Star Gazing .....................

Did you step outside your door during the lovely darkness to view the Comet Neowise--

We did view the comet couple nights--to us it was faint because we

have some city lights obstructing the sky darkness.  But, it was fun to

look for it--I have an app on my phone--Sky Guide--which helps locate

the constellations and the best way to view this once in a lifetime event.

While looking for the comet, I saw a couple of shooting stars!

Good luck in my book!

Here is Stargazer Shawl to knit with the event--you can locate this free pattern

here

The solid bands of stockinette show off the nuances of the colorway you’ve chosen, like the night sky once your eyes adjust to the dark. The simple stitch patterns allow highly variegated yarns to shine. And just like a shooting star, this asymmetrical, one-skein shawl will be done in a flash!

Now, to decide on the colorway and yarn to use on my needles.

Mystery of the Jelly Roll

The mystery of the Jelly Roll began with fourteen 2.5" x 42" strips (otherwise known as Jelly Roll) and 2.5 yards of background fabric.  The mystery would be solved once you reach that fourth block and sew your 50"x 50" quilt top--alas, an adventure!

You can still find the clues of the mystery here

Clues one-three are finished here!

This is clue four

Finished layout!  I'm looking at different center squares,

maybe even another star block--

Maybe, there will be another 'snowflake' top coming soon--

this was a fun project--

now, it's time to begin work on the Autumn project!

Look Up--There is This............................

Need some motivation?  A spark of Creativity?  Tired of just sitting around moping about your life?
Look up--there is inspiration for our daily routine--

Do you like to write?  Maybe compose your thoughts and feelings?  Push your fingertips to work?

Here are  ways you can make the dream of being an author come true:

One online/app is Wattpad--a reading station plus a writing station.  Lots of fun stories here to read and enjoy!  Our daughter writes here in the fan fiction section.  You can find a variety of ideas that take you away from the daily rut of your life.

Another website is celacean
Cetacean is an online authoring tool that lets you brainstorm, outline, write, and revise your novel. With Cetacean you can track your progress, save checkpoints of your manuscript, and share them with beta readers and editors to get feedback and changes. Try it for free for as long as you like.

Import your existing manuscript

Cloud-based project storage

Idea board for notes, links, and images

Outline plot points

Pre-made outline templates

Drag & Drop chapters to organize

Character and Location profiles

Story event timeline

Collaborate with other writers

View editorial changes

Get feedback from beta-readers

Export to multiple document formats

Pat Myself On THe Back!

There are times you want to shout from the rooftop something you accomplished!

That was last week--did you hear my yell??  "Look At What I Did!"

I've been putting this off for some time--finally, got up my nerve--

got out backings and batting--placed the backing down, layer with batting

and quilt--ready for the needle--machine is ready; walking foot on and away

we go.............

 Of course, it's not perfect but it's quilted!  Did straight line
stitching, sewed on the binding--ready for hand stitching!
This was Fort Worth Fabric Studio's Valentine pattern--watch for their Autumn one upcoming

Above is my version of an orphan quilt top!  I found all these blocks just waiting to be pieced together--add a nice inner and outer border--ahhh, a charity quilt for someone.

I also quilted my window pane Christmas panel!  Perfect way to frame an oversized panel.

and it's ready for hand stitching the binding as well.

I feel accomplished!!

Here We Go........

Calico Patch is offering this free stitch along for the next six months!

From Temecula Quilt company

For basket cut:⁣

1 square, 3” x 3”⁣
4 squares, 2” x 2”⁣
⁣
For background cut:⁣
1 square, 3” x 3”⁣
1 square, 1-1/2” x 1-1/2”⁣
2 rectangles, 1-1/2” x 2-1/2”⁣
4 squares, 2” x 2”⁣
⁣
1. Using 2” squares make eight half square triangles. Square units to 1-1/2” You will have one of extra. ⁣
2. Using 3” squares make 2 half square triangles. Square one unit to 2-1/2” You will have one extra. ⁣
3. Use layout to assemble block. ⁣

 Quilty Girl is doing happy half square quilt along.   It doesn't
matter what size your half squares are--she has these two layouts now, and watch for others on her blog.  She is making these for
Quilt of Valor recipients.

 Quiltville blog has a new leader/ender challenge--

I like these projects!  There is a small box filled with the perfect size blocks

to begin this!  Sew at the lead for your regular block and end with this!

By the time, you have finished over the year--you'll have another quilt!!

Zucchini!!

This time of year the garden is overgrown with ZUCCHINI!  So many of those

green things coming on strong!  Zucchini here, zucchini there! 

 What to do with them?

Can't let them go to waste..............

Here are a few of my favorite recipes that handily use up those green cylinders---

For dinner tonight we are having Zoodle chicken casserole--

two ingredients needed--zoodles (you can buy them this way or we have a spiralizer) so make our own--well worth the price of the machine if you have lots of Z's to do.  We are using leftover chicken, jar of alfredo sauce and zoodles--oh yes, lots of cheese on top.

add zoodles to dish, add chicken bits, pour over alfredo sauce (we like Trader Joes' but you can make your own),  add cheese to top and bake till bubbly!  Yum! delish!

Our son likes to use red sauce and ground meat to his zoodles--it's just as good--always a use for leftover meat.  

 And how about desserts--which we're not doing much of now--but this chocolate zucchini cake is to die for--best part--no one knows it contains green stuff!

and there is my favorite--Z-apple pie!  This takes a little longer to prepare but Oh My Goodness--tastes just like an apple pie!    And here are a ton of other recipes you can utilize with that vegetable.  I just wish that all veggies were that verstible.