meanderings

Last week's meanderings

took me to a great little winter village:

Sharon's lap throw is oh, so cute!

My next meandering visit was to Betty's forth baby quilt:

She has been making these all similar,

so that no one gets a gift

that could be considered preferential over another!

And lastly, I got to visit a bargello with a twist:

Joyce's "cool" interpretation:

I didn't realize the "twist" until I took the picture after meandering. 

I thought it was a Trip Around the World!

Another great week quilting, for me!

I'm planning on stitching a little this weekend...

and FYI, I am staying up-to-date on my Block of the Week,

but you know what they say about best-laid plans!

Hope you get to stitch a little this weekend!

Warning!!!

I have been asked for a recipe.

Maybe a bazillion and two times.

The recipe for the bars that I took

to the Shop Hop Preview Party

at the LQS, Always in Stitches.

The recipe that I slaved over. 

That I alluded to being time-consuming to make.

The recipe that wears you out just making them...

Well, they really are quick and easy, ridiculously easy...

BUT,

Let me warn you ahead of time...

ONLY MAKE THESE

IF YOU ARE

TAKING THEM SOMEWHERE!!!

The recipe is called Cinnamon Cheesecake Bars.

Really they should be called:

"Warning, You Will Eat These Until Sick Bars".

Or, "Warning, Ten Pound Gain Ahead Bars".

I'm telling you, the name really should have the word WARNING in it somewhere.

They just have a few ingredients, including those rolled crescents in a tube. 

You do have to turn on the oven, though. 

But don't be afraid. 

They only have to be baked for about half an hour.

They really are SOOOOO easy - just don't hurt yourself when you pop open the rolls.

You know how sometimes you really have to struggle to pop open those containers of crescent rolls?

You peel back the paper and then have to crack the can on the edge of the cupboard, even though the package instructs you to use the tip of a spoon to push at the seam.  The pushing with a spoon never works for me, so I end up beating the roll against the cupboard about ten times.  And then you have to twist and turn to get the rolls out of the package, contorting yourself around the entire kitchen as you twist and turn.

Just be careful, I'm telling you...

So, if you are still interested, here's the scoop:

WARNING:  Cinnamon Cheesecake Bars Ahead
(note that I added the Warning in the name!)
2 Pkg. crescent rolls
2 8-oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
topping:
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. butter, melted

Layer 1 package rolls into ungreased 9x13" cake pan.
(Pinch seams together and spread well to cover bottom of pan).
Mix next three ingredients together until smooth then spread over crescent layer in pan.
Top with other container of crescent rolls.
(yes you have to open the container and unroll the dough!)
Mix together the topping sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the layers. 
Pour the melted butter over the topping.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes at 350 degrees.
Cool, then refrigerate.  Slice when completely chilled.

They can be served as is or with a side of fruit topping and a dollop of whipping cream.
For those non-cooks out there:  read fruit topping as pie filling from a can.
(The fruit might be considered part of the daily recommendation of fruit/vegetable, I suppose.  And the whipping cream? Just more decadence.)

This is when the problem starts...

When the WARNING should be applied.

Even if you cut them into very small portions,

the just keep jumping into your mouth

every time you walk by the kitchen!

PS.  If you double the recipe like I usually do, use two cake pans.  I put both recipes out on a large jelly roll pan with 1 inch sides.  Not a good idea.  The dough raises and dumps the sugar/cinnamon/butter over the sides of the pan onto the oven floor and then it burns and smokes the next 3 times you use the oven.

PPS.  I used the low-fat version of rolls and cream cheese in the recipe this time and it was just as good.  Also, I cut back the sugar in the cream cheese mixture by a third, using only 2/3 cup.  I liked it just as well, but maybe a little "cheesier" in flavor.

OK, gals, you have been warned!  Do Not Blame Me if they add poundage to your life!

hopping

As in Shop Hopping!!

How do you spell success?

Well, they say that a picture is worth a thousand words...

OK, this is not really my

stash accumulation

from one day

of shopping the local shop hop!

Well, part of it is. 

