February+ RAiN=bLAh!

(doesn't this look like the glory of Heaven?  WOW!)

Hi Friend,
It seems like years since I've been here

(wait, was that in a song?!!!)



Oh, yeah!  I hummed a bit of it and figured it out:

"Here Comes the Sun" by the Beatles.



                                                                      WOW they had it right.




After last week's Valentines that I made for my 'Twisted Stitcher' friends, and eating some chocolate cookes that TS-friend/hostess, Katrina, made from a Pinterest recipe...


(they ROCKED!--I'll post the recipe for 'posterior'!  i mean--POSTERITY!!)



oKAY--honestly, I DID scarf down a gob, so maybe it IS Posterior!  haha!

...well...well, the weather is cold and rainy, so what to do??



I got through the rest of the week, and Saturday made the quilt blocks and turned into quilt-top the doggy donation quilt I am making to hang at Greenbaum's to publicize the Silent Auction for 'Fences fo Fido'.

(Gordo, from Fences for Fido site)

THAT'S WHAT YOU DO!!





I sure hope my quilt makes a lot of money.


the last couple years, some of these silent-auction 'doggy' quilts have only gone for the minimum bid of around $45-50.  If that's the case with mine, I'll buy it back and keep it!



I will post photos of it, but of course I forgot to take any during the construction process!  when I'm in that studio, I'm 'nose to the grindstone!'

(Dodger gets a hug--from Fences for Fido site)

I think one of the glitches is that mainly quilters come into Greenbaum's, and don't think about it; although last year, quilts were hung in a number of other businesses downtown.  Then, people don't know if they should make a quilt FOR a dog to use, or ABOUT dogs to hang up and enjoy.


There's a quandary. The doggy quilt people are making comfy warmish smaller quilts for dogs to cuddle with and enjoy! 




--the 'hanging up' quilts are more artsy.



well, we'll see what happens!  (I'll save my money for June just in case, or Facebook everyone to get bids in or something!)



This is a moving, and very worthwhile charity--


www.fencesforfido.org



(Here you'll find
fantastic stories, wonderful photos, and it's moving how you can feel better helping a suffering animal be warm, safe and dry; as well as running and playing instead of being chained-up.)





when i started this post, I was talking about the sun.  Actually, what I wanted to say, is we have been LACKING in that department!



No sun here lately...just lots of rain.  However, I know that spring is on the way, because I have little heads of daffodils peeking up, and green buds on my lilacs. 


Faith. 



not just believing it could happen or can happen.  It's the expectation of it happening and the follow-through of knowing.


(at least that's what comes into my mind)

well, I have FAITH that spring is coming!!







ps. and now a word from Kurt Vonnegut...












ps #2:  Here's the recipe for the Valentine's Day Chocolate Cookies that
Hostess Friend Katrina made-- and no egg yolks or flour either!  (wicked good!)



(she thought they'd be 'tough' because the batter was stiff, but they SO weren't!  crunchy outside, gooey, chewy fudge on the inside!)


Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies

Bon Appétit | June 2008

by The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen

user rating

93% would make it again

user rating:
Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies4 forks

at a glance

main ingredientsChocolate
typeKid-Friendly, Quick & Easy, Cookie
dietary considerationsLow Cal, Healthy, Low Cholesterol

 

yield: Makes about 24

active time: 30 minutes

total time: 50 mins.

Ingredients

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (about 9 ounces), divided
• 3 large egg whites, room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray 2 large baking sheets with nonstick spray. Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in glass bowl in microwave, stirring twice, about 2 minutes. Cool slightly.

Using electric mixer, beat whites in large bowl to soft peaks. Gradually beat in 1 cup sugar. Continue beating until mixture resembles soft marshmallow creme. Whisk 1 cup sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl to blend. On low speed, beat dry ingredients into meringue. Stir in lukewarm chocolate and 1/2 cup chocolate chips (dough will become very stiff).

Place 1/2 cup sugar in bowl. Roll 1 rounded tablespoon dough into ball; roll in sugar, coating thickly. Place on prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until puffed and tops crack, about 10 minutes. Cool on sheets on rack 10 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com:80/recipes/food/views/Deep-Dark-Chocolate-Cookies-242468#ixzz1nEvarmE9

 SAVOR!!

Valentines Equal LOVE!

Hi Friend,

I love Valentine's Day!  I will live until the day I die (haha!)--for the promise of LOVE! 


Romance...don't you just love to even say the word?



I will always hope that Mr. Wonderful, or Captain America, or my Beach Boy, or Construction Man or Dream Boat!!  will magically appear-


(he doesn't even have to have roses!)




you know what they say:

"Before you reach the Handsome Prince, you have to kiss a lot of TOADS!"





(honestly, I MARRIED A COUPLE!)



oh well...i'm off my trolley a little bit...



I did finish the quilt I started for my kids and here's a photo of it...!

I'm really proud of it.  It's about half-quilted here...between the blocks and all the pinwheels.  Later on, I shadow-quilted the dogs, then free-motion quilted shadow-squares in the blue part of the square in a square blocks.

I also stippled the outside border, and put a viney stitch into the binding.

