How to Make a Christmas Stocking

Our family has grown, which meant finding new matching stockings. Since the stores have such limited options, we resorted to making our own...and I LOVE THEM!!!

Materials Required:
1/3 yd. Christmas Fabric (body of stocking and backing)
1/4 yd. Complimentary Fabric (trim and toe)
2 1/2 in. Ribbon (loop for hanging stocking)

Step 1: Take a trip to your local quilt store, and find some adorable Christmas fabric. You'll need two complimentary fabrics for the stocking. It should only take about 1/3 a yard of your main fabric, and 1/4 a yard for the trim and toe. (You may need more fabric if it is directional like the tree fabric I selected.)

Step 2: Create your pattern. We just traced the stockings we originally had because we still liked their shape and direction. Remember, there is no right or wrong to creativity! Make the stocking any size, shape, or direction you want!

Step 3: Cut out your fabric. Remember to add your 1/4 inch seam allowance. Also, notice that the back of the stocking is cut in the opposite direction of the front. (***Be careful if you are using a directional fabric. These trees would look funny if I cut them horizontally.) Another tip is to add about 1 1/2 inches to the top of the backing and the front trim piece. This will allow you to fold the excess down and give the stocking a finished look.

Step 4: Sew the trim and the toe to the body of the front.

Step 5: Pin the pieced front to the backing with the right sides of the fabric together. However, do not pin the trim portion to the backing yet.

Step 6: Fold down the excess from the trim and iron it down. Then, flip the pinned stocking over to do the same to the backing. Make sure that they are level. 

Step 7: Cut a 2 1/2 inch piece of ribbon. I used a 5/8 size ribbon, and I cut the ends at an angle. Fold the ribbon in half, and place it between the front and backing of the stocking. Now, you may finish pinning the front to the back.

Step 8: Sew the stocking together with the 1/4 inch seam allowance. Then, turn it right side out.

Step 9: Hang it up for Santa to fill!

***Another option is to write the names on the trim of each stocking. You could simply use a fine point permanent pen.***

Just Bee Cuz

There is something so addicting about quilting blogs. I know my Mom is intrigued by them, so when she stumbled upon this post from "Make it Do," she heartily encouraged me to make the quilt described. Incidentally, we ended up over at the quilt store, where I saw this bumble bee fabric from Timeless Treasures.

Naturally, I had seen it before, but I never had a project in mind for it. My Mom was with me and, since my birthday was coming up, she promised to buy the fabric as my gift. So, there I am staring down those bees, straining my mind (which really hurts by the way), and trying to envision something great with these funny little bugs that are just buzzing to be bought. This is about the time that my Mom suggests using it for the "half squares on point" quilt.

Needless to say, it is entirely out of the norm for me (I usually go for deep, rich colors and more complicated patterns), but I am hopelessly in love with this quilt!

Of course, the back proved to be absolutely adorable too, and I'm now creating a pattern to use the bee block for the front of another quilt.

So...thank you Calli for posting the pattern and the tutorial...thank you Gail Cadden for designing those charming little bumble bees...and most especially, thank you Mom for finding the pattern and providing the fabric!

Homemade or Store Bought?

Check it out! I finally got over to my sister's place to take a picture of the first blanket I EVER quilted!

Isn't it beautiful? It was a jelly roll project, and it looks nothing like my other projects. However, for some bizarre reason I liked it and thought my sister might too. Of course, she didn't realize that I had made it until months after I gifted it. She thought it was store bought! I didn't know whether to be flattered or offended...the optimist in me eventually won out though, and I'm still thoroughly flattered! (If you look carefully at the picture, then you may be able to find the butterfly that finally convinced my sister that I made the quilt.)

David Archuleta Makes Dreams Come True

Okay, so here's a funny story. I recently received a new calling as the Stake Photographer. What does that mean? Basically, I have an open invitation to every stake event, and that included the Young Women's Conference.
I am still in shock over what I witnessed firsthand.

About mid-way through the conference, David Archuleta (yes, I mean American Idol David Archuleta), surprised hundreds of teenage girls as he showed up to speak and sing for them. As they announced his name from the podium, the girls screamed, some cried, and others ran to him!

