Leslie Unfinished

Trying New Things: Urban 9-Patch Block

2012-02-17T15:44:00.000-06:00

There's a crazy little Quilt Along over at Sew Kind of Wonderful. I say crazy because the creator, Jenny, created this block and the special ruler you need to make it. I don't even begin to understand how she came up with something so brilliant.

I needed to make a tester block to discover its level of difficulty AND to decide if I really wanted to undertake an entire quilt. And while the curves may seem a bit scary at first, it all went together quite easily.

I just happened to have enough of this fabric left over from a 2011 Valentine project and love how this block turned out. I think I'll make it into a pillow to use next year.

I love this center portion (above) and at some point, I'll make an entire quilt of these blocks. I still haven't decided if I'm going to make an entire quilt of the complete block, (although I know exactly what fabric I'd use) but at least this experiment was a success!

If you're thinking of joining in or need a little more inspiration, go to the Urban 9-Patch flickr group and check out the great blocks that have been completed.

P.S. Okay, I'm going to do it. My goal: done by Easter!

The Valentine Quilt

2012-02-15T17:20:00.000-06:00

I really don't go into decorating for minor holidays or even seasons. I don't know why. I just don't. So, this year, I've decided to make me some seasonal quilts to change out with the holidays. First up, is The Valentine Quilt.

I was off to a good start, but had a slow finish, when my sewing machine broke. But, with the new Janome in the house, I finished it with only 2 days to spare.

I knew I wanted to make a Valentine quilt, but just couldn't quite get a vision of what I wanted until I was browsing around on Pinterest one day. That's when I saw these cute Valentine's from a blog called Inchmark. If you read my previous post about my sentimental fondness for orange and pink, you'll understand why I was drawn to this color combination.

After looking at heart quilt block patterns, I found some inspiration that led me to design the heart block in the quilt with my Electric Quilt software Santa brought me. Of course, the blocks took longer that originally planned (don't they always?) so I decided to put a simple square-pieced block in between. I definitely think it was the right decision.

And, of course, a quilt is not complete until it's washed, dried and looking crinkly.

My favorite moment is looking at a quilt for the first time freshly pulled from the dryer. I become giddy with excitement.

I don't think I can get a St. Patrick's Day quilt together, so I think my next one will be a Spring/Easter quilt.

Happy Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T17:40:00.000-06:00

A Quilter's Equation

2012-02-14T14:30:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the family, Janome.

The Basics: Color Scheming

2012-02-07T15:42:00.000-06:00

Over the years, I've heard many people say that they just don't know how to put colors together. And while it can sometimes get complicated, it doesn't need to be. In fact, whether it's picking colors for a quilt or for your home, there's an easy formula to follow.

Now, I'm not going to get into the color wheel or talk about mixing patterns of different scale. This post is just about color. This formula is basic. To some, it may even seem obvious, but I've learned that what some of us take as second nature, can be a complete mystery to others.

1. The first strip is to find your Inspiration Fabric. There's no right or wrong with your inspiration fabric. It's simply a fabric you love. But, to make the rest of the process even easier, choose an Inspiration Fabric that has 3 or more colors.

Here's the Inspiration Fabric my husband picked out. I have six colors and a white background to work with.

2. With fabric in hand, choose a separate fabric in each of the colors in your Inspiration Fabric.

For me, I know my quilt is going to be for a boy, and I know it's going to be a pinwheel pattern. I also know that I want to use only dots and circles. While that narrows my selection, I got lucky and found three dots in the colors I need.

NOTE: Pay attention to the backgrounds or "whites" of your fabric. Mine has a white-white background or white stripe, so I want my dots to be white as well. If my "whites" end up being too off-white, they can look dirty compared to the white-white of my inspiration fabric.

With a stripe as my Inspiration Fabric, geometrics are an easy no-brainer print to use. They can be in a color with a white pattern or in a color with a tonal pattern. As long as the colors stay within the color palette of my Inspiration Fabric, I can't go wrong.

What I don't want to do is introduce another color. Say I find the perfect yellow and it has a tiny purple dot. Purple is not in my Inspiration Fabric, so I'm not even going to consider it.

I found the fabric, below, in my home-stash. It has all the right colors and could easily be incorporated.

I really wanted all my polka-dots to be white, but alas, you have to work with what you can find. So, I have two fabrics with tonal circles, and then a red fabric with a little larger circle design. But, they could have all been the same print in different colors and would have worked.

In the end, I selected one fabric for each color in my Inspiration Fabric.

See? I told you it was easy.

WIP: The Valentine Quilt

2012-02-01T17:23:00.000-06:00

The quilt top is finally done. Whew! It took longer to piece than I anticipated.

There was a lot of sew, press, trim, sew, press, trim, sew, press....

But, now it's pinned and ready to be quilted!

And then the machine broke.

A Quilt for Baby Paxton

2012-01-26T10:06:00.000-06:00

Congratulations to our friends M & M on their new grand-baby, Paxton! Here's the flannel skull blanket I made a couple of weeks ago with the new quilt I just finished. They coordinate wonderfully together, dontcha think?

This is the quilt I wanted to get done between Christmas and New Year's Day, but my husband and I both ended up being sick. As a result, we both felt like we'd been cheated out of the best week of the year. Nothing happens and no one seems to plan anything between Christmas and New Year's Day, so it's like a free week to catch up and do whatever you want before life gets back to normal after the New Year. I had planned to get so much done....

This block quilt is the perfect style of quilt for when you just want to show the patterns of the fabric you are using. Add a little white sashing between the blocks and the fabrics really stand out. I always like to add a wide border when doing this type of quilt, because I like how it frames the blocks.

I finally climbed out of my comfort zone and away from the meandering-stitch quilting I love so much, and opted for straight lines on the diagonal. The back of this quilt is the argyle print, so it was easy to just follow the lines in the fabric and not have to mark them myself.

Finished Quilt: approximately 41" x 53"

Fabrics: by Brother Sister Designs

Blocks: 4.5"x 4.5" finished

Sashing: 1.5" finished

Border 4" finished

Wednesday's WIP

2012-01-25T10:17:00.000-06:00

Everything was going along swimmingly until my sewing machine broke. And it's the same gear that was just replaced 2 months ago. Why, oh why, do they make those parts out of plastic?

Lucky for me, my mom lives nearby. And even though she was working on a project and had both machines threaded with different colors, she let me take one.

I have a great mom!

Are You a No-Reply Blogger?

2012-01-23T11:03:00.001-06:00

Are you a No-Reply blogger? I didn't know I was until a few minutes ago.

How do I know if I'm a No-Reply blogger? View your profile. If you do not have "Email" listed under CONTACT ME, then you are a No-Reply Blogger.

Why do I care? Well, let's say I ask a question on "Carolyn's Blog" and Carolyn has all her blog's comments sent to her email. Carolyn would like to answer my question, but when she hits the reply button, instead of my email address in the To: box, it says "noreply-comment@blogger.com".

A-ha! I don't want that. Let's make the change...it's easy!

1. Go to your blog and in the upper right-hand corner click on DESIGN.

2. Next, click on YOUR BLOG NAME.

3. Select BLOGGER PROFILE.

4. In the top right-hand corner, select the EDIT PROFILE button.

5. First, under PRIVACY see SHOW MY EMAIL ADDRESS and CHECK THE BOX. Next, under IDENTITY, find EMAIL ADDRESS and ENTER YOUR EMAIL in the box. This email can be any email of your choosing. I don't really want mine to be my personal email, so I have another one set up just for blogging and shop purposes. [Note that changing this email does NOT change the email address you use to sign-in.]

6. Now scroll to the bottom of the page, select SAVE PROFILE.

Your changes are complete and you're all set up to facilitate communication in the blogging world. And isn't that what blogging is all about?

Seasonal Quilts: The Valentine Quilt

2012-01-21T21:09:00.000-06:00

I don't know about you, but I keep very little of what I make. Most of my projects are gifts, and while I love making gifts, right now I want to make something for keeps. I don't decorate my home much for the seasons. Christmas? Yes. Easter...I have a bunch of eggs I painted, but I keep those in glass vases year round. Halloween? No. Valentine's Day? No.

So, I've decided to start making me some seasonal quilts. The first one will be a Valentine Quilt, so I've been collecting pink and orange fabrics. That's right...pink and orange.

I think I love this color combination because it reminds me of the bedroom my sister and I shared growing up. The wallpaper had rows and rows of pink and orange flowers. The carpet was orange shag, and a pink light fixture that had a big round globe surrounded by a curtain of clear pink beads hung from the ceiling. An orange chenille bedspread, of course, and yeah, we loved that room. It was cool in the 70s.

Napa, California. January, 1973.

My mom and I scribbled out an idea for a block the other day, but I'm still waffling back-n-forth on the details. Sashing/No Sashing... Border/No Border...etc.

I plotted out the block on my Electric Quilt 7 software I got for Christmas and just need to experiment with how I want to put it together. Paper-piecing or template?

And by the way, the EQ7 software is pretty cool. It automatically prints for paper-piecing, or template pieces, and tells me how much of each fabric I need. You can change a quilt in numerous ways with just a click of the mouse, and I think that's why I can't make up my mind.

Flannel Blanket with Handmade Piping Tutorial

2012-01-18T13:57:00.000-06:00

I found this cute skull flannel for a blanket for a friend's new grandson. But, since charcoal grey can be awfully dark for a baby, I wanted to add just a bit of color to brighten it up. Since I'm also making him a quilt to match his crib bedding, I added a light blue piping to the blanket. Unfortunately, I wanted an aqua blue and not a baby blue, which was all I could find pre-made. Luckily, it was easy to make my own!

FABRIC NEEDS:

One and two-third yards EACH of top flannel fabric and coordinating backing.
Three-fouths of a yard binding fabric. (I used 100% Kona Cotton)

Finished blanket is approximately 40"x 58".

***PRE-WASH ALL FABRICS***

Cutting the Blanket:

1. I always cut my flannel blankets RIGHT sides together. That's how they'll be sewn, so just in case something isn't quite straight, at least both pieces will match. Simply smooth both pieces together and cut all sides in a straight line. You just want all sides straight and corners squared.

2. To make it easier on myself when I attached the piping, I rounded the corners. Simply fold the corner of a piece of paper and cut your desired curve. Pin to both pieces of fabric and cut.

Making the Piping:

Typically, a piping would have an inner cord. But, because of how I used it, I omitted the inside cord. For smaller projects, I've cut piping on the grain, but because this one needs to be sewn on a curve, it needs to be cut on the bias.

The bias is simply the cross-grain of your fabric.

1. Calculate the perimeter of the blanket to determine how many strips you'll need to cut. Mine is crib-sized (40" x 60") so that's 200 inches around. I cut my piping from a 1 yard piece of fabric so I would have long strips instead of a lot of short ones to piece together. I had to buy a little more fabric to get the longer lengths, but the extra fabric won't go to waste.

2. Open your fabric and lay it out (single layer) with selvages on the top and bottom as shown in the graphic above. Using your ruler, line up the 45 degree marking on the edge (the selvage) of your fabric. (If you don't have a cutting ruler and rotary cutter, mark lines with a yard stick or tape measure.)

3. Cut multiple 1-inch strips. I used approximately 8-9 strips.

4. Trim both ends of each strip so that they are square. Lay two strips RIGHT sides together as shown below.

5. Line up your ruler creating a 45 degree angle that goes from the corner of the top strip down to the corner of the strip underneath.

