Transitioning

 Transitioning from one season to the next.

I was looking back on my camera roll and noticed that subconsciously I have been transitioning from summer and the garden into fall and winter activities.

My sewing room is now haunted!

Last year I purchased the pattern for these cute little ghosts from @thencamejune and @penandpaperpatters (on instagram)

www.thencamejune.com

www.penandpaperpatterns.com

I made 1 (one) ghost block and set it aside ... so here is me a year later picking up where I left off.

I have the Fall feels in a big way apparently ...

My daughter had surgery a few weeks ago and I bound off sock #1 of each of these pairs of socks and cast on sock #2

I'm sure I have mentioned this here before but ... I learned how to knit solely and specifically to make socks. Just socks. I always wanted to learn how to knit and make my own socks. I wanted to have a pair of socks on the sticks in progress so that when I'm out and about I have a project to work on. When I'm in a waiting room waiting to be called back for my appointment. Stuck in traffic ... you know all of those times when you are just waiting ...

I achieved this goal a few years ago and now I always have a project bag with a couple of socks in the works with me at all times. It is just one of those things that makes me happy.

My sister-in-law's mother gifted me some of her bread starter and I have been whipping up fresh bread and cinnamon rolls regularly for the past couple of weeks.

I've always wanted to learn how to make this bread. My mom made this bread for years and I loved every thing she ever baked with this starter. My daughter loves these cinnamon rolls A LOT!!!

This guy just makes me happy!

HE is always near and loves this lofty spot on top of a bookshelf in my sewing room.

If I'm in my sewing room HE is usually right there with me. 

I love how HE hides his eyes with his paw when he sleeps.

HE is such a cool kid!

So ... according to my camera roll  (hahaha) ... I have been actively transitioning into Fall without even realizing it.

Happy Fall to you all!

 

Weekend Vibes

 Weekend Vibes

Pesto and Vanilla Extract were on deck for this weekend's activities. I'm happy to say that both tasks have been completed.

I'm still shocked that my little herb garden did so well this summer.

I'm so happy that I was brave enough to plant my own herb garden this year.

I am definitely glad that I asked my brother to teach me how to garden.

Gardening has become a real joy for me.

I have 5, 1/3 cup packets of pesto in the freezer.

I ordered brewing bottles for my vanilla extract but you can just use canning jars.

I wanted brewing bottles because I think they will make a better presentation when given as a gift.

I watched more than a few YouTube tutorials on making your own vanilla extract and some said to use vodka and some said to use spiced rum. All of the videos stressed using a high quality vodka or spiced rum. Well, I decided to do a taste comparison, making 3 bottles with vodka and 3 bottles with spiced rum.

Only time will tell ...

Vanilla Extract

Spiced Rum vs Vodka

Simple Pleasures and Small Comforts

 Simple pleasures and small comforts.

Sundays are just made for them.

No Bake Cookies and Lemon Scones are two of life's little pleasures.

No Bake Cookies

And, the small comforts of having ingredients on hand and the time to make a few of my daughter's favorite treats is just a priceless blessing.

Fresh baked Lemon Scones

I haven't baked scones in a very long time but my daughter asked for them specifically, so it is safe to say I will do anything for my baby girl.

It's been a wonderful Sunday.

Hygge

Hygge (/ˈh(j)uːɡə/; Danish: [ˈhykə]; Norwegian: [ˈhŷɡːə]) is a Danish and Norwegian word for a mood of coziness and comfortable conviviality with feelings of wellness and contentment.

This little red cabinet give me the Hygge feels ...

Planning Ahead

 Planning Ahead

Last year, or so, I read an article about living more intentionally and somehow that really struck a cord with me. I look back on my parents and grand-parents and how life seemed to have so much more reason and value.

They lived seasonally, if you will, not just planting and harvesting but with each season there were activities whether work or leisure that seemed to focus them and ground them. The activities were planned and planned for.

Since reading that article, I have been working toward living a more intentional life and planning ahead has been key for me. I wanted to learn how to garden, so I made a plan ... 

I wanted to learn how to can and freeze food, so I made a plan ...

I wanted to learn how to make bread and cinnamon rolls, so I made a plan ...

This weekend I have planned ahead, gathered recipes and supplies, and I will be making homemade vanilla extract and sweet basil pesto.

I will be keeping some of the vanilla extract but it is my plan to give this as gifts.

And, a happy plan came about when I posted this picture of my herbs. With a family recipe I will be making pesto for my freezer. 

I LOVE it when a plan comes together.

💖💖💖

Successful Bread Making 101

 SUCCESS!!!!

All very delicious and totally worth the effort!

YUM!

Next up homemade vanilla extract! Yea BABY!!!

