Giveaway at Freckled Whimsy!!!

If I'm really, really lucky I could win a GO!Cutter!!  Want a chance to win?  Here ya go!!

http://www.freckledwhimsy.com/2010/08/its-giveaway-time.html

Hurry!!  The drawing is tomorrow at 9:00 PM CST!

Good luck!!

Where Does The Time Go?

Wow...I can't believe it's been so long since I've had a chance to blog.  I've kind of missed it.  :o)  AND I see I have new followers!!  THANK YOU SO MUCH!!  Christine!!!!  I hope you've been getting some sewing done! I'm sure it's hard with your little guys.  One day you'll be like me and sending you're youngest one off to college and sit back and wonder...."Where has the time gone?"  They are so not kidding when they say kids grow within the blink of an eye.  And Julie S!!!!  I'm glad you like the fabric on the Halloween quilt.  Hhhmm....I wonder who that one is going too?  LOL

This weekend was pretty emotional.  Our youngest son, Justin, has moved off to college for the next two years.  We are so proud of him.  Saturday we took a drive an met him.  We had to get all of his groceries, cleaning supplies, dishes and household items he didn't have...all that good stuff.  Then we took him out to eat.  His apartment is very nice and I feel much better after seeing where he will be.  On the way home he sent me a text.  It said, "Thank you for coming up here today.  I couldn't ask for any better parents.  I love you guys".  And boy...did that open up the flood gates!!  He's been a bit of a stinker these past few weeks, but it's a 'guy' thing....his way of dealing with the fact that he 'thinks' he doesn't need his parents anymore...little did he know....lol.  But I am so glad he is an independent young man.

So...since it's been a while since I've been on here, I thought I would share a recipe that is really yummy!  If you have some jalapeno's from your garden, along with some red bell peppers, this is a great recipe.  I LOVE it on cream cheese and then spread on crackers.  I got it from www.allrecipes.com.

Red and Green Christmas Jalapeno Jelly

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped jalapeno pepper
• 5 cups white sugar
• 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 1 (6 fluid ounce) container liquid pectin

Directions

1. Remove stems, veins and most of the seeds of the bell and jalapeno peppers. Mince peppers in a food processor.
2. In a 5-quart pot over high heat, combine bell peppers, jalapenos, sugar and vinegar. Bring to a rolling boil; boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
3. Stirring constantly, add the pectin and let mixture continue to cool for 2 minutes more. Now stir for 1 minute.
4. Pour into hot, sterilized jars and top with sterilized lids. Secure lids with bands and allow jars to cool slowly, creating a vacuum seal.

And all my jars popped!  I love that sound!  I read some of the reviews and got some good ideas for this, like use it for glazed  ham, ribs, pork chops and chicken.  I'll have to give it a try!

So...that's the moon peaking through the trees.  I think it's telling me it's time to go to bed.  Until the next adventure...keep looking up and thinking positive!!

The Amazing Concert

Okay...as I mentioned in an earlier post, I went to a concert, but I didn't tell you who....I'll fill you in on the first two acts.  The first was Justin Moore.  If you like country music then you know he sings Backwoods.  He was crazy full of energy!  What a way to start the show!  But I have to tell you...my friend purchased floor tickets.  Now mind you, I don't normally get a seat on the floor because I like to see, but did we ever end up being the lucky winners!!  We were supposed to be in section D, which was a little way back from the stage.  Well, they had to use that area to set up their sound system, so they moved us.  Where did they move us to, you ask?  RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE  CENTER STAGE!!!  The center stage protruded out from the main stage.  But to get a glimpse of what I'm talking about, look at this picture:

Um...yeah...that's my head.  I think my excitement scared the camera! (I was a bit of a sneak and brought my son's camera because his fits in my pocket...mine doesn't!)  LOL  But yeah...we had it going on!  "Did you touch the stars?" you ask?  Heck ya we did!!  Cowboy boots never felt so good!  :o)

Justin did a GREAT opening act.  He definitely didn't disappoint!  Then...after the crowd was all warmed up, the next act came on.  We were all 'hootin' when he came on stage (yep...that was a hint)

The one and only Darius Rucker (formerly known as Hootie)!!!  OH YEAH!!!

And then....after the crowd was all crazy...the main attraction came out of 'the water'............................

For this concert, our seats just couldn't have been better.  How else was I going to get this sweet picture of Mr. Brad Paisley????

