Lucy Boston

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

tators

For those who asked about the Hasselback Potatoes:
Yes, they were great!
Wait, you wanted the recipe, didn't you?
I typed it here so you can copy/paste/print:

Hasselback Potatoes


1/4 cup butter, melted
Stir in:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt*
1 teaspoon roasted garlic*
*(I use a spice grinder with a mixture of sea salt and dry, roasted garlic)
1 teaspoon parsley
Mix the spices into the melted butter and olive oil
and let stand while prepping potatoes.
6 medium russet/baking potatoes, washed and peeled (I don’t peel the bottoms)

With a wooden mixing spoon handle behind/under the back, long side of the potato,
slice thinly down through the potato. The spoon handle is a “stopper”
so you don’t slice through the potato bottom completely.
After each potato is sliced, drop it into a bowl of cold water.
When all potatoes are sliced, remove potatoes to paper toweling,
sliced side down, to drain.
Take first potato and roll into butter mixture, turning a few times,
letting potato slices fan out. Place onto baking sheet and repeat with each potato.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.
After 15 minutes of bake time,
brush melted butter from baking sheet over top of potatoes,
and brush again at 30 minute mark, then sprinkle with topping.

Topping:
1 tablespoon unseasoned fine dry breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Return to oven for final 15 minutes baking time.

Some recipes I’ve seen have you covering the potatoes for the first part of the baking time,
but I like them uncovered, as it leaves them a little crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle.
They are great fresh out of the oven, but can be done ahead of time
and covered and refrigerated to use the next day.
I just re-warm them in a hot oven (400 degrees) for a good
15 minutes to half hour to get them crispy on the outside again.

Monday, July 30, 2012

Wallflowers

This is the quilt that I recently worked on...
after there was a B&E, Robbery and Grand-Theft-Auto.
But that's a story for another day...
(after the court date in mid August)
I had this quilt top layered and ready to quilt.

It was just sittin' on a shelf,
lookin' at me.  Probably thinking:
"what's up with this chick?"
"Does she ever finish anything?"

I knew there was going to be a perfect time
for this hand-quilting project!
I pulled it out and took it with me
after the B&E/R/GTA.
It immediately calmed me.
Made my mind stop whirling.
I just stitched away.
And do you know what?
Done before you know it!!!
Here's a close-up of one of the blocks:
 I paper-pieced the blocks themselves-kind of a wonky log cabin.  Then hand-appliqued (with silk thread) the wool onto the cotton block.  Machine piecing and sashing.  Then after layering the top/batting/back, I sashiko-d the blocks.  That's when the Utility Quilt Stitch came in handy.  I used Valdani #12 (in cream) to do the big-stitch around each of the wool appliques.  And besides the calming effect, I really love the look!!!!  I guess I usually do the Utility Stitch in straight lines.  But in this project, I did the Utility Stitch AROUND each petal and bloom!

So, to all of my unfinished quilt-tops
sitting back on the shelf -
I just want to say -
"This chick does occasionally finish something!"

And for those who asked about the Hasselback Potatoes:
Yes, they were great!
Wait, you wanted the recipe, didn't you?
Tomorrow!!! Promise!!!

Sunday, July 29, 2012

meanderings, quilting therapy & chaos

Guess I haven't posted any meanderings/quilting finishes lately...
and there are reasons too numerous to mention!!
So, here goes for a couple of meanderings: 
"Path to the Civil War":
and I notice, now that I have it pictured, that it's upside down, sorry.
This was the first big quilt that Mary Lou had ever made.
She said "it's not perfect, but it's finished!"
And I'm thinking
"Looks great to me!,
mine is still in individual block stage,
so finished is finished!"

I told her that she did a wonderful job!
I also told her that this was the perfect quilt to get started on, as it has a little of every kind of piecing, so now she can do ANYTHING!!
Look out, quilting world!

Next, is Patty's...
She used a pattern (from a book, sorry, I don't know the name, but I can find out if you need it) and did her own finagling of the pattern.
The pic doesn't show,
but this is all shades of grays and pinks and just gorgeous
front

