an impulse project for baby

I'm the appointment queen these days...

And because two of my appointments are a block or two away from my local quilt shop, I stopped in and bought a little kit for this blanket.

I had a crush on this Joel Dewberry Heirloom voile, and when I saw it combined with an oh so soft, low-pile creamy colored linen, I bought it.

Basted the next day, quilted it with an all-over meander last night, and got the binding on this morning.

If you'll notice the rice behind my husband is turning golden... almost harvest time, maybe this week...

If you ask my son when this baby's coming, he'll tell you at "harvester time."

On Tuesday, UPS is set to deliver the backing fabric for this quilt... hopefully I'll manage to finish it!

a foodie post... (with raspberry cream cheese coffee cake recipe)

Not a lot of sewing going on here...

but I did have a few food related somethings to share. :)

We have a lot of tomato plants, with a lot of tomatoes.  And my husband loves tomato sauce... (gotta have that lycopene, right?), so I wanted to make some.  Trouble is, peeling and seeding is a pain for me; I just hate doing it and it's messy.

With inspiration from my friend Amanda, I washed,



Chopped (skin, seeds and all), added some basil, salt, pepper and onion and simmered.



Threw it in the blender (we have a fancy-pants VitaMix blender my mom gave me; Amanda uses a hand-held immersion blender to make hers), and then in to zip-loc bags and in to the freezer.  They smelled delicious, and were so easy.

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Sunday morning, I made my husband's favorite breakfast -- a raspberry cream cheese coffee cake (we eat this every Christmas morning).

Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

3 oz. cream cheese

4 T. butter

2 c. biscuit mix

1/3 c. milk

1/2 c. raspberry preserves (we use seedless - and you can use a bit less too)

1 c. powdered sugar

1 to 2 T. milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix the cream cheese, butter, and biscuit mix until crumbly.  Blend in 1/3 c. milk.  Knead on floured surface 8 to 10 strokes.  Roll to approx. 8" x 12" rectangle and turn onto a greased baking sheet.  Spread with raspberry preserves down the center of dough.  Make 2 1/2" cuts at 1" intervals on long sides; fold strips over filling, sealing well.  

Bake at 425 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.  Make glaze with powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla, and drizzle over warm coffee cake. 

Serve and enjoy.

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And lastly, since I haven't had a pumpkin spice latte yet, I decided to make some pumpkin spice caramel corn (again, inspired by Amanda). :)

Recipe here. 

Enjoy!  36 1/2 weeks now... (Steiger came at 38, 1 day... we'll see what this baby has in mind, but I'm getting large!)

And baby... if you're a boy...

...then this will be your quilt.

I made it with sweet little puppy dogs, and colors that I thought were as handsome as you will be.  And I threw in lots of contrast... so you'll move your little eyes over all the different pieces.

The fabric is as soft as you'll be.

Even on the back.

Your big brother is getting excited to meet you.  Last night he was carrying his teddy bears around, telling me that he was holding his baby brother or sister, and laying them down gently, and setting them next to him to watch Finding Nemo.  (Though he is rather convinced you're a girl.)

Truth is baby, we're all exited to meet you.  

We're doing all we can to give you a happy entry in to the world.

Even if I can't believe how soon it is going to be.

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Specs for my bloggy friends - 

The colors were inspired by Aneela's puppy dog Pips.

Pattern is a modified Bento -- measurements courtesy of Kelly... (she lists them here)

The border is a gorgeous Slatey blue Cross Weave from Moda.  

Quilted in an all over stipple/meander, and bound with some French General wovens.

♥

on Quilt Story today...

Heather and Megan have featured my "if you're a girl" quilt on Quilt Story today. :)  (If you're new here... hello). :)

It inspired me to sit down and start quilting the "If you're a boy" quilt.

I have to say something I love about these two quilts -- they are both so "me."  Oftentimes I make things based on what I think other people would like (I make a lot of gifts), but these two quilts... I picked what I loved (in gender specific colors of course), and went with it.  Actually -- I did that with my "hospital quilt" too... 

We hit 34 weeks yesterday, and I am feeling it.  I need to take a 34 week picture, like I did with Steiger... 

Yesterday my house smelled like Thanksgiving.  I baked a turkey and made a big batch of gravy (mmmm....), and had a chicken (for chicken 'n dumplings) in the crock pot.  Today I need to finish the chicken 'n dumplings, make turkey soup, and make lasagna.  The freezer meal prep begins... (and the husband has been given strict instructions not to touch them until AFTER this baby is born).  I think I need to plan a trip to my grandma's swimming pool in there too... and a nap too, of course. ;)

♥

(I have to admit though -- even though I'm still pretty nervous about labor and how everything's going to go, I'm getting pretty excited to hold this sweet babe... and see who it is hanging out in there with me)