Rainy Weekends

I'm very grateful that last weekend I planted my garden.  This weekend it rained and rained.

I've been working on a few little projects...some for fun and some for a swap I'm doing.  Both have required some stitching.


In this little bugger, I see one wayward square I need to fix and line up, but the stitching is coming along.



Yesterday while the hubs was at the gun show, I scurried down to the farmers market to see what could be had for some canning before the rain started.  I found tomatoes for $1/lb.  Granted these were the ugly ones, but still good and fresh and not bruised.  I brought home 10 pounds.  I decided I'd give my hand a try at making homemade pizza sauce.  We eat a lot of homemade pizza at home. Figured I could make them that much better.

Ten pounds of tomatoes takes a bit to blanch, peal and puree.




But in the end I got 12 jars ready to go into stock for pizza making.

Long Time, No Peeky

Sorry for the long posting pause folks.  I've been one uber busy peep.  Since my father's funeral, I've been to Ft Worth for ODI, Ohio for Work, San Jose for work and tomorrow a little down time in Palm Springs. 

However, I somehow found time to squeeze in these two little projects.

My hubs had a friend,at work, that recently had a baby girl and he asked me to make them a baby blanket.  So here it is.  I used organic cotton fleece for one side and Riley Blake's Cathedral Window fabric for the other.  Of course I had to add some pink ric rac and a Sweetwater Label.





Then on President's Day, I found 5 pounds of organic carrots for $3.99 at Whole Foods and decided I'd make some spicy pickled carrots. They did turn out pretty yummy too.  The hubs wanted some super spicy, so his have a whole habanaro in them, whereas the others just have a half of jalapeno.

Something Something

It's been a bit stressful at work this week (staff reductions). So I haven't been very outwardly energetic. But I do have a few updates. I was able to spend some time in the garden Saturday morning and found the pepper plants has burst forth another gallon of jalapenos. So instead of jalapeno relish that I'd already canned, I made jelly. I hope everyone likes a little spice in their Christmas this year!
On Sunday, the hubs and I and his friend Austin went out shooting sporting clays at the gun club. Here's our stroller for the guns..yes for the guns..hahaha what will they think of next?
The hubs has been out of town this week so I was able to watch a movie I'd been wanting to see - "Water for Elephants" - well let's just say the book was better. I stitch when I watch TV - here's a little ornie I'm making.

I read blogs where people do all kinds of things

that I want to be able to do. They sew, they cook, they sculpt, they quilt...but then there is Missy! She cans! Look at all that goodness on her table. It just blows me away.

I remember helping my mom put up veggies in the summer. She made these awesome spicy pickled carrots that I loved to snack on. As an adult I think they'd be great in a martini.

So I'm on the hunt for some good canning tools - do I go with a pressure canner or a water bath type of pot? I know I need the jar lifter and the bottle tong, a food mill and jar funnel. Does anyone out there have any suggestions or advice they can pass along to me? I'd like to start planning for all those fresh summer veggies.