Crossroads Village

On our vacation to the big IC we visited Crossroads Village. As a child I visited often. It was nice to take the husband so he knows what I prattle on about. It was a perfect and crisp cold evening and we got to go with my dear friend Marie and her husband.

finally!

This apron never seemed to freaking end. There might have been a melt down in the kitchen during its making. Why? For some reason there is always a pre-Christmas melt down.

Smells like Christmas

Target had a bag of oranges on sale today and I couldn't resist. We now have 5 lbs. of oranges. After I ate one I put the peel with a cinnamon stick on the stove and it smells yummy!

Here is the Frankie with his new Christmas apron. Ok, it's my new apron from Teresa that I couldn't wait to open.

Christmas Cards

It took me three days but I now have over 80 Christmas cards addressed and signed all with a lovely photo of the husband and I on our wedding day. Husband asked how much this was all costing us. I can't count that high.

Lack of Time

Frankie's Grandmother is turning 100 this month. Next week is her birthday party and of course due to the lack of time her gift got left until this weekend. Yesterday I scurried to JoAnn's to find every other women in the metro area there. I got 2 and 1/3 yards for the top and 1 and 1/4 yard of fleece for the backing. I've never quilted on fleece before so this was an experiment. For the amount of time I put in I'm happy. There are some puckers but it's going to a nursing home and will be tossed in their industrial sized washers. It had to be sturdy.

On another note after it was all done I found a pin in between the layers. How the heck? I had to cut a tiny hole in the fleece to get it out. I think it's JoAnn's because it doesn't match any of mine.

Ring around the rosy

Today was a school holiday so I got some quality quilting time in. Yes, I should have been writing a lit review for my grad class but what would you want to do more? Now the red the two borders need to be added. That will have to happen next weekend.

My first pecan pie!

Here it is! My first ever pecan pie made with maple syrup instead of corn syrup!!!

Christmas Gift

This is the beginning of Papa Koues Christmas quilt. The borders need to be added. Husband has found a new calling as quilt holder and it struck me as odd that the quilt has the same color scheme as my house. Hmmm.

In other news, far away cousin reminded me that I have a beautiful deep pie dish. I decided to use it to make a pecan pie with maple syrup instead of corn syrup. I hope it tastes just as wonderful.

Today is Erin Day!

I have been wanting to make a romantic almost year round quilt for a long time. The only issue is that it cost a lot of money. Dear Husband insisted we have a king size bed so now I have to make a mammoth king size quilt. Look sideways at the quilt I plan to make. I can't wait to start cutting.

Frank Senior's Christmas quilt

JoAnn's was having a mega sale today. I got Frank's dad's quilt fabrics. I'm doing a simple four patch like this one. http://www.flickr.com/photos/sewingdaisies/4451529601/sizes/o/in/photostream/
The fabrics are in the washer now!

Our newly painted house!

Fall is finally here!

The pie pumpkins are out and that means time to freeze and put away. Finally got to use my new mixer wedding present from a very dear friend. Thank you Martha!

Birthday Gift

This wall hanging when finished will be heading to Denver, CO for a certain someone's birthday. I love steam a seam.

Frank's Wedding Quilt

Pressed Dress

Here is the finished dressed all pressed.

No more Swiss Dot!

Ta da! All done

I quilted the heck out of it and broke three needles. Swiss dot is not easy to quilt.

This is my completely free quilt. The swiss dot was leftover from some curtains. All the triangles were scraps. The blue I bought years ago at JoAnn's when I worked there for a buck and the backing was the wrapping paper on my gift from Frank this year. And.. I pieced the batting together from scraps Teresa keeps sending me.

Wait, I did pay for one thing. I bought thread to quilt it with. This quilt cost about $2.79. It is being shipped off to Jill Reinbold today or Monday. Ahhhhh.

One year late wedding present

I love this quilt! The white is a swiss dot that I was going to use as curtains so I had a ton of it. One morning I started whacking 6 inch squares and shortly had enough for a throw. Time to piece the backing and pin baste. Oh, by the way, there is a quilt in the wash. Can't wait to see it dried.

36 done

OMG! I love this one. I call it Toad in a Chernoble Puddle.

Willow Haven was ok.

Oh Coxey, what an ugly camp you have.

Magic Cross is one of my favorites

Thought I would love the polka dots in Roman Cross but I was wrong. I hate it!

Grandmothers Cross is awesome!

Boy's Nonsense was nice and easy.

Triangle Squares--I love this one.

26,27,28

Here's the five crosses I was so excited about but made way to big and had to whack down. GRRRRR

Canning

Here's what I did yesterday. 23 pints of canned tomatoes! Right now pickles are in the canner. I'm trying garlic dills. They don't smell as wonderful as the bread and butters I made last year. I think I'll make a half batch of those now too.

and more

More

Chuck A Luck

This one is cute but came out way too small. I had to add extra white on the edges to accomodate.

My nine blocks that I chose:

Coxey's Camp

Economy

Willow Haven

Roman Cross

Ladies Aid Block

Magic Cross

Boys Nonsense

Grandmother's Cross

Hazy Daisy

Dominoe and Square

This one is my absolute favorite but it took me for freaking ever! I messed up so many times I can't count.