Status update: Cape Cod Vacation

Yes!  Finally I'm on vacation in Cape Cod.  I really was feeling the stress, physically and emotionally before I left.  It's been a lovely few days of resting, relaxing, hot tubbing, laughing, knitting and COOKING!  The subject of today's post is what mom and I made today: Chocolate Strawberry Shortcakes.

I found this post/recipe via Pioneer Woman's blog and knew we had to try it!  I sent it to my mom and she agreed...we started making our plans for this cooking extravaganza.  I love me some chocolate and strawberries and well I would live on fresh whipped cream if I could.  It is a perfect marriage of flavors and I couldn't wait to try it.

Today, being Labor Day..we labored in the kitchen.  No, honestly this recipe is pretty easy...just uses a fair amount of dishes...

Mom wanted to make the WHOLE thing in the Kitchenaid stand mixer; I taught her the difference between the food processor (and the blade to really mix in the cold butter) and the stand mixer.  She continues to learn, even as she is ready to start being insured by Medicare.

In went the dry ingredients...we gave them a little pulse and then added the butter and then the liquids...including coffee which really augments the chocolately goodness.

Then we shaped the batter into shortcake shaped fantabulousness and put them in the fridge to set for 30 minutes.

Parchment is king!    With Finn looking on...

...into the oven they went

Meanwhile, we chopped up the berries and gave them a bath of Confectioners sugar and lemon juice...oh the berry goodness!

Then,it was time to make the Chantilly Cream...a sweeter version of whipped cream, made with Confectioners sugar, Heavy Whipping cream, Vanilla and a little LOVE.   Into the STAND MIXER (now mom!) went the ingredients.  Mom was also a little worried about getting the consistency right.  The recipe called for "beating on high until stiff peaks are formed."   Mom was worried if we beat TOO long we would end up with butter...yes, BUTTER (didnt know there was Confectioner's Sugar in butter, but that is another blog for another time).

Sweet stiff peaks...that's what she said.

And here it is!  The finished product.  There were four empty plates not long after.

I also made Bruschetta

This is nothing more than a combo ( to taste) of chopped tomatoes, basil, red onions, garlic, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.  This batch was good, but need a splash more of balsamic.

All in all, it was a good cooking day.

Finn gives his seal of approval:

Challenged

Returning to "personal" blogging has presented a great challenge to me.  I admit it.  I'm a Facebook JUNKIE and tend to record the in's and out's of my life via FB as it is just that much more accessible to post a quick update, photo, funny or good thought.  I have FB apps on my phone and my ipad; but the blogging apps for these devices just don't hold a candle to the accessibility and ease of the FB apps.  I've also recently taken on a new volunteer position as coordinator of social networking for the Association of Oncology Social Work.  This too has meant more time on FB.

On top of my intimate relationship with FB, I'm writing a blog for work called "Christina's Resource Round-Up" (http://www.oncolink.org/), which also takes times, energy, thought, wit and the amazing editing skills of my BFF Ellen.  I'm having a hard time doing this as regularly as I like.  When I first pitched the blog to Oncolink, my plan was to write weekly...now it seems to be more like monthly.

But I do have more to share and archive about what is going on in life...so I'm going to keep trying with this blog.

Today's task: The quilting to do list.

Wow, this summer I dove back into sewing...quilting/patchwork more precisily.  I will never make garments for myself or the dogs or children.  I just would rather knit cute baby sweaters!  But quilting and patchwork has given me a lot of latitude to experiment with color and shape and this I am really enjoying.  Wendy and I went to Quilt Odyssey a few weeks ago in Hershey and I made some cool purhcases of fabrics and tools for my stash.  But now, here I am, like I am with my knitting, too many projects...to little time.  I've got to prioritize and make a list:

1).  Housewarming Gift Quilt for Carolyn.  I purchased some great, classic civil war era fat quarters, 9 of them to be exact, in blues, greens and reds at Quilt Odyssey.  I was thinking of making "Off the Rail" from Jaybird Quilts; an attempt to bring together more classic fabric with a modern pattern, but the more I thought about it, the less I liked that I idea.  So now I'm searching for something to do with these 9 fat quarters...back to the books for this one I guess.  Car is moving in two weeks and I'd like to have this project to her by October...which is perhaps extremely wishful thinking given that I also want to make...

