Cute Freebie!

I just saw this on Facebook and had to share, http://daisyjanie.typepad.com/daisyjanie/2012/02/free-downloadable-pattern-lap-quilt-with-tilly-fat-quarters.html. This darling quilt uses 8 fat quarters and looks quick and fun. I just happen to have a pack of 8 FQ's that I just received from Pink Chalk as well as a very clean sewing room. I know what I'm doing this weekend!

If you haven't checked out Pink Chalk, I highly recommend it, http://pinkchalkfabrics.com/. Kathy has great fabrics, as well as notions, patterns and everything other necessity for sewing. I may be a little partial as she is located on Bainbridge Island in Washington State and I do heart Washington.

I found out about this free download and the sale FQ's from Pink Chalk because I follow both Pink Chalk and Fat Quarter Shop on Facebook. I have gotten some really great inspiration and some really good deals on fabric by doing this. See, Facebook is also good for something besides burning up hours of your time!

2 Things

From Pinterest, of course! I have been on an organizing, cleaning out and redoing bender. I think a lot of under kitchen sink cabinets suffer from the same clutter issues as mine. I am so pleased with the outcome and I admit that I keep going back and opening the doors to admire it! I will say that if you are going to use a tension rod for your spray bottles, get a heavier duty model. The cute green plastic baskets are from Target, aka the $100 store.

I loved the photo arrangement idea the minute I saw it. I began to prowl Michael's adds and collect coupons to acquire enough black frames. I laid them out on the floor to get a pleasing arrangement before going to the wall. Hanging them is a little tricky. A long level comes in very handy. Now that they are hung, I can change out the photos as desired. There is also enough room on either end to add to it, if need be.

So I guess that the moral of this story is that hours spent on Pinterest are not really wasted if you actually use some of the ideas you see. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Boutique Work Day

As some of you know, my SIL and I are the co chairs for the Boutique at our upcoming quilt show. The Boutique is where we will sell items that have been made and donated by our members. In an effort to have as many items as possible, we had a work day after our January meeting last week. The following link will take you to a slide show of some photos of the day. We had 7 stations of ladies working on various projects including, baby bibs, magnets, Snippets grab bags, baby pillows, appliqued onesies and burp cloths, stamping shopping bags and tags and using the Accuquilt to die cut shapes to sell. When I got home and laid out everything that had been accomplished, I was blown away! Great job ladies and thank you so much for your help!

http://s939.photobucket.com/albums/ad232/spicewoodquiltingdiva/?action=view&current=90b15990.pbw

What's for Dinner?

PW's Whiskey BBQ Sliders, that's what! For the second time this January, I might add. That's quite a testament to their fabulousness. You can get in on the action here, http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/?s=whiskey+BBQ+sliders&submit= I also made the Deen Brothers Pea Salad to go along with them, http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/english-pea-salad-recipe/index.html. I didn't have whiskey so I used beef broth in the slider sauce and it turned out just as good. I also used King's Hawaiian Honey Wheat Dinner Rolls for the slider buns-YUM-O!! I highly recommend both recipes as they are extremely easy and very people pleasing.

Sew4Home

If you haven't already discovered sew4home.com, I hope you will check it out. If you have already discovered it, you know what a great resource it is for ideas. They posted one this past week that I will definitely be trying, http://sew4home.com/projects/fabric-art-a-accents/1065-glasses-case-with-pretty-ruffle-a-handy-key-ring. A pretty quilted case for your glasses and it has a carbiner to hook it onto your purse-brilliant! As I get older, my purses get bigger and bigger and it gets more and more difficult to locate things in the depths of the abyss. Not to mention differentiating between eyeglass and sun glass cases! This is a stylish way to solve that problem. Now, to decide what fabric to use ;)

Sick at Christmas

Yep, I was. And for the last week, HD has been under the weather. We hardly ever get sick so we don't do "sick" very well. We have a hard time with the whole, "get some rest and take it easy" thing. The fact that I had 2 pans of PW's Cinnamon Rolls, http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/cinammon_rolls_/ with which to medicate myself was a big factor in my recovery! I did get a chance to finish a couple of knitting projects, pics will be up soon! We also managed to see 3 movies. Beginning with our favorite, they are The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Warhorse, and Mission Impossible-Ghost Protocol. Now that January is here, I am back to work and my SIL and I are in full swing working on our club's quilt show which will be in February.

I hope you all had great holidays and are ready for a fantastic 2012!

Last Minute Homemade Gifts

It's the most wonderful time of the year! You know, the time when you need just a few more gifts to have to pass out to neighbors and other people you haven't thought of ahead of time! Here are a couple of projects that I enjoyed making and giving this year. I found these on Pinterest and they were hits with my quilting friends and book club ladies. The To Do List is made with a sale frame and fancy scrapbook papers. A dry erase marker means it's reusable! The recipe for the scrub can be found here, http://www.bystephanielynn.com/2010/05/my-favorite-vanilla-brown-sugar-body.html and you may even have the ingredients in your pantry already. Don't forget to make one of each of these for yourself!

