Two Stitchy Project Updates, Back to Basic Recipes, New Small Appliance

 Walking has been a challenge here lately because of the heat. I experienced something I've never felt before while down at the pond the other day. One of those breezes that wells from the ground came up and it blew hot air at my face. So hot! The poor dogs were panting so we three just hightailed it back to the house where I'm so thankful our AC is working again...only were able to use it once last summer. The thermometer told me it was 35C which I think is like 94 F or close- you have to agree with me that is hot! Kudos to those of you who live in hot climates especially ones with humidity. Tony says I'd adjust if I had to but I'm not sure as humidity especially just makes me melt..one day last week we had 100% which doesn't sound possible. My hair has been such a mess. But that's all small stuff, every single bit of what I just wrote... enough whining, it is summer with glorious sunshine and massive beautiful growth in the gardens.

Here is something I've discovered loves the heat...the Coleus. This is one of my indoor houseplants and was in sorry shape after a long winter with little or low sun. Wish I'd taken a before photo. Here it is on summer holidays out on the back veranda and loving it. The light intensity has turned the leaves gorgeous purples. 

I've been doing some pinching to make it fill in as it has a tendency to become spindly. And thank you for the plant tips...I learn so much from you all, please keep them coming. 

In the sewing room...

I've been busy machine stitching more blue strings blocks. As I've said, my scraps appear to be unending...silly me, I'd thought that would be why I would have to end this project. Now I'm wondering how many blocks to make. This is 20 and I think 20 more would create a good overall design. What do you think?

I'll have to do more checking around the net to see other arrangements.

And I've been matching handles to basket bottoms too and have made 15 3/4 so far for the appliqued Basket Loves project. These have been fun to hand stitch using a blanket stitch edging on the handles. Must realign that handle on the far right bottom which is unsewn. I'm now at the stage of thinking of whether or not to end the basket making part of this project. I have the appliqued border finished too for one side and have to think about the others. 

Norma said not to fret about getting the handles perfect, after all this is a primitive style project, but I noticed hers were all identical and perfection, of course. Her site is Timeless Traditions Quilting if you'd like to take a look at her sweet patterns. 

So here is my new small appliance. The Kitchenarm Smart Bread Maker...

I'd given up on bread machines as the last two broke and Tony couldn't fix them and they were not worth paying someone to find out what was wrong. I hate the idea of more waste in the landfill. But I

really missed the convenience of having a machine that made a perfect loaf now and then. This one popped up in my feed one day and I saw it had the most 4.8 to 5 star ratings of any other machine on the market and it's a company that makes only bread machines. I broke down and ordered it. I received an email immediately from their webpage inviting me to explore their recipe site...Kitchen Arm Breads where I noted there is a recipe for sourdough starter.  Tony loves bread so much so very soon I'll let you know how it fares. 

I enjoyed this video below and not just because the featured cook, Christine, is a fellow Newfoundlander which was fun. It is about money saving hacks regarding food and included recession proof recipes to make the kind of meals our grandparents and, for me, my mother, would have made. Simple ingredients all and so healthy too. And it reminded me I need to make Oatcakes.

Married to a Nova Scotian for 34 years in my first marriage, these were almost always in the house. I remember being able to bake them even on Baffin Island because they don't require eggs.  I'm sharing Kelly Neil's recipe and, little tip, she says you'll need an empty Spam can, of all things, to cut the perfectly rounded corners. That bit was new to me.

Kelly Neil's Nova Scotia Oatcake recipe is there.

Our kitchen sink blocked up again and made a mess. But on the upside, we got to clean out the pipes like they'd never been cleaned before so maybe that will prevent this almost usual thing from happening any time soon. And an additional up side, I got to use a tip I saw on YouTube that old black tea is good for cleaning wooden floors. I made a large pot of it and used it on the floors after the spills were all cleaned up. It made the floor look very clean with a nice matte kind of finish. It's definitely so much cheaper than bought cleaners...I used 4 well steeped teabags and you would think this would be better for the environment too. 

This has been a very busy appointment filled week for us with still two more to go, one with the dermatologist this afternoon to check on Tony's skin cancers, then back to the imagery clinic tomorrow for part two of his chemical nuclear stress test. Tony has a good tolerance for all this and it never affects his mood, which is a blessing. 

I hope you are staying cool or warm wherever you are in this big world of ours!

Do check out Not Afraid of Color where folks are also sharing their likes this week. Sharing this post with wonderful linky parties at  The Inquiring Quilter, Alycia Quilts, Quilt Schmilt, The Quiltery, Small Quilts and Doll Quilts and Creations Art Whatever.

