I made this apron today from a free bonus pattern on the Fons And Porter website, here is the link to the page. http://tinyurl.com/yc99lug You'll have to register with the site before you can open the page. The apron was quick and easy to assemble. There are also directions for a table runner which I am working on currently, I hope to make matching placemats and potholders for Christmas this year.

"It is often in the trial of adversity that we learn those most critical lessons that form our character and shape our destiny." Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf October,

General Conference of the Chruch of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 2009 Priesthood Session

I have been working this week making phone calls for the upcoming elections. Today is the last day. I have been very grateful for the work. It will be nice to be able to pay a bill. I also ordered $50 from knitpicks so I'll be able to make Christmas presents for the kids this year. Last year was very sparse. They each got their favorite shampoo and that was it. I felt horribe as a mom not being able to do more for my children but you know we had a wonderful day playing games and enjoying each others company. This year I am planning on mitts and hats as well as socks. These economic times has been difficult but with the Lord's help we have been making it though.

Today, I am making a new recipe Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cookies. You can find the recipe here http://www.cooking.com/Recipes-and-More/recipes/Ina-Gartens-Peanut-Butter-Chocolate-Chunk-Cookies-recipe-12049.aspx It's a variation on the Barefoot Contessa. I made some changes. I used inexpensive chunky peanut butter and semisweet chocolate chips. I love to make good cookies. This recipe was not as good as I hoped. In fact we won't be repeating it. They were too dry. Now maybe more expensive smooth peanut butter as called for in the recipe would make a difference, but since I never intend to purchase expensive peanut butter I'll never know!

At long last the Not So Ugly Sunshine Sampler has been found!

That's the problem with moving things just up and disappear. Now I need to send it off to a quilter to get it quilted and then it will be done! This has been a fun project for me. I am grateful to Sandra on Stashbusters recommending it. The link's to the blocks are posted below if you still need them. Here are the pictures of the project. Enjoy!

Above are pictures of the blocks used in the quilt. I used more than one of some of the blocks because as the designing progressed I decided I wanted to make a quilt for my king size bed. I make quilts all the time for others but never for myself so this one was for me!

And the good news is I may have the opportunity for a new job so I'll eventually be able to get it quilted

The last day of September was a busy day for me. Our wonderful neighbors gave us some tomatoes that allowed me to make Dave's much loved Chili Sauce. His Grandma Brook made it for him and I have continued the tradition. So glad I was able to make it this year as we didn't have a garden because of our move. The recipe follows

20 ripe tomatoes

4 red or green peppers

6 large onions

2 T salt

1 c sugar or more

1 t ginger

1 pint vinegar (cider vinegar works great as well as white)

3 scant t cinnamon

chop onions and peppers in food processor (or by hand if you must). Peel and cut tomatoes (cutting out bad or hard spots). Combine ingredients and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer until it reaches desired thickness. Process for 10 minutes in a water bath canner.

It always makes me feel so good to see a line of canned veggies that I have done for my family. I know whats in the bottles and I know it tastes great.

Yesterday was futher enriched by teaching the Young Women in our ward to bake bread. I had a wonderful time with them. What a great bunch of girls. We tested two recipes

Wheat Bread
5 cups warm water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ cup oil
¾ cup honey
2 ½ tablespoon salt
2 ½ tablespoon yeast

Add flour until it comes away from the sides of bowl. Bake at 350’ for 40 minutes it will sound hollow when done. 3-4 loaves depending on the humidity in the air.

Additions:
1 heaping tablespoon vital wheat glutton
1 heaping tablespoon dough enhancer
3 ½ cups water (subtract the water from the 5 cups above) and 1 ½ cups chia seeds
3 tablespoons ground flax seed.

One hour Wheat Bread

6 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 ¾ cups warm water
½ cup honey Let stand 5 minutes
¼ cup applesauce

In Mixer combine:
4 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup Wheat germ
1 tablespoon salt

Add wet ingredients from above and stir in 3 cups of flour of white flour (or until it comes away from the sides of the bowl.). Oil your hands and shape into loaves, place into greased loaf pans and pierce with a folk. Place in oven at 170’ 8-15 minutes till just before it reaches the tops of the pans. Bake at 350’ till golden and sounds hollow when tapped.

