Crafting · Quilting

More Quilting Fun!

JanetLeave a comment

Personally, finding not only a great quilting pattern but some beautiful fabric can be the best thing ever. It doesn’t matter if you are new to quilting or an old hand at it, there is something special about finding That Perfect Pattern or That Beautiful Fabric Line.

For the newbies: Chelsea over at She Sews Seems shared a beginner friendly car quilt that brought a smile to my face…and made me want to pull out my sewing machine. The fabric line she used is not only colorful but seasonal. Check it out:

Chelsea’s thoughts about using a soft, fluffy backing fabric is a great reminder to think about where, and when, the quilt might be used.

For the more advanced, or adventurous, quilter: Fons and Porter’s Love of Quilting channel has been a joy. I can watch when I want rather than trying to be awake on Saturday morning.

The Cascades of Fall Foliage quilt is a lovely interpretation of a pattern with just a few changes to fit the quilter’s preferences. With reasonably simple blocks, plus some thoughtful organization (love the paper plates!), this project would be a great one to settle in with when the weather is not accommodating being outdoors. Check it out:

I love that suggestion for making a table runner if you don’t want to tackle the full quilt. It will give you the experience to decide if you really want to do that deep dive or not.

Both of these projects are beautiful and would lend themselves to a huge variety of fabric collections. Which one would you make?

Musings

Revisiting Old Favorites

JanetLeave a comment

Recently I’ve found myself actively seeking old favorites. Food. TV shows. Audio Books. Music. Things that connect me, ground me.

I grew up watching Raymond Burr, especially Perry Mason. There is something calming and steady about watching Perry, Paul & Della work their way through a mystery.

From there I headed off to Raymond Chandler’s Phillip Marlowe. I’ve watched endless Marlowe films and listened to loads of Old Time Radio shows. In my audio book collection is the complete works of Chandler’s sleuth. What I have is a BBC full cast production which has been a joy to listen to. The movie plays in my head as I listen to the story unfold.

By the way, I strongly urge you to listen to a full cast version of any audio production for the sheer pleasure of it.

In the kitchen I have been perusing classic comfort foods; roast chicken, pasta dishes, brownies. One of my very favorite chicken recipes combines chicken breasts with olive oil, garlic and salt and pepper roasted with potatoes in the same seasoning. Heaven!

While I did ask if you were <cough> over chocolate recently, I think we both know that that never lasts long. Hence the brownies. 😀

What are you revisiting these days? Something you haven’t indulged in for a long time? Let me know in the comments.

Quilting

Learning New Quilting Basics

JanetLeave a comment

I’ve thought a lot about quilting my own quilts rather than sending them out to a long arm quilter. For those of us who are relatively new to the idea, quilting ourselves can seem daunting. Space, experience, nerve, courage, and knowledge seems to conspire against us.

Recently Missouri Star Quilt Company has posted some videos showcasing ruler quilting with HollyAnn Knight. I have to say that for the first time, after watching many instructional videos and classes, I have a better understanding of the process and a bit more willingness to give it a try.

There really is nothing like an instructor who tells you that you can do this, too.

Check out the information in the Description Box beneath the video for more information and links to other videos with HollyAnne.

Around the House

A Long Short Weekend…Sort of

JanetLeave a comment

Daylight Savings Time changes can be … uncomfortable … annoying … no big deal … brutal.

It really depends upon your situation. I have a friend who has a lot of clocks. A lot of ’em. She’s been known to start updating them the night before the Actual Date. Most of my home time pieces reset themselves but there are a few spots that require my attention. Some of them, quite frankly, are ignored. Tells you how much I use that clock to tell the time…

Saturday was a quiet day after several major storms passing through during the week. The kind you have trouble sleeping through. I tend to have certain things I watch on Saturday – mainly my YouTubers who post then – and depending upon my mood I might fill in with odds and ends.

Sunday has been interesting. I awoke not too long after the time switch. Something that always amazes me because I really don’t know why I do it, but <shrug> I do. I got up when it occurred to me that I wasn’t going to turn over and return to a snooze. Both Mr. Carrington and Luke Catleugh had videos up. Once Mr C’s video was over, I headed back to bed. It was 4 a.m.

A few hours later I started to feel Human again and ate a nice lunch, watched a few videos and tunes and managed to nap on the sofa.

What is it about a time change that seems to require more sleep?