Videos, Norma's Baskets, Best Free Pattern, Birds are Back

The trails are providing all the workout I need these days. With melting and overnight freezing (-15 windchill -glad I wasn't out there), they are slushy, bumpy and narrow in places. Like walking a tightrope which is good for my balance. But I've had to take a ski pole along as I really don't want to turn an ankle. On the up side, the slightly warmer daytime temps mean less clothing is needed which is enjoyable. And surprise, surprise, the song birds are singing. Last Saturday, early morning, when I was gathering wood at the back basement door, I heard the unmistakable sound of chirping/singing that stopped me in my tracks. I stood listening in awe. How nature surrounds us with moments of beauty and is so uplifting. 

Spring Sunshine on my indoor plants makes me happy too. At this stage of the long winter, they are all survivors, LOL.

Been keeping busy moving a couple of projects along. I'm still machine stitching Everglade blocks together and "faired up" as my grandmother would term it and I find this part of quilting soooo boring. I spent the better part of an hour one day arranging these, and no, this is not the final arrangement below...I did take a photo of that. 

I also have this project from Norma Whaley at Timeless Traditions which was a gift to me years back. I had a start made on Basket Love, one of her basket quilt patterns, which involves applique so will stitch another now and then.  I have this many bottoms stitched to date. These are fun. 

 And when I just need something to keep the hands busy, more scrap sorting gets done- this latest by colour. I keep expressing bafflement about how many scraps I have but it is something that does amaze me. I really haven't made that many quilts with that much fabric.  

I've been more impressed with what many of you are stitching. For instance, a lot of beautiful arrow stitching has been occurring around the web for the Project Quilting Follow the Arrow challenge. I've enjoyed seeing the imaginative projects and in the process found a link to a free pattern that I really like. It is called Anita's Arrowhead and the link is there at Quilting Daily. And Carol Thelen has a YouTube video of exactly how it is formed which is absolutely brilliant! You have to check this one out. This colourful quilt shown here really appeals to me. Do you like it too?

I was happy to see the Cornell Labs folks have Jim's Indiana Barred Owl cam up and running. I notice work has been done to further secure the box to the tree and also fancy stitcks at the entrance for the young owls to perch on. The female has already laid two eggs and the male has been fabulous in his duties keeping her well fed. It is always interesting to me to see what she eats..so far a rodent and a crayfish. I check in most days to see what they are up to and fingers crossed it will be another successful breeding year for these beautiful birds. 

On that hopeful note, I'll close this post. Enjoy the rest of this week... 

Linking this post with wonderful linky parties like the one at The Inquiring Quilter, Alycia Quilts, Quilts Art Whatever, Quiltery, Small Quilts and Doll Quilts and My Quilt Infatuation.

Cranky But Happy (!)

Truth be told, I am feeling a little tired and cranky this morning.  Too hot as well which may be the source of my problem.  A couple of weeks of heat and humidity that has driven us to turn on the air conditioning later in the day might be the source...the ceiling fans in every room just can't keep up and I've rediscovered that unless you are directly under them, they don't cool you off. I have a wide range of tolerance for heat and cold so if I'm feeling it, then I know it's hot.

Hubby has actually resorted to wearing his short sleeved shirts! And it's too stifling for much veranda stitching, sigh.  But though I'm complaining to you, I know this is peanuts compared to the havoc weather is causing elsewhere. 

But flowers appear to love heat...

Whites in Bloom

Snowball bush in backyard that frustratingly begins to drop its petals as it blooms.

Goatsbeard bush that is a gorgeous almost 6 feet tall on the far side of the house.

Hydrangea bush to the right of the main entrance. One of 4 in the front.

A garden visitor who likes to mow down certain hostas-there's another hydrangea sticking out there with tall weed beside it, eek.

A sweet but unnamed little fellow I think behaving like a peewee or phoebe.  Help??

Leanne at She Can Quilt is one of the hosts for the FAL Q3 link up...you can write and share what you hope to finish over the next three months...

                                           

My baskets are getting more plentiful-at last count I had made 55 of these 6 inch blocks. I'm still enjoying playing around with the fabrics and am not tired at all of the hand appliquing...yet.

Christmas Wishing

I did order and receive the French General Fleur de Noel fabric and it is such good material...a little more subdued in design than I would have thought. Reds and greys. But I have the perfect free project to use it with from the folks at Quiltmania.  More later.

Hubby ordered me a new camera...old one that I knew and loved seems unlikely to be fixed 😢. Another learning curve to traverse which is a good thing. 

 Also hope you are not too hot or too cold wherever you are!

As always linking with LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color, as well as My Quilt Infatuation, Paying Ready Attention, Esther's Quilt Blog, Busy Hands Quilts and Our World Tuesday.