Tomatoes

Well, it's August and Vanessa and I are celebrating canning season. This time, Vanessa has shared her recipe for Tomato Juice which tasted like V8 cold and like wonderfully flavorful tomato soup when hot. We went to the Clarence Farmer's Market and bought a bushel of ripe tomatoes and spent the day cutting, simmering, milling out the seeds and skins and then canning. We had two huge canners going and used the dish washer to prepare the jars. We yielded 21 quarts!

It's been a while

`I recently visited my home away from home in Geneva. Yes, yes, yes...it was a quilt event and Lisa presented a target project, made a crock pot lunch and invited several ladies (and their sewing machines) to her living room. Her sister Nancy and I shared a card table with a quilt covering to cushion the racing machines. I had the blessed opportunity to use Lisa's featherweight again and that sweet thing just sings and sings!!

I had great success sewing but I realized in all the hub bub that I cut 3.25 inch strips instead of 3.75 inch strip. Luckily, I had another sewing project with me.

Thought I'd show you some of the other work of the day-that's Nancy's block in the right corner. (For some reason, I can't move the photos to where I want them on this post????)

FYI-I have been so blessed by the Lord in the last few months-My mom is well and living in an Assisted Living Facility which she has described to her friends as....." if you can't be at home, it's the best place to be." She has been participating in many activities and enjoying live music. On April 15, she will be honored for her china painting with a little show for the residents. She can be very proud of her accomplishments. I will post some of her work at a later date.

Happy Easter and a Blessed Passover!

The Best Christmas Present!!

I wanted you all to see the beautiful Christmas present that my husband Bill made for me in his "Basement Getaway" /or workshop. (I equate his get away with the AYYYHHHHH that I feel when I sit down at my Bernina to sew). I had heard the buzz and smelled varnish for some time after Thanksgiving and I knew something important and secret was going on down there. Knew enough not to open that door or look in the window. I knew enough not to ask what that sheepish yet excited look was on Bill's face..............................and it was worth it! I love you Honey!!!!

Tree's down :(

I'm back from Geneva, a short reprieve......... so appreciated and cherished!!! I was fortunate enough to spend hours of quality time with Lisa's daughter Chrissy as well as with Nancy. You will be so excited to see the "show and tell"time I enjoyed. I had all of you in mind when I took the photos so here goes:

This is Nancy's Spider web Quilt-notice the firefly quilting.

To the left is Nancy's "Thirty's fabric quilt-hand quilted

WOW!!

Lisa's "Dress form" quilt-also hand quilted. I an blown away at how much these ladies have accomplished since my last visit. I have so much to be inspired by. There are two pieced but not yet quilted tops on my "To -Do " list and two quilts cut and ready to sew. I have started a knitted scarf but have not finished my cardigan sweater yet.........But the tree is down and I'm back to work on

Monday.............My regular schedule will need some creativity .........so stay tuned!!

Wonderful Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas with our grand kids-yes the boys I made quilts for. As predicted, the boys looked at the quilts and pushed them aside to open their toys. I didn't mind at all.................we had already baked , sledded and played with tinker toys and Lego's. The boys made certain that the quilts were packed in the suitcase rather than send them through the mail. They call me GRANDMA!!!!!!!!!!!And WE have snow................about an inch but you would have thought it was a winter wonderland the we way they carried on.

I will be traveling to see my quilting mentors tomorrow AM. Hoping for good travel weather. There's a good chance we will be going to our favorite quilt shop Patchwork Plus. Hoping to limit my purchases.....................they would be on the same "Christmas bill" I am dreading.

Bento box sucess!

I decided to use the black as the binding to frame the Bento boxes!

It took two full days of relentless quilting but I did finish and I am happy with the results. I am certain that both grand kids will say a quiet "thank you" then push the quilts aside reaching for toys BUT..........................someday when they are snuggled in their Quilt, they will think of me or remember what I hope will be a great Christmas memory!Can you see the leaf quilting pattern on each quarter of the Bento box-it looks neat on the back as well.

Please don't look at the back!!

Well, I finished piecing the top but please don't look at the back. You know, I have a quarter inch foot and I measure with a host of quilting rulers........I can't believe what a variance there was each time I cut and sewed pieces together. My mentor Lisa would be shocked and dismayed BUT......................if you don't tell, I may just be able to pull it off because the affect is a success.................may be an optical illusion but ...it works.Thanks Lisa and Nancy for the color advice!! Sorry about the camera wire in the corner. Today I had a proud moment in my motherhood career. My daughter Vanessa had a "premier event experience" participating in the annual "second storie indie market 2009".

She has a site on Etsy and has had much

success selling on the internet.......................Today she sold at a craft fair for the first time and we enjoyed watching people purchase her loom woven scarves after viewing, touching and trying on her beautiful creations. Check out her work at http://www.etsy.com/shop/pidgepidge