Pinnochle Party

Today we are having are first card party of the year. Usually we plan for once a month and rotate between three homes and stop around the end of August because of canning season. We are playing at our place today. We have snack type foods mostly. Today we are having seafood chowder, homemade baguettes, sandwich sugar cookies with homemade jam, a small fruit and vegies tray, Stromboli, (just in case someone doesn't like seafood or my chowder doesn't turn out.

I'm up early and my bread dough is on its first rise.

I'll follow up later with some pictures.

Design Wall 11-19-2012

I have a couple days off during Thanksgiving and plan of getting my grandson's quilt quilted.  It's on the longarm and I've picked my thread.  That's the trouble, my tension isn't right.  I keep breaking the top thread.    It was late enough in the day Sunday to just quit and start up fresh maybe tomorrow.

This is a Color Palette Challenge  I did with Judy in May.  She named her's Sweet Tart and I'm calling  my Skittles.  It's also a stashbuster.  I didn't purchase a single fat quarter, remant or yard.  

I hope to get it done my Monday next.  Then I can handsew the binding at night while watching tv.

This post is being linked to Patchwork Times Design Wall.

My Design Wall 11-12-2012

When my grandson was here this summer, I showed him his quilt.  

Then he saw this one "Skittles"

"Grandma, can I have this one instead?"  "Of course."   He picked the G.I.Joe material for the back and because I don't have enough, I am incorporating colors from the back to make the backing different.  Once the backing is pieced, it's going on the longarm.

This post is being linked to Judy's Design Wall.

DW's Jean quilt top

I took this picture when I finished the top and never got around to posting.  It's a complete flimsy.  I still have the back to start.  It's a pieced Crown Royal back.  Many many CR sacks I need to disassemble and reassemble.  Not looking forward to that.

Well it is what it is.  I'll get on it but he won't need it till this fall.  So I guess I have some time.  Right?

February 2012 UFO Challenge

The UFO Challenge for January is complete.  Judy called number 1 which is a child's charity quilt.  I picked the top from a local quilt store years ago.  I quilted it but the binding was left to do.  I did it.

This morning Judy called for number 8 to be the March UFO.  This is my March UFO Challenge:

My daughter will be so happy to finally see this one completed.  I've been working on it for years.  I got totally bored with it.  Originally it was just the center stars for the quilt.  It's a king, and I just wanted it finished.  So I added the star points around the center star.  I wanted larger blocks so I wouldn't have to make so many.  This quilt is quilted and just needs the binding.  I think I can, I think I can.  I KNOW I CAN!  She and her family are coming out to visit me this summer.  The last time they were in Oregon was 2000, and they moved to Montana.  They haven't been back since.  I'm so glad they will be coming out this year.  I've decided to have a big BBQ and party in their honor.  I want to show off my daughter and her family.  I have 4 grandchildren and can't wait to spoil them rotten on my turf.

This post is being linked to Judy's March UFO Challenge

Garden Update & Misc. Happenings

The last time I posted I was in Montana visiting my family.  Since then, my mom and sister came out here for a couple days.  Because my mom loves to bird watch, so we went to the coast and visited Nestucca Bay National Wildife Refuge, Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge.  We went to a couple of state parks on the coast.  She had her list of birds she wanted to look for and we found many of them.

We celebrated my birthday and watched the chickens.  We took her to the Woodburn Auction where we sold 6 roosters.  That really made my "girls" happy.

Well the garden has finally come into its own.  I've been canning pickled beets, kosher dills, hamburger dills, freezing broccoli and cauliflower, blueberries and peas.

Last night, DBF picked all the cukes and today, it's more of the same.  Hamburger Dills, Baby Kosher Dills and maybe some Bread and Butter Pickles.  Tomorrow, beets again.  We want enough to last two years.  We don't plan on growing beets next year so I have to can a bunch this year.  I think I can. That's all for now.  Talk to you all later.

