finished to flimsy #2

After leisurely sewing for the last 4 days I finish the pro bono top and finished up my afternoon by prepping the backing fabric and binding.  Not pressed, nor is the other tops but I'm done.

Pattern source:  Billie Lauder's Uneven Nine Patch from More Quick Quiilt Tricks.  Quick?  Maybe not so much but I started with 5 inch squares, not sections I could strip piece.   I have always wanted to try the "Battlefield" block from the same book which starts with 10,5 inch squares.  Maybe one day, I will. when some fabric comes along that seems suited to it.

 I used Judy's leftover Oriental fabrics and kitted this up with the same background print she had used in her quilt, that Lake colored Fusion from Robert Kaufmann.  She had originally made a baby quilt for a friend's long awaited grandchild .  She really likes the blended looking quilt and combines neutrals beautifully.  The way the pink pops out and makes this prints form their own motifs it looks like I blended too.  Experimenting here.

I have made alternating colored Puss in the Corner blocks before but the background stayed the same and  it was sashed and  had cornerstones.  Seen below from one of our fabric challenge reveals back in Dec 2008. Lois

Lois had done one as well but hers looks totally different than either of the ones I am showing today-----It's all in the fabric itself and the placement in the block, I guess..

Soon I will be off to Olive Garden for our Belle's Christmas lunch and then a reveal of that Mumm fabric.  One of the gals has said she would like to pin her daughter's Christmas quilt.  Normally we would not do this on party day but she needs to get it done and I'll help.  Also I want to get pictures taken of the donation quilts Lois has ready to turn in.  Spare the husband the holding them up and complaints that his shoulder hurts.   If they look suitable for teens 12-17 then they are going to go to Gene's Angel Quilt project.  I just need to get them logged in the quilt document, number assigned and the pics taken.  If he is available, I hope to drop them off on the way home as I would be going right past where he works on the way.

DJ's surgery is coming up on Thursday and I do have some handwork to prep before then so that is next up.  That and a holiday pillowcase for that recent tree skirt and maybe a few quick bags for quilt entries while the serger is out.  Never stops here for long, LOL.

finished to flimsy!

Oh come on!  You know I would get this done---and as planned since I just had 3 blocks and two long seams to go, LOL.  I just cannot get a decent picture of it----though the colors of the stuff hanging off the bed from the window angle is what it looks like in person.

This one looks more yellowed than it is---possibly from the overhead lights and the fact that it was 1945.  The width looks good and so does the length finishing at about 88 x 98 or something close to that.

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Woohoo!  The strips and fabrics are put away, temporarily anyway.  I had vacuumed the day before to get the worst of the mess up.  Materials gathered to start cutting on FWIS.  Off on another sewing adventure soon!

Jane, Aline and I are heading off to Pell City to drop off our QOV quilts in about an hour.  We may also be going on to Heart to Heart in Trussville from there BUT it will wholly depend on the weather.   Not raining now but some forecasts said the Isaac driven rain bands would hit Thursday through Monday.  It is overcast and who knows what it is doing 2 counties away?  Or will be doing in several hours.   Two of us get a birthday discount but I don't think I "need" anything but would go along with the others if they want to go.  I have begged off a couple times recently---like, going after the guild meeting and I need to get home.  Also Aline watches her great-granddaughter a good bit.  She may be needed at home if Pop has his hands too full of little Lily.

Besides I already ordered my quilt backing from Thousands of Bolts---Free Spirit Habitat on an aqua background.  Either by design or happenstance there are a lot of little (and some big) polka dots in this quilt so this is  perfect, not only colorwise but "theme".  The springboard was the Me and My Sisters "Amelia" so even the backgrounds have dots.  Not enough to call it  "lots and lots of dots and spots" like Pam called her version but they are there.  Once I get it the batting and backing prepped, I'll get on a long armer's list.

There are a few paperwork things I must deal with first but then full steam ahead on cutting the first little sampler blocks anyway.

woohoo--almost finished to flimsy!

Can you tell what was keeping me busy this weekend?

Yep, watermelon blocks for the August Joined at the Hip Button Up.  By last evening, the top was together minus the borders.  Borders and the applique elements were fused down today.  Of course, I will need to do some button hole applique to stick this all down.  I also will need to make the hanging tabs.  It is prepped but just not sewn yet so that is why I am going with the "almost" finished moniker.  I prefer my trusty Viking for the BHA but I am considering doing all those watermelon seeds by hand as it might be a bit of a pain in the neck stitching something that small down by machine.  That will mean swapping out machines since I was foundation piecing those watermelons with the Brother.

