Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Quilt topper finished

This is the quilt I made this week to go on my dining room table.  The pattern is Pinwheel.  Thought it was great for spring.  It measures 45" by 45".  Perfect!
These are the last of my Easter dishes.  I showed you all the other dishes in an earlier blog.  I am having bridge here this morning at 11AM and decided to make a pot of soup to serve since it is cloudy and rainy out.  I will be using these dishes to set the cup of soup on.  
I made these rabbits a couple of years ago.  Thinking of making a few more pairs to sell in my bazaar this winter.  Some of my friends want me to sell other holiday crafts besides Christmas.  I will try it to see if people are thinking of Easter and Halloween at a Holiday Craft Bazaar. 
This is one of my favorite decorations for Easter.  I love carrots!
These carrots I made last year.  I saw them on one of my other blogs I visit.  They are made from muslin and stuffed with poly fill, painted orange with green tops.  Easter is one of my favorite holidays.  Thanks for stopping by. 

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Easter decorations

I spent this week decorating for Easter.  I had made Easter Egg Table toppers for all of our kids and presented the toppers to them last Christmas.  After getting out my Easter decorations, I could not find the Easter Egg Topper for the kitchen table.  So Thursday and Friday I made a few more Easter Toppers.
Here is the one I chose to put on my kitchen table along with a basket of carrots I also made last year.
Here are a few more decorations that I have around the house.
This is the carrot table topper that I made for each child.  The basket of little carrots are made from the Salt Dough recipe and then just painted orange with a hole on top of the carrot to glue some green rafia for the stems.
Pat took me to Galena, IL almost 20 years ago for my birthday.  We stopped in the Amana Colonies and bought several dozen Amana eggs. I have saved them from year to year.  The furniture makers in the Amana Colonies make these colored eggs with their leftover glue and wax that they color at the end of the day.  They roll the boiled eggs in the mixer. 
Here are a few more of the Amana Eggs.  I store them away in Egg Cartons and they will dry and last forever it you don't crack them.  

My daughter and I love dishes.  My birthday always falls around Easter so she has given me lots of cute plates.  I forgot to take a picture of another set.  That will come later.  
This is a picture of my dining room table.  I have plans to make a quilted topper for this table and change out the egg tree for a ceramic garden rabbit with wheelbarrow. The little white rabbits are 35 years old.  I made them in ceramics.  There is one for each of our children with their names on the bottom.  
Happy Trails to you!





Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Busy Week and weekend

We entertained our Dinner Out Club on the 19th.  Above I am roasting the tomatoes and garlic for an appetizer.  I sliced the Roma Tomatoes and laid them on the parchment paper with slices of garlic, a little Rosemary Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar and salt and pepper.  Bake at 250 degrees for maybe an hour.  I don't remember because I was working in the kitchen and just watched the oven so nothing burned. 
This is my table with the relish tray, olive tray and the cheese board with the Herb Cheese and Saga Cheese accompanied with dried apricots, dates, roasted pecans, roasted tomatoes & garlic and pesto.  If you have not tried the Saga cheese rush right out and get some.  I would describe it as a blue cheese brei.  I don't like blue cheese but this is awesome.
Marlene my good friend from Phoenix in the Navy outfit was here for our dinner out party and met several of our friends. 
This is the quilt that Marlene brought with her to McKinney.  It is for her nephew Josh and his bride.  She brought extra fabric and I suggested we make it big enough for their queen size bed.  So we had to add 10 more blocks.  After taking Garland to the airport early Friday Morning for her trip back to Fremont, NE. we got busy making those squares.  We spent most of the weekend and all of Monday completing this task.  We took Marlene to the airport on Tuesday afternoon.  "Quilts by Jules" will be doing the quilting and I will deliver the quilt to Marlene this summer when we will meet in Iowa to visit our Mothers.  We had a wonderful and a very, very busy St. Patrick's Day Week!

Friday, March 18, 2011

St. Patrick's Day

We started out having lunch on the 16th at Sauce in downtown McKinney.  
After lunch we shopped in downtown McKinney.  See who has all the bags in their hands!
We took time out to rest on a bench waiting for Marlene to come out of the store.
After shopping we met Pam and her friend Nicki from Iowa City who was here visiting Pam.  Pat is taking the picture.  He is with his usual harem.  
St. Patrick's Day morning Pat and Garland made us breakfast of Omaha Steaks, Hash browns and eggs with Irish soda bread toast.  Yummy!
We had lunch on St. Patrick's Day at Lochran's Pub and Eatery.  Garland bought Sam and Jack Irish shirts.  Aren't they cute!
Here is one of the many decked out waitresses at Lochrans.
Once again the table was set and ready for the guests.  We had a great time with the family and our special guests Marlene and Garland.  Until next year!  ERIN GO BRAGH!!!

Friday, March 11, 2011

What a Day!

                             
  I went golfing yesterday and shot my best game ever.  "84"  The temp was in the 70's.  Took a picture of a Bradford Pear Tree.  The blossoms are almost gone and the leaves are starting to appear.  Hoping for rain this weekend so that the grass greens up. This morning I am going shopping and then home at noon because Jack has early dismissal.  Next week is Spring Break for Sam and Jack.  
Happy Trails to you! 

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Our Game night St. Paddy's party

Look closely at the flowers and you can see the  little LED lights coming out from the center of the bouquet.  They looked really pretty with the lights dimmed.
Hoping you enjoy the pictures as much as we enjoyed our evening of fun!  
Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Here comes trouble!

I am getting my house ready for Garland, from Fremont, NE and Marlene from Phoenix, AZ.  They will be arriving on the 15th.  Garland will be staying until the 18th and Marlene will be with us until the 22nd.  
This Saturday night we are going to the Texi Gras held at our church.  It is a big fund raiser and there will be gambling, dancing, eating and a silent auction.  Several of our friends will be joining us so it will be a fun time.
Next Wednesday the 9th I am hosting our Game Night Gals with the help of Donna to a St. Patrick's Dinner of Corned Beef.  We will host our family to a St. Patrick's dinner on the 17th and are glad that Garland and Marlene can join us this year.  On the 19th we host our Dinner Out club for cocktails and then we will be having dinner at Delaney's Irish Pub.  This is party month.  
Erin Go Bragh!