My list for May 2013

Like a lot of us, April came and dissappeared way to soon for me to complete or even keep up with the list for April. Some of it, April in Texas is a great time to be out working in the yard, enjoying the Texas wildflowers and the generally decent temperatures before the hot ones arrive! It's also the time for oak pollen and this year that did a number on me! Love our oaks, but everything turns yellow from the pollens.
I also decided that it was time to get a handle on the sewing area (basically the upstairs!) Had really let it get out of hand since we haven't had any real company for the past few years.  Need to find the bedrooms!  Hence the push for cleaning out, organizing and reorganizing.  Certainly more here than I will or can use in several lifetimes and I know a few groups who can benefit. That has been the major emphasis in April and is carrying over to May.  At 60+ I don't work as fast as I did at a younger age, the back gives out.  So it's taking longer.  Enough excuses!
I made the 5 AM run to the airport this morning, dropped off my Dad and hubby and I have a week to myself.  Here's hoping I can accomplish at least part of what I want to get done while they are away!



May 2013



finish reorganizing sewing area

(at least so I can find things!)

Finish Road to Round Rock Top

Hopefully start City Streets

quilt4military mystery

Waste Not Top

work on another UFO
Bind Samuri Squares quilt
Bind UFO finish from April

April 2013

Keep up with Road to RR-almost finished

quilt 4military mystery - pulled fabrics

city streets

A UFO - done except for binding

what do others hope to accomplish this month

Design Wall April 29, 2013

I really have not been sewing much the past few weeks.  Spending more time organizing and reorganizing.  Had a root canal this week on Thursday and then Friday sinus drainage got the best of me.  Wasn't until this evening (Sunday) I felt like making friends with my machine.  I didn't want to tackle anything that took a lot of thinking so I started one of the strip club quilts from my LQS.  Had everything cut so it was a matter of sewing. It is my LQS version of Waste Not using 2 1/2 " strips. This is just laid out for now and not all pressed, squared or sewn together.  I need to get more of the smaller (4 corner blocks) made then I can start laying out in a scrappy arrangement.  The blocks are 14" so it will go fast. Since I will be on my own this week I hope to get lots accomplished! Had to take the pictures with my smart phone.  This operator isn't smart enough to find the spare battery and charger for her camera!

I mentioned in my stash report that I did make a bag this past week.  It does fold up into the pocket although I seldom have them folded!

 what are others showing this week

Stash report- week 17

Not much sewing this week-did manage to finish a bag that I found as I was cleaning and sorting.  did finish that - a yard used is a yard used!

Used this Week:              1 yards
Used to date:                     72.58   yards
Added this Week:               0           yards
Added Year to Date:        15.775    yards
Net used year to Date:      56.805

DH and my Dad leave on Tuesday for the week and I am planning on doing a whole lot of sewing!  Only one day during that time that I have anything scheduled and I hope to keep it that way.  Galen (DH) generaly goes to PA this time of the year to work on the land they kept from the family farm.  Spraying weeds, seeing what needs to be done.  It is in a CREP program for PA which makes it nice.  We don't like Dad traveling by himself anymore although he says it's not a problem.  At 95 tho, we would rather he didn't.  So my dear hubby volunteered to stay up for a few extra days and take Dad along. Dad will get to spend time with his sister, see a few friends and Galen will be able to catch up with family.  The girls and I get to stay home!

Taken in 2010.

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Stash report-week 16, 2013

Nothing to report this week- no sewing.  Instead I have been sorting through things, unearthing projects, long lost rulers etc!  We need to move-that was when I would go through, keep, pass on, toss whatever!!!  But there is no move in the plans and after 14 years in one home it is time to do some much needed cleaning!  As I have been going through bags tossed aside I am finding strip club goodies from my LQS (the Samuri Quilt was one) so while none of them were started they are going on an amended UFO list!  I have 3 of them all cut and kitted and will pull more out as I progress through the pile.  They are well aged now and need to be made.

Probably won't get much sewing done this week either, but since the guys will be leaving on the 30th for a week....look out!

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Good news Thursday

Good news-it is raining, not a lot but we will take what we can get.  The rain will help to bring down the Oak pollen at least for a day or two!  That will help my sinus headaches.  The week is about over and that is good as it didn't start out very well.  Both "girls" are now on meds trying to bring their liver enzyme counts down.  Tilly's were coming down but then Tiki's were going up.  We lost a friend from our Taiwan days.  And I guess I asked the wrong  question of a friend.  I was always taught it was good to ask if I wasn't sure about something, but I guess that only applies to some people. That was all before Tuesday, the last half of the week is better.  So now I will just enjoy the rain and flowers and look forward to tomorrow!

what's cooking-cooking with limes-week 16, 2013

We tried a mango side dish tonight that used lime zest.  I would have liked my mangos a little riper-hard getting used to store bought ones when I got used to ones off the tree when we lived in Taiwan.  You would think after being back in the states 14 years I would get used to something picked partially ripe, shipped etc. Anyway, it was good.  Took the recipe off the Whole Food site. Even Galen liked it and he isn't a mango eater like I am!


chili lime salad

Parade of the UFO'S

These are some that I have started and they have become UFO's.  I have started getting smarter in my old age however and now have the pattern/magazine with the blocks in their own little container.  I will dig the containers out and add the info later.

1-Pick Up Sticks

                                                    

2-center for pumpkin squares table topper



3-Bali Rays-original pattern from HoneyBee Quilt Store, Austin, TX

I got several of my on-line friends working on this one.  One is finished hers, the other almost and mine got put away for awhile!  It was dubbed Bali Rash as they were itching to work on it. The bali ray is from 2012, I know the others are several years older.

