Sunday, October 30, 2011

Corny Costume

I found this from when I was into shirt painting.  I made it about 23 years ago.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Twinkling Stars

I finished the Twinkling Stars quilt tonight.  I haven't a clue how to quilt it.  Any suggestions?

Homemade Ravioli Review

It wasn't quite what I was expecting.

The filling seemed yummy.  Ricotta, parmesan, egg, salt, pepper, spinach, a bit of chicken. But the wonton wrappers cooked up a bit larger than what I was expecting.


And it was a bit of trouble to lay them out, brush with egg wash, and seal/

Only took them about 3 minutes to cook, but I was supposed to only cook 4 at a time.  I did more like 6-8 at a time.


However, with the marinara sauce on them, they were pretty good.  Will the hubby like them? My guess is no, because they don't have enough meat in them.  Will I make them again?  I am thinking not.  I would rather go to the trouble of using my own pasta recipe with the ravioli maker, that I've never used. They should end up smaller and look like real ravioli if I use it.  But, this was great practice.

Turkeys are back

Our neighborhood turkeys were back for a visit this morning.  I think their feathers are amazing.


Friday, October 28, 2011

Friday Fall Cooking

I love living in Tennessee where we have four great seasons.  I've enjoyed staying inside most of the day cooking.  Maybe there will be time for sewing later on this evening. I made some marinara sauce (recipe under the tab).  Tomato based pasta has never been my favorite, however, this stuff is really good!  My plan is to make some homemade ravioli tomorrow using won ton wrappers to go with it. (found the recipes on The Pioneer Woman's blog)
This week is going to be very busy and will probably include several nights of overtime at work, so I've made a big pot of Minnesota wild rice chicken soup, a couple of loaves of homemade bread, an almond pound cake, and rather than throwing a couple of overripe bananas away, I made some banana bread.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Rebecca's Hope

A very worthwhile cause.  Please take a few minutes to view this video and if you can help, please do so.



http://youtu.be/VbcWixjx3jg

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Chose to sew

I could have done more for my physical health by walking in the beautiful sunshine today, .....but I chose to improve my mental health by sewing!  I haven't done many of these template long star points. And it took me 9 to figure out what they were supposed to look like. Duh. Nine.  Oh well, here is a picture of what they are NOT supposed to look like versus what they ARE supposed to look like. And no, I didn't redo the bad ones.  I rarely take anything out.  I am one of those who say, "oh, it will quilt out." I prefer to look at the big picture rather than the intimate details.  I guess that is why I'll never do this for a business.
 It is coming along nicely. I always like to lay the blocks out as I go.  I still have a few more to make and then to put them all together.  This is a large hexagon shape.

Christmas Table Quilt

I broke my own cardinal rule.  I started a project without having the prior one finished.
I want to be sure I have this one done to go on our table for Christmas.  The other shirt scrap quilt might end up taking me weeks to finish.  And, I must admit, this one is a little different for me, and I was wanting to learn how to make these long pointed template stars.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Twinkling Stars

Yay! The fabric for Twinkling Stars came today! It is a table quilt featured in the latest Quilt magazine.

Husband/Wife Fishing Tournament

Caught my first large mouth bass!

We came in fourth out of eleven boats. Had a blast.

Some of the "better halves" of the husband/wife teams.



I love this one.  Jim looks so tired. Probably tired of having to get my hooks and line untangled so many times.  No, really, I didn't do too bad.  And had a great time.  He may have found a new fishing buddy.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Back to the things I love....

Makin' honey wheat bread


Making Katie's pumpkin muffins.  Recipe under the Recipe tab.


Now, if I can manage to get everything else done today, I can get back to some sewing.....

Back home

Home, sweet home.  I think I must have lost my sense of adventure.  I just really don't like to travel anymore.  I've been to some fantastic places, but at this season of my life, I am very content to be at home, with my quilting, crafts, cat, and computer.  Below are some of my favorite pictures from our trip to Savannah.
This was our room at the President's Quarters B&B
 The outdoor dining area at the B&B
 In one of the squares.
 We had another tourist take this shot outside the candy shop in the City Market
 Jim next to the horse and buggy ride.
 The coffee area at our B&B
 The fabulous St. John the Baptist cathedral

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Savannah

We are enjoying a few days in Savannah. The hubs has a conference here this week so we came a couple of days early. Lots of pictures to come. It is cloudy and windy, but we consider that perfect weather; keeps the temps cool and good for photos.

Reposting from Facebook:
"In every circumstance, we can respond in one of two ways--I can whine or I can worship!" Choosing Gratitude by Nancy Leigh DeMoss.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Present from Jesse

We are having friends over tonight for dinner so I thought I'd do some straightening up.  This is what I found in the chair on the screened porch.  Jesse, so thoughtful, brought me a present.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Bag

What is in the box?
Yay! My new bag

One of my favorite photographers reviewed this bag on her blog.  Yes, I am just a amateur photographer but I still need something to transport and protect my camera.  These are beautifully hand made with lots of padding and pockets, yet it looks just like a large boxy hand bag.  It is big enough for my camera and accessories but also my wallet, phone, and other items from my purse.  The quality is awesome.  Just in time for our trip to Savannah. I managed to get my order in just before the designer quit taking orders.  She is having surgery soon.  Her name is Judy.  Please say a prayer for her.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Fall Decor

There are so many great ideas on the internet for fall decor. Purchased the pumpkins for 78 cents a pound and just sat them on the candle sticks.  I already had the leaves and jar of apples.

Supper

We had tomato bisque soup and grilled cheese sandwiches last night for supper. Yummy and perfect for a cold evening. Then today I fixed Jim's chili.  It is a great, simple recipe.  Also good for a cool, fall day.
Jim's Chili:
1 lb lean hamburger
1/3 to 1/2 chopped onion
1/2 chopped green pepper
Brown in skillet, then add 1 can diced tomatoes 2 small cans tomato sauce, and 1 can mild chili beans.  Season with chili powder to taste.  Cook in crock pot on low for several hours. It doesn't make a whole lot, which is good for us. I'd say about 4-5 servings.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

No Sewing Today

At least not yet.  Spent some time today chasing four active kids around with a camera.  It was a ton of fun.  Here are a few of my favorites.