One Flower Wednesdays

I didn't get any new flowers made this week, but sewed 8 to my quilt top. Total is now 152. I've run out of green squares for the leaves, will have to cut more, luckily I bought enough fabric.

Mac and I went for a walk the other day and I found this interesting heart shaped rock, I only now realized I should have brought it home instead of just taking a picture. Maybe I will find it again.

Over the years cows have rubbed on this old willow so much it has a wonderful smooth surface and beautiful red colour.

 

I am excited to say I sold my last 8 mug rugs, all to the same person. Now I have an excuse to make more. I have one in the works for a friend turning 60 next week, but for some reason I had a hard time coming up with a design. Now that I am working on it, it seems to be coming together.

One Flower Wednesdays

I made 2 hexies this week, one with new fabric and a repeat, I still need more flowers for my garden and some repeats are fine.

Added 43 more flowers to total 144. I am finding it easy to add a row while watching TV at night. Didn't post last week because of an appointment in the city so they really added up.

I did stand on a chair this week, so my picture is kind of wonky. Hard to hold my arms out and lean over without shaking and not falling off the chair.

I've found this interesting site called Pinterest on a recommendation from a friend.

Great source of ideas and interests. I've just joined and am trying to figure out how it works.

Frying Pans Etc.

I counted the different varieties of frying pans I have recently when I added a red cast iron enamel grill to my hanging rack. I've got 17, that's not counting the 2 or 3 I have in the trailer for camping.

Although most aren't technically frying pans that's what I call them.

There are 4 cast iron ones - an 8 incher with a wooden handle, another 8 inch one, a 10 inch my husband had when he was single 40 years ago, and a nice big 12 inch Ware from my parents, oh and an old 8 inch Wagner Ware round griddle I bought at a garage sale. 

The 11 inch red enamel grill has a panini press that I've used for steak. Cooks really fast.

I was super excited when I found the green 10 inch Le Creuset enamel  braiser for $1.00 at another garage sale. Came with a glass lid.

8 inch turquoise Le Creuset at another garage sale.

There's a cast aluminum Danish Ebelskiver pan with 7 round indents for apple pancake balls. Haven't used that one yet, but it looks interesting. I think I found it at the re-cycle take it or leave it in town. Guess I should look up a recipe online.

3 different sized nice deep ones for those really big one pot meals that seem to get bigger as they cook.

An 11 inch square light weight grill that works perfectly for frying bacon. Have to watch the heat though. Got that with points a few years ago at Co-op. 

2 copper bottomed stainless steel ones that came with my Martha Stewart pot set, 8 and 10 inches.

A 4 inch steel one that's so old it is blackened and crusty. Never used it but I like the looks of it too, can't remember where I got it, probably a garage sale. I'm curious to know why it has an 8 stamped on the handle.

And lastly an 8 inch steel Comal tortilla pan I bought in Yuma Arizona last year, and yes I have used it a few times to make corn tortillas.

The stainless stand with holes is for cooking stuffed jalapenos on the BBQ. Used it a few times, works good. My sister-in-law gave it to me for Christmas, thanks Judy B.

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One Flower Wednesdays

One flower from some happy fabric.

Managed to get 11 more flowers attached, total is now 101. The trouble is that my arms can't get any longer, so I will have to find a new way to photograph my growing garden. Maybe I'll have to stand on a chair next time.

Not too much new, the garden is almost cleaned up, most of the lawn furniture is put away, now just waiting for snow. We had a tiny bit the other day, but melted almost as soon as it hit the ground. The colder weather is a good excuse to do some sewing anyway.
The other day I made 12 crumb squares.They are 6.5 inches but I see by the picture I did not trim the side of one yet. Good way to use up small scraps, but my scrap box never seems to get any emptier.

If you want a good tutorial go here.

I do mine the same way.
 http://quiltville.com/crumbs.shtml

One Flower Wednesdays

Only one new flower this week, but it is an interesting colour combination. 

Also got 15 hexies added to make my total 90.

