Design Wall Monday - 04/30/12

On my big design wall still hangs the Double Duty Quilt that I had on there last week (actually last month would be more like it!)

The "portable design wall" (extra lid to the plastic chest) has elements of the Arizona Skies on it - in various stages - although almost all have been sliced and ready for the final sewing.  Still debating and think I will have to re-do 2 - possible 3 squares: 2 because I managed to slice them BACKWARDS!!!! of the way they're supposed to be! :(  and the third because I was tired and didn't read my ruler right.  3/4 is NOT 1/2!!!!  Blast it anyway!  Other than those 3 - am at point of re-sizing quarter blocks and sewing together! 

Another "portable design wall" or rather should I say plastic shoe box lid - holds some of the elements for the Weave it to me quilt.  Quite a bit done there -  would like to have it ALL sewn together up to the borders by class time!

The fourth holds the individual sampler blocks I'm working on between sessions of other quilts.  Almost done there (TG!)  For the most part - looking great - though I would be happier yet if some of the sizes weren't wierd sizes for blocks - at least of those that I'm copying!)

Pix - I still need to get that cable going from camera to computer.  Then will insert pictures as possible.

Stash report for 04/30 (oops again!)/12

ALMOST done with 3+ quilt flimsies!  Key word there is ALMOST!!!!  What can I say!  Unfortunately until my almost is a definite for sure - it doesn't count as USED.  Sigh!


Used This Week: 0 yards
Used This Month:0 yards
Used Year to Date: 43 yards
Added This Week: .67 yard (it was butterscotch - a close blend, not match, for one of the fabrics used in my Arizona skies of which there was a sad amount lacking!)
Added This Month: 6.67 yards
Added Year to Date: 15.17 yards
Net Used for 2012: 27.83 yards

And I had best get finished up on those flimsies or I will NOT be posting net USED at the rate I'm going!

28 things!!!!

Oh lordy - now Judy's done it!  And my compulsive/obsessive me gets to make a LIST of 28 things to get done in next 4 years!!!!

(I'm also going to post this on a separate page so I can keep track!)

01. Quilt 28 QOV
02. Quilt 28 quilts
03. Knit 28 pairs of socks (Baad Judy!  BAAD!!!!)
04. Sew 28 items clothing
05. Adoption inquiries on 28 children (not all at once!)
06. Donate money to charities 28 times
07. Shiny sink for 28 days
08. Declutter for 28 days
09. Exercise - yoga for 28 days
10. Mandarin Chinese lessons for 28 days
11. Make 28 items for newborn layette - charity
12. Make 28 baby blankets
13. Unpack 28 boxes
14. Food Storage for 28 months
15. 28 lapbooks
16. Read 28 fiction (this is EASY for me)
17. Read 28 Non-fiction (this is NOT easy for me)
18. Lose 28 pounds (and keep it off!)
19. Use net of 280 yards fabric
20. 28 birdhouses and birdbaths
21. 28 fun surprises for Wendy
22. 28 fun surprises for Nathan
23. 28 fun surprises for Lynn
24. 28 consecutive days posting on my blog
25. Plant 28 trees/bushes
26. Cull 28 movies/books
27. 28 weeks of manicure and pedicure complete with nail polish
28. 28 bottles of conditioner/body lotion used

Preserving Kettle

Today - am preserving a lot of not much! 

HOWEVER.... I thought it might be nice to:
(1) Draw up a tentative harvest calendar (when whatever is in season - and underscore when MY stuff is supposed to be in season
(2) Write up a tentative list of what I wanted preserved how!!!!  (ie, Peaches.... spiced, canned, pie filling, peach jam, peach cherry marmalade, peach amaretto chestnut conserve (no, I don't have a recipe for this - sounds like a possibility though!), peach pickles, peach ketchup (yup - there IS such a thing - use on or with meats!), dried peaches, peach brandy, peach liqueur, and just for fun - peach ice cream! - along with a hoped for buy in (no, my brand new baby peach tree is NOT ready for this!)

Game plan would be to keep this in my notebook - and then post on a month calendar of events maybe, posting the more interesting recipes along the way (and no, I'm NOT trying the super old fashioned way of bottling peaches - ie, filling bottle with water and putting lid on.)   And then put how much (if any) I actually did do.

And yes, I HAVE made all this - in a single year - had a windfall of 22 bushel of overripes and seconds for 22 dollars!!!!!!  Was great!  Would have been better if greedy gut that I am I hadn't set my eyes on the plums (seconds also) and got 7 bushel of those as well as apples.  Still and all I DID get all that put up - (TG that not all the seconds were ripe and could hold a day or 2!!!!) along with the sweet corn, green beans, tomatoes (all by the bushel) that my dd and a neighbour thoughtfully picked for me!  Shall I say that it was also one of the hottest weeks of the year and I didn't have air!  And went without sleep for 3 days running before I collapsed in a pile of peach peelings, snoring away madly!!!!

