Author Archives: mlwilkie

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About mlwilkie

Software Developer, Mother, Wife with keen interest in art, design and crafts of all kinds.

WiP Wednesday…Catch-up Wednesday

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I have so many projects that I have not got to recently, and I have been feeling so behind. Today, I feel like I have made some in roads to clearing that backlog. Yippee!!!

Project 1: Triple Zipper Pouch Swap
First off, I am part of the Triple Zipper Pouch Swap going on over on Flickr, here. Posting of the Triple Zipper Pocket is due on the August 17th and it has taken me forever to get started. I finally have all the pieces cut and ready for sewing.

Fabric Choices:

  • Lining: Straw hat blue, Cloud 9 (purchased from Joann)
  • Small pocket front: Flirty Flowers Tonal Dots in Pink, Robin Zingone, Robert Kaufman (purchased from Fresh Modern Fabric)
  • Small pocket front: Crosshatch in Plum, Architextures, Carolyn Friedlander, Robert Kaufman (purchased from Westwood Acres)
  • Back + large front pocket: Hexo in Kryptonite, Technicolor, Emily Herrick, Michael Miller (purchased from Fat Quarter Shop)
  • Zippers (purchased from Zipit)

TripleZipper_WiP_Swap

Project 2: Kiwi Cushion/Pillow
I have promised for at least the last two months one of my blogger friends a kiwi cushion in reds and browns. The kiwi (a NZ native bird) is a paper piecing pattern designed by Juliet @ Tartan Kiwi. Her free pattern is now on Craftsy. The pillow front will look similar to this one, except I am using these red and brown improv blocks. The red block for the body and the brown for the legs and beak.

Kiwi_RedScrappyBlock Kiwi_BrownScrappyBlock

Project 3: Tula City Sampler – Blocks 1, 2, 3
So, I have started the Tula City Sampler Blocks Quilt Along…well the first three are cut. Boy, I did not realize what 6 1/2 inch blocks would mean….the pieces are tiny.

Fabric Choices:

This fabric line spoke volumes to me when I saw it. Normally, I am not a flower kind of person but the colors and design are fabulous. Perfect, in my opinion, for the Tula City Sampler project.

Block 1:
TulaCitySampler_Block1_Pieces

Block 2:
TulaCitySampler_Block2_Pieces

Block 3:
TulaCitySampler_Block3_Pieces

They are my current WiP’s I am catching up on while on vacation. I am linking up with Lee @ Freshly Pieced for WiP Wednesday.

Heavenly French Toast

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Of course, while on vacation, we have more time to do things like make french toast for breakfast, go sight-seeing and hopefully get some reading and sewing in. For some reason though, I am falling behind in my replies to comments but I plan (and promise) to catch-up tonight. Maybe I am falling behind due to that craving of French toast???

FrenchToast_Breakfast

 

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs
  • 2 Tbsp milk
  • 4-6 slices of toast bread
  • butter
  • 2-4 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Lightly beat the eggs and milk together (I use a fork or a whisk). Pour mixture into a flat square/rectangle dish. Place the bread in the dish, leave each side for a few seconds (no more than a minute) to evenly coat the bread and let it soak in. Turn the bread over with a fork and coat the second side. The bread should soak up most of the egg mixture.

Mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl. Sprinkle some of the sugar mix onto a plate. Carefully take a slice of bread out of the egg mixture and place on the sugar mix to coat. Repeat with second side.

Place about a 1/2 tsp butter in a warmed skillet. Spread the butter to evenly coat the skillet. Place the coated bread in the skillet, once browned and sugar is starting to caramelized use a fork to turn the bread to caramelize the other side.

Repeat with all slices of bread. Serve immediately with maple syrup or whipped cream or a fruit compote (blueberries or raspberries works well). I also like to add caramelized banana’s on top with a Tbsp of maple syrup.

Charleston_OldSouthCarriage

We have also been sight-seeing in downtown Charleston, as mentioned yesterday. Above is the Old South Carriage Company we used yesterday for the tour around Charleston. Below, is an amazing little Inn, close to the old market city – I just love that mustard color exterior. Charleston_Inn

Unique architecture can be found all over Charleston, but the most common characteristic is the Single House, a style from the English row houses…look at the privacy door. It is just a door to the Piazzas (veranda’s). They are so quaint and definitely contribute to the historic nature of the Charleston.Charleston_SingleRowHouse

Then of course there are the mansions which have been used in all kind of period films and now selling for $4 million USD on average.Charleston_Mansion Charleston_Mansion2 Charleston_Gates

We couldn’t believe the number of churches – Catholic, Lutheran, Jewish, Unitarian….and moreCharleston_Church

So that is what we do when we have that extra time….what things do you take time doing while on vacation??

 

Sneak Peek + Angel Oak, Johns Island, South Carolina

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We arrived in Charleston, South Carolina late Saturday. While on vacation, over the next week, I will be mixing up vacation photos and sewing/quilting projects that I am finishing (with those 4 hours a day ;-)). So far:

  • We spent 1 day at the beach, close to our rental – Seabrook Island which was great as it has one side on the Atlantic and the other side in a coastal lagoon – perfect for kids.
  • Today, we got in our first part of sight-seeing in, we went to Angel Oak Tree, an oak tree that has been aged to be greater than 400-500 years old (shown in the pictures below). We also visited Downtown Charleston where we went on a Horse drawn city tour and visited Old Market City. We really enjoyed the city tour with the horse-drawn carriage and the knowledgeable guide. I would recommend Old South Carriage Co. for the tours around Charleston.
    AngelOak_Full_SC AngelOak_Full2_SC AngelOak_CloseUp_SC
  • Here’s a sneak peek of one of the sewing projects I finished yesterday. I have 2 fabric give aways later this week, sponsored by Jumping Birds…come back Friday. These are perfect for going back to school projects.
    SneakPeak_GiveAway