What If I Run Out of Titles?

Is it bad to start off a posting talking about garbage?  Really, I was reading about reducing your environmental  impact and stuff you can do and so forth…one of the things I read was about reducing your garbage amount…so, off I went to the garbage – don’t worry I didn’t touch it   Anyways, what I found was all food packaging, most everything else is either recycled, composted or given to the chickens.  All but this food packaging waste (and we don’t even eat much for preprocessed foods).  But there was the bag from the spaghetti noodles, and the plastic safety seal off the salad.. well you get my point…if is possible to get away from those items?  Even shopping at the Bulk Barn you come home with plastic bags (yep, we asked, you can’t bring your own containers to fill), at least their bags are biodegradable – apparently.  Well, thats enough about trash – just something to think about :-}

Speaking of preprocessed foods we did some baking and cooking this weekend!  Yum.  Nothing like homemade lasagna and fresh muffins.

The lasagna we made using the veggie chili I had made earlier in the week and the muffins I tried out a new recipe, and they are very good (ya, I’m a little surprised…you never know when you make a new recipe).  Its an apple spice muffin, and there is no sugar – sweetened with honey.  Oh, and we made oatmeal raisin cookies and chocolate chip muffins too…

Apple Spice Muffin Recipe

1 1/2 cups oats
3/4 cup white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour  (don’t forget to add this or the recipe is really runny
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon (I used 2)
2 medium apples, grated or finely sliced
2 cups milk
1/3 cup honey
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 egg, beaten

Mix first 9 ingredients. Combine “wet” ingredients together, mix, then combine with first 9 ingredients.
Put them into muffin trays, bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes.

So easy and so good.  You could probably add nuts or raisins if you wanted, but I didn’t.  Oh, and I wouldn’t recommend putting them in the muffin liners as they don’t come out so well.

Earlier this week there was this stunning look to all the trees, they were covered in a white snow/ ice type stuff.  Maybe it was the fog sticking to them…anyway we went for a walk and I took some photos to share, just in case you weren’t able to get out and enjoy it.  Currently its raining here…then it snows a little and rains some more – yuck.  I think I will put the rest of the pictures into a folder off to the side – that way if you are on dial up (like me
you don’t have to wait for them to load if you aren’t interested…Now if only I can remember how to make a new page…There we go…Winter Walk Photos

Remember how I was looking at doing some different block of the month designs and such?  Well I found this really great one, its barn quilts.  You have probably seen the barns with blocks painted on them (I’ve only seen them in magazines, never in person), and that is what this BOM is about.  January has been the barn block.  Of course, gosh forbid if I was to actually make a pattern the way it was designed!  I’m not too keen on her actual barn, so I made some modifications…hey, its going to be my quilt right   The big white square in the center is where the mini-quilt blocks will go each month (they are only 4″ square – yikes).

I took yesterday (well part of the day anyway) from housework and did some sewing.  I sewed together some cat quilts I had here, and interspersed them with Puss in the Corner blocks.  The cat blocks were from a sewing group swap were we each made one block for each of the other participants, We ended up with 13 blocks from it.  I was very happy with how the blocks lined up, the corners were beautiful!

Another thing I did yesterday was learning how to put downloadable patterns on the website .  There is only a few of my designs on there at the moment, but my goal will be to eventually get them all into that format.  Its so nice to purchase a pattern and ta-da there it is for you to use!

Well, I guess I should start thinking about something for dinner…its almost a day that warrants thick stew, hearty soup or maybe Boerenkool (if only I had Kale)…

Happy Quilting!

Have You Noticed?

So, have you noticed?  Yep, the days are getting longer…well maybe not longer yet, but its lighter later!

While browsing around the internet I found some great blocks (and free too).  This one site is in German (I think), but there is some really nice designs
http://www.sulky-international.de/scripts/clsAIWeb.php?seite_id=173  The 2005 BOM is nice too (in th menu on the left) a bunch of different leaves.

