Are you a Blockhead????

 Dictionary says a blockhead is  bonehead, chump, dolt, dummy, dunce, and fool.and included is not smart!  Well, I'm hurt as I'm not a blockhead when it comes to working with the blockheads, which mean something total different in quilters' language--I'M very smart as I'm planning on being a real BH along with many others.

NOPE!  These blockheads are building BLOCKS for a quilt top!

*BH5 is a FREE block-of-the-week quilt-along that features block patterns from fabulous designers and Moda team. *There will be two phases to this year's Blockheads program, giving quilters the option to complete a smaller project first. *There are more designers participating this year than ever before, including several new designers who have not been part of Blockheads before! 

 Join Moda Fabrics Facebook page and sign on to be a blockhead! The project will be in two sessions--first beginning today, September 6. There will be videos along with each pattern released. You can join in any time to receive the FREE patterns from super duper designers.

This is the last Blockhead 4--will give you an idea of what to expect from these remarkable designers.  

I don't recall if I participated in BH4 so I certainly need another quilt top, don't I???

Laboring on Labor Day?

 Hopefully, your Labor Day weekend hasn’t included physical labor but fun laboring!  The last hurrah of the summer leading us into a delightful fall.  It’s time to spend with family having some laboringly good fun!!

I “labored” over this hat—but it was so much fun to knit!! Using my stash tiny yarn bits makes for an interesting combination

Done!  And done!! A hat to add to my pile of charity stash!  Ready to labor over another one?  You bet!

I really am laboring on this!  August dishcloth pattern from Kitchen Sink patterns.  I really don't know why--it's not the yarn as it's my handspun cotton; pattern is easy enough--just can't get into the rhythm of knitting this easy pattern--I will labor on and get it finished because September 1 rolls around, there will be another pattern and I really don't want to be left

I definitely ‘labored’ over this quilt top since I royally screwed up when I worked on it last week

Just take a gander at this border on the right--that was when I quit for awhile--I gave up!  But, from the next photo you can tell I went right back to it and got it right!

All four corners match!  Yay!

I've had these 'turkeys' running around my studio for couple of years now--a friend gave me several 'orphan blocks' and these dresden plate were included.  I tried to use them in another orphan quilt layout--just didn't work!  Then had an idea (novel for me!!) to use the dresdens as back feathers for a turkey body!  Well, it worked.  I"ve already made one table runner 

THese last few blocks didn't have buttonhole stitching around them--another thing, I labor over.

Found this fall border print, on sale(!) and it worked perfectly for this small wall hanging and another tablerunner.

Here's hoping that your 'labors' will be mild and easy this weekend!

Hospital Visit to a Mighty CDH Warrior

WE have made many a trip to the hospital to visit our little great grandson, who is recovering from surgery--he is a CDH baby.  Baby JD is now six months old--celebrating with his nurses and parents one day last week.  He has had at least nine surgeries but the last one was by far the most serious, reconnecting his intestines.  

Here is our path after we park in the large underground parking area (got to remember where we parked!)  We come up the elavator to floor 8--sign in at registration where we are given our pass to the Pediatric wing; sponsored by Roger and Debbie Clemens--there are several "pods" in the wing, each with a different city where Roger Clemens played baseball.  JD was first in Houston pod but after his last surgery, he was transferred to New York pod.  Throughout the wing, there are displays of various baseball gear and several art projects that the children have created.

This is the door to JD's room--he is quite loved by all the staff!  He has been one of the longest staying patients in the wing.  The baseball card is the birthday card that was designed by nurses and doctors on his care.

Sweet baby JD!  working hard on his recovery.

Our last visit he was not in a great mood and was ready to take a nap.  I rubbed his head and held his hands till he drifted off to sleep.  His grandmother visits every day after work and he knows her voice so when we do a face time, he is smiling and happy to see her face and hear her voice!

We can't even imagine how much their hospital stay is costing--out of his six months of age, he has only spent 5 weeks at home!  He is intuned to the hospital room as his home--

We are working on a fund raiser for him and CDH warriors like him.  WE are gathering donations for silent auction plus a chance of 50/50--there will be food, music, good fun and lots of great gifts to bid on.

We hope that this will be helpful with the family and besides, it gives us something to do for his care--we feel so helpless most of the time.

If you believe--please pray for JD and his caregivers!  He is definitely a warrior!!

 

Agatha!!

I’m back reading Agatha Christie as we have been watching some documentaries about her life.  A few years ago, I was a member of Agatha book club

The group was reading Agatha’s books in chronological order-sorry to say I didn’t keep up with the list—always a chance to begin where I left off 

The other day there was a mention of a “new” Agatha book —alas, there have been no great discoveries of new found manuscripts—this book is short stories written by today’s female authors!  