They each took home their own loaf of bread. I think they enjoyed getting in there and shaping their loaves. We found out something interesting in the process. I use Chicago Metallic pans and one of the leaders brought over her pans purchased at the local grocery store. (thin metal Teflon pans) The bread baked in the grocery store pans was a great deal darker than those in the Chicago Metallic pans.

A busy month for me! September saw a lot of sewing which was great since this summer was pretty much a dry one as far as sewing was concerned. But then when there is a cross country move involved what can you expect! I made 3 Black Forest Purses. The pink one in the center is for my daughter Tricia, she turns 26 tomorrow. The Blue and brown is for my daughter KC. And the bronw and blue polka dot is for my daughter Liz. I still need to make one for Stephanie and one for me. I love this pattern, clear instructions, the purses went together beautifully. The pattern is by Melly & Me. I've made a lot of bags lately but this one is my favorite so far.

The quilt is from a pattern called Cottage Maze by Carolina Patchwork, I love the design but the directions were tedious.It was as if the designer decided to make it as complicated as she could. The reason I made the quilt was a friend had been working on it and it was taking her hours to piece so I made 12 blocks to stream line the process. I pieced the 12 blocks and finished the top in a day. Using strips instead of pieces would have made it quicker yet.

I have been enjoying reading various books by LDS Authors since moving here to Utah. I am currently reading a series by Lynn Gardner. I like the story ideas but the books characters aren't as well developed as I would like although they are getting better as the books progress. So far I have read

• Emeralds and Esponage


• Pearls and Peril


• Diamonds and Danger

I have 4 more requested at the library I'll keep you posted as I go along.

On another note, our family has sent out another missionary. Elder Michael Saylor entered the MTC on 09/09/2009 and from his letters home seems to be loving the adventure1

Here's a picture of him with Dave and I as we take him to the MTC

Update to the Not So Ugly Sunshine Sampler

It seems that Quilt Town USA site has disappeared so here are to substitute blocks for the month of October.

• http://www.mccallsquilting.com/qb/mccallsquilting/pattern_105/index.html or http://tinyurl.com/nnobyd

• 
  
  http://www.blockcentral.com/bom2009-1.shtml or http://tinyurl.com/lcj8cn

AM I Spending my days doing things that will matter in the eternities??

"We cannot recycle or save te time allotted to us each day. With time, we have only one opportunity for choice, and then it is gone forever." Elder Dallin H Oaks, ("Focus and Priorities," Liahona, Jul 2001, 99--102)

Wow, I can't believe it's been so long since I have been able to post to my blog. We moved to Utah in June and my computer died during the move. Not fair. For those of you are are doing the Not So Ugly Sunshine Sampler and have eagerly awaiting the next blocks please accept my apology for not posting the blocks. I am posting all the blocks in the sampler today! Come back in November and I'll be posting pictures of the completed sampler as well as borders etc.

Not So Ugly Sunshine Sampler
Guidelines: “The rules” - choose 1 fabric that you can use some of in every block. We are suggesting you have 2 yards of the fabric so you’ll have enough to make it though the project. It doesn’t matter where you use the fabric in the block. (Sometimes mine will end up as the background). We would also like to see a little orange or yellow in every block. The second Monday of every month a new block will be posted. Each block is finished at12”. There will also be alternative block posted and then some fun stuff like a Crockpot recipe as well. I will post the new blocks here as well as on the list. I can’t wait to see what everyone does with these blocks!

Our first block is just a fun block for Valentines day....
http://www.quilthoo d.com/pages/ tulip_hill Check out this cute quilt with tulips and hearts for valentines day...Now on to the sampler blocks..
.
Block number one is
http://quilting. about.com/ od/blockofthemon th/ss/all_ hallows.htm you'll need to scroll down to the 12" size.

