I took a little time off from blogging this winter and the time got away from me, to say the least.  I hope I haven’t worried anyone.  We took a few trips since the first of the year and here it is mid April.  I wanted all of you to know that all is well here at the Jensen house.

We have had our fair share of unusual winter weather events that has put our spring arrival about a month late.  Normally at this time of the year I would be out in the garden house and yard hauling out pots and lugging garden soil to start planting…not this year.  We have had the coldest April in recorded history (and that says something for MN.)  Last weekend we got 18″ of snow, which also set a record for a spring snow event.

As I gazed out my front door at the never ending snowfall, I decided to head for my paints and canvases to paint flowers since I couldn’t actually garden.  I spent all weekend painting and created an indoor garden to satisfy my sprint planting urges.  This week looks like the weather is going to turn the corner and actually act like spring so I will soon be outside “digging” and not indoors painting.

It is also time to change out the quilts from winter to spring.  The rooms all take on a whole new, fresh look with a lighter palette of fabrics.  It is fun to take another look at quilts that have been stored for a while and appreciate not only the handiwork, but also the fun fabrics.  I have always had pretty neutral background colors on the walls, beds and large upholstered pieces so I can easily change out the whole appearance of a room with accessories like paintings, quilts and pillows.

This all time favorite of mine (4-Patch Scrap Quilt) was featured in the Thimbleberries Block Party book.

Like many of you, I have many irons in the fire between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  This year I referred to photos from last year and duplicated the decorating vignettes that were particularly pleasing to me and added new touches here and there.  The day after I decorated outside, the next morning I was greeted with a fresh coat of snow which really sets the mood for the holidays.  Too bad that also means it is cold outside.   (more…)

TURKEY TIME

Before a turkey gets put in the oven, a few decorative ones are brought out to set the mood for this short time between Halloween and Christmas.  The day after Halloween, the Jack-o-lanterns and all Halloween things get put away to make way for Thanksgiving.  Granted, Thanksgiving decorations are limited but I do have my vintage wax turkey collection that I always display.  They add just the right touch here and there, blending in with my dishes and other display items.

And of course, some of my favorite harvest quilts take center stage.   (more…)

GARDENING IN SEPTEMBER  

We are having one of those stretches of weather where our days are sunny and the nights are cool…just perfect as far as I am concerned.  My garden has started to take on a decided look of fall.  Everything is still mainly green, but hints of bronze are sneaking in and the plants that bloom late in the season are outstanding.  It is such a joy to work outside when the temps are reasonable and the humidity is low.  The weeds have settled down because all of the plants are big enough to crowd them out so there isn’t much weeding to do.  Mainly, I just need to deadhead and trim things back a bit when they get little out of control.  I can honestly say, my September garden is my favorite. 

AUTUMN DECORATING  

I have started to bring out the pumpkins and fall quilts.  The whole fall palette is still a favorite of mine.  It is hard to pick and choose between all of the quilts and runners that I have in my collection.  One of the newest, is the Harvest Lone Star Burst that was recently featured in my last book, Quilts with a New Attitude.  I know I designed it as a wall quilt but it looks pretty great on my island and table as well.

The deck got a makeover this season as well.  I just couldn’t resist.

And even the pumpkin potholder made the cut this year, adding a nice touch of fall color to my counter by my ovens.

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER    

Just like all of you, I have been finishing up projects that I have unearthed in my sewing room. I started this wool project years ago while on vacation.  I purchased it as a kit and no longer know who published the pattern.  I do like working with wool and love to travel with wool stitching projects.  This one, however, got lost in the shuffle for many, many years….happy to have it done and in use.

PILLOW POWER    

The first thing I do in the fall is change out my pillows from the lighter ones I use in the spring and summer to my “harvest” pillows.  In general, I keep the same pillows, and switch out the covers.  That keeps the pillow storage under control.  The bench in my front entrance is a fun place to load up with a lot of different pillow designs and sizes.

