It's SNOWING!

I just got back from the grocery.  Earlier I had picked up the mail - and my garden seeds were in.

Let me tell you - that is a wierd feeling when the garden seeds come in - and the area is in the midst of an old-fashioned blizzard!!!  Not quite white out - but ALMOST!  Definitely hazardous road conditions - if only because the weather had been so warm - and acted like we were going to skip winter this year!

Nevertheless....

Re the grocery store - I picked up a bunch of spices and herbs.  Earlier this week I had decided to finally tackle my spices and toss those whose expiration date was past.  I expected a few to be tossed.  OH MY!  I tossed a bunch!  Worst were the ones I remember "inheriting" from my mom and dad when dad passed on.  Dad died in 2003.  Mom had passed 5 years earlier and I KNOW she didn't invest in any new spices during the last few years of her life.  Shall I say that the spices I tossed were definitely "vintage"?  Now I know of someone who likes to hold onto spices and herbs beyond their usual expiration date - he says it gives the spices a richness and mellowness he wouldn't find otherwise.  Mine should have been so rich that they NEVER would need to be used!

So - while I carried home just a few dinky bags - there were a lot of spices that I USE in there (garlic, tarragon, red pepper flakes) at least to tide me over until my herb garden perrenials decide to do their thing again! and then there was the tobasco sauce - now in hot and beastly cry your eyes out hot!  Got some of that! 

Also picked up some canned chili.  Could have made some homemade - but wanted some pre-canned at least in stock.  Wanted Taylor's chili - but couldn't find it.  There is something about cold weather, snow and the need/desire for Taylor's chili!  Yum!

My Camera and Me

I thought in terms of putting pix of quilts on posts - or at least on other pages - that it might be nice to take some NEW pix.

Well and good!  Unfortunately that involves me using my digital camera. 

NOT well and good!  I'm not sure what all happened to it - but it required major cleaning up.  Which I did.  What didn't happen was for me to remember WHAT to do.

It seems it is a more difficult procedure than the old Brownie camera of grab, point, and click.  Now I have all these buttons, programs and who knows what else to do.  And I don't remember how to do this.

I DID try to take a picture of my shelves (which do NOT look great - it is for MY practice ONLY.  So far I only see this wierd line across the camera.  NOT good.  the flash worked - I think.  Not sure.  SOMETHING flashed.  Just hope it was NOT something that wasn't supposed to!

Read the directions?  Uh - re the directions - I KNOW they are here - SOMEWHERE!!!  And eventually I hope to find them.  Hopefully before son's 50th wedding anniversary (he's getting married this Sept.)  Sure would be nice to use this at his wedding!

And re using my phone - NOT a good idea - and I'm not just talking about how it costs me minutes.  Although that too.  But my cell phone has ISSUES!  One of which is probably me!

So that leaves the old disposable camera.  Hey - if it works - don't knock it!  I just have to remember that I took it to the printer. (Hmm - that's what calendars are for!) and then find a way to upload or fax it to my email!  Still - that would take less time.....

Ta - Da - and Ta - Don't

Are you ready for this????  I can (TA DA) upload pix from my digital camera now.  All I have to do is..... TAKE SOME FIRST!!!!

Seriously though - I can upload pix of my quilts, etc. on the quilt page and go from there.  I also need to think of what is going to happen to the other "pages"

You know what is silly?  I just got a new sewing machine (I got mad at the one I had - which had a LOT of probs - and was acting just like the Janome that Wendy had) - but I am totally intimidated by it!  You see, when I first turned it on - I had switched to the new quilting foot - and the needle came down, broke in half - and the point hit me on the chin!  then vanished who knows where!  Even though I wasn't hurt - I was soooooooooo lucky that it didn't hit my eyes!  And now - I'm scared silly of it!

As for the broken needle - despite repeated searches (including hands and knees) I can't find it.  That will last until sometime I go padding in there in my bare feet, I'm sure! 

So - I'm slicing and dicing.  Just not sewing - but I need to get over that FAST!  I mean - there is a limit to the amount of fabric one can store all sliced and diced.  I think I reached that point long ago - but who knows!

Re reaching that point - I read on Bonnie Hunter how to sort fabrics after slicing and dicing them.  I don't do most of my fabrics that way - ust the ones left over from various projects.  And store them like Bonnie does - by width.  and color group (light/dark).  Whenever she gets a full bin she starts up on a quilt = and uses up her fabrics that way.  I did that.  In fact - I did my Log cabin that way - I think I totally upset poor Maureen when I walked into class with 3 bins with strips neatly folded in them.  But seriously - it was easier doing that than otherwise.

But then Bonnie Hunter FINISHES up using her fabrics that way.  I've hardly made a dent in mine.  I did sort out some fabrics for Freecycle (Non-quilting type - scraps and even some yardage) and will have more to come I'm sure).  But I have a hunch I could sew up a dozen quilts easily from my scraps - and KNOW I can from my yardage - EASY.  (My sewing room resembles a fabric store - only not so well organized!) AND make several year-around wardrobes (that's FOUR seasons worth of clothing) without sneezing twice.  And STILL have yardage left over.  So - uh - why aren't I doing that?????  Well - I USED to have the whole thing of TIME.  Now however - I have more TIME, ENERGY (wish I had this much when I was in my 30's!)  - so maybe I'll give SOME of it a try.  At least until I figure out what else I want to declutter!

Stash Report - 02-26-12

Used this Month so far: 14 yards
Used year to Date: 14 yards
Added this Week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 7 yards
Net Used for 2012: 7 yards

Actually this is good.  I've sliced and diced quite a bit - just haven't finished the projects yet (will have some finished hopefully by end of day!!!  Woohoo!!!)  Will count then!  Hoping to send tomorrow the stuff I was working to send last week (week before, month before, etc.) 

