Tuesday, November 30, 2010

It will take me days to decorate....

My Beautiful window box....  dried flowers from my garden
mixed with some artifical flowers....
dusted with fresh snow this morning
Not because I have sooooooo much to do.  Well I do but I have no free time with working too!  I'm trying to do a little every night when I get home.  But hearing my comfy chair whisper, "come sit and relax.... I will take care of those tired feet..." So hard to resist....  I'm found most evenings sleeping in my comfy overstuffed chair.  I had such grand plans last night to get my dining room decorated but I sat in comfy chair.... husband woke me at ten and told me I missed 'Scrooge' on TV. 

I totally have my neighbors fooled.... the outside of my house looks so cute during the day. Neighbors drive by my home they think, "wow she's got her decorating done...."  If only they saw the mess inside, pumpkin with black cat sitting next to my Santa tea towel... leaf table runner with Christmas tray on my kitchen island.... arrrrrrgggg  open plastic bins in the hallway..... dust covered village.

Love my Christmas village on top of the bookcase, but everyone is out shopping in my pretend town.... (half of the bulbs are burnt out)  One dust covered home flickers on and off giving the illusion of a tiny family coming and going.  Must get the step ladder out and change those bulbs and dust this afternoon.  After I decorate the dining room... must stay away from comfy chair.

Update!  The village is done...


Sunday, November 28, 2010

Cookie Swap

My family has a new cookie favorite this year.  It is not my recipe but a recipe from my mom's co-worker. A nameless creation which my sister, Gena,  has named 'Thin Mint Kisses'  it tastes like a Girl Scout thin mint cookie.  Soooooooooooo Gooooood!!!  So easy to make!  The must have cookie for the Christmas platters this year....

Cookie Day 2004
Thin Mint Kisses
1 bag Milk Chocolate Hershy Kisses
1 Bag Peppermint Hershy Kisses
Ritz Crackers

Unwrap kisses and melt in the microwave. Dip crackers and let cool.
Can decorate with sprinkles to make them more festive.





Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving...

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving spent with you family and friends.  I am looking forward to a very busy weekend shared with my family.  Starts out with Thanksgiving spent at my in-laws with the added celebration of my father-in-laws 65th birthday.  Happy Birthday!!!  Then off to bed early, which is hard to do since I will be staying at my mom & dad's home.  I'm usually found staying up late going over the black Friday ads with my mom and sisters. Set the alarm for 2:30 or 3 am.... then we are off shopping, looking for those amazing deals, fighting off the crowds.  We are usually giddy because of the lack of sleep!  I have no real list to work from which can be very dangerous.... hope to get some sort of direction before we go shopping.  My teenage son has a ridiculous list full of electronics, the typical teenagers wish list..... better buy a lottery ticket too!

 Coffee, coffee, I will need lots of coffee....  a trip to Starbucks will be part of the morning...

Starbucks Peppermint Mocha

1 1/2 tablespoons Starbucks Peppermint Syrup
1oz Starbucks espresso or 1/4 cup of double strength darkly roasted coffee
12 ounces heated milk
Freshly whipped cream
Red sugar sprinkles

Combine equal parts mocha powder and warm water to create chocolate syrup. Pour into mug, add double strength coffee or espresso , add peppermint syrup.  Fill the cup (12 oz mug)  with heated milk.  Garnish with whipped cream and red sugar sprinkles.


M&M Cookies

Saturday is our, I believe 18th annual 'Cookie Day'.... My sisters and I, along with our mom, do all of the Christmas baking in one day.  My list includes... caramel, Tricolor Pinwheels, Date Oatmeal Cookies, Minnesota Birch , Peanut Butter Yo-Yo's and a few other items if time allows....my recipes and ingredients are packed and ready to go to mom's.


Cookie Day 2009  Yum!!!


I'm always amazed about how much baking we get done in one day.  

Happy Thanksgiving!
Remember to count your blessings...
Let the Holiday Season begin!