The preview is pinned in place.  I think it turned out pretty cute though my version is much lighter in tone with the backgrounds and the pale green at the top.  Got that green peridot, August birthstone thing going on, I guess. Oh, I could have gone with mixed tans like the cover photo but white on white went better with my border choice of fabric and tans did with their choice.  The tabs and binding will both be the same red as the cornerstones and lettering.

As I was working on this today I flashed to an old pass-around row quilt from a quilt list I used to moderate, aCozyQuiltBee. Parts of this were inspired by a pattern in Country Threads Quilt Shop Series from that patchwork place.   This would date back to the early 2000's though the book is old and copyright 1992.  The gals added their own touches though some of the motifs are in the book.   Back in February 2010 I had added the loose bird house block at the button and had pieced the flying geese sections for fill and then it went in the bedroom closet with the rest of the tops.  SIGH.

 The thought had occurred to me that this was about the width of one of the Button Up pieces.  I had already considered taking that button section off and adding it to another project.   So I did just that!  I'll plan on adding it to the Button Up collections even though it is NOT one.  It still says "Summer" to me!

So what do I  have planned for that bottom piece??  I figure that I can take those foundation pieced sections of flowers that I showed you on the design wall  HERE .  Add the mis-cut watermelon blocks and crow from last Friday's post and work that up into something for the kids.  Toss in a butterfly block or two and add some other fill block to bump up the width.  More abandoned blocks are on their way to me.  I even have a Pam Bono cat block around here that could be added.  I think it would be cute and a bit of a challenge too.  It measures about 23 inches across at the moment and normally we shoot for 40 wide x 60 long. I'll figure it out.

The only other thing that I did on the quilty front was do up a chart for the Farmer's Wife Sampler---mostly which blocks from the book I plan on using and which one were my substitutions.  I was having problems spotting them in the printout and many of them I can use the Marti Michell sets.  Thing is those were not done in order but rather by which template set was predominantly used meaning each grouping of about 10-11 blocks has some similarities in their grids.  All are components really of a 3 x 3, 4 x 4 and even a 5 x 5 grid which is not easy in a 6 inch completed block.  There are about 10 that did not have conversion to MM's templates but half of them I would not have made anyway. With the table I formulated I now have a better handle on whether I hand piece some, foundation piece some, conventionally piece or use the template sets and conventionally piece---less flipping through the book, my notebook etc to locate what I am looking for. 

As I said last week, this will be a busy week with a good bit of time away from home on quilty endeavors.  I am not even decided what I want to take to Belles tomorrow and still need to pick our some fabric, etc for the iron caddy deal for Friday or Saturday.  I can find fabric easily enough around here but need coordinated binding and shank buttons for the job.  I barely looked at the supply list and should since I will be out near Hobby Lobby tomorrow if there is something needed that I don't have----like elastic!!  "The Closer" final six episodes are starting back tonight so I have a feeling that some of my sewing plans for this evening will wait.   Oh, and the Home Run Derby is tonight too if I want to see how my Cardinal representative Carlos Beltran fares.

Must go feed the husband------

a finish and a reward

A finish to report----finally!  I mentioned the QOV top #3 as being my priority item for the week.  As I stated in my last post, life kinda intervened.

We had two days of rocky weather and trust me, that does not lend itself to piecing when  you have to un-plug.  I blew out on mother board to a power surge and I don't want to replaced another.  At one point on Friday my two computerized machines wound up in the shower.  I figured if I had to be in the bathroom with the hard hat on, then two of my prized possessions were going with me.

I fused down the cut away stars and machine appliqued the down to a 7.5 inch finished squares.  I had the rail strips already cut but didn't really start stitching on this in earnest till Friday and Saturday.  All that I needed to do today is the last border.  I had said that it was amazing that a girl like me that HATES to put on borders would do a quilt that is nothing BUT borders.  5 of them actually.  The picture I put up on FB might actually show the last border a little better but whatever----this thing is done now!  Ready for Show and Tell at Friendship Quilters on Saturday.