He managed to calm the audience down though as he sang the sweetest rendition of
"I am a Child of God" that I have ever heard. He genuinely spoke from the heart. Which only provided further proof that the person we all saw on American Idol was the real David Archuleta. That was no act on national television. More than anything though, I have to say that boy can sing! When he does, it permeates the air and touches your soul. His voice can and will make anyone a David Archuleta fan! 

Meanwhile, all those lovestruck teenage girls came away with just one thought...
to marry David Archuleta!

Fajitas-American Style

For two years, my brother lived overseas. When he returned home, we asked him what he would like to eat. He answered the following, "I want American food! You know, fajitas, tacos, and enchiladas!"
Oh yeah, that's American food alright! Regionally speaking, I suppose it could apply as American food...okay, so I'm stretching the truth a little.
Regardless, these are some of our favorite recipes. The other night we made fajitas. Doesn't it look delicious?

Recipe:
5-6 Chicken Breasts (boneless, skinless)
8-10 Bell Peppers, diced (various colors)
3-6 Tbsp. Fajita Seasoning
3-5 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
Flour Tortillas
You begin by cooking the chicken in a covered electric skillet. Once cooked, cut the chicken into small pieces. Add 3 Tbsp. fajita seasoning, and frozen bell peppers to the skillet. Periodically taste the chicken and peppers. Season to taste. Add chopped tomatoes, and heat through. Serve with flour tortillas.

Here's a few tips:
-Dice the bell peppers in advance, and freeze them in a plastic freezer bag. This allows the peppers to cook up faster.
-We use Chef Merito Red Fajitas Seasoning. It is ideal since it comes in a 13 oz. bottle. However, you could use any fajita seasoning. Some of us like more seasoning than others, so we prepare the fajitas with a mild flavor. Then those that want more heat can apply more seasoning to their own serving.
-Usually, we use the smaller flour tortillas, but you can use any size.
-Personally, I don't like tomatoes, so I usually set aside a portion of the fajitas before adding the tomatoes to the mixture.
Basically, we try to accommodate the entire family!

Mom's Burgandy/Green Quilt

Last year I found myself being interviewed by a judge to be on a jury. In response to one of the questions, I replied (without thinking), "It seemed like a good idea at the time." Since then, I have realized just how applicable that statement is to so many decisions that I have made!
Take this quilt for example. You see, we never intended for Mom's quilt to be green. It was supposed to be burgandy and rose. Green was supposed to be the accent color. Boy, did we ever accent it! We kept finding ourselves attracted to the floral prints, which naturally had green in them. Anyway, it wasn't until we looked at our collection that we recognized our blunder. It was such a beautiful compilation though that it would be a shame to not make it that way. And, it did seem like a good idea at the time!
Still, it turned out quite beautifully, and Mom was just as pleased with the quilt!
The pattern is one that we found in Colorado. It calls for 1 jelly roll to make a throw quilt, but we wanted specific colors and styles.

Of course, just as other fashion venues have trends, so does the quilting world (For some reason quilters are getting stuck on batiks and civil war fabrics right now). Well, considering the options we had for jelly rolls, we just bought our fabric off the bolt and cut our own 2 1/2 inch strips. Then we enlarged the quilt size to fit the bed. The only dilemma we found with the pattern was the excessive amount of fabric left over. We solved that problem by turning it into a border.

My favorite feature though, is the butterfly! I've appliqued plenty of butterflies, but this time I wanted to try something different. It was a lot more work, but it was worth it! I selected some of the scraps from the quilt, cut the right shapes, and appliqued the entire ensemble together. Isn't she a pretty little butterfly?
The next step was to quilt the masterpiece. Patches has become one of my favorite quilt stores, since I took the Gammill quilting course there. I quilted the Watercourse pantograph in green thread, and the subtle effect is gorgeous! I wanted to set it up on the bed as soon as it was quilted, but, as with all quits, the binding remained to be done. You know, sometimes it feels like quilts never end because there are so many steps! However, after just a few weeks, the quilt was finally completed, and ready to be displayed!
Best of all though was how much Mom loved it!

