March 2013-Get it Done list

My February get it done list-

1. Fire Escape quilt top-at the quilters
2. Comfort and Joy-both Jan. and Feb. blocks-putting this one on hold for a while
3. Make the County Line quilt using the soccer fabrics-at the quilters
4. Back to Square One Mystery-Jan and Feb blocks-putting this one on hold for a while
5. Also have a baby quilt that needs to be finished!-at the quilters

My March List
Did get a few things on the list done and to the quilters.  If they are back before the end of March I hope to get them bound. Besides that

1. The UFO Hayes Corner blocks that I pulled out last week-done
2. Another UFO- 6" cake stand blocks from a swap also done in batiks and black-done
3.  I am putting Road to Round Rock on this list-hopefully keep up with it!
4.  Need to also get busy and make blocks for Quilted With Love lotto.
I am sure I can find somdething else if I get all this done!

What's on everyone else's list?

What's cooking-Cinnamon

This week we were to use any recipe that used cinnamon.  Once again I dug out my trusty Kleinfelter cook book.  I had seen my cousins recipe for Cinnamon Cake last week when looking for my aunts Fresh Strawberry pie recipe.

Makes a large dense cake
Serves 10-12

1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
2 cups granulated sugar
4 medium eggs(beaten)
2 Tsps. vanilla
2 Tsps. Baking powder
2 Tsps. Baking soda
4 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sour cream

Nut mixture:
1 cup Walnuts or Pecans (chopped)
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 Tsp. cinnamon

Butter a 10" tube or bundt pan

Beat butter and 2 cups sugar in a very large bowl until fluffy.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla.  Mix baking powder, baking soda and flour.  Alternately add 1/2 dry ingredients and the sour cream to the butter mixture.  Mix well.  add remaining dry ingredients. Mix well. If the batter is too stiff add a few drops of milk.  For the nut mixture-mix all the ingredients in a small bowl.

Put 1/2 the nut mixture in the bottom of the pan.  Add 1/2 the batter.  Add remaining nut mixture, then the remaining batter.

Bake at 350* until wooden pick inserted comes out clean.  About 1 hour.  Cool on plate rack until warm.  Remove from pan-nut side up.  Store tightly covered for up to 2 days.

Note:  I used a bundt pan but followed Jan's original directions which were add 1/2 batter first.  Of course that meant when the cake was turned onto the plate the nuts were all on the bottom.  So in this photo you can not see the nut mixture.

We enjoyed the cake, sent 1/2 home with Dad and we kept the rest.

What did everyone else make with cinnamon?

Design Wall-Feb. 25, 2013

As I mentioned in a previous post I dug out some swap blocks from 2005.  They are Hayes Corner blocks from Quilters Cache.  We did them just a little different tho. Black and 2 contrasting batiks.  Had to make a few more so I could do a 4x5setting. The top is pieced and I have picked out the fabric for the borders.  Don't mind the dog toys on the floor. We just rent space from the girls!

What do others have on their walls?

Stash Report-week 8

I have been getting some sewing in but nothing to report.  Dug out some swap blocks from 2003.  Had to make 6 more.  By next Sunday I should have something to report. The top is done except for the borders. Will get those done this coming week.  What's amazing to me tho is there is still nothing  added!

Used this Week:  0 yards
Added this Week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 0 yards
Net used year to Date: 39.33
back to Judy

On the needles- February 22, 2013

I decided to start knitting again.  After all I used to really enjoy it!  However after this past week I have a hard time believing I used to knit sweaters with intricate designs, made items using double pointed needles and cable needles-you get the idea!
I am happy I didn't start right away with the pattern I had first planned to use.  This one is giving me enough trouble. You will notice-no needles.  this is now the 3rd time I have ripped it out.  I am using madelinetosh DK- Stephen loves tosh color. I am hoping the 4th time will be the charm!
I have the weekend to myself as my husband as taken my Dad to the Iwo Jima Reunion in Metarie (near New Orleans).  This may be the last one, there are fewer each year.  Dad found out about it after he moved to Texas 5 years ago.  This is the 4th one they have attended.  I had planned on doing a lot of sewing, but this shawl pattern is driving me nuts!

I did take a short break and go outside with the girls.  The cylamen is doing great

The Texas Laurel will be in full bloom in another week or two.  Our first year here I kept thinking these were lilacs when I saw them from the road,  they are a beautiful bluish purple and the blossoms hang down. We had to get some for the yard.

