Wordless Wednesday ~ My Springer Spaniel

Nourishing Traditions and Chicken Bone Broth

I finally succumbed today. I couldn't take the pressure of being the only healthy one in the house, so I surrendered to the virus and let it envelope me with aches and fever. Alas, we are all unified in illness. So here's to hoping someone will make Mom some Jell-O now.

NEVER have I been so grateful for being prepared this time. I had big batches of frozen chicken bone broth, stashed away in the freezer. We've been drinking that for a week and I even had enough to share with a sick neighbor AND our dogs. (The dogs LOVE it!!)  I get my recipe out of "Nourishing Traditions".

The best thing you can do, especially if you're a new young wife and mother, is invest in this cookbook Here is a paper back copy...Nourishing Traditions and if you're Prime, you'll get it with free shipping.
It is also avaliable for your Kindle .

The book may seem strange, especially if you are new to clean and healthy eating.  Some of the recipes may seem over the top to you. Take it with a grain of salt and a pinch of fresh ground cracked pepper. But as far as investing in a book to which you would be making constant reference, this book is NOT a waste of money.

We will be planting soon and I hope to can more fermented foods from recipes found in the book.  You can look on the Amazon page for more information and read all the reviews.

Photo from Taste of Home

It is true, I have recently become a new Amazon Affiliate, but I would never tell someone to buy something I didn't believe in.  (Thank you so much, if you do make a purchase through our Amazon doors!!!)

Here is a good link with 10 healthy benefits of drinking chicken bone broth.  She has lots of links too. Hope you find it helpful.

Now, back to bed for me.  I want my mom.  

Be blessed and be a blessing! 

Stay healthy.  

Stay hydrated. 

This flu is bad and everyone has it.  

xoxox

Join us on Facebook where we discuss the recipe.

Pastel "Leaders and Enders" Mini Sawtooth Scrap Quilt

About 8 years ago, I made a pastel snowball quilt for a friend.  Of course, I saved all the extra triangles I snipped off.  It upsets me to see beautiful fabric in the trash.  I pulled these tiny pieces out for my current Leaders & Enders project.  I kept it an easy sawtooth, which I LOVE.  It will be a doll blanket or a wall hanging.

The seams sure are bulky in the back.  I was playing around with them, trying to make them thinner and not so thick.  Oy vey.  At least it's pretty on the front.  Oh yea, and ignore the ugly black thread. Mistake.  But I've been sewing so much, I've run out of all my thread and I'm down to the last of it, which is black.  LOL  Just ordered some more Friday. I'm impatient for my Aurifil.

I thought I was done, but then found more triangles that went with this. 

It won't get too much bigger, but I'm going to keep this batch of triangles all together. 

Do you have a preference?  Do you like your sawteeth pointing 

North West, or South East. 

For some reason, my brain thinks if the triangles are pointing NW, I think birds or geese.  

If I want it to be "Sawtooth" the triangles have to point SE.  

In the end, does it even matter?  It's funny how our brains play tricks on us.  

Who cares???

Just love it so much.  It will hang on a wall or grace a table 

until I have a grand daughter with a cold American Girl doll who needs covering

AND....

I also played around with my new 15 minutes of Play - book, using my Mother-In-Law's vintage scraps.  Delicious colors.  I am still trying to to decide what to do with these 3 inch squares.  I thought maybe playing would encourage a decision.  

A decision was made.  I liked playing too much to make a decision just yet. 

I really enjoyed these block from Gwen Marston's, Liberated Quiltmaking II.  There is something so in-your-face and rebellious about making liberatred blocks.  Purposefully not trying to match corners and seams makes me squirm. A lot. You have to force yourself to let it be. Walk away. Smile. Admire the color and fabrics and how they play. Don't sweat the tacky corners.  

One of my favorite things to do is placing vintage and current fabrics together.  

It keeps it interesting I think.  

Which makes me think there is a valuable life lesson in there some where.  

Smile.  See what's pretty! Don't sweat the imperfect corners. :)  It's like tripping, playing it cool and telling everyone, "I meant to do that."  LOL

I have more scrappy inspiration here if you want to look at some other quilts I've shared.

