Weekend Sewing

Here's some of the blocks I made over the weekend:





I've just about got all the blocks finished up - there will be white sashing in between each block, and I'm going to find a way to use the striped fabric in some sort of border (I think). If I use all the blocks that I can make - this sucker will probably be a double bed size - I think I have enough fabric to do 42 blocks (and they will finish at 11" square).

And here is my Valentine's Day table runner. I gave the first one to my Mom (as if I did mine first, I would NEVER get the second one done) and had it all done but for hand sewing the binding down. Well, I worked on bindings while watching President Obama's news conference.

We are starting to plan here - there's lots of gloom and doom out there - and while I don't subscribe to it - we don't want to be caught unaware. So we are ramping up our garden plans and the pigs are coming as soon as we can get them. The pigs are almost finished - another 6 -8 weeks and they will be ready for eating. Fortunately for us, they are runts - our friend who raises them is taking 8 to be processed very shortly, but he is getting 10 more right away and doesn't have room to keep the 2 runts and 10 little ones. I'm just glad I'm going to have good bacon that's not costing me $4 a pound:) And we've got a steer that will be ready for processing here in the next couple of months. While we don't need the meat just yet - we are going to save back a half for us and sell the rest.

It's going to be 50/60 today and tomorrow - and then back in the 20's. But most of the snow is gone, the ice is gone and the snow is off of the roof of the house now.

Have a great day!
Kris

No picture Monday!

The weekend was so busy - but I took LOTS of pictures - and of course, all my rechargeable batteries are now deader than a doornail - I'll have to upload some pictures tonight.

The kids both had friends spend the night Friday night - and that was EXHAUSTING! They were up until 11:30 p.m. and then woke up at 5:30 a.m. on Saturday. It was a sister/brother who spent the night - so that was nice for both kids but they were CRANKY by late Saturday afternoon!

It was a beautiful weekend - 49 on Saturday and 39 yesterday. Today is supposed to be 54! So yesterday I spent all morning cleaning house and then helped Todd outside cleaning out cow sheds, horse stalls and everywhere. Then bedding them up took quite a while. We did work with Jessie's calves. They are getting there and the one she should be able to lead easily by the time the March show rolls around. Now we just need 1 more hard freeze (I know, I shouldn't even be saying that!) so we can spread manure one last time and everything will be clean for spring/summer.

I did get to work on Jessie's new quilt - I have 14 blocks sewn together and another 27 blocks cut out and paired up. It will be so pretty. And I've got all the pieces for Tyler's whirlygiggle's quilt cut out. I think I'm going to do Jessie's quilt top, then Tyler's and then have a quilting stretch to get everything done.

We went to Aldi's on Saturday morning for our grocery run. I only have to go about once every 3 weeks (to buy butter, staples, cheese and the like). And boy - have prices gone UP! What I could get 3 weeks ago for $40 - now cost me $56. Ugh. But, just a few more months and the garden will be on it's way to producing. We are getting a couple pigs here shortly - we have a good friend that raises them, and he has 2 runts that aren't ready with the rest of them that he has (he raises about 10 at a time in their pasture) so we are getting them - we'll finish them off (they weigh about 140-160 right now) and then have our own sausage, bacon and pork chops.

Have a great day! Back later,
Kris

What is wrong with this Picture?

We have a boatload of snow but it is 47 DEGREES OUT THERE AT 1:00 IN THE AFTERNOON.

So I HAD to wade through the snow piles (from where Todd pushed snow so we could feed the dogs) to hang our sheets on the lines.

Isn't this weather AWESOME?????

The kids are out playing in their snow pants and sweatshirts, a fire is going, the windows are open and I'm one happy camper!

Kris

Lots of Squares and a Whirlygiggle

A couple of things - THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the wonderful emails and comments on what would be good to have from Australia! I love the boomerang idea for the kids - I can see them whacking someone's head off with that - but still - I think it's going to be a must have.

So now I've got to save my pennies, as I am going to give her the money to buy me fabric and mags. While I know she would gladly buy them for us, she needs to keep her money for her enjoyment, not to feed my fabric love:)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Yes, I started two new projects. I am so weak.

But - I have a plan. Jessie's quilt on her bed will be 2 years old in December. Not too terribly old but......I'd like for them to last a looonnnnnggggggg time. Something that both kids can pass on to their kids in the far, far distant future (like about 25 years from now). So if I make each of them a second quilt, I can alternate with the seasons or when the mood strikes.


I thought about doing the whirlygiggle quilt for Tyler out of the firefighter fabric I have left from his quilt, and in fact, even made a block to try the pattern out. But......his quilt isn't even a year old yet. Although I think that a whirlygiggle quilt will be perfect for the rest of the firefighter fabric - as I have 4 or 5 yars of that fabric left that I have been so hesitant to cut into....



