Month: September 2017

September 29, 2017

Blue Jeans and Flannel Shirts

Because we have 5 kids we have lots of outgrown jeans.  A long time ago I found a pattern online on a blog called “Blue Jeans and Flannel Shirts” (it has since disappeared).  I started a quilt with the jeans and instead of flannel, I started using fabric with dog themes on them.

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Jeans quilt.

This is what it looks like right now.  I just have a small piece done.

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Dog print centers.

I decided that I wanted this quilt to have only dog fabric as the centers.IMG_1143

I have been collecting fat quarters and little bits of dog motif fabric for quite awhile now.IMG_1145

The top green one is my favorite right now.  Today I worked on prepping old jeans so that I can cut out the circles.

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15 pairs of old jeans with the tops cut off.

The first step is to cut off the legs.  These are all of the legs.

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Tops

These are the tops of the jeans.  I really like this one that is on the top of the pile.  I am thinking I might turn it into a little purse.

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Getting rid of the seams.

After the legs are cut off, all the seams and hems need to be cut away.

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11 pairs of pants ready to be cut.

I worked for about an hour and a half and finished cutting off the hems and seams of 11 pairs of jeans.  These are ready for the circle to be cut.  I am slowly cleaning out my cabinets and rediscovering half-finished projects – I am planning to slowly work my way through each of them.

September 28, 2017

Easy Dinner

I knew we were going to be out late the other night so I made General Tso’s Chicken.  Basically you put together a sauce that the chicken marinates in and when ready, dredge it through flour and fry it.  The you make more sauce and cook it down with some cornstarch, then mix in the chicken and cook for a few more minutes.  Dinner in about 15 minutes!IMG_1071

We ate this with rice and fresh vegetables.  Not bad on a night that we were at a volleyball game for the 15 year old until 7pm.

September 27, 2017

Name Tag

I didn’t make it…

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Name Tag

I had needed to finish this before the EGA meeting this month and I didn’t manage to do it.  Oh, well…I better finish by  next month!!  Below is where I was at last months meeting.

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Embroidery Guild Nametag

It’s such a small piece I can’t believe I didn’t finish!

September 26, 2017

Beekeeper Quilt

A few years ago, in most of my knitting groups online, quite a few people were making the Beekeeper Quilt.  I held off for awhile, but I couldn’t help myself I had to join in.  I started making cute little “hexi puffs” as they were called.  Time went on and I started joining them together…

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Beekeeper quilt.

I used sock yarn, ends from weaving dish towels, some fancier yarns and then, after many, many hexis…

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Pile ‘o hexis.

I decided to start embellishing them…

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Crochet flower.

I found some fun crochet patterns, crocheted them separately and then sewed them on.

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Color work knitting.

I tried adding colorwork to the knitting of the hexi.  I liked this a lot and made a few like this.

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Duplicate stitch.

I did some with duplicate stitch.

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Cotton ends from the loom from a set of dish towels.

I used ends from the loom…

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Sock yarn with eyelash yarn.

I made some wild ones.

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Love this!

I made hexis in groups to create one big picture hexi.  This is one of my favorite ones!

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In a row.

I tried knitting them all connected together.  This was kind of fun, no sewing the ends together, but it limits the choices in the end when putting it all together.  I made two of these while standing in line at Disneyland but won’t be making any more like this.  I like being able to place each hexi individually.  I have picked this project up again and will be working on more hexis.  I have some new ideas…!

September 25, 2017

Cookies

The kids have been asking me to make them cookies.

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Chocolate Chip and Cookies & Cream

I made two different kinds because there were a few friends over.  The top ones are chocolate chip and the bottom ones are Cookies & Cream which is basically the same dough but you mix in crushed oreos and mini marshmallows (I cut them in quarters).

I try not to make too many cookies because I eat them – I don’t really need to be eating cookies right now!

September 22, 2017

Surprise Breakfast

I surprised the kids yesterday with a special breakfast.

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Special Waffles.

One of the times that I visited my oldest daughter at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, we went to breakfast at a place in town.  They served up the  most delicious Belgiam waffles I had ever tasted.  These are not quite as good, but tasty non-the-less.IMG_1072

Everyone had seconds and we ran out of whipped cream.  Oh, Well…

September 20, 2017

Healthy Options

Along with doing quite a bit of cooking and trying out new recipes, I have also been trying to get everyone to eat just a little bit healthier.  I made a couple of fun fruit and vegetable options over the weekend that turned out to be pretty tasty.

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Cucumber Subs

These were really fun to make and there were two options:

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Pesto, Mozzarella, Tomato

This one (those are home grown tomatoes!).  I also made one with Guacamole, Turkey and Tomatoes that I forgot to take a picture of.  Both were huge hits!  Next up was a fruit salad:

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Apple-Pear Salad

This was also a huge hit.  It obviously has apples and pears but also has celery, Havarti cheese and honey-roasted peanuts.  So yummy!!

September 19, 2017

Embroidery Guild

I joined our local embroidery guild a couple of months ago.  One of the things I need to do is complete the name tag so that everyone knows who I am.  It’s really nice – they give you all the supplies, all I have to do is stitch it.  I had great plans to make it right away!  HA!  That didn’t happen.  This is where I am now:

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Embroidery Guild Nametag

I have to be done by the next meeting which is next Tuesday or my penalty is a $1 fine for each meeting I come to without my name tag.  I better get on it!!  Here is where I was a month ago:IMG_0965

Wish me luck on finishing in time!

September 18, 2017

SAL Update

Well…this is a day late!  I had every intention of updating yesterday and then we decided to go on a family outing up to the city.  We had a great time, but I completely forgot about the SAL update until about 10 minutes ago when I sat down to do some stitching.

This SAL is really fun.  Usually a SAL is when many people all stitch the same project at the same time.  This one is different in that each of the participants are stitching something of their own choice and updating once every three weeks.  In that way, we all will complete something while having a great time together.  The project that I am working on is “Candy Cane Santa Stocking” by Dimensions for my 17 year old son.

This is where I am now:IMG_1095

I started the red because I got tired of just using the cream for the background.  I really like the contrast between the two colors.  Here is where I was last time:IMG_1020

I worked on the letters and only have the back stitching on them left to do, I did a bit more of the cream background stitching and then of course the red.  All in all I am pleased with my progress this month.

Please take a moment to take a look at what everyone else in this SAL has been working on for the past three weeks:

We have a new player, Jackie — welcome Jackie!!
September 12, 2017

Rainbow Pinwheel Cookies

Even though it has been super hot here lately, the 15 year old daughter wants to keep on baking.  She started school, but the homework has not ramped up so she is taking advantage and trying to cook/bake with me almost everyday.

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Rainbow Pinwheel Cookies.

For these, we made my regular sugar cookie recipe and refrigerated it for awhile, then separated it out into several different sections and added the coloring.  Then pinched off a little ball of each color, rolled each color into a “snake”, twisted them so they were twirled and then rolled them into a circle and pushed a lollipop stick into the back.  I should have taken a picture of our hands since we didn’t wear gloves – they were quite colorful!

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My baking companion.

The baker!

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Oldest daughter enjoying a snack.

This is her second one that is why she looks a little sheepish!

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Our youngest. Obviously he enjoyed these!

My other two kids were working but don’t worry, we saved one for them!