New York's snow storm

Yes, I understand that it was a huge snow fall but...now I am wondering if this plow driver will get his overtime pay

http://www.krem.com/video/featured-videos/Caught-on-tape-stuck-plow-smashes-SUV-112577234.html

White Christmases

A friend sent me this...just what a new Texan. like myself, wants to hear!

Just a few things going on

It's the little things that take so long to figure out. I spent 3 days trying to make a pattern for doll shoes. I have a collection of 1950's dolls. Several are made by Ideal, Saucy Walker was always one of my favorites and I have two of them. The oldest one has a canvas like shoe that is getting pretty decayed and eventually will just fall apart. It didn't look like it would be a hard job to make a pattern, find a leather handbag at goodwill and make her new shoes. I must have drawn the shoe 20 or 30 times before I got it right and long enough for her foot. Now to find just the right weight leather.

Next small item I fooled around with was orgami folded fabric animals. It's very hard to try and follow a pattern in a book when it's laying flat on a table. I discovered an old 8 x 10 photo frame, the kind that is all clear and you slip the photo inbetween the plastic. It works perfect for holding a book up with the help of a hair pinchy on the other side of the book.

I also had to figure out a way to travel alone in an airport without my power chair. I'll be going to Pittsburgh for medical care in December.  I know I'll be waiting in a long line for a long time. Standing is not something I can do for any length of time. Then there is my bag to carry and of course I'm looking forward to being assaulted since I have a plate in my foot and have no choice of going through the naked machine.  So I ended up with this new cart that will take care of not standing and also the carry on bag.

Junk Food Friday

While different groups in the US want to take away our freedom to eat what we want, like salt and unhealthy foods, it only makes me want them more. Tonight we had junk food and it was a delight!  First there was pizza with oil, cheese, & salt. Those wonderful hot bits (cheeses and hot peppers), and a side salad..oh it does look healthy, but along with the grated carrots & onions is real mayonaise and salt!

To top that off we had left over Chocolate cake with a side of Coffee ice cream..YUM!

More Mini Quilts Added

I've added more mini's to the HGTV 2010 post. Only 3 more need to reach there new homes!  Click on the link to see them on the right of this blog!

Sleepless night

This is one of those nights that there will be no sleep. I've had to start taking Prednisone until I get to my doctor in Pittsburgh in a month. It's one of those miracle drugs that can keep you up and running but is really a bad drug. It's finally built up in my system enough to give me all the side effects. I'm feeling "racey", nervous, running at double speed. So what to do with all these hours ahead until it finally lets me wind down?

Get the Christmas mail packed, make a door wreath, a hat for the mailbox, sew some fabric bags and make a Hershey's Chocolate cake with Chocolate butter cream icing!

Now to find an old movie to watch!

Little Aprons

Last year I made tons of little aprons I used to cover hand lotion bottles for the nursing home Christmas Party.  I put all those cut out and not used in a "to do" bag..well you know what happened to them, away and forgotten.

I've been cleaning out totes that I didn't get to since we moved, trying to organize my doll house parts so I can put them back together and work on them. I came upon the bag of little aprons. It's time to start finishing all these undone projects, at least those that are cut out and ready to go. I've been working on them for the past few days.



This is what they looked like last year. Just "dressed" up the bottle



Machine cover

I made these for gifts last year. I did cut one out for me, but never got around to making it. Today as I sorted fabric I came across the pieces and pattern...so finally after a year I made it.

Birthday Give-away

My friend Kathy is having a birthday give-away for the next 7 days in honor of her granddaughter. Go visit her blog and don't forget to visit her on line store too! 

http://www.shawkl.com/2010/11/seven-days-of-give-ways.html

Day Two! If you win this, you have one Christmas gift taken care of!

First Day : Judith Baker Montano Silk Thread and Ribbon!!!




One color from this offering



Birthday Cake

My Dad's birthday was November 1st. He loved to cook & bake. On Halloween he always made his own birthday cake. After hitting the street and filling our pillow cases with goodies we all headed for the kitchen table to sing Happy Birthday, have a piece of his favorite Pound Cake and apple juice.

Today I baked his pound cake in his tube pan from long ago. It rose to the top just like I remembered. We are looking forward to having a piece in his honor after the kids are done knocking on the door.

Joe's Pound Cake

1 cup crisco
1 lb. 10X sugar
4 eggs
3 Cups sifted cake flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup milk
3 tsp. vanilla
Cream crisco & sugar..add dry & wet ingredients alternately. Add vanilla. Bake 350 for about an hour to an hour and a 1/4.



HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD



Mini Quilt Swap

We are just about done our Mini Quilt Swap...they are all landing in their new homes. Check them out..go to HGTV mini quilt swap 2010...by clicking on it on the right side.

Today's Treat

I just felt like a taste from home so today I made a Philadelphia German Butter Cake.

