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Monday, November 14, 2011

We have a Winner!

Julie was the 44th person to comment on my blog for the winning number and a new magazine!  Julie said, "I love your block! I think 100 Blocks offers wonderful ideas for quilters to try new techniques as well as to sew more creative blocks. You designers have great ideas!" 
 Julie, I have no way to contact you, so please let me know your email address, so I can reach you and get the information I need to send you your new magazine!  I need to also send your information to the magzine, as you will be entered in other prizes as well!  I can only give you 3 days, or I'll have to draw another winner.  Congratulations on your new issue of Quiltmakers 100 Blocks, Vol 4.  I used a random number generator to pick you out fair and square!  Thanks to all of you who commented on my post!  I enjoyed hearing for each and everyone of you!  Thank you so much!

Well, the new year is coming closer and closer, but instead of waiting for New Years to make a new resolution, I decided to make one last Aug.  After a couple of espisodes with health problems I realized I needed to take better care of myself.  I've been working out at the gym since August, and I recently decided to become a full fledged Vegetarian!  I thought it would be really difficult, no meat, low fat and sugar, and hardly any dairy, but surprisingly, it has been the best thing I have ever done for myself.  I've slimmed down, I feel better and I have energy to spare.  The best part is, I never go hungry!  Woo Hoo!  I wish I had known before what I know now about food, because it is so wonderful to feel satified and lose weight at the same time!  So to celebrate my new regimen, I wanted to share with you a new a recipe that I recently discovered and LOVE! I found the recipe on the Food Network, but here it is:



It's call Curried Couscous Salad with Dried Sweet Cranberries.

Ingredients

  • 1 (5.8-ounce) box instant couscous
  • 3/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 orange, juiced
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 to 4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced on an angle
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
  • Freshly ground pepper

Directions

Stir the couscous, cranberries, curry powder, salt, and sugar together in a heatproof bowl. Bring water (amount will be listed on package directions) to a boil and pour it over the couscous. Add the orange juice. Give it a big stir, cover the bowl tightly and let it stand, giving it a big stir once or twice, until the water is absorbed and the couscous is tender, about 5 minutes.
Fluff up the couscous with a fork. Add the olive oil, scallions, parsley, lemon juice, and walnuts. Stir around until everything is distributed evenly throughout the couscous. Make up to 2 hours ahead of time and keep at room temperature until you're ready to serve. Check the seasonings just before you serve the salad and add salt and pepper, to taste.
Note: To toast the walnuts, spread them out on a baking sheet and bake in a 400 degree F oven until they turn a shade darker, about 8 minutes.

I like it warm or cold, and I plan to have it during the holidays.  It's also good at room temperature. 


We are going to be with our children and grandchildren (all but one family) for Thanksgiving next week and we can hardly wait to see them!  We have a new grandbaby and he is over 4 months old, and we haven't seen him since he was a week old! Can't wait!  I understand he has become quite the talker as of late too!  Grandma is having withdrawals!

I'm taking a little quilting break this week, catching up on long arm jobs and planning for our trip.  I've gotten my room reorganized since Houston and I'm looking forward to some new projects soon.  One I definitely want to start as soon as we get back is Moonglow by Jinny Beyer.  I've loved this quilt for forever, and I finally have a kit in my hands!  YAY!
So I'll have to keep you posted on my progress!
You know, sometimes it's just really fun to do someone else's design for a change!  Kind of like eating someone else's cooking--it just tastes so much better!  LOL!
Happy Thanksgiving in case I don't see you before! 

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Blog Tour!

     
Join the fun once again for the 100 Blocks Blog Tour, by Quiltmakers magazine, Vol 4 is now here, and you have a chance to win prizes and a free magazine issue!  I am one of the lucky designers to have a block in this issue!  It's called Ocean Life, and I made my own version of an ocean wave design for my block, with an added dophin appliqued to the center.  In the magazine there are 100 newly designed blocks by 100 different designers!  The instructions for making each and every block are there!
Right now you also want to go the the link quiltmaker.com/100blocks to find out about other prizes you can win just by following the blog tour!  There will be ONE winner, from my blog's comments to win an issue of this magazine, and I want you to win!  Just post a comment explaining why new block patterns would be helpful to you!  You might just win a new magazine!
This block is made from a line called Mermaid Wishes by RJR Fabrics.  It has the cutest images of mermaids and sea life, so the dolphin just had to take center stage on the block.  Of course it can go into a quilt, but I also thought it would be a cute pillow to compliment a child's quilt.
Something like this!  With a flanged edge and narrow inner borders.  Soooooo- be sure to post your comment, and the winner will be drawn by November 12th, this coming Saturday!  I'll be waiting to hear from you!

Twilight Christmas

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