Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Set the Table

First things first:  I added a new member to my growing herd.  I just love looking at these cuties on my design wall. This is my April block for the RSC at SoScrappy.  I love how the yellow pansies just happened to fall perfectly in place on her blaze.  That purple body and ears fabric is pretty much the end now of Bonnie Benn Stratton's Quilt for a Cure fabric. The pansies, of which I have just a very few scraps left now, too, are from my daughter Dayna's Mariner's Compass quilt, under which she sleeps every night!

But on to the topic of today's post:
Another original design!  Woot! Woot!  Although this is not anything intricate, it is my own design again.  No, they are not complete; they are just flimsies at this point.  They will be my ALYOF goal for April.  I made them specifically for a class I am taking through the Sarasota Quilt Guild in two weeks today...a class about which I am over-the-moon excited:  Dot to Dot Quilting with none other than the queen of it herself, Angela freaking Walters!!!!!!!  You bet your sweet bippy! ("Laugh-In" talk)  We are staying down here one extra week just so I can take advantage of this amazing opportunity.  For those of you with excellent memories, you will know that I have already taken this superb class on Craftsy, (button on sidebar) along with every single other class Angela offers there!  However, to be able to take a class with her in person is worth every single penny.  (aside:  so, in Canada, my home and native land, since there are no more pennies in use, will this idiom become "every single nickel"? Just musing...)  For the class, she asks that you bring 6 fat quarter sized sandwiches on which to practise, so since I have already done the class, bought the book, incorporated these wicked designs into a few quilts, (see Hidden in Plaid Sight and Pocketful of Sunshine), I thought I would make something that I could actually put to use after the class!

Last night we had another one of my favourite salads, one a colleague brought many years ago to a staff potluck we used to have once a month at school.  It's a Kraft recipe, and she was kind enough to share it with me.  Like me, she doesn't like olives (but I love olive oil, weird) so she omitted them.  So without further ado, for your dining pleasure, I offer you another great salad recipe!

Greek Rice and Feta Salad
1 1/2 cups rice, cooked
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped (I prefer to use 2 medium roma tomatoes and I do not seed them)
1/2 c each chopped green pepper and English cucumber
1/3 c each sliced green onion and black olives
1 c feta cheese, divided
1/2 c Miracle Whip salad dressing
2 tbsp plain yogurt

Prepare rice according to package directions, cool slightly.  Add vegetables and 3/4 c of cheese.  Combine dressing and yogurt; toss with rice mixture.  Cover and chill for 2 hours (if you can; bet you can't!)  Sprinkle with remaining feta and serve.
Makes 6-8 servings.


Last week I celebrated another birthday, and, as I have in the past, I bought myself some fabric I've had my eye on since it first came out, Drift, by Angela Walters.  It was inspired by a trip she made to St. John, one of the US Virgin Islands, so it is ocean-themed.
I plan to make the same quilt that I have planned for my husband with his Gothic-themed, and badass skulls on fire fabrics.  It will be interesting to see how each one turns out!  Yes, no surprise, here I go yet again with the blues and seafoam green colours...

So many many projects; never enough hours in the day.
Especially when you have time-wasters like my fur kids...  She was lolling about behind my machine once again, but that night she was a little more playful, gently waving her paw at the fabric or patting my hand that was between the presser foot/needle area and her body.

Linking up with the Tuesday linky party at Freemotion by the River, button on sidebar, as is the ALYOF button!

14 comments:

  1. Love your placemats, they'll be just awesome quilted up. Yes I have taken at least 2 of Angela's classes in person when she first started teaching. Love her designs. Your kitty is sooo cute!

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  2. Hahah kitty is sure keeping a close eye on you! I really like the blue ocean-y fabric. Very pretty!

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  3. My boys love the pictures of your kitty peeking through. Reminds me of the fingers my boys put under the door when I'm in a different room. Your placemats look great! Good idea to make something useful. And I'm so excited for you to take the class in person. Plus, Happy Birthday!

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  4. Your kitty is so sweet! Mine likes to "help" me quilt as well, usually by rolling all over my fabric.

    Those placemats will be great quilted!

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  5. LOVE the cow!! Purple is my favorite color and a purple cow makes me smile!! SO excited for you to get to take a class with Angela in person WOOHOO!! :D The place mats are perfect! Great idea :)

    Those pictures of Bella are absolutely adorable!!

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  6. Angela Walters! Aren't you lucky. Have a great time. Love the Cow.

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  7. Happy belated birthday! Have a great time in your class you lucky duck! I look forward to seeing your placemats all quilted up.

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  8. Sounds like you are really, really going to enjoy your class with Angela and your kitty is so darn cute!!

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  9. As your sister, I already gave you birthday wishes, so I won't comment on that!!

    But yay!! So excited for you taking the class, sounds like it's something you really want to do.

    As you know, purple is my favourite colour too, so this cow is just oh so cute!! And that rice salad....you made that once when we were over, yummy! Thanks for the recipe!

    Those placemats are gorgeous already!

    And oh Bella!! <3

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  10. Happy birthday Sandra! (belated, I know) When was the special day? We talked so often and neither of us said a peep.
    Sew clever you are, to make placemats for your class with "Angela freakin Walters!!!!!!!" Hee hee hee.
    Bella is in love with you. Clearly that is a kitty trying for every bit of Sandra attention she can grab.

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    1. I forgot to say how much I love that purple cow and also that the salad looks sooo yummy!

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  11. Love that cow!! Your placemats are pretty cool, too. I agree with finishing the class with something useful. Who wants a FQ with practice quilting, anyway? I came here from Freemotion by the River and I'm glad I did. :)
    Give that cute kitty an ear scratch for me.

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  12. OH!!! Another cow! And a purple one! I LOVE it! I cannot wait to see what is going to happen with these cows!
    And... the hilarious cat. :)

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