Month: October 2018

October 30, 2018

Tater Tot Hotdish

I feel like I am excited to cook and bake again.  During the summer, I am not motivated to turn on the oven or stand in front of the stove and my meals for the family show it!  It is cooling off a little bit and it feels great to be cooking again.  I follow the blog, I Am a Baker, and really like quite a bit of what I find on there.  More importantly, my family likes the food that is made from that blog.

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Tater Tot Hotdish

This dish was really easy to make.  The only substitution I made was to use 2 1/2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables instead of the cans of corn and green beans.  I had the frozen ones on hand.  On Mondays I teach until 5:30 so getting a complete dinner on the table in a timely manner can be challenging.  Usually I try to use the crock pot, but this time I made the recipe for the filling early in the day, put the tater tots on top and then put the whole thing in the fridge.  I happen to be very lucky in that the oven my husband convinced me I “needed” has a way to program it for a delay cooking option.  Before my last class, I put the pan in the oven and set it to be done at 6:15pm – AND it was done and dinner was on the table by 6:30!!  It was the first time I made this dish, but everyone liked it and I’ll be making it again.  One of the best parts…it makes enough for lunches for the next day!!  If you want to give it a try, click on this link:  Tater Tot Hotdish.

October 28, 2018

HQAL Update and Slow Stitch Sunday

Finally, the first of the pieced hexis are done!  Last time I was here:img_4447

I had three pieced with three more to do.  Now all three are pieced and …img_4615

And I think I’m going to do this dark blue as the back ground.  It will be fun to see how these look when they are incorporated into the quilt.  I love this Hand-Quilt-A-Long because it keeps me working on this project.  Without it, I might have already set it aside for something else and I’d really like to finish!  Details below if you’d like to join our great group of stitchers!

Hand Quilt Along Links

This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another.  If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.

Kathy, Lori, Margaret, Kerry, Emma, Tracy, Deb,  Susan,  Nanette, Sassy , Edith, Sharon, Karrin, and Gretchen

I’m also linking up with Slow Stitch Sunday at Kathy’s Quilts.

October 24, 2018

Autumn Sew-A-Long

Lori Holt over at A Bee in my Bonnet is hosting a sew-a-long that I joined.  I loved the quilt and the fabrics but knew it would be a challenge because I have really never done any appliqué.
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I ordered the pattern and the kit to make the quilt.  Once everything arrived, I jumped in with both feet!  The instructions are fabulous – she has step-by-step photos on her blog that are really great.  They are quite a ways along, week 8 to be exact, and I have just managed to cut and “glue” everything down for the first block.  I am WAAAY behind, but loving every minute of it.  Now I’m not sure if I want to prepare the next block or do the stitching on this one.

October 22, 2018

Walking and hiking

The weather here is still really nice and I have been getting out quite a bit with friends to hike and walk.  We have been seeing lots and lots of wildlife.

We saw this beautiful buck and cute little bunny at Rancho San Antonio.  The buck was completely unafraid of us and let us get quite close for pictures.

As always, the Baylands are a favorite place of mine to go running and walking.  That Turkey Vulture sunning was absolutely beautiful!  I love seeing the pelicans, ducks and other birds hanging out together like this in the water.  My husband and I love to go out early before anyone else and enjoy the quiet and peacefulness of this area.

October 21, 2018

SAL Update and Slow Stitch Sunday

I’m still working on the Santa Christmas Stocking.  I was playing with other things in the studio and did not work on it as much this month as I did last month.  Here is where I was last time:img_4376

And this is where I am now:img_4584

Well, this is why I like to look at before and after photos!  Even though I didn’t get as much done as I wanted, I realize I did manage to get more done than I thought!  I really have to buckle down on this one if I want to finish by Christmas!

About the SAL in case you would like to join us

This SAL (Stitch Along) is slightly different to other SALs in that we don’t all stitch the same design at the same rate. We choose ONE unfinished project, or ONE new one, and show progress of its completion over a series of three weekly updates. There are no deadlines and no set amount to stitch. The result is that the space in our drawers full of WIPs (works in progress) is gradually being freed up to store lots of new crafty goodness. It’s surprising how much motivation I’ve gained from being in this SAL. If you’d like to finish a project you’ve left unfinished for a while, or start a new one with us, you can join us by contacting Avis fromSewing Beside the Sea.

Avis, Claire, Gun, Carole, LucyAnn, Kate, Jess, Sue, Constanze, Debbierose, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Helen, Steph, Linda, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Hayley, Tony, Megan, Catherine, Deborah, Clare

I am also linking up with Kathy at Kathy’s Quilts for Slow Stitch Sundays.

October 20, 2018

All of them!

All of the chairs for the studio are done!!!img_4459

They are so fun and colorful!!  I think my students are going to love them and they were so fun to do!  Now I am just looking for something else to spray paint!img_4460

This is what the studio looks like with the chairs in place.

October 18, 2018

Studio Happenings

I teach sewing, weaving, embroidery, knitting and crochet to kids (and sometimes adults) out of my home studio.  Each student chooses what they would like to work on and then that’s what we do:

Some cross stitch…

There is weaving, sewing, and knitting…

And as soon as one project is finished, another one can be started!  The student on the left just finished making a blouse and now she is making a tiered, ruffled skirt.  The one on the right just finished making a quilt and is now cutting fabric for a patchwork binding on another quilt.