Lucy Boston

Thursday, October 29, 2009

does this make me a shady person?


Summer is gone, I have accepted this. The leaves are turning colors but still covering the trees.  I love this time of the early fall season.   This is one of my favorite trees in the neighborhood... a very large oak.  If my arms could wrap around it I would hug it.

I love to take a quilt out under the the huge, color-drenched trees, lie on the ground and look toward the sky. The trees are just saturated with the colors of Autumn.






The shady shades of Autumn: 
orange, red, green, brown, purple,
and every color in between.


Like putting a filter on a camera, it changes your perspective on the day. 
I love these fall shades. 










Here's my fall quilt:  it's all the colors of fall that I love, the pattern is a crazy nine patch. 
It has a long history...
here's the short version: 
pieced in 2005 for me, by me, layered and partially quilted (that's the long part- bad tension in bobbin in the middle third - but quilted the entire thing, then found the bad stitching.  Ripped out the middle third/plus some down to one corner.)  That was all 2005. 


I know this because 2005 and my name is stitched in the quilting  (yes, I know it is backwards, the better to see my stitching little red riding hood).


Fast forward to 2006:  Found quilt in stack that needed finished, so put it back on machine, finished quilting, again stitching in my name and date 2006 and a little autumn saying. 

No, I didn't remember that I had signed it in thread TWICE!! until I was putting on the binding in 2008!!!  And I decided that I would not rip it out again.  It will be something that will make people smile when they look at it years and years from now, and wonder why in the heck did she sign and date it on both ends, years apart????!

So, anyway, me and my fall colored quilt that is double signed, out under the beautiful fall colored trees, with fall colored leaves falling around.  Aaaahhhh!  *deep sigh*
If that makes me a "shady" person, I accept the label.





Its b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l out there!
And, now I know for sure, it's SOUP SEASON! 
Life is Good!

Thursday, October 22, 2009

reverse trick-or-treating and chili cook-off

I live in a rural area. 
Not many kids come around trick-or-treating here. 
Too far to walk between houses.  
Evidently hitting a bunch of houses close together in a neighborhood is more fun?  Little beggars (he he)  don't realize that I give out the big, good stuff since I don't have many coming through. 
Not like the neighborhood houses that get hundreds of kids and have to resort to the bags of little, used-to-be penny candies.
Anyway, reverse trick-or-treating.........
since I have candy left over after the beggin' hours are done,  and I know I don't want all that candy sitting around here, I know I have to get rid of it somehow, before *I scarf it aaaaallllllllllllll*!  (my voice just dropped 3 octaves, scary).  
SOOO....
1--you gather up all most of the candy,
2--put it in big bucket or bowl that's easy to carry,
3--put on your hiking shoes and a jacket appropriate for the weather, and
4--start walking to all the neighbors houses. 
5--When you get to a door,
6--ring the bell,
7--smile, and when the neighbors answer,
8--GIVE them some candy! 
9--costumes optional
10--problem solved

In conjunction with reverse trick-or-treating we usually have a bonfire and wiener roast.  Family, neighbors, and friends stop by after the beggin' and have a little dinner to go along with all that candy they have eaten. 

This year I'm planning a chili cook-off to be our dinner. 
You, your chili, your family. 
Outside by the bonfire. 

So, the gauntlet has been thrown:
Saturday, October 31, 2009
7 o'clock p.m.**
BRING-IT-ON:  your best and favorite chili.
Judged by anonymous ballot.
Prizes may be awarded for best in catagories: 
traditional, non-traditional & vegetarian.
I'll have tables/chairs, table service, sodas,
electric for the slow cookers & ballots for voting.
Oh, yeah, I'll also have the bonfire and weenies to roast.
You can bring along side dishes if you'd like:  something you always have with your chili.
**if you'd like you can drop off your chili before begging,
I'll keep watch over it and keep it warm 'til you get back
(promise, no sabotage).
Please let me know if you think you may attend. 
It's gonna be a fun all Hallow's eve !  And good eats!
Oh, yeah, reverse trick-or-treating optional.

