Sunday, November 27, 2011

new quilt

And so, I started a new quilt.  I know, I haven't finished the star one yet, but this one is going to be a Christmas gift and it's a little down to the wire so I need to kind of get this one done first.  Since it's a gift I won't say who it's intended for even though I am fairly positive they don't remotely read my blog, and let's face it, I don't think anyone but my Mom reads this blog!  LOL. 
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So, I've been wanting to try out this style for a loooooong time but didn't want to do paper piecing which is all I found for patterns when I did a google search.  My machine does not play well with paper.  So, then I tried improvising a pattern and that did NOT work.  I'm sure if I messed with it long enough I'd figure it out but I gave up and bought a pattern.   
Here's another view:
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I'm not finished with the layout and I need to trim up the blocks before sewing them together.  I still have a couple rows to sew, and then pick a border.  I'm really digging the way it's coming together, what do you think?

Saturday, November 26, 2011

turkey day recap

I think I may have, sort of, recovered from Thanksgiving.  Well, the shopping really took it out of me!  So I went over to Jan's for Thanksgiving, which is always nice because then I only have to do a little bit of cooking :)  I baked cream cheese swirled pumpkin bread, made cranberry orange sauce and hot spinach artichoke dip.  I was on the phone with my Mom while I was making that and holy cow!  When it was done, I tried a little bit and it was sooooo good!  I used this recipe off the knorr veg packet, only minus mayonaise and water chestnuts.  I just doubled the cream cheese.  Oh, and I made it in the crock pot instead of baking it.  I'm happy to say it was a hit :) 
Ummmm, and this is funny - I found out that I cannot follow simple instructions!  Jan's fam makes instant mashed potatoes for their dinner because no one wants to make the potatoes so that's just what they do.  I was wanting to help in the kitchen so I was tasked with making enough for 14 people.  Easy enough, yes?  Yeah.....I didn't really read the directions at all so I got the water measurement mixed up with the potato measurement and then I just dumped it all in the pan, which I didn't know someone had already turned on so the whole lot of it got scorched.  Eeeek.  So, Susan, who is Jan's MIL tried her darndest to help me add more milk, then water, to try and get the mixture right again.....it didn't work out well!   For the leftovers dinner last night we just scrapped those and started over!  And I volunteered to make REAL potatoes next time!  LOL
Jan was planning to hit the black Friday sales, and I never commit until I see the adds.  Well, this year Walmart and Michaels actually started their sales on Thanksgiving!  We scoured the ads and made our game plan - which means we cut out pictures of what we want and make a collage page for each store and the times of the sales so we can stay focused.  So we ventured out about 9ish to Michael's.....then Wallyworld.  The entire parking lot was FULL.  The store was packed and a crazy madhouse!  I was circling the $1.96 movies with a load of people and thought I would never be able to move from that area!  We got everything we set out for and then started again at 5:30am the next morning.  We hit a little bit of a time warp in Fred Meyer and lost our focus but at the end of it all I think we got everything we wanted. 

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

new star quilt

So, I know that I was supposed to be working on my scrappy quilt and all but.....I had to start something new!  For some reason cutting loads and loads of squares before being able to actually sew anything is not so appealing to me.  Hmm.  I will come back to that project eventually but for now I need something where I can cut, sew, get up and iron, sew some more, you know?  AnywayI saw this quilt on Pinterest and filed it away as something I'd like to do someday.  And, now that I've relooked at it I've realized that I never noticed the gray in there before.  Don't know that I'll add gray to mine?  And, I also didn't really notice that the centers were a different color from the star points.  Funny how you can see something and then not really remember what you exactly saw.  That's okay though because what I'm making is my interpretation and I didn't intend to copy hers exactly anyways :)   Anywhoo, this is what I have so far.  Can I please tell you how much I love that darker blue square towards the bottom?  It' Holly Hobbie in the center!  Love.
100_2888[1]So, that's what's new here, what's new with you?

Sunday, November 6, 2011

snowy cozy weekend

Oh man!  I have had the most kick-back weekend ever!  Friday was actually a really nice day, sun out.  I spent the whole day reading!  I read the book "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins.  A gal that goes to book club with me had recommended the series, and the movie of the book is coming out soon so I thought I'd give it a shot.  I have to say it took me a bit to get into it, mostly because I've been so busy and have like 3 other books I'm reading right now also.  Once I actually gave it my attention I got into it and read it in two days!  I liked it and am looking forward to reading book 2, which was checked out at the library.  I'll have to get on a waiting list like I did for book 1.
Yesterday I woke up to snow!  100_2875[2]It did snow last week but mostly melted off by the end of the day.  Yesterday was a real snow day, because it stuck.  It snowed all day long, it was fun to watch.100_2876[1]I had a really fun day yesterday, my friend Brooke was in town for a girls weekend with her sister and some friends,  and I was invited!  Her Dad had hired 2 massage therapists for the day to pamper the ladies!  Everyone was scrapbooking and chatting, and I took a knitting project.  I did have my scrapbook tote and stuff still in the car from last weekend, but didn't feel like trekking it into the house through the snow.  It was great to see everyone and laugh a bunch :) 
Today I woke up to even more snow!100_2881[3]
Isn't it pretty, though?  When I don't have to drive in it with ice then I think it's pretty, lol!  So, today I put on Christmas music, roasted the last pumpkin and did some more knitting.  Check it out:
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This was the last pumpkin that didn't get smashed. I cut it up, took out the seeds, roasted it and then pureed it! Look how much puree I got! A whole large sized pyrex bowl! I am amazed at how much.100_2883[1]
The smaller containers hold 2.9 cups and the larger ones hold 4 cups!
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I think I have enough for some pies, lots of bread and who knows what else!  One thing is for sure, I won't have to buy pumpkin in a can for a loooooonnng time!  Love it.  I have to say that it was really easy, a litte bit of a time consuming endeavor but not bad.  I did other stuff while it was roasting and the peeling and pureeing didn't take too long at all.  I say do it.
I'll leave you with a little cat paw in the snow! I mean, really - how cute is that???
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