Bits of Fancy

Jelly Roll Garland

Lori Summers — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 19:10:33 +0000

I’m tired of the same old crinkly, boring garland and wanted something a little different this year. I looked around and saw some Christmas Jelly Roll strips that haven’t made their way into a project yet. I draped some around my tree and added just a few ornaments and viola! A country, homey, festive tree. I love it!

Crock Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches

Lori Summers — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 15:50:52 +0000

Next week I get to travel to my home town. Chicago. I’ve been living in Texas for 7 years now and I’m learning to adjust. The summers are hot. I mean hot. This year we had over 70 days of triple digit temps. Around August the grass turns brown. The leaves begin to wilt. My roses don’t want to bloom. If any fellow Texans are reading this please please give me some pointers on how to keep my flowers blooming! But I digress.

Back to my home town. What I really miss and can’t get here. Anywhere. Is a good italian beef sandwich. If any of you live or have been to chicago and have eaten at Portillos, you know what I mean.

Here I am, the last time I went home…..

Yep, that’s me stuffing my face. I’m not home 12 hours before I have to go to Portillos and get my fix. My family knows this and they plan accordingly.

Since there is not an italian beef worth honking about in Texas, I have to make do with my own family recipe. I thought I would share it with you today.

3-4 lb pot roast

2 cups water

2 beef bouillion cubes

1 tsp. onion salt

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. oregano

Cook roast in crockpot on low overnight. In the morning, tear meat into small pieces. Leave the meat juice in the crockpot and add all other ingredients to the meat. Simmer in crockpot for 4-5 hours or until ready to eat. Serve on Kaiser rolls or french bread.

You can add mozzerella or cheddar cheese if you want a cheesy beef. Also, sweet green peppers to give it a little kick.

Enjoy!

The Sky is Filled with Butterflies

Lori Summers — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 18:51:35 +0000

My backyard has been taken over by butterflies. They cluster around my (aptly named) Butterfly Bush. They dance on the early autumn breezes and circle around my dog’s head. It the annual monarch migration and they are headed south, like we all wish we could do, for the winter. Down to Mexico they go.

Did you know….

A monarch weighs about 1/2 a gram

They do not fly in the rain

Their wings can flap between 5 and 12 times per second

Females fly erratically to avoid the male. They don’t want to be caught!

They are the only insect that can fly 2500 miles to reach a warmer climate

hmmmmm. I’m thinking about designing a butterfly quilt to commemorate this event!

The Art of the Block

Lori Summers — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:39:25 +0000

I’ve finished the main top for what will become my son’s quilt. I have to set it aside while I ponder what colors to make the borders. On to another fun project.

Last year one of my first purchases as a new quilter was a bunch of fat quarters. I fell in love with the colors in Blush by BasicGrey for Moda.

BasicGrey Blush

I played around with some techniques and ended up setting the fabric aside. I didn’t want to ruin them with my unskilled attempts. They were just too pretty!

Around the same time, a friend of mine was going through her books and sent me a bunch that she thought I might enjoy. One book in particular caught my eye. Block by Block by Beth Donaldson. The book was written in 1995 and the technique for piecing sampler blocks is easy to understand.

Block by Block by Beth Donaldson

I came across the book again last week and decided to attempt a few blocks. The first block is the Variable Star that you see on the cover of the book. I was amazed at how easy it was to put together. Of course, my points aren’t perfect, but I love it.

Next I’m working on the Schoolhouse block. What I really like about a sampler is you can work on it and then set it aside to come back to later. Which is a good thing because I really need to get started on my Christmas Stockings!

Trip Report San Diego

Lori Summers — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 22:30:46 +0000

Traveled to San Diego last week for a meeting. We managed to get some sightseeing done in the early evenings and ate some really REALLY good food.

First stop was Mission Beach. I needed to feel sand in my toes after being land-locked for so long.

Dinner the next night was at a place called The Strip Club. Now, before you get all excited, it’s a steak place. see….

Now I didn’t know until we walked in that I had to cook my own steak!

Hmmm, a restaurant where you have to cook your own food. It was actually a lot of fun. The group I was with stood around the grill comparing technique and grilling savvy. Mine turned out pretty good! Or maybe by the time it was cooked I was so hungry I didn’t care….

Next night we decided to trek over to Coronado Island. I’ve been there before with Brilliant Guy and it’s one of our favorite vacation spots.