2). The Strawberry Fields Forever Quilt (http://www.quiltingintherain.com/) in my FAVORITE new fabric, "Santa's Little Helper."  Yes, it is Sock Monkey Santa Style and I couldn't be more excited.  I purchased a layer cake of Santa's Little Helper and today purchased some coordinating yardage for back and binding.  I've never quilted for the holidays before...but anyone who knows me knows I love to decorate my house and that I have a "funky santa" collection.  I collect Santa's that are shaped in funky ways...tall, skinny, massive, inside other shapes, with other objects...you name it.  And because I have yet find BUMBLE fabric (I also collect Abominable Snowman aka the Bumble from Rudolph) these sock monkey santas are going to have to suffice.  I think the quilt will be a great edition to my holiday decor...which by the way goes up the day after Thanksgiving...so I better get moving! 

What I love about this pattern is its simplicity yet its ability to show off some of the great graphics of the fabric.  I'm so excited to get started with this project.

3).  Sudoku Quilt for Allison.  This will be a Christmas gift and yes, its following a Sudoku pattern to make a quilt out of nine different fat quarters (cut into 9 blocks).  I'm torn about sashing and borders or just doing the blocks and letting it all meld together.  I like melding.  This is supposed to be a wall hanging for Ali's office, so I don't want it to be massive.  I got some great, warm toned fabrics that I am hopeful Ali will like.

4).  Rocky Road Quilt is these awesome madras plaids.  This one is ACTUALLY for me.  I've done all the cutting.  The pieces sit in a ziploc bag on the rack next to my sewing machine.  I can't wait to put this in my room...but sadly its just not a priority right now.

5).  Lets not forget that I still need to finish the log cabin (Wren) wall hanging, which I'm donating to the Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Presbyterian (yes, work).  I thought it would really brighten up an exam room or the hallways and feel homey.  All I need to do with this is piece the back, layer, quilt and bind.  For some reason, I'm not doing it.

6). I know why, I STILL haven't finished getting the binding on my F***inkg Piano Keys Quilt.  Everyone at Spool keeps says how much they love binding, but I think it sucks ass.  Perhaps that is because I'm not good at it...don't know how to blind stitch and just want to FINISH THIS THING, but so far I haven't been able to get it done.  I've now recruited my mom into sitting on the couch with me while I'm on vacation and finishing it.  I also bought some binding clips at Quilt Odyssey so maybe that will help.  Maybe being successful binding one quilt will build my confidence for  numbers 1-5 above.

So I don't think I'll bring my sewing machine on vacation with me---but maybe I'll bring my rotary cutter and some fabric and get the cutting for these quilts done...mom has a self healing matt...then when I get home, and the weather is starting to get crisp, it will be all about the sewing...

Don't even get me started with what I have planned for yarn...that is the next blog post.

Photographic (editing) prowess

I noticed some of my pics lately had been really bad.  I want to assure you that I CAN take a decent picture and even better, I can manipulate those pics wonderfully with the SNAPSEED app for Ipad.

Starring my fave muses, the beags (duh) but also my three favorite little guys, Justin, Alex and Gabriel.

 Alex and his water wings

 Alex masters the "I want more cupcake" pout

 Gabe says "Frosting is the next bronzer"

 YUMMMMMMM

 J and Watermelon...

 Really reminds me of his dad here...or is it his mom?

 J Bear

 Smiling Lady Margaret

\

Gman takes a nap at the library



Ok so perhaps I havent mastered SIZING the photos appropriately for the blog...that will be my next lesson.

Negligent, but busy

Wow I haven't blogged in a couple of weeks.  Boo...shame on Teener.

