WIP Wednesday 3-27-2019

I started a Hardanger runner the other day.  Haven't had too much time to stitch, but the progress is good.

Luck of the Irish Finish

Finished this little guy up last night.  This is one of the Bent Creek Photobooth series designs.  I have done quite a few of them and have four more to do.  They are so cute!

What Floss did I use?

I have been asked to list which floss I used in which band of the 2017 Linens and Threads Mystery Sampler.  I have listed them below, but you can switch them up if you like them in a different order.  Remember, there are no cross stitch police!

Valdani floss (3 strand) Autumn Quaker pack

Band 1: O78
Band 2: O86
Band 3: P9
Band 4: O153
Band 5: P5
Band 6: O505
Band 7: P6
Band 8: O510
Band 9: P1
Band 10: O775
Band 11: M90
Band 12: )540



 

A New Toy

 It was recently my birthday, and although I am now a proud carrier of a medicare card, I didn't really call much attention to it.  My father was upset with me because he wanted me to have a big party.  He even offered to pay for it, but not all of my children were available at the same time, and I felt funny throwing myself a party, so I just let it pass quietly.

I did buy myself a present, though!  I have been watching facebook marketplace and the local virtual garage sales for an Instant Pot.  I didn't know how much I would use it, so I didn't really want to spend a lot.  I knew I wanted to try and make quark in it, so I could make German Cheesecake, but other than that I didn't know what I would use it for.

A few weeks ago, one was available right in the neighborhood, half the price of a new one, and hardly used at all, so I jumped on it.  It didn't come with a manual, but the good folks at the Instant Pot Company sent me a new one, free of charge.  Great customer service.

I brought it home at looked at it for a few weeks, while I researched the "how tos" etc.  I hard boiled 4 eggs and made egg salad.  I must admit, they peeled very easily.  A week later I made 4 more hard boiled eggs.  This thing is too big to sit on the counter and only use it for hard boiled eggs!

I researched recipes.  I have an entire file of them now.....but they don't magically cook themselves.  So today I bit the bullet and made shells and cheese.  I should tell you that the oven in the kitchen doesn't work, we want to remodel the kitchen and get new appliances, but that hasn't yet begun.  The mac and cheese recipe that I like to make is made in the oven and needs to be stirred every 15 minutes while it bakes.  I have an oven in the basement but didn't want to run up and down the stairs a number of times, so I thought this might be the time to try out the Instant Pot.

Dad liked it.  I need to try it again with different cheese, but otherwise it came out great and saved my knees!

WIP Wednesday 3-20-2019

I needed something quick after all that stitching on the mystery sampler, so I chose a piece from Bent Creek's Photobooth series call Luck of the Irish!  It will be finished soon!

No WIP Wednesday This Week - We Have a Finish Instead!

So here it is!  I finished part 12, which completes the sampler.  In case you missed it, this is the 2017 Linens and Threads Mystery Sampler, stitched on 25 count Vintage Mocha Lugana, stitched over one fabric thread with one strand of Valdani floss.  I used the Autumn Quakers pack of floss.

I love how it turned out!  I need to pick out a frame, but will wait for the May framing sale at Welcome Stitchery.

More New Jam Flavors

This week's Jam session yielded Cranberry Jam and Red Grapefruit Marmalade.  Both of them are tart, and yummy.  My Dad, my #1 taste tester liked them both and he is a bit hard to please.

Cucumbers

I have been asked to share the recipe, so here it is:

Refrigerator Cucumber Salad

15 minutes to prepare serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS

·         5 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced

·         1 large red onion, thinly sliced

·         2 large bell pepper, thinly sliced (sometimes I use 3, depending on the size)

·         1 1/2  cups sugar

·         1 1/2 cups white vinegar

·         1 tablespoon salt

·         1 teaspoon mustard seeds

·         1 teaspoon celery seeds

·         1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

PREPARATION

1.    In a medium bowl or a half gallon mason jar, toss together cucumbers, onions, peppers, and salt and set aside.

2.    Combine vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, celery seed, and pepper flakes in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Once at a boil, remove from heat and add 2 handfuls of ice.

