Feels Like Fall

Took a road trip yesterday to Apple Hill which is a local area in the Northern California foothills where the farmers are known for their great apples.  This trip is an annual event for our family.  We don't use a lot of apples, but we selected a couple of each type to sample.  Just love to spread sliced apples with a little nut butter for a snack!  Also got a gallon of homemade apple cider which is so delicious heated up to drink in the evenings.

Finished sewing the first Garden Club block - next I'm on to making the chicken and the bee skep blocks.

 

There are wonderful vendors at Apple Hill who sell handmade items.  Couldn't resist this wooden basket made from old barn boards.  The gentleman who makes these hand forges the iron braces and the handle.  The basket is just so unique and sturdily built, and a super bargain at $35!

I'm leaving you with a delicious carmel apple cake recipe that we always enjoy every fall during apple season:

Carmel Apple Cake

Beat well:

1 cup oil

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

Sift together and add:

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix in:

3 cups diced raw apples

1 cup nuts (optional - we don't use)

Pour into a 9 X 13 inch pan and bake at 300 degrees for 50 - 60 minutes.

Carmel Glaze

Melt 1/2 cup butter and stir in 1 cup brown sugar, and blend well.

Add 1/4 cup heavy cream and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Take off stove and cool slightly and add 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Spread over warm cake and enjoy with hot coffee!

Hope you are enjoying your Sunday and have time to get a few stitches in - thanks for stopping by!

Cherry Cake

These sweet Lancaster cake stand blocks were received as part of a swap, and I have decided to put them together with alternating appliqued blocks with a cherry theme.  Now I'll have to look for a real cherry cake recipe - does anyone have a good one?

Received these darling appliqued baskets recently from another block exchange in which we made the baskets from Blackbird Designs' Cold Wind Blows book.  Just think they are adorable and will add a few more to make a doll quilt this winter. 

Its a beautiful day today and a little warmer after cold weather for this part of California - 29 degrees the last two mornings.  Thank goodness our lemon tree doesn't look too worse for wear though.  The remaining turkey is bubbling away on the stove for soup this next week.  Its definitely soup weather!

Primitive Birds & Baskets

More applique blocks finished - its fun to pull out old projects - they seem new again!  These blocks were so fun to applique and love looking at the older fabrics.

Had a fun day in San Francisco on Friday - visited with Holly, the world's best hair stylist!  Even if I wasn't her Mom, I would still say that!  The weather was beautiful and we had a delicious lunch afterward - turkey, cranberry and brie sandwiches.

Early Applique

This is the first block I made while learning to needleturn applique.  The pattern is a modification of one of Blackbird Design's blocks.  My wonderful applique teacher, Gretchen, explained that with all the time I was spending prepping blocks with freezer paper and basting the seam allowance under, I could be making two blocks!  I still like to trace the pattern with a trusty General's white chalk pencil though.  Don't we all rely on a safety net from time to time?

Basket Stitchery Quilt

This quilt (A Tisket, A Tasket by Cotton Pickin' Designs) was started a few years back, and just needs to be hand quilted.  There is no time like the present, and if one block gets done every day (or week) it will be done and ready for my wall by summer!  Doing big stitch with perle cotton, number 12 thread.  What are you working on to get ready for warm summer days?