Life

My family and I seem to be getting a super size serving of life this summer...from bad to good and everything in-between. Our life has been an emotional roller-coaster the past couple of months and there are no signs of things calming down anytime soon. One thing I do know is that I need to find a way to spend some time stitching to help preserve my sanity and keep a bit of normalcy in my life. You know what they say...when life throws you scraps, make a quilt!

Blueberry Crumb Bars

These bars are just as good as (if not better than) blueberry pie and they only take minutes to make!

Blueberry Crumb Bars

1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups flour
1 cup shortening
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
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4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 /2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons cornstarch

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch pan. In medium size bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the shortening and egg. Dough will be crumbly. Pat half of the dough into the prepared pan.
In another bowl stir together the sugar and cornstarch. Gently mix in the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer. Bake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the top is slightly brown. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Buttons

Who doesn't love sorting through an old jar or box of buttons? My daughter-in-law spied a jar of buttons when we were going through a few of Aunt Hazel's things last week. She emptied the jar out to see the assortment and you will never believe what else was inside...my husband's grandmother's wedding ring! It will remain a mystery as to why the ring was in the button jar, but we are so happy that it was found.

Future Quilter?

When the kids are quiet, it usually means that they are doing something wrong...right? When the lil' cowboy got a little too quiet the other day, I went looking to see what kind of mischief he was getting into and found the complete opposite! He was sitting in a chair engrossed in the latest issue of American Patchwork & Quilting!

Happy Father's Day!

Felting Fun!

I found a few extra minutes to finish knitting the felted bowl that I started working on last month. After a quick trip though the washing machine, what originally looked like a stocking hat turned into a great felted bowl! I love how it turned out and my daughter-in-law liked it so much after it was done that she had to make one too. We have both decided that felting is a lot of fun!

Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars

This is a great recipe for those times when you need to feed a crowd, but it could easily be halved and baked in a 9x9 pan for smaller groups.

Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cup peanut butter
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups oatmeal
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13x9-inch baking dish. In a large bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, sugar and vanilla. Mix in the peanut butter and eggs. Stir in the flour, baking soda and oatmeal until combined. Add chocolate chips. Spread batter into prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes or until set (do not over-bake). Cool and cut into squares.

A "New" Use For Ric-Rac

We're starting the process of sorting through my husband's aunt's belongings. It's going to be a long and difficult job, but we are discovering many little treasures along the way, which makes the task a little easier. Hazel was well known for her beautiful crocheted lace and she has quite a collection of dresser scarves and doilies. This dresser scarf caught my attention when I noticed that she used ric-rac as a foundation for the crocheted lace! Pretty ingenious, don't you think?

The Crazy Quilt

Patchwork only, did you say,
This mosaic quaint and gay,
Starred with dainty appliqué,
In confusion mazy?
Sooth it hath a high-born air,
With an easeful charm and rare,
Lightening the weight of care.
Wherefore call it crazy?

Every woman in the land
This bewitching quilt has planned;
Slender fingers, toil-worn hand,
Pulse alike with pleasure
As the curious pieces blend
This an heirloom's grace to lend,
That the souvenir of a friend,
Each a cherished treasure.

Patiently, dear grandma sets
Bit to bit, and swift forgets
All the little daily frets
Age and loss are bringing,
And we hear her softly croon
To herself a tender tune;
'Tis of youth and love a rune
She is gently singing.

Shaking heads and looking wise,
Merchants smile with doubtful eyes
When, expectant of a prize,
Maidens beg a sample.
Stock of velvet, silk, or frieze,
Like the famous nibbled cheese,
Disappears if, dames to please,
Clipped are fragments ample.

Patchwork 'tis, but glorified,
Aureoled with stately pride,
Fit to offer to a bride
As a wedding present.
Stitched with more than common pains,
Offspring of artistic brains,
Wrought in flowers, and loops, and chains,
Is this patchwork pleasant.

~Margaret E. Sangster

This poem was published in Harper's Bazar (the original spelling of the journal's name), on January 12, 1884. The crazy quilt in the photo is one that was passed down by my husband's aunt.

Wordless Wednesday

Quilt Therapy

I was in desperate need of some stress management the other day, so I decided to load this disappearing nine-patch on the frame just so I could quilt a few rows. Before I knew it, two hours had passed and the quilting was done! I followed up with a bit of therapeutic hand stitching on the binding. In no time the quilt was finished and I was feeling MUCH better! There really isn't anything better for relieving stress than spending a little time with a needle and thread.

Normal?

Life has been anything but normal around here lately and it appears that it is going to be awhile before normal returns. The next disruption of normal life is going to be a good one though...our lil' cowboy and his mommy and daddy are coming for a two week visit! Needless to say, blog posts will probably be scarce while they are here, but hopefully I will return to a more normal quilting and blogging schedule soon.