Merry December

WOW!! The Month is half over and I am writing my first post. Good thing its not my job huh, I’d be let go…….given the boot…..adios amigos!

Time just goes by and another day goes by and I don’t get this done. It is fun once I sit down and get going it must be the starting thing, unlike my quilting projects, there its the finish thing.

Anyway Thanksgiving was quiet and very nice……..gee I won’t go on about the last THREE weeks and bore you but it has been that long. Bad Girl!!!

Did you see the blocks on my header. I LOVE them, Kindra made them for me as a gift. Isn’t that just so nice of her. I have seen them around in blogland and spoke with her about them and she up and surprised me this week. I love surprises, they are so fun!! Thank you Kindra, I will treasure them.

Not to be to corny but our blog name kind of becomes our “brand”. It’s been fun this past year sharing my ordinary life like it was book worthy. LOL…….but really life is a big deal!!! I could get real philosophical about the whole thing but suffice it to say we all are worth it. Right…….I mean I spend hours reading all of your wonderful blogs and it is amazing how we all become so important to each other!! Where am I going with this? I have no idea……. but I know those blocks make me smile and blogging wasn’t even something I new much about 18 months ago.

I finished a fun project this week, I had to use a life line and phone a friend about the little noses! Yikes, I haven’t done alot of embroidery and this project had TWELVE noses……

As you can see they are somewhat of a focal point and I was wanting them to be perfect………well I got over that and just jumped in because my lifeline has her own life and has been very busy!!! She did call me today and reminded me we have a mutual friend who I could also have asked. Thanks for the call, it meant alot!

This mat is a Christmas gift and will be off Monday with the rest of the gifts to Omaha!! It is a Primitive Gatherings kit called “Love Ya Man!” It was so much fun to make, working with wool is wonderful.

We are enjoying a kind of heat wave today……..it is 50 degrees warmer than last week. We had more than a week of below zero temperatures and today we are 45. Its awesome!!! It is blue skies and sunny!! It’s almost like summer.. lol!

When we get cold weather we have the biggest icicles, they are pretty cool. I was loving them until I watched the news and they showed pictures of house with ice damns ruining there roofs causing $$$ of repairs bills. So I went out and knocked them down, changed the channel and watched something less scary. There were alot homes and businesses with broken pipes this week and I am so thankful we were not one of them. It kind of makes average temperatures something to be thankful for!!

A friend has started a new blog!!! Michelle of Mocha Moochell used to live in Bend and found mister wonderful and now lives in Portland! She has recently started quilting and is finishing up her teaching credentials. Go over and welcome her to blogging, she is having so much fun with her quilting and has some wonderful quilt shops to share with us!! I will get over to see you, your quilt shop sounds wonderful!

A little update on my boys……

Here they are with Mom at the piano. Krista is a music teacher, doesn’t she look happy!! We will miss them this Christmas, they are growing so fast!

Hayden is walking and is just adorable. They were so fun to shop for this Christmas. Look forward to more videos on Facebook.

Thanks for stopping by, enjoy all the festivities leading up to Christmas. My week is full of parties and decorating, I can’t seem to get it finished this year!

Prim Blessings,

Carrie

Holiday baking

This past weekend I got the baking bug and started working on my bread recipes.    It is a good work out for the arms making bread that's for sure.    Years ago I made bread every week, I had a few recipes that we enjoyed.   But  homemade bread is not the best for my diet,  :))  I love it too much  so I let it go by the wayside.   The holidays is a great time to  do some though,   I am working on a wheat dough that is  a bit lighter for some fluffy rolls.        This is a batch of 50 % whole wheat flour and 50 % white flour.      I am thinking I will reduce the wheat flour but first I am going to read through some recipes to see what else I could change before reducing the amount of whole wheat.   

Here it is in my rising bowl we will enjoy eating it over a couple days then try again.

While Joe was hunting with Pepper, Slide, Jake and Casey,  Miss Daisy Mae was my buddy for the weekend.     She wasn’t happy at all about being left behind.

Daisy had surgery for the second time on her accruciate ligament.    The crimp holding the line together didn’t hold both sides.  So the vet did the surgery again for us.   Poor little girl, she will be 10 in April  and will miss hunting this year.    She was enjoying being let out of her crate since she was the only one at home.

And when I told her I would put her on the blog she  perked right up.   She loves attention  and was looking forward to the taste of fresh baked bread.   

I made  up my favorite apple cake recipe a couple weeks ago, its out of A Taste of Oregon cookbook.    