I hope that next Friday I can say I have this pattern conquered!

check out what others are knitting this week

What's Cooking-Berries

I decided to dig out the trusty Kleinfelter cookbook for this weeks challenge.  I remembered my aunts Fresh Strawberry Pie was there.

Makes 1-9" two crusted pie

1 quart Capped Strawberries
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsps. quick tapioca
1 Tblsp. Lemon Juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tblsp. butter

Combine berries, tapioca, lemon juice and salt.  Let stand while making the pie crust.  Line a 9" pie plate with bottom crust, add filling. Dot with butter. Cover with top crust.  Brush lightly with a little milk.

Bake at 500* for 15 minutes-turn oven back to about 375* for 1/2 hour.
Refrigerate if you wish, but let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

Yes, I cheated-I used Pillsbury Pie crusts this time! Made this Sunday and by Monday at noon the pie plate went in the dishwasher.

Not sure why I didn't think to make my strawberry/rhubarb pie recipe until this one was made.  I do have rhubarb in the freezer.  Don't see it very often in our Texas grocery stores and I usually have to educate the check out people.  Most have no clue. But when they have it in the spring of the year, I always get enough to freeze some for pies or rhubarb sauce.

What other goodies were made this past week

Design Wall Monday

My design wall this week is Galen behind the tops, being my holder! This the County Line Pattern by MountainPeaks Creations done is soccer fabrics.  The border looks washed out in this picture so I added a pic of just the border. The quilt will be bound in black and that will help to set it off!

This is the back for the above quilt, all soccer fabrics.












Below is a picture of the back I pieced for the Cindy Carter Fall 2012 mystery quilt I mentioned in a previous design wall post. Now the little one will have something to look at no matter what side is showing! And I got to use a bunch of 10 inch squares!
Back to Judy at patchworktimes

Stash Report-week 7

It was a good week sewing wise.  I kept busy sewing so I didn't have to think to much about what may be wrong with our girl Tilly.  Bloodwork and then an ultrasound on Thursday.  Will get that full report on Monday, but nothing showed up so we still don't know what is causing her to have a very high count of liver enzymes.

On the upside of all this I finished the County Line quilt top out of soccer fabrics, pieced the back from soccer fabrics and also pieced the back for the Fall mystery quilt from Cindy Carter's site. The back is 10 inch novelty squares-6x6.  Perfect to keep the interest of a little one!

Used this Week:  16 yards
Added this Week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 0 yards
Net used year to Date: 39.33

Let's see what others have done

Tilly's birthday and Valentine's Day

Six years ago in January we lost Tilly 2. She was getting to be an old girl and having problems getting around, but it was still hard to lose a member of the family.  Galen said no more dogs.  I called her groomer to tell her that Tilly had died and she said, her standard was going to have pups on Valentines day.  Well if there are any black females Galen said.  Of course there were several. She didn't even had her eyes opened yet when we picked her out.

She has walked off with empty beer bottles as a pup

Sat in the bluebonnets

Looked for squirrels hiding in the woodpecker box!In every sense of the word she is a character and we love her.  She turned 6 this year.

Here she is getting her new toy out of the bag.That is my Dad in the foreground. She loves to open presents! Happy Birthday Tilly III.  Here's  to many more!

Design Wall 2/11/2013

I finished the quilt that was on the wall last week.  That one is waiting to be sandwiched and quilted.  Sunday I was able to cut the fabrics for the County Line Quilt (MountainPeeks Creations) that I am making for a friend's son.  Finished the blocks Sunday evening.

I need to cut the rest of the black sashing. The white areas between the blocks will have a narrow black sashing to match the black in the blocks. Then a narrow black border before the last border.  If all goes well I may get it finished this week and off to the quilters.  Back to Judy to see what others are doing.

Stash Report-Week 6

While I have managed to sew a little there is nothing to report.  So my numbers will stay the same. Hopefully there will be some change next week!


Used this Week:  0 yards
Used year to Date: 23.33
Added this Week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 0 yards

Back to Judy to see how others did.

What's Cooking-African Peanut Butter Stew

A while back I picked up a new cook book at the grocery store-Glorious One Pot Meals.(Dutch Oven Cooking) Right after I saw Judy's peanut butter challenge I picked up the book and this is where it opened up!   

 1/2 medium onion, diced;

3/4 white rice;

 3/4 cup  broth (chicken, vegetable) or water;

1/2 - 3/4 lb. chicken breasts or thighs;

1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and sliced;

2/3 cup milk or water

2-4 garlic cloves, minced or crushed;

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper;

Sea Salt;

3 tablespoons peanut butter-creamy or chunky;

3 or 4 diced tomatoes or 1 - 14 oz. can,diced and drained;

1/2 sweet potato, cut into 3/4 inch pieces;

1 handful fresh spinach or about 5 oz. frozen

Spray the inside of your dutch oven and lid with oil.

