2014 plans?

What are your plans for 2014?  Mine are rumbling around in my head today.  I want to knit a top down sweater and would love to take a class on knitting socks.  Wouldn't hand knit socks just take care of a lot of our Christmas gifts? I am about to finish a knitted baby blanket that was set aside for Christmas gift making.  Oh and of course we need to quit eating all these sweets from the holidays and thankfully they are almost gone!  I need to get back to my quilting, there are so many which are ready to be quilted and I have made literally no progress on the one in my quilt frame for months.  Christmas gifts were started in October and that has been my main focus since.  It really is refreshing to look forward to a new year and new plans.  More travels to Colorado are in our plans and love spending our time out there.  

Wanted to share this beautiful bedroom from pinterest.....I love everything about it!  The lamps are adorable, colors are swoon worthy, comforter/quilt has the sweetest edges, love a blue bedroom. Red birds look like they are posing! Wishing you a motivated Monday.........

Center pull yarn.....

A grand idea from the blog "I always pick the pincushion", what a great way to make your own center pull yarn ball.  Small pill bottle,insert end of yard and put lid on and wind

your yarn, that's it.  Just make sure when you are winding , the yarn doesn't cover the pill bottle lid, you have to be able to slide the bottle out after yarn is in a ball.  Pull yarn from center...easy peasy!

Crochet and stuff......

The afghan crocheted by my sister was a gift to her son and daughter-in-law for Christmas. My nieces are holding it up for a picture, aren't they cute! I love the 4 square black blocks, gives great definition to the colors.     The pepper jam was a hit for Christmas, every Christmas party we went to we served it poured over a block of cream cheese and devoured it with ritz crackers...yummy!      On a sad note on Christmas night my sisters car was stolen right out of her driveway.  I know she is just sick about it, hoping they find it intact and catch the rotten thieves.  So sad.     Our weather has improved tremendously, I will say it was nice to have a white Christmas for a change.  Catch you later, enjoy your day.......

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from Mr. Outdoors and I!  Wishing good health and much happiness in the new Year.

Counting down......

Counting down the hours till Christmas...the Grandchildren are driving in tomorrow from different parts of the country and we are praying for good weather.  In the canner yesterday, pepper jam.  Love the smell it puts in the house, very spicy!  The snowman candle holders my sister Valerie made for me many years ago, such a talent she is. The bottom sections are clay pots turned upside down, painted with her sweet snowmen.  Our weather has turned on us....62 degrees yesterday and in the 20's today....brrrrr.  Till next time....

Making Irish Cream

We have been making our own Irish Cream for many years now. IMHO it is as good as or better than Bailey's Irish cream.  You can adjust the Irish whiskey to your own liking and bottle it up as gifts for friends (I get the small sealable bottles @ Hobby Lobby). Enjoy!

Noises in the Attic...........

Mr. Outdoors has been hearing noises coming from the attic.  He said it sounded like I was going upstairs when in fact I was in the living room downstairs.  Set up the live trap in the attic and guess what........

If the Shoe Fits.....

Saw this Maxine comic this-morning and it rings pretty true for me.  I am confident I will get it all done in time for Christmas, made me laugh tho.  The dish cloths tied with black ribbon, I have made 36 of them, three scarfs, 5 new Christmas stockings and am now working on fingerless gloves...HoHoHo  Happy Tuesday!

A few of my favorite things......

These are a few of my favorite things.....so much joy comes from unpacking Christmas decorations I haven't seen for a whole year!  We all have our favorites don't we.  I really wimped out on the Christmas tree this year, just a little 2 ft. tall tree.....only Mr. Outdoors and I will be enjoying it as our celebrations are at my sis' and youngest son's this year.  The cute red and white Willy's Jeep belongs to a friend of ours.  He flew to Minnesota to pick it up and couldn't wait to take Mr. Outdoors for a spin, 1960 model and runs like a dream.  What is it they say... the only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys...ha!

Beary cute!

Friday the 13th.  Does it hold any significance for you?  Not for me really but why push my luck...amirite?  Cutest apron ever found on Pinterest today.......and love this little feather quilt!  Bear cub in a tree in Lake City, Colorado, how cute!   He's outside a local eatery just lazying away the day.  Fantastic Friday!

Tuesday's musings......

We had a dusting of snow overnight and a balmy 7 degrees F. this am.  I still don't have the tree up but I am ever hopeful it will be done today!  Got all the names cross-stitched for the 4 new stockings and I think all the stuffers are ready to go in them.  Once I start loading them up we'll see.   Mr. Outdoors and I went Christmas shopping yesterday and got it all done except for my older sister and a great-nephew,  (13 years old) will most likely get money and sister is very hard to buy for.  What to do.....she is a quilter and has all the fabric in the world.....she doesn't drink coffee or tea.....she is diabetic so no sweets.....on and on.  I am hopeful I will find something for her!  I am enthralled with these sweet candle holders and am on the lookout for silver ladles in the thrift shops......sweet! Outstanding Crochet blog posted this cute granny square dress, made for the svelte for sure but oh so cute!  Happy Tuesday!

Jam making......

I haven't posted for awhile....busy with Christmas gifts being made. Cold bitter weather has set in for the last week and it can leave any time as far as i'm concerned.  The last two days have been spent making apricot and blueberry jam.  No fresh apricots available this time of year so experimented with dried.  After soaking the apricots overnight, cooking and then running thru the blender the jam turned out good! Some will be given as Christmas gifts and some Mr. Outdoors and I will eat.  Such a great jam making time when it is cold outside, really warms the house up and oh, the smell is wonderful!  Christmas shopping is almost done and stocking stuffers are getting there.  Made 4 new Christmas stockings, our Family has expanded this year!  Sometimes our Christmas celebration is in Colorado and sometimes in Kansas, it will be Kansas this year.  What with our Family spread out and some of them having to work the Holidays this is what will work best for everyone.  Doesn't really matter where ...just as long as we can all be together.  

