...........................................................

...........................................................
Blessed by everyday blessings

these are a few of my favorite things

~smiling faces~

~hugs and kisses from grandchildren
and hearing the name Nanny from far away places~

~mostly old sometimes new~

~quilts with love stitched through and through

~Babies and butterflys and all things created~

~To know you are loved makes life sweet with grace traces ~























recipes

Monday, September 21, 2015

Birthday Girls Birthday Swap / Cheesecake on the side






Yesterday was my Birthday.  It all started wonderfully.... Strawberry Pie for Breakfast!  After that there were a few hiccups.  It didn't go without a hitch but somedays that is just the way life is.   I had two birthday baking fails.... one we ate and one went in the garbage.  One recipe I forgot to add the eggs that I had on the counter..... a sign that old age and forgetfulness are going to be forever friends.   The worst part is I read through all of the ingredients to make sure I didn't leave anything out before I put it in the pan.  So do not fear if you are forgetful.... You can eat cornbread muffins and forget the eggs.  : )  I thought they would be like hockey pucks but they were still good though they would have been fabulous with the eggs.  One daughter thought I should always leave out the eggs.   So Kind of her and Funny.  The Lemon Zucchini Bread..... new recipe.... that I change up a bit...... we tried it and it was a NO.  In the garbage it went and I hate to throw food away.  So you know it was bad.

I am thankful I was not in charge of the whole meal.  On a good note I made 2 Chocolate Chip Cheesecakes that were the bomb!!!  I got this recipe from my daughter and I have made it several times.   ALWAYS delicious!   Super EASY  : )


Chocolate Chip Cheesecake.

2 Packages Cream Cheese I use Neufchatel
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
3/4cup mini choc chips divided
1 graham cracker crust

Preheat oven to 350*
Beat Cream Cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on Medium speed until blended.   Add eggs. Mix just until blended. Stir in 1/2 cup mini choc chips.  Place in graham cracker crust.  Top Cheesecake with remaining 1/4 cup choc chips.   Bake 40 min until cheesecake starts to crack around edges.  The center should look set but will look sunken.  If you are doubting if it is done give it a couple more minutes.  When I see the cracks on the edges I  always take it out of the oven.   Cool. It will continue to cook as it cools. Refrigerate 3 hour or overnight.

Eat and Enjoy!    Your family will think you are the Cheesecake Goddess if you make this for them.

Sorry no pics of this delight at the moment. Maybe later.



The best part of my birthday this year was a birthday sewing swap with a friend I met on line.  We have only know each other for a short time but we have become instant friends. We have a common bond in fabric.

Leanne also know as Lizzie the Quilter  lives in Tasmania.  We both have September birthdays so we decided to swap some sweet birthday treats.   You can read her post here

This is what she sent me.....  minus the quilt ; )



A tote bag filled with goodies!


A very sweet Needle holder.  I just love it.


I am going to use the tote to hold embroidery projects. 
No excuse now not to have a constant project in the bag. 

Thank you so much Leanne.  I love it all!



This is what I mailed Leanne..... 
because she LOVES 
Americana : ) 

No surprise here that we have become friends 
as she loves Americana as much as I do!

A box full of american treasures.... candies and

magazines with patriotic patterns of quilts..


A Pincushion just like this one.


I made one for me too because once I made her's I wanted one!

Sweet Memories of this first Birthday swap friendship. 






A little embroidery treat because she loves to embroider.


A kitchen towel with Sweetwater fabric.



And lastly I made an
Armed services flag
for her family
 because her son just joined the military.

It is thrilling to me to think that someone half a world away
 is enjoying something I made for her.




In August 
I also received a couple of treasures 
from blog drawings. 
The book "Every Last Piece"
Thanks to Lynn Harris for sharing her lovely book.  
Thank you http://lilysquilts.blogspot.com for the giveaway.

I love Scrappy! SEW excited about this.  

And Aurifill thread

This is beautiful thread!

Counting it all as Birthday treats!

Happy ME!!! 

Happy # 57

Janita





    

Friday, September 18, 2015

Summer Simplicity




It has been awhile since my last post ..... wow where do the days go??