Coronado Bridge

Walkway next to the famous Hotel Del Coronado

Hotel Del Coronado

We stopped at a great restaurant called Miguels and I had the best Fish Tacos ever. I mean really. ever. Now that I think of it, maybe it was the margarita made with 1800 Don Julio Tequila that made everything else taste so good. I mean yummy yummy yummy. Had a great time and can’t wait to go back. But I had to get home. My family missed me.

Rufus

Eating habits and other things bad for you

Lori Summers — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 17:50:56 +0000

I just realized that I’ve eaten nothing but junk for 3 days. My insides are not happy. I feel like crap. I’m well passed the age that I can eat whatever I want and damn the consequences. So I wonder, can I change my eating habits for the better? Does my desire for a healthier life outweigh my craving for sugar and salt? Is it possible to actually try the recipes in the many many many cookbooks that Brilliant Guy uses for his hospitality business?

Can I ignore the inner voice that tells me “I want to eat and I want it now”? I tell myself that with my schedule I don’t have time to plan and shop and cook. I don’t have the basics in my pantry that healthy recipes call for. In my freezer is frozen ground beef. In my panty is a box of hamburger helper and a bag of chips.

I don’t exercise. ever. I tell myself that when it cools off outside I’ll go for a walk. I never do. I join a gym only to go once. I lament to my friends how I never have time or the inclination to do the things I know I need to do to be healthier and feel better. I want to feel better. I don’t want to sit down on the couch every Saturday morning catching up on TV shows I missed that week eating chips and dip. I want better. I need better.

So can I be better? Can I take the necessary steps to be all that I can be?

Pay it Forward Play along

Lori Summers — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 20:22:14 +0000

I have just seen this fun idea over on Lilabelle Lane and think it would be such fun to participate. Who doesn’t love a surprise parcel? This is the thing: I promise to send a surprise gift to the first three people to comment on my post. This gift will be made with my own two hands and sent sometime within the next year. I do like to be organised so you are more likely to get it sooner rather than later but exactly when will remain a surprise.

Of course there are some rules in this game. Here it goes:Rules:
1. I will make a little something for the first 3 people that comment on this post. It will be a surprise and may arrive at any time in the next 365 days (yes, a year).

2. To sign up to receive a gift from me you must play along too. Share the giving love on your blog by promising to send a handmade goodie to the first three people that comment on your blog post.

3. You must have a blog.

4. After commenting on my post, you have to post this (or similar) on your blog to spread the love.

I don’t know if three people will even get around to commenting on this, but I will say that if you find this post 6 months from now and only 2 people have left a comment, you can still be commenter #3 and get a random goodie from me! When you comment, I’ll email you and get your address and then you should get something from me sometime before next October.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

I’m Leaving On a Jet Plane

Lori Summers — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 18:45:19 +0000

I love that song! Monday I leave again. More traveling for work. Over the past ten months I’ve made sixteen trips for work and there is no end in sight.

this is a familiar scene

hey…where’s she going now?

I’m heading for San Diego. One of mine and Brilliant Guy’s all time favorite places. This time though he’s unable to join me. = (

I hope to hit the beach a little in the evening as it’s been years since I’ve dipped my toes in the surf and sand. That reminds me, I need a pedi before I go.

San Diego has such rugged beauty, all hills and surf and cliffs. I’ll take as many pictures as I can so I can show you all. Too bad I have to work!

The Stockings were hung…..

Lori Summers — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 19:56:49 +0000

Well, they will be hung by the chimney with care. I need to quilt them first! I have a Jelly Roll and yardage. I’m using Basic Grey’s Jovial by Moda.

Now I just need to come up with a pattern that fits my mood.

And hope I’ll finish before it’s time to decorate. I’m not the fastest quilter. In fact quilting is just my excuse to buy fabric!

After all…………………….

Am I right ladies??

I can SEE says the blurry eyed quilter

Lori Summers — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 15:54:57 +0000

Check this out. Saw it while reading the ModaFabric Newsletter . This is the photo from the newsletter so please take a moment and click on the link to get more information. I can’t wait to try it.

I’ve been using an OttLite shoved up against the back of my machine. It sometimes gets in the way. I want this light kit and I want it now! Here is my machine.

Just look at the difference. Not only will I be able to see projects more clearly maybe (just maybe) my stitches will be straighter. I’ll also have more room on my work table. YAY!!