Meet me at the Fair

the Durham Fair! My favorite day of Fall.

I had two quilts in the Court of Honor this year:
Snow Flower won Best Machine Pieced and Machine Quilted.

Jubilee Won for Best all Sewn by Hand.   I will get my name on a plaque again, which is so rewarding I can't tell you.

This means the world to me because in the "Big Shows" these quits don't really receive recognition.  They are too simple, but they are the kind of quilts I love to make.
I also received blue ribbons for Rich's Holly Quilt and my Bow Tie Swap quilt. 

I wish I had taken more photos in the Sewing Barn but I was with 2 different groups and it just got away from me. 
Here are the "After The Storm Art Bras" so creative!

More Photos from the Fair~
Hanna came home from DC.  She wouldn't miss the fair!

Who can resist baby pigs?

 Now that is a GREAT PUMPKIN

 I always love the flower displays

 Mr. Fun's absolute favorite thing is the Goats.  He just loves them and they love him too.

 Clever Pumpkin carving.

 Love this bird feeder theme.

Look at the size of that frying pan!  Oh My!  the nicest Polish couple have a potato pancake tent.

 Yum!  applesauce, sour cream and Tzatziki.

New Food Item this was Bacon Mac 'n Cheese in a waffle cone.  yes!

I miss it already.

Here is a super simple decorating hack:  1 string of lights and 2 sunflower garlands from JoAnn's.  Boom.   Done.

Fall Recipe - Pumpkin Chili. Get this Gluten Free Recipe Here.

Note:  I swapped out the ground turkey for a rotisserie chicken and skipped the green pepper.  It is hardy, healthy and delicious.

Happy October Everyone!
I'm off to the American Quilt Study Group Seminar in Bethesda, MD.  I'll share photos next week.
xo

Quilty as Charged!

Creative Craziness is happening in the development of a couple of new workshops.  Here is one "mood board" approach.  Stay tuned.

I pulled blocks and scraps from every corner of my sewing room.  I'll be adding 2 new workshops and a 3rd lecture in May.

This week I made a easy, healthy, low fat, veggie filled casserole that I thought you may like.

Chicken Casserole
Ingredients:
2 cups Cooked Chicken (I like to use a rotisserie chicken)
2 cups egg noodles (before cooking - I used veggie pasta)
20 oz. mixed vegetables (or peas and carrots if you prefer)
1 can cream of mushroom (I used fat free)
1 can cream of chicken (I used fat free)
1 cup milk (I used Fat Free Lactaid and added a few TBs of Ranch.
2 TBs. melted butter
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup for topping
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. Italian seasonings
salt and pepper to taste

** don't judge my pan, I've been using it for 30 years lol.

Cook pasta according to package directions.  

Mix remaining ingredients in a large bowl. 

Spread into a greased 9 x 13" pan.

Bake 30-40 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Top with 1/2 cup (or more) shredded cheese and broil for 3-5 mins - watch closely so it doesn't get too brown.

This is what I think of as "Real Food - for Real Lives".  My family is devouring the leftovers.

If you are going to Quilt Fest Chicago say hello to my Jubilee Quilt on display in the American Tradition Applique' exhibit.  It comes home after this show - yay!

Have a happy week.
xo

ps
today's blog title credit goes to Phil at Goodwin College :)

BSQ 2015 Quilt Show Roundup

Last week I spent four days in New Jersey with the Brownstone Quilt Guild working on the quilt show.  Here is a re-cap:

My Jubilee Quilt won a Blue Ribbon for Bed Quilt and also a Quilt Show Chairman's ribbon.  I was so honored I look like a lunatic !!

Nancy and I tied for 3rd place ribbons in the wall quilt pieced category and they are both houses - perfect!

I forgot to get a photo of Hot Flash, but it was awarded an Honorable Mention.

Before all the fun of the show, I was the Judging Chair and responsible for hiring and making arrangements for the judges and organizing the quilts at take in and on judging day.

Pauline and I have done this for the past 4 shows but it is a challenge each time!

Here is an "action shot" of the judging.

100 quilts were judged between 9:30a and 6:00p.  It was a long, hard day.  Thank you to all who came to help.  It couldn't have been done without you!

The show looked the best it every has!  We used black curtains and wow - what a difference they make.

Here are my buddies - the Co-Chairs:  Pauline and Nancy and the wonderful raffle quilt that they also coordinated.

Here are some and by no means all the quilts I liked.  I just ran out of time taking photos.

Quilt shows are put on by volunteers like our Vendor Queen, Norma and our Ribbon Queen, Peg.

Dana's Booth, Material Pleasures, looked amazing! I was obsessed with the nine patch, of course.  I heard she sold the cheddar and blue - yum

Here is what I purchased at her booth:  A luscious piece of Toile'

and a vintage fabric and Hanky

I picked up these fabrics~

I added to my low volume and script fabric collections, bought another pair of Karen K Buckley's scissors and those pricey but wonderful needles.

I must be obsessed with my new fabric mist, I took its photo twice.

It was wonderful to see and chat so many friends from my recent visits to Garden State Quilters and Pieced Together Quilters as well as Block Swappers.

Well - That's all folks!

Hello? Anyone Home??

Sometimes I feel like I have nothing to post about.  Then I have to many little things.  Oh well, here goes.

I've been working really, really hard on my Jubilee quilt.  You know it's bad when Mr. Fun says "you've been working on that one a long time...."  Wha?  We did actually move our whole lives during the quilting process.....

I only have 1/2 of 1 border left to quilt!!!

I switched up Andrew and Sigs (and guest) bedroom this fall to feature cheddar.

Mary B. made me this lovely hand dyed quilt.

I love how she quilted it

The other nightstand has this little cheddar beauty that I made years ago.

Speaking of Andrew and Sig - we had a lovely day at the zoo yesterday.

  

who can resist face cutout photo boards?  not us.

And we fell in love with the baby goats.  These 2 were born to Peaches last Friday.  There were some that were born on Sunday.  I want one!!

I have had several readers ask how I hang my quilts.  Here it is:  The Hang it Dang it.  I was introduced to this by my friend, Elizabeth O'S.

These are available on-line at several websites, just google it and order one.

It has changed my life!   It is a bold statement, but true.

I have just hung my 4th hanger in my sewing room.  It takes more time to find a hammer and nail than to hang it.  It only takes 1 nail and is self leveling.

The instructions are super easy to follow and changing a full sized quilt takes less than 5 minutes, which is how I enjoy different quilts throughout the year.

here is my new hanger and an older quilt "Lollipop Garden"

Sometimes I like to offer a behind the scenes shot of the UTTER CHAOS going on in my life.  This shot taken right after the beauty shot as I walked away from the mess.  As per usual, coco looked bored to death, literally.

Photo cropping has also changed my life......have a great week.