6. Mark along the ruler's edge. This is the line you are going to sew on.

7. Pin in place if necessary, transfer to your machine and stitch in place. Trim excess corner leaving a one-quarter inch seam allowance.

8. Repeat, sewing the next strip onto the one you just created, always putting RIGHT sides together. After all strips are sewn together, press all seams to the side.

9. With WRONG sides together, fold strip lengthwise on itself with raw edges together, and press. You're now ready to sew it to your blanket!

Attaching the Piping to Your Blanket:

1. Working with one layer of the blanket (I'm using the bottom layer) line up piping (raw edges to raw edge) and pin to the blanket. Leaving about 4 inches of the piping unattached, baste piping all around the bottom layer and stop several inches from your starting point. I used a one-quarter inch seam allowance.

2. Back at the starting point, turn 1-inch of the piping and pin in place. This will give us a finished edge.

3. Lay the piping from your stopping point over the starting point binding. Trim as needed so that you only have about one-half inch overlapping.

4. Fold over the turned back piping and secure. (The end of the piping in nestled inside.) Finish basting piping to bottom layer of blanket.

5. With RIGHT sides together, pin bottom layer and top layer together. The piping will be between the two layers.

6. Sewing directly on the basted line or just to the left of it, stitch layers together but leave a gap of 8 inches un-sewn. This will allow us to turn the blanket right side out. Because of the machine foot I used, it was easy for me to sew just to the left of my basting stitch and make my seam allowance just a little bit bigger.

7. Remove blanket from machine and carefully clip the curved edges.

8. Through the un-sewn gap, turn RIGHT side out using your fingers to smooth out sides and curves.

9. Don't underestimate a good pressing. Take your time and press all around the blanket paying attention to the un-stitched gap. Press it straight, pin in place, then stitch by hand.

That's it! The blanket is complete and ready to be used!

Wednesday's WIP

2012-01-11T14:27:00.000-06:00

There's a hip new baby in town.

His crib bumpers and car seat cover are made from the circles and argyle prints.

I'm making a crib quilt and coordinating skull receiving blanket.

Baby gear sure has changed over the years...and I love it!

Blog Tips From a Non-Tech Blogger

2012-01-03T18:33:00.000-06:00

I'm definitely not a blog expert. In fact, I only seem to get a post out every week or two. I know how to do a few things within Blogger and I have some good graphic software to help me make it look unique, but if something technical comes up, I either search the Internet or ask my techno-geek husband. So, honestly, I really don't know much.

What I do know, is that there are a few things about blogs that bug me. I don't want to call them egregious errors. They're just small things that can be easily changed to make a blog more visually appealing...according to me.

Small photos. Photos are a huge part of blogging. We all want to think that our words are what draw followers, but honestly, I mainly look at the pictures. If I can't see what's in your photo, I'm less likely to read the words. Typically, I think photos should be sized Large or Extra-Large. If your column is too small to accommodate a bigger photo, change it.
Hard to read fonts. If you are blogging, you obviously want others to read what you have to say. Fancy or handwritten fonts are...plain and simple...hard to read. Be very choosy with your font, its size AND its color. Make it easy for your reader. Dark text is easier to read. Fancy/Handwritten fonts usually need to be larger than simple fonts. Use something simple for the body of text and keep the fancy fonts for the title of the blog post.
Narrow page. Sometimes I wonder if we pay too much attention to a blog's background. While the background helps to distinguish one blog from another, we follow a blog for its content, not for its cute background. The main page should be the focus. The background is just a pretty frame.
Too wide sidebars. Sidebars are a fun place to add gadgets, buttons and other information about our selves but they shouldn't compete with the main column. You know, where all the good stuff is! They should by only about one-third the size of the main posting column. And again, decreasing the sidebar will allow for a bigger photo.

These are just a few ideas I've been kicking around. I hope you find them helpful. Now, I need to get a quilt done so I'll have something to blog about.

Not Really a New Year's Resolution Post

2011-12-31T23:08:00.000-06:00

I don't really make New Year's resolutions. With that said, there ARE things I hope to accomplish this year. Some of which, are to enjoy the process of the projects I do, not feel in a rush to get them done and experiment a bit more.

A few weeks ago, my husband and I had a unexpectedly fun experience. We headed to the Oklahoma City Museum of Art to see a photography exhibit called Faded Elegance. While the exhibit was truly amazing, the real surprise was an exhibit entitled Poodles and Pastries, which featured the artist, Franco Mondini-Ruiz, live and in person. And boy was he live! Fun and talkative, his art was for sale ("the more you buy the more you save") and we were told to "come on in", handle the art, take it off the wall and play around with combinations and layouts. I think we spent about an hour deciding on the right combination of canvases for us. (We purchased 10 by the time we were done.)

There's no explaining why art speaks to you. I have a degree in Fashion Merchandising (as it was called in the old days), so that may be why it appealed to me so much. I was pleasantly surprised that my husband dug it as well. We're not too serious in home decor and loved the whimsy of it all. Plus, I love its graphic nature...black and white. Simple.

I did a little research on Franco (as we were on a first name basis by the time we left) and found this great comment he gave in an interview:

Now, while we certainly have plenty of gadgets and crap in our home and I like Stein Mart as much as the next person, here are a few things about how we live that help steer us away from the madness and help us to find the beauty:

We live in a small house. Only so much will fit in it. And with only the three of us, how big of a house do we really need?
We have empty walls here and there waiting for something we love, not just something to fill the space.
We have art on our walls painted by a treasured friend and me.
I sew a lot and have a 20+ year old sewing machine. As much as I think I "need" a new one, I honestly have everything I need, and it runs like a dream.
My husband takes pictures and finds beauty in ordinary and unexpected places.
We don't give a lot of gifts to each other. Instead, we often choose to DO something together.
We visit museums locally and when we travel.
We go to dinner with good friends and have good conversation in small, independently owned restaurants.
Sometimes, we ignore the errands and the To-Do List and sit on the couch together and read a book.
And sometimes...just sometimes...we ignore the phone when you call :)

What do you do to stop the madness?

Krumkake: A Scandinavian Cookie

2011-12-27T20:14:00.000-06:00

While my father was full-blooded Norwegian, there was very little evidence of this part of our heritage in our home. I've always been rather sad about that, and I don't know why we didn't explore it more. He DID make us Norwegian pancakes on Christmas Day, and occasionally we had krumkake.

I'm originally from California and moved to Oklahoma when I married. We typically stayed home and spent Christmas with my husband's family. At some point, I started to make krumkake for Christmas and it became somewhat of a tradition. Until this year, however, I hadn't made it for several years. So this year, I ditched my electric Pizelle maker that I'd be using and went for the old-school authentic Krumkake Iron.

The krumkake iron sits directly on the stove burners and is indented with a frilly pattern. While it's relatively easy to make, it IS time consuming as you can only make one cookie at a time.

When the iron is hot, I brush both sides of the iron with melted butter, place about a tablespoon of batter on the iron, lower the other half and hit the timer.

Cooking time depends on how high of heat you use. I use a 4 setting and cook the first side for 35 seconds, then flip it over and cook the other side for 1 minute 25 seconds. I burned a lot of cookies before I got the heat and time just right.

When the cookie is golden brown you remove it from the iron and roll it around a cone-shaped tube while it is still pliable. Invariably, I burn my fingers. I have no idea how NOT to burn my fingers. I think it's just part of the ritual.

They cool pretty quickly and are crispy and ready to be filled with whatever your heart desires. Whipped cream and berries seem to be the tradition, but I like to fill mine with a custard-type filling.

You don't want to fill them until you're ready to serve them. So a gift box with tissue paper is the perfect was to store and transport them. They're relatively fragile and will break. My grandfather would store krumkake in a shoebox. As a kid, I remember him holding out a shoebox and offering me a cookie. At the time I thought it was strange, but it really is a great idea!

This year, I made a quick and easy filling from Instant Vanilla Pudding, Heavy Cream and a touch of sugar. Pureed raspberries with a little sugar added for sweetness and a touch of milk for creaminess gave it a little zing.

Grandma Signe's Krumkake (makes about 5 dozen)

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup water

4 cups flour

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cream butter and sugar together.

2. Add eggs and vanilla; and mix.

3. Add alternately, water and flour.

4. Drop by tablespoon on iron.

Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T00:07:00.001-06:00

Cake Balls: Christmas 2011

2011-12-21T18:46:00.000-06:00

I struggled with what to give to those-I-need-to-give-a-little-sumthin'-to this year. I always think I'd like to give something healthy because by the time the week before Christmas comes around, I'm a little bit treated out. An assortment of our favorite cookies was an idea, but Wow! That seemed like a lot of batches of cookies. And while seven flavors of cake balls may seem like a lot...it's really quite easy. And...you can't beat how pretty they look!

This is the second year I've made cake balls with my mother. We simply take a day and just do it. We get a rhythm and an assembly line going and it actually moves along pretty quickly. For most of these we did half-batches. One cake made two different flavors. Using the Basic Cake Ball How-To, simply half it (use half the cake and half the frosting) and add one-and-a-half teaspoons of flavoring. Add your flavoring and any food coloring to your frosting first, before combining it with your crumbled cake.

Here's what we did this year:

Lemon

Half a white cake, crumbled.
Half a can of cream cheese frosting with one-and-a-half teaspoons of lemon extract AND yellow food coloring mixed in.
Dipped in white chocolate with flower on top made from melted yellow Make 'n Mold Candy Wafers.

Chocolate Mint

Half a chocolate cake, crumbled.
Half a can of cream cheese frosting with one-and-a-half teaspoons peppermint extract (not mint).
Dipped in dark chocolate.
When chocolate is hard, partially dip in white chocolate, and then immediately dip into chopped Andes mints.

Orange

Half a white cake, crumbled.
Half a can of cream cheese frosting with one-and-a-half teaspoons of orange extract and orange food coloring mixed in.
Dipped in dark chocolate.
Add a few drops of red food coloring to yellow Make 'n Mold Candy Wafers for orange swirl.

Salted Caramel

Half a butter pecan cake, crumbled.
Half a can of cream cheese frosting with approximately 12 Werther's Original CaraMelts, melted and mixed into the frosting.
Dipped in milk chocolate.
Melt remaining Werther's CaraMelts and drizzle over cake ball and immediately add a pinch of sea salt to the top.

Chocolate Peanut Butter

Half a chocolate cake, crumbled.
Half of a half can of cream cheese frosting and an equivalent amount of peanut butter mixed together. (Can be either smooth or chunky peanut butter.)
Dipped in milk chocolate with melted Nestle peanut butter chips criss-cross pattern on top.

Maple

Half of a butter pecan cake, crumbled.
Half of a can of cream cheese frosting with one-and-a-half teaspoons of maple flavoring mixed in.
Dipped in white chocolate with a yellow candy melt and Werther's CaraMelt drizzle.

Red Velvet

Whole red velvet cake, crumbled.
Whole can of cream cheese frosting.
Dipped in dark chocolate with a dark chocolate drizzle.

Box them up and deliver!

Unfortunately, some of you out there didn't get your designated box this year. My delivery timing was off, as I really didn't think through all the things I had to do over the weekend. But, from our house to yours, Merry Christmas!

Paul's Spiced Cider

2011-12-20T15:39:00.000-06:00

Many years ago my husband, Paul, inherited a traditional at our church. On the Sunday before Christmas, we meet together during our second and third hours (yes, 3 hours) with treats and cider and share Christmas stories. Now, these aren't stories about the year Santa brought you that super-cool toy you always wanted, these are stories that helped bring the spirit of Christmas specifically into your life. I remember one family would tell how they would go to IHOP to eat and they'd pick out someone in the restaurant and then anonymously pay that person's bill. Or, someone who came home to find that their apartment and secretly been decorated for Christmas.