Buttermilk pancakes with bacon entwined.

Made buttermilk pancakes with bacon in the middle, Mr. Outdoors request and they were delicious.  Have you ever tried buttermilk syrup?  I got the recipe from pinterest and I will never buy syrup again, we love it.  Spending a few days in our Colorado home and noticed I missed bringing in one of the hummingbird feeders.  This birdie and his friend were enjoying the last of the nectar, now I will hate bringing it in when we leave.

A couple that "caught my eye"

I have made a lot of quilts, I mean a lot!  There are really not too many today that really catch my eye so to speak.  These two I saw on pinterest recently and they

really caught my attention.  The top one is so unique, they look like hanging baskets.  The bottom one is very simple blocks but the quilting just blows me away.  It's all about the quilting!  Very cold in Kansas right now....20 degrees this am but warming up towards the weekend...yipee!

Christmas gift for sewing friends....and me too!

 How cute is this?  Caddy for your sewing machine.  I am always reaching for scissors, pins, marking pencil ect, even has a thread catcher.  The ironing board caddy is cute too.

Fire pit seating....

These would be great for sitting around the fire pit!  Leather jacket from goodwill (not white) cut up, foam and tacks...you're there!  November is here and we are still having warm temperatures and boy oh boy the leaves are falling.  I would be hard pressed to remember a year where the trees were so beautiful as this year.  Simply gorgeous! Fun Friday..... 

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween to you!  Mr. Outdoors and I will be handing out treats tonight, always look forward to all the ghosts and goblins  that come knocking on our door.  Cute idea on pinterest for making slippers out of a felted sweater...check it out.

Monday's musings...

Don't you love blues and browns....found this quilt on pinterest and my sisters and  I are making one similar for our cousin who has undergone breast cancer surgery. Love you Linda! Got some of those pickled green tomatoes done and we really like the recipe...it's a keeper!  Mr. Outdoors was my taste tester and he gave me a thumbs up.  This adorable reindeer is from "Bunny Tales".  I can see these as stocking stuffers for the little ones.  Foggy, rainy and gloomy day here in Kansas, I have spent the entire day sewing on Christmas gifts.......I know, poor me right?  Keep warm and enjoy this day.

Christmas in the works

The Christmas projects are beginning to pile up on me...what fun!  We have several teen/young adult girls in our family and the perfect Christmas gift for all of them popped up yesterday in a quilt shop outing with my sister-in-law and sister.  In the works and pictures will follow soon.      Two words..travel pillow.  Still working on my sisters presents but they are almost finished.  Found this cute ornament on pinterest.  Love the hanger too....So cute! Forever sewing Friday!

Wednesday's words...

I read  a few blogs every day and so enjoy seeing everyones decorating ideas, recipes and comments that make me chuckle in my morning coffee.  Don't squat with your spurs on...lol.  What an amazing time we are living in today with this computer age!  My parents and grandparents would be spellbound by all we have at our fingertips.  Fall is in full swing here in Kansas and it's time to hunker down and prepare for old man winter.  Colorado and lots of other parts of the USA are getting snow and much colder temps. than we have.  Trying to decide what to do with all these green tomatoes....sis-in-law makes a green tomato pie which I haven't ever tried but am thinking about.  Probably will pickle the rest and fry up some too. Beautiful antique vases from Nell Hill's. Wonderful Wednesday!

Trip to St. Louis

We traveled to St. Louis for Mr. Outdoors sister's birthday and nephew's soccer games over the weekend. We had such a good visit, special times!

Beautiful fall weather and we were able to stop in KC and have lunch with granddaughter and her hubby on the way back home, that's always a special treat for us!  St. Louis  has a Trader Joe's and I love their cranberry/walnut tart...oh my so delicious! Kansas had snow while we were gone, a few of the tomato plants went unscathed, so we may get a few more tomatoes.  Sweet Sunday.

For the cold times......

Have been making tomato soup with barley, for the cold winter time ahead of us.  Crusty bread and a dollop of sour cream and lunch is ready in a snap. Still gathering tomatoes and peppers from the garden and tomato soup is what we are doing with them...yum!

Fall and baking

Fall weather is here even tho today's forecast is to be 83 degrees.  Our nights are in the 50's and such great sleeping weather!  Fall means for me baking and cooking comfort food.  Yesterday's fare was apple pie and homemade noodles and chicken.  So nice to have the oven on and not be miserably hot.  I haven't decorated much for fall yet but it's on my list, grandchildren are grown now so it really isn't the same with no little ones around.  Washington is at a standstill and all of them are just such an embarrassment.  Come election time we need to get rid of them all, get some people in there that aren't on the take and actually care about our country and not themselves. So much for that! Anyway it's a glorious Kansas day, nice breeze and full sun, doesn't get any better than that....unless we were in Colorado.  Working on some Christmas gifts is taking up most of my free time, it will be here before we know it!  I found this 12" pie pan at a thrift shop and it makes the best crust!  Egg wash on top crust for ohso yummy flavor.  My noodle recipe comes from a dear aunt and they melt in your mouth.  Some friends gifted us with the apples from their trees and the pie and applesauce were the outcome.. Used my grandmothers ricer for the applesauce and it does a great job.  Thankful Thursday