Hood River Fresh Apple Cake

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup shortening

2 eggs

2 cups flour

2 tsps baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

4 cups chopped cooking apples

1 cup chopped nuts

Cream together sugar,  shortening, and eggs.  Sift the dry ingredients and add to mixture.  Add chopped apples and nuts.  Bake in a greased 9 x 13-inch pan for 45 minutes at 350 degrees F.

SAUCE: 

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup margarine

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/2 tsp vanilla

In a small pan combine sugars, margarine and whipping cream.  Bring mixture to a boil, and then add vanilla.  Pour sauce over individual servings of cake.  It may be warm or cold, but is particularly good warm.   Serves 12 

This is one of my favorite fall recipes.  It goes together  quickly and is delicious!  This sauce has the most amazing flavors. 

               

I made an apple pie too.    I use premade pie crusts,  I use to make my own but these are really easy and flaky too.

I let them sit out of the refrigerator at least 20 minutes then roll them out a bitter thinner,  I used my leaf shape cutters to make vents and decorated the top of the pie.

I brushed the top crust with egg whites then sprinkled with sugar.  It make a pretty pie!

Today I am making pumpkin pies and rolls and looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving.    Yesterday Joe and I went to the store and bought Turkey and all the goodies you need to make the meal.     It was fun doing the shopping together.

This year we are not going to Seattle,   we are staying in Bend.    So we are cooking a 20 lb Turkey and taking it to a homeless shelter and spending some time there serving food.   We are looking forward to our day,   after all the tough economic times here in Central Oregon its exciting to just get out and share with others.     We know we are going to receive much more than we give.  

We are so blessed to have a home and good health, the love of family, and Central Oregon is a fabulous area  to live.     We have great neighbors we enjoy,   friends that bless our lives and  Joe and I both have been able to enjoy our hobbies  so much this year.    

We are cooking a smaller Turkey for our celebration,  actually we picked out a 12 lb one and it looks much to small…..lol.   I’m sure it will be more than enough!!

I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration with your loved ones too,   God Bless!!

Hugs,  Carrie

Friends are one of life’s treasures.

While I was in Omaha last month I took an outing to meet up with Kindra, who was just by chance participating in a local craft show. Kindra and her mother are a crafting team. So I was so pleased to meet both of them, and see there booth. There booth was full of wonderful handcrafted items and I enjoyed finding a couple special items. It was near the end of the day when I got there so it was slow and we had time to visit, bloggers are just the nicest people and Kindra it was a real treat for me to meet both you and your mom.

I wanted to buy the big star that Kindra made out of reclaimed wood, no way it would fit in my bag so I bought the cute tree that was still there. It will be fun to find the perfect spot for it this Christmas. I love the hand towels Pam makes, they are wonderfully soft and embroidered, I love baskets and she had some done in red and green. My favorite colors. Then there was this wonderful saltbox scene that just pops. Well Kindra, it was one inch to tall but I carried it proudly in my carry-on bag without any problems.

Krista was not able to make the trip, my son was sick that day, so she stayed home with the boys. I missed sharing the trip with her but she loved the towel so I am going to order some for Christmas gifts. I will make it a point to take the trip to see Kindra again on another visit.

I finished this Schnibbles, Winter White, last month. I used the Blessing line by Brannock and Patek from Moda. I am not keeping up with the schedule at all, but that's going to be ok with me I want to enjoy the process and not make a burden out of it.

A few more embroidery stitches on a couple blocks and then I will be ready to sew the blocks together. Karen showed the finished quilt on her blog and it is just so cute with the scalloped wool border. I will be sewing it up soon.

Anne of Cottons and Woolens was so generous and did some shopping for me at quilt market. I gave her some cash and a wish list and bless her soul she got everything on my list.

Maggie Bononami’s new book Nature’s Offering, it is full of wonderful projects big and small. I am definitely putting a few on my 2010 to do list. Primitive Gatherings new pattern along with a bundle of their new brushed wovens. They are fabulous and yummy!! Anne I am going to copy you on your sashing and post’s, they say it is flattery :))!! And a bundle of Jo Morton’s Toast II, and…… three bundles of Andovers Wuthering Heights. Holy Moly this is better than Christmas. I love them Anne!! You were so sweet to take that extra luggage and share the joy with others!

This is a sad time for Anne, know I am keeping you in my prayers. I know you are being surrounded by friends and family who will be a strength for you!! Hugs!!

