Thursday, July 26, 2012

Just Arrived: Snow Days Batiks from Moda

by Laundry Basket Quilts - Edtya Sitar.


Edyta Sitar creates beautiful batiks for Moda to that rejoice in the unexpected winter freedom experienced on a "snow day." 


Tranquil shades of blue are complemented
 by the taupey shades of an overcast sky. 
Hand dyed in Indonesia on premium 100% cotton.

Edyta designed new patterns for this collections:






Monday, July 23, 2012

Yum Yum! Rhubard Dump Cake!

4 c. rhubarb, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 small box strawberry jello--regular or sugar free
1 c. sugar
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
2/3 c. water
1 stick melted butter or margarine

Place rhubarb on bottom of greased 13x9 pan. Mix jello & sugar & sprinkle over rhubarb. Crumble yellow cake mix evenly on top. Pour water over mixture & then pour butter over that. Top with chopped pecans.
Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or Cool Whip.
I had a piece of this cake and it was really good! Thanks Julie for this recipe!




Friday, July 20, 2012

As Seen In: Quilt Almanac 2012 - Vintage Stars

Pg: 116 - 119. Designed by: Roxane Wright.
 Vintage Stars

Roxane designer this quilt using vintage reproductions:

 and if you know us you know we like brights and chose the Clematis fabric collections from Clothworks. Isn't this fun! This pattern is great for showcasing large florals!

Finished size: 68" X 88"
Block size: 12" square
Skill level: Intermediate

Fabrics used in this quilt are as pictured (no substitutions)
Purchase our kit here for $89.95 + shipping: Vintage Stars
Included in kit: 8 yards yards fabrics for top, borders, binding & backing 
(Quilt Almanac magazine not included with kit)




Thursday, July 19, 2012

Yum - Yum! Shortcut Chicken Cordon Bleu

from Cambell's Kitchen

SHORTCUT CHICKEN CORDON BLEU

1 tablespoon butter
1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons Chablis or other dry white wine
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup chopped cooked ham
1/2 of a 12-ounce package medium egg noodles (about 4 cups), cooked and drained

Heat the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes or until well browned on both sides. Remove the chicken from the skillet.
Stir the soup, water, wine, cheese and ham in the skillet and heat to a boil. Return the chicken to the skillet. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve the chicken and sauce with the noodles.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Eagle!

He (she) is about 125 yards away.  I got out the big lens so I could get a close up picture.



I waited for 30 minutes for this eagle to do something.

Not much happened and it just flew away............


Tuesday, July 17, 2012

New Pattern Designer: Sweet Clover Canyon

Welcome! Sarah Whitney of Sweet Clover Canyon our newest pattern designer!

Sarah Whitney, The Designer at Sweet Clover Canyon 
"I have loved colors, shapes, and creating things since I was a little kid. After earning my computer graphics degree from the University of Missouri in 1988, I spent my professional career working in television designing both print and on-air graphics for local news stations. My grandmother had been a skilled quilter. In 1991, I took my first quilting class as a tribute to her, having no idea I would love it so! Today, I am happily married and now a stay-at-home mom and entrepreneur. By combining both passions, design and quilting, I am having the time of my life creating quilt patterns in my Sweet Clover Canyon design studio."

  

Her patterns are full of tips and hints and have different colorway choices.
These are the patterns we will be carrying:



We will also have these patterns that showcase our new fabric collection The Edible Garden


Monday, July 16, 2012

Anthology Fabrics - We welcome our new fabric manufacturere!


Anthology Fabrics: A fabric is first judged by visual appeal, catching your eye even at a distance. Then, by touch you assess its quality. These two characteristics - superb design and exceptional quality - are our foundation.

We'll be carrying their batik precuts: 10" squares and 2 1/2" strips


Also, these prints coming soon: Sweet Tea (we love these very tiny prints!)


to

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Fun new project - Caddy Pads - clever iron tote and ironing pad in one!!

These adorable totes open up to become your personal ironing pad!


 They come in two sizes: Caddy Pad for a regular size iron and Caddy Pad Jr for a  travel iron.