Bread Making 101

Bread making 101

Over the past few years I have been working toward ACTUALLY learning how to do all of those things that I have been interested in learning;

Gardening

Canning and Freezing foods

Bread (sour dough) making

... and this summer I have been ticking these things off of my list. My sister-in-law's mother has shared her sour dough bread starter with me. This is the starter that my mother used when she was making bread and cinnamon rolls. 

Step One

Obviously I plan on making A LOT of bread .... hahahaha

Step Two

Step Three

Now it is time to Rise ... this evening when I get home from work, hopefully everything will have risen and will be ready for Step Four ...

which is baking up in the oven!

I'm so excited!!!

Next up ... making my own vanilla extract ...

Bountiful Summer

 I have had a bountiful summer full of gardening fun.

... and I have learned so much. I can't begin to express in words how much I have enjoyed myself learning how to garden and can foods.

My little red cupboard is getting full.

There are beans, pickles, vegetable soup, and salsa.

I also have my honey from Crossville stored.

My freezer has corn and okra.

I've had delicious fresh tomato sandwiches, where the tomatoes were still warm from the sun.

Seen a sweet little frog on a big okra leaf.

And watched the cutest pup, Rusty, enjoy a garden fresh cucumber.

Oh the beauty, bounty, and fun I have had in my brother's garden this summer.

Sampling a Sampler ... Quilt that is

 Sampling a Sampler

I've wanted to make a Sampler quilt for some time now and recently I ran across a book presented by Moda called, Block Heads.

There is also a website and blog posts, HERE is one of them.

I decided that now was as good a time as any to start a new quilt project.

A Sampler quilt project ...

A little hand embroidery

Hand embroidery to label and date my very first Sampler Quilt project.

I used cursive writing for my name. It is sad to me that cursive writing is no longer being taught, handwriting is a beautiful art form. 

These two blocks are actually 12.5 inch blocks leftover from the last two Tribute Star quilt projects that I have completed. I have several other orphan quilt blocks from previous quilt projects that I hope to use in this Sampler Quilt Project as well.

Happy Sampler Sewing!

Garden Gloriousness

 Garden Gloriousness 

I have enjoyed learning gardening and canning and freezing food this summer.

I ordered this catalog months ago, as a new gardener, I thought one needed to order seeds for the garden. I had completely forgotten that I had ordered this catalog so when it showed up in my mailbox on Saturday I was thrilled.  As the summer begins to wind down it is the perfect time to start planning for next year's garden. 

Who knew that quilt patterns and seed catalogs would become my favorite reading materials.

Gardening ... is wonderful!

Fresh vegetables, tomatoes, and canned fresh green beans.

Fresh corn and okra are in the freezer, along with fresh homemade salsa!

Marigolds

I has been a wonderful summer in the garden.

Fresh food and beautiful flowers.

I've really enjoyed the flowers, so bright and so beautiful.

OBSESSED

 OBSESSED

Still ... with Red and White quilts ... but now I have added a pattern that I just can't get enough of. This pattern is by Denyse Schmidt of www.dsquilts.com called Tribute Star.

It is a free pattern

To date I can remember making 5 quilts of this pattern. Yesterday I completed the 5th quilt top of this pattern. It goes together quickly and with stunning effect. Modern, yet traditional.

I love this pattern.

MY Red/White Tribute Star

60 x 60 inches

I love the simple loops machine quilting pattern!

MY Pink-ish/White Tribute Star

60 x 60 inches

I love the backing fabric, it is a Lori Holt design by Riley Blake

A few months ago, I decided to make a Red/White Tribute Star quilt for myself. I gave the one I had made to my daughter. For the one that I made for myself I decided on a simple quilting pattern. My friend, Sharon, is an amazing longarm machine quilter is doing a beautiful job on my quilt.

Yesterday, I decided to make a Pink-ish/White Tribute Star ... now to decide on the quilting pattern.

I just can't get enough of this pattern these days!!!

Getting Things Done

Getting things done ...

I'm the queen of putting off things that I don't particularly enjoy!

Most of the time these things aren't really difficult, they are just things that take time.

Like putting the binding on an otherwise finished quilt.

Until Saturday I had 8 quilts that only needed binding to be FINISHED quilt projects.

I made some binding and gathered up my store bought binding ...

... and I got busy binding 

Red/White Half Square Triangle quilt

I have already gifted this one. I gifted this quilt to my brother and sister-in-law as a thank you gift for teaching me how to garden, can food and freeze garden fresh food. I have really enjoyed myself this summer in their garden.

Sewing My Stash Scrap quilt #9

SOLD

This is such a cute quilt and store bought binding worked beautifully.

SOLD

Sewing My Stash Scrap quilt #6

I made the binding for this quilt from leftover backing fabric.

This backing is an Anna Maria Horner print and I love it so much. 

Sewing My Stash Scrap quilt #8

Store bought binding for the finish!

Booker approved!

I'm pretty sure that HE has decided that this quilt is HIS!

hahaha ...

Now, I only have four more quilts that need binding ....