Progress

I may have said this before, but learning to sew like this has taught me MUCH about patience and more patience. Making a quilt is a long process! (I'm sure I'm much slower at is as a newbie though). I finally had a little time (between class, work, and final exams) to cut into all that pretty fabric and get it set for sewing. I'm relieved to have all the cutting done... but can I say I'm already looking ahead to new projects!? Haha, I think this just might be addicting...

I cut TONS of half square triangles to sew into blocks. I know there are some shortcuts for this process, but I didn't have the right marking tool to mark out the quarter inch seams... so I just cut lots and lots of triangles...

So pretty all stacked together...

Since this is my first quilt, I just started in with an idea in mind. I picked out the various fabrics I liked, and cut triangles from them. I kept thinking that it was taking an awful long time to cut all that fabric, but finshed it anyway. When I was done, I looked up measurements for the various sizes of quilts I could make... and come to find out, I had cut enough fabric for two twin size, or a double and lap, or a king!! WOW!! I think I'll have some fabric leftover, and won't repeat that mistake again! Hehe

Before I got too far though, I did try out several different layout patterns to see which I liked best. My original idea was to do pinwheels... but something made me change my mind.

After playing with the above ideas, I googled "half square triangle quilts" and found some other beautiful ideas... the best was found here (made by Connie Ryan according to the website), and it's the pattern I'm going to try and make. I love it! I think it will need a blue border of some kind and I have LOTS of extra HST blocks leftover to work with too... hmmm...

April Showers Bring May Flowers (Or something like that...)

Last summer I decided that I needed to have a few flowers around... couldn't wait until we had a place of our own and a real garden, so here are the results:

This summer I found a BEAUTIFUL purple geranium.

These are also my current flower pots - it's been a challenge protecting them from the hail, late snow, and frosts!

Flowers from last summer...

I love the roses - but don't know how to keep them over the winter very well...

Purple Petunias...

Banana Chocolate Chip Suprise Muffins

Here's another good recipe we made this week for breakfast...

Ingredients:

2 c. flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
3 ripe bananas
1 c. sour cream
1/4 lb. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate morsels

Directions:

Sift the flour with the baking powder and baking soda. Set aside. Process the bananas with the sour cream until smooth. Set aside.

Beat the butter with the sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat until well incorporated. Add the sifted dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternately with the banana mixture in two additions, beating only until blended. Fold in the chocolate morsels.

Line muffin tins with cupcake papers or used greased nonstick muffin tin. Fill each cup about 3/4 of the way with batter and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from tins. Makes 18 muffins. (To make suprise muffins, fill cups 1/3 full with batter, then spoon one tsp of jam onto the batter, then cover with 1/3 more batter. The jam will bake into the middle of the muffin. Yum!)

Baguettes!!

This past week I read a post over at "The Sisters Cafe" that I just HAD to try!! It was a recipe for baguettes. While that sounds very *french*... when I lived in Spain we ate a lot of this type of bread as well. I haven't eaten it since, and I've missed it for sure. The picture below isn't the best, but I can assure you (as can Curt), that this bread is YUMMY!!! It's perfect straight out of the oven... or cooled down and sliced lengthwise for sub sandwiches. MMMM. I will definitely be putting this recipe on the "company" recipe list, and will definitely be making it again.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 1/2 Tbs (2 packages) dry yeast
2 tsp sugar
3 1/4 cup flour
2 tsp salt

Directions:

In a small bowl mix the warm water with the yeast and sugar. Let it sit for about 5 mintues - foam should form on the top.

In a large mixing bowl combine the flour and salt. Gradually add the yeast mixture. Mix until the dough becomes a smooth ball and knead for 5 minutes. Cut in half and then shape into 2 baguettes. To make them smooth and pretty, roll each half of dough into a rectangle and roll up lengthwise. Pinch the edges to seal and place on slightly greased cookie sheet with seam down. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. With a very sharp knife gently make a slash down the length of each baguette. This will give it the authentic look. Pour water in a cookie sheet and place on bottom rack of the oven. Bake the bread for 15 minutes. Halfway through, brush the bread with melted butter.

~ In memory of our sweet Tiger Kitty ~

Our Tiger went to kitty heaven recently after 19 years. She came to live with us during the summer in between my 1st and 2nd grade school years... and stayed on for many more. We all miss her, but my sister will miss her the most. They were best friends, especially in the last few years, so I made the following little scrapbook for Marlece to help keep the memories alive... (The pictures are out of order, and I didn't have time to fiddle with it to get them in the right place)

Sleepin' in her box...

Her special blanket and bed...

Me and Tiger Cat...

When we were outside, Tiger was always there...

She loved tid bits from the BBQ!

Getting her nails done...

Fluffy kitty...

Lovin' the attention...

Watchin' Tiger eat...

Cute kitty...

In memory.

Posing...

What you lookin' at?

Best buds...

Cute little tongue...

Blue sky and sunshine quilt

I am very new to quilting and sewing. I think I've mentioned it before, but I've felt the need to learn some of those skills that my grandmothers posess that I have yet to learn. Seems like there are many things that the older generations learned out of necessity that have now fallen by the wayside in my generation, quilting being one of them - at least in my family.

I went to the fabric store intending to find green and pink fabrics for this - I was wanting a spring look. However, I just couldn't make up my mind on the pinks - so many of them were bright pink, and I wanted a softer look. So I changed my mind altogether and went after blues and yellows. I'm calling it the Blue Sky and Sunshine quilt (I'm sure there is an actual technical name for the pattern)... and the name fits with our Montana Spring that is slowly arriving. Can't wait!!

I chose several different prints in both blue and yellow... and I like the small print on the white. I think it will make it a little less plain.

Aren't these pretty? I can't wait to work with them...

Here's the design I have in mind. I'm not using a pattern, but thought that pinwheels in alternating colors would be really cute. This is just a little layout with a few of the prints. The final top will be much more random.

My first little bit of progress...

I'm learning that the quilting process, measuring, cutting, planning, sewing, trimming, etc... takes A LOT of patience. It's a good one for me to learn though!

Angel Chicken

This has become one of our favorite recipes. My family in Oregon LOVED it when I had a chance to cook for them this winter... We usually put it over angel hair pasta, but it's also very good served over rice.

Angel Chicken

Ingredients:

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup butter (I leave this out, and it's just fine)
1 pkg dry italian salad dressing mix
1 can golden mushroom soup
1/2 cup white wine (cooking wine)
4 oz onion & chive cream cheese
angel hair pasta or rice cooked according to pkg directions.

Directions: (the recipe way)

Place chicken in crock pot. In sauce pan melt butter. Stir in italian salad dressing mix, soup, cream cheese, and wine. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 4-5 hours. Pour over cooked angel hair pasta or rice.

Directions: (my way)

Leave out the butter. Put italian salad dressing mix, mushroom soup, cream cheese, and wine in crockpot. Turn crockpot on to low. With a wooden spoon, stir/mash the mixture... it will gradually blend together.

Add FRESH MUSHROOMS!! Slice them any way you like...


Then chop chicken into bite sized pieces and add to mixture in crockpot...

Cook on low, stirring occasionally, for 3-5 hours... check to be sure chicken is cooked through. And it ends up looking like this... Yum!