Alton Brown's Cocoa Brownies

What do you do when you run out of brownie box mixes? Easy, search for brownie recipes on foodnetwork.com! What a plethora of recipes! Some are based off of box mixes, but Alton Brown had one from scratch.
It has a rich fudge/cake-like taste. Of course, I altered the recipe slightly (I just couldn't help myself!). I added 3/4 cup of sliced maraschino cherries, which is good if you like maraschino cherries the way I do. Now, my sister isn't as fond of them as I am, so she would prefer that I leave them out. However, my niece thoroughly enjoyed it!

Alton's original Cocoa Brownie recipe is as follows:

Ingredients:
Soft butter, for greasing the pan
Flour, for dusting the buttered pan
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar, sifted
1 cup brown sugar, sifted
8 ounces melted butter
1 ¼ cups cocoa, sifted
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup flour, sifted
½ tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8-inch square pan.
In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs at medium speed until fluffy and light yellow. Add both sugars. Add remaining ingredients, and mix to combine.
Pour the batter into a greased and floured 8-inch square pan and bake for 45 minutes. Check for doneness with the tried-and-true toothpick method: a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan should come out clean. When it's done, remove to a rack to cool. Resist the temptation to cut into it until it's mostly cool.

Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to your plate, and I promise you won't be sorry! This recipe will satisfy any sweet tooth!

My "Everything But the Kitchen Sink" Charm Quilt

Sometime last year, I found myself in Mormon Handicraft in Utah. They had these charm packs of RJR's "Everything But the Kitchen Sink" fabric. Now, normally I wouldn't look twice at vintage material, but the 90% off sticker has a way of drawing a person's attention. And...well, the price was too good to resist! The end result was creating, what has become, one of my favorite quilts! It is so completely NOT me! I don't make quilts in the primary colors, or vintage prints! It proved to be really fun though. Perhaps it's because it didn't cost as much, so I didn't fret and worry. I simply enjoyed assembling the charms.

Now, I did add the red that is seen throughout the quilt and border. Plus, the binding and backing. Of course, the backing was a wonderful little bonus! Quilt Emporium happened to have this adorable yellow, vintage nursery rhyme print that is extra wide. It measures over 50 inches wide, so I didn't have to piece the backing!
And who wouldn't love the design that I quilted into it?!

My only dilemma now is that I find myself being drawn to the vintage fabrics! I seem to be gaining an appreciation for too many styles! Oh, who am I kidding? I just LOVE fabric!

S'more Pudding Cups

Yes, I am a Food Network Junkie!
What is so mesmerizing about watching food preparation? I just can't turn away. I'm fascinated by all the techniques, color, and flavorful ingredients! I especially love the simple variations of the classics.

Sandra Lee recently changed the S'more. She created a parfait with the same notion. The recipe calls for:

1 package of chocolate pudding (prepare according to box instructions)
Crushed graham crackers
Mini marshmallows

Personally, I LOVE puddings and custards (some of my greatest weaknesses)! It is because of this intense love that I changed the recipe to my taste.
Parfaits are always beautiful, but I like my S'more with a lot of pudding and toasted marshmallows with just a hint of graham crackers.

Now, others may like more or less of some ingredients, so I like to make it more "build-your-own" friendly. Hence, I make the instant pudding, and pour them into the cups. That way everyone can just top them with their desired amount of graham crackers and marshmallows.
Then comes the fun part...toasting the marshmallows. They smell so good! You can use any torch, but the little butane ones are great for individual servings, and they are safer/easier for people to use.

It's always a huge hit for people to use these torches. Perhaps it's simply because people love to play with their food. This is one acceptable way to do that. Make sure that you don't use paper or plastic cups though...I imagine that they will disintegrate.

