March Socks Done!

I have FINALLY finished my March 2013 sock of the month from Biscotte & Cie.  

It's really only two months late.  I am very happy to have these done, not just because they are so colorful and comfortable, but it means I can now start on my April sock and it is pretty fun I think!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Squirrel!!! No, it's a bicycle......

No, I didn't actually see a squirrel right now, it's just that I have the attention span of a .... ? dog.

I was supposed to be finishing a quilting project, however, got distracted and made this.

The stamp set is from Sale-a-bration 2013.  I used Early Espresso card stock, First Edition Specialty Designer Series Paper, and Very Vanilla card stock for the stamped image.
The ribbon is 1/4" Stitched Grosgrain ribbon.  If you can believe it, I used all Stampin' Up product on this card!  Stayed focused a little bit......
Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Road Trip Block 8

Block number eight completed!

Cut more fabric for the rest of blocks as well, so that should hopefully speed up the assembly process.

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Road Trip Block 7

Still working on making these disappearing four patch blocks.  I think I may even have a home for this quilt when it is done!

Off to make another one!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Oh S"crap"! It's Monday...

Here is Step #6 of my first Plenty of Fish Mystery Facebook Quilt!

This step was a tough one as you can see ;), but this is what I have done so far (remember, no new fabric was harmed in the process of making this quilt - this is all from prior projects):

TAH DAH!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

The Perfect Day!

You know how sometimes, you just have the "perfect" day?  Well, that was my day today.

First I had a really good sleep last night, and when I got up this morning I knew it was time to go to the Annual Festival of Quilts.  My son accompanied me as daddy had to work.

Heritage Park was filled with quilts and my son and I had so much fun finding so many of them as they were all over on display!

Afterwards we took the train around the park and of course took a ride on the S. S. Moyie around the Glenmore Reservoir. 

Lunch of course was cinnamon buns with cream cheese icing from the park bakery (delicious).

The trip home was also simply perfect, the temperature was right, the highway was not too busy, and thanks to the rain southern and central Alberta was positively beautiful, and Country 105, KG Country and 93.1 The One played the best Two Steppin' music all the way home:

It was the kind of day that I would say was "rainbows, and lollipops, and unicorns and glitter", and I did not even quilt today (although I did get another couple of project to work on).

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Knitting in the Mallard with the Geese

What a title eh?

I'm a little bit of a University snob you see.  I am a graduate of the University of Calgary's Faculty of Nursing, and so anytime it comes to pursuing advancing education I will only attend this institution so am in Calgary again this weekend.  Plus it helps that every spring my husband works for a couple of months in Calgary, and when he does he takes the  Mallard Travel Trailer to live in.

On Friday evening my son and I drove from Edmonton to Calgary in these conditions:

By the time we arrived in Calgary this had cleared (thank goodness)!

This evening the sky outside looks like this, and I do not really feel like setting up my sewing machine so I am knitting and waiting for the storm:

all the while listening to these two:

They look and act quite mean, which I think is the reason for the fence between them and I!

And here is my knitting so far this evening:

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Still Not Cleaning...

Progress has been made in something, I think.  

The craft room is still not clean, but I do however have another 18 of these 6" flannel squares sewed up with the left over batting pieces! 

This fun flannel was picked up last summer at Patchwork Fabrics in Slave Lake, Alberta.

Might have some more room to sneak in some more fabric from the 18th Annual Festival of Quilts this weekend at Heritage Park.

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Cleaning the Craft Room

Okay, so I am actually supposed to be doing something "academic" at the present time, but I don't feel like it!  No, no, no, it's that I can't because my craft room is rather disorganized right now.  That's better.  To be in "top" academic mode, I must have a clean craft room (I suppose I could use the dining room table), but let's stick to the premise that a clean craft room will get the academic juices flowing and my thoughts and diction will flow.....

So, to clean the craft room I started with the big assorted pieces of left over quilt batting in the corner of the closet.  

When I finish a quilt I take all of the left over pieces and if they are 5" or bigger I cut them into 5" squares to be used for rag quilts.  If they are smaller, I sew them together to make 5" squares, and if they are just bits of fluff, then into the bag for dog beds.

So far I have cut 163 of these squares.   Well, that is just making another mess, so because I am easily distracted here is what I did:

Eighteen 6" squares cut from flannel that I picked up in Canmore one day after my son finished skiing. Ready to be put into a rag quilt.  Hmmmm, I think I have a pile of flannel here somewhere......

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Embroidery????

I'm going to let you in on a little secret..... up until now I have HATED embroidery.  Yes, I know it looks beautiful and all, but I don't like it (because I can't do it).

I however do like Lynette Anderson's Designs quilts, and the neat graphics that go along with her quilts and such (especially since lots of them have dogs on them).

Today "the" Lynette Anderson was hosted by Lori's Country Cottage to do a workshop.  So, of course I went!

