Shiver me Timbers

Ahoy me hearties!

Avast ye, weigh anchor, and hoist the mizzens.

Yo-ho-yo-ho a pirates life fer...

There is more, trust me.  Just type how to talk like a pirate and more info and pirate phrases than you ever wanted to know is at your finger tips.  I will try and restrain myself as much as possible.

But blow me down, this is my oldest's pirate quilt and I'm pleased as punch with it.  The colors are girly but the prints are not overly so.   Mostly just geometric or batiks.  The fabric is joyful and striking and I love the old timey atlas panels.  Plus, how fun are narwhals, mermaids and girl pirates?

This is one of the most balanced quilts I have made.  See, I am learning as I go and getting better (I hope) with every quilt I make.  There's quite a lot of white space to guide the eyes from image to image and an equal amount of prints to solids.  Every square on square block has a print and a solid, but the solids are always on the bottom to keep the eye moving in the right direction.  I used 3 different shades of solid purple to border the ship prints.  It makes it a little more interesting.  And, just look how cute it looks in her room with the lavender walls and wrought iron bed.  Gasp.  Love.

I designed this to have the three atlas panels going straight down the middle with fun blocks surrounding them.  The atlas panels are my favorite part of this quilt and it's perfect because My Oldest loves maps.  She will play with Google map and go all over the world, exploring.  We even tried the African Sahara....didn't work so well.

I was able to use a bunch of my gorgeous scraps for the half square triangles in the square in square blocks which I found to be tons of fun and a ginormous mess because I had to practically rip all my fabric off the shelves to look at it and then leave it in a heap while I sewed.  No time to tidy,  I'm crafting here.  The Mister practically died every time he looked in my room.

Then just don't look in when you're down here.

But, I have to walk past your dang blasted, pig sty of a craft room to get to my office.

Pshaw!  You can work at the kitchen table.  Let's be reasonable,  I cannot work like this!!!  I need to be free to create in chaos.  You have to love me for who I am.  Messy craft rooms/sweat pants and all.

Sigh.  Can you at least close the door?

Deal!

I loved mixing and matching my scrap prints to the solids I was using: pink, light blue and purple.  The dimensions for this quilt were actually designed around the square in square blocks.  Once I got the dimensions worked out for those, I figured everything else out from there.

This quilt took quite a long time to make.  1- Because the square in square blocks were quite time consuming because of all the bitty half square triangles and lots of cutting was involved.  2- I took my sweet time about it.  I had other things going on and so would get back to this one WHEN I GET TO IT!  (I may have gotten pestered a time or two about getting a move on)  3-  It's BIG with a lot of blocks.  Things like this take time.  4-  I hand quilted it, which I really enjoyed.  The fabric is so soft and pretty that I was glad I really got to play with it a lot.

I used the fabric collection: Out to Sea by Michael Miller

It's still available and if you are interested in how to make this quilt, shoot me a comment and I'll get back to you with destructions.

Thanks for stopping by ye bilge rats.  Sorry.  I don't really think you're bilge rats.  Love ya.

Heather

Thanks, Chickens.

There is a lot of good that comes with having chickens.

I get gorgeous, high-quality eggs every single day in a rainbow of colors.  I know my chickens roam around, peck the ground and eat all kinds of creepy crawlies that strengthen the healthful qualities of their eggs.  I get the pleasure of watching them wander around, pecking and babbling to each other.  Watch them as they race across the yard at full speed, wings splayed, to chest butt anyone in their way.

Buuuttttt....there are some drawbacks.

If you have chickens, they will dig and scratch and make a complete disaster of your yard.  This is just part of the mess they have made.  Rocks and ground cover all over the lawn instead of where they should be, in the flower beds and borders. Thanks, chickens.

Side rant.  Do you see all the raspberries that are deciding my grass is the perfect place to spread? Yeah....not awesome.  Couldn't they spread in the flower beds where I would appreciate them?  Guess once we put all the rocks and bark back, we'll mow them down and see what happens.  Thanks, raspberries.

Back to original rant...

sigh

My gooseberry bush.  Pecked to bare branches.  Only bits of green left. If you'll notice I am trying (unsuccessfully, I might add) to keep the chickens away.  The tomato cage, T-Ball stand and one of Ginger's bowls haven't exactly turned out to be the super good gooseberry bush protectors I was hoping for.  At least they've stopped them from digging and exposing the roots.  Thanks, Chickens.

This is my hope of harvest, this bit of green.  Think I'll get a handful of berries?  Luckily the thorns are growing and maybe that will deter them.

To try and change their taste buds, I ripped off a handful of tarragon and tossed it in.  

