I have had this pattern, and this fabric forever.  I love the fabric so much that I haven't cut into it, because I was saving it for THE right project.  Well, I finally did it, and they came out OK.  But I'm not that crazy about it.  

 

Oh well, it's a set of four placemats we can use in the spring.  It was fun spending a couple cold days up in the loft where it's warm, and any day spent sewing is a good day for me.  

 

 

HAPPY QUILTING!!!

 

It was kinda warm on Wednesday, so we walked the loop.  As we were getting down to the creek, I couldn't believe how beautiful these trees looked against the winter blue sky.  

 

I hope you are getting out when it's warm, because it appears that this weekend is going to be back to cold.  I'm hoping for snow, myself, but not holding my breath.

 

 

HAPPY WINTER!!!

 

I asked my friend the other day what's her favorite color, and she responded:  "sunset."  I love that answer, so I took this picture to send to her.  I want to make her a quilt and wondered about her favorite color.  Won't "sunset" make a gorgeous quilt?  I can probably use every color, just assemble it in a way that appears gradient.  I am excited.  

 

 

HAPPY QUILTING!!!

 

Here it is all put together.  Now I have to trim all those pointy corner bits.  I may need to go someplace with a bigger cutting table than I have.  But I am so excited to see it in this stage of "sorta finished."  This is the quilt top.

 

Of course, after I get it trimmed, it has to be sandwiched and quilted and the binding has to be sewn on.  That could take a couple more months.  But, it's a project, right?

 

 

HAPPY QUILTING!!!

 

OK.  Half way done.  

 

 

I'M A HAPPY QUILTER!!!

 

I started this project last winter, then put it aside when garden season took over.  I got back to it last week and completed the blocks.  There are (12) A blocks, (6) B blocks, (10) C blocks, and (4) D blocks.  And just so you get the picture:  each block is made up of a whole bunch of smaller pieces that have to be cut and put together to create the finished block.  Just the fiddly kind of sewing work I love.  

 

Anyway, I got back into it last week when the weather turned cold, and it is coming along beautifully.  

 

I thought you might like to see my progress.

 

 

HAPPY QUILTING!!!

 

I hope you have daffodils in your garden.  They are so "springy."  And ours are starting to emerge.  I know it is only January, but they are coming up.  I even saw some of my neighbor's daffodils sporting flower buds !!!  

 

Ours are just coming up with leaves, but it always makes me happy, because I know that spring is just around the corner.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!! 

 

 

 

OK, the picture isn't all that pretty, but the subject is very interesting to gardeners.  This is mushroom compost.  It is aged, composted horse poop, mixed with some straw.  Commercially, some companies add soil to the mix, but we have good soil, so we don't need to pay extra for that.  We just get a cubic yard for $60, and spread it onto the hills in the garden.  

 

It adds excellent organic material into our soil, and gives us a fun project on a warmish winter day.  We get out there and dump bucketfuls onto the hills, and then work it into the soil.  Then when spring comes, and it's time to plant, all is ready for planting.  

 

Now you know our secret for a successful garden.  Well, one of the secrets.  The biggest secret is HARD WORK.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

We used to laugh when folks posted pictures of food on Social Media.  But, hey, this is photo-worthy.  And January is a tough time to be talking about gardening in the mountains.  

 

So I'm going to tell you about this fabulous pizza we made.  The red onions, eggplant, and arugula came out of our garden last year.  We also put our rosemary in the crust.  

 

Jon's pizza dough is in the recipe section under bread, just add your own toppings.

 

 

HAPPY JANUARY!!!

 

 

 

Here is my beautiful Rosemary.  She is about 2 feet tall and just as wide.  I am sharing this now because it's winter, and she is a bit tempermental.  Over the years, we have planted three or maybe four Rosemaries in this same spot.  The ground is good, the sun exposure is perfect, and each one has thrived here.  Until...the temperature drops below 10 degrees.  That's when we lose them.  Well, that's when we lost them in the past. 

 

We are trying to be proactive, and protect this one from the cold.  The first year (for this one) Jon turned the wheelbarrow upside down to cover her.  That was pretty, NOT, but it worked:  she survived the cold.  Well, the wheelbarrow isn't big enough to cover this bush now, so we have to come up with another way to protect her from the cold.  

 

We still have time though;  the temps next week are cold, but only going into the 20s.  We can work with that, but I need to figure out a good cover for my girl.  She's so pretty.  

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!