Winter

This one is for Jane. She's a snowbird in Florida right now but she asked me to post pictures of winter in Chicagoland. Like she's missing it or something as she sips her wine coolers at the pool. 

Today was very cold. It was 7 degrees when I went out to drop off library books, pick up a prescription and run through the drive through at the bank. I took the dog with me and we stopped to see if the park was plowed. Yes indeed, it sure was, but it was too cold to do anything but get out and snap a picture. Jane - you owe me. 

No one but fools like us out on the road today.

Jane -  I imagine you are spending every day at the pool. Look - we have a pool too.

It's pretty exciting to actually get to go to the park after being stuck inside for days what with all the rain we've had lately.

After less than 2 minutes someone was ready to get back in the car.

We drove past our Underground Railroad house dating from the mid-1800s.  I wanted to live there when I heard it was up for sale a few years ago. But my husband said we couldn't buy it. Something to do with the million plus dollar price tag. The new owners kept the bones but totally renovated it and modernized it so it is no longer a historical property. Pity. I would have bought it and restored it. But, as I said, there was this little thing about the money . . . .LOL.

At least it was a sunny day. It went up to 11 degrees.

Don't stare at it too long.

Ice in the parking lot.

The ice skating pond where my kids used to skate.

Some of you who live in a sunny, warmer climate or are visiting one will be getting down on your knees about now and thanking your lucky stars you aren't here. But don't feel bad for me. I love cold and snow. I went home and made a nice cup of tea and then cozied up with a quilt and my laptop on the couch and finished writing a few patterns for the new book. It's all good.

Make an Easy Quilt in January

Are you ready for more fun challenges this year? In my small quilt groups we're making easy strip quilts in January to kick off another year of small quilts. One every month. By the end of the year, if you keep up,  you'll have enough for a nice wall of little quilts (or perhaps you'll just be sick of them).

This one doesn't have to be fancy. Even a simple one can be fun to make. You can make it artsy or Amish. Make it primitive or bright. Use any kind of fabric.

This is a fun way to use up some of your scraps. I suspect some of you may even have packages of charm squares from the fabric swaps we hold every year. Go on -  cut into them already!

Cut your strips whatever width you think you can work with – 1", 1 1/2" or any other size. Play around a bit and see what you come up with. You may arrange your strips to make a Bars quilt, a Coins quilt, a Courthouse Steps quilt, a Rail Fence quilt or perhaps even a log cabin. Anything goes. Sew some strips together and see what happens. 

There's a cute little Coins quilt in my book Remembering Adelia - one option if you haven’t already made it.

Last year I made a bag using strips of some of my favorite prints. Sewing long strips together to make a simple bars quilt is another option. 

You get the idea. Have fun and if you're in one of my online groups (see sidebar) show us your quilts or projects by the end of January if possible. 

  

                                         

So many simple possibilities.

         

Turn on the Creativity

 The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.


                                    

For years now, I noticed that I feel calmer, happier and just plain better when I'm creating something. When life gets stressful, it's even more important to do things that make yourself feel good. Even before I began to quilt the link between feeling good and making things was evident.

                                   

I know from experience that if I stop creating for a time,  it's that much harder to be creative when I get back to it. But sometimes all you have to do is jump in and make a little something and see if you can't get it back.

                   

In order to be creative, you have to create.

This is so simple. In order to be creative, you simply need to make something.

                                            

Being creative does not always mean you have to make something BIG. Cooking can be creative. Writing is creative for me. So is playing with beads and making jewelry. Making a card out of lovely paper is creative. Taking photographs is creative. Rearranging your house or sewing space can be creative. Buying a new scarf or wearing your hair differently can be creative. See where I'm going with this? To me, all of these things count as creative efforts and can really get things flowing. For some of us, just looking through our fabric or a magazine gets us inspired again. Doing anything creative allows your creativity to flow better. And, when it does, it feeds your soul.

                                                

                                                 

                                                     

For years, I never thought I was creative and I used to wish that I could be as creative as some people. What I did was just play around, it wasn't being creative. When I was 23 a  friend told me: "Of course you're creative. You admire creative people and you love creative things so much - you're just afraid to try anything." I paid attention to that and started looking for small ways to be creative myself and tried not to think or worry so much about failing at what I tried to create. There were some who laughed at my creative efforts. But pretty soon it began to work; the more I tried to be creative, the more creative I became. I now believe creativity is something that can be nurtured and developed in anyone. So if you don't think you're even a little bit creative, I'll just bet you are.

