Another tea towel...

Last night I made another tea towel...or rather, I sewed a border on another tea towel.  This time I thought I'd try some prairie points...still using the same left over jelly roll strips.  I was happy with how it turned out.  

The little green drawer unit in the background is a vintage spice cabinet.  I got it at an estate auction.  I saw one on a website recently for $150!  I know I didn't pay anywhere near that.  The paint is really aged, and I thought about redoing it, but I can't make up my mind.  

I like having it in the kitchen, but it's too tall to fit between the counter top and the upper cabinet.  I have it sitting next to the sink now, but once Carey gets the open shelving put up, it won't fit there either.  It may just have to sit on the uppermost of the open shelves when the time comes.

What I'm reading Wednesday...

Fear Nothing by Lisa Gardner

I think I'm not in the mystery/thriller mode right now.  Or maybe there is just so much else to do around here.  I'm having trouble working through this one.

There's nothing on the tv tonight, so maybe I'll go read awhile.

Tea Towel Tuesday...

The sewing machine has been staying set up lately, waiting for me to pay some attention to it.  The mood seems to strike at about 10:00 p.m.  

I've been meaning to make some kitchen towels for awhile now.  I found a cute idea for some on Pinterest.  I prefer a fairly thick terry for drying dishes and spills, so I found towels I like for the job, and then I set about making them pretty.

I had some 2.5" strips of fabric left from a jelly roll that I had been using on another project. The jelly roll strips have pinked edges, but I had to hunt down my own pinking shears to cut the strips in half lengthwise, giving me 1 1/4" strips to sew on.  The pinked edges are meant to fray a little with each washing.  I just started sewing, and then folded in a gather every little bit.  Pretty darn easy.  I will be making more like this, as well as others using a different border type.

These are the accent colors I'm leaning toward at the moment, and I think they look cheerful in the kitchen.  

Sunday desserts...

When Chloe spent the night Friday night, Caitlyn had a gymnastics meet, and a very successful one at that...she won first all around and her team took first place.

So yesterday when one little girl went home, another came to stay.  Caitlyn had jacks lessons too (which means that I've spent more time on the floor this weekend than in the past year combined).

Today I put her to work in the kitchen.  Her daddy doesn't like sweets, and I always feel guilty putting special effort into dessert for everyone else each week knowing he won't partake.  I found this rather strange recipe for an appetizer on Pinterest the other day, and just knew he would like it.    Caitlyn did a great job putting them together while I got started on dessert.  He did really like them, and I hope he knows we think he deserves some special attention now and then too.

On to dessert.  I had a loaf of French bread in the drawer that had gone stale, so I thought I would make a bread pudding.  I also had some apples in the refrigerator, so when I found a recipe for Apple Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce, it sounded like a perfect fit.  My mother used to make bread pudding, and it was always one of my favorites.  My husband and children never seemed too interested in it, so I haven't made it more than once or twice over the years.

But the munchkins were much more complimentary of my efforts.  Bobby said it may have been the best Sunday dessert yet.  Which either means that he really liked it...or that he hasn't been crazy about any others.  No.  That can't be it.  :)

Jacks...

Probably my favorite game of all time.  It is impossible to find my favorite kind...the metal ones I played with as a kid.  Well, I'm hoping it's only nearly impossible...I haven't lost all hope yet; I will continue the search.  After much consideration, I purchased these somewhat larger rubber ones.  I tucked them into the drawers of my coffee table for the girls.  Chloe is spending the night tonight, so she found hers when she got here this afternoon.

She picked up the skills and the rules very quickly, and we spent a happy afternoon playing on the floor.

Now she's coerced Jared into playing with her.  What a good uncle!

What I'm reading Wednesday...

Seeing the Dead by Sheila Connolly

I picked Seeing the Dead for my Kindle on a whim.  Not great, but not really awful either.  I only just realized that it is the second in a series, so it might have helped to have read the first one, but I probably wouldn't read two.

The Hearts of Horses by Molly Gloss

The Hearts of Horses on the other hand, which I read last week, I loved...rate it a 10 out of 10.  It might not be for everyone, but it was for me.  Peaceful reading, but never boring.  I couldn't put it down.  It was innocent without being naive, sweet without being saccharine.  The main character had dreams of living in the books she loved, and now so do I...at least this one.

Making it Monday...

I have really been enjoying cooking in the new kitchen!  Aside from the pie I made for Carey on installation day, this weekend I made a cake to share with the kids.  

Yesterday at the grocery, I saw that whole chickens were on special.  I bought two.  I can't remember the price per pound, but they were right about $6.00 each.  Today I put them on to stew.

I decided to make some Chicken Pot Pie to take to Kasey's tonight, and I had to go back to the store to get vegetables for it.  While I was there, I noticed that it was later than I thought it was, so I picked up some rotisserie chickens...I figured I would put the rotisserie chickens in the pot pie rather than waiting for the ones I had cooking.  The rotisserie chickens were $5.99 each.  