scrumptdillyishissness

Applesauce Doughnuts!!!!!!!!
Doesn't that just sound like Autumn weather food?  Applesauce from fresh picked apples, 'cause you know you went to the orchard and got way too many just to eat, and doughnuts are a great treat at any time.  But if you can do the doughnuts with some FRUIT IN THEM, then they are good for you!! Yep, that means it's time to make up some doughnuts!
I remember making applesauce doughnuts before, but I could not find my recipe anywhere.  (I know I made them a year or two ago for after reverse trick-or-treating...but that's a whole different story- watch for a reverse-trick -or-treating post later in the month.)
I looked in my recipe box(es) and in the recipe basket(s).  And I just realized that I may have a disease - RECIPE-ITIS!!! Recipe-itis sounds really badddd! AAAArrrggg, help me!!!, please!!  I have recipes (that I have tried) in at least FOUR different places.  And I didn't even start looking in any of the recipe books.  Maybe someday I'll show you pictures of all my recipe holder places.  That could be the start of a healing process......curing recipitis.
But back to applesauce doughnuts............

Since I didn't see my recipe right off, I searched online and a hit!!! Yea!!! It looks like the (same or very similar) recipe for applesauce doughnuts was recently posted on on this cute blog: check out the farm chicks sometime.  It's just one chick now, I think, but still a great place to visit...(  http://thefarmchicks.typepad.com/farmchicks/. )   Farm chick spells it donuts, but still, I think it's the same scrumptdillyishissness. 
Applesauce Doughnuts:
1 1/4 c sugar
1 c applesauce
3 Tblsp sour cream
2 Tblsp melted butter
Mix together well and wisk in:
2 eggs, well beaten. 
Add dry ingredients:
1 tsp soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
4 1/4 c flour
Mix completely and cover and refrigerate at least one hour.
Mix together the coating (in seperate bowl):
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Remove dough from frige and roll out to 1/2 inch thick on well floured surface.  Cut into doughnut shapes. 
Heat cooking oil to medium high and cook doughnuts to golden brown, turning once.  Remove and cool on paper towelling. 
Dredge the warm doughnuts in the cinnamon/sugar coating.  Plop finished doughnuts onto an oven-safe platter and keep in a warm (200 degree) oven until you finish frying all the doughnuts.  Makes 20.  Serve with fresh apple cider.  Now doesn't that just make your mouth water...and smile?  Scrumptdillyishis!
Now back to quilting!!!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Not enough time, too many blogs

There are way too many things to do, and way too much time (not) to do it. 
I was visiting a few blogs, and you know how it is.... time is just gone.
But while I was visiting, I found this giveway:  YEA!!!

http://pumpkinpatchprimitivequiltshoppe.blogspot.com/2009/10/its-happy-halloween-giveaway.html

The Pumpkin Patch Primitive Quilt shop is a nice place to stop in and visit.  Especially when they do giveaways!  Their giveway is a fat quater bundle of Red Rooster's Pumpkin and Spice.    Someone will win this bundle..... and they will be very happy.  I am hoping that I will be the very happy winner.  But, you can jump over there too, and sign up to win if you have a blog.

Back to work.......quilting, quilting, quilting.  For some reason, this year peeps are getting their flimsy stage Christmas gifts  to me about a month earlier than usual.  So I already have a Christmas gifting back up at the quilting machine.  Not complaining, just different.

Thanks for stopping by.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Fat Quarters, who has Fat Quarters?

Fat Quarters...I now have it, the book, and them, the fabric pieces...

This past weekend I was able to go to a local quilt shop and meet up with Jennifer McCann.  She has published a book and was here doing a meet and greet with a reading!  

That's Jennifer up front in the green and black.

The book is a short novel called "Fat Quarters". 





It also has a quilt pattern called
"Star Struck Quilt", with full size pattern pieces.  
Jennifer wrote this along with Tess Rich.  I saw the quilt in person and it is just a gorgeous piece!  Jennifer is a wonderful long arm quilter, teacher, and now... Author!  Pick up a copy soon for yourself or a great gift!

