Snow on the Farm

It was a pretty easy week around here.

I'm continuing with my "one major holiday prep chore"

per day but due to the extreme cold earlier in the week,

absolutely no yard work has been done.  Of course,

it's not really a priority like holidays and quilts.

I am enjoying the house getting a deep clean

but I'm still trying to get used to a slower progress

in the sewing room. 

I've completed the major portion of my tree quilt.

Next on will be a black border and then more snow.

For now I'm calling it Snow on the Farm.

Sure it has farm-style trees and snow all around,

but calling it Snow on the Farm immediately brings

to mind snowy days when I was little and that's

a pretty happy thought.  I'm sure if my dad were

alive today he'd scoff at me a little for romanticizing.

For him, snow meant dealing with livestock in rough

conditions, pulling out the occasional traveller

who thought they could make it through our

then-country dirt road (now a paved 4-lane)

and all other manners of hardships that come

with being a farmer and country living.

I drove through a little of the countryside yesterday

when I headed up to see my favorite quilt shop for

clearance items.  I wasn't quite as lucky as I'd hoped.

The above fabric matches well enough for a backing

but doesn't quite fit the theme or style.  However, it's just

going on our bed and I'm not picky, especially for $5/yd.

I also snatched up 7+ yards of Kansas Troubles fabric

for the same price.  I really like how all of her fabrics

match--no worries about it "working".   It always does.

While I was off snatching up fabric, I left the

Christmas pudding simmering on the stove.

It's probably not the safest thing to do but I'd already

started its 3-hour "water bath" and the timing would be

perfect to pull it right out when I got back.

Off it goes into the pantry till Christmas when I drown it in

brandy or some other alcohol and light it on fire.

No, I'm not British but I am very traditional.

This particular recipe is for Irish Christmas Pudding with

Irish Whiskey and Guinness.  I really haven't found a recipe

 that I'm in love with but it's more about the tradition.

I like the spices in this one so I am hopeful it might

be the one, the keeper.  We'll see...

But anyway, one more thing checked of the to-do's!

I came across a keeper when I tried out this

washi tape while making Snow on the Farm.

I usually draw a line in pencil or use masking tape for sewing

diagonally (HST's or whatever) but this reasonably-priced

washi tape looked a little too handy to pass up.

With flat shipping, I ordered a couple rolls so

I should be set for life there.  Totally worth it.

Had I realized I would end up at a quilt shop yesterday,

I would not have ordered online the black fabric for the next

border on Snow on the Farm.  Perhaps that will be a good

thing, though, so that I can focus more on preparing

for a relaxed Thanksgiving holiday.  It will be our

cadet-son's first time home in 5 months and therefore

the first time we'll all be together in all that time.

We also have a new little member of the family.  Just

lots of things to enjoy with family--and not be in the kitchen.

My plan for this week is to work on:

freeze-able cranberry and pumpkin breads

and cookie doughs; slicing and dicing of celery, onions

and carrots for various recipes; homemade noodles;

grocery shopping; cleaning.

You get the idea.  Every little bit helps.

Happy quilting and holiday baking!