Apple Crumble

So I didn't post a menu yesterday because we have been hit hard here at home with some virus that had me feeling horrible last week - so after Monday I didn't cook.  This week my mother in law was kind enough to make Cafe Rio fixings for us on Sunday which we ate Sunday and leftovers tonight - and Papa Murphy's is having a little pizza sale, so Jake asked if we could each pizza every night this week.  I might just answer yes to him.  But if pizza doesn't sound good, we'll try to hit up a few of the recipes from last week.

I did splurge on some dessert tonight and have this cooking up in the oven.

Source: picky-palate.com via Abby on Pinterest

Doesn't it look so good?  I made a few extras so Jake could have another one for breakfast in the morning.

I love anything with apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon!

WIP Wednesday

I haven't gotten too much sewing done this week cause I've been quilting.

I finally got to my mom's "quilt" (sheets quilted together).  My mom loves flowers so I decided to try out a flower pantograph.  Its called Soft and Sweet by Ann Bright and its my first try at a big floral pattern.  It took a bit of time and isn't close to perfect, but was a fun design that fits my mom.  Now I just have to get the binding done!

I also worked on this cute baby quilt for a customer.  I love the colors in this quilt!  I used the pantograph Chantilly Lace.  This pattern is one of my favorites.  I have it on a few quilts I've had done.

This is a fun pantograph to do - not sure why I haven't done it more often.  I love how it looks with the minky backing.

I have 3 more customer quilts to get caught up on - I'm trying to fit in a few of my Wild Thing Halloween blocks this week.  Hope to have a finished quilt top by the end of the weekend!

Linking up to WIP Wednesdays!

Picture Wall

After 5 years of having our basement completed - we had this big empty wall with nothing to show on it.  I bought these frames a few months back and they have been sitting on my floor laid out just like you see here for about 4 months.

This weekend we decided it was time to put the fames on the wall - and I smile now every time I walk downstairs.  I love how it turned out.  May need to tweak the picture hanging from the ribbon, but other then that I'm happy.

Now to fill them with pictures - hopefully I"ll get that done before I realize its been 4 more months.

I'm getting the itch to redecorate the house.  I started by putting away the red white and blue and have starting putting up the fall colors and quilts.  Is it too early for that?  I feel like changing out my decor is keeping me from repainting the whole house....so I'll go with it for now!

Menu Mondays

I didn't do well in my cooking adventures last week - so some of these are repeats I never got to from last week. 

Monday - Thinnies - family favorite, (they are crepes)
Tuesday - Crockpot chicken
Wednesday - Maple Glazed Salmon w/ fruit
Thursday - BBQ Turkey Breast
Friday - Savory Yogurt Chicken

Today I Love

Toddler Photo Shoot

Have you ever tried to get pictures of a 2 year old and a 4 year old at the same time?

This is all I got..... I'll be forking over some money for a professional sometime soon!

FLY

Source: 27.media.tumblr.com via Abby on Pinterest

Baseball Quilt #2

Not sure if you remember, but I made two of these quilts.  Quilt number one I kept for my little family in hopes that one day I'll be sitting on it watching my boys play the game.

This quilt I made with my brother and his boys in mind.  My brother James and Becky have 4 boys that  all play baseball.  My brother has even started up his own league in Philly where they live.

They are big timers.  So what better quilt for that family then one filled with baseballs?

I pushed myself to get it completed while they were in town this last few weeks.  It was fun to be able to give it to my brother in person, who immediately wrapped himself in it and told me how cool it was.
I love giving a quilt to people when they realize the fabrics and quilt were picked just for them.

He even liked the backing which was most of my leftovers.

We had so much fun with these guys this trip - wish they lived closer so we could hang out more often. Not sure Mike feels the same from this picture - but James sure loves him.

WIP Wednesdays

So I finished my Tumbler Topper from last week.  Quilted, bound, the works.  

I also started on a few new projects.  

I decided I needed an official Halloween quilt.  I don't have one, yet I LOVE Halloween.  I'm currently collecting those cute Department 56 Halloween Village houses and I have them on my entry table already....yes in August.  So I decided to get busy making Wild Things by Thimble Blossoms.  I have wanted to make this quilt for awhile now and saw it last year done in Halloween fabrics - so I decided to venture out with it this year.  Not sure why I have put this pattern off for so long.  I LOVE IT!  It goes together fast, it isn't blocks and I feel the fabric is still showcased rather well.  I have 17 of the 42 blocks complete in only an hour or so's time.  One good night of sewing and these babies will be done!

I have to say the spiderweb fabric may be my favorite.  This line is called Monster Mash (I think) by Sandy Gervias.  I got the green fabric with all the monsters on it for the back fabric.  My kids are gonna love that!

I also cut out some squares to make me a Christmas Granny Square quilt.  I kind of missed this quilt along, but have been drooling over all the cute quilts I've seen.

I've cut out 12 blocks, and sewn my first 2.  I think this will be a fun project to sew me a block here and there, in hopes of getting it completed with in the next month or so.

I'm using Joy by Kate Spain - such a fun line.

Once I get the first 12 done, I'll decide if I need bump it up to 20 blocks...we'll see.  I'll keep ya posted!

Linking up to WIP Wednesdays!

Tumbler Topper

I finished my first tumbler quilt out of Lucy's Crab Shack by Sweetwater.  I loved the plaid border I used in this line.  It is what made me go out and get all the charm packs.  

