Pumpkin and Squash

Today I had an itch to start a new block for my fruit and vege quilt. And what is on this block?! If you read the title of this post you already know! Yesiree, pumpkin and squash. Or to be more exact, butternut squash and a sugar pumpkin.

Sometimes it can take me forever to decide on fabrics. I immediately settled on the Heather Bailey yellow for the squash, but the pumpkin took longer. I absolutely love the new colorway of this Kaffe fabric...

...but I'm afraid it looks too much like a tomato! I might just have to do a block with tomatoes on a vine and use this fabric. It's not in the plan I've drawn up, but plans can always change. The fabric I'll most likely go with is another Kaffe...

I also plan on doing some embroidery on a lot of these blocks. Eg in this block I would embroider veins on the pumpkin leaf, and ribs on the pumpkin.

Want to know something funny about this block? Look at the background. I ran out of it, or rather, due to some over-zealous cutting, I didn't have a piece large enough for this block. I went to two different stores to find more to no avail. My only other option was to use what I had and piece it together. Luckily the butternut squash covers most of the join, but look under it.

I think I did a pretty good job joining it up, though I'm not sure I would have been so particular if I knew it would be almost completely covered up by the squash!

Purple and Yellow

I love the color combo of purple and yellow. An artist friend of mine in New Zealand has sent me two beautiful paintings she has done, so I wanted to thank her by making her some quilted goodies. I decided on the colors of purple and yellow (she is NOT afraid of color!) and asked her if that was OK. She said they are redoing her daughter's room and using those colors, so I thought how fortuitous is that?!

I have almost finished the projects for her, but I can only show you a snippet. I can't have her seeing the whole thing just yet, can I?!!

Wordless Wednesday

Tasty Tuesday

It's been a while since I did a Tasty Tuesday but I had a few requests for my lemon cheesecake recipe so here you go...

Base:

1/2 bag ginger snaps
1 stick melted butter
1/4 C sugar

Crush ginger snaps with a rolling pin, add melted butter and sugar. Mix well then put into base of container, going a little up the sides too.

Filling:

2 x 8oz packages cream cheese (room temperature *very important that it's soft, not firm)
8 oz sour cream
2 eggs
2 Tbl melted butter
1 Tbl cornstarch
1 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla
rind of 1 lemon finely grated
Juice of 1 lemon

Mix all above ingredients together well until smooth and creamy.

Pour filling over cookie base. In another larger container (a roasting pan works well) put about 2 inches of water. This is a water bath for your cheesecake which will help prevent it from cracking. Put your container with cheesecake into the water bath. If you are making your cheesecake in a springform pan, cover the outside of springform pan with foil so the water doesn't seep into it.

Bake in oven at 325 F for one hour, or until it isn't jiggly anymore.

Put in fridge overnight or for a few hours to cool and for the flavors to meld.

Make a packet of lemon jello according to directions, but using just a little less water so it will be a bit firmer than usual. When the jello is cool but not set, pour over the cheesecake. Let set in fridge, then eat and enjoy.

See? That wasn't too hard was it?!

Zig Zag Cutting

Today I bought 4 more yards of Kona Chocolate so I can finally finish up the zig zag blocks for my zig zag quilt. (Tutorial HERE). Our bedroom desperately needs a makeover and I refuse to do it until this quilt is made!

I cut lots of these...

Then lots of these...

Which then turned into some of these...

I love the bonus blocks you get when you make the zigs and zags!

Tomorrow I will post the recipe for my lemon cheesecake. You will want to stay tuned for that one!

Seen-It Sunday

Once again it's time for Seen-It-Sunday.

Today I have some yummy cooking for you to see, some photography tips, and a free tree pillow tutorial.

Firstly the cooking.

Marie-Alice is a Canadian who married an Englishman later in life and now lives (and cooks!) in England. She makes the yummiest looking things you've ever seen! Real down home cooking.

For example, have a look at her Honeyed Tomato Soup with Cheddar and Onion Marmalade Panini...

Now follow that up with some Cherry Chocolate Fudge Bars...

...and you have one delicious meal!

I have made many of Marie-Alice's recipes, and every single one has been a winner!

Secondly, have a look at a Homemadeology where they show you a cheap ($12) and easy way to take professional looking photographs using things you probably already have in your home...

If any of you make things to sell online, this would be such a great way to get amazing photos. It looks like anyone could do it - I'm going to give it a go myself!

Thirdly, Katie from Adelaide Lemonade has a tutorial for the cutest tree pillows.

She recently came second place in a pillow contest at Sew Mama Sew with this pattern, and she's sharing it with everyone for free, so enjoy!

Using Up Scraps

In a effort to make a dent in my scrap bin, today I decided to make something - I had no idea what - with some scraps. So I just started sewing and kept sewing and adding, and sewing, and adding...you get the point - and ended up with a scrappy crazy pieced block.

Now I'm deciding if I should leave it as one and turn it into something like a pillow or the front of a bag, or make more and make a quilt. It's fun and easy to do - perhaps I'll make more?!