Michelle's House...Quilt Group August 2009

This last Monday we met for Quilt Group at Michelle's home. A long awaited get-together at summer's end. School has been in for a couple of weeks, we are all home from vacation, and it is still BLAZING HOT outside. But it feels like the end right?????

Michelle is always the perfect Hostess and I, for one, looked forward to a day of sewing and visiting with my "best" quilt friends! Unfortunately, we missed Carol, Heidi, Val, and Andi. We need you guys to come!!!

There were some finished projects and some just beginning. Take a look at the talent.......!

Kim surprised us all with a new little "log cabin" quilt she began to work on in Payson this summer. We all really loved her colors..just cause they were warm and yummy! We are expecting to see this finished in September Kimmy!

Well, Michelle never disappoints...except we all go home thinking..."Does she have some extra time that we don't know about?" She always has something new to share with the "cute" factor. She made this Snowman wall hanging for a class she is teaching in her Ward. The cutest! It makes you panic to think Christmas is just around the corner!

Oh, but wait, another project from Michelle. A baby quilt that whipped up really fast! Yes, Michelle is the Master! We loved, loved this cute, comfy quilt for any new baby! I think she will be teaching that one too. Nothing is too difficult for this girl!

Marene is still working on the stunning quilt that has a million pieces and is tedious, but I can't wait to see the finished project. This is one of those quilts that are striking when finished. She sews so fast it is hard to keep up with her. One talented lady!
I always wait to see what Elaine brings. One of these days I will be able to do applique like she does. If I am not mistaking, that is her favorite thing to do. Hope so, cause she does these incredible quilts that take FOREVER! I could stand and stare at this forever. Beautiful!
These are some of the "applique" projects Elaine has been working on. Are they fabulous or what?

Well, what can I say.......Whew! finally finished! This quilt took me FOREVER to make and FOREVER to finish. I made it for my new little Granddaughter, who is now 5 months old! A little late, but no complaints please!
Becky is practicing her applique skills. I guess I didn't find out if she is working on a whole quilt of if she is just practicing on something smaller. But, whatever the reason, she is making incredible strides....keep up the work Becky!
Well, a few of us have been complaining about the WORK!!!!! it is to Host quilt group. So a few of us pressured Michelle to keep it simple. (I won't name names!) Of course, Michelle came through with simplicity, but a FAB lunch. Highlighting the fact that school has begun.....she did box lunches all wrapped up with a bow. Absolutely a delicious chicken salad sandwich! (see her recipe after this post!) She put this on fresh croissants.....Sun Chips.....a drink.....and a cookie! Marvelous and tasty!
Thanks Michelle for a wonderful, relaxing, social, satisfying, simple, fun, stress-free time with my funnest friends ever!!! How's that for kudos????
See you next month......September 14th at Heidi's Home. Make sure and put it on your calendars. It is so much fun when everybody is there. Work on those projects for show and tell and come prepared with an opinion for our Christmas Exchange! See you Soon. Sew every free moment!

Chicken Salad

I'm sure Debbie will be posting soon about our fun day but here is the recipe for the Chicken Salad Sandwich we had for lunch.

Chicken Salad

4 chicken breast halves, cooked and cubed

3/4 cup chopped celery

3 chopped green onions

1/2 cup cashews

1/8 teaspoon curry

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

1/4 cup whipping cream



Mix everything together and serve on a flaky, buttery croissant.




Check out my simplify post at michellehollis.blogspot.com

Recipe Update...Yum!

I am trying to update all of our yummy recipes that we use for our quilt group luncheons. I had quilt group in April. I tried two new salads that I got from browsing the internet and took a chance that they would be good. I think they were a success. I have made them since and have loved them! Here are my recipes from quilt group in April

Blue Cheese-Pear Salad

1 head red leaf lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
a small bag of mixed leaf lettuce...your choice
(I just tried to get a good blend together)
3 pears--peeled, cored and chopped
5 ounces of crumbled Bleu Cheese
(I used Salemville Amish Blue Cheese Crumbles at Fry's)
1 avocado--peeled, pitted and diced
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup pecans
1/3 cup olive oil
3 TB red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teasp white sugar
1 1/2 teasp prepared mustard
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 teasp salt
fresh ground black pepper to taste

In a skillet over medium heat, stir 1/4 cup of sugar together with the pecans. Continue stirring gently until sugar has melted and caramelized the pecans. Carefully transfer nuts onto waxed paper. Allow to cool, and break into pieces.