With shorter days, the sun is rising later and has made for some beautiful sun rises. Although sometimes it is difficult to capture. I see it, have to get on a coat, shoes, grab my camera and get to the edge of the yard so I have a clear shot. I headed outside before the sun was up, missed my planned shot but caught the sun just behind the neighbour's farm.

One Flower Wednesdays

Well I'm back from our annual trip to the Okanagan in BC. Traveled to Salmon Arm, where we spent the night. Bought some cheese at Gort's Gouda and visited a new winery called Ovino, very good white wine. To Kelowna, for another night and lunch at Freddy's Brew Pub.Then off to Penticton for 3 nights, my favourite place out there. My brother and his wife drove out and met us in Penticton. We spent the next couple of days doing wine tastings at some of the many wineries there now. Found good deals on fruit and vegetables also and brought back a couple boxes of goodies.

I remember the first time we went to the wine festival in Penticton over 20 years ago, there were little wineries selling wine out of their garages, now most of them have built fancy tasting rooms. The wines aren't much better but the prices are getting ridiculous. We pick and choose our favourites who haven't inflated their prices too much.

I got 5 hexies done on the road, and 8 added to the top when we got home. The total is 75 now.

Just north of Keremeos there was a bear along the side of the road eating chokecherries. Lots of cars were stopped and people wee taking pictures. We got out and took some too, but there was one woman who walked right up to tree, before we told her to be careful, she was too close.

Also stopped at Hardy Falls just south of Peachland to watch the Kokanee spawning. We were earlier then usual this year and didn't see as many dead ones. We also saw a black bear on the other side of the stream but he went into the bush and I didn't get a good uicture.

One Flower Wednesdays

Added 13 more flowers to total 67, slowly getting bigger.

We have a road trip coming up, might be a good opportunity to sew more hexies on the road. Will have to get some petals cut out. I bought a fat quarter yesterday I really like, can't wait to see what it looks like all sewn up into flowers.

Crazy Quilting Friday

I've been working on this quilt block for quite awhile. Realized I didn't put any lace or tatting on it, but did lots of embroidery. Tried ribbon embroidery with some I had on hand, liked it so much I got some real silk ribbon on E-Bay. It is so light it should be much easier to work with. 
Found  the flowers to embroider in Diana Lampe's book Embroider A Garden.
It's not as wonky as it looks, I laid it on the grass to photograph and it isn't laying flat.

I made  banana muffins Wednesday. Boy are they good, still a few left. I used a recipe I found online at catcancook. I altered the recipe by using half whole wheat flour, and added 1/2 c chocolate chips, 1/2 c chopped walnuts & 1/2 tsp cinnamon. As the recipe says not too sweet.

http://www.catcancook.com/awesome-banana-muffin-recipe/

Banana Muffins (makes 12 muffins)

3 or 4 Large bananas, mashed (the more bananas the moister, so I use 4)
1/2 cup white sugar (original recipe calls for 1 cup, but I don’t like them too sweet)
1 slightly beaten egg
1/3 cup melted margarine or butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups flour
Mix the mashed banana, sugar, egg and margarine together. Set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour. Mix wet and dry ingredients all together! Pour into greased muffin tins, and bake in 350 degrees F oven for approximately 20 minutes. Enjoy!
*These are much more flavourful the next day, and they freeze very nicely too!
*Also, if you like walnuts, you can throw a handful of those in there as well for some added flavour and texture, or try adding chocolate chips, or better yet, BOTH! Yum

Isn't this a pretty little plate. I found it in my china cabinet while looking for a plate to photograph my muffin on.  Forgot I even had it, must have bought it at a garage sale.

One Flower Wednesdays

Got my "new to me" book. Didn't take very long to get here. Embroidered 2 patterns on a couple of flowers already joined to the top.

