New Project, but Now on Hold

Here is the progress so far on the Stardust quilt top. It is the same size as my queen-sized mattress top. I want to add two more rows. That seems innocent enough, but that means LOTS more 1-1/2" squares to sew on the rectangles for the sashing. I have to set it aside for a while. Daily life is taking way too long around here.

You can see that anything--florals, stripes, tone-on-tones, plaids--goes in this pattern.

Good night,

~Joan

Someone Didn't Get The Message

"For by him were all things created..." Colossians 1:16

My daughter took this picture on a bike ride last week. God's creation is so beautiful in autumn. It has NOT been altered in any way.

When I first looked at this picture, my reaction was, "one of these trees did not get the message! Time to change colors." Notice how the one in the front left corner is still spring green. Doesn't that look odd?

~Joan

Crock Pot Love

I love crock pot cooking! My DH's grandmother gave us a crock pot when we got married, but I did not use it for y-e-a-r-s because I was always home when I was cooking. I had not experienced the perfect blending of flavors that slow cooking gives foods. We use one frequently now because of the fantastic flavors and the way it cooks meats especially...tender and tasty!

Crock pots are also great for long cooking periods w/o any stirring or meddling. Case in point...I had a few apples (about 8, I think) that were getting soft. I wanted to make applesauce, but there wasn't anyone who could stay in the kitchen and tend the pot. My crock pot volunteered! I used an apple peeler/corer/slicer and had the 8 apples in the pot within 10 minutes. I cut the pieces into small sections and sprinkled some sugar and cinnamon on top. I added about 1/4 cup water and put it on high. That is the top picture.

Three hours later it looked like it would be a long time before it was ready. The apples still had a lot of texture. I stirred it and checked again the next time I was in the kitchen, 30 minutes later. It was perfect! (Bottom picture)

This is a great side dish to make when you have company, especially families with young children. The aroma is fantastic even if (like me) one doesn't like to eat applesauce!! It makes the whole kitchen smell fantastically apple-icious!

~Joan

It Is Finished...Finally

You might be looking at this cross-stitched picture and thinking, "Big deal...so she finished a cross-stitch picture!" This picture was started in February 1993. Yes, 1993.

Today I picked it up from the framer and hung it above our fireplace mantle. It's about time. I couldn't get a good picture of the picture. Just trust me...it's beautiful. My favorite part is the lady bug on the sign. There is a second one on the bottom-most leaf on the post. So cute.

My girls have been getting on my case, er, asking me, to clean out some of the items we don't use any more for a yard sale we're having Saturday. I had a picture in this frame for years. I never hung the picture because it never matched anything in my house, but I liked the frame. I had my cross stitch mounted and reframed in the same frame, using the same glass and dark rose mat. All I had to pay for was a green mat and the labor charge. Yippee! The last picture I had custom framed cost me >$85. What was I thinking? That was 8 years ago, if memory serves me correctly (which it usually doesn't, BTW). This one was about $30.

You can read about the picture's history here.
While it's not as important as the presidential election or solving world hunger, it does make my world a happier place.

Tune in tomorrow to see what else makes my world a happier place. I'll give you a clue...it starts with crock pot.

~Joan

Hospitality?

No, this is not lunch. Today or any other day. How often do you have people besides your immediate family over for a meal? In the tiny circles in which I travel, I get odd comments about our frequent hospitality. People seem genuinely shocked that we have so many "outsiders" here for meals.

Having extra meal guests is very commonplace at our house. I am thankful that my DH doesn't mind feeding an extra mouth or two (or three...).

This week at Curves, I was introduced to a newcomer as the woman who wants to feed the world. I explained that the comment was a bit of an exaggeration! Then they asked me how many times I had fed non-family this past week or so. Well, it started with having 6 college men over for supper a week ago, then taking same group a supply of groceries (it was their fall break, and they were camping!), sent lunch for two on Sunday, then we had someone over for pizza and dessert after church Sunday night, made 4 to-go suppers for another group Wednesday night, we're having a family of four over tonight, one for breakfast tomorrow, and so on, and so on. It's been a slow week, LOL! That's not a lot...or is it??

Our frequent hospitality offers stem from our church involvement. I for one enjoy meeting new members and getting to know some who have been there for a while even better. Our house is never as perfectly decorated and maintained as I would like. I would nearly always (in retrospect) have changed the menu a little (either in amount, selection, or preparation). But it is what it is. There was a day when I would literally work in a frenzy (cooking, cleaning, wiping, fussing) until the guest knocked at the door. The visits were strained and uncomfortable. It was a wonder anyone came back.

So, how often do you open your home to others?

Curious in NC,

~Joan

Stardust In My Eyes...and on My Design Wall

This is my latest scrap buster. I had made quite a few of the pieced units heretofore, and was eager to put a few rows together. This is how much I assembled last night...

The colored squares are 4" finished. The cream squares in the star centers are 2" finished. This is using up bits and pieces of some-nearly-and-some-now-gone-from-my-stash fabrics. Such a simple pattern, but so beautiful. I've made and sold some tops made from this pattern. I don't know if this one will end up living here or not.

Here is my accomplishment as of a few minutes ago. I think I'll make it twice this big, so I'm halfway there. It measures 34-1/2" by 71" now. If I double this, it will be 69" x 71". Hmmm...That's nearly square, and that won't work. Have to give that some more thought later.

Here is a close up of the top so far. I am using my favorite Thimbleberries cream for all the stars. It has a toile-like appearance. It keeps the quilt from being too scrappy.

Anything goes in this scrappy quilt! The pattern is called Stardust. I have many more pieces already cut for it and have determined about how many more I need. It's time to start couting to see how many more need to be cut. I never tire of scrap quilts.

Good night,

~Joan

Goodbye, New Friend

I have just listed this quilted topper on eBay. How could I? After being initially gripped with the burning desire to make one, I did. After I sewed the binding down by hand this AM (while listening to my youngest children read me their stories for the day aloud and stopping to grade the math lessons completed for the day) I realized I didn't really have a suitable place for it. It's a little too wide to put on my kitchen table. Mutiny would ensue if I tried to put in on the kitchen island. That's a place for WORK, not beauty, I'm told.

In my non-interior-decorator's mind, I think this would be lovely on a round table (which we don't have) with a flower arrangement or candle on the center square (which, for potential bidders is a 6" square, LOL).

Back down to the sewing/school room for me, where I have more hand work awaiting as well as some school work to grade. The excitement just never ends around here.

~Joan