And choice number two is....
http://delawarequil ts.com/BOMs/ OldMaidsPuzzle/ index.html
There is a folder in the file section of the group that will have the links listed just in case you need to find them again.
Complements of Teri and Sandi this months recipe is....

http://allrecipes. com/Recipe/ Fragrant- Lemon-Chicken/ Detail.aspx
February Bonus Block: For those who are eagerly awaiting March -
http://tinyurl.com/d2wa7c

March Blocks can be found here! I sure enjoyed making both these blocks. I think you will also.

http://thegoldenthimble.com/mrskellers9ptch.pdf

http://thegoldenthimble.com/tudorrose.pdf

March’s yummy recipe is:

http://tinyurl.com/cukh3g



April’s Blocks can be found here!

http://www.quilt.com/BlockOfTheMonth/1997/CapitalT.html


http://mccallsquilting.com/qb/pattern_1000/

Aprils’ recipe is:

May’s Blocks can be found here!

http://www.knoblin.com/qb-swinginthecenter-pfv.shtml
http://quilting.about.com/od/anniversarysampler2007/ss/churn_dasy.htm


June’s blocks can be found here
http://www.quilterscache.com//S/StateofIllinoisBlock.html


http://www.knoblin.com/qb-pickalittle.shtml


And Since I am moving here are July’s blocks


http://quilterscache.com/B/BlackfordsBeautyBlock.html

http://www.woodenthimble.com/freepat05.html



August Blocks

http://quilting.about.com/od/anniversarysampler2007/ss/switch_crowns.htm

http://tinyurl.com/maxqlk





http://www.quilterscache.com/T/TowersofCamelotBlock.html

http://tinyurl.com/m8rv29


September Blocks


http://www.mccallsquilting.com/qb/mccallsquilting/pattern_1203/index.html

http://tinyurl.com/nadklc



http://scrapquilts.com/augbom.html

http://tinyurl.com/lbm7qc

October Blocks


http://www.quilttownusa.com/mom/dablock.htm

http://tinyurl.com/mbf3zu





http://www.quilttownusa.com/mom/jdblock.htm


http://tinyurl.com/l9l763

May's blocks for the "Not So Ugly Sunshine Sampler for the Stashbuster's Group on Yahoo.

This month's blocks were fun and fairly easy so no one should have trouble with them. They finish at 12" square and made a nice addition to the Sampler Quilt.
The first block can be found here at quilting.about.com ... http://tinyurl.com/cqlvuf




The next block for this month comes found block central and can be found here....
http://tinyurl.com/dyv9d4

It's called Swing in the Center.
I hope you are enjoying the Sampler and I look forward sending the next two blocks in June!

I signed up for a new quilt swap Spring Blooms Mini Quilt, it should be fun. I can't wait to get started. It's just what I need to get back at quilting! I also have 3 more quilted bags to make and have ready for Graduation gifts.

My new job is going well, I made it though two days now of taking calls. Hopefully, I won't be as afraid this next week when I get calls. Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

Boy with spring here it's very hard to want to sew. I need to do something to feel inspired. I cleaned out 2 cabinets in my sewing room and reorganized my fabrics for when I do feel like quilting again. It's been a tough winter with no jobs and no prospects here Michigan, where the politicians believe in taxing big business right out of our jobs. Hopefully, they will wise up and we'll get back to work here. Maybe then I'll feel like starting something new, but right now it's finishing the old and not starting anything new. Fortunately I have a lot to finish from teaching so many quilt classes in the past. Although I am down to 22 quilt tops to quilt, 9 quilt tops to finish piecing. That's way down from 4 years ago when I first joined stashbusters I have 70 quilts to quilt and 12 tops to finish piecing. I started making myself finish a quilt before I could start a new quilt. and It really helped. I also haven't been teaching very much. I signed up at the local quilt shop here in Michigan but unfortunately I picked a shop that really didn't want me to teach there. They did nothing to advertise the classes, so I won't try to teach there again.

I wanted to post my favorite quilt that I have made so far this year.
It isn't even a quilt but I have loved making these bags.

These are some of the patterns that I am currently selling via Quilters Flea Market a yahoo group. This has been a wonderful place for me to reduce my stash as well as purchase things that I am looking for. Although since Dave has been laid off since November 2008 I haven't been purchasing anything and have been using the proceeds from selling off my stash to pay my car payment. I sold 2 of my wonderful Ikea cabinets which I used to house my stash this weekend so I need to sell more things. Hopefully these will sell quickly as my next car payment is due. How grateful I am to other crafters who have been so kind as to purchase these things from my stash. Craigs list has also been a big help in selling off items. Don't we live in an amazing age??!

Next Blocks in the Sunshine Quilt Sampler are here:
The first block is Mrs Kellers 9 patch. http://thegoldenthimble.com/mrskellers9ptch.pdf I really like how this block turned out the golden thimble is a nice site. She takes her time writing good instructions.