Also this weekend, I went to a nice quilt shop in Waynesville.  And, are you ready for this....I did not buy a thing!! 
I know, take my temperature!  I thought I was feeling fine, but really, nothing! 
I "needed" a couple of pieces of Kona tea-dyed for some stitching.  There were Kona cotton bolts filling at least a 12 foot shelf.  Just not the color I was looking for. 
Oh well, another day, another quilt shop. 

But, I did receive a huge stack of homespuns and flannels from a friend.  (Thanks, D!) (she doesn't do homespuns/folkart on a regular basis, so she was cutting her stash!)
Check out this picture:


Isn't that a great friend???? 
I will use these in my block of the month that starts the end of this month:  Sweet Land of Liberty. 

Off to do a little stitching before hitting the sack! 
Thanks for stopping by!

Saturday, October 17, 2009

weird things

Do you ever see something and instinctively think:  "weird". 
Do you ever have that millisecond pause when you know something is out of whack, but don't really know what it is?
Or does it take a real mental smack up the side of the head to get you to notice something that is out of the ordinary?

I am the type of personality that would probably be classified as
"weird,.... noticing weird things"!
That is a REAL classification, by the way!
And so, besides BEING weird, I also enjoy taking pictures of the uncommon
(uncommon sounds nicer than weird) things. 
I will leave to my children some day 
a very, very large box of pictures classified as: just weird.
Or maybe the label on the box will say:  "things that made me smile".
The kids will just shake their heads and then hopefully smile, knowing that that was their momma.
Momma:  The weird thing picture taker and collector of weird things, who liked to smile. 
I always have wondered if this was hereditary. 
Someplace, somewhere in my lineage
was there another person that collected all things weird?
If there was, they didn't admit to it, as I have found nothing in diaries, or stories, not even pictures. 
Is this something that I can pass to my children and their children?
I have decided that I hope it CAN be passed along.  
All the weirdness shouldn't be ignored. 
 It should be used for good.  It should make you smile!
Like this picture. 
Columbus, Ohio, Summer 2009.

What does that make you think? 
Large plastic monkey convention?
Hear no, speak no, see no evil?
And wouldn't you love that job?  To drive these down the road, town to town. 
Now hopefully, that's a smiling job!
Then there's this:
See this coming up behind our car?

What does that look like?
I believe this was in the Chicago area, a couple of years ago.
The Jetson's have moved to the neighborhood?
A pod on wheels....with flags????
So I purposely moved to the center lane and s-l-o-w-e-d down
(you have to sometimes help the situation for correct picture taking oportunities!).
And this is what came up beside our car:

The Kissmobile !!!
I always wondered if there was a Kissmobile, didn't you? 
How do you suppose you get the job of driving this. 
Do you have to have a love for chocolate, or for kisses, or both? 
Is there a special driving test and classification for your license: Kiss Mobile certified?
And if you do drive it around, every time you stop, do random people ask you for kisses???
I would TOTALLY drive this everywhere.  Wonder what the mpg is.

It even looks cute driving away!!!

The next smile picture was seen at a local metro park. 
One summer afternoon, strolling the beautiful, rolling terrain, I went around the corner, out of the woods, and came to the meadow
to see this:

Notice the size compared to the trees.  Gi-normous!  And there was a whole family of them!
I supppose if you were weak in constitution, they may have been able to cause nightmares, but really, totally friendly.

Then, there are people who make me smile.
I always wonder if they do it on purpose or just have the same creative weirdness as me.
Look closely at the following:

That's all cut and stacked wood.  Stacked to look like a tree.  Isn't that great?
I want to do that next time I have wood to split and stack!!!
I must be building a reputation, 'cause, now I get friends of friends who will send me pictures of things.  Weird things.  
Uncommon things.  Even quilty, uncommon things.
Like this: 

This was taken out in Oregon, I believe.  And was sent through at least three people I don't know before it was sent to someone I do know, who sent it to me.  For my collection!
Is that good or bad that now the weirdness is coming to me from people I don't know?
And then there is this:

