Salmon & Home Fries

Okay, you would think that I would be sick of 'fixing' salmon every third night, but surprisingly, every time I cook it, it's fantastic. Tonight for something different, cooked it in the cast-iron skillet w/sesame oil, soy sauce & a little butter. The home fries - one large sweet onion, chopped small and cooked in oil then added the potatoes (chopped small also) and cooked them also in cast-iron skillet, salt & pepper. They tasted like I actually put sugar in them but of course didn't. Green beans canned and microwaved with just a little bit of canola oil/butter blend by Land-O-Lakes. That's it - another wonderful meal. I've also been stitching tonight and watching a little TV. CASTLE tonight (he dressed up as the Character he played on Serenity & Firefly)what a hoot for all you Sci-Fy lovers out there...In a different world I would be rich and have a fabulous kitchen....Happy Thursday everyone.

Disappearing Aqua/Red 9 Patch Exchange

Well, I finished my 25 12-1/2" blocks the other night and cut them into 100 6-1/4". I'll mail them on Monday morning which happens to be the deadline. I've attached a photo. My Mr. Lincoln rose bush is still blooming and I took some blooms to work since they smell so wonderful. I'm now going to start making some winter clothes maybe, two light wool jackets/tops and a wool skirt maybe...who knows. I'm also working on Anna's cross stitch for one of her Christmas presents. A photo on Sunday of it, since I'll be further along than today. Well, since it's Friday night (yeah), guess I'll spend a few hours watching some television. Good night everyone, happy stitching and sewing.....

Autumn Needleroll received from Gaby

I received this really cool needle roll from Gaby in Germany. She used her favorite finishing technique to finish it. She picked a really nice design for me and I'll actually use it as a needle roll for my hand quilting and cross-stitch since its what I do while my spouse Phil and I watch tv...Also I'll finally mail my friendship bag exchange tomorrow morning (it's about three days late). The only exchange I'll probably do until January is the Disappearing 9-patch Aqua/Red, which is really cool there are 100 participants and we all make 25 blocks and cut them twice and mail all 100 finished blocks by November 2nd. Once I make mine I'll add some photos. Phil and I are headed to Busch Gardens, Virginia for this long weekend, I feel some photos may be in order next week if I get any good ones. Happy Quilting and Stitching everyone....

Hand Quilting practice, Summer Quilt Swap & other things

I received my Summer Quilt Swap from Nancy last week. It's really a nice log cabin pattern (browns, greens & pinks). She was inspired by the Women of Gee's Bend, Alabama; here's the weblink http://www.quiltsofgeesbend.com/quiltmakers/. Also I received a email from Dorrie that she received my Summer Quilt swap exchange, so I've added a photo. It's a little different, I used the entire Mermaid panel from Laura Burch and hand-quilted it. I need practice, practice & more practice. I'm taking a machine quilt-as-you-go class on Saturday at Marti's Patchwork Cottage in Black Mountain and the main 11 1/2" x 11 1/2" block needs to be quilted before the class so I hand quilted it too for more practice (used a scrap of black floral print). Blyn recieved the Autumn Needleroll exchange from me so I can now post photos of it too. Happy Stitching and sewing everyone.....

Fall is just around the Corner.......

It's been a very busy summer and I haven't posted much. I've been involved in a couple of Quilt exchanges and Needlework exchanges, made a small charity quilt and sent overseas, almost finished all the valances for windows, etc. I also spent time with one of my sons in Washington State and visited Williamsburg, VA (the photo is the garden at the Governor's Mansion). Also, I just returned from a weekend with my sisters in GA, we went to a quilt show and visited some stitching stores and quilt stores. It was a lot of fun and hated to come back to the "real world of Work". I have a Friendship bag exchange still to finish and a Disappearing 9 patch Aqua & Red to do by early November. Then I can start a quilt for a friend at work who is getting married and also start sewing some fun Christmas/Holiday presents for family and friends. I hope to have photos printed later this week maybe. Also I've had a bumper crop of red bell peppers (my favorite) and will plant more next year. My husband visited with my nephew in Alaska for 2 months - who has started a King Salmon guide service. His website is: http://www.alaskarons.com/. They fished and worked on some of the outer buildings. I now have plenty of King Salmon and Red Salmon (the photo is blackened salmon with gorgazola cheese [it was fantastic]. We've had some wonderful dinners...I hope to go next year for at least a week and Salmon fish also. Happy Stitching everyone...