Be blessed and Be a Blessing.

xoxox

Sharing with:

Kim's Big Quilting Adventure ~ Scrap Basket Sunday

Craft-O-Maniac ~ Craft-O-Maniac Monday Link Up
A Stroll Thru Life ~ Inspire Me Tuesday
Patch Work Times ~ Design Wall
Kathy's Quilts ~ Slow Stitching Sunday
Rae Gun Ramblings ~ Block Party Fabric Scraps
Stitch by Stitch ~ Anything Goes Monday

Been Thrifting Lately?

I Brake for Yard Sales: and Flea Markets, Thrift Shops, Auctions, and the Occasional Dumpster, love this fun book, and YES I do brake hard and make illegal U-turns!!  Do you?  Thrifter's always have excellent brakes.  :)  We did my daughter's entire wedding with thrift store finds and most of our home is thrifted.

I love the challenge of decorating with thrift scores.  You have to be patient and diligent, while thinking outside the box.  You have to work with what you have.

Here are a few recently acquired pieces of vintage fun.  90% of the fun is in the seeking and finding.  Now that I own these things, I don't know what to do with some of them.  I have favorite thrift stores I always hit when in north Texas.  This is a little of what I came home with last month.  

This is Olivia's favorite piece.  She wanted to model it, so I said, "Jump in the photo girl!!!"  I love Thermoses. 

They have such great vintage patterns on them.

Oh I love this!!  Just the piece I have been looking for.  

This McDonald's Batman Mug usually isn't the type of thing I enjoy, but my kids are DC lovers. 

Of course I have to pick up the Batman Mug. 

I was excited to find this child's sewing machine.  It's very dirty and I don't know if it works. 

I thought I would clean it up and play with it a bit.  I doubt it works.  

I mostly got it for display in the studio. 

I can never pass up pansies.  I'm liking crewel pieces more and more.  

I love all my vintage Japanese coffee mugs, but I hardly ever find a set of them, 

especially a set this cute.  I usually just find a piece here and there

Love this Hexagon plate and also found a nice unmade Jiffy Stitchery embroidery. 

4 Strawberry Shortcake juice glasses.  Sweet as can be and look brand new.

A strawberry shortcake mug. 

Tea, Coffee, or Hot Chocolate?  

I loved this silly vintage tumbler.  What am I going to do with ONE? 

I will put flowers in it, maybe.  It was just too pretty to leave.  

I love the colors, the lines and the design. An inspiring little glass. 

Vintage tumblers and swanky swigs.  

Whenever I go to Texas, I find these all the time.  I LOVE the fabrics in these vintage wool skirts.  

I can never pass them up.  I think I'll take them home to upcycle for projects, 

but then I can never bring myself to cut into them.  

Some Desert Rose.  My friend didn't want them. The bowls aren't so pretty, but the plates are good.  One plate broke, but I can't throw it away.  

Even a broken piece of Desert Rose can be used, right? In a mosaic?  

I hate to hoard, but I have enough artsy friends to hang on to it for a few weeks 

I also found this vintage fabric if anyone wants it.  :)  

So which is your favorite?

Have you been thrifting lately?  

What have you found?

Thank you for stopping by!!!  I hope you'll stay and visit.  

Join the conversation on Facebook

Sharing with these SWEET Blogs:
A Stroll Thru Life ~ Inspire Me Tuesday
Coastal Charm ~ Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
A Living Space ~ The Nifty Thrifty
Me and My Shadow ~ Magpie Monday
We Call It Junkin ~ We Call It Olde
Thrifter Maker Fixer Farm ~ Thrift Share
Cozy Little House ~ Tweak It Tuesday
Mod Vintage Life ~ Mod Mix Monday
Knick of Time Interiors ~ Vintage Inspiration Tuesday

My not so Funny Valentine Quilt

Oh, let's see.  I've only been working on this heart shaped raw edge applique quilt...

FOREVER!

You can see the technique here Stitch and Split Applique: 12 Raw-Edge Projects or maybe do a google search.  The idea was to make heart blocks we would slice up, then piece back together.  Hmmmmm..... Seemed like a good idea at the time.

I'm more than a little "over it" by now, but I refuse to let it win.  I must win.  I will finish it.  I will put it in a choke hold until it yells, "Uncle!"  Not a very nice way to treat a Valentine, huh?

