Under The Rainbow

"The world is spinning around and around
Everybody's lookin' for higher ground
But here under the rainbow
Dreams fall from the sky"

Under The Rainbow - Trisha Yearwood

In her song, Under The Rainbow, Trisha Yearwood sings about dreams falling from the sky.  This week, a dream fell from the sky for Alzheimer's patients as the National Alzheimer's Plan was put into action.  This plan sets a deadline of 2025 to finally find effective ways to treat Alzheimer's, offering hope to all those who are affected by this horrible disease.  Under The Rainbow, my Priority: Alzheimer's Quilt for the month of May, was made to commemorate this giant step towards ending Alzheimer's forever.

Corning Quilters Guild Spring Quilt Show

The above video shows a few highlights of the 2010 Corning Quilters Guild Quilt Show.  This weekend, May 19 and 20, members of the Corning Quilters Guild will once again host their biennial spring quilt show at VFW Post 524, 281 Baker St., Corning, NY. The exhibit will be open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $3.  If you are in the area, this is a show not to miss!

Silent Sunday

May Giveaway Day!

It's that time again...time for Sew Mama Sew's May Giveaway Day (which should actually be renamed giveaway week because it's going to last all week long)!  Half Pint Knits and I are working together to come up with a fun prize package, so be sure to stop by on May 21 to see what is up for grabs.

AAQI May Online Auction Quilts

A New Toy

I have been debating for some time about getting an e-reader, smartphone, tablet or something of that sort and finally decided that a Kindle Fire would suit my needs the best. I really haven't had much need to store my new gadget because I've been playing with it almost constantly since I brought it home, but I thought that it would be a good idea to have a case for it just the same.  I stitched some selvages together, added velcro and a polka dot binding and voilà...a envelope case for a Kindle Fire!

Silent Sunday

A Special Request

Every once in awhile it's important to put everything aside and make a quilt.  Last week I got a call from a local hospice asking if there was any way that I could make a Toy Story quilt for a 5 year-old boy in hospice care.  How could I say no?  A quick search of the local JoAnn Fabrics turned up the needed Buzz and Woody fabric and combined with the Quick Strippie quilt pattern at MaryQuilts.com I now have a finished quilt ready to go to its new owner.

One-Hour French Bread

I have relied on my bread machine for mixing bread dough for the last 15 years, but sadly a couple of weeks ago my dearly loved bread machine mixed its last batch of dough.  I thought about looking for a replacement, but instead I did a search for a fast easy yeast bread recipe and this recipe for One-Hour French Bread showed up time and time again, so I gave it a try.  I am hooked!  This recipe makes a fantastic loaf of bread in one hour start to finish...faster and better than any bread machine!  I think my bread machine days are over and that I will just enjoy the extra counter space in my kitchen! 

One-Hour French Bread

1½ cups warm water
1 tablespoon honey
1½ teaspoons salt
1½ tablespoons Active Dry Yeast
3 - 4 cups flour (any combination of white and whole wheat)

Preheat oven 450º. Combine water, salt, honey, and yeast in a medium bowl. Let sit 5 - 10 minutes, until bubbling. Add flour, stirring with a wooden spoon, until dough is no longer sticky (I'll sometimes dump the dough out onto the cutting board with what flour is in the bowl and roll it around,adding a bit more flour, until it's not sticky). Roll dough into a 12 - 14" roll (or you can divide it in half and roll it into two long skinny baguettes). Place dough roll(s) on a cookie sheet (this won't work in a bread pan), greased or sprayed with non-stick spray, cover, and let sit 20 minutes. Make diagonal slits, 1/2" deep, on top with a razor blade. (Optional: spray with salt water). Bake 20 minutes.