 Our weather turned cold and rainy so I had time to sit inside and sew. Joined 14 flowers to make my total 54. 
The joys of living near the mountains in Alberta - Monday was 30C (86F), Tuesday 11C (52F),  only 8C (46F) and raining right now. Supposed to warm up to 25C (77F) by Saturday. Some people wonder why we talk about the weather so much here, but it is so changeable, it gives us a conversation starter. 

Last night when I showed my husband the newest embroidered centres, he asked if I was going to do every one. I don't think so, but they look nice scattered around.
Think I will make banana muffins today while I do some machine crazy quilt squares.

One Flower Wednesdays

WOW it's been 3 weeks since I posted. With having the grand kids from Winnipeg and Calgary coming for a visit, gardening, camping and just generally being busy with summer, I haven't sewn much. I did do 3 more embroidered centres.  I used patterns from Diana Lampe's book Embroider A Garden, that I borrowed from he library. Liked the book so much I bought a used one from Better World Books, through Biblio.com. Although a different title (Embroidery From the Garden), I am sure it will provide lots of inspiration. 
Speaking of Better World Books, the shipping rate was so low, $1.97 to Canada, I almost can't believe it. Check them out at BetterWorldBooks.com.
Better World Books is a for-profit company with a social mission where every purchase you make helps to change the world.

 I also got 4 more flowers added to my quilt, total is 40 now.

Looking around the garden this morning, I found this huge Bumble Bee, busily visiting the sunflowers. I'd have to guess it was well over an inch long.

One last picture of this cute mini fuchsia 'Aretes Upright Maria Landy'. The flowers are only an inch long.

One Flower Wednesdays

What fun, I discovered the joy of embroidering the centres of my flowers. We took a road trip to Winnipeg to take back the grandkids and I sewed these 2 flowers together and decided to embroider them to help the time go faster. I can foresee doing more of this, it is fun.

 Somewhere in Saskatchewan

Took this through the car window. The fields of flax look like water in the dry landscape.

One Flower Wednesdays

Added 7 more flowers over the past 2 weeks, making the total 36. Slowly growing. The twin grandkids from Winnipeg got here last Tuesday, so have been busy with them. Went camping for a couple of days, today off to pick up Violet and go to a play centre with the 3 of them.

 Blue shoes this week to go with the quilt top.

House Sparrow coming in with food for babies.

 Sheep River Falls

Crazy Quilting Friday

I found a cute pig for my centre this week. I might do more embellishments later, when more inspiration hits me. 

I finally found my old tatting shuttles and did a few pieces, to add to my crazy quilt squares. I was glad my tatting skills only needed a bit of practice to gat back into it. My first shuttle belonged to my grandmother Pearl and is a french ivory one (celluloid) and was  probably made in the 1910s - 1920s.

I tried some different embroidery, the little butterflies on the lower left were fun to do.

This this little piggy reminded me that my husband's grandmother's maiden name was Pigg. I think I will embroidery the name Nora somewhere on it for her.

One Flower Wednesdays

5 more flowers added this week, that makes the total 29, slowly growing into a quilt. Granddaughter Violet is out for a couple of days and held it up for me in the bright morning sun.

 

A nest of baby House Sparrows waiting for their next meal.

I tried a new nest box design with an oval hole. It was supposed to be for Tree Swallows but the sparrows claimed it first. The hole works good, as more babies can get their heads out at once.

Mac's a father

The neighbour's Scotch Collie came for a visit and the result is 7 puppies. The funny thing is they are all black, some with white paws, tail tips and chests.

Our wild pathway

  I planted a couple sedums years ago and they have gradually made their way all around our house in the gravel pathway. There are some Gypsy Baby's Breath that reseeds itself also. I love the random wild look, and the colours are so pretty right now.

Mystery Plant

This plant has been growing at my husband's parent's farm for years. His sister owns the farm now and pointed it out to me in an area where some buildings used to be. I brought a few plants home a couple of years ago and they reseed themselves. I haven't been able to identify it, but I think it is a Hellebore. I have never seen it anywhere else. 

Violet Helping

Violet helped bring in the laundry. I am going to teach her what weeds look like today, ha ha, no it's not child labour!