Happy Mother’s Day!

A day late and a dollar short- it’s how I roll.

Here’s what my favorite daughter sent me- I received it at work on last Wednesday morning:

And here’s what was inside:

5 individually wrapped cookies- all different, and 5 individually wrapped brownies- all different. Soooo yummy and decadent. And perfect because I needed something sweet that day! I managed to make everything last until last night. I invited Em over for chicken dinner Sunday night and we had a very nice time.

No stitching pictures this week- I filled in more snow in Beacon House, but it isn’t a huge change from the previous week . I did some quilting this week for a gift for my Mum, and then I mailed it off today but forgot to take a picture. Doh!

All sorts of things…

My first stitches in ”Winter at Beacon House”:

Some quilt-piecing:

This will be a pillow top for Emily. I just noticed a mistake on the lower right- I must have reversed a row.

This is a pin cushion. The stuffing was difficult to insert evenly, but I put it together in about 1/2 an hour. The pattern was on Moda Bake Shop. I still need to put pom-poms on the tips.

Lastly, a new neighbor outside my (very dirty window screen):

 

A little closer:

I was prompted to look out by the nibbling noises I was hearing- he’s a very noisy eater!

Are we There Yet?

1 regulation-size cheesecake, 4 mini cheesecakes, and 1 vat of beef stew later, and I still have a loaf of lasagna and 4 more mini cheesecakes to make tomorrow, plus that damn baby quilt & pillow. Then deliver the goods, plus a trip to the mall. THEN I can start on my own feast!

I did get the long overdue vaccuming done today while the 1st cheesecake baked. I don't know why I do this to myself every year.

Sigh

Turkey Hangovers..

I got up at 7 am and was at the barn by 8:30 to make grain. I went out to find a b-day present for my friend Liz, even though her birthday was mid-October. Her husband threw a 45-th party back at the beginning of October, the week before my barn melt-down actually, i think. Per her request, I had donated to the Home for Little Wanderers in lieu of a gift, but we always exchange gifts, so I had to get something else. We go to Town Spa pizza in Stoughton for a linguica & a greek salad, always! Our date is Wednesday night. Then I'll have to think about Christmas/Hanukha gifts. I also went to Michael's next door to the TJMaxx (are they always built next to each other or what?) and got some ribbons & wreath trims.

After Bob left, I went out to Joann's and got the rest of the fabric for the quilt. Some of it will also be for the pillow. I found these tiny 6 foot spools of trim in the scrapbook dept.- perfect for pin keeps! And the color selection was way better than the regular trim selection. The other trims are also for pin keeps.

I had gotten this for Chickie for Xmas dress-up: she didn't want to cooperate:

It's a light-up Christmas tree headband and a plaid bow tie. The tree also plays jingle bells.

HO-Ho-Ho! just a little political incorrect-ness for you. Nothing like some post-holiday anarchy.

A Well Deserved Day Off

I took Chicken to the vet for annual check up & shots; I brought Aslan along too because he's had a tiny sore enlarge to a small sore on his head, and then he ended up getting shots too.

Don't know what's going on with her mouth in that shot; but what can you do?

I finally got the baby quilt started for Avery. I have to go to Joann's for edge-sashing & backing fabric. My alignment skills leave a lot to be desired. But I don't think a baby will mind, do you?

It should be about 36" x 46" when finished. Then I have her little pillow to complete from the Thoughts of Baby sampler I stitched.

Which left me with T-day dinner Part 2 for supper tonight. Lots of yum there.

New Quilt Stash

Here are the fabrics I bought the other day:

the fat quarters:

here are the quarter yard cuts:the black blobs are big headed kitty cats.

here's my substitute pink for Avery's quilt:

isn"t this one cool?it's called Mythical Horses. I got a whole yard:Here are the 3 drawers I bought for fabric storage:the smaller set on top I'll use for my Weeks Dye work threads, Gentle Arts and Crescent Colors, each to their own drawer.

I've ridden Axe twice this week for about 45 minutes each time. My butt and upper thighs are screaming in agony! Tomorrow my office will be closed while my boss has a generator installed- the electricity has to be shut off for at least 4 hours. It will be the first day I've slept in since Fourth of July- I can't wait! I'll finish Thoughts of Baby & start something new at S&B tomorrow night.

Emily is loving school this year- she's connected with her new roomate & with a bunch of kids in the building and she's having a great time for herself. I'm so happy for her & relieved that a whole new world of friends has opened up for her. She got a cute new haircut today, very stylish

Mind you I trim my own hair with sewing scissors every 4 months or so- I am SO hair care challenged!

Sorry for being M.I.A.

I just don’t seem to have any time anymore. I really want to be at a different barn at the end of the month and quit working at this barn. It took me 7 ¾ hours today, because Hayley, the bitch who took the entire months of July & August off and half of June, who also managed to have Memorial day, Fourth of July AND LABOR DAY OFF!!!!, filled up the stalls with too many shavings. She’s pissed at Emily because the Assface boy told her Emily was spreading a rumor that Hayley had spent the entire summer in a mental hospital. Well Emily doesn’t spread rumors. And I’m pissed at Hayley because she can’t tell the difference between AM & PM, and my horse didn’t get supplements yesterday because she fed the wrong bag at supper yesterday, most likely deliberately. The bitch. The alcoholic , crack smoking bitch.
Well… now that THAT is out of my system!
You know what’s fun about being by myself? I can buy a Haagen Daz flavor that Emily probably wouldn’t like, oh…. like Caramel Cone, and not only eat it right from the container, but I can spray the whipped cream right in the carton too! (she hates whipped cream!)
I bought some large plastic drawers to organize all my quilt stash, and my cross stitch stash. The Fabric Place store near where I work is closing in November. I bought 27 quarter yard cuts or fat quarters for under $45. I got a new pale pink for Avery’s baby quilt (still languishing in a plastic bag as 4” squares), plus a slew of purples. It’s too dark for photos right now. I also almost finished Thoughts of Baby- I added two extra hearts on either side of her name (which involved ripping the chart-required one out) because the length of her name allowed for too much open areas on either side.I will try to post some pix ASAP.

Anyway, for sustenance, here's a photo & the recipe for my gingerbread:

Mother’s Gingerbread

½ cup butter, room temperature
½ cup sugar
1 cup molasses
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup boiling water

Set the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan, or spray with vegetable spray.
Cream the butter and sugar until they are light and fluffy. Beat in the molasses, followed by the eggs.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and ginger and beat these dry ingredients into the batter. When the batter is smooth, beat in the boiling water slowly.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and transfer to hot oven. Bake the gingerbread for 30 minutes or until it is firm to the touch, or a toothpick comes out clean when poked. Leave it to settle for a few minutes, then cut into large squares for serving.

Sundaes..

I worked lots of hours this weekend and ended by mowing 3/4 of my lawn. I still have to vacuum.

So when i ran out of gas i got one of these:

It's a Dairy Queen waffle bowl hot fudge sundae. Yum!

Here's progress on Bittersweet Moon:I haven't done anything on Thoughts of Baby for a couple of weeks; boss man has been in a lot. I also seem to have neglected my Xmas ornament of the month program. So many stitches to make, so little time. No further visible progress on the quilts since picking the combos, although, I received a Fabric Place coupon & would like to add some blues to what I have & get stash for a purple combo. AAARRRGGG! I MUST finish what I have & started FIRST!!

Here's some kitty loving:

That's Aslan facing the camera while Delilah gives him a hug. He's been so patient with her- he's really been missing his little sister.