The Basset Bag

I started out not knowing what I wanted to do and knowing I needed something small and fast! I currently don’t have a working printer at home, so that made this challenge a little more difficult.  Well, I ended up remembering about a big basset stencil I had. So we all know I love Bassett's!! 

I found a blackish gray big scrap from a piece I used for a backing. I traced the bassett outline on a piece of Steam to seam.  Putting a large piece on the back of the material. Cutting this out carefully so I could create 2 pieces. 

Then I put the middle silhouette onto a dog material and the outline on a white pieces with silver stars.  I have sewed the edges down, then freemotion quilted around the design mimicking the silhouette.  

Then came bag construction.  It took me a few to find a scrap piece of top to Match.  But luckily I had enough of the blackish gray to also do the back.  Add a black zipper and the deer scraps to the inside, this piece is done!! I really wanted to finish the other silhouette project, but time was not on my side. But watch out!! 

Another finish of completely scraps!!! Getting excited a piece at a time!! 

Hanging Tomato Update

Here we are at week 5.  Look at all the little tomatoes and flowers!! I swapped all the pots around.  Things grown better on one end of my porch then the other. So I am riatating around in a row.  Last to the end.  I think the swap only slowed it a little.  Soo excited to know that I will soon be harvesting a crop!! 

Here are all my Zucchini!! Look how big they are! I soo love the weather this time of year and all the new growth. 

Strawberry Oreo Lush

So excited for it to be strawberry season!!  I love trying recipes and combining recipes to make new ones!  So here’s a combination of 2.  If you love strawberries with something cold, this is it!!

• 1 pack Dreamwhip made to package directions 
• 2 small boxes of Vanilla Pudding made with quick method and placed in the fridge
• 1 box Vanilla Wafers
• 1 pack vanilla Oreos (I prefer double stuffed)
• 1 container cool whip thawed 
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 8 oz of cream cheese room temp
• 2 1/2 strawberries cut up

 Blend the cream cheese into the powdered sugar into the Dreamwhip until smooth.  

Blend the Cool Whip into the mixture.                  

Layer vanilla wafers on the bottom of a 9x13 or larger.  Save the remaining.   

 

Spread the pudding over the vanilla wafers. 

Layer cut up strawberries and spread them over the top of the pudding. Save some for the top. 

Crumble the Oreos over the strawberries.  The more you crumble.  The sweeter the dish. Save some for the top. 

Spread the Whip mixture over the top.

Cover. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. 

When ready to serve, sprinkle the leftover strawberries, vanilla wafers and Strawberries over the top! 

HAppy Easter from my family to yours!! And here I am with my beautiful niece Teagan. 

It’s the Beginning of Garden Season!!!

It’s that time of year when I fix up the yard and plant up the planters!  Last year, we bought these troughs with a built in drainage hole. I covered the area in front of the hole with bricks and landscaping material.  Not everything we planted there grew well, but those things not hanging over the edge, really did.  

So this year I am trying something new,  a bean arch. This is honestly made out of scraps.  Some T posts that my son brought home from an old construction job and some old wire left over from a dog pen. I pushed the t posts as far down in the bed as I could and then stretched the wire over the sides.  Then zip ties to connect and we are on way!! I planted pole beans on both sides of this structure. 

Outside of that I planted a variety of peppers.  I still need to get a few more pepper plants for the far bed.  This mixed harvest gardening worked well before and hoping it will again. 

In the trough closest to the porch, I planted Brussel sprouts.  I haven’t grown those before, but if you know me, I have to try everything! Around that, yep, more peppers. 

In the planters on the porch I started each with a few pansies, followed by mixed flowers and greenery. Then another few sets of peppers and the last of the tomato plants. I still have one planter to go, but we will see how this flows!! Excited to see the season’s future harvest!! 

Trip Out West

Project Quilting challenge #3 is a “virtual vacation”.  I had to think about this one, but it wasn’t hard for me to figure out where I really want to go! Out West to a little cottage or ranch as they call it on my grandparents property.  

    But then I didn’t know how to make a quilt describing that.  Suddenly,  I saw 2 stacks of fabric on the counter I was thinking about making a baby quilts for 2 friends out of.  My thought was out west where the wild flowers grow.  A place that even in sorrow, I’ve always been happy.  Well one of those 2 fabrics had cottages on it.  At that moment, I knew what I was making!!  The fabric is from 2011, “Daisy Cottage” by Lori Holt

     Well I knew the fabric I was going to use,  but no idea on a pattern. I emailed my friend Bea of Beaquilter and she sent me a few samples of projects to test.  I decided on her Merengue pattern that she released today.   Here is a link.  It’s on sale right now. 

meringues

  So using my Accuquilt as she called for,  I got on to cutting!! It actually didn’t take long and would have been better if I hadn’t made a mistake. It calls for the 8 inch Qube and I decided to add a third row and make it square.  

The blocks went together quick, especially since she showed them being sewn up in segments.  Then the dashing and border finished it off. 

I pieced the backing from some fabric in the collections. Then quilted it with a mix of loops, swirls and meanders.  

The binding is some yellow of the collection.  The color I used least in the quilt.  

I took the photos on a fence at a park on the way to a baby shower! 

Honestly,  I love Bea’s patterns.  They usually sew together quick like I like!  My only difference from her, is she likes small 6 inch blocks and I like 9 and 12 inch blocks!  Go on over to her page and she has endless Accuquilt patterns! 

Lake Moultrie Low levels despite the rain

For my first trip out of the house in 2 weeks, Frankie and I took a trip out to the boat landing down the road. Perfect Social Distancing!  

We have been watching the water levels drop.  He’s been riding out there every day.  I have been too sick to leave the house.  

Today,  I felt ok enough to go for a short walk.  

The walk was exhausting but so worth the views.  I have not seen the lake this low since 2008. It actually went lower then this that year, but each time it does,  the view and things you see are amazing.  

We are blessed to live right off the lake and enjoy it all the time.  Well, this area has actually been one of Frankie and I, special places.  We go there too often. A consistent for us for over 25 years. 

All of the amazing cedar stumps still visible there 80 years later.  80 years after they formed the lake. 

The beauty of each.  How smooth and soft they are to touch. 

They are so amazing to just look at sticking up random everywhere we usually take the boat fishing.  

A short pleasant walk that meant the world.  One I really needed and enjoyed.  

Even the few breaks in between.  

The puppy playing 

And the Cypress Knobs/knees.  The big trees system is amazing! 

And I really could go on and on with photos! 

Look at the awesome ridges