Home a la mode Giveaway!!!

Home a la mode is having a great giveaway today! 

They are giving away a Punctuation Lunch Box Tin, Charm Pack of the Punctuation line from American Jane by Moda, and one of my Rags to Ruffles Patterns. (Retail value $36.99)

Go now and find out how you can enter for a chance to win! 
 
This kit is also available for sale on their website - click here to check it out. They will be choosing a winner on Monday, February 28th. Good luck!

Block-a-palooza Block #8 - Basket of Geese

I am very excited to share with you Block #8 in the Block-a-palooza!  I am a big fan of machine applique, so this block incorporates just that... appliqued geese.

PDF: click here for printer friendly version.

What you need:

Sunkissed #5448-12 {Lemonade solid}
1 - 8 1/2" x 8 1/2" square

Sunkissed #5440-11 {Limeade words}
1 - 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" square
1 - 2 1/2" x 10 3/4" square

Sunkissed #5447-11 {Limeade gingham}
1 - 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" square
1 - 2 1/2" x 10 3/4" square

Sunkissed #5443-23 {Orangesicle stripe}
1 - 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" square
1 - 2 1/2" x 10 3/4" square

 

Sunkissed #5441-26 {Ivory Orange swirl}
1 - 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" square
1 - 2 1/2" x 10 3/4" square


5" square of Pellon Wonder-Under Fusible Web


Assembly:
All seams are 1/4" unless otherwise noted.

Layout your 8 1/2" square in the middle and your four 10 3/4" strips along the sides as shown. 

Starting with your top strip, match up one end right sides together and stitch along the top and stop about a 1/2" before you reach the other end.

Working clockwise, stitch your next strip on in the same manner, keeping the top end flush with your 8 1/2" square and press open. Go back to the previous piece and match your strips RST and finish stitching your top strip to the end.

Continue working clockwise until you have sewn all four sides down.  Press.

Cut your 5" square of fusible web into four 2 1/2" pieces.  Fuse the fusible web to the wrong side of your remaining four 2 1/2" Squares.  Please refer to your fusible web directions for application.  Once you have fused the fusible web onto the backs, carefully peel the paper backing off of your fabric squares.

Cut your square in half diagonally once, then from one of the large triangles, cut it again in half, creating two small triangles.  You should now have 4 large triangles and 8 small triangles in the four different fabrics.

Lay your triangles{geese} out as shown below... creating a basket of geese.  Iron in place.

You can either machine or hand applique your geese on.  I prefer to machine applique, so I used a tiny blanket stitch to sew around each of the triangles.

Block 8 is now done! 

On to Block #9... Monday, February 21 with the talented Scott Hansen of Blue Nickel Studios.

 
Don't forget to share your blocks at the Bloggers' Block-a-palooza Flickr Group!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day Cards for Paige's Class...

Teacher Gifts... Linen Heart Tiger Paw Keychains.

Snow + 12 years + Superbowl = FUN.

This week has been super crazy for Texas weather.  First off, Texas people just AINT ready for all this white stuff! {said with a texan twang}.  The Snow is actually not the bad part and besides it is so pretty! It is the ICE that we get that is bad news.

So, to sum it up there were rolling blackouts, frozen pipes {thankfully none broke}, food supply quickly became low, School Cancelled for 4 DAYS {FOUR}, Snow Angels...

And best of all... Snow Ice Cream... How fun is that!  Love it!  Found a pretty good recipe, too! There were some other ones that used more ingredients, but remember I mentioned the food supply shortage? So, this one worked Beau-ti-mus!  YUMMMM!!!

Saturday, the snow finally began to melt and Hubby and I ventured out without the kiddos to celebrate our 12th Wedding Anniversary.  We went to Texas de Brazil... and it was GOOD!!!!  Best place E-V-E-R!

Today, we enjoyed spending time with the kiddos and watching the Superbowl!

Tomorrow... back to the daily routine... school, work, dinner, bed.

New Pattern... Baby Gears

Boys love things that move... robots, cars and machines are just a few of the things that share one thing in common... GEARS.  Introducing my newest pattern.... Baby Gears!

Pattern includes instructions and templates for a quilt...

featuring raw edge applique...

and a T-shirt to fit any size child or adult. 

While taking these pictures, Matthew kept pretending he was Wall-E.  Can't you see the resemblance? :)

This is his hands folding together like Wall-E does.  He even did it in slow motion like Wall-E. Love this boy!

Happy Birthday Cake

Today we have been iced and snowed in, but most of all, it is my hubby's birthday!  So, what is a birthday celebration without a Chocolate Birthday Cake?  His favorite is Chocolate cake. Here is the cake we made today and it is SOOOO Delicious!  Lots of layers and lots of chocolate!

To get started you will need:
1 Box of Betty Crocker's Devil's Food Cake
plus the ingredients listed on box to make the cake.

Icing:
3 cups Powdered Sugar

2/3 cup Nestle Toll House Baking Cocoa
1 stick of butter
5-6 Tbsp. Milk
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Garnishes:
Dark Chocolate bark or candy melts
Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips

Special Tools by Pampered Chef
Torte Pan Set
Microplane Adjustable Grater


Instructions:

Make the cake as directed on the box.  I used The Pampered Chef Torte Pan Set and split the batter into two pans. Bake and Cool.

Icing... follow the instructions provided on the back of the Nestle Toll House Cocoa box for the Chocolate Icing.

Carefully remove one of the cakes from the torte pan and place on a cake plate.

Pour part of the chocolate icing into the indent area of the cake.

Using The Pampered Chef Microplane Adjustable Grater, grate a nice layer of the dark chocolate bark or candy melts on top of the icing. 

Carefully remove the second cake from the torte pan and place on top of the other cake.

Pour the remaining chocolate icing in the center of the top layer of the cake. Depending on the amount of chocolate icing you have left, your icing may run over the sides of the cake which is fine. 

Grate more of the dark chocolate over the top layer of the cake.

Add some chocolate chips to finish it off.

Eat and enjoy!  Oh...  and don't forget the Milk!

Happy Birthday, Richie!!!

Gyro Bowls

I am not a fan of infomercials... not to mention that I have never bought ANYTHING from one. Until now... when I saw this Infomercial right after Christmas, I just had to have two...okay I bought four.



These Gyro Bowls are AWESOME and innovative! I was super excited today when they showed up at my door, I immediately had to test it out.  It works just like they adverstise!  NO SPILLS!   Plus the kids love it too!!

I definitely recommend to every mom!