Berry Mint Salad

I made a delicious berry mint salad for a potluck at church yesterday.  I did not think about taking a picture of it in the pretty bowl though.  There was not any left so I had to make some more!  It is super easy to make.

Slice a quart of strawberries, add a pint of blueberries, add two kinds of grapes.  You can add any kind of berries you want, in fact I have some cherries I'm going to add to the last little bit.  Put a couple of spoonfuls of sugar on top and let it sit for at least an hour to make a syrup.  (This is how I make my strawberry shortcakes)  Stir it a couple of times.  The longer it sits, the more syrup it makes.  Add some fresh mint from your garden, or you buy some from the store.  The mint is what makes this salad special.

To make the whipped cream, pour about 1 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream into your mixer.  Add about a 1/4 cup of powdered sugar.  The powdered sugar makes the whipped cream stiffer and sweet.  Add about 1/2 a teaspoon of vanilla.  Add the zest of one lemon.  I did not measure anything, the measurements are all approximate.  The lemon adds a special touch of freshness.  Use the whip attachment on your mixer and whip until stiff.  Don't whip it too long or you will have butter!

Mix it all together and enjoy!

I was super excited, I actually got three strawberries from my plants before the bunny ate them!  The mint and strawberries are my first garden plants!  I also have a rosemary plant and my husband has a couple of elderberry bushes he planted.  I will never be a full scale gardener, but I love the feeling of growing something I can eat!  Now if I can just kill the stupid Japanese beetles that are eating my roses!

I'm working on my husband's quilt from last year, hoping to finish it this week!

Missy

Feline Friday

Please play with me instead of cutting quilt blocks!

Oreo wants to be cuddled!

Custard and Cupcake love my treadle.

Pippi

I am sorry it has been so long since I have written, I have been out of town!  I have only finished a couple of blocks.  I'm hoping things will settle down soon, but I doubt it!

I decorated a wedding cake this weekend.

While I was out of town, I found the cutest teddy bear made out of a vintage quilt.  It traveled with me.

We traveled though seven states from MO through FL, it was a long trip!

I hope you are enjoying your summer and getting a lot of sewing done!
Missy

Vets and Quilts

I want to introduce you to Adrian Owen, a member of my church who is a 91 year old WWII vet.  Before church he went to a special service at Ava General Baptist church and they presented him with a Quilt of Valor quilt.  He was so happy about it, he brought it to church to share with us.  Of course I had to take some pictures!

 He said that he is going to put it on his bed.

 Here are the vets in our church.  Pastor Robert Sorenson (Vietnam), Aaron Koop (Iraq or Afghanastin?), Joe Wood (Vietnam), Adrian Owen (WWII), Joe Banks (Vietnam)

 This is a picture I took of Bro. Adrian and my Pastor at a special WWII ceremony the local VFW had on Friday.  Bro. Adrian is 91 years old and never misses a church service.

 When he was asked to speak, he gave the plan of salvation.  I think he is a pretty neat guy!

I hope everyone has a great Independence day.  We are going to a picnic at our pastor's house.
Our church choir sang a cantata at church tonight.

Feline Friday

I went to Texas to see my family and I've only had one day to do any sewing since I've been home.  Pippi kept me company while I was cutting fabric.  She found a comfy spot.

 I walked off while I was cutting fabric and came back to this.  Muffin and Cupcake thought the cutting table under the windows was the perfect spot to sleep.

I tried to move Cupcake, she just rolled over and never woke up.  LOL

 I had to share this picture of Pippi with my Singer Redeye.

 We can't leave out Oreo's fuzzy belly!

 My last night in TX, my mom, aunt, and I went to see the musical Texas in Palo Duro Canyon.

I'm hoping to finish a couple of quilt blocks today!

Missy

Feline Friday

It is with great sadness that I need to say that Precious (my grey and white cat) had to be put down last week.  He was almost eighteen years old and very sick.

Custard, Muffin, Pippi, and Oreo

Custard

Custard and Pippi

Cupcake and Muffin

I got a new phone.  What a big pain to get it set up.  Just trying to set up Instagram took me over an hour.  I accidently set up a new account, I had to un-install the app, but when I installed the app again the wrong account came up again.  I brought instagram up on my computer to see the info there and was able to go back to my phone and log out of instagram and then log in again with the correct information.  Stuff like that is very stressful for me since I'm not familiar with it.  I did try going to the Verizon store, but the young lady was not helpful at all and very condescending.  I will have to talk to her manager today.

Have a great weekend ya'll!
Missy

A finish and a favorite tool

I got to make the strawberry block from Lori Holt's book for my Sew Sweet Bee.  Donna's Lavender Nest asked for this block.  

 I am very behind on my bee blocks, with the move, school and having oral surgery, I am playing catch up.  This is April's block and I am working on March's block now.  I always make two blocks of the 12 inch blocks, just in case.  My cat had a hairball on one of these blocks and I was able to get it cleaned up but one of the reds faded onto the green.  The block below is the one I will be giving Donna, I hope she likes it.

 One of my favorite tools is the rotating cutting mat.  It makes it so much easier to trim a block.

 Instead of having to rotate the block and readjusting the ruler as you go, just rotate the mat and leave the block and ruler in the same spot.  I think every quilter should have one of these mats and a 12 1/2 inch ruler.  They both make trimming blocks much easier.

 I can't remember if I showed you my backyard.  The fenced in area is also my backyard, the previous owner had dogs.

 I love my hammock, it is one of my favorite spots!

I am so glad to finally have a finish after months of no quilting!  I hope you are having a great summer!
Missy