Friday, August 30, 2013

Punchin' right along...

This is what I've been working on this week. I'm finally to the background. Another design by Notforgotten Farm. I hope to finish this over the weekend and also get this same design made into a pennyrug as well by open house time next week!
Hope you have had a fabulous week and keeping cool!

Monday, August 26, 2013

Just sharing.....

...what has taken up residence in one of our trees down behind the house.
I've not been down to look at them yet this morning but from yesterday morning to the evening, this is how much they've spread out.
I'm not sure what we're going to do...if we'll just leave them alone and let them move on when they are ready or if we'll find someone to come collect them. Will have to do some searching as I don't know any beekeepers anymore.
Stay tuned....as long as they are here I will be keeping watch on them.

Sunday, August 25, 2013

More stash fabrics.....

...being put to use. I used up the fabrics I showed you in my previous post with two Momma aprons and two toddler aprons....I'll have to show them to you later as I haven't taken pics of them yet. I'm now using what you see here to make some quilt blocks that will be finished into simple quilted mats....the prints I received in a swap quite some time ago and the cream I bought several years ago to use in another project but I changed my mind. I'll finish piecing these into Ohio stars and friendship stars then sandwich them together with batting and backing and hand-quilt them before binding them. I hope I have enough of the cream left to back them!
It's a beautiful morning here in my little corner of the world. I'm enjoying my coffee sitting under a shade tree in my backyard, looking out over the back pasture, which is quiet this morning. Horses are grazing elsewhere. We have several little families of turkey and rabbits in the area around the pasture but I haven't seen them for a few days.
Ahh....nice breeze this morning....I hope it stays this way all day!
And I hope you have a fabulous day!

Saturday, August 24, 2013

What I'm working on...

Since I couldn't decide what to move on to, I just stayed in apron mode and pulled some more fabrics from my stash supply cupboard. I really didn't think I had a very big stash in comparison to some I've seen but it sure doesn't seem to be going down very fast! If fact, I think it's multiplying! As I take one cut out two somehow takes it's place!
After I get this worked up I think I'm going to move on to some quilting projects using up some homespuns and calico's.
Lil Miss Rylee is back with me during the day and we keep so busy....last weekend we found premade sugar cookie dough with Minnie Mouse at the grocery store so we just had to get them and we finally got them baked.....yeah, they're good! I made her an apron but she has it at home so I need to get another little one made to keep here.
Well, that sun is peeking up over that tree now and shining right down in my eyes so I guess that means it's time to get busy! Lots to do today! Hope your day is fabulous!

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Now What...?

Instead of doing the usual household chores today, I decided I needed some more sewing therapy....so here are a couple more aprons....ready to go to the mercantile.
So now what?
Hmm.....calico's, homespuns, wools? Pennyrugs or mini-quilts? Ooo the possibilities!
Hope you are having a fabulous weekend!

Friday, August 16, 2013

Latest Finishes...

It's back to school week so baby girl is back here with Momo full time! Our mornings are busy with walks, coloring, building blocks and disney jr. That leaves me the afternoon during her nap to sneak in some stitches or get some prep work done for something to work on of an evening.
I guess I've been on a punchneedle roll lately...here are a couple finishes....both from Notforgotten Farm's Harvest Gatherings book. Mr. Owl and Witchy Pumpkin....applied to the lids of paper mache boxes that I've painted and stained.
Taking a break from punchneedle, I'm moving on to those fun fabrics that I got last week. Told you I had plans for them! LOVE how this apron came out. Later today I will be planning and cutting out more....using both the new cuts of fabric and some from my supply stash. With Randolph Mercantile fall open house being just three short weeks away, holiday open house is just a short two months after that so I have to keep stitchin' along to have plenty handmades available! One of a kind handmades make awesome gifts....to friends, family and to self!
Well...on with our day...it's Sofia the First time!
Enjoy your day!

Friday, August 9, 2013

Busy week...

Sitting on my front porch having my coffee and realize it's Friday already. It seemed to have started out a slow week even though it's been a busy one. It started with picking blackberries...a friend is in the beginning stages of a "you pick" blackberry patch. Well it's off to a very good start. Liz and I took Rylee and  our three small cousins (Michael, Zalan & Zoey) who she is keeping this week, to pick blackberries. We picked just 4 gallons and I got them all cleaned and in the freezer. But of course I had to hold out a couple of cups for a lazy day cobbler!
The owl is in my punchin' hoop and I've been punchin' on it when I get a few minutes inbetween all the other things going on.
Had a women's meeting at church this week, something I've not been real committed to the past few years and gonna try to do better this year.
And yesterday....oh boy! I had to go to Columbia. And I had time. I went to Hobby Lobby. I needed just a couple things to finish up projects. I made the mistake of looking through the bolts of clearances fabrics. Then while waiting for my selections to be cut some other fabrics caught my eye that I thought would make a really cute apron. I kinda broke my rule but yet I DO have specific projects in mind for ALL of these and they're not just going into my fabric stash.
So what to do today? I have a suit coat needing sleeves shortened and as much as I want to work on other things, that must be done before anything else.
What's been going on in your world this week?

Saturday, August 3, 2013

Bread...

As I hit the publish button I remembered an entry that Aunt Evelyn made in her book about Bread.

"Nothing was better on Friday after school than to walk in the house & smell bread baking. The first thing you do is grab a knife & the butter, a loaf of bread and head for the kitchen table.
Bread making meant much kneading and working of the dough. Grandma made enough to last a week.
In the early 19 hundreds a bread maker put on the market. It was metal. The cover had a cross bar with a hook. You had only to heat the amounts of water, oil & milk & heat it. Pour it in the pail. Then add honey, yeast & flour. Then turn the handle for 3 minutes, then let it rise in the pail. Turn the handle once or twice so the dough would stick to the kneader. Remove the dough. Cut into 4 pieces. Place in bread pan. Let it rise & bake.
Now there are bread makers that you use. It is not as much trouble as the first. It does everything.
My grandmother didn't have the money to buy a bread maker so she did it the regular old way. With as much bread as she made I wish she could have had a bead maker had they had them."

Bagels...

Since seeing them being made on The American Baking Competition I've been wanting to try making them myself. I don't know why I thought they would be so difficult. They really weren't.  I won't share a recipe yet as I had one recipe but also done studying of others so I done a little adjusting and adding to the one I had. They taste good and the texture is good but I need to adjust the salt and work on my shaping.
While I like how these came out, I'll continue to research recipes and try different flavors.
Hmm...what next?