King Kong now has his own football team?
The King Kong that is from Ohio, as that uniform is in Ohio State colors?
This was taken at Polaris Parkway and US 71, north of Columbus.  It was only there about a week, then disappeared.  How could something that size just disappear?  Do you think he's on a "traveling" team, and is now appearing across the whole state?
Makes you wonder, doesn't it?
Next up:  hot dogs:


This Oscar Meyer dog was recently at the Country Living Fair in Columbus, Ohio.
I don't know why it would be there in the historical village, but it was.  Parked in the grass beside a tent that was handing out info about the fair.  And as you can see, there were 4 chairs set up right beside it.  Do you think there was to be a weiner performance and not very many people were expected to attend? 
I wonder if this is the same weinermobile that has been around awhile. 
I remember when I was a little gal that somewhere, we, as a family, came across this vehicle at an event.  The nice weinermobile people gave me a little weiner whistle on a string necklace.  (This was before kids knew they could swallow little metal things and choke or, twist the string necklace tight enough to cause damage.)  I know, a weiner whistle sounds weird, and it was/is.  But I remembered the Oscar Meyer brand from that day forward!  I could even whistle the Oscar Meyer song... b-o-l-o-g-n-a.
(but notice that I don't remember where I saw this!)
And my list of weirdness that makes me smile just goes on and on.
Perhaps I'll share weirdness again one day.
Hope your day is a weird, smiling one!
Thanks for stopping by!



Thursday, October 15, 2009

Quilting and food

Back to Ohio weather - I'm lovin' it! 
A little quilting today -








Great colors. 
 I don't know the pattern.

I had the wood stove going and got a quilt done, so decided to cook something that sounded like it would go with the 50 degree weather we were having. 

So, I made homemade egg noodles with chicken!,  with smashed potatoes and green beans.  How good does that sound?







A couple eggs, a couple of tablespoons of water, salt if you'd like and two cups of flour.  Stir together until combined. 
Turn onto floured counter and knead a few times to work in some flour and until it is still soft, but not sticky. 


Roll out thinly and let dry for a few hours if you have time.  If you don't have time to let them dry, rub well with flour and cut into noodles. 




I have a nice wooden, grooved-carved rolling pin made to cut noodles.  It works well with semi-dry noodles that can dry even more and then break apart on the rolled lines.  These noodles weren't dry enough and I didn't have time to wait to let them dry.   The other cutter pictured (with the green handle) is probably old enough to be classified as semi-antique.  It has rolling wheels like a pizza cutter.  I didn't use it though 'cause I wanted wider noodles.  But it's very efficient at cutting many small noodles.

I used this big ole hunkin' knife, because I already had it out to chop my carrots and celery.
Anyway, quarter, stack and cut into smaller pieces for re-stacking, then slice into noodles.  Mine are really random.  Random on purpose, not because I was in a hurry!  Believe that?  I have some really nice swamp land to sell you!
Bring 32 oz. of chicken broth and 16 oz. water to boil. 
Add 2 cups finely chopped carrots and 1 cup finely chopped celery.  These were very random in size also. 

Boil for five minutes.  Drop in noodles and stir frequently and continue cooking on medium for 10 minutes.  I added about one and a half cups of cooked, shredded chicken.  While this was cooking I finely chopped 3 large potatoes , not peeled, and boiled them in a seperate pan.    Boil until tender and drain the water.  Pour in some milk and warm the milk, then smash the potatoes.  I hand smash my potatoes, so the very nice 70's orange thingy is my hand smasher.  I added some sea salt and butter at the end. 
(If the noodles are a little thick, add some of the water from the green beans- more vitamins!.)

Mmmmmm. 

Dinner:  chicken & noodles over smashed potatoes with green beans.

Even better, as I got out and used my fall fine "china".   And, yes the plate is messy, 'cause I thought I was starving and dished it up, quick as I could.  Sorry I didn't do the presentation wipe around the edges.  Not so pretty, but sure scrumptious!



And, there's enough left over for tomorrow night.   Yea!

