Chocolate Cake

The colors this month for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge are brown, black or gray.  My first thoughts were hmmmm not sure what I am going to do and then it hit me--Chocolate!  Brown is not a color I often use but when I think of it as chocolate it is so much more appreciated and used.  With that said, here is my chocolate cake--it looks a bit wonky but that is how my cakes turn out anyway so it is perfect.

I also think pink and chocolate are wonderful colors when used together so it seemed a natural to me.

I missed posting in August and September for a variety of reasons but I tried to keep up a bit.  Here are a few purple microspools that I did get done but didn't get posted.

I know I made some bright blue microspools but it appears I didn't take a photo of them so instead I will show you a cake I made that has a bright blue stand.

Hmmm, hard to tell from the photo it is bright blue, and once again wonky, but it really is bright blue, and the ribbon is the French flag.  Also, you may have noticed that I had a lot of posts about French related things this past year and you guessed it, I went to France in September and getting ready certainly impacted my sewing, however, it didn't impact my baking!  In preparation I had to make some baguettes.

 Yum!  My friends love them and my travel friend thinks they are as good as what we get in France which is quite a compliment.

Yesterday I took yet another baking class.  These classes are such fun and they are addicting!  Buttercream and Olive Oil had a class on biscuits and I had to take it.  We made biscuits which was fun and something I have done over the years but we also made butter and buttermilk!  What fun and oh so yummy.  I didn't take a photo of the butter because, well, it is butter, but oh so good.  Here are my biscuits-yum!

In November I am signed up to take a yeast bread class so stay tuned.

Finally, I want to thank The Joyful Quilter, Jeanne, Susie H and Jenny for their wonderful and encouraging comments from July.  I apologize for not getting back to them as I always try to thank those who comment.  I am not sure how much I am going to be able to sew, bake or post as some medical issues have come my way.  In the meantime, I will do what I can to keep up as I plan on trying a new baked good tomorrow and who knows maybe I will take a photo of those bright blue microspools so stay tuned.

Cheers,

Debi

OMG July Finish

July? What happened to June, lol!  Even though I didn't link up for the July setting goal my July goal was the same as my June goal and that was to quilt my French Tea Towel.

Here is a close up of those delicious pastries.  I have tried almost all of them!

I needed to get my tea towel quilted for our guild's mid-July quilt show and I made it.  In the end I was quite happy with my quilting because that is always a challenge on my machine.  I must confess the issues are usually not with my machine but with me--imagine that! 

Here are the pastries I made over the weekend in the Buttercream & Olive Oil pastry class that I took.  Not the prettiest photos but most were absolutely delicious.

I will be making Eclairs/Pate a Choux and Cannele again but Madeleine's and Navette's were not to my liking. 

Let's hope I can get back in the sewing room in August and have a goal and actually link up at the end of August as well.

Why not hop on over to Elm Street Quilts and see what everyone else got done in July!.

Cheers,

Debi

PINK! RSC July

I love pink, especially hot pink, and I certainly enjoyed working on a few pink blocks this month.  Unfortunately June and July have been incredibly busy, and hot, which doesn't bid well for sewing.

I would have loved to make many more pink microspools but it just didn't happen.  Here are the few I did get done.

I also managed to get two pink cakes baked.

I love those lime roses but sewing them on the cake and then adding side strips was a bit challenging.  Speaking of cakes, I have been taking baking classes from Buttercream & Olive Oil and made a Brown Butter cake that is iced to match my lime trim.

Amazing and scrummy, as Mary Berry of The Great British Baking Show would say.  I loved this class.  Yesterday I took two more French pastry classes and the results were once again quite yummy.

A day late, but I am linking up with everyone at RSC Last Pink Weekend.  I am really sad to say goodbye to pink but look forward to a new color.

Cheers!

Debi

OMG June

Once again I am going to try to set a goal and accomplish it by the end of the month so I can link up with everyone at OMG Elm Street Quilts.  I kinda got off track the past two months and I am hopeful that things will be better this month. 

My goal is to get this tea towel quilted.  I purchased the towel in Paris two years ago and was going to frame it but after pondering it forever I decided quilting it made much more sense. 

As you can see I have it ready to baste and then on to machine quilting which is always an adventure.  Wish me good quilting karma.

Cheers,

Debi

Blame it on Rocketman!

Today I embraced the color blue as it is this month's color for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  I always get excited to see what the "new" color will be each month and this month I wasn't disappointed and jumped right on a blue cake and a few microspools.

The cake pattern is from Lori Holt/Bee in My Bonnet and the microspool pattern is compliments of Sally at The Objects of Design.

My inspiration for today's sewing was the movie Rocketman which is a musical based on Elton John's life.  I loved it! 

I also worked on a few more orange microspools as well as a few "regular" sized spools which is an ongoing Bonnie Hunter project that doesn't get much attention.

