Mo's Girls

When I first started Miranda's new baby cousin Lyla's quilt, I followed the paper pieced pattern exactly, then decided I didn't like the size (too small) and the material scraps I used just didn't seem organized enough for a newborn's quilt.  So, I  am giving this quilt to Lyla's big 5-year old cousin.  I assembled this quilt using remnants of material from several other quilts I made in the past. The green floral border is overage from a quilt I made for Miranda's Great Grandmother Wise's Card Trick quilt.  The pink hearts blocks were originally made for Mo's baby quilt, but I decided to use lots of colors, so why not incorporate those hearts for the one they were made for?  I'll bet Miss Mo will notice!  She doesn't miss a trick!  Paper pieced dolls and machine pieced by me, then professionally quilted.  Size - 37"x37".

Lyla's Dolly Quilt

This quilt was made especially for my new grandniece, Lyla Grace.  This quilt measures 34"x38", was paper-pieced on my Brother CS-80 sewing machine by me, then professionally quilted at my local quilt shop.  The border is made of squares from the material used for the aprons on the dollies. The quilt is square, the photo was taken at an angle. Here's a picture of beautiful baby Lyla on her birthday, November 23, 2010.

Fire In The Kitchen Datil Pepper Sauce

Yep, I made me a mess o' datil pepper sauce!  Uh huh, my fingers burned for two days cuz I thought wearing gloves was sissy.  This paper plate is holding about 1/3 of the peppers I used.  I grew these datil peppers from a plant I got at last spring's family reunion in St. Augustine.  I have some seeds from my cousin Chris that I am going to start after Christmas.

First, I wanted to keep some of the seeds, so I took the seeds out of about half of them.  I didn't want to chop up ALL the seeds, as they add too much heat to the sauce.
I mixed in all kinds of secret ingredients that I am sworn to secrecy to keep the SECRET, but have to admit, I cannot follow another person's recipe, no matter how secret it is. I have to make it my own!!  So I added this and that, and oh my my my my my, this is one batch of hot goodness!  Mark and I had a sampling of the sauce the night I cooked it on some fried fish - on my goodness gracious, meow meow, and holy toledo too!  It's some good stuff!!

Canning is new to me and I learned today after talking to my sister and searching online.  It was a breeze and I'm glad a bought a jar grabber when I bought the jars.  I used my own pots, but think if I plan to ever can again, which I am sure I will, because it was vastly enjoyable, that I MUST have a canning pot with the jar holder/lifter insert thingy.  I worried that my jars were too close to each other, the sides of the pot, and whatever.  Also, I didn't have anything to keep the jars from the bottom of the pot, so I opened up a metal vegetable steamer thing and used that.  Hey, ya do what ya gotta do!  I was pleased to fill 11-1/2 half pint jars.  It was very satisfying to hear the jar lids suck tight as they cooled, little kisses.  I got some of the cooked sauce on my fingers and am burning all over again.  Whew!  That's some hot stuff!