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This summer I have been doing some hand work, specifically, a couple of embroidery pieces for Ella’s room at their cabin.  She has this sweet little space that has been outfitted with two antique twin beds, comforters, quilts, pillows and a tiny dresser tucked under the window. The teddybear is outfitted in a sweater I knitted for Ella when she was a baby and grew out of in and instant.   I found two darling designs on NeedleCrafter.com in their free design collection and they were perfect for her room.  There isn’t much wall space as you can see so these little framed pieces of stitchery added the right touch.  Most importantly, she was thrilled with them.

Taylor was very interested in what I was doing for Ella’s room so he and I discussed what I could stitch up for his room.  He decided he would like a combination of his favorite animal (tiger) and his favorite sport (football).  So, I turned to my wool felt stash and embroidery floss to whip up this little treasure for him.  He was thrilled.  This might be my last shot of stitching something he will be excited to have.  He displays it on his nightstand by his bed, which obviously makes grandma feel really good.

Recently we entertained a group of friends and thought I would share a couple of the recipes I made for the evening that really work nicely for buffet service and a large group. Best thing is, both could be made ahead of time, which is always an important part of entertaining for me.  It takes all the stress out of that last minute rush that happens when everyone has arrived.

For my table decor, I used my antique McCoy flower vases filled with zinnias I picked up at the farmer’s Market earlier in the day.  Nothing says summer like these brightly colored flowers.  I made the runner from scraps of cotton and linen canvas from the Cotton+Steel collection.  The strips are cut between 4, 5 and 6 inches and randomly pieced together with the same print at each end.  This piecing was the best for the fabric…no need for complicated piecing.  It was also completed in a jiffy…perfect for when you have a few minutes and you want to sew a little and get something done fast. I thought it was a perfect complement to the flowers and vases.

For the main course, I served a salad, garlic bread and baked spaghetti and meatballs.  I found a recipe in a recent Southern Celebrations Autumn magazine (which, by the way, has a lot of great recipes in it as well as fall decorating inspiration…worth picking up), I altered the recipe a bit knowing a few of my guests object to both green peppers and mushrooms. I also doubled the meatball recipe because half the crowd was men. It was very tasty and a hit with everyone.  I made two casseroles for my group and everyone was happy.  I stopped in at our local farmer’s market earlier in the day to pick up all the fresh ingredients for a hearty salad and we were all set.

SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS CASSEROLE RECIPE

For dessert, I made a strawberry shortcake trifle.  This should be made at least 8 hours in advance, which is why I always turn to it for a dinner party.  Also, guests can serve themselves which makes it even easier when you are busy with everything else going on.  I do make my own bundt cake for the trifle, but a purchased pound cake also works well.  A tall glass bowl works well for a trifle both for presentation and the height allows for many layers of cream and berries.

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE TRIFLE RECIPE

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July flew by and I guess I have spent the whole month in the garden and at the cabin.  I did work on some fun stitching projects for Ella and Taylor’s rooms that should be ready to share with you next time.

I have little to show you from my sewing room, but did take snapshots of my yard last week. July is the peak for most of the plants in my garden. Some early blooming plants are lingering and the late summer blooms have arrived. Take a few minutes and “stroll” through my garden (more…)

I think the category of “out-of-print patterns and books”, most specifically, past Block of the Month patterns is the most requested information I receive.    Next is the category of “out-of-print fabrics”. In many cases, consumers are looking for items from ten to fifteen years ago and I just do not have resources for those items any longer.  I understand many of you are (more…)

I can tell summer activities have consumed me.  Between yard work here at the house and the cabin as well as kitchen duty, the summer is flying by and I haven’t kept up on my blogging.   In my last post I think I included a picture of one of my pots that I was planting.  Well, here it is a month later.  It has survived 4 hail storms, some high winds and some unseasonal cold temps but is thriving.  I like having the pictures…it comes in handy when deciding what to plant next spring.  Above is the pot the end of May, and here it is now. 

This is one of my favorite views of my back yard.   (more…)