The Rebel Cowboy

. . . . some of his critters and his quilt.

Meet T-Bone and Ribeye, and they will be eventually.

"Come annnnddd get itttt!" Chow time at goat central.

This baby goat is a specific breed, but I cannot remember which one.


That's me standing next to my nephew "Shorty", the Rebel Cowboy. Notice how 1 of their 5 dogs wanted to get in on the act. And yes, the quilt was greatly appreciated.

Making progress and a label

If you want to print your label out on the computer, begin by trimming a piece of freezer paper to just over 8-1/2" x 11".
Iron shiny side down onto a heavily starched piece of white or muslin fabric. Trim evenly to 8-1/2" x 11".

On your computer, set up your document with appropriate margins, I like 1.25" all around.

Type out your label information in your favorite font and size. Print a test piece on to paper first and lay paper over muslin to make sure everything fits the way you want it to. Verify which side of the paper your printer prints on then set your muslin piece by itself in the paper tray accordingly. Click print and if all goes well, it should come out straight. Iron print side down onto another piece of fabric to set the ink. It is recommended that you remove the paper and then rinse the label in a product called Bubble Jet Set to set the ink, but I've always left it to fate. It's totally up to you.

Trim again if you wish to just frame wording, leaving a 3/4" margin of white for sewing. Remove paper. Frame with fabric strips and back with a leftover piece of muslin. Sew right sides together leaving an opening for turning. Turn, press again, and sew on to quilt making sure side with opening goes under binding.

Baking day

Yesterday was mixing up and baking day. The blueberry muffins got baked, but the peanut butter cookies were simply pre-mixed. Can you guess what the secret ingredient is? Come on Jeanne, I know you can get this one VBS :)







As time allows, I'll finish baking in preparation for the graduation party later in the week. Of course, I still have to get the label on the deadline quilt. Am I the only one running behind?

Here's the recipe just in case there's someone special you'll be baking for.

Irresistible Peanut Butter Cookies

3/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup Crisco
1-1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 egg
1-3/4 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda

(*Secret Ingredient - 1 to 2 cups of your favorite chocolate chips.)

Combine peanut butter, Crisco, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Add egg. Beat until blended.

Combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture, mixing at low speed.

Chill dough for 2 hours or overnight.

Drop by heaping teaspoonfulls 2 inches apart on to ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 1 baking sheet at a time at 375 degrees Farenheit for 7 to 8 minutes or until set. Cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet and remove. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Enjoy!

Swirls and whirls

After a very long day of work, it's nice to have a project that does not need close supervision. . . just a series of swirls and whirls until the edges come 'round and it's done.

If you need a high-quality thread for the back of your quilts, check out Essential Thread at www.ConnectingThreads.com. I highly recommend it. It comes in a vast array of colors and right now it's even on sale.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

Workin' on the chain gang

Somehow, baggie pieces multiplied and the original 30" x 40" project turned in to ...



What will most likely be a 60" x 70" lap quilt. I've been auditioning background colors and have finally settled on the tone-on-tone blue of which I will use 2 separate prints that are very close in color. Stash busting and baggie busting in one fell swoop. Yippeee.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

Wooo hoooo . . .

. . . another baggie banished!


There were 133 three-inch blocks in a baggie. What the original project was, I have no idea. My photographic memory ran out of film when I was 29.

This would be a good project for using up odd bits of muslin and then overdying everything. I believe I began with a 4" square of muslin and a 4" print square. Lay them on top of each other, draw a diagonal line from corner to corner and sew 1/4" on each side. Cut in half to form a HST. Place 2 HST's together, light sides opposite, draw a diagonal line from corner to corner, sew on each side, cut in half and you have the hourglass block. Of course, you can use any size square to begin.

If you have not seen the new Narnia movie yet, I highly recommend it. It's not for very small children though. The detail work in costumes and armour is exceptionally well done. There were a couple of scenes that seemed to stand still, but overall it's a nice movie for a Sunday afternoon jaunt.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

The story goes something like this . . .

I decided to take Rhonda's advice and bake some drop biscuits to have with egg salad at lunch tomorrow, comfort food.
Following tradition (and since I'm 1200 miles from my favorite bakery) I also mixed up my birthday cake. With chocolate fudge icing. Can you guess what the secret ingredient is?
Now somewhere along the way, I bumped the second pan on to the floor and lost half the cake. Poor Bonnie fled out the front door into the rain when she heard me holler an unkind word. Fortunately, I rememberd my cousin Linda's neat trick, "if you only have one layer, cut it in half."

If you're in the neighborhood, do drop by for half-cake and tea. I promise, it's still delicious.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

Third time's the charm . . .

I really like the pink borders best. I hope to get all three of these finished before any other lil' darlin's make their debut. Now where did I put my box of time?

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

Decisions, decisions . .

Should I stand up and finish pinning the Lil' Darlin' quilt . . .

Or sit down and finish sewing the binding on the deadline quilt?

Now this is a tough decision. Luckily the book I'm listening to is "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and so I'll be thoroughly entertained whether I'm sitting or standing.

Would those in the know kindly tell me if the bells of Notre Dame really have names? And are there still 6 of them? And when were they cast? And . . . well, you get the idea.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

Good things come in pie crusts.

Since I'm busy working on the deadline quilt, I'll post this recipe in case you have a graduation party coming up and need something simple to take along. (Photo borrowed from web)

Easy Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

1 - 6 oz. graham cracker (or chocolate) pie crust
1 - 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2 - 3 oz. packages of cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mini milk-chocolate (or semi-sweet) chocolate chips
1 teaspoon flour

Chocolate glaze *

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. In a medium bowl, with mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy; gradually beat in condensed milk until smooth. Add egg and vanilla; mix well.
2. Toss chocolate chips with flour; stir in to cheese mixture. Pour into crust.
Bake 35 minutes or until center springs back when lightly touched. Cool and top with glaze. Serve chilled. Refrigerate leftovers.

* Glaze: In small saucepan, over low heat, melt 1/2 cup chocolate chips with 1/4 cup whipping cream. Cook and stir until thickened and smooth. Immediately spread over pie.

Until then, keep stitchin' (or bakin') . . .

Would you like to swing on a star . . . .

Carry moon beams home in a jar, and be better off than you are . . . or would you rather be a quilt? Soft and snuggly, comforting, and very colorful.


Can you tell I've been having great fun with the soft spring colors. This is a very addictive pattern. It's small, works up fast, and uses up border fabric that I couldn't figure out what to do with.


And here's the deadline quilt . . . something for a special graduate. It's waiting for pinning and quiltin', so I had best get busy!

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .