Mustard Beans - updated with recipe

An abundance of beans from our little garden this week was more than we can handle.   I haven't made mustard beans in years but its a good way to use the beans.  So, in no time at all, we used up two pounds of beans and now have four bottles of pickles.  I'll wait a few weeks before I try them.    My mouth is watering already.

Update Note - Some have asked for the recipe.    It comes from an Agriculture Canada publication from 1956.  Yikes, I had no idea it was such an old recipe.      Here is the recipe for those who have a couple of pounds of yellow and green beans they want to use up.

Grammie Camp 2013 was so much fun.

Official Grammie Camp 2013 photo

I can't believe it's all over.   We had such a fun week.  These kids are so good and are game for anything.   We had some rain, but it's not going to get in the way of anyone having fun. We got most of the activities in without a problem.  

Do you like our official camp T-shirt?  We made these tye-dyed heart shirts using a special technique.  Amazingly simple.

A big Thank You to my sister who comes all the way from Nova Scotia to help me with Grammie Camp.   Without her, it would not happen.  She helped me plan the crafts, the art lessons, the treasure hunt, the mystery, and the games.

Notice Grampie in these pictures too.  With the 8 of us going through 3 meals and 3 snacks each day, he was the key to making sure all the meals and campfire activities were taken care of.  Yeah Grampie.

Some of you follow me on Facebook and got a play by play of some the activities during the week.  My sister was right on the ball and did lots of photo documenting with her iPhone and tagged me.  Yeah.  That saved me from doing it too.    But for those who don't follow me on FB, I'll put up  some pictures over the next few days.

Love Pencil Cases

Love Cookies

We loved that our theme was LOVE.   In addition to all the banana bread and cinnamon bread and muffins etc,  I made lots of heart sugar cookies, and the kids LOVED the LOVE cookies that I made with my favorite letter cookie cutters.  (thanks again Lee).

Whew, that was fun.  I'll show more photos later on.

Grammie Camp 2013 - Theme is Love

The kiddos will be coming to the cottage Tuesday evening and settling in to spend the rest of the week.  My sister will arrive at the cottage late in the afternoon.  She driving all the way from the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia to do this event with me.  I am so lucky to have such an awesome sister!!  

After only a few clues this past weekend, the kiddos guessed the theme.  The theme of the camp is LOVE.   I hope they will LOVE all the activities, the food, the games, the crafts and feel the LOVE that went into planning this event just for them.    

Stay tuned for lots of LOVE from Grammie Camp this week.  

Preparing for Grammie Camp 2013

This will be the fourth summer that, with the big help from my sister, I organize a Grammie Camp for my grand kids.  It's held at our cottage at Cumberland Bay in the upper Grand Lake area.  My sewing will be put on the back burner and I'm in full Grammie Camp preparation mode now.   Lists, and more lists.  Menus are planned.  Crafts and activities are scheduled.   Movies and Music are chosen.   

The forecast looks amazing!!!

We have a theme for Grammie Camp.   We've given the kids a couple of clues and reveal the theme just before the camp begins.   We've had Christmas in July as a theme a couple of years ago, and last year we had Ladybugs as a theme.   Here are the first two clues for this year's camp, see if you can guess.

Clue #1)  The theme is not an animal or bug or anything living. This year's theme is not a holiday like Halloween or Easter.  The theme is a four letter word!

Clue #2)  You can make this theme with two hands!

Christmas in July table runner - a work in progress

I started two of these little Christmas table runners last week.  I just love this project.  I thought I would use my Aspen Frost charm pack, but it didn't lend itself to that.  So I just cut charms from  my stash.   I'm over half finished.  

The pumpkin seeds are all pinned down on the base, and my next job is to stitch all around each of the 16 seeds.  Then I'll layer, do some simple machine quilt and bind with red binding.    I'm making two, one for me and one for my sister.  I'll do a little each day, and they will be done by Friday.