It all started when I pulled out some fabric

that I wanted to add to

whilst I was hopping.

And the pile just grew and grew...

so I took a picture of the fabrics I had on hand.

That picture I carried with me on the shop hop excursion.

Guess I really didn't need to add much for this project, from the look of things!

This is what I really

 picked up

while hopping:

from top left:

miscellaneous fabric that called my name,

wools for the Primitive Garden quilt,

blues and whites for another

"Walking in a Winter Wonderland" quilt,

patriotic fabrics and ribbon for a needle case project,

and needles for wool applique.
(not pictured: 8 - third yard cuts of French General's Lumiere de Noel)

It was a good day!

Visited all ten shops in the hop,

arriving at the first at opening at 9 o'clock in the a.m.

and the last before the 7 o'clock p.m. closing time! 

Had a sit-down lunch at a Chipotle (yum)

and a sit-down Italian dinner after the hop was over.

And then got out all the stuff and drooled.

And planned.

And yawned.

Hopping all day is tiring.

Ring in the New

No, this is not a post about the New Year - especially not in July!!

Just a couple of pics of my latest, ongoing hand stitching......blackwork...

These are just the cutest little blocks,

a block for each month of the year,

from a pattern by Kathy Schmitz called Ring in the New.

Well......

not the block in the middle -

the one with the year stitched in.....

that is a replacement block.

I didn't care for the June block that Ms. Schmitz had chosen,

I stitched the original June block, though:

What in the world is that????

And it's to symbolize the month of June...

I thought if I stitched it I would figure it out. 

But, no, no clue what this is for June.

Any ideas? 

Maybe a pineapple? 

Maybe a flowering kale? 

Maybe a turkey butt?

Don't know, just know that the butterfly is cute.

Anyway, I stitched up a dated piece for my June block:

I chose another block from another Ms. Schmitz pattern.

This group of stitcheries was also done by a few other gals in the
"Sit & Stitch" group at the LQS. 
(And, yes, they also replaced the June block!) 
The Sit & Stitch group meets on the first Thursday night of the month
for a couple of hours, along with visiting and laughing while we stitch. 
This time, we were all working on the same thing at the same time. 
Sometimes we are all stitching on our own projects. 

Since we are almost finished with this group of stitcheries,

we are trying to decide what to stitch on next.

We have slimmed down the choices to just a handful...

some barns,

some snowmen,
another Ms. Schmitz design, 

or some baskets filled with stitched flowers...

hard choices.

(Maybe I'll share later those pics of future projects, so you can help us choose.)
I do know that we will not be stitching unknown objects -
pineapple/kale/turkey butt objects! 

more quilting

This cute, new panel came into the

LQS 

and one of the gals there asked me to quilt it for her...

check out the close up:

bats in the border!

No, I did not say Bats in the Belfry!!!

I think that's my favorite part ... the border bats!

But I am not ready for fall!

I'm enjoying the Africa-hot temps!

Maybe there are bats in the belfry!!!

reunions and quilts

With the temperature hovering just above 90 degrees,

and the heat index just above 100 degrees,

the paternal family reunion went off without a hitch.

Well, no hitch unless you count:

heat, humidity, and a little rain during the picture-taking time!

We still cook like we are Amish - there was food on top of food. 

This pic shows only half of the kitchen counters,

and desserts had their own table and room!

The quilt that I was making for my own bed made the goal/deadline!

It was finished:  quilted and completely bound (I had the idea that if it wasn't bound, I would still throw it over the mattress and no one would notice that the binding wasn't on it!).

This quilt has a printed panel in the middle of it. 

And it's coral. 

And it's flowers -- hollyhocks to be exact.

First, I don't DO Panels!  Well, not usually. 

Secondly, coral would not be on my list of favorite colors. 

And, thirdly, florals are ok, buy not my usual cut of fabric choice!

But I saw this "kit" at the National Quilt Association show LAST year, and something called to me.  I walked the whole show and went back to the booth that had it.  It still called to me.  Don't know why.  So, I purchased the kit, still wondering why I needed coral hollyhocks in panel form.