New stories about Miss Marple!  What could be better than that?  Of course, reading her original books are the best; this is a nice read—each author gives their interpretation of Miss Marple in short story form—

In the organized Agatha book club, the object was to read the book and find a knitting project that would fit the story line.  Sometimes, that wasn’t an easy task but challenging! While I was reading these short stories, I decided to continue on my cooking adventures.  I fondly remember our times in United Kingdom and afternoon teas.  I decided to make scones to serve with English tea.  Searching for the right recipe--Authentic British Scones!

Yes, you can buy mixes for scones but the above recipe is easy to make from ingredients you have on hand.  There is a recipe for clotted creme but I took the easy way out and bought it! 

Found it at our local grocery--little expensive but we're indulgent for this time.

Look how pretty the scones turned out--whipped up within an hour from dry ingredients to table!

I've even serving the scones on my English purchased dishes--along with fruit jam and that delicious clotted creame!  What a nice treat for the mid afternoon 'tea' time!

Wait, got to fix the tea to go along--which teacup will I choose?

 

Pull Up THose Panties!!

 Yes, I gave myself a lecture—pull up those big girl panties and get to work!  I said to myself—“ quit giving yourself disclaimers! You can do anything you  put your mind to!  Just do it!!”  Gee, that was a tough lecture!  So, I took it to heart!  Pulled up my big girl panties and hit the studio!  

Worked up the August block for A Quilting Life— so proud of myself and then ……….looked closer—it wasn’t right!  Gosh darn it!

Had to rip out one corner and get it right!  Okay—that done, decided to do Sew With Me August block.  Wonder how I can screw this one up!?

Really thought this one would be grand—but, sewing machine gods were not with me!  Threads kept breaking—retread—sew and the stitch was a big mess under side!  Pull out thread and do it again!  Finally!  Got a good stitch!

Almost exhausted my patience—mumbling a few unpleasant words!  We got it done through!!!

What else can I screw up while I’m on a roll?  Let’s tackle the border on my top—

I only needed one side border—had to make more half square blocks—that’s okay and easy!  Then I made too many!! What’s wrong with me?  Can’t I count?!!

Let’s get that border done—sewed the 1/2 squares together and guess what—it doesn’t fit!!

Oh sure, It isn’t right—left side has 11–count them 1/2 squares and the right side has 12!! Really??!! And the end pieces aren’t right either!!  And the more I look at the quilt top, I see other mistakes—gee whiz!! 

Calling it quits today!  Maybe, another day will have my karma in the right place!

Oh Hum!!

 I’m back in my oh hum mood again—then I read my FB group—Louisiana’s Best Recipes-Cajun, Creole and Southern—they were talking about old cookbooks—people find interesting ones @ estate sales for little of nothing.  Then someone will look on eBay or Amazon to see a high asking price!  

Got me out of easy chair to pull down all my cookbooks and explore!  I’ve stock piled a few of those treasures
myself—why not use those recipes to create a dinner plan—we do eat!  And I hate thinking of “ what’s for dinner?”  All the time.  

So here we go—from this box of special recipes

, I’ll be making 

Is so delicious, from what I remember!  Dates to 1967

Aside here—Asphodel Plantation had a delightful restaurant which was a favorite—this bread was always served with your meal

From a recent book, 2022, the entree will be

Instead of pasta, spiralized zucchini will take it’s place! 

 

we have room for dessert, I’ll serve a light sorbet! Mango! 

Boy! That feels so good to have dinner plans and thoughts of meals to come—I’m on a roll!!  I’ve mostly forgotten about that disaster of a quilt border….

Wonder what’s dinner tomorrow night?  Back to pawing through those old books find something interesting and easy to prepare. 

I’ve Got……

 Hello there!  It’s still HOT!  Still NO rain in sight!  My energy got up and left!  So, therefore—I’ve Got absolutely Nothing to write about, talk about, broadcast about—absolutely NOTHING!  

Oh, today is the anniversary of Elvis death, also anniversary of the day our son proposed to his wife—that marriage last only three years—there’s nothing to write about that—oh, I could… but, best keep my thoughts to myself.   

Oh, today is also “National Rum” day!! Now, that’s good news—I could use a rum drink about now!

And….. it’s National Tell A Joke day!  Isn’t that something—let me tell you a joke then………………well, I’ve Got NOTHING!! 

I haven’t even sewn a stitch for a week—haven’t read a good book either—or seen a good movie since “MI-5” and that was a month ago—although, I did finally finish knitting June’s dishcloth pattern in July which means I’m knitting (well, sort of) on July’s pattern in August—seems to be the trend.  

This HEAT gets up down; just slaps you silly!  

But—we are one day closer to cooler temps and one day closer to rain!  Just not sure when that day will come!!

Over and out for now………