For the dressing, blend oil, vinegar 1 1/2 teasp sugar, mustard, chopped garlic, salt, and pepper.

In a large serving bowl layer lettuce, pears, blue cheese, avocado, and green onions. Pour dressing over salad, sprinkle with pecans and serve.

Rice Asparagus and Cucumber Salad

1 3/4 cups water
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 pound thin asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups English cucumber--peeled, seeded and chopped
3 green onions, chopped
2 TB Dijon mustard
1 TB white sugar
1 TB white wine vinegar
1/2 teasp dry mustard
1 1/2 TB vegetable oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill weed
4 heads butter lettuce (that might be too much..I don't think I used that much)

In a medium saucepan, bring 1 3/4 cups water to boil. Add rice; return to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until water is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Fluff with fork; transfer to bowl. Cool to room temperature.

Cook asparagus in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, about 1 minute. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool. Cut the asparagus in 1-inch pieces. Add asparagus, cucumber and green onions to rice. I also tore up a little of the butter lettuce and added to salad.

Whisk together the mustard, sugar, vinegar, dry mustard, oil and chopped dill. Cover salad and dressing separately. Refrigerate until chilled.

Pour dressing into salad and season with salt and pepper. Line large bowl with lettuce and mound salad in bowl.

I am out of time! More recipes later. These are good summer salads. Enjoy!

Kim's House

Catch Up! Our Quilt Group posts are behind. Here goes....In May Kim hosted a wonderful day. If any of you are like me, I look forward to our one day a month. Kim is always the perfect Hostess. She fixed a wonderful lunch and pampered all of us. We loved sewing, visiting, eating and enjoying all of the awesome finished projects. We have some pretty talented ladies!! The pictures tell all..........

I know we have seen this quilt before....but finished it is soooo adorable! Especially in this line of fabric. Carol did a fabulous job!

Michelle out did was all in the month of May. We all wonder where she finds time to do so much. I am not going to think about that.....cause I am jealous. But...here are her finished projects which we all adore!

Close-up for your pleasure!

K...I love this pattern. It is called Schnibbles...I think! So cute done in these old-fashioned fabrics. Michelle...so cute!


Michelle has this little talent of designing quilts on Moda's website (I forget the name!) Anyway...she won a contest and Moda showered her with patterns and fabric.....we should all be so lucky. Congrats for a creative mind recognized!

Becky's quilt is finished. She did an awesome job on our quilt group project and put the square together in a creative way. It turned out gorgeous! Good job Becky

Deb used the same line as Carol did on this quilt. She added some of her own fabric.....it makes it a little different! So fine! I need to get going on this project myself!

Marene...what can we say. She finished this gorgeous, time-consuming quilt. The handwork is incredible and only she does these fabulous projects! So beautiful. This is a keepsake!

Thanks Kim for a fun day. You worked so hard. The Hostess never gets to sit and sew....she is always on call!

Quilt Group....April 2009

I am finally getting around to posting our April Quilt Group....held at my house this month! Just a note to start out with....I had a fabulous time preparing for this little get together. I took advantage of the internet to help my brain gather some new ideas for some NEW tasty salads to serve. Hope they were yummy.....I had a fun time fixin!

Everyone came this month. That is worth mentioning since I have missed the last two months myself! The challenge is cramming everyone into your house with their own personal space! That in and of itself is a challenge. Enough of the small talk......here are the quilts we had to share!

Kim finished her quilt! This was a project we did as a quilt group...to be done in March! We used the pattern by American Jane called Merry-Go-Round. Have I started mine??? Nope! Kim used the fabric line "Charisma." Darling quilt, don't you think?

This is a baby quilt that I made for my daughter's new little boy. The pattern is called "A" You're Adorable by Thimble Blossoms. It was so fun to make. I used "Recess" and "Wee Play" fabric lines. Yes, I think it is adorable!

Heidi made this "oh so cute" table topper from Charm Packs of "Baskets of Flowers" by Mary Engelbreit. Some nice person gave her the charm packs for her birthday...hehehehe. Anyways, it turned out so cute, especially with that little ruffle. I will be taking lessons from her very shortly!

