A Bit of This & That

I did make a little more progress on the Easy Street Mystery quilt the past few days.  Step 3 is completed. No pictures here, but step 4 is also finished! I'm cutting on step 5 today! Maybe, just maybe I will catch up with some of you speedy stitchers before next Friday.

I've had some quilters email me about the fabric organizers I use.  The plastic ones that I've had for a long time are from  Polar Notions, but I have also found a good substitute.  The 6-3/4 x 10-1/2 comic book backing boards sold by Amazon. 100 in a package for $13.44 (free prime shipping).

These work just as well as the more expensive fabric organizers. The plastic fabric organizer is on the left and the comic board organizer is on the right. Below you can see both placed in the folds of the fabric. Yes, the comic book board is shorter, but it also depends on the width of the fabric. Here the picture is of a a full 45 inch fabric. Once the fabric is on the shelf, the cardboard holder keeps it folded just as well as the taller plastic organizer.

 Fabric organizers. Plastic versus Comic book cardboard holder.

 Fabric stored on shelves with both the plastic and the comic book boards.

Fabric folded on the cardboard comic book holders.  I think they work just as well as the plastic.

 Before Christmas I made quite a few of the padded composition book covers. Most were gifted, but I have a lot more interesting fabrics to play with. If you are making any of these journals or books, Staples Office supplies has a good price on the composition books right now.

 One of my bargain finds is this small mannequin display holder with hooks for the skirt base.
Perfect for hanging scissors at the cutting table! This looks vintage, but it's a reproduction I found at our local Beverly's Crafts and Fabric store.

Have a healthy and happy New Year everyone!

Easy Street

I have fallen behind over the holidays, and now I'm playing catchup with my Easy Street mystery. Maybe I can make some progress this week. Part three has been difficult for me. Lots of ripping and adjusting the turquoise triangle piece of this small block. Replacing some of them.  I'm not sure why---but, I just keep stitching away in hopes it all comes together in the final phase.

I'm loving the fabric colors Bonnie suggested!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone---and a Happy New Year

Winter-Green

 As winter sets in on the hill, the ferns come to life in the winter months.

 These pictures were taken on one of my recent walks after a rain.

 The green ferns will grow anywhere. Here they have found an old tree root.

 Green moss growing on the bark of a fir tree.

Our green meadow.

Easy Street update

I am behind with my Easy Street steps.  Are you?  I'm still sewing on Step 2! Two more of those geese to go!  I do have step 3 cut and ready to go (is that progress?)---and I just printed off Step 4. (more geese!)  Playing catch up is stressing me out----

I hope to make some progress this weekend.....

Apple-Cherry Pie

This is one of those recipes that just happens.  I was in the pantry sorting canned goods one day and found one lonely can of cherry pie filling.  It was the day Bill  was peeling apples for a pie that we were going to be making, and I thought ---lets dump in the can of cherry pie filling to the chopped apples and see what happens!

Oh my goodness! 

That was a few months ago, and I've made a few of these apple-cherry pies since. You like apples? you like cherries?---then you are going to love this pie recipe!  I'm not sure I will ever make a totally all apple pie again! Trust me, this is sooooo---good!

You can make your own double pie crust recipe, or buy one. If I'm making two, three or four pies at a time I use my home made pie crust. For one pie, I buy Pillsbury ready made pie crust dough. It is very close to homemade, and very good. Pillsbury ready to use  double pie crust are usually sold in the refrigerated section of the grocery with the ready to bake cookies and biscuits.

 Make sure you let the  rolls of  pie crust come to room temperature before lining your pie pan.

Peel, core and chop 6 large apples into a large mixing bowl. Add one can of cherry pie filling. I use Comstock "Country Cherry" filling.  Depending on the tartness of your apples you can use 1/4 cup or more of sugar.  Taste your cut apples to test for sweetness.

With the addition of the already sweetened cherry pie filling, it does not take much sugar for the pie filling.  Add the juice of  half of a cut lemon and 1 tsp. of cinnamon. I also like to add 1/8 tsp. of ground  ginger (optional).