Paul inherited the job of making the cider and I love that he does it every year. And every year he get numerous requests for the recipe. Unfortunately, there's no real recipe. He, literally, just throws stuff in. A handful of this, a capful of that. I only had a cup of cider this year and our son didn't get any, so we made another batch.

This was my chance to jot some amounts down. I forced him to use a measuring spoon. He wasn't going to at first. And for a minute there, it got quite ugly. So, here's his recipe. And in Paul's words..."This is a close as it gets."

Paul's Spiced Cider Recipe (makes about 5 gallons)
2 gallons apple juice (128 oz. each)
2 half-gallons pineapple juice (32 oz. each)
1 bottle orange juice (59 oz.)
1 bottle cranberry juice (32 oz.)
3 cups water
2 cups. brown sugar
6 cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 Tablespoons whole allspice
2-3 teaspoons whole cloves (depending on preference)
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
A really big pot (or split into two pots or half the recipe)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Pour all liquids in a large pot.
2. Add spices and bring contents to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer with the lid on for 2 hours.
3. Let cider cool a bit and then pour through a strainer to extract the cloves, allspice and cinnamon sticks.
4. Using a funnel, pour cider back into the original juice containers to easily store in the refrigerator. Shake bottle before reopening, as spices will settle to the bottom.

We typically use the cheap stuff when making 15 gallons, but for last night's batch we used these natural, organic juices. These don't have as much sugar, so we ended up added another half cup of brown sugar and threw in a couple more caps full of spices and let it simmer some more. The cheaper generic juices tend to have more sugar in them, so you don't need to add as much.

"It's a to taste thing..." Truly, you can adjust this recipe to your own taste. It's not rocket science. If your orange juice is only a 32 ouncer, don't sweat it. It's going to be fine. More cloves or less, do it. Once, we decreased the orange juice and increased the cranberry juice and it had a completely different, yet fantastic flavor.

Make it your own and enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday: Cake Balls

2011-12-14T22:05:00.001-06:00

WIP Wednesday

2011-12-07T21:25:00.001-06:00

I've been a bit frantic the past week. My church's annual Christmas Cantata starts this weekend. Three performances beginning Friday, and an additional performance next week. I've lost track as to whether it's in its eighth or ninth year. I accompanied the choir on piano all but two of those years. This year I'm an alto in the choir and I needed something 'jewel toned' to wear with a dark skirt. Seeing as this is the holiday season (meaning Christmas and New Year's Eve are both right around the corner), I didn't think I'd have much of a problem finding something to wear. I couldn't have been more wrong.

After searching everywhere, and I mean everywhere (even stores I never shop in) it became clear I had to make something. I had to go to 4 fabric stores before I finally found something that would work for me. Being a redhead is sometimes difficult. I don't wear red. It has to be the 'right' purple. Green would be great, but apparently it's not 'in' this year because it was really scarce. I'm pretty sure Peacock Blue doesn't technically qualify as a 'jewel tone', but that's the color I'm going with.

No silk shantung in stock, so I had to go with the poly version. Fortunately, I have a favorite blouse pattern, so I at least I knew the pattern would work and the fit wouldn't be a problem. Burda pattern #8497 to the rescue.

So, the blouse is almost done. Just need to hem the sleeves, but that'll have to wait until after I help set-up for our Nativity display that coincides with the Cantata. We're planning on 600 nativities and while I don't have to set them all up personally, it'll still be an all day process setting up rooms and decorations.

P.S. This was blouse number two. I had found a deep purple sweater and made a purple satiny blouse to go under it, you know, to give me a little shine. It was the ugliest thing I've ever made and both blouse and pattern were quickly disposed of. Had there been any photo documentation of the disaster, they would have been destroyed too.

Sometimes, things just don't work out like you planned.

Wee Words Wednesday

2011-11-30T21:02:00.001-06:00

I didna work on any projects today...

I was verra behind on my DVR, so I got a wee bit caught up on it as I decked the halls...

And I did a wee bit o' reading about a bonny lad named Jamie Fraser...

Ye ken?

Whole-Cloth Quilts: Baby Boy P Edition

2011-11-21T21:05:00.001-06:00

The invitation came on a Tuesday. The shower was the coming Saturday. I was in the middle of a commissioned quilt with an approaching deadline. A rational person would go out and buy a gift, but I have this thing about handmade. Especially when it comes to baby quilts and blankets. I think it's genetic...

The babies in my family are big. My son, at 5 lbs. 11 oz., was an anomaly. But, he was also six weeks early. I've always wondered what he would have been full-term. I mean, lots of people have full-term babies at 6 pounds! In our family, nine and ten pound babies are the norm. I was 10 lbs. 2 oz. myself. Maybe that's why my mom started making baby blankets in the first place. The store bought ones were just too skimpy to wrap one of her babies in.

With the Saturday morning baby shower quickly approaching, I knew a whole-cloth quilt was the way to go. I must admit that I'm really beginning to enjoy making them. The quilting process is a breeze. So much easier to quilt than the one I just finished today and broke 3 heavy duty needles on. And, I really like being able to just see the fabric, you know? There's so many cute fabrics out there, sometimes I just want to look at it.

Fabric Used:

Front: Riley Blake's Alphabet Soup Boy color-way

Back & Binding: Lila Tueller's Spirit Bubbly Sky for the back and binding.

Whole-Cloth Quilts - The Superman Edition

2011-11-17T19:05:00.001-06:00

"Why cut up a perfectly good piece of fabric just to sew it back together again?" That would be my grandmother speaking. While she was an excellent hand-quilter and her quilts often won blue ribbons at the county fair, she was known to express that very idea. Why cut it up, just to sew it all back together? Many quilters would say that that's half the fun, while others just might agree with grandma.

Here's a whole-cloth quilt I made for some young friends fostering an adorable baby boy. I just couldn't get enthused about piecing it with something else. The dad is a total and complete Superman fan, so when I saw the fabric, I knew it was for him. Um...I mean...for the baby....

Whole-Cloth Quilts are simply two pieces of fabric quilted together. I've made a few of them in the last couple of weeks, and surprisingly, I have really enjoyed them and their end result. Typically, whole-cloth quilts will be quilted with an elaborate pattern. But, since it's just me and my 20 year old Singer machine on my dining room table, I'm sticking to my favorite meandering pattern...

...which, by the way, I love. I think a meandering pattern really emphasizes the crinkles of a quilt after it's washed. Although the right quilting design can really make a pattern come to life, personally, I don't enjoy a lot of fancy quilting. For me, the quilting is just what holds it all together.

Pinwheel Quilt for Blogger's Quilt Festival

2011-10-30T20:01:00.000-05:00

I've hesitated putting this quilt up for the Blogger's Quilt Festival since I haven't given it to it's intended recipient yet. Hopefully she won't see it here before I give it to her. Shhh....nobody tell her...

I love a pinwheel quilt in any form, but I particularly love the colors and patterns in this one. I've found that when the overall quilt pattern is busy and colorful, such as this one, a large border with binding to match can help keep it from becoming 'too much'. I like the continuity the same fabric binding brings and, for me, it keeps my eye focused on the center of the quilt where all the action is.

The above photo is before washing. The photo below is after, and you can really see the texture. There's always a debate about whether to pre-wash your fabrics or not. I choose NOT to pre-wash because I think the crinkled effect is enhanced. I've never had a problem with colors bleeding, but you DO have to use quality fabrics. There are many fabrics I stay away from completely, simply because I know they're going to be trouble.

Follow this link: BLOGGER'S QUILT FESTIVAL to check out hundreds of other quilts made by creative people around the world...and be amazed!

Sneak Peak Saturday

2011-10-22T14:46:00.001-05:00

Ruffled Car Seat or Stroller Blanket

2011-10-18T19:03:00.001-05:00

It's been a little odd around our house since our son graduated high school last May. After a carefree summer of staying up and sleeping in just a little bit later, I know I usually look forward to school starting again and getting back on a schedule. But, that didn't happened this year. School started for the city, but we're still staying up late. I know it's hardest on my husband who still has to get up and go to work, as he gently reminds me. I don't have to nag about homework anymore and I feel like I'm in a constant state of summer vacation. And let me tell you, it's good. Really, really good.

But now, after waiting for my sewing machine to be repaired, and although I'm still staying up later than I should, I'm starting to get back in the swing of things. Inspired by this scarf I made a couple years ago, I kept visualizing it bigger, as a blanket, tucked in around baby legs in a car seat.

Nice and soft, and not too bulky. I'm really loving it!

While we're still working out the layout (because I keep changing my mind) you can find this blanket and other handmade items in my new Tangerine Bloom Shop. Check it out by clicking on the Tangerine Bloom logo in the right-hand column.

Pumpkin Cookies a la City Bites

2011-10-04T18:03:00.001-05:00

Those of you around the Oklahoma City area know City Bites and their tasty sandwiches. But do you know their cookies? Specifically, their Pumpkin with Cream Cheese Frosting Cookies?

It's my turn to bring a treat to the 'Glee' Watch Party I have each week with a couple of friends. So far, we've had root beer floats (made with a butterscotch root beer, yes, yummy!) and some fantastic banana cupcakes, so I'm feeling the pressure.

I found a fellow Oklahoman's blog with a pumpkin cookie recipe promising to be just like CB's. One comment following the post, however, swears that the exact CB pumpkin cookie recipe is on another site. So, cookie recipe from one site and frosting recipe from another. I don't know if the cookie recipe is the real thing, but it's doggone close.

Pumpkin Cookie Recipe - originally found on All Recipes

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsps. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine all dry ingredients and set aside.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by generous tablespoons; flatten slightly.

3. Bake 13-15 minutes. Cool cookies, then frost.

Cream Cheese Frosting - from the blog Dishin & Dishes

INGREDIENTS:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. butter, softened
4 c. powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. ground cloves

DIRECTIONS:
Sift the powdered sugar. Cream butter and cream cheese together until fluffy. Add the vanilla and spices. Slowly add the powdered sugar.* Frost cookies.

*I got ahead of myself and just added everything together at once and the frosting came out perfect!

Enjoy!

September 11th - Ten Years Later

2011-09-11T19:12:00.000-05:00

I don't think a day like today needs a lot of words, so I won't try to say something meaningful and eloquent. The first time I visited New York City was in 1978 when I was 13 years old. My younger sister and I went to visit our other sister, who was living in The City at the time. It was a captivating trip and I have loved NYC ever since.

This a smashed penny I've kept in my jewelry box for 33 years. I'm afraid to lose it, so I don't keep with the collection of smashed pennies I've collected over the years. Instead, I keep it close to my heart.

College Bound Quilt

2011-08-13T17:13:00.000-05:00

As I've said before, I'm over the teenage girls at my church. Along with the other adult women I work with, we adore these girls. We're a small group and have become very close over the past several years. But suddenly, they're all growing up and moving on. Moving to different states, going off to college...sigh. The line "Everybody's changing and I don't feel the same" in a song by Keane keeps going through my mind.

My niece, Meg, is also heading off to college this month. She's going to Brigham Young University (BYU), which I also attended, and which is also where I met my husband. I've been thinking about my time there a lot since I've been working on the above quilt to give her. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...

