Saturday, June 30, 2012

Last Purple Saturday!

I'm happy to say I found that missing pink birds in the air block when I was prepping my QSAB blocks for hand quilting yesterday afternoon. Turns out it was attached to some batting and hanging out next to the drawer where I am keeping the rest of them. He was happy to join all his other buddies yesterday in the drawer.
Since the kids each took a 3.5 hour nap yesterday (yup, both sick again with sore throats and I got it this morning) yesterday I was able to get a bunch of things done. Six more of the log cabin blocks are completed so I have 21 blocks finished at 12 inches each. I have 9 more of these to make and then I'll put them together into a top for quilting. I have 6 weeks to get this one completed and mailed out. This will not be the final layout... I am just trying different things each time I take a group shot.


I also worked on some of the purple pineapple blocks until the bobbin thread ran out. So I switched to prepping three QSAB blocks for hand quilting and started on one of them until the kids woke up. Trust me... I tried waking them up multiple times - tickling and everything. Em said 'No', turned over and went back to sleep. Aidan just kept turning away from me and not even opening an eye. I did pay for it last night with them not settling down until close to 9PM.

This is how the Pineapple Blossom quilt is coming along. I have all 16 blocks pieced but not put together yet. I am thinking a 2 inch 'frame' around the pineapples and then the extra triangles around as the second border. I think it will finish with a batik print around the outside. I may stop and check out a LQS for the outer most border since I don't have enough of the color I'd like in my stash.



Go on over to SoScrappy's blog and see what others are doing for the purple scrap challenge this weekend.
As for me, the kids are down for a short nap... I think I'll do some hand quilting while catching up on a recorded show or two. The lack of sleep the last few days has caught up with me.

Deb



Friday, June 29, 2012

QSAB Done!

With a little sewing here and there during the morning and some serious sewing and pressing during naps.... I got this block done. Lots of tiny pieces in this 12 inch finished block. I hope to get this set for hand quilting tonight and maybe can get it done for the Sunday reveal at Jo's Country Junction


Thursday, June 28, 2012

A package!

Thanks so much to Jill at DarlingJillQuilts for this nice package of fabrics I got in the mail on Tuesday. Sorry I am just posting about it as I got the mail late that night and worked a 12 hour day yesterday at the store. She sent me these lovely fabrics I'm going to use on my midget blocks for my Tiny Tuesdays.  You'll be seeing these pop up in my upcoming Midget blocks I'm sure. They are really pretty lilac, green, cream and maroons.


I am realizing it is getting to be the end of the month and I have not done my Quilt Square Along yet.....


The corn and beans one at the top is what Jo picked for this month.  I really should cut out those 96 blocks and subcut them into triangles this afternoon.... but I think housework will come first today.... darn it. The floors need mopping and a good vacuum and I have  a big house. Hopefully the kiddo's go down good and I can get that done quickly (after picking up all the morning adventures spilled all over) and then have some time to sew or cut fabrics.
Here is the living room - this is what happens when I chat on the phone with my Mom! The kids decided to pretend it was my birthday and these are all my presents wrapped in quilts, newspaper and what ever else they found.


If I don't work on the QSA block...... There are 4 pineapples cut and ready to sew and some log cabins that need the last log or two before trimming up. So many choices.... so little time!

On another note - we weeded our little garden this morning before the sun hit it and pulled out a bunch of things. I left the corn and the scallions but everything else was past or got picked. The beets are cooking up on the stove top. The beans are washed and in the fridge.  I'll replant some cucumbers, zucchini and beans tomorrow morning. I plan to put in some winter squash around September.  We got a good amount of beans from the last planting before they dried up on me. We did pick a few of the corn and the kids wanted a corn snack this morning - I didn't remind them they were a veggie! I picked 4 but Aidan was already eating one before I could cook them up.

Off to pick up so maybe I can get some sewing done after a little house work.


Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Midget Tuesday

I got a chance to sew on Sunday night while the rain was pouring down and put together #46 - Dancing Star. Hopefully the rain comes to an end sometime this week - at this point we have over 5 inches Sunday night around 9:30PM. There was 10 inches on the monitor when I woke up on Monday morning.  Lots more expected in the next day or two.
Stay dry!

