Greasy, Grimy Buildup---No Problem!

Have I got a great cleaning tip for you on cleaning up greasy, grimy buildup you get in the kitchen.

Yep, it's Spray 'n Wash.

In the middle of my spring cleaning mode I was cleaning the cabinet doors above my stove and it was getting all gummy and nasty cleaning with my rag and bucket of water and cleaner.

I started going through different cleaners I had in the house thinking that there is something better than what I was using.

Ta da! Eureka! I found it!

Spray 'n Wash. Spray it and wipe with a damp rag or sponge.

NO SCRUBBING! NO MORE TACKINESS! NO MORE GUMMY!

Easy peasy and it smells great, too!

I have stained and sealed cabinets and they cleaned up with no problems to the finish.

I also used it to clean the grime off of the top of my refrigerator.

***NOTE: Double check your cabinets first on the inside of a rarely used cabinet door to be sure.***

Fast and easy = more time for quilting!

Ahhh...Fresh Bread From the Oven

This past weekend wasn't all fail.  Homemade bread = WIN!

One of the best smells in life...

bread baking in the oven.

One of the best tastes in life...

hot bread just from the oven.

Butter optional.

Easy Homemade French Bread    Print Recipe

Crisp crust, lightly chewy center.  Makes 2 large loaves.

1/2 cup warm water
2 pkg. dry active yeast OR 4 1/2 t. dry active yeast
2 cups hot water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 T. sugar
1 T. salt
6 cups all-purpose flour

1. In small cup or bowl, add together warm (not hot) water and the yeast.  Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add the hot water, oil, sugar, salt and 3 cups of the flour.  Mix until combined.
3. Add the water and yeast mixture.  Stir until combined.
4. Add the remaining 3 cups of flour.  Stir until combined.
5. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
6. Stir for a minute with wooden spoon. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.  Repeat 3 times.
7. Divide dough in half.
8. Roll out one half of the divided dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle shape. 
9. Roll up long edge of dough jelly roll style.
10. Place rolled dough onto a lightly greased baking sheet or on a rectangle baking stone. 
11. Repeat for second half of dough.
12. Let rise in warm place for 30 minutes.
13. Make 3 diagonal slashes across top of each loaf. 
14. Brush loaf tops with a beaten egg white. 
15. Bake 400° for 30 minutes or until tops are golden brown.
16. Remove loaves to wire rack to cool.
17. Eat while warm. Yum!

NOTE: You can sprinkle herbs like thyme, rosemary, oregano to top of loaves while baking. Adding some grated Parmesan would be great too.

Enjoy!

First Fail In Quilting

As a newer quilter (summer/fall '09) I've been pretty much following patterns from "experienced and professional" quilters.  

This past weekend I wanted to branch out and do my own pattern. It couldn't be that hard, right?

I had a Nostalgia layer cake I've had in my stash that I've been itching to make into a quilt for a birthday gift.

I wanted something kinda special and not just sashing around plain squares. And I wanted something larger than a lap sized quilt.

I searched through traditional blocks that I could make from one layer cake, add some yardage fabric for the border and backing, and ta-da, a quilt.

Ummm.....no, ta-da.  : /

Yea, it didn't work quite like I had in mind.

There wasn't enough cream colored squares to match with a print square.  I had the four remaining squares that I matched to make the two U-G-L-Y blocks.

The other blocks are the SO-SOs.  I'm afraid the remaining squares will also result in SO-SO blocks too.

On to "Plan B".  Only I don't have a "Plan B".

I do have an incomplete layer cake now.  {sigh}

Please excuse me now.

I have to go figure out how to get a quilt out of a partial layer cake.

Hexies Were Happening

I finally found time this morning to start cutting out my hexies for the hexagon quilt-a-long by JayBird Quilts.

Jelly roll and layer cake is Moda's, The Caroler. 

 

Love, love the colors and the hexagon layout.

Done with step one.

 Ohhh jeez, now I must wait for the next step.  

I think that will be the hardest part of this quilt-a-long.  : /

Bung, Bung, Bung

Mr. Taxman, please go away.

WOW! Another Giveaway!

Head on over to another online giveaway--JayBird Quilts.  

Such generous bloggers we appreciate you!

Isn't He Just Handsome?

Our youngest went to Prom this weekend.  

Preparations for him were so much easier than for our daughter a few years ago.  No hair, no nails, no makeup, no accessories.  A tux, shower and shave.

He and his friends had a great night.

Me, not so much.  He's growing up too quick.    :'(

I Have a Notion Giveaway! And It's an Accuquilt Go!

Whoa!

Only 5 days left over at I have a Notion blog.  It's a giveaway of an AccuQuilt Go.  The AccuQuilt Go is safe and easy to use, accurate and up to 90% faster than rotary cutting and scissors.

Wouldn't that make quilting life simpler?

 Run! don't walk over to the blog and enter yourself in the giveaway!

If you miss out on the giveaway and you can't live without the Accuquilt Go now that you know it exists, you can purchase one in their online store.

April Project List

After a week into April I've finally completed my project list for this month.  Maybe this will help me stay focused on my projects.  

2 Mother's Day table toppers

Start a quilt - pattern TBD - Nostalgia Layer Cake - May birthday present

Finish "Old Fashioned Hospitality" a Kim Diehl quilt from her book Simple Comforts

WIP - Jaybird Quilts - Hexagon Quilt-a-Long - Moda's, The Caroler

Start a lap/wall quilt that I can practice hand quilting while on vacation this summer

Gotta go and push that sewing pedal down.  TTYL

A Day of Firsts

Today is a day of firsts for me.  I won my first online giveaway after entering many of them for well over a year.  Thank you Make Life Sweet for drawing my name! I can't wait to receive your patterns in May.

And I joined my first online quilt-a-long sponsored by Jaybird Quilts.

I'm pulling a jelly roll and layer cake from my stash The Caroler from Moda.  This is also a first because my quilts up to now have been from fabric scraps from other sewing projects, yardage fabric, one charm quilt, and a few fat quarters. This will be my first time to cut into a jelly roll AND a layer cake.  

The jelly rolls are so pretty and nice and neat rolled up.  I've dreamed and awed over projects that I could use it for.  Somehow they just aren't as nice as that rolled up jelly roll.

And finally, this is the first time to work with hexagons.  I'm uber excited about starting a new quilt! I'm up for the challenge.  

Just not quite sure about cutting into my jelly roll.  : O

Bunnies, bunnies....Everywhere!

Seeing all the bunnies the past few days for the Easter holiday kept giving me visions.  Visions of the increasing population of bunnies in our home....DUST bunnies.

Please excuse me from quilting today.  I must go cage some of them before they start teaming up with the missing socks.  

If the shelves are dusty and the pots don't shine,
it's because I have better things to do with my time.
~Author Unknown

Up From the Grave He Arose!

Hope you had a blessed Easter!

Fabric Buying Freeze - Oh My!

My Hunny, kids, and I have a summer vacation planned to drive approximately 18 hours to Holden Beach, North Carolina.  My Hunny and I are in our mid-40's and have never been to a beach...any beach.

So the family is on a strict budget until we go.  Saving for a sun-filled, relaxing week.  Basically, we are only eating and drinking this...

and this.

Definitely, positively, none of this is allowed in the budget.

And that makes me VERY unhappy.  Especially when fellow bloggers tempt me with the information of sales like at Craft Town Fabrics.  And it's charms, oh boy!

Lord, please give me strength to resist because you know I really, really like charm packs. And especially when they are on sale.