Sunday, December 14, 2008

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!!!








Friday, December 5, 2008

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

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!!!
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.

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!


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!