Saturday, June 23, 2012

A trip down memory lane...

After making blueberry muffins this morning with the kids I decided we needed an activity to keep them entertained today. How about a science experiment with some measuring? We did a cooking experiment. Can you guess what we made?

This is what it looked like after we mixed all the ingredients.

I got quite the arm workout stirring this constantly until it came to a ball stage. I got the white boards out for the kids to practice drawing (Emily) and tracing his letters (Aidan) while I did the part on the stove top.

As it cooled (and I got a shower that had one person come in and mention someone was painting on the walls instead of the paper.....note to self, painting must be supervised even for the 5 minutes I wanted for a shower.)

Then we practiced kneading - Aidan did the green all by himself from adding the food coloring to getting it all worked in. Em worked on the red and yellow and did a great job with a little help from Mom. I did the blue. I think Aidan did the best job of the bunch of us.
So, did you guess? We made Play doh!

I remember making this a couple of times with my Mom when I was little. I used a recipe I had written down in my homemade cook book.

3 Cups Flour
1.5 Cups Salt
6 tsp. cream of tarter
3 Cups Water
3 Tbsp. Vegetable oil

Mix the dry ingredients together. Mix the wet ingredients together. Combine them in a saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until a ball forms. Let cool and knead. Can be divided into several pieces and add food coloring and knead to distribute the color. Store in sealable plastic bags.

Now to get them to pick up the bucket of toys that got spilled onto the kitchen floor so they could get to the shapes.......

Purple Saturday

Birds in the Air in Purple are done. I still can not find that last pink block.... maybe it will turn up next month when I attempt to clean and organize the sewing room. Here is the lot of them so far this year.

Go on over to SuperScrappy and see what other purple things everyone is working on.

Friday, June 22, 2012

Progress

I got back in the sewing room today after I got the kids down for very late naps. I had called to set up a play date yesterday but with the rain coming in she countered with Chuck E Cheese this morning. We met at 11 and left when there were lots of kids and the noise got to Emily around 1:20. Made for cranky kids and a very late nap. While they slept...... I got to sew!

So I finished up the 6 log cabin blocks I started a few days ago and now have 15. I am thinking I am half done and 30 blocks at 12.5 unfinished will make a nice sized quilt with a 5x6 setting. What do you think? It is for a wedding present and not for a bed per say. Do you think the 60x72 is big enough?


I also cut out more strips for the pineapple blossom block and have enough right now to have 16 completed blocks. Hopefully I can do some sewing this evening and get 4 or 8 blocks done to add to the completed 8 already done. I just might be able to get another 4 blocks out of the fabric for a 20 - 12.5 unfinished blocks to set 4x5. We'll see.

Off to make dinner for some very cranky kids. Shrimp and broccoli Alfredo with some tomato, cuke, pepper and scallions in a balsamic vinegar dressing on the side.  Yummy.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Scrappyness

I got a little time in the sewing room yesterday and got most of 6 log cabin blocks done. I did go back into the room after the kids were in bed to finish them..... and this happened. Not right sides together. I see three long strips that need to get unstitched.

I also ran out of bobbin thread. I took that as a cue that it was not meant to be a sewing evening and cuddled up on the couch with my Kindle instead.
Since it is calling for showers later this morning and this afternoon I have postponed the kids Sea World day. I do have something else planned for them as an inside thing. That means I should get a chance to finish these up later this afternoon.


Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Butterfly Pineapples.....

I got to sew a bit Tuesday and got a bunch of purple quilting in. The birds in the air are done for the month but I'll show those on Saturday. I got a few more four patches made as L&E's and got four more of the Pineapple Blossom blocks done. I have 8 and I think I can get 4 more out of my jelly roll. I have quite a few 2.5 inch strips of the middle block color so those will not be used in this project... unless they become a binding. Here are the 8 blocks that I have done so far

and my bonus little double pinwheels. 






Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Tiny Tuesday

#44 Wheel of Fortune....... and now the wheel spins. Sorry, can't get that out of my head whenever I think of that name. I did a little night time sewing Sunday after the kids went to bed and got this little block pieced. I really like how it joins.......


so didn't want to put that middle circle on...... but I did it this morning. Excuse the feet in the last shot.



