Make-A-List Monday

Make-A-List Monday

The Week of December 24, 2012
(in review)

1. Work on Clue #6 of the Easy Street Mystery to be released on Friday, December 28, 2012.

Here are some of the units I made for Clue #6.  

Clue #7 was released this morning and Clue #8, the final clue, will be released tomorrow.  Happy New Year to me!!!

2. Complete the two blocks for the PQW Saturday Sampler.

Here are the two blocks I did this month.  

The end of this BOM is coming soon.

3. Add 40 hexies to my Bonnie Hunter inspired Christmas Hexagon quilt.

275 Hexies

4. Continue to work through my Christmas Control Journal.

I find my Christmas Control Journal so helpful as I celebrate Christmas with family and friends.  I start in the beginning of October and do a step at a time.  It has definitely taken most of the stress of this holiday away.  If you are interested in starting a Christmas Control Journal check out the Flylady website.

5. Go out for Christmas Eve Dinner and to 8PM mass. 

Our dinner was lovely and the service was beautiful.

Our Church always looks so pretty at Christmas time.

6. Host a Christmas Day feast for family and friends.

Our Christmas day celebration was super.  All the food was wonderful, if I do say so myself.  It was so nice to spend time with people who are so important to me. 

7. Attend a showing of Les Miserables on Christmas night. 

I was blown away by this movie.  It was AMAZING!  

8. Finish piecing the backing for the Shop Hop quilt.

This quilt is now ready to be quilted.

9. Spend a day with little Ryder.

10. Post recipes for a lot of the dishes I served on Christmas Day.

I was able to take pictures of all the dishes.  I will post the recipes soon.

11. Finish the Craftsy Block of the Month quilt top.

I was able to finish another block for this quilt.

I have one more block to go and then I will start the sashing.



The Week of December 31, 2012

1.  Work on clue #7 and #8 for Easy Street mystery quilt by Bonnie Hunter.

2.  Organize my 2013 Blocks of the Month.  

3.  Prepare a list of "Quilts Ready to be Quilted."  I have 12 quilts in line to be quilted on Annie, my long arm machine.  My goal is to make an ongoing list of quilts that are ready to be quilted in order to track my progress.  I hope to get this number down to three or less by the end of the year.
  
4.  Add 39 Hexies to my Bonnie Hunter inspired Christmas Hexagon quilt.

5.  Finish the Craftsy Block of the Month quilt top.

6.  Watch the USC Trojans play in the Sun Bowl.

Unfortunately Matt Barkley is unable to play because of a shoulder injury.  Hopefully freshman QB Max Wittek, Marquis Lee and Robert Woods can still get the job done.

FIGHT ON!!!

7.  Do a little decorating for the winter season.

8.  Work on a paper-pieced heart sampler.

9.  Work on a few Dear Jane Blocks.

10.  Spend a day with Ryder.

That's it for this week.  After a week of very little sewing, I hope to get back into my studio and make some progress on my list.

Until Next Time.....Happy Stitching!!!

Sharyn

Make-A-List Monday

Make-A-List Monday

The Week of December 17, 2012
(in review)

1. Knit a Christmas hat for little Ryder. 

My precious Ryder looks so cute in his handmade Santa hat.

Here he is with Coach (AKA Grandpa) and his personalized bat from the Louisville Bat Museum.  We got it for him when we went to Kentucky this summer.

2. Finish knitting some scarves for Christmas presents. 

I was able to finish seven scarves.  I wanted to finish more but I just ran out of time.  I guess I should have started sooner.  This seems to happen every year.

3. Add 52 hexies to my Bonnie Hunter inspired Christmas Hexagon Quilt. 

235 Hexies

4. Spend two days with my favorite grandson. 

On Wednesday we spent part of the day playing in the Jumperoo.  

On Saturday we spent the day with family.

Ryder with Uncle JT.

Ryder with his Great Grandparents.

Ryder with his Mom, Heather.

5. Piece a backing for the NJ Shop Hop quilt I finished piecing last week.

I found just the right fabric but I did not get a chance to piece the backing.

6. Quilt the Kindred Quilt Shop Saturday Sampler quilt top I finished piecing in May, 2012.

This quilt is loaded but not quilted yet.

7. Continue to work through my Christmas Control Journal.

I got everything done in my Control Journal through December 23rd.

8. Work on Clue #5 of Bonnie Hunter's Mystery Quilt...Easy Street.

Clue #5 is complete.  

To see what other mystery quilters are doing check out Bonnie's Linky post. 


 
The Week of December 24, 2012

1.  Work on Clue #6 of the Easy Street Mystery to be released on Friday, December 28, 2012.

We are getting to the end of this mystery (I think.)  I can't wait to see how the quilt turns out.

2.  Complete the two blocks for the PQW Saturday Sampler.

The next class is the weekend of January 12, 2012.  

