Rsc houses

 These are the last two pink houses for the month. Notice the dinosaur peeking out the window? 

We won't mention that I sewed the house top on wrong... three times before it came out correctly. I might have left them after the first try for lunch.... then managed to sew them wrong again two more times before I got it right. Thankfully it is a 6 inch block so the seams that kept being pulled out were not too big. 

I've been enjoying the low humidity in Florida and cooler temps for April (unusual) and stitching out on the back porch in my new chairs in the afternoon for a bit after work. The dog is not happy with me. Seems he can't fit in the chair with me and is not happy with that fact. I tried putting his quilt onto the other rocking chair and patted the chair for him to jump up. He disliked his quilt being outside the living room and tried to pull it off the chair to put it back where it belongs! I thought it was funny. My dog does not like a change in his routine... and it was sit in the recliner with Mom while she cross stitches time! 

Linking up with the RSC on a peaceful Saturday. 

Bear paw and a concert

 

It was All County band last night with a guest conductor from FSU.  Got a smile. With 3 practices and all day yesterday,  they played some amazing and challenging music. It sounded great.

There are four identical blocks in each pile.  I added the light blue yesterday and have another blue in process.  I think I have a few more somewhere so I guess I need to go searching and organize the sewing area this weekend. 

Sauces?

 I've been trying out different sauces for things in the kitchen lately. I'm going to make some Tzatziki today to go with some falafel I have in the freezer, Greek pita and a greek salad (lettuce, red onion, cuke, tomato, feta) for dinner this evening. 

Over the weekend we had some grilled chicken and I had bought a package of parsley planning to make chimichurri. I used this recipe from Love and Lemons. Really simple and tastes great on chicken and steak and veggies.

I like the Good Seasons Italian Seasoning packet, but don't like the sugar in it or the price, so I've been making my own version for years. I have a pint mason jar of the seasoning mix in the pantry and use that to make a jar of Italian dressing for the fridge. 

Italian Dressing Mix:

1Tbsp Garlic Powder

1 Tbsp Onion Powder

2 Tbsp Oregano

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp basil

1 Tbsp Parsley

1/2 tsp celery salt

2 Tbsp salt

Mix and store in an air tight container. It makes quite a few batches.

To make: 1/2 cup vinegar, 2 Tbsp water, 2 Tbsp mix. Mix well, then add 2/3 cup oil. Shake well. You can also use the lines on the old Good Seasons salad dressing containers. I have two of them =).

I have lots of lemons, so was doing a lemon/oil and some herbs blend last week for my salads for lunch. I cooked up some quinoa and add a few spoonfuls of it to my salads at lunch.

Taco seasonings - I stopped buying the packages years ago and just make my own version from a recipe I found online. I use this one. 

All that to say.... what sauces do you have in your rotation of foods that you like and enjoy? 

I'm trying to mix things up a bit and try new things.

Monday - I went back to an oldie but good recipe -  a Lemon Chicken with thyme. I added rice and some peas for a veggie.

Tuesday was a rainy and dreary day - so I swapped things and did a baked green chicken enchilada.

Wednesday will be Greek - I do need to shred a cuke to make the tzatziki.  I need to find the pita in the freezer and pull it out. I already pulled one baggie of falafel out of the freezer as I made a double batch the last time I made them. Since Emily is not home for dinner, it was a good night to make this one! Lactose intolerant girl doesn't do tzatziki since its made with yogurt.

Thursday - no clue but I'm assuming the boy is expecting something to be made for dinner. We have Emilys concert across town that evening. 

A little stitching has happened. Must put the phone down tonight and actually do something rather than death scroll. Was pretty nervous last night with the worldwide threats. Just waiting for someone to find some straight jackets and take care of things. 

 The girls enjoying the rain!

 

Little house sew along

 I got some sewing time in on Saturday and was able to pick fabrics and sew up block 5 of the sew along. When it was done, I realized that my middle block is not matching what was presented... but I'm leaving it. I guess I tend to just put my rail fence blocks in this design, despite it not being correct! 

Linking up with Melva and the others following along with the Little House Sew Along.

Here are the first four blocks. 

Easter Sunday

 I've been plugging away at the November Cross Stitch from the book A quilt for all Seasons by Paula Vaughn. I filled in more of the blue sky and one partial block in red and started the orange one in the top left corner. This is just the second page of the pattern... I still have the left side to do for page one. I do love how it is turning out. I am using 14 count Aida.

This is where I was last Sunday, so a good bit of progress.

The dog is waiting for a walk. The Easter Bunny came this morning and could not find the real easter baskets, so they have Tupperware with the fake grass in it for the kids. The parents just have a little pile and the Sams package of Peeps (yuck!) are for the other 3 to divide and conquer. I was considering putting things in eggs and hiding them like when they were little.... but I went to bed instead!

Wishing you all a Happy Easter to those that celebrate it. A Happy Sunday to everyone!

Linking up with the Slow Sunday Stitchers.