I've done my two days of working this week so now it is five days of being Mommy again. Today we get new Hippy lessons this morning and will go to the library tonight for pajama story time.  We went last week and there were lots of kids there. Aidan did great but Em gets overwhelmed with lots of people around. Tomorrow they go to Grandma's for the day while Mommy has a doctor appointment.  Thursday I am thinking of taking them to Sea World with Grandma. Friday and Saturday I think will be swim lessons with the Hippy teacher at her house in the mornings. A busy week in store. I think I can steal some sanity sewing time here and there.



Saturday, June 16, 2012

Purple!

Today Angela reminded us there are 5 purple Saturday's this month! I should be able to get my pineapple blossom done with that extra Saturday and figure I have enough in the jelly roll to make a solid 12 blocks and some extra's for a scrappy border or binding. No more progress on that but hopefully later today I can sew a little bit. I figure if I tire them out in the pool later this morning they might take a nap for me this afternoon.....wishful thinking I know.

I did get some cutting done of some purple fabrics yesterday and was able to sew 5 of my 12 Birds in the Air blocks while the banana chip muffins were baking this morning and the kids got their morning tv show - DocMcStuffins today. Emily has decided she wants to be a doctor when she grows up! I have a feeling I will be 'fixed' a bunch today with some imaginary boo boo's.



I also did a bunch of the 2 inch squares while I had the stack of purple out for the Birds in the Air blocks. 


 A little funny... that pile of fabrics in the middle of my sewing room was used to 'decorate' the house yesterday while I was cutting some squares up. I knew it was too quiet. There were strips of fabric hanging off anything you can imagine when I went to check on Aidan. Yup, on door knobs, dresser handles, over chairs and the sofa.... He did a good job but boy was it a lot for us to pick up! The sad part - he had taken about half the pile out of the room and I couldn't even tell with the rest of the pile sitting there! I think I really need to tame and trim it once that scrappy log cabin is done. Next month is organize and clean out the sewing room so I know where things are. I still have a pack of 70 needles I got a few years ago that I have not seen since Vermont about a year ago. Speaking of which... I need to change my needle on my machine. How about you?

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Nap time sewing....

They both needed naps and I needed sewing time today. So.... I did 5 more of the free form log cabin blocks and now have these 9 blocks that will finish at 12 inches each. This is growing nicely and I should be able to have a nice size quilt by mid next month to try and get quilted.
I was not going to put any black in there..... but I kept finding some in the pile so I decided if I sprinkle it in among a bunch of the blocks it should look ok.
Tomorrow is purple sewing day.... birds in the air or pineapple blocks?
For now... the plans for pizza on the grill tonight is scrapped since there are thunder storms passing through and looks like rain for the next few hours. Guess it will be a bake in the oven night.
Better wake the kids and then start the pizza dough.


Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Another new project.

Someone stop me! I started the purple Pineapple Blossom quilt on Saturday and today I started another new quilt - a very scrappy free form log cabin from Mary's blog.

So far I have 4 of the pineapple blocks that I shared a picture of on Saturday here. Today - I worked on 4 of these blocks with each of them measuring 12.5 inches.



I have had this one in my head for a couple of weeks and it has a deadline of mid August to be completed. The middle will always be a red fabric. Think I can make it doing 3-4 blocks a day and a Grandma day to quilt it sometime in July? If not, I will ship out the Green and Cream Jacobs Ladder quilt for a wedding present. If this one gets completed, it will be sent instead. I did have a helper while doing this - he was designing his own center portion and I did have to sew some pieces together. He also selected some of the strips for me as I sewed out of the pile of rubbermaid strips and scraps that got dumped into the middle of the floor. I think I'll leave it there for a bit and just close off that door when I am not in there!

It does look like a bomb went off in there doesn't it?

