Grandma Camp Cooking

LThree years old is the PERFECT AGE to start kiddos cooking. Something. Pouring things from cups into bowls gives them a big sense of accomplishment...and they are more likely to want to EAT something they helped COOK.

Lilly loves being in charge of Warren...and she has some MAD COOKING skills. (Warren thinks all new food tastes like broccoli)

Lilly no longer needs the cooking stool -- and Warren was THRILLED to be invited up to the cooking island!! (he just realized it was chocolate cake, not broccoli)

Our mission today is to figure out our new contraption -- Babycakes. A cake pop MAker. (a gift from my thoughtful friend, Linda P.)

The biggest challenge was figuring out how to get the batter into the hot pan. The answer is to put the cake batter into a ziplock bag, cut a corner off, and let it flow out...moving quickly from one ball hole to another...

Warren's job was to knock off all the little cake connector pieces (okay, he mostly did that with his mouth...)

The Cake Ball Maker even came with it's own little cooling rack...

Each batch took about 5 minutes to cook. Lilly and Warren were TOTALLY IN IT when we mixed up the cake, and delighted when I filled the cake ball pan...eager to see how they turned out...happy to eat off all the little connector pieces...only Lilly stayed for the filling of the second batch...by the time I was on Pan #4 -- neither child was anywhere within shouting distance...

On a very hot, hot day -- they needed to take a hose break.  Remember playing with the hose when you were a kid??

The final step in the cake balls project was to roll them in frosting, then sprinkles. What could be more fun??

I zapped some canned frosting in the microwave to make it thin...then we put the sticks into the cake balls. The frosting was still too thick to coat them...maybe melted chocolate would have been better. At the end of a VERY LONG DAY -- we had six frosted cake balls.

I am quite sure this activity will be one of those things that will remember better than it lived...and that's okay with me.

P.S.  In case you are wondering...one cake mix makes 99 f *&%&*ing cake balls...

Sleeping Bag Project

Every kid should have their own sleeping bag. You just NEVER KNOW when you might be invited to a slumber party -- or an impromptu overnight at a relative's house.

In July, when the E team was ramping up to go to Pennsylvania to visit John's family, there was a possibility they'd be sleeping on the floor at a cousin's house. No problem!! With the usual dose of Ritaluck -- I found two sleeping bags at the Goodwill store.

After laundering, I personalized each bag...

Warren's sleeping bag was a plain red child's size. I cut these designs out of the Thomas Train sheet (which has been used for SO MANY PROJECTS this last year). I just ironed them on with some Wonder Under. DONE!!

Lilly's was a bigger an adult size, and the camo print was not very girly.  So she picked out a t-shirt, and we ironed it on the front of the bag...

Then, I cut 18"off the top of the bag so it would fit her better. I added the fringe to cover the new raw edge. (tip: sew a basting stitch along the line BEFORE you make the cut. The sleeping bag fabric is too slippery to stay together well.)

Sleeping bags:  $2.38 each.  Warren Train designs: 29 cents, Lilly's t-shirt:  88 cents.  Napping in your new sleeping bag with your brother/sister - PRICELESS!!

The Rhythm of Life

Today is my brother's birthday. Which means he'll be coming to my house for a steak dinner.  When I started to write this blog, I went looking for a picture of Cal and Jeanne, and it wasn't hard.  I just checked in the picture files that said "2015 August, 2014 August, etc".

But even though I DO THIS DINNER every year -- apparently, I don't always take a picture...

This is my favorite.  From 2013.

As I was looking for a picture of Cal's b'day dinner...in every August folder on my computer -- I saw pictures of the same events. And it struck me how much I enjoy the rhythm of life, and the changes and events that naturally occur. Whether you think about it or not -- your days are mostly ordered by the recurring things in your life.  The routine of a job, for sure -- but also, if you're a gardener, there's the planting season and the harvesting season. 

If you're a Cubs fan....or rooting for the Seahawks...well, you get my drift.  

Every August file has a picture of me and my college chum, Becky -- getting together somewhere midway...always in Illinois...always a different little town...always the best time EVER!!  We've been doing this for years.

The last three August folders have fuzzy pictures of the VBS  Lilly attends at the McCausland Methodist Church.  My sister Deena is always involved, there are lots of cousins there...Lilly loves it. Next year, Warren will go...right??

Every August folder has a variation of THIS. YES...the tomatoes are ripe and we eat BLT's every-other-day for two weeks. Until we are SICK OF THEM...soooo delicious...

Every August brings a crop of delicious, fresh CORN ON THE COB.  We pick it and shuck it and immediately cook it...and there simply isn't anything sweeter in the world that a simple ear of sweetcorn, lathered with melting butter!!

I suspect everybody's life is more or less governed by the events they care about. John's family has a big reunion every 4th of July...Mary and Doug always attend the Northern Lights Music Festival in uly....Laura spends August sewing for the State Fair....most quilt shop owners spend October attending Quilt Market....that kind of thing.

But looking at my "August" picture file folders gave me a real perspective on how much I enjoy the rhythm of repeating events in my life.  It is comforting to know the same things will happen this year that happened last year....

