Sister's Choice Quilts

Practice Makes Perfect

I tried again yesterday to make an acorn mug rug. I do like this one better than the first one I made. I think the coordinating fabric frame sets off the acorn better. Isn't that fabric adorable? It is Bee's Life by Tara Reid for Riley Blake. I do love a bee-themed fabric.

It turned out bigger than I typically like for a mug rug. It is more like a sandwich and cup of tea mat!

The block pattern is from Lori Holt's Farm Girl Vintage book and is called "Little Acorn".

Wish me luck. I am off for four days with my father...Yesterday my sister couldn't get him up out of his chair, which was not good.  We have ordered one of those lift chairs that are as big as a Volkswagen. I sure hope it helps. It arrives on Tuesday. It seems as if every day brings a new challenge.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Acorn Mug Rug

I was in the mood for a new mug rug yesterday, so using one of the cute block patterns from Lori Holt's Farmhouse Vintage book, I made up this little acorn block. Now that I've made it, I think it would be cuter if I had framed it in a fabric other than that background print. It is too much light fabric and I think the acorn design would stand out more if it were framed.

I may have to try out another version of this today and see what happens.

This is where the magic happens. My little desk with my new mug rug ready for a cup of tea (or a glass of wine, depending on the time of day). My nephew works at a garden center and gave me that philodendron plant for Christmas. It was a great specimen back then and has gotten even better over time. The leaves are so green and shiny. And how cute is my lamp? I got it around 15 years ago at a little boutique shop. It is really one of a kind and I never get tired of it.

Even though it is over 90° here in Northern California where I live, I have been in a fall frame of mind. I made a great recipe for our dinner last night, from the Half Baked Harvest website. Here's a link to Cider Braised Chicken with Carmelized Onions and Mushrooms. It was truly outstanding and had all the fall vibes. I will definitely be making it again.

This is the recipe author's (Tieghan Gerard) photo, not mine. But I have to say, that looks pretty much how mine turned out. I served it on a bed of a wild rice/white rice blend. I also cut the recipe amount in half and I still have enough to feed my husband and me for two nights. Tieghan has several cookbooks out, and if you follow her on Instagram, she puts out great recipes almost daily.

I hope your week is going well.

 

Well Hi There

Hello to all of you! I return from my break refreshed and ready to tackle all sorts of fall projects. I finally got all of the homeschooling detritus off my dining room buffet. That sure has been a dumping ground for the past two and a half years while I was homeschooling my granddaughter Eva. 

I am enjoying my little fall vignettes here and there around the house. I love to switch things up a bit when the season changes. Our local hardware store has a big section of seasonal decor and I found such a pretty fall wreath for my front door there. I know I paid twice as much for it as I would have at Hobby Lobby, but I saw it and liked it and splurged.

Lastly, I got out a copper pumpkin I have had forever and put it on my front porch. My mother gave me that thing years ago and I cherish it. When Halloween is over, I just turn the jack o'lantern's face to the back and use it through Thanksgiving.

My father has been quite unwell for the past month or so. He just never seemed to bounce back from the fall he took, even though he didn't injure anything specifically. My sisters have arranged for all sorts of caregivers to come in and help us out because he really isn't able to do much of anything for himself. He has someone to bathe him a couple of times a week, a physical therapist to exercise his limbs and an occupational therapist who has been great at showing him how he can help us dress him, etc. It makes such a big difference when you are caring for a disabled person if they can help just a bit to roll over, lift their legs, and so on. It has been quite a challenge, but I think things are improving somewhat.

I hope you are all well and are enjoying the delights that early autumn brings!

Taking a Little Blogging Break

I am going to be taking a little break from blogging until the last week of September. When I return I hope to get back to my usual quilty and bookish content. 

Things have been rather hectic in my personal life these past months, with many family responsibilities vying for my time. With luck, things will settle down a bit over the next few weeks and I can get back to my hobbies and other interests. Thanks for your patience, and I'll look forward to "talking" to you again the last week of September!