Water Baby

I'm here in Montana visiting my family. I took my grandkids out for a picnic yesterday at a park I used to go to as a child. They were watering the lawns go we decided to run thru the sprinklers. I think it was about 90 yesterday. My youngest granddaughter Dani loves water. Here she is playing in the sprinkler. I think you can enlarge it. She's there with her brother, Jessee and oldest sister, Rachel. When we came home, we sat outside in the shade. Dani decided she wasn't though with the water and got inside the cooler, ice and all.

Happy Father's Day

My dad was my greatest inspiration. He taught me so much. Thinking of you today and everyday.
Cherish your dad's, because when their gone all you have are the memories.

Who's Your Pick?

Superbowl Sunday, Packer vs. Steelers I know lots of you care, I don't not really. I hope to see some good commercials and visit with family and eat. Maybe we'll get in a couple games of Pinochle and of course snack. I made some rockin Wontons. I tasted them. Wow, good. I got the recipe from Picky Palate.
It's call Crispy Southwest Chicken Wontons. The recipes calls for 1/2 cup of both onion and red bell pepper. I used one each finely minced. I also used on 1/2 pint home canned chicken and one store bought can of chicken. I used all my wontons (43) and only had a couple tablespoons of mix left. We will serve it with ranch and green salsa verde, although I thought they tasted wonderful without. Try them and subscribe to the Picky Palate. She has lots of recipes.

Try them and let me know how you like them! BTW, I don't have a favorite for the game. I guess since I'm from Montana, I would probably go with the Packers but I'll root for both. I just want me and my partner to win at Pinochle. That's what I'm interested in!

No sewing today or this weekend either. Man, I have to get myself in gear. I've a lot of projects waiting for me.

Grandson's Scout Badge Vest

My grandson called me the other day to ask me if I would make him a vest to put his Boy Scout badges on. It needed to be red and his mom wanted it a couple sizes larger for growth. I mailed it Friday. I hope he likes it.

I've been sewing on my daughter's quilt, still. It's as if I'll never get done. Actually, it looking nice. I think she'll like it. I'll have to put it on the back burner till after Christmas. I want to make the grandkids (4) each something for gifts. I'm thinking of either fleece vests, pillowcases or pjs. It'll be a surprise to me as well.

I Can't Believe It!

I've been silent for over a month. I read the blogs daily but think that I don't really have a lot to say that anyone would be interested in.

We're getting ready for a surprise birthday weekend for my DBs sister. She turns 60 this weekend. Her daughter and oldest sister are planning a get together on Sunday and we're having the primer on Saturday. Food, family, horseshoes, music, whatever. I'm just thankful that the weather will be great. Our lawn is still a little soggy but that won't stop the horseshoe competition.

I've been cooking. The BBQ beans are in the oven, the potato salad is made and in the fridge soaking up all the flavors. I've made brownies for desert. I still have my coleslaw to make. That needs a trip to the store for the cabbage and whatever else we need.

Since I didn't take any pictures of the food prep, here are some pics I have taken this last month.

Here's one grosbeak. We have several male and females.

The goldfinches are in abundance. I'm going to put some thistle out for this weekend. Our family loves all the birds we have here.

Mother's Day-Ahead of Schedule

My mom mentioned a while back that the apron she got from my paternal grandmother was wearing out. She wasn't able to button it anymore because the fabric was so worn. I had my daughter take some pictures on her phone and send them to me. I had seen the apron but hadn't paid a lot of attention to the details of it. After I got the pictures, I started surfing the net for the "right" apron. I found it at MOMSPatterns. After getting the apron, I thought this would be great out of 30's fabrics. The pattern is Simplicity 9206, probably from the 70's.

I made her two. I still need to put the bias tape on the arms and buttons and buttonholes.

I'll iron them before I put them in the mail. I figure I need to send them Tuesday in order for her to get them by Mother's Day.

