Quiet Evening

I did not understand why so many women spoke of placing binding being the fun part of quilting and how relaxing they thought it was.  Until now.....

How Can It Be???

Bought my half and half the other day.  Just looked at the expiration date on it.  Can you see it?  June 8th, 2011.  Can someone tell me how this can be?  How can the date say June already?  Wasn't it just Christmas?

Sew Sew Fun

 I don't think I have shared with you the baby gifts I had been making for the new little someone special in my life.  It is hard when people you love read your blog.  You can not divulge any secrets when the gifts are going to be for them!   I loved this fabric.  So retro and 1970's.  My era.  :)

 This is the little tag I stitched for the back for this one.  Her sweet name.

 Blanket number two says, " Once upon a time there was a beautiful little princess and she lived in an enchanted castle."  I chose this fabric because every little girl is a princess.  Right? 

 Here is the tag I stitched for this one.

  My youngest daughter thought we should make a little doll for her as well.  She picked out all the fabric for it.  Here are all her parts laying out to be put together.  The free pattern can be found here.

All finished.  And we thought she needed a little apron as well.  And a bow in her hair.

These little toys ended up in my cart one day while shopping.  Little salt shaker rattle and measuring spoons.  How cute is that?  Because every princess needs cute kitchen things in her castle.  (Wink!)

Unwanted Guest

Hum.  Appears there is someone other than my sweet little finches and cardinals and bluejays that are enjoying the delicious seed I have in my feeder. 

Yeah that's right.  You!  I am watching you so you better be nice and share with my birdies.  Please and thank you.

Happy Easter Friends

 

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Lemon Crinkle Cookies

  Found this cookie recipe on this lovely blog the other day.  Had a lemon in the fridge that was asking for me to make something out of her.....so I did.  Since winter seems to be sticking around here in Michigan...I thought I would bring some lemony sunshine inside.  I am desperate.  And by the way...if you like lemon.....you are gonna LOVE these! 

 Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Makes 2 dozen
 ½ C butter, softened
1 C sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 whole egg
1 tsp lemon zest
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking powder
⅛ tsp baking soda
1-½ C flour
½ C powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy 3-5 minutes. Add in the vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Add in flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar. Pour powdered sugar onto a bowl. Form dough in a ball and roll in powdered sugar. Place on greased or parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begin to barely brown Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Yum Yum Yum Yum....Gobble Gobble Gobble....Yum Yum   :)

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SWEET AS SUGAR COOKIES

My New Favorite

The truth in these words....

I am the thorn in Your crown
But You love me anyway
I am the sweat from Your brow
But You love me anyway
I am the nail in Your wrist
But You love me anyway
I am Judas’ kiss
But You love me anyway

Thank you Jesus for your amazing amazing love and sacrifice.  Today I remember.

Life Is Like A Cup Of Coffee

Snuggle Kiss Kiss Snuggle

 We made our trip to see the new baby in Ohio this past weekend.  Oh my she is darling.  God did a really good job on her.  :) Both my daughters were...how shall I put this....fighting discussing a lot on whose turn it was to hold her while we were there.  My sweet friend from home and her family came over to see them as well.  We had so much fun.

 Aren't baby clothes the sweetest things?  Look at this little shirt.  Who Needs Sugar When You've Got Me?!

 The Wonderful Darling Handsome Big Brother.  I remember when we came to meet him for the first time.  He stole my heart back then and still has not given it back.  :)

 Bright eyed sweet pea!

 My girls with the new girl.

Her big debut at church Sunday.  We were commenting on how all the ladies would just come over to see her.  Even ones my friend did not know.  There is just something about babies that makes our hearts go pitter patter.  Isn't there?

Happy Birthday Daddy!

 Papa and his granddaughters.

 Daddy and his daughters.

 We call him the cookie monster so we got him this shirt.  He loves his cookies.

 He is the biggest Chicago Cub Fan we know.  But as you can see, my husband and nephew are Cardinal fans.  So, there is a bit of heckling that goes on between all of them.  In fun of course.

Daddy with all his girls. 

Happy Birthday Daddy!  From your daughter.
XOXOXOXOXOX

You've Got To Be Kidding Me

Woke up today to this.  Have nothing else to say but WAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Our Sophie

We will miss you sweet girl!  Thank you for being such a good doggie for all of us.  We love you!
XOXOXOXOX  Your family

Start To Finish

 I bought this cute charm pack of vintage reproduction fabrics at my local friendly Amish community.  Had no idea what I was going to with them...but they were speaking to me.  You know how that goes.  Ahem.

 Added a few white cotton squares and decided on a table runner. 

 On the day I pieced it together I watched Little Women.  Don't you just love that movie?  I would of loved to have lived during that time.  Except for the part about no air conditioning.  And electricity.  Oh and indoor plumbing.  That's it.  :) 
This was a several day project for me.  I had something special up my sleeve with this

 Of course while pinning it together he had to be nosy. 