Keys are MODERATION and SPACING THE HARVEST ALL OUT!!!!

State of the Garden - 04-24-12

Garden tilling done (whoopee!!!!)  I wasn't going to till and was going to set up completely with lasagne gardening - but due to opening up - and tilling under a new area - I without thinking turned under all the gazillion leaves in that area - so - no raw materials for a while at least!

Game plan - this fall - will set up 2 - 3 more long beds (28-30' x 4')  That's the thought anyway - we'll see!  Do know however tilling is NOT for the weak at heart and those who are iffy about garden plans!

Peas are in (whoopee!)  except for limas and cowpeas which go in May 1 or thereabouts.  Beans - posts are in - need to string the fence - although I will probably wait until after beans are planted - in another week or 2.

Salad and Coles - growing wonderfully in greenhouse - EXCEPT for those plants which are drought stricken (dried up)  Next year - I plant in FLATS - NOT in peat pots!  Still need to get my marigolds going though - but will probably seed those out in the garden proper.  Am putting onions in with salad stuff - should deter some  bugs - even tho onions are a "root" crop!

Potatoes and roots - have put in the add on section - am thinking I need more - I also bought in some sweet potato plants Beauregard I believe.  Have set up tall hills for those since I have no desire to visit China by digging my way through the earth!  My seed potatoes arrived - and I have some of them planted.  Am at point where I need a row stretcher or some such!  Still need to get the rest in - plus also need to get the rest of the root crops in toute suite!

Tomatoes and buddies - doing great in greenhouse - a few dried up though - will have to see how all is going.

Squash and Sweet corn - not yet - not yet! 

Whew!!!! 

Still need to get the rest of my herbs in.

Did get some flowers, etc. from a very nice lady in Southwick.  I still want to get some Lilac bushes and would like to ge a lot of varieties of peonies and Iris as well!  and - oh yeah - petunias!

I think I need to clone myself at this point!  And will actually be doing great to get everything in and growing well - and then, of course, begins canning season!  (which is sort-of right now - tail end of winter)

Hope to find the cord that goes to my camera - then will post pix of everything.  Hopefully it all will grow.  So far the best growing are the gazillion baby maples that seem to be EVERYWHERE!!!!

Design Wall Monday

Well, this is where all my pix of my 4 design walls will appear - with current projects on them! 

Why 4?  Well - there's the big over-all one - that I am trying to finish - and needs some adjustment - my Double Duty quilt. 

Then there's the one I hang over my sewing machine - big enough for a couple of blocks or so - actually one FQ in size - and that's for trying out patterns or helping me focus on the "now" picture.  This has sampler projects, new blocks, etc. - currently sampler projects on it.  Pinned because they may be there a bit.

Then there's the portable FQ one that I slapped together from the top of one of those plastic drawer thingies (I stacked the drawers - 2 high - so didn't need the extra top)  It's portable.  And I can show Wendy on Skype.  Unfortunately - it is also bigger than sometimes I can focus.  Not on there yet - but will have my Underground RR quilt on there to show W. next Monday - which hopefully I will have the outside borders on it.  Have been working on the blocks LE style!  LOL

Then there's the one I threw together AT the sewing class yesterday - the inside lid of my shoe box project.  Didn't have a felt lining at that time - however I'm taking care of that today!  AND if I'm careful - could probably throw in a pocket for various rulers etc. that I carry too.  That is just right for the class!  This one has the class project.

Now - as soon as I can get photos uploaded onto my computer I can show here.  However that involved my re-discovering (AGAIN!) what I did with the cord from my camera to the computer!

Stash Report - 04-23-12 (oops!)

Spent most of the week in the garden - then decided to get tiller after all - not easier (as muscles will testify to) but faster!  And I'm behinder already!

Still.... Sewing....  New quilt starting yesterday (Sunday)  After quilt/lap robe is done - I'm going to applique kitties, puppies, etc. on it - at least that's the game plan - we'll see!

