Thursday, July 28, 2011

Quilting


I started to collect some fabrics for <this> quilt I'm going to make.  But I'm trying not to buy all at once, because I want the quilt to be more relaxed than planned.  I just want it to have some movement and I figure that if I buy all of my fabric over a period of one week (very possible! lol), then it could possibly look more stilted.  This way I can add some fabrics to it from scraps and from clothes, and from places other than Joanne's. Which I love, but basically I'm trying to hold out until I'm inspired. 

And this weekend there is a quilt show in Hershey, PA, right by my house.  I'm wondering if they will have fabric for sale in the Merchant's Room.  I've never been to a quilt show.  It is called Quilt Odyssey.  One of the classes they are hosting is the history of quilt marking - this sounds so interesting! 


This quilt above, by Cynthia England, is a sample from a landscape class that Cynthia is going to teach. 

And while the one above is going on this weekend, I'm already putting another one on my calendar:

9/15/2011 - 9/18/2011
Greater Philadelphia Area, Pennsylvania

Merchants Mall & Quilt Show

Greater Philadelphia Expo Center100 Station Avenue, Oaks, PA 19456
(GPS Address: 1601 Egypt Road, Phoenixville, PA 19460) 

 Circles of Life, by Linda French

And finally, I just found out about what looks like a fun place to check out:
Quiltmakers Cottage
 Quiltmakers Cottage had the honor of being chosen as one of the “TOP 10” shops
 featured in the Spring issue of Quilt Sampler Magazine!


Where they showcased this:


Boy it looks like I've got a lot to do this weekend!  

I hope you get the chance to be creative this weekend!  
  
I'm looking forward to it!  I want to have something to show!


 

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Blister in the Sun


 
Just putting up a quick post. I feel awful that I haven't been crafting!! 
My hands have been itching for activities. 


I have to say that yesterday I was at a golf tournament for work, and while I was there I actually brought fabric and scissors so that I could cut out small squares of fabric for some future project! At least I felt like I was being somewhat creative!


Have you ever been to a golf tournament? I had never been. My mom used to watch them on tv. I never got into it. It turns out they are somewhat fun. Well, if you are a GOLFER. And even then its mostly just the joy of being outside. I swear even the competitive people couldn't hit a barn if I built one right in from of them!


Our company has its own branch of Champions for Children, a 501 (c)(3) that gives money directly to children in our area. Completely non-profit.  If they need things as varied as a pair of shoes or even the cost of a therapist, the money goes straight to the kids. Its a great cause!


Along with lots of other volunteers, I collected donations from local businesses in the days leading up to the event.  We had some great prizes!  


But yesterday, I got to watch paint dry. Actually, I got to watch hole #6. And if anyone made it to the green on that hole, I and my compatriot were to go up to the green and measure the distance of the ball to the hole. Guess what happened... only 3 people made it to the hole on the first stroke, and...


The representative whose company had donated a kindle for the prize for hole #6 WON that prize!! Funny. He gave it back and they did a drawing for it. Very nice.


And you can see above on my header that I HAVE been somewhat creative. I played tonight on the computer and made a new header for myself.


And in case you are wondering, the title of my post tonight refers to the heat pounding down on my garden, which is in sore need of weeding and was almost washed away by the downpour on Monday.  The title is also the name of a Violent Femmes song.  No offense to V.F. lovers, but its not the greatest song.  I just thought the title was appropriate!  

Peace to everyone! 
I hope you get the chance to be creative today!

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Monday morning coffee...

Good morning!  or if you are a Night-Owl, just HELLO.  I am heading to bed and look, I'm already looking forward to morning coffee! 

Tomorrow already feels like a half-caf day 
(I'm usually a de-caf girl).  I'll keep you posted.
I have not posted since last Wednesday - its like I'm living in some surreal world, where I am watching the things go on around me but I'm useless about getting anything done! 

I have, however, continued to work on one of my shirt projects, and I did get in a great visit with some wonderful friends we hadn't seen in YEARS (literally years!).  And did you notice I didn't say "old"?  We're all still just 21 at heart.

Quickly, though, I would like to share with you something I put together in about 3 minutes for the main bathroom.  
I often keep glass jars because I like their shape and feel.  When my kids were younger I didn't do this (but wanted to).  And then my sister-in-law showed me how she even used them to store leftovers, which sounds so simple, but it we had those throwaways, you know?  So I guess I never thought of it.  But now I use them quite often.  

Anyway, I had this nice glass jar and I thought how pretty it would be in the bathroom.  And the generic soap dispenser in there that I constantly refill always tips over when you go to use it.  People think it fits in the little shell-shape of the counter (it doesn't).  
But it falls over anywhere.  

So I used a hammer and a flat-head screwdriver, 
laid the lid upside down on 2 boards 
(so that the metal edges would flip up into the pump-part I was going to glue). 
Then I popped the pump into the jar lid, and just used Gorilla Glue to hold it together!  

My girls came in separately to both tell me how nice it looks and to thank me for it, because it no longer flips over when they go to use it!  Wow!



and I'd like to say THANK YOU 
to Ginger for featuring my lunchbags #2 and #3 on her link party!  

Check out her blog here:


 
I hope you get the chance to be creative today!!
 




Wednesday, July 20, 2011

What I Ate Wednesday for July 20th

 Fried Green Tomatoes! 

Linking up today to Jenn's Peas and Crayons blog!


And my food today is actually part of my dinner yesterday...

Last night my kids wanted a "nice" meal.  They wanted good food at the dinner table.  So my 22 yo son, home for the weekend, made a Key Lime Cheeseball from a package of mix from Harry and David's.  I couldn't find it on the website - it was from a catalog sale to benefit one of our schools. But the flavor was delicious!  He cut Gala apples into wedges and arranged them around the Cheeseball.  I don't know why I didn't photograph that!

But we also had fish (you know I love it) 
and we had some foods fresh from our garden:
Fresh Zucchini tossed with corn, 
lightly buttered and microwaved for three minutes
 (this photo is pre-cooking):
And Fried Green Tomatoes!  Delicious!  
Though Fried Green Tomato recipes vary - you can really add ANY seasonings you wish - I made it a three step process last night.  
It was so good.  

And since I planted my garden so late, this is a great way to enjoy the tomatoes since they are no where near red!  

#1 - blue - flour with pepper & salt 
#2 - orange - one egg mixed with half & half 
(could use milk or water)
#3 - yellow - bread crumbs with Italian seasonings

 Slice the green tomatoes to whatever thickness you like, 
but remember, this will affect the cooking time.

Preheat a small amount of Olive Oil in a frying pan.  
I also like to add a little bit of butter for added flavor and for browing.
Next, dredge one slice in the flour mixture, then submerge it into the egg mixture.  You might want to repeat this step.  After this, place the slice into the bread crumbs and thoroughly coat it.  This can be a challenge - make sure it is wet from bowl #2. 

Then gently place the crumb-covered slice into the hot oil in the pan.  When the first side has browned, gently turn it over, making note of the time.  When the other side is brown, remove the slice and place it on a paper-towel or paper-plate.  I used a medium sized pan and made three slices at a time. 
 I cooked three tomatoes and all but three slices 
remained by the time dinner time arrived!

Bon Appetit!  

I hope you get the chance to be creative today!  

(As for me, I am still working on those shirt interfacings!)