But I've been busy and super creatively productive and well it's been hot as balls lately.  So most nights I lay around in a tank top with the air conditioner AND fan blowing on me.  All the while, I'm trying to keep my 70 lb beagle basset bison whale off of me, but he seems to ALWAYS want to snuggle-even in the humidity.

So what have I been doing???

 Made this SUPER cute baby bib for little Eva Tsai.  I forgot pics of it sewn together, but I'll ask Trish to put it ON the baby and send said pics...it will be THAT much cuter.  Pattern : Sparrow Baby Bib from Ashley Kayhart.

While making it, I made a big frickin mess of my craft table and realized I needed GOOD LEFT handed scissors, as what I have, ain't cuttin' it (so to speak).  I dragged Ellen to AC Moore for said scissors and velcro, but she wouldn't even come in with me!  SCARY CRAFTERS!

I also finished the quilt top, WREN:

I LOVE it...Its going to go in the education room here at the Cancer Center!  I think it will brighten it up and make the room that much more homey. 

Wait a minute, Maggie says, "MINE!"

Now, I have to get backing, and binding and actually FINISH IT and get the dog off of it.

FINALLY, I finished the sweater for Charlie.  I HATE HATE HATE duplicate stitch, enough so that I will not be making this project again.  But it did turn out kinda cute...its blocking now

Better, brighter photos to follow.

We also picked blueberries last weekend...13lbs of them!

Gabe got to ride the tractor wagon

LOOK AT THEM ALL MOM!!!!!

 Shelley's first trip to Haines Berry Farm.  She is a good picker.

 Blueberries are easy to pick, you just "fondle" the branches...

 Honestly wanted to DIVE IN!

Instead I went home and BAKED this yummy blueberry loaf cake.  Only AFTER I had made the batter did I realize I couldn't find my large loaf pan, so I used an 8 x 8 cake pan.  It came out well...the office enjoyed it AND the pie I made the following day.  Now, I'm just eating a crap ton of blueberries everyday and relishing in the strong influx of anti-oxidants into my diet.

Soooooo now what.  Well I'm going to make a few more baby bibs for MORE damn babies.  I'm still working on "camping" shawl, but now the rows are about 400 stitches long and its EXHAUSTING...yeah yeah I'm on the last chart blah blah blah blah.

So I started a new entrelac scarf last night in Knitpicks "Chroma."  Pics to follow.

Project Progress

I've been thinking about quilting a lot lately.  And doing an equally fair amount of internet window shopping, oggling fabrics and patterns and thinking "I want to go to there."  So, I got started with my sister's quilt, the "1,2,3" from Modern Basics.  Sadly, I have had my first "ugh" experience with a quilt. 
Ali was so excited picking out the fabrics--but with this pattern, and this number of squares, something just isn't right.

Exhibit A

Thanks to Finn for posing with it and trying to pretty it up.  As Ashley, my teacher in the log cabin quilt class at Spool (more on that in a minute) observed: "it's muddy."  Sorry Ali, I'm going back to the drawing board and trying something new.  Perhaps these squares will become pillows...

So, on to my latest class-Wendy and I were totally spoiled being the only two students last night in the "Wren Log Cabin Quilt" class at Spool.  Its fun because W. and I have our own little quirks and nuances that  really come out while we got our creative on.  We also got spoiled with space for cutting---if only I could get the rotary cutters to work for me-- note to self, need new blade.

The pattern is fairly simple and requires only 4 quarter yards and 1 half yard for the quilt top.  It makes a lovely wall hanging...hey Ali, what do you think of this?  Would this look pretty in your office?

Here is the color palette I picked:

YUM!

And here is the work in progress

And here is Wendy's





So it's been a productive quilting time.

This weekend I'm thinking about starting my next project, which will be a lap sized quilt made with some awesome plaid charm squares and a neutral off while.  I can't wait to snuggle up with it come November (seems weird typing that given the humidity of late).

I have very few plans for the weekend and an extra day off to get my creative juices flowing.  Also it is supposed to be in the 90's and there is just something about having your sewing machine set up in front of the air conditioner.

