No Guilt::Go Quilt - Green Enchilada Chicken Soup

Where would I be with out my slow cooker??? Stuck in the kitchen making dinner, that's where!

Thanks to my personal assistant and sous chef, my crockpot, I was able to FINALLY complete a few items that had been on my To-do list for weeks.  I'll share the recipe in a minute...

✔  The pattern test is DONE!  I can't share the finished top, but as I stated last week (and shared), one of the options allows you to use a panel at the center.  I had to add to the panel I had selected to get it the correct size... 

Here's a peek at what came next...

The other item completed was the Christmas stocking for our newest grand-daughter, Hanna.

After we celebrated Thanksgiving on Wednesday evening the three darling girls came home with us since their Mom & Dad had to work the remainder of the week/weekend.  

Naps were needed as we "watched" the Thanksgiving Day parade...

Once everyone was refreshed and recharged the afternoon involved riding and driving Dave's new-to-him tractor...

Hanna was hanging out with me inside, happy and content with her plethora of toys offering entertainment as I enjoyed some Hallmark movies...

After a repeat of day one on day two, we ventured into town for the Tree Lighting Ceremony.

Grand times with the Grand-babies! 💗  But alas, the fun came to an end when our other daughter, Rebecca picked them up to return to Pueblo so that they could all sleep in their own beds for Saturday night.  They trimmed her tree, colored/decorated eggs, watched Aladdin and played hide and seek...

That was when I called out my crock to help me out.  On the menu was Green Enchilada Chicken Soup 

2.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

28 oz can green enchilada sauce

24 oz chicken or vegetable broth

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

salt & pepper to taste

Cook for 6-8 hours.  Shred chicken.  Stir in 4 oz cream cheese until melted/blended.

Optional garnish:  avocado, green onion, sour cream, cilantro

Serve with quesadillas or chips

I used dairy-free cream cheese and it was delish!  Dave loved it as well. :)

✔  While the soup was simmering away, I was finishing Hanna's stocking.  Ta-da!

❧  On the cutting table next is a collection of little lovey blankets that came with Disney Babies.  This is a custom memory quilt... 

The little blankets  are two-sided and I'll be using a layout similar to the "Little Princess" one in the lower right corner.

I'll need to add some other fabric to make it a 60"x80" finished quilt, but this should be a fun project.

❧  I'll also be getting the pattern for the label of the Pieces of the Santa Fe Trail quilt finalized and tested, as well as a wrap-up of Marion's Memoir.

I continue to search for another "topic" for another special sew along, several suggestions have been made.  Keep the suggestions coming!  I'm still on the hunt.  

One book I have ordered is about five women that made aviation history.  Another I have looked at is by Rose Wilder Lane written in 1925... the only book I have located happens to be selling for $70 and I'm not sure I want to invest quite that much money.  It is a fictional biography of Jack London with a San Francisco setting.  

One last idea I have had was to do a collection of classic books with each having a block of their own.  

What do you think?

Leave a comment... I'm open to ideas and I'd love to hear from you!

Be blessed and keep piecing,

Melva

Linking with:

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework

Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate

Patchwork & Quilts at The Quilting Patch

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

To Do Tuesday at Texas Quilt Gal

Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter

Put Your Foot Down at For the Love of Geese

Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation

Tuesday's To-Do Ramblings

The list is short and sweet this week...  

❧  Finish the pattern test... The center panel is complete and I am pleased.  The only issue I had was that it was just a smidge too wide.  I took a very narrow seam on the left side of the prayer.  While not the ideal correction to the issue, I will bury it in the quilting.  I am planning to do the hanging diamond grid on the wall hanging and I think it will be just fine.

❧  Finish Hanna's Christmas Stocking...

The other stockings for the grands have little bells hanging from the prairie points.  I have just one bell on hand, and I don't want to buy a bag of 12...  I came across three little snowflakes that I will dangle from the points.

I hope to get it done in time to send it home with the kiddos so that it can be hung with the rest of the family's stockings when Heather is ready to decorate.

I want to make a "baby's first Christmas" ornament with her picture on it too... but that can wait a bit.  It will be a tag on her gift.

Speaking of gifts.  We unexpectedly got all of our Christmas shopping done on Saturday!  Ok, well a little bit of it spilled over to yesterday but we now only need to wait for the gifts that have been ordered to arrive.

We had gone to the local farm supply store for something not related to Christmas at all and walked out with only Christmas gifts for the wee ones.  LOL!  

