Honoring Women's Rights ~ Week 5

New Jersey

 

We are quilting along with Barbara

Brackman's Block of the Week,

Grandmother's Choice.

http://grandmotherschoice.blogspot.com

 

What a coincidence!  I am a Jersey Girl

AND I happen to be visiting my hometown

in NJ for a few weeks.

 

 

Fabric A: Dark Blue

2 - 4" squares, cut on the diagonal

 

Fabric B: Red Print

4 - 2 1/4" x 3 1/8" rectangle

 

Fabric C: Red

2 - 1 1/8" x 3 5/8" strips

 

Fabric D:  Light Blue

3 - 3 7/8" squares, cut twice on the diagonal

 

Fabric E:  Medium Blue

1 - 3" square, cut twice on the diagonal

 

Fabric F:  Red

1 - 1 1/8" x 7 3/8"

 

 

Layout as shown and sew a Fabric D

triangle to each side of Fabric B rectangle.

Press seams to the inside.

 

 

Sew a Fabric E triangle to the bottom

of above unit.  Press seam to the top.

Make 4.

 

 

Sew 2 of the above units to each side

of a Fabric C strip.  Press seams to the

inside.  Make 2.

 

 

Sew the above 2 units to each side of

a Fabric F strip.  Press seams to the inside.

 

 

Sew a Fabric A triangle as shown to

each corner.  Press seams to the outside.

Square to 8 1/2".

 

Check out everyones work on the Flickr site:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/grandmotherschoice/

See you next Sunday!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Scouting for Beauties

 

When I travel I love to photograph

beautiful houses of the area I am visiting.

Here is a group from New Jersey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bon Appetit!

 

On a beautiful early Fall day we were in

Long Branch, NJ and hungry.

We had lunch at a small local place on

 Brighton Avenue, just down the street

from the beach.  I love finding these

pleasant little gems with friendly people

and good simple food.  We decided to sit

outside on the sidewalk since we could

already feel the chill in the air and wanted

to enjoy the beautiful weather while we

still can.

 

 

Before ordering these little delights

were presented as an "amuse bouche",

they were delicious ~ a combination of

flan and a zeppole.

 

 

For our lunch we both had a chicken

panini with pesto mayo, they were very

tasty.  The menu has breakfast items,

sandwiches and salads.  The staff is very

friendly and helpful.  We loved having a

great conversation with our server about

traveling the world and cameras.

 

If you should ever happen to be in this

part of the world, check it out:

 

Bon Appetit

79 Brighton Avenue

Long Branch, NJ

732-229-1907

 

 

Twin Lights Lighthouse

The other day I visited the Twin Lights

Lighthouse in Navesink Highlands, NJ.

The lighthouse is celebrating its 150th

anniversary this year.

 

 

The lighthouse is a beautiful structure.

 

 

The grounds are peaceful with a lovely breeze

even on warm days.

 

 

But you must make the climb to the top.

 

 

As you climb you can peek out the windows.

 

 

There are fabulous views of the ocean, you can see

all of Sandy Hook and in the distance is the New

York City Skyline.  Since it was such a lovely and

clear day we could see all the way out to the control

tower at JFK airport.

 

 

The views brought back memories of the

seafaring days of my youth when I probably

spent more time on the water than on land.

We would drop anchor off the Hook and have

swim parties, and New York Harbor was

our playgound.  Good memories...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Hamilton Street History

 

In my hometown in New Jersey, Hamilton

Street has a lot of history in my life.  My family

has been living on Hamilton Street for at least

90 years.  My Mum was born in a house on

Hamilton Street.  My Mum and Dad lived across

the street from each other and ended up getting

married after WWII.  I still have family living on

the street.

 

I went to school for 8 years just around the corner

from Hamilton Street and many days after school

I would walk around the corner with my girlfriends

after school to visit the Telephone company.  We

would ask the telephone repairmen for telephone

wire which was a wire covered in a plastic coating

in a variety of colors.  We would twist them and curl

them and create rings with the wires and then

exchange them with each other.  Yes, the crafty

thing has been part of my life forever...

 

I am visiting my hometown and last Saturday I

went to the Grand Opening party of the Hamilton

Stage for the Performing Arts.  Coincidentally, the

Hamilton Stage is located in the same building that

used to house the Telephone Company.

 

 

Hamilton Stage has a performance area, rehearsal

room and a multipurpose room that would be perfect

for corporate meetings.

