Staring at my tree...

 Ola Rosselot made this beauty, along with the next 2 snowmen...

Sandy Morgan made this pineapple block...it is TINY!

 I made this reindeer 100 years ago...at least...

I also made the next 4...

Barb Flynn made cinnamon "cookies" for everyone in my family...

When I worked in the research lab, a good friend Chen and his family made these beautiful origami lucky ball ornaments...

Cheryl Grajewski made the woven heart...

Chris Jones made Frosty...

I made the chicks a couple of years ago from egg shells and pompoms...

I made these up several years ago...I call them "Alabama reindeer" - they are made from raw peanuts...

Jo Watson made me a Weasley ornament...

Marilyn Agin made this crocheted snowman...

I am honored to have one of Ellen Taylor's whimsical Santa's (with a blown egg for a head)...

And Judy Endres made the next two...

Then a couple from Margit McPhee...

Marilyn Lange made the cardinal...

MaryLiz made the folded ball...

I made the next five...

My tree is very eclectic, which I LOVE...lots of variety and lots of homemade by me or by friends.  I love to just sit and stare...

In stitches,
Teresa  :o)

Waiting for Santa...

Weasley is trying to catch Santa in action this year...

...he is usually napping and misses the big guy...

He's been a good kitty...he's a great lap warmer...

...stays up late and keeps me company when I am working...

...loves his toys...and likes to sleep up against the heating vent...

...does his limb-lengthening exercises...

...practices his sousaphone...like a good boy...

...is in charge of homeland security...

...and practices his disguises...here he is experimenting with changing his eye color...

I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday season!  Thank you for reading and following my silly little blog.  It has been a difficult year and having the blog has been a real comfort.

With elder care and other issues, it didn't turn out to be the best timing for trying to launch a pattern web site, but I am hoping that 2014 will allow me more time to spend on finishing the music quilt and designing more patterns.  My husband will hopefully have more time to help me develop the Internet download possibility for my patterns.  I know some of you are waiting for this.

Thank you to everyone who has purchased the music patterns!  I can't wait to see what you are doing with them!

In stitches,
Teresa   :o)

Lots of Christmas cooking...

I love making Moroccan Eggplant Dip during the holidays.  It is healthy, exotic, easy, and most important...it is DELICIOUS!  I always make 3 recipes at once because it disappears, especially when I am taking it for a family gathering.  It is delicious with pita wedges.

It freezes well.

Here is the basic recipe: 

MOROCCAN EGGPLANT DIP

3 Tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
1 large eggplant, peeled and diced
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
1 large onion, diced
1 8oz. can tomato sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup fresh cilantro or 2 tbsp. dried coriander leaves

In large fry pan, heat the oil and add all ingredients except the fresh cilantro (if you are using dry coriander instead, that can go into the mix now).  Cook uncovered over medium heat for 20 minutes.  Uncover and cook over high heat, stirring, until reduced to about 3 cups.  Cover and chill at least 2 hours or overnight. 

Before eating, stir in fresh cilantro, if you chose to use that over the dry coriander.

Serve with wedges of pita bread, thin slices of crusty french bread, or pumpernickel.  It is also good with raw vegetables.

YUM!  It is just perfect when feeding family and friends during the holidays.

In stitches,
Teresa

"Coaster-ing" into Christmas...

If anyone knows where December went, please let me know!  I have been in the quilt cave finishing some Christmas stuff...most recently...COASTERS!  When I came up for air, it was the winter solstice!

I made some free-pieced scrappy tree coasters last year for my Mom...very simple...just a triangle and a trunk.  They live in a tree wilderness, so it seemed appropriate.  They were very popular and well-appreciated.

Well, my sisters saw them and coveted them...one even took some. Then came the requests...both from the 3 sisters and the mom, who wanted some to replace the ones that "got away."

Thus started the quilt cave coaster factory.  For days I combed through my scraps of neutral, red and green to make coasters.  This time I made 2-tier trees and threw in some wonky stars.

As usual, I ended up with more scraps than I started with...how does that ALWAYS happen?!?

Finally, I ended up with quite a pile of coasters.

The scrap bins are still as full...need to make a BIGGER scrappy quilt.  I love making these trees and stars...GREAT fabric therapy. I just fill a dozen bobbins, put in a good movie (or a DVD of "The Big Bang Theory"...my VERY FAVORITE show) and just sit and feed the machine with chain-piecing.  

Oh, so satisfying...and it gave my applique fingers a break.

I love the wonkiness of the project, and I used up a lots of tiny scrap batting, which is always fabulous.

I must start Christmas stuff sooner next year...like, in January.  I say that EVERY YEAR and I know I won't.  I must finish hand quilting the music quilt FIRST THING IN THE NEW YEAR! Then I have so many other fun applique projects to get back into.

But for now, I will enjoy an extended family Christmas season! Lots of cooking, lots of nieces and nephews, lots of music, lots of memories...I hope you are doing the same!

In stitches,
Teresa  :o)