My friend, Mary Ann

Some of you already know this but I am so blessed to work with some amazing ladies. Like I have said before, "I love my job" and Mary Ann Nelson happens to be one of the reasons why I love it so much. She makes the quilt shop warm and comfortable with her friendship. She's a friend to everyone the minute they walk through the door. She is very dedicated to her job and her love for quilting flows over to so many. Every year at this time, the Art Museum sponsors a quilt show. Our "Mary Ann" just happens to have her amazing Twilight quilt there. Just a few more days and the show will be closing. If you haven't been, make sure you stop in before heading to the Corn Wagon.Mary Ann was featured in the Daily Herald over the summer. Take a minute or two and learn more about my friend. The link is www.heraldextra.com/news/local/south/springville/

Her quilt is beautiful just as she is, inside and out. Thanks Mary Ann for filling my days with your love and laughter. I'm glad I can call you my friend.

And while I'm on the subject of friends I would like to express my sympathy to all my dear Bee friends in the Netherlands who lost our friend Cisca day before yesterday. I am so glad I had the opportunity to meet Cisca last March when I traveled with them to Pennsylvannia. Her memory will always be tucked away in a special place inside my heart. I was only around Cisca for five days but I could tell what a fun, loving lady she was. So caring of her friends in the Bee. I am so thankful that I took plenty of great pictures to look back on and remember her friendship. Thanks Cisca for the long distant friendship. I will miss you.

Things I did @ Girl's Camp!

This is my sewing station while away at Girl's Camp. I had the whole week to work on some projects that needed to get done. The theme of this years camp was "It's a Jungle Out There", so my machine fit in perfectly. This is the first project I decided to dig into. I ran out of orange thread to do the casing on front and I just haven't gotten around to finishing it here at home. It's going to be one cute bag though when it does. I want to use this one for a fall bag and that will be here before you know it. So I must hurry, huh!

I pieced together this little baby quilt for the shop. It's called "Little Man" from the Simplify book from Camille Rosekelly. Easy, peasy to make. I have cut kits for these if your interested. The fabric is Michael Miller.These next bags were so simple to make. The name is the Peek a Boo bag and they are a great little bag for gadgets, make up, school supplies, treats. Just about anything. I have never sewn on the vinyl before and it was a breeze. I don't know why I have waited so long to make them. These are going to be in the fall line up of bag classes at the Corn Wagon. I believe this is the class for November. Won't they make great Christmas gifts? Watch for more details on the class.

I'm so happy how this quilt turned out. I took it with me to bind and I achieved that one afternoon sitting under the shade visiting with the girl's. For reference it's made from the Peace on Earth Woven's from 3 Sisters, that was out almost 4 years ago. My 75% off find in St. George one winter.

The back is a solid tan that I had in the stash. I wanted something simple so the quilting I had picked out would show good. Ramona quilted it with an all over bandana paisley. Love her paisley's!And this is how it looks on the trailer bed. This was the whole purpose of this quilt. Can you believe I actually had a purpose this time. I have charms packs leftover and I think they are shouting pillow shams. There's one more thing to add to the list.

And the last item completed is another bag. This is the Big Shopper by Whistle Pig Designs. It will also be in the bag class line up. Watch for it in December. It's a very roomy bag for all of those sewing projects or as the name suggests, shopping!There are pockets all the way around the inside and the draw string closure tab is optional.

So lot's of projects checked off the list during the week. Now if there were about 5 or 6 more I would be "SEW" happy. One of the first ones done, the baby quilt I did is already back from the quilter and bound.

It's got Moda Cuddle Soft on the back and I bound it in the stripe. What is it about stripes? I just love them for bindings. I just know any quilt bound in a stripe is going to be cute.

And here's proof of another one. Happy Sewing everyone. It's good to be back in the swing of things.

Baking time!

Let's go back to the first part of July. I know it's about time isn't it? Angie had asked if I would make the Texas Sheet Cakes for the wedding. And of course I felt this an honor to do so. The kitchen at the White house was turning into a bakery. I have never made so many cakes in one day, hum it really makes you appreciate our fine bakers out there that get up so early every morning so we can have the yummy bakery goods that we do. I don't think I want to become a baker anytime soon. So let's get started should we. First you need all of these ingredients. And oh, I'm making 8 of them. And when it's all done it turns out something like this. First one out of the oven, it's perfect. 1 down, 7 more to go.

When Angie and I were at Orson Gigi I had picked up a couple of plastic lids for the sheet cake pans. What a nice invention the folks at Gigi's have come up with. You can now take your pans on the go with out tin foil and having your frosting stick to it. Stuart and I were in the area right before so I made him stop and get enough to go on the girl's pans that I had to borrow. Isn't this a pretty sight. And we had to wait until Saturday to eat one. The smell was heavenly around here.

And what do you do with a little of extra frosting. Well, my dad always made a sweet treat out of soda crackers and frosting. I hadn't done this in a long, long time. This is for you dad. Just how I remember them. Salt and sweet together, yummy!

I've included the recipe for the cake here, just in case the pictures were to much for you and you can't stand the temptation.

Texas Sheet Cake

Sift together: 2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1/2 tst. salt

Bring to boil: 4 Tbsp. cocoa

2 squares margarine

1 cup water

Mix all ingredients together, add 1 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

1 tsp. soda

Bake at 400, for 20 to 25 minutes

Frost while warm.

Frosting

1 cube margarine

4 Tbsp. cocoa

6 Tbsp. canned milk

Add 1 lb. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Enjoy everyone, we sure did! We ended up bringing 5 of them back home with us. Wow did the White house baker over estimate. But with those new handy, dandy lids they sure did stay fresh, they almost made it 2 weeks.

Pioneer Day!

Let's get caught up on a few happenings around here, should we. I don't know where the time has gone. Here we are in the middle of August and I am just getting to the 24th of July festivities. Like we always have we attended the rodeo two nights. The first night was a beautiful evening.

Our good friends Bonnie an Doc joined as did some of the family.

Jacob and Angie.

The parade on the 25th. The kids like to sit up high with Grandma and especially because Grandpa keeps bringing the treats from the station.

My favorite part of the parade. Watching the stars and stripes go by. I don't know about you but I get all tingly inside when the colors are posted. What a great country and city to live in.

My sister, Tamara was lucky enough to be in the parade this year. It was her 40th class reunion. She's having to much fun, don't you think? Fourth one over on the top row. Way to go Tamara!

Angie just clowning around. She's a funny girl, isn't she?

The rodeo that night looks a little bit iffy. The black clouds and wind came up just about starting time.

Karas having some fun before the rain came.

And Angie got her donut bites. Yummy, yummy.

Hatch and Thayne talking to the clowns is always one of the highlights of the rodeo.

It did get cold and rainy. We ended up leaving the rodeo early. I think that's a first in about 23 years. We tried to stay covered, but my umbrella was constantly in Stuart and Angie's face. And you can't enjoy the show that way! We brought Karas and Thayne home with us to play while the others waited it out. Better luck next year, I hope.