I went shopping at Country Sampler in Omaha too, I knew Anne was shopping for me at market so I was very good and boring. LOL… its not fun. They have Fig Trees Mill House Inn in flannel, boy that really had my attention but I do not have a little girl to make a quilt for and I just couldn’t justify another bundle to decorate my sewing shelves. They have so many wool kits and goodies there that it is the most fun. I have a couple kits to make up for gifts so I didn’t need to indulge, but its fun to see them made up and not just pictures. What I purchased was there embroidery threads, they carry Weeks and I needed some colors for a couple projects. No one locally carries it so I was tickled to find some. I bought Krista a yummy scented candle. I found some primitive light strands in brown for my mantle that I will use soon. It was fun to browse the store, they have so many wonderful samples it was a treat!

We are having some cold Fall weather with snow in the mountains. Many people will be traveling the passes for the football and basketball games in the valley, my youngest son is going over for basketball so I am nervous for safe driving conditions. The pass is such a beautiful drive, I just don’t like packed snow and ice at all. This doesn’t get better with age, you know what I mean!!!

Tomorrow a local quilt shop, Stitchin Post, in Sisters is having their pajama sale. It’s a big deal with 30% off between 6:30-8:30 am and an extra 5% if you were pajamas. It’s a lot of fun and I am going to meet my girlfriend who lives there and we will see what we can find. You know you can save online tomorrow too, they are giving a 25% discount to online sales. Yeah, I like to share the love with you!! Then we will go out for our favorite coffee shop and have some breakfast too! A girl works up an appetite with all that excitement!!

I am thankful for my friends, blogging has brought many new wonderful people into my life and I count you as my friends. I hope I get the opportunity to meet you in person too. God Bless and have a wonderful weekend.

Hugs, Carrie

I need a second home……..in Omaha!

I had the best time…….again! Seems like its been to long again but we got to do some fun outings. I know it is going to be just more wonderful each time we visit the triplets. So I am dreaming about having my own home where I can go spend unlimited time, be at there beck and call, one short call away for filling in for anything, anytime they need a hand. Yeah, I said dreaming……but that is what I think about all the way home after a fun, action packed trip to visit the triplets.

Here is a picture of my son, the boys and myself at the farm we we visited. We went for a tractor ride to the pumpkin field, petted animals. The weather held out and didn’t rain on us and we made the outing short for the boys. Short and sweet…..perfect!

I love Denise, didn’t get a picture but she is the boys Nanny!! Just love her and the boys do too! She is a real sweetie and so much fun! Really has a heart for caregiving and teaching. She has some fun ideas for activities and learning, it is going to be so fun to hear all the stories.

The first lunch, meatballs with a yummy sauce. The boys are pretty much eating everything it seems. And boy did they love these meatballs. And boy oh boy were they messy!!! Lol…… gotta get a picture of this. Denise fed these a couple days earlier and she had her hands full getting them all cleaned up….and herself too. Lol… here’s Jaxon’s favorite face…..reminds me of a pirate face, but with meatball sauce….priceless.

You have to watch Hayden, if he likes it the mouth will be overflowing…..yeah Gramma I only have five bites…see…….

Ethan thinks they are just finger=likin good!! Mealtime is one of there favorite times and for me too. They are terrific eaters! They are growing like weeds so I can totally understand the appetite.

Friday night I got to be the babysitter during the adult Halloween party. Pebbles and Bam Bam were decked out from head to toe. OMG when they came downstairs I about choked…….I couldn’t stop laughing, they just have so much fun!!!

Everyday is fun fun fun!! The dinning room is the romper room with many fun toys……Ethan loves to play peek-a-boo and read books. He is going to be my little genius!! Love those little toes!

Do you think boys know what “NO” means at 15 months old. I think so!! Jaxon likes to take his little glasses off and boy oh boy I think he knows exactly what he is doing, and….that he really shouldn’t. You tell me!!

OK Gramma I was just testing, aren’t I just the cutest!!

Do you think they like to pose……smile……be still my heart! My photogenic triplets love to pose.

See!!!!

Now why is Hayden so happy……..because this is the couch and he loves to throw all the pillows off and go up and down, roll off and you catch him. Just his most favorite play area…..the couch!!! Here the squeal! He loves his teeth too, that tongue is always rubbing on it.

We went out to lunch before the Pumpkin Farm trip……yes to Grammas' favorite place, Panera’s. This is actually their first trip to a restaurant. We had a blast and they each ate a whole grilled cheese sandwich!!

Ethan loved people watching, he loves people. We were sitting right by the entry and he got to see everyone and then followed them to the counter!!! Getting to know the personality of the boys is one of my favorite things about spending time with them.

