Wednesday, June 25, 2014

WIP Wednesday

This week I have been really working!  First I got two table runners basted for quilting.


This summer table runner was made last summer and set in a tote until yesterday!
 
This so fun Halloween runner is from a class at my local cotton shop.   I took the class last week and finished putting it together Monday.  The eyes will be buttons and the spider will have two big buttons on him for the body, but I want to quilt before the buttons go on.

I have been practicing my FMQ skills  on scraps, trying to feel comfortable with my new machine


And...... Drum roll...... I am finally preparing to bind this buggy barn star quilt!  It's the one with the wacky zig zag quilting.


I will link this up to my favorites :


Friday, June 20, 2014

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Mesh wreaths


I decided that I needed a new wreath for my front door.  I have beautiful Christmas wreathed, fun fall door hangings and a beautiful Halloween wreath.  But during the summer it hangs bare.  

I have loved the fun mesh wreaths I see hanging all over and i knew they couldn't be to hard to make so I decided to try.  After spending $65 at hobby lobby here is what I came up with. 
This is my summery wreath, it really is more springish with the color choice.  I used an old wooden wreath that I purchased for $.25 at a second hand store as the background and anchored everything on with pipe cleaners.

This is the second wreath that is now hanging on my door for the next few weeks.


 The reason my purchase price was so much is because of all the sprays and spinners coming out of this wreath.  Yet I love it's look!

Now tonight I finally have time to quilt and quilt is what I am going to do.  This quilt has been waiting almost 5 months to be finished!


I'm linking this up with freshly pieced! WIP and Let's Bee Social

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

4h


Call me crazy but I have decided to take on another project, 4H sewing.  I have two daughters  10, 12 that each like to sew a little but need to learn better skills. My oldest is doing a more advanced, quilting project.  My younger and the other 6 girls from our community are starting with the basics.  Last week D2 sewed this pillowcase using a lot I picked up at my local cotton shop store.

We sewed it using the instructions from a  YouTube video published by the Missouri Quilt Company 

I haven't been sewing a lot lately because my machine had been having a few issues.  At the local HMQS last month I finally did it!  My friends from the cotton shop were so shocked when I just walked up to their booth and said I wanted to purchase the babylock Aria machine.


I was strong and saved it for my birthday before pulling it out but now, I am learning how it really sews!  It's a beauty and sews like it!  

My project I'm working on right now is a buggy barn folk art flower quilt, made with the Riley Blake Apple of my eye line. Sorry about this picture, I laid out the quilt on my D#3's top bunk to see how it fit and then took a picture, better pictures will come.  It's ready to quilt but I am still practicing on my new machine!


I'm linking this up with freshly pieced! WIP and Let's Bee Social


Monday, June 9, 2014

Suckers!

Yes this is all about suckers!  My oldest two daughters have been selling suckers the last two years after school.  This year selling them for 10 minutes, 9 days, they sold almost $90 worth!  It's a great way for them to make their summer snow cone money!

So let me show how they are made:   

Recipe:
2/3 cup corn syrup
3/4 cup water
2 cups sugar
1 tsp flavoring
Food coloring

Just cook the first three ingredients to a hard crack.  You can stir but you don't need to.  It will turn yellow and thicken before it's ready.


Make sure your sucker molds are ready with sticks!  I spray my molds with cooking spray about every 10 batches.  That way the suckers pop out easily.


When the suckers reach the hard crack temperature, add the food coloring and star stirring fast before adding the flavoring.  Add it and then pour quickly.


It helps to have a helper to make sure the sticks all stay in while you are pouring.

This batch is blue Hawaii, I purchase my candy flavoring from a knot and craft store that sells it in 1 ounce bottles.  


If you want to mix things up add 1/2 blue Hawaii and 1/2 piƱa colada.  We call that cougars blood (after the famous tigers blood) and everyone loves this!