Cooper in Denim...And a Drink Recipe

I got a bit more done on Cooper today. Some pieces I'm not so sure about, but I can tweak them later. I still have a few more pieces to add across his forehead.

And now for a fun summer drink recipe. It was passed on from a friend of a relative.

Ciroc Tropical Punch

Ingredients

    0.5 oz. Ciroc Mango
    0.5 oz. Ciroc Pineapple
    0.5 oz. Ciroc Coconut
    3 oz. Mango Juice
    2 oz. Pineapple Juice
    Lime

Instructions

    Combine all ingredients in a glass with ice.
    Stir and top with a splash of fresh lime juice.

A Christmas Present Row

Yesterday I worked hard on this! I decided on a pattern - Christmas Presents found here.  I started by cutting all the pieces - 12 pieces per block times 8 blocks. I stacked them all up in order and sewed assembly-line style.

My morning sewing typically lasts a couple of hours, but yesterday I just kept going. And going. BOOM! I finished the row, but haven't sewn it to the quilt top yet.

I'm really happy with these little blocks - so cute! 

Now I need to decide if I need one more row. We'll worry about that next week!

More Plus Signs

Yes, I got my plus signs done yesterday. These are so fast and easy to make!

Here are last week's and today's together. I'm not sure yet how I'll arrange the blocks, but this looks pretty good to me!

Today is the day to work on my Christmas quilts - think I'll pull out my row quilt. I need to figure out what the next row will be. I'll be looking around on Pinterest this morning for ideas. 

I made a cilantro lime marinade for chicken yesterday and the chicken has been marinating overnight.  So dinner is basically done - Hubby will grill it tonight and I'll throw together a salad. Don't you love it when you wake up and know you don't have to stress over dinner?

Enjoy your day!

Back on Track!

Yesterday I was back on my schedule and made another midcentury modern home. This block went MUCH better and faster than last week's - yay! I decided to put a bicycle in the doorway.

Instead of making another house block, I spent the rest of the morning working on the next Splendid Sampler 2 block. Done! 

I had a nice supply of fresh peaches, so a peach pie was a must-make. Yum!

It was a good day! I even picked up my grocery order - so today I can stay home all day. And sew. And do laundry. And sew. 

Lack of Sewing....

We were lucky to have our daughter and SIL visiting here for a couple of day, so I didn't sew on Thursday or Friday and that's just fine!

I thought you might be interested in my lime tree. Look at those mushrooms that have popped up!

The detail is amazing! Nature produces gorgeous things, even when they're unwanted.

Yesterday I did one of my Friday activities - I made a little owl in preparation for my next Accuquilt Club meeting. Cute, huh?

Today I might work on Denim Cooper and maybe I'll work on the next Splendid Sampler 2 block. I won't be machine quilting tomorrow because we're taking a quick trip to B'ham to check on my MIL - she had a heart attack a few days ago. No worries; she's back at home and doing well now.

Enjoy your day!

Modern Plus Signs

So here is my new Wednesday project. I've had this book for a few months and have been wanting to make one of the projects.

I had this pile of lovely fat quarters that I've been dying to cut into - Edyta Sitar Blue Barn. Yummy!

I picked out this pattern from the book.

And I got to work! My quilt all be different from the pattern in that my backgrounds will vary - some will be blue and some will be cream...

...like this! I think each week I'll plan to make one big cross and two little ones. Sounds like a plan!

By the way, I found a mistake in the pattern - a mistake in the cutting directions - it happens. I'll let the author know.

Enjoy your day!

Midcentury Modern Homes

This is a Carolyn Friedlander pattern called "Outhouse." But I'm calling them Midcentury Modern Homes. I was shopping with a friend at a quilt shop in the Atlanta area. I love the pattern, but was hesitant to get it. The houses are paper pieced - ugh! The houses are TINY - ugh!

But my friend convinced me to get it. "Make the blocks bigger," she said. "Add in some plain squares with no houses on them," she said. Okay!

So first I had to blow up the pattern. It took me an hour or so to get it right.

And then I made this block. There was frustration and gnashing of teeth involved. I messed up time and time again. More paper. More fabric. I think now that I have made one it will get easier. I hope!

Each block will have different fabrics (of course!). My block finishes at about 8"x8", about twice the size as the original pattern. This quilt will be a gift for someone who doesn't read my blog. I have a few gift quilts I want to make, so I might as well get started.

I would like to aim for two blocks per week. Because of time spent sizing up the pattern and messing up several times I only made one. But two is very doable for the future.  I'm shooting for 20 blocks.

Have a good one!