Maybe in my spare time I will make one of each of those too…

Here is the English version of the site, but they don’t have as many designs listed…

http://www.sulky-international.de/scripts/clsAIWeb.php?seite_id=203

This week I also got a new-to-me popcorn maker!
For the last little while I’ve been making it in a brown bag in the microwave (I don’t care for the chemically prepackaged bags of microwave stuff),
unfortunatly I’ve been having a hard time getting just the right amount of popping without burning it.  So, home I came with my new gadget…

Kinda looks like a spaceship

Sounds easy enough…add some oil and some kernals

Put the lid on and watch the kernels fly!

The best part…yummm

Its hard to eat popcorn while quilting

A new project, or two?

It was so frosty the other morning my evergreen hedge, wasn’t so green…

I’ve decided that this year I would like to decorate for Christmas.  But, that means I need to make some decorations!

There is a block of the month available at Bunny Hill Designs that is all snowman!  How perfect.  And, even better, its free.  I’ve downloaded the first block, now just need to make it.  My goal is to make each block before the next one comes out, we will see how that works out…

I found another quilt too with snowman, and penguins and santas…its a row-by-row quilt…I kinda signed up to make that one too…

While looking for some patterns I found this site that has a list of a whole bunch of Block of the Month designs.  From what I could tell most, if not all, are free for personal use.  There was some really nice ones, but didn’t figure I should start too many at a time.

I don’t have any new patterns to share, but how about some recipes?

These are the best Tea Biscuits, nice and buttery.

1 cup Flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp butter (at room temp)
1 tbsp oil
1/4 cup +2 tbsp milk

Mix Flour, sugar, b.p together.  Add butter and oil, cut butter into mixture.  Add milk.
Stir and knead a few times.  Roll out onto floured cutting board – I use an empty soup can to cut them into circles.
Bake for 12 minutes at 450 F.  This doesn’t make very many, only about 6, so double or triple to your needs.

I also love Quiche – broccoli and cheese of course.

I never realized it was so easy to make, the hardest part is not over or under cooking.

Pie Shell – I cheat and use pie shells from the grocery store.
6-8 eggs (if you are using a deep dish shell use
2 tbsp milk
1/8 cup  Cubes of cheese – whichever is your favorite, I had mozerella.
1/2 cup  cut broccoli – You can use frozen, but I would recommend precooking and draining it.

Prepare pie shell as directed on package (some I think need to be pre baked a little).  Sprinkle cheese and broccoli in bottom of pie shell.
In seperate bowl mix eggs and milk, pour into pie shell.  Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.  I generally “jiggle” the pan, if it is still jelly in the middle
I leave it in a few more minutes, the center is ussually still soft, but not jiggly – be careful you don’t overcook or your quiche will be chewy.

And of course you need desert!  One of my favourites is Upside Down Chocolate Pudding Cake…done in the microwave, so its quick!
I didn’t want you to have to imagine what this dessert would look like so figure I should make some up to take some pictures…(ok, maybe that is just a good excuse)

Cake
2 tbsp butter (softened)
1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 tbs vanilla

Topping
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/4 cup water

Cake:
In microwave safe dish mix together cake ingredients.  Once mixed flatten/ smooth top.

Topping:

In separate bowl mix together 3 topping ingredients.

When all the sugar is dissolved gently pour on top of cake mixture.
Cover with a paper towel and microwave on high for 10 minutes (variable time).  Be sure to keep an eye on the mixture, sometimes it tries to
get out of the dish.  The top will be cakey, the bottom will be puddingy.
Yum.  Its best when warm and would be fantastic with vanilla ice cream.

Happy Quilting!

All I’ve Done is Sew This Year

Since its only the second day of 2010, it was really only one day of sewing, but thats ok

I was finishing up a project I have been collecting fabric for for awhile now.

Have a look!

