To-Do Tuesday #18 and Hope quilt along

This is my 18th week of linking with Home Sewn By Us for To-Do Tuesday.

Here is my list from last week and my progress

To-Do Tuesday for the Week of April 28 through May 4:

1. Finish the mini quilt asymmetrical log cabin almost
2. Finish the last 3 pineapple paper pieced blocks yes
3. Participate in Quarantine Quilt Along Round 2 with GE Designs. yes 

1  It is almost done except about half of the hand binding to the back....I decided not to finish it this last week because I want to sit outside and finish it this week.  I usually do the hand binding at night but these fabrics are dark on the back and will be easier to see by daylight!

2  I got all the pineapple blocks sewn now and the photo shows the pile of 9 of them for a small mini quilt.  Not all of them were cut off on the outside line yet....the reason for some looking strange!

3  The Hope quilt along was a great success.  Gudrun of GEDesigns did a new pattern for the quilt along.  As of Sunday she had raised $34,150 with the sale of the pattern that will go to several charities she has chosen.  The Live FB Broadcast was May 3rd and now it is also on YouTube.  

I am using 10" squares of batik fabric and black accent strips.  The photo shows the fabrics and the arrow stickers on my Stripology Squared ruler marked for cutting the A blocks.

This week I started making a different mask pattern using t-shirt ties.  Here is the photo of the first one

Next are food photos from the last week...........I have been cooking more now that we can't go out to eat!  We used to eat out 10 to 12 times a month at a great variety of places.  

When I cook....it has to be.........easy......healthy......and delicious!!!

Bubble up enchilada casserole.  Recipe from emilybites.com

All of her recipes have the WW points listed.

Turkey meatball subs and roast potatoes

To-Do Tuesday for the Week of May 5 through May 11:

1. Work on the Hope quilt
2. Make more masks.  I ordered some elastic and just received it so now I will make a different pattern.  I have seen a lot of videos on making masks and just want a very easy and basic mask pattern to make with elastic.  Some people can't use the ties as their fingers don't work right to tie a bow.  (I live in a senior community) And then some people really like the strips to tie bows.  
3. Trim the pineapple paper pieced blocks and add sashing.

I am linking to https://homesewnbyus.com/to-do-tuesday-linky-39-weekly-progress-update/

Be sure to check the link for Linky #39 and join in the fun!