I distinctly remember my first day on campus. We'd driven to Utah from California and it was time for my parents to head back. It was very early in the morning (my dad always liked to get an early start) and gray outside. I remember standing in my pink terrycloth robe and as my parents drove away I started to cry. There were only a handful of girls in the dorm and classes didn't even start for another several days. It was quiet and a little lonely. But soon, more students arrived, activities began, I met my husband, classes started and I had the time of my life!

Blogs are about truthfulness and honesty, right? Well, here is mine. I was kicked out of BYU after that first year for bad grades. Yeah, I'm not real proud of it, although sometimes I share it like I am. There were SO many things to do and no one to answer to! And when you meet someone special, well, let's just say classes took a back seat for me. But, just so you know, after my husband and I were married, I did go back to college and graduated cum laude. That's something, right?

Anyway, here's a quilt for Meg made from Michael Miller's Gypsy Bandana line. It was a dual effort with my mom. She cut and put the top together and I quilted it. It screams to be kept in my home, but alas, I shall part with it.

Because the fabric patterns are so bold, we just went with large blocks, almost as if you had several gypsy bandanas and sewed them together.

And a coordinating pillowcase!

So, Dear Meg,
Good luck this year! Go to class and study. You'll still have plenty of time to hang out with friends, meet boys and discover all there is to discover at BYU. It's an awesome place and you'll love it! This time is yours to discover who you are and what YOU want your life to be. Your mom can't decide that for you anymore. It's up to you and anything is possible. We love you!
-Aunt Leslie

I drafted this post before I saw Meg today. In giving her the "go to class/study" pep talk, my mom reminded her to not make her aunt's or her mom's mistakes. She replied, "Why would I want to make someone else's mistakes? I'm going to make my own." Yeah, she's a smart cookie.

Grown-Up Friendship Bracelets

2011-08-05T17:19:00.001-05:00

I can't seem to get enough of macrame bracelets. Maybe it's because I can watch a movie and macrame at the same time. And because it is still unbearably hot with no end in sight, I haven't even wanted to leave the cool comforts of home.

Since I've become a recluse, I've spent a wee bit too much time on the computer looking at Pinterest. Have you discovered it yet? I love it! It's basically an online bulletin board and now when I see an idea, I can easily find my way back to it.

That's where I came across this Chan Luu bracelet for one hundred plus dollars (14 kt. gold plated brass beads and cotton cording). Looking closely at it though, it's just a few different macrame knots.

So I bought some DMC floss and some (less expensive) beads and went to work. These are actually three different bracelets put together.

On this one, I used a variegated cotton of blues and a thin silver cording from the ribbon department. A button with a shank hides the big knot at the end and fits into a woven button hole. (See How-To at the end of this post.) It wraps around the wrist three times.

This last one is all one bracelet (it wraps 5 times). After every wrist length I changed the knotting so that it looks like five different bracelets. I definitely did not want to run out of floss before I achieved my desired length, so I used the entire skein of DMC floss in each color. Good thing the floss is really cheap!

I used the basic knots that you can find on this previous Macrame Tutorial post. The closure I used on the bracelets in that tutorial was fine for hemp, but I didn't want a bunch of loose hanging strands of floss on these. So I found a different method that I like for these particular bracelets.

First chose a button to use for your closure. A button with a shank works great! With your cut floss strands together, fold in half and find the middle of the length.

About one inch to the left of the center is where you want to start. I taped mine to the top of my entertainment center so it had plenty of room to hang.

Then, following regular macrame directions, I made several half knots to create a spiral effect.

You want to make it long enough so that when you fold it over and knot the loose ends together it forms a loop to fit whatever sized button you've chosen for a closure.

Continue knotting your bracelet with your desired pattern. When you've reached your desired length, string ALL strands through the button shank and tie all strands in a knot.

Trim off excess strands and you have a nice, clean bracelet!

Summer Mug Rug

2011-07-23T20:34:00.001-05:00

Mug Rugs aren't just for summer, and with the right kind of fabric, you don't even need to do any piecing!

It's been unbearably hot (98-106 degrees) AND humid here in Oklahoma for more than 30 days. We have odd/even watering days. My back lawn is dead and the front is barely surviving. I don't even want to go outside. So, I watched a little Harry Potter today and made a mug rug for my sister-in-law.

Macrame Bracelet Tutorial

2011-07-12T17:31:00.003-05:00

This is a fun summer, rainy day or camp activity that each participant can individualize. If you are planning a craft for a large group, this one is ridiculously economical. Supplies for 200 girls were just about $50. That's hard to beat.

Supplies:
Hemp
Beads (I love wooden beads for this)
Scissors
Packing Tape, Safety Pin or Clipboard
Pencil

Setting Started:
Cut 2 lengths of hemp, each 2 yards long. With both strands together, find the middle of the strands and loop together on one end, while gathering the four cut ends together on the other. Tie a knot at the looped end. This will be part of the closure for the bracelet. It's very hard, if not impossible to correct a loop that is too big when your bracelet is finished. I've found the perfect loop fits around a pencil.

For ease, your hemp now needs to be attached to something stable. Tape the knot to a surface (table or back of chair), clip it in a clipboard or hook a safety pin through the loop and attach to a tablecloth or weighted-down placemat. You are going to pull pretty hard as you make the knots and it's easier if your bracelet is secure.

The Basic Knot:

With your hemp secured, untangle and separate the strands.

As shown in the diagram below, you will clearly have a left strand (red), right strand (blue) and two center filler strands (gray). Your center filler strands will be stationary. Keep them taut. I usually just hold them between my knees or loop them around the front button of my jeans.

1. Make a number '4' by bringing the LEFT strand over the CENTER FILLER strands.

2. Hold in place with your left thumb and bring the RIGHT strand to the TOP.

3. With the RIGHT strand on top, go OVER the LEFT strand, UNDER the CENTER FILLER strands and through the loop created by the '4'. Pull up to the top knot tightly.

You've just created a half-knot. To make the knot complete, repeat the same steps beginning with the RIGHT strand.

4. Make a backwards '4' by bringing the RIGHT strand across the CENTER FILLER strands.

5. Hold in place with your right thumb and bring the LEFT strand to the TOP.

6. With the LEFT strand on top, go OVER the RIGHT strand, UNDER the CENTER FILLER strands and through the loop created by the backwards '4'. Pull up to the top knot tightly.

If you lose track of which side should go next, find the vertical loop indicated by the arrow below. Whatever side it is on, that's the side to start on!

Adding Beads:

To add a bead, simply string a bead on the two CENTER FILLER strands and knot as usual. The knot will hold the bead in place.

Finishing the Bracelet:
When your bracelet is the desired length, tie a knot close to the woven hemp that includes all four strands. Test the knot through the loop on the other end. If the knot is too small, tie another knot directly on top of the first knot to make it bigger. Usually, two knots are just right. Trim off the extra hemp strands and you're done!

UPDATE: For a different closure see the How-To at the end of my Grown-Up Friendship Bracelets post HERE.

The hemp will be stiff and a little scratchy at first, but it will soften up as it's worn. Once you are comfortable with the basic knot you can experiment with different techniques.

To make this spiral bracelet, simply start on the left side with a half-knot and continue making half-knots with the left strand until you reach your desired length.

This bracelet uses a switchback technique. String a small bead on each of the two outside strands. Then, bring the two outside strands together (they will now be your filler strands) and from behind, pull one filler strand to the left and the other to the right, making them the outside strands. Starting on the LEFT, tie a half-knot, but don't pull completely tight. Leave it loose about a half an inch, then take the RIGHT strand and complete the knot pulling tight. Make a few knots between each switchback to help keep its shape.

The possibilities are up to you. Enjoy!

Quick and Easy Tote Bag

2011-06-23T21:56:00.001-05:00

It seems that I always need a bag to carry some-thing, some-where. Here's an idea for a quick and easy tote bag that can be adjusted to any size. If you can sew a straight line (and probably even if you can't) you CAN make this bag!

Finished Size: 14.5 inches wide by 11 inches tall with a 5 inch base

Getting Started:

Cut two coordinating fabrics 22x 30 inches. One will be your outer fabric and the other will be your lining.
Cut two strips of fabric 2.5 x 20 inches for the handles.
Cut an additional coordinating fabric 6 x 6 inches for an optional inner pocket.

Optional Inner Pocket:

If you want a pocket, now is the time to do it. It can be cut from an additional coordinating fabric or one of the two you are already using.

Take your 6 x 6 inch fabric square and turn under all sides one-quarter inch and press.

Turn the top one end of your pocket under an additional one-inch.

Press and stitch into place close to the turned under edge. Your pocket is now ready to attach.

With RIGHT SIDE up, lay your inner fabric widthwise. Find the center (at 11 inches from both sides) and measure 6 inches down. That's where the top of your pocket will start. Center pocket and pin in place. Stitch along sides and bottom of pocket, reinforcing with a backstitch at the top corners of the pocket.

The Bag:

Working with each fabric separately, fold up one end, RIGHT SIDES together. The top will be open and the bottom will be the fabric fold.

Sew right and left sides with a quarter-inch seam. Press seams open. Repeat with coordinating fabric.

With RIGHT SIDES still together, flatten out the stitched corner with your hands in the shape of a triangle, centering the seam.

Using a ruler, place the 2.5 inches mark on your center seam and move the ruler until the ends of the triangle shape measure 5 inches across. (A ruler with triangle markings is extra helpful.)

Draw a line along the ruler with a fabric pen or light pencil. Pin in place, then stitch along the line. Repeat for all corners of bag and lining.

After sewing, cut off extra corners leaving a one-quarter inch seam allowance.

Turn outer fabric RIGHT SIDE out, but leave the lining fabric WRONG SIDE out. Place lining fabric INSIDE outer fabric, matching up side seams. Pin top raw edges together and stitch all around one-quarter inch from edges.

Top Trim:

With raw edges sewn securely together, fold over one-half inch toward the outer fabric and press. Then, fold over another 2 inches, press, pin in place and stitch evenly around, close to the turned under edge.

Topstitch around the trim at the top as well.

Attaching Handles or Straps:

Take pre-cut handles and fold lengthwise, RIGHT SIDES together. Starting at the fold, sew around raw ends leaving a 3 inch gap in the middle for easy turning.

Trim corners seams and turn RIGHT SIDE out. Press and topstitch around entire handle.

Measure 6 inches from each outside seam and pin handle to the INSIDE of the bag, positioning handle topstitching in line with the trim's stitching. (Be careful not to twist handles!)

With handles pinned in place, turn bag RIGHT SIDE out and stitch through trim of bag and handles to secure in place. Stitch twice, following the same line to reinforce. Repeat on all ends. (If you follow along the same line as you topstitched, your stitching will blend right in!) And that's it! Your bag is complete!

At it's maximum capacity, this bag can hold five one-inch binders. To adjust the size of this bag, simply cut your outer fabric and lining larger and increase the size of the triangles made at the bottom corners. The bigger the triangle, the larger the base of your bag will be.

Do you Yudu? 'Cuz I do!

2011-06-10T18:37:00.001-05:00

I'm just back from a week at our church Girls Camp. What a great time we had! I'd seriously love to go back and just hang out with the girls and without any responsibilities. Our cabin had a Pocahontas theme and I made us all t-shirts. Seriously! I made them!

I'd wanted a Yudu Personal Screen Printer since the day I first laid eyes on it. But, I just couldn't rationalize the price on a 'gadget' that I didn't know how much I'd use. Michael's had a one-day sale on Yudu's. Two-thirds off the regular price...so of course, I couldn't pass it up!

Did I say how awesome this thing is?