3.  Add 40 hexies to my Christmas Hexagon quilt.

I am going to start working on the next section of diamonds.  These six sections will take a while.


4.  Continue to work through my Christmas Control Journal.

Today I am going to make the green bean casserole, stuffing, scalloped carrots, chocolate trifle, crab dip, sweet potatoes and stuffed celery.  My plan is to take lots of pictures so I can post these recipes in the near future.

5.  Go out for Christmas Eve Dinner and to 8PM mass.  

We have reservations at K C Prime in Lawrenceville, NJ.  We will attend Christmas Eve Mass at St. David the King RC Church in West Windsor, NJ.

6.  Host a Christmas Day feast for family and friends.

We should have 20-25 people at our Christmas Day celebration.  Unfortunately Kyle, Heather and Ryder will not be here.  It breaks my heart to not be with my first grandchild on his first Christmas.  They will be in my heart all day.  Next year they will spend Christmas Day with us.  I have a wonderful meal planned.  I can't wait!!!

7.  Attend a showing of Les Miserables on Christmas night.  

My Christmas gift to myself is to take my family to a showing of Les Miserables after our Christmas Day celebration.  I can't wait.  We have been listening to the soundtrack of the Broadway show all week instead of Christmas carols.

8.  Finish piecing the backing for the Shop Hop quilt.


9.  Spend a day with little Ryder.

I'm hoping that my DH will be able to join me during my weekly Ryder Time.  He has a basketball game that morning but he hopes to come afterwards.  We only have one car so my beautiful DD, Shea, will drop him off on her way back to Hoboken, NJ.


10.  Post recipes for a lot of the dishes I served on Christmas Day.

I'm hoping, with all the hustle and bustle of the holiday, that I remember to take pictures of all the yummy things I prepare for our celebration. 

11.  Finish the Craftsy Block of the Month quilt top.

If I get sewing time this week, this is the project I want to work on after the mystery clue is done.


Let the festivities begin.


Merry Christmas to all!!!

Until Next Time.....Happy Stitching!!!

Sharyn

Foodie Friday

Banana Chocolate Chip Walnut Bread

• 2 C          All-Purpose Flour
• 1 t.          Baking Soda
• 1/2 t        Salt
• 1/2 C       Butter or Margarine, room temperature (1 stick)
• 1 C          Granulated Sugar
• 2             Large Eggs
• 1 T          Grated Orange Peel
• 1 C          Mashed Bananas, (about 2 medium)
• 1/2 C       Buttermilk (*see below)
• 1 C          Chopped Walnuts
• 1 C          Semisweet Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 340 degrees.  Grease two 8" x 4" loaf pans.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.  Set aside.

In large bowl, at medium speed, cream butter, sugar, eggs and orange peel until light and fluffy.  Beat in mashed bananas..

At low speed, gradually add flour mixture, then buttermilk; beat just until smooth.  Stir in walnuts and chocolate chips.  

Divide batter evenly between the two prepared pans.  Bake 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Remove pans to a wire rack to cool.  In approximately 15 minutes remove bread from pans and cool completely.  When cool wrap in plastic wrap and foil to keep fresh.

Makes 2 loaves

*  To make 1/2 C Buttermilk...Combine 1/2 C Milk and 1 T Vinegar.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes.  Stir.

Until Next Time.....Happy Stitching!!!

Sharyn

Foodie Friday

Spritz Cookies

• 1 C          Butter, room temperature (2 sticks)
• 1/2 C       Sugar
• 1 t.          Vanilla Extract
• 2             Egg Yolks
• 2 1/2 C    All-Purpose Flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar with mixer on medium speed.  Add vanilla, egg yolks and flour.  Mix well.

Fill a cookie press with dough and press cookies onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Decorate with colored sugar, if desired.

Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes.  Remove cookies from oven and transfer to a wire cooling rack.

Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies.

Until Next Time.....Happy Stitching!!!

Sharyn

Foodie Friday

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

• 1 C         All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 t.      Baking Powder
• 1/2 t.      Baking Soda
• 1/2 t.      Salt
• 1/2 C      Butter, room temperature (1 stick)
• 1/2 C      Packed Brown Sugar
• 1/2 C      Granulated Sugar
• 2 T         Granulated Sugar, for rolling
• 1/2 t.      Vanilla Extract
• 1            Large Egg
• 9 oz        Creamy Peanut Butter
• 48          Unwrapped Hershey Chocolate Kisses

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, with mixer on medium speed, beat butter, brown sugar and 1/2 Cup granulated sugar 2 minutes or until creamy, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula.  Reduce speed to low; beat in vanilla, then egg.  Add peanut butter and beat on medium speed 2 minutes or until creamy.  Reduce speed to low; beat in flour mixture just until blended, occasionally scraping bowl.