Yay!  Snacks!!  

Wait....what the hell is this?

Come on chickens, eat the tarragon!!  You can eat all of it!  I grow it for you.

Whatever, we're totes out of here!  Come back when you've brought us some bits of ham and cucumber shavings.

Thanks, Heather!

Oh yeah, well, right back at you, thanks, Chickens!

Heather

Deers are Very Versatile

My house is being over-run by deers.  And yes, I know deer is the plural, but I like calling them deers.  More fun.

Pretty pillow.

On my Deer Quilt I used multiple strips of fabric for the deer head.  I love the look.

But, sometimes simple is preferred.  I can get this pillow sewn up in an hour, lickity split, using just one fabric for the deer.  Perfect to give as a gift.

I love deer for two reasons...at least.  I am sure I love them for more, but here's two reasons why I love them.

1.  My sister and I have a game called the Dead Deer Game...Don't judge.  I am from the foothills in deer country and if you don't hit a deer in the twilight, sometime in your life, you can't call yourself a Utahn.  So the game is this:  You watch for any sign of a dead deer on the side of the road or in the brush.  You call it by hollering: "Dead Deer!!!"  And you keep track of how many dead deer you see in a season.  Dead deer season goes from about November to March.

The kicker is, if you call, oh, let's say a piece of carpet, then you have to deduct two dead deer points from your tally.  You've got to keep an eagle eye.  It's tricky because you'd be surprised how many bushes look like dead deer.   How many discarded chairs look like dead deer.  How many mounds of just dirt look like dead deer.  And if, say, you accidentally call a dead coyote thinking it's a dead deer....minus two points. And, you can only call a deer once.  So, you have to keep careful track of which dead deer you have called and make sure to inform your sister that she CANNOT call the dead deer on the off ramp to Mom's house because, well, you already did. 

Oh yes, one more thing....stray dogs count as a dead deer.  But it has to be an actual stray dog and not a dog simply walking a few steps in front of its owner.  Again, if you call a stray dog and isn't a stray....minus two...well I think you get the idea.

2.  I grew up in deer country.   It is not unusual for a gazillion deer to be where you are.  I can remember one frosty, moon-lit night I was driving home at an unmentionably late hour and there was a herd of at least a couple hundred deer on the road and in the fields I was driving through.  It was so magical, I stopped and simply enjoyed the beauty of nature...until some jack-A honked at me to move.  

My children will have memories of being at Grandma's house, somebody shouting DEER, running to the windows and watching several deer, including fawns, wander through the yard on their way to greener pastures.  Oh and of having to watch where you step because of the pellets they leave behind.  Thanks, deer.

3.  I figured out a third reason why I like deer...sort of.  In the town I grew up in, they actually made it legal to hunt deer inside the city limits with bow and arrow.  Oh yeah!!  I can just envision the hunters now, tracking bucks between the picket fences and swing sets all decked out in their camo.  Good times.

Thanks for reading!

Heather

Promises, Promises....The Deer Quilt

I might just post pictures as this is my favorite quilt to date.  HA!  As if I wouldn't have words.

Each quilt I make is always my favorite as soon as I've made them, but this one....well, be still, my heart.

It is a Beating Hearth, original design and I couldn't be happier.  The bold colors and pattern really grab your attention.  I also like that I made it asymmetrical, but it certainly could be personalized any other way just by changing around the blocks to your liking.  I made a queen, but any quilt size can be made, including wall hangings of just the deer head.

This quilt is a mixture of piecing and machine applique and because the blocks are all 24.5 x 24.5 inches it is a fairly quick quilt to make, but still has serious impact!

The fabric I used is the gorgeous Innocent Crust by Anna Maria Horner.  I am so happy I saved myself...errr...this fabric for this quilt.  The Mister has declared it the first Man Quilt I have ever made. Shhhh....don't tell him I used such girly fabric.  The deer have obviously tricked him into thinking it's macho.

On my half square triangles, I wanted the pattern to be random...to a point.  If you'll notice I've got Innocent Crush fabric on the top triangles and a coordinating solid on the bottom triangles.  I also have them all pointing the same direction.  Random is good, but too random is bad as it confuses the eyes.  Having the pieces arranged precisely keeps the eyes moving, but not freaking out.

If you have never machine appliqued, this is a fun way to learn.  If you have never pieced a quilt, this is a fun way to learn.  The techniques are simple, but wow!

I am guessing by Monday I'll have this pattern up on Etsy.  So if you're interested, stop back and I'll have all the info you need so you can make this yourself.  I can just imagine it super manly with deep colors, all in solids or even girlier than this in pretty pastels. 

Thanks for stopping by deer readers!