I have one more QOV top to piece:  a 3-D bow tie, navy ties on white background with red "knots"  I need 76 of them and the project is one that I started at the fall sew in at guild. (Read about it HERE .)  I will have to pull it out to see just where it stands.  Seems to me that I had some up to the center joining seam but how many?  BUT having said only one more for a total of 5 I was half considering what to do with the cutaways from the pieced rails.  9 patches on point arranged zig zag style maybe?  I naturally over-cut ( almost always do).  There is  fabric leftover from the guild member that gave it to me for the Land of Liberty panel thing.   Maybe.

I need a break from "hafta/deadline" sewing, even if that deadline is self imposed.   The veteran's home is opening in the summer and the tops need to be turned in for quilting.  I need a break from red, white and blue.  I am so ready for a reward project!

And here is what I have in mind.  I prepped this little stitchery from Two Blonde Mice about a month ago.  It has just been waiting for me but I did do a little bit of two of the flowers on Wednesday.  It should work up pretty quickly.  Linda C left this pattern to share when she moved to TN.  Because I was the one who filed the loose pages, etc in the notebooks, I spotted it first, LOL.  It is shown in their graphic, which I borrowed, as a pillow but I want a spring wall hanging instead.  Cute, huh?  I do not own any of the Mary Engelbreit fabric that they used in their sample so will substitute something else that I DO have.  If I have enough of it, I know just which one I will use!

My mom sent some basket fabric and a couple of friends have offered some from their stash as well.  Because of that I am holding off cutting out the March Button Up and whipping it as my reward.  I still would like to do a bias applique thing for the handle and the piece Mom sent would need to be seamed perhaps a little more than I would like.  It won't go to waste though. The May Button Up is a basket as well.

I am taking tomorrow "off" and concentrating on straightening up the house.  With having the windows open recently, I need to dust and definitely vacuum up the strings from the week's sewing.  I get busy and things just get stacked and I can't stand the clutter for long.  Then stitchery for sure!

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Dishwasher saga update.  We thought they were coming Thursday to install the final dishwasher.  Remember we had gotten #2 a Frigidaire that was scratched and dented so it was not going to stay.  They called to say that the one at the store with our name on it looked like a forklift had backed into it.  They were going to get one from the Gadsden store but it would have to wait till Friday morning.  Okay, Friday comes.  They install it seemingly without a hitch.  Come Friday night about 830, I head out to the kitchen in my sock feet.  Socks get damp but I thought maybe DJ just dripped some water on the rug.  Few minutes later with my bare feet I realized that the rug in front of the dishwasher is soaked with water.  He shut off the water supply as well as the power while I fetched some towels to mop up the water and the phone.  Water was dripping off the supply line.  Loose connection or did they break the line?  Something had made me write down the plumbing contractors number off his van earlier in the day.  He came out yesterday morning and his helper had not gotten it tightened up enough or some such thing.  Seems to be fine now.  I pray that is the last of it---a journey of a month's duration.  Not all their fault.  DJ asked for an exchange after all.

We did have tornado warnings up on the north end of the county on Friday.  The weather dude was calling out our immediate area but there was no touchdown.  Present on radar but aloft, thankfully.  Some in the county were without power but that is minor compared to April 27th stuff.   Other parts of the country did not fare so well.  My heart goes out to the people in north Alabama who were just getting re-built from last April and are wiped out again.  The folks in Indiana and Kentucky, with loss of life.  E4's, I read.  It is just sad. It is going to be a long tornado season at this rate.

Our camellia seemed to rebound from the cold nights we had but tonight is another close to freezing night.  One of the azaleas is beginning to bloom and you can see hints of what is coming on the lilac bush.  The bradford pears are out in their full popcorn white and so lovely.  I get to enjoy my neighbor's pink dogwood from afar.  We tried three different times to have a dogwood only to lose them all.  DJ also pointed out that the yellow pollen stuff is starting to come around-----could live without that but it is part and parcel of a southern spring.

THX for stopping by------------

another donation flimsy

I stitched and stitched yesterday afternoon and evening till I had enough blocks made to complete half of this top.  This morning, I joined the two halves and corralled Quilt  Holder to "do the honors."  Think I might be on a 12 in 12 plan as far as tops go??   How about quilting up the ones from last year and keeping their 11 in 11 label??  HMMM

I have no plan for where my creative muse may take me today. Right now I need to clean up the mess of strings on the floor from the past days of sewing.