Here's how it works:
First, you send a transparency through your printer and print your desired design. You then adhere an emulsion to your Yudu screen that will serve as a 'stencil', if you will, and act as a barrier for the ink. When the screen is ready, you place your image and screen on the Yudu, cover it up with the special platen and push a button the 'exposes' your design onto the screen. The emulsion changes from green to blue after exposure. Then, with water, you simply rinse off the emulsion that turned green to reveal your design. The remaining emulsion acts as a barrier allowing the ink to only pass through the screen where your design is.

Straight off, there are some things you need to know about the Yudu. It's great, don't get me wrong, but it doesn't come without some complications. The directions and enclosed video are clear and informative, but the directions don't always hold true to actual application. Here are a few of things I learned along the way. Hopefully, they will help you find the enjoyment in the Yudu and not the frustration.

Tip #1:
Be prepared to ruin at least one emulsion, if not more. I got it right on the third try. Just accept it and don't let it frustrate you.

Tip #2:
Your design is very important. It's best if the lines/text on your design are NOT too fine and small. You can see in the picture below, that I lost some of my detail where the feathers join and on the word Pocahontas.

Tip #3:
Wetting your screen. The directions will tell you to "...wet your screen, but don't make it too wet..." before you apply your emulsion. In EVERY case, the screen has not been wet enough for me to adhere the emulsion. Fortunately, it's an easy fix. Simply fill a spray bottle with water and spray it directly to the underside of the screen (with the emulsion already attached). You'll be able to see the emulsion take hold, as it becomes a little darker. It may require a little longer to dry, but at least you'll have a good emulsion barrier, which is going to be the key to a good print.

Tip #4:
Don't be in a hurry. The screen can take a long time to dry. The Yudu has a built in drying rack and fan. Each drying cycle is 20 minutes. I often had to go through 5-6 drying cycles for a full emulsified screen to dry. Bottom line: give yourself plenty of time. The prep work is the most time consuming, but it's also the most important.

Tip #5:
Platen adhesive sheet. This is a sticky sheet to place your item on to hold it in place while screen-printing the design. I didn't use it and I had no problems with shifting.

Tip #6:
Save your coupons. Most places won't let you use a coupon to purchase the actual Yudu machine, but you can use them for the supplies and you'll want to. They are not cheap.

I was amazed how quickly printing went. I printed the fronts of 18 shirts in about 15 minutes. Considering this was my first time, I think they came out great!

Overall Review: I love the Yudu! There are so many possibilities. Monogrammed napkins, art work, more t-shirts, tote bags, pillows, baby gifts, my own printed fabric...? I'm so excited to see what else I can do with my Yudu!

Blogger's Quilt Festival - Spring 2011

2011-05-14T12:30:00.000-05:00

Ah....I love the Blogger's Quilt Festival. I get to look at, literally, hundreds of beautiful quilts in my pajamas. This time around, I have two quilts to share.

This first one I call Lunar Eclipse. I love these type of quilts made from blocks of color with white sashing in between. They really focus on the color and pattern of the fabrics, but for me, they are a hassle to make. Somehow, my sashings don't always look even, but I'm going to admit I did a good job on this one.

This shot was taken by my front window. Yes, my walls really are that color. It's technically Imperial Yellow, although somedays it looks like the outside of a school bus.

The second quilt is a grey and white houndstooth, bound in aqua with a polka-dot backing. I've previously blogged about it, but I LOVE this pattern from V & Co. so much that I wanted to share it again.

This is the first quilt I've ever used solids on. Seriously. I honestly don't think I've ever even used a solid fabric in anything else I've done (besides a little white here and there). I'm really of the one-can-never-have-too-many-prints mindset. But now, I'm looking at solids in a whole new light and can't wait to make another of these quilts to keep for myself :)

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my quilts. Grab yourself snack, get comfortable and explore the Blogger's Quilt Festival. You'll be amazed at what people can do with a bit of fabric!

Wordless Wednesday - Camp Craft: Macrame Bracelets

2011-04-20T13:54:00.002-05:00

Two More Baby Quilts

2011-03-27T20:55:00.001-05:00

I'm ahead of the game this month. I got two more quilts to their intended recipients BEFORE they babies were born.

One for a little girl to be named Savannah...

I had dinner with the young mother-to-be in August and showed her all my quilts. She commented that this was here favorite. Thinking children were years away for her, I told her she had to have a baby to get a quilt from me. She announced her pregnancy the very next month!

And this one is for a little boy...

I've been hanging on to this fabric for a couple years now and wish there was more out there.

I think I'm caught up on baby gifts for a while....and this crosses off numbers 38b and 38d from The List.

Houndstooth Quilt

2011-03-17T15:37:00.000-05:00

I typically don't make quilts with a lot of little pieces. To be honest, I don't always have the patience needed to be exact in my piecing. But, when you're sewing a gazillion bits of fabric together, exactness counts.

I had to do a LOT of trimming on this one and that's purely due to my own piecing skills and not the pattern. The pattern was a cinch to follow and I'm actually debating about making another one, only bigger. Like, king-sized bigger for my bed.

I can't even fathom how many 3 inch squares it would take to make a king-sized quilt. I seriously love this pattern and I have another idea to make it just a bit different, so a couple more tries at this quilt is more than likely.

In the meantime, I can cross another item off The List and get this quilt wrapped and sent to a sweet little three-week old baby boy. Welcome to the world!

Grey v. Gray

2011-02-24T12:07:00.001-06:00

Did you know there's an entire website devoted to the Grey v. Gray spelling controversy? Well, it's not really much of a controversy, but I find I like to use the g-r -E-y spelling. Seems more European, which I found out, it is! According to the site:

grAy is how it's spelled in America

grEy is how it's spelled in England

This is my current quilt project. The grey and white polka-dot will be on the back with the aqua as the binding. I'm hoping to get it completed in the next two days, because the baby shower was last week . Oh well, it's taken me months to get gifts where they need to be in the past.

It's hard to tell up close, but this is V & Co.'s Houndstooth Quilt Pattern.

This is the most brilliant pattern ever! I bought it the moment I saw it. Oh, how I wish I would have thought of it...

Crocheted Granny Circles

2011-02-03T13:57:00.000-06:00

This week we received about a foot of snow in the Monster Storm that swept the Midwest. 1 foot of snow + Oklahoma + Shut down. Everything gets cancelled when there's snow. My Wednesday activity with the young women at church was cancelled, and we'd been working on a project that involves crocheting granny circles. A couple of the girls didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped, and with the activity cancelled, and me being stuck at home with all the extra yarn...well, I've been crocheting granny circles to catch us up (while watching movies and catching up on my DVR) so we can get the project completed.

I'm at 70 and we need at least 120, so I'm getting there. I'll tell you what we're doing when we get it done and can show pictures as well.

And speaking of movies...I am a HUGE fan of the Broadway musical A Chorus Line. (The stage production, not so much the movie.)

I love it, my mom loves it, my sisters love it... I think I've seen it at least four times. At last count my mother had seen it seven times! If you are a fan too, you'll love the documentary Every Little Step.

It's about casting the revival of A Chorus Line and contains the original recording of the creator speaking with the dancers that inspired the show. I loved it! And now...I need to find a production nearby so I can see the show again!

New Year Resolutions and Unfinished List #43

2011-01-01T14:24:00.002-06:00

Happy New Year!

I typically don't do New Year resolutions. They just seem like the same ol' list of things we all know we should be doing and somehow don't. Eat better, exercise more, try to cut out Diet Pepsi...

One year, at a church women's gathering, we did 'Good Riddance' instead. We all wrote down what we wanted to get rid of on a slip of paper and put it in a shoebox. Someone read them aloud, but no names were identified. (One woman wanted to get rid of her husband!) We then tossed the box in the garbage can and said, "Good Riddance!" I wrote down that I was going to get rid of the need to do everything myself. It was a big problem for me back then. My husband would probably say there are still times I need to work on that, but for that one year, I really got rid of it. Yes, I know it's basically the same thing as a New Year's resolution, but for some reason, it worked for me. At least for that one year.

This year, however, I've actually made some goals:

Give more details on posts. A friend said I don't write enough in my posts. I know what I'm looking for when I visit a blog, so I'm going to give more information regarding projects.
Submit an original quilt project to Moda Bakeshop. If you follow Moda's blog, you know what I'm talking about. My understanding is that you can submit ideas to them and if they like it, you basically get to write a post as a guest. My husband asked, "What do you get if they accept it?" I told him, "A button on your blog that says 'I was featured on Moda Bakeshop'! That's reward enough.
Be more creative and worry less about being perfect. Worrying about a project turning out right the first time keeps me from starting the project. Additionally, it also hinders creativity. So, less thinking more doing.

Now, on to my Unfinished Projects List. I just added Number 43 today:

43. Finish 2010 New Year cards for 2012.

Remember, the tagline for this blog is Planning is Half the Fun!

...and it's SO true.

Quilt in a Day

2010-12-28T18:25:00.005-06:00

This was a last minute project that I think I'm going to use for a baby gift.

I spent about an hour and half at my local Joann's picking up fabric and putting it back. And then, picking it up again. I don't know about you, but the fabric has to...talk to me...for lack of a better phrase. I just loved this fabric I used on the back. These rows of flowers, leaves and doodles. Of course, sometimes you have to know when it's a lost cause and move on, but I was determined to make this one work.

Since I hadn't made a quilt in several months and it was close to Christmas, I wanted to do something easy. So, I cut 6 different fabrics into 6.5" blocks and sewed them together 7 blocks across and 10 blocks down. It's machine quilted in a random meandering pattern, which is so much fun to do. I also thinks it aids in giving a quilt that crinkly look we all love after it's washed. Finished quilt is 42" x 60". Perfect crib or nap size. I think it took about 8 hours to complete.

I'll admit I'm having a hard time giving it up. There's just something about it that says, "Me."

The Final Countdown

2010-12-24T10:40:00.002-06:00

Here we are. Christmas Eve day.

Without explaining the madness but letting you know that it is for a

very good cause, I started a quilt last night that will be a gift.

Yeah, I know, but really, there IS a good reason behind it. So...

6" blocks, 7 across and 10 down.

These are the strips ready to be put together.

I'll quilt it with an all-over meandering pattern.

There are still gifts to be wrapped too, but my husband just left for the

grocery store and he is more than capable in the food department.

We're trying out Guy Fieri's Gringo Sushi Rolls tonight and

Bobby Flay's Pumpkin Bread Pudding Christmas Day.

Mmmm....it's all good.

315

2010-12-21T15:25:00.001-06:00

Three hundred and fifteen.

That's how many Cake Bites my mom and I made last week...

...in 5 different flavors.

Luckily for us, it was really cold that day and we could cover them

and set them outside to chill, because there wasn't room in the fridge.

Red Velvet cake mixed with cream cheese frosting,

dipped in dark chocolate with milk chocolate stripes.

Chocolate Fudge cake mixed with peppermint extract added to the cream

cheese frosting, dipped in dark chocolate with bits of Andes mints on top.

Vanilla cake mixed with a praline crunch used for ice cream

sundaes mixed into the cream cheese frosting, then dipped in

milk chocolate and rolled into more praline crunch.

You can see how some of the pieces melted inside.

Chocolate cake mixed with almond extract added to the cream cheese

frosting, dipped in dark chocolate and dipped in finely chopped almonds.

White cake tinted orange mixed with orange extract added to the

cream cheese frosting, dipped in dark chocolate with orange tinted

white chocolate squiggles on top.

All boxed up and ready to go!

