Canning not quilting???

The Hinkelman family got the crazy notion that they want to start canning.  Today was the big day!  We purchased fresh homegrown tomatoes from our local farmer's market

...gathered our supplies and newly purchased Taste of Home magazine solely on canning

...and jumped in head first!  We had a great time listening to music and preparing our sauce this morning.  Here are a few pictures of us busy at work:

We had a great assembly line going.  Gary scored and blanched the tomatoes.  I dunked them in cold water and pealed them.  Spenser cut them.  Sam blended them and poured them into the pot for cooking!

Here we are after clean up:

What a bunch we are!  So, now we are slowly cooking down the tomatoes and other fine ingredients, into spaghetti sauce.  Here is a sneak peek at the huge'm pot we put on to cook:

Now, you get ONE guess as to what the Hink's are having for dinner tonight!  ;-)

I will keep you posted with more pics and info as we continue with the process.  I sure hope it turns out good!  It smells awesome in this house that is for sure!

Have a great afternoon all!

~ J

Another Hexie project

Well, hello!  I realize it has been a while since my last post.  Life has a way of getting in the way of my sewing stuff.  I have been piddling on a few projects though.  I started a little hexie purse for myself. 

Here is a pic of the purse out of the American Patchwork & Quilting magazine:

See how cute it is???  Now you know why I HAD to make one!  So, I cut out hundreds, 340 to be exact,of 3/4" hexies and started ironing those little pups to an assortment of pretty red fabrics.  This is what I ended up with:

Cute!  But, it just seemed a bit to blah.  So, this required a bit of improvisation.

This is when the fun began. 

This is where I am now.  I have the first side of hexies sewn into rows.  It looks a little something like this:

Now, that looks much more like me!  I am really digging this purse and it doesn't even look like a purse yet!  If it sews together as well as I think it will, I believe that I foresee a few of these in my future! 

Well, that is all for tonight.  I want to get back to stitchin' these cute little hexies!  :-)  I will post more pics as I have more done.

Have a super night!
~ J

Hexie addiction exposed

Good afternoon all!  Just a quick post to show you the project I worked on last night.  I was introduced to EPP about 18 months ago...and consequently, I have been working on this project for the same amount of time.  The project began as a BOM at a local quilt shop.  I participated for the entire year of 2012.  The BOM is still going but I made the decision to stop after 12 months so I can move on to another fun and addicting EPP project.

So, here is the center of the top:

My plan is to continue with the dark green Batik background hexies and enclose this center in a border of corresponding yellow flowers. 

This is the layout I scribbled out:

Here is a small preview of how it will look:

I cannot wait to get this one put together!  I have enjoyed this so very much and it has successfully launched a full blown hexie addiction!  I am so glad that I am in good company though!  Hee!2

That's all for now my friends.  Hope you are having a great afternoon!

~ J

Summer is definitely here..

Although we got a bit of rain last night and the temperature was actually pleasant, the kids are here 24/7.  Sometimes a Mamma just needs a break.  Why is it that we do not get time to do the things we want to do when our munchkins (no matter their age) are home?

I did manage about an hour of sew time on the machine today.  I have several projects in the works but the ones I 'should' be working on are not the ones calling my name.  As much as I wanted to start the next project on my Bucket List, I was told in no uncertain terms that I could not start yet.  :-)  It is all good though!  Instead, I built a couple of houses.

A dear friend of mine (and bad influence) got me started on these mini Foundation Paper Pieced houses several months ago.  The intent is to sew one house each day during the year so that you end up with 352 cute little houses.  The final quilt has a larger house in the center.  Well, this project began on January 1st (I believe) so IF I were on the ball, I should have 165 little houses built.  Hee!2  I now have 13!  Whoot!  Go me!  LOL!  Seriously, I knew when I started this project that I would not be keeping up with the rest of the crazies!  I do enjoy making them though.

Here are the ones I made today:

Can you see my little Chick in the door and snail in the window?  This is my favorite part...hiding little critters and people in the openings.

  

No little critters in this house.  I believe this is the first one I have built that does NOT have peepers.

Here is my small neighborhood...

 

That is all that I have done so far.  But, I am not in a huge rush to finish this project.  The houses are nice blocks that don't require a lot of focus and thought.  When the kids are here, that is just the type of sewing I need!  You know I am interrupted repeatedly!  :-)

Well, that is all for my very first blog post.  Hope that you enjoyed it!  Now, I am off to the couch for some much enjoyed hand work!  Good night! 

~J