SALing with Bep.....

After having to miss a month since Bep was on vacation, it was finally the long awaited date for our monthly SAL play date. I was up early as our house is being painted outside so had plenty of time to set the table before she arrived. Since we were starting a new project, I used this as a theme for the table.

I gave Bep a frame which is actually three frames hinged together as a gift during our last SAL day. I bought one for myself also as I thought it would be fun to create our own samplers in each of the three sections. We decided on a gardening theme for these and got started...

Part one is finished. I choose a row of carrots with a bunny sitting among them and Bep choose a birdhouse to sit in the field of carrots. We will each pick something to add to the first sampler until we feel it is full and the balance is right before we move on to the second sampler for the next section. Bet this is clear as mud? I will remember to take a photo of the frame next month.

Again going with the gardening theme, I had little wasp catchers (bottle with the cork top) as the table gift. Bep gave me the pretty plant stakes. I already have them placed in various plants in the house.

Lunch theme was stuffed pancakes. Dutch pancakes are thin and normally large...not quite as thin as a crepe and the size of a dinner plate. These were not large as we decided on pre-made pancakes instead of making them taking time away from stitching. *grins* The left photo is Bep's pancake which had chopped lettuce, sliced tomato, a slice of Brie and bacon bits on it. Just delicious! Our second pancake that I made was warm from the oven.

Spinach, mushroom and ricotta cheese pancakes
In a pan, fry 2 to 3 chopped green onions and about 7 sliced mushrooms. Add fresh spinach (125g or 1/4 lb) by the handful allowing it to wilt. Dice 2 slices of lunch ham and add to the spinach. Salt, pepper and ground nutmeg to taste. Spread ricotta cheese in the middle of a pancake. Place half the spinach mixture on the cheese and fold to close. Lay the pancake in a baking dish with the fold down. Grate Parmesan cheese over the pancake and place in a 180C/350F oven for about 15 minutes. Serve warm from the oven. Recipe makes two stuffed pancakes.

We loved both recipes and decided they would be great as a quick and easy summer meals for our husbands. I made my version for Jos already and he loved it. Same for Bep with hers and her husband.

This is Tamara...Bep's niece. She just got married and I loved this photo so much that I just had to share it with Bep's permission. Bep had been working for months on a wedding quilt with great personal meanings to Tamara and her future husband. I was really happy to help out a little by writing the label in calligraphy for Bep. She wrote a poem to use as the label. Isn't this so sweet that Tamara walked around with the quilt wrapped around her shoulders at the reception? I wish Tamara and Sebastian a long and happy life together!

Off the hook.....

A few UFOs finishes that are off the hook...the crochet hook, that is.

I had wanted to make a Wool Eater blanket but could not figure out the pattern past this second color. After about seven attempts, I gave up. Recently, I realized that it was just the right size to use as a teapot coaster. So this one has gone from UFO status to a usable item in the home.

When cotton yarn was on sale at the Lidl grocery store last year, I bought two packets of it. I wanted to try and create a bathmat as I was inspired by Sue who has made a couple of beauties. Using little hexagons, I crocheted combinations of the green, purple and beige yarn resulting in this...

I will be looking into a non-slip mat to place under the crochet mat to be sure it is safe. What a cheerful way to step out of the shower...

Anything on your hook at the moment?

Georgia's Perseverance

A new blog for me as my old blog AllMyScatteringMoments is full. This is my second change although I will not be deleting my blog so you can always still look back. I also have not deleted my first blog NeedleNecessities.

Back in May, I discovered that Cheri was having a doll QAL once again. I have made another of her designs but have to get it quilted but could not resist this one. When can I ever resist a doll quilt??? *grins*

I jumped in with both feet while I was having a hard time using my right hand. If you remember, I explained that there is a problem with the blood going into my hand. The doctor thought I had Raynaud's disease. I have been through a great deal of testing at the hospital which will continue again in July as it seems there is more on the hand (no pun intended) than the doctor thought. I am seeing a specialist who is having to play Dr. House at the moment. Is this important you ask? Yes as it has everything to do with a little change I made in the name of my quilt.

Here is Georgia's Perseverance. I added the word perseverance as that is exactly what I did while making it. I went right into quilting it as I wanted to prove to myself that my hand is going to be okay even if it means I have to stitch a little slower. And I am so pleased with my latest addition to my doll's armoire!

per·se·ver·ance/ˌpərsəˈvi(ə)rəns/

Noun:

Steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success. Continuance in a state of grace leading finally to a state of glory.

For the moment, I am keeping the quilt out on the dining room table as I thought it colored so nicely with my cherry pinkeep. Since cherry season is among us, I wanted to celebrate it.

Do you celebrate a season with something stitched or quilted?