YEAH BABY!!!!  It was a GREAT night!!  Good friends, good music and a memory of a lifetime!!!  Until the next Adventures of the Singing Quilter..............lol
xoxoxo

Very Pretty Tag Giveaway!!

Hello!

I know this isn't the post about the concert event I attended, but I wanted to share a giveaway with you.  These tags are so cute, so you should hop on over to this and sign up!!  I love stuff this sort of thing!!!  Good luck!

Happy Sunday!!
Cindy

Fun Things To Do!

Hello World!!  So I've been busy doing more sewing.  I just can't get enough of it!  I am participating in another quiltalong (as I mentioned in an earlier post that there was more to come on the third project I was starting).  I'm doing a Charm Pack Quiltalong by Karrie Lyne.  She is a sweatheart!!  Plus she just had her first Moda Bakeshop Tutorial posted.  I highly suggest you check it out.  I can't wait to have a free moment to make that quilt.  It's so cute!  Below are the fabrics I'm using (Thimbleberries Pumpkin Hill along with Kona Crush Natural).  I thought I would be fun to make a Halloween quilt since I haven't done one yet.  Fall is my absolute favorite time of year!  So...125 HST later, this is what I have...

I just finished squaring them all up last night, so these were obviously taken before the squaring was done.  :o)  I am sure glad she gave us two weeks to get that part done. :o)  Thanks, Karrie Lyne!  But if you're interested, it's still not too late to join the fun!  Just click on the charm pack link about and get busy!!

Another fun thing I did was make this CUTE notebook holder from one of my blogger friends, Melissa. This was so easy to make and I couldn't be more pleased with how it turned out!!  I was so excited to make it that I forgot to do the top stitch on it!! LOL  You can find this pattern in her Etsy store.  I just love her creativity and kindness.  I HIGHLY recommend  her stuff!!

Let me know if you make one. I'm going to make more because I think that are a great little item to have around...plus I have lots of fabric that needs something done with it, and this is the perfect project!  Thanks, Melissa!!

Well...I'm off to go pull weeds.  The heat is not too bad this morning, so I thought I should get that done before I start doing housework.  The fun just never ends in the Smith house!  :o)  I will try to blog again as soon as I can because I have a GREAT concert review for you!  Wait until you see my pics from that night!!  WOW!

Hugs to you all!!!!!
Cindy

My Latest Projects

Just thought I would update  you on the quilting projects I've been doing.  Way back when (of course, when I say, "way back when", I do mean AFTER the dinosaurs.) I posted the fabrics I'd be using (Kansas Troubles Winter line) for the online quiltalong at p.s. I quilt.  Well, I'm working on putting the sashing and border on now.  But I thought I would go ahead and show you the lay out:

Now keep in mind, as I said, I am adding the sashing strips and border, so this is just a rough draft of what's to come.  :o)  I'm thinkin this pretty rad!

My new project is the Summer Star Sampler 2010.  The instructions are given every Tuesday for two blocks.  I just completed week two...BEFORE next Tuesday!  LOL  I'm pretty proud of myself for that one!  But this gives me time over the weekend to finish my pinwheel quilt, so I need to stay on top of my game.  :o)  I think juggling two quilt projects (soon to be three!...more to come on that one) has to be WAY worse then trying to juggle two men at the same time.  Just sayin...  Here's the new quilt:

This fabric line is Holiday Happy by Happy Zombie (with additions of other fabric lines if needed for contrast).  If you've never viewed  her blog, you really should.  OMG....LOVE this gal!!  She totally cracks my stuff up!!  My dream is to meet her in person some day.  I think we would be the life of the party.  :o)  Gosh...to me that would be like meeting the Barbra Streisand of the quilt world.  **sigh**  I got to meet Patrick Lose whose my other hero and he now calls me his friend....~~swoon~~.  So dreams do come true!  :o)  I'm incorporating his fabric into this quilt as well.  His blue Fizz is in the blue block on the bottom right corner.  I just love the quilting world!

Until the next adventure of the Singing Quilter...I wish y'all best stitches from my needle to yours!  (you guessed it...I LOVE Paula Deen too...you know...when she says, "I wish y'all best dishes from my kitchen to yours"! LOL)
xoxo

Flying into Vegas

So I just had to share these pictures I took when flying to Vegas.  I can't wait to get a new computer so I can put my Photoshop Elements 8 on it.  Ooooooo....the things I will be able to do with that!!  I love dabbling in photography.  Not that I need another thing to dabble in...I'm busy enough...but it's just so much fun!  So, enjoy the view!