Ella seems to like it too…

Happy Quilting!

So, I’ve been Sewing!

A flower basket block based on the same pattern as the veggie baskets I have shown you…One with sunflowers…

…and one with bright spring flowers…

I’ve also been sewing my blocks for the Birthday block swap.  We make a block for each person that is signed up to send during their birthday month…so, when your birthday comes along you get a mailbox full of blocks!

So far I have:

2 jewel stars

A black and white:

A mauve one (the recipient didn’t mention any other colour, just mauve – what colour is mauve anyway…)

And an autumn colours block:

Oh, and I can post of a picture of that quilt I was working on for a Christmas Present.  It was very well received by my brother.  It was a rag quilt that my mom and I made together, she cut, I sewed.

Close up of the bike block…

hmm…I think that is actually all that I have sewn

Happy Sewing!

Happy Christmas!

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Snowshoes, Sunshine and Coyotes

We recently purchased a few pairs of old wooden snowshoes, they are so much fun to use!  We usually do some cross-country skiing, but the one pair of boots got destroyed last time we used them so we are down to one pair.   The snow shoes are great though, we went for a hike through the pine forest we have behind us, there is no way would could have skied through there…well, maybe we could have, but it might not have been fun!

With all the snow we have had lately, it really makes you appreciate the days when the sun it out…I can count on one hand the number of times it has been a sunny day in the past two weeks, but atleast its more than none.

The coyotes were out singing in full force the other night.  We had gone out to give the dogs some time to play in the snow and to gather some wood at the back door – thats the only thing with a wood stove – moving wood!  Anyways, while we were out there the coyotes started  up their chorus, sounded like they were right across the road.  I’m pretty sure these are more of a wild coyote then the ones you hear about going into towns and running amok.

We have our own hunter in the house – Ella.  She has caught another mouse!  Good kitty.

I’ve finished sewing a Christmas present – and just in time too!  However I don’t want to post a picture in the off chance that that person reads my blog before receiving it

Happy Quilting.

Has it Really Stopped Snowing?

The sun is out, well its rising with no clouds.  So far.  There is no roads closed.  Strange after being in a snow storm for 4 days.  I forgot what the sun looked like   I’m pretty sure we got an entire seasons worth of snow in the last 4 days…

You would think if there was a blizzard raging outside it would mean lots of sewing time inside…thats what I thought too…unfortunatly things didn’t quite work out that way.  Instead I spent the last 4 days pouring candles, yep, a whole room full of beeswax candles – yum.  Most of them I had done are already spoken for, but I’d like to build up my stock too.

Unfortunately that meant no time for sewing…although I did go into the sewing room a few times (old rotary blades are great for cutting paper!)

I’ve also been doing some purging so have been posting lots of items to give away.  Have you ever been to Kijiji (http://www.kijiji.ca)?  Its a great site where you can post things to give away, and find things too.  Although not too many people ventured out to pick up things the past couple of days…I wonder why :-}

What else…oh I know, back this past Monday we went to a meeting regarding so wind turbines that a company is interested in putting up near by.  Boy, was it a disappointing meeting.  There wasn’t an actual seminar/ talk or anything, basically it was a bunch of information boards posted in a room with a few circulating people you could ask questions to…the thing that really got me was when you asked the tough questions the answer you usually got was – I’m just a consultant, I don’t know – sheesh…if they don’t know so much why are they there?

Well, I would like to try to get some sewing in this weekend – I have a Christmas present I need to sew – so I best be off the computer!

Happy quilting.

This week in Review

Last night was week 3 of the rag quilt class – what a fun class! and all the ladies are doing so well.  Two of them already finished their quilts and there is still one week left!  They still have to clip all the seams, but the sewing is done.  Sure makes me want to buy some more flannel and make another one for myself…they just go together so quickly.

