December 11, 2008

Christmas Baking and Quilting!

QC asked what the cookies are. I call them Peanut Butter Blossoms and here's a bunch of recipes for them at THIS LINK.

Hi everyone, I have been bizzzzeeee lately working on upcoming projects and doing all the usual holiday stuff. The photo below shows what my kitchen has been looking like 90% of the time lately. A mess!! The countertops are piled with baking goods and freshly made cookies, waiting to cool and be frozen for holiday cookie trays. I think I've made 9 batches of cookies and candies so far in the last week. I had them all stacked neatly in containers in the deep freezer....that is til Eric got his 10 point buck. He decides he wants to get the deer head/rack mounted....so guess what's in my deep freezer now? Yep, a deer head with antlers poking out of a black trash bag. Niiiiiice. I took everything out that I could and dispersed the items between two other freezers. I'm a little grossed out that my freezer is now a frozen cemetery. I'm sure that if you're not a hunter's wife,you're totally gagging right now. And I'm definitely sure that if you ARE a hunter's wife, you can totally relate to my story. Okay, onto the quilting. My sewing machine has now taken over the dining room table because there's no room for it yet in my craft room. I think I'll make the girls share a bed and I'll just take over one of their bedrooms for a sewing room. They would LOVE that.......not! Below is Jordan's little Christmas fabric stash that my mom gave her. I told her no more fabric than what would fit in a shoe box. My mom used to be a crafter and has TONS of fabric. I knew she'd try to send the entire stash home so I set the shoe box limit. Jordy came marching in with a Mudd shoebox packed full of Christmas fabric!!
Then Jordy and I went to a local quilt shop and she learned all about fat quarters. Of course, I have known about fat quarters for an entire 3 months since I'm a seasoned quilter now. Jordan had a stack of 7 or 8 fat quarters that she purchased with her OWN money. Below, she's holding her very first fat quarter, a little paw print fabric. She hopes to collect enough black and white(our school colors)fabrics to make a quilt to take to football games.
The kid is spoiled, I tell ya. She's done more quilting than I have! Here we have some blocks cut, ready to be sewn together for a little dolly quilt for her American Girl bed. She got the top all sewn together and now we're stuck. I need my mom to come over to tell us what to do next with the back and binding.
And here's my stash that I purchased on our little quilting mission. I love these 30's reproduction fabrics. I bought enough to make a cute, quilted purse. I have it all pieced together but cannot find the interfacing I need, every store is out! I'll show you pictures when I'm done though.
And......drum roll please.......I am proud to show you my first two pieced quilt blocks. This was fairly easy. I learned to use my rotary cutter and make straight cuts. The sewing was pretty easy too.
Then I made this block last week. It's got flying geese! Oh boy, I had to rip out just one time but it was a challenge still.
I just love to see the blocks coming together. Next time we're making a log cabin block. I might practice first and make a pot holder with some scraps. Nowwwww, zoom in on the photo below and look at my points. They match pretty good, eh??? (I won't show you the other points that don't match up so good).
Now, onto some storage. I'm so new to the world of fabrics and quilting. I can tell you anything you need to know about stamping and scrapping and what's out on the market, but quilting is a whole new ballgame to me. I needed some storage for my ever growing stash of fabrics. I happened upon these white cardboard boxes at Wal-Mart one day. They measure about 13 x 14-3/4" x 4 or something like that. I thought they would be great to store separate projects in.
And then I found these sticky backed felt at Wal-Mart too. I just peel off the backing and adhere it to the bottom of the box. It makes a great place to put cut pieces of blocks. You can piece them together like a puzzle and the felt helps them stay in place. Then I just place the rest of my fabrics and supplies on top. Works for me!
And for now I'm storing my boxes in my old cupboard I bought a while back. I think I need an antique venture to find a cabinet just for my quilting goodies, don't ya think?

Okay, that's all I have for today. I must get back to some photo editing and baking and find time to take a shower in there somewhere. Josey has a basketball game and I am psyched up for it. Love the basketball.

