Tortugas Bebés Mexicanos

Mexican Baby Turtles

On Christmas morning I opened this card and

was amazed that a card existed for something

that was so important to us.  On closer inspection,

I realized it was my photo!  Mr. Wonderful had

made up this card to go along with the little turtle

to give to me as a keepsake from our time with the

tortugas.

Last Fall we were in Mexico and went out for 

a walk along the beach before breakfast.

As we were passing a resort a man approached 

us and invited us in to view the conservation area.

Some of the turtles were hatching.

We could help to dig up the baby turtles, they 

were so adorable.  They would be protected

for the day and released in the evening.

 

It was the highlight of our trip!

Merry Christmas

We are celebrating Christmas at Avalon, our

American Homestead.  We were out late last

night and didn't wake up until 10 am, we had

to wake up the kids.  Ohhh,  how times have

changed.  When the kids were little, I would 

tape crepe paper streamers across the stairway

to remind them that they couldn't go downstairs

in the wee hours of the morning.  They would

wake us up at the crack of dawn in the old days.

After opening and playing with our presents,

it was time to start cooking.  I made a homemade

honey baked ham this year.  The choice was ham

since we had a collection of mustards that we had

either purchased on our travels or received as gifts.

The birdies got some new presents this year

and they have been enjoying their Christmas

feast on this cold winter day.

From our American Homestead to wherever

you may be, may your days be merry and

bright and may you be surrounded by the 

ones you love.

All the best ~ Ellen

An Early Christmas Present

 

I just got the news that the proposal

for my second book has been accepted!

 

What a wonderful present.

Time to celebrate!

Dixie Diary ~ December

Turning Yankee

 

 

We are quilting along with Barbara Brackman's

Block of the Month, Dixie Diary.

 

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com

 

Here is my December block and it was finished

in December ~ yeah!!!!  Well, that winds up the

blocks for this year.  No tutorial this time since

I made it as described in the original post.

 

I was so excited to get the quilt pieced, quilted

and finished by Christmas.  While doing the

free-motion quilting on my home machine, I

got to the last block and poof! ~ my machine

just stopped.  MURPHY'S LAW!!!  The machine

is at the hospital and I await the diagnosis...

 

My daughter brought her Project Runway machine

home from the sorority house at Purdue (I love that

she took her sewing machine to college).  I'm going

 to see if I can quilt with it once it is unpacked from

the car.  Wish me luck!



Dixie Diary ~ November

Just Hominy

 

 

We are quilting along with Barbara Brackman's

Block of the Month, Dixie Diary.

 

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com

 

Still playing catch-up on the Dixie Diary

blocks.  No tutorial this time since I made

mine as described in the original.  My best

advice for this block is to go slowly and be

sure to mark 1/4'' from the edge when doing

the y-seams.  Good Luck!



Dixie Diary ~ October

Shooting Stars

We are quilting along with Barbara Brackman's

Block of the Month, Dixie Diary.

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com

This is how I made my block, it may differ

from the original.

Fabric Requirements:

Fabric A: Light

2 - 3 1/2'' x 6 1/2'' rectangles

4 - 4 1/4'' squares - Mark a 

diagonal line on the back.

Fabric B - Dark

2 - 3 1/2'' x 6 1/2'' rectangles

4 - 4 1/4'' squares

Make Half Square Triangles:

Pair Fabric A and Fabric B squares with 

right sides together,  sew 1/4'' away from 

each side of drawn line, cut on line.  Press

the seams of 2 of the HST's to the light

fabric and the rest of the seams to the

dark fabric.  Square to 3 1/2''.

Make Center Unit:

Layout Half Square Triangle units as shown.

Note the arrows that indicate the direction 

the seams are pressed, this will help in having

precise points.  Sew together in 2 rows.  Press

seams in row 1 to the left and seam in row 2

to the right.

Sew rows together and press this seam

open to reduce bulk.  Square to 6 1/2'' x 6 1/2''.

Sew a dark rectangle to each side 

of the center unit, press the seams

to the outside.

Make Top and Bottom Units:

Layout units as shown and sew together.

press seams to the inside.

Sew units to the top and bottom,

matching seams.  Press final seams 

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

I added the sashing and applique as

described in month 1.

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/2013/01/dixie-diary-1-her-flag-flying.html

Christmas Ornament Class

 

Today I taught a class on Felt Holiday

Ornaments for 12 lovely students.