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

projects and food photos

 The time is flying and here it is September already!
I worked on 8 different quilty projects in August but no finishes.  The top photo shows some of the Strip Maze blocks. I have 30 blocks done and squared and ready to lay out and sew together.
The next photo was a mystery that I have to this point....and it is ready to quilt.  I just have to decide on how to quilt the star centers.  More photos when I actually finish some projects!!

 ~~~~~~~~~~~Weight Watchers lifestyle~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 WW is unique...not a diet but a lifestyle...a method to  choose foods that are smart.  They call it smart points!
Denny's Wild Alaska salmon skillet is very delicious and is one of my choices when we eat there.

 This is my English muffin egg breakfast that I have twice a week.  It is 5 smart points.  I use 1/4 cup of Jimmy Dean turkey sausage crumbles, ReddiEgg 1/2 cup, and fat free cheese on a Thomas Light multigrain English muffin.

 El Pollo double chicken avocado salad 9 sp with light creamy cilantro dressing 3 sp.

This is a really filling lunch that is really good.  Papa Pita with pb fit and banana and broccoli and balsalmic.  Also apple pieces.  All for 7 smart points.  I usually just have 1/2 banana and pbfit on a light piece of toast with apple slices for lunch most days. AND that is only 2 smart points.

The most important thing when going out to eat is to have a PLAN.  Know what you are going to order before you get there.  AND if you don't know the menu before you get there....be sure to check the points BEFORE ordering!  The WW app on my iPhone is great and has helped me so much.

There are so many good ideas for delicious low point foods and so many websites with recipes.  Another day I will add some links.

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

finally quilting scrappy picnic quilt and misc...

 I started quilting this scrappy picnic quilt yesterday...
I finished piecing the top June 2015 and the link to the blog post is   here
In the blog post I talked about the 16 patches and other blocks that are all 4½" unfinished.
There is a tutorial that shows my system for making the blocks.

 Here is a quilt block for an online friend I made in June.  Photo is before I trimmed...it is a Bonnie Hunter block from a magazine.

 Here is another quilt block I made in July for another online friend that likes butterflies.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The WW site has changed with the community section gone now.

I decided to continue my WW blog posts at the WW site at Connect.
Connect uses hashtags for direction to everything and  #hungrytolose is the hashtag for my blog.

There is an awesome challenge going on there...  #30daysjournalchallenge.

Here is a photo of a blueberry muffin microwave in a mug and the recipe is here  at hungry girl.
I have a tip to make it easier each time....make up separate bags of dry ingredients.
There are 6 dry ingredients....so then all you have to do is get out 5 ingredients when you are ready to make them.  Each one is 2 smart points.

Linking with Freemotion by the River...Linky Tuesday.

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

hungry to lose.....and yummy casserole.....

I have a blog on the WW site called hungry to lose....
For those who know about WW online.....there are changes going on now......
They are changing the community section and eliminating blogs, challenges, message boards, etc....
They started an app called Connect at the end of last year and it is very popular....
so the site is switching to Connect for all of the community....everything in one place.

So since I will no longer have a blog on the WW site....I am trying to decide if I want to start a new blog with blogger.....OR just add WW things to this blog from time to time...
I don't want to scare people away from my blog here that has been mostly about the projects I am doing...
Most of my WW stuff will still be with Connect............
just thinking....and rambling....

This photo is Bubble Up Pizza Casserole.............very...very good!


9 x 13 pan makes 6 servings at 9 smartpoints per serving!
The recipe can be found at emilybites.com.

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Sunset color filled the sky

These photos are from yesterday on our cycle ride to the mountains...

 Here is a photo of the sky about two hours before sunset...

 Cuyamaca Park

 Meatloaf dinner was highly recommended by our waitress and it was delicious!

 In Julian at the corner of the town hall looking west.....

At scenic overlook area above Santa Ysabel waiting for the sunset....

These photos do not begin to capture the beauty we saw.....

The whole sky was so beautiful and it stayed gorgeous long after sunset....

We still love riding as much as ever and have no plans for this to be the last ride into the sunset.

Hope it was good....

Pat Sloan had this on her blog today and I did a copycat...

As some of you know I have been diligently following WW since May (this is the umpteenth time on WW) and when I was contemplating what to eat today I read this on twitter from Weight Watchers:
"Eat dishes that are just served on T-Day instead of foods you can have anytime."
So that is what I did....hope you all making wonderful memories today!!
Smiles and hugs...Caryl

cycle ride to the bench

we stopped at the Sizzler in Ramona..... Saturday late afternoon on our ride to Julian....

really like the shadows and sunny spots late afternoon....

here is the corner we used to turn to go to our house in Pine Hills...

sitting on "the bench".... main street Julian.....

Dave enjoying the atmosphere....

sunset as we were on our way home.... from top the hill outside of Santa Ysabel.... Smiles and hugs....Caryl.................... PS For those looking here for quilty things...I will get back to it soon!!!

concentrating on healthy

My lunch today was so yummmy.... romaine lettuce with guacamole hummus... with cucumbers... and turkey slices.... wrap with another piece of romaine.. a handful of delicious flavors!!

Two weeks ago I decided to track my foods I eat...AGAIN... I am following the WW program online... So I started a blog on the WW site...hungry to lose.... I have followed the WW program many times before... in fact many years ago I was down to my goal and am a lifetime member... the points plus is new since I was tracking my food... I am also exercising a lot more than I used to... SO I am feeling really good... now to keep it up!!!..................................................... I do not intend to keep talking about this on this blog... just letting you know why I haven't been blogging... Smiles and hugs....Caryl

favorite recipes

Easy Blackberry Cobbler.... this is a recipe I pinned on my pinterest recipes board... it is very delicious and soooo easy...

Chicken Enchiladas my own recipe.... a family favorite... here is how I make it: mix in a bowl 40 oz refried beans, 16 oz light sour cream, can FF cream of chicken soup, 4 oz diced green chiles, taco seasoning mix and about 1 pound diced chicken. You will also need 8 flour tortillas, and shredded cheese 3-4 cups. I use nonfat cheese for most of it and regular cheddar on top. In a large dish layer flour tortillas, refried bean mixture and shredded cheese and repeat the layers. Bake at 400 for 70 minutes with foil on top the first half.

I usually serve the enchiladas with a salad... this one has pear, apple, romaine and craisins...

AND For other meals we like to have roast vegetables... there are many different combinations and all delicious... 425 oven to make them yummy....

Crash Hot Potatoes.... these are on my pinterest recipe board.... very delicious and very easy... So...there are some of our favorite foods that I have photographed lately... Smiles and hugs....Caryl

let's talk about recipes...

Pinterest has a lot of yummy looking recipes.... the latest one I tried was crock pot chicken parmesan...

very simple...breaded chicken on the bottom...

add the cheese....

mix the mushrooms with the mushrooms with the spaghetti sauce...

I made some whole wheat spaghetti... and a loaf of artisan bread from the dough in the frig.... very delicious..... check it out on my recipes board on pinterest.... http://pinterest.com/carylwilson/recipes/ .............. Smiles and hugs....Caryl

the blue hour

yesterday I was catching up reading blogs...
one of the posts was from last week by Susan of Between Naps on the Porch...
she was talking about the blue hour...
AND why haven't I heard of this before?...
I had to experiment...
first a photo of one of my favorite meals...

then a photo from our patio looking to the sky after sunset...
to find out more about this blue hour from Susan check here...
there is also reference to another post and photos....

I checked the website for the time for the blue hour in my area...
to find out the time in your area click here
I only got one photo with the blue and it is blurry....
but I was excited to actually get it!!

The blue hour is not visible to the naked eye....
You can't see it....but the camera can!!!
this is just so fascinating to me...
I can't wait to try for more blue hour photos!!

Smiles and hugs....Caryl