And that each month has it's own joys and pleasures to look forward to... 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CAL. 

Vacation Mega-Pesto-Make

As the E team was ramping up for their trip to Pennsylvania -- I was determined to send something that could be a part of the festivities. You already saw the personalized Bocce Ball game, and the extreme collection of fun Hawaiian shirts.

But, for me -- food is love. So the question is -- what can I send out for a meal? Something that would FEED A BIG CROWD?

It's summertime -- and the answer is P-E-S-T-O...!! I pride myself on making the best Pesto in Iowa.  (because I'm the only Iowa person I know who makes it)...

First order of business -- I picked a FIVE GALLON BUCKET OF FRESH BASIL LEAVES.  Holy Cow.  I filled the bucket with water, and picked off each leaf, putting it in a second bucket of clean water.  Then, I rinsed the basil for a THIRD TIME...before laying it in a single layer, on a clean bath towel. 

It's important to remove all sand or dirt..and pick off the flowers and stems...you want THE LEAVES ONLY.

You must handle the leaves gently, or they'll turn black. At this point, I roll the towel, to absorb all the water. I let that sit for awhile. An hour or two won't hurt...

THAT'S THE HARD PART, PEOPLE!! Really. Picking and triple washing the basil leaves took ABOUT THREE HOURS. Making the actual pesto sauce took only 30 minutes.

I know we've discussed this before. But your FOOD PROCESSOR does all the work!!

John has a bumper crop of fresh garlic. It is SO MUCH BETTER than what is available in the stores. It's juicy and CRISP. I start by putting three cloves of peeled garlic in the food processor and whirring it good...

Then, I add 1/2 cup of English Walnuts...and whir it again...

At this point, I scrape the sides (it is a thick paste). Then, fill the food processor to the top with fresh, washed, dry basil leaves. Keep whirring...and scraping...and whirring...

After the basil is completely chopped up, I alternate the last two ingredients: Extra Virgin Olive oil and Parmesan Cheese. One batch takes about a cup of each. The consistency you're going for is bottled spaghetti sauce.

I SENT THIS GIANT JAR OF PESTO SAUCE TO PENNSYLVANIA!! Honestly, it was enough for four pounds of spaghetti, which would feed everybody. All they needed to do was boil the spaghetti. And, oh yeah -- buy one of those delicious loaves of Italian bread. YUMMO...

One of the best things about Pesto sauce is that it's better the day AFTER you make it.  And it will keep at room temperature.  Actually, putting it in the refrigerator makes the oil hard, and blackens the basil. 

The Splendid Sampler™ Wednesday

The Splendid Sampler™ Wednesday
(...skip this part if you're not new here...)

The Splendid Sampler™ is an internet sew-a-long created by Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson. It is an EPIC sew along...

• 83 fabric designers have created specific blocks that feature different quilting techniques. (paper piecing, fused applique, etc.).
• The blocks will be released each week, and are FREE to participants until March 2017. (at that time, they'll use the designs to publish a book).
• You can use whatever fabric you like.
• There will be pictures on their Facebook page, etc.

The new block designs come out twice a week....on Sunday morning and Thursday morning. I'm doing this with my TMBC...and, therefore, it is my pleasure to BLOG ABOUT IT every Wednesday.
***********************

THESE GIRLS DO NOT QUIT...Sandy brought four blocks.  She did FOUR BLOCKS in one week...

which means, of course, that LP did EIGHT BLOCKS.

The flip flop block was a bonus project -- complete with a fun online contest and prizes.!

Me?  Well -- I did bring a Sew and Tell to share.  This beautifully embroidered towel was a gift from my sister Deb..

THANKS, DEB!!

April Henry Blog

Yes, I know I said I was done with the Featherweight Workshop/MSQC blog posts...but I thought you'd enjoy reading what April Henry had to say about the event!!

Christian, April and Ruthie...

So -- here's the link to April's report!!  
https://singer-featherweight.com/blogs/blog/missouri-star-retreat-recap IF YOU GET A CHANCE TO ATTEND ONE OF THEIR SINGER FEATHERWEIGHT WORKSHOPS -- JUST DO IT!!

Finished Grandma Camp Suitcases

There was one entire week in July when Grandma Camp was all about getting Lilly and Warren ready for their Pennsylvania vacation. You saw the beginning of our suitcase project...

IT IS NOT A ONE DAY PROJECT...you have to add many coats, and let it dry in between...

You have to Mod Podge the area to be painted...and let it dry.

This is one side of the bag...

The other side was a red/white/blue flag theme -- the family reunion (at John's brother's house in Pennsylvania) is always on the 4th of July!

Lilly could hardly wait to remove our star stickers...

For Warren's suitcase, we just cut up a Thomas pillowcase and Mod Podged it onto his bag.

THIS IS A LOT OF WORK, PEOPLE...

But the finished bags are AWESOME.

Lilly did whatever she wanted.

BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE, PEOPLE -- GRANDMA CAMP IS EXHAUSTING!!