From Cooks.com

Dough

1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. crisco
1/4 tsp. salt
1 ex. lg. egg
1 env. active dry yeast
1/2 c. milk
2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 tbsp. vanilla

Mix sugar with crisco & salt. Add egg, beat one minute. Dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add flour, then yeast mixture & vanilla. Mix 3 minutes with dough hook or by hand. Turn dough onto floured board, knead 1 minute. Place in lightly greased bowl 1/2 dough recipe, and cover with towel..set in warm place to rise for 1 hour or until doubled. Refrigerate other half up to 1 week. Prepare Topping and set aside.

Roll out dough to fit 9 x 13 well greased pan. Crimp edges halfway up the sides to hold topping in. When dough is spread, prick dough with fork to prevent bubbling. Spread topping over dough. Let cake stand for 20 minutes. Bake at 375 for 21 mintues. Topping should be crusty but gooey.

Topping

2 sticks of butter
2/3 c. flour
2 c. sugar
2 ex lg. eggs
5 tbsp. milk

Cream butter, stir together flour & sugar. Beat sugar mixture into butter. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well. Add milk gradually until all are well blended.

Finished my last Pollyanna gift

When you are no longer 25 and skinny, clothing designers give you serviceable clothing. I wonder if they think older, heavy women are no longer women. I wanted my Pollyanna to have one very pretty gift, soft and pink. I found a pattern for a victorian bed jacket, but the largest size was XLarge, about 3 sizes too small.

I bought the pattern and found a blouse in the right size at good will. After taking the blouse apart I was able to increase the size of the pattern by using the blouse as a guide.

I started sewing in my teens making clothing but lately after getting a serger, for myself, I just ran clothing items through the serger and whatever I ended up with was okay. For this project I went back to the basic sewing lessons I learned a long time ago.

I guess it's like riding a bike. As I worked with the pattern the old rules just came back to me. I am very happy with the end results. Since my Pollyanna does a lot of traveling I hope this is something she will use. It's just nice to have something to put over your nightie without filling your suit case up with a bulky robe. Bed jackets are also nice just for those chilly mornings when you are having your coffee or when sitting and watching a movie in the evening.  Now why don't they have store bought clothing that is pretty for us older gals?  If I had found anything close to this I would have bought it, but what I found was ugly fleece that you could use for a fishing trip!

The fabric's are cut chenelle and flannel lined satin. I made the collar without lace so it's not picky.

Roolens Scrappy Flower Quilt

I almost forgot what I've been spending  lot of time on. I need a gift quilt for the spring. Our Russian friend, roolen, http://roolen.blogspot.com/, posted a photo on HGTV of her Scrappy Flower Quilt. I think it's just perfect for the person I need a quilt for. Roolen was kind enough to allow me to copy her pattern.



roolens Scrappy Flower Quilt

I took all the fabric's for the blocks from my scrap bin. Now to find a nice fabric to finish it. Thanks so much roolen!



Scrappy blocks



Quick Fall up date

Lots of surprise company so I've been out an about. The fall days are just perfect here in Texas. Warm and sunny days and cool nights. I've had the windows open and the air off for at least a week now. The sky has changed, no more puffs of white clouds, just royal blue sky.

I pass these boots all the time but never had my camera ready.

I have my boxes packed and ready to send for the All I Want For Christmas Swap. I only have to finish up the last gift. I am making a special gift for my Pollyanna out of cut chenelle and flannel lined satin.

Then to finish off the day we made a fall Jewish Apple cake...yummy!

And now, back to some chatting and visiting!

Rattle Snake

I guess when you move to Texas for a guy, rattle snakes become interesting. Couple that with John Wayne and you have a good match for a project.

My son Dave, http://cycle-truck.blogspot.com/, fixed up an old Singer machine, got himself a snake skin and an old hat and set out on a project to make the band on the Duke's hat.  You can see his project on his blog.

Little Russian dolls

I've been busy cutting fabric for a quilt I am working on but I did take the time to use a pattern from our Russian Friend, roolen, http://roolen.blogspot.com/, for cute little Russian Dolls.  I'm going to use them on Christmas packages instead of ribbons this year.

New Mini Quilt Swap 2010



NEW MINI SWAP....2010


made by BingoBonnie for SewLoves2quilt





made by sewlove2quiilt for Bingobonnie





made by Tisme for warmBuns  (wool)




made by WarmBuns for Tisme





Made by Nlk for Holee





 





Made by Holee for nlk





Made by Quiltnanny for AngelaC






















made by AngelaC for Quiltnanny





Made by Missmikol for Gonesewin


















Made by Gonesewin for Missmikol

 
















made by expatquilter for Kentucky-Sunshine



Made by Kentucky-Sunshine for expatquilter




made by bluesnail for Shey

 



made by Shey for bluesnail





made by everythingquilts for Quiltaholic

















made by Quiltaholic for Everythingquilts






















made by MyJack for Turtle9










made by Turtle9 for MyJack






















made by Dabbado for Ely

 















made by Ely for Dabbado




made by amiyoko for OwenJulesMommy


















made by OwenJulesMommy for amiyoko





made by WildCatMom for QuilterJen


















made by QuilterJen for WildCatMom

















made by Cindy for Talia













made by Talia for Cindy