Paparazzi at the Hansen Dam Triathlon

It never ceases to amaze me that I should feel so exhausted after watching a triathlon. Especially when you consider the fact that all I did was to take pictures of one athlete! I felt like a member of the paparazzi! Of course, to be quite honest with you, I don't know how they do it. How could any of the paparazzi survive with their work conditions!
I took pictures of my sister in the Hansen Dam triathlon today, and I believe that I may have received a small taste of paparazzi life. First of all, you must consider that a good paparazzi is in the right place at the right time to capture the right moment in still life form.

In the triathlon sense, that translates into running from the swim platform to the biking area. From there you must hurry to the running path and then be at the finish line. Of course, these events include both the beginning and ending of each portion. Given the nature of the competition, one must rush to each location in order to beat the athlete there. By the time I had finished, I felt as though I had participated in the triathlon myself.
I'm glad that I did though, especially when you consider the importance of each moment. After all, it's not as though I could have her do it again. Hence, the notion of being in the right place at the right time.
Of course, if the running around doesn't wear you out, the boredom might. Not knowing how long each portion of the course will take, you must anxiously, watchfully wait for your athlete to come in. Do you have any idea how stressful that can be?

Have you ever tried to identify one athlete out of one thousand? Sure you can watch for a certain color helmet or cap. Naturally, you know what color the bicycle is, and what clothing they are wearing. Don't forget though...there are fewer than 1000 base colors. After a while, they all start to look the same, and you find yourself questioning your eye sight! Still, how do the paparazzi stand the waiting game? I could never be continually on my guard. Always watching, waiting anxiously for that photo opportunity of a lifetime.

How do they handle each other too? I had people pushing me and getting in the way of my photographs, and it was incredibly annoying! In fact, if I weren't so exhausted, I might have allowed some of that road rage to explode (don't worry I didn't...remember, I was too tired from all the running that I did).
Anyway, after much deliberation, I have come to the conclusion that I will never be qualified for the paparazzi. However, I will continue to photograph sporting events (my sister will see to that). I will also continue to lobby for a longer lens (for purely selfless reasons of course).

Curby's Closet Boots

I feel like such a slacker because I haven't written much this week. Between reading and sewing I find my attention being drawn away from the computer altogether. Why write my mindless thoughts when I can read the powerful insights and research of doctors and inspired men? Even as I type this, I find myself looking longingly at one of my new books. However, I simply must share my latest quilting accomplishments!

My father's cousin's daughter (if that makes any sense!) is pregnant and the baby shower was tonight. So, for the gift, I made my usual soft, cuddly, minkie blanket.
Then, I tried something new. You see, while on the Southern California Quilt Run, we found a pattern for baby boots that was a must since I know so many people that are pregnant! The company is called Curby's Closet, and they are just about the cutest thing that you can put on a baby's feet! The boots are made with quilted fabric, which you can do on your basic sewing machine. You then cut the quilted fabric and sew it all together in boot form.

Didn't they turn out sweet?! I suddenly want to make them in every color, theme, and size because I am so excited about them! They are really easy to make, and look really impressive. They especially look nice with the overall gift. Don't you think? It just tops the whole thing off by adding that final touch of perfection.

Birthday Truths and Reflections

Well, I'm officially another year older, and, apparently, it is customary to reflect on the past year to see if you feel older or wiser. My answer to the question is...no. I don't feel older, and I doubt that I am significantly wiser. The past year has taught me a few things, but I find my reflections are more on or about birthdays and their niceties...
Have you noticed that so many of the sweet, simple sayings have decreased, or lost their significance over the years? Cynicism and cruelty have overpowered them. There are just two phrases that have really withstood the forces of ugliness, "thank you" and "happy birthday." How can such common words hold such significance? How could they remain relatively untainted? These are the things that I find myself contemplating, but I think that I have some idea about their fortitude. You see, one of my birthday gifts (which I absolutely love) is a book about symbols. In the preface, the author quotes Peter Marshall who wrote, "Small deeds done are better than great deeds planned." I couldn't help being impressed by just how truly that statement applies to these simple phrases. They are small words, but the meaning behind them is all goodness. "Thank you" can only exemplify that one great virtue, gratitude. There is no other reason for its use, and gratitude must be one of humanity's saving graces. The other phrase, "happy birthday," elicits two motives. They are joy and selflessness. How readily and easily do we really offer true congratulations to others? Too often people force their smiles and words of praise. However, birthdays are always happily greeted. They become an opportunity to be sincerely happy for another person. Hence, Dr. Marshall was correct in his estimation of small things. They are powerful, especially in building up our personal characters.