Now, what did I learn from this? Well, I learned something that I sort of knew, but did not really pay attention to, and that is:  although I scribe with my right hand, I am not right handed.  Well, okay, so what?  Well, it turns out the reason I have hated embroidery was because for someone who is a closest "lefty" there are ways to hold the needle, thread, and of course fabric at angles to get your stitches correct!  

Thanks Lynette! 

 I may have another hobby instead of just socks to take with me to my son's extra curricular activities now.

This is what I got done so far today...

 Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Road Trip Block 6

Meet Road Trip Block 6!  

This evening I finally decided it would be easier to just cut up all of the fat quarters and then pair up light and dark colors rather than just cutting two of each which is what I have been painfully doing!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Knitting in the F-350

On the way home from Great Falls I knitted on my Sock of the Month from Biscotte & Cie.  Shhhhh, this is the sock from March (I still have to start on April).  

I took my knitting along with my in my brand new Eggplant colored Mini Messenger Bag from Namaste.

River City Yarns did a special order on these bags a few weeks ago, and this is the one I chose.  So pretty, and purple ; )

Now, since this is a REALLY long road, I took some pictures too:

Are we there yet?

Are we there YET??

Now, ARE WE THERE YET???
Not quite....

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Quiltin' the F-Series

I got up bright and early yesterday morning to hit up the quilt shops in Great Falls.

Here is what I found at Big Sky Quilts.  I could not leave it behind.  It came in a kit option with other F-Series fabric, so I opted for the kitted option.

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Road Trip Muffins

Last night my son and I made muffins for our road trip this weekend.  I LOVE a good road trip.

Last weekend I had to run a few errands one of which included groceries.

Now there is a grocery/everything store that I HATE, but unfortunately it has good prices and everything I needed.  So, I decided to face my challenge and go to the only one I can tolerate, the one in St. Albert.

While at this _ _ _ _ _ store I found taste of home Bakeshop favorites for a really awesome price.

Did I purchase it?  Of course.

This is the recipe for Raspberry Jam Muffins (I added 2 tbsp Chia seed).

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Road Trip Block 5

Allow me to introduce Road Trip Block 5 of my Disappearing Four Patch Blocks.

This block is rather appropriate for today as I will make about 600 miles by the end of today : )

I LOVE a good road trip.  

Of course that will mean I have to stop at some of my favorite quilt shops along the way, but please remember it is important to take regular breaks along the way to fill the car, yourself, clean out the car, yourself.....so it's actually healthy to have a plan to stop every couple of hours at quilt stores ; )

Hope you have a safe, fun and great long weekend!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Flower Box

Last night my son and I planted the flower box beside the doorstep.

There is the rest of the Pelargonium's, the left over Alyssum's, a couple of Cape Daisy, and the fun yellow flower at the end, that I have no idea what it is called, but I thought it was pretty.

My little Travelocity Gnome stands guard of all of this.

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Doorstep Flower Pots

Last night after dinner, my son and I planted these Pelargoniums (Regal Geraniums).

I love these flowers.  Since they are not true geraniums, they do not have that awful smell ; ).

I think that they look pretty.

Welcome Spring!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Strawberry Garden

My son's school comes up with what I think are some really neat fundraisers.  We never have to sell chocolates or magazines (things that people buy from us and we feel sorry for).

At Christmas they sell Poinsettia plants and this spring in an effort to raise funds for the new hardwood gymnasium floor the school sold plants.  One of the items was strawberries.

Since I live in the city, I do not have a garden, so I had to find some way to plant these.  After much looking about the city  I was able to find at Kuhlmann's greenhouse, ceramic, not painted, not made in a questionable country: strawberry planters. 

This evening after piano and dinner, this is what we did!

Happy Growing little strawberries.  Yes, they are also planted in "organic" (I know all dirt is organic - but pesticide and herbicide free) soil!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Oh S"crap"! It's Monday...

Here is Step 5 of my Plenty of Fish Facebook Mystery Quilt for my second quilt!  Done just in time again, although there is a second part of this, but even I should be able to have that one done by the end of the week.

Still using up on scraps for this project.  Should be able to smuggle in some more fabric if I can clean out enough of my scraps ; )

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day Everyone!

Yesterday my son and I went to Wallish Greenhouse.  

While there we came across this Princess Lily, and we thought it would look perfect in the planer in front of our house.

Today we planted it, along with a couple of leftover Alyssum's.  I think it will look really pretty this summer.

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Road Trip Block 4

Meet block Number 4 of my Disappearing 4 Patch Blocks.

Not a fan of this color of pink, but I think it turned out kind of neat!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

What's For Dinner????

Well, it's Friday so that of course means fish.  I was asked the other day what the significance of fish on Friday is, and honestly, I really don't know.......you just do it, and it's a great way to get in that fish the Dietitians want you to three times a week.  I think I might have to investigate what the fish on Friday deal is.....

Anyways, I was out of rice tonight, so I needed something fairly quick to go with the fish and after starring into the refrigerator for a while, I realized I have left over mashed potatoes!

My mother in law makes this wonderful potato casserole with left over mashed potatoes and so that is what I made: Potato Puff!