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Quilts, you'all

Pictures from Houston Quilt Market, 2009 ..... A W E S O M E N E S S

Prepare to be awed,










amazed,  
(these two were in the Lecein booth, are they not just the greatest colors and look at that qulting and applique!!!)





enthralled,


'this was a pattern for a block of the month by one of the gals from Australia - The Quilted Crow.






overwhelmed,





From the entrant portion of the show.  Sorry I didn't get the name of the maker.  But it was gorgeous!  Look at all of that quilting.  Really, overwhelmed!!!






impressed !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can you believe the greatness? 
Also, did not get the maker of this.  Sorry, the pictures were too dark to read.   :(
Just too hard to believe all the great quilting.  Click on the pics to enlarge them and be totally blown away by these gals quilts.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Jiggity Jig, can you say that very slowly and drawn out?

My jiggity jig is much, much more slower than it was last Thursday.  And not because I picked up a Texas drawl! That would be a direct after-effect of the Houston quilt market.  "Fall Market", as it is called, is the wholesale part of the quilt industry.  It comes right before the retail quilt Fall Market. 
Our hotel was only six long city blocks from the convention center.  And the hotel offered a van shuttle service when we called and booked our reservation.  "Why, yes, we do have a free shuttle to and from the convention center".  In actuality, the shuttle service was only Thursday.  Evidently, the downtown area of Houston just closes up after 8 p.m. on Thursday, 5 p.m. on Friday, and after 3p.m. on Saturday.  And good luck finding anything open on Sunday at all.  Even the mall and food court!  Anyway, we lucked into a Friday night shuttle because there was a wedding at our hotel with party at the convention center.  Then when the rain came in (the temp did drop to a nice 80 degrees!) and the weekend came........you guessed it, no shuttle.  And six blocks is only six blocks.  I walk that all the time.  Just not usually in the rain, being a pack mule carring 75 pounds or more of fabric and books and printed propaganda, AFTER I have walked a concrete convention center floor the size of a football field at least 5 times.  I'm tellin' you'all my dogs were-a-barkin'!  (Yes, I heard a Texan use that line and I am quoting).
O.K., enough whining. 
First:  The picture that shows we are HERE:

Second:  Moda had a photo op area with props.

Here's a picture of the most magnificant quilting diva aka:  Miss C.       A little secret about Miss C.  She's afraid of her shadow.  That is a scary shadow, isn't it?   No joking, that shadow can make her jump out of her skin and drop things and grab the person beside her!

Here's Miss C as we get back from a long day and a longer walk back from the convention center.  Clockwise from the white bag:  12 pounds of wool kits and wool floss; the Jo Morton fabric bag has about 45 pounds of propaganda; the back pack is books equalling 75 pounds; the light paisley is 25 pounds of fabric fat quarter bundles; the yellow bag is more fabric fat quarter bundles.  Only 20 pounds in this one!  I kept telling her she could carry it if it was distributed evenly!  And by golly, she did!

Ms. C with her new best friend in the Amy Bradley booth;  Ms. C with her new best friend Jinny (yes she got an autographed copy of that book and it weighs about 400 pounds!);   Then you will see that Miss C found her new best friend Jo.  THEN, Ms. C and her new best friend Nancy!
I wasn't quite as fickle.  Well, maybe.  My new-found best friends: The first is Helen.  Check out her blog and great pictures from Houston Market. http://hugsnkisses.typepad.com/ I picked up this pattern, possibly for a block of the month group.  I would show you the pattern close-up, but it's in a box that I shipped, so won't be here for a couple of days.  And, she brought each of us that attended her lecture a little baggie of the most scrumptious cherry candies from Tazmanian cherries, I think.  Yes, I shared!  This is Rosalie in the pink.  This was at Schoolhouse sharing her new designs and a new fabric line. http://rosaliequinlandesigns.typepad.com/



Then, the last picture is my new best friend, Lynette Anderson.  Her link is http://lynetteandersondesigns.typepad.com/lynette_anderson_designs/  I know she's not blogging while in Houston, so her site is not updated with market info yet.  But it was great meeting her and her son Eddie.  They were working on a 28 hour day/flight with no sleep and then set up and then market, so they had to be tired, but you sure couldn't tell.  I think I would have been more than a little grouchy!
I just love her patterns.  I'm working on a couple of her Christmas designs now, but hope to do the quilt we are standing in front of.  It's called Irish Bird.  Stitching and piecing. 
Another one for my project list!