I'm guessing it is time to get serious about that my adapted Oxmoor Christmas quilt thing but that is a sampler type thing.   Sketch link HERE.  I am going to include that Quilter's Cache Christmas 2003 block that I recently stitched up for Friendship Quilters in it so will revise it slightly before printing up my road map of what goes where.

another finish to flimsy

.........And here is the latest finished top. I had fussy cut some of the shell elements to put them in the corner units. The stripe seems to set things off nicely but I sorta wish I had cut the sashing just a tad narrower.

The backing is prepped and the top added to the rest of the "to be pinned" at some point, hanging in my clothes closet. Good thing I don't have that many clothes anymore is all I got to say.

The binding is cut on the bias to set off the stripe. It is all seamed though obviously needs to be pressed. Story of my life lately, LOL.

On to some TSP sewing for me-----

Hope you have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by.

WIP Weds. wk 38

well it WAS a WIP but here is the finished top as of 10 minutes ago. Maybe it still is a WIP as I need to look for some backing fabric and piece it as well as the binding. I know it looks kind of blah out on the edge but the red dot binding will complete it once it is quilted. This is one of the "Pay It Forward" challenge pieces, thanks to Over the Rainbow.

I had two rows and borders to do on this one but I was busy till about 3:30 doing other things all day. Bama Belles paperwork, getting things ready to take to the post office and some minor re-organization in the sewing room.

Tomorrow will be a boring day of piecing backs and binding. I also will need to pack up for the sew-in day on Friday. Plans are to meet at 8:30 to drive over to Pell City where it will be held.

And sew it goes-------

another finish to flimsy

Finished the top after supper tonight---woohoo! Note Skyler in string chewing position next to quilt holder's feet?

A good many of the blocks that I needed for the last 6 rows were already joined in pairs. I DID need to make the equivalent of the last row in triple rail blocks, probably because I couldn't decide if I needed 12 or 13 rows.

But, it's done except for selecting/prepping backing fabric and binding. I noticed that I have quite a selection of binding bits so it is possible I will go with scrappy binding on this one. Again, I am not planning on bordering but should I change my mind it would be a narrow one.

Off to watch "The Closer" and "Rizzoli and Isles"

Finished to Flimsy

......x2 finished to flimsy. Woo hoo!

I left off Sunday evening with just three section joining rows to go. Norma was keeping me company and finishing up hers at the same time . I have seen a photo of hers but it is not posted on her blog yet. After lunch today, I finished up my top as well.

Almost immediately after I took the picture of Skinny Strips, I moved on to the bottom half of D4P The top half was done as was the 5th row and half of the 6th when I picked it up.

At 4:30 and two movies later I had the last 2 1/2 rows assembled and the sections joined. Another flimsy finish! Woo hoo again!

Not sure what I will work on next but I am thinking I will finish up the hanging tabs and the binding on my birthday giftie tomorrow. Maybe slip cover the insert for my new bday purse as well. That should not be too taxing after two days of heavy duty sewing--- a nice break. Mid-week maybe I should concentrate on quilting up July Button Up and "Summer". LOL, looks like I may have just figured out my week's goals just by talking it through.

And sew it goes--------

almost a finish

DJ says "you are missing a block" when I held it up for him to see. I reply "I know. Remember when I told you that I messed up trimming that one down and I have to make another?"

You know, I am tempted to count this as a "finished to flimsy" After all the missing block WAS done and would have been sewn in there if I hadn't messed up and/or could tolerate the lack of seam allowance.

For today, I am going to work on the 4 patch diagonal components that I had been piddling with a month or so ago and set aside. See the picture in this post. This is one of my scrappy bag challenge pieces for Bama Belles and #9 of 11n11.

#10 which also is part of both challenges would be the triple rail blocks I was working on at the quilt meeting was last seen HERE almost a month ago. We meet on Tuesday and that will be my meeting project again. It will be done at some point, no rush. I guess #11 would be those Puss in the Corner blocks I also have in the progress. No shortage of things to sew around here!

When I get tired of sewing and ready for some handwork, I will applique some tulip stems on the April Button Up. Yep, that is the day's action plan. When the fabric comes for the giftie, tomorrow or Saturday I'm guessing, I will get in gear with that project as that is a deadline piece and I need to allow for mailing time as well.

finished to flimsy #2 of 11n11

Not the best picture but quilt holder was NOT going to be able to hold the width and length for very long without complaint. The top finishes about 58 x 73. Skyler wandered over to inspect as you can see.

