Moving Day

  My daughter, Jessica and her husband, Martin, live in Denver in a tiny one bedroom apartment.  Today was a big day.  They had found a new apartment just a few blocks away that will be a nice step up.  It has two bedrooms, a huge bathroom, a fireplace, storage, and hookups for a washer and dryer.  Life is good!
They assembled their moving crew:         

 My sister Jane, Jessica, Me

in the old apartment

Elizabeth, Martin and Don

Their sweet friend, Amen, Martin's Mom, her friend, Jeff

in the new apartment

and of course, Ed

      
As you can see, we were bribed by pizza.  It was an easy move, the weather was good, and many hands made light work.

We did actually put many things away.  I guess they will have to make a few decisions on their own.
It was nice that we could help, but I'm sure glad it wasn't me moving! 

Until Next Time-Kyle

Sewing Sewing Sewing

Since the beginning of the new year I don't know what has gotten into me    Usually I try to keep new projects under control, simply because there are so many unfinished projects looming in nooks and crannies of my sewing room.  But this year has been different.   I have started 8 new quilts and have been working on 3 others that I started last year.

1. I have been sewing on a quilt made with the Rouenneries,a fabric by Moda.  I bought it in Dec. and I'm getting close to having the top piece.  I laid it out on the dining room floor and that is where it will be until I get it pieced.  If I pick it up, I'm sure to twist and turn the blocks and change the placement.

 Just a peek until I get it done

So I set up my second machine on the dining room table and I'm sewing there. I'm currently sharing the other end of the table with Ed who has made it his home office.  Cozy.
2. 3. Upstairs I have two baby quilts cut out. They have adorable fabrics and are just waiting for me to come and sew.

 
4. I started watching "The Quilt Show" www.thequiltshow.com and have found it so informative, creative and inspiring, that I have cut out a Convergence Quilt taught by Ricky Tims.

5. We have a new group of wonderful flannel in the store called "Creekside Trail".  It has colors like dark earth, mountain pine, woodland brown, oak-wood and  russet.  I needed those.  I live in Colorado.

 It will make a perfect random patch.

Three quilts have tumbled forward from 2009. One is a white and blue batik I am making for the store...

Blue Moon by Timeless Treasures

and the second one is a block of the month, A Tisket A Tasket Basket quilt from Bunny Hill,  bunnyhill.blogspot.com
6. 7.   I just finished sewing on the binding of the batik quilt and I am hand quilting the basket quilt. I'll show that when I am done.  Bunny Hill has a new block of the month, Snowbound, for this year.  I'll probably start that soon.  I just can't help it!
8. Of course, I'm continuing on with the Ocean Waver restoration.

 9. I have a holiday quilt, Snowmen from A to Zzzz by Crabapple Hill www.crabapplehillstudio.com ready to start.  I have the embroidery all traced, the floss gathered, and the blocks basted.  It's a great project when there's time to do handwork.
10. I also started another made with Boutique, by Moda, designed by Chez Moi.  That fabric just spoke to me and I listened. 

"Take me home, take me home"

11. I also have to start looking through my stash for an idea for a class I teach called STASHBUSTERS.  I team teach with 2 other women.  I was the speaker in January so I need to get something sewn for April. It needs to be something that demonstrates how I use my stash!
I don't dare tell you how many other UFO's I have.  Just know that it's plenty.  I guess I just needed to start something new.  I am having a great time.  Enjoying the process.  Trying some new techniques.  What a great way to have FUN!

Until Next Time-Kyle

Sunday Morning Sounds

This morning I was all warm and snuggled in bed and as I slowly gained conscientiousness, I became aware of some different sounds.  I just laid there and listened.

Off in the distance I could hear the whistle of a train.  I love that sound first thing in the morning. For me the train whistle is soft and soothing.  It always reminds me of when I was a kid. The whistle sound can travel quite a distance.  In Fort Collins there are train tracks on the east side of town, as well as a track going right through the middle of town. I'm not sure where the train was, but someone was going somewhere.

The wind was also starting to blow.  When it comes from the north I can hear it approaching.  We have the lake out front and nothing to stop the wind until it reaching our house. 

It was gusting up to about 50 mph.  So the sound was more like a roar.

The wind chime hanging on the porch were also telling me when the wind arrived.  But that was a pleasant sound.

Ed was already up and I could tell by the sounds exactly what he was doing.  Sunday morning means a new batch of Eddie's Famous Oatmeal.  It's comforting hearing familiar sounds.  It makes you smile.

Then there was one more sound and I knew it would be the last one I would hear before I had to get up.  My door had been pushed open and dear little Pepper began to let me know it is time to get up and he was hungry!  It wasn't a soft mew, but a loud howl.  Time to get up you sluggard!

