Me Time ~ May 8. 2012

Spent part of the day with friends

at Me Time.  I'm looking forward

to spending most of the summer

at home this year and being able to

share some fun and creativity

with my friends.

A Little Bit of Thailand...

...In My Backyard

I was writing some travel reviews this

morning and I came across some pictures

of temples in Thailand.

I spotted the temple bells that hang

from so many of the roofs of the temples.

They make the most delightful sound when

it is breezy.

I remembered I had bought some in

Bangkok, so I hunted around and now

they are happily at home in my garden.

They sound delightful here too.

 



Celadon Pottery

I love celadon pottery.  I have many

lovely pieces, especially since JK knows

I love it and gives me beautiful gifts like

this one.  Celadon is the name of the color

of the pale jade green glaze.

I also collect blue & white Japanese

pottery and we refer to this type as

"my pattern" because I love the way

the celadon looks with the blue and

I'm always searching for more pieces

of this style.

I visited Topkapi Palace in Istanbul

recently and I found it interesting that

celadon pottery was very popular with

the Sultans.  It was not due to its beauty

though, it was believed that poisoned

food would change color when served on

celadon pottery.  Thankfully, we don't have

those issues...

fai

In the ChataChuk market in Bangkok

there were stalls filled with celadon.

When I see this photo I ask why didn't

I buy those stacking platters in the upper

right corner, the ones with the elephant

motif.  I suspect it was because I almost

fainted from the heat.  Next time it's mine!

I did pick up a few pieces as I traveled

around Asia.  Two of them I keep on this

old wooden cabinet in my bedroom.  The

one on the right is for a candle or incense

and is beautiful when a candle is lit inside.

Murphy's Farm

Planting Day!

Yes, I know our last frost date is not

until May 10th but it was either plant

and take the chance or maybe not have

a garden at all this year.

The Early Girl tomatoes are peaking through

the tops of the frost jackets.  I planted them

on March 25th.

I made a trellis from some scrap

pieces of wood.  I had to give up one

of my raised beds this year because a

cat decided to use it as a litter box and

since I grow food, that icked me out...

So this year it will be for ornamental

gourds and mini pumpkins.

Today I planted tomatoes, zucchini,

eggplants and cucumbers.

I'll actually be home for most of the

summer this year ~ that hasn't

happened in years.  I look forward

to the watching the progress and

the harvest!



Redbud Quilt Guild ~ May 2012

Here are some examples of the work

of the talented quilters of the Redbud

Quilt Guild in Anderson, Indiana ~ USA.

Elle's Kitchen: Vegetarian Philly Cheese "Steaks"

I think it might be better without meat.

Our family's vegetarian is coming home today

after her first year at Purdue University, so we

have been trying out some new recipes.

Ingredients:

4 whole wheat rolls

4 large portobello mushrooms, sliced

1 large green pepper, thinly sliced

1 medium onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

provolone

1/4 cup vegetable broth

1 tbsp. flour

1 tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce

1/2 teas. pepper

Spray large nonstick skillet with Pam and

set on medium-high heat.  Add onion and

garlic and saute, stirring often, until soft,

2 - 3 minutes.

Add mushrooms, green peppers and

pepper and cook about 7 minutes.

Reduce heat to low, sprinkle with the

flour and stir to coat.  Stir in the broth

and soy sauce, bring to a simmer.

Remove from heat, place cheese on

top of veggies, cover and let stand

for 1 to 2 minutes.

Place on toasted bun and serve.

Enjoy!



Chock-A-Block Wednesday

Antique Tile Block

This was first published by Nancy Cabot

on May 3, 1938 and yet, I think this would

make a very modern quilt.

Fabric Requirements:

Fabric A: Cream

4 - 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" rectangles

Fabric B: Green

4 - 2 1/2" squares

1 - 4 1/2" square

Fabric C: Red

4 - 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" rectangles

Fabric D: Blue

4 - 2 1/2" squares

4 - 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" rectangles

Make Corner Units:

Layout Fabric D and Fabric B 2 1/2"

squares as shown and sew together.

Press seam to the Fabric D.

Then layout above unit and Fabric D

rectangles as shown and sew together.

Press seam to the rectangle.

Square to 4 1/2".

Make 4.

Make Outer Center Units:

Layout Fabric C and Fabric A rectangles

as shown and sew together.  Press seam

to the Fabric A.  Square to 4 1/2".

Make 4.

Assemble Block:

Layout units as shown and sew together

in 3 rows.  Press seams in rows 1 & 3 to

the outside and seams in row 2 to the inside.

Sew rows together and press final seams

open to reduce bulk.  Square to 12 1/2".

Note:  If you follow all the pressing directions,

your seams will "lock" together so you will

have crisp & precise intersections.

This is what your quilt would look

like if you set the same blocks together.

This is what it would look like if you were

to alternate the blues and reds in each block.

This is what you get by making the

corners 4-patches and adding a

gold square in the corners.