Here is the link for the free pattern  from the craftyquilter.com and this is the picture is what it will look like.

Three Pencil Cases

I made these three pencil cases from my scribble stitching samples earlier this week.  I'm sure whom ever I give them to will love the whimsical flowers.   I'm really pleased at how they came out.

If I have time next week, I might try to do a few scribbly whimsical birds or chickens.  

Can you tell I love to do small projects?

Free Motion Scribble Stitching - Give it a try

Yesterday, I practiced free motion scribble stitching around some scrappy fused flower patches.  Stitching with black thread was scary, but now after stitching a dozen flowers, I think I'm getting the hang of it.  

I was prepared to do my practice stitching and throw away my samples, but I really like them.   So next week, I'll make them up into little zippered pencil cases.  Stay tuned.

Want to try it yourself?  Here's a link with some tips.

Double Disappearing Nine Patch - A sample

I know you all have seen the disappearing nine patch technique for making up a quick quilt.  But have you ever seen a double disappearing nine patch?

It was new to me, so I just had to try it on some leftover solid neutral fabrics from cutting a kit last week.  I was intrigued.    It's starts with making 9 patches with 5" charm sized squares and then cutting your nine patch in quarters.  But then, do a second round of sewing the 9 patches together (7" squares).   I had enough fabric for 6 blocks.  Each of these super-sized 9 patch blocks will be cut into quarters and arranged.

Now, these 24 blocks make a quilt that is 36" by 56" quilt.   I think it's got quite a modern look.  After I sew these blocks together and machine quilt it, I think it will look nice with a plain dark binding.  A great little modern quilt for a modern baby, don't you think.

Want to give this double disappearing nine patch a try, here's a great pictorial tute.    

My Baguette

I bought this little pattern last year, and it's been hanging around my sewing table that long before I tried it.   It's by Atkinson's designs.  I really didn't know what I would do with such a small little case, so I made it bigger by an inch on each side.   I love using this see-through plastic in projects.

Just by looking at the picture, I thought I knew how it would be made.  But I was wrong. I was surprised with the technique.

 It's cute.

Rounded Top Kitty Pouch

Back in early May, I was given some scraps of sweet fabric from Mary R. of the Miramichi Guild.   I knew these mischievous looking kitties would be darling in a small project.  

Meanwhile, I need to practice some free motion in preparation for quilting my Winter Wonderland quilt.   Over the next little bit, I'll be stitching up little sandwich pieces to get  some new comfort with different designs.  

Today I came across the little kitty fabric, so I thought I would free motion stitch on the little cat fabric and then I can  make something out of it.  

After practicing my free motion for about 15 minutes, it was done.  I used this practice sandwich to make a pouch using this little bag tutorial.  The curved top intrigued me.   It's not very big... about 6 inch tall by 9 inches wide.

To finish it off, I added a little bling for the zipper pull.

Cute eh!

Christmas Charms

I have this idea in my head, that Christmas projects should be started and done long before Christmas.  And if you look at your local quilt shops, they have all that you need to get you in the Christmas spirit.

Got this Moda Basic Grey charm pack at Country Crafts.  By the end of July, it'll be transformed into something for my Christmas table. Just wait and see!!

Happy Canada Day Quilt

Happy Canada Day everyone.

By the time we went to the cottage on Saturday, I had 60% of this sweet quilt machine quilted.  It's called Oh, Canada.   Today I spent a bit of time to finish up the quilting and the binding.    The quilting is really wonky but I like it.   Swirls in the white background and geometric straight line shapes in the sides of the flags.  And each of the 10 maple leaves is quilted uniquely.

It was a fun quilt to do.    Want to make one for yourself?  You can get the pattern here on Etsy.   Or if you are local to where I teach, why not take a class with me next spring I will lead you all into your own Oh, Canada.  

I know I did this one is about 10 days flat, but I was using Canada Day as my goal to finish it.  It's done, but it was close.

 

Oh Canada!!