4-Pick a Pinwheel
http://www.patchworktimes.com/patterns/pick-a-pinwheel/

I know I have more done on this. but it got put aside-will have to hunt for the rest of the blocks that are finished!






5- Easter Table Runner.  This was going to be a gift for friends when we stayed at their home right before Easter.  Got it made in time but in one of those duh moments-forgot it needed to be quilted! 5 years later it still needs to be quilted!
6-Forgot about this one-started this in the 90's traveling back and forth to our home in Taiwan. Great project for 26 hour flights including layovers!

7-50 of these using Asian fabrics-internet swap

8-String blocks-From an interent swap

9-I think there are 48 in the bag-internet swap-Halloween

10-Crumb blocks from scraps

11-Christmas bricks

12-My birthday blocks from another on line group

these are but a few as there are a lot of other swap blocks that need to be listed-that will have to be another post
UFO Parade at Pathcworktimes

Design Wall-April 15, 2013

The blocks for the pieced border are all finished, just not all on the wall.  Hopefully today I can get the rest of the borders cut and start putting on the borders.  Not sure tho, today is a Dad taxi day plus I really need to do a little cleaning and sorting.  Oh well, would really love to just sew!
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Stash report-week 15, 2013

I did manage to do a little sewing this week and have something to report.  Dug out the UFO of I spy type blocks, finished the top, backing pieced, binding cut, it's at the quilters.

Used this Week:              5.5 yards
Used to date:                     71.58   yards
Added this Week:               0           yards
Added Year to Date:        15.775    yards
Net used year to Date:      55.805

It's progress!

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The blue bonnets were a little later this year, but there are some really pretty fields.  This one just behind a shopping center in Round Rock so we were able to get  a few pictures of our girls in the flowers!  Can't break with tradition-have them starting when Tilly (black standard) was 10 weeks old! and for the last 6 years.

what's cooking-week 15 Rice

The ingredient this week was rice.  Right before Easter, Just A Pinch.com posted a recipe for pie using rice.  I saved it thinking I would make it for Easter Dinner but we went out instead.  Finally made it tonight (4/9) and will make it again.

Don't look at the crust-sometimes I don't even have luck with the premade ones!  I had picked up fresh strawberries so I sliced those and served them with the pie.

The pie is made with cooked white rice, ricotta cheese, half and half etc.  Not lo-cal but absolutley delicious and besides I don't make desserts very often! Dad took some home with him so we don't have too much left!

http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/pie/easter-rice-pie.html?p=12

What did others make?

Design Wall - April 8, 2013

I have been working on my Road to Home (Round Rock).  Since I was caught up with it, I dug into the swap block basket and pulled out a bag with these.  There were 50- 6.5 inch blocks so I am doing a 7 x 7 using 49 of them.  The blocks are together, will get the rows sewn, borders on and will then be able to cross another one off the list. A really good feeling!!!!

                                          Road to Round Rock

                                  a little better picture of the reddish orange

old swap-kids prints bordered on 2 sides

what is everyone else working on this week?

stash report week 14-2013

worked on the Road to Round Rock this week.  Also dug out some more blocks from a sunshine swap many years ago. 

Nothing in, nothing out-my numbers are the same

Used this Week:              
Used to date:                     66.4555   yards
Added this Week:               0           yards
Added Year to Date:        15.775    yards
Net used year to Date:      50.305yards



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What's cooking-week 14-ranch dressing mix

While watching TV the other evening, there was a commercial for ranch dressing mix-adding it meatloaf.  Sounded good, so Monday I added it to the hamburger and made hamburgers.  When I make hamburgers I usually add chopped onion, seasonings etc.  Tonight I just mixed in a package of the mix.  It was quite tasty.

On the plate frozen green beans, grilled hamburger and the pinto beans from the recipe I posted last week.  The salad has a mixure of greens from my aero garden.  Had planted some seed in my pots outside but the squirrels dug everything up.  We need to be relocating some, they have been a little to prolific!!!!!  It was a balmy 80 degrees-we ate on the porch.

Patchwork times

On another note (last night 4/2) we had storms come thru the area-got close to 2 inches of much needed rain!  It helps but we still need a lot more.  Power went out but not at the pizza place.  Ordered a pizza. Tiki, the brown standard does not like storms very much.  She prefers to be close to Mom or on top of me when we have them.  Since Tiki wants to be close, then Tilly also wants to be close enough to get attention. I don't get much done until the storms have moved on.

Design Wall-April 1, 2013

What happened to the first 3 months of 2013? They sure dissappeared in a hurry!  My wall has the first 7 steps of Road to  Round Rock!  I was actually able to play catch up this past  Friday and Saturday.

what are others working on?

I am a little further south and east of Judy so the bluebonnets and poppies plus other wildflowers are in full bloom. For those who are still having cold weather.  This is at a home a few miles from us.  Every year the area outside his fence to the curb is full of flowers.  Would love to see the yard inside the fence!  The bluebonnets aren't as full this year but still pretty to look at against the red poppies!

We went out for dinner on Easter Sunday-The Stage Coach Inn in Salado, TX.  Lots of history. Stage Coach Inn; Salado is one of those fun towns to browse, lots of fun shops, places to eat, a good quilt store

A little about Salado

My husband of 42 years, Galen, Me, and my Dad who will be 96 in October. 

what are others working on?