July's wip

It's been quite hot and we're still running the roads to ballgames for the youngest grands.  A couple of nights away and then back home for more games still and family connections.   I recently tried a new to me coleslaw that was yummy.  It was a slaw with peaches.

Asian Peach Coleslaw:

1 Cup coleslaw mix
1/4 English Cucumber Chopped into bite sized pieces
1-2 fresh peaches- peeled and chopped into bite sized pieces
1-2 green onions, chopped use whatever color and parts you desire or both
1 Cup snow peas cooked and chopped into bite size pieces
1 Cup bean sprouts if desired (I omitted this since DH can't have sprouts since the heart transplant)

Ginger Mandarin Salad dressing
Soy Sauce

Toss all together and then drizzle with the last two listed, soy sauce and mandarin ginger dressing to taste.

It was unique, good and pleasant.  For left overs, I threw in a bit of nuts and leftover grilled chicken to make a bowl meal, YUM!  Cleaned it up very quickly.  I tried to find the original source for this recipe but didn't have a any registration marks with my print out and couldn't find this specific one to link it up, never knew there were so many on the internet, oh where have I been?!?.

Last evening we hosted a small gathering with our direct offspring along with my Mom and one of my brothers,  Tom and his wife Eileen.  Dh cooked the whole bit outside as it's too hot to cook inside.  Thank Goodness we have the appropriate tools for doing this with his Electric Smoker (I bought for him years ago) for the pork loin roast (He also cooked up the Kielbasa as I love it smoked to use for appetizers and for breakfast).  Then with his propane burner stove (he had in from ice fishing and maple sugaring days) we precooked whole potatoes which were kept warm by the induction cook top that I purchased a few years ago for chocolate making with out the children helping being able to be burnt but it's also been so handy to use when we travel. The meal also included corn on the cob which was done after the potatoes moved to the warming area.  All perfectly timed!
We ladies of the family set up the buffet area and managed to get some crudites assembled for simple sides to go with.  It was so nice despite the heat and the timing with everyone's schedules.   I love watching the interaction of the grands as they tease and poke a bit at each other.  Makes my heart smile.

My next focus will be another salad made to bring to the Family BBQ being held at my brother Doug's house tomorrow, am thinking of a broccoli salad for that BBQ  that's why I thought of the Asian Peach Salad and figure I'd share it here as a resource in case I can't find that sheet of paper some time in the future, LOL.

My Mom is up for the week and I know the time will be flying. 

TTFN
Jane

PS: My focus this month is that WFQG quilt and needle roll.    Later gator!

May and June have gone by....July's hopes

PGD#1 ready for her semi formal, June 2019 

Again, I've been super busy and tending to all my priorities, nothing major just the house, yard, gardens, and traveling and regretfully for me my sewing tasks have slid . farther .  aside. : ~ (


The only grand daughter had her semi-formal eighth grade dance so all the females in the family spent the day together getting her ready for it. 




Lunch out at her choice- Arnies in Plattsburgh, pedicures and manicure at A Plus nails and then the hair dresser arranged to do her hair on her day off, thanks Michelle!  It was an enjoyable day and she looked really nice.  She actually agreed to wear a couple of my bracelets for accessories which she kindly returned. 

The back side of her semi up do

Since the camera was out to document this milestone, I had her brother and their dog jump in for photos.

PGS#3 with their 3 year old dog, Scout.

lil miss talking to her brother

And just so you know we are totally normal some "real shots too"!  They get along great and then like oil  and vinegar, typical siblings.  One would smile and the other would act up and vise versa.

He's not into getting pics taken, it's too hot!

On another post I'll share about my trip to Florida to visit with my Mom and sister.  It was such a nice visit and I enjoyed my time with them thoroughly while getting some much needed warmer weather and some sunshine.  So back home for a couple days and then back to Boston for DH's 1 year post heart transplant check up.  Thankfully all is going extremely well. 
Then came the end of school sessions with a BANG!  Concerts, National Junior Honor Society events and sporting events.   Both of the youngest grands played ball, (softball and baseball) with an assortments of 5-6 different teams, modified, city league, All star and both are on Traveling ball besides the town summer league.  SO many games and so many miles traveled while we supported their activities with our presence but phew!  We're glad many of them are now over,  just the traveling ball teams and the town team are left.  It's been so busy that we haven't yet opened the pool as we were gone, or when we were home the weather wasn't cooperating.

AS for projects I've been dawdling around with my needle roll that I started while in Florida while visiting Mom.  It's been great stitching it, but when I ran into the bees wings, I've done them twice so far and now have ripped them out twice as well.  Perhaps I'll play with my angelica fibers to see if that would be an improvement.   What's that?  theh third times the charm, crossing my fingers here. 
Here's it is in it's present state:

in progress Sue Spargo kit - needle roll, I've embroidered  stitches around the labels to coincide with the color of spools relevant to the different weight threads (3,5,8,12)  to help me stay organized down the line. 
FINGERS CROSSED
My plan is to use a straight pin to denote which needle I've pulled out to work on.  I may use different colored heads for counted cross stitch, needlepoint and wool work, TBD!

It's was a kit I purchased through Sue Spargo.com and I've changed out bits and stitches to suit me.  She had excellent instructions and designs slated for it, the problem is me, I can't seem to follow the main stream.  Yet I am having fun stitching it.    The de-winged bee closeup.

bee detail sans wings

Section showing some of the lupines and poppies.

So I'll post the needle roll as my July OPAM focus.





I'll end this post with a couple of photos of my garden.    It's been my  focus for May and June to get the gardens done.  Everything got in despite all the travels we've been on there just remains more weeds and now to finally open the pool this week.

The darkest colored lilacs next to the butterfly house were fabulous!

Just now the Missouri primroses and lilies are flowering. 

TTFN,
Jane

Q3 FAL list - 2019

I started the year out with a bang getting some smaller UFOs and pigs done.  So my intention with this post are a few more bits I'd love to see pushed into the fini pile so I'm linking up my desires with Leanne at She Can Quilt.

1- Needle Roll completely done.

2- WFQG Community Quilt finished then turned in.

3- This quilt is one my Mom made into the top from a kit I purchased to make for my daughter that also needs to be finished.

4-  BQ 2 quilt I made into a top for the grand daughter and then it sits there and needs to be finished.  Next step is piecing the backing. 
(R U Seeing a theme here?  I am!)

5- The Radiant Quilt finished, here again the top is made, I've been percolating quilt motif ideas and it sits.

6- A fall Diva Wallet that I actually can't find.  I  will be back to post a shot of the gorgeous fall leaves digital fabric with the cork-like lime green fabric  I cut out  2 falls ago for!

7- Nelson Mandala wall hanging, I haven;t been happy with it, but with this shot it doesn't look too bad, hummmm...

8- The 3 dimensional wall hanging from a VQF class in 2017.

9-  2 Nylon Chair bags- currently in progress...



10 & 11 - PIGS for 2 Sofa table runners for Summer and Fall.  Again, I don't know where that fall PIG went, so I'll only share a photo of the summer version pig in its place but I plan to use border fabric for both of them.

12-13 This NEW  PIG,, a stack of fabrics that needs to be finished as a baby quilt with a complimentary baby doll blanket!

14 through 16 or 17 - An Orange, a Red and a lime and/or? Aqua project vinyl bags made, still need to select the appropriate fabrics for them to use this pattern.

Hopefully these will become my vision(s) with a one and done step ....then NEXT!


TTFN
Jane

PS:  While hunting to take pictures of these I ran into other set aside UFOs and pigs I'd like to get to as well,  Note to self, slow down Janie and focus dear, focus ...   VBG!  Here I go again!