There is still one more cake that needs to be made this month as my goal is to make two a month and more microspools too.

Cheers,

Debi

Let Them Eat Orange Cake!

Orange is one of those colors you either love or are not wild about.  Normally it is not a color I go to but when I use it I enjoy it and often think I should make an effort to use it more often.  I have found that I absolutely love orange and pink together--who knew!

My RSC is to make two cakes a month and some microspools in the selected color and at the end of the year I will have enough cakes to make a quilt and enough microspools to know that I need more and more.  I actually made this orange cake about two years ago and thought I would get right on making more and I never did so I was one cake ahead this month.

The only cake that has a topper so far.  Here is my second cake.

I also made a few microspools.

This one came out sorta cute and even has cat hair to go along with it.

Some of spools are kinda wonky even after a little trim and in the end I don't know if they will make the cut.

Check out what everyone else is doing with orange at RSC-Scrappy Saturday.

Cheers,

Debi

Happy Easter Scrappiness

I think I have narrowed down what projects I plan on working on for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2019.  Of course microspools are front and center.  Thanks to Sally at The Objects of Design for her pattern and many laughs reading her blog.  I hope she reads my blog and let's Molly know that I did include a kitty fabric in the aqua microspools.  Here are a few more April aqua spools.

My second challenge project will be Cake Walk, a Lori Holt/Bee in My Bonnet pattern.  I had made one cake several years ago and pulled some fabric for the next one but it somehow got put on the shelf.  My plan is to make two cakes a month which seems do-able.

I also want to use ribbons and embellishments that I picked up on a few trips to make the cakes memorable/sentimental to me.  When I get the opportunity to go to London I always go to Fortnum & Mason to shop for edible goodies and I included one of their ribbons on this cake.  The first time I went to London it was in February and the daffodils were bloom at Green Park next to Buckingham Palace so I appliqued a daffodil on top.  I still need to do some embellishing on the daffodil.

My second aqua cake still needs the cherries on top and I am loving it already!  The Eiffel Tower background along with some rose ribbon is perfect!  The cake block really isn't wonky it is just the amazing job I do as a photographer.  I did pick up the ribbon in Paris the last time I was lucky enough to visit and it was kinda expensive.  When I got home I was a JoAnn's and I think I saw the same ribbon there at a oh so much cheaper price.  I haven't looked since and I really don't care because the ribbon reminds me of my last Paris trip.  I am anxious to applique those cherries.

Finally, since it is Easter I couldn't pass up an opportunity to share my sort of aqua bunny that is also an ongoing project thanks to Sally at The Objects of Design.

I am linking up with everyone else at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge today.

Happy Easter!

Cheers,

Debi

Aqua!

I can hardly believe I am keeping up with the RSC for a second month but then aqua, or Seaglass to me, is one of most favorite colors!  I do have an issue as aqua and turquoise blend together in my world.  I made a few aqua microspools this week and tried to avoid turquoise and I think I achieved that goal.

I know, not the most exciting photo but it is what it is! 

Also, I don't buy quilt magazines normally but the latest issue of Quiltmaker had a pattern and article that I was interested in so it ended up in my shopping cart.  There was an article on tiny quilt blocks by Lynn Carson Harris.  Her helpful hints were to use a new sewing machine needle, a thin thread, a single throat plate, and a short stitch length.  Hmmm, I think I use one or two of those helpful hints as I really like a single throat plate and thin thread.  I should really change my needle more often.  I never shorten my stitch length although my machine is normally set at a smaller length.

I hope to work on a few more aqua spools as well as a UFO that has been lingering for way too long and share them next time.  In the meantime, why not visit Scrap Happy Saturday to see how others interpret aqua, turquoise, or Seaglass.

Cheers!

Debi

OMG April Goal

My goal for the One Monthly Goal in April is to continue to work on En Provence, the Quiltville mystery quilt from about 2-3 years ago.  In February I attended a quilt retreat and worked on sewing a lot of the pieces and parts together.  I thank the Stashbusters yahoo group for their heads up on preparing for a retreat as I spent a lot of time cutting ahead of time so I could spend my retreat time sewing. 

I still need to trim quite a few blocks but once that is done I can start the assembly process.  I have showed this completed block so many times that I thought I would share the book I am reading to help set the mood.  Plus a snack is always important to keep up my energy when sewing and macarons are on the menu.  These particular macarons came from Aldi's and are excellent.

Check out what everyone else has planned for April at Elm Street Quilts April Goal Setting.

Cheers!

Debi

Adorable Microspools

Sally at The Objects of Design has been working on spool blocks in a variety of sizes.  When she posted the pattern for her microspools I wanted to play along.  I decided to make a few green spools and link up with everyone at Scrap Happy Saturday. 

You can also see the spools I made several years ago and linked up during a green month that are still in the waiting to get done stage.

