Adventures In Canning

Canning garden fresh foods ...

Growing up in the small town of Crossville, Tennessee I was lucky enough to watch my grandparents and parents seasonally can garden fresh vegetables

YET ... I never learned how to do it myself!

This past weekend my sister-in-law graciously taught me how to pressure can green beans.

😎😎😎

I won't lie ... I'm feeling pretty good about learning how to can foods.

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed hanging out with family and

packing jars with freshly snapped green beans from the garden.

Green beans that I helped plant in the garden.

We had three runs of green beans, 14 quarts and 9 pints of beans were produced.

My sister-in-law made a wonderful lunch of party chicken and fresh green beans.

Earlier in the season I canned 8 pints of garlic dill pickles.

I also made some refrigerator pickles and pickled banana peppers.

I've been enjoying gardening and canning foods this year. I've enjoyed spending more time with my brother and his family. I've enjoyed learning how to garden from my brother. I've enjoyed learning how to can foods from my sister-in-law. I've enjoyed eating all of the garden fresh vegetables this summer as well. 

Gardening has been a real blessing for me this year. 

#wearefamily

Baby Quilts

Baby Quilts???

As it happens, as of late, I have been commissioned to make a few baby quilts ...

but, I've also ended up making a few baby quilts purely by chance. 

These "by chance" baby quilts are the result of using blocks leftover from other projects.

It doesn't always happen but on occasion I end up with extra blocks, or portions of blocks that end up being just enough for a baby quilt.

My sister commissioned me to make a couple of baby quilts as gifts this summer.

Old Glory

For a baby boy due in July

And I started this Modern Hexagon quilt for a little girl due in June.

But after talking with the mom to be, my sister requested a floral baby girl quilt instead.

As you know I'm working strictly from my fabric stash so luckily I had some floral fabrics on hand.

hahahaha!

Old Glory and Flora & Fauna

***Side note ... both babies were born in July. The June baby girl decided to wait until July to make her debut.***

I had a bit more of the floral fabrics and decided to piece them into another floral baby quilt but this time I used a bright pink-ish border. 

This scrap happy baby quilt is the product of my most recent scrap quilt project.

I had enough left to make this hourglass baby quilt top.

The way I figure it, it never hurts to have a few baby quilt tops at the ready.

#babiesandquilts

Updated - Sewing My Stash Scrap Quilt #13

Saturday Sewing

Scrap quilts are my favorite!

I have really enjoyed making these scrap quilts. 

Taking my fabric scraps and turning them into an interesting beautiful quilt top.

This scrap quilt took it a step further for me ...

In all of the years that I have been quilting, I've never made a quilt setting the blocks on point.

This scrap quilt was not only fun ... I learned something new.

Quilt math was involved but I survived! hahahaha!

These blocks make me think of waterfalls. I really like the way that this one turned out.

Sewing My Stash Scrap Quilt #13

80 x 90 inches

I am considering hand-quilting this quilt top in Big Stitch hand quilting.

Scrap Happy Baby Quilt

35 x 35 inches

Setting the blocks on point for this quilt project meant trimming four of the blocks in half.

I took those four half blocks and made half square triangle blocks and ended up with enough to make a small scrappy baby quilt. Two finished quilt tops in one quilt project.

I love it when a simple idea comes together and works out.

Sewing My Stash Scrap Quilt # 13

Sewing My Stash Scrap Quilt #13

At the end of June before I went on vacation, I started something new ...

Sewing My Stash Scrap Quilt #13

It's crazy to me that I have made 12 scrap quilts in the last two years. All of them from fabric that I have in my stash and ... that I am actually working on the 13th quilt top now. 

I have been quilting for 22 years now and I have never made a quilt pattern where the blocks are set on point. This scrap quilt project will remedy that ...

Scrap Quilt #13 blocks will be set on point.

Here's to learning something new.

Flowers In The Garden Make Me Smile

Flowers in the Garden Make Me Smile

My Grandma Dorothy always had the most beautiful flowers in her garden, at the edges, and in her yard. Her summer time flower beds were truly a sight to behold.

