Blogging was Nearly Impossible

We were in the middle of Halloween Trick-or-Treat and dinner, when we lost power.  The whole area lost power for several square blocks.  Try and check out on the good ole cell phone internet, and get no answers why.  Got the ole boom box and loaded it up with batteries and tune in the local radio station, still no answers why.  I got out my Old Brooklyn Lantern.  The kids and husband laughed at me when I got that.    Fortunately, the power just went back on so, crisis averted.

I got my order from 123Stitch.  OMG, those people are speedy!

I got the new DMC colors.  

Very nice!

 The latest BBD Loose Feathers.  

This looks like it will be a very fun stitch.  

 Here are the colors I was missing for the next couple of projects.  

Some gorgeous thread.  

 I was down to my last two needles.  

At first I wasn't so sure I liked these needles but, the more I work with them, the more I like them.

They do kind of bend easy until you get use to them.  

They do glide exceptionally nice.  

I think 28's are my favorite.  

 I finished Beggar's Night.

I got the ric rac stitched to the stitched side and then sewed on the back.  

Can't really see the ric rac well but, take my word for it, it turned out nice.

 It was amazing that the ric rac from the Victorian Sampler and Motto Shoppe perfectly matched the backing fabric I picked out.

I made into a pin keep.  

I think it turned out rather cute.  

Monday's Bob's birthday.
We are going to have the family over for a nice luncheon (on of my mom's favortite discriptors.)

I am really looking forward to it.
We are down an OT at work.  Things are going okay but busy.  I usually don't work on Thursday but, since she is gone, I have been working more.  It has been very busy.  I have bee working some very long days and working on Thursdays.  Today, I had three new clients on my schedule plus some of my regulars.  Just before I got there, Information System shut down our documentation  for maintenance.  It didn't go back up until I was done seeing everybody.  

I ended up working another hour and half just to get the paper work done....UGH!!!

While in the production of this blog the power company just called with automated message to check if our power was on (press one), it was equipment failure and 1,236 customer were out of power...that was alot...we live in a small town...so that was about 10%.  

Thats about all for now.  

Pretty exciting evening!  

Have a great weekend

Keep on Stitching

Monica

What to do with a Whole Can of Pumpkin

You know it is pretty sad when you have to check back at old posts to see if you blogged about this.  I haven't.  Interesting to look back at some of the projects...hey I forgot about that!

I love Pumpkin Muffins/Bread.   What I don't like is the recipes usually call for a cup of pumpkin.  

What do you do with the rest of the pumpkin?

A few years ago I measured how much was in a can and the adjusted the Fanny Farmer Cooking School recipe to use the whole can of pumpkin. 

Pumpkin Muffins

makes 2 dozen

Sift together:  2 1/4c flour

                    1 1/2 c. sugar

                    1 1/2 tsp baking soda

                    3/4 tsp salt

Mix together:  1 can of pumpkin

                     3/4 oil

                     3/8 c. water 

                     3 eggs

                     1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice ( I don't mess with individual spices)

                     1/2-1 c. craisins or raisins  (I just eyeball it)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet.  Mix together. Spray 2 (12 cup) muffin tins with Pam.   Fill muffin tins about 3/4 full.  Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  

You can make this as loaves.  I think it would make two short 9x5 loaves.  Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

They were great with Chili.

I have been keeping up with my Mary Sampler from Plum Street Sampler.  Paulette has done a wonderful job and it has been a very fun stitch.

 The pattern called for Shaker white for the angels but, it wasn't light enough for the fabric I chose.  

I changed it to Oatmeal...a little whiter which I much prefer.  

I also didn't Portabella.  I used Aged Pewter instead which leaned more to the blue side which I think I like.  

I finished Beggar's Night but, I haven't "finished it". 

I can't decide if I want to make a pin keep or frame it.  

 I really do love this pattern.  

 I saw a freebie from With Thy Needle and Thread on Of Needles, Pins and Stitching Things Blog.  

