Feelin' Festive: 4th of July Edition

Seriously?!  I didn't think it had been that long since I've been here, but apparently it has been 4 months.  I won't go into why or make excuses, although I'm sure I could come up with some.  I apologize. 

I feel like I haven't had much time to devote to the things I typically write about--primarily cooking and crafting.  But, the other day our nanny said something to the effect of: "I am amazed by what you have been able to accomplish."  And when I thought about it, she was right.  In the midst of a busy work schedule, a 7 month old, travel and just the tasks of everyday life, I have still managed to do some of the things that I love.

Recently, a friend posted on her Facebook that she needed to stop spending all her time pinning things on Pinterest and actually make some of the things that she's pinned.  Good idea, Lindsey.  One of my favorite boards that I've been adding things to is my "Feelin' Festive" board, which is a place for all things that are holiday related.  With the 4th of July just this month, most of my pins featured glorious red, white and blue (a favorite color combo of mine, with or without the patriotic undertones).  So, on a recent weekend at our family's lake home, I managed to recreate one of my favorite pins--a rag wreath.  It was simple and turned out so perfect--every time I walk in my front door I have to smile.

The tutorial that I borrowed the idea from is great, so there's no need for me to redesign the wheel--just check out the instructions here.  I don't know for sure what size wreath she used, but mine is 19" in diameter.  I ended up using about 3 yards of fabric and my little bunting says "America the Beautiful."

I can picture myself making another one of these for the fall.

One of my life goals...

Something I have always wanted to do is to enter something in a county fair.  Last spring, I started to work on a quilt that the further I got in the process, the more I was certain that it was my fair entry piece.  I should have finished it a long time ago--especially since I have had it back from the quilter since August and all it needed was the binding.  But, I just wasn't in the mood.

Well, finally during the course of several stolen moments the last couple of weeks I was able to get the binding put on and I am SUPER happy with the result.  It is something that I will be proud to enter in the fair and excited to hear what the judges have to say.  I used exclusively1930's reproduction prints to create this lovely, sunny quilt.  I don't really have a place to display it or use it, but I'm sure I'll think of something!

Spring on the Inside

The view from my kitchen this morning.

Well, it's a gorgeous spring day in Minnesota.  As one of my girls put it at Girls Group Monday night, "If Mother Nature was a real person, someone would have murdered her by now."  I think we are all sort of feeling that way.  But, I guess if we can't have spring outside, then the next best thing is spring on the inside--and it was definitely spring at our fundraiser for the Soul Sisterhood Retreat this weekend!

We had a sunny, although chilly, day for our fundraiser, but it was warm and fun inside.  We had a silent auction, bake sale, raffle, dessert buffet and a great speaker, Jessica Zuehlke.  Sixty-four people attended, and $2500 was raised to support our summer camp for girls.  It was wonderful.  Here's some of the highlights:

Our dessert buffet included cheesecake, peach cobbler, angel food cupcakes, Oreo truffles, lemon bars, raspberry bars, Oreo cupcakes, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough cupcakes, brownie pops, Raspberry Truffle cups, and yogurt parfaits. Oh, and Chocolate covered strawberries.  There were probably other things as well, but I can't remember all of it.

We decorated the tables with vintage linens (from my personal collection), gorgeous clusters of daffodils, and we also gave each of the women who came a merit badge as a token of thanks for their support for the Soul Sisterhood Retreat.

The bake sale was not huge, but featured yummy goodies like banana bread and muffins, red velvet cheesecake brownies, lemon drop cookies, pumpkin bread, lemon poppyseed bread,  Raspberry bars and Oreo cupcakes.  (Some of the women brought home treats for their deserving husbands and children!)

These are some of the silent auction prizes.  The quilt on the left is the one that I made for the event.  It received many oooh's and ahhhh's.  We also had homemade soaps, jewelry, a garden basket and other great prizes.  Everyone was so generous with their talents!

These were a sampling of the raffle prizes too.  We had cookbooks, gift certificates and some more jewelry.

This was our speaker, Jessica Zuehlke, who along with her husband wrote the musical The Church Basement Ladies.  She was so funny, personable, and encouraging.  She talked about her creative process and her writing, and how she creates the characters and the settings and action in her work.  She really encouraged people to just try writing.  One of my middle school girls (who is a writer and actress) even wanted to follow up with Jessica for advice.

All in all it was a wonderful afternoon and everyone had a great time.  I have to admit though...I really don't want to spend any time in the kitchen right now. 

A Demonstration of Creative Prowess

Sorry, it's been a while.  I've been super distracted lately by too many fun things all at once.  It's a good problem to have, but the bad part is that I forget my camera a lot, so I can't share those fun things with you.  Anyway.

On Monday night I offered my girls group a Cake-boss style challenge.  Only they had to use play-doh.  It was a super fun, colorful, night with lots of creative, inedible goodies.  Here are some of the highlights:

These were the goodies that I made:  A chocolate covered strawberry, two truffles, and a frosted cookie.  They almost look good enough to eat!