Then I remembered the fabric that I brought on sale at JoAnn's, and I started these blocks:

Quick, easy and oh so fast. Although I think I need to go get some orange and yellow fabrics to make some more blocks. So I made a couple blocks last night - to get me anxious to make some more of them and this weekend I will get my February challenge finishes done, and then I will be free to work on a couple new projects.




Now if it would just warm up a little......I'd be one happy camper.

And for those of you who are interested - here is the recipe for homemade granola bars:

1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup peanut butter (I use chunky - only cause that is what is in my cupboard)
1/2 cup corn syrup or honey
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup butter.


Melt in pan on stove. Then add:

3 cups quick oats (gets nasty with regular cooking oats)
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/3 cup wheat germ (I do omit this if I don't have it on hand)
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup raisins or craisins

Press into greased 9x13 pan, bake at 350 for 15 minutes (recipe says 20, but my oven runs hot). Let cool, cut if they haven't been devoured and eat.

This time, I didn't put the chocolate chips in, and I used 1/2 craisins, 1/2 dried cherries and I put some pecan pieces in there. The only things I don't mess with are the brown sugar, peanut butter, corn syrup or honey and butter. Everything else is up to you.



Enjoy!
Kris

PS - If you can find our house - I'd be happy to share, but.....as of 7:30 this morning, the jello is totally toast (how wild is this - TYLER wanted to eat the jello for breakfast?!?!?!?), and both pans (9x13 of granola bars and 8x8 of rice krispy treats) are about 1/2 gone. Would've lasted much longer if no one had seen me tasting the granola bars - but I have to try them out to make sure they are good before feeding to my family, right??????

Chained to the Stove

Not really, but....the alternative is grocery shopping, and with the prices of some things - I can bake much better!

On Tuesday, I stopped at Aldi's. Didn't need much but a few snack type foods for Todd's lunches. 2 boxes of nutty bars and a box of hoho's (the generic ones from Aldi's), 2.97 later I'm out of there. Figured this would get me to the weekend when I could think of some good baking snacks and actually go grocery shopping.

Only to have them be ALL GONE after packing his lunch this morning. What the heck. So today right after getting home from work, I made:

Homemade granola bars:

Strawberry jello with peaches:

Rice krispy treats:

And baked spaghetti casserole for dinner.

Now, normally, I would leave the pans sit out on the counter (for the granola bars and krispy treats) but since I want these to last for a couple days, I'm going to cut them up and put them in containers and put them in the snack cupboard. We'll see if they last any longer that way. My reasoning is they (Todd and kids) won't eat so much if they actually have to open the cupboard, open the container, take out a treat, close the container and put it back in the cupboard.

Think it will work?????

HELP!!!

My grandmother is going to Austrailia for a month or thereabouts (and I SO want to go with her - but I don't want to leave Todd and 2 kids alone in the house for a month - that would be enough to make me mental upon my return!)

My question is - what is a good "made in Austrailia yarn" for sweaters, scarves, etc. She has asked for a shopping list - so I need details if you can provide them (name of yarn, weight, approx. # of skiens to make a sweater). We are thinking we (Mom & I) will give her a detailed shopping list and have her bring stuff home.

Is there any "made in Austrailia" fabric that I need to ask for?

She is 80 some years old, tires me out when we go shopping, and they are going on a tour of a yarn factory somewhere........

If I was to ask for an Austrailian souvenier, what is a good item to ask for (if I don't ask for specifics, I'll end up with a tshirt or baseball hat for myself)? I'm not sure which parts of Austrailia she is touring ..... (Sydney and New Zealand are two cities that were mentioned). I'll try and find out some more details here shortly!

Thanks a million for all your help!
Kris

PS - it is also my Dad's birthday today - stop over at my Mom's blog and wish him a happy birthday!!!

Life

has been marching along here at our house.

I have 4 swaps that I am doing at the moment - the first one is due out February 10th. So I'm working like mad to come up with some fun stuff that I think my swap partner will like.

Not the best picture but....don't want to give away too much information!

The kids had eye exams this morning - both of them need new lenses in their glasses. Tyler has pretty bad astigmatism (which would be corrected if he would wear his glasses - but he says he can see better without the glasses) so I'm on a quest to try and keep his glasses on his little face a bit more.

The cows are getting a little closer to calving. Last year we had calves on the ground on valentine's day - that was a little early with the cold (trying to make room to bring Mama's and babies in). This year we planned a little better - hopefully - the first the cows could be due is March 1.

The coal gardens are growing their crystals (all those green and blue things above are crystals). The kids have had a LOT of fun with this little experiment. Tyler's is growing over the sides of his little ziploc container - I'll post some pictures tomorrow - it's too dark out in that room right now.

Todd's at fire practice and the kids are sound asleep. Do I sew, fold laundry or play around on my new toy?

My boss just brought a new laptop, and graciously donated this to our family. It's not brand new by any means (I think he said it's 3 or 4 years old) but.....I could get used to sitting in my recliner surfing the web.

So maybe I'll catch up on all my blog surfing tonight!!!

Kris