Barnyard Buddies Blanket

This is the baby blanket I've been working on for a while...that's not completely true, it's been done since Easter I just took my time putting the binding on. I'm not sure whether to keep it as a future gift, or put in a local auction where the money goes to a children's nursery. It's on Etsy right now so if it sells great, and if not I'll have to make a decision in a week.

I need to get a better picture this one is a little dark :-p

Not much other progress. Canning is on pause for now. More tomatoes and salsa to do soon, but not today. So far I have 21 quarts of tomatoes and as many various size jars of salsa. Jason doesn't think any of which is 'hot' enough. Maybe the 3rd time will be the charm.

So this is what I have been busy working on for the past month. Lots and LOTS of new bags. The green one is mine, but I have the fabric to make another one just like it. I am super excited as I added zippers to the inside of the two larger bags. That was the one thing I didn't like about mine, so I may have to buy one :-) They are for sale on Etsy if anyone is interested.

I am still working on binding for a flannel baby blanket. And my Christmas sampler quilt needs binding as well. However my evenings have been taken up with canning and freezing with harvest in full swing so I doubt they will get done till frost occurs. Actually come to think of it I want to put them in a quilt show in Oct....Ahhh I guess I better get to work.

Soooo It's been awhile...

For those of you who might actually read this, sorry it's been so long. I have been a little busy, but not really that busy. The garden is in, and we picked our first peas yesterday- 6 cups worth. Of course the chickens really enjoyed the pile of pods that were left over. I also got enough strawberries and rhubarb to make a cobbler and freeze some. The cobbler is pretty tasty, thanks to recipes.com :-)

I'm supposed to training for a race, but Erin will never decide on which one she wants to do with me, so I'm just running as much as I can in the heat. Speaking of heat, the outside thermometer hit over a hundred today. Of course it sits in the sun, but that's still hot enough. 105.7 is the current temperature. I'm glad I did my run at 10:30am and not at 1:30pm. Jackson and i were going to go for a bike ride on his new bike trailer I bought off of craigslist. But a piece was missing and we couldn't attach it to the bike :-(. I ordered it online, and it should be here next week.

Projects? Well I need to take a few photos. I finished two quilts, and am working on the binding. Anna-Marie bought one of them, and the other is going on Etsy in the next week or two (or whenever I get the binding on and the pictures uploaded).

My mom will be here next week. Maybe then I can catch-up. :-) Until then...

M

Time gone by..

On the 7th of May I held a babyshower from my brother-in-law, and in the process made 3 different projects. It was a lot of work that sort-a burnt me out a little on sewing. Actually it was those projects that made me decide that I need another machine. Everytime I tried to sew something thick my machine would bunch-up the fabric and eat thread like a two year old eats hotdogs. It was HORRIBLE. Ever since I haven't sewed a bit and have been on Ebay 4 times a day looking for a good deal. I've bid on two machines with no luck, but I feel I'm getting closer. Luckily I found something to pass the time... "Mortal Instruments" series of books. OMGoodness they are amazing! Ok really they are easy reading teen vampire/werewolf/angelboy books that are a quick read and take you to a new place you haven't been and your two-year old doesn't exist. I finished the fourth and last book published yesterday and went right to cutting out fabric. So it was a needed break.
On another note Jason, Jackson, and I all went to Canby and then to Portland for a long weekend. Jason had work stuff to do so Jackson and I got to go to the zoo and the Portland Children's Museum. He had a lot of fun. I imagine everything wasn't as super cool b/c he doesn't get all of what he saw (to be honest he was more interested in the toys the polar bears were playing with than with them), but it was a great experience none the less. In true NC Stater fashion I bought him a stuffed wolf to remember his trip by- he LOVES IT! I also took him to one of the largest fabric stores ever (Fabric Depot). Which was dangerous to my wallet, but gave us a chance to get out of the hotel on time :-). We saw lots of friends and old neighbors on the trip, so all in all it was wonderful. I'll post some pictures soon, I promise.

Mary

Two quilt tops

I have been quite busy lately trying to use-up some fabric that I have been "stashing" for a while. Yesterday I finished my second quilt top out of the line. Well sorta finished, the first one I want to do a barn and tractor applique on so it's not technically done yet, but all the real sewing is done. They are super cute and will be up for sell in about a month or so (or whenever they get back from the quilter). I'll post pictures when they are all said and done.

Now I can feel better about wanting to go and do the Treasure Valley ShopHop.

In need of separator

As the title hints at, we are in need of cream separator. Well, I am in need of one. After I thought I had pulled off "cream" from our last batch of milk it turnsout it was more milk. A few more tries at manual separation and a few hours later turnsout I am no good as figuring what is "cream". My "butter" wasn't even whipped cream after I was through with it. Actually it was whipped cream, which when whipped too much destroys the "milk fat globules" and just makes a milky/watery mess. After that experience it might just be best to invest in an actual separator. Granted we do have two of the old kind sitting on our deck (ready for flowers), but I think a newer, cleaner, less rusty model would be better.

New Dog, Projects, and BUTTER!

Hello all ya'll! It's been a busy month. Sorry I haven't written much. It's currently 8am and I have a load of washing going and an extra baby to watch so I will try to be brief.
1. We got a new DOG! She is 2yrs old, and her name is Harley. She is super adorable (as all black labs are), and so far hasn't killed any chickens! Actually she is supposed to hunt really well, and if her fetching skills are any sign she may be the best dog I have ever seen. She's good with Jackson and Wally so we feel pretty good about her.
2. Projects- or lack there of. With helping at the farm while the in-laws were gone, and a sick baby the rest of the time, my sewing machine has been neglected. Hopefully this weekend I can get few stitches in.
3. BUTTER! I made my first batch of butter. There was a serious learning curve as I had to pull cream off 3 times before I had enough cream to actually make butter. Jason thinks it's good, I'm not that impressed. It smells too creamy for me (I think it's because of all the work getting the true cream). I plan to make another batch in a few days, hopefully it goes more smoothly. I did find a farm in NY that makes just butter and yogurt from their Jerseys. I am hoping to get in touch with them this next week.
-M