Monday, April 30, 2012

Design Wall Monday



I am working on a small version of the Black quilt in a white background and setting triangles. My aunt ordered it for her son's wedding. It will have three borders on it with the five blocks in the middle. I think it will be about 50x70 when finished.
Huge difference between the "attitude" of these quilts and the only change is the background color!



Thursday, April 26, 2012

Simple Living

I am exploring simple recipes over the past two weeks. I need to have more ideas on cooking with chickpeas. I am going to try Falafel. I like to eat hot foods or I feel like I didn't eat much.

I found this I will try tonight. I am on a quest to eat healthier. Aren't we all? I need to mix it up and try new things.



Easiest Falafel By: jaclyncady


"Super quick and easy - you will probably have all the ingredients in your pantry already! Serve with your favorite sauce! I served mine with spicy mayo, made by mixing 3 tablespoons mayo with 1/2 tablespoon sriracha. It would also be great with tzatziki or spicy mustard." Rate/Review

Original Recipe Yield 5 servings

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs, or as needed

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup olive oil1 egg2 tablespoons dried parsley

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs, or as needed

1 cup olive oil for frying, or as needed

Directions

1.Place garbanzo beans, 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs, onion, 1/4 cup olive oil, egg, parsley, curry powder, garlic powder, lemon juice, and black pepper in a food processor or blender. Puree until coarse crumbles form. Blend more panko crumbs into mixture if it is too moist.

2.Roll mixture into balls about the size of a golf ball; place on a plate.

3.Press into patties and coat in panko bread crumbs.

4.Heat about 1-inch olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.

5.Pan-fry patties until crispy, about 3 minutes on each side.







Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Happiness Project


Patchwork Times
 I am working on a few things this week to promote happiness that are a bit different for me. I am spending a bit more time on the internet. I decided this week to visit all 100 blogs on Design wall Monday and comment if I felt lead. It makes a difference to see the pictures full sized and to read about everybody's journey in life. I haven't done that in several months and I felt inspired by the work. I enjoyed reading peoples stories. I felt uplifting by commenting, Who knew? I can't do that every week because it is a large investment of time but it is really fun to do on occasion. I feel connected to people who are as nuts about quilting as I am. Maybe more!

Jotting a line, sending a card, making a call, keeping in touch. No reason we can't do that in this day and age.


Monday, April 23, 2012

Design Wall Monday







I have all the rows put together for the Civil War Diary Quilt. Now to get a fabric for the setting triangles and then to join the rows. Those 6 inch blocks just sparkle on the bed in the layout. I am liking this a lot! 
I am caught up on the BOM constellation of stars. I am finding the "easy" looking blocks are the hardest to put together. Like those small friends ship stars, ugh, hard. Not enough blocks are done for the interlocking chain sashing pattern to show yet, watch for it! Looking forward to the next four that come out in May.



Thursday, April 19, 2012

Simple Living

Simple eating.

Breakfast-greek yogurt and coffee. I am a cream and sugar person, yum
    Lunch-salad and a sandwich
     Supper something with ground turkey or chicken.


How boring. I thought about this as simple for a long time. Now I am just bored. I need to zip it up some. Last week I made Italian meatballs with a recipe from Food Network's Giada. It was good. It was a bit of effort but tasted great. Otherwise, the rest of the meals, snore. Recipe below:

 http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/mini-turkey-meatballs-recipe/index.html



There has to be a way to eat healthy foods that help you lose weight, AND aren't boring.

I need ideas, some recipes, some inspiration. I am so over this cooking dinner thing, ha, because I am not very good at it!

Please leave some links in the comments for ideas.



Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Happiness Project

Pinned Image


I have been experiencing a increase in my job's demands on my time and flexibility lately. I have resisted it for a couple of weeks but have learned to embrace it and understand that it is temporary, as a co worker had surgery. So I have been spending much time reviewing things that I am thankful for and that has helped me get through the long days. I am thankful for:

those in my life that I love and who love me
a full time job( that is mostly M-F and mostly 830-5) with health benefits and a retirement plan that pay for the following-

our home
the car that drives
the clothes I have
the bills and taxes are paid and debt is becoming a thing of the past
gym membership
my dishwasher and washing machine
a bed to sleep on and a chair to sit on
my TV and cable
internet service
cell phone


Those things on the list help me to get through the day with ease but it is all about the first one, our loves, isn't it?

