UFO - Monday Menu Plan - 10/29

Well, what a start to the week.  Storms looming in the east, earthquake in Canada, also had one in Riverside where my youngest son, Mr. G, is attending college. The one here in California was actually quite small. Only measured 3.9, son said he didn't even feel it.  For those who aren't from earthquake areas, it really has to be close to a 5.0 before  you really feel it or notice it.  Hawaii is waiting a tsunami alert as well, due to the Canada earthquake.  The latest one is being listed at 7.7 and was off the west coast of British Columbia.

At any rate, the earth is speaking and mother nature is putting in her two cents as well.

Now, it is Monday, that means menu plan time.  I haven't linked up with MPM in a while, and as late as I am getting it done today I will be far...far down on the list, but I am following through.

In no particular order, this is what is planned for this week:

Oven Baked Pork Chops, Chicken Gnocchi soup (Olive Garden copy recipe), Beef Stroganoff, Liver and onions, Chicken Enchiladas.

Today is the pork chops, Tues will be the soup as I will be baking and decorating LOTS of cupcakes, Wed. will eat at Halloween alternative carnival at church.  I am making cupcakes for the cupcake walk.  Miss Z is going to help at the booths and food stand.

Okay, as I posted earlier, I have the quilting bug.  Also the crochet bug, embroidery bug and cross stitch bug.  I have been working on trying to organize my craft room so that I can actually do some work on all these UFO projects before starting a new one.

This is a quilt top called Rancher's Daughter and is a free pattern by Debbie Caffrey.  She has a website called Debbie's Creative Moments.  I used 30's repro fabric and a white on white for the background.  I originally pieced this top to make a wedding quilt for my oldest son and his wife.  Things happened, the wedding was postponed, then called off, they they broke up, after a while they got back together, then married.  I figure I need to go ahead and finish it and hope to give it to them for Christmas.  They married in 2008.  I know, a little behind the times there.  I haven't been able to figure out what to back it with.  The finished size is 78 x 90 so thought I would get some really wide muslin but decided I didn't want a light back with their house of dogs and the baby.  I have decided to find a blue or green flannel and piece the back.  I think the flannel will be a nice soft feel for it as I want them to actually use it.

I have just ordered some quilting software, Quilt Design Wizard by Electric Quilt Company.  It is the same company that makes EQ 7 which is now on my wish list.  I use to have EQ 5 and inadvertently sold it. I never did really figure out what to do with it, so have been a little apprehensive at spending the rather pricey amount for the updated EQ 7.  It was explained to me that Quilt Design Wizard is like using colored pencils and a coloring book where as EQ 7 is like graduating to Photo Shop.  For the price, I am content to just start with beginner software then upgrade if I find I am using it a lot.  Both programs are used to design and calculate yardage for quilts.  You can play with the colors and block design a bit before actually cutting in to the fabric.  Of course, the EQ 7 has lots more features, like scanning fabric you have and seeing what it will look like in a block, which is why I will probably end up getting it in the future.  But for now, as I said I am content to pay the much lower price for the beginner software.

I have six quilts in various stages of completion that I need to complete before I start a new project.  I am really itching to use the new AccuQuilt Go that is on the way.  I think I will really like using that set up.

I also found some needle projects in various stages of progress.

 This is called Victorian House.  I bought this kit when we moved here and were staying in the hotel until we could get our furniture and get moved in to the house we bought.  That was in 2000.  You can see I just haven't gotten very far.

Here is a closer view of what it should look like when I actually do get finished.  It really is a lovely design. I would love to actually have a house that looks just like it someday.  Although I find counted cross stitch infuriatingly slow and tedious, I do love the technique.  I am actually looking in to buying some soft ware that will allow me to scan a photo and turn it in to a cross stitch or needle point chart.  Needle point goes quicker for me, but it gets boring quick for me since it is the same stitch over and over.  Counted cross stitch is that way too, but the small stitch size is what gets to me pretty quickly.

This is a stamped embroidery design.  May have been a kit, but I am just using basic colors for the project. It is the Last Supper.  I can't remember when I bought it, but it was several years ago when I was in my "every good Christian home needs to have a last supper on the wall" phase.  As you can see, it has been put up a while.  At least it has a bit more variation on stitches as it is an embroidery sampler.

Not that you can tell, but this is supposed to be a native american maiden with pottery and a wolf beside her.  I actually didn't start this one, was given to me, but I have misplaced the chart so have no way of finishing it.  I should have gotten rid of it, but am waiting a bit longer until I finish going through all my boxes in storage to see if I accidentally find the chart.  If I haven't found it by the time I go through the boxes, then after the first of the year I will either try to salvage the cloth by removing the stitches or just toss it.

Last night I loaded a Red Hat Lady design from a kit on a frame to work on as well.  It is stamped cross stitch and I have never worked on a piece like it.  The fabric has the design stamped in all the same color.  You have to read the chart to figure out which stitches or what color.  Kind of like counted cross stitch, except the x of the stitches are stamped on a white cotton fabric.

And of course, I have several crochet UFO's as well.

 This was the start of a playful ripple pattern, found it free on the internet.  I am quite a bit further a long than when this photo was taken, but not finished.  I don't know how big it will actually end up, I only have two large scraps of the variegated yarn, so will keep going as long as I have that yarn.  I was going to donate this one, but am so pleased that I actually have a ripple working out correctly for a change I may keep it.  However, every one that sees it tells me how lovely it is so I might just use it to start up my Etsy store.  With everything I have been buying lately, I could sure use the money.

This is of course a Spider man afghan, well the start of it anyway.  I have since added more rounds of blue and another set or red since this photo was taken.  I started this for my middle grand son, now two.  I haven't made anything for him yet and I need to.  I think he will like it.  I came across a fleece John Deere throw kit, one where the edges are knotted, and knowing he loves tractors, I will make that too.  Was going to sell the kit, but figure since he has a thing for tractors, I have already paid for it, well...might as well.

I made this for the oldest grand son, the middle one's brother.  Yes, he is a UT fan, and of course his PaPa is a Tech fan, so Mr. T takes great fun in purposely wearing UT clothing when ever he is around his PaPa.  My oldest daughter has two sons, Mr. T, the oldest grand son, is 9.  His brother, Mr. W is 2.  The youngest grand son, Mr. M, is my oldest son's and I keep him during the day.

Guess that is enough for today. Thanks for stopping by.  Come back and visit soon.  Got to go take care of Mr. M, eat some lunch, and Miss Zebra is home from school today, found out last week she has mono.