Weirdest Post Ever

This is a random post filled with weird things and not a lot of quilting I can tell you that.  I've been out of sorts lately. 

I worked hard in the heat to get some pots planted and here is a sampling.

 I was never a huge container gardener until I bought  property that was all rock.

 Our outdoor decks are also very high off the yard so this way I see the flowers or plants.

This year I resurrected window boxes from NJ and made herb gardens.

I little table top succulent garden.

 The Balcony.

A very shady corner of the deck.  I love Caladiums.

Can't resist a photo of this beautiful Goldfinch at my feeder.

I spied this snake while preparing my pumpkin patch.  He was very nice.

A few weeks ago coco went CRAZY BARKING AT THE WOODS and here is why.

 What a pretty fox.  We played high and seek for several minutes.  Look at that cute smiling face.

 Back to woods he goes.....love that bushy tail.

Speaking of wild animals - Mr. Starbuck keeps running outside and then acts offended if I forget he's out there....

Woah, dude, calm down...  all this from a mostly inside cat that rarely meows.

Where is the quilting????  I would also like to know.
I figured out the math for my Westering Women 9" block and will make it when I return.

Whoopie - don't hurt yourself, barb....I also started this charity quilt for a camp outside Boston for grieving children.  I plan to make one for a boy and one for a girl.  Below is the boy one.

In closing I'd like to offer my favorite new technique for cooking bacon.  Everyone likes bacon, right?

I line pans with foil then lay out bacon in a single layer.  (I like to take it out of the fridg about 30 mins before I start so it comes to room temp).

Here's the magic part:  I drizzle real maple syrup on each slice and then grind fresh pepper on each.  

I put the trays in a 375 degree oven for about 15-20 mins.  Really depends on the bacon thickness.  I do watch them and take out strips as they become brown and crispy.   They are perfect with blueberry pancakes or eggs or just in your mouth.

I'm hoping that my trip to Alaska with Hanna will snap me out of my sewing malaise.   (the trip is a combined Double Birthday, Christmas and Graduation gift to us both from Mr. Fun.)

Gosh, I sure would love to see an Eagle, Moose and Whale.  Totem Poles are high on the list too.

Have a great week!
xo

Quilts that Saved the Day!

Hooray for Quilts!  They really saved our bacon last weekend at the Miami University 177th Commencement Ceremony 2016.

This is Hanna's high school graduation quilt:  Tropical Breeze

Here it is at work December 2014 following her emergency appendectomy. The Red & White House quilt was made after her first year at Miami University.

 And here I am last Saturday using Tropical Breeze to show Hanna where we were sitting in the grandstand.

Graduation is such a joyous day!    We try not to take things too seriously.....Fun is our brand after all.

Hanna and Carol in front of their house sign in Oxford, Ohio.

With David (2015 grad). These two special people really were the heart and soul of her Miami Family.

Our Cheering section!  The Proud Parents, Andrew and Sigourney, and Carol's boyfriend, Bernardo, from Cancun, Mexico.

It was 45 degrees, gusty and we had a few sprinkles.  Yikes!  Thank Goodness for the QUILTS!!

It is always good when they spell your name right.  I loved seeing my Mother's name, Catherine, in the program.  Hanna is first woman in my direct lineage to Graduate College.  I am so proud of you!

I decorated the caps for the girls so we could find them.

in the College of Arts and Science Section - I see them!

Here is an Instagram photo I posted on Saturday.  3,940 students graduated May 14, 2016.

9 Semesters

7 move ins

7 move outs

3 Tries at Statistics

2 removed organs

1 diploma

Priceless

Stay tuned for actual quilting or sewing.
xo

Westering Women and Cake!

Wow - I had so many problems making this block.  I blame it on Mercury (see below).  Maybe it was having to resize it, then calculate making the half square triangles.  Maybe I'm just not that into this sew along.  

The Lone Elm Tree Block - 9" 

Here is the first block which is too small.

Here are Sheila's blocks

Kathy's first block, which she told me she thought looked liked mens PJs.

Kathy's redo block - I love how free and scrappy it is.

Okay - Mercury!  We get it.  You're in retrograde.

See this link to learn more about it.  I think I'm sensitive because as a Gemini, I'm a Mercury girl and it is my ruling planet.

Hooray for Derby Day.  I always love the tradition of watching.

 Woo Hoo - winner winner - $173.40 on a $12. bet.

We had a nice group meeting up at the quilt show a couple of weeks ago so I decided to bring Birthday cake for my friend, Norma.    It is called Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake.  Yum!

I made a baby cake for Mr. Fun since he wasn't coming to the show.

Mmmm.  It has a warm fudge like frosting.  Did I say Yum?

(Recipe below)

Have a great weekend Everyone.
xo




CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRY CAKE

Cake:
1 pkg plain devil's food cake mix with pudding
1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure almond extract

Chocolate Glaze:
1 c sugar
1/3 c butter
1/3 c whole milk
1 pkg. (6 oz; 1 c) semi sweet chocolate chips

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly mist a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with vegetable spray. Set pan aside.

Place cake mix, cherry pie filling, eggs and extract in a large bowl. Blend with a mixer on low for 1 minute. Stop and scrape down bowl. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more. Batter should look thick and well blended. Pour batter in pan, smooth top. Place in oven.

Bake cake until it springs back when lightly pressed and pulls away from the sides of the pan. 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. Prepare glaze while cake is hot.

Make a glaze, place sugar, butter and milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until it comes to a boil. Boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips. When chips are melted and glaze is smooth, pour it over the warm cake, covering the entire cake. Glaze will be thin but will firm up as it cools.

Remembering Jill Reid

It has been 2 years since I lost my kindred spirit, Jill Reid.  In some ways it feels a short time, but most often it feels like a long long time.  I miss her in so many big and little ways.

Last Friday I started playing with some UFO blocks from Jill and I made this table runner.

I added a bluebird for Jill and a redbird for me.

Here is is on my DR table this morning.

I marked 1 arc of my fan stencil and then just echoed it.

I used this decorator weight trademark fabric on the back.  Jill would have adored this fabric.

The strangest thing happened while I was picking a good blue to make Jill's bird.  I found this fabric in the blue fabric stack it was just a small piece.

Reilly was Jill's beloved Labradoodle and this is definitely Jill's handwriting.  How strange and wonderful to find it.  It is on the underside of her bird.

Here is a post I did on the sunflower quilt that I made for our friend, Susan in 2014.  

Guess who's back in town?

 they came on Monday, the first day I put the feeders out.

This is my favorite photo of me and Jill.  If you want to see some of Jill's beautiful quilts, click to see a Tribute that I posted after she passed away.

I miss you friend.
xo


p.s. I will definitely post my westering women and cake on Friday.

Wednesday Wonders

Yay!  I put my recently finished quilt: Sumptuous Stars in Andrew and Sigs room and it fit perfectly!  Since it was EPP and all hand whipped it is for "show only" sorry kids.

I also finished quilting my 6th block on the Alice Payne quilt.  I am always amazed at how the quilting makes a quilt come to life.

Wow!  What a wonderful show from the Northern Star Quilters!  Which is your favorite?

Amazing Job to all the ladies who organized and shared their quilts!

Mr. Starbuck is judging me.  I can feel it at the sewing machine.

Why is he standing in the ONE messy spot of the sewing room?

okay, okay I'll clean this up today!

I'll be back soon with a Westering Women post with a yummy cake recipe.

Oh!  One last thing......

xo