Crazy Quilted Christmas Gifts and A Special Request From Santa

Santa's elves have been as busy as a little elf can be creating gifts for Christmas!
Remember I told you in my last post about my pal Pat's idea of turning those ugly nightlights into a truly beautiful piece of art?

It starts with this $1.99 nightlight ~

Crazy quilt a block to fit the front of your light ~

I finished off the edges with a slip stitch by hand, then used Tacky Glue and clamps until dry.

Here's the finished light ~

and a couple more.....

The Kreinik Christmas Cracker, also Pat's design, was a super fun project and went quickly.

I cut the cardboard tube inside of Christmas wrapping paper to size, then stitched a block that would fit around the tube with a little extra wiggle room.
Simply sew lace edging to both sides and sew in place around the tube.

Go HERE for instructions you can download.

You can add silk ribbon poinsettias, Christmas Trees and wreaths.

I filled it with Christmas candy and it is on it's way to someone special.

I did two picture pillows on dupioni silk, one of a beloved pet that passed away ...

and one of a new born baby ~ I think Olivia's grandparents will like it.

Now that the last of the out of town gifts were shipped today, it's time to tackle the ones close to home. I have some of my happiest moments in this tiny room wrapping gifts and twirling ribbon with scissors just like Mom and Grama always did.

The house is all decked out ~

and my great grandmother's rocking chair is waiting for Santa.... just in case he gets a little beat up trying to go down our fireplace with no chimney ~ lol!

(decorating tip ~ use vintage Christmas Aprons as tree skirts)

 By the way Santa ~ remember those jammies you gave me on my First Christmas?

Well how come I was still wearing them on my 3rd Christmas??

If you could find it in your heart to hook me up with a new pair of slippers I think we can just forget that whole "same jammies for 3 year" incident.

Love ya Santa!!!!

Let's Chit Chat About Sewing ,Chicken Dinner,Matzo Ball Soup,Blue Crabs and Saluna!

I thought we could chat about this and that.

Since I have my Mom on my mind who will be having some surgery this week ~ let me share a gift I recently made for her.

It is a simple crazy quilted coaster.

I purchased the coaster kit at Michaels for just a few $.

It comes with the cork bottom and cross stitch fabric and pattern.

I stitched a crazy quilted circle using the paper insert as a pattern. Such an easy way to make a loving and persoalized gift that is quick to put together.
Anyone can use a pretty coaster for their morning coffee or tea ~ I already have more kits on hand for Christmas gifts!

I started the Chicken Hot Pads for my etsy shop but keep finding folks to give them to!

I love using the retro fabrics and making my own patterns from pictures in magazines!

Speaking of chicken ~ I have wanted to share one of my favorite kitchen gadgets ~
this chicken roaster that allows you to roast your chicken up right.
It sits on 4 prongs that are attached to a dish at the bottom.

I always use organic chicken ~ stuffing sage and other herbs I have on my patio right under the skin.

( You can see the it at the top of the chicken)

I put stuffing or a whole onion in the cavity and put an all natural chicken bullion cube in the tray.
Pour a bit of water over the chicken that you have sprinkled with pepper.
Roast on a cookie sheet until done ~ about 75 minutes.
It is always perfectly cooked ~ moist with crispy skin.

I bought my roaster at TJ Maxx about 10 years ago but I still see it there and HomeGoods
from time to time. It is only about $6.00!

The next day ~ I made Matzo Ball Soup with the left over chicken.

Frank and my son Franky were hungry for a Hungarian Treat called Saluna so the soup was a perfect pair with this!

Saluna is made by heating pork fat over a fire ,then melting the fat on Rye bread filled with sliced tomatoes, cucumbers,onions and peppers.

I know what your thinking but trust me ~ this stuff is GOOD!!!!

My son and I were getting the Saluna ready when my husband called and said he was bringing home Blue Crabs!!!

That might not mean much to you but I'm a Maryland girl ~ YOU KNOW ~ from the Chesapeake Bay ~ Blue Crab Nation!!!

We sat by the fire eating Saluna sandwiches until dark ~ then came upstairs to dive into our Blue Crabs and beer!

Cooking blue crabs is easy ~ add a few dashes of vinegar into boiling water a few inches deep, cover the crabs with GOBS of Old Bay Seasoning.