I really should delete her page from my list.  

Lois, if you see this you are a BAD INFLUENCE!

But, I love your blog and I see way too much I want to do.  LOL

I have started it and should have moved on to Thanksgiving...oh well.  

Hope you have a wonderful week.  

Mine is going to be very busy.  

I hope I can stay awake long enough to do a little stitching a night.

As always, thanks for spending the time to make a comment.  

I love hearing from you.

Keep on Stitching

Monica

So Much Thread But Not the Right One

I was getting some projects ready to start once I'm done with my current project.

How can I have so much thread and not the right one?  

I have piles of thread.  

I have four floss boxes of DMC wound on bobbins.

I have a huge Rubber Maid box (probably the size of 3 shoe boxes) full of skeins of DMC

Plus all the little boxes for projects like the LHN Sheep.  

I have 5 photo boxes of overdyes.

I just ordered about 12 colors and the new DMC colors from 123stitch

And not one stickin couple of strands of Pecan Pie.

I will just use something else that's close.

Doesn't that just drive you nuts!?

It drives me nuts!

Whew!!

On to the latest pic of Beggar's Night.  

I thought I'd have the bird done but, I got busy doing other things.

I sent a goody box to Katy at school.  

She isn't as close as Ed where she can come home for a weekend or we can do a day trip.

I think I will have this finished by the weekend.

I think I may make it into a pinkeep with a hanger on it.

It isn't that big.  

As always, I'm glad tomorrow is Friday.

I have a really busy day and I doubt I will be home before 6.

Have a great weekend.  

Expect and update.  

Keep on Stitching

Monica 

Picked Up Some New Things

I saw this pattern on another blog and fell in love with it.

It is from an old Better Homes and Gardens Christmas book.  

I found a copy on Amazon for 22 cents....your heard it right, 22 cents.  

The postage was more.  

I had some of the floss and picked up the rest at The Stitching Bee.  

 The colors aren't exactly what I would call "Christmas".  

It is quite beautiful!

 Its always dangerous to go to a Cross Stitch shop.

You always walk out with way more than what was intended.  

This one caught my eye.  

I picked up much of the floss for this but, will need to order what she didn't have.

 I saw this online and really liked it.  

I saw it on Saturday and into the pile it went. 

 I really like Homespun Elegance's Santas and this is this years annual.  

 I wanted to see the Autumn at Notfogotten Farm before I decided I wanted it or not.  

I decided that it did need to come home with me and become part of my collection.  

I finished my latest installment of PSS Mary Sampler.  

I may have to print up the final installment of the alternate pattern because that one is very cute too.  

 I took this along with me yesterday to work on while Bob shopped at the new Green Bay Cabelas.

There were some very comfortable chairs by a fire place that worked perfect to sit and stitch in.  

I really don't mind hanging out and letting him wander around.  

I really don't like to have to follow him and look at every little thing.  

This works out perfect.  

I'm always looking for good soup recipes and I think I found a keeper.  

Williams Sonoma Italian Wedding Soup Here

I had some No Name Meatballs in the freezer and I used those instead of making them.  

I also used plan ole Parmesan cheese instead of the Parmesan-Reggiano.  That was $12 a wedge and more than I wanted to spend.  

With those minor alterations it still turned out phenomenal.  

Hope you had a wonderful weekend.  

Its going to be a very cold, rainy week here but, I have lots of new things to work on to keep me warm!

Keep on Stitching

Monica

Scalloped Potatoes, Finishes and Just Being a Snot

I have made Scalloped Potatoes and Ham in the slow cooker.

Don't know how it turned out just yet (it did sneak a nibble and it was good).

Here's the recipe:

6 medium potatoes sliced and 1/8 on an inch

1 can of cream of chicken soup or whatever you have on hand

2/3 c. condensed milk (I used skim)

2 cups ham cut into bite size chunks

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix it all together

Spray slow cooker and put everything in the cooker

Cook on low 10-12 hours

Optional:  sprinkle grated cheese on top 10 minutes or so before serving so it can melt.  