Monday, April 16, 2012

Design Wall Monday

Civil War Diary quilt on point setting



I had a nice quiet weekend. I was able to put together the blocks for my Civil War Diary quilt in to rows. They are on point, like the Farmer's Wife quilt. I really like it and think it will look great. I need to decide on the setting triangles color. I may go a light blue. Only 5 more rows to go!

I have put the Farmer Wife on hold. I am so frustrated with it. I am going to buy the paper piecing companion CD when I decide I am ready to try again. Believe me, I have another project, or two,  to finish.

Does any else have neighbor frustrations? I am frustrated with barking/wandering dogs all hours of the day and night, and animal control wont address. I have other neighbors that have a lifestyle and home business that I don't like. They have tons of parties as they are promoting their pole dancing business. Yes, everyone in town knows about it, has seen the "dancing" through the windows and -can you believe it-business cards. I think they are toning down the parties as it is a bit quieter but summer is coming on. I am thinking about what I want to do about this. I think I am going to just keep to myself and it will resolve itself. Maybe I should just be kind. I just can't believe that is legal...ha, I am such an old poop, but think this type of "business" is degrading to women and just, not cool. They rent.


Ending on a positive note, DS, was offered a job at a new fast food restaurant coming to town. I am so happy, jobs for teens are hard to come by in this small rural town because unemployment is so high.

And our taxes are done, finally. We didn't have to pay, that makes me smile!!





Wednesday, April 11, 2012

I have had my routine so blown out of the water over the past month that I can't seem to get anything done. I am continuing to work out, and clean up. Non-negotiable but things feel a bit off centered at times. That's OK, it makes things interesting. I am not getting many quilt blocks made but I am in the process of joining up squares and completing two quilt tops. I am slowly pulling a pattern and book manuscript together.



We went to a college yesterday to look at a state school for our son. It was freezing and snowing the entire campus tour, yes that is what I remember the year I attended that school. Snow and cold!! It wasn't really exciting but overall very educational. He has lots of thinking to do about what he may want to do and the college will follow. The cost is so scary but I don't see how it can be done without loans. The above picture are some of the college brochures and letters. A big maze to negotiate any day.

yep, the picture confirms it, a hair cut is needed and about 30 pounds
to start!!
I am out of my office and travelling to other offices more and in this wonderful weather. I am going to enjoy being out in the sun today and watch it melt the bit of snow that stuck overnight.





Friday, April 6, 2012


I had a day doing things I wanted to do. I felt a little bit guilty but it didn't last long. I went to the quilt shop and found out the BOM had a mistake in the paper piecing pattern. I thought I had lost my mind, so glad to find out that I hadn't.

I poked around in the yard. I sewed a few blocks. I worked out.

Then I ate pizza.

It was a great day off.



Thursday, April 5, 2012

Simple Living

 

I am thinking about simplifying my gardens this year. They are a bit crowded and need more maintenance than I can/want to give them. I think I am planting hostas nearly everywhere to fill in my beds and mulch the beds. I have a few flowers for color. Several plants that are not my favorite are getting dug up like Autumn Joy Sedum. My husband has a few raised beds for veggies and they are his project :).

I wish my flower beds looked like the picture above...I am not sure why my miss the mark a bit! I think the key is the variety of hostas in the bed.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Happiness Project





























































I have been taking a little break from quilting. I have been watching more TV. Sometimes that is fun and a nice break. I am hooked on the Storage auction shows. It is the thrill of finding a treasure in all the junk. I am still hanging in there on Biggest Loser. I really like watching TV and there are several shows that I enjoy not mentioned. I try to limit the amount I watch because it is easy to get sucked in and lose several hours of productivity during the day.

It's Spring Break here. Many people in our community go to Florida. It is sunny and warm here, so I am enjoying the great weather. I am working but have a long weekend ahead. I am looking forward to getting house and yard work done. Getting the flower beds in order makes me happy. Lots of digging, raking and  spreading mulch. :)

It is Easter this week. I am not feeling it. I am usually in the middle of a spiritual study and preparing for resurrection Sunday. I am doing a study but it feels a bit flat.  I guess that is what faith is about continuing to live your belief even when there isn't a big emotional connection involved with it.

Here's to finding the spiritual message in spring from now until Sunday!






Monday, April 2, 2012

Design Wall Monday



I finished a quilt for my Aunt to reproduce a worn out quilt of hers. It is called a quilt for all seasons. I chose a simple meander quilting pattern in silver thread.

I love it, I think she will too.

Trying to back on track with my blogging schedule this week. Work, it interferes with my life! :)