Sunday, December 14, 2008
Charming Skirts!
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!!!
Friday, December 5, 2008
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
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
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!!!
Monday, December 1, 2008
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!
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!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Quilt Retreat Projects
I really like the way it turned out! I have the back just about pieced together so it will be ready to send to my friend Shari to do her magic with the longarm machine quilting!
Putting the binding on this quilt was the other project I worked on during retreat. It's kinda funny how these two quilts seem like companions. They have a lot of the same fabrics in them. It's very flowery and springlike. It'll make this winter seem like spring!
Monday, October 20, 2008
Tushy Cushion from a great Tutorial
My close friends and family know that in my kitchen I have a built in desk area where I spend most of my day doing paperwork and playing, I mean working on the computer. I sit on a chair with two pillows under my tushy. I like to be sitting taller than the chair alone gets me. I thought it was time to make my own fancy tushy cushion. Here is what I came up with with the help of the tutorial mentioned above.
The tutorial explained everything very clearly. It made piping easy! The zipper was even easier!!!
It even has handles so I can take it to my quilt retreats. I'll definitely be bringing this to my next retreat which so happens to be on Friday!!! I can't wait.
PIQF and honest quilters!
As you know, my son was married not too long ago and he and his bride honeymooned in Mexico for two weeks. Upon their return we had them over for a "non salsa, non tortilla, beanless " dinner on Tuesday. They brought me this lovely turquoise bracelet from Mexico.
I wore this bracelet to the quilt show and didn't realize it was no longer on my wrist until the next morning. I was just sick about it. I realized that it must have been lost at the quilt show. I dreaded the fact that I would have to explain to my son and brand new daughter in law that I had lost the bracelet they gave me.
That evening I was talking with my husband and commenting on how maybe someone had turned it in at the quilt show. He said that whomever, if anyone, had found it would just pocket it.
The next morning, Saturday, I searched online for a phone number for security at the convention center. I called and they said they didn't have it but they gave me the number for the quilt show registration desk. I called that number and told them about losing the bracelet. The nice lady on the phone asked me to describe it which I did. She said it was there! I couldn't believe it!!! I told her I was on my way.
When I got there I went directly to the registration desk and picked up the bracelet. I asked if anyone had left a name or an address so I could thank them but there was none. I hope that the person who turned my bracelet in had the best feeling inside when she did so and I sure hope that something amazing happens for her. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! Whoever you are!
I wasn't planning on returning to the show but since I still had my entrance band on I thought I should take another look around in celebration of finding my bracelet.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Crazy Block Exchange
Here's a closer view of the off white/beige/tan blocks. I sewed these last. They weren't my favorite to sew because they aren't colorful enough for me but I must say that they are very elegant and sophisticated!
Here are some pictures of the dreaded and neverending fabric organization. Above is the cupboard with florals, solids,and holiday fabrics.
This cupboard has the novelty fabrics in it. This cupboard and the one above are in the upstairs hallway fairly close to the quilt studio with no windows nearby so fading shouldn't be an issue.
I'd say I'm just about halfway done, well maybe one-third done, with this gi-normous job. It's going to take forever!!!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Chaos in the quilt studio!
I have these cupboards that I've been storing all (well most) of my fabric. As you can see it was an unorganized mess!!!
I've been folding fabric. It seems that it never ends. Once I fold it I store it in boxes and bags and it waits to be placed in the cupboards. The problem is that the cupboards are stuffed with fabric that still needs to be folded as well. I guess you need to make a bigger mess before you can get organized. This is a collection of fabric of which some has been folded and some is waiting to be folded.
These are all folded and waiting for room on the shelves. The red bag is full of solid fabrics and there's more of it somewhere!
This is a view of my quilt studio formerly known as a bedroom. I have one of those block butlers on the closet door. It's not my preferred design wall, but it'll do for now.
This is how I'm folding the fabric that is 1/2 yard cuts or more. The shelves are deep so I"m putting other items behind the fabric and will label the face of the shelf with what I can find behind the stacks of fabric. These two shelves will have pillowforms behind the stacks! I really like how it's going to look!!! I can see every piece of fabric I have here. It looks soooo neat!
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Creativity is fun!!!
I just love the freedom and creativity that went into these blocks!
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Rabbit the frog
Easter cupcakes
Vacations and Quilt Shops
Monday, March 31, 2008
Long time no see.
Taxes are finally done. Thank God! Whew!!!
Earlier this month we received a visit from our oldest daugter and her family, the stars of which are our two grandsons Brandon and Adam. They live in Southeastern Idaho in the middle of Potato farm country. It's been a cold, snowy, never ending winter. I'm sure they enjoyed our California weather!
Brandon has his grandma's heart turned to mush! When I went to pick them up at the airport and he spotted me, he started yelling "Grandma, I lub you! Grandma, I lub you!" He ran to me and I picked him up. We hugged and he kept saying "Grandma, I lub you!" It was definitely priceless. Everybody around was smiling and we were happy as can be.
Here is a picture of Adam with his 'Papa'. He is just a happy little baby. Loves his big brother to pieces!
He is the spitting image of his grandpa. He's already had two haircuts at 8 months old! He was born needing a haircut!!!
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Feeding the Eagles
Done with my work for the day, now for some quilt pics!
This stained glass butterfly quilt is from a pattern. I used all of my hand-dyed fabrics except the black. Hand appliqued and machine quilted.
This Butterflyz quilt was made for Miss Haley. She is my little friend that used to come and spend Tuesdays with me while her mom went with her brother to a weekly appointment. We both enjoyed spending time together exploring nature, art, and the park! Haley's family moved about five hours away! : ( We keep in touch by phone and every once in a while Haley will come for a visit that's jam packed with all the things we used to do together. She is a sweet girl and she loves 'Butter'lies'. (That's how she used to say butterflies).
Here's Haley with her quilt! She loves pink!
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Ricky Tims Seminar and The Quilt Police
Monday, February 4, 2008
Debut!
I've been inspired by my friend Pam! http://www.pam-purplequilter.blogspot.com/ I decided to create a blog for myself. This probably isn't the best time of year for me to start this due to the fact that I really really need to get paperwork ready for the accountant for this years' tax preparation but I guess it's as good a time as any!
Right now I really have to get back to work and I'll work on this blog in the evenings along with getting some quilting done.
I'm excited!
Thanks Pam. Talk to you later.
Roberta