I made the larger spools to make the Spoolin' Around quilt in More Adventures with Leaders and Enders by Bonnie Hunter.  I am not organized enough to do leaders and enders so I make a few blocks every now and then.

I may end up trying to make the Spoolin Around quilt in microsize!  These microspools may be my new obsession!  Thanks Sally for sharing your pattern.

Cheers,

Debi

More Bunny Love

My goal for this month was to make a few more bunnies.  It's true what they say, rabbits multiply!  Mine didn't multiply as much as I had hoped, but I am slowly moving forward.

I did have fun with a few bunnies as I used some bunny fabric I have been hoarding for years.  Perhaps you know how that goes when you just can't fine the right project to use that special fabric.  I can't think of anything more special than bunny fabric bunnies.

Last month my time got away with me and I didn't link up to show the finish of the boot quilt I made for my niece.  Not only did I get it done it was shipped and received!  My niece loved the quilt which made me happy.  I hope she uses it until it is worn out!

Another goal I had last month was to work on En Provence, the Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt from several years ago.  I attended a retreat and did get quite a bit done but really not much to share other than lots of baggies full of various 3" squares.  I would bet En Provence shows up again as another goal!

Thankfully I am a little more organized this month and not only am I linking up with OMG March Finish but I am actually linking up before the last day of the month which amazes me.

Cheers,

Debi

A Few Strings

Recently, I went to an organizational meeting for a new quilt group in my area.  Not sure it is for me but they want to make a raffle quilt of red, white and blue strings and I ended up volunteering to make a few.  Over the weekend I made six blocks and will get them turned in soon.

I thought I might link up with Love Laugh Quilt today.  Crazy talk from me since I normally only post for OMG.  Who knows what's next!

Seems like it is great timing to do a few string blocks since there is a String Blog Hop going on over at Creatin in the Sticks. 

Cheers!

Debi

OMG Bunny Love

I was doing great at posting for OMG each month and then last month happened, whoops.  Let me see if I can get back on track. I actually did meet my goals last month and will try to share those later this month.

I should be finishing up other projects but instead I found myself starting one.  I have been eyeing the Standing Bunny quilt pattern (see tutorial section) from The Objects of Design and finally decided it was time to give it a try.  I had also been thinking of Elizabeth Hartman's bunny patterns too but Sally's won out.  So yesterday I made a few bunnies.

Last night I ran outside just before dark to take my photo and then realized I was missing something.  Can you see what is missing?

  

Yep, those bunny feet! 

The only change to the pattern I made was on the little ear.  I decided to make my ear flip like Cathy did at Sane, Crazy, Crumby Quilting. 

My goal this month is to make more bunnies! 

Hop on over to Elm Street Quilts and see what everyone is up to.

Cheers!

Debi

Revisiting En Provence

My goal this month to revisit the Quiltville mystery quilt En Provence that I started and didn't finish.  I am attending a retreat this month and I want to get all of the pieces and parts cut out so that I can sew while retreating.  Here is the block I have completed.

My one big change to this pattern is to use use Eiffel Tower fabric in the corner squares instead of little 4-patches. I am calling this En Provence by way of Paris.

Looking at my Eiffel Tower fabric inspired me to bake croissants.  When I went to Paris the last time I took a class on croissant baking from La Cuisine which was great fun.  I have been baking croissants ever since and sometimes they turn out really well and sometimes not so much. 

Yum!

Today is the last day to link up with everyone at Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal.

Cheers,

Debi

These Boots Are Made for Walking

My one monthly goal was to make a few more boots and I met that goal.  I ended up making all of the boots and added the sashing.  Now I just have to add the border and it will be ready to send off for quilting.  My niece is having surgery mid-February and I hope I can get it back, bound and shipped before the end of February. 

Here is one of my favorite blocks.

I think you can see why.  And the yellow fabric in this block was purchased in Paris several years ago and I am happy to be able to use it in this quilt.

Perhaps when it is finished I will be able to get outside to take a photo but today it is just too cold thanks to the polar vortex!

Too cold outside to play?  Why not hop on over to Elm Street Quilts and join in the fun of One Monthly Goal.

Cheers,

Debi

OMG January Texas Two Step

Family holiday obligations are finally over and I can get back to some sewing.  I really didn't want to start a new project, but I am. My goal for January is going to be to make more boots for a lap quilt for my niece and I am using a pattern from Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting, July/August 2015.

I made one block and had to really work on the heel that is paper pieced.  I am not a huge fan of paper piecing and for the life of me I kept piecing it wrong.  Two little pieces!  Finally got it right and if I don't wait too long I should be able to get it done.

My plans for today don't include any boots but they do include linking up with Patty at Elm Street Quilts.  Check back at the end of the month to see if I met my goal as well as all of the other folks linking up as well.

Cheers!

Debi