the name.  I would really like to keep him, but we'll have to see how much noise he makes long term.

I finished this sweet little baby this morning early.  That is Ariel's tail you see in the lower left, if you were wondering. :)

I like this one a lot.  My neighbor asked me to sew her sister's name into the quilt, and so I did.  She said that people at the care facility where her sister lives have a tendency to walk away with things they like.  This way she'll be sure to get it back.  It's not that they are bad people, or thieves really, just that their minds are a bit cloudy and childlike.  They like it so they reach out and take it.

I just quilted some wavy lines on this one.  I wanted it to stay fluffier, and it did.  The really good news is that I quilted it on the frame and this time I had absolutely NO problems with the machine.  Glory to God!  I am so thankful.  I was getting just the slightest little bit worried that I would never get it figured out.

I've put some Spring-looking fabric strips up on my little design wall.  They just look so where I want to be right now.

And one of the many reasons I'm keeping Mr. Muddling.  He brought these home to me today.  Happy.  Happy!  Thank you, my Love!

I hope there has been something extra special good in your day today!

Hugs and kisses,

                                           

Three Things

1.  Bean Soup over rice.  Recipe - sort of - here, except this time with slices of smoked sausage instead of a ham bone.

2.  French bread, made in the bread machine and left to rise while the soup finishes getting done.

3.  Apple Crumb Top Pie.  Oh, yeah.  This is really good.  You can see that Mr. Muddling and I killed off a quarter of it at lunchtime today.  It was SO worth it!

I like a lot of apples in the pie, so I use one full can and half of another. (You can always freeze that other half and then you're ahead of the game next time around.) 

And I have the most amazingly easy pie crust.  It does not have to be rolled out.  You just sort of pat it into the pie pan and up the sides.  Perfect every time.

The recipe for that is:

TENDER PIE CRUST

Combine:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt

Mix:
1/3 cup cooking oil
2 tablespoons milk

Add liquid to flour mixture. Press into pie pan.
You may fill and bake or prick and bake to fill with unbaked filling.

I use my mixer to do this for me.  (Have I ever told you how very much I like this mixer?  I can't even begin to tell you how many of the hand held models I've burned up over the years making untold number of cookies each and Christmas!) 

I just put all the dry ingredients in the mixer bowl, and then as soon as they are mixed - slowly pour in the oil/milk mixture and let the mixer run until you have lots of lovely crumbs.

After that's all together (and you don't even have to wash the bowl in between) put in mixer bowl: 

1/2 cup (one stick) butter
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar. 

Again, I let my darling little mixer do the work for me.

When it's all mixed up, just dump it all on top of the pie filling in the pan, smooth it out a bit and bake at 400F until it starts bubbling through the crust.  I use a 9 inch pie plate that is just a little deeper than normal.

I got my misbehaving little square ripped out and sewn back in correctly last night.

And I made a start on sewing the sweet little hearts on to the quilt top.  So I guess it might be five things.  LOL

Hope you're having a simply wonderful day!

Hugs and kisses,

Way Too Much of This Going on Around Here

I don't mean to whine, really I don't. 

I know so many of you have weather that is so much colder and more unpleasant.

And I can keep an eye on my chickens from in here where it's nice and warm.

And even laugh at a cardinal trying to figure out why in the world there is a blanket covering the plants in that old wheelbarrow.

Bruno is right here with me staying toasty warm under his blanket.

So, I'll try to behave and stop complaining. 

I have totally scrapped the little quilt I was making for my neighbor's sister.  I just was not happy with it.  My own carelessness, for sure, but too many intersections just did not intersect correctly.  I could not be happy giving such a shoddy piece of my work.  So I started over.

I'm liking this one a whole lot better.  The fabric underneath it is the backing I had originally intended to use, and I still plan to use it. 

Then, I thought, why not add some hearts?  So I did.  I'll machine stitch them in and get started on the sashing.

But first.....do you see this little culprit I have shown up here?  I have it turned the wrong way.  I'm taking it out and turning it, then on to the hearts.  I DO like to see a project come together, don't you?