Heather

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See what else you can do with this pattern...

Deer Head Pillow

Easter Pilllows

I have been teasing about my Deer Quilt.  It's coming.  Soon.  This week.  I promise.  I did give a small glimpse when I was cursing out the internet for existing.

But first, it's almost Easter, so the only thing to do....make pillows.  Easter pillows.

I spent all weekend basically, mitering corners.  If you look at the borders around each Easter critter...that's a mitered corner.  They're more involved than your standard border.  They look classier, but they're a pain in the tuckus.  I love them.  But I hate them.  But I love them.  I have a complicated relationship with my sewing.

Mitered corners.  So pretty, so mean.

I'm particularly happy with how they turned out because while they are pure Easter, baby chick cute, they've got a little edge to them.

And when I say my baby lamb pillow is edgy, just nod your head and go with it. 

I also think how freaking awesome these would be as a baby blanket.  Minus the choke-hazard tail.

My favorite part, speaking of choke hazards....has to be their tails.  Ugggh.  Cuteness overload!  Fabric rosettes, it cannot be helped.  I am getting my Etsy store up and running, so if anybody is interested, shoot me a line.  I'll let you know when things are ready to go....aka when the husband gets it figured out for me.

Happy tails to you
Until we meet again.

Happy tails to you
Keep Smiling until then...

Thanks for reading!

Heather

Back that thang up

Ahem....how much do you remember of the late 90's?  Maybe my sister will be the only one to appreciate the title of today's post....watching our free music channel, The Box...NOT MTV, because we didn't have cable in our apartment when we were going to "college", and rocking out to censored rap music.    We never called in to request anything, probably due to the fact that $0.99 at the time was a pretty significant chunk of change and we could go to the dollar show instead and watch "10 Things I Hate About You" with our homies.

...yeah...I just said I had homies.  Sorry.  Sometimes this Utah girl thinks she's really legit...too legit to quit.  Oh gosh...I think the fact that I just quoted MC Hammer makes me super not legit.  Do you know when I was in Elementary school, the boy I had a crush on wore hammer pants sigh (do you think I can convince The Mister to wear some?).  I also performed a rap in 6th grade.  I can probably sing it for you right now.

"We're in the 6th grade and we're really cool because we go to Highland Elementary School.
something something something
We go to lunch and we all get sick because the food tastes like a grated brick"

Ummmmmm....Yeah.  There's a reason I am not in the music biz.  In my defense, there were at least four other girls making this rap up with me.

Sad I can't remember the entire rap anymore.  Oh well, maybe it'll come to me.

I am working on the back for my AWESOME deer quilt that will be revealed....probably next week.  You know, it's probably rude of me to call something I made my own self, awesome, but I really, really like it. Almost as much as I like bad booty rap.

Don't look too closely at it, though.  See, I just started sewing and thought I had plenty of fabric, but I didn't. This is what happens when you just start sewing for fun and don't have an actual plan.  I started with the orchid fabric (which happens to be the color of the year, yay me), then had to switch to the darker purple to finish the blocks.  Then I thought I needed to put the corner squares in....but didn't as those made it too big.  So I started unpicking and then got tired of it.

So I just cut the excess fabric off on some of my blocks leaving the previous seam intact.  Urrgghhh...this is terrible sewing.  Don't do it.  But, it is what it is.  If I am sewing I have to enjoy it and I HATE un-picking.  I figured it's going on the back so nobody'll really see it anyway.  Seam remains and I don't give a fig.  I also left some of the corner pieces on some and on some...not.  Sorry for how wrinkly it is.  No time to iron, apparently.

Then I ran out of my green fabric for the outer triangles....Oh well.  I am perfectly happy with it.  I think the trees are cute.

Thanks for reading!

Heather

Blast you internet!!!

Do you ever get mad at the internet for existing?  For introducing us to these amazing people that we will probably NEVER GET TO MEET IN PERSON?  If not for the internet, I would be perfectly happy with my existence as is.  Cool, you know?

But, no.  I have to go and make these friends that I cherish and only hope that someday I'll actually get to have dinner across from them and enjoy a lady craft day together.

Karen from The Feral Turtle is one of these friends.  She has a tutorial on how to make your own pysankies...hope that's the plural... which are Ukrainian Easter Eggs and they are gorgeous and I am desperate to make them.  Of course, I have no supplies to make a pysanky and so want to go to her house and have a lady craft day together making them.  With her supplying the supplies and refreshments.  I'll bring the eggs.

This cool spider is something she sent me the other day.  I had done a post on a few of my beaded Christmas spiders, and crafty thing that she is went and figured out how to make them and has made them non-stop since.  Isn't the skull bead kind of rad?

