Retreat projects

It's taken me awhile to write about the retreat I returned from almost two weeks ago! Better late than never. We had such a wonderful time! Some of us arrive on Thursday afternoon and on Friday we rejoice that it's only Friday. Come Saturday evening I start getting sad that it's almost over. Sunday afternoon is so, so sad because we have to leave. : (

Above is a quilt I'm working on for my youngest grandson.

Adam will be two in July. The pattern I used called for the big fishies and I just had to add the baby fishies (as cornerstones) too. Because I'm a glutton for punishment that way. Most of the big fishies are swimming to the right except one because there's always one in the bunch that marches to his own drummer. Some of the babies are swimming to the right and some have turned around to give their mommies a kiss. The babies still need big french knots for eyes and the whole quilt still needs a border. Unfortunately the fabric I had in my stash isn't big enough so I won't be able to use it. Maybe it will find it's way on the back!


Above is a close-up of one of the babies (kissing it's momma) and the fabric for the border that I don't have enough of. Below is a picture of the actual border fabric that I just purchased online at fabric.com.

This tablerunner is another project that I worked on at Retreat. I started on Thursday evening and finished quilting and attached the binding to the front by Friday evening. I really need to thank Kate for the great shoulder massage she gave me! The stippling I did on this tablerunner is teeny tiny. I gave this tablerunner to my son and daughter in law. She loves the old fashioned reproduction fabrics. I never did get a totally completed photo.

These are some of the Easter treats we made today. I had plans to make sugar cookies and dye eggs but the kids (family friends) that I thought were coming over couldn't make it. I definitely don't want to make a bunch of sugary stuff and have no one around to eat it.

My grandkids live in Idaho and I live in California. The good news is, they will be visiting in 2 1/2 weeks!

New Sockies!

I did it! I set out to learn how to knit socks and I did it!!! (Disregard the hairy legs. It's still winter and I need the extra insulation.)

I found this yummy hand dyed yarn at a local shop and went to one of their drop in classes which got me through turning the heal and then I figured it out from there following the pattern. I used two circular needles instead of four double pointed needles.

I've already purchased three more skeins of yarn which will make three more pairs of cool sockies.

The two that are still in hanks I found on etsy.com. What a great resource! Now I'm going to hunt for another pattern that's a different design.

Cute Jacket for Haley

I just finished this cute little Jacket for my little friend Haley. She will be turning 6 years old on February 26th! It was wrapped and put in the mail this morning. I hope it fits her!

The pattern is from PJ Anderson of New Beginning Designs and Silver Thimble Quilt Shop. The pattern is called Playful Patches Jacket. Her and her hubby sell patterns and fabric at quilt shows. I bought this one at Pacific International Quilt Festival. They are such fun people. I really liked her booth! If you'd like info about her patterns and where they will be selling in the future you can visit her website at http://www.silverthimbleonline.com/

I'm currently making one for me in vibrant batiks. I absolutely love the prairie points!

Field Trip to San Francisco

My quilting buddy Jeanne and I went on a field trip today. We live across the Bay from the city of San Francisco. My DIL gave me a gift certificate to Britex Fabrics at Christmas so Jeanne and I scheduled a trip into the city to check it out. It was so much fun! It's not geared so much toward quilters and the fabrics there are pretty overpriced, but this piece of 100% silk had my name on it! It is stunningly gorgeous!!!

I found it on the fourth floor where they have the remnants. The ladies on the fourth floor are very nice. The other floors' employees were a bit snobbish for my taste. We started on the fourth floor and worked our way down. After we visited all the floors we went back up to the fourth floor and this is when I found this beauty.

I think I'll either make a blouse or a jacket out of it. Now I'm in search of the perfect pattern. There's only about 1 1/2 yards of it so it'll probably have to be a short sleeved blouse.

After shopping at Britex we went to the Cheesecake Factory for lunch. Another first for me and it didn't dissapoint either! I had fish tacos. Yummy!!! Even though our lunch was more than filling we had to have cheesecake. It isn't called Cheesecake Factory for nothing! Jeanne and I shared a slice. There are so many kinds of cheesecake to choose from it made it difficult to pick one. We chose something with lemon and raspberry sauce. It was delicious!

On the way back to BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) we stopped in at the Ghirardelli shop. Such a fun day and perfect weather to boot. We'll have to schedule more field trips in the future!!!

Tagged again! Six random or quirky things about myself

Ugh! Looks like my computer froze after I was almost finished with this post and I lost all of it so I have to do this over! Here it goes.

I was tagged by my friend Sharon. I'm supposed to list 6 random or quirky things about me. Following my list are the rules and the next innocent victims.

here goes:

1. Whenever I've wanted to learn how to do something in life such as sewing, quilting, or baking bread; I've read books and taught myself how to do it. Trial and error came into play as well which leads to number 2.

2. When I was a teenager trying to bake bread I baked an awful lot of bricks. I would use water that was too hot and killed the yeast. The dough wouldn't rise and I'd have baked bricks instead of bread. I'm happy to report that I now make bread regularly. Hardly ever have to buy it in the store anymore! Yay for me!!!

3. I'm not afraid of spiders or snakes. Just last September at our Son's rehearsal (BBQ) dinner we found a tarantula and I held it which freaked out a few people. It was so cool. I will often catch spiders in the house and release them outside. They are amazing artists!!!

4. We used to have ducks as pets. It started with Peety and then Fred & Wilma, then Bigfoot and Waddles, then Harold & Hannah.