close up of meandering

scrappy back to match quilt top
So, looking back the last couple of months,
I have done many things besides my own quilts...
And those reasons too numerous to mention???
Well, here are a couple of handfuls of reasons,
but not all of the reasons too numerous to mention: 
  • We had a break-in/robbery which I can't share about right now, but will after the court date...the follow-up from that added to the "things to do" list
  • There were storms & clean-up of downed trees 
  • after the storm cooking as no power = freezer thawing = cook it and eat it 
  • lack of electric/cable/telephone/Internet means early to bed and early to rise, but not good for things you could be doing around the house
  • returning storms = no machine quilting or piecing as I don't want to get my machines zapped with electrical surges, of which there were many
  • family reunion
  • more cooking for the local senior group picnic
  • piecing and quilting for the LQS in prep for the Shop Spree/Hop
  • and family stuff  (includes after storm clean-up) which is FUN but doesn't help get stuff done around here :)
I love being busy, so I wouldn't change a thing. 
Well, maybe, I'd take away the first one - the robbery part!
But I'm thinking,
I might have to do a self-imposed retreat/lock-in.
My house is becoming a disaster
and my own Work In Progress list
is not dwindling.
Tomorrow I'll share my quilt "Wallflowers",
that I worked on after the robbery,
 ... that was the end of May...
and I'm telling you,
that hand-quilting is therapy!
Wallflowers is finished, and hanging in the great room.
So, I guess I do have a finish of my own
in the past couple of months of chaos!

Later, Gator!

Friday, July 27, 2012

T minus 10 hours

so.....
I have gathered my stitching projects...

I have my dinner prepped for tonight...
beef is seasoned and marinating in the fridge,
hasselback potatoes are already baked,
broccoli is ready to steam, and
salad is made, ready for dressing...
When I leave the LQS tonight, I'll
drive home,
fire up the grill,
warm those hasselbacks
and dress the salads.
Then it's me &
my dinner plate in 
front of the tellie
watching the
opening ceremony of 
the Olympics!!
DECClub, here I come!!

Thursday, July 26, 2012

I know it's a little early...

but  are you ready for the DECClub?
And do you remember this picture???
 Join me in the DECClub!...
Are you in? 
You know you want this new, trendy look also.

I have been stocking up on my
under-eye make up,
have you?
There are other pictures, too...
like this:
and these:
(click this link for the complete, dark story).

These pics are from my past...
past Olympic watching experience that is.

I call it the
DECClub...
you know, the
Dark Eye Circles Club...
Yep, those pictures, above,
will be me and my under-eye-circles
starting this Friday night...
as that is the opening ceremonies of
the OLYMPICS!!!

I am so excited!
I have at least 5 hand stitching projects at the ready...
(one of them is a scalloped border of a throw sized quilt)
so I can watch EVERY MINUTE of each event!!!
Our local station is airing Olympic coverage each night -
7 p.m. to midnight!  That's five hours a night!
Olympics and hand-stitching!!!
That's like bread goes with butter, in my book!
I don't know why I'm this way. 
Maybe it's an excuse to sit and hand stitch longer???

So, are you joining me in this dark eye circles event???
Who's with me?   :)

Monday, July 23, 2012

zucchini-ed

"You wake up early in the morning and
see a middle aged man
running away from your house...

You then
find a pile of
zucchini on your porch,
and think nothing of it ; ) "

You have been zucchini-ed.
A sure way to tell that you live in the country!

Thanks, brother, for the laugh!

Sunday, July 22, 2012

one penny, little pieces, & a star is born

That is a penny.
See that shiny little circle on the bottom left-hand corner?
Yep, a penny!
on that little project...
and all those little pieces are
half inch finished half-square triangles.

This:
a fat quarter each of red and black fabrics,
plus a fat eighth of tan fabric
plus 10 strips of these:
equals 120 of these little half-square triangles (not the penny!):
and in a couple of hours,
an almost 12 inch square wall hanging is done!

(Kits with patterns are available at my LQS if
you need to have
one of these little stars in your life!)

The pattern is by Primitive Gatherings...
Those little pieces are done using Thangles from the 'Mini Pack 1/2" and 3/4" packet'...
the penny is from your pocket...
Too cute!

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

our local Quilt Spree/Shop Hop is here!

First,
most of you regular readers know that
I get to work

Second, most of you probably know
that the LQS where I get to work
 is a reproduction shop -
my favorite type of shop!

Third, some of you may know
that I get to make samples and
help in the "think tank" area of the shop.

Fourth, something that you may not know,
that it's really hard to be
working on a project or three
and not be able to share
for months!!!

BUT, now it's time...
the Quilt Spree is here-
finally, I can share!!

Presenting...
THE GOOD WIVES GONE WILD:
I got to be in on
the design, construction, quilting, tying and binding 
of this Quilt Spree project
from the time those Brightly Colored Strips
arrived in the shop...
So Brightly Colored were those strips
that we all wondered WHAT we could do with them,
besides take them swimming in our coffee...
But we finally came up with the
Quilt Spree Version -
hence the name "Good Wives Gone Wild".

AND THEN,
to calm us down just a little :)
we came up with the Good Wives reproduction version-
"ESPRESSO YOURSELF":
Don't you just love them both???

Back to work  play!