It started as an online Yahoo swap, maybe 10 years ago.  That group fizzled out.  Years later, when I pull this Valentine quilt out, I get to thinking about it....I can see where I cut out a billion hearts for my blocks. I remember fussy cutting.  I remember the fabrics I used.  But I don't see any blocks from other people.  I wonder if life got so crazy that I never even missed not receiving my swapped sets back. Who knows.  I do know I would have found them by now if I had them.  Oh well.  *sniff*

Isn't that sad?  It's just sad.  Sad that life gets so crazy busy and important things are over looked.  I'm not going to let that happen to my life or schedule any more if I can help it.  I'm done being busy.

Over it!

There is no GUILT in QUILT.  I heard Bonnie say that, and it has stuck with me.

With that being said, I'm determined to finish all my UFO's, WIP's and big fat PIG's this year.  I'm sick of feeling guilt or shame over what hasn't been finished.  I'm ready to move on.  Onward! Let's move Forward!  Use it up or get rid of it.  Just finish.  It doesn't have to be King Size.  If I have enough blocks for a throw, I'm going to allow myself to feel comfortable changing plans.  A throw is GOOD ENOUGH.

It's good enough.  Right?

So I'm ready to fall in love again and get this pretty girl finished in time to love my family with it. Warm Valentine cuddles, movie night and popcorn await!  

I love you too Pooh!

Sharing with these SWEET Blogs:

Quilt Story ~ Fabric Tuesday
I Have to Say ~ Show and Tell Tuesday
Freemotion By the River ~ Link Tuesday

Fabric Filled Blessings! Happy Sunday

My Mother-In-Law's scraps waiting for a new life.  

I haven't decided what to do with them yet.  

I miss her.

Tell me, what should I do with them?  They are 3 in Squares.
What would you do?

Have a beautiful Sunday. 

Be blessed and be a blessing.

Toronto Maple Leafs ~ Modern Quilt

I've been sewing like a maniac all week.  

I've been crazy about this Modern Maple Leaf Throw Quilt designed by 

Amanda Woodward-Jennings 

It's one of the many merry patchwork quilt projects found in

Pretty in Patchwork: Holidays

I can't wait to make this again in Fall colors, or reds.  

Wouldn't it be pretty in Redworks?  

 I had an idea to make it in Blues for Toronto Maple Leaf fans.  

I kept it scrappy, as I'm on a strict stash busting diet 

(which is just about the saddest thing EVER!!!). 

I'm only using what I have on hand.  

Once I get down to my fabric goal weight, I'm going to BINGE.  :)  

*Nom! Nom! Nom!*

I enjoyed working with this Sapphire blue tremendously, 

but I only had so much of it.  

I had to be a big girl, think outside the box, bite the bullet 

and go with other blues as well.  

It turned out nice I think.  I wasn't sure, but in the end, I was happy.

Super scrappy, which is my favorite, as always.  

Beautiful!   

LOVED. THIS. PATTERN.

I can't wait to make it again.  

It was easy, simple sewing too.  Not difficult for beginners.  

Give it a try!

I'm not sharing the completed project yet, 

because I haven't decided what to with it.  I might give it to a friend 

or we might sell it for my son's education.  

We will be in talks with Sallie Mae soon, and the less we owe her, 

the happier our bank account stays.  

Hmmmmm.....   

Pooh says Hey.  He says, "Take off, Hoser."

Be blessed and be a Blessing! 

Sharing with these SWEET Blogs:

My Quilt Infatuation ~ Needle and Thread Thursday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict ~ Can I get a Whoop Whoop
The Dedicated House ~ Anything Blue Friday
Serenity Now ~ Weekend Bloggy Reading

JAQS Studio ~ Made By Me
Quilt Story ~ Fabric Tuesday
Freshly Pieced ~ Work In Progress Wednesday
Anne Maries Haakblog ~ Link Your Stuff
Threading My Way ~ Quilting
Sew Can She ~ Show off Saturday
Freemotion By The River ~ Linky Tuesday
Sew Many Ways ~ Sew Darn Crafty
Sew Much Ado ~ We Did It Wednesday
Stitch by Stitch ~ Anything Goes Monday
Blossom Heart Quilts ~ So Cute Tuesday
Sewlicious Home Decor ~ Saturday SHOWlicious Craft Showcase
Super Scrappy ~ So Scrappy Saturday

Thank you for visiting.
I hope you'll become a new Follower.
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What colors would YOU like to use in a Modern Maple Leaf?

