autumn colors and pumpkin bread turned muffins

This is my favorite tree in the fall.  I drive by it every day on the way out of my neighborhood.  I had to stop today and get a picture.

There are so many different colors in there - I just love it!

I bought this mum last spring.  After it bloomed and died I kind of neglected it for a while.  Then my mom suggested I put it in my flower bed.  It kind of just sat there all summer and early fall.  A couple of weeks ago the buds started coming out on it.

They really are pretty, unassuming little flowers.

I have yet to get my sewing area back in order.  I have a project I can do by hand for sew & tell tomorrow, but I'll keep it a secret.  Instead of sewing I've been baking today.  I used my SIL's (Laura) recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip bread and turned them into muffins (Go bug her to post her recipe and to finish her Amy Butler yoga bag for sew & tell this week!)

But let's be serious.  They aren't muffins - they're cupcakes.

Especially when you make pumpkin cream cheese icing to put on top.

And I'm perfectly okay with that.

You can pretty much use any pumpkin bread recipe.  Mine made 12 regular sized muffins (20 minutes @ 350), 1 mini muffin pan full (13 minutes @ 350), and two smaller loaves (probably should have been 3.... still trying to bake through the middle, it's been 45 min.  Final time: 50 min.)

I had some pumpkin cream cheese from the deli and added a little butter and powdered sugar to make the icing.  Delish.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Icing
1/3 C pumpkin cream cheese (whipped or softened)
2 Tbsp melted butter (makes for easy hand blending, no hand mixer required)
1/3 C powdered sugar
dash or more cinnamon
Blend together with a fork and dip mini cupcakes directly into bowl and eat immediately spread on cooled cupcakes.

sew & tell v.1.0.6

I was a little worried about sew & tell on a week like this.  A week where there was really no sewing at all.  I've pondered all sorts of things to show you or to talk about, something so I wouldn't come off as being lazy and not getting anything done!  Well, sometimes life just gets in the way.   So, I've decided on weeks like this, I'll have to just feature some of you on here!

Today I wanted to show off the darling bag my sister-in-law Laura made.  It's a holiday-themed take on the Amy Butler Birdie Sling.

You'll have to head over to her blog to see the candy corns on the inside and read about her love of Halloween.

What I wanted to say about Laura is that she is amazing!  This is her first real sewing project, and she did such a great job!  I wish I could take credit for holding her hand through the whole thing and showing her the ropes - but alas, she lives in San Diego and I'm in Virginia.  All I could do was field questions over the phone.  But really, she didn't need me.  She's one smart cookie and I'm so proud of her!!  I'm sure she'd love some bloggy love - you know what to do!

Can't wait to see what you more-productive-than-me people have been doing the last two weeks.  Remember, you can post from the last two weeks, you can even put up two links if you have more posts to show!

If you are new here to sew & tell, here are the few short rules:

1. Link to a post about a finish you had this week (don't just link to your blog, please!)

2. Link back to this post so more peeps can join in the fun! If it is a post from earlier in the week, just please add a note about sew & tell . Now that we have a button this is super easy - you can just cut and paste the html from over there on the right sidebar!

3. Enjoy getting motivated and patting each other on the backs in the comments! This is the funnest part about sew & tell - sharing and inspiring!

friendship bag swap

I am going to try and not whine too much here.  But really, I'm still recovering and haven't has a good night's sleep for a while.  My house is torn up from getting new carpet - which really is a good thing, it's forcing me to clean-up, declutter, and reorganize.  But I'm tired.  And my sewing area has been dismantled and I have so many things I wish I had the energy to do right now.  Okay, whine over.

Oh and before I forget - thank you to everyone who sent me get well wishes, really, this crafting/sewing blogging community is the NICEST!!

Last Wednesday, while I was dying napping after my ear infection diagnosis, my daughter brought me the mail.  (Yes, I was out of it so much that my 3-year old got the mail from the postman.....don't judge me - she's almost 4.)  In it was my swap package from the lovely and talented Deborah.

How did she know?

She must have been stalking my blog and known how much I love blue! (and with brown to boot!)


She must also have ESP - I need quilt labels!  I don't think I've labeled a single quilt I've made (not that it's been that many mind you).

And the Wizard of OZ!? How cute!  I remember the yearly showing of the movie on T.V. as a kid - what a treat!  And we had a little Toto dog who loved to see 'herself' on the screen.

and look at this cute little button box!  Perfect for keeping some pins and whatnots.

or maybe I'll just stash my M&Ms in there. mmmmmmm. (The tin may or may not be empty now....)