I'm up now.

Until Next Time-Kyle

I Must Be Royalty

The other day I had an appointment with the dentist.

They must have thought I was some kind of royalty.

They are going to give me a CROWN!

Until Next Time-Kyle

Ocean Waves

Last May my local quilt guild, the League of Northern Colorado Quilters, had a silent auction. The fun part was that I bid on and won an old quilt top.  Lucky me!

It's an Ocean Wave pattern and the fabrics are probably from the  early 1900's.  It was in pretty good condition.  It was just missing a few pieces, didn't lay flat, and had a couple of holes.  I guess if I were that old , I might have a few pieces gone and a couple of holes too.

I loved the cadet blues, double pinks, madder browns, turkey reds, the mourning blacks and all the different shirting prints .  The fabrics are a great time capsule for that time period.  Right up my alley.

I was inspired by a friend, who loves to find old quilt tops and either redo them or use the fabrics for new projects.  I decided this little quilt needed me to come to it's rescue and restitch it.  That's what I have started to do.  

I started by taking the quilt apart in sections. 

The quilt was pretty much sewn together by hand using a thick linen thread.  I'm not sure if the same person did all of the sewing.  A few pieces were stitch by machine.  Whoever did that believed the more stitches the better.  It was sewn with about 20 stitches to the inch.  Fortunately, the fabric was not so perforated so that it split.

After everything is apart it's time to put it back together again.  I need to remark the correct seam allowance on all of the pieces.  Because I am sewing by hand I mark the actual stitching line.

Small and even stitches

Slowly, it's coming back together.  The points are much better and it is looking great.  I'm hoping I will have enough fabric to get the top back together again.  Some pieces have just worn out.

I have about 5 of these sections completed and more ready to be sewn.  I'll keep you up dated on my  progress.

The long march through January is perfect for this kind of project.

Until Next Time- Kyle

What's Out There?

It was just a beautiful day today.  I guess I shouldn't grinch about January so much.  I looked out our family room window; blue sky, wispy clouds, a frozen lake, snow, and the foothills.

But way out on the ice, there's something out there.  I get the binoculars and ...What's he doing out there?

Mr. Heron standing on one leg to keep his toes warm. 

Until Next Time-Kyle

Something New in the Kitchen

One of the best kitchen appliances that I have ever had is my Kitchen Aid stand mixer.  I have had it for a very long time.  We have mixed a lot of ingredients together over the years.  It still works perfectly fine.

But I noticed last year that Kitchen Aid had a new mixer commemorating the company's 90th year anniversary.  It was a sassy red machine with a glass bowl.  I looked at one a couple of times and sighed. My original machine is just fine, runs perfect, it is a work horse among mixers; there is no reason to get a new one.

I just love Santa.  He is so tuned in.  He knew just what I wanted for Christmas.  I've given it a spin a couple of time already and I love it. What's not to love.  It has the Kitchen Aid qualities and dependability.   But it's best characteristic is that it's RED! 

Until Next Time-Kyle

Happy Birthday,Elizabeth

Happy Birthday, Elizabeth

I'm not sure where the past 29 years have gone.  You are such a wonderful daughter.  What a blessing you have been each day.   You have so many wonderful qualities that I admire.  This is one of my favorite pictures.  It says a lot about you.  You have always been inquisitive, interested in checking things out, always friendly to whoever you meet along the way, and you have a delightful sense of humor.

You have always been your Daddy's girl and you both have so much in common.

 

Just look what you have accomplished in these past 29 years.

The two Dr. Redente's

You are a special young woman and I am so lucky to call you daughter and friend.

Happy Birthday!

Until Next Time-Kyle

Oatmeal

When I was a kid I don't remember ever having oatmeal for breakfast.  I lived in Michigan, the home of Kellogg cereals.  I didn't like the way oatmeal looked, all lumpy and pasty.  Why would anyone eat that stuff. My mom was sweet , we had Rice Krispies or Corn Flakes.

My first experience with oatmeal was in 1959.  I was just starting 4th grade and I had to have an emergency appendectomy.  

Don't I look pitiful.  During my recovery, I was wheeled to a communal dining table with other little sick kids and was served oatmeal.  I took one look at it and thought, no way. I quietly whispered "I don't like oatmeal".  "I'm sorry", the nurse said," but it is what good little girls eat if they want to get better".  I took one bite and promptly threw-up all over the table.  Immediately the nurses wheeled me back to my bed and served me jello.  Victory was mine.

The next time was in the summer 1962 when I was a camper at Camp Cedar Lake. 