Make-Ahead Broccoli Salad

Do you ever find that everything always happens on the same day/weekend? You can have weeks of nothing, and suddenly there is a baby shower, bridal shower, potluck, swim meet, and whatever else you can think of occurring on the same weekend! You can't not go to everything, so you must find a way to attend all of them. In my home, busy weekends usually require bringing food to some event. Thus, we are always on the lookout for a good recipe that can be made a day in advance. Enter the Broccoli salad! I tell you, this salad is my hero! It tastes fabulous, and must be made the day before! Check out this recipe...

Salad:
8 cups broccoli florets
2/3 cup chopped cashews
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1 lb. fried bacon, chopped
Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
3 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar

Combine the salad ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients. Toss dressing with salad ingredients, and refrigerate overnight.
Toss salad just before serving to redistribute dressing.

Is that wonderful or what?! My Mom and I found this recipe on one of those free recipe cards that Wal-Mart puts in their grocery department. However, we altered it to fit our tastes. For instance, it actually called for deli ham, but we like bacon. We also increased a few of the ingredients. After all, you can never have too many cashews, right?

One Block Wonder

It's finally finished! My first One Block Wonder is sewn, quilted, and bound. I've actually made a few others following this pattern, but this quilt is still my favorite. Then again, this one is in my favorite colors, and it was the very first "one block wonder" that I ever pieced...
The basic premise behind this pattern is to transform one fabric from a repetitive panel into a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork. There are a number of different patterns for this. Some call it a "Stack 'N Whack." Personally, I like Maxine Rosenthal's book. It's great for someone that likes to work independently (something that I appreciate). The instructions are easy to understand, and she covers all the bases including how to choose a fabric. Movement is key to a beautiful One-Block-Wonder. Consequently, I chose a fabric with water, feathers, and floral aspects.
Isn't the quilt just lovely? You should see the original fabric though...

Not nearly as pretty as my interpretation-don't you agree? It's a Kona Bay Fabric from 2006, and I believe that I have greatly improved it.

Now, Rosenthal suggests two different shapes that can be used to create the quilt. You can either use the octagon or the hexagon. I used the hexagon here. It's my preference between the two. As you place the blocks together, you find additional hexagons. It tricks the eye (and makes it very easy to mix the blocks up, so you must be careful when assembling). The octagon is amazing too. However, it requires corner pieces which makes it a square, so it's easier to tell where one block ends and another begins. The hexagon is not as obvious.
The best part of this pattern though (my favorite feature) is that no quilt can ever be duplicated!

Miss Bliss

We had a family dinner yesterday, and my niece was just so cute in her little dress that I had to take a few pictures! Kids are just so unpredictable...I never would have stood her on that chair. Of course, she thought that by doing so, she might be able to catch what was flying overhead...which is partly why the music is so perfect for this video.

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Creamy Dressing with a Kick!

It's always fun and exciting to try a new recipe. At least, in my house it's considered fun and exciting. Our latest adventure was to create a dressing that we found online. Many of the ingredients were new to me. I had never worked with tomatillos or cilantro before, but I had heard of them. Plus, the recipe appeared innocent enough since the base is Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch Dressing. Boy were we wrong! Our first disaster came when we learned about a new food allergy...the hard way. Yes, Mom became violently ill. Consequently, we decided to alter the recipe to the Original Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing.
We also learned that green Tabasco Sauce doesn't offer enough heat. This means adding jalapenos instead. Having never worked with this ingredient before, I made the mistake of trying a teeny, tiny bite of raw jalapeno. The next thing I knew, my face burned bright red, my eyes popped out, and flames erupted out of my ears! I felt like a cartoon character that just swallowed a stick of dynamite! I never would have imagined that so much fire could be contained in such a small portion. Oh, and don't think for a minute that cold water or juice will put those flames out! They just numb it momentarily, so you keep drinking until you find yourself completely waterlogged AND on fire! It gives new meaning to the term "a walking contradiction!"
What a wake up call that was for me! Of course, even with all the allergic reactions and fires, it turned out to be a good recipe. I would definitely make it again. However, I would recommend the following tips.