It looks pretty good.  

 Probably getting tired of these projects but, I did get them completed last night.

I had to sew the ric rac on the pinkeep around the edge.  

 It looks pretty good perched here. 

 All laced up the back and hanging on the wall.  

 Cruising on Threadwork Primitive's Beggar's Night.  

 Just a different angle.  

Helped my mom today get a quilt put together so she can quilt it. 

She was going to put it on a large quilt frame.  

I have a very sore index finger from basting the doggone thing one and it still wasn't right.

(How will I stitch tonight)

We took it off the frame and pinned it on her dinning room table

(Another reason why I don't quilt)

We got it done.  

Fortunately, it isn't that large a quilt.

I don't know anything about quilting so when she does the other twin size one she is making,

she'll have her sister help her with it.  

My mom is 86 and should stick to table runners and place mats.

These large quilts just have gotten to be too much for her.  

Yeah!!!  It is friday tomorrow!

I'm so totally ready.

We are going to take a road trip on Saturday.  

Sunday, is the fall dinner at church.  

Bob is parish council president so he has to be there.

I just don't like those things.

Since, we will be gone on Saturday, chores will have to be done on Sunday to get ready for the week.  Imagine my disappointment! (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)

Have a great weekend!

Keep on stitching

Monica

Some Sort of Finishes

Holy Toledo!  It's Sunday night already.  UGH!

Had family over for dinner so worked on that off and on all day.  

Made a ham and cheesy potatoes, squash and a pumpkin dump cake.  

I am stuffed and in a stupor.  

Must post the blog....

Sort of some finishes.

It is one the board and in a frame just for the picture.  

The frame is a pre-made 8x10 from Michaels and a pretty good fit.

I will be lacing up the back.  

I might stitch instead tonight.  

 The reverse side of BBD Bittwersweet September.  

It is stitched and needs to be turned right side out, stuffed and the opening stitched up. 

There is hand dyed ric rac that needs to be couched on.  

Nice neat back, if I must say myself.

 I started Threadwork Primitives Beggars night.  

I had seen it on another blog the conversion to overdyes.  

I am doing it in the overdyes.  

 I zipped off part III of the Mary Sampler from Plum Street Samplers.  

How cute are those sheep.  

I am such a sucker for sheep.  

It was a most enjoyable weekend.

As you can see, I did get some stitching in along with a pile of chores.  

I'm sure it is going to be a busy week.  

Thank you for the lovely comments.  

I do so look forward to hearing from you. 

Have a wonderful week!

Keep on Stitching

Monica  

A Beautiful Autumn Day

It was an absolutely beautiful Autumn day!

I cleaned today...vacuumed furniture, moved it, mopped you know the whole shebang!  

I had the windows and patio door open.  

I was waiting for some floors to dry so I took a break.

I got a cup of coffee and the telephone and went outside to sit and call my mom. 

While we were talking, I had a visitor on my raggy looking marigolds.  

I tried to get behind it but, it flew off.

He should have migrated a while ago I think.  

I met Bob for lunch and we went to a restaurant with outdoor patio dining.  

We ate out side because it was so perfect.

I did some Halloween decorating. 

I have too much Halloween stuff and not enough wall space.

 I just could decide which picture. 

I used them all.  

Without the flash

 With the flash

 I made a really excellent dinner tonight too.

A couple of weeks ago I thought that I should make short ribs.

I needed a recipe.

I found one on the Williams-Sonoma website.  

Ale Braised Short Ribs

I altered the recipe a little. 

 Instead of broiling them, I browned them in olive oil. 

I also could only get boneless short ribs. 

When they were done, I deglazed the pan with some of the home brewed stout I used.

It was absolutely amazing!

This would be a really great dead of winter meal.  

For dessert, I made a Dutch Apple Cake that one of my FB friends had shared.  

Dutch Apple Cake haven't tried it yet.  

We will have it during Grey's Anatomy.