Unfortunately, we had so much going on last week,

that a box or two didn't make it to their intended destinations.

Don't worry, they didn't go to waste!

What kind of treats are you making this year?

Thanksgiving Preparations

2010-11-24T23:54:00.002-06:00

MY list for Thanksgiving preparations wasn't too bad today. My husband has his own portion as well.

I also added:

Trip to the grocery store (again).
Go see new Harry Potter movie.
Skip house cleaning, because we're going to my mom's anyway!
Fight with Blogger to make a post.

I'm completely in love with making these mug rugs. I can't get enough of them! These are for my sister and niece who are coming up from Texas tomorrow. I can post pictures of them without spoiling the surprise because neither one of them follow my blog. I'm not sure what's up with that.

My husband took charge of the turkey this year. Here's the 24 lb. bird brining in a 5-gallon bucket in the sink. Since it won't fit in the fridge, he's packed it with ice to keep it cold so it won't kill us all tomorrow.

Really, what I look forward to the most on Thanksgiving is the pie. Pumpkin pie, specifically. I don't know why we never have pie during the year, but we don't. My niece, who's in her 20s, makes an awesome pie crust. We always want her to make the pies and she never disappoints us.

I don't have any Thanksgiving specialties, so I'm trying a new dressing recipe by Paula Deen this year. It should be tasty. Do you have a Thanksgiving specialty? Or what food do you most look forward to eating on Thanksgiving?

Good luck with all of your preparations and Happy Thanksgiving!

Assorted Blocks

2010-11-08T16:18:00.002-06:00

I like simple quilts like this one.

When your little one is all bundled up, all you see are assorted blocks of color.

This was a gift for a friend who is expecting her little boy any day now.

I was lucky to find a couple of pictures I'd taken while experimenting with my camera. I only know a couple of things about photography and my camera, so it wasn't a complicated experiment :)

One baby crossed off The List, and two more added.

There must be something in the water...

and I'm not drinking it!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-11-03T13:16:00.001-05:00

Blogger's Quilt Festival - Fall 2010

2010-11-01T10:30:00.002-05:00

I love the Blogger's Quilt Festival that Amy puts together every 6 months or so. It not only gives me an opportunity to discover new blogs, but it is also inspiring to see the fabulous work others do. And sometimes a little daunting....I am constantly amazed by the workmanship I see. But, I learned a long time ago, it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful.

I think this is the second quilt I ever machine quilted. It's a free-motion meandering pattern done on a 20 year old Singer sewing machine on my dining room table. If you quilt, you know what that means. It's all up to you. How fast you move and how much gas you give it determines how even your stitches are. So, since I can't be perfect, I'll settle for what I think is beautiful!

Sometime, somewhere, I saw a quilt similar to this one. I just loved the way it was laid out, so I made some calculations and it quickly became one of my favorite patterns to make. I call this quilt Polka-Dot Garden because it reminds of a well groomed herb garden laid out in plots. Each plot holding a different herb or flower.

If you are a quilter, do you name your quilts? How are you inspired to name them? I had an easier time naming my son than I've had naming some of my quilts!

Work in Progress - Holiday Cards

2010-10-27T16:09:00.001-05:00

Trying out an idea for New Year's cards...

I cut 2" square pieces of various scrapbook papers.

Flocked, embossed metallic, glittered

as well as several black and white patterned paper.

Adhered them to card stock with photo mount squares.

Then zig-zagged them in place on the sewing machine.

I used a gray that I had on hand, but I may switch to either a

metallic or silk thread. Something with more sheen.

I still need to layer a cut-out that will say

"Happy New Year" embossed in silver on the front.

I haven't sent cards, literally, in YEARS. Best part is, by sending

"New Year's" cards, I don't have to address them 'til AFTER Christmas!

Mike's 3-Tries Theory aka Third Time's a Charm

2010-09-28T15:29:00.006-05:00

Our friend, Mike, has a 3-Tries Theory. Meaning, it takes at least three tries for a project to be exactly how you want it.

The FIRST TRY is really a test. You test the elements, the process and even the idea. How will these colors look together? How do I do this technique? Will this idea even work?

On the SECOND TRY, you look at the first and think, "I'd like it better if I did this," or "I wonder what would happen if I did that instead?"

By the time you get to the THIRD TRY, you've worked out all the kinks and your project springs to life! Sometimes we get it just right the first time, but I think there is great truth in Mike's 3-Tries Theory. He accepts if fully and there's great freedom in that.

The first cut of the scissors or the first stroke of the brush, are often the hardest. Mike is willing to dive in and give it a try, because he's already accepted that it might not work out the first time around...and he's okay with that!

I'm typically not one to start a project without thinking it through, obsessing over it and even sketching it out. That's why I have this long list of Unfinished Projects. I spend all my time plotting and planning. Creativity can be exhausting!

This past weekend, I stepped out of my comfort zone and started a project without planning it to death. I know. Shocking! Fortunately for me, I got it right on the first try, but I was willing to bag the entire thing if it didn't work out, and that was liberating.

I bought these linen shirts a few years ago. I thought I was so clever buying the style in three colors, but do you ever get something home and realize it just doesn't work? That's how I felt about these. No matter how many times I gave them another chance, they just didn't fit...right. I was going to pack them up for Goodwill, but I have this thing for linen. I mean, it's L-I-N-E-N and I love linen. And this linen was in great shape. Surely there was something I could make out of it?

I decided to make a runner for a long side-table we have. And then I just did it. I simply took my rotary blade and cut the shirts into strips.

Well, I didn't just lose all abandon and do it. I did cut each color the same width, but the lengths were random. And the pieces weren't cut perfectly either. I then found some black linen that was left over from a skirt I made this summer and added it to the mix. Perfect.

I decided on a width to fit my table, and if my pieces weren't long enough, I'd sew on a piece of black until I achieved the desired length. I laid them out along the way (because I can't be completely random) and pieced and sewed until it fit the length of the table.

I added about a one-inch border to frame it and then used every bit of black I had to piece the back. I sewed the two with right sides together and flipped it right side out.

I had no idea I'd love it so much!

The Search is Over

2010-09-18T13:28:00.000-05:00

We've had this light fixture, and the shades that came with it, for several years now. We sprayed painted in black to fit our tastes. I never particularly liked the shades. Well, they were fine. They were just 'unfinished'. I'm sure I told myself that I could cover the shade with fabric or paint them. And I HAVE thought about painting them many times over the years. But, you know, that first stroke of the brush is the hardest.

So even BEFORE I poked a hole in this shade last Christmas while weaving garland on the chandelier, and before they became brittle and started to discolor, I'd been searching for new shades.

Whatever the store I'm in, I always try to look at lamp shades. I found these Friday while roaming around in SteinMart. Finally. Shades in a color I can get enthused about.

My biggest challenge, as I've stated before, is the color scheme of my house. I don't know what it's like where you live, but in Oklahoma there's a lot of browns, reds, golds and the wrong greens. There are just not a lot of accessories to go with Imperial Yellow or Mandarin Orange (my kitchen).

So even though I didn't make them...

Number 20 on The List is officially complete.

Cake Bites Galore

2010-09-14T20:32:00.001-05:00

Browsing through my archives, I didn't see that I've ever blogged about these tasty little treats. Even if I had, I'd have to do it again because they are definitely worthy of another post. If you follow Bakerella, then you know all about them. They are a little bite of heaven.

They have great presentation, but they are really easy to make. But, you have to PLAN AHEAD. I'm usually scrambling around at 10:30 at night trying to get them done.

Make a CAKE of your choosing. It can be anything. These are red velvet. Make the cake and let it cool completely. To hurry it along, when it is m-o-s-t-l-y cool, I put it in a large mixing bowl and break it into chunks, coming back to crumble it more every few minutes. Use a large bowl because it's going to get messy.

Once the cake is c-o-m-p-l-e-t-e-l-y cool, finish crumbling it, add one can of CREAM CHEESE FROSTING and blend it together. I usually end up using my hands, but a spoon will eventually get it done. Just keep at it.

Spoon up about a tablespoon of the cake mixture and roll it in the palms of your hands to form a smooth ball. Place on waxed paper and chill for about 45 minutes in the freezer, longer in the fridge.

Melt DIPPING CHOCOLATE in a small bowl. A deep bowl is better than a shallow one. Simply drop the cake ball into the chocolate, coat completely and place back on the waxed paper to set. I wasn't crazy about the Wilton dipping chocolate. I didn't feel that it stayed creamy long enough. I used a chocolate that can also be used for fondue and fountains that I found at my local Hobby Lobby. It's nice and smooth.

Strawberry cake bites with a tinted white chocolate drizzle were tasty on Valentine's Day.

I've also made mint cake bites from a basic white cake, peppermint extract and a little green food coloring. I hear you can buy peanut butter flavored dipping chocolate and think a chocolate cake bite dipped in peanut butter would be yummy. And of course, there's white chocolate, if you're a fan, and any could be rolled in nuts or sprinkles or anything you dream up!

Chocolate on chocolate. 'Nuff said.

The possibilities for these little beauties are endless,

but for today...

I just have these :)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-08-05T10:55:00.000-05:00

Learning to Sew

2010-07-22T12:09:00.004-05:00

Last night a few of us taught several young women (ages 13-16) how to sew. We started with a simple elastic-waist skirt and 5 hours later, all skirts are wearable! I've sewn several things over the years that were NOT wearable, so I hope the girls feel pretty good about their accomplishment. I'm not gonna lie. I'm completely exhausted today. Maybe we should have started with something easier?

My sister and I learned how to sew by making pincushions. Or, maybe we called them Barbie pillows. You know, for Barbie's Town House. We had Cher dolls too, and made items for her dressing room that were glamorous and show-bizy.

Anyway, we were shopping for fabric last week with the girls and as I was grabbing the elastic from the back of the store I stumbled upon this piece of fabric on a remnant table.

And the sign above it said 60% OFF.

Cost to me: $3.02

Jackpot!

Here's what's been sitting on my couch:

Now, I REALLY like these. I mean, they are black and white checked, and to me, that's a neutral. Goes anywhere, right? Well, they're looking out of place now, so a change was needed. Here are the pillows that came with the couch (I've pulled them out of the back closet):

Never liked them.

Never will.

So I cut them open and ripped the stuffing out of them!

A basic pillow is so quick and easy,

I made two while fixing dinner.

After cutting them out...

I put on a pot of water to boil and stitched them up.

Always cut your corners off...

...so you get a nice edge when you turn them right side.

I stuffed them with the stuffing from the old pillows...

...put the pasta in the pot and stitched them up!

So much better!

And I just realized this was #18 on The List.

2 Pillows + Dinner + Item on The List = Happiness

Not Just Procrastinating

2010-06-17T17:23:00.000-05:00

I’m not getting any of the things on The List done. In fact, I'm not even thinking about The List and it’s not just because of my great ability to procrastinate. It’s really because I have accepted this crazy idea to make and sell quilts. If you click here or on the Tangerine Bloom logo on the side bar, you can read how it all came about on my other blog (other blog? do I really have enough to say to have two?)

So that’s what I’ve been up to. Oh, yes, it’s taking a lot longer than it should, but remember: Planning is Half the Fun.

BOOT Camp

2010-06-07T15:21:00.002-05:00

I just came back from a week at church girls’ camp with 150 girls, ages 12-18. (Twelve that I am specifically over.) We had a great time making friendship bracelets, singing goofy camp songs, staying up late and just being silly. Our camp had a military ‘Boot Camp’ theme and so I decided to make some military-styled reward pins.