Still need to round up backing, seam the binding and mark the quilting lines but in essence, I am done.

So reward time or pick #3 of 11? I am itching to get at the February Joined at the Hip QOM but have a piece of fabric ordered for background that won't be here for a few days.

Another option would be to start working on a few of my revised Oxmoor Christmas Sampler last seen in the sketch HERE. Looking at the screenshot I know I made a few more tweaks after that. I already have scraps pulled to do some of the log cabin and ornament blocks.

See what sounds good in the morning! I will be happy to get out of the house a bit tomorrow now that the roads are officially open.

almost finished to flimsy

Tada! Done with today's sewing with almost a completed flimsy of the January Joined at the Hip button-up. There is supposed to be a snowflake made with wool strips on either side of the wording. I'm not sure what I can substitute. Felt maybe?? The vest is supposed to be embellished with buttons but not till it is quilted!

I will work on the machine applique part tomorrow. While I am it, I plan to do the honors on the "Winter" wall hanging. It has been up waiting for me on the design wall since mid-November and last seen HERE.

That's my plan. It has been fun playing with this project!

It has been a busy day. Because we are expecting rain by week's end I thought it might be a good idea to take down the Christmas decorations. We store the boxes out in the shed so this way there was not tracking in mud or the elements. Why does it always take so much longer to put this out than up? The snowman decorating stuff will remain out and all the wall hangings were switched out. Guess we are all ready for 2011 now!

finished to flimsy

The Pieces from the Heart stitchery cat blocks top that I dis-assembled last weekend is again a top. I sewed a bit yesterday afternoon and evening and finished up this afternoon.

Since it is always good to shop your stash first, the backing fabric is an old Alexander Henry fabric that I have had for years. The selvage reads 1995 if that gives you any idea of just how long, LOL. There is a bit of it left that will probably make its way into a donation quilt at some point. The cat heads are like 4 inches in height lending themselves to something fussy cut. A bit of that creamy sashing fabric is left as well but a big dent was made in both yardages.

What is next, you may ask? I am definitely doing a "reward" project. Well, DJ gave me the money to purchase some Joined at the Hip Button Up BOMs that I have been considering for some time. (I got another fabric type gift that will surface down the line as well.) I have loved doing little monthly projects to decorate our home the last two years. 2011 will be no different. The seasonal ones offered on the website, maybe the cat might be added to my wish list. I ordered the base unit kit mainly to see what color fabrics they used that will blend with future months and the first 3 months patterns. I surely have similar fabrics that I can use my own stash for the quiltlets. I plan to get the base unit done this week, maybe even do the snowman for January. Then I want to make some of the blocks for the Oxmoor Christmas quilt while I am still in a holiday mood.

Thanks for stopping by--------and Happy Boxing Day to those of you who celebrate it.

hot off the press

Woohoo! I just took the last stitches in my Christmas Patience Corner, joining the top and bottom halves. I had left off last night with 5 1/2 more blocks to make in the last row.

12 inch blocks 6 x 7 set. At present it should measure about 72 x 84 but I'm shooting for about 88 x 100 when done.

A pattern is available on Quilter's Cache linked HERE but I did not use her cutting measurements. Come to think of it I didn't sew it like she said either, LOL since I was using a mix of 5 inch charm squares I had collected or was gifted with. (Thanks to Cher, Norma and my mom) With the changes, I cut the sashing bits 2 x 5 and 2 x 6.5 for the same sized finished block. Personally I like the sashing a bit narrower so it doesn't looks so "clunky" and overwhelm the feature fabric.

I started sewing on this 2 weekends ago---sewing on parts of Saturday and Sunday ea weekend plus yesterday and today. Not bad for six days of sporadic sewing!

DJ asked me what I was going to next. Not entirely sure but I am leaning towards quilting some of those tops atop my dresser, antiques all. One is a Christmas log cabin so who knows---maybe that could be done in time for some seasonal use??

THX for stopping by--------

finished to flimsy 2

Woohoo! Another finished up donation top. I think whoever gets this one can have fun looking for the matching blocks, finding the pairs. Some have them and other colored fabrics don't.