And got himself into some trouble.

 This was the little something I was referring to.  My sewing machine came with lots of pairs of "shoes."  Of which I had no earthly idea what they were for.  So, after consulting my manual and Google and You Tube and phoning a friend and praying a whole bunch....I figured out how to put on her quilting shoes.

 And quilt she did.  I just did a wonky stitch round and round.  This is my first try so she is far from perfect.

 While quilting, I watched The Wizard of Oz.  This is my least favorite scene.  I do not like tornado's. 

 But I do like it when this gal shows up and her beautiful gown.  Wonder how many yards of fabric it took to make her gown?  :)

And here we have it.  One very rough quilted table runner.  My first time making bias binding.  My first time quilting something and it actually worked.  My first time putting on binding.  And I love her. 

My Today

 image found here

 The kids are back to school after being on Spring break for eleven days.  The sun is shining brightly.  I have the radio playing softly in the background. There is some fabric that is DYING to be cut into in my craft room.  How wonderful a predicament to be in. 

Anticipation

 Well, I have been waiting for warmer weather to come to Michigan.  But wowza!  We went from 40's and 50's to 80's!  I am a gradual kind of gal.  I like it to go up in small increments.  It got so warm in our house that I had to turn on the air conditioning to get the heat out.  And to keep my hairy kitty alive!  

I was also anticipating church today.  Our pastor has been doing sermons from Revelation.  They have been AWESOME!  So much teaching from such a Godly man.  I have been taking page after page of notes to look back on during my quiet time.  But today, I was surprised to see another pastor speaking.  He did a fantastic job!  He preached from 2 Samuel 9:1-13.  I sat next to an elderly woman today whom I did not know.  I have never heard Jesus Messiah sang so sweetly in my whole life.

And remember that sweet baby I have been in GREAT anticipation for that I told you was making her debut in April???  Well....here she is!  Mama and baby are doing just fine.  I will be snuggling and kissing and smelling and holding and rocking this sweetie next weekend.  And I can hardly wait.

Tea Bags

For Christmas, I gave my mother some loose Blackberry tea.  I thought the idea of making your own tea bags would be a fun idea so I bought some for her.  Her health has not been good so she has not had the opportunity to fill them yet.  So, while I was home this past weekend, I made them up for her.  They were really easy to do.  Three sides were already sealed.  Then you fill them up half way with the loose tea.  And to seal them you iron with an iron.  How funny is that?  Or the package said you could use a curling iron.  HA!  I brewed a cup for her when I was finished and she said it was so yummy and they stayed closed, which is a very good thing.  :)

Up To No Good

My parents had their home broken into this past weekend.  The people who did this mostly took items that the insurance company can replace.  There were a couple items that can not be replaced.  Which is very sad.  Apparently there have been a lot of break in's in my small hometown.  As of Monday, they were up to 29.  We are thanking The Lord that my parents were not harmed.  The people came into their home while they were sleeping.  My parents are feeling quite violated.  As would anyone.  It is hard to imagine what goes thru a persons mind who thinks this is acceptable behavior.  I feel sorry for them.  Again another reminder that we live in a fallen world.  My mom did find some humor in all of this.  She was upset that she had just gotten a pretty red leather purse and they took it.  And her lipstick!!  :)

My Sweet Mama

 I took a trip back home to Illinois for a very special event this past weekend.  My sweet Mama had a birthday and I went home to surprise her.  I know I am home when I see the big grain bins on the horizon in our little farming town. 

 My sister had these little pretties blooming in her yard.  I still have nothing blooming in my yard.  Hopefully soon!

 My sister and I also shared some of my most favorite pizza together while I was home.  If I had to make a top ten list of things I miss most about moving away from my hometown....this would SURELY be on that list.  I can hardly stand looking at this now.  My mouth is watering!!! 

 

  These little boogers are my dads enemy.  Their yard has several trees with these little "gumballs" we call them.  They were falling like little bombs all over their yard. 

 

  Getting ready for the party to begin!

The birthday cake!

The beautiful birthday girl!

Let's go back to this cake for a moment.  Just look at those beautiful roses in all the pastel colors.  Pink ones....ohhhhh how lovely!

And this! Strawberry Bavarian cream filling on the inside.  Layer after layer.  OK...my mouth is watering again!  Go ahead and double click on the photo so you can really enjoy the cake.  I will wait for you.  :)

I made my mama a little cover for her Kindle.  I was a bit worried that it would fit since I had to take the measurements off the computer and I did not have the actual device to "try it on."  It fit and she was excited to have a snazzy little cover for her toy.

And that was it.  Another wonderful trip home to see people I love.  How can it get better than that?