In other news... The book signing event last week was a success.  Nearly 40 people came by and 22 books were sold.  A friend that I worked with years ago sent me a message with a picture of "my name in the lights" saying he was proud of me.  The local bank advertises upcoming local events and the book signing was one of them. :)  It was great to see friends and acquaintances that I haven't seen for years... But the best part was being able to talk with some people that remembered my grandparents and shared their memories with me.  Priceless!

I'll be participating in an "Author Market Place" event on December 4th... another opportunity to see more familiar faces and make new friends.

❧  The final item(s) on my list is to enjoy our early Thanksgiving with our family and cherish the time with the grand-daughters for a few days after.

How are you doing with your gift giving list?

Leave a comment... I'd love to hear from you.

Have a blessed and safe week,

Melva

Linking with:

To Do Tuesday at Texas Quilt Gal

Monday Morning Musings ~ November 22

As we prepare for the week ahead... the kick-off of the "holdiay season", I look forward to some family time.  Since our daughter, Heather, and her husband, Art, are both working on Thursday and the entire weekend, we will be having our Thanksgiving celebration on Wednesday evening.  The fun will not end that evening because we are bringing the grand-daughters home with us until Saturday when they get picked up by Auntie Becca and returned back home to Mom that night.  There will be one last "tag" as a babysitter arrives Sunday morning to finish out the weekend.  Whew...

Having a natural tendency to be an introvert I will be preparing myself mentally for the presence of a larger crowd... Yes, it will be family... yes, I love them all... but the noise and activity over-stimulates me causing me to want to retreat to quiet and solitude!  Haha!  I will be found in my studio FINALLY working on the pattern test that has been waiting for weeks.  It has an option to use a panel as the center of the quilt and I have planned all along to use one that I had inherited in a fabric stash gifting.  

I had selected some coordinating fabrics and started cutting and piecing.  But after the placement of a few components I was completely unhappy with it.  Bleh!  NOW what???  While rummaging in the studio closet for something else unrelated my eyes fell on a panel printed with A Christmas Manger Prayer on it that has been around for many years... just waiting.

I pulled it out with plans to use it for this test.  All was good until I realized it wasn't quite the dimension that the pattern test called for.  I added a few muslin strips that matched the background and proceeded to cut some pieces of Christmas novelty prints but, again, I was unhappy with my selections.  **Ugh**

Jack (the seam-ripper) and I sat and conversed as I removed the muslin strips.  When I was done I added a narrow black border and then dug out some scraps.  I will be creating a stained-glass look to make the center panel section the appropriate size!  Finally I am pleased with my fabric choices and plan to get the panel to the correct size!  I can't reveal more until the designer releases her pattern... 

Those are itty-bitty pieces... and there is a need for a LOT of them!  You know where you can find me. 😉 You may need to look under the piles of fabric... I seem to have quite a mess! 

When I am done messing with all those pieces I will wade out from them and be putting the final touches on the release of block 12 of the Pieces of the Santa Fe Trail Sew Along.  This is the final block required for the top of the quilt so I'll be including cutting and assembly instructions for the sashing strips, corner stones and borders.  I look forward to seeing some of the finished tops very soon!

Whether or not you are traveling to celebrate Thanksgiving with family or friends, be safe and may your gratitude list be long and plentiful.

And consider this a reminder to clean of your table... LOL 

God Bless!

Melva

Linking with:

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework

Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate

Patchwork & Quilts at The Quilting Patch

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Thankful Thursday - November 18th

Another week filled with things to be thankful for! 

#1  The opportunity to run away, unplug and get rested and refreshed.  Though it was only for two nights, the time away was worth every bit of effort it took to get there.  

We sat, we talked, we walked some, we watched the light on the canyon walls shift... we read, we watched the dog wander and pace trying to find the perfect spot to settle down and enjoy gnawing on an antelope leg she found in the area... we napped, we slept almost 12 hours both nights and we woke to beautiful sunrises.

We viewed the incredible artwork of the Master Artist.  The sunsets and sunrises were beautiful.  I just kept snapping pictures because with every few seconds that passed, the colors were changing and seemed more brilliant and bright.  Here's a little slide show of the show on Sunday night...

I enjoyed reading from the Laura Ingalls Wilder book that I bought while visiting Mount Rushmore.

#2  News of another grant approved... this one with enough to cover the cost of the printing of the Pieces From The Past Book and the display frame for the quilt.

#3  The opportunity to promote the book with an interview on the local radio station and a book signing event at the local library

Sadly, this book does not include the patterns for the quilt.  When I obtained permission to use the vintage Kansas City Star patterns it was granted specifically that the patterns be offered in a digital format at no cost to the participants of the sew along.

It does, however include all of the letters, family stories, history, and recipes.

