Bacon Day

Did you know that Saturday was International Bacon day? How did you celebrate?

We went downtown and were looking for the wonderful bacon treats that were to be had on this glorious day. And we were totally disappointed! We seemed to be the only one who know what day it was. So disappointed!

Sooooo, I decided that we really missed out and I needed to make it up to the family. And I did! We started the day with hash browns, eggs and candied bacon.

Than it was lunch. Bring on the bacon burgers! And end the day with yummy maple-bacon cupcakes. Perfect way to end the day, trust me, perfect.
Want to make your own?

Cream together:

5 TBS soft butter

3/4 cup sugar

next add:

3/4 maple syrup

1 egg

then alternate:

2 2/3 all purpose flour

1 1/2 buttermilk (make your own by added 1 TBS of vinegar to the milk)

1 ts vanilla

3/4 ts salt

1 1/2 baking powder

1/2 baking soda

1/2 ts cinnamon

Bake at 325 for 25 - 30 minutes. Makes 24 cupcakes

Maple frosting

6 TBS soft butter

3 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup

Mix till smooth (you may need to add more syrup. I forgot to keep track of how much I actually put in).

Sprinkle with chopped candied bacon. Perfection!

The Bees Knees

Well... I didn't do anything yesterday. I was having one of those grumpy days. I was fine, till I had some milk. Oh the life of a lactose intolerant tummy! Because my tummy didn't like the milk (lactose free), it gave me a tummy ache and than just made me grumpy! So I sat and read and grumped. Poor PugsLee got the worse of it. Poor girl, I've since apologize to her, several times. She still loves me, thank goodness!

So because I was a grumpy slacker, I have nothing quilty, but I can still try to entertain you.

A couple weeks back, I meet my new nephew Cameron. Is there anything cuter than baby feet?!

(ignore the big ugly one and just soak up all that cuteness, right up to those precious knees)
Speaking of knees...

I have a picture of the bees knees.
Ok, so maybe it's just a healed branch, but it looks like a bee knee.

It could be the bee (right side, next to the fresh blooms) in this picture. As you can see, I actually did get some foxgloves to grow. I almost didn't, but the next generation came up and bloomed. This makes me Happy!
Today I'm going to surround myself with happy things. No more grumpies and no more milk!

I can't promise that I'll get any quilting done but I'll be happy anyway.

Tonight is Guild night and I have a pile of things to remember to bring and so many errands, I doubt I'll be sitting much today.

So I'm off till tomorrow.

Take care, Brandie

Who 1

Owl quilt 1 is done. I have two more ready to go. I'm hoping that by the end of the week I'll have them done also.

They are quick because they are raw edge applique. I use "Misty Fuse" to adhere my shapes, iron, then stitch around them. I'm not too fond of raw edge, but I'm in a hurry. Those other ideas are getting closer to the surface and I want to start them now, but I know I should finish the owl first. So I treat them as a chore and finish them first, while dreaming of the fun stuff.

I really like this green! I feel like buying the whole bolt!
I quilted it in a "Rainbow" thread form Superior. It has a shine to it that I really liked against this green. But it doesn't show up in the pictures, so you'll just have to take my word for it.
If I'm not doing feathers, I'm doing swirls. I love swirls, they are sew easy. No thinking involved. Just start swirling.

Everyday before I start with these baby quilts, I work on my toile quilt. I'm mostly doing feathers and this is a nice relaxing end to the day. Really, swirls are relaxing.

Take care, Brandie

I'm seeing spots

What is this pile, besides a mess? The beginnings of several owls.
My Daughter raided my stash and even the scrap boxes to find every piece of dotted fabric I've ever had. We had quite a mess! Then we had two little dogs helping with that mess! It took me most of Monday morning to right my shelves again. But like I said before, Priceless.
This is the first spotted owl to come from that pile. I need to add leaves to the tree and a border, before I can sandwich it.

I've fallen in love with this green! I'm going to go get me some more, so don't be surprised to see it again. I'm thinking this color is perfect for boy or girl. There are more kids quilts brewing under the surface and I want to be prepared when they come to a head.

Thank you all for the wonderful response to "The Raven". I'm glad you loved him as much as I do. But I'm just as surprised as you. I can't plan every detail on paper. I'm always surprised at the end. Even in school, I'd write an outline and then end up changing the outline to fit the report. The same thing happens with my quilts. But just so you know "I meant to do that!"