This project needs some talk. Mareen is making "The Gatherings Quilt". Okay....I will not be making this! It is gorgeous and time consuming. Debbie Jensen, Michelle and Becky have already tackled this quilt. We love the black and tan fabric combination that Mareen chose. It is stunning in person (photography never gives justice) We can't wait to see the finished project. I know for a fact Mareen is really workin' on this one! Beautiful!

"Admiration"

Well Elaine, she has done it again. I, personally, would like to know where Elaine is hiding all these incredible quilt projects she brings every month finished. April was no different.....she just had this laying around ready to finish! So wonderful! She blew us away with this intricate quilt she has been working on forever. She is a master.

"A Close-Up"

Elaine is now working on a hand applique project from "Bareroots." It is always fun to have something to work on while you are traveling. This is a darling project! I think Elaine should have a copy for all of us next quilt group......Okay?


Marae finished this quilt while sewing at quilt group. Again...photography does no justice. This quilt is absolutely adorable. We love the bright cute pattern. The fabric is especially fun. I have not seen it in the quilt store....but what do I know???? She bought it as a quilt kit and away she went!!! Love it!

Heidi has to conform to requests!! Her neice is getting married and wants a yellow and grey quilt! That is a bit difficult people! But....this is an amazingly cute piece of work! I think it will turn out stunning. Stars make a difference! Who would have thought? Great job Heidi!

This is one of my favorite quilts ever! A few of us have made this one. Carol is just finishing hers and I love, love, love it! Part of it is just the stars....I love stars, but it is also a very fun quilt to sew. Especially because you can use all your scraps! This is a quilt designed by one of Marae's friends....is it Cotton Way? A beautiful quilt, Carol.

A Little Sewing....A Little Eating!

We had a fun lunch that included a couple of new recipes for salads, some oven sandwiches, and fresh strawberries with fruit dip. The weather was beautiful for an outside lunch on the patio and the company was divine!







We all had a great time....Thanks for coming ladies....until next month at Kim's House!!! Sew On!

A side note....I will post the recipes I used in a couple of days! I have to study for my Relief Society Lesson for Sunday!!!!

Blossoming Quilts!

Lucky Quilters from Hale met at Carol's lovely home for a day of fun and feasting and showing off our group project. We had voted in September on the American Jane pattern
Merry-Go-Round. We picked our own fabrics and came up with a variety of quilts.

Marene made this darling bright and happy version.

Marae used some of our favorite Prairie Paisley prints.

Michelle used 35 different fabrics from 35th Ave.








Heidi used the smallest triangle to make this baby quilt for her new granddaughter.

Elaine created another gorgeous quilt with Moda fabrics.

Carol used the Cotton Blossoms line--one of our favorites!

Andie is working on one of Michelle's cute table top projects.

Becky finished the star block group project from last year in

her own style--LARGE! Beautiful, too!

Kim is "joyfully" finishing up the group project in Charisma and loving every minute of it--do you believe me?

And last but certainly not least . . .

Debbie Jensen shows off all her hard work!

A heart-felt thank you to Carol for her hospitality and delicious food. It looked so good, I was sorry to have to leave early. We are SO pampered on quilt day.
We missed Val Randall and Debbie Boyer. We need our president to guide us!

Happy Spring Break--May you enjoy the blossoming of orange trees and quilts!!

The Month Of LOVE

Debbie is working on this TAG SALE quilt in the yummy brown, cream and teal colors.

Elaine finished this cute star quilt for her new grandson.

Debbie the machine also had Buffalo Flowers to display.

Andie hosted a fun filled day with yummy food, snacks and a great little handout for our sewing bags. We had Vito's pizza and salad and then a wonderful Lemon and Cherry dessert. Here are Kim, Carol and Andie enjoying some of that dessert.

This is a quilt that Marene is working on. We are all making this quilt but each out of us is using a different fabric line. Watch for upcoming pictures of all the finished projects. The rest of us are all in the middle of projects but promise some great show & tell next month.

We missed Debbie Boyer, Heidi and Val. See you all next Month!

Lemon Custard Cake

1 prepared angel food cake

1 package instant lemon pudding

1 1/2 cups cold milk

1 cup sour cream

1 can cherry or strawberry pie filling

Tear the cake into bite-sized pieces. Place in a 9x13 pan. In a mixing bowl, combine the pudding mix, milk and sour cream. Beat until thickened, about 2 minutes. Spread over cake. Spoon pie filling on top. Chill until serving time. 12-16 servings.