I do feel more myself rather than when I was first up and around wondering whether I should make some coffee… <chuckling>

While I can’t say my weekend has been ‘productive’, I can say it has been peaceful. The storms have passed and we have a bit of a respite until the next one(s). I am contemplating my grocery order (keep an eye on this blog for more about that). I’m slowly catching up on some shows that I missed due to the storms.

That coffee is starting to sound a bit interesting…

Monday is far enough away to allow for a quiet enjoyment of a Sunday afternoon.

I remember a conversation I had with a work friend years ago. We would start for home on Friday evening and she would be talking about Monday… I reminded her that my weekend began on Friday afternoon and work talk would be off limits until Monday morning so I could enjoy my weekend. Work talk shortened what should have been a nice long couple of days. Frankly, she was surprised. It took a while before she admitted that I might have stumbled upon something. That perhaps ‘work’ could be left for work days and not allowed to intrude when it wasn’t necessary.

Imagine that!

Put on some nice music. Grab a cuppa. Contemplate a nice meal. Put your feet up. Recover from the unnecessary adjustment of the clocks.

Ciao!

Cooking · Food · Meal Building Blocks

Playing in the Kitchen: Canned Tuna

JanetLeave a comment

As you might recall if you’ve been around here for a while, I enjoy canned tuna with crackers. Without crackers. In patties. Let’s just say it: I enjoy canned tuna. LOL!

A few months ago I added a variety of tuna packets (not cans) into my grocery order just to see what they were like. The packets (pouches) are smaller than the cans, hence less expensive, but come in a variety of flavors in addition to a plain version. In addition to the plain, I got lemon pepper and a smoked pouch.

The other day I was in the mood for tuna salad with crackers and pulled out the last of my canned tuna and one of those pouches. In fact, I grabbed the smoked version.

After making my salad, I settled in for a leisurely lunch but was quite amazed at what I was eating. That smoked tuna added such a lovely flavor to the rest of the salad!

Who would have thought?

Needless to say I will be buying smoked tuna more often. LOL!

It is these little choices that can elevate a simple dish into something amazing. And, because they are smaller than the cans, these packets/pouches are less expensive, too.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Cooking

Simple Tricks To Get Dinner on the Table

JanetLeave a comment

Getting dinner on the table seems to stress out a lot of folks. With either no plan at all or way too much planning, I find folks stuck in panic mode. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Meal planning, prep, cooking, and even plating can be much simpler if we just take a few minutes to think about what we want to do. Beyond, of course, the work. 🙂

Meal planning itself is a useful process but one size does not fit all. So, if you are not a by the list cook (i.e.: Monday’s Dinner is THIS.) rather than set up a rigid menu, why not set up a flexible pantry that will lead you to a more flexible dinner?

Take a few minutes to write down the meals you and your family enjoy. Create a shopping list that includes all the ingredients for those meals. Have those items in your pantry, freezer, and fridge. Now you can choose what you want to eat without being chained to a menu you aren’t in the mood for or don’t have time for.

When you put together your list of meals, look for ways to do some batch cooking. Are you having chicken more than once? Can you cook what you need for those meals and put the extra in the fridge or freezer until you are ready for it? If you, you’ve just saved yourself some work later in the week. Give yourself a High Five!

While this trick is great for proteins, it works well with fruits or veg, too.

Do you have a free day on your schedule and feel like playing in the kitchen? Why not create a batch cook list and set yourself up for more time savers later in the month?

I’ve been known to grab some ground beef (5 or 10 pounds worth), chop enough onions and garlic to go with it, haul out my large stock pot, dutch oven or slow cooker and get them started cooking that meat. I might make a simple beef, garlic, onion, salt and pepper mixture that can go into casseroles or I might combine some of the beef, etc., into patties and get them browned and ready for the freezer.

I love family packs of chicken and have tossed the lot into my slow cooker or roasting pan for the oven and let them roast until done. I will then have enough to package up for all sorts of meals.

I can prepare several casseroles up to the point of getting them packaged and then tuck them into the freezer. This is a great way to have dinner mostly done on those days when you just aren’t feeling it.

Free Ranging Foodie recently posted some great ideas on how she sets herself up for success. Click HERE to check it out.

It is easy to get stuck in that rut where dinner becomes just one more hurdle. Sometimes all it takes to avoid that rut is to think outside the box (or bag) and find ways to get things ready before we even know we need it.