Take care, Brandie

"Nevermore"

Drum rolls..................... Introducing "The Raven"

I haven't been so excited since I first started my blog (coming up on two years in October).

Over the weekend I finished "David" the raven. BFF and I are jokingly calling the raven after her husband. But don't worry, she's educating him in the works of Poe. Nevermore will he mistake a cue like, "tap, tap, tapping at my door".
As you can see, I did quilt some of the poem into the background. I love it! ... but, if I were to do it again, I'd quilt the words first than put the raven in.
I think he looks quite sinister in this picture. That eye is doing it's best to make you feel uncomfortable.
I started to add a plain black binding to the quilt, when in walked Hubby and he said "what about red?" Wow! What a difference and boy did he hit the nail on the head. Perfect!
I also added another line of tiny piping next to the binding. I think it looks smashing!
It's it funny where your inspiration comes from? Remember this was just a thought in my head after doing the cute little challenge quilt. I have to say, this one is my favorite! I love the macabre look. It'll be perfect at Halloween, the best holiday of the year!

Now I'm off on another winged project. Several in fact. I'm mass producing some owl baby quilts. I even had help from my Daughter. It will be a joint effort. She picked the fabrics and I'll do the sewing. Works for me! She showed an interest and there is nothing better that spending time with your kids, no matter how old they get. I just hope they'll always want to spend time with us.

Price of fabrics : $40 +

Price of takeout :$30

Spending any time with adult children and liking it : PRICELESS

Take care, Brandie

Tap Taping

Half complete and ready to show himself, introducing "The Raven".

Don't be scared, because all he'll do is utter "Nevermore".
I have re-worked his legs so much, that the fabric behind him is full of holes and looking weak. So I'm just going to be happy with them as they are. Oh why, Oh why did I do something I can't draw!? So don't look at them too close! They seem too small for his body, but I'm ready to give up and move on. I don't want this in my UFO basket!

Imagine coming across this in the dark! That eye is evil! And that raven beak looks sharp.

I did not harm any birds in the making of this wall hanging. Believe it or not, but I bought these feathers to use on a Christmas stocking. I kid you not! I bought them because of that beautiful green glow they get when they are in the right light.

I had just enough leftovers to give the raven a wing and tail. Sinister? Macabre?... Good!
To finish him off I added a tiny piping with some red. Just enough to accent his eye.
Later today I'm going to get him sandwiched and I hope to start the quilting. I am going to try to quilt part of the poem into the background. You know, the poem about Lenore. Can you believe that some people have never heard of the raven , "Tapping, as of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door". My BFF's Hubby didn't and we are never going to let him live it down! Maybe when I'm done with this quilt, I'll gift it to him and make him promise to hang it up in his room. Hehehhehee, My BFF will love me for this!
So there it is. Was it worth waiting for? Probably not, but if you complain or tell me you don't know one of our own famous American poems, I'll have to gift it to you! So no complaining!

Have a great weekend and don't do anything I wouldn't do!

Take care, Brandie

Weekend Project Two and Three

Fellow blogger Lynn has been tempting me with her wonderful quilts for a while. If I lived closer to her, I'd be taking classes from her and raiding her stash. But a 3 1/2 hour drive isn't my idea of fun. I'd be too tired to sew by the time I got there!

So when she said she was making one of her quilt patterns into a block of the month, I knew I had to sign up. And I did.

Here is the very first block of Lynn's pattern. You should really go look at hers because I've mangled my own. I have to tell you, those are tiny flowers and leaves!
I made my flag a little differently than hers, because after those flower (which are so not where they are suppose to be!) There was no way I was going to attempt Lynn's flag. I just ain't that good.

But because I had fun, I decided to make another block using some of my treasured Robyn Pandolph fabrics. Because why am I saving them?

So here is the same block, my way.
I made these flowers in one piece and embroidered a middle. They started out looking like lemons till I added the pink. I also embroidered the mail box clasp and changed up the whole flag. I just embroidered a vine around the post and omitted the flag.
Side by side. I'm really glad these blocks will never see their parents. If there was a side by side with the original, the world would cease as we know it.

I can't wait to get my next block, even though I had trouble with the (*#@!) flowers and leaves. This will make a beautiful quilt (in my dreams) some day.

Oh Lynn, you are the master and I am but your clumsy, inept student!

Back to work... yes on the raven! He is becoming a thorn in my side. He is not cooperating! I've had to rework his feet twice and he is still without them. It's driving me crazy! But on I must go.

Take care, Brandie