So this happened...

Yeah. This happened.  I basically have one good knife for chopping things...and several not so good ones that I try not to use.  The good one was in the wash, so this came out.  I was cutting meat.  Not tough meat mind you, just meat.  Beef, actually.  And, the knife broke.  I was unaware that the tang didn't extend the full length of the handle.  That's why it broke.  :(  I need some better knives for my kitchen.  But not ceramic ones.  I nearly lost part of my finger with one...a large part, which was sewn back on and grows funny now, but isn't noticeable to others.  So no ceramic knives.  Maybe one day I'll win those beauties that The Pioneer Woman gives away ever so often.


Also...does anyone else have this problem with their smooth surface electric cooktop?  Do you see all that mess on there?  I can scrub for hours and it still looks like that.  Any thoughts or advice?

New Look

Well, since every thing in our house is getting baby-fied I thought I would give the blog a baby makeover too.  I love the look of these blocks!  Maybe soon I'll give some peeks into the nursery makeover.

Red and White

This is waiting under my ironing board until it can be quilted, bound, washed, and hung.  It's going over our bed.  I love it.  It feels modern and vintage at the same time.  Ryan and I both fell in LOVE with the center panel fabric...it's both of our absolute favorite out of any fabric I've purchased.  So, it's going over our bed.  You'll see more when it's finished.

Taco Pizza

Ingredients:
1 can thin crust pizza dough
1/2c. Absolutely Picante Medium hot sauce
1/2lb. ground beef
1/2-1c. shredded cheese
1c. chopped fresh tomato
2c. shredded lettuce
small can sliced jalapenos
1clove garlic
2tsp. diced onion
dash of taco seasoning
salt/pepper to taste

To Make;

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Roll out pizza dough on baking stone/cookie sheet and bake 5-6 minutes.  While that is baking brown ground beef in skillet with onion and garlic, salt/pepper, and taco seasoning.  When fully browned I like to shred it for more even texture in a food processor. Take crust out of oven.  Spread hot sauce/salsa over crust.  Then spread on 1/2 your cheese.  Next put on meat, tomatoes, and jalapenos and about 1/2 your lettuce.  Sprinkle the rest of your cheese on and put back in oven for 5-8 minutes.  Take out and put on the rest of your lettuce.  Cut into slices and serve.  Makes 12 pieces, serves 4-6.

Using Patterns...

 This came from a pattern; I like it.

See the pattern pages on top of the dresser?  They don't fit back in the package very well.  I think I might invest in a lamination machine, or buy a bunch of laminating pages to laminate patterns.  They tear too easily, and the don't fit pack in the package anyway, so why not make them sturdy and reusable? Maybe.

I don't do well with patterns, but it turned out pretty good.

This dresser is on the wall I didn't show you.  The ugly television sits on top.

I think patterns are probably like recipes.  I don't follow recipes very well either.  I like to look at a recipe, or idea, and just make it from memory, adding my own touches as I go along.  That's why some of my dishes are never the same...even if I write it down, even if I follow the recipe.  I always end up changing at least one thing.  Is this normal?  Maybe.  But, I've found that when you are cooking with fabric...(i.e. following a pattern) this is not a good thing.  I intend to try more patterns, eventually I'll get it and not have to spend hours un-stitching.  One of these days that foreign language will make sense to me and I'll be able to just look at it and make it my own...one day.

Best Biscuits Ever!

So...I had a hankering for some biscuits from Cracker Barrel, but getting them wasn't feasible. What to do?...make my own!  And...they are amazing!  Since I love them so much I immediately wrote it down, and then thought I should be nice and share it with you.

Ingredients;
2c. all purpose flour
3tsp. baking powder
1tsp. salt
1-2 tsp. granulated sugar
6Tbsp. butter (room temp)
3/4c. 2% milk

Mix dry ingredients together well with fork.  Then cut in the butter until crumbly and there are no really large chunks left.  Slowly stir in milk until just blended.  Do NOT over mix.  Do everything with a fork so you can feel that it is mixed.  Roll into rounds and place on greased baking sheet or baking stone.  Bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.  You can bake slightly longer to brown, but they are fully cooked at 10min. Serve with butter and honey.  Makes about 12 medium biscuits or 16 small.

I WILL be making these again.  They are so easy and quick to make, and they taste better than any I've ever made.

My sewing room

 When I walk down the hall to the back of our house, this is the view that greets me.

 This is our back bedroom, a guest room, and my sewing space.  

• I love this daybed.  It belonged to my brother's wife, and then their daughter used it for several years, and now it's ours.  It matches our master bed which is a family heirloom from my husband's family.  
• There is a fun little sewing cabinet on the right that acts as a nightstand.  I got it at Goodwill for $5.  It's rickety, and too tall for me, plus the sewing machine is missing, but I like the lines and it works great as a side table.  
• The covering on the table is a bunch of selvage strips sewn together waiting on my next project.
• I did not make this quilt.  My mom bought it at a garage sale and gave it to me two Christmases ago...before I started really quilting, or as I just started I guess.  I love the bright colors...and it's all hand quilted.  
• The little purse on the bed was a gift for one of my sisters...it's from a pattern.  I don't usually use patterns...but it turned out pretty good (even though it was ripped apart many times in the process).

 When I turn into the doorway this is what I see;

•  The little white and wood grain table towards the middle is my sewing table all folded up and put away for company.  
• The sewing machine cover is a small baby quilt folded and safety pinned into shape.
• The chair cover is also a small baby quilt folded and safety pinned into shape.  It is necessary because the chair back always hits the lip of the fabric shelf and gets gouged...this keeps that from happening, and surprisingly the quilt hasn't been torn.  It works well.
• The fabric shelf is organized...still.
• My ironing board has a new cover(well, it was new way back at the beginning of the year but I forgot to show you).  I'll do a post about that soon.
• My postage stamp quilt on the design wall...still.
• Some embroidery hoops with cool fabric.  
• And on the right a peek at my sunrise/sunset painting.

That's about it.  The other wall is a closet and a clunky old television.  I thought I'd spare you and only show you the pretty stuff.