If you are interested in a copy of the book you can contact me at MelvaLovesScraps@NolanQualityCustoms.com and I'll let you know the best way to send payment.  Cost is $25 plus $5 to cover postage within the United States.  International mail requests may be possible.  But, again, you will need to email me at the above address.

#4  The completion of the last rows of our Camping Journal Quilt...

I stitched the Badlands Block and the Mount Rushmore block while we were away.  All I need to do now is embroider the names of the locations and the dates of when we visited the various places on the sign blocks.

Thirty-four blocks representing our six different trips and seventeen different overnight stays were added to our "Journal."  What fun we have had!  Each overnight stay has a block to represent something we saw or did.

It is now time to settle in for the winter and get back to quilting... 

I still have a pattern test to get done!  Thankfully, the designer is kind and understanding. :)

What are YOU thankful for?

Leave a comment... I love to correspond with you via email when you comment.

May you see the abundant blessing in your life!

Melva

Linking with:

To Do Tuesday at Texas Quilt Gal

Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter

Stitch Sew & Show at Life in the Scrap Patch

I like Thursday at Not Afraid of Color

Put Your Foot Down at For the Love of Geese

Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie

Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty

Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More

Friday Foto Fun at Powered by Quilting

Thank Goodness It’s Finished Friday

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts

Let's Go

 

The other day Dave was looking at the weather forecast and said "We should go camping early next week."  

I quickly responded "OKAY! Let's Go."

After a brief assessment of our calendar we decided we could successfully squeeze in a quick trip by leaving after worship on Sunday and return Tuesday morning before the Ladies Ministry Bible Study that I lead that afternoon.

So as this posts, I'll be unplugged and recharging as I gear up for a book signing event at the local library.

We made plans to load the camper, pantry and fridge on Saturday afternoon.  During the morning I was prepping two Fiona Sandwich EPP Postcard Block kits for my entertainment... 

I have a block for the Badlands ready to sew and a variety of fabrics to choose from for the Mount Rushmore block. 

With the completion of these two blocks I will be able to complete another row of our Camping Journal Quilt.

And with blocks to represent this last trip of 2021 I will fill in the last spots of a second row.

While Dave has talked about taking the camper off when we return, he has already mentioned wanting to plan a trip in March... With Galveston as our initial destination and then head east to explore New Orleans and more.

Do you have suggestions of something we MUST see or do?  

Leave a comment... I'd love to hear from you!

Stay calm and keep piecing,

Melva

It's a Furry Almost-Finished Friday

Try as I might, my customer's Cat quilt is quilted.  I thought I might get it trimmed and the binding done, but... well, sometimes you just have to stop and take care of yourself by going to an adjustment appointment and getting errands done (banking, post office visit and grocery shopping).

While not a complete finish... I will consider this a successful Friday Finish any way.  🎉

Playing on the vertical lines of the cat bodies and angles of the cat's ears, we chose a "hanging diamond" grid.  Since the recipient of this quilt is a tall gentleman, the straight lines offer a more masculine feel than any curvy free-motion quilting. 

Trimming and binding will be done on Saturday.  It will be washed and dried over the weekend as well and sent off to the customer... with just enough time for her to send it to her brother-in-law for his birthday at the end of the month.

Other things that I have been musing about... The Santa Fe Trail Sew Along is nearly finished.  Just one more block to be released for the top (November 25th).  The top can then be assembled and quilted before the end of the year.  A bonus block, intended to be the label for the quilt will be published on December 16th with a summary post.

While enjoying lunch with my mom and her friend the other day I was asked "So, what's next when the Marion Russell stories are done?"  

My response was, "I'm not sure.  I might take a break from hosting a sew-along and just participate in some on-line blocks of the month parties."

By the way, if you are interested, you can still join the sew along fun!  All patterns are available on payhip... You can get a bundle of 9 patterns for the first 9 blocks for just $9... and blocks 10 and 11 are still free.  What a deal!  Eleven patterns for $9...  Each block takes less than an hour to piece and before you know it you will be caught up!  

As I sat quilting the furry felines (which it felt so good to do! {it's been a while.}) I started thinking of other books or themes that would be good subject matter for a similar sew along.  Little House on the Prairie would be fun, but it has already been done... not that I would copy, but I am thinking I want to do something more original.

Anne of Green Gables is a classic that I have grown to love as an adult. And The Secret Garden is another one that was introduced to my daughters that I have come to love. And when I did a search for quilts of these, the only items I found were manufactured items from places such as Pottery Barn.

Though these are more popular books, they are well known and could still be fun to design blocks for a sampler quilt.  

I am open to ideas!  