Happy Cooking!

Audiobooks · Books

From The Reading Table: The Librarians

JanetLeave a comment

The Librarians by Sherry Thomas

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I’ve been a fan of Thomas’ Lady Sherlock series since it began and I’ve dipped my toe into one or two of her other books, so I felt I was reasonably able to understand the way her stories unfold. After reading several reviews, however, I left this book on my Wishlist far longer than I should have.

Sherry Thomas is not a ‘cookie cutter’ writer. Her characters, plots, and story telling are rich, diverse, and not a little complicated. Also, she isn’t afraid to do a deep dive into back stories and explanations where necessary.

That being said, I ended up going through this audio book more than once to make sure I hadn’t missed anything – and I’m pretty sure I have but that will encourage another listen.

What starts out appearing simple and ordinary quickly shifts into that space where the reader notices something is amiss. Actually quite a few things are amiss.

Each of the librarians has his/her own unique story and situation. Their backgrounds are diverse. Many have at least one thing in common; an acquaintance with one person in particular.

As the individual stories unfold the main mystery starts to unfold, too and when combined the reader is treated to the reality that each character has his/her own response and reaction. From what I’ve seen in the comments this seems to unsettle some folks.

Thomas always gathers the various strings of her plot lines and not only manages to resolve the main mystery but the individual character’s situations, too.

If you like a well plotted mystery and interesting characters but aren’t afraid to stretch the imagination a bit if necessary, I think you will find this book well worth the time.



View all my reviews

Food

Tired of Chocolate and Need A Change?

JanetLeave a comment

Is anyone really tired of chocolate? LOL!

Honestly, I don’t know many folks who are not a fan of chocolate but every once in a while everyone seems to need a change. When I caught Anna’s (Cooking The Books) recent video for Lemon Surprise I found myself wondering what I had on hand to give it a try.

When I took a minute or three to think about it, it was clear to me that after the Winter Holidays most of us were up to our ears with some form of chocolate or other. Candies, cakes, cookies, snacks, we had several months of what amounted to as chocolate overload.

When Spring is on the horizon we seem to head for something lighter, fresher, brighter. Lemon – or any citrus really – just feels right.

Check out Anna’s video and see what you think. Will the Lemon Surprise be on your menu soon?

Around the House

Winter Blues?

JanetLeave a comment

Sometimes surviving winter is more than just outliving the cold, the snow, the whatever. Winter like we in the mid to eastern side of the country have had has been a bit extreme for many of us.

Norrine over at the Crafty Organizer recently posted a very useful collection of tips. Check it out:

I will add that I think we also need to recognize and acknowledge that winter is a time for rest and renewal. We need to give ourselves permission to hibernate a bit. But for folks who, like Norrine, are new to the whole loads of snow and ice and being stuck at home vibe, it can be challenging.

I would add that it is important to avoid food stress by keeping the Magic Pantry in your home stocked. This means making sure the freezer is full, the pantry is full, and you have options for meals on hand. There is nothing more stressful that heading off to the market when bad weather is on the way only to discover that their shelves are not fully stocked. It happens.

But, as she said, Spring is on the way!

Musings

Rethinking Things

JanetLeave a comment

Over the past year or so I have been following along with a couple of YouTube channels and a Substack page that focus on different experiences. One deals with aging, another looks at the concept of being an introvert and a third looks at living a vintage life. It is an odd combination for sure.

Silver and Solo focuses on the joys and adventures of being solo while also addressing being a senior. For some the idea of being on their own at any age is unsettling, for others it is a joy. The idea of living a full life on your own might be familiar territory or it could be very disconcerting. I think Jen provides some valid POV as well as food for thought.

Real Vintage Dolls House not only takes a look back at 1940s Britain but offers a perspective on living an intentional life today using the, for lack of better words, tips and tricks of the time. There is a lot to be said about living a vintage inspired life. Hannah touches on some interesting food for thought.

Over on Substack, Diana from Healthy Seniors looks at a variety of issues and experiences for those who are no longer under 60. Her articles are thoughtful, inspired, interesting, and provide not only useful information but a lot of food for thought.

I don’t know about you but I find myself encouraged, not to mention enabled, by new ideas about old things (like me). It is almost like giving myself permission to move forward.

Check them out and see what you think.