This year my brother is teaching me his gardening ways and I mentioned Grandma's flowers, he said I could plant whatever I wanted to ...

So ....

The sunflowers I planted are beginning to bloom.

Tithonia, Bells of Ireland, Cosmos, Zinnias, and marigolds.

I also planted lemon balm but it didn't make it.

Bells of Ireland are budding ... these flower plants are huge.

Zinnias

Cosmos

Zinnias and Cosmos

Cosmos and marigolds

Marigolds

And a cute little surprise ... this little garden frog sitting on an okra leaf.

Gardening is amazing!

Vacation Mode 2020 ... Crochet ... The Portable Project

Vacation Mode 2020

Crochet ... the portable project!

Whenever I travel on vacation I usually take some sort of crochet or knitting project with me. 

This year was no exception.

A month or so ago I started working on my daughter's 2021 Easter Basket.

Hedgehog Love

I found the pattern for this hedgehog on the Red Heart Yarn website, www.yarnspirations.com

Hedgehog pattern and Heart pattern

Both of these patterns are free.

I used the Heart portion of a pattern that is actually for a scarf that uses this heart motif.

Presently, I'm working on the second hedgehog and heart for the reverse side of the basket. 

While on vacation I was able to complete the basket, the first heart needed, and get the heart and hedgehog attached to the basket. 

The lighting isn't great in these photos but this Easter Basket project is so cute.

Red/White Quilt Collection ... CATS!!!

My Red/White Quilt Collection continues to grow ...

CATS!!!

The inspiration for my Red/White CATS quilt ...

Booker and Jezebel

These two cool cats are my sweet fur babies and the inspiration 

for my Red/White CATS quilt

I suppose this is really a Red / White / Black quilt.

In honor of my fur babies I made a black / white cat block for each of them.

Booker and Jezebel are such a huge part of my life and spend lots of time with me in my sewing room. I think my sewing room is just as much their happy place as it is mine.

This quilt consists of 100 6.5 inch cat face blocks.

This pattern is by Elizabeth Hartman

www.elizabethhartman.com

I've had this pattern for a very long time. This pattern was a free pattern by Elizabeth Hartman and was posted on her site when it was called Oh Frannson!

I love these blocks

This quilt was machine quilted by my friend and amazing long arm quilter, Sharon.

Sharon sent me these great progress pictures.

I love it!!!

Vacation Mode 2020 ... Russian Nesting Dolls

Vacation Mode 2020 

Sweet unexpected gifts

💝💝💝

Red/White Russian Nesting Dolls

For the last two years I have hitched a ride to my sister's house with a dear friend who drives down to visit with his son, daughter-in-law, and grandson in Florida.

This works out amazing for me. I get to vacation with my family, and I don't have to drive, and the company on the drive is great. 

Passenger (Co-pilot) for the WIN!!!!

This year, upon being picked up for our return, I was gifted this beautiful handmade Russian Nesting Doll set. Y'all!!! This set of dolls is so intricate, so detailed and just amazing to look at.

I love handmade gifts and this one is all the more special because it is Red/White and Russian Nesting Dolls. Two of my favorite things. These dolls are breathtaking!

Just look at all of the details!

These dolls fit perfectly within each other.

It just makes me happy opening each doll to find the doll within!

Just look at those sweet faces!

I love them!

Such beauty, such a sweet unexpected gift.

I'm that person who tucks sweet cards and special gifts into her Bible.

Each morning devotional is made all the more sweet

and special when I come across these cards and gifts.

I am truly blessed.

Vacation Mode 2020 ... Barney Georgia

Vacation Mode 2020

Barney Georgia

Homemade Peach Ice Cream

I think that we may have begun a new family tradition.

Homemade peach ice cream in Barney, Georgia

My mom purchased a bag of peaches for me to bring home with me from vacation.

DELICIOUS!!!

OLD FASHION Homemade Ice Cream

Boy, do they deliver! 

We are smiling with our eyes!

My sister, Me, and our Momma

Me and Momma enjoying our ice cream.

Our new family tradition!

I'm already looking forward to next year!!!

#wearefamily