Quilting: Background Choices

Yeah, that's the Kona Sunrise bundle...and I bought it a few months back because I just love it!

Now I've found the perfect pattern to use it in...I think it will show off the fabric quite perfectly and become a quilt I'll want to use forever.

It's a star quilt...where I'll need a background fabric to offset the star fabric.
   The star will be one of the fabrics from the bundle..
   The star will be embedded in a solid block of color, a different fabric from the bundle.
   It will be embedded in a block consisting of another one of those fabrics.

And there will be a third fabric...a background fabric to the star.

Which background fabric should I use?

Normally I'd just use the Kona White...it's my go-to background fabric, and it'd offset the blocks perfectly.

But I'm second-guessing myself....when I went to the fabric store, I brought home a bit of the Kona Aqua...and it works perfect with these fabrics.  Besides stars come from the sky..and should reside in a blue fabric, right?

Decisions, decisions...the safe choice is with the White, but I really love the Aqua.

Help a girl out...what would you choose?

Hooks and Needles: Send Yarn!

Sorry it's not square...I was rushing to get the morning light before running errands.

Are you doing the 2014 Crochet Mood Blanket?

I am...and I pulled out my Mandala blocks to finish for this project...
  There were just two...
  So beautiful they deserved to be in an afghan.

My progress to date:
  82 blocks completed to the white yarn
  31 blocks completed with the variegated yarn, ready to join
  18 blocks joined together

But I have an unexpected problem...being a newbie to this art, I don't know how to estimate yard needed.
  I've run out of yarn...
  Both the white and the variegated...
  And the yarn shop doesn't have any more in stock, but it should be in soon.

So I'm at a complete standstill...unless you can tell me where I can get Encore yarn.  There are no more yarn shops locally in my area, and the big chain stores don't carry it.  I've searched the internet with no success...so where do I get it? Do you have any you could spare?
 

Recipe: Caprese Garlic Bread

Yesterday I made Caprese Garlic Bread...
  Because it was Meatless Monday...
  Because it was easy...
  And very yummy for my tummy!

A few of you saw the picture on my FaceBook page and asked me to post it.  For credit purposes, I found this recipe on Pinterest....and have added a few notes at the bottom of the recipe for what I'd do differently next time we make it...and there will definitely be a next time!

CAPRESE GARLIC BREAD

1 loaf Italian bread
4 tablespoons Butter at room temperature
3 cloves Minced Garlic
12 oz. fresh Mozzarella Cheese, sliced
1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar
3 medium Tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cup Basil, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
Add Balsamic Vinegar to a small saucepan and bring to a bowl.  Reduce heat to low and simmer until reduced by half.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Add minced garlic to butter and mix until well blended.
Cut the loaf of bread in half lengthwise. Butter the cut sides with the garlic butter.
Place on a baking sheet with the cut side up.
Place the mozzarella cheese slices on top of the bread evenly.
Bake for about 12 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the edges are starting to brown.
Top with the sliced tomatoes, chopped tomatoes, and salt/pepper to taste.
Drizzle with your Balsamic Vinegar reduction sauce.
Cut into slices and serve.

Note:
What I'd do differently next time:
- Use Ciabatta bread...not so much fluff.
- Add more garlic (we're garlic fiends here).
- Bake with tomatoes and basil so you'd have a totally warm sandwich

And it will be made again in this house!

Family: The Blue Bed... Decisions, Decisions!

It's time for a new bed....

  Ours is so old....

  It's just time.

And it must be a smaller bed...

  The California King is worked in the old house,

  But it's just too big here.

So I've been bed shopping...

  Looking at all the options...

  Trying to make a fully informed and logical decision.

You see that blue bed up there?

  I love it!

  

But it's not the responsible or logical decision...

  Definitely not the frugal choice...

  As if I were going for frugality, 

  I'd choose this...

A lot more simpler...

   Not so blue...

   And definitely a more frugal choice.

And what happens in five years or six years...

   Will I tire of the blue?

    That would not be good!

 Decisions, decisions....

  At least i have a few days to decide...

  The sale doesn't end until next Monday.

Perhaps you could help? What would you decide?

  

Quilt: Scrappy Trip Around the World FINISHED!

Woohoo!

First finish of 2014!

Scrappy Trip Around the World
  Fabric: Fun Flowers by Holly Holderman of LakeHouse Dry Goods
  Pattern: Scrappy Trip Around the World found at Quiltville.com
  Quilting: Lisa Alexakis at Sew Modern

I had started this last year...
  completed the top rather quickly....
  because it was an easy pattern.

Found the backing fabric...
 pieced it together...
 got it to Lisa for quilting...
 who did a marvelous job!

And there it sat....
  for almost six months...
  just needing binding.

I detest handsewing...
  and binding is handsewing.

But it's been colder the past few nights here in California, and I got it done.
  I was nice to have on my lap...keeping my legs warm while I sewed it down.

Thinking I should learn how to machine bind, as I've got another in my WIP pile just needing binding too!