Jaxon kept me entertained even when I had my favorite Panera meal.

Hayden is the one who loves animals, this friendly little goat really wanted us to feed him but it gave Hayden enough time to warm up to him.

We tried to get pictures in the pumpkin patch but this is the only one that turned out with their pumpkins, and trying to get them to pose was out of the question.

They are drinking out of the little cups and trying to get a picture with all three bottoms up…….well this is the best I got. Hayden looks like his juice is spiked…lol!!!

OK thanks for indulging me if you are reading along, all you Grammy’s know how special your grandkids are to you so I know you forgive my indulgence.

I did get out of the house a couple times. I visited Country Sampler and took a drive to Lincoln to meet a fellow blogger Kindra. I will share about this on my next post along with what I am sewing on.

I need to catch up for sure….but for now I am off to have lunch with my girlfriend Linda. We just shared a fat quarter bundle of Rouenerries. I have so many patterns I could use it on, I will have to choose! There is a linen piece that I fell in love with so I am doing a make over that I will share too. It is the perfect red, perfect print and I found the perfect place!!!

Have you seen Karen’s new additions to Farmhouse Woolens, I love her taste and can not resist having just a little each time she adds something new!!!

This is a wonderful time of year to focus on Thankfulness. For us, it is the end of our busy business season. We are thankful for God’s blessing this work season. The economy is very slow and we are so thankful for everything we have received.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and we are going to be home this year. First time in over 14 years. So we are looking forward to spending time at a community kitchen and having our son at home for dinner. It is an opportunity to really look outside ourselves and give to others.

God Bless,

Carrie

Happy Halloween Giveaway!

Brenda, of Pumpkin Patch Primitives Quilt Shoppe, is having a spooktacular giveaway, click here to enter. You can wind a bundle of 27 fat quarters of Whimsicals line, Pumpkin and Spice. Way cool, so generous.

I am getting excited to leave on Wednesday for Omaha, the boys now have a Nanny at home instead of going to daycare. They started daycare at the end of July to insure their spot with a certain caregiver. School starts mid August in Omaha. Well since they started they have not had one week without a sick child. They were to the point where my son was needing to take family leave time, they started inquiring and found a Nanny! They had looked into this first and it didn't work out. They are so happy, and I am very relieved for them. Now the boys stay at home and their Nanny comes to their home.

This means the boys will not be a daycare when I am there visiting. :)) I am very thankful for their new arrangement. I am praying that this flu season passes them by.

Its Monday and I have lots to do before leaving, this weekend I prepped all my wool BOM and have lots to keep myself busy during my flights and layovers. There is a funny clip going around on facebook from Conan nights show. So like the saying goes " I will be flying in my seat in the sky" it is amazing traveling by air in just a few hours to your destination.

Fall Blessings, Carrie

Chicken Pot Pie in a Squash Bowl

My sister gave me an idea with the squash we bought last weekend. I love Chicken Pot Pies and Squash, especially Delicata Squash, I think these round shape are a variety of Delicata.

I checked out my Farmhouse Cookbook and googled Chicken Pot Pie and came up with a recipe.

First I cut the bottom off the squash, just a little bit. Cleaned out the seeds and “stuff”, put them in a baking dish with 1/2 cup water in the dish, added a small slice of butter to each squash and covered with foil. Baked 1 hour on 325 degrees, I may up that to 350 degrees but they were pretty tender.

Meanwhile: I prepared the filling…….

2 chicken breasts , cubed

garlic cloves

2 carrots, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

1/4 sweet onion, diced

1 cup frozen peas, petite green beans, cut one inch

14 ounce can of chicken broth

1/2 cup milk

3 tablespoons flour

2 premade pie crusts

Put 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in skillet, heat, add cubed chicken and garlic, sauté until almost cooked through, add carrots first cook 5-8 minutes then add celery and onion. Cook till onion are transparent add peas and green beans cook a couple minutes then sprinkle flour over the top and mix into veges. Don’t let it burn….lol ….just start to brown add 1/3 chicken broth mix in then slowly add more until all is used, then slowly add milk. This how I make gravy too. You will notice as you add the liquid it will work in and get thick , keep working so it doesn’t get lumpy, you want the mixture to be a bit soupy. It will get thicker in the squash bowl. So add more broth or milk as you want.

I filled the squash and a bit more, then used premade pie crusts. Cut out shape, I couldn’t find my leaf shapes but that is what I will use next time. I wasn’t sure how the steam would rise so I arranged them differently, they both held together equally. I brushed the tops with egg whites before baking too. Why? Because grandma did…..it makes them crispy, shiny…and I loved Grandma soo I do too! Oops forgot to say bake 30 minutes here!!