My Springer Spaniel Valentine

Posting this for no other reason than to just show off my little girl.   

She's ready for bed.

Follow our Springer Spaniel rescuing adventures.

You can read what we've learned through fostering dogs here.
Give it some thought.  You will love it.
We need new families involved in taking in animal fosters from shelters. 

*********************************************

We adopted Olivia through ESRA.

If you want a sweet dog for your family, 

consider adopting a Springer Spaniel. 

Click here for available Springers.

There are bunches in foster care, waiting for their forever homes.

The King Size Disappearing Nine Patch Quilt ~ DNP

Alas, as promised, here are the rest of the photos of the finished "Americana~Not so 4th of Julyish~Hopefully Looks Texan" ~ Disappearing Nine Patch quilt top.  I sent it to my most wonderful, life-long friend and her husband, the lucky recipients. She immediately passed it on to the long armer, who will complete the project.  I hope they will take and share photos.  I'm anxious to see the quilters beautiful work. 

I'm disappointed because I wanted to complete the quilt myself, and hopefully I can add a label next time I see her.  Lisa does hair.  She worked out a trade with the quilter as she is anxious to sleep under the quilt while winter is still chilling us.  Works for me.  I can't afford to get a King quilted right now anyway.  

I love using scale and stripes in every scrap quilt.  So many people shy away from stripes.  I insist they be added.  I won't make a quilt without them.  I love the movement they add.  I also like the way stripes add a more down to earth, unpretentious flavor to my quilts.  I like my scrap quilts to look like grandma stuck her hand in a bag and she used the first piece she pulled out.  Maybe it's a piece of kitchen curtain or maybe it was one of Papa's shirts.  Grandma used what she had and she "made it work", right?  

Stripes keep my quilts from looking over the top "prissy".  I love, love, love feminine, but a pinch of stripe, homespun, and plaid seem to make it easier for the men in my life to cuddle up with flowers. Unless requested otherwise, when making a quilt for a couple, my quilt equation seems to be 

75% girl + 25% dude = 100% everyone is happy.  She gets the pretty quilt she wanted and he's not embarrassed to be seen with it.      

Did I mention I love shirtings?  They are my favorite.  Maybe someday I'll make an all shirtings quilt.  I love to mix civil war, 30's and novelties.  I'll throw anything in there if I like it.  It's like making a soup. You taste it and notice it needs a pinch more salt.  

Pooh the Narcissist Cat saw me with the camera then ran to be in the photo.  He likes to model quilts.  He said he's too sexy for this quilt, but notice how he didn't get up to leave.  He stayed.  He must be the center of attention at all times and demands you tell him how pretty he is!  

  

I wish I had more scripture fabric.  Sometimes it's nice to throw a piece of it in.

In the first mention of this quilt, I shared how I added some browns and creams to "butter and toast" the quilt up.  Here is an example in this block.  I didn't want it reading too primitive or bright, electric-white-4th-of -July.  I needed it to be ~ "Goldylocks and the Three Bears" ~ just right. 

Goal accomplished. 

I think it turned out exactly as I had envisioned it, although I didn't care for it for the longest time.  I forced myself to keep sewing anyway.  (...I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...).  In the end, the quilt and I made amends, forming a strong friendship.  I AM, however, glad it's gone.  And I will NOT be sewing another King for awhile.  

The very proud Texans whom this quilt will bless and cover loved it and said it was perfectly "them".  It was as if the quilt was made for them in mind.  Well...YEA...it was.  :)      

This is what Lisa said about it:

One f the many things I love about my quilt is the randomness yet clearly thought out pattern of it all.  The colors are clearly mine...tattered Texas flag in a dessert Texas sky.  I cannot believe how you nailed it.  You get us.  I've asked the quilter to keep it simple and cuddly.  We are practical people so it will have to stand up to real life.  I simply cannot wait.  

Do you like to work with stripes?  

Pooh says, "Howdy, y'all!"

“There is nothing I would not do for those 

who are really my friends. 

I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature.” 

~ Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey ~ 

Sharing with these SWEET bloggers:
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Threading My Way ~ Quilting
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I Have to Say ~ Show and Tell Tuesday