It might be working...

The last few days I have been focused in the sewing room...  Our Modern Quilt Guild has a free table set up each meeting.  We bring anything we think someone else might be able to use...  Last Saturday I found a quilt block...

Our illustrious leader must be working on a cute quilt as I fell in love with this block and snatched it up...I heard later it had turned out the wrong size for the quilt.  Well, it turned out exactly the right size for these...

 
I found the free tutorial at A Spoonful of Sugar..  If you have always shied away from zippers this could be the tute for you.  She has wonderful large photos of each step... I dare you to make just one!
That one on the right now has a home in my small purse and holds packets of Splenda and Sweet-n-Low...  The one on the left is sitting on the shelf in my Christmas Cabinet...

I then turned my attention to some birthdays that are coming up...  One is next week...

These are for Ava's Baby Alive...

A full set for Abbie's Our Generation doll... I still need to make the sleeping bag and pillow.

a couple of diapers cut out for Baby Alive... I found the pattern here at Happy Together.. I added a 1/4 inch seam allowance and will use two layers of flannel..  I love that these can be used for any size baby doll..

I have also been very busy in the kitchen.  I have found a lot of new recipes on Cooks Illustrated and after my 14 day trial period on their website, I bought a years subscription.  We also get their TV show on Tuesdays on our local PBS channel.  I love their recipes.  Every single one I have tried has been excellent.  We bought filet mignon for the first time in 40 years last week..and followed their recipe for cooking...It was PERFECT!!  I used their coconut cake recipe and it was PERFECT!  Last week the show was about shrimp...I love shrimp but every time I cook them they get rubbery... Not any more.. last night I made stir fry with shrimp... it was YUMMY!!

Tonight, dinner is going to be Brown Sugar and Bourbon Pork Shoulder..with potato pancakes...  ok..to be fair, I got the recipe for the pork shoulder from a guy in the grocery store yesterday.  I was looking for Enchilada seasoning (for another recipe) and he picked up two packages of McCormick Brown Sugar and Bourbon Marinade.  Hm... I asked him (so unlike me to strike up a conversation with a complete stranger in the grocery store!) if it was good and he told me he used in on Pork Shoulder and it was wonderful...and then told me the secret..."use two packages for a 4 lb roast and add some rosemary to the top of the pork when you bake it" he said..   I snapped up two packages and ran to the meat department..  I will however check out the potato pancake recipe on Cooks Illustrated cause I know it will be perfect...

And yesterday afternoon I had another addition to the sewing room...

My Focus Board!!  You know I think this "word thing" might be working!! 

Nancy