The second block is also found on her site. The tudor rose block. I really enjoyed this block and plan on making more some day.

http://thegoldenthimble.com/mrskellers9ptch.pdf. I have already finished the Sampler top. It turned out beautifully. I look forward to seeing how each person on Stashbusters make their Samplers after seeing hou mine turned out!

Finished! My Hedgerow socks KAL for February are finished! Wow, I really did not like knitting these. They seemed tedious to knit and I am so glad they are finished! Now to see what this month's knit along is!

Market Bags - These are quick and easy to make. So far I have made two of them and have plans to make several more. I think these will be great gifts this graduation season. I used the pattern found in Bags, Pillows and Pincushions. http://tinyurl.com/akzhrm. I'll be teaching these bags at the local quilt shop this April.

I have been working on a Not So Ugly Sunshine Sampler for a wonderful group of ladies on the yahoo group Stashbusters. I have the whole 9 months of blocks laid out in eq6 but will only be posting the ones here as they are posted on the groups site. It started in February and will finish up just before Christmas so my blocks are using a Christmas fabric as it main fabric. The guidelines for the Block of the Month are simple. You need 2 yards of an ugly fabric or one you have had a hard time using. Then you need some yellow or gold in every block. Not to difficult for most of us with a stash! The only other stipulation is that you can't buy fabric for this block of the month. It must come from your stash! The blocks will all come from various sites on the internet. Februray's blocks were:

http://delawarequilts.com/BOMs/OldMaidsPuzzle/index.html which was available in two sizes. A 12" block and a 6" block. I did both. 4 of each size, and I sewed the 6" blocks together to make a 12" block.
Here is the block in the 12" size I am considering sewing 4 of these blocks together as well. I really liked how the 4 blocks look sewn
together.

I finished Elizabeth's quilt tonight. The pictures are the back (left) and the top (right) I found these really cute daisy's with smiles on them at a quilt shop in Indiana 2 years ago. Elizabeth's room is every color so this is the perfect quilt for her room. I really like to piece backs (uses more of my stash that way and it used up the left over daisies). The flying geese are made up of batiks. The the four patches incorporate her favorite color of orange. It feels really good to be finishing up this quilt. It has the added benefit of being free hand quilted by her dad! So it will be something she can treasure from both of her parents. KC is modeling the quilt of the pictures. We will be giving it to Liz on her half birthday of February 20Th!

When my daughter came home for our family Christmas she wanted a pair of red
mittens so I knitted her a pair this week and am now putting them in the mail to
her in Utah! I used a red with grey flecks silk/ wool blend. I think that she will love them! With the completion of these mittens I can now start to do the socks for the knit along that is for January. Hedgerow socks, I will be knitting them in a solid color. The pattern can be found here. http://www.knittersreview.com/hedgerow_socks.pdf

Merry Christmas Stephanie! Stephanie's City Purse is done. Only one more purse to make
before our family Christmas this Friday. I still have 3 quilts to bind as well. This will definely
be a week of hand sewing.

Merry Christmas Tricia! Our family will be celebrating Christmas this Friday. It will be the first time we are all together in over 2 years. My oldest son will be coming home on Thursday from a 2 year mission for our church. It will be great to have our entire family together again. Below is one of the Christmas presents I finished today to give this week. The nice thing about a delayed Christmas is having extra time to finish the gifts. This is my first UFO for 2009. I hope to have 3 more before the week is out! The pattern is a Lazy Girl design, City Bag. http://www.lazygirldesigns.com/products/item/City_Bag/232/c50 Totally made from my stash, including buttons although I did need to purchase batting and a zipper. I have another one I am hoping to finish on Monday. This one is for my daughter Tricia, who will need a brief case this year as she graduates from BYU this next semester and will be teaching for Teach for America! A program providing teaches for under serviced areas. She will be working on her masters in education while she works for them. Hopefully the bag will help her off to a good start!

My latest completion! A simple pair of socks for my son David. I cast on 70 stitches and than k2p2 for 3 inches. After that I just kept knitting in the round and put in a traditional heal and kitchner stitched the toes shut. He is 6'4" with a size 13 shoe so it took on full skein of Fortissima Socka Mexiko Color #13 and part of another (gee there's enough left for me to make a regular pair of socks!) These are 100 gram skeins.