First, use the Original Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix (it actually has a better taste because the buttermilk flavor is too overpowering).

Second, use gloves when preparing the jalapenos, and DON'T EAT THEM!

Third, store the dressing in a canning jar. This is a trick that we've used for some time now. It's great for traveling, doesn't take much space, and you can shake the dressing before pouring with no mess.

Now, I'm sure you're all anxious to experience your own adventures with this recipe, so here it is:

1 Original Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix (prepared as per the recipe with one cup milk and 1 cup mayonnaise)
2-4 Tomatillos (diced and lightly roasted in the oven)
1/2 a bunch of Cilantro
1 Clove of Garlic
Juice of 1 Lime
1-2 Jalapenos

Mix all the ingredients in a food processor until well blended. Refrigerate.

Enjoy!

How to Make Time Stand Still

After you've seen a movie a few times, what do you do with all the extra footage? I mean, every movie has a story to tell, but once you know that story there is nothing left to enjoy but the familiarity and those classic scenes that draw you in. For instance, we frequently have the "Bourne Trilogy" on at my house. Do we sit on the couch and watch it from start to finish? No. We put it on as background noise. Do we watch some parts of the movies? Absolutely! Anytime that Matt Damon's character is looking through a window and calling Treadstone/Black Brier, or when he breaks into Langley and makes that infamous call (I feel happy just thinking of it), we stop to watch. I love when he sends those shock waves through his enemies. You know, that moment when they realize that they are not in control. These are scenes that actually make everything in the house stop! We work through the rest of the movie, but when these scenes come along...everyone pauses...and when the scene is over, we go back to work and the movie transfers to the background again. Chances are that you can take any film and reduce it down to about 15 minutes of worthwhile, re-playable acting. For instance, when Christopher Plummer sings Edelweiss, we all sit down and sigh. In the A&E Pride and Prejudice...we watch the Pemberley scenes, and the kiss. Oh, and we mute Mary's performance at the Netherfield Ball. Now, you may be thinking that I am strange, that this is a ridiculous topic for a blog, or you may be smiling because you like those scenes too and feel the same way. However, this is a huge dilemma for me! It makes it terribly difficult to choose something to watch/listen to. As I search through the many titles, I think of the plot, the happy scenes, and then the in between scenes (all the parts that separate the happy ones), and then I feel as though I have just watched the whole movie without a television. It's as though I am mentally watching the entire film, and after that quick flash in my head, I have no desire to watch any of it! It's a sudden realization of just how little of the movie I actually enjoy!
Think about it, there are dozens of DVDs in your home. Now suppose you were to take those hundreds of hours of cinematic masterpieces and condense them down to just your favorite scenes...you would probably have a very short film. Naturally it would be rewarding, completely confusing to anyone else, but enjoyable for you. What do you do with all film that you cut? It's really quite pathetic when you think about it. My Mom and I were discussing this earlier this evening. We tried listing the clips that would be in our short compilation. It almost became a game as we would ramble off a title, and then try to recall and relate our time-stopping scenes. Of course, then there are the quotes that have somehow infiltrated themselves into our everyday dialog. An example of this is when you find yourself sitting at a green light, but the car in front of you doesn't move. Sound familiar? That's right! It's The Italian Job, and yes I do quote Handsome Rob to the car in front of me...along with a few other choice words, but we won't go there now...Still, don't you have those moments? Those times when something happens, or someone says something that you associate with a movie quote, and that is the only response that you can offer? It's not your intention to be flippant or silly, but the line just perfectly fits the moment. Well, I have this problem. Wow, I'm suddenly realizing just how influential movies can be. I wonder if everything that I say is really just a series of lines from various screenplays pieced together from a bunch of distorted movie memories.