Cindy

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

A Quilter's Chatelaine... a must have

A quilter's Chatelaine is a must have for anyone who sews.  I'm sure you have the same problem as I have... your scissors grow legs and walk away, never to be found again.  My scissors have been found in the garage after cutting insulation, laundry room after cutting wire, the list goes on and on.  My boys will not touch the scissors when they are attached to a 'girlie' necklace.  This clearly states, "These are mom's scissors, leave them alone!"  The Chatelaine pattern here is based from Lap Quilting with Georgia Bonesteel.  She inspired me to start quilting when I was 19 years old.  I shall not reveal my age.  But if you remember watching Georgia Bonesteel's Lap Quilting on PBS, then you will have a good idea.  I glammed the pattern up using beads and batik fabrics...so here are my revised directions on making a Chatelaine based on Georgia's original... The pocket holds thread, needles, small patterns, and buttons.  Everything that  you will need to do a little hand sewing in front of the TV.


“Quilter’s Chatelaine”
Always know where your scissors are…


Fabric Requirements and Supplies

2 10” squares of batik fabric
2 4 ½” squares of contrasting batik fabric
1 yard tiger wire to string beads
toggle jewelry clasp
3 oz package glass seed beads (or beads of your choice)
2 crimp beads
¼” silver jump ring
needle nose jewelry pliers
thread to match fabric
Let’s get started!                        ¼” seams throughout

Fold each 10” square in half with rights side  together.  Sew each end.
 (diagram A)
Pull the rectangle open and match seams up and sew, leaving a 2” opening towards
 the center.  (diagram B)  Turn right side out, iron. 
 
Diagram A

Diagram B
 Match the two squares, seamless sides together.  Find the ‘midpoint’ of each side.  Connect these points.  Draw a square within a square with a pencil.  Sew on three of the marked square sides the two squares together in a ‘U’.  Place the 4 q/w” square of contrasting fabric on each side of the square, lining up the marked and now sewn lines. (Diagram D) On each side fold down the triangles over the contrasting fabric connect the tips (Diagram E) Turn the bias edge back revealing the contrasting square, slip stitch the curves in place. (Diagram F)

Diagram D

Diagram E


Diagram F
Sew silver Jump ring onto upper corner on the pocket.  Thread tiger wire
through the seed bead and secure with crimp bead.  Start beading until
strand of beads reaches approximately 27” string on toggle ‘loop’ string
beads for additional 6” string on crimp bead and toggle ‘bar’.  Secure
end.  Enjoy!



This is a nice pattern to use up extra scraps of fabric that I know we all have in
our sewing rooms.  A Quilter's Chatelaine would make a nice sock stuffer for the
seamstress in your life....

Sunday, November 21, 2010

A new blog...

Hello fellow quilters.... as a new pattern designer I am finding it hard to market my great patterns and juggle my home life at the same time.  Where to go and what to do... there are millions of talented women at home, hiding away, quietly working on their projects and raising their families.  Many of us are juggling what feels like a million tasks every minute of every day.  I am going to use this blog to document my struggles and victories of Quilt Doodles, share ideas, projects etc.... I hope that in doing so I will be blessed with your encouragement and suggestions to get this home based business off the ground.  My task today is to finish some embroidered snowman squares for a client, trace out my new designs for quilt doodles and start my new samples for patterns.  Oh wait, Christmas is right around the corner too!  I have Christmas tea towels to make too!  There was an overnight ice storm here in Minnesota, so that may nix my trip to the fabric shop for more fabric.  As you can see, a ton to do and not enough day to do it!  Tune in tomorrow to see how successful I was.... What are you doing today?

How to make a label for your quilt...

Easy to do!

Here's a really cute quilt label that 's easy to make!  I used left over fabric from the quilts I helped my nieces make.  I ironed the light blue fabric onto a square of fusible transfer web.  I did not worry about size at this point just wanted it big enough for me to embroider what I wanted to say.  Used my handy dandy embroidery font on my machine, stitched my message and then trimmed it up.  If you don't have an embroidery option on your sewing machine you can use a fine tip permanent marker and write your message.  Iron this onto a contrasting fabric which is  a couple of inches larger than your message piece, iron it on.  I did a blanket stitch around the edge of the light blue fabric, by machine of coarse!  Fold over a 1/4 seam around the edges, iron.  Your label is now ready to stitch onto the back of your quilt!