Later, that night, as I was putting away my haul from the show,

I pulled out the kit of hollyhocks fabrics and

it dawned on me: 

My Great-Grandma B had coral hollyhocks!!!

The coral hollyhocks were behind the bench by the outbuilding. 

The bench where we sat and snapped beans, and stitched on quilts, and even did some sock-mending.

Somewhere in my memory banks, there were coral hollyhocks.

And this coral, floral quilt was supposed to be made.

For me, before this paternal family reunion!

Reunions and quilts are alike that way, I think...

If something isn't quite finished, dusted, or bound,
no one really cares.
It's all about the memories.

blooms

Remember this nasty looking chicken coop picture from earlier this spring???

It is much better, now, thank you!

And, I started my new quilt for my own bed!!!

The flowers blooming did the trick, I think.

Made me think of the blooming fabric flowers I had picked up.

It is a group of fabrics called Heavenly Hollyhocks, a Northcott fabric.

I bought these fabrics just over a year ago

at the National Quilt Association convention

when it was here in central Ohio.

I wouldn't usually choose this coral color,

 nor the flowers panel,

but,

something called to me.

I realized after it was in my hot little hands

that those were the flowers that were blooming

against the side of the barn

at Great-Grandma B's!

It was meant to be, I guess.

My goal was to have it on my bed by this year's family reunion.

The reunion that I host every year here at my home, sweet home.

The reunion that is usually in September.

The reunion that is going to be in July this year...

the reunion that is now!

Wish me luck!!!

Maybe they won't notice if I don't get it quilted

and just throw the un-quilted top across the current quilt on the bed!

We don't usually use that room anyway,

we are usually more into the food and visiting!!!

seeing double

This is Patty's quilt that I got to meander across....

This is Patty's quilt that I got to meander across...

Wait, did I just say that?

Yep, guess I did.

Yes, there were two...

twins!!!

She made some gifts - and aren't the colors just so rich and vibrant?

Next up, Jan's beautiful stars.

That is my week in review.
Now,
my paternal family reunion is this weekend-
at my house...
seventy-five to one hundred people coming...
I only need to do the meats and drinks and table service.
And clean, can't forget that.
And this is my very own quilt...

loaded on the machine.

Well, batting is not in yet, nor is it basted onto the backing.

Yes, I am planning on this being on my bed before the reunion on Sunday!
At the time I set the goal,
the weekend of the reunion seemed a great date for a finish goal. 
Now that I am counting down and in the single digits for reunion arrival, maybe not such a great goal and/or idea!

But that is how my mind works most of the time.  Better under pressure?  Maybe. 

Maybe seeing double is the result of too much "stuff" going on, of trying to get too much done and not allowing enough down time! 
Oh, well, back to the meandering - I have family coming this weekend!

I think it counts

breakfast:

dairy, oatmeal, peanut butter, dark cocoa powder

(add a little butter and whole sugar)......

Sounds like a good start for the day, don't you think?

Really,

it was

a glass of milk

and

a dark chocolate no-bake cookie...

That's what I call a breakfast!

local shop hop

Our central Ohio shop hop starts soon...it's called Quilt Spree.
Will I participate?
Yes, I will. 
Will I support all of the local shops?
Yes, I will, even if it's just a little at each one.
Even if I really don't need a thing.
There are eleven shops this year -
one is north of me by about 45 miles, and one is south of me by about 65 miles.
With this kind of mileage, it may take more than one day, though, to make the rounds!

Each of the shops has their own focus, so I can purchase something different at each.
Also, each shop contributed a pattern that you receive with the Quilt Spree passport, so that is eleven new patterns!
Each of the shops has some type of special for the hop, maybe a make-it/take-it during the hop hours, & has snacky goodies.  What is better than that?
I am putting together a small list of things that I may have a need for in the future.

Note the word "need", not "want"...

Are you the same?  Do you keep stashing?
Do you feel the same compulsion
to help keep all of our local shops in business? 