Rsc in pink

 I'm posting late but wanted to get the errands done in the morning thinking the crowds would be less. We are having a non-traditional Easter lunch tomorrow. Emily has a birthday Tuesday (17 years old!) and neither kid is keen on ham, so I let Emily choose the menu. She went with steaks on the grill, baked potato, prosciutto wrapped asparagus and grilled veggies. I picked up some mini croissants to go with it. Emily and Grandma did their birthday shop and lunch today. The girl is very busy next week with All County band rehearsals and a concert on Thursday evening. 

I got some afternoon sewing in and added these four pink houses to the collection. I think I need two more, but my pinks are a bit lacking in variety. I did pull a couple of 2 inch strips from a drawer for two of these houses. I'll dig around in there and see if I can find a couple more. I cut out more roof and chimney parts and have two more of those ready to add to the last two pink houses. Linking up with the RSC.

This week the boy was up in Tallahassee for a Skills USA competition. He and Issiac were a team in the 3D printing category (I can't remember the actual technical name). Their task was to design and print a catapult or trebuchets that would propel a Lego man and was rated on distance and accuracy. They had to have all parts 3-D printed and brought with them. Then do a presentation with tech specs on how they chose, designed, worked through issues and got to their final result. They took home 1st place and will be headed to Nationals in Atlanta in June. These two have been friends since Middle school and were on a Robotics team together in 8th grade. I have a feeling they are going to have a blast up in Atlanta with the other 8-10 people headed there from their school. 

Spring Ravelry UFO Challenge 2026

One removed as finished from the Winter quarter. I think this was one of my oldest UFO's. It is very happy to be a finished quilt. 

In it's spot I added the Graduation quilt of bear paw blocks. I really thought I had more of these made! Yikes, I better get moving on those. I'm guessing he is going to get it well AFTER Graduation!

 The list of UFO's -

 1.) I know I have at least one more cut somewhere to fill that open spot for a 7x6 setting. *** found the parts in a baggie!  These are hand pieced.... and might need a little fixing along the way on some of those middle joins. From Inklingo lemoyne stars.  The blocks are 4.5 inches.

 

2.)  I think it's a 6.5 inch cut center of greys and 2.5 inch strips. Finishes 10 inches. 

3.) Midget Applique quilt from Sentimental Stitches. I need to add more flowers and leaves and the vines... and the last border. Hand pieced and hand appliqued. Started January 2015 as a car line project. One block a week.

4.) triangle pyramids. started June 2024. I need to find these!

5.) Midget block collection - I started these in Vermont in 2010! I have a light blue for sashing.

6.) Erin's Butterfly - I made the wings in 2021.  Need to add one more set of wings... thinking 9 is a nice number? These have been machine stitched onto the background. Need to add body and antenna to each. Also need to add 1 block in another color.

7.) Flying Snowballs - hand pieced shoo fly and flowering snowball blocks in blue, purple and green from 2025. Will plan to machine piece them together into a top about 84x84.

8.) Aidan Graduation requested quilt... for after college as he wants a queen size Bear Paw in civil war style green and blues. 

9.) I forgot I had this. It is a cute birdhouse wall hanging but is foundation pieced, which I dislike. Maybe I can deal with it enough to get this done? Or rework it?

10,) This is a kit I purchased mid-90s - butterfly's. I think all the parts are there and I did start arranging them.

11.) Quilters Patch. A sew along that I completely did not meet my goals on in 2022. One block is done.

12.) Alternate BITA blocks from RSC 2025 collection

** I need to get a photo of these

13.) 16 patch blocks from 2.5 inch squares

** I need to get a photo of these.

14.) chicken blocks... these have not had much love this year.

15.) Bittersweet Briar - pattern in Kim Deihl's book and kit of fabric.

16) Brimfield Awakening EPP. I did start this and have the first fabric thread basted in purple!

17.) Bonnie Hunter Mystery - On Ringo Lake - maybe step #2?

18) Bonnie Hunter Mystery - Grassy Creek (2020) Think I am on step #4.

19.) 30's log cabin tulip quilt.

Quilt Tops: 

20.) Birds in the Air block collection - this is now a top and loaded onto the quilting frame at a 90x90 size.

 21) Ella Maria Deacon Blocks. Hand pieced, machine stitched together into a top. Patterns from Sentimental Stitches.

 I need to measure and see if it is happy with it's size or now. All my quilts seem to have a mind of their own!

22) Vermont Quilt Festival Booth Hop from either 2008 or 2009.  it is 71x71.

23.) Y2K Joann's BOM - quilt top

24.) 1857 Quilt Along Top - This one is in the hoop for hand quilting as of December 2024. ** Might unpin this one so it doesn't rust and do something smaller first with the big BITA on the frame...

25.) Spring Hexagons - not sure if this wants to be bigger or not.... 

26.) Triple Irish Chain - green. 80x80 I think. I did find both fabrics extra with it... Might need a green or cream border first or both... Made in the early 2000's. circular feathers in open spaces.

27.) Hexagon flowers on a black background. These are a stack of blocks I hand pieced a few years ago then hand appliqued to the black background a couple years after that!  

This is rolled onto the boards for pinning with the batting and backing.

28.) String of Beads is a top. I do want to add green circles to the meeting points of the green peels I think as well. The yellow ones really helped the colored parts of the peel flowers. I need a new photo of this one as I did get it to a top on 10/5/25. I promise!