Not sure what I will work on today, though maybe the redwork Santa at least for a little while. I had been considering working on the purse that I bought fabric for recently but am reminded that I have a purse in the UFO pile that I could finish up first. Not sure exactly I left off with that one---it is a Lazy Girl Designs Towne Purse. Since I used a dark fabric I know I wanted it more for a fall/winter thing. Still, going off on another tangent would be more fun, LOL. I'm all about the fun, dontcha know?!

Speaking of purses, have you seen Lazy Girls newest design that is going to be released next month? Too cute especially if you have some striped fabric on hand--which I do! Try this link.

DJ and I will be going out to lunch in a bit---birthday lunch. I never did pick the restaurant though. I was leaning towards Chinese or a BBQ place I wanted to try but figured I had plenty of time to make up my mind. He heard a new spot advertised on the radio and suggested this place---and I agreed. Hey, any meal that I do not have to cook myself is fine with me. Since this spot is near downtown and our car tags are due with us both in the same vehicle, I think he wants to stop at the county administration building to take care of that.

I was surprised on Friday though. My pal Marilyn had called Thursday evening to see if I wanted to run to Hobby Lobby with her and then maybe over to Olive Garden for lunch, her treat. (She has no problems remembering my bday as I share it with her son.) When we got to the restaurant, 4 members of our quilt group were there waiting for us along with another friend from the Thursday evening group. I knew Marilyn was going to see if two of them could come as one had a birthday in late July and another, later THIS month but this was even better! Another of our pals is even later in August and the other, early September----one big old party!

Nothing much more to pass along----hope you all have a good day in whatever you chose to do.

surprise packages, donation top and punkin' recipes

A little of this and that---first up the triple rail top that I just finished on Friday evening. I used an Mary Ellen Hopkins pattern of the month from back in August 2000. The plain squares really don't show up as well in my version as you can see the heart at the center really well on hers. Quilt Holder said "this isn't finished" when he was trying to figure out which direction it went, meaning there was no border. It's not getting one--first, because it is a donation quilt top and it is big enough and second, I am not fond of putting on borders in the first place. I cut the side triangles slightly oversized so it has a tiny built in border anyway.

Stashbusting here, though in small bits. About a third of the blocks were leftover from some that Nancy had shared with us but I pieced the rest at the fall sew in---many from the scrap bag or batting bits. Some I swapped with Theramae for a bit more color in both of our tops. When I got down to the last three rows all I had left were blue blocks in various shades so I pieced a few more from the scrap bag. I look at this as being an ongoing project---triple rail blocks and bowties. Both can be assembled once enough blocks are accumulated and make good use of the scraps on hand and the muslin cutaways. I still need to seam the backing fabric and cut binding for this but the quilt group does not meet until the 8th of January so there is no rush to ready it for pinning.


I also wanted to share a couple of surprises that came in the mail yesterday. Veronica read my comment about not having the Santa insert made for my Katrinka Design multi-seasonal banner and whipped one up for me!! Apparently she had the block pieced and just waiting for a use so she said she "couldn't resist" . What a cool surprise! I had taken this wallhanging down so I could display the Mumm Santa but had to at least pin it up on the bedroom door so I could enjoy the new Santa this season! And there was more-----




The little holiday tissue holder was also included. The fabric squares came in a card from Cher . Thanks to them both for their generosity! Isn't it fun to get quilty surprises?

No sewing or quilting going on here. I DO have a top to quilt but figure it can wait one more day. I spent part of the day working on some computer maintenance yesterday. I decided to work on the sweater collar instead . I am currently about half done with it. I decided to go with the roll collar version so it needs to be knit to about 6 inches and then doubled over. Since the whole sweater has been set aside for about 7 years or more, there is no real rush to complete it. Probably going to go to my godchild/niece whenever it is done........

Carol asked about the pumpkin bar recipes I mentioned that I planned on taking to our recent holiday potluck. I actually made a layered pumpkin dessert for the event but will include the recipe for the one I normally would make for pumpkin cheesecake bars. You know how it is--spot one you would like to at least try and make others be the guinea pigs? I have made some changed to the original recipe to reduce the fats if not the calories!