          Sweet September is here in full force.



Summer is busy and messy here.  There just isn't enough time to keep my house spotless (who am I kidding here my house is rarely spotless)  and do all the things that summer holds.   I  thought this year might be different.  NOPE.    So I'm resolving next year to just go with the summertime flow.  It is what it is.   If God blesses me with a house overflowing with garden produce.....

Be Happy!

Be Happy that Zucchini can grow to giant size in a matter of hours and 2 cucumber hills will send you into cucumber crazy zone.  I've eaten more fresh cucumbers this summer than I think I have ever eaten in my whole life.  Be Happy!!!  It is fresh. No Chemicals No additives.

So what if it is taking over your kitchen and your dining room.

 Be  Happy!!!  Your child might just call you to tell you the beans you gave her were amazing!  Be Happy!!!   I had so much to share with others.  I have added to my list of people who love fresh green beans!

YES my summer can be summed up in two words..... GARDEN PRODUCE.   Now that it is over  I AM HAPPY!  It is all so good.  There is nothing like eating fresh things out of your garden.  But it is also a lot of work and it takes over my June-July-and August.   I am thankful we are able to have a garden plot I am also thankful it is September and it is time to get back to sewing.

So if I could just put all of Summer in a bit of

 S U M M E R  S L O W - M O 

these are the moments that I want to remember......................  Not the Mess, not the Crazy, Not all the work,  just the good things that keep it all in perspective.

Here is my Summer Simplicity Story in photos.... 

It is all the good stuff.  Truly it is simply the stuff that makes a summer day beautiful.




White  makes everything else beautiful. 


OLD FASHIONED is still in fashion.
I remember my grandma having Phlox in her flower garden.



 Summer THYME for the first time.

Every year you should 
Plant Something from seeds.

Every Life needs a little tender loving care.



Cover the broken things in life 
with Love for love covers a multitude of sins.



Bake something even if it is too hot

Because summer without
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
and milk mustaches
 is simply 
unacceptable!



Water daily.   
And
if a garden gate is left on the curb to die
bring it back to life again.... 

#Sweet living 101


A  old tied flea market quilt
brings as much joy as a fancy quilted quilt
maybe more.

It has been washed over and over to the state of 
Simply yum-yum.


Red White and Blue!
Over and over again
makes me happy.

Squeezed in a little sewing time 
This is one of my summer sewing projects
for a birthday swap.




Forever be true to the Red White and Blue.







Revive an old recipe
Refrigerator Pickles..... 
make and eat the same day

So Simple : ) 



SEW  some string scraps together.

No cutting No pattern required.

Foundation pieced on old phone pages cut into 4 1/2'' squares . 




 One Little Miss 8 year old,  that already finds 
joy in sewing for others.
This was our summer sewing lesson. 

I ran the foot pedal,
She sat on my lap and
 steered the fabric while I tried not to look!

A week at nanny's house always requires a sewing project. 

Emerson made this for her mom while she was away on a work trip.




One CHURN DASH quilt

 Smiling at me everyday. 
reminding me of people who love me.

Has there ever been a quilt that didn't have love sewed into each seam?





Simply Black- Eyed Susans.



 Fresh Air Porch Picnics 
and from the mouth of one sweet little boy
"this sauce is the best sauce I have ever had" 
and I was worried they wouldn't like my fresh homemade tomato sauce. 


simply by coincidence....
Ageratum in my window
serenading  
Eyelet curtains in my Kitchen. 

Make Note.....must do more often.



Teach little ones 
to love their country and use their gifts to make the world a better place.
Flag Flying at Emmy's house.
Emmy took this picture . 



Not all days are good
 but there is Simply Something Good in Everyday!

A simple smile and a simple hug 
SOOO Good! 

Make time for little people hugs
and BIG people hugs. 




capturing moments in my flower garden....

Every day Every Moment.....
Blessed in everything because 
My Savior loves me
 and I love Him.

"the old has gone the new has come!"

I love the fresh air of summer.
I love that everyday
 is a new beginning. 


Janita






.









AddThis

Share |
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...