Note: If you have any quilting storage tips, I'd love to hear them! Especially for those long rules, I've already nicked two corners on one because I dropped it in the parking lot at the quilt shop. Dang.

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mish, I am ROFL....my husband and son hunt and I've had deer heads, turkeys, squirrels, pheasants, you name it...it's dead body has been in my freezer at some point! I'm right there with ya sista! :)

Debbi T said...

Um.....no dead carci (the plural of carcass) allowed in my freezer. Mind you, if he got a 10 point, I think food would be out of the freezer until he could get that thing mounted ... it would never go in my upstairs though. UGH. No dead things please!

Now, on to the important stuff. GREAT QUILT BLOCKS! Yay you!

The really important question....what kind of cookies are those???

Anonymous said...

Clean used pizza boxes make great storage for those different quilt projects. Not necessarily pretty but work great.

Kendra said...

Sorry - I COULD NEVER do the deer head thing in my freezer (or in my house for that matter). Your quilting on the other hand ~ FABBO! AND your cookies are totally making me hungry!

Julia Aston said...

I love your colors and the quilt squares you've made so far - nice job! my sister has been taking classes and has 2 quilts done now - I have made them in the past but have always done the 'strip' quilts where you sew blocks together then cut them and line them up in the pattern - it's easier - I made some around the world pattern quilts that way -

nice job on your corners! that is super tricky!!

Anonymous said...

Quilting is my first love, scrapbooking,stamping a very close second. Good luck on your storage, mine went from small cute boxes to very large totes in no time. Both hobbies are fantasic but time comsuming with a lot of "stuff". I find both very relaxing. Good luck with your quilt. You will have to share the finished product. Been there, done that with the animals in the freezer.

Anonymous said...

Wow, you have your plate full with all that's going on! Love your quilts!! I have never quilted but use to watch it on HGTV quite a bit before they took off all the crafting shows. I do remember about the points matching being emphasized and I think you did a great job!! TFS

Tricia T said...

My first thought when I saw your kitchen picture was that you took it at my house. It looks almost *exactly* like our kitchen! My second thought was, "Way to go on the quilt blocks... Her points match!!". About the storage. I dare you to stay put with three projects at a time. I started that way and it was SO nice to complete a project before I added another one. Then a friend gave me some leftover fabric. Three Huge (like 35 gal huge) Rubbermaid Totes worth. Yikes. I now store projects and future projects in those 2 gall Ziplock bags in the totes. For ruler storage... My best advice is to make a huge bag that will hold your cutting mat and long ruler. It's great for taking things to classes, too. Let me know if you need a pattern. A wooden ruler stand is nice for in the house. You can fit a number of rulers in it, standing up on their long edge. I stepped on my first long ruler shortly after I got it, too. It has a huge chunk out of one side. :) Oh - and the deer story?? We worked at a college in the Northwoods. One of the college guys shot a deer and cleaned it in his dormroom tub. Uggh. Sorry to ramble! TFS!!!

Lisadwb said...

I am thankful DH got a DOE this year!!! LOL
It is Cookie Central here to.

Anonymous said...

May I suggest an old chimney cabinet for fabric storage? They are tall and skinny and have a door! Mine is still full of fabric - haven't had the heart to change it to stamps. Great triangles that you showed us - I gave up on points a long time ago!

DeeDee said...

OMG!!! I was laughing so hard there for a minnute!!! We have had every kind of animal in our freezers....yes, that's plural!!!! LOL Right now we have about 12 phesants and one set of phesant feathers....he thinks I might make "something" with the feathers.....he thinks I can make ANYTHING!!! LOL I'm right there with ya girlie...but ya know what....our taxidermist houses the dead heads for hubby....no giant animals allowed at my house...hee hee!!

BTW.....your sewing is excellent and I love your colors and those cookies look very YUMMY!!!! Good luck with all of it!!! HUGS!!!

Katie Skiff said...

Sounds like fun! The material is almost as addicting as the paper we collect! LOL...and Cosmo Cricket and Basic Grey make material that matches the paper!! UGH! :o) My aunt uses a tall shelf with wire baskets and folds up her fat quarters to show off. I like your boxes tho.

