The deed is done.

I finally got up the nerve to cut into my quilt.  When I flipped the quilt over to see if I could slide the pin between rows of quilting to get to the edge I saw how close it was to the seam on the backing.  I try to use fat backs so was happy to see that this backing needed to be pieced. 

The end of the scissors are at the head of the pin.  It will need to slide up and over to the right.

 There's the little opening I made. 

 And here's the offending pin. 

 I used very fine thread to stitch the opening shut. 

Good as new...I hope.   Here it is in the original photo taken on a sunny July day. 

I sure hope nothing like that ever happens again. 

Many thanks

for the votes....woot....I came in 2nd...and for the sympathy on my quilt.  I got lots of good advice thru both the comments and email.  Cindy's advice to take a deep breath was spot on.  I agonized about cutting in but I finally did it.  There was a seam on the back where I'd pieced the back that I could work the pin over to.  It was pretty 'land locked' so I didn't have much room to work in.  The quilting crossed over itself here and there limiting where I could go with it.  I have pictures I'll show later.

I want to thank everyone for voting for my piece over on Anna's blog.  I didn't see any reference to who won the drawing for the prize she was giving one of her voters but I sure hope it was one of YOU. 

Here is a closer look at the detail.  I changed everything about the picture aside from the border.  I only slightly changed the flowers to look more like a bleeding heart and remade the hummingbird from a free pattern I stitched years ago.  Everything else is taken from random patterns. 

Can't wait to show you what I won. 

OMG!!

and a whole bunch of other acronyms that involve swearing.  Do you see this?????

That sucker is quilted into my quilt!  Last night I took my two newest quilts to my quilt guild meeting for show'n'tell.  This morning I was refolding them and tucking them back in my cupboard where they are displayed when the second quilt caught on the first quilt.  I couldn't imagine what would cause that so I felt around and found this! 

My index finger is pushing on the huge round head of the pin.  That thing measures 2 1/2 inches long!  How in the world am I going to get that out?  If I snip the end, and try to poke the new end through I might poke a hole since it won't be pointy anymore.  Even doing that until I'm down to the ball will leave a little metal tip to wear a hole in the quilt. 

The best I can figure it's where the quilter marked the center of the quilt.  Why it was marked on the back side is lost on me but it couldn't possibly be further from an edge.  How crazy. 

I'll dwell on the problem for a while then, hopefully, post what I finally did.  If I make a hole I might not want to show anyone.  What a sad thing to have happen to a quilt.

Finally,

my camera and my latest quilt block were in the same room at the same time.  I carry that camera somewhere thinking I'll take pictures, put it down, move on to something else, see the current subject, wonder where I left my camera and go on with my day.  I figure I'll get to it sooner or later. 

Back before I went to Niagara Falls I finished the 3rd installment of the Red Barn series.  One more barn to go then the borders. 

Has everyone gone to vote on your favorite BBD inspired piece?  NO!  Get over there...... what are you waiting for??  There are prizes involved.  And a drawing for just people who vote.  Do you see the prizes the winner gets?  No excuses now.  I'm trying to win this fair and square.  I'm not giving any hints as to which one is mine.  You don't even have to have an account that allows you to post comments.  Anna just wants an email.  Tomorrow, the 4th, is the final day so chop, chop.  Make my day. 

Worth the price?

Reviewing or showing the inside of a pattern book isn't something I would normally do.  Generally, I like the excitement of seeing it for myself.  However, I was so pleasantly surprised by what I saw in Just Cross Stitch's Halloween Collection book that I'm going to show you a few. 

Another reason is that so many stitchers don't have a local shop where they can go and page thru something like this.  They're left at the mercy of the Internet.

When I first saw it I thought it was just going to be ornaments.  But, I was quickly proven wrong.  I guess that's just how I've come to think of the Halloween issue of Just Cross Stitch. 

The cover. 

First I saw 'Halloween Wreath' by Sharon Pope.  The pattern calls for glow in the dark Kreinik braid.  I know, we all hate working with that stuff but just imagine the end result. 

Another fun pattern is 'Things that go Bump in the Night' by Cross-Point Designs.

 Notforgotten Farm's' October Feather Tree'.  (Love it!)

 Finally, 'Haunted House' by Sharon Pope. 

And there's more!  Not to mention the ornaments.  Tons of them.  

Sorry, I know the pictures are bad.  It's hard to take pictures of an open book.  Anything I used to prop it open obscured some of the picture. 

Entice you enough to purchase it?  I'm sure you know right where to go to find it. 

Where in the world is The Queen Bee?

Can you guess? 

 No?  How about now?

Yes, Niagara Falls.  And, no, there is pretty much no way I'm getting in that boat and driving right up to them.  Nope. No way.  Feet firmly on the ground for this girl.  (Except I'm doing a zip line some day, should the opportunity ever arise.... and I think it will next summer.)  Oh, and I've been in a hot air balloon twice and I'll jump on about any airplane.  But, other then that I don't like thrill rides.  Unless, of course, it's that ride at an amusement park that flings you UP.  Not the one that takes you up and drops you.... I like to start at the ground.  Ok, we didn't have time for the boat ride. 

We got some education, too.  We look all perky and alert because we were just back from lunch.  That's me in the back.  I've discussed my feelings about hair color before. 

 And, I left this place with 3 times as much money as I went in with. 

And who wouldn't enjoy this view out of my hotel room window?  See that cloud of mist?  That's from the falls.  If you don't know where to go to see them, just follow it.  When you're closer the roar will lead you. 

Niagara Falls, NY Fall 2011 but, as always, I'm glad to be home. 

Mmmmmm,

my house smells like heaven.  Fall is here.  Today started out warm and sunny but quickly turned cold and rainy.  So, what should one do when you need layers of clothes and... yikes.... socks?  Cook. 

First up:  applesauce.  I can still remember what it was like to come home from school and smell those apples cooking down.  It meant warm applesauce for supper.  Only on that first night did we have the applesauce warm.  It wasn't until my husband (pre-husband days, actually) put applesauce in a pan to warm it as a side dish one night when I was visiting his apartment that it ever occurred to me that applesauce could be warm EVERY time you had it.  Doy.  (It's still best the first night, though.)

 I ditched my original plan for supper and made my standby favorite..... Bisquick's Impossible Pie. 

This is my 'go to' supper when there are odds and ends left over.  Tonight it was chicken.  So, in the pie plate goes the chicken, some onion, a little cut up potato, shredded cheese and broccoli.  You can use whatever meat you have left over with whatever vegetable compliments it.  However, it's best when it goes with cheese.  Imagine ham, cheese, mushrooms, and asparagus or turkey, potatoes, cheese, and broccoli.  Pretty much the only thing I've added to the recipe, not called for in the original, are the potatoes.  Sometimes those are left over, too, so what the heck? 

1 cup milk, 2 eggs, and half a cup Bisquick poured over the top, bake at 400' for 30 minutes, let stand for 5 more minutes with a little cheese sprinkled on top and dinner is served.  (Sorry, no picture of the finished product.  Everyone came in the door just as it was coming out of the oven. ) 

We had an exchange student from France once who thought this was the most awesome dish EVER.  She photographed it along with the page out of the recipe book. 

What's your 'go to' recipe that uses left overs or staples and causes everyone to have seconds??  Do tell.