No only that, but she also sent a homemade shampoo bar.  I had never heard of shampoo bars, but The Mister insists that I have to learn how to make them so my hair will always smell as heavenly as it has been since I started using it.

Karen is kind of like the woman I long to be.  Living in the country, making homemade soap, shampoo and wine and wielding power tools like a vixen.

My spider, who is named Bridezilla, has been hanging with me as I work on my latest project.

Go check her out, she's just crazy good...at EVERYTHING!

Thanks for reading.

Heather

How to hard boil a fresh egg...without making a complete and utter mess of it

Fresh eggs don't like to peel.  It's a known, hard-boiled fact.  We are told each year around Easter, when everybody wants to make deviled eggs and potato salad with their colored eggs to use older eggs or BEWARE THE PEELING!

As a chicken owner, I am fully aware of this as I only have fresh eggs.  So, here's the trick you can use for all eggs for easy and awesome peeling.

You need to punch a hole in the larger end of the egg.  Now, there's a trick to the trick.  There's a membrane in the egg, just under the shell that protects the yolk and white. You don't want to pierce this membrane.  So, insert your push pin just far enough that it goes through the shell, but not so far that it pierces the membrane.  It's easy, just be careful.

Bring a pot of water to boil.  Normally you put your eggs in cold water, not in this case.  So, after the water has boiled, gently lower your eggs in and let simmer for about 14 to 15 minutes.  You want to make sure there's enough boiling water to cover the eggs completely.  When time is up, set pot under running cold water and cool those eggs down so they don't continue to cook.  Prepare hard-boiled eggs to your liking and enjoy!

I have a push pin that is my designated shell piercing push pin.  I wash it after each use and keep it in my spice cabinet.

 See how easily the peel is coming off?  This is what I like to see!

If My Oldest was around, these would be gone in half a second.  That girl loves her some hard-boiled eggs.  She's a carnivore.  Doesn't like frosting on cake.  Would eat a steak over a cookie any day of the week.

Happy hard-boiling!

Heather

Scrambled Eggs with Roasted Asparagus

You know I mean spring when this is on the menu at my house.

Scrambled Eggs with Roasted Asparagus.

This is a very simple recipe but don't let that fool you as to its tastiness.  The simple recipes are the best.  Sometimes.  Okay, it's me we're talking about.  I love nothing more than fancy.  But, I do love simple too.

Preheat oven to 400 F
Wash a bunch of asparagus and cut into 2 inch pieces.
Place on cookie sheet and sprinkle with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
Roast for about 13 minutes. You don't want it mushy, but not exactly toothsome, either.

Grab some eggs, however many you need to feed your family.  Whip them up nicely.  Put a Tbl. or so of cold buttery cut into itty bitty pieces in the eggs. Stir.  Pour this into a COLD, non stick frying pan.  Turn heat on to medium and using a rubber scraper, cook your eggs until ALMOST done.  Add your asparagus.  Continue to fold eggs and asparagus together.

Enjoy!

These are the yolks from my farm fresh eggs  See how orange they are?.  I love to see this because I know it means my chickens are running around eating all the weeds and grasses and tender baby gooseberries leaves that have just emerged after a winter when I was sure my gooseberry plant was not going to make it thanks to excessive chicken pecking the fall before,  and bugs and digging up my plants and trees until their roots are exposed and I am sure they are going to meet an untimely demise just like the gooseberries, and...well, I am happy that my chickens are nice and healthy and free ranging it.  Means my eggs are that much healthier for us.

The reason they are so orange, so I've heard, is because of the chlorophyll in plants.

Thanks for reading!

Heather

Spring Equinox means eggs!

Remember these pretty ladies from about a year ago?

Well, now they look like this...

And do this to me EVERY SINGLE DAY!  Like, four to five a day.  My kids thought they could complain about the number of egg suppers we have in a week.  I reminded them,

We have chickens!  It means we're going to eat eggs...A LOT!

They got over it pretty darn quick and I haven't heard a complaint since.

So, in honor of the Spring Equinox, I'm going to devote my  next several posts to eggs.  Oh, and since today actually is the Spring Equinox, I'm going to blow your mind with some interesting facts.  Who doesn't love a good fact?

~The word equinox is Latin and means equal night.  So, twice a year the sun crosses directly over the equator and we have the same amount of day as night.  That's today.

~Spring equinox is all about fertility.  Makes sense right, what with everything starting to grow and make babies?  Well in Germany they celebrate a spring holiday all about fertility and the Saxon fertility Goddess Eostre, who has a couple things named after her: estrogen and Easter.