I'm still having to stay off my foot.  I'm really thankful that it is not broken, but the bruise is bad enough and deep enough to remind me to stay in and behave myself.  I was a teeny bit stir-crazy today, but Mr. Muddling took me for a nice ride in the car and I feel much better.  And...........it's supposed to warm up here next week!!!  Yay!

Now, back to my ripping out and turning of the block.

Hope you've had only good things going on where you are.

Hugs and kisses.

Creativity

Are these not gorgeous?!!  They came from a local resale shop, along with even more in various sizes and colors and fabrics.  They are hand dyed and not very large.  The blue one is 23" X 13", and the magenta/orange/green one is 12" square.  I have no clue what I'll do with them, other than just enjoy looking at them.  I've had different ones up on my design wall just to see.  They are so incredibly complex and beautiful.  Wanda, I know you'd know exactly what to do with them.  If only some of your wonderful talent would rub off on me across the miles!

My friend Margaret has sent me another of her beautiful stitcheries.  Margaret is another whose talent I'd love the share.  Hand stitching is not one of my great talents.

Isn't it fun to visit around blogworld and see what others are creating and doing?  I love it!  I heard a woman say about a group of ladies who prayed together that they called themselves "The Sparkies" because they sparked each other to pray even more and more effectively.  That's a word picture I like to revisit.  It's good to be the spark for someone else.  And it's good to BE sparked by another someone.

I enjoyed seeing this little fellow outside my window for a while today.  By the way, that is NOT snow behind him, but plastic sheeting protecting my angel's trumpet.  We have not had any snow yet this year, though we have some forecast for tonight and tomorrow.  Miss Ru is feeling decidedly cheated that there's been no snow yet.  She feels that if it's this cold - she should at least get some snow.  LOL!

I have so much I need to be doing, and last night I just played hooky and sewed these flannel squares together instead.  The green they are sitting on is fleece and will be the backing.  Now I have to find something for sashing.

Hope you're staying warm if you're in our part of the world, or comfortable wherever you may be!

Hugs and kisses,

I'm Staying Inside!

 And really, it's no hardship.  Look at all the shots I got of this pretty woodpecker.  He was enjoying the peanut butter and seeds I loaded onto this pinecone and hung from a bare crepe myrtle tree outside my sewing room window.

Chloe would prefer to get "up close and personal" with the birds, but she is willing to observe from in here, too.

Not saying she's happy about it, just that she's willing.

Hope you're cozy and happy today.

Hugs and kisses,

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Yep, it's COLD here today, so I put that cold to good use.  I made cookies.  At least these are marginally healthier.  And they are delicious!  As you can see the recipe makes a bunch, plenty for now and plenty for later.  I froze some of the ones that are baked already, and also some of the dough for fresh baked later. 

OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES - MINE


1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups canola oil
1/2 cup usweetened applesauce
2 eggs
2 egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 cups old fashioned oats
3 cups all purpose (plain) flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups raisins
1 1/2 cups walnuts or pecans, chopped

Mix sugars, oil, applesauce, eggs vanilla. Add remaining ingredients. Drop on
greased (or use parchment paper) cookie sheets by rounded teaspoon. Bake at
375 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before removing
from cookie sheet.



Makes about 10 dozen cookies.



Note: If you put the walnuts or pecans on a cookie sheet and heat in the
oven (that is preheating anyway) for about five minutes, the flavor will be intensified.

I got some narcissus bulbs a while back and planted them here and there around the yard.  They are blooming beautifully and doing their best to make the world smell better.  You can see it's pretty windy here still.  If you listen closely you can hear the chickens.

They were having a glorious time rampaging around in the breezy sunshine.

We had some of this yummy stuff for lunch.   It's just browned ground beef cooked with diced canned tomatoes, garlic and onion and pasta shells.  Perfect for a cold day.

With some cole slaw,

and a pan of cornbread.

  And this is the beast that fell on my foot yesterday.  Notice I am not emptying the water this time.  LOL

And on the sewing front -  I have just put aside what I had sewn on the quilt for my neighbor's sister and started over.  I don't like giving someone something I've made that is not my best.
 
Hope you're doing something lots of fun!

Hugs and kisses,