It's looking a lot like Christmas here and the kids got a snow day last Monday. We've broken a former record for how many hours straight it had been snowing -59. And it does feel like it has been snowing for days, just lightly but no sun. Our world is a post card like black and white winter one. Ned loves sniffing all the obvious tracks that now we can name as the usual visitors...squirrel, turkey, bird, fox, etc.
The trees in the front area of the house are huge. See 6ft 4in Tony with Ned?
I went to two grocery stores and could not find Puff pastry. I don't know if I was looking in the wrong frozen food sections or what. Anyway. in the kitchen, I decided to make us muffins which will always get eaten. I use a blend of white and brown flours.
This time I made Apple Pecan Oat Muffins and they were good. This is definitely a rare kind of guilt free baked good for me as I know exactly what has gone in them. I used Lara's recipe as a guide.
I was deep into short story compilations there for a couple of weeks. I realized these are great while sitting waiting for Jack or Tony at appointments. I read these books before but forget the bits enough to enjoy a reread. That seems to be happening to me lately.
Wherever I set up, it seems I have a ton of stuff around me. It gathers and grows. But it's not my fault as I like to have at hand whatever project crosses my mind to work on while I'm watching tv. Once settled in, I hate getting up and going all the way to the sewing room down the hall, etc. Sounds lazy I know. Does this sound like you too-not the lazy bit but the accumulation of project paraphernalia?
Tony is very good natured about all my "stuff" though I think he is mystified as to why there is so much of it all.
After waffling about far too long, I finally settled on what I'm going to sew with the Noel jelly roll. A Bright Corner 's free 2018 Christmas Patchwork Diamond tutorial link has been in my notebook for a few years. I'm pretty sure I've shared it here at some point. I like how Andy has presented the pattern in easy to follow sections. I've cut the squares and laid out how the first block will look. So far, so good. Hopefully I'll get in the sewing room itself this weekend to get this block stitched. Have a look around Andy's site as she has lots of wonderful free quilting patterns and great tutorials.
A while ago, someone asked about a game I mentioned called Lexulous. It is a free online scrabble game where you have the choice to play against the computer or solitary mode. I always choose solitary and work out one game every day. I use a dictionary in an effort to expand my Scabble vocab. Trying to keep the old brain working. :D
I do hope you are keeping warm or cool depending on where you live in this wide wonderful world!
So happy to link with Not Afraid of Color, Kathy's Quilts, Quilting Patchwork Applique, It's a Small Town Life, Small Quilts and Doll Quilts and Wendy's Quilts and More.
19 comments :
You are indeed living in a winter wonderland. And your trees are huge! I had to really peer at the photo to see hubby and Ned at the base of the big tree.
The scene at your place is so different to ours at the moment. So picturesque, if a tad chilly. We are experiencing a heatwave here, with temps in the mid to high 30sC for the next week. Further out west, like where Chooky is, they are getting up into the 40s. Yugh! Stay warm and make the most of your crafting time. Your quilt will be gorgeous.
What a lovely winter wonderland you have. Here the snow comes, melts, turns to ice, melts more and disappears. I would love to have a bit of snow cover right about now.
Your different quilts are lovely and I wish I had only 1/10th of the artistry that you have.
God bless.
your winter is so very pretty - I love those big trees and the snow - I'm sure you get tired of it of course but we see nothing like that here of course - occasional snow that might last a week to ten days on the ground depending on how cold it is but nothing like that. Your muffins look delicious I will check out that site. My sewing the hexies and the knitting are always in the living room where I sit
I always love your photos of the snowy landscape with Tony and his red hat! Your muffins look yummy - now I want to bake some, so I think I will. Yes to the messy pile of sewing paraphernalia next to my chair - all kinds of thread and floss and always a couple of stitching projects in progress, too! The Christmas Patchwork Diamond quilt is a beauty - I'll enjoy seeing you make it.
Those trees are humongous!
I saw the puff pastry today tucked on the bottom shelf near the frozen desserts. I was surprised it was hidden there because I thought it is usually on a higher shelf. I decided to make my own this time.
I will check out Lexulous. Thank you
Project stuff piles are a way of life here. :)
It looks just like a Hallmark Christmas movie at your house! Those snow covered trees certainly dwarf Ned and your husband! Mind if I join you for some tea and a muffin ?? Enjoy your projects! Gail at the Cozy Quilter
What a gorgeous winter wonderland! Those trees are magnificent. Love the pretty Christmas patchwork, I am very partial to Christmas fabrics. Those muffins look yummy. With applesauce and maple syrup as sweeteners, I bet they are very satisfying without all the sugar. I would ruin the healthy part by slathering them with butter. ;)
Puff pastry is easy to make, but time consuming with all the chilling and rolling. My daughter told me Loblaws and NoFrills sells an all butter puff that is EXCELLENT. It's with the frozen pie shells. I've tried other brands but this PC one is by far as good as my home made.
Brrr but so beautiful. It certainly looks like a winter wonderland in your neck of the woods. It does look like a great day for baking and the muffins look and sound amazing. Oh my, Jocelyn , your squirrel block is adorable!!! Stay warm and cozy and enjoy your stitching time. Hugs.
Love your beautiful trees and all the snow. The muffins look so delicious too.
Jocelyn, that photo of Tony and Ned is amazing! What huge gorgeous trees! You are living in a winter wonderland. Here in Central Texas, we have green in our fields, blessedly, from some fall rains and we are expecting a cold front to come in and drop our nighttime temperature to 38! Yesterday it was a warm and lovely 78 degrees in the afternoon. As I have aged, I less and less like cold weather. For years we had a cabin in Colorado and I once thought I wanted to live there…..until we spent a few Christmases there and the work of putting clothes on an off was so much trouble!!!! I decided my Texas home was just right for me. But I love seeing your surroundings. They are very beautiful.
I am a slow crossstitcher. I’m working on an old Cricket Collection pattern called Mrs. K. Claus. I started it last year and put it away to do other patterns. I pulled it out December 1 and will work on it this month…..though I have a pattern for Prairie Schooler Angels that I might be tempted to start!!!!
I so enjoy your blog and hope you enjoy blogging. Merry Christmas to you and your family from Texas!
That doesn't sound crazy to me at all! I love having my projects near me too!
You live in a beautiful area, it looks like a postcard! Huge and beautiful trees. Your stuff looks very organized to me, at least everything is in a bin ;) So handy to have what you need close by. Your appliquéd and embroidered block are lovely.
Thank you so much for sharing!
You do live in such a beautiful place. I am like you having my craft paraphernalia around me. I cannot just sit and watch tv. My hands have to be busy. Hope you and your husband have a very happy Christmas. I look forward to seeing what you are making in the new year.
X is the Greek letter for Chi, the beginning of Christ. Years ago Christians used X as a secret code to reveal their religion. Sorry, I took Ancient Greek as a language in my Catholic college. I never mind the X. Your wintry scene is beautiful. We are being inundated with rain today. Those muffins look delicious. My mouth is watering. I like that Christmas patchwork block. Enjoy your stitching.
Winter has indeed arrived at your house. Its lovely but I'll admire it from afar. We get enough winter here and it suits me fine. You've been busy. I love those applique blocks, particularly the star. I may have to find inspiration from that one!
You are so fortunate to a have snow! Here in Saskatchewan we will have a brown Christmas! And you are right! It is Christmas - not Xmas
Even I, a hater of winter, have to admit your trees look beautiful!
I, too, heartily dislike seeing Christmas referred to as Xmas. People are trying to take 'Christ' out of Christmas and that bothers me no end. After all, He is the reason for the season in the first place.
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