Fall Foods

The final weekly topic of the Amazing Autumn Coffee Swap is all about fall foods. I love anything with pumpkin - sweet or savory. I've made some really good pumpkin pancakes and the newly named punkies (Easy Pumpkin Brownie), pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pasta and pumpkin stuffed shells. I love pumpkin ravioli. However, JB doesn't love the pumpkin like I do - so the good ol' Fall standbys are - in no particular order: *Beef Barley Soup *Turkey Shepherd's Pie *Lasagna *JB's Spaghetti Unfortunately, there really aren't easily sharable recipes.

Quilting for Camilla

Let me just start by saying - I am not a quilter. Camilla asked for help making quilts to warm and comfort a family who lost those father last Monday. Because I believe what goes around comes around, I like to help where I can. Therefore, I agreed to make 6 quilt blocks for this effort.

The one pictured on the left is one of my favorites and I may try to recreate it once or twice more. As well as these two black and orange blocks, I made three random pink blocks. I really admire the random blocks made by Beki and Erin, I just can't do it.

Next I pulled out three coordinating prints from Denyse Schmidt's Katie Jump Rope and cut 2.5" strips. Then I sewed them together and cut them apart. I know - if I'm going to take perfectly good fabric and cut it up - I'd rather have something to wear at the end of it. Anyway, I then sewed them back together into what I believe is a rail fence quilt pattern. I had enough strips cut to sew up 16 blocks. I am also sending the remaining fabric - just in case either Cami or the quilter want to use it to finish up.

Finally, I grabbed this red and white snails trail quilt top that I made in my piecing days. I love 2 color quilts - but I know that I will never finish this and it's just taking up space in my house. I picked up my phone and called Cami asking her if she would like to have it. She agreed, so once it arrives she will have one top done -- 5 more to go. If you are interested in making a square, please see the link to Cami's post above, or contact her directly at camillaknitsATgmailDOTcom for details and mailing information.

We Interupt this Deck

Last weekend The Princess and I moved furniture. What was the dining room is now the sitting room. The dining room window is now french doors.

Friday night my brother and I met JB at the door store. We picked out doors and hardware and asked them to rush our job through. They nicely agreed. As soon as we got home the boys got busy taking the window out. First the drywall was cut and removed, revealing electricity running under the window.

Holes were drilled in the floor and the electricity was rerouted.

The siding was removed from the outside of the house. The window was loosened. Insulation pulled out. Big messes were made.

The dogs got into the act. They really weren't sure what the big hole in the house was. The the remaining wall was removed. It has taken up residence on the deck.

The boys went to pick up the doors and the frame was installed. Finally the first door went in.

The second door was hung and all the hardware installed (see the construction mess on the deck?). Finally there are the doors. They still need the interior trim installed, but that's been purchased and should be done tomorrow. The brick moulding outside is already in place. Brother heads home tomorrow, but JB has Monday off so hopefully there will be more deck progress soon - it's almost done.