No projects completed - yet!  Did go to fabric shop however :D  And added from there - needful since I had ALMOST - but NOT QUITE enough FQ for this coming quilt!  TG I don't have to account for ALL I spent there!!!! ( classes - which are Open Sew ad infinitum - a way to blackmail myself into working on the quilts - and having fun while doing it!)  Also added 2 patterns - Irish Chain in a Day which will be used in a class - and Grandma's Scrap Bag - Miss Rosie - which will be used in my fall quarter of the Quilt a quarter class (we're going to do some swaps here!  Hmmm - might be fun to MAKE a pretty bag to go with the swap stuff!)  New rulers added - the Cleareview Triangle 10" (All mine measured 7" :( and I NEED the 10") and as of yesterday - Pam, clever sales woman she is, demonstrated another ruler  - Creative Grid Quiktrim - which - oh my!  I'm going to love this ruler - right up there with my Loc-Bloc!!!!  Again we shall NOT discuss costs, save that the 2 rulers were definitely under 40!

Used This Week: 0 yards
Used This Month:0 yards
Used Year to Date: 43 yards
Added This Week: 2.5 + 6 FQ = 4.0 yards
Added This Month: 6.0 yards
Added Year to Date: 14.50 yards
Net Used for 2012: 28.50 yards

Still in the black, but BOY! I had best get busy!!!!

Preserving Kettle Report 04-18-12

ORANGES:
Orange rind dried - 4 oranges worth
Candied Orange Rind - in the process of - so this will go on next week's

Not enough Asparagus to count
No strawberry blossoms.  I have hopes though!

Preserves, and putting food by

Orange marmalade is the food for the day - not a lot -- but some.  Also from the peels - I'm candying some and drying the rest. 

DRIED ORANGE PEEL Peel orange. Remove all white parts.  Dry in drier or in very slow oven.  When completely dry and tough and brittle store in closed jar for use in tea, making an incense, or flavoring (ground up) in cookies, etc.

CANDIED ORANGE PEEL Peel fruit.  Remove all white parts.  Cut in 1/2 inch or smaller squares - can also be cut in shapes like flowers, hearts, etc.  Put rinds under dripping faucet for day or 2 then put into pot of water (3 parts water to 1 part orange peel - and bring to a boil.  Cook 15 minutes then plunge in cold water.  Drain.  Weigh.  Equal amount weight sugar as oranges plus just enough water to make paste.  Cook over medium heat stirring constantly.  When thick to way I like it - pour rind and syrup into warm jars, seal with sterilized lids.  Store in cool place.

I would LIKE to make some orange liqueur - but unless my son or my dd drinks it - it would go to waste - either that or age more than 100 years!  With this - the rind is what's important again - white part being removed.

Garden report - 04-15-12

GREENHOUSE - FINALLY all the coles are popping up and GROWING!!!  So are the onions!  OK - I planted late - by about 3 weeks! :(    Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and tomatillos aren't up YET - but I do have hopes!!!!

PEAS/BEANS BEDS - Most of the peas are in (also several weeks late!)

SALAD AND POTATO/ROOT CROP BEDS - Am running so behind that I decided to finish making up the lasagne beds for these 2 - then flat gardening - with added in leaves - tilled, I hope - definitely NOT lasagne style - for the salads, nor for the potatoes and root crops. 

CORN/SQUASH AND TOMATO/EGGPLANT/SWEET PEPPER/TOMATILLO BEDS - However when I get to these - I SHOULD have time enough before they are ready for planting to get these 2 rows of beds set up!

Then this fall after everything is done for the year - I'll finish up at least the Salad section - and do the Potato/root crop section either then or the following spring.

HERBS - most of what I want to do here is done!

PERRENIALS/STRAWBERRIES - this is as done as it gets - unless I want to lose a bunch of plants in the process!  Strawberry plants doing ok - not as prolific as I would like to see - but give it another year and I think I'll be considering another bed.  Horseradish is in its own square - and honestly I only want the one main plant - considering the number of rootlets it puts out every year!  Asparagus - hmmm - what there is looks great - BUT we are talking about less than a 25% survival rate - so I am considering moving the asparagus bed over to the orchard area.  Mind you, I'm only CONSIDERING it!  Maybe I'll just start one all over there!  Rhubarb SHOULD be coming out my ears.  It isn't - too shady and the soil makes a BIG difference - this will DEFINITELY get moved! 

ORCHARD - I added 3 new trees this year and 1 bush arrived - so current count here is.... 2 apple (one probably will have to be replaced - just hasn't taken well to transplanting from being heeled in entirely too long to its new place.), 1 peach, 1 cherry (North Star), 1 pear.  I still want to get plums but both the garden catalog was out and so was my money for this!  :/ 

BERRY PATCH - this is still in transition - I HAVE lots of raspberries - stuck (heeled in) in the middle of my potato patch - and they gotta get moved!  Question is - before or AFTER they bear raspberries.  Each possibility has it's positives!  And yes - I may pull a switcheroo - probably be a good idea anyway - planting the potatoes where the raspberries are going - and letting the raspberries do their thing this spring where the potatoes are.  This is NOT a permanent arrangement - and if I say that often enough I may actually believe it!