Historical, Fiction, Non-Fiction... 

Leave a comment... I'd love to hear your ideas!

Stay Pieceful,

Melva

Linking with:

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie

Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty

Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More

Friday Foto Fun at Powered by Quilting

Thank Goodness It’s Finished Friday

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts

Scrap Happy Saturday at Super Scrappy

UFO Busting at Tish’s Wonderland

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework

Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate

Patchwork & Quilts at The Quilting Patch

Thankful Thursday - November 11

I have so much to be thankful for!  Where to begin...

#1 - The fact that we own a carpet cleaner to clean up messes.  Today we welcomed the day with a sick dog and the NEED for a clean up in several places.  **Ugh** And this after just shampooing the carpet on Monday!  It was NOT the best start to the day, but I am grateful that I could quickly spot clean the messes.

#2 - I live in a country with freedoms that many others do not have.  While it may be frustrating at times when individuals try to stretch their freedoms, I am still free to speak out and up when I feel led to, and I am free to worship my Lord and Creator without fear of prosecution or death.

#3- Our country is and has been protected by men and women that have given their lives for those that live here.

I am sharing this video that has touched me over the years... (while it was written for the Canadian Remembrance day, The United States fought the same war... and today we remember those that have served.)

Take a couple minutes to listen... and tell a Veteran "Thank you for your service."

#4 - I am thankful that I am nimble and flexible enough to spend time on the floor to mark quilting lines.

I'll be in my studio quilting a "hanging diamond" grid on the Cat Quilt, hoping for a "Friday Finish"!

What are you up to?  I hope that your day had a better start than mine!  

If you have served in the military, "Thank you" seems as though it is not enough, but know that my appreciation comes from the bottom of my heart. 

God Bless!

Melva

Linking with:

Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter

Stitch Sew & Show at Life in the Scrap Patch

Put Your Foot Down at For the Love of Geese

Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation

Weekend Wrap

Friday's presentation at the Trinidad Historical Society's annual dinner was a success.  Sixty people were in attendance, the slide presentation worked smoothly and I was able to keep my cool through out it and even answered some questions after it.

If you missed the fact that we had been exposed to the virus and went for testing on Wednesday... well, you can safely assume that we tested negative!  Dave and I were both relieved that we didn't have to be in quarantine.  Whew!

A few Pieces of the Past books were even sold.  The first request for a book to be mailed arrived on Friday too!  Only 80 more to go. ;)  As a quilter, it was difficult to share only the history aspect of this project.  There were plenty of family stories and details shared as well, but I would have much rather focused on the blocks and the reasons that they were selected to accompany each letter.  

Since I was awarded some grant funds to be able to promote and advertise the publication of the book, I will be contacting a local quilt shop in Raton, NM (just a short 30-minute drive away) to see if they might be interested in hosting a sew-along event in their shop.  

We celebrated with our friend that turned the B-I-G 6-0 and enjoyed reconnecting with her daughters, and grand-children and several other friends.  She loved the quilt.

It was the A Time for All Seasons BOM and the more I looked at it, the more perfect I realized it was.  Connie is a Christian Sister and Ecclesiastes 3 was a comfort for her after her husband passed away.  The border of the quilt has multi-colored balloons and the backing was from a collection of fabric that had been passed on to me from her Mom's stash.

I stitched  a few blocks for our Camping Journal Quilt while on the road...  The wagon will represent our stop in Guernsey, WY at the Oregon Trail Track site and the fish are for our trip to the National Forest near Red River in August.  While there we saw the department of fish and game stocking the river with trout.  The background is the water of the river... yellow.  Yes, yellow because there had been a rain storm and when we emerged from the camper after it passed the water was YELLOW from the minerals from the ground in the run off.

Sunday's packing party of Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes was a success.  We had already packed 20 in July and we had planned to pack an additional 40 boxes.  When all was said and done, we have 70 boxes ready to go to children that will have an opportunity to learn of Jesus' love for them.  The gifts in the shoe boxes are nice, but the ultimate goal of them is to introduce people all over the world to the salvation of our Lord and Savior.  God bless them all! 

❧  I still have not completed the pattern test... **sigh**  I started it!  Really, I did.  But I was so unhappy with my fabric selection that I pulled it all off of the design wall and started over using a panel as the center panel.

❧  I have a plan for the cat quilt for my customer.  I will be quilting in the word "Meow" on a diagonal.  

I currently have the living room torn apart because I decided that the carpet needed to be cleaned... it was overdue and much needed.  Truth be told, my Mom's social media account was hacked and then stolen.  We cannot delete the account because she cannot log in... the hacker actually asked for $100 to get it back.  Seriously??? Holding her account ransom?  What a terrible thing to do to anyone of any age, but doing this has caused my 81 year old mom distress and worry... and frustration on my part since I am her "tech support"... thus the deep clean of the house!  LOL.  

