And now for something completely different

I usually post my art, or as lately, my quilting - which is another form of art.

But I am also a decent cook. Just like my painting and my quilting, I frequently "make it up as I go." Tonight was no exception. Someone at work or on a blog or somewhere had mentioned stew. When I think stew, I think a tomato and vegetable dish with a little meat for flavor and texture.

I looked in the cupboards. I usually keep LOTS of canned veggies. I am low on a few things though. So just be creative! I had tomatoes with green chilies, fire roasted tomatoes with garlic - so I used one of each so it is quickly seasoned. Some kidney beans, some green beans (I diced those) Hmmmm...what else. Oooh I know, chop an onion and lightly brown it in olive oil. Mmmmmmm-Good! Now throw in the veggies on top. Start thru the spice rack - oregano -sure I love it, seasoning blend, why not! A little of this, a pinch of that.
Meat? Hmmmmm....oh there are some frozen meatballs. Six of them in the microwave for a head start, chop them and toss them in too.

Hey, it smells good in here.

Just look in that pot. Ahhh....



Time to dish up a bowl full and chow down.



Yes it is tasty. Less than 30 minutes start to serving. I wish I had had some cabbage to add and a small white potato, but oh well, I am loving this. I hope I can remember to do it again sometime. But, this will last me a couple of days. I may freeze a serving or two if I get tired of it.

Working the Baby

Several people said that they wanted to see what the Baby and I make. Well I must tell you that I made the Baby work on Saturday. Some of you said that "at least that Baby won't cry" - wrong, I made the Baby cry. And I expect to make that Baby cry pretty regularly.

You see when the bobbin gets low, the sewing stops! Yikes, I wondered what I had done wrong. But a quick look at the display, showed a CRYING Baby. (honest! I should have taken a picture.) Anyway, the message says that the bobbin is low. You can sew a few more stitches then it happens again. When you need to finish a seam, that can be annoying. BUT if you have ever run out of bobbin and kept sewing for a couple of feet on a long seam, well you know it is better this way.
I made the Baby cry at least three times on Saturday. Yep, three bobbins worth of thread.
Other than those three times, the Baby performed like Nadia Comaneci in 1976. (-perfect -) Not a thread break, not a tangle, not a skipped stitch. AND FAST. Yes, FAST. Smooth as silk and a joy to sew on.
Well just look, I made this Nautical themed Lap Quilt top. I measures approx 52" by 34". It is a Disappearing Nine Patch with piano key borders.



(The above doesn't look crookedy in person)

I also made the beginnings of another D9P lap quilt. This one is nice and scrappy, which I prefer. So far it is approx 36" square.

Didn't that Baby do some work? And only minimal crying. I only had to feed it some thread - I didn't have to change a single diaper! (that would have gotten it returned!) Ha ha.

Guess who else is having a giveaway?

It is Pat at Silver Thimble Talk. She is asking " How long have you been quilting?"

My answer is "since March of 2008" Yep about a year and a half now.

Anyway, go enter!

Post 250 - New Baby and more

I have a new Baby in my family. I knew that babies were expensive, and this one was more than I wanted to pay, but I love babies. And anyway a baby is such a joy.

Now I know that EVERYONE loves to look at baby pictures, and oooh and ahhh. Right? It is nice when you get a new baby in the family to have all the BABY stuff that you need. This Baby came with stuff. How nice is that?

Are you ready for the first picture of my new BABY? Or do should I tell you the BABY name I chose? Actually we brought that Baby home and haven't named it yet. For now, I am just calling it Baby. Picture time!!!

Babylock Espire, my new BABY.

This first picture is a simple "just ready to sew picture." Sorry about the glare. I told you this BABY came with STUFF so here is The Baby with the works

Now if you click to enlarge and look at my stitch practice... don't' judge the machine on it. I forgot to use stabilizer under the areas where it is required (like the letters)

Actually there is more stuff... you don't have to see it all right now. There are Quilting Feet and other feet. Including a quarter inch foot with a guide (I didn't have one of those!) There is an echo quilting foot, a walking foot, a couple of free motion feet, and all the normal sewing feet. There is even a straight stitch plate and presser foot. (Can someone explain that one to me? I don't really understand it. )

It also has this Thread thingy where you can put two big spools up top. That thing telescopes even higher. And there are two spool pins inside. I think you can wind the bobbin without unthreading it. (but I do have a Sidewinder that I love too)

This Baby has a button to raise the presser foot AND an automatic pivoting function that when you stop it lowers the needle and raises the foot. THEN when you start sewing again it lowers the foot. I mean, how cool is that?

There are PAGES of stitches, quilting, decorative, and utility. There is a USB port so I can hook it to the computer to do UPGRADES and save stitch combos. (of course it will save a number of them right on the machine, errr....Baby.)

Did I mention that this is post 250? Did I mention that I have a birthday at the end of this month?

Did Pat say GIVEAWAY? Yes she did, and so did some others. Do you love Fat Quarters? Do you ever make stuff for yourself or a fabric-aholic friend? (((grin))) Look what I found:

Can you read those little words? It says "Love those Fat Quarters" I will be giving away two prizes, each will include a FQ of this fabric and whatever else I decide to throw in. (If you win I may contact you to ask if you would want whatever)

Rules? We don't need no steekin' rules! OH yes we do! ha ha.

1. You must have a blog with real posts in it. (not one that you made up just to enter!)

2. I must be able to contact you. Either post an email address OR have it available thru your blog profile.

Entries:

1 For posting a comment.

2 for Following - let me know by posting that you started following OR are already following.

2 For blogging about it on your Blog by Sept 29 5pm CST. Comment to let me know you did - I will be checking!

so you can get up to FIVE entries. All comments MUST be made to this entry to be counted.

I will close the entries on Oct 2nd at midnight CST.

Thanks for going on this wild ride with me. I hope you stay and see where it goes next.