First, I bought a variety of striped ribbon. Most military pins are striped.

Then, I bought some balsa wood strips and snipped them with regular scissors into sizes to fit the ribbon.

After cutting the ribbon into the right length needed to go completely around the balsa wood pieces, I lined-up the edge of the ribbon to the wood piece and hot-glued it into place.

And then eventually around the entire piece.

A mini-glue gun was definitely needed for this project for it only takes a small amount of glue and it’s so easy to burn your fingers…be careful!

After gluing the ribbon, I attached a pin back and voila! instant military pin. These were so easy and really went together quick. They’d be great for a Halloween costume too. he pins were given to the girls after completing kitchen duty, latrine duty, service project, rafting trip, certification of camp skills, etc.

Thanks for a great week girls! Be Strong & Courageous!

Spring Quilt Festival

2010-05-25T12:32:00.005-05:00

The Spring Blogger's Quilt Festival started last week and I'm late to the party! As always, there are some fabulous quilts on display.

I L-O-V-E this quilt I made from Sandy Henderson's Meadowsweet line. The photo does not do it justice. The colors are amazingly vibrant.

Photos seem to be the hardest part of a blog. The lighting has to be right and we've had quite a few overcast and stormy days lately. And the Oklahoma wind makes outdoor shots a challenge as well.

We had an incredible hail storm last week and my yard is in no mood for photos. The trees were stripped of half their leaves and the flowers were beat to a pulp. We had a few house windows broken as well as car windshields cracked, and the hail damage...Wow. Do they even fix cars with that much hail damage?

Thanks, Amy, for hosting the Quilt Festival. Is been nice to look at pretty things and escape the broken windows and dented cars in the neighborhood.

The Proof is in the Pudding...

2010-05-01T14:38:00.018-05:00

...or...actually...the pudding is in the cake.

Apparently, old proverbs are being shortened and clipped down from the original full sayings. Word Detective points out that the phrase "the proof is in the pudding" originated as "the proof of the pudding is in the eating." Which means, the true value or quality of something can only be judged when it's put to use. Or in other words, results are what count.

With that said, I love the results of this cake recipe! It’s become one of my favorites and can be changed up a number of ways. I’ve tried four already! This recipe produces a dense cake, which I happen to love.

Also, it’s kept refrigerated, another thing I love;

C-o-o-l, dense cake…mmmmm…..

The complete recipe is at the end of this post. But let me walk you through the steps. First, pick a cake mix and a pudding mix you think go together. I happened to use banana cake and banana pudding for this one. Mix them with the other necessary ingredients according to the directions below.

It produces a VERY thick batter.

Pour the batter in a greased pan.

See! I told you it was very thick.

Bake according to directions...below.

For the topping I chose Chocolate Fudge pudding.

Mix it with the proper amount of milk.

I use a hand-mixer for this, because the amount it too small for a KitchenAid mixer. The pudding and milk become almost like a paste.

Next, fold whipped cream into the pudding mixture...

...and spread on your COMPLETELY COOLED cake.

Basically, any combination of cake and pudding works.

The Original Lemon Cake Recipe

is very refreshing on a hot summer day.

Other combinations I've tried and loved:

Chocolate Cake + Chocolate Pudding + Chocolate Topping

Caramel Cake + Butterscotch Pudding + Chocolate Topping

BASIC PUDDING CAKE RECIPE:

1 (18.25 oz.) package cake banana cake mix

1 (3.4 oz.) package fat-free instant banana pudding

1 ¾ cups. Water

3 eggs whites

¾ c. milk (non-fat to whole, it doesn’t matter)

TOPPING:

1 (1 oz.) package fat-free instant chocolate fudge pudding

1 (8 oz.) fat-free Cool Whip, thawed

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 10 x 15 inch pan.

2. In a large bowl, mix together cake mix and banana pudding mix. Pour in water and egg whites. Beat on low speed for 1 minute. Increase speed to high and beat for 4 minutes. Pour batter into greased pan.

3. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool completely. Bake cupcakes for 16 minutes.

4. In a large bowl, combine milk and chocolate fudge pudding mix. Beat on low for 2 minutes. Fold in Cool Whip. Spread over cooled cake. Store cake in refrigerator.

Spring Break

2010-03-19T11:42:00.004-05:00

This week is Spring Break, and for me, it’s been a real disappointment. I always think I’ll get so much done since I won’t have to hound my son to do his homework or practice his violin and bassoon, and all other activities get put on hold. But, I suddenly fell ill on Monday, and here it’s Friday already! Nothing accomplished, just too much T.V. (Although we have been enjoying “The Tudors: Season 1”.) I’m hoping to get out and enjoy a little 70 degree weather today before the snow hits tomorrow. Oklahoma weather. Blink, and you could miss it.

I felt very productive last week painting these wooden eggs for Easter.

I use to paint all the time, but it’s been a few years and quite honestly, it wasn’t as fun this time around.

And coming up with ideas to paint each one unique is SO time consuming, even though I jot ideas down in a notebook.

Maybe I’m just a little rusty, but honestly, this might be the last time I do this kind of painting.

That is, until Christmas comes around and I finally decide to paint the rest of the 2 dozen wooden ornaments I have stashed away.

It's Only Paint

2010-03-01T15:43:00.008-06:00

“It’s only paint.”

“You can always paint over it.”

I have often heard and said these very phrases. So what’s my problem? Why have I had a half-painted, empty mirror-frame hanging over my mantle for months? If I paint something I don’t like, I can paint over it. Really. I can.

For years the frame lay hidden in the office closet. But you know the saying, “out of sight, out of mind….” So, I hung the empty frame up, hoping, that by being forced to look at it every day, I’d be inspired to make a decision about it. Unfortunately, after a certain amount of time, I just didn’t ‘see’ it anymore. And so it hung…

My sister has the same frame with a different paint job hanging in her home. This is how the mirror looked in our entryway growing up. Who knew my mother had another one hidden in a closet of her own?

When mom received the frames they were painted gold. She didn’t care for all that gold, so she painted them green and then wiped the paint off to expose touches of gold here and there. It fits perfectly in my sister’s house, but not so much in mine. So, I had a vision to paint the carved designs on my frame and then white wash the entire thing to give it a worn and ‘shabby’ look.

Well, several years ago, we stumbled across Susan Sargent and discovered our true style. Color. Bold color. Lots of color. We can’t have too much color. Needless to say, 'shabby' wasn't going to work for us anymore. After a year with no window treatments, Susan Sargent finally came out with this great fabric that I used for my curtains.

After that, everything started to fall into place.

The details of the mirror were repainted. This process was repeated at least 2 or 3 times! I painted the leaves years ago and who knew they’d look so great with our new chair and rug? Here are the 3 elements together: rug, chair and frame.

I originally used an aqua color for some of the details, but repainted them a periwinkle blue to blend with the rug. Pansies have been several colors as well.

I had a piece of mirror cut and attached, and after several months, I love it! It’s me and it’s MY style.

And if I decide I’d like something different, I can always change it. After all, it's only paint.

A New Obsession

2010-02-12T13:48:00.006-06:00

In my church back in the 70s, all the girls ages 10-11 learned how to knit, crochet and emboidery. I remember my sister(s) and I getting into the embroidery thing and embroidering on denim shirts. I specifically remember doing a big sun and rainbow colors. You know, something really groovy. I don't remember wearing it, or even finishing it. (See? I have years of practice at not-fininshing projects.)

As far as knitting, the most I ever did was make a cover for a wooden hanger. Over the years I've had brief periods of embracing the romantic idea of knitting, so I was excited to take the opportunity to relearn the basics with a group of women.

Close up of the basket weave pattern.

Knit 5, purl 5, knit 5, purl 5...

My edges are a little 'ruffly'. I need to work that out.

I worked on it while playing back the DVR,
that way I don't feel guilty sitting and knitting

or watching TV...

Lavendar and various shades of orange.
I thought it'd take me longer to complete,
so I wanted something 'Springy'.

It feels really warm.

There's no way I'll need it in an Oklahoma Spring,

but I still have a few weeks until then.

Icepocalypse 2010

2010-01-31T20:21:00.013-06:00

I don’t know what this says about me…but…

have you ever thought about how the icicle is
the perfect murder weapon?

You know, no fingerprints…
because it melts.

It’s just something that crosses my

mind when they get this big.

My son is 6 feet tall. That's a long icicle.

Icepocalypse 2010 brought a nice ¾” layer of ice on Thursday that was topped off with 5 inches of snow. If you read about the Snowpocalypse that hit on Christmas Eve, you’ll remember how devastating this kind of weather is for us Oklahomans. I know many of you have lived through storms harsher than these two and are laughing hysterically at us Okies. School was cancelled, businesses closed, church services cancelled, school cancelled again tomorrow. My son hasn’t had a full week of school since early December. (BTW-Schools closed in early January due to dangerously cold temperatures.) I’m really not bothered by it. I have a teenager and we are both content to be at home on our computers.

So here’s what I did during my Snow Days. They are gifts and, hopefully, I haven’t given too much away.

Quilt #1

There's something about a coin quilt that I just love.

Debbie Mumm fabric

with little cars and street signs.

Quilt #2

Chocolate brown and pinks.

Quilt #3

Jungle animals, bubbles and alphabet letters.

Congratulations to my friends and their growing families!

Christmas Eve on New Year's Day

2010-01-02T18:15:00.005-06:00

We FINALLY celebrated Christmas with the family New Year's Day. I was completely over Christmas by that time, but we still had a good time, and of course, plenty of food.

Many years ago we stopped buy gifts for each other and started doing 'Dirty Santa' gift exchange. You know, numbers are drawn on who picks first and then the next person can either steal that gift or pick a new one. The gifts 'freezes' and can't be stolen anymore after the third set of hands touches it. Then, whoever was first gets the final choice. We've had themes over the years: CDs, a pound of Christmas (your gift had to weigh one pound), gift cards, etc. I prefer to bring what you want with a $25 limit. I always try to bring something I would like to go home with. And sometimes I actually do!

Since I've been in such a quilting/sewing obsession lately I made and brought this Valentine's runner.

It was a hit and my sister-in-law ended up with it. I think I'm going to have to make my mom one too.

I came home with these little recipe cards tucked in the pocket of...

this very cute apron made by my mom!

It's exactly what I wanted!
Afterall, I was with her when she bought the fabric!

The Oklahoma Snowpocalypse of 2009

2009-12-27T16:35:00.006-06:00

Christmas Eve brought us 14 inches of snow. For us Oklahomans, that is a crippling amount. Christmas Eve activities throughout the state were cancelled, as well as my own family get-together. (Postponed ‘til New Year’s Day, officially.) Highways closed and even the mall! On Christmas Eve no less! Even today, Sunday, our church services were cancelled. We just don’t quite know how to function in all this snow. Maybe we all just wanted an excuse to stay home?

Lucky for me, I stocked up ahead of time. My husband’s infamous spiced cider, hummus, cheese ball, cold Diet Pepsi, Valentine runner to complete, a new scarf to make…plenty. We could have used some better movies to watch, but an enjoyable time was had by all.

We’ve now migrated to our separate corners (read computers), and have braved the outside world a couple of times. It’s still extremely slick in the neighborhoods (the worst of which is right in front of my driveway that gets no sun), but the main streets are clearing up.

I saw this scarf over at V & Co. and couldn't wait to make it. It was so much fun to do, I think everyone I know may get it next year for Christmas! If I start now, I just might get them all done!

