Once There Was A Snowman...Small...small...small

He's gotta crooked smile!

I finished this little guy just in time for the sunny springtime! Poor thing will have to wait to be displayed until next winter, which I don't even want to think about with all of this lovely spring weather!

It was my first time doing needlepoint applique. I like how finished this method of applique looks but it is a bit time consuming for my taste. I am glad for the experience but I will stick with fusible web applique. I also pieced the back of this wall hanging, not because I thought it would tie into the front of the quilt but because I cut my backing fabric too short! Creating more work for myself...yup...that's how I roll!

I wanted to document this little wintry thing because it's getting sent off to a blog friend (I am pretty sure she doesn't read my blog too often so the surprise wont be ruined.). I did this little giveaway last year and I am finally getting around to sending some of them off. So if you were wondering where your handmade item was, I am working on it and you will get it sometime before I die!

Just The Beginning!

I recieved this photo in a text the other night!

My baby sister is getting married!

Finito...FINALLY!!!!

If you know me, you know that I am not a finisher of things! I go full throttle into things and all too soon it loses it's excitement and allure and becomes work and then my attention is diverted to something that will give me a more instant gratification. I am embarrassed to say that this project took me fifteen months to complete! So humiliating! It was the quilting that kicked my heiny! Maybe those swirls were a bit too ambitious for this novice ( I still consider myself a beginner even though I have been sewing for six years.). I unpicked them a million times. I am learning a lot though. In my perfect quilty world I would have a long arm quilting machine and the room for it. Hello! Reality check...all I have is my little Bernina and my wittle sewing closet so I will just learn to make due! This little beauty is going to my friendy friend Tracy for all the times she drove my kids to school and for just being so amazing!

Next on the To Do list:

• Quilt and bind and send snowman wall hanging to bloggy friend


• Sew Easter dresses and skirts for the girls and maybe a tie for the boy IF I have time.


• Finish my Gingham Rose quilt. (All the blocks are sewn I just have to piece it together and quilt it.)


• Finish my mom's sampler.

Let's just hope that it doesn't take me over a year to get it all done!

fun.

Ch ch check it! An instant pick me up...happiness in a tune! Makes my toes tap! fun. an indie pop band with the former lead singer from The Format. Good stuff, Maynard!

Always An Enterer Never A Winner!

I am a sucker for giveaways, especially when the giveaway involves delish fabric! However, no matter how many I enter, I just never seem to win a darn thing! I figure that maybe THIS time I will get lucky...or the next time or the time after that! I'll just keep trying! ( I use the word just a lot. I had to remove a few because there were just too many...see! I just did it again...oops...I have a serious problem!) Amy@ Park City Girl soon to be Amy's Creative Side is giving away this goodness!

I am a tad bit addicted to quilting blogs and tutorials! If you wanna make something you just google it and add "tutorial" to it and presto...there is inspiration at your fingertips and people out there who have done the hard work and are willing to walk you through it so you can just (he he) breeze through a project. I keep adding blogs to my favorite folders thinking,"Oh I can make that!" or, "Why didn't I think of that?!" It inspires me to actually get to work creating, that if these ladies can do it then I don't have to just (sigh) dream about sewing amazing things I can do it and you can do it too! With that, I am off to create!

Tried & True

I think this might be a first for my humble blog...an actual recipe! I am kind of shocked and a little embarrassed that I have never posted a recipe since I claim a passion for cooking and since I am always whipping up three meals a day everyday. I take a pretty practical approach to cooking. With seven mouths to feed there is no time for frills or specialty ingredients but I can guarantee that the results tastes yummy (My kids might disagree sometimes, they are my toughest critics!) A staple at our house is Navajo Tacos with homemade chili ladled over a hot scone, topped with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, sour cream and avocados. Well I came across a winner of a recipe for the scones. I have since tried using the recipe for homemade pizza crust, calzones, bread sticks, and quick rolls. It is a multitasking little recipe and I am thoughtful enough to pass this little gem on to you, my faithful readers, because I am cool like that. No need to thank me just enjoy the bready goodness!

Scones

2 TBS dry yeast

2 cups warm water

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup melted butter

1 1/2 tsp. salt

2/3 cup powdered milk

1 egg

5-6 cups of flour

Heat oil to 375 degrees. Mix yeast, water, sugar, and melted butter in mixing bowl and let stand for five minutes until mixture is bubbly and yeast is activated. Using a standing mixer or hand mixer, incorporate salt, powdered milk, egg, and two cups of flour. Mix until smooth. Mix in enough flour to make sticky yet manageable dough. You can either roll dough out onto a floured surface and cut into rectangle or you can flatten dough with your hand. Fry for approx. two minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

For pizza, this recipe makes two jelly roll pan size pizza crust. I cut the recipe in half (except egg) if that much is not needed. Top with favorite sauce and topping and bake 400 for about 20 minutes or so or until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly. For bread sticks, roll out dough into strips and twist them and put them on a greased pan and cook for 12-15 min at 400 degrees. You could even soften some butter and add garlic powder or salt and dried parsley flakes and brush onto cooked bread sticks for garlic bread. For rolls, I roll out three golf ball sized balls and place in a greased muffin tin for 12-15 min. at 400 degrees.

Hope you love this super easy recipe as much as I do!

( Since I cook in bulk, this recipe serves 7+. If you don't have that many to feed just cut the recipe in half!)

Look what I made!

All by myself...well not exactly! I found this super fun and too easy tutorial. I have to say that tutorials have become my latest obsession! This little CTR towel tutorial even came with a cute little poem to go along with it. I made it for my little nephew, Owen for his baptism. I don't think he really appreciated it, being a carefree and rambunctious little boy but it was the thought that counts, right? Too bad I didn't find this idea in time for my older kids but now it is in my arsenal of quick gift ideas for baptism gifts.