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Sunday, April 24, 2011

Stash Report

No change from last week.  I haven't even looked at my machine.  I hope to get some sewing done this week though while it is raining out.  We'll see how the week progresses.


Used this Week:              0 yards
Used year to Date:          19.5 yards
Added this Week:            0 yards
Added Year to Date:       18.25 yards
Net Used for 2011:          1.25 yards

To see what others have used in their stash, please visit Judy L's site Patchwork Times.


Thursday, April 21, 2011

What I've been working on

I started working on my applique.  I finished the vine and put 2 more leaves on it.  I hope to add a little each day and watch the block grow.  I hope to have the whole thing done by October for our quilt guild show.  We will see how I progress thru the spring and summer.  
I just try to get through the day and not worry about any thing else.  It seems to help.  I do need to start getting baby items ready for the new babes.  I'm thinking maybe a few layette items for each one.  I will also make up some sleep sacks.  I used to love them for my kids.  
Off to plan dinner and maybe do a little more sewing.
 

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Guild stuff and dinner

Nothing to show today.  I'm reading email and trying to get my guild newsletter and web page caught up.  I guess that it is quilting related just nothing to show.  I hope to do some hand work tonight. 
I'm posting a recipe that the family likes and is super easy to make.

Bow Ties with Sausage, Tomatoes and Cream

Ingredients:
1 pkg bow tie pasta (12 - 16 oz.)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage
1/2 lb hot Italian sausage
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup diced onion (optional)
3 cloves garlic minced or 1 tsp garlic powder
1 (28 oz) can Italian style plum tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped 
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
dash salt up to 1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp minced fresh parsley

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.

2.  Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat.  Remove sausage from casing.  Cook sausage and pepper flakes until sausage is evenly browned.  Stir in onion and garlic, and cook until onion is tender.  Stir in tomatoes, cream, and salt.  Simmer until mixture thickens, 8 - 10 minutes.

3. Stir cooked pasta into sauce, and heat through.  Sprinkle with parsley.
from Allrecipes.com 

I don't add the onion unless I use scallions or onion powder.  I also use garlic powder or minced garlic.  Instead of plum tomatoes we use 2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes as we always have them on hand.  The original recipe called for all mild sausage, but we like it better with the mix.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Design Wall(Table)

I am still working on the binding of the table runner from two weeks ago.  I also took a class with Kristin Steiner on the Sunday after mom passed away.  My sisters and dad insisted that I go.  It is hand applique and I'm enjoying the hand work.  I am very slow at hand applique and I hope that my speed will increase with time.

 I haven't worked on this since the class, but I hope to soon.

 I hope that soon I will start feel like working on the baby quilts as they will be needed soon.
To see what others have on their design wall go to Judy L's Patchwork Times.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Stash Report

Nothing used this week and nothing purchased either.  I'm trying to figure out how I will add what I'm inheriting from my mother's stash within the next few weeks to my counts or if I need to add them as she purchased them and my sisters and I will be dividing them up.  This has been very hard to do.  My one sister lives in NC and the other lives within a twenty minute drive. The NC sister will be coming and going for a week at a time.  We have started looking at mom's stash and are going to divide it equally.  We are taking items home to finish that mom started.  Rough times ahead for all of us as we go thru mom's things and start deciding what will happen to things.  Dad wants nothing to do with her sewing room.  He will not let her new machine go though.  I think that he should keep it there as he knows how to sew and can use it to do repairs.  

Used this Week:              0 yards
Used year to Date:          19.5 yards
Added this Week:            0 yards
Added Year to Date:       18.25 yards
Net Used for 2011:          1.25 yards

To see what others have used in their stash, please visit Judy L's site Patchwork Times.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Thoughts and trying to move on

