This will be quick...there's a Bear's game on tonight!!!!! Yippee!

I finished a good book last night and it's the first one in a series of Knitting Mysteries that take place in an Eastern seacoast small town.  I'll have to get some more of these as it was really good! I got this one at the Thrift Store...I think.  This is the first one in the series.  Of course, it involves a group of women who knit together and solve mysteries too and there's a sweet little yarn shop with the owner being part of the group.  It was a good plot and a good writer.   Thank you,  Sally Goldenbaum! 

 

I made an apple kuchen today.  Do any of you remember when these came on the scene years ago involving a cake mix?  You can use any pie fruit you want.  I'll give you the recipe tomorrow.....it's only 30 minutes until "kickoff".....sorry.  I promise, tomorrow! LOL!  It may not look like much but it is easy and delicious!  I've made this dessert for 30-40 years!  It's definitely a "keeper" in my house!

I've also been doing some knitting and hoping to finish my bath mat by Sunday.  It's getting pretty big on the circular needles and hard to see....use your imagination and pray it will turn out!  I also crocheted another pot holder.  These were both on my YOP list so I'll publish more on Sunday. 

I also went to the store today and the bank and took a bath.....that's enough for one day isn't it?  I hope you had a great Friday....it's still my favorite day of the week!  TTYT!

 

A few things I forgot to show you the other day.................

I got this cute little basket at the thrift store last week and it looked like someone had put a plant in it because the bottom was all black and dirty.  I threw it in the dishwasher, as I do so many things, and it came out nice and clean but if you look you can also see all the white paint chipping off of it all over the place!  It's clean but will need another paint job to get it to stop peeling.  Not all of my ideas are brilliant.....most are but not all.
I also picked up these 2 plates.....I am into roses...it's come on gradually.  I think it started with Green Fried Tomatoes (the movie where she had all those roses cut out of magazines and cards and pinned on her wall....I loved that! )  and it has grown from there.  Plus, my dear departed Mother loved roses and all my friends across the pond inspire me with roses in their fabric,gardens, and needlework.

 

There was only the 2 and they're old as the finish is crackled with age.....kind of like my face! LOL!  But I love them and I love my face too.....I've earned every "crackle" just like those plates!

And last but not least...this is the bomb, the bees knees etc; and I am enjoying every drop of it!

I didn't realize until I got it home that it is seasonal so run, don't walk to your nearest store that carries it and buy up all you can (unless you shop at the Walmart in Ash Flat, AR.....stay away from that one! ).

It is delicious!  Why did I not know about this?  Probably because it was all bought out by the time I got there, I'm guessing.  Dunkin' Donuts is my very favorite coffee and trust me I've had it all!

I hope you had a great Thursday and got more done than I did....it was "one of those days" for me but I'm going to go knit now and at least I'll see progress in that unless of course I mess it up and have to tear it out....oh no....please not that! LOL!  Take care!  TTYT!

 

I guess I jumped the gun on Fall......97 today! Whew!!!!!!

That's what I get for buying "Fall" items and cooking up some "Fall" grub.  I made Hot Pockers which was my son's name for a dish that most people call a version of calico beans.  This is my favorite crock pot meal and it makes the house smell wonderful!

Here's the recipe...I scanned the recipe card but you wouldn't be able to read it so I'll just retype it here......

Hot Pockers
----------------
1/2 to 1 lb of ground beef
3/4 lb bacon, cut in small pieces
1 C chopped onion
2 cans (1 lb 15 oz size) pork and beans
1 can (1 lb size) kidney beans, drained
1 C ketchup
1/4 C brown sugar
1 tbls liquid smoke
3 tbls white vinegar
1 tsp salt and dash  of pepper

Brown the ground beef and bacon in a skillet and drain off fat.   Place it in the crock pot with all the other ingredients and stir together well. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
This is good served with cornbread and a jello salad.  It's very economical and also freezes well.

BTW.....I tried something new................Mary Jane's Farm product.......Chillover Powder instead of Jello.  It comes in a cute box with 4 packets of Chillover which is a gelatin alternative and there's also recipes that come with it.  It looks, tastes, and acts just like gelatin but it is vegetable based not animal based.  It is actually derived from Agar Agar kanten which is a Red Sea vegetable.  You flavor it yourself and add however much sweetner and what type as you like.  I happened to use some apricot juice I had and a can of fruit cocktail.    It sets up very fast and does not get soupy when it's left out.  It's amazing stuff and the best new product I've tried in a long time.  This is the only way to go folks!  No more Jello for me!   You can purchase this at  Mary Jane's Farm or simply call 888-750-6004 for those in the U.S.   If you're not familiar with Mary Jane, you're in for a treat...her products, her chat room, her books.....it's all wonderful!  She's an organic farm girl out in Idaho and you will love her!

That's all folks....I'm sad to report that I had to close up the house and turn on the AC......I guess I won't be delving into my new Fall wardrobe yet! LOL!  Hope you all had a great Wednesday!

My new Fall wardrobe....................from the Thrift Store! LOL!

A nice corduroy blouse....I LOVE me some corduroy!  And flowers too....looks like those wonderful English flower prints.  I paid no more than $3.00 each for all the clothes I am showing you....a total of $27.00 for my Fall wardrobe!  Below is a soft flannel blouse............love the red!

2 pairs of soft knit slacks with pockets (I have to have pockets!)

These are more summery but it will be warm for awhile yet....they're cotton...

These are 2 blouses that need to be ironed and then a knit one on the top.....

There you have it!  It may not be glamorous but for $27.00 it works for me! LOL!  Hope you had a great Monday!

Once more with feeling.........or should I say pictures! LOL!

I missed last weeks update because I ran out of Google storage and by the time I figured it out and had to "pay the piper" for more storage it was Monday and I figured I would just skip last week and wait until today.  I haven't gotten  much done anyway this week as it was "catch up" from all the time spent watching the Olympics and also it has cooled off and I 'm able to get outside finally and get some chores done out there.  Plus, I am really moving forward on my "moving" project and I've been spending time going through audio tapes, vcr tapes and dvd's and cd's and except for the cd's they are all cleaned and packed away in plastic bins which has left me bookcase real estate which I can always use!  So, yes, the cleaning and organizing bug has hit and I have run with it as it doesn't affect me very often! LOL!
But I did mange to get a few things accomplished on the YOP list and with football looming on the horizon I will be getting more done soon. 
Ok, the table runner is finished...I'm sure your tired of hearing about it and looking at it....I know, I'm slow.

Next up is my felted wool applique quilt blocks which was a WIP when I joined the YOP so I thought I would catch you up to date..........these are the blocks that are done so far.......

There they are...10 blocks done....2 more to go plus the border which is all appliqued too and embroidered.
I did get the next block prepped and cut out.........leaves....just in time for Fall!

I also started and almost finished  (I need to measure and weave in ends but I'm pretty sure it's done) potholder of the double thick variety.  I love this pattern and will be using it again.  It is nice and thick and easy to crochet once you get the gist of it.  After that no pattern needed but the pattern does have plenty of pictures to get you started.

It really is more square than it looks in the picture....honest! LOL!
As for my knitted bathmat,  I haven't worked on it but need to and hopefully this week and also I need to start up the socks again but with the weather so great and so many outdoor projects they may have to wait until Winter....we'll see.  Now, I'm off to see what you all have been accomplishing and also to get re-motivated for the week ahead!  Have a great week everyone!  For the rest of my blogging friends, I'll talk to you again tomorrow!  Enjoy this day of R' n R'!