Tasty Day!

 It's gonna be a tasty day here.  This has nothing whatsoever to do with the photos I have to share, but as I'm writing, the hubs is injecting some pork shoulder roasts and rubbing them to put on the smoker.  I'm planning a potato casserole and spinach salad to go with them.  He's also gonna cold smoke some cheese on the grill.  We visited some Amish groceries yesterday and he selected a caramelized onion monterey jack cheese, swiss, and mozzarella to put on the smoker.  We also got some farmer's cheese.

Thursday afternoon I made 2 batches of caramels using 2 different recipes.  The first was done in the microwave and took 6 minutes.  The second was done on the stovetop and took over 30 minutes of constant stirring.  Both are very good.  I like the second one better.  Then comes the cutting and wrapping.  I tend to do battle with plastic wrap and waxed paper and come out defeated.  I suddenly realized that I have some really awesome tools in my sewing room, so brought them down to the kitchen and sped the process up and made it easier.........less swearing!

I have also finished a couple of quilts.  Both are baby quilts.  The first is a quilt from the odd blocks I received in a white elephant show and steal at the Missouri Star retreat I attended.  I know it was called White Elephant, but these were really pushing the envelope I thought.  I had the blocks A-G and J from what I'm sure was supposed to be a complete alphabet.  So, the J block was used to make this cute little bag for Jenna who loves pockets.

And the remaining blocks, A-G, the musical alphabet, were made into this baby quilt that I got to use a music panto on.

And speaking of a little girl named Jenna, she is going to have a baby brother in January.  This will be his baby quilt.

Isn't this adorable!  I think I may have to make more bunnies.

So all that candy making and quilting have been really tiring.............

Aren't naps just the sweetest thing?

Christi

It's December!

 

I was so surprised when my dad pulled this nativity scene he had made for Sarah out of his car when they got to St. Peters.  He (just turned 80) really doesn't work in his wood shop too much anymore.  Apparently he was repainting his set and just decided to make a set for Sarah's yard.  It looks really nice in her front yard after the first snow on the 30th.  She's already had a second snow!

I have been spending a little time back in the sewing room.  I had to introduce Mabel to the sewing room.

At first she explored all the low places (cleaning out some of the dust bunnies).  This required a short nap.

Then she managed to climb my pantleg to get to the high spot of the cutting table.  Again a "cat" nap was needed while helping hold down some fabric.

Then she settled in to watch the stacks grow.

And finally moved to the window ledge to snooze away the afternoon.  Sewing is hard work.

After that, I had to roll out the red fabric to get Esme back in the helping mood.  She was a little miffed at being replaced.

There was some discussion about who was queen of the sewing room.

I assured them Cici was still the queen even though she has found a new hiding place between the Christmas pillows on the spare bed.

And Willow has a new bed.

Which is sometimes occupied by others.

At least it's big enough to accommodate friends.

Of course, when the vacuum comes out of the closet, it is best to station yourself by those who are bigger than the vacuum.

What Mabel doesn't realize is that Willow is petrified by the vacuum as well.

Have a great day!

Christi