Scatter onion in the pot.

Add the rice and the broth. Stir to make an even layer.

Place the chicken on the rice. Add the bell pepper.

Whisk the milk, garlic, cayenne, salt and peanut butter until the peanut butter dissolves.  Pour over the chicken.

Layer the tomatoes, sweet potato and spinach.

Cover and bake for 45 minutes in a preheated 450 oven.

Serve immediately. 

I think the next time I make this I will add the spinach, then the sweet potato then the tomato.  Also use a little more spinach.  It was plenty for the 2 of us and Galen ate what was left the next day for lunch. It had a definite peanut butter flavor.

Variations for the recipe included coconut milk instead of milk, minced jalapeno instead of the cayenne, add shrimp or acallops along with or instead of chicken, also tofu (very firm cubes)

See what others made.

The Granger Lake Whooping Cranes

For the past several years we have had whooping cranes wintering at Granger Lake, just east of us.  Last year, Galen was able to get a few pictures, but not many.  And none so far this year until today.  We decided since it was a gorgeous spring day we would see if we could get some pictures.  Last year, they pretty much hung out right at the lake, but this year they had been spotted in some of the farm fields not far from the lake.  Luck was with us today. 

We saw 3 in one of the fields and close enough for Galen to get a few decent pictures with his long lens.  This was a family, 2 adults and one young one. The young one has color on its head. He has also been banded.

A little further on our drive we were treated to the sight of Sandhill Cranes. Well over 100 of them in the fields. Unfortunately they were just a little to far to get any good pictures. But they were fun to watch thru the glasses. All in all it was a good day-Whooping Cranes, Sandhill Cranes and a finished quilt flimsy.
People have seen as many as 8 Whooping Cranes near the lake. Considering how few Whooping Cranes there are in existence we are lucky to see these.

Design Wall Revisited!

If you remember yesterday I posted a picture of pieces from a mystery quilt started last Fall. After dinner I decided to see what I could find and if I could find the missing pieces! For once I was lucky and found what I needed without a lot of hassle.  Worked a little on it last evening and finshed it this after noon when we got back home from looking for the Whooping Cranes.  I have a finished top! It's not a great picture, will get another once it is quilted.

Design Wall 2/4/2013

My design wall today is a mystery! Mystery to me in as where are the other pieces! This was last Fall's mystery from Quilt Patterns from Seattle. Things got hectic around here and I never got back to it.cindy carter mystery
I know all the clues were cut and I did have extra fabric-I want this done this week!!!!!

Back to Judy to see what others are doing

Stash Report-week 5

I finished the Fire Escape top this past Friday. It is a Twin size.  The backing is pieced using a Moda Texas Wildflower print.  The binding is cut and ready to go when I get the top back from the quilters. 

Used this Week:  14 yards
Used year to Date: 23.33
Added this Week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 0 yards

Net Used for 2013: 23.33

I had this planned for another project however it was perfect for the back of this quilt and the person receiving it.  I think I will be looking to see if I can get more.  Next week the numbers may not look as good!

let's see how others have fared!

What's done and what I hope to finish in February!

From January's list

Things I hope to finish  this month for Judy's challenge
1. Bind a batik quilt that has been sitting here for saveral months. Done
2. Finish the fire escape quilt in blue batiks (Atkinson designs)Almost done.
3. Finish up my winter snow ball blocks for a swap on QWLDone
4. Finish up my batik lifesaver blocks for another on line groupDropped
(made 20 blocks but was not happy with them)

Things I need and hope to work on
1. You guessed it-Easy Street!
2. Cut fabric for a County Line Quilt pattern using soccer as the theme.

I would have finished the quilt top today (Fire Escape) but we decided to take the day off and drive west of here to check out the Eagles.  All 4 were on the nest when we got there, Mom, Pop and 2 chicks.  The chicks are about half grown now.  Would say by early March they will be flying and will have flown the coop! Hopefully we will get out there again and see them learning to fly.  It is fun to watch.

My February get it done list-
1. Fires Escape quilt top
2. Comfort and Joy-both Jan. and Feb. blocks
3. Make the County Line quilt using the soccer fabrics
4. Back to Square One Mystery-Jan and Feb blocks
5. Also have a baby quilt that needs to be finished!

Judy asked if doing a list has be helpful-it did help to keep me focused this past month, so I would say yes!
See what others did in January