Thursday 13 February 2020

High Five These Midwinter Thankful Things

On that blustery snowy day, I had this in the oven. Old fashioned Seven Layer Dinner. This was a very common dish in homes in the sixties when casseroles became more popular. At home it used to be called Ship Wreck and you can read about why here at the Saltjunk site. Is this something you would have grown up with too?
It is so fitting to have comfort food on a bad weather day. A first for me making this for Hubby and he loved it.  I'd forgotten how much it is a vegetarian meal if you wish.   I refreshed my memory by watching this video from  Bonita's Kitchen on Youtube.
This week I got to go out with younger daughter for facials at the local spa.  A true Midwinter treat and like with most fun things, we thought why don't we do this more often. Not just in February.
I'm wearing my Newfoundland tartan scarf and my bird whistle necklace (yes, I have one!). Newfoundland and birds, two things I love. And look what was facing me. They had a nordic theme throughout the place...lots of polar bears. In my time in the far north, I never saw a polar bear, only the pelt of a male once. The talons were longer than my hand.  Oh and look, pretty cookies.
We also ate out for brunch that day.  I had Eggs Benedict and didn't like it at all. 😊
In my promise to read more books, I've read these, two of them nonfiction, since Christmas.  Enjoyed them very much and I'm enjoying short stories more which is a great discovery.
My table topper Little Cabin in the Woods is all appliqued with the usual...blanket stitch. I added the chimney and a moon.  I'll be making this into a sandwich tomorrow and getting it ready for some hand quilting.  Perhaps a few stars in the sky too.
I also stitched the very scrappy hearts onto this lovely grey material using a close zigzag on my machine. Here sorting the placement and getting carried away by all those bright red scraps. To the point where I decided to make a border of them as well.
 It is so much faster sewing on the machine and also better because those hearts had a lot of seams on the edges.

  
 I no sooner got it all together when I began to second guess the choice of so many scrappy bits here. Can you overdo scrappy reds in one piece- no matter how happy they made you feel while stitching them? Is this border over the top? It can be easily taken off.
  Murphy is very close to me these days. When I was gone for the spa day, Hubby said she was whining by the front door at times.  Perhaps she is missing someone more than we realized. Sigh

Thankful as always to link with Not Afraid of ColorFor the Love of GeesePowered By QuiltingSmall Quilts and Doll QuiltsLove Laugh Quilt and Brian's Home Blog.











24 comments :

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

your day out with your daughter sounds so nice - what a way to relax. Your shipwreck dinner link wouldn't open for me so I googled and the meal sounds a lot like the one dish meals I grew up with and that I made for my family when the girls were growing up and the income was tight.

Linda said...

You look so lovely in the photo, and those cookies look very tempting. My husband would join you in the eggs benedict - one of his favorites. I love all the scrappy reds!

Brian's Home Blog said...

I'll bet those eggs benedict were really good and those cookies look good too. Thanks for joining the Thankful Thursday Blog Hop!

Michele McLaughlin said...

Great photo of you! I never heard of that layered dinner but enjoyed reading about "shipwrecked" meal! I love the scrappy hearts especially on that neutral fabric, I think they are fantastic! I thought you lived in Newfoundland but that must have been in the past. I get confused easily! Sending hugs out to you and Murphy. It's hard to know our babies are grieving too.

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

Nice that you had a day of pampering and spending time with your daughter. Love your scrappy hearts and no, there is never too much red on a heart! I like short stories...sometimes. Mostly I like the great sagas that John Jakes and Michener wrote. Stay warm.
xx, Carol

Julierose said...

Love that Cabin piece--and your blanket stitchery--the scrappy hearts are so lovely nice work..and I love Nora Ephron's works too hugs, Julierose

Home Sewn By Us said...

Hi Jocelyn! No, you cannot have too many red scraps in a scrappy piece. Your runner looks fab. I love every single bit and piece of it. Your comfort food looks delicious as do those cookies. And best of all, what a nice photo of you. I totally understand why Murphy is sticking close by. Poor baby. {{Hugs}} a bunch. ~smile~ Roseanne

LA Paylor said...

don't you look lovely, all fresh and pampered. Yes, maybe you should do this quarterly or monthly. It made you feel closer to your daughter! I like seeing polar bears but keeping a safe distance. Claws longer than your hand! wowie. Before I became sensitive to eggs, eggs benedict was my favorite breakfast on special occasions. yum.

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

The Seven Layer Dinner sounds yummy - thanks for sharing the recipe! It looks like you and your daughter had a lovely time together. I love your Little Cabin in the Woods applique more each time you give us an update on it, Jocelyn. Is that your own design? And the scrappy hearts are just wonderful - I think there can never be too much scrappy red!

piecefulwendy said...

What a lovely photo of you! I love your little red hearts runner - you can never have too much scrappy red! So pretty!

Jenn Jilks said...

What a lovely thing to do, go for a spa day.
You are beautiful!
Lovely bright pieces for quilting.

Siouxzq64@gmail.com said...

A spa day how wonderful. Ilove the scrappy reds and think it is awesome.

Ruth Hiebert said...

I love all the reds. In my mind you can not get too many.I really like how this looks. I grew up with7 Layer Dinner and still sometimes make it. It's easy to put together and a hearty meal.

PaintedThread said...

I can see how awful that eggs Benedict was. LOL. I love those hearts! Cute little cabin.

Yvonne said...

I like your scrappy hearts. A day at the Spa sounds wonderful, it shows that it did you good, a very relaxed picture!

Louise said...

Your heart piece has just the perfect amount of red scrappiness, in my opinion. I think the border grounds the little hearts, makes them look like part of a more cohesive whole. Did you eat one of the pretty cookies?

Eva H. said...

I don´t like red colour from my children ages,but your work is so very nice.Your meal looks so fantastic :)
Eva from Czech Republic

Nana said...

You look so good and so happy!

If you like short stories: Read Roald Dahl!

Nana

Mary in Peoria Handmade said...

Love the red scrappy border-it sets off the hearts. I never heard of the seven layer dish. It sounds easy and delish. The link to the first site didn’t work but Bonita’s Kitchen did. That’s a nice photo of you with the scarf. I think your Cabin in the Woods is sweet.

Rosemary Dickinson said...

That is such a beautiful picture of you! I like the idea of the seven layer dish. I've never made one but looks so good! I love your scrappy hearts. I read a book by Nora Ephron. I love her sense of humor. I felt so bad when she died. The Cabin in the Woods looks 3D to me! It's amazing!!

Magpie's Mumblings said...

Hmmmm - just think, had you liked that eggs benedict you might have REALLY cleaned the plate...hee hee. Lovely photo of you!

QuiltGranma said...

Love your scrappy hearts table runner progress!

For the love of geese said...

Ahh a spa day, that is exactly what I need. Your runner is gorgeous. I don't think it's too scrappy. You have a nice balance with the background fabric. Thank you for linking up to Put your foot down.

Jennie in GA said...

What a lovely pic of you ! I recently started treating myself to facials after initially being treated by my daughters. Just wonder why I never had them before. Good for you for taking time to read....seems I never find time to squeeze a good book in.