I also met Alma Allen and Barb Adams of Blackbird Designs.  No pic, but she gave me an autographed copy of her new pattern Hallowe'en - 1904.  I know her cousin, Mary in Alabama, and Mary told me I should go chat her up next time I saw her at market.  So I did, and she is just so nice and down to earth.  She is from Kansas and has just a little different mid-west accent, which I really enjoyed.  Here's her blog link:  http://blackbird-designs.blogspot.com/

I have some shots from the quilt show itself - great quilts, so, more pictures later.  I need to get to work.  A couple more quilts to quilt and laundry and finish unpacking all my goodies!
Home again, home again, Jiggity, jig.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

fall in Houston (at Quilt Market, 2009)

Real quick:  Hot, humid, steamy...yep Houston in fall.  But.....


It is wonderful at market!  Wonderful, and tiring! 
Learning a lot, seeing a lot, laughing a lot, meeting people from around the whole world, great quilts and products and patterns and, and, and.  Basically, textile overload!


A few random pics if I can get them loaded using a strange computer:
........no luck on loading pics.  Sorry, but........
lots of pics coming:  my new friends from Australia-Lynette, Helen, Brenda, Rosalie and their new fabric lines and patterns!; Colleen and her new best friend-Jo Morton;  Alex and Ricki are here, Mary Sorensen...on and on.  I found the booth for the new line of Cosmo two-strand floss and got a sample to try, I'll let you know how that is.  Also hit the Primitive Garden booth, so some new wool!
Still dancing and singing, just much slower and much more tired.  Another day to see the remaining booths and some more great quilts. 
Hope your weekend is great,
Later, Deb

A Fat Pig

I just had a call from my brother and he has an extra pig to send to market, so I told him yes, I'm in if no one else wants it.  It will go in to be butchered sometime late in the month, so I need to do some reducing in the freezer department...I need to do that anyway, pig or no pig. 
But, that made me think of the Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme:
"To Market, To Market, to buy a Fat Pig".
Now, the Fat Pig is taken care of, and I'm singing and dancing around, 'cause, wait for it....
I get to go "To Market, To Market!!!" 
No, not the butcher shop, but Texas!!!
Yep, I'm off to Houston for a few days.  For the Quilt Market!  To Market - can't believe how excited I am.  I was going to try to work in this post about "leavin', on a jet plane", but that was too slow.  I like the "To Market, To Market!!!  It goes better with my singing and dancing around!


Hopefully I'll have some pics and new stuff to show when I get back.  *still singing and dancing around*
I really want to see in person that new line by French General - Rouenneries.   I keep seeing sneak peeks of it in different designs by different designers.  Check out Lynette Andersons' blog, she even had some to work with in Austrailia and has a new pattern to go with-beautiful!  And Lecien Company has a new Cosmo thread that is two strand and would be great for redwork, I think.  And I have seen quite a few new patterns by different folks that look very promising. 


Hopefully, I won't see a fat pig at market as it really is the wrong type of "market" for THAT and, already have one of those coming!

OH.... almost forgot, catering another home Ohio State tailgate party before I leave:

 I guess I just have the extra time, ha ha! 
See that stamp on that Wear-Ever pan in the left pic?
Yes, that says 20 quarts......
Now, see the pic on the right? Yes, that is about 18 quarts full.  (You know chili is best if it's cooked a couple of days ahead, right?)  Also a whole buncha/bagga cooked elbow pasta (some Ohio folks like to throw a little more starch in their bowl of chili for some reason).  Then in front of the chili and pasta, is the corn bread.  One pan of regular corn bread, one pan of jalapeno corn bread.  I also grated about 4 pounds of sharp cheddar cheese and minced 3 large sweet onions.  Both the cheese and onions get liberally sprinkled on top of your bowl of chili if you know what you're doing!  Then a couple of shakes of hot sauce on top of that, and Yum, Yum, tailgate food ready!

Later, I mean, see you when I'm:


Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig! *still dancing*
Life is Good!