I'm glad for the convenience of being able to pick up a rotisserie chicken in a pinch, and I'm glad to know that it's not quite the extravagance I always thought it was.  I do think I got more meat from the two chickens I cooked myself, though, and I am really glad to have it in the freezer...cooked, boned, and vacuum sealed to use later.  And I'm REALLY happy to have three quart jars of rich homemade chicken stock which I will also freeze for later after I remove the fat.  You don't get chicken stock when you buy ready cooked.  

I also put a finished Chicken Pot Pie in the freezer, since I made an extra for that very reason.  If there is one thing I learned from the whole remodel journey, it's how nice it was to always have prepped meals in the freezer!

Grow Your Blog Giveaway Winner announced...

There were 49 comment entries for the quilted hotpads I made to giveaway for the 2015 Grow Your Blog party.  I used RANDOM.ORG random number generator to pick the winner.  

And the winner is Chantal from At the corner of Scrap and Quilts!  Now I'm a little intimidated to send my quilted hotpads to a real quilter.  :)

Small but necessary...

We've been having some confusion lately over whether the dishwasher has been run yet or not.  The ancient one we had before had a light that came on when it had completed its cycle, and the light stayed on until you physically turned it off after you had emptied it.

The new dishwasher has a light that comes on, but the light automatically turns off the first time the door opens.  So if someone just reaches in for a clean fork, but doesn't empty the dishwasher, the next person that comes along may think the dishes haven't been washed yet and add a used plate to the rack.  (We do a pretty thorough rinse job before putting them in the dishwasher, so they usually look clean even if they haven't been washed yet.)

Hello clipart and card-making supplies!

front...

back...

I happily found everything I needed in my stash to solve the issue.  Printed the graphic, layered with pretty paper, laminated to keep it tidy, added tiny but strong magnets.

Now all I have to do is train whoever starts the wash cycle to turn the sign to 'clean', and whoever puts clean dishes away to turn the sign to 'dirty'...myself included.

Enjoying new cooking space...

This photo does not do my salad justice.  I was too hungry to spend time getting a great pic!

SO lovely to have lots of counter space to spread out and prep lots of fruit and veggies!  Lettuce, carrots, strawberries, red onion, avocado, dried cranberries, edamame, salmon, slivered almonds, and I made an Asian vinaigrette dressing.

Ah, SWEET!...

Look what I made today.  Yummmmm.  And you know what that means?

Yep!  They delivered and installed the range and microwave today.  So happy!  (After three months without.)

After much consideration, I decided on the double oven.  Not that I think I will be using both ovens simultaneously much (if ever).  I actually went for this model, because I thought it would be easier on my back to use the upper oven.  Also I thought that the smaller (upper) oven (which will probably be all I use about 90% of the time) would preheat quicker and maybe save a little energy.  I gave it a test run by popping in Carey's favorite Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie.  The recipe can be found at What's Cookin' 4 Miles North of Nowhere.

Now...I wonder what dessert I'm going to make for Sunday Dinner with the kids?

Did it, do it...

 I feel okay about what got done last week.  Grumpy hubby did not agree, but that's okay.  Everyone is allowed to their erroneous opinion once in awhile.  :)  (I mean, come on, I had the flu!)

None of the big items were completed this week, but most of the general to-dos did get scratched off.

The new list is started.  A couple of things have been added since photo was taken.

One thing I haven't added to the list yet, but DEFINITELY needs to be done this week, is BAKE something...anything...everything.  The stove arrives Tuesday, and I think/hope/wish it will be installed at delivery rather than waiting for the microwave to be mounted above it whenever THAT installer can be scheduled.  It would be logical to wait, but I want to use the oven!!!

Seven random thoughts on the 7th...

1.  The new stove and microwave will be delivered Tuesday!  The end is in sight.  :)  

2.  Looking forward to Sunday dinner with the kids tomorrow.  I missed it last week thanks to the flu.  Wonder what I will take for dessert tomorrow.  I'm looking forward to that new oven to bake in!

3.  The hubs went to the hunting lease today.  He doesn't hunt.  He just goes to spend time with his brothers (they DO hunt).  And it gets him out of my hair.  Win/win.  :)

4.  I did manage to get quite a bit done this week, all things considered.  I love scratching things off the list.

5.  I have thirteen minutes to finish this post before it is no longer the 7th!

6.  I have thirteen minutes before I can check the Daily Deal at Missouri Star Quilt Co.

7.  I really NEED to start quilting up some of that fabric I've been buying from them.

What I'm reading Wednesday...

Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas

A favorite author.  Set during WWII, the story is about a Colorado farming community with a nearby Japanese internment camp.  The time and location settings are like visiting old friends from one of my favorite movies.

Making it Monday...

I didn't get a lot done today, but I did make some cards.  They will be in tomorrow's mail; they will be ticked off of my to-do list; and they will bring me current on the 52 Letters in 52 Weeks challenge for this year.

challenge accountability stats:  6 weeks / 7 letters

Down time...

image credit: bing images

I decided to forego a flu vaccination this year.  Perhaps not my best decision.  So that's why I've been away so long.  If I am too miserable to eat and read, then I MUST be pretty sick.  :)  

Today I feel better, so maybe this coming week will be more normal, and I will be able to get back to my ignored/updated to-do list.