A "Garden Path" to Frustration!

Sometimes I think that brilliance borders on insanity. This month's issue of The Quilter Magazine has a pattern for "Garden Path Place mats." Being the imaginative (and somewhat deranged) person that I am, I thought it would be great to use the roses of the pattern in a border around my mystery/"Triple Play" quilt. Sounds like a beautiful touch doesn't it? Now, if only Pam Bono hadn't left a couple of things out of the pattern! For instance, each of the pieces get cut down by 30%! Do you know how painful it is to see so many scraps discarded on the floor? OH THE PAIN! Alright, so maybe I'm being a little dramatic. In all seriousness though, it is a lot of wasted fabric, but I suppose it would be a rather finicky pattern if you cut it any other way.
The other tip, or secret, that Pam doesn't share is how long it takes to piece those roses together! I set a small goal for myself today. I thought, "I'll just put 10 roses together. It should only take a couple of hours...right?" WRONG! There are 21 pieces to the rose. I only made it through 12 of them.
Naturally, I still think that it would really take the mystery quilt to the next level with those roses in a border. Of course, that means I'll have to keep working on them, and hopefully get 25 of them (you know-to really make the border spectacular). I just need to plan more time to make them I guess. It's a good thing that I still have three months until the mystery quilt show and tell.
Now I just need to figure out whether this whole scheme is inspiration or insanity...

Suspense & Mystery

There are those that love suspense and surprises. They thrive on the unknown. They long for that feeling of anticipation and the excitement that accompanies it. There is nothing more exhilarating than those suspended moments of mystery, right? Not to me! I am the type that has to read the last chapter of the novel to know that everything turns out okay. I read the instructions from start to finish so that I know what to expect in each step. From childhood to adolescence I nearly always knew what my birthday gifts would be. However, my mother has honed her skills of secrecy, and I haven't a clue about what I should expect for my birthday this year! Add to that the fact that I still have two weeks until my birthday! Of course, my mother (like so many mothers) knows my character better than I know myself, so, as Jane Austen's Mrs. Bennet would say, "[She] takes delight in vexing me!" For three days now, she has been taunting me with reminders that I will be completely surprised. Then, to add further insult to injury, she informed me (and has repeatedly reminded me) that I actually held her handwritten birthday gift list in my hands! Oh, how I wish that I had known to be nosy last week!

At least, I was able to appease one element of surprise in my life. You see, as a quilter, I thrive on selecting beautiful fabrics. I then take great delight in slicing them up - just to re-piece them into some new pattern. About three months ago, I went to Cotton and Chocolate (one of my favorite local quilt stores). While there, I somehow allowed myself to be manipulated into signing up for the mystery quilt pattern. The premise behind the mystery pattern is that you only receive one step of the quilt's construction per month for six months. This means that when I began the quilt, I had no concept of how the finished product would appear. I selected fabric, which you can see in the attached photo, and stepped out into the unknown! I was so proud of myself for taking such a great leap of faith...which lasted all of 12 hours. I then logged onto the Internet to search out a photo of "Triple Play" by Debbie Caffrey. By the way, I would like to send out a big "THANK YOU" to all those that made this mystery quilt and posted pictures of their completed quilts! I am now completely assured of two things. First, my mystery quilt will be absolutely gorgeous! Second, I can't handle suspense!

62 Year Anniversary

Today is my grandparents 62nd wedding anniversary! That's about 75 percent of their entire lives! Can you imagine spending that much time with one person? Please don't misunderstand me, I am happy and excited for them. It's just one of those realizations that is suddenly striking me as amazing and unique.
Their legacy is incredible. Get this, they have 5 children, 16 grandchildren, 28 1/2 great-grandchildren (one baby is on the way), and 2 great-great-grandchildren! That is 51 1/2 descendants! So, for their wedding anniversary, we had a photo of them with 9 of the great-grandchildren printed on an 18x24 in. canvas. You can see the photo above. Naturally, it was incomplete when it was photographed, and it's outdated now, but it's a beautiful piece of history for two people that have influenced the lives of so many.