Sunday, July 15, 2012

the STILLness after the storm

I'm still having some troubles from that
storm that blew through a couple of weeks ago now...
Trouble, like not fully functioning cable connections -
so it startles me now when
the house phone actually makes that ringing noise!
Cable lines around here are our
phone/Internet/television connections.
So, not only am I enjoying the non-ringing of the phone,
but I'm enjoying the local PBS television station
a little more than usual,
and it's been kind of nice not having
the time-wasting stuff on-line, too!


The STILLness has started to get to me though,
as I've not been able to keep up on my bloggy friends' happenings,
and the non-cable connection means I haven't
been able to post or share any quilty news!


SO...
in the STILLness after the storm,
I've worked in the garden just a little,
but with record high temps, zero rain and now water restrictions
it's looking more than a little pathetic out there.


Since the outside gardening hasn't been going well,
I've been stitching some on my "Gardener's Alphabet"
and it's coming along great.  Slow, but great :)


I've been cooking a little more than usual
as I cooked for the local townships' Senior group Summer Picnic. 
That's always a great group of folks to cook for and to visit with. 
Seems that all 30+ of them would like to adopt me :)
and have me cook for them each month
& they always make me feel so appreciated.


This past Friday was one of those super hot days
when it was too hot to be out and about
watching the garden shrivel,
so I gathered a couple of friends and drove to
a "One Stop Shop Hop". 
If you have one of these One Stop Hops in your area,
try to hit it up, as it seems to me to be
the wave of the future for Shop Hops.
This one had 19 shops from at least three states,
all with their vending set up in one location for the weekend.
There was a nominal fee for admittance, plenty of door prizes,
and a GREAT variety of quilt related stuff: 
fabric and wool, patterns, kits, notions, demos, etc.,
anything and more you would expect at a quilt shop,
but this was like
a QUILT SHOP ON STEROIDS
with 19 shops all in one big room!!!


I did do a little purchasing, and will share that later
when the cable is back up and running correctly.

I'm going back to enjoying my STILLness while it lasts!


Happy middle of July to you.

Monday, July 9, 2012

aprons, aprons, more aprons and wash day

Remember this stack of goodies
from my brother that likes to spend my money?
The top part of the stack was a box of aprons.
And this is what I did with my box of aprons:
I know the lighting wasn't perfect for picture taking,
but I had to share...
how cute are those curtains??
Does this remind you of wash day???

I had some old clothesline,
found a bag of old wooden clothespins,
add a couple of screw-in cup hooks, and wallah!
Cutest curtains ever!
(I was only going to hang them "seasonally",
but I like them so much that I think I will add 
muslin "linings" to them so they don't  fade as quickly.)
I decided to hang my "apron wash" 
before the paternal family reunion,
and of course it was one of those 100 plus degree days,
so I really worked up some sweat in that back sun room...
AND, some of my family thinks
I've now officially
either been affected by the heat or totally lost it,
but I'm really liking the new old clothes apronline! 
And, how's that for re-purposing?
I'm off to have another glass of iced water
and stitch a little tonight.
Hope your week is going well, too!

Thursday, July 5, 2012

The kitchen is open...

Whew!
Boy, did we have some VIOLENT storms come through last Friday night!

Personally, we had power most of the time,
but neighbors and friends did not.  
Our personal hardship is
no Internet/telephone/cable
during this SCORCHING HEAT...
(I stopped at a wifi hot-spot today on the way to town to check email and blog.
The last news that I heard was it could be expected back by the weekend.)

Many neighbors still do not have power,
and have not had it since last Friday p.m.
Our house lights were like
beacons in the storm,
as we became the
neighborhood B&B/laundromat/air conditioned stop-in place.
And if roles were reversed,
I know they would have done the same.
I love my neighbors!!!
But, truth be told,
I was glad to go back to work at
the LQS on Tuesday
where my work was not cook, laundress, or bed changer :).

Can you tell from this pic
what Sweetie got to do for his b-day (and for the next 4 days straight)?
Yep, he was wood cutter, extraordinaire!
This was the place on the front porch
where he paused to take off his work boots
after clearing storm-downed trees.

I love this pic!
Oxymoronic -
as it looks serene
with the boots on the deck beside a rocking chair,
but the little wood chips all around
tell the NOT serene story of hard labor and sweat
in the aftermath of the violent storm
of downed trees and wind damage.

So,
back to the heat and humidity -
and the removal of storm debris.
We are getting ready to host
the Paternal Family Reunion this weekend,
and I have stuff to do
that wasn't included in the original plan of getting ready!
But I wanted to make sure I checked in on my Blog Friends,
and to say
a big THANKS to all of those
workers from all around the U.S.
that have come to our aid...

THANKS Power and Utility workers!!!
We appreciate your help and long hours.

And if you need,
stop in for a cold glass of water,
some air conditioning
and a hot meal
at a table with a chair,
not on the blacktop in a grocery parking lot,
sitting against your work truck!