Feeling crabby

I decided to do a little applique by hand this weekend. I wanted to applique this guy but I didn't want the look of fusing. I wanted the I-did-this-by-hand look. And that's what I got.



I have a great respect for those that hand applique for many reasons. Here is a short list:

1. You can see every.single.stitch. (blech!)
2. My fingers look like raw meat even though I used a thimble (no one told me you needed one on EVERY finger!)
3. OMG I was so bored! (I just can't sit still for that long!)

There's a few more pieces of "shading" that I want to add. Not sure if I will. I like it as it is and really don't want to put my hands, fingers, and mind through anymore torture.

For those that hand applique: keep doing what you do- it's a work of art! :o)

You could be the next....

FABRIC DESIGNER!

Not me. I'm not looking for you. These guys are:

Do you secretly wish to see your name printed on fabric selvage?

Well wish no more and make that dream come true.

Visit project selvage for more information.

Oh, and GOOD LUCK! :o)

Viva

I'm taking a little trip this weekend. No business, no quilting. Just catching up with some old friends.

Hope you all have a good weekend! :o)

Happy Valentine's Day!

When I think of Valentine's Day I am reminded of one of the worst days in my college life. (And we all know that if it happens in college it's legitimate!). So, I was dating this guy whom I really liked (...I think). Anyway. On the day-before-Valentine's Day he decided to break up with me. Harsh! What made it worse is that the next day (on v-day) he brought me the most beautiful roses I have ever seen. To this day I don't think I've seen roses as beautiful. I thought he had come to his senses and was asking me back. So we left for class and he held my hand as we walked out of my apartment. *Sigh* But the moment we set foot on campus he let go of my hand and started walking further away from me as if to say "This doesn't change anything." Insert broken heart here.

You would think this has scarred me for life (It did happen in college afterall). But NO. You see, it would have except several years later ("we were on a break!") I married that guy! I know, can you believe it!?

Now, I've had many not-so-good Valentine's Day's since then too. But I choose not to remember. Because I was thinking- Valentine's Day is for KIDS. Isn't it?

My weekend has been full of fighting with my 5 year old about what to put on her FREE Krisy Kreme doughnut cards (her name only!) and convincing my boys that no one really cares about a piece of paper with a cartoon character on it- their classmates would much rather have some candy.

I'll drop my kids off at school this morning and await their suger-high return. In the meantime I'll have ME-time. I think I'll go meet the hubs for lunch even though we already celebrated on Saturday with a movie but that doesn't really count since it wasn't actually Valentine's Day. I'm also thinking of surprising the fam with heart shaped doughnuts because they're not just cute but yummy too!

And that will be my day.

Hope yours is wonderful too! :o)

I've been playing

I belong to a little neighborhood quilt group. We get together once a month after the kids have gone to bed (the the hubs is watching his TV). Each month someone gets to do a quilt. That person supplies the fabric and the instructions and everyone takes it home to make their blocks. The next month they bring the finished blocks back and someone has all the finished blocks to put together their quilt. Make sense.

Well, today is my turn. I decided to get out that delicious Heather Ross fabric that has been sitting (only a few months because I spent my life savings buying it on Etsy!) and let everyone play with it. I also threw in some extras just to make my little Heather Ross stash go further. The cool thing is that I'll get it all back in finished blocks!

Since some of the pieces are odd sizes I wanted to go non-traditional. Sometimes making free-form blocks is harder even though it's easier. Right!? I mean, we're all getting really good at following instructions so sometimes when there isn't any we panic. But there is no need.

YOU. CAN'T. MESS. THIS. UP.

I made a few blocks to show the other gals so they get the idea.

There's a log cabin

Courthouse Steps

Random piecing with fewer and larger strips

Random piecing with many and smaller strips

I am so EXCITED! The blocks went together super fast. Can you see how cute this quilt is going to be? I'm going to add white sashing to all the blocks to make them the same size and then slap 'em together. It might be a couple months but I promise to show when I get the top done. :o)

Oh yeah, I promised a recipe.

Well I can't take all the credit for this one. Last week I was visiting my LQS and I was treated to a little lunch while I was there. I had the most fabulous (and EASY to make) cream of broccoli soup and delicious pumpkin trifle for dessert. It was so good that I couldn't stop thinking about it so I decided to wing it and make it for the fam. on Super Bowl sunday. See how pretty:

Now. I'm going to tell you how I made mine. Keep in mind that I was "wingin' it" and Marsha's was much more divine. But since I don't have her recipe...yet...I'll share mine.

Ingredients:

1 8oz tub cool whip

1 package toffee bits (2 candy bars crunched up work well too)

Caramel syrup (I used smuckers)

1 loaf pumkin bread (I didn't have pumpkin bread and I wasn't about to make it so I bought some pumpkin choc. chip cookies at my local bakery and used them)

Cut the bread (cookies) into small cubes.

Put enough bread/cookies bits in the bottom of a trifle bowl or any other deep bowl you have. You could even use a 13 x 9 and just to 1 layer and I think it would still be AMAZING!

After you have enough bread/cookies in the bottom, sprinkle some of those toffee bits on top. Don't use all of them if you want enough for the subsequent layers!

Next drizzle some of that caramel sauce on top. Enough for flavor and to moisten but lets not down those puppies, K!?

Then put a dallop (you know what a dallop is, right?) of Cool whip on and spread over the top.

Alright. Now it's time for some more bread/cookies.

Keep layering until you run out of goodies!

I drizzled a swirl of caramel on top and sprinkled a few more toffee bits on top.

My dessert recieved rave reviews at out Super Bowl shin-dig. So...if you're snowed in and need a little divine dessert- go for this one! :o)

p.s.- I'm sorry, but blogger keeps smooshing everything together and not letting me put spaces in. So...sorry.