• Blog - Crafts - Creativity

    T Tuesday: quilt top complete edition

    I’m happy to say my quilt top is complete! I’ve set my sewing aside for a little bit…I’m sure it won’t last too long but it is nice to have my sewing table free of clutter again.

    scrap quilt top complete

    It’s a throw quilt not a bed size. We are a family who likes to curl up on the couch or chairs. There are always the couple favorite blankets such as this flannel one I made a gazillion years ago and the least favorite one, a small crochet throw made with acrylic yarn. It was made by my great aunt and I haven’t had the heart to get rid of it even though it matches nothing, isn’t that warm and no one really likes it.  I’m staking claim to this new one as soon I finish it…at least for the first few snuggles.

    quilt label perhaps

    I ended up with 2 extra blocks that I cut and resewed to make this small block that I’m thinking I want to use as a quilt label. I’ve never labeled any of my quilts in the past and now kind of wish I had. I have a hard time remembering exactly when I created most of them. I’m not sure what sort of pen I should use to write along the white fabric. Obviously I know it needs to be a fabric marker but I also need to make sure it doesn’t bleed or fade. Any suggestions?

    dark coffee or coffee in the dark

    I was contemplating the backing for the quilt this morning while having my coffee and making lunches. I have a bedsheet that I dyed long ago as a tablecloth in our first house. My folks had given us a large table to use but it was not very pretty and was extra wide. A bedsheet seemed the most affordable option of a tablecloth at the time. I also am thinking about the binding…I’m thinking scrappy might be fun for that as well but only if I sew a plain border all the way around the outside to give some rest to the eyes. Oh well…it’s not like I have to decide yet but Winter is coming.  🙂

    I’ve got a few pesky household chores on the list for today but first I’m going to go for a walk…got to enjoy these warm Fall days while I can!

    What are you doing today?

  • Blog

    T Tuesday: Ryder Cup edition

    Welcome to T stands for Tuesday! This week is an odd for for me… My kids have barely started school and now they are off for a week due to the Ryder Cup which is being held smack in the middle of our school district. When I first heard about this about 2 years ago I was like….

    really

    Now that I know more about it I realize that having this event really is going to disrupt things and having school in the midst of an estimated 250,000 additional people isn’t really going to work.  Leaving town, like so many families we know, just wasn’t going to work for our family this week due to both work and sports. Instead we are going to treat this time like a stay-cation. as much as possible between obligations.

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    Mini-me snapped this photo after a volleyball game. We didn’t go to the shops but heard from those who went that it was pretty amazing what has been built on the golf course grounds. It’s like a small city they said. The celebrity cup starts today I believe and the real competition begins on Thursday.

    Yesterday Mini-me and BFF went to Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. It’s over 100 years old. Of course there have been many changes and more humane treatment for the animals. I was telling the girls about what it was like 40 years ago when I was a child…just the changes that have about since then are amazing.

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    The flamingos were nearly orange instead of pink which was odd to me but beautiful anyway.

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    Speaking of orange…isn’t he gorgeous! I can’t even begin to count how many crumby shots I took before getting this one.

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    The giraffes always make me smile. Can you see the one in the background stretching his tongue out to grab a leaf?

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    The primate building is always so much fun. These two sat hugging each other the entire time we were in there. They’d adjust a bit but just sat there snuggled. Made me say AWWW more than once.

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    This guy made me think of a teenager on a day off…living a life of leisure.

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    But this one was my favorite with his awesome mustache.

     Since the zoo is clear on the other side of the Twin Cities from our house, I’m not familiar with any restaurants or even fast food in that area. The girls and I decided to eat at the zoo cafe…super expensive for what we got and totally not worth it. It was super busy…captive audience I’m sure.

    We were going to go into the conservatory next to see the gorgeous flowers…

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    but then we realized that both girls had food and drink with them which is a big no-no. We walked around the exterior while they tried to finish.

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    This building has changed very little if at all since I was a kid. I remember going there after church some times and marveling at the warmth inside the building and beautiful flowers in the middle of winter.

    I love being able to share places I explored as a child with my kids. This little day trip made me want to do more of them.

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    On our way home Mini-me snapped a couple of photos of the new Vikings stadium in the heart of Minneapolis.

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    It was fun to see from the freeway but now I definitely want to see it up close and personal.

    Today I’m not sure that we’ll get out for any “day trip”. Lots on the plate for today…an appt, volleyball match and work will keep everyone busy until past dinner time today.

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    So I’m starting the day with a good breakfast.

    What are you doing today?

  • Around home - Blog - Kitchen

    T Tuesday: apple days edition

    Happy Tuesday everyone! This past weekend is one I both love and hate each year. It’s the weekend we help pick apples at our neighbors house. They have 5 trees that are HUGE!! As in you need an extension ladder huge.

    apple days

    (This is just a 6 foot ladder…)

    Some of their family comes over as well as several of us neighbors. We spend  the morning picking then bring our bags of apples home and usually the afternoon or next day processing.

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    This year we didn’t make time for processing over the weekend. Everyone was going here and there it seemed. Sleepover, Manhattan choir fundraiser, fabricating and 3D printing in the garage and of course, leaving time to watch our Vikings play the Packers (the big border battle) in the inaugural game in the new stadium…SKOL Vikings! Our Vikings won-BTW!!!

    On to Monday…this was my morning view complete with coffee as fuel for the day ahead….

    apple days

    Normally I process in the garage for more room but since I was doing it solo I brought the garage can inside.

    apple days

    After hours of peeling I had every extra large container I own full of sliced apples.

    apple days

    As well as a stock pot full cooking down to sauce. And the dehydrator with 6 trays loaded.

    I ended up with 7 quarts that I canned…

    apple days

    The rest went into gallon freezer bags to be made into sauce at a later date.

    apple days

    As you can see by this photo it was now after 3pm and I was exhausted,

    apple days

    I also managed to get two loads of laundry washed during that time.

    apple days

    So my grand total for the day was: 7 quarts apple sauce canned, 2 quarts in fridge, 4 gallon bags of prepped apples in freezer, and a quart bag of dehydrated slices.

    So like I said when I started…apple days…I have  a love/hate relationship with them.

    Today I’m going to have coffee with some friends then likely come home and can a few pints of diced tomatoes…or else pull up the garden and do the tomatoes tomorrow before the next round of rain.

    What are you doing today?