Thursday, February 28, 2013

If I Kept Everything I Made, I'd Be On an Episode of Hoarders

For my Secret Pal at guild, I made a couple heart shaped pot holders.  I got a free pattern at Hancock's a few weeks ago.  I think I'm okay posting this because I'm pretty sure she doesn't follow my blog.
And, because I feel like I need to make towels for every occasion, I made these for her also.  I wish I didn't buy red towels, everything I wanted to do, would have looked better on white.  And, I had pink rick rack I wanted to use.

I found this yarn a while back and fell in love with it.  Not really a traditional color for a baby blanket but if was REALLY soft and cuddly.  Purple has just been my thing lately.  I bought all that was left of the yarn and it wasn't quite enough so this turned out smaller than I really had intended but I think it will work for a car seat or stroller blanket when the baby gets a little bigger.  One of the girls at work is having a grand baby so, I made it for her.  The same grandma that got the gingham block blanket from a previous post.  Her 2 daughters are due a few days apart from each other.

Then my supervisor's daughter is also due that same week.  Grand babies galore and in the middle of Prom Season, too.  I made this quilt a few years ago but it was too feminine for a friend's baby boy.  It's been sitting around just waiting for the right baby to come along.  I just loved the colors on this.  It's so cheerful!  Again with the purple...the backer is also a really sweet lavender polka dot.  Everything but the backer was out of my stash.  It's all about the stash this year, too.
Then, Rich's co-worker is getting married.  I've been making photo album covers for years and years.  They've changed from time to time.  First, they were all hot glue, ruffles and ribbon with a photo slot in the front.  Then, I started leaving off the photo because that was a total pain in the ass and attaching embellishments.  Then, I was cross stitching names on the front.  All the while, hot gluing everything to the album itself.  And, burning myself repeatedly.

My most recent design is a quilted, removable cover.  I appliqued their monogram in her wedding colors.  It's a black and white wedding.  I made my first ribbon milliner's roses.  I just used polyester satin ribbon.  Don't know if I want to start collecting silk ribbon.  That could be another big investment.... The same reason that I avoid wools.
Check out those gorgeous roses!  I may attach those to everything from now on! 

I also finished my Floral Fantasy quilt for the quilt show but I'm not sure if I should post it or keep a secret for the quilt show in June.   Hmmm....I'm not a very good secret keeper.

Friday, February 15, 2013

My Gift to the World Shall be Diabetes


On Super Bowl Sunday, my company had a bake sale to raise money for one of the girls that works with us.  She's receiving cancer treatments and her husband went into the hospital with gall stones at the same time.  They were able to raise a bunch of money for the cause, which was really exciting.
I made Orange Crush cupcakes that I found on Pinterest.  And then, packaged them in a 9oz plastic cup that I also found on Pinterest.  These were really, really delicious.



I also tried to make Mt Dew cupcakes.  Yes, Pinterest.  Now, these were delicious but the rim of all of them burned.  I think it was the liners I used.  They were lined with metallic shiny stuff and I think that made the difference.  The cake itself was super moist and yummy.  The frosting was not good.  Surprisingly, butter and Mt. Dew are not besties.  So, I didn't sell them because I didn't think they rated a price tag.


And I tried to do a fancy swirl thing with the frosting that didn't work out really well either....

One of my supervisor's last day was this week.  She's been with the company for 12ish years.  She's got a really good sense of humor so I went with my best communication skill.  Sarcasm.  The cake itself was really good.  I used a french vanilla cake mix, added some rum extract, and a box of pistacio pudding times 2 because it was a big cake.  Then, I soaked the baked cake with a butter rum sauce that was on the back of the extract box.  Do you ever eat Butter Rum Lifesavers.  Yeah, the sauce tasted just like that.  Then I covered it in cream cheese frosting.  Not gonna lie, it's good.  Apparently, we've got a bunch of health nuts in the office because I brought 1/2 of it home today.

Saturday, February 9, 2013

A New Project

A little over a year ago, I bought Edyta Sitar's Friendship Triangle book.  It was about the same time I started her Friendship Strip Spool Quilt.  I also picked up a roll of half square triangle paper.  I think this stuff is genius.  But, so monotonous....

I did the whole roll.  I think I made way more than I need for this one project but hopefully, I'll be able to do another one with the extras.  It was a lot of triangle papers. 
It almost killed me.  Some of the most boring sewing I've done in a really long time!  And, my machine now squeaks when it stops.  So, you hear hum, hum, hum, squeak.  Hum, hum, hum, squeak.  No, really, it doesn't bother me at all.



Here's a bad picture of what I'm doing.  She has it as a really large wall hanging.  I'm going to just add to it and make it a queen size quilt.  My niece has been married for a few years now and I'm a little behind on the gifting.  Oops.
Then I decided that my night hadn't been boring enough, so I quilted 100 leaves for our Quilt Show Ribbons.  Yeah, that's how I roll.

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Sometimes Finished is Better Than Perfect

I finished the gingham baby blanket from a few weeks ago.  I think it turned out cute but I don't think I'll make any more that I have to piece together.  It takes too long.  I finished this while watching Cowboys and Aliens.  Great movie.
Sierra made pumpernickel bread for a fermentation party at school.  It turned out so good!  I was a excellent mother and only nibbled when I sliced it for her.  I was seriously tempted to eat half of it.  Yum.
 Bethany made more Oreo Truffles, this time for her friend's birthday.  This time she made them with melted chocolate chips instead of CandyQuick.  So much better with real chocolate.  She had kids offering her big money at school for them.  Yum.
I made this little table topper 2 years ago during a guild Super Bowl Mystery group.  It's a giant version of my favorite quilt block, the Storm At Sea.  It's been a UFO waiting patiently for binding but I never took it with me to the store to pick the right color.  So, I finally decided to use what I had and get it done.  Sometimes done is better than perfect.