No Maryland native will be without it in their kitchen ~ regardless of their current geography!

Old Bay is also good on Potato Salad, Home fries, macaroni salad, and deviled eggs.

When I was walking up from my back yard ~ I happen to look at my house from the outside in.

What someone else would see if they were walking by.

The kitchen looked warm and inviting ~ I felt so thankful

for my little house. Modest,nothing fancy but Home!

OKAY ALREADY ~ enough with the sentiment ~ We HAVE CRABS to EAT!!!!

Our retaining wall is dripping with mums right now !
These have proved to be the nicest ones I have ever had and
we got them last year at Home Depot for next to nothing.
I am not a flower snob ~ every flower and flowering weed looks pretty to me!

Finding the bright side of things isn't so hard ~ see this view below?

It is what I look at when I look out my window.

It is a very ugly roof in disrepair from a store at the bottom of my yard and

a Friendlys Restaurant .

See this view below?

It is what I see DIRECTLY above the Friendlys Restaurant.

In a couple more weeks ~ this will explode with color as the trees turn red and gold.

When I look down ~ THAT.

When I look UP ~ THIS.

Psalm 121:1 "I will lift up my eyes to the hills......my help comes from the Lord."

So remember when you fall flat on your face ~

or someone pushes you down with a nasty word ~ LOOK UP!

By the way ~ this is the view from the inside of my window ;)

These are some of the last flowers from my garden of the season.

Notice the beautiful Tea Cozy my pal Pat made for me one Christmas.

Try this the day after your next Chicken Dinner!

Matzo Ball Soup

Simmer left over chicken bones until meat begins to fall off of bones.

Remove all bones and add leftover chicken meat, gravy and any vegetables.

Add a diced onion, the entire heart of a head of celery , 3 carrots sliced, pepper, a chicken bouillon cube.

I like to simmer this for 2 hours.

Use Streits Matzo Ball Mix (don't get the kind that includes the soup mix ~ it is far too salty)

Follow direction on box but I will include them here ~

1. Mix 2 large eggs with 1/4 cup oil
2. Add contents of matzo package and mix until uniform.Let stand 15 minutes.
3. Using wet hands, form matzo onto balls about the size of walnuts.
4. Drop balls into boiling broth, cover tightly and reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.

Waking up in Lancaster County, Pa is heaven to me.

This morning ~ I had to be headed home to Connecticut by 11am to give me time to stop at the Amish farms along the way to buy produce to bring home.
I decide to take a ride on one of the Amish Buggies before leaving.
The driver was raised Amish with his 7 brothers and sisters but left the sect when he became a man.
He has a great love for the people and land ~ paired with a very honest view of some of the downfalls.
It was such interesting conversation!

Here we are riding down the country lanes.

This is a tobacco field.The Amish are allowed to smoke pipes but not cigarettes because the "english people"do.

English is their term for anyone who is not Amish.

If you are not Amish ~ to them you are "english."

Much of the dairy produced in Lancaster County is sold to Hersey Candy Corp in Hershey, Pa.

Right now ~ the farmers are loosing money selling to them but don't mind.

They realize for many years they made a great deal of money.

They are such fair minded people.

This farm has been in the same family since the land was sold to them by William Penn in I believe the 1700's ~ according to our buggy driver.

This is one of the shops in Bird In Hand ~ just down the road from Intercourse.

My favorite pottery shop in Intercourse located in the Kitchen Kettle shopping area.

I always try to buy a tiny vase or pansy pot when I am here.

This is the front of the Best Western in Intercourse, Pa.

When my children were little ~ we always got a suite here with a kitchen but only used it to make popcorn at night!

They used to play right there in that buggy......oh the sweet memories.

Unlike most motel-hotels ~ the restaurant here is visited mostly by local Mennonite and Amish instead of tourists.

It is my favorite place to eat in this entire area.

Just fabulous local home cookin'!!!

wanna know a secret dream of mine?

To one day~ live in Lancaster County on property with a main house and 2 or 3 cottages I can rent to vacationers.

The idea of fixing a special room for guest ~ adding loving touches ~ and letting those far from home feel loved just makes my blood overflow with joy!!!

(I found out a few years ago I had Mennonite ancestors that lived in that area.I really believe it is in my blood.)