5. I hate to shop unless it's for books or fabric. Even then I've slowed down quite a bit.

6. I'm like the Princess and the pea. My bed has to be soft and comfy. The sheets and quilts have to be just right or I can't sleep well. One time we stayed at a small Inn in Pismo Beach, the bed was so hard I woke up crying!

Done, Whew!
Now the following people have been tagged! (Sorry!)

Kim at The Mad House
Aleyta and Matt at The Wife Diaries
Carolyn and Jeanne (no blog yet but I'll try to get them to start one)

I know I don't have 6 people tagged which breaks rule number four, but rules were made to be broken!

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Put the rules on the blog.
3. Write 6 random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment.
6. Let the tagger know your entry is up.

Alphabet Meme

I was tagged once again by my DIL. Thanks Aleyta!!! Here goes...

A - Available or Taken: taken
B - Best Friend: besides my daughters (including DIL), Jeanne is my BFF
C -Cake or Pie: cake I guess
D - Drink of Choice: diet coke
E - Essential item you use everyday: quilts
F - Favorite Color: love ‘em all!
G - Gummy Bears or Worms: not a fan, chocolate please
H - Hometown: Hayward, Ca
I - Indulgence: pedicures
J - January or February: January.
K - Kids & ages: Kimberly 25, Matthew 23, Savana 21, Grandkids; Brandon 3 1/2 & Adam 18 months
L - Life is incomplete without: family
M - Marriage Date or Most Memorable Date (and why): marriage 07/25/81
N - Number of Siblings: 3 brothers
O - Oranges or Apples: a good juicy navel orange
P- Phobias or Fears: Probably heights if I had to choose something,
Q - Fave Quote: Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. I try to live by it!
R - Reason to Smile: my crazy cute grandkids.
S - Season: Spring
T - Tag 3 or 4 People: If you'd like to do this, go right ahead!
U - Unknown fact about me: When I was in high school I took a needle arts class and went to school with my ‘super yarn mart’ bag along with my books. Got teased a bit about that but I didn’t care!
V - Vegetable you don't like: I don't like brussel sprouts or radishes. Yuck!
W - Worst Habit: procrastination - but I work better under pressure!
X - X-rays: yup, broken wrist, broken ankles, broken leg, broken toe, bad hip, arthritic thumbs, TMJD. Hurts just to mention ‘em.
Y - Your Fave Food: La Pinata Mexican food all the way baby!
Z - Zodiac Sign: Cancer

Charming Skirts!

I've been busy making these cute little patchwork skirts made from 5" charm square packs. Each skirt takes one charm pack. The skirt above is made from the Smores line and I can't remember what the one below is made from. I got the pattern from this tutorial. I added a waistband and a cute little trim on the hem.
I wish I were five years old again and could wear one of these! I hope the cute little girls that will receive them like them as much as I had fun making them!!!

I've been tagged by my daughter in law and I'm supposed to turn the items I've eaten bold and have some friends do the same. So I'm now tagging Sharon and Pam! Have fun!

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush (don't like it one bit)
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream ( my absolute favorite ice cream flavor!)
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche (actually just the ice cream flavor)
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka + Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat's milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth $120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald's Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips (the real thing's much better)
61. S'mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. ratatouille
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs' legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict (mine is the best!)
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100.Snake

Amaaaaazing Bread!

Yesterday I was reading one of my absolute favorite blogs here and started searching online for similar processes. I found a 10 minute no knead bread video here . I couldn't figure out how to put the video on my blog. I'll keep working on it but in the meantime go to the video link and check it out. I thought this was something I could do so I did it. Even though it says it's a 10 minute bread, that just describes the actual amount of work involved in making this bread. The whole process takes 18-24 hours. Let me tell you, it is well worth it! The bread is absolutely delicious! It's the best bread I've ever made!!!

It makes a perfect crust and crumb. It is amazingly simple and so good! Try it, you'll love it! I'll try to post a tutorial on it in the next couple of days.

Catch up time!

A couple of weeks after retreat I took a trip to visit these two guys! They live smack dab in the middle of potato country. Actually it's the southeastern portion of potato country. I sure wish they didn't live sooooo far away!

Adam is a big ham. He saw I was taking his picture and immediately started smiling. At the same time he's preparing for the flash.

Brandon is seen here posing with his I Spy Quilt that I made for him for his second birthday.

While I was visiting at my daughter's house we went to one of the craft stores in town and bought some place mats, purse handles, and fabric for lining. These little purses are really fun to make and I got the directions here. I made my daughter make one too. She didn't like the handles she chose. They were not the right size for the bag. Live and learn.

About a week after returning from Grandkid land I had to move my mother with Alzheimer's into our home. It will be a challenge and I don't know how long this arrangement will work. I'm just taking it a day at a time. All I can say is thank god for the Alzheimer's Day Care that she's been attending for about eight months now. The people that work there are so good at what they do. They are definitely angels on earth.

Thanksgiving was one of the best we've ever had. It would have been the best if our daughter Kimberly and her family were here. My new daughter in law made place cards and decorated/set our dining room table. I'm so glad she did too. It's my least favorite part of having guests over. I'm usually scrambling at the last minute trying to get it done. Now that she's showed us her talents, she's got the job as long as she wants it!

The last item to catch up on is the Advent quilt I made for my grandsons. It's all filled and on it's way to them. It will get there in a couple of days but they're too young to know what date it is anyway! I know they'll have fun looking inside the pockets for the treats. Next year I'll just have to send the treats and my daughter can put them inside the pockets.

Whew! That was a lot to catch up on. I'll be posting later on some cute little skirts I'm making. Till then happy sewing!