3.    Once ice has melted, pour vinegar mixture over cucumbers. Cover and store in refrigerator. Will keep for 2 months.

WIP Wednesday 3-6-2019

It's Wednesday again, and time for my WIP!  I am really on the homestretch now!  less than half of the last band and it will be finished!

Floss!

A friend's mother passed away, and in cleaning out her house, my friend found all of this floss.  My friend doesn't stitch.  She brought it all to me.  159 skeins of DMC.  They are all older die lots, but that is okay!

I feel like I hit the mother lode!

Part 11 is Finished!

I finished part 11 of the 2017 Linens and Threads Mystery Sampler, and am going right into part 12!  Then I will be done!

This Week's Jam Sessions

 This week I made Mandarin Orange Jam, Kumquat Jam, Raspberry Jam and Raspberry Kumquat Jam.   Taste testers will be trying them out soon.

And as a bonus, I made 3 quarts of refrigerator cucumber salad.  Dad wants this with every meal!

February Progress, March Goals

Although I had good progress this month, I always wish it was better!  I did have 4 finishes (the last three of the Crazy January Challenge) plus one more.  I also made a lot of jam, so that cuts into my stitching time, and I drove down to Carbondale and back, so two days of hardly any stitching.  March will be better!

February 2019

WISPS:
Antique Map and Needlebook
Heirloom Christmas Sampler
Oveture II 

In Progress

Merry Bells #1 
Hardanger Heart 
Diamond City Lights

Crazy January starts

#8 (perpetual calendar) Presents  finished
#9 (perpetual calendar) finished
# 9 Linens and Things Mystery Sampler finished

Future Maynia Starts
1.       New design model for Sue
2.       Stocking for Eleanor
3.       Candy Corn #2
4.      Foxy Fob
5.       Ambrosia Honey
6.       Scissors case
7.       May flower of the month
8.       June flower of the month
9.       July flower of the month
10.   French alphabet page
11.   Hardanger runner
12.   Hardanger ornament
13.   Snowman Heart
14.   Marnee Ritter Heart
15.   Gingerbread heart
16.   Snow Sampler
17.   Foxy Fob
18.   Heart of Hearts
19.   Tree of Ornaments

Future New starts
Mystery Sampler part 10  finished
Mystery Sampler part 11  worked on it
Large Bargello Ball #2
Small Bargello Ball #2
Winds of Grace (6 of them)
Towmater x 2
Lightning McQueen x2
Cupcake ornaments:
                Logan
                Natalie
                Owen
                Peter
                Justin
                Nathan
Spring
Summer
Winter
Crystal Violets
Peter’s stocking
Mark & Karen’s wedding sampler
Tony & Melissa’s wedding sampler
Carnival
Walking on Water’s Edge

March 2019

WISPS:
Antique Map and Needlebook
Heirloom Christmas Sampler
Oveture II 

In Progress

Merry Bells #1 
Hardanger Heart 
Diamond City Lights
Mystery Sampler part 11

Future Maynia Starts

1.   New design model for Sue
2.   Stocking for Eleanor
3.   Candy Corn #2
4.   Foxy Fob
5.   Ambrosia Honey
6.   Scissors case
7.   May flower of the month
8.   June flower of the month
9.   July flower of the month
10.   French alphabet page
11.   Hardanger runner
12.   Hardanger ornament
13.   Snowman Heart
14.   Marnee Ritter Heart
15.   Gingerbread heart
16.   Snow Sampler
17.   Foxy Fob
18.   Heart of Hearts
19.   Tree of Ornaments

Future New Starts

Large Bargello Ball #2
Small Bargello Ball #2
Winds of Grace (6 of them)
Towmater x 2
Lightning McQueen x2
Cupcake ornaments:
                Logan
                Natalie
                Owen
                Peter
                Justin
                Nathan
Spring
Summer
Winter
Crystal Violets
Peter’s stocking
Mark & Karen’s wedding sampler
Tony & Melissa’s wedding sampler
Carnival
Walking on Water’s Edge