I've also got those batik quarters burning a hole in my stash pile....hmmmmmmmmmm

Oh and don't worry, I'm knitting too!  The sweater for baby Charlie now has 1 and a half arms...should finish this soon.   Also still working on "camping."  I've started the fourth lace pattern and it continues to flow easily.

My "smiling beagle" fabric from Spoonflower came: it is SO darn cute.  I can't wait to get it into a quilt back.

Here is a parting shot brought to you by one of the smilers:

Not smiling, but licking.  Still uber cute.

I am bound!!!

well almost...to sew tomorrow

Smiling Beagles = Inspiration

 

I snapped this photo this past weekend at the dog park.  It was quite a feat...getting the three amigos to sit next to each other, look at me and smile...but I had a good supply of patience and treats.  Low and behold this is what I got.  (For a full run down of what I went through to get this, talk to my dog park pal Jen Chapman, who witnessed the entire photo shoot).

I used my swanky new IPAD camera card attachment and the Snapseed photo editor app for IPAD.  I love this photo. It captures the individuality of each of the beags (seriously people ask me all the time how I tell them apart---I think this photo illustrates how easy that is to do). It will likely turn into something silly for our Christmas card.

So, I've been quilting a lot and planning a lot of quilts too.  Next up, Wendy and I are scheduled to take the "Wren" log cabin class at Spool.  My sister has also requested a quilt for her office.  She picked out some great fabrics and I'll be making the "1, 2, 3" quilt from Modern Basics for her.  I was also fabric stash diving last weekend and (re)discovered these awesome Batik fat quarters (13 of them!) I bought at a quilt show a few summers ago.  I want to do a pattern with squares/frames of the Batiks and a stark white contrast.  That is down the road a bit.

Anyway with all this quilting I've gotten (back) into reading (quilting) blogs.  It seems like today quilting blogs are where knitting blogs were BEFORE Raverly.  These quilting blogs are really inspiring my creativity and desire to sew and quilt!  There is just so much great stuff out there!

One of the blogs I'm reading is Jaybird Quilts.  I took a class with the writer, Julie, at Spool about a year and a half ago (Wonky Table Runner-which adorns the table at the Joy House B & B).  When she was teaching our class, Julie encouraged us to label our projects as our own, and to incorporate this label into the quilt BEFORE quilting it, so it really couldn't be removed without ruining the piece.  She told us then about Spoonflower , an awesome place where you can design and print your own fabrics!  Julie also wrote an awesome blog recently about this subject complete with samples of her own labels.

Given my (BIG) plans for summer sewing, I finally decided to design my own fabric panel quilt label.This brings us back to the picture above.  I love it SOOOO much I wanted it (somehow) to become part of my quilt projects.  And, here it is

I LOVE IT!

Yes, I am inspired by my smiling beagles.  Gus, Maggie and Finn are such a huge part of my life.  Other than their dog hairs which are undoubtedly quilted and knitted into all my projects, I thought this was a great way in incorporate their inspiration into my creative projects!

I ordered a fat quarter of the fabric which should yield about 20 labels.  I cannot wait to see the actual fabric AND incorporate it into my quilts.  THANKS to my smiling beagles for their love, snuggles and an awesome name for my quilted projects!

How does my garden grow?

I couldn't help but take my camera outside this morning after that MASSIVE thunderstorm we had in the middle of the night.  I knew my plants would be happy, and they were.

 Hydrangea; which this year is more purple-pink then in the past

 This is the yellow rose plant my dad gave me for SW month; its really flourishing! Thanks to

Nevena Damjanov for the excellent suggestions on how to keep it healthy!

Massive 'mater plants and a few other containers...

 Roma tomatoes...dripping

Cherry Tomatoes

 MASSIVE butterfly bush

More 'maters...can't WAIT for them to ripen and to cook with them!

I've also got herbs: basil, thyme, dill and lavender.  There are red and yellow peppers that are just beginning to flower.  There are also lots of annuals, petunias, impatients, snap dragons and marigolds.  Finally, the *red* sunflowers are growing EXPONENTIALLY...and so are the weeds...meh.