Quilting Still lifes

I'm taking a series of classes on digital photography and photo editing. We had to take still life photos using different settings for the next class. So of course you wouldn't expect me to take pics of fruit bowls or the likes of that - would you????

Monday's Mini Quilt Top

This cutie measures 8x9" An insane amount of paper piecing for such a small piece.
It had me in fits a few times, I can wait to finish this one for the auction.....



After I fixed the one border....I would have been so mad if I started quilting it....

Call the Press I'm actually sewing

This is a wall hanging I started quilting last weekend. It's a Christmas present for a dear friend. I'm almost done hand quilting it (:


Here are two mini quilt tops I finished this weekend. I have a third started- paper piecing *yikes* They are for a mini quilt auction that will run during our quilt show in November. You know you buy books because they're cute. These are from 2 books I bought last year.

This one is from American Doll Quilts 16 Little Projects that Honor a Tradition by Kathleen Tracy


This one is from the book,Paper Pieced Mini Quilts by Wendy Vosters. I didn't paper piece this one though. It was an easy enough design to just enlarge using 2" squares.


There are two more mini quilts I'd like to make. I started one and I need to make a million hsts for the other

I started a photography class last week- been playing with some setting on camera. I tried taking a few of the cats
Nancy is a ham and doesn't mind her pic taken. Something with the flash bothers Moose and he moves







And DD and her date before the wedding they were going to this afternoon- such cuties. He was an hour late picking her up and wasn't a happy camper....

And how about those Jets???

Celebrating Life and Liberty

Yesterday Katie and I volunteered to help at a celebration of cancer survivors from Hackensack Medical Center held at Ellis Island. What a beautiful day it was. There was also a boat parade celebrating Henry Hudson discovering the what is now called the Hudson River. We got these rubber bracelets that allowed us free ferry rides between NJ 's Liberty State Park, Ellis and Liberty Island. I don't think I've been to the statue in 15 years. But Lady Liberty still looks great.....

There were 500 + survivors and guests.


































A clipper ship just looks weird with the NYC skyline behind it......

Jelly, salsa and liquers......

Second post in a day and neither is about quilting :(
Lately I've been working on other interests- like teaching myself to can, make jellies etc. For years I've been making liquers and flavoring vodkas that I use in holiday baskets.I came across a blog that taught you how make vanilla extract-I go through alot of extract baking each year and decided to start small with a half pint, it came out great! Now I need to get a dozen more vanilla beans to add to the holiday baasket list of things to make :)




I noticed over the weekend that herb garden container isn't doing as well as it was and decided to start drying what was there. Leaving a little bit of each herb so I still have some fresh. So far today the oregano, thyme and one rosemary plant have been dried. The house smells great with each different one. I want to make pesto and either freeze it or find out how to can it for the upcoming months.






Saturday I came up with a brillant (NOT) idea of making orange marmalade since it's one of my mom's favorites.
I scored and peeled about 6 oranges and then carefully cut away the pith, only to read today that I could have saved a ton of time using a vegetable peeler *sigh*




The point of making jams and jelly was to use in baskets at Christmas time.... Of course most of the jams are given away since everyone is amazed ( why I don't know) that I'm learning to can.




Tomorrow I'm going to a garden nursery with hubby to buy some plants to fill the holes in the gardens.....but maybe Thursday I'll get to do some more sewing- maybe actually get another star block done .....one never knows.

Take me out to the ball game......

Tearing down the old Yankee Stadium.....sigh




I was given 2 amazing seat tickets from one of my dear friends for the first game of Labor Day's games. Hubby said I should ask my Dad first. So Daddy and I got to spend some quality time together at the ball game. I think the last game I went to with Dad and family and friends was at Shea for a Yankee vs Mets game .





Me and my handsome Dad c:





Scarey Arod bobble head in the Yankee Team Store



Scarey Jeter bobble head



CC warming up.


No hits for Jeter so close to being the all time hits player for the Yankees.

The great hall from the other side. Remember in June I posted pics but that side is the older platers in black and white pics.....


The screening behind home plate is way different- so you still need to be careful of foul balls....

THe guy timing all the pitches for mph...most were in the mid 90's for both teams




The guy filming for the behind home plate shots


Pena got hit by a pitch in the first inning broke 2 fingers and is out for the year.



Evan L someone for the Rays- plays 3rd base. He got a HR in the first game.




All you hear is people banging on this guy's pan for good luck...he's been going to games since as long as I can remember. Definatly before DD was born.