I'm trying to get back into life and get things done again.  We have to move forward after the sudden death of my mom.  She had her hand in a great many places trying to help.  She had worked with Camp Fire, Sunday School at Pennellville United Methodist Church (where she was also a trustee and helped with maintenance).  She helped with marching band and color guard while we were in school.  She worked at the food pantry and she was a member of Twins and Triplets of CNY.  They are a number of other things that she did as well but I will not list them all.  She and my father loved to travel with their camper.and went to many places.  They had been to Alaska on a cruise a year ago.  She had wanted to go again.  Dad was receptive to the idea.  He may go just to honor her wishes.  He has told us already that he will travel and go camping this year with out her and I am fine with that.  He is starting to get on with his life and I'm proud of him for it.  He knows that if he doesn't stay active he will join her and he has decided that he isn't ready yet. 
DH has gotten a new motorcycle.  A 1998 Honda Shadow Aero.  It is Dark green and cream and very sharp looking.  I wish that I could ride with him but my knee will not tolerate it.  Some day the darn thing will be replaced and I will walk properly again.  Until that time, I just keep trying to lose weight and keep the muscles as strong as I can.
Hopefully I will start working on the babies quilts again soon.  I want to finish them before the babes arrive.  It may be close as they are both having contractions on and off.  Neither one of the girls has felt well this week but I think part of it is the fact that Grandma died.  They both were quite fond of my mom.  She treated them as if they were her biological grand child and not an in law.  I have been trying to do the same.  Mom had items set aside for both of them and I will finish the sewing that she started.  They both need layettes for the babes and mom had been sewing up outfits for them.  I will finish up what she started and add a few more items to what is there.

Friday, April 8, 2011

My mother's death

My mother passed away peacefully in her sleep yesterday.  She had gone to womens group on Monday with my Aunt.  Tuesday she went to her stitcher's group with the same Aunt.  Wednesday she got up and felt weak.  She had vomiting and the runs.  Dad told her to sit in her chair and he would keep an eye on her.  She asked for some toast and dad made it for her. She had maybe two bites.  She snoozed and was sick on and off all day.  She asked dad for some pudding around 5:00pm and he brought it to her.  He asked her on and off all evening if she was going to eat her pudding.  She kept telling him that in a bit she would eat.  She fell a sleep in her chair.  Dad didn't want to wake her so he went to bed.  He got up in the morning and she was still right there. He didn't want to disturb her so he did his morning stuff.  At 8:30 he went to open the curtains and he put his hand on her arm.  She was cold.  He called my Aunt and she went over and said the same thing.  He had already called 911.  He then called me and tried to get hold of my sisters.  I called my sisters and my own children.  Let them know that Grandma had passed.  I then headed up to my parent's house. I will try to blog more after we get every thing situated.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Binding

I'm still working on the binding of the table runner that I made.  Sewing the binding down is getting very hard for me.  I think that it is time for new glasses.  I am finding that my eyes get very tired.  I am also having a hard time seeing in the distance and find myself peering under my glasses to see things close up.  Working on the computer is also hard on my eyes.  They get very dry.  I had plugs in my ducts to create tears but I'm guessing that they have stopped working.  If I use a magnifier light than I don't have any problems and can work for quite a while.  Unfortunately I lost the base to my lamp and need to find it for a hand applique class that I'm taking on Sunday.  If I don't find it, I will have to buy a new one.  I might be able to have one of my DS's make a new base for me.  I'll see what I can come up with.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Design Wall(Table)

I have something on my design wall this week!  A table runner that I have been working on.  I'm still working on the binding.  I have put 2 different borders on this runner and didn't like either one. So I'm not putting any border on it and I'll just leave the sashing as a border. 

I like how the back came out.
I also went to a quilt show over the weekend.  Bought a book and no fabric.  




Monochromatic Challenge and UFO Challenge

The monochromatic color for the month is orange.  I'll have to see what I've got.  
The UFO for the month is #4.  That is my paint chip challenge from my guild.  I have it started.  I just need to sew the blocks together and get it quilted.  Hopefully it won't take too long for me to finish.  To see what others are working on for their challenges, visit Judy L's Patchwork Times.

Stash Report

Not much change in the stash this week.  I did get the table runner almost done so I will count that this week in the stash.  I need to finish baby quilts as I don't think that the DIL'S will be making it to the end of the month with these babies.  I finally got an idea of what the youngest son wants for his baby. The other I just need to finish.  I have started 2 for the youngest and DIL shot both of them down, as she doesn't like green and she doesn't like bright colors.  I'll pick up another blue Bali pop and make the same quilt as for the older son's baby.  I will quilt them differently is the only thing and the Bali pops are different.  I will finish the other two and hang onto them for future baby shower gifts or give them to project Linus when they are done. 

Used this Week:              1 yards
Used year to Date:          19.5 yards
Added this Week:            0 yards
Added Year to Date:       18.25 yards
Net Used for 2011:          1.25 yards

To see what others have used in their stash, please visit Judy L's site Patchwork Times.