Friendship Bag Swap received from Anne S.

I received my bag exchange from Anne about one week ago; I am still very busy at work and home and just no time for posting. I hope to start posting on a regular basis again next week. I have been stitching and sewing as fast as I can to keep up...I've been getting alot done though. But enough about me. Anne made me a wonderful bag with lots of goodies. She is from the province of the Netherlands called Friesland. They have their own flag which is really cool. She included a thimble, some gorgeous fabrics that are made in Amsterdam called Den Haan en Wagenmahers (they are all exquisite); I can't wait to make something with them (they have a 'satin sheen to them'. Also some candy that I am saving for just a little while; really neat key chain with shoes and a writing pin. Thank you again Anne and I love all of the extra goodies. Here's Anne's blog she has some really nice quilts completed on her blog http://kreannetief.blogspot.com/. Happy stitching and sewing everyone.....

Pay it Forward from Linda & Summer House from Ina

I've had a very busy two weeks, the last week of July I was in Williamsburg VA on a vacation of sorts. Getting back to work last week was very hectic and trying to clean house and catch up at night too. I received my Pay it Forward from Linda in the mail and have attached a photo. She made me a very cute table runner with a snowman &holiday fabric theme (complete with wool snowmen)that I can use every year in the Winter and holiday season, a thimbleberries pattern, 5" squares for Christmas and a scissor fob. I can't want to figure out a project for the 5" squares. I'll also post a photo once I complete it. Thank you Linda.

I also received my SummerHouse HOE from Ina R. last week. A very cute wall hanging complete with a 'house cat', some cool clips (I can use for Orchids), flower stickers and DMC thread. I really like the cool flowers beside the house. Thank you Ina. Happy Stitching and sewing everyone.

Sister's New Blog & Christmas in July

My sister started her own blog and I thought I'd share it. It's http://needlesandwords.blogspot.com. Also Alison received my Christmas in July ornament for Hooked on Exchanges;so here's a photo of it. I used a tree design from one of the Just CrossStitch Annual Christmas Ornaments magazine(the tree) and the rest of the designs came from Brenda Keyes, Alphabets Motifs & Borders. I made the pattern up myself for the wall-hanging part. If anyone's interested I can make a pattern & directions for another blog post(maybe I'll do it anyway on a Saturday morning)when I'm well rested. Happy Quilting and Stitching everyone

Somehow I have managed to mess up the format of my blog and can't seem to fix it; oh well...A while back I mentioned my Oriental Lily that I hoped would bloom this year (I accidently cut it last year). It has bloomed and lots of my yellow and red lillies also. Also the blooming cactus my mother-in-law gave me a piece of in 1996 is blooming again this year. Here are a few photos. I made the zucchini bread with the pineapple last night and took a loaf to work today to share (it turned out really good) I got the recipe at www.simplyrecipes.com if you're interested. I'm rather beat from work today so I'm going to do a load of dishes in the sink, eat supper and watch some TV;maybe do some stitching too. Happy Tuesday everyone.

Just Nan Exchange Received

Yesterday morning on my way to Gastonia, NC & Rock Hill, SC (with a fellow quilter - Road trip to Mary Jo's Fabric) I checked my mail and found my Just Nan Exchange from Bernadette. I did get home very late last night and wanted to rest up, so am posting the photos today. She made me a exquisite pin keep and I'm really glad she decided to try one. She also enclosed adorable scissors, gorgeous thread and candy. I can use the thread on one of my upcoming projects and you can never have enough "PINK" either. Thank you Bernadette, it's really lovely (I may actually hang it at my desk at work so I can see it 8 1/2 hours a day!!