What I have been working on is a new project – go figure   I’m making fish bowls!  I put out an APB to get some fish squares so I have quite the collection now.  So, I think that brings me to 4 projects on the go…

You know, one of the draw backs of driving is having to keep the car drivable.  Two weeks ago I had my snow tires put on, turns out I will need to get new summer tires next year, as one of mine has a warp in it, and of course you can’t buy just one, so at least two it is…then, shortly after having my snows on I notice the one is almost flat!  Turns out it had a siding screw in it…no idea where I picked that up.  Fortunately I took it to the shop and they patched it up.  Sheesh, hopefully that’s all the problems with it.

So I was sitting at my computer this morning getting ready to type up this note and I couldn’t figure out why Ella (the kitty) was so intent on being under my computer.  Well I moved the box that was sitting between my desk and the file cabinet and low and behold a small furry was in there.  I have no idea why there was a field mouse upstairs by my computer, but maybe he was trying to mate with my computer mouse…Of course in behind the filing cabinet he went…

And so did Ella!

I left them for awhile, not wanting to be there when she caught him…which she did…good kitty!

Well I can’t say mouse would be my first choice for a meal, but I do love Falafels.  Yum, the basics of them are ground up chickpeas with cumin.  Mix it all up and then either fry them or bake them.

Oh, remember that homemade pizza I told you about?  Well, while we were making the dough we put some aside and put it in the freezer.  The other day we took it out of the freezer, let it thaw, put it in the toaster oven and tada! we had bread.  It wasn’t a very big loaf, more of a tester, but boy was it good…

Happy Quilting!

A Summary

Was this past weekend the nicest weather or what?  We took the dogs to the bush for a walk…it was enough to have a light jacket on, no mittens or anything.  Plus since it has been cooler there was no bugs…just about perfect.

Remember I told you last week I was going to be teaching a quilting class?  Well all went well…there was 7 students, although one didn’t bring her fabric so there was only 6 cutting and sewing.  Once they got into the swing of things it was smooth sailing.

Some of the fabric they brought in was beautiful stuff…actually there was a sale on at Fabricland so a couple of the ladies brought in similar pieces

One thing I did learn after that class was how to clean and get fabric fibres out of your cutting mat.  Yep, out of it…I think one of the ladies must have been cutting with all her strength as there was fibres ground into the cutting line (her blade was a little dull to so that probably didn’t help).  Anyways to clean it up I first used an eraser…just a general arts and crafts eraser…that got rid
of some of the fibres..then I used some packing tape, made it into a roll and rolled it over the worst parts, picking up even more fibres…Then out came the bucket of warm water with a tiny squeeze of dish soap and a scrubby sponge…oh and some elbow grease…and tada…an almost back to original shape mat!  Now if only I could figure out how to get the warp out of my other
cutting mat (they are right, you shouldn’t leave them in the sun).

I also took some time to myself this weekend and did some sewing…
The fruit and veggie baskets I was telling you about are all done, I just love how quickly they go together.  Spoiler alert for anyone involved in the swap – I’m going to post some pictures of the blocks so if you don’t want to see them…close your eyes for a second 

Grape Baskets

Veggie Baskets

I was also working on a couple of Puss in the Corner blocks…what a great block that is and its always nice when all your corners line up like magic!  Of course they were mailed away and I didn’t remember to take a picture first!  Sheesh…

Now if you are feeling adventurous and want to try some thread painting I was pointed towards this blog and she is doing some tutorials on Christmas themed thread painting…they look so pretty, I just might try some…one day!  Thread Painting I love the poinsettia…It would add some dimension if for the seeds in the center you added beads…

If you are looking for some more inspiration I have heard that some of the quilts here: Japan Show Are fantastic…unfortunately due to dial up restraints I haven’t seen many of them…

Well now that you are all quilted out its time for dinner!  Yum, homemade pizza… I had no idea that making pizza dough was so easy…now we just have to learn to capture the flavour of canned pizza sauce in a home made version…

Happy eating….errr, Quilting