EQ

I broke down and ordered EQ6 last week. It arrived and I'm playing/learning. I tried to dive right in but found out that I should probably go through at least some of the lessons. Guess you know what I'm doing today. That is until DB and DS get here and then my day is not my own. Oh well, it could be worse. I could be cleaning bathrooms!

Dani's Quilt Grand Finale

I haven't posted in a while so I have lots to talk about. Here's my newest grandaughter with her quilt. She's so adorable, but she sleeps all the time (during the day anyway). And when she's awake, she's hungry.

See she's sleeping. Her sisters just love her.

Even her brother

And grandma-grandma

Oops, her eyes are open.

Dani's Quilt part 2

How does it look? It's ready for the longarm. Whew!

Dani's Quilt

I am working on a quilt to give to my newest grandchild, Danielle. I'm heading over to Montana to see her for the first time in a couple of weeks and want her to have a warm quilt for her mom to wrap her up in. I haven't have time to sew since June when I was back there sewing with my older granddaughters. I've been so busy gardening, canning and work. Now that the garden is done, maybe I can quilt again. I've missed it. I got the butterfly squares from Ebay and decided to do scrappy on the rest of it. I'll post a picture when it's finished.

Welcome to our family, Danielle!

This is the newest member of our family. Danielle Grace, born August 21. I get to meet her in October when I go to Montana. I can't wait. I really would love to make her a quilt but her mom's comes first. I wonder how old she'll be when she gets one from me. My list of quilts for the family is long and everyone wants one. My two children don't even have one yet. My son saved jeans for me and the whiskey bottles that come in the purple bag with the gold crown them. That's what he wants for his quilt. I finally after two years have come up with a design for it. I had a real mental block about that one. He's being very patient with me. Thank you.

Floating Stars and Such

I can't believe I've been silent for so long. It's been a hectic summer. Our garden went nuts and still hasn't died down. Between vacation, family visiting, canning, freezing, and work, I haven't been able to sew hardly a lick.

The Floating Star above is a quilt I started 3 years ago for my daughter. I tried to get her to pick another quilt that was finished but she saw this accidently and it was the one she wanted. Now all I have to do is get it done. I'm tired of it. I just want it finished and it's not even half way close. I don't want to make any more stars. I want to alternate blocks with just a block of batik. She wants king size, of course. So this is going on my design wall and it's not coming down until it's finished. I'm going to Montana in October to visit her family and my newest granddaughter. I am also going to spend time with my parents. I hope you don't get tired of this quilt because I've resolved myself to finishing it by October and take it with me.

Do you have any ideas for this quilt, sashing, alternate blocks? I'd love to hear your opinions.

Granddaughters Quilting

Here are my granddaughters quilting their first project. I've been wanting to help them get started for a couple of years. Since they live in Montana and I in Oregon, I don't have the opportunity to do this. So I packed up my Gem, supplies, fabric and took them with me on my vacation.

The top picture is my oldest granddaughter on her mom's Janome.

The second picture is my youngest granddaughter sewing on my Gem.

Here are their finished projects:

Jana Rachel

While I was at it they persuaded me to make their bedroom curtains. Now all they nee are floor rugs. Maybe for Christmas.

My daughter was in need of a curtain on her kitchen door to block the hot morning east sun. Here's her curtain. I went back to the fabric store to buy the rest of this bolt and it was gone. I love this material.

Monday's Design Wall

The main blocks are from my BOM club. It's a "quilt as you go" tecnique. I wanted to try it because I wanted to learn a new technique. The bottom row is ready to be sewed front sides together, then the back of one trimmed and then handsewn together. I am taking it with me on my trip to Montana to visit my parents, sister from Singapore, brother, daughter and my precious (3) grandchildren. My GDs want to learn to sew. I'm taking my Janome Jem and they have two there. I'm bringing a couple of pillow forms and some of their favorite color fat quarters. This will be fun.