Am I the only one that finds cleaning a comfort??? Ok, so maybe not a comfort... more of a way to direct energy and frustration? Quilting will be my next therapy, once I have calmed down. **deep breath**

All in all, it was a marvelous weekend and I refuse to let one cruel, rude hacker steal my joy.  Time to shift the furniture to the clean half of the room and finish the remainder of it.

Stay calm and keep piecing,

Melva

Linking with:

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

To Do Tuesday at Texas Quilt Gal

Thankful Thursday

I have so much to be thankful for!

#1 - Our covid tests came back negative!  🙌🎉  Our daughter is on the mend, the grands are hanging in there with some symptoms, but nothing too alarming.  Our son-in-law is still feeling poorly and frustrated that he cannot smell or taste anything, but I am certain he will be turning the corner toward feeling better soon.  I am feeling more confident about the program for Friday night and my Mom is very relieved that she doesn't have to give it.  Whoop! Whoop!

#2 - I received an e-mail yesterday notifying me that I was awarded a portion of my grant request from the local Tourism Board.  It is specifically for promoting and advertising my book.  Plans for a book signing event at the local library are being made.  And this, from the one I didn't expect to get approved!  Go figure...

#3 - I look forward to a fun-filled weekend celebrating the 60th birthday of a sweet friend on Saturday (this picture is from 10 years ago... sadly, her husband passed away 4 years ago... which is why it is even more important to celebrate the life that she has made on her own) 

We will be gifting her a quilt that I completed in 2020 - A Time for All Seasons.

#4 - and packing some Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes on Sunday.  I am thankful, not only for the opportunity to pack some boxes with our church family, but for the pastor's wife who has stepped in along my side (actually carrying most of the load) to help with the organization of the packing party!

November is naturally a month for an "attitude of gratitude"...

What are you thankful for?

Leave a comment... I'd love to hear from you!

Piece with Thanks,

Melva

Tuesday Check-in & No Guilt::GoQuilt

I am here with a Tuesday Check-in!  I have been knocking things off my list and feeling good about it... 

✔  Final adjustments for the program content for on November 5th are being made.  One little hiccup... Dave and I were with our daughter and grand-daughters on Saturday.  They all tested positive for the virus on Sunday/Monday. We were sick a month ago... we are probably ok, but being responsible and in quarantine until we go for a test tomorrow.  Won't you join us in prayer that we are free and clear and test negative?

Plan B, should it be needed is to get the information to my Mom for her to present.  She is really nervous about the public speaking, though it is a subject matter she is very familiar with.  I am confident that she would do fine, but also confident that she won't need to step in. 

I will be really, REALLY glad when this event is done.  It seems that every step of the way has been a challenge.  From getting the book published, to submitting the grants requests and getting everything ready for it... 

I finished a selection of quilted cards that will be available at the event as well as the books. 

✔ I still have a pattern that I need to finish writing for the next Santa Fe Trail Sew Along release.  Pattern has been tested and I think, *I think*, it has been properly linked so that you can retrieve the pattern with out an issue.  At least I will be on the Homefront to be able to correct any problems in a more timely manner.

❧  I didn't get to the pattern test for another quilter/designer/blogger.  But I still have time! 

As for the use of the of my new appliances... I have tried a few recipes out and we will be keeping the air fryer.  We'll keep it simply because of the fact that the fries are good and healthier than deep frying them... and we eat A LOT of fries.  They are a on our menu several times a week.

I cooked some GF chicken tenders in it and Dave said that recipe was a keeper.  I just need to figure out the adjust in cooking time because it definitely took longer than 6 minutes for them to be done and lightly browned.

As for the quick/slow cooker... I am giving a recipe a try tonight...  All-in-one Chicken and Brown Rice.  I'll let you know what we think.  I'll be leaving out the mushrooms and trying green beans instead.  I'll be using a homemade Cream of Chicken soup in place of the canned stuff.  Here's that recipe as well...  I'll be swapping out the milk for a dairy free alternative and Einkorn flour instead of regular flour.

As for the coming week... I'll be testing that baby sized quilt and I received another top to quilt for a customer.  This one is cats...

AND she sent some extra "goodies" for me.  Yay!  Who doesn't love {fun} surprises???

Have you had any surprises lately?

Leave a comment... I love to hear from you.

Keep Quilting!

Melva

Linking with:

Tuesday To Do at Texas Quilt Gal

Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter