HomEmaDe VaNillA ICecReAm - MMmmMmmMM

Just thought I'd share...

This was my neighbor's mom's recipe

only hers made a gallon 

so I adjusted it for a half gallon.

Also, I think she had a hand crank machine

and I just plug mine in and flip the switch.

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

pinch of salt

1 qt. milk

1 tbl. vanilla

Beat eggs thoroughly.

Slowly add sugar.

Continue beating until stiff.

Mix in remaining ingredients

& pour into can.

This is where it goes into the ice-cream maker.

A little ice and rock salt & yummo!

 Remove the beater and place in freezer for a couple hours

to finish setting up.

I am actually allergic to milk,

but I do get a spoon and sample a bit from the beater.

Mr. LB's favorite is with root-beer or blue berries.

It was beautiful in the bowl,

but I didn't get a picture

because it disappeared to quickly.

Enjoy!

Until next time,

Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches 

Baker City Quilt Show 25th Anniversary

I'll try not to do a lot of chatting,

but will share photos.

This one was just on display as

it was not finished.

 Jes Berry made this beautiful applique.

He was last year's featured quilter. 

 This was just so striking.

 Danielle made this one.

She does our machine quilting.

She is so very talented.

 Virginia's Baltimore. She likes purple:)

 My mom mad this one & 

I think she is going to sell it.

(She has made 17 quilts since January~

she couldn't go outside due to some skin issues.)

 When we were helping 'tear-down,'

I saw the gal that made this one.

I said, "Oh, you made the quilt with the

embroidery and little circles right?"

She got a panicked look on her face

and said, "Yes, what happened to it?"

I told her nothing; I was going to compliment her

but didn't mean to give a compliment

in the form of a heart attack.

We both had a little laugh.

The silver was the challenge fabric this year. 

 I just love those puffy skirts.

 I took this one just for Mr. LB.

 I might have to make this one.

 This was one of two judges choice quilts.

The other is just to the left (didn't get a pix.)

 Just some of the guild's block of the months.

Talk about a group of talented women!

 This was just too sweet not to photograph.

 I know it's not a new pattern, 

but I just love this one.

 There were a lot of king and California king sized quilts this year.

 This was just for display.

They had a game this year for their 25th anniversary.

There were 15 silver stars

pinned on quilts throughout the show.

We were to write the 15 quilt numbers

on a piece of paper with our name and ph. #

and they drew a name from those who

had all 15 properly identified.

It was harder than you would think 

when you are looking at the quilts.

(See the lavender girl)

 My mom made this one too.

Just cute.

There were so many beautiful quilts.

The quality this year was even better than last year.

These gals always do a fabulous job.

There were 171 quilts &

several of those were great big.

Hope you enjoyed the mini version of the show.

Until next time,

Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches

Better Than Pizza

I know you won't believe this

so I hope you are sitting down,

buuuut....

I don't like pizza!

You should hear the response from teenagers

when I say that.

After several attempts to try and make

the perfect pizza dough,

I discovered pita pockets.

They are perfect!

The picture above is photographed

using an Italian wrap.

Don't do that - did not work or taste good.

I am usually a white bread sorta gal,

but for the pizza crusts,

the honey wheat pitas are the best.

Then,

instead of pizza sauce,

use tomato pesto.

(It's right next to the pizza sauce on the top shelf)

add toppings of your choice.

The pesto is sooo much better than pizza sauce,

and not nearly as sweet. 

This one looks a little bland as

we were out of a few things.

The best part about this is you can make

just one or a whole bunch.  

Or better yet, do assembly line production

and everybody makes their own

so everybody is happy.

We like our pepperoni on top

so it gets crispy.

Bake in the oven at about 400 degrees

for about 12-15 min.

If you were to make several

and freeze them, oven temp. 

should be 425*.

Then...

Gobble 'em up.

I am recovering from quilt show and will have pictures to share soon.

Until next time,

Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches

Marco - Polo - I'm Over Here

I haven't been getting much stitching accomplished.

I've been playing here.

And believe it or not,

Yes, I do weed the garden.

I haven't had a garden for about 3 years.

When Mr. LB and I were discussing it,

I said I might put it here

as it gets good sun and is close to water.

 I also said, "I have an idea."

He is so patient.

I didn't tell him my idea.

One day he came home, and I had it all staked out.

I wanted it to look nice-

like more of a court yard garden

that we could eat:)

Many of the plants are just small,

but are growing.

Think we have enough lettuce?

There are flowers and cucumbers

planted around the bird-bath.

I'm not wild about the grass path.

It's too difficult to maneuver the lawn mower

around without running over food

and still getting to all the grass.

Come fall or next spring, 

we might be laying some brick.

Will also be changing the bean trellis.

We have a humming bird feeder over to the left of this.

I actually caught 4.

One, you can only see the tail of

at the bottom of the feeder.

I usually call them the buzzards

since they will buzz by close.

Last night while were were eating,

there must have been a dozen of them.

We actually have 2 feeders.

I fill one, one day

and the other the next.

At the end of the day,

more than my gloves are tired.

On another note,

This weekend is Baker City Quilt Show.

Mom took 18 quilts over for 3 of us just yesterday.

You can look forward to pictures next week.

Until Next Time,

Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches

Wonder Woman

In my last post,

I told you I would introduce you

to our Dye Day hostess.

Her name is Arleta.

This amazing woman spins, weaves,

tans hides (about 8-10/yr.)

has two huge green houses

for her garden,

makes soap,

keeps bees,

and probably has an invisible jet 

in one of the barns.

She tore a hole in her apron.

Did that stop her - Nope!

Just grabbed a plastic bag and kept going.

Instead of Dye Days, 

she has also hosted 

Tanning Weekend.

Mr. LB was interested in that one.

Over the course of the day,

we discovered that my folks

are friends with her brother and sister-in-law.

It really is a small world.

She is 80 29 years young,

and just got back from a 12 day rendezvous.
(If you are not familiar with a rendezvous,
it's a group that is 'mountain man' style &
there are no campers, cel. phones, ipods, 
or anything modern allowed.
Cooking is done over an open fire,
they sleep in tents/teepees or such,
and are dressed in buckskins or dresses
of that time period.)

I could spend a month with her

and never stop learning.

She is a complete inspiration.
I truly hope I have the opportunity
to spend more time learning from her.
I also hope each person who reads this
~for whatever it is that speaks to your soul~
finds a person or people
as knowledgeable, skilled and generous
as Arleta.

People like her are real blessings
and I am thankful to have spent a day 
with her.

Until next time,
Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches

Learning More at Dye Day

This last Saturday, I went with Renee

and her mom to a natural Dye Day

in Lone Rock, OR.

It's pretty much a left over

Boom Town

that now has only a hand full

of permanent residents.

It was absolutely wonderful!

It's in the middle of nowhere

on a dirt road.

 

We used natural dyes including:

madder, log-wood, hollyhock, cochanai, and Osage orange.

There was a little mix up and log wood got mixed

with some used madder, 

but it turned into this deep, rich, brown color.

I forgot to get a picture of all the skeins

hanging to dry.

After lunch,

we each brought something to work on.

Marie and Renee brought knitting,

and Renee brought a wheel for me to try out.

It was my first time ever using a wheel.

I am hooked:)

I have a tenancy to over spin the wool.

I need to get on you tube and watch someone's hands

while they are drafting/spinning.

I haven't watched before, 

and there's a lot to just seeing it done. 

So my yarn (1 ply at the moment) is 

both lumpy and over spun.

I guess that's what it takes to learn.

This day had more to offer,

but I will save that for the next post.

And I will introduce you to our amazing hostess.

Until next time,

Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches

I Did It! I Did It! I Did It!

For reals this time.

Nope not cheese...

not pumpkin...

Anybody who tries to tell you 

soap making is sooo easy-

is saying that because

they have already made the mistakes

had the flops and

learned the right way.

One thing I learned is that 

temperature is crucial!

This recipe has palm oil in it

which accounts for the orange color.

I'm not wild about the color,

but the soap should be really good

for our summertime skin.

I had two flop batches.

One was usable, 

one I didn't trust so pitched most of it.

At least I know two ways

not to do it:)

I need to practice 'unmolding' it.

It will be a couple weeks before

this is ready to use.

Now, I'm antsy to make another batch~

without the palm oil

and maybe with some crushed chamomile.

So try something new today.

What's the worse that can happen?

So you have to pitch a batch, or a block, or a loaf.

You will be the wiser for trying,

and you might end up with a good campfire story.

Until next time,

Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches

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