May FMQ Challenge

This month the tutorial is by Leah Day and the FMQ Challenge is at SewCalGal's blog... you can find this tutorial here

Yesterday was the first day this month I tried this month's designs... I used some strips leftover from the pink and zebra baby quilt.... with more practice I will be able to make the corners square on the railroad tracks.. I know all of this takes practice...practice...practice.... This is a fun challenge and I am enjoying seeing what everyone else is doing... very inspiring.... Smiles and hugs....Caryl

FIU rail fence

This rail fence quilt was started several years ago... I used KiwiBerry Bali Pops.... Last month I sewed the blocks together.... I came to a standstill on this because I haven't found the backing... I may have to piece fabrics for the back... I will machine quilt it with some of the quilting designs from the FMQ Challenge.... Today I decided to join up with Connie at Quilting by the River for Linky Party Tuesday.... Smiles and hugs....Caryl

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

Back riding again

I have been waiting for this day......... to ride with Dave again on our motorcycle.... the last time I went on a motorcycle ride was our 50th anniversary last Sept... I blogged about that weekend... I also blogged about Dave's sudden illness 4 days after our anniversary... 911...hospital 2 weeks....complications.... wondering if we would ever be able to ride again.... then long recovery and waiting for gallbladder surgery.... then complications....NOW all of that is behind us...

today we rode into the country to our favorite places... we walked through Dudley's bakery and just looked...

had lunch at Lake Cuyamaca Restaurant.... forgot to get a photo of the food...

looking back across the lake from the north....

riding through Julian...

we rode north of Julian on Wynola Road...

Rode past Lake Henshaw... all of these photos are taken from the motorcycle as we were riding... except the one of Dave and the one of me standing by the bike.... I sure did enjoy my ride into the country.... It sure didn't seem like it had been 7 1/2 months since we had ridden... it seemed like only yesterday....we didn't miss a beat!!! Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Kali Skye I love you

Quilting the pink and zebra quilt.... I started in the middle.... pulling and pushing the material in the small space on my machine.... sometimes not such good writing.... but the love that is going into this quilt.... IS UNBELIEVABLE!!! Smiles and hugs....Caryl

FYB Makealong finished

Finally finished..... I started this last July with Sarah at Sew Joy Creations... you can read about the makealong here

I started with the saying and then the zendoodle stitching.... and have added beads, buttons and a crocheted heart with purple heart shape under it....

I have enjoyed making this wallhanging.... FYI...QD means every day in medical terminology!! Smiles and hugs....Caryl

April FMQ Challenge

This month's tutorial is by Don Linn. I had some difficulties with this! Lesson learned.....the end product is only as good as the tracing of the design! I didn't have a hoop large enough....didn't pull the tulle tight enough in the hoop....AND I used an old air erasable fabric marking pen!! I put the tracing very lightly on my fabric.....so when I started quilting the lines were disappearing....I had to stop and take out some stitches and remark and then stitch again.....not a good situation. Anyway....this is my entry and I learned a lot from this. If I do this again I will get the products I need so the result will be better. Go to Sew Cal Gal blog and check out the tutorial and see what everyone has done....some gorgeous stuff by others in the challenge. 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

teaching someone to quilt

The following is what I posted on my facebook personal blog site (cinnamon holiday workshop) on March 20: "A nurse I work with wants to learn how to make a quilt!! How exciting is that!!! I am taking her books and samples today to show her. I am taking Pat Sloan's I Can't Believe I'm Quilting book!!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Since then I have taken her what we call a "quilt inservice" on the days I work.... I spend a few minutes and show her tips and things she needs to know.... She got her fabric for a large quilt right away.... then decided as I suggested that she just do a small quilt first... so now she is working on her practice quilt in her spare time... She has a baby and works full time so her time is limited... FOR ME it is so exciting to see her excited about making a quilt and to enjoy our "little inservices"... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SO NOW MY QUESTION to those reading this..... Give me some ideas of what you would show someone in 3-4 minute sessions... thank you so much for any help.... Smiles and hugs....Caryl

progress with projects

I started this project last year with Sarah and her FYB Makealong.... I put it away and have done other things.... Last week I finished the red stitching with my Tuesday night group... I had some leftover KiwiBerry Bali strips from another quilt... No measuring...I just put them on the borders... then I did some machine quilting.... I want to put something in the middle???... like buttons...can't remember what I thought of last year.... Also not sure how to quilt around the words??... any suggestions would be welcomed...

This is the baby quilt ready to quilt... not sure how I am quilting it yet... I know it will have words sewn in.... precious and other sweet words.... Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Happy Easter

borders zebra and pink

some of you may have seen this photo I put on flickr two days ago...

yesterday checking out borders....

so the plan is about an inch of the zebra print for the first border... then about 3 inch pink for the outer border.... that will make it about 36 inches square.... yup...that is what I will do.... I never did use that pink and white stripe....may use it for the binding.... and then again it might not work.... Smiles and hugs....Caryl