Am still intimidated by my new machine (Brother runway one - has bells and whistles - and is COMPUTERIZED - which means my son LOVES it!)

Stash Report - 02-19-12

Used this Month so far: 14 yards
Used year to Date: 14 yards
Added this Week: 7 yards
Added Year to Date: 7 yards
Net Used for 2012: 7 yards

Still in the black! woo hoo!

Good Morning! It isn't Groundhog day anymore!

Well - Groundhog day is long past!  FTM so is Valentine's Day.  Presidents' Day is coming up this coming Monday. 

News here - Log Cabin needs only the outside 2 borders and backing and off it goes to Wendy for quilting!  I finally got the fabric for the outside 2 borders yesterday - and think it will look terrific - and help actually tone down some of the red distraction in that little flower in the Navy Calico strips - that and with the deep navy outside border - just what was needed! 

The backing is a Civil War Repro - and I positively drool over it!  Sure hope there is enough left over for a vest for me (I have this thing about vests!  Some folks are like that about socks - I'm like that about vests!)  Should look great - will help tie all colors together and look special in its own right!  Haven't gotten the binding yet - but am seriously thinking it will be the red.  Possibly the navy - won't really be able to tell until the rest is done.

Other news - I have a new sewing machine.  As in BRAND NEW - and it is computerized (which is both a plus and a minus as far as I am concerned!)  Am learning how to use it now.

Have got a lot to sew up today - as well as all the housework I've goofed off on.  Wish me luck! 

Am re-setting goals for coming week, etc.

GROUNDHOG DAY!!!!

LOL _ and where else do we celebrate the appearance of a critter who we usually do NOT see - and when we do, unless it is February, we complain at the destruction he does in our yards! 

Posted recipe reply to Wendy's comment this morning.  Guess I need to address the subject of my cooking!  (Alright, Wendy and Nathan - time to stop laughing, pick yourselves up off the floor!)

Reality is - I make these WONDERFUL menues, fantastic recipe concepts - and sometimes am even a superb cook!  Then there are the other times!

Foods I can usually cook well include breads (including rolls, an occasional brioche, challah, pastry, pastry pockets, meringues - and on and on), USUALLY soups - including some of my own creation. 

Refrigerator soup - Set pot of water - about 4 - 5 cups or so on to boil, open refrigerator door - add leftover greenbeans, the last of the tomato juice, scan the vegetable drawer, any leftover chunked up meats/sauces/etc. (usually one - maybe 2 kinds of meat IF I use meat - NOT a sweet/sour recipe though - that goes in something different).  Journey through my dried foods - and maybe add some dried corn, maybe beans or peas, dried carrots, whole grain - wheat, barley - add SOME of each.  Bring whole thing to a boil. (Maybe add a cube or so of appropriate flavored bouillion to soup)  Turn off (dried beans - remember????) 

Leave for about an hour (alternative is to add maybe 6 -7 hours to cooking time) then turn back onto a simmer.  Cook for a while longer - maybe adding rice at this point if using.  Season appropriately - for me - that is Mrs. Dash - and a tour through my herbs - usually involving savory if I have beans, thyme, maybe sage - whatever I think will taste good.  Oh yeah - and lots of garlic and PEPPER!  Including maybe a dash or four of hot pepper.  Add potatoes during last hour of cooking.  Make sure that you have added tomatoes - whether juice, fresh from garden or canned (or frozen tomato marbles, LOL)

I think that's it.  Oh yeah - you need toast with this.  Great for cold winter days or when you have a cold.  Or - just about any time!

Other than that - quilt class last night - log cabin - she is so great at teaching that class!  AND is so helpful during those times when class is not in session and I call frustrated that my quilt is NOT DOING what it is supposed to!  Anyway - quilt top is DONE - excepting the borders (need to get some different fabric from what I have - which isn't enough) which has to wait until day after payday!

Now on to clean house, sort papers (UGH UGH UGH) today and tonight - work on another quilt project for at least an hour.  At least. 

It's FEBRUARY!!!!!!

Yeehaw!  It's February! 

LC quilt ALMOST done.  Love the outcome - but the making of it - OMG - BORING!  This one is a scrappy blue and light!  HOPE I have enough deep blue for outside border!

Other than that - ummm - have been doing a lot of not much!  So now it is time to pay the piper and do a LOT of much - AND quilt!  STILL have those samplers to finish - not hard - just I am scared to death of them - have already mucked up 3 blocks I'm doing for one!  Grrrr!  Keeping blocks - but they are entirely too small to go into this quilt!  Drat it anyway!  One would think I can't divide by 4 (instead of 2 :/ 

Cooking - made chopped chicken liver on toast points last night - thought I'd died and gone to heaven!  My tummy had been feeling peckish all day - apparently this is what I needed, despite my misgivings.  That I was CRAVING them - for sure!  Even dreamed of fixing and eating them!  OH MY GOODNESS were they good!

Homemade bread - pumpernickel - TG for bread machines and grain grinders - love LOVE LOVE mine!  Nothing like freshly ground flour! Esp in homemade bread!f

Soups galore - have made chili, bean soup, cholent (exceptionally good - think stew and there ya have it!)  Need to make some homemade mixes - ie biscuit mix.

Looking forward to Fri eve - have my mind set on Chinese!  Yum!  General Tsao's chicken.

Needless to say - it is lunch time - and I''m waiting for my chili to thaw!  Menues in process of being made out for coming week.  This PM - sewing rows together - won't finish - but will tonight - and then will do borders I think.