All about boy

 This is a baby quilt for a new little boy.  About 38" square I think.  I used some scraps from another baby quilt project that I cut wrong.  I love how this turned out...the basket weave makes me happy.  It's a bit mesmerizing.  No pattern for this, just put together some pre-cut scraps and pieced the border.

 A close-up of the quilting.

I used flannel on the back.
It is quite easy to snuggle; I should know, I sewed the binding by hand and snuggled with it for a while.

Sew Cherry Fabric

 Have you seen this? 
Go see Rae Ann over at Cutie Pinwheel to see some great projects with the new line by Lori Holt called Sew Cherry. It is SO cute!!! She's having a giveaway too...if I win it will be a shock, but I'm thrilled to see some awesome stuff coming out.

A Finish.

 Remember this sneak peek?

Well, here is the finished product! 

A quilted apron with cute food and kitchen gadgets.  It's adjustable with buttons across the front.  I made the straps crisscross on the back so the apron would stay in place better.  They are sewn together so they stay crossed and it's easy to slip on if you have messy hands because you aren't trying to tie anything, you can just slip it over your head and keep going...buttoning the straps isn't necessary, even though it does help.  I usually forget to put my apron on until I'm half-way through cooking something particularly messy, so I needed this.

Pink Stuff

Are you gearing up for summer yet?  Here is a great recipe that's good all year round, but especially when you need a cool treat in the summer.  And, it's easy!  Mom made this up when we were little, and we all still love it!  You can use any flavor gelatin mix, but strawberry or cherry is our favorite hence the name Pink Stuff, and yes we really call it that.

  My really runny version in a pretty bowl at Easter.

Ingredients;
1pkg. (8oz.) cool whip*
1pkg. (3oz.) strawberry powdered gelatin mix
1 small 12-16oz. tub cottage cheese**
1c. fresh strawberries diced (optional)

Simply mix all ingredients together really well and serve cold, eat it with a spoon.  It's that easy. Serves: A Lot!  You can freeze it too for an ice-cream like treat.

*I usually like to use whipping cream to make my own whipped cream, and it works for this but it's much runnier.  CoolWhip actually does work better.
**If you or your children don't like the texture of cottage cheese, simply throw it in the blender for a few seconds until it's well blended.  It becomes really creamy and you'd never know what it was. 

Make sure you get all the gelatin mixed in really well or you have powdery swirls when you scrape the bottom to pour it into your serving bowl like this;

 

 This large serving bowl used 1 pint of whipping cream and 1c. sugar (to make the whipped cream), 24oz. cottage cheese (creamed in the blender), 1 small pkg Cherry Jello brand gelatin mix and about 2c. frozen strawberries chopped. When I say large; it's about the same size as my KitchenAid Mixer Bowl.  Again, it freezes REALLY well. :)

Bathtime Treasures

This is sitting next to my bathtub.  Lots of little lovelies like lotion, scrubbers, massagers, bubble bath, and a head scratcher.  It makes me feel special when I walk in and see how pretty it looks.

My favorite white tea jasmine bubble bath in an antique crystal decanter and my favorite lavender bath salts in an antique glass candy dish.

 I love this little guy.  He is so cheerful!

My favorite candle.  It's never been burned.  I think it's beautiful, and I love to smell it even though I'm not a fan of candles with fragrance.  It has a very light refreshing scent.  I bought it at Buckingham Palace in 2003 and probably won't ever light the wick.

This is everything put together around the soaking tub.  I like it here...it's peaceful.

I especially like this spot filled with bubbles and a nice book.
 Do you have a favorite place you go to escape or unwind?

How do you Cook?

Do you have a shelf like this?

It's where I keep my recipe books...all 30 of them.

And yes, we have several editions of the Better Homes and Garden Cook Book.  I think we had one or two more, but they may have been given away.

Well I do.  But I've only visited that shelf maybe 10 times in the last 5 years.  And even then I don't think I've actually followed any of the recipes.  But why?  Well, you see...I'm not good at following recipes.  Every time I think I will, I still end up deviating a great deal, so I never really know what all those great recipes are supposed to taste like.  It usually ends up great, but never like the recipe.  Do you cook like this too?  Is this completely bizarre?

I've decided I need to reference these books more often.  I mean...do you see all those titles?  Those are some great books, by amazing cooks/chefs, with some awesome concoctions!  I'm going to try.  We'll see what happens.  I think if I had a big kitchen, with plenty of counter space and cabinet space and pantry space, then maybe I would also have a place to show these books.  You know; a place where I'd actually SEE them, so I might be compelled to USE them, even if just for ideas or reference.  But, I don't have a big kitchen.  I have a kitchen that is big enough for my butt and mine alone.  It works well, but there is definitely not much counter space, or cabinet space, or pantry space.  And there is by NO means any space for displaying these lovely cookbooks.  So the books are hidden in the media room, which is actually a horrible place for them because that's also the room where the dogs stay when the weather is bad.  I have to dust a book thoroughly before it gets used, ESPECIALLY if it's going anywhere near my kitchen or my food!  And I love my books...it makes me sad.  But, that's just how it is.

Cooking something up for the kitchen...

 A Sneak Peek...

Do you know what it is?  I love the fabric...all those little kitchen things.

More to come...

Another Pretty?

 Since the last little tank top was such a success, I've decided to make a few more.  I ordered some luxurious(to me) fabric at close to $10/yard.  That is a HUGE splurge for me.  I'm so excited to cut into this, but also nervous because I don't want to waste it.  

These are the two fabrics that just came in.  I got one yard of each which is enough plus a tiny smidge extra for each top.

 

Amy Butler's Midwest Modern Fresh Poppies in Fuchsia

 

Amy Butler's Midwest Modern Fresh Poppies in Green

They arrived a few days ago, and are still sitting on my ironing board.  Maybe I'll get to cut into them this week...maybe.   It's a large print (5" flowers)-so unlike me!