More Slice Stuff

Here a couple of more designs from the Slice Fabrique. I used these cute "manly" Carter's onesies that I found at Marshall's. I finished these while in Washington with my fabulous friend, Ellen. It's a good thing that my SIL has custody of the Slice at this time, it's really addictive! I'll share some more of the projects from Washington in the coming days.

It's Finally Here!

Our Slice Fabrique, that is! My SIL and I purchased a Slice Fabrique Digital Fabric cutter at the Houston Quilt Show last month and it has finally arrived. You can see the info here, http://slicefabrique.com/. I just spent a couple of hours getting acquainted with it. By that I mean a couple of frustrating hours shredding copious amounts of fabric trying to figure out the best size to cut the fabric and the best place to position it on the board for cutting. Long story short, you need at least a 6 inch square piece of fabric even if you are cutting an eyeball for a mouse applique! Live and learn! It is a great concept and I hope to get much more proficient soon because the designs are so cute and the possibilities are endless!

The owl onesie is for our new great nephew. I never knew it could be so fun to sew for boys, but there are so many cute projects. I would love any recommendations of patterns or ideas that any of you would like to share.

And finally, thanks to my SIL for letting me have first dibs on the Slice ;)

Intervention, Please

Hi, my name is Gretchen and I'm addicted to Pinterest. If you have not joined Pinterest, I cannot stress enough the importance of doing so immediately. Go ahead, I'll wait, http://pinterest.com. You have to request an invitation and wait for a reply, but don't let this discourage you. It's worth the wait. Pinterest is a way of organizing and keeping track of all the neat things that you see online every day, all in one place. Another cool thing is that you can "follow" your friends, or complete strangers, if they consistently pin things that interest you. I have found it especially handy for keeping up with all the sewing and cooking ideas that I am inundated with daily. Give it a try, but don't say I didn't warn you! If you do join, look for me so I can follow you.

Mineral Wells State Park

Well, it's been a while and I have missed you all terribly! I am so sorry to have been so neglectful of my blogging responsibilities. I have had a lot on my plate in the last few months. My sister was critically ill during the summer and is finally recovered from surgery and Cyberknife treatment for a benign tumor near her C1 vertebrae. We have also had a birth and a death in our families. Needless to say, it has been a roller coaster of emotions around here. Things are finally returning to normal (whatever that is!) and I am looking forward to a happy, blessed holiday season.

HD and I like to go camping during this, our very favorite time of the year. A couple of weeks ago we joined my aunt and uncle for a couple of nights at Mineral Wells State Park. MWSP is about 30 miles west of Fort Worth and about 3 1/2 hours from our house. It was like a beautiful, different world! They had fall color on the trees and water in their lake! We had a great time sitting around the campfire visiting, eating and being schooled in the finer aspects of playing poker. Here's a link to a slide show of our trip, http://s939.photobucket.com/albums/ad232/spicewoodquiltingdiva/Mineral%20Wells%20State%20Park/?action=view&current=9dc159e1.pbw.

Thanks for your patience, it's good to be back!

Possibly the Fastest Quilt Ever!

I got this link from my friend, Ruth. It uses one jellyroll and takes under one hour to piece. I can't wait to try it! Check it out here, http://www.quilt-video.com/2011/02/18/jelly-roll-quilt-race-lasagna-quilt/.

Spicewood Sunset

I took this last night on the way home. We got a wonderful rain shower yesterday afternoon and and this was the result!

Sewing Machine Cover Tutorial

She's back! Bari J., that is. You may remember me raving about taking classes from Bari in Sisters last year. She is so talented, inspiring and fun. And generous. Today on Sew4Home she is providing a free tutorial on how to make a sewing machine cover. You can find it here, http://sew4home.com/projects/bed-linens/971-paris-apartment-sewing-machine-cover-guest-tutorial-by-bari-j. Sew4Home is a great resource for tutorials and free patterns. They are even having a giveaway of kit containing some of Bari's Paris Apartment fabric to make the identical machine cover in the tutorial.

Bari is also a passionate hand stitcher. She has a new website devoted totally to the art of embroidery. You can find it here, http://www.welovefrenchknots.com/.

Sew much inspiration, sew little time!

September 11

It's not a day any American who was alive in 2001 will ever forget. I spent this anniversary like a lot people, remembering what I was doing that day (not much, except watching TV) and praying for the survivors and for our country. I also spent some time doing what I have done during good times and bad since I became a quilter in 2000, piecing a quilt.