Roll a tablespoon sized dough ball in sugar. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet approximately 2 inches apart.  Bake cookies for 10 - 12 minutes.

Remove baking sheet from oven.  Before cookies cool, place a Chocolate Kiss in the center of each cookie.  Transfer to a wire cooling rack.  Allow cookies to cool completely and the Kiss to harden before moving cookies to an air-tight container.

Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies

Until Next Time.....Happy Stitching!!!

Sharyn

Easy Street Clue #4

Easy Street

 PART 4

The fourth clue in Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilt had us making 64 more flying geese.  

I used my Wing Clipper ruler to make my flying geese.

This method uses one larger square and four smaller squares.

You need to draw a line diagonally on each of the small squares.

Then you line up two of the squares as in the picture and sew 1/4" on either side of the line.

Then you cut on the line.

Can you tell what I was watching while I was working on Clue #4?

QUILTCAM!

Press these units toward the smaller triangles.

Place another square on the purple fabric and sew 1/4" on either side of the line.

Cut on the line and press carefully toward  the small triangle trying not to stretch the bias.

These units are ready to be trimmed.

Use the Wing Clipper tool to square up the units.

Here are some of  my trimmed

 Flying Geese.

Next we were to pair these units with 64 of the flying geese we made in clue #2.

We have now completed four clues.

To check out the progress of other Mystery Quilters click HERE

Until Next Time.....Happy Stitching!!!

Sharyn

Make-A-List Monday

Make-A-List Monday

The Week of December 10, 2012

(in review)

1. Finish the pieced pinwheel border on the 2012 NJ Shop Hop Quilt.

I finally finished my pieced pinwheel border for this quilt.

I did this entire quilt top as a Leader/Ender project including the borders so it did take a while.

I am happy with the finished top.  I did not have enough of the white background fabric to do an outside border but luckily I was able to find just enough at the fabric store to finish the project.  Now to work on the backing.

2. Finish quilting Appomattox which is still on Annie.

This quilt is done and ready to be bound.  I will share specifics in a Show & Tell Tuesday sometime in the future.

Here are a few pictures...

3. Quilt Ryder's Christmas stocking fabric and complete the stocking.

I love the way little Ryder's stocking finished.  I got to use my new embroidery machine.

It took me three tries before I got it right.  Here is the finished stocking...

Here is his stocking after Santa visited...

I can't wait for him to open all his presents.  He is a lucky little boy.

4. Add 35 more hexies to my Bonnie Hunter inspired Christmas Hexie quilt for a total of 183 hexies.

It will be increasingly difficult to photograph my progress as this quilt materializes but I will try.

5. Spend one day with sweet Ryder.

My DH Don spent our Ryder Time with the little guy this week.  Here he is ready for the Cowboys vs. Steelers game.

Good job cheering on the Cowboys, Little Ryder.  The Cowboys won in overtime.

6. Bake Spritz Cookies and Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies that I did not get to last week.

Spritz Cookies

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

My plan is to post the recipes for these cookies on Foodie Friday.

7. Work on Clue #4 on Bonnie Hunter's Easy Street Mystery Quilt.

Clue #4    64 Units

Clue #1 to #4

8. Work on two blocks for the PQW Saturday Sampler.

9. Finish the Craftsy Block of the Month quilt.

10. Begin working on a paper pieced heart sampler.

I did not get to the last three items on my list.  This is such a busy time of year with so many things to do.  Hopefully I will get to these items in the near future.

The Week of December 17, 2012

1.  Knit a Christmas hat for little Ryder.  

2.  Finish knitting some scarves for Christmas presents.  I have a tradition of giving people homemade scarves for Christmas.  This year I am so far behind in my scarf knitting.  There might be a few IOU's this year if I don't get busy.

3.  Add 52 hexies to my Christmas Hexagon Quilt.  I know this is 17 more than my original plan but I want to finish the next background round.  This should give me a total of 235 hexies.  

4.  Spend two days with my favorite grandson.  I get to spend my usual day with him midweek and then I get to spend Saturday with him as well.  I am a lucky Grammy!

5.  Piece a backing for the NJ Shop Hop quilt I finished piecing last week.

6.  Quilt the Kindred Quilt Shop Saturday Sampler quilt top I finished piecing in May, 2012.

7.  Continue to work through my Christmas Control Journal.  This week I will do my set-up, go grocery shopping, bake banana bread, Magic Cookie Bars, Pumpkin Pie and make Crispix Mix.  We will also order our 28 pound turkey.  This is only the beginning. There will be lots more to do next week.

8.  Work on Clue #5 on Bonnie Hunter's Mystery Quilt...Easy Street.

That's it for this week.  Not a whole lot of sewing planned.  I am just tooooo busy this week with Christmas plans.

Until Next Time.....Happy Stitching!!!

Sharyn