Layered Pumpkin Dessert
• 8 individual Hostess Twinkies Snack Cakes (come in a box of 10)


• 1-8 oz. package Neufchatel cheese -- softened


• 1 cup powdered sugar


• 1-8 oz. tub Cool Whip, fat free -- divided use


• 2-3.4 oz. box vanilla pudding mix -- instant, not cooked type


• 1-15 oz. can solid pack pumpkin--not pie filling


• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (original called for 1 1/2 tsp. but that seemed a little much to me)


• 1 cup lowfat 1% milk


Slice Twinkies in half lengthwise and place cream-side up, in single layer in 13x9-inch baking dish. Using a mixer, blend together cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar and ½ of whipped topping until smooth. Spread evenly over Twinkies.

Combine pudding mix, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and milk. Whisk until well blending and layer over cream cheese mixture. Carefully spread remaining whipped topping over pumpkin. Lightly sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice. Refrigerate several hours or until set.

Source:
"http://www.nancys-kitchen.com/november-5-2006.htm"

My thoughts were that the pumpkin mix would also be good in a graham cracker crust and either top the filling mix with the pumpkin or the other way around. Probably would be enough for more than one pie. You could mix the cream cheese with sour cream instead of cool whip (as you do for blueberry dessert topping) and it would still be good.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Serves : 48

• 1-16-oz. box pound cake mix


• 3 eggs


• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted


• 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, divided use


• 1-8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened -- (nuefchatel is okay)


• 1-14-oz. can sweetened fat free condensed milk -- (not evaporated)


• 1-16-oz. can solid pack pumpkin, not pie mix


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 1 cup chopped nuts, I prefer pecans


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make the crust:
In a large mixer bowl on low speed, combine the pound cake mix, 1 egg, melted margarine and 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice until crumbly. Press into the bottom of a 15 X 10-inch jelly roll pan.


To make the filling:
In large mixer bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in the condensed milk. Add the remaining 2 eggs, pumpkin, remaining 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice and salt. Mix well.

Pour over crust and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Bake 30-35 minutes or until set. Cool in the pan and then chill before cutting into bars. Should be stored in the refrigerator.

Source: Unknown, from my files

another day...........

At left, a basketweave block on point. I finished piecing the lower half of the quilt and left off Wednesday night with just the two long side red borders to go. The top was half done when I received it from Pam via Nancy. Pam could not get to it and asked if the Bama Belles might like it for the kids. (Thank you both!!) Hurray, all the blocks were there! I re-sized it slightly by re-configuring the corner and moving the involved blocks and took it from there. This might be going to the girls though---floral fabric on the borders but some yardage I could spare plus I had a bright lime green with red flowers from my Hancock's run that could be used for the backing.

I think Nancy might have been headed for a much larger quilt as there are 45 rail section blocks leftover. I'm putting my thinking cap on for what to do with the leftovers---make a bunch more for another quilt which is not a bad idea since it uses 2 x 5 strip sections OR blocks to go in a sampler??? Bust that stash, after all, and it could be done as an ongoing project when I cut another kit out. Really I like the idea of scrappy nine patches in between too. Well, like this EQ sketch without the gray---I was being too lazy to want to colorize especially when the other sketch I made was to keep on track on the piecing of the actual top. Either way, make more blocks though it doesn't have to be today!

Not the best of pictures---nice shot of Quilt Holder spread eagled, I guess but there was a reason for that. See below, LOL. Pippi has some birds staked out in the front bush to her left. We think perhaps the squawky gray birds have a nest in there so it has been a beehive of activity. One bird sits on the edging board to the bed and just taunts her. She acts like she is sleeping one minute and the next is chattering and probably thinking "if there were not glass down here between you and me, you would be a goner" This has been her fav spot in the afternoons this past week.

Other than that, I started a pile of 3D bowtie blocks yesterday and left those with just the center seam to join. I didn't count how many and just used the loose squares I had on hand. I'm shooting for a total of 80 including the ones Lois and I had worked on earlier. Really that is another project that I could easily make a bowtie as I cut a kit. Eventually you have enough for a quilt top. I'll probably finish those up today and then start on the row robin. The fabric is pulled but I am waiting for some "steam a seam" to come in the mail first.

Got my morning walk in. DJ is not playing golf today so I came home to find him vacuuming up the floor under the fridge. Keep going, Darlin'--the whole floor needs mopping, LOL. I think I have cooled down enough to get in the shower and not need another one when I get out--till the hairblower starts. Have a safe Holiday weekend!