October Charm Quilt

Last month I used my scraps to make a Halloween Quilt using 2 1/2" strips.  Needless to say I had lots of fabric left over from my Halloween stash (that's what fabric hoarders do).  I am hooked on using a solid black background fabric and thus I decided to try another Halloween project using 5" squares (charms).  Halloween is almost here so I am cataloging these ideas for next year.  I love the double pinwheels that seem to flow throughout the quilt.

I used a pattern called "Xs and Os" by Olive Tree Textiles.  I modified it a bit by adding borders using 2 1/2" strips left over from my other project and more black and this is what I came up with.  I did a simple loop design for the quilting with purple thread.

The back of the quilt was from my stash of Halloween yardage that I try and purchase when the season is over for a wonderful discount.  This stripe and purple print with witches is just bewitching!

It's another favorite.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Rhonda

Peach Butter

The other day my mother travelled to the big city of Rexburg, Idaho, and ran across a gentleman at a road side stand selling fruit from Utah.  She phoned and asked asked if I wanted to bottle some peaches.  Of course I said yes because I love that sorta thing.  A while later she showed up with THREE boxes of beautiful peaches ripe and ready to go.  The next morning we washed jars, removed skins, made syrup and put the beauties into jars to process.  My son was home and started requesting homemade Apple Butter as that is one of his favorite things.  Well I didn't have apples, but I had peaches left and decided to try Peach Butter.  Never hurts to try, right? 

The recipe in the Ball Canning Book called for peaches and sugar, lots of both!  I readied the peaches, simmered them until they were soft, mashed them up in a food processor so they were a bit chunky and not too runny, and cooked them some more.  The kitchen smelled wonderful.  I cooked and stirred until the mixture thickened and carefully placed this delectable spread into half-pint jars and then into a boiling water bath.  Needless to say I have another favorite.  If you love toast you will love these spread over it.  My favorite bread for toast is the whole grain bread we purchase with our Bountiful Baskets.

I think this might be positively sinful (and as fast as Austin is going through it, will be gone before the end of the year).  Note to self --- make lots and lots next year -- or find apples to make him some Apple Butter.

Rhonda

Black Hat Society

I have always loved to stitch.  It is as relaxing to me as creating a quilt -- it keeps my hands and mind occupied.  Not too long ago I ran across a website called primitive-stitches.com.  Rhonda (another reason to like her) has some darling primitive stitchery patterns.  I just HAD to stitch this towel band.  I wanted to add a little more color so I added the green fabric with black dots, stitching both the fabric and towel band to the top of the tea towel with a raw edge so it will fray up a bit when washed (and look worn and loved). Simple and cute.

Make one -- or two -- for yourself!

Rhonda

An Homage to Our Mother

If you look in Wikipedia, the definition of a mother is A mother, mom, mum, momma, or mama is a woman who has raised a child, given birth to a child, and/or supplied the ovum that grew into a child.^[1][2][3][4] Because of the complexity and differences of a mother's social, cultural, and religious definitions and roles, it is challenging to specify a universally acceptable definition for the term.

 But, it takes so much more to be a mother. Let us tell you about our mother. Some may know her by Janeale, some call her friend, others call her Darryl's wife, but to us, she is mom.
Growing up, there was no other mother that possessed the talents that she had. She taught us to cook, to sew (well some of us) to be a good friend, a good listener. She wiped our tears away when we cried, (she still does). Mom was always there for us, no matter what! We made mistakes and she forgave. We got in trouble and she helped us out of it. We needed a friend, and she was there. Patience came easy for our mother (especially after raising Julie) ha, ha... As an adult, we will never even come close to being the mother that our mother is to us.. Who makes homemade bread and cookies everyday after school? Our mom has a heart as big as the universe, so mom, this is for you... We love you so much!!!