Finishing Friday ~

Two more strips to go. I brought my darling husband into the room and showed him my progress. I stated, 'almost done with the top', he laughed and said I have alot more work. I have the sashing strips and the borders to cut and sew. But I can already see the quilt. You see, to explain, I have been put on restriction from purchasing fabric till the top is completed. It does give me a great incentive and it is all said in fun! He is hoping that the quilt will be completed for this coming winter. Which gives me extra time because the winter does not come around here till December or January.

I have some bread to bake this morning. First is a delicious white bread. I plan to bake one and freeze the dough for the other for a later time.  I forgot to read through all the directions and mixed ingredients a step or two before they were supposed to be blended together. It has been some time since I had made this recipe. 

 

This is the sponge and biga for Mr Reinharts transitional whole wheat bread. I noticed on 'Craftsy' that he is offering a class on bread making. That might be a great way to learn homemaking skills. The internet is so great. It is how I got started on quilting and garment sewing.

And last but not least, the Ferris Wheel quilt. I am tracing and cutting one shape a day. Hopefully this quilt will be for a little girl for Christmas.

 The scraps are from another quilt that has yet to be stitched up. It is a big project that will have to wait till after Christmas. All I can say now, is that it will be for certain somebodies as a graduation gift.

This is our first weekend that is not jam packed with 'places to go and things to do'. Just a little quilting and puttering.

Words ~

progress~

organizing ~

Anthropologie & Renaissance Ribbons
 new trim for a new hat ~

small pieces for Ferris Wheel quilt ~

a cake for the last of the celebrations ~

Red Velvet with cream cheese frosting ~

 Wednesday's are wordless on many blogs so I thought I would break the unwritten rules  ~

A few thoughts on how I get things done. I do have chores like the house, the animals both furry and two-legged and meals to prepare. So I make a plan and route, everyday, to save on gas and to maximize my time for the things I want to do. Then if I am a good girl.... I sew, stitch or knit then I go and get a few things done then back to the stitching, ironing and assembling...and so forth. A little reward system tailored for me.  I find that this prevents burn out and makes projects like cleaning the house or making a quilt more manageable and doable. If I like what I am doing I have joy and the 'thing' that I am spending time doing is much more enjoyable too. Yes, even housework.

By way of an apology...My dear mother-in-law once told me that 'you should not begin the next meal without cleaning up after the first'. I probably had dishes in the sink from the previous day. She had shared this little helpful tip that her mother or grandmother once told her. But it came at a time that I was overwhelmed, still trying to find my way as a mother, wife and human. I had 5 children ages 5 and under and I was a little annoyed for her sharing this with me. I could barely have a thought to myself or shower each day. But now, as time has passed and the children are older I do see the wisdom. So many apologies for all the mean thoughts I had at the time and I give everyone permission, to be kind to yourself. We can only do so much each day.

Recently our dish washer broke and not wanting to spend the money to fix it we have gone retro and are now hand washing everything. At first it was a chore, now we all congregate in our narrow kitchen, there are many hands washing, drying or putting away and a whole lot of talking & sharing. The other day I was washing the dishes and having some quiet time and no kidding, one of my teenage daughters came into the kitchen, started telling me about her day and helped with the cleaning. I do not know why I like that so much. It's the small things really!

So today I will take a daughter to school, come home and clean a room, sew, iron and hang pieces of the quilt, wipe down the counters in the kitchen, cut small pieces of the Ferris Wheel quilt, go grocery shopping, pick up daughter and make a fabulous meal. Well that is the plan for now until something else comes up that needs my attention.

A little bit each day

dreaming~thinking~planning

dreaming of a quilt it will become~
fabric ~ Cori Dantini
purchased at ~ Pink Chalk Fabrics
book ~ Material Obsession

thinking of how long before it is completed ~
knitting pattern and yarn ~ Madelintosh

planning the next quilt ~
fabric ~ Children at Play
pattern ~ Ferris Wheel
found ~ Q is for Quilter

It is a day for these thoughts ~ 

Oatmeal cookies for breakfast?

cheater OJ tea

 

oatmeal cookies 

tomatoes

before....

     When we get the sniffles I make an oj tea inspired by the book Kitchen Playdates. Instead of juicing the fruit, I purchase the orange and grapefruit juices, throw in the thyme spring and a cut lemon and heat it up on the stove. lazy...... I have made this elixir from fresh fruit and I do recommend this method...but if you are feeling sick, it is quicker to purchase the juice instead. I store the oj tea in mason jars and keep it in the fridge. We heat it tea up in a mug and sweeten it with honey. The aroma of thyme, citrus and honey is perfect. I purchased this book many years ago in an attempt to find food that dd #4 would eat. She is our little 'air fern'.

      I was craving an oatmeal cookie. They actually go quite nicely with the oj tea. From the Fanny Farmer Cookbook, I have had forever, this is my 'go to' recipe for oatmeal cookies. Like with everything thing I do I have to personalize it.... I added a teaspoon of vanilla, use half shortening and half butter and am generous with the molasses. They have egg, oatmeal, butter, molasses, raisins...perfect cookie for breakfast...most of the food groups represented.

      The tomatoes in the garden are growing rapidly. There are so many tiny yellow flowers. We will have more tomatoes then we know what to do with. And in our backyard, sad grass, which will become a larger garden with flowers, herbs, vegetables, melons and a bean pole in the center. It will measure 23' x 16', if I remember correctly. After the success of the little garden, I am ready for the next adventure. 

       More pictures to come...progress on the Mara Shawl (edging) and I decided to cut my stack of Children at Play fat quarters (purchased at Alewives Fabrics on-line) for a Ferris Wheel quilt pattern found on both "Twin Fibers" and "Q is for Quilter" blogs. I now understand why many bloggers have WIP's, works in progress. Because as I look around my room, I see all the projects still waiting to be completed. When I began crafting and sewing and quilting and knitting I told myself that I would first complete my project before starting another. This lasted a year or so. Then as I read this blog and that blog, wandered around various Pinterest boards and ooh and awed over this project and that, I too have accumulated a variety of WIP's. But it gives me options, keeps me interested and eventually they are finished. It is much more enjoyable to work on something interesting.  

      Two things about 'my' One Little Word....Last years and this years word began with the same letter, weird or not. And this years word, edit, is so hard. I guess I need the growth.So in the spirit of my one little word I will edit something then I can play with fabric as my treat.

      Enjoy your day