Sew & Tell resumes tomorrow!  Remember you can post from the last 2 weeks since we had the Blogger's Quilt Festival last week.  Thanks to all the sweet comments on my quilt.  As soon as things slow down a bit I plan on attacking the list of entries!

blogger's quilt festival - fall 2009

I had a hard time deciding what quilt to show.  Really I haven't completed THAT many and the ones that I have completed are pretty simple.  I chose this one for sentimental reasons.

I made this quilt for my baby (who will be 2 in January).  I was just happy I got it finished before his 1st birthday.

I picked out these fabrics for a pinwheel quilt my mom and I were going to make for me.  I wanted a queen sized quilt, so I had A LOT of fabric. Since that plan was hatched about 10 years ago, my tastes have changed a bit.  I didn't really want a blue and yellow quilt now.  But hey!  Perfect for a baby boy!

And with that much fabric I was able to make FOUR of these and give the other 3 to several dear friends who were also having baby boys around the same time!  I love that our boys all have the same blanket to love.

I strip-pieced this so I didn't have to cut out any individual squares.  That made it super easy and efficient when making 4 of them!

My aunt Mary did the quilting on her long arm and it's just a cute all-over stipple (next festival I plan on having a quilt I've quilted myself!)

Thanks for visiting and thanks Amy for hosting this great festival!!

My little guy just came up to the computer and saw this picture and shouted out "Blankie!!" as only an almost 2 year old can do.  I'm so glad he loves it and that it's HIS blankie.

bronchitis + ear infection + 7 days = unproductive

Hello friends!  I've just been double-whammied in the illness department.  With everything else that's going on, this is not fun.  I guess I should be happy that it's not swine flu.  But then again if it were, at least I wouldn't have to worry about getting it later.

Boo hoo for me.

Really though, I wanted to remind you about the Bloggers Quilt Festival this weekend!






Considering the fact that I'm lying here hardly able to move, while coughing up a lung a little sick, our Sew & Tell this Friday will be to go to Amy's site and participate in the quilting festival. Either by sharing a quilt or just looking at everyone else's! And don't forget the prizes!!

Next week Sew & Tell will resume and you can share projects from this week and next!

Oh, and again Amy Butler is killing me with new office supplies.  If I had a large disposable income I think I would have new bedding, new rugs and new desktop organizers, all from her site!


Speaking of Amy B. I didn't want to be totally picture-less.  This is one of my favorite stash pictures.

ahh, there, I feel little bit better already.

sew & tell v.1.0.5 or friendship bag swap

I just barely finished up my little friendship bag for the swap that's due on Tuesday.  Rachel, of P.S. I Quilt and Moda Bakeshop, wrote a great little tutorial for it.

I'm warning you now though, don't make one if you can't resist small adorable little bags.  You will want to make a million more!!

When I realized I could use my Hushabye (Tula Pink) charm pack and some extra yardage I had I was so excited!  I think it's adorable!  And I  really don't want to send it away.

This is my first attempt at free-motion quilting.  I hope my partner doesn't notice (or care).  It's a little, um, shall we say..... wonky?

But I really love how quilting blends all the different prints together.  And how about the inside?  The stripe in this collections is SO striking.

I even patchworked the handles from four of the leftover charms.

All in all a fun little bag and I see more in my future.  Perfect for hanging on someone's doorknob with a little treat inside!

Now that she helped me model it (so you can see how little it is) she doesn't want to get rid of it either!  So, off to the post office.  (That's a chore in and of itself!)

Now it's your turn!  What did you do this week?
Please follow the sew & tell rules below.

1. Link to a post about a finish you had this week (don't just link to your blog, please!)

2. Link back to this post so more peeps can join in the fun! If it is a post from earlier in the week, just please add a note about sew & tell . Now that we have a button this is super easy - you can just cut and paste the html over on the right sidebar!

3. Enjoy getting motivated and patting each other on the backs in the comments! This is the funnest part about sew & tell - sharing and inspiring!

I will be gone a good part of the day, but I promise I'll come see you when I get back!

finally a block

I had a few battles with this - mostly because I haven't done many of these and I'm the planner type and these are definitely not planner-type blocks.  But it's okay.  I think I actually like it!  I figure I can get one a day done for the next couple weeks and have enough for the top!

I'm pretty sure i need to sash this in white too.  For brightness' sake!

Remember sew & tell tomorrow! (I guess I have to get something done since I already showed you the block.....)