Tiny Tuesday

This is #44 - Sunset Star and it is entirely hand pieced! I'm getting pretty good at this hand work thing. I drew and cut out my fabrics on Saturday night while the kids were entertaining Daddy with puppet shows and playing crazy 8. Then I spent some quality time in front of the tv while hand piecing most of it on Saturday night. I finished up the last three corners on Sunday morning while the kids were each in the tub and am calling this one done. It seems they are great at staying dry at night until someone asks. It never fails the next evening there is an accident.
One question for you hand piecing people out there. How do you start and stop? Do you make a knot or do you back stitch? I have been doing the back stitch method (make the first stitch twice at the same spot) and it seems to be staying in fine. Thanks for any feedback on this question.


Saturday, June 9, 2012

Rainy Saturday

Well, the weather fooled me. It looked beautiful out with a clear sky this morning - a very nice change from cloudy and rain the last week. Ran some errands quickly and got home. Checked the garden and picked some beans and peas and scallions. Onto the pool next, to drain out some water before it overflowed and clean the filter. Got stuck at that point since the o-ring popped out and we didn't have the lube to put it back in at home. So.... since it was near lunchtime I took some water in for testing and brought Daddy some lunch and a quick visit with the kids at the store. Got what I needed and got home just as the rain and thunder started. Bummer.... there goes working on the pool. Hmmm..... got the kids settle down for late naps (Thank Goodness they both went down without too much fuss and are still sleeping 2 hours later...... I know, I should go wake them.....) Lots of cleaning and things to be done around the house but..... I didn't feel like it. I wanted to SEW. So...... this is my thinking..... cleaning will be there later and the ability to sew while kids are napping will not........ I sewed. (Don't you just love how my mind works?)  I didn't feel like cutting things for the Birds in the Air blocks... I wanted something new and quick. I pulled a jelly roll and the pineapple blossom instructions from Quiltville that I printed out last night and started to cut and sew. I feel much better now and this is what I have to show for it. 4 12.5 inch blocks


and lots of these little double pinwheels.


The color contrast is not what I wanted but at this point I am going to make about 8 more of them... maybe 12 or 16 if I have enough fabric and make a little lap quilt with it. The extra bonus triangles? I believe Emmy said Baby needed another quilt as she only has 3 that she is covered up with each and every nap/bedtime by her Mommy Emmy.
So, what did you do this Saturday? Head on over to SoScrappy and see what purple things others have been working on. I am calling this a purple sewing day since some of the fabrics above are purple. Ok, I'd better go pull the fish for the fish and chips for dinner and pick up the house a bunch on my way to wake up the children. I do want them to be able to sleep tonight. Have a great Saturday.


Friday, June 8, 2012

Change in plans....

Well, two days now what I had planned to do turned into something completely different. Yesterday we started cleaning the house and we got a call from Miss Casey asking about a play date with her grandson Joey. I said, sure come on over. (Yes, the kitchen and living rooms got picked up, swept and vacuumed in record time!) They stayed and played for a couple of hours and the kids had lunch. Miss C was very surprised when mine ate strawberries with lunch and had watermelon for a snack.... I guess not everyone gives their kids fruit? Seemed strange to me. She was also surprised when Aidan pulled out all the leftover KFC and proceeded to put some of everything on his plate including beans, potato and gravy and coleslaw and ate them all. I guess I have good eaters. =)
Today I was thinking I would finish some paperwork and head to the post office and then maybe the library or bowling to get the kids out since it is another rainy day. I tried to send them outside to play this morning but Aidan came right back in and said 'thunder Mommy, we can't go outside'. So..... Grandma called and asked what we had planned for the day. She wanted to go see Madagascar 3 with the kids and it was playing at our local theater. She was concerned it would interfere with Em's nap at 1..... well, she is usually ok without a nap it's the other one that gets really cranky. Off to the noon movie we went. Me...... very nervous taking a 4 and 3 year old to a long movie when I know they don't sit still or be quiet. She has taken them before by herself.... a very brave woman. Well, I saw most of the movie - a couple of bathroom trips (so sorry for the nice couple on the end) and we survived the movie. It was actually pretty cute and I'm sure it will land in someone's stocking around Christmas.
Since I have not been in the sewing room and the binding just has one half of a side left..... I'll leave you with a picture of my hand quilting progress on the last Quilt Square Along block and a recipe.


