Here is a collage I made for a friend....it says, "art saves our dreams". So true!
Autumn is a time when I love to do "art" (and other creative activities) non-stop.
Even on days like today, when I am "under the weather" and still planning to go in to work my shift at our local fabric store....it is hard for me to just rest until time to go.

Perhaps a new collage should say, "rest saves our dreams too!" I found some wonderful thoughts on this here.

Ann Voskamp can really express the underlying reality of each moment!

Enjoy! [Then rest!]

First day of autumn, yesterday was a wonderful, perfect equinox day!
Mom, our friend, Paula and I set out to have a little fun at a local quilt shop. Here, near the shop, we are in a city park with an antique railroad car.

The night before, we had been at the Quilt Guild meeting and were given a dark red solid fabric to use in a challenge. I had jumped right in and started this but now needed a fabric for the outer edges of my "Seeking Balance" contemporary design ....

This one, from the shop's sale fabrics should work very well! It is a" RED, White and maybe a little BLUE" challenge....well, mine is quite a bit blue. I am loving indigo again.....


There was also this yard of purple Amy Butler "LOVE" (retro 60's!) fabric. I think a skirt for my granddaughter could be just what it needs to become!

Today, inspired by all the exposure to quilting....I am going through my stash, trying out fabrics which might set off this hand-pieced and appliqued block of a blackbird on a "Russian sunflower".


And, THE package came today!...I now have 21 balls of medium indigo "TRUE BLUE" cotton yarn to use in knitting this "Cornish Knit Frock" [ from "Indigo Knits" by Jane Gottelier].

Indigo again---A knitting book from our library on Indigo Knits (by Jane Gottelier, British knitwear designer) is all about knitting with indigo dyed yarn. This one (below) caught my eye!

It is the "Cornish Knit Frock". I have just ordered yarn [originally from South Africa, where they are known for working with indigo (and at 60% off!--Elann yarns)] to knit this one.....

And if you have a young "pirate' who needs a jacket, check out this!

Perfect for "Talk like a pirate day".....September 19th!

We're having a cool overcast day with light rain.....after a VERY hot summer, this is wonderful!
My life today with scraps and zinnia's is a jumble of color! I love it!

Using the antique Singer featherweight, I am making "string pieced", 60 degree triangles. This is done by first cutting scrap paper into 5" (or you choose the size!) equilateral triangles. Then fabric strips or "strings" are sewn down to the paper foundation. They look messy but are fun and trim down to be just the perfect unit for making a scrappy 6-pointed star quilt.

You can find a tutorial here for making the foundation pieced triangles. It was generously posted earlier by Crazy Mom Quilts!

Well fed and peacefully sleeping......my newest grandson in his father's arms...

(Being born at the end of summer allows for an outdoor photo shoot when one is only a week old! Photo by Matthew Skalski of Minneapolis. Great work, Matthew!)

Oh, yes, Grandma loves those dimples!

Beautiful, beautiful "Silk Garden" yarns by NORO......an update on my knitting project.

I've been knitting the small mitered squares which will make the Mitered Crosses blanket when they are sewn together.....

You can find a lovely example of the blanket here . And order the pattern too!

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If I have any yarn left over, I plan on using it to accent this altered sweater. The pullover was found in a trift store, cut open off center and will have decorative buttons too.....more to come!

The "busy-baby" summer continues in our family!


While daughter Laura was busy juggling her twin daughters Sophie Jane and Nina Kate, (cute!!, huh?).......

our son  and DIL  delivered a perfect grandson!!!

I can hardly wait to meet little guy! [and another trip to see those smiling, cooing granddaughters would also be fabulous!]

[Many thanks to family members who took these photos!]

What gifts!
Peaches from a local orchard and fresh basil from the garden of a friend!

Not only do they make a pretty picture together, but, I remember seeing recipes which combine them....

....after reading through several (they use way too much sugar!) I have a plan!

Peaches are chopped and put into a bowl. The basil is chopped and heated in a small saucepan with 3/4 c. water and 3 T. honey. just 'til it simmers.

Pour over the peaches. Cover and let flavors blend for an hour or so.

Serve over pound cake and with vanilla frozen yogurt! Yum! Luscious!

Grandma time----Nina Kate and Sophie Jane.

Love those darlings!!!! [these photos were taken the day after I left last week!]

Beautiful zinnias have been the best thing from the garden this hot summer!

A friend gave me seeds for the green zinnia variety. That new color certainly "cools" down the bouquet!
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For months, I have been reading about making mozzarella and ricotta. I have collected the supplies, citric acid, milk, thermometer, rennet, pans and all....finally Saturday I was ready!

It was my first try, and a long story.....I ended up with some curds, and finally.....

.....RICOTTA!

A lot of ricotta (and at least 3 quarts of whey).[ I agonized over a great way to use that whey (hate to waste anything! And decided since using it in baking wouldn't happen until the weather cools and I didn't have room to store it in the freezer or fridge....that probably using it for a bathtub treat would do...I did read that drinking it could make your skin glow and remove redness! so many possiblilties!]

This beautiful ricotta (below) was used with an eggplant to make Rachel Ray's Eggplant Lasagna.

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Another thing I have been wanting to do was to piece a "Russian Sunflower" block. In honor of our drive across Kansas this summer. [And because my friend Lizzie found a entire wonderful scrappy quilt top of this pattern in a flea market recently!]

It is an old Kansas City Star pattern and I found it in a book called, The Sister Blocks" by Edie McGinnis.
My block......

Lizzie's quilt top....

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One more topic.....where had the shine in my hair gone to???? Even with gentle natural hair color products, there were days when I felt like I now had straw on my head!