I wanted a table topper for my game table downstairs, or my island in the kitchen.  I can't decide - I may have to make another one.

I did some straight line quilting around all the blocks and a plaid zig zag thing in the border.  I can't believe this little topper took me an hour or so, but I like how it turned out.  

 

I love that I've changed up my normal block quilt with a tumbler block.  Its still as easy an quick, but gives me a different look.  

I bought a mini charm pack (or 4) of Marmalade by Bonnie and Camille.  I think that will be my next tumbler quilt.  How could would a mini one be????

Menu Mondays

Monday - Spaghetti Factory with the family!
Tuesday - Scallops and shrimp (looking for a good scallop recipe) w/ fruit
Wednesday - Crockpot chicken
Thursday - Maple Glazed Salmon w/ fruit
Friday - Savory Yogurt Chicken

I'm excited to try the new chicken meals on the list this week.  I'll let you know how they go.

Fish Lake 2012

Every other year since I was a little girl my family has gone to Fish Lake for a family reunion.  Since graduating from high school I think I've only made it once or twice.  I lived away, busy, didn't love to camp etc etc.

Since being married Mike and I have gone once in 11 years.  We decided this year our kids were at a good age where it wouldn't be a horrible trip and thought it would be fun to venture into the world of camping.

Decked out in fishing gear

shooting a bow and arrow

Jake's BFF Sophia

Our first boat trip

The boys on their boat

Big Jim helping us out 

Our first fish - as you can see we're all thrilled

Jake gathering wood

My cute boys

Grama with Dylan

BFF's

Becky

All the boys

Mel and Dylan

Ty playing with Sam

3 Generations

Fish Lake

What a fun trip.  We ate, laughed, fished, and my boys cried!  But it was well worth the trip!  Can't wait to go back.  

WIP Wednesday - Tumblers

Tumbler quilts - never tried this block out before, but I've been loving the look for a few years.  I also decided it was time to vary my square pattern theme I've had going this year, and this was an easy way to divert.

When I first saw Lucy's Crab Shack fabric by Sweetwater, I thought it was cute, but nothing I had to have.  But I kept seeing quilt after quilt of this cute fabric, and needed to get a fix.  So I bought a few charm packs.  I first thought about doing a baby quilt, but decided I wanted to keep some of it for myself, and I ain't having anymore babies.  

So I went with the cutest plaid border and made a cute little table topper for my table downstairs.  I have enough charm squares left to make another runner and I may even use the other pack to throw together a little beachy throw quilt.  Something fun for next summer.

Doesn't this fabric make you want to head to the beach?  Or Martha's Vineyard and take a ride on your back to the shake shack for some crab and ice cream?

I had fun with this quick little project - it took me only 1 hour to sew the rows together and add borders.  Pretty good for a quick afternoon sew.  Its now on the quilting machine calling my name. Plan to have it bound by this weekend.  I've got one month of summer left and need to have it out!


Linking up to WIP Wednesdays!

August Quilt List

Last month I made of list of quilts or quilting projects I wanted to complete.  It was a pretty long list and I'm happy to say I got all but 2 complete!  I thought it would be a good idea to make an August list - and why not go public with the list?

- Quilting for mom (have a project I've been promising her for MONTHS!)
- Quilting for Christine - a client quilt project
- Baseball #2 Turning Twenty - piece the backing, quilt, bind
- Finish Lucy's Crab Shack Tumbler quilt and runner
- Halloween quilt
- Swoon blocks

My goal is to try and stay on top of client quilts, quilt one of my own quilts that have been waiting in the wings, finish or work on a WIP quilt, and start to finish 1 quilt (as most of mine these days are fairly easy patterns).  My hope is from now until the end of the year that I will have a few completed projects if I stick to this.  We'll see how it goes, but 1 or 2 good sewing days a month I can get a lot done - so here's to hoping!

Wheels on the Quilt

I had a love/hate relationship with this quilt.  I was so excited when I bought this fabric.  A bundle of all the prints and a BOLT of the border fabric.  I thought of how cute this bolt of fabric would look in the Can't Cut it Up pattern by All Washed Up.  It was big and bold and the perfect fabric for the big blocks in that pattern.  I wasn't really thinking about the border until I got home.  Which once this quilt was done I saw the cars driving up the side borders and it looked so cute, why didn't I think of that?  As I made the pieced blocks, I thought they were cute.  As I added the big blocks the quilt kind of got busy for me.  Then I added the borders and was about ready to throw the quilt in the trash.  But when I stepped back and looked, I kind of feel like the cars are just driving off the quilt.  So I just finished it.  

I quilted loops to get it quilted.

And I even zig zagged my binding on - something I NEVER do and don't love the look of.  At this point I was thinking I may donate the quilt.  

Now that its completed and I stand back and look, I think its ok.  I'm not in love with it, but it isn't going to be living at my house.  The little boy it was intended for may love all the cars and the business of it all.  He is very into cars....so unless I can whip up another version I like better in the next week, he'll probably end up with this one.  His mom will have to hide it when I walk into the house.  I don't know if I want to see this quilt again!  Do you have quilts like that?  That don't end up they way you had expected, yet you power through to just get it done?  I'm happy it is done and glad I can drive away from it....get it...drive away? (jake would have loved the joke)