This is a cake that I grew up with and I know just which cookbook to get it from when I am at Mom's house and when we are out at the camp. It lives in my special recipe book at my house! We call it a Crazy Cake... but my nephew Charlie was asking his Mom to make it and couldn't remember the name. From then on... it is called Silly Cake in our house!

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees F.

1.5 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 Tbsp Cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp vinegar (I use cider)
1/3 cup canola oil
1 cup water.

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and then pour into a greased 8 inch square pan. I use pam spray.
Bake for about 35 minutes at 350 degrees.
Let cool. (That is the difficult part!)
The topping is a bit tricky but worth it.
Bring to a boil 1 cup sugar, milk to dissolve sugar and 2 Tbsp butter. Boil until a soft ball is formed. (I use a cold dish of water and drop a bit in until this stage is reached  - can also use a candy thermometer.) Take off heat and stir until it starts to thicken (usually a few minutes) and then spread on the cake. Let set for a little bit (if I can wait 10 minutes I'm good!) and then cut and enjoy.
Mine is in the oven right now..
I'm just waiting for it to come out so I can bump up the temp and put the popovers in to bake while the potato soup is bubbling away on the stove for dinner.
Have a great evening.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Quilting Day!

As yesterday was my Wednesday 'off' - Thanks so much Grandma for taking the kids! - I got to sew!!!!!!
I dropped them off before 9 in the morning and then headed to the store to get some supplies for the kitchen while I was kid free. Got everything put away and then had some lunch.... and then into the sewing room.
First I had to cut the batting for the quilt. A quick measure of the width of the top and I was set to pin the Jacobs Ladder quilt. I roll the top and bottom onto two separate boards and then roll out a little of the backing onto my banquet table, then the batting and smooth it down. Then I roll the top onto it and smooth it again. Then I pin. Saves me the pain in the back from trying to do it on the floor and I think I had this 60x70 quilt pinned in about 20 minutes.


 I use my batting from a roll of warm and natural that I purchased before Aidan was born.... so it is at least 4-5 years old, maybe more. I was thinking ahead and purchased it while I had $ coming in from working.

Next I grabbed some water, turned on the radio and started quilting! This one didn't take me nearly as long as the graduation quilt. I just did some loops with some 5 petal flowers thrown in here and there. I had stopped at a local Viking dealer on the way home and picked up some Sulky cotton variegated thread in green for the top of this quilt. I also got a pretty pink one that I will probably use for the pink X quilt that still needs quilting. Some FQ's flew into the bag along with some 90 needles for quilting. The FQ's are brights blue and green... a start for next year's graduation quilt.




After I squared it off and trimmed off the edges of the quilt I realized I never made the binding for this one. So.... I grabbed the two piles of greens from the closet and cut some strips off of them to make the binding. I had just enough time to sew the strips together and iron it and sew it to the top. This is the quilted top with part of the binding sewn down and Miss Em this morning. I'll show a better picture tomorrow once the binding is all done.

Then it was quickly run out between the rain drops and plant some day lilies that my father-in-law brought over on Monday. I have no clue what color they will be but the bulbs are much bigger than anything I have ever planted before. He split his off but these look like a big onion on the bottom with a typical day lily top. I'll have to wait and see what color they are when they bloom.
So, that was my Wednesday off. Since I didn't (forgot) to throw a chuck roast into the crock pot after lunch I stopped at KFC on the way home and picked up dinner. It was a 10 piece meal with 2 sides and 2 extra sides free. I think we'll have that for a few lunches the next couple of days.... although the kids went through half the coleslaw themselves so that side is almost gone.
Today....... the house needs cleaning and the kids need to get out and run around since it has been inside days with all the rain and thunderstorms the last couple of days. For now... time to shower and then skype with my sister up in Vermont.
Have a great day.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Tiny Tuesday....

I actually finished this one this afternoon. This is #43 Sawtooth.