It's made out of flannel with serveral ruffled strips.

The ruffled strips are sewn in a diamond/argyle pattern.

Not all projects are truly fun, but this one was. Go by V & Co. and check out her tutorial. It's only up for a limited time!

Counting Down the Days 'til Christmas

2009-12-04T16:16:00.004-06:00

This was our Thanksgiving craft my
sister from Texas brought us to do.

Love me some Mod-Podge.

2009-11-23T20:14:00.009-06:00

On Saturday we discovered a hot water leak. Under the house.

Being a Saturday, we turned off the hot water and thought we’d make the best of it until Monday. I took a bath at my mom’s house and my husband and son took showers at my mother-in-law’s house. I’ve been heating water on the stove and washing my face and hair in the kitchen sink. No big deal really. It’s amazing how quickly the water heats up to a nice warm temperature.

It’s now Monday night and my husband and son just left to take their showers and I thought I’d just stay home and try a bath here. I filled the tub a few inches with cold water and then added several pots of hot water I heated on the stove. While waiting for the water on the stove to heat up, I came back to find “Big Kitty”, water up to her belly, wading in the tub!

Only one picture before the big escape from the tub. Now I have wet paw prints throughout the house too.

After about 6 pots of hot water, I had enough water to bathe AND at reasonable temperatue. Maybe I could have survived harder times after all. The plumber comes tomorrow. Fingers crossed for a non-demolition fix!

Black, White and Red All Over

2009-11-21T14:36:00.006-06:00

I enjoyed sewing the first pinwheel quilt so much that I decided to do another one...baby size! I'm going to catch up on my DVR while I sew on the binding. Here's a peak:

Pinwheel Quilt - Project #29

2009-11-21T13:35:00.009-06:00

I finally took time to take a few pictures of my pinwheel quilt, which is Project #29 on the Unfinished Projects List. I absolutely love it! It makes its home on the green chair right next to Big Kitty's favorite sleeping place.

A couple of my fabric choices were lost in the mix and it turned out a bit smaller than I anticpated, but it provides an abundance of color, which is exactly what I wanted.

I love this pinwheel pattern, and it wasn't half as difficult as I thought it would be. It's already kept me cozy at our 8:30 Christmas Cantata Choir rehearsals every Saturday morning...

...and keeping Big Kitty cozy on this dreary Oklahoma day.

Bad Blogiquette

2009-11-12T21:59:00.003-06:00

Going two weeks without a post must fall under the "bad blog etiquette" category. And while I'm not posting anything interesting tonight, I will say that I have completed two quilts and seriously need to take pictures this weekend.

It seems like I've told several people recently how unsociable my husband and I are. They are so surprised and say, "No you're not!" I didn't say we weren't nice or friendly, we'd just really rather stay home than go out socializing. I stumbled upon this quote by Voltaire:

The happiest of all lives is a busy solitude.

That sums up my last two weeks and I've been enjoying every moment of it. Pictures will be up soon and then I'm actually going to complete an item off the Unfinished Projects List instead of just adding new ones.

A Quilt for Sadie

2009-10-31T19:18:00.007-05:00

Here's a quilt for baby Sadie, just newly born and adopted by a friend. I love the sweet fabrics in this quilt, but what a chore it was! My first two practice runs at machine quilting had been successful. But on this particular rainy day in Oklahoma, I'd been having problems with my machine...skipped stitches, thread breaking repeatedly...so I did all that I could think of: Changed the bobbin 3 times, tried every size of needle I had, and even opened up the machine and cleaned out all the dust. Nothing seemed to work.

After a bit of research on the internet, I quickly determined that it must be the thread. Sure enough, after a helpful visit to my local quilt shop, The Savage Quilter, the higher quality thread worked fine.
I finished the machine quilting at about 3:00 pm. I took the quilt off the machine and turned it over. Puckers. Not one, but two. NO WAY am I going to give that! So I spent the next hour and a half unpicking almost a fourth of the quilt.
With an eye on the clock (the baby shower was that day at 6:00!), I kept at it. "I can be a little late," I thought. I even thought about taking it half done and saying I needed to take it back to finish it, but I didn't like the idea of that. So, I just kept at it. I could be an hour late if need be.
At 7:50 pm I accepted defeat. I didn't make it to the shower and finished the quilt at about 8:30. I hadn't eaten all day and I was cranky, but I finished it and I love it! I hope little Sadie does too.

Revised Mini Pumpkin Muffins

2009-10-26T15:14:00.007-05:00

I have to update my previous post about Mini Pumpkin Muffins . I made these muffins again and they are FANTASTIC when made with mini-chocolate chips. You have to let the batter cool first, otherwise, the chips will all melt. Lower the oven to 400 degrees and bake in mini-muffin pans for 9 minutes. They were WONDERFUL and from now on, that's the only way I'll make them!

I was going to upload a picture of them with the mini-chocolate chips, but they seem to be gone!

Adventures in Stippling

2009-10-26T14:24:00.009-05:00

I've always loved stippled quilts. I think the meandering design adds to the cozy, crinkly feel of a much loved quilt. Stippling is a method of stitching free-form squiggly lines. It's totally up to me what design I make and how big the stitches are. I looked at a few tutorials on line and the advice was: 1) Go fast; and 2) Take your time. What?

After several practice runs, my husband convinced me to put the pedal to the metal and just go for it. I used one of the DHS Coin Quilts for my first official stippled quilt. And what's most AMAZING, is that it only took about 45 minutes! It would take days to do this by hand...and actually, I never would do it by hand. WAY too much work.

Overall, it was a success. I crossed the streams (the stitching) a few times, forgot what I was doing at other times, but definitely got the hang of it. I'm going to do one more like this one (I have 3!) and then I'm going to gather my courage and do the quilt I just made for Baby Sadie.

Sweet Treats and No Sleep

2009-10-14T17:35:00.006-05:00

I'm going to a slumber party tonight with about 10 of my energetic teenage girls from church. We're going to play games, eat treats, stay up late and maybe play some Dance, Dance Revolution. And as a surprise, shhh...they don't know yet....Extreme (glow-in-the-dark) bowling at midnight. I knew I should have taken a nap today!

Here's the treat I'm bringing:

Pumpkin Mini-Muffins with Orange Drizzle

I found the recipe here on All Recipes. I was so-so about the recipe until I put the drizzle on. They needed the extra sweetness.* Yes, I've had a couple. And yes, they are tasty!

*Add mini-chocolate chips!

My First Quilt Show

2009-10-11T16:13:00.006-05:00

Never in a million years did I think I would participate in a quilt festival! But after looking at a TON of quilts online...why not me? Those of you who read this blog (all 5 of you!) have seen this quilt that I made for Preston before. Welcome to those of you who are visiting from the Quilt Festival!

Made of "Asian inspired" fabrics for my teenage son and hand-quilted by my mom. I know, it makes me feel like a fraud for not doing it all myself, but at least I'm giving her credit!

Thanks to Amy at Park City Girl for hosting this quilt festival. What a brilliant idea! I've seen some amazing quilts!

A Street of My Own

2009-10-09T09:38:00.005-05:00

My father was a general contractor. I like to say that he built half of Napa, the town I grew-up in. I'm sure that's an exaggeration, but there was a HUGE part of town that he DID build. I had friends that lived in the homes he built. One friend used to tell me how he and the neighborhood kids would play at the construction sites and my dad would come and run them off. (Very dangerous to be playing there.) The kids gave him the nickname "butt-runner".

Since my father and his partner were developing this area into a neighborhood, they were able to pick the names of the streets. All the daughters have a street named after them....Cherilyn Court, Cynthia Court even Diane Court named after my sister! How cool! I always wanted a street of my own, but my younger sister and I hadn't been born when all that was taking place.

Well, I guess this will have to do.

Street Sign Generator

Unfinished Project #29 - Pinwheel Quilt

2009-10-05T19:16:00.011-05:00

Okay, so I made a decision on Unfinished Project #29... Pinwheels! Also known as whirlygigs or windmills. I saw one somewhere online in pastels and really liked it. Let's hope I can pull it off. There is a LOT of piecing.

I started with a bunch of 4 inch squares...
and then cut them in half.

About 3 hours later, I had 560 of these!

And here's my first block! A lot easier sewing than I
thought it would be. And fun! I just have to pay
attention to my outline and check off each block
one at a time. Slow and steady wins the race....

Painted Frame

2009-09-27T16:10:00.007-05:00

Here's a peek at the empty frame that has been hanging on my wall for months. Dare I say for over a year? I think I need to make just a few minor changes/additions and then I'll go get a piece of mirror custom cut and attached.

Resistance

2009-09-25T14:31:00.007-05:00

I've been have a really hard time deciding on a pattern for my next quilt, Project #29, on The Unfinished Projects List. Since I will see it everyday, I want it to be perfect. No regrets. I've been thinking about it for weeks. It's not like this will be that last thing I ever do. I can make dozens more. But a decision must be made. I WILL make my first cut...today.

A pro views her work as craft, not art.
Not because she believes art is devoid of
a mystical dimension. On the contrary.
She understands that all creative endeavor is holy,
but she doesn't dwell on it.

She knows if she thinks about that too much,

it will paralyze her.

So she concentrates on technique.

The sign of the amateur is overglorification of

and preoccupation with the mystery.

The professional shuts up.

She doesn't talk about it.

She does her work.

-Steven Pressfield, "The War of Art"

A Rainy Day

2009-09-16T07:58:00.005-05:00

Ever notice how a rainy day seems to calm everything? Maybe it's just me looking for an excuse to put something off and curl up with a good book, but I find the rain calming. The decorations for the No Barn, Barn Dance were successful. I had a funeral to prepare music for and posters to make for Open House at my son's school, so I'm still trying to get my house cleaned up and everything put away from all the decoration paraphernalia. Today's rainy day is just what I needed.

Here are a few pictures of our decorations for the No Barn, Barn Dance. The kids had a good time and I'm glad it's over.

We made about 80 daisies. They were very easy, but the girls didn't get much enjoyment out of making them.

There was a dinner before the dance. Luckily, we weren't in charge of that too. Here's a picture of our centerpieces.

The girls enjoyed the painting more than all the paper-flower making. Here are a few of the things we did.

I bought a large roll of paper and hooked a projector up to my computer. I have huge mirror in my dining room and I taped up the paper and traced the images.

This is what we did with all 75 of our sunflowers. There were several of these panels around the room.

A No Barn, Barn Dance

2009-09-06T19:47:00.015-05:00

The girls from church and I are in charge of decorations for what we are calling a "No Barn, Barn Dance". We didn't have a barn to hold the dance in and really, we just needed a theme that would give us an excuse to wear jeans and boots.

Our decorations are inspired by things on a farm. I bought a HUGE roll of paper, and thus far we have painted 4 wagon wheels, 5 sheep, 1 pig, 1 dog, numerous chickens and a rooster. I'm currently working on sunflowers. The sunflowers will be attached to large sheets of paper that have stalks, leaves and vines painted on them. I used corregated cardboard that I happened to have for the centers. I think it gives it some texture. I'm up to circles for 55 sunflowers and debating about more.

I started by painting a HUGE sheet of paper yellow.
Traced a circle, cut it out and then folded in half.

I the folded that in half again, and then one more time, until I had this triangle shape. Then I cut the end into a petal shape. Open it up and you have a sunflower!

We've also made a bunch of these cute paper daisies Paper Daisies just in white for our tables. We'll put them in brown paper bags rolled down and tied with a bandana on top of red and white checked tablecloths.