Stir this mixture until everything is coated and blended together and place the mixture into your uncooked pie crust.

Top the apple-cherry filling with your second pie crust and seal pinch the edges of the crust with your fingers, fluting the edge all around.

Make five long slits with a sharp knife on the top crust and make an egg wash of one beaten egg and 3 tablespoons of milk. Brush the top of the crust evenly. Sprinkle generously with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon.

Place the pie in a preheated 375 degree oven and cook for one hour, or until the apple mixture is easily pierced with a fork.  For one pie I use our preheated countertop convection oven.

One pie, one hour at 375 degrees.

Before eating

After 

Four  for lunch!

Wordless Wednesday

Sassy

Easy Street Step Two

Bonnie posted step two of the Easy Street mystery.  When Bonnie said to put the grey away and cut purples and more of the black n' white prints to make flying geese, I went into panic mode! You see I don't have a lot of the black n' white print fabrics---and what I have is what I used in step one of the four patches.

I emailed Bonnie right away and asked if the black and white fabrics in the flying geese were going to be "touching" the black n' white fabrics in the four patches.  She would not commit to telling me except to say that all of her black and whites throughout the quilt are scrappy and scrambled and that's why it's a mystery. She also hoped it answered my question. (No, it didn't.) -and since it was pouring rain here and a trip to the fabric store was out of the question at the time, I went shopping on Ebay and found some different black n' white fabrics. So, I'm good (I think.)

I love shopping for fabric on Ebay!  I have found some Ebay fabric shops with fabrics I  never see here locally.  I like to support local fabric shops---but, hey, the budget loves $1.50 or less fat quarters of really unique black n' white fabrics too.

I did find three more small pieces of black and white fabric in my stash that once cut up may possibly work if they don't need to be to close to the previous four patch black n' whites squares. Amazing what you can find when your in need of a particular color.

No, I'm not whining. Although I am a bit worried about not having a large variety of black n' white fabrics at this time (like Bonnie does)---and it still remains a mystery if they are going to be next to what I already have sewn.

 Oh, and there is more black n' white fabrics needed for step three.  Remind me again why I did this.......oh yes, to reduce my stash, and buy more fabric! :o)

Purple and black n' white Flying Geese for part two of the Easy Street Mystery

Here are some of my new Black n' White fat quarters that are on the way to use in the flying geese and beyond. I'm stash building again! :o)

Wordless Wednesday

Easy Street---Step One

I've started my walk down Easy Street.  It's fun! Maybe you will join in.   Here are some of the four patches from step one---I was surprised to find I had quite a few "mysterious" black and white prints in my stash.

Happy Thanksgiving

All my life I have loved this Norman Rockwell painting.  When I think of families gathering for Thanksgiving, I think of this.  Nothing more, nothing less.  I love what it depicts so beautifully.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

I'm Ready for "Easy Street"!

I haven't done a Bonnie Hunter mystery for a long time---well, not since "Orange Crush".  So, when Bonnie announced "Easy Street" (I think it's the name that drew me in---) I couldn't resist.  I hope I use up a lot of the fabrics from my stash that I have pulled out from every nook and cranny.

Don't we always say that, and then we end up buying more to complete the color choices and end up with more fabric than we had to start with! I do! It's a vicious circle I tell you! But, I try---

Here are some of my fabrics for "Easy Street" at Bonnie's suggestions. I like to follow her clues when it comes to the fabric colors as close as I can. At least stay in the general color values. It helps with the cutting.   Greens, turquoise, purples, black and white prints and the "constant" which I bought this morning. ooops!  (see I told you it's difficult to not buy fabric)---does it help if I say "it was on sale!" :o) I really truly did not have any greyish tone fabric. I guess I should thank Bonnie for alerting me to that fact. I do have some now!

"greens"

"turquoise blue"

"purples"

"black & white"

"constant" grey-ish

Living the life on Easy Street! The mystery starts Nov. 23rd!

Will I see you on easy street? I hope so!