I decided to do blue instead of the pinks in the directions. It is not perfect but I am calling it done. Lots of little parts in this one - 45 I believe - and then all paper pieced together. I decided to number them before I cut them out so I would know how they go together and I am very glad I did. 8 parts across the top, 8 parts on the bottom and then the middle.  I cut them out on Saturday and started them... and then after 2 days of working they were all piled on top of each other when I saw them this morning. I think someone got into my sewing room over the last 2 days! This is our first week on a new schedule so we are adjusting things a bit. Now most of our staff including my husband have a 5 day work week with 2 days off together. I swapped our HIPPY day to get our lesson plans from Monday to Tuesday and I think everything is falling into place nicely.
Tomorrow is Grandma day and she has requested they arrive before 9:15 and she wants the van for the day with their car seats so we'll swap cars. She would not share what she had planned, even with me so it should be interesting when I pick them up tomorrow night to see what they did. I have plans to get a few groceries on the way home and then head to the sewing room and pin the Jacobs Ladder quilt and then get it quilted. If that gets done... then I have a little paperwork to do so I can finish off  month end and mail that to the accountant on the way to pick them up. I also have to prep a package to head north for a bunch of family things going on the next few weeks. There is a bridal shower next weekend for my cousin who is getting married the weekend after which happens to be the same day my niece is graduating from high school. It is also my parents anniversary and my nephews birthday on Friday and I think Fathers Day is that Sunday. A very busy 15,16 and 17th of June in my family. Both my brothers were also born in June... so it is a busy month in my family. Might be why none of us were married that month! We all selected April, May, July and me in September!
I'd better go cut the batting while I can so I am all set for tomorrow. The front and back are already rolled onto the boards and ready to go. First I need to make some bread dough with Aidan so we can bake it off later today.

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Purple Saturday.

I'm so glad it is purple this month of June. I do love the color purple, not as much as blue but it is a close second.

I was able to do a little sewing while some naps happened this week. It took me one hour and 40 minutes from start to finish to put these three pinwheel blocks together. Picking fabrics, cutting and piecing.  Someone once asked how long it took to make one of the baby quilts I gave away. Honestly, I had no idea. I am kicking around the idea of making a quilt for a wedding present for the same person and think I might track the time spent making it just so I'll know when he asks! But I really need to get working on it as the wedding is in two months! Yikes. I am thinking a very scrappy log cabin quilt but we'll see what happens.

Back to Rainbow Saturday - I made these three pinwheels...





 and some of the leader enders for this week. Yellow, pink, purple and green are the one's I have cut so far. Still no clue what these will become. I am thinking maybe I'll add a colored triangle to each side of a four patch......... still thinking on it though.


Go on over to SoScrappy and see what others have been working on this purple Saturday.

Friday, June 1, 2012

Sow along blocks

Ok, it is just me or is the word verify getting really difficult today? I admit, if I don't get it on the first try I am not leaving a comment.

I did get one of the Sow along blocks done on Thursday afternoon and got another 3 or 4 cut out and all ready to go. I was able to sew two more together this morning.

They are:
Papa's Birds, Basket and Sickle.


And a picture of all mine so far. I am way behind but I know the instructions will be out there for when I get to them. 


A very rainy day..... after 8 inches from Beryl earlier this week we are in a band of rain that has been going since the wee hours of the morning. An inside day for us... especially after a neighbor pulled into the yard and ran to the door last night and said - be careful - see that rattlesnake coming onto your front yard! He knows sometimes we go out and the kids ride bikes in the front driveway after dinner while waiting for Daddy to get home from the store. I am terrified of snakes and watched him come closer to the house. I did call the police department who said they would call animal control. I never got a call back and no one ever came. I just hope he slithered on his way overnight. When I described it to G when he got home he said it was a diamondback rattlesnake. I am going to wack the bushes with a stick before I go and deadhead flowers in the future! The joys of living in Florida. 
On a rainy day, so far the living room has been set up as Thomas the train's Sodor and that kept them busy for a couple of hours between setting it all up and then playing. We've done their HIPPY lessons and played some games. They've played with Mommy's quilt blocks and we've read some books. They played some hide and seek - so funny to watch as they count to five fast and then go find each other. Usually the one hiding says - come find me I'm behind the chair! Too funny to watch.  Lunch is done for them... is it nap time yet?