I am sure you have heard about the horrific wildfires that have plagued Central Texas over the last week. We live in one of the affected areas, although we were personally very blessed to be spared. About 7000 acres and over 30 homes in our area have burned since last Sunday and although the fire is 100% contained, 50-60 firefighters are still working round the clock to keep it that way. A neighborhood just north of my SIL's subdivision also burned with over 20 houses lost. The largest fire is east of Austin in the community of Bastrop and is less than 50% contained a week later. It is over 50 square miles in size. Hundreds of homes have been lost and now at least two lives that they know of.

I got a message on Facebook a few days ago about a local quilt group that is trying to get enough quilts donated to give one to every child whose home has been lost in the fire. The estimate I heard from one local quilt shop owner is over 1000 quilts are needed. So with a very valid reason to start yet another project, I dove into my stash and came up with enough FQs to make this boy's quilt. It's a variation of good old Turning Twenty called Around the Block. I also quilted up a girlie scrap quilt top that I had made last year. I am hoping to get them both to a drop off point by the end of the week.

So, on this solemn anniversary, I helped myself with some fabric therapy and hopefully someone else, as well. I've said it before and I'll say it again and again, God bless America, today and everyday!

The Big 2-0!

Back in July, HD and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary. He had to work so we had to celebrate close to home. Being the great husband that he is he asked me what I wanted to do. Maybe a fancy dinner out? A night on the San Antonio Riverwalk? A night in the Four Seasons Honeymoon Suite where we stayed the night of our wedding? Nope, I said. What I really want is to get some of the fam together and go to dinner and karoake. "Really? Are you sure?" he asked. Oh yeah, I'm sure! So away we went!

We were able to eat and karoake at this great place in Austin called The Highball, http://thehighball.com. They even have an iPhone app to help you plan your song list! The music you are hearing now is a sampling of the tunes from our evening. The following slide show contains some photographic evidence of our performances! Some of the fam escaped the camera, but I assure you, fun was had by all. HD also finally got the Groom's Cake he had been deprived of for so long. So, for some, the traditional 20th anniversary gift is china. For us it will always be karoake!

Hatch Heaven!

That's a little bit of heaven, right there! A half bushel of roasted mild Hatch chilies from a nursery in Ruidoso. That was our last stop on the way out of town. They roasted them while we waited. We loved on the resident Golden Retriever, Maggie, and let her and Valentine play while we waited on the chilies. It was wonderful! We also got to smell the intoxicating aroma all the way home. The aroma of the chilies overpowered the aroma of Valentine in the back of the Jeep, it worked out very well! The chilies are now squirreled away in the freezer for fall and winter casseroles, soups and quiches.

First up will be Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas, http://www.blessedwithgrace.net/2011/02/tempt-my-tummy-tuesday-honey-lime-chicken-enchiladas/ . I've shared this recipe from my friend Lisa before, and it is worth sharing again. It is the best Chicken Enchilada recipe I have ever made. I hope you will set aside your diet and give it a try!

Portrait of Me

Here I am. Well not really, but that is about how I have felt lately. I have mentioned before how the heat always depresses me and it has been particularly brutal this summer. Also, my younger sister has been ill for several months and that has been ever present in my mind. Well, things are looking up! My sister has been diagnosed, operated on and is now making a very good recovery. Many thanks to all who emailed, called, sent cards, prayed and gave any kind of encouragement. It is so appreciated and such a blessing to me and my family! It is also now September and hopefully we will see a break in our heat soon.

A couple of hours ago, HD, Valentine and I arrived home from a few days in Ruidoso, New Mexico. He needed to get away and so did I and Ruidoso is the closest place we can go to get cool and see some pine trees and mountains. They also have rain there. Really. I don't think I have ever said, "I really hope it rains on our vacation!" until this trip. It rained every afternoon and I sat on the porch of our cabin and savored every moment. I feel rejuvenated and hopeful and very excited for fall to finally arrive in Central Texas. We are also anxiously awaiting the arrival of our great nephew any day now. So, I am glad to be back and I have a lot to share in the coming days. I'm so glad you stopped by and I am going to try to be more consistent with my posts!

Soldiers Angels

With news of the tragic helicopter crash in Afghanistan I felt helpless. What can I do as an individual thousands of miles away to help our soldiers? Hopefully we are all praying for their safe return and for the families of the fallen, no matter how we feel about the war. But I was also thinking about a tangible contribution. The charity sewing group that I attend, Creative Hearts, contributes quilts for soldiers and I got this link from one of the ladies in that group, http://soldiersangelsgermany.blogspot.com/2005/07/donations-needed-for-landstuhl.html?utm_source=Invitation+List&utm_campaign=54e447971c-SAG_April_Newsletter_2011&utm_medium=email. There is lot of info about what has already been given and what they regularly need. With unusually high casualty numbers this summer, the need is greater than ever. Since I am a coupon queen, I think I will start to clip coupons for the needed products and start stockpiling and I hope you will join me!