Finish It Up Friday

It didn't take me long to find another bee to join.  My friends had started the Bee a {modern} Swapper on Flickr earlier this year and I didn't join at the time because of other commitments.  Well they had someone drop out and I was able to join.  I just finished the March blocks for this crafty fox and will be sending them this weekend. 

This Crafty Fox requested blocks for a picnic blanket.  I just had to make the fox and used some flower embroidery underneath.  And the gnome and mushroom I thought was very fitting also. 

 Hubby and I took a drive last Sunday to his cousins house to plan the family reunion for this summer.  He lives near Winterset so I drove to one of the covered bridges of Madison County before the get together.  Not a great picture but it was about to rain so I didn't have a lot of time.

My monkeys wanted to have their picture taken at the Y after we went to open swimming on Saturday.  It was a great way to spend an afternoon.

Have a great weekend!  Hopefully you will be able to accomplish at much as you wish.

Linking up to Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts

Jill



Busy Weekend

First an update on my list from 40 before I'm 40.  9 down which isn't too bad. 

1.  See the Mural by Jackson Pollock
2. Go to brunch with my boys
3. Finish my granny square quilt (which means I need to start it)
4. Have a picnic in the Sculpture Garden downtown
5. Have friends over for a BBQ
6. Plant my garden
7. Make Stawberry Rhubarb Jam
8. Go to the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting
9. Make homemade dim sum (or at least the sticky rice) -- yummy
10.  Order fabric online - who am I kidding this is done regularly anyways
11. Eat lunch at work with friends (not at my desk)
12.  Go on a date night with my hubby
13.  Eat good cheese 
14.  Get a pedicure
15.  Brew a batch of beer
16.  Go to a local brewery with friends
17.  Have a girls night out
18.  Sew a house block from the Fat Quarterly issue

19.  Use my Flea Market Fancy
20.  Donate a baby quilt to charity
21.  Read Huck Finn with my boys
22.  Go to an Iowa Cubs game
23.  Visit my baby sister in Minneapolis (just after my birthday but it'll be fun)
24.  Join the YMCA

25.  Ride our bikes to lunch
26.  See my Mom (she's coming home from Arizona soon, yeah!!!)
27.  Take a 3 day weekend from work (please pray the weather stays nice and it's a possiblity)
28.  Drink champagne
29.  Make pancakes and homemade bacon for breakfast for the boys
30.  Bake cookies with the boys
31.  Fondue
32.  Use chocolate mint in a recipe
33.  Volunteer for the Salvation Army
34.  Give Blood!!!
35.  Go to the mall (I'm not really a mall shopper so I have to be in the right mood)
36.  Sew a Wiksten tank

37.  Eat a Dutch Letter
38.  Go an entire day without the internet
39.  Eat all local foods for 1 day
40.  Go to La Mie for breakfast

31 to go but I have a little while.   Hope everyone has a great week!

Jill

Happy Little Sewing House - Pillow Swap

This is my last commitment for at least a month.  Although I just signed up for another bee that is a bee/swap so everyother month you are committed to making 2 blocks and the other months are a swap.  It should be fun. 

I used the pattern from the Fat Quarterly paper piecing edition and fussy cut some scissors for the front door and a little button for the chimney so it's a Happy Little Sewing House.  I love the bright colors and the roof fabric.  I would be happy to keep this on my sofa because it looks really good there but it will be going with me tonight to the Des Moines Modern Quilt Guild meeting to be given to it's new owner.

Since I have no sewing commitments for a month I started on my Kaleidoscope Quilt for a church auction this fall.  All the pieces are cut and I'm using the pattern from a sew along last year from Don't Call Me Betsy.  I'll post some photos once I have more blocks pieced together.  It's going to be Queen Sized so it may take a while to finish.

I've seen all the Wiksten patterns popping up on Flickr and love the Tova and the Tank.  I decided to start with the Tank since it's now offered as a PDF and the weather is getting nicer.  It was super easy to sew and is nice and flowy because I used some gauze fabric from Joann's.  I think I will be making some more of these for the summer but have to make some adjustments for the size.  I was going to cut an xl but after reading some reviews decided to cut a large.  It may look a little better if it wasn't so large so I'll make a Medium next time and see how that works.  It's almost finished just have to make the binding for the arms and neck.

Linking up to Finish it up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts

Have a great weekend!

Jill

40 things to do before I'm 40

I don't have a lot of time left so it's going to be a fairly easy list.  In no particular order:

1.  See the Mural by Jackson Pollock
2. Go to brunch with my boys
3. Finish my granny square quilt (which means I need to start it)
4. Have a picnic in the Sculpture Garden downtown
5. Have friends over for a BBQ
6. Plant my garden
7. Make Stawberry Rhubarb Jam
8. Go to the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting
9. Make homemade dim sum (or at least the sticky rice) -- yummy
10.  Order fabric online - who am I kidding this is done regularly anyways
11. Eat lunch at work with friends (not at my desk)
12.  Go on a date night with my hubby
13.  Eat good cheese 
14.  Get a pedicure
15.  Brew a batch of beer
16.  Go to a local brewery with friends
17.  Have a girls night out  (possibly combined with #14)
18.  Sew a house block from the Fat Quarterly issue
19.  Use my Flea Market Fancy
20.  Donate a baby quilt to charity
21.  Read Huck Finn with my boys
22.  Go to an Iowa Cubs game
23.  Visit my baby sister in Minneapolis (just after my birthday but it'll be fun)
24.  Join the YMCA
25.  Ride our bikes to lunch
26.  See my Mom (she's coming home from Arizona soon, yeah!!!)
27.  Take a 3 day weekend from work (please pray the weather stays nice and it's a possiblity)
28.  Drink champagne
29.  Make pancakes and homemade bacon for breakfast for the boys
30.  Bake cookies with the boys
31.  Fondue
32.  Use chocolate mint in a recipe
33.  Volunteer for the Salvation Army
34.  Give Blood!!!
35.  Go to the mall (I'm not really a mall shopper so I have to be in the right mood)
36.  Sew a Wiksten tank
37.  Eat a Dutch Letter
38.  Go an entire day without the internet
39.  Eat all local foods for 1 day
40.  Go to La Mie for breakfast

