6 More Blocks Made

Rachel sneaked up on me and took this picture. I was adding the blocks I had just made to what I already had on the design board. Can you see the ruby earrings my husband surprised me with for Valentine's Day? Of course you can't. Once I knew Rachel was taking my picture, I "posed" for several. Oddly enough, the one she took w/o my knowledge was the best of the bunch. At least my face isn't showing!

We just finished 6 more blocks, which makes 23 total. Only 12 more to go until the center is finished. Each strip makes 3. I just made 2 sets of orange blocks. When I say orange, I'm referring to the pinwheel color. One set is the one to the right of my very gray temple. The other is right above it. These do zip along when someone is pressing for me.


Here's the whole set. I don't want any more blue. That's getting hard to spread out. Another dash of red and green should do it. Stay tuned...

I'm off to start preparing our V-Day supper now. I'm baking homemade dinner rolls in heart-shaped pans (about 12 rolls per pan), Baked Italian Chicken, rotini (I wanted to find some heart-shaped pasta, but I did not), green beans, sweet tea (get it--sweetie?), and for dessert...strawberry crepes. Crepes rolled around cream cheese/confectioner's sugar/whipped topping delight, with sliced strawberries in strawberry syrup, a dash of confectioner's sugar, and garnish of whipped topping on top.


~Joan

17 Another Mosaic Blocks

Here's my Valentine Day treat to myself...I spent about 45 minutes sewing (while Rachel pressed for me...definitely worth the $2 an hour I paid her). There are now 17 blocks finished for the Another Mosaic quilt. I can see where I need to add in a few more colors to give it some variety, but there are plenty more blocks to piece.

Happy Valentine's Day,

~Joan

Sweets for the Sweet

I have been (uncharacteristically, I might add) planning a few extra things for Valentine's Day. One of them is these...

Chocolate-covered pretzels! So easy to make. Slightly time-consuming, but what isn't?? For these, I simply microwave-melted white chocolate, grabbed the pretzel by the upper corner, and dipped them. I set them on a sheet of wax paper to cool, and Luke sprinkled them with large pink sugar crystals. We also did some milk chocolate, but they are hidden away...until tomorrow, that is.

Hope you are planning to tell your loved ones that they are!

~Joan

Finally Finished

In...
Coming out...

Out...

Labeled...

Satisfied...

Inside, Outside, Upside Down

Going in...
Inside.

Do you know the Dr. Suess book, "Inside, Outside, Upside Down"? This is my story today. Except it has a few more words.

Finished.

Labeled (whoopee).

Inside. Inside the washing machine.

Later...coming out...outside...dry!!

~Joan

Can I Have a Bag for This??

If you've been reading this for some time, you know we have 8 children. Having 10 people in a room at one time does pose seating challenges. We've been in this house nearly 3 years. Time to make the upstairs hearth useful (translation: into seating space). I ordered this huge piece of foam to make a cushion for the hearth. It's 4" thick, and that brings it up to a regular chair height. That was my DH's idea.


Rachel and I went to pick up the foam (they had to glue 2 piece together because we wanted a piece 87" long). When we were leaving the store where the foam was purchased, Rachel turned to the clerk and asked, "Can I have a bag for this?" I laughed so hard. There is nothing like a good laugh, is there?


Below is the hearth before cushion. I might add that we have only used the fireplace 2-3 times in 3 years. It's just so warm here all the time. We have not one but TWO seldom-used fireplaces. See what I did to the one downstairs.






And here is my model showing where the foam will be placed. I am going to cover it to look like a couch cushion, but that's where it will live.





I am eager to get that project finished.

~Joan