This is where the Asparagus and the Rhubarb patch will be re-located (which leaves the question - what to put where the asparagus and rhubarb currently are and from where they will be re-located - hmmmmm)

CHICKEN PATCH - oh, I sure wish!!!!!  Not this year anyway - but will start doing some discussion with the city re hens only.

Of course there will NOT be a GOAT PATCH nor a CALF PATCH - although I sure wish!  And although I THINK there is enough room - there really won't be a WHEAT patch either - although the section on the other side of the fruit trees MIGHT work.  Oh well - can't have everything!

EQUIPMENT ADDED: son brought over his wheelbarrow - sure helps my VERY ouch back in hauling compost from the current position to where I need it.  This too will get moved to the top of my side of the driveway.  And a leaf bin (hardware cloth) will be added.  Son is starting to get into the act big time - it's funny!

Oh yeah - current count of the garden shovels/spades - 5!!!  LOL

Stash Report for 04-15-12

Didn't complete any projects this week but I did get some ideas from my dd about what to do with some of my projects. Spent most of my time on the garden or fretting about "what to do" with my quilt projects.

Used This Week: 0 yards
Used This Month:0 yards
Used Year to Date: 43 yards
Added This Week: 0  yards
Added This Month: 2.0 yards
Added Year to Date: 10.50 yards
Net Used for 2012: 32.50 yards

Stash report 04-08-12

Didn't complete any projects this week (close - but no cigar! :(   ) but then I didn't add anything either! LOL
It's a NEW month!!!

Used This Week: 0 yards
Used This Month:0 yards
Used Year to Date: 43 yards
Added This Week: 2.0 yards
Added This Month: 2.0 yards
Added Year to Date: 10.50 yards
Net Used for 2012: 32.50 yards

Currently (today) finishing up my log cabin quilt.  Also hoping to get that last strip done - then a new project and a bunch of sampler blocks (including one repeat - which I hope to duplicate for a quilt for a little one in England)

Tomato Tuesday (will be on Thursdays)

This is an idea I saw on another blog.  Kind of keeps me accountable for (1) planting, (2)care and maintenance of those beds (SHOULD be tomato/pepper/eggplant/tomatillo Thursdays!)  However....

Today I planted the seeds - only 2 weeks late for bell peppers and eggplants  for this region (March 22-28) and 1 week late for tomatoes (hot peppers would have been March 15).   Tomatoes, Basil (I'm raising some with the tomatoes this year in addition to my herb garden), cilantro (herbs), dill (herbs), Thyme (herbs) plus Oregano (I already have that - and it has been doing very well!) all are to be planted around here from March 29 - April 4 - IN THE GREENHOUSE - or inside - whichever!  And -= if I have extra tomato plants - I may try raising some in with the strawberries - SHOULD work.  Hopefully!

But then I also planted all the cool/cold weather crops (coles, onion seed) the week before - only 6 weeks late!  :(  Poor dears will be raised during hot weather - may have to put up some sun shading for them - either that or sink the peat pots into the ground a bit earlier than otherwise intended. (Leeks were supposed to be transplanted today in this region - I just got through putting in the seed!  Hmmm!)

Anyway - currently they are in the greenhouse - WAITING to grow. 

Also - pruned my poor apple tree.  The other 3 trees have been waiting to be planted - think I will scout around and see what I can find for a spade!  Nathan gets busy and forgets - besides - these are MY trees - and he more than has his hands full!

I quilted/cleaned with Wendy this past Sunday - was great!  I always have fun doing that!  Anyway - I think she is jealous - she wants A LOT to get started on her garden as well!

Nathan who was always the kid who was not about to garden - says he will be getting hot peppers and tomatoes and some potatoes - planting them in planters on his deck.  I think he will enjoy that!

Speaking of potatoes - MY potato order hasn't come in yet - and I'm getting VERY nervous!!!!  This would be the second year I've ordered from Ronniger's - and I know they have been super busy.  I just don't want to miss my planting dates (like I have the onion seeds!)  nor do I want my potatoes lost in transit!

Stash Report 04/01/12

Sent off one swap this week - have one to go, then samplers

Used This Week: 2.0 yards
Used This Month:27.50 yards
Used Year to Date: 43 yards
Added This Week: 2.0 yards
Added This Month: 3.50 yards
Added Year to Date: 10.50 yards
Net Used for 2012: 32.50 yards
Also worked on several other quilt things - but not finished.  Hopefully this coming week will see them done!