                                                    

I've also learned that if I don't set aside the time and commit to making a little something on a regular basis, I lose some of that creative urge.  It gets pushed down. So, if you delay because you think you don't have enough time, sit down at your sewing machine for just 10 or 15 minutes. Doesn't have to be long. It's amazing how much you can get into something in even a short period of time. If you make one or two  little blocks every day, you'll have a quilt in no time at all. I love making small, simple quilts for this reason - there's such an immediate satisfaction when you can finish a project quickly.

                                      

If you're a beginning quilter, try not to be overly critical of yourself and try not to worry too much about what others may think. Not everything you create will be perfect and that's okay. It's the process that's important. Not every quilt I make is fantastic (Oh no! Really?). Sometimes I fail at color or technique. But, believe me - it's a process and a journey and you just have to keep at it. Make a little something today, why don't you?

New Year's Wishes

Happy New Year! I hope your holidays were wonderful and that you are now all rested up and ready to take on 2016 and all the goals and challenges we always feel compelled to tackle whenever a new year rolls around. Some say a new year is like a new book, a clean slate. Speaking of new books . . . 

I will have a new book published in 2016. I realize it's probably way too early to announce it since I'm still working on it but I knew some of you would be almost as excited as I am about it so, there you go. The cat is out of the bag.

I hardly ever make resolutions anymore (too much pressure) but every year I still set goals for myself. Honestly, I do know it's the same thing but just the different wording makes me feel much better and more relaxed about things. If I don't complete all of my goals within a certain time frame I don't exactly feel as if I'm breaking a promise. I just push the deadline. Last year, I set a few goals for myself and wrote them down in a notebook; I think I'll do that again this year.  Every now and then, in the coming months, I'll check the list and ask myself - "How're you doing on those?" It seemed to work pretty well last year. In order to succeed, I always need to have a plan. 
                 
                             

In 2015, one of my quilting goals was to keep going on my Dear Jane journey and make at least one block every month. Not a lofty goal, just a small one that kept me motivated enough to complete 60 blocks within the past year. A lot more than I imagined I'd finish so I feel very good about that.  After letting go of some of the perfectionism that may have been holding me back I found I was able to push forward on it. I decided all of my imperfect blocks are good enough. So there.

Then there was that one other goal I wasn't quite sure I would reach but at least I took the first step.

To answer some of your questions: 

Yes, my new book will be about small quilts (yay!). Yes, it will contain patterns for quilts that require the sewing together of lots of beautiful nineteenth-century reproduction fabrics. No, I cannot show you the quilts yet. Yes, some of them are blue. (Or, blue and brown or pink and brown or blue and red or red and white or  . . . there's even one with a chrome yellow binding just for fun.) Yes, it will include sentimental tidbits. No, it is not about sewing during the Civil War or quilting on the prairie (been there). Yes, it will for sure include beautiful photos of 15 little quilts. The quilts are not finished. The book won't be out until late this year, perhaps in December if all goes well.

I'm still in the "writing and making quilts" phase (but nearing the end!) and that's only the first part. The entire publishing process takes a long time. December 2016 seems far away. However, time flies and the end of the year will be here before you know it. And, you know me - I will probably blog about it excessively until it does come out so you will be coming along with me for the ride and it won't even seem like a year.

                     My Jane quilt has been put aside for awhile. I'll be back.

I took some time off to spend Christmas with my family but now it's back to work. Lots to do. And, as I told my husband the other day - if at times it looks like I'm just sitting here at my laptop eating peppermint bark and staring off into space, I'm actually thinking and working. Really hard.

I'll have another cup of coffee to go with that chocolate, please.

I hope you all have a successful and happy new year! 

                                             

Merry Christmas!

I'm still wishing and hoping for snow but it's not looking good here in Chicago  . . .  .

Wishing all of you a wonderful holiday and a very 

Merry Christmas! 

Christmas Cheer

I love Christmas. I love the message, the planning, the shopping, the giving, the craziness, the decorating, the cooking, and most of all the snow if we're lucky. 

For a few years now I've vowed to cut back on excess and also on spending excessive time stressed out about cooking, cleaning, decorating, shopping. I make it easier to enjoy the holiday by finding time for myself to relax and share and visit with friends and family instead of rushing around too much. 

