More Canning done

I wasn't planning on canning today. However, the opportunity to get tomatoes came my way, so canning happened.

I have more to do next week, because they are still ripening.

Interesting thing is that there is a shortage of canning lids. I bought my limit at the store on Wednesday, and that is all I can get. They are gone from store shelves.  I'm really wondering what is going to be next. 

I'll wash them tomorrow and label them, then put them on the shelf.  I like using them in my spaghetti sauce.  I'm not really a fan of spaghetti, but I use the sauce when I make lasagna. It's a great dish to feed the family when we get together.  This year we ran out of the bottles tomatoes. The store tomatoes in the can just don't taste good to me.

I'll try to do a little bit of sewing tomorrow. I still have the blocks to make for the store.

Keep on Sewing and Quilting!

August - A Busy Time

Hi All, 

It's getting close to the end of August.  It's also getting pretty busy around here.  We went away for the weekend to visit family.  It was a nice visit.  I'm especially glad my DH got to visit with his family.  We've stayed away so we don't get anyone sick, but took a chance to go this time.  

It's harvest time starting up.  We've been picking blackberries for about 3 weeks.  The raspberries are starting up, now, as well.  I've made 2 batches of blackberry freezer jam, 3 batches of blackberry syrup, and one batch (pints) of crushed tomatoes.  I'm very blessed that my DD comes to help me.  

They are waiting to be washed and labled, then put on the shelf for the coming year.  I forgot that I had made blackberry syrup last year, so I need to start using it up, and giving some to the kids.

My DH has been experimenting with sourdough (like the rest of the world), only he's just been at it about 6 weeks or so.  Today's sourdough became tonight's dinner - scones, or frybread.  It was delicious!

They were light and fluffly, but had a lot of chew time because it's sourdough.  It just isn't the same texture as regular white bread.  Delicious with peanut butter and blackberry jam!

I also washed some raspberries to have with our dinner.

Delicious with cream and sugar!  Just like grandma used to serve!  I love this time of year!

I am working on a very big customer quilt.  And it is custom, so it takes me a while to get it done.  In the meantime, I keep getting quilts in to be done.  I'm at 25, with 2 coming tomorrow and 1 on Monday.  I need to really buckle down and get some done this weekend.  I'm hoping the custom quilt will be done by tomorrow evening.

Here's as much of the quilt as I could get a picture to work.

Here is the first row, what I have been doing.

Here's a small sample of my quilting.

Usually on custom quilts, I do a mixture of computer designs and free motion.  I'm trying to do everything as I go, but I forgot to quilt on the eagles near the top, so I will be returning to that after I finish to the bottom of the quilt.

I have 2 blocks I am working on for the store.  We are part of a shop hop coming up in September.  We are making one of each of the blocks that are being provided by the participating stores.  I'm only doing two, and I need to have them finished by Monday.  So, no quilting after 9 pm, so I can piece instead.

Over the weekend, I finished binding some small quilts for my sister, so she can give them as Christmas presents.  

Next time I'll share some of the things waiting for me on my sewing table.

Keep on Sewing and Quilting!

Summer Marches On

Time flies so quickly.  Here it is the middle of July already, and school will be right around the corner.  The boys are not looking forward to school at all.

Usually my canning starts in August, but I got an early start with these pickled beets a couple of weeks ago.  I thought I would share with you how they turned out.  I am the only one who likes pickled beets, so the 9 bottles I got done should last me the year.

I also finished two more projects of my own.  The fabric for this quilt was given to me at the store.  A customer was leaving town, and gave the fabric and a "Turning Twenty" pattern, to be given to someone who could make it.  A lady in our guild pieced the top and it came back to me.  So, I purchased the backing, batting and binding, and finished it off.  It will be donated this fall.

This next quilt was a mystery quilt through an online group.  The steps came every 3 days, and I got it done fairly quickly.  I kept up on all the steps.  Then I hung the top on my basement family room wall for quite a while.  Here it is, finally finished.  I love the graphic effect of the big square.  The way it came together was fun.

Then, I finished this store sample.  It is cute, but much bigger than I would have made it.  I think it would be fine with the panel and two or three borders.  However, it did turn out cute and I am done with it.  Hooray!!

Now, another quilt for the store to be done by August.  I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...

Happy Sewing!

Fall Is Canning Season

Fall is most certainly the most difficult time for me to quilt. I am busy bottling fresh fruits and veggies to make for pleasant wintertime meals. I picked 2 1/2 bushels of tomatoes...Added some home-grown peppers, (which my husband chopped for me)...

Added garlic...

and onion....

These beautiful colors really inspired me! I really love color!

Cooked it all up and

Here is my salsa - all bottled up and ready for yummy times ahead!

Then, I used some of my mangoes I had on hand, and raspberries from my garden, and made Mango-Raspberry Jam. Yummy, Yummy!

Then, Judy, from my work, gave me pecans, so I made Praline Syrup. I call it Pecan Pie in a jar!

I found the last two recipes in the Ball Blue Book for Canning published this year. It was my first time purchasing the book, and I love it!

Although I haven't been quilting a lot for myself, I have tried to keep up with Customer quilts, and the canning has such beautiful color, too. I also get my "color fix" working at the local quilt shop each week. It is such a delight to work with the beautiful fabrics people purchase.

I hope to share more of my canning as it happens. It is work, but it is pleasurable work.

The Recipient of the Mini Quilt is....

my good friend Kristi Brodrero! She and I signed up at the same time for the swap and I received her name. So, I have kept it a secret for 2 months that she would receive the quilt. She has seen it on my blog, but didn't know she would get to keep it! Today she came over to visit and I gave it to her. She seemed very happy about it. She was in the group that made the original quilt, so she gets the mini quilt to go along with her original. Yeah! I am happy for Kristi - Congratulations, friend!

My canning is done for the moment, so on to promised projects. I hope to post pictures soon of the things I am working on. Hopefully within a week I will have at least one project completed.