Thankfully, I found this wonderful product which makes it glow! A spritz or two on dry hair and wow!

And this one, which Good Housekeeping loved in their recent tests......it makes the hair stronger, softer and shinier!!!! ...... I feel much better now!!!!

The twins today..... (actually this past weekend!)

Nina napping (above) and sweet Sophie (below)

In the crib together....

Big brother "Boogie" (... nickname because he love to dance and perform).
At 3.5 years already thinks that "Girls like me if I have my shirt open...." [Has he been reading the Abercrombie and Finch catalog????
Is this the end of civilization as we have known it??? He goes to a Christian pre-school....where did he pick this up....the Disney channel???? Probably!]

We have a new little shop for hungry travelers in our regional airport....and I wandered in today after flying home from visiting the daughter and her family (including the twins, now 9 weeks old!)
There I found these cookies...of which I had fond memories, from when they were marketed as "Kathleen's" cookies (Kathleen King). Simple but wonderful.



The recipe is available in this cookbook......


....and it is also here . I could save LOTS of money by baking some myself...but as I have been saying, it is too hot to bake! LOL! I will try the recipe eventually!


Meanwhile, this also looks like a great cookie...

...with cark chocolate and Brazil nuts. The recipe is in Cross and Black's recipes, here .

I hope to be back very soon with a post showing photos of the twins....they are so cute!!!!

I love knitting this mitered cross blanket (see earlier post)!
....now should I try to bring it along on the airplane (that is into the airport where I may have a long wait...)or should I be content with reading and leave this project at home?

I am using short bamboo needles (read that airport security is less likely to seize these!) and have just purchased the round antique brass colored pendant....which is also a yarn cutter! So, I should be set for hours of fun!

Making these squares is very addicting, especially with the beautiful variegated silk and wool, Noro Silk Garden, yarn. [ I think that sewing all these together and then knitting more lavender around each cross will be less fun than watching the colors change while knitting these mitered squares!]

Food.com has a lovely zucchini and cheese tart recipe !
I think it is getting cool enough that I could use the oven to bake one! [Don't think this would work well in my crock pot!]
I might bake one for my daughter and her family as I'm very happy to be going to help out with my 2-month old twin granddaughters this weekend!!! I will try to get some photos of that special time....meanwhile, off to find some zucchini and gruyere!

Plums (and peaches) are in season now. We have enjoyed them fresh and delicious. Today I want to bake the French yogurt cake and use some plums in it.

I still do not want to use my oven and make the house hotter....so I am adapting the recipe for my crockpot.

Modified French Yogurt Cake
1 egg 1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. yogurt 3 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 c. gluten free Bisquik 1/2 c. sugar (scant)
1/4 t. nutmeg 2-3 peaches or plums, sliced

Gently mix batter from all ingredients except the fruit. Spray the inside of the crock pot with non-stick cooking spray. Put a few slices of fruit on the bottom, then add some batter, then some fruit, etc. until it is all in there!
Bake on high for 2 hours....longer if needed. (I like to take the lid off at the last to allow the "cake" to finish.) Test for doneness by inserting a knife, or straw...

I'll be back later with the finished cake photo!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here it is!

A glorious collection of color!

The yarns I ordered to knit a special blanket have arrived! Noro Silk Garden, a blend of silk, mohair, and wool in gradated colors, each skein a delight will make the "crosses" in this "Mitered Crosses Blanket"!

The blanket pattern is available as PDF for $5.00. All proceeds are going to MERCY CORPS's Japan relief fund. So far pattern sales from this have raised $16,000 for the tsunami devastated area!

The original pattern calls for a background yarn by Noro in color 269. This is discontinued. so it is interesting to see what yarns other knitters have substituted! I searched the web for the right weight (medium-4) variegated, soft, subtle colored yarn...and ended up with this variegated lavender, hand-dyed in Chili, I think it will work well with the jewel tones of the Noro Silk Garden!

I found a finished blanket on the blog of another knitter. [She and her friends have a wonderfully creative knitting group , check it out!]

Still staying cool with the old crock pot! Today, a small pork tenderloin roast....

for the Tuscan pork roast recipe (featuring fennel seed, rosemary, balsamic vinegar...I added red pepper flakes and chopped dried figs!) go here.


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"Got yarn?'" [More quiet inside activity to be cool on these record breaking hot days.....]


I have found directions for knitting log cabin blocks....a great way to use some leftovers...????


Directions are available in this book. Or of course, they can be found by doing a Google search! (Search "images" and you'll see lots of inspiration!)

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For another kind of inspiration, I love Ann Voskamp's blog. She writes in a way that gets to the real heart of things.

Today she also shared a link to help those in Africa who have much worse to deal with than a summer heat wave!

This bread was baked in a crock pot by Stephanie at A Year of Slow Cooking. I was encouraged to try this as I don't want to bake in the oven and make my air conditioner work that much harder!

However, I found a more savory recipe than Stephanie's here.
It features green chilies and all in the batter. [there is even a version using broccoli!]
Hooray for slow cookers!!!!
This all started yesterday when I was reading the Pioneer Woman Cooks blog about cooking Spicy Beans. Her photos make the dish look fabulous!
My thoughts on her directions----I would never cook pinto beans without pre-boiling and discarding the first cooking water by draining them and then continuing to cook in fresh water; and no matter how tasty I wanted them to be, I don't add the salt ( or the salty ham, etc) until the beans are tender....otherwise they stay tough!

So that's dinner for tonight...or should I say "supper"??? Pinto beans and cornbread with fresh chopped onion on top and maybe to cool things off even more, some cottage cheese on the side!