I promised I would share my favorite Christmas appetizer recipes again. Appetizers are always a big hit at my house around the holidays. Every year I  like to add a few new ones to the mix. I already shared some pf these on the blog last year but here they are again in case you missed them. 

These bacon-wrapped apples are absolutely scrumptious.

• Peel and cut apple slices. Wrap in 1/2 piece of bacon. Place on oven tray (or cookie sheet with sides)
• Dust with cinnamon & sugar and bake at 400 for 10 min or so.

The recipe said to turn and bake another 10 min. My bacon did not cook very fast so I turned the oven to broil and that worked better for me. You might want to try it first to see how long it takes for your bacon to cook. I used the toaster oven because the regular oven was full so maybe that's why. Also, don't cut the apple slices too thin.

                   

How about some Mini cheese bites ?

                                                    

Another appetizer that goes over well is Zucchini pizzas.

• Slice zucchini into thin rounds. Place on oiled cookie sheet
• Top with pizza sauce (or tomato sauce mixed with garlic powder and oregano) and shredded cheese and bake at 350 until cheese is bubbly.  

                                  

Here's one from the Food Network for Spinach artichoke dip - 

                                   

A few years ago I made these Black Forest Ham Rollups. Also good.

                                      

Some years I make a broccoli-red pepper dip, one of my favorite quick standbys.

Mix a container of Greek yogurt (or sour cream if you prefer) with finely chopped broccoli and half a red pepper. Add garlic powder and salt (or a bit of Ranch dressing mix) and you're done. Do not blend the yogurt in blender; it gets runny. Ask me how I know . . . . Fold the vegetables into the yogurt or sour cream.  The sad thing is I cannot find these crackers anywhere anymore. The perfect crispness. This year I will probably serve it with Pretzel Thins.

Speaking of Pretzel Thins - Since I can no longer find these peppermint candy-coated chips at Trader Joe's I decided to make my own with melted white chocolate chips mixed with crushed peppermint candies. Dip the pretzel thins into the warmed chocolate mixture and cool on wax paper.

Here's a great Cranberry-Brie appetizer.

                                                  

Sounds like all I do is eat around the holidays but I really love to cook and, anyway, shopping in the cold weather really works up an appetite, you know?

Another favorite treat I only indulge in at the holidays is peppermint bark candy. I'm sure there are places you can buy it all year long but, trust me, it's a good thing  that I don't see it much at other times of the year. I recently bought some Peppermint Bark and when it was finished decided maybe I'd look into a recipe to make my own. How hard could it be? There are all sorts of recipes if you do a search, and you can certainly take your pick, but basically it's layers of dark chocolate, white chocolate and crushed peppermint candy cut into squares. Very simple.

First, melt some dark chocolate chips (or use better quality chocolate if you care to) in the microwave in a glass bowl. Stir after about 30-40 seconds and again if needed. If you have a moderately powerful microwave, don't let it go for too long or the chocolate will burn and you'll have to trash that batch and start over. Ask me how I know. When it's all  melted, pour into a small square baking dish lined with wax paper up the sides. Smooth the chocolate with a spatula. Place in freezer for 20 minutes. Crush the peppermints or candy canes. Then, melt the white chocolate and smooth it over the hardened layer of dark chocolate. Top the soft chocolate with the crushed candy, pressing it into the layer a bit. Place in freezer for another 10 minutes. When it hardens, lift the wax paper out of the dish and break into pieces or let it soften a little and then cut with a knife into squares. Yum!

Don't ask why the plate is not full. If you've ever had peppermint bark, you already know. Besides, someone had to eat all the broken pieces. Clearly, I'll have to make more before Santa gets here.

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Have a fun time as you celebrate and remember to try to stay stress free. I know it's easy to get dragged down around the holidays for various reasons. We've all got our unique stresses. If you start to feel Grinchy and grumpy around this time of year, make a conscious decision to at last try to be as joyful as you can, choose to do some things that focus on the goodness and beauty of the season, focus on others, visit with family or friends and see if you can't turn that attitude around. Put on some Christmas music, decorate a little, watch a favorite holiday movie (Prancer, anyone??) or make some cookies. It's difficult to stay down for very long if you're making cookies. Everything is a choice - even joy. I really believe we're only as happy as we choose to be. Whether your holiday is happy ultimately depends upon you and how you choose to relate to others. Hope it's a good one!