Ok, so that's a LOT to do in the short amount of time I have remaining in my 30's but I think it's doable.

I will have a giveaway on my blog for my birthday to celebrate.

Have a great weekend!

Jill

Pretty {Little} Pouch Swap

This was my first time participating in the Pretty {little} Pouch Swap and it's been a lot of fun.  This gorgeous pouch came to me from Katy (LethargicLass). It is perfect for me.  I love the echino with the linen and look at all the handles.  S chose the handle that's on it right now because that's his favorite.  D even said it was a cool pouch.

from LethargicLass

Unfortunately they don't think the pouch I made is quite as cool but I'm happy with it and it's even done a week early.  It will be mailed tomorrow once I have some time to put a few extra's in it.

Keyka Lou Inset Zip Pouch Pattern

Inset zipper



This is my second time using the pattern and I made the clutch size this time.  It actually goes together really quickly once you cut the pieces out.  It took a little longer to do the pieced center but I like how it turned out with the Flea Market Fancy band on the top. 

We have other big news around here also.  The boys got their first motorcycle.  It's a Yamaha TTR50 and it has the big boy kit on it so Dad can ride it also if he wants.  They took it to Grandpa and Grandma's house for Easter and rode around in the backyard and then took it to the farm for some riding.  No major spills (yet) but they haven't gotten it out of first gear.

Also this lovely package of Flea Market Fancy arrived.  I didn't preorder and it was selling out quickly so I'm glad I was able to get it from Fabric.com and some from Intrepidthread.com.  I have some plans but they will have to wait just a little while longer until I finish the Pillow Swap for the Des Moines Modern Quilt Guild.

Have a great weekend everyone. It's supposed to rain so that's great quilting weather.

Jill

4X5 Swap - Done

I finished all of my 4X5 Bee Blocks.  I made one for myself also but I put it away and can't find it right now to take a photo.  Oh well!  These will be mailed out tomorrow when I have time to go to the post office.  I think I'm going to take a little break from the 4x5 swap for the 2nd quarter so I can concentrate on some projects that need to be finished and I have proscrastinated on.  It has been a lot of fun though.

Circle of Geese

for Bijoux Baby

Diane {from blank pages...}

jenjohnston

mpfox223







for Mama Missa

My next swap project is for the Pretty {little} Pouch Swap on Flickr.  I've mentioned this swap before and I am using the Keyka Lou Inset Zip Pouch pattern but I have been stumped about what to put into the center portion.  Now that I have my Circle of Geese blocks finished I pieced these blocks on point.  I haven't sewn it together yet because I just want to make sure my partner will like it so I want to think it over for a day.  I hope to finish this weekend to be able to mail it out.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter/Passover weekend

Linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts Finish It Up Friday

Jill

Blueberry Lemon Fool

Last night we had some friends over for dinner.  I was setting the table with the good China and asked D if he would like to eat dinner with us.  He looked at the table and said he couldn't, when I asked why he said because S and he were Monsters and they can't eat anything that fancy.  We had a great time and I made a dessert that is perfect for April Fools and super easy so I thought I would give you the recipe.

First for the dinner menu:

Charcuterie Plate with Housemade Pate, La Quercia Salami, Prairie Breeze X Old Cheese, Aged Gouda and Spring Onion Goat Cheese from Reichert's Dairy Air

Spinach Salad with Strawberries, Candied Almonds, Rogue Blue Cheese and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Smoked Gerber Chicken, Trout & Salmon (they all looked good at the local market so had to do a trio)

Baked Risotto with Leeks, Mushrooms and Peas

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

and for dessert

Blueberry Lemon Fools

2 c. heavy cream
2 T. sugar
Blueberries
Lemon Curd

I had some blueberries that I had canned last summer in syrup so that's what I used but you could simply add some sugar to your fruit and let it sit in the fridge and macerate and then mash it up.  Whip the cream with the 2 T. of sugar until you have stiff peaks.  Fold the a few Tablespoons of lemon curd into 1/2 of the cream (my lemon curd was pretty tart so I didn't use a lot).  Fold the blueberries into the remaining cream.   You can refrigerate these for a few hours until time to serve.

Layer into a pretty glass and garnish with extra blueberries, a mint sprig and possibly even a lemon slice if you have enough energy after making dinner.

Now I need to do a little sewing and then we are going on a long family bike ride to work off some of the calories from last night.

FYI - the kids did eat last night just a PB&J and a chicken leg with the prosciutto wrapped asparagus.

Happy April Fools day!