 

 

We had carols and cookies and

lots of fun!

 

Check out the work of some of the

students.  I didn't get a shot of everyone's

ornament because some photos came out

blurry or the student may have been away

from the classroom having a little retail therapy.

 

Note to students:  please send a photo of your

finished piece and I'll post them on the American

Homestead facebook page.

 

 

 

 

Elle's Kitchen: A Week of Salads ~ Orzo Salad

 

It is day 4 of A Week of Salads.

The selection tonight was Orzo Salad.

It is a cold salad that we think would

be better as a side, in the summer,

rather than the entrée on a snowy night.

 

We think we'll have a week of soups

next week...

 

 

Ingredients:

 

sea salt

1 1/2 cups orzo

a head of broccoli, cut into florets

2 cloves garlic, peeled

2/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan

juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup crème fraeche

grated zest of 1 lemon

1 small avocado, peeled and sliced

 

Cook orzo according to package directions,

rinse with cold water, drain.

 

Steam broccoli until bright green, set aside.

 

 

To make the pesto, combine half the broccoli,

the garlic, 3/4 of the pine nuts, the Parmesan,

1/4 teas. salt and 2 tabl. of the lemon juice and

pulse to combine.  Then drizzle in the olive oil

and crème fraeche, pulse until smooth.

 

 

In a large bowl, combine the orzo,

broccoli, the pesto and the lemon zest.

Fold in the avocado, top with remaining

pine nuts.

 

 

 

Christmas Is Coming!

Elle's Kitchen: A Week of Salads ~ Spinach, Pear & Pomegranate Salad

It is Day 3 of A Week of Salads.

Tonight we will have a delicious

Spinach, Pear & Pom Salad.

 

 

Ingredients:

 

1/3 cup pecan pieces

3 tabl. cider vinegar

2 tabl. extra virgin olive oil

1 tabl. honey

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

8 oz. baby spinach

2 ripe pears, peeled & sliced

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

 

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Spread pecans on

a baking sheet and toast for 7 to 10 minutes

or until lightly browned. Cool.

 

 

Make the dressing:

Whisk together the vinegar, olive oil,

honey, mustard, salt & pepper in a large

bowl.

 

In a large bowl, add the dressing to the spinach

and toss well.  Add the pears, pomegranate seeds

and pecans and toss well.  Sprinkle blue cheese on

top and serve.

 

Elle's Kitchen: A Week of Salads ~ Greek Salad

 

This is day 2 of A Week of Salads.

Tonight is Greek Salad, a favorite

around our house.

 

 

The best Greek Salad I ever had was,

fittingly, in Athens.

 

 

We had spent the morning at the

Acropolis and were hungry and

exhausted by lunchtime.

 

 

Ingredients:

 

For the dressing:

2 tabl. white balsamic vinegar

salt & pepper to taste

a few pinches of oregano

1/8 cup olive oil

a pinch or two of sugar

 

Combine ingredients in a small

jar and shake well.

 

For the salad:

romaine lettuce, chopped

1/2 cucumber, quartered and sliced

tomatoes, diced

1/2 red onion, sliced

feta, crumbled

kalamata olives

thinly sliced feta, drizzle with dressing

 

 

Drizzle some of the dressing on the

lettuce and toss, arrange on plates.

 

In a bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumbers,

onions, crumbled feta and olives.  Drizzle

with the remaining dressing, toss.

 

Arrange tomato/cucumber mixture

on top of the lettuce and place the sliced

feta in the center.

 

 

When I eat this salad, it takes me

right back to Greece.  Don't you

love this man with his flowers?

 

 

As I would walk the streets of Athens,

I kept seeing these heads on the edges

of the rooflines.

 

 

On my way from Santorini to Istanbul

I had a long layover in Athens and hopped

on the subway and went back into town.

In the flea market in Monastiraki I spied

a few of the terra cotta heads and grabbed

one.  It now is in my living room, my own

little antique treasure from Greece.  I

always imagine all the life that little head

witnessed overlooking the streets of Athens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Heart's Goin' Boom, Boom, Boom!

 

It was a busy day of Me Timin', birthday

celebratin' and eh, working...  but on my

morning errands I ran into a shop across

the street from my bank and picked up this

little turquoise tree!  It will be perfect for

displaying my feltworks in the European

Folk Art Collection.  Sometimes little things

can make you so happy.