Peppermint bark

1 bag white choc chips
6 small candy canes
1 capful peppermint extract

crush the candy canes in a food processor, set aside. In microwave safe bowl, melt chips. Stir well, 30 seconds at a time, for about 2 minutes total until the chips are creamy. Add peppermint extract and some of the crushed candy canes, keep a little to sprinkle on top. Spread the melty mix on a cookie sheet that has been lined first with parchment paper or plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or so, break up into pieces and give away before you eat it all, it is that good.

Christmas Eve is almost here

I can hardly believe it. what a year. I did get some sewing done, 2 more angel hugs (will upload pictures later) and a block for my quild that looks like a present. I must say my sewing has greatly improved over the last two years. My ironing has greatly improved as well, that makes a huge difference. I didn't realize that the pressing was so important at first, took me a while to get the hang of that.

Things I'm working on

1 angel hug for my quild
2 pink and brown blankets
3 a mystery quilt I want to start
1 angel hug for one of my sisters
1 quilt top to sew fleece on for my little sister

I need to get to the quilt store desperately for batting and muslin. The only thing that has to be finished is the quilt top for my little sister, that I want to give her for Christmas, she doesn't read my blog so it's ok to mention here. The angel hug for another sister must be done by New Year's.
Wish me luck!

the importance of quilting guilds

I am so thankful I live in an area with not one but three quilt guilds. That says to me that quilting as an art is alive and well, despite what you see in the media. They get no attention in this day and age of sensationalism and hype.

I was encouraged to make an angel hug, a 24 x 24 inch quilt to be donated to a local hospital. The first of many! I've also been working on my daughter's quilt, and she's helping me.

Pumpkin Patch Primitives is having a giveaway!

http://pumpkinpatchprimitivequiltshoppe.blogspot.com/2009/10/its-happy-halloween-giveaway.html


click on the link to enter

that website is beautiful!

good luck

pumpkin mini quilt

I was testing my camera phone, picture looks pretty good, don't you think? This is a mini quilt for my cubby at work. It desperately needs a pumpkin. Happy Fall!

Comfort food

I have been in need of comfort lately, the edible kind. I have lots of loving family and friends, not so much family, since I'm missing both my mom and dad now. The food I've found solace in are homemade scratch pancakes and Hello Dollys. I don't have a lot of time to cook, so the recipes have to be simple and good, which both of these are.

Pancakes with Apples and Walnuts

Mix 3/4 cup self rising flour with 2 tbs cinnamon and 2 tbs sugar. Add 3/4 to 1 cup of milk depending on how thin you want your pancake. I wanted a crepe that I could fold, so I added more milk, buttered the pan and poured enough batter in to cover the bottom of the pan. When it bubbles all over, flip it. After a minute or to and it is brown enough, plate it, put a tablespoon of cream cheese in the middle, spread it, fold the crepe, add more cream cheese if you want, fold it again, top with sliced fresh apples, walnuts, and maple syrup. Talk about comforting. My mother in law loved hers.

Hello Dollys

Spread a roll of sugar cookie dough in the bottom of a 9x12 pan. sprinkle some coconut over that, then some semisweet choc chips, then pour a can of sweetened condensed milk over that. Bake it for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. After it cools, cut in to squares and share with your friends. Great with a glass of cold milk.

Tip of the day, after you eat like this for a few days, you learn to sew standing up, it helps you burn calories. Trust me!

I do have a really good reasn for not sewing

Today my Dad will be laid to rest next to my mom. He spent the weekend in the hospital and passed away early on Monday morning, the last official day of summer. He was proud of me, and knew i loved him and was proud of him too. Bye Daddy.

I did get some sewing done last night!

I almost completed 3 whole blocks! My son helpded too. I had 4 patches to sew up, and he wanted to help, so I showed him how to sew them together. He liked that so much he's decided he wants to make his own quilt. He's 7 and will need lots of help. That will be fun to work on together, I like 4 patches too. They are so quick and easy to put together. I have been saving his little shirts to cut apart and make a quilt from, so that can go on my project list:

• Emma's pink and brown quilt: 3 blocks down, 22 to go
• 5 blocks for Christmas swap due Oct 31
• Wedding block for swap friend due Feb 2010
• AJ's four-patch quilt (whenever)

Nothing like putting your goals down in black and white for motivation.

No sewing yet this week

I know it is only Wednesday, but withdrawal will start soon if I don't get back to it. I have made some progress on the second quilt top:

• four patches made
• side strips pieced
• corners on each swap block

It's just a matter of putting them together. Tonight after work, homework, dinner, I will get to it!

September goals

September is off to a great start quilting-wise. By this weekend, I hope to have the first of the two pink and brown baby quilts completely pieced. The second quilt top will be pieced by the end of the month, then I can make my quilt "sandwiches" and have the long cold winter to hand quilt them. My sister will help. I'm making a log also to go with the quilts for the girls to read when they are older.

Design dilemma solved

My sis preferred the cream corners. With the dark brown borders, I think it is perfect! this block will be the center of her baby quilt.

A great sewing day

I didn't win the last give away, but hope springs eternal! I entered another one. Today was a lovely day spent with the children, a little house cleaning and some sewing! Pictures tomorrow, I promise! I am really close this having one quilt top finished, a very productive day.

I entered a giveaway!

you can too

www.sewmanyways.blogspot.com

she will announce the winner on Sunday

who know we might win!

Design dilemma

Work on my pink and brown quilts continues. I had a design dilemma, brought in my two advisors DH and DS for their advice on this one, what color to choose for the corners of this block? Guess which one was picked, tune in next week for the answer!

Red White and Blue Quilt

Here's a finished quilt that I participated in this summer. My block is the last one in the second row.

I have made some progress on one of my pink and brown quilts

I'm proud to say! My sister and I got together this week to try different arrangements after I sewed the corners on each of her blocks. I love the "on-point" setting. The fabric I chose for the corners is a Henry Glass design called In the Pink, I ordered some of it from Carmen Spotts website www.crosscountryquiltbarn.com, and got the rest from a little store called A Stitch Away in Millington, TN.

My pink and brown blocks arrived on Friday!

I joined a pink and brown block swap--my first swap! I received the beautiful blocks you see here last Friday. They are going into two baby quilts, one for my baby girl, who was born in February, and one for my sister's baby girl who was born in March. I am so glad I participated in this swap. Every minute I spent on this swap, from choosing the fabrics to completing and sending my blocks to receiving the package in the mail has been so precious to me. I have journaled every step, so someday our girls will know what love and care went into each stitch!

My latest finish

I made this pillow for my friend Nancy. She is moving away, far far away. It is a great move for her, but sad for me. The fabric I used was left over from another project, she was with me when I picked it out at the LQS. I chose the flying geese pattern because she is flying away!

My first blog entry

My blog is about my quilting journey, projects I've started, finished, and what I've inherited. I hope keeping this journal will help me learn more about quilting and improve my techniques.