A delicious nemesis

browning

bringing out the juices and flavors in their fullest and merriest

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me

let it snow baby - let it rain dear

I interrupt my foodie exploration to participate in my husband's celebration of the 12 days of Christmas (cause lets be honest Christmas is too wonderful to make limit it to a single day)

the bringer of the tang and other goodness

a bit like brain

No two ways about it - raw meat just ain't pretty.

the facts were these

When I add these ingredients I really question the authenticity of this recipe - but I never question its deliciousness.

alton's secret

While Alton Brown's spaghetti recipe doesn't bear much resemblance to this family gem, he does include some of those non-traditional ingrediants that call its origin into question.

the more the merrier

I have learned the secret to making almost any food more palatable to both my husband and my roommate is to be liberal with this cousin of a lily.

potential

Many recipes are treasured and revered in my family, but one of the all time tops is the family spaghetti recipe. It entered our family when a customer at my Great-grandmother Mary Lou's diner. The story is that he was one of her regulars and thought she needed to have an authentic Italian spaghetti recipe, so he gave Mary Lou his own Mother's recipe (shocking the wife who herself had not received it) on the condition that she keep its secret. She told no one but her own daughter who in turn kept the secret until her children were adults when she gave it to them. The recipe stayed tucked away unobtrusively until it made its official debut in the family cookbooks she compiled. Every time I make it I feel close to her, so I wanted to share the experience as my Christmas present to whomever cares to have it. Enjoy the unfolding.

more

Today celebrates more than a cut out of white jews, more than a twinkling season, more than goodwill, more than family time. Today celebrates the most humanity has been gotten - God taking on flesh so we could know him.

The representations and explanations may be cheesy, trite, or even cliche, but the truth behind them is enduring.

instead of thumbing

"Rudolph's puking balls of holly and Old Saint Nick ain't all that jolly. Sleigh's in the shop cause it's broken down, but Christmas won't stop cause Santa Clause is thumbing to town" Relient K

when the music fades

what remains of the build up? why do we keep coming back to this?

c&c

flicker christmas past

time crisis!

turn

little logan's gift

lawn care

zoom zoom zoom

trial

more patterns I want to try

In the interest of keeping track of some of the projects I most want to try I have been keeping this running list for the past monthish (since Nov 2 to be precise). I will probably make this a monthly tradition.

an origami/a-line skirt in triangles and trapezoids

yoga skirt? why do they call it that?

belle dress I want this for me :-D

a doll I have already started a similar doll from a different pattern, but it is useful to consider the variant

notebook covers

bowtie

lollipop quilt

flower quilt I don't know that I would make this exactly but it is a cute idea to have on the back burner

I must admit - owls are adorable

house placemat a little busy but still cute

picnic bag-sket I love the quirky picnic basket Chris bought at our church yard sale right before we got married - but it is not always the most practical option, so I am loving the idea of this.

for giants

Merry Christmasville

you know where

St Nicolatine

memory

Merry Christmas Here's to Many More

although my camera wasn't really up to the task (but lets be honest - a camera can always get a little nicer and the key is to work with what you have got not what you haven't) and my feet were kind of numb by the time it was all said and done - this is the best concert I have been to

musican's moment

contrary

T's bow

twlight wind

phantom

in the mild

upup

a sample quilt of sorts

I love hexagon quilts. When I first thought about trying to tackle on I thought it would probably make me want to poke my eyes out. UNTIL I decided that I want to make a hexagon from from the scraps of every project from now until whenever I have enough ... As an added bonus I think this will make it easier for me to let go of some the cherished fabrics I inherited.

thoughts on quilting a hexy

holdout

walkway

quilting progress

As I alluded to a few weeks ago, I have finally started the quilt I am trying to get done before Anne's deployment. It loosely follows an Elizabeth Hartman pattern I discovered very much by accident while skimming International Quilt Festival

The basic idea is that you draw the contour of the trees on freezer paper. Then you trace those contours onto a second piece of freezer paper and divide it into patches, cut the patches, then construct.

I am not following the pattern, but I am borrowing the idea and technique. It is coming along very steadily (largely because I am growing in the area of daily disciplines) and I am very excited . My goal is to be at the quilting phase by January so that I can work on it while I hopefully spend 5 weeks in new staff training.

These are my trees - currently they have taken over a wall in our dining room (thankfully neither my husband nor roommates seem all that bothered by it)


For a variety of reasons I am trying to make the bulk of it out of fabric I already have - especially these old t-shirts. They are so full of memories, and way to worn out to wear - no better resting place than a quilt :-D





But Anne did help me pick out a few new materials including this green.I look forward to sharing more progress along the way - I am so stinking pumped!

Also - love this and its Christmas cousin

bradford

white times three

fall

E.E.S.

waffling with peanut butter

waffling at the fortress

zest

the last goodbye