Dottie K. said...

Nothing like that going in my freezer. I love the quilting blocks, beautiful fabrics. Jordan did a wonderful job on her doll quilt. You'll have to show us the finished quilt. :)

Michelle said...

LOVE the quilt - and the one that your little girl is going to make with all that great Christmas fabric. I make those same PB kiss cookies - they are so easy....and I have zero baking patience.

deerwife said...

Been there done that with the deer head in the freezer. Even though I am a hunters wife (hense the name on most blogs "Deer Wife") it is still gross. I love you blog.

Saundra :)

Tami McBeain said...

Mish, this year I was thankful to only have about 150 lbs of deer meat in the freezer...no heads and antlers this year!LOL Your cookies look yummy, and your quilt blocks just rock, I love your fabric choices!

Karen said...

Your quilt blocks are fabulous. Love the colors. Fabric is as big of an adiction as paper. Those cookies look yummy. Don't know how you can keep everything straight with the kids, sewing, stamping etc. Makes my head spin. Thanks for sharing.

Charmingdesigns said...

The only time I share my bloggers with my husband is when someone talks about how big the deer was...so, yes...I hollered...Hey...they got a BIG one. ( he got skunked this year)

Anonymous said...

Oh, my! You are absolutely so funny! I always love reading your posts! No, I can't imagine having that in your freezer...my DH is not a hunter... But seriously, consider storage in other than cardboard. I was told years ago that cardboard/paper has acid from the process that could damage your fabric. I know with those lovely fat quarters you have, you don't want to have them damaged. I carry my long rules in a portfolio-like case with my cutting mat and other things that I got at Jo-Ann's (with a coupon of course). Makes a great way to put anything else in it too. Thanks again for lighting up my morning and starting my day!! LOL!
P.S. Your piecing is great! Go, girl!!

Melody (lacyquilter) said...

I love your quilt blocks. Great colors. And don't worry about points that don't match. Once that quilt is quilted and keeping someone warm, no one is going to look at and say 'hmmm, these points don't match.' Oh, be careful how much fabric you buy! I store mine in the basement in clear rubbermaid or sterlite bins, stacked from the floor to over my head -- and I must have at least 5 or 6 of those stacks -- YIKES! Mind you, now, I've been quilting for 30+ years. But, I had to stop purchasing fabric, because I will never use what I have in this lifetime. I've been making myself use what I already have.

Anonymous said...

My husband and boys hunt and fish. The worst I ever found was a bag containing bear paws in the pop frdge I nearly freaked when I opened it up to see what was in it. Your quilting is top notch and if you only had to rip out once you are doing well your points are great. Ann Lind

Anonymous said...

I am drooling over your quilt blocks. I have always wanted to learn. I even have a quilting sewing machine. Love that your daughter is also learning along with you. Really great memories for her. Thank you so much for sharing. I have been waiting for this. Hugs,
Dawn

mom2triplets04 said...

I am so glad I saw your blog the other day and bookmarked it. I was mainly looking at your stampin up stuff as I have been making cards lately. Today's post about quilting brought back memories. I used to quilt. I learned how to quilt before I started to scrapbook. But once I started to scrapbook my quilting had been put away in my son's closet I have boxes and boxes of fabric and UFO's (unfinished projects). How old is your daughter? Mine are only 4. Wonder when I can introduce quilting to them and get them involved in the sewing process. I'm so tempted to give my stuff away since I haven't touched it in years but then in the back of my mind I'm saying wait maybe one day the girls will get involved. Love your pizza type boxes for your fabrics. I have mine in file boxes sorted by color. I have 2 boxes of UFO's and just the other day I found a queen size quilt that I finished the top but it's ready to be quilted. I guess I should find someone to complete it for me so i can actually use it.

Book Bling said...

I was thinking about you and Jordan and your quilting this weekend. Have you guys read the Main Street books? They are a series of children’s books about quilting? They are written by Ann Martin (Babysitters Club). I loved the Elm Creek books and these are similar but for the younger set. But hey – I am 50+ and loved them also!
Thanks for sharing all your stories and projects with us.

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