We made ours out of Fresh Cottons from Moda.
It's easy and the instructions are great with lots of text and pictures.


Thursday, July 12, 2012

Cooler Corn?

Am I the only person who hasn't heard of "cooler corn"? I received this email cooking tip from a friend and thought I would share it with you!  I wonder who wrote the original email???? Oh well, thanks - great idea!


The Best Way to Cook Corn on the Cob for a Crowd?

 
Over the weekend I was blindsided by the simple genius of this method for cooking loads of corn on the cob perfectly.
Short story: We like corn on the cob. And with eight adults at the table, that means a couple of dozen ears. We would have used the lobster pot to cook them all, but the lobster pot was busy steaming lobster. Then my sister, a capable Maine cook with years of camping experience says "let's do cooler corn!"
Before I can ask "what the heck is cooler corn?" a Coleman cooler appears from the garage, is wiped clean, then filled with the shucked ears. Next, two kettles-full of boiling water are poured over the corn and the top closed.

Then nothing.

When we sat down to dinner 30 minutes later and opened it, the corn was perfectly cooked. My mind was blown. And I'm told that the corn will remain at the perfect level of doneness for a couple of hours.

Turns out, Cooler Corn is pretty well known among the outdoorsy set, but for those of us who avoid tents as much as possible, it's perfect for large barbecues and is way less of mess than grilling. In fact, I may even buy another cooler just so I'm ready for next summer, now that I'm in the know.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Quilt Kit: Shooting Stars!


Our quilt sampler Sue designed this quilt using batiks from Abbi Mays.

Finished size: 87 1/2" x 87 1/2"
Block size: 8 1/2" square***
Skill level: Intermediate
We like the instructions in the book because they are easy to follow with lots of pictures!

Our kit includes approx: 12 1/4 yards off all fabrics  pictured for top, borders and binding.

Included in kit:
Quilt Book: Fat Quarter Cottage
27 fat quarters for star blocks and inner border
2 1/3 yards for for setting triangles and alternate  blocks
2 1/4 yards for outtern border
7/8 yards for binding

Kits can be purchased here for $149 + shipping: Shooting Stars



 This quilt was quilted by Judith Kracker Quilting: (269) 325-7140


***When you need to make a lot of flying geese - try the Quilt in a Day Large
 FLYING GEESE RULER!

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Auriful Thread: Spring Bouquet by Edyta Sitar

These threads were designed by Edyta Sitar to coordinate with her Over the Rainbow Batik fabrics coming in August!



Over the Rainbow kit 10 Small spools-cotton 50wt Colors 220 yards each: 1130, 2545, 4030, 1100, 1135, 1114, 2892, 1125, 2730, 1133. A color wheel of threads for every project.

Friday, July 6, 2012

It was hot yesterday - it's hotter today!

Do you think our bodies can tell the difference between 96 - 99 deg?

Yes - we could fry an egg!



Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Happy Birthday America!


You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.
Erma Bombeck

Monday, July 2, 2012

Yum Yum! Chocolate & Peanut Butter Ribbon Desert!



Doesn't this look yummy!**

What You Need

12 NUTTER BUTTER Cookies, divided
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup PLANTERS Creamy Peanut Butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tub (12 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
2 oz. BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

Make It

CRUSH 8 cookies; mix with butter. Press onto bottom of foil-lined 9x5-inch loaf pan.
MIX next 4 ingredients in large bowl with mixer until blended. Whisk in 3 cups COOL WHIP; spoon 1/2 cup into small bowl. Blend in melted chocolate. Spread half the remaining cream cheese mixture over crust; top with layers of chocolate mixture and remaining cream cheese mixture.
FREEZE 4 hours or until firm. Invert onto plate. Remove foil, then re-invert dessert onto platter so crumb layer is on bottom. Coarsely break remaining cookies. Top dessert with remaining COOL WHIP and broken cookies.
 
**Thank you Kraft Foods 

Sunday, July 1, 2012

White is always pretty!

When is a flower a weed?
Right click and save and use as your background!