The kids loved it.  I'm waiting to see photos of where it ends up in their home.

Yesterday, I had a whim to make Valentines for my Twisted Stitcher small quilt group.  I had ordered a 'Vintage Valentine' collage sheet from 'Gecko Galz' in Texas.

It arrived last week, and until yesterday, I had no immediate time or project to use them on.  However, the idea STRUCK yesterday afternoon!! 

I'll make Valentines for my quilt group...

HOW LONG CAN THAT TAKE, ANYWAY???!!

I printed it out, took it to the Quilt Shop and make colored copies on Printed Treasures, then went home and gathered my red, and purples and pink scraps and began making little intuitive mini-quilts 9" square. 

I needed to make eight.

Why do I think of stuff at the last minute?

Then, I stitched down scraps of antique lace which have been 'sitting around' waiting for a great purpose...

My brain woke me up at 3am this morning, telling me I should 'get to work'...


I waited until 4, then got up and began cutting the little Valentine sheets apart, and fusing them onto the Valentine quilts.

Then, I fused an ivory piece of fabric onto fusible web, used Archival Ink to stamp words of love and affection.  They're fused on now, and I'll stitch them on and finally add a back.


Leaving the edges raw, saves a lot of time.  This was an experiment in 'Intuitive Quilting'--or basically flying by the seat of my pants! 

Hope they like them! 


I'll let you know.......


Happy Valentine's Day!!!

An Extraordinary Day!

Hi Friend,

Well, if you happen to be in the Salem, Oregon area today, you will see that we are in the midst of a rare (for February) string of beautifully clear days.


WOWZA!!


Like I wrote earlier on Facebook:


'God, You TOTALLY ROCK!'




Anyway, i happily declined to watch the Superbowl-and MADONNA?!!

REALLY?!


-no faves here;


instead I opted for a quilting weekend.  Haven't had a chance to do that in forever!  What a lot of fun!  Added in a couple mornings 'sleeping in' til
7am


(anyone who really knows me won't believe that!  Used to be 'sleeping in' was 10:30 or 11am--but now during the week, my regular wake up is 5:30 am now, so I guess 7am IS sleeping in!  haha)



If you've read my blog here for awhile, you know that my kids have two Labs, Kona and Tucker.  Well, now there will be a quilt with Labs on in at the Kennedy household! 

check out this cute pattern from 'Cabbage Rose,' called, 'Max.'


I did start out with similar colors, but of course, ventured out a bit.  Originally, I had planned to make a totally different pattern, and I'd purchased fabrics for that one...but when I showed Caitlin and Evan, the Max pattern got their vote instead.  Needing a few more fabrics, I mixed in some of my own fabrics as well.

(the piecing of the square-in-a-square blocks)

Starting out, I also didn't have the required yardage for the background fabric.  I 'stewed' over that for awhile, and decided to gather all the blue batiks I had in similar tones, and made a scrappy quilt. 




One fat quarter looked like concentric rings in a mud puddle; another piece had water droplets (Labs LOVE both of those!)...One chunk had roses, one looked like tropical flowers (the kids DID honeymoon in Hawaii!)

(a few of the chosen!)

And--my companion this weekend?  None other than 'Maggie'!  Usually, she's all over the place, and this time was no exception--


Have you ever seen a cat who FETCHES?!! 


Maggie does! 



Her favorite thing to 'go for' are the ponytail elastics in bright colors.  One day, I moved the couch for 'dust bunnies' running by, and found 11 'scrunchies' UNDER THE COUCH!! 


I can shoot them like rubber bands across the room, and she dives and slides over the hardwood floor (kitty surfing!), grabs them in her mouth and brings them over; jumps up, drops it in my lap, and is ready to go again.


(hours of fun!)

Saturday, Maggie realized the wisdom of having her own blankie in the window: she could watch all the neighborhood comings and goings.  As the window was open to the sunshine, she could hear motorcycles, lawnmowers, cars, trucks, people walking by. . .


lots of action!



(she's still small enough to curl up and fit on the sill, too!)


This could be a new favorite hide-out...




I also this week started a quilt for me, which I saw in a 'Possibilities' book from 2005!  The book is 'Pineapple Quilts,' by Lynda Milligan and Nancy Smith.  Here is the shot of the quilt, right from the book:

This quilt was also on the front cover.  I knew I had to make this exact quilt!  It's been on my 'Bucket List' of Quilting for those 7 years.


7 years ago I bought the book,
6 years ago, I bought the corresponding ruler, 'which you NEED to HAVE!'

for two years I thought about it,

3 years ago, I cut all the printed pieces from my scraps, and bagged them in ziplocs, so 'I'd be ready.'


I looked at the Pineapple Ruler, and the directions.  didn't understand ANY OF IT!


Thought some more.


Then, one Tuesday night at Greenbaum's, I happened to be working with Sally, who made the Pineapple Quilt sample for the shop when the book/ruler came out.  Sally had an upcoming class, told me she'd teach me, and so!!



The Pineapple Quilt BEGINS!!




don't expect this to fly together overnight!  7 years in the making...



"Mother, Let's Not Rush Things!"