Marie Antoinette Quilt Block 2 Completed

After taking Simba to the vet yesterday for another blood test (I'll have the results later today), I actually sat still and finished up on Block #2 of my Marie Antoinette Quilt:

And this is Block #1:

This is what they look like together:

Sorry that last photo is a twinge dark.  I really try to take good photos and I usually do okay but every now and then....

I pulled the 3rd block out and have it all ready in the hoop.  I have a few little things I'd like to finish up before starting on Block 3 so I'll wait to share that photo until I'm ready to start stitching on it.

If you're new to my blog, this crazy quilt is a Winter Project.  The theme is Marie Antoinette.  There will be 9 blocks, each featuring an image of Marie.  The blocks are 9 inches square.  I plan to have it completed by March at which time, I will assemble it and hang it in my Living Room.

2010 Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue Drawing

I have an extra copy of the 2010 Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue here.  This is the last issue that any of my cross stitch ornament designs will appear in.  As many of my long time readers know, I have retired from designing counted cross stitch.  I want to pursue other avenues with my creativity.

I thought it would be fun to have a little drawing for this magazine.  The rules are easy, just leave a comment on this post and I will add your name to a basket.  On Saturday morning, November 20th, Scott will draw a name and I will post the winner here later that afternoon.

I'll autograph this issue for the winner!!!  Good luck everyone!

Update On Marie Antionette Quilt Block 2

I thought you would all enjoy seeing an update on Block #2 of my Marie Antoinette Crazy Quilt:

I'm getting ready to work on this for an hour before getting ready to go over to mom's.

In other news, it really hit me hard yesterday that my Simba won't be with me real long.  Although he seems to be doing better, I'm smart enough to know that Kidney Failure is pretty much a death sentence.  I lost my Francis to Kidney Failure back in 96.

Honestly, I feel like I just keep getting kicked in the head, over and over and over.  It's like there's this perpetual dark cloud hanging over me that just won't go away.

I'm have to take Simba for another blood test tomorrow and am eager to see what that shows.  I'll keep you posted.

I've added a few new things to the shop:

 

I need to stitch now.  I expect to have my Marie block done in the next day or so.  Have a good day everyone!

Pumpkin & Cream Cheese Muffins

Ladies, I have a real treat for you today!  Not only do I have the most awesome Pumpkin Muffin recipe ever, but my sweet sister Kathi agreed to write up a post to go with it as this is a recipe that she created herself!

Enjoy!

Hello Friends:

As a child I remember sitting by my mother while she was in the kitchen cooking and baking.  The smells were marvelous and I sat in awe as she added a little of this and a little of that and made something out of nothing.  She was always such a good cook and still is.

Naturally, I carried the cooking that I learned from my mother into my own family.  It truly is one of my favorite past times and since my son, daughter and husband are especially fond of eating….a lot, I find myself in the kitchen quite often.  I also suffer from a great deal of food allergies so everything I cook or bake must be from scratch.

This time of year I make quite a few quick breads, cakes and muffins but I get bored with making the same thing.  I read cookbooks like most people read novels.  You can go just about anywhere in my house and find a cookbook or cooking magazine out with sticky flags marking all the pages of recipes that sound interesting.

A couple of weeks ago I had been looking at recipes and decided I needed to create my own.  With it being the season for pumpkins, I pulled out a can of pumpkin and said, ok…..lets create.
The general principal for muffins is easy and having made so many I knew mostly what I needed.  I knew I wanted a muffin more the consistency of a cupcake; so light that it almost floats away.  I also knew I wanted something different.  As I’m adding the ingredients I remembered that Pam always adds chocolate chips to everything….yes, I do mean everything.
Couldn’t add chocolate; everyone adds raisins or nuts; I needed something different.  Therefore, I added cream cheese chunks.  I previously tried cream cheese chunks in quick breads and that was very good so I knew I could make that work.

Batter mixed, cream cheese added, cupcake papers ready to go, oven warming and the cinnamon smell was wafting through the air.

After baking the muffins, I placed them on the cooling rack and my husband couldn’t stand it.  He showed up in the kitchen plate in hand and asked me if it was time yet…in case you haven’t figured it out; my husband is the biggest of my children and probably the worse one.
I watched as my husband gobbled down one, two, four, six gone in one sitting.  As much as he likes to eat, this was a bit unusual.  He then proceeded to tell my son that he had better get one while there are still some available.  The label was given as  the best muffins he had ever eaten and told me to write down the recipe right away before I forget how I made them.  So I did.  Now you can make them and be the judge yourself.

Have a great day!


Kathi

Here's the recipe:

PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE MUFFINS

2  1/2 cups Flour
1/2 cup Self-Rising Flour
1 cup Sugar
4 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
1 can Pumpkin
1 cup Milk
1/2 cup Melted Butter
3 tablespoons Canola Oil
2 Eggs
4 oz Cream Cheese Cubed into 1/2 inch cubes

Heat over to 400 degrees  Mix all ingredients in order.  Fold in Cream Cheese cubes.  Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.  Sprinkle with Cinnamon Sugar.  Bake 15-20 minutes.  Remove from pan to cool.

This recipe is light, fluffy and oh so yummy!

Note:  if you don't have any Self-Rising Flour on hand, you can make it yourself.

1 cup Self-Rising Flour = 1 cup all purpose flour + 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder + 1/8 teaspoon salt.

Flea Market Treaures!

Scott & I went to the Flea Market in Grayslake, Illinois yesterday.  It's only about a 35 minute drive for us.  It was so nice!  Lots of new vendors, lots of vintage Christmas things....so many pretties to see!

I found some nice things to add to my collections.  First are these 2 vintage hats with silk and velvet flowers:

I sat here last night for about 30 minutes taking the flowers off to use on other things.  I think I'm going to start collecting a few really nice vintage floral hats to display in my Guest Room when I get it re-painted.  It's going to be pink (are you surprised?) with stenciled roses and lots of shabby cottage charm.  Some old floral hats would be a perfect addition!  But these are for crafting.  If you'd like to see how to take the flowers off these old hats, click here.

I also found a few pieces of old jewelry that I intend to use in my crazy quilting:

I've decided to use that little heart on my current Marie Antoinette quilt block:

This block is ready for some Silk Ribbon Embroidery and beading!

My final treasure is this wonderful old apron:

Bubba found this piece and thought I could cut it up and make it into something else.  No way can I cut this one up!  It's in very good condition.

This was a pre-printed, pre-tinted apron kit by Vogart.  Whoever made it, did a very nice job stitching and sewing it together.  And although it looks like it's been washed quite a few times, it's held up very well over the years!

I'm going to hand wash it and press it and find some way to display it.  I only paid $5.00 for it.  That's a steal!