Wacky Wool Wednesday

So...

last night I hosted our monthly gathering

of the crazy, woolly ladies --

 as opposed to those "woolly hookers".

There were NINE of us.

Although the temperature was Africa Hot,

these nine gals ventured out,

most of them from the far side of town,

and brought their woolly projects!

Did I take any pictures?

No.

Did I have a great time?

Yes.

Did we accomplish much?

Don't really know, doesn't really matter.

Consensus was we had a grand, woolly time.

Here's an after-the-group-left shot of my corner of the table...

I started A Primitive Garden.

Yes, I needed to start another woolly project!

(a couple of the gals in this monthly group are doing A Primitive Garden as a block of the month from Primitive Gatherings; I am using their start as my push to work on a block a month also.  You know, a little push in the behind?!).

Notice in the background,

I have my "baby wash tub" full of wool scraps. 

(It's only holding wool scraps

until called into service for it's intended use,

in case my daughter  anyone was wondering.)

Also in the background is the corner of my "Wool Crazy" project. 

And a bag of goodies from The Good Wives.

There was an earlier in the day field trip: 

The Good Wives field trip

that some of us were able to do before the whole woolly group met.

Dangerous, Good Wives Company.

Dangerous, but great.

Now, I really should go do some quilting...

I'll check to see what the temp is in the Sun room/quilting room.

If it's too hot, I'll have to work on my wool!

July is the new June

You know how

"they" say

that 40 is the new 30,

that 50 is the new 40,

and so on and so on?

Well, I think that July is the new June.

July? -

that is THE month for weddings around here now.

Pick a weekend, any weekend in July,

and you can bet I will be at a wedding!

What happened to all the June weddings?

Don't they know that it is REALLY, REALLY HOT here in July?

But I am going to attend all of them that I am invited to...

All the hot, hot, hot outdoor weddings.

All of the July is the new June weddings.

WANTED:

"dress clothing that does not show perspiration"

In search of some type of dress that does not show "perspiration".

Who am I trying to kid?

It is sweat that I need to not show!

Any ideas?

Signed,

Hot, Hot, Hot, in Ohio

Hot in Ohio/July is the new June...

shop sample

  At the LQS

I had a class that was wool on cotton, called Wallflowers...
(not to be confused with Wool Crazy-
that's a whole different can of worms box of scraps!)

 This Wallflower Quilt class was once a month for four months. 
Twelve blocks, so three a month. 

It was a pretty quick project...

just wool whip-stitched with matching thread
(& we quilters have thread, don't we?)

 onto a courthouse step, paper-pieced background.

I didn't even use an iron-on product,
some of the flowers have loose petals. 

And the paper piecing was very simple - a great one for beginners

(or for those who haven't done it for a while and need a refresher). 

Here's my shop sample of "Wallflower Quilt":

a pattern by Waltzing with Bears. 

The folks at WwB's also have another pattern I think I will do - Wool Garden.

And the best thing about this flower garden?

No weeds to pull!

acquiring knowledge

I recently took a class...
when I saw this pattern and the sample
shown in a not so local quilt shop's class schedule:

Sew I Gathered by Renee' Plains.
(You can find her patterns at your LQS, or they can order them in for you.)

I just wanted to make it. 
Now.
Yesterday.
And it was wool!!

I know some of you out there will scoff at the idea of doing a wool project in the summer.
I do admit, I won't be sitting on the deck in the middle of a summer afternoon with wool thrown across my lap and stitching my little ol' heart out.

But, I do stitch on wool year round. 
Usually small projects. 
Or wool on a cotton base.

Anyway, a friend and I forayed up north and made ourselves a sewing kit book.
I chose purples for the flowers, she chose rusty oranges.  Just too cute, both of them!

It was a 5 hour class - pack a lunch and stitch away!

Isn't it just the greatest?

Here's a pic of the inside envelopes and wool for needles:

Now to fill it with my wool stuff!

Threads, needles, wooly shapes cut out and awaiting application...

It will get good use, I'm sure.

and I learned something...

a little book-binding and that I like the patterns by Renee' Plains!