Potato Puff:

3 cups mashed potatoes

1 cup warm milk

2 egg yolks

1 cup grated cheese (what ever kind you have, some of the spicy cheese make this extra "Top Drawer")

- mix all of these together

2 egg whites - beat until stiff

-fold the egg whites into the above mixture 

Bake in 350F uncovered in oven for about 30 minutes (til baked through and liquid is all absorbed).

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Look! It's Pie.

 I washed my new pie plate late last night, and then I decided that rather than put it away in the baking pan drawer, I should use it.

So, that is exactly what I did!  I defrosted the last of the pie dough I had squirreled away in the freezer, and I now present you:

Raspberry Pie!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Pie Plate from the Past

I'm beginning to think that old age is catching up with me (even though my Wii Fit age is 27) this year.  Everything seems to take longer to accomplish, and sometimes, I am just too lazy to do the simplest things, like today's project.

Last August the day before we left for our last of summer vacation and what we call our "Shopping Cross the Border" (click on the link and listen to the lyrics - they're awesome) trip, my son and I went to Brenda's Paint Pot, and I started this:

It's a pie dish of which I decided should be in a gingham print.  It took forever to do this part, and my son finished his painting and started to "help" me.  Now, I know the stripes are crooked, and the painting uneven, and maybe this is where I am starting to show my age, I decided that I would not always have an 8 year old helper, so I let him help me finish the stripes.

By the time these were dry it was time to bicycle home and leave for Montana.

In November we returned to Brenda's Paint Pot to finish painting this pie dish:

Yes, the graphics are all mine (not too bad for someone who cannot draw- I think).

So fast forward to today, my son and I finally stopped by and picked up the finished piece.  Why has it taken me so long to pick it up?????  I don't know!

But there it is, now I should probably make pie, but...........

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Ice Cream Sandwiches M & M Style!

Since it has been so nice and warm here in Edmonton the past couple of days and my son and I have been eating ice cream almost every evening.......last night we made M & M cookies.

Now, you may wonder what cookies have to do with ice-cream? 

Easy I will put these cookies into my Ice Cream Sandwich Makers, before our next evening bike ride, and we'll have ice cream sandwiches when we get home!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

M & M Cookies
3/4 cup non hydrogenated margarine
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
- mix together until smooth, then add:
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- mix until smooth, add in:
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
2 cups all purpose flour
- after mixing together fold in
1 cup M & M's (I didn't have quite enough so I topped up with chocolate chips ;)

Bake in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes and let rest in pan for 5 minutes before placing on cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Oh S"crap"! It's Monday...

Late last night (red eye crafts), in true red eye fashion I finished up Part 5 of the Plenty of Fish Facebook Mystery Quilt.  

Now, only to repeat this step again for my second version of this quilt!

What was I thinking?????

Oh, well, starting to notice a dent in the scrap fabric pile, might be able to sneak some more into the house....

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Road Trip Block 3

I had a very productive day today!

Not only did I manage to get another block done from my Road Trip fabric, but my son and I also took the car to the car wash.  Then we cleaned out all of the winter garbage that had built up in it, vacuumed, dusted and even treated the leather seats!  Almost new car smell!

After dinner we went to the park on our bicycles because it was 26C outside today!!!  When we got back we had ice cream on the back steps before off to bed!  Must be snow in the forecast for tomorrow....... (it's Edmonton).

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Road Trip Block 2

I had to make one more of these blocks last night before going to bed (red eye crafting).

I present you with a brown version!

I think this is going to a fun quilt!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Road Trip!

One of the great things about growing up in Saskatchewan is that we learn from an early age that to go anywhere or do anything requires getting in your car and making a long trip.  The mail could be an hour away (seriously....).

To this day, I love a good road trip, and any chance I have to hit the open highway, I take it because it gives me such a sense of freedom.

Twice in the past week I have had the opportunity to travel back to central Alberta.  I LOVE the city and area of  Red Deer, and will always feel that this area is my second home : )

So, while there I had to stop at a few of the rural area quilt shops and that of course meant a stop at The Peaceful Patch Quilt Shop in Blackfalds, Alberta.  

While in there I found this bundle of orphan fabric looking for a good home:

So, I paid the "adoption" fee and brought it home with me.  Now, I probably don't need more fabric, so I figured I better to put it to good use sooner rather than later.

Here is what I have so far:

A Disappearing Four Patch block.  I have cut my squares at 5" to maximize my use of each fat quarter.

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Stamp of the Month Club

For Stamp of the Month Club this month Karina chose the Wishes Your Way stamp set and a small pinwheel die.

These are the cards that we got.

I think the pinwheel will be BIG FUN (as my son wound say)!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

March Sock Marches On...... (and on....)

Alright, so you know how I joined the Sock of the Month Club offered by Biscotte & Cie.  Well, I have finally managed to get one of my March socks done!

Yay!  That is such good news....

It took me a while to "master" the art of Fair Isle knitting, but now that I have sock two will likely progress much quicker and I REALLY want to start on April's sock because the yarn for it is so FUN! 

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy