Welcome to the family

The wedding was beautiful Saturday.

Welcome to the family, Zak and Aiden!

 I don't have pictures yet but will post more when I get them.

I need to get back in the groove. I have a baby quilt to make.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

The Rehearsal Dinner

The closest I have come to being over stressed about the wedding was on Friday, the day of the rehearsal dinner. I had it all planned out and I had a lot of wonderful help. Our church hall kitchen is very small and the oven only had one rack. So after decorating, I went back home and fixed everything in my kitchen. I was due to meet my help back at the hall at 4:00 p.m. I was about 10 minutes late but my sister-in-law and niece waited patiently for me to get there. And everything went great. I just had about 30 minutes of craziness.

 

Two of my sisters and my mom came to help decorate and peel potatoes. 

 

Decorations were kept very simple. Each of the tables looked like this.

 The wedding attendants. 

Becca's paternal grandmother and godparents.

Craig's Paternal Grandmother and (Step) Grandfather.

 

Craig's Maternal Grandparents

In the back ground you can see the bride's parents (between the heads of the two in the foreground.) Speaking of which, the young man in the blue striped shirt is Becca's twin. He is like family also.

The menu included grilled chicken (thanks to Larry), German potato casserole, baked beans, and a side salad. The German potato recipe can be found here and I recommend it to everyone. It was fabulous. Instead of standing in the kitchen and frying bacon, I used a package of real bacon pieces that I purchased from Sams. For the baked beans I used the following recipe.

Easy Baked Beans

1 lb hamburger meat browned
1 pkg bacon, cooked and chopped
1 small onion, diced
2 cans pork and beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can butter beans
1 cup ketchup
1 cup brown sugar
2 T vinegar

Combine all ingredients and bake at 375 for 1 hr.

I actually put all of the ingreadients in a cooker and let them cook all afternoon. So the recipe does work well in a crockpot.  When I make this recipe again for my family, I think I will add some cubed potatoes and have a meal. They would be great served over cornbread or even rice. Delicious!!!!!

The big hit of the evening was the iced coffee I served with the cake. The cake I made was a buttermilk brownie with icing---topped with a dollop of whipped topping and a cherry. Wonderful and fattening. The iced coffee recipe was from the Pioneer Woman and I also recommend it. I like hot coffee in the morning but next summer I will definitely mix up some of this to keep in my refrigerator.

If you have a big gathering and want to try it, this is what I did. I made the coffee mix the day before like she recommended. The evening of the rehearsal dinner. We poured equal parts of the coffee and milk in a punch bowl. We put glasses of ice on the table with flavored syrups and sugar. The guests then fixed it as they like it.

It was a great evening. But, you know how it is, it all ends too quickly.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

Just checking in . . .

Once again, Kelsey text me to let me know it was time to update the blog. I've been working on the Double Wedding Ring quilt and doing odds and ends to get ready for the wedding.

When Craig and Becca became engaged last year, I felt like the wedding was far, far off and the time would never come. Now, it is upon us, and only 4 days away. Where does time go?

This is a picture of the sunrise while I was heading to school yesterday morning. Just beautiful. (Not a great pic--taken with my iphone.)

The only problem was that I was driving into it so seeing was a problem.

I'll be back on Sunday, excited about the wedding, I'm sure. And with pictures soon. We have a fabulous photographer lined up so I'm going to see if I can make myself leave the camera at home. lol

Until then . . .

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Design Wall Monday

I'm linking up with Judy L. at Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday.

Yippee, I'm down to the last 25 inches of applique. The end is in sight.

I was really more interested in showing the last area than I was the applique. Hopefully, I will have that part finished by the end of the evening on Tuesday. It will take me a couple of hours to draw the last applique part and cut out the flower petals and leaves tonight. Hopefully I will have time to start on the applique also.

Well at the shower today, someone broke the news to me today that the wedding is now just a mere 3 weeks away. Boy the time has flown by since the engagement.

Craig was trying to give me tips on how to use a camera. Believe me, I need all the help I can get. Hey, I wonder if they know they dressed alike today. I didn't notice until now. Too funny.

I have the rehearsal dinner all planned. But I guess it's about time to go shopping. Although, I'll have to wait until a day or two before to get the produce and bread. Recipes are ready. Help is lined up.
It's all downhill from here. I hope! lol.

Will the wedding ring quilt be finished before the wedding? It is doubtful. But it could be. I do plan to keep the quilting on it simple.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

It's Time . . .

I'm not sure I ever posted on here that Craig and Becca were engaged. I really kept waiting for a picture of the ring to show but always forget to take one.

Anyway the wedding is set for October 1.  What once seemed so far away has quickly come upon us.  Today was the wedding shower held at Becca's home church in Subiaco. Her aunts did a wonderful job of hosting and the food was delicious.

They received many wonderful gifts. I know it is exciting for them to be able to toss out things that are old and worn and begin using the new gifts.

This quilt (I can't believe my camera picked this time to turn off so I missed a good picture) was made by Becca's granny.

My mom made them this quilt.

I'm still slowly working on the double wedding ring. Kelsey gets on to me every few days. She says I won't have it finished by Oct. 1. I told her I wasn't worried about that. It will be finished sooner or later.

Open house was held at our school today. I was excused to attend the shower. I know part of my student's parents but not all of them. But we will have parent-teacher conferences in about 4 1/2 weeks so I will be able to meet them them

School starts tomorrow. If it is a normal year, I will be hoarse before the week is over. After being at home all summer and not talking that much, the old vocal chords retaliate. lol

I found at last week that I am slightly anemic. I now realize that is probably why I have been so tired and have not had the drive to sew or anything else (except read) this summer. I am on iron pills now, so I hope I'll get my energy levels back and get busy.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Some things just take a long time!

Back to sewing and working on the Double Wedding Ring Quilt.

Ironing is not my favorite task. It took me several hours to get the border fabric pressed and the quilt top pressed so I could lay it out and pin it together to machine applique.

Now, I'll need to crawl around on the floor to get it pinned well so it doesn't shift when I applique.  The quilt top is sitting on top of a solid piece of fabric. After I applique it down, I will cut out the extra fabric behind the top and then starch, starch, starch to get ready for the applique in the borders.

Lots to do but I think I have the fabric colors decided upon.

I am changing some of the bright green leaves (above) with more muted tones like the brown green in the bud in the left upper corner.  These fabrics will be used on the applique on the two sides that have the pink floral fabric like above.

Then I will change out all of the flower fabrics above to more yellow brown tones that will better match the fabric in this side of the quilt.

That is the plan. Of course, it is subject to change if I don't like the way it looks. 

I'm sure that is about as clear as mud. I probably won't show much more of this quilt as I work so that the finished quilt will be a surprise for Craig and Becca.  (No fair peaking in the sewing room.)

I'm not sure I told you all, but the big day is October 1, 2011. Craig has forgotten to remind me today that it is now only 5 months away.  It only seems like a couple of weeks ago that it was over a year away. Time flies, doesn't it.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.