 

 

Saturday night was the kick-off of the space

and the end result of a lot of work and planning

by many people.  It was a time for people to relax

and enjoy themselves.

 

 

Hamilton Stage is just one part of the

Arts District of Rahway, NJ.

 

Support the Arts in your community.

 

 

 

 

 



Honoring Women's Rights ~ Week 4

Sunflower

 

 

 

We are quilting along with Barbara

Brackman's Block of the Week,

Grandmother's Choice.

 

http://grandmotherschoice.blogspot.com

 

And since this is about choice, I have chosen

to make a different block.  I am traveling

again and away from home for a month, so I

don't have my stash to pull from or this would

have been yellow, orange and brown.  I couldn't

 print the pdf to the correct size,  I tried

the block given this week and failed.. and

said some bad words...

So, I chose another block that could be seen as

a Sunflower to offer as an alternative in case

anyone has the trouble I had.

 

I also have a lobster dinner to get to this evening

followed by an opening night party so I wanted

to be happy and not frustrated tonight.

 

 

Fabric Requirements:

 

Fabric A: Red

4 - 2 1/2" squares

4 - 3 1/4" squares - Mark

a diagonal line on back

 

Fabric B: Print Fabric

4 - 3 1/4" squares

1 - 4 1/2" square

 

Make Half Square Triangles:

 

Pair 3 1/4" Fabric A and B squares with

right sides together,  sew 1/4" away from

each side of drawn line.  Cut on drawn line

and press to the darker fabric.  Square to 2 1/2".

 

 

Layout and sew 2 Half Square Triangles

as shown and press seam open.

 

 

Layout units as shown and sew

together in 3 rows.  Press seams in

rows 1 and 3 to the outside and seams

in row 2 to the inside.

 

 

Sew rows together and cut a circle to

the size that looks best to you, mine was

the size of the bottom of a glass and

applique as desired, I sewed it with a

small zigzag on the edge.

Square to 8 1/2".

 

Check out everyones work on the Flickr site:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/grandmotherschoice/

See you next Sunday!

 

 

 

 



Elle's Kitchen: Crockpot Pork Loin

 

I have to admit, I don't used the

crockpot very often but I found this

recipe and it is so easy and wicked good!

 

Ingredients:

2 pound pork loin

1 teas. sage

1/2 teas. salt

1/4 teas. pepper

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 cup water

 

Glaze:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tabl. cornstarch

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup water

2 tabl. soy sauce

 

 

Trim fat from loin.

 

 

Combine sage, salt, pepper

and garlic.

 

 

Place water and pork loin in

crockpot and rub with above mixture.

Cook 7 hours on low.

 

 

One hour before loin is done, prepare

the glaze.  Place glaze ingredients in a

saucepan and heat, stirring until it thickens.

 

Reserve 3/4 cup of glaze.

 

 

Brush loin with glaze three times

in the last hour of cooking.

 

 

Slice and serve with reserved glaze.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elle's Kitchen: Hot German Potato Salad

 

It is Oktoberfest time and this

potato salad is perfect for the season.

 

Ingredients:

 

6 medium potatoes, unpeeled

4 slices of bacon

1 tabl. olive oil

3/4 cup chopped onions

1 tabl. flour

1 tabl. sugar

1/2 teas. salt

1/2 teas. celery seed

1/8 teas. pepper

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup cider vinegar

2 teas. Dijon mustard

2 tabl. chopped parsley

 

 

Place potatoes in saucepan and cover

with water.  Heat to boil, reduce heat to

low and simmer covered for 25-30

minutes or until tender.

 

 

Cook bacon in skillet until crisp, crumble.

 

 

Clean skillet, add oil and onions and saute

for 3 to 4 minutes.  Stir in flour, sugar, salt,

celery seed and pepper.  Gradually stir in

water, vinegar and mustard.  Cook for 2 to 3

minutes, stirring, until bubbly and thickened.

 

 

Stir in potatoes and bacon.  Cook, stirring

until heated through.

 

 

Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

Me Time ~ September 18, 2012

 

After a 24 hour period that I wish I

could forget, I spent a few hours with

my friends at Me Time.

 

 

Here are a few pumpkins I decorated

to give to my friends for their Fall birthdays.

I got the ideas on Pinterest.

 

 

Speaking of birthdays, someone got this

cute little Bernette as a gift.

 

 

Someone is working on a Christmas gift.

 

 

I can't wait to see the quilt made

from this beautiful fabric.