Poodles and Quilts

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 lon...

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 m...

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...

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! back to PatchworkTimes

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!

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

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 ...

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! Back to Patchworktimes

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! Back to Judy at Patchworktimes The blue bonnets were a little later this year, but there are some really pretty fields.  This one just behind a shopping center in...

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?

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?

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 back to Pathcwork Times

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 stand...

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 ...