And here they are!! I was pretty excited and hungry, mine was way more than I could eat but I gave it a good shot. My first homemade Chicken Pot Pie! :))

I had some crimini mushrooms so I sautéed them in butter, and some Blue Moon beer I was drinking while I cooked. No wine in the house!! That's why I used beer….I use whatever, it is a wheat beer, have you tried it. I put the sauted mushrooms on the plate with the pie. I’m not PW and my little silver proves it…lol…

Yes, lots of filling left over, I filled 3 ramekins, no bottom crust used. Covered them and cooked them for dinner the next night. They were so good too and the filling did not stick to my pottery. I love my Longaberger Pottery for that very reason. Emile Henry is just as wonderful and Mary of Quilt Hollow loves her blue Polish Pottery for this same reason.

Well this was fun, now I need to make that darn apple cake, I have the apples so this weekend I will get to it.. You know I really don’t need the calories but hey its Fall and maybe it will warm up to the 60’s this weekend and feel like Fall too!!! Its been way to cold, except for my night sweats, cold nights feel good!! My DH says he is freezing, he has a down comforter, wool blanket, quilt with wool batting and I use the flannel sheet with one leg out!! How cold can he be, yep his toes are still cold, now I am worrying about his circulation!!

I’m going to go check out some more recipes, have a wonderful weekend.

Fall Blessings,

Carrie

JLW Quilts Fall Outing

I haven’t shared  my JLW meet up last month.  After taking the summer off we got together.    Many of the members got their Holiday Inn quilts put together,  they were so fun to see, even if there not completed its fun to see them.    

We all made 4 inch baskets  for Gail our leader, she was so surprised with them, and very touched I think.   

It was a fun time together,  I am glad I joined a local group.  I had been participating in one by mail, and I will say Carriage Country Quilts is fabulous, they have many fabrics and have wonderful kits for their projects.

But like I said I am very pleased attending a local group, meeting together with women, making new friends and  old friends too!!    For me the personal touch makes all the difference. 

Here is my quilt, unfinished but I am enjoying the process of Holiday Inn.   The medallion style  is a fun one.   I have admired Round Robins and it also reminds me of them.

Last weekend I spent time with my family in Cottage Grove.    My father passed away 2 years ago and we met on Friday,  which would have been his 82 birthday.      We interned his ashes next to his parents.   It was very bittersweet,   lets say for me its a work in progress living without a parent.   It was a beautiful day and the view of the surrounding valley with the turning colors was peaceful.    We spent the afternoon at my mothers visiting with family that gathered.    Then we all started  working on the handrails of her new deck that she built last year.    Many hands make light work it really took shape and got some weather treatment too. 

Saturday we went up to Junction City to a century farm,  Thistledown Farm,   a wonderful family owned  and operated farm.    I got a box of apples, squash, huge sweet onions, filberts and small cute pumpkins.    We  got some sweet corn for dinner that was delicious. 

Mom took a picture of this cute bench,  the painting has alot of detail.  It was a cute bench,  hmm, hint hint!!

We headed in to Junction City to visit Buttermilk Junction,  I did not get pictures there, naughty me,  the store has recently moved into a space with a quilt shop,   it was a nice arrangement.    It is a prim shop with many wonderful items to decorate your home.  I did get a couple things,  a batter operated candle and stand,  that I put on my mantel with my pumpkins.

Next we went to 5th Street Market in Eugene,  they had a very cool truck their so I snapped a shot of my sister and mom. 

Then we headed to Mindy’s,  where you have to hide your pocketbook from yourself.   Mindy has everything you would want and more for needlework, she hand paints her own needlepoint designs too.     She has many different types of embroidery thread, all  beautifully displayed. 

This display of thread is my favorite.  It is antique from a Post Office in Portland.

 

She carries Blackbird Designs patterns,   I purchased their pattern May Flowers, Three Stockings for May and Maggie’s Needlecase by Maggie Bonanomi,   you know I love her!!!     Embroidery threads for the patterns from Weeks Dye Works,  The Gentle Art and some 30 ct. linen.    They had Crescent Colours coming in this week so I will get those threads when they arrive.    And one piece of textured green wool.    

I’m sure you read Alma’s blog  its wonderful to get all the peeks of their artwork.   I always  like their little stockings, so now I can stitch up a pretty cross-stitch!

I made up a new concoction for dinner,  my sister gave me the idea, I will share it soon.

Fall blessings,

Carrie