~And finally, there are a couple of almost universal symbols of spring and fertility, the rabbit and the egg.  They are both used to symbolize the season in many cultures. 

So, yay spring.

Heather

Fish Tacos. Just try it, you'll like it!

You either like fish tacos, or you don't.  Or so they say.  I have a theory that many people have just never tried a fish taco.  Like The Mister, for example.  I think he tried one for the first time last year and it pretty much blew his mind.  So when I mentioned that was what I was thinking about cooking this weekend, he was very excited.  I was nervous, because I'd never made them before.  They're easy.

And so tasty!  Seriously, make these

Fish Tacos
servings: approximately 8 smallish tacos
1.5 lb white fish, use what's fresh.  You could also use salmon and it would be amazing.
Taco Seasoning
Vegetable Oil
Corn Tortillas

Granishes (which make the taco)
Sour Cream
Guacamole
Cilantro
Lime
Pickled Red Onions (just thinly slice a red onion, cover with red wine vinegar and let sit at least 30 minutes)
Salsa, if you like.  I didn't use it, but I did garnish with copious amounts of everything else.
Shredded cabbage (I used a bag of coleslaw)

First thing, while your skillet is heating up make your pickled red onions.  Just slice your onion thinly, cover with red wine vinegar and set aside until ready to eat.  These pickled onions were amazing.

Preheat skillet over medium heat with a couple Tbl of oil.  Lightly salt your fish and dust them with Taco Seasoning...the cheater's way to season.  Cook your fish on both sides until done.  Mine stuck horribly to the pan so try to not have yours stick and make a mess of your fish.  You could bake or grill your fish as well. Crumble into large pieces.

Make guacamole.  I make cheater guacamole.  Dice up a couple of avocados, toss in a couple spoonfuls of store-bought pico de gallo, squeeze in the juice of a lime and add a sprinkle of salt to taste.

Warm up your corn tortillas.  You can lightly fry them or microwave them, whatever works for you.

Place the fish in tortilla.  Add a dollop of sour cream, a nice amount of guac, a couple cilantro leaves, several pickled onion slices, a smattering of cabbage for crunch and over all this, squeeze a touch more lime.

Yum!  Yum!  Yum!

Thanks for reading!

Heather

Colcannon....What I eat INSTEAD of corned beef

Not many people have eaten or even heard of colcannon.  I saw it in the newspaper many years ago and it has become a part of my yearly St. Patrick's feast tradition.  Mostly because it substitutes as my main course as I turn my nose up at corned beef.  Plus it's equal parts good and equal parts evil.  Cabbage and potatoes=good.  Butter and more butter=bad.  Oh...you throw in some ham and green onions to finish it off.

I decided after the first time I made this, that I had to throw the recipe I had away.  I am pretty sure it called for AT LEAST 2 sticks of butter.  I cannot justify that.  And I can't remember the meat, but it was a strange Irish delicacy like...boiled bacon or something.  So, I am going to give you my colcannon recipe.  I don't have exact amounts for everything....you gotta go with instincts on this one a bit.

Colcannon the Hearth way
Potatoes....a big pot of them, cut into smaller pieces
1/2 head of cabbage, chopped
4 Tbl butter.  2 Tbl. Butter, or whatever you feel is a good amount when adding it to mashed potatoes and 2 Tbl for your cabbage
Slosh or two of milk
Ham Steak
3 Green Onions, chopped
Salt and Pepper

Boil your potatoes until they are tender. about 20 to 25 minutes.  A fork should easily slide into them.  Drain. Meanwhile as you are boiling potatoes....

Saute your cabbage.  In a heavy skillet, melt the butter.  Toss the cabbage in, salt and pepper to taste.  Stir occasionally. Top with foil.  Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes until the cabbage is tender and beginning to brown.

While your cabbage is sauteing begin on your ham steak.  This is my favorite way to cook ham steak.  In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, either melt a Tbl. of shortening or veg oil.  Make sure it's good and hot.  Throw in ham steak.  Let cook until it's dark brown and caramelized and so, so yummy.  Turn over and cook other side.  Cool a bit.  Chop into small pieces. 

Chop up your green onions while everything is finishing up.

Time to assemble.

Mash the potatoes.  Add a bit of butter and a touch of milk until they are nice and creamy.  Salt and pepper to taste. If they're my potatoes they'll have a lump or two.  I am never patient enough to completely de-lump my mashed potatoes.

Fold in the cabbage and ham.  Taste as you go.  You will probably need to adjust the seasoning as potatoes are notoriously bland without salt.  You will also need to use your muscles to get everything mixed.

Top with green onions and enjoy a tasty Irish delight.

Thanks for reading!

Heather