 The latest update picture of Bittersweet September.

I realized I used the wrong color on the berries (?).

I ripped it all out and re-stitched them today.

Looking forward to doing some stitching this weekend.

I don't have to mess with apples and Bob is planning on sitting in a tree and bow hunting.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

Thanks for the comments!

I look forward to hearing from you.  

Keep on Stitching 

Monica

Autumn Colors

It could very well be peak weekend for colors in the area.

The red Maples are the first to turn the the first to leave.

They are my favorite.  

I wish the color would last longer.  

This is the Japanese Maple in our back yard.

 I love these Maples just a couple of blocks over.  

Unfortunately, they are losing their leaves already.  

 This looked better in person.  

There are a lot of pines mixed in with the hardwoods.  

 A waterfall at a roadside park.

We had some rain the last couple of days so there is water.

During dry summers it is just a trickle at best.  

 The Burning Bush at my Mom's.

The one in our front yard is only about 20% red.  

It is still mostly green.  

I have been busy messing with apples and am nearly done.  

I reorganized the freezer and had an open shelf/  

I decided to freeze them instead.  

I found a website that explained how to do it.  

Once I peel, core, and cut them, you throw them in salt water for a few minutes.  

I have frozen five bags of sliced apples that will make pies and 10 bags of chopped apples for muffins.

I have a whole drawer in the refrigerator of fresh apples.

A few more made it to the deer bait bag.  

The latest picture of Bittersweet September.  

It is moving quite fast.  

 I have started Plum Street Samplers:  Mystery Sampler.

Picture of Part I.  

 A little Mary and Joseph.  

Part II is done.  

These parts are very quick and small.

I have a small basket of apples I can do more with but, I'm losing steam. 

Took time out to go to the movies yesterday and saw Gravity.

I'm not all that crazy about 3D movies but, did see this one in 3D.

It was really good. 

If you see it, see it in 3D. 

Have a busy week coming up. 

Hope you had a fun weekend and have a wonderful week.

Keep on stitching.  

Monica

Apples Galore

We harvested the apples on Sunday when we got home.

We were getting a little nervous that deer would jump the fence and eat them.

We have picked up about two five gallon buckets as they dropped.

Bob will use them for deer bait. 

I had taken these pictures a little earlier.

 Have no idea what kinds of apples they are but, they are tasty. 

I brought a basket of the larger ones to work to share.  

They were a hit and everyone was amazed how big they are.  

We gave apples away to our neighbor and Bob's mom.  

I think they will be using them for applesauce.  

This is the largest laundry basket I have.  

 Since we have so many, I hate to have them go to waste. 

We don't have a large freezer so, I figured I could can them

I got a bunch of stuff for that:  a case of quart jars, funnel, lifter, a cookbook, a bottle of fruit fresh and a rack.  

I figured I have a really large stock pot the rack would fit in.

 Guess again....

It doesn't.

I went back to K-mart to buy the right size pot.

It was $82.99.

I'm not sure I will like canning.

I didn't buy it. 

I saw another kit that from Ball that came with three pint jars and a basket you can lower in to the pot.  It doesn't hold three quarts.

I also got splatter screens that I thought I could cut the handles off and that would fit on the bottom of my stock pot.  

I should just let Bob use all the apples for his bait pile.  

I did make applesauce today to have with the pork chops for dinner.  

It was very tasty!

 Update on my BBD Bittersweet September.

I have started on the house.  

I survived the over one alphabet.  

To wrap things up, have you seen the freebie on Plum Street Samplers?  

Here is the link:  Plum Street Samplers Mystery Sampler: Mary's Sampler

I just got my thread and fabric together.  

I can't find my Portabella and Piney Woods so I substituted Aged Pewter and Dried Thyme.

I think that should work.  

Hooray tomorrow is friday.

I am so ready for the weekend.

Thanks for the great comments!

I love hearing from you. 

Have a great weekend and get some stitching time in.  

Keep on stitching

Monica