One of the girls made a movie snacks themed cake.  These were the beginnings of the pieces she used to decorate it.  It had soda, popcorn, pretzels, cookies, dots, and so much more on it.  When we had our "show and tell" at the end of the night, it was clear who the cake boss was.  There was an audible gasp at the intricacy of her play-doh cake.

A towering creation...we used the play-doh cake maker kit (in Target's toy department) and it had tons of fun features like cookie cutters, a cupcake base mold, little molds for roses, stars, and other things you'd use a specialty frosting tip for.  It even had a little squirting frosting bag!  It was awesome.

This is many of the girls hard at work on their "cakes."  We had a really good time being 5 again.  It really made me want to get out a coloring book and crayons too!

Baby Love

This past weekend I was in Peoria for my sister's baby shower.  I am so excited about my new niece/nephew (I'm crossing my fingers for a girl!) and can't wait to buy it stuff and teach it funny things to say.
As my gift to little Baby B., I made him/her a quilt this winter.  The nursery is a gorgeous dusty turquoise color, with accents of orange, green, and brown.  It is totally Better Homes & Gardens. 
This quilt was so much fun and actually really quick to put together.  I sent it out to Karie to quilt, and then did my first ever machine binding (I normally do them by hand.)  Although I prefer the look of hand stitching the binding, the time saved really makes up for it so I will probably machine bind future quilts as well.

Here is the quilt.  This pattern is called "Tumbling Triangles" and is from the All People Quilt website.  You can find it here.

On a side note, I am always excited when I find another fun and interesting blog to read.  My recommendation for the week is The Taste Bud Diaries.  This fun little food blog is not only creative, informative and fun, but best of all is written by a friend of mine who just happens to be a 9th grader.  Her recipe for Orange Poppyseed Muffins looks delightful.  I may have to try them out this week...

The Taste Bud Diaries

Hello, I am a Quilt Junkie

My First Quilt

*Sigh*  It's true, you know.  I am completely addicted to quilting.  I began quilting last January--just one short year ago and I now can't imagine my life without it.  I pick up gorgeous bits of fabric "just in case" I think of something to do with it.  I pour over quilting magazines, blogs, and websites.  I save the free patterns I find in a special folder, just so that I have them ready when I need a new project.
I've made eight quilts that are throw size or larger and a ton of smaller projects--pillows, tablerunners, bags, and more.  That's quite a bit all in one year.


Natalia's Baby Quilt

There is something so satisfying for me in quilting.  My favorite part is choosing the fabrics---taking unlikely combinations and seeing what comes out of it.  But each step has it's own appeal.  The cutting is all accuracy and counting--and it's so satisfying to see a stack of pieces just begging to be put together.  I love the piecing, seeing how piece by piece, block by block, slowly the whole begins to take shape.  Then, if I hand quilt, I get to see the dimension and texture added.  More often though, I send it out to a lovely woman, Karie, who long arm quilts for me. (Her website is Karie's Quilting) Then, the anticipation of what Karie will do with it and when I get to pick it up and see how it's taken shape, always makes my heart skip just a little.  Finally, there is a certain finality and satisfaction in putting the binding on.  All of the raw edges are neatly sewn up, tucked in and hidden.  The finished piece is all smooth edges and beautiful patterns.

Steve and Krista's Wedding Quilt

So often the work that I do during the day, youth ministry, doesn't have smooth edges and easy to define successes.  I think this is why I need hobbies that give me a sense of accomplishment--a quilt completed, a great book finished, a pie well made (and eaten!).  It gives me a list that I can look at and feel a sense of "doneness." 

This week, I completed two quilt tops and will deliver them to Karie next week for quilting.  Done and done.

The Soul Sisterhood Retreat

Last September, I began dreaming about a camp experience for girls, ages 11-14, that would allow them to explore their creativity, make new friends, and grow their faith in God.  One day, I was out for coffee with my friend Elizabeth, and I was telling her about my idea.  In a very matter-of-fact way, Elizabeth looked at me and said, "We could do that. I'd help you."  And as she said it, I thought to myself, "You're right.  We could do this."
That was 6 months ago, and now the camp is quickly becoming a reality.  We've named it The Soul Sisterhood Retreat.  We have brochures and registration forms.  We have a Facebook page, and information on the web.  We have camp dates reserved (June 12-17), staff is taking shape, and we have already have 8 girls signed up.  Our first marketing campaign went out last Friday, and the response has been so positive. Ministry colleagues, moms, girls, everyone who we've talked to about it, thinks it's awesome.  I'd have to agree, but then again I'm a little biased. ;-)  It is so affirming to see people's responses and already have so many girls signed up.

Coming up in April, we are even going to do a fundraiser for the camp--a women's day complete with entertainment, a dessert buffet, silent auction and raffle prizes.  So much good stuff all to support this new venture--and hopefully make it something that grows and gets even better year by year!  I am working on a quilt right now for the silent auction...unfortunately, I'm so in love with it that I don't want to donate it!  My husband suggested I make another one for the auction and keep this one.  I don't know.  It seems like more of a sacrifice if I give the one I love up...

Take a moment to check out the details at our website, here. If you'd like to support the ministry financially or by donating supplies, let me know. We can use your support in so many different ways.