Because we were near Battle Creek, the home of Kellogg Cereal, most of the time for breakfast we had a choice of those cute little boxes of different cereals that Kellogg made.  But one day they decided to serve lumpy, pasty oatmeal.  I told my counselor, Stormy, I didn't like oatmeal and would I be able to just have a bowl of cereal instead.  " No, she said, "all the campers must eat oatmeal today."  That didn't seem quite fair to me.  So I just sat at the table and didn't' eat my oatmeal.  Another counselor finally noticed and was very stern with me about not eating.  I said, " I didn't like oatmeal."  She told me I had to eat it before I could leave the table. Well, she made me sit there for what seemed for hours, while the rest of my group when on to do something else.  I was in tears.  Finally, she did let me go, but I didn't have any breakfast that day.  

In 2003 Ed started to make the steel cut oatmeal.   It took me a long time to try it.  It smelled toasty and wasn't lumpy or pasty.  Hey, everyone she likes it!

Eddie's Famous Steel Cut Oatmeal *
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon butter
1 cup steel cut oats (you can find this in the bulk aisle of the grocery store)
3 cups of boiling water
1/2 cup nonfat milk
1/2 cup buttermilk

Directions:
In a large saucepan, melt the butter and add the oats. Stir for 2 minutes or until lightly toasted. Add the boiling water and reduce the heat to a simmer (take care when adding boiling water).  Keep at a low simmer for 25 minutes, without stirring.

Combine the milk and the buttermilk with the oatmeal.  Stir gently to combine and cook for an additional 10 minutes.  Spoon into serving bowls and top with additional buttermilk, brown sugar, dried cranberries, toasted almonds or cinnamon.  Your choice.

*adapted from a Food Network recipe

On most Sunday mornings, Ed makes this oatmeal.  It is so yummy especially on a cold  January day.  Hope you will try it.  You won't be disappointed.

Until Next Time-Kyle

The Slow March Thru January

I don't know what it is about the month of January, but it seems like it lasts forever. It is so different from June, which is a great month.  June has lots of sunshine, the temperature is warm, and you don't have to bundle up to go outside. It's a month that makes you feel good.  January, on the other hand, just doesn't have much going for it.

Today the temperature is steadily dropping and the snow shows no sign of stopping.

gloomy

depressing and sad

dismal and dreary

There's got to be a way to make January better.  Well, Elizabeth's birthday will be here on the 13th.  That's a good thing.  But other than that, there's not much else.

So I decided, that one way that makes me feeling better is to head off to my sewing room and start cutting and sewing things.  I had bought some fabrics last month and it's just been waiting for me.

With my little floor heater humming, my fingerless gloves on, and an audio book playing, I found myself having a great time despite the weather. Look what I started:

Happy and Glad

32 sawtooth star blocks done and more fabrics just waiting to be transformed.  The fabric is Rouenneries by French General.  It's yummy.

That's was a good solution for this "dreary January day.".  It kept my mind off  the fact that there still is 25 days left to go before February!

Until Next Time-Kyle

The Year of the Tiger

According to the Chinese calendar 2010 is the year of the tiger. I can't help but be awestruck by the size, strength, and elegance of this beautiful animal. The tiger  is easily one of the most awesome, and one of the most endangered great animals in the world. 

According to tradition, people born during a Year of the Tiger (1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, and 2010) are said to exhibit that animal’s attributes.

They are:

charismatic,

fearsome,

generous

unpredictable,

intelligent,

enthusiastic,

unafraid of exploring new territory,

protective of those they love.

And have been known to have mood swings

Does that sound like me?

Today Ed and I entered a new culinary arena, Chinese Dim Sum.  For Christmas Ed got the bamboo steamers, a couple of recipe books and a few other gadgets.  We had fun exploring the local Asian market buying sorted bottles of strange dark liquids, making the dough and a couple different fillings, and then trying the different pinched-edges to make these cute Chinese dumplings.  This is the a Barbecue Pork Dumpling.

 

                                                                           

And these are a steamed Chinese Pork Dumpling.

Look pretty good,  and tasted great.  It certainly was an opportunity to explore something new.

Like all felines, Tigers always land on their feet, ready for whatever comes next in life, pursuing it with gusto!  Grrrrr!

Until Next Time-Kyle, the Tiger

2010

Happy New Year Everyone! 

Enjoy the first day of the new year.

I have deliberately not put my watch on, not made a list, left on my sweatpants, and have been doing just want I want to do. Later Ed's going to grill some burgers outside, and then we'll watch some of season 5 of "The Office".

It's the perfect day!

Until Next Time-Kyle