About Me

My photo
Shoreline, CT, United States
I would love for you to join me (a retired senior)in my zany crafting adventures with quilting (waaaaay too much fabric); scrapbooking (will I ever catch up?); redwork; counted cross stitch; crossword puzzles; reading; and cooking.

Thursday, February 5, 2026

KITCHEN ADVENTURES, et al

 


I went food shopping early this morning--
even before I had my coffee (!!)
and
snagged two boxes of the 
Bavarian Cream Paczki at Big Y
where they make them on site...
(pronounced 
I am told: 
"Push-key" in Polish)
Tom and I each had one for our
treat after putting away all the
groceries...;))))

They will only be available until
Feb 17th--aka before 
Lent starts...

********************
After I had rested my back,
I began setting up to make my
"Porter Chinois" 
(por-tay sheen-wah)
[aka Shepherds' Pie..]

This is how stage one looks
in my mid-size shallow casserole dish:

I used:
Well-browned ground sirloin, one chopped 
onion added in to par cook
after the meat has browned, 
and  a small amount of 
either tomato sauce or 
leftover spaghetti sauce 
to keep it moist while cooking. 
 
Then I spread a bit of frozen corn
over all --but any veg or 
assortment of veg can be used.  
I just happened to have this
on hand...

Meantime, I boiled up 3 good-sized
potatoes (cut in small pieces) for
mashing with butter and milk.
(Yup real BUTTER--just a bit really
adds to the taste, I find...).  

Here is the result:
Spread the mashed taters well-- covering everything 
and make sure that they seal the ingredients
on all sides...

I dot with more (yup)  butter and
paprika, pepper and salt...

Seal completely with foil and put in fridge
until baking time.

350 for 1 and 1/2 hrs, unwrapping for
the last 20 min or so to brown the potatoes...

We will have this tonight and then reheat
on Saturday for another meal.

[I didn't give any amts as you can make this
easily for as many people you have, I have
made it for as many as 8 in a really large casserole;
I like shallower ones rather than a deep
dish as I  feel that everything cooks better. ]

😁A Julierose "Wordy" recipe!!!😀

(I am used to writing my recipes for my grandson, 
Steven, who is learning to cook on his own-- so
it is very wordy...this is one of his very
favorite dishes so he called and asked
for my recipe)
******************
Onto some fabric stuff:

I received "Happy Mail" from 
QDJulie this morning.

She had written to me and said she had a few pieces of silk that
she would never use and thought, since she saw me using
some leftover dress silk in my Sentimental Scroll piece that
I might like the silks...
Soooo, 
Just look at all she sent!!
😇
Not only silks, but laces, embroidered pieces, 
ribbon trims....

Thank you so much QDJulie!! I definitely will
 be using these for sure!! they are just
so beautiful...what a generous gift...
much appreciated....
💓💖💗

hugs, Julierose,
La blageuse
(off-to-pet-my-new-silks-;)))




 

Monday, February 2, 2026

16-PATCHES, et al

 

Here are the four latest 16-patch blocks
made with my leftover 30's jelly roll strips...
that I sewed together this morning...

I have two more full length strata--in this group
of 30's leftovers...
So there will be 4 more blocks to come...
As I can get 2 blocks from each 2 strips
sewn together...

Mary Ann, (click) commented that she was astounded
to think of what I would pay today for these 10 JR's!!

I figure at today's prices around some $500.00!!!!
(Fabric prices in general have risen and are still rising!!)
SO....
I want to shop my stash this year...if I can
stop being tempted by all these beauties that
keep on coming out!!
👹👽👿
***********************
Here is the next to last panel finished
on my Sentimental Scroll:
I added kantha stitching and 4 little fabric roses

Two on either side...
And i am now ready to attach it to the scroll with this
lace piece...


One more panel to go and a closure...

*******************************
We are all set with our newly installed
thermostat:

Here is where Tom has been for almost
24 hours now--programming the thing!!!
"My Sweet Babu" has gotten it all set
for us...he is so good at
 all this electronic stuff...
💋💏💓

******************************
Since this is the start of February I will include
a shot of my first two Junque Journal pages
in my Trader Joe's Pita Cracker box
for the month:
This photo is a picture of my Mom when little;
and on this page at an even younger age
She and I have always worn bangs 
;))))));
that is her Aunt Marie holding her...
{click to enlarge}

I hope you are all staying warm during these 
cold cold days and able to do some 
fun sewing...
hugs, Julierose,
La blageuse
(still-sewing-and-crafting-euse)


...















Saturday, January 31, 2026

ROLLIN', JELLY STYLE THAT IS, et al

 

Here are all my Jelly rolls stacked up on
my ironing board--
the idea is, that I won't be able
to iron until I start sewing 
with them hahahaha;)))))!!

the 3 on the right are all batiks...
and all unopened as yet...

I began this morning with a few leftover
jelly strips from what must have been
a pack of 1930's repro prints that I
bought when my grandchildren were
al little 
(The oldest now is turning 26 this Nov.
my how time gets away from us)
I am planning some kind of 16-patch 
quilt; I am not sure how I will set them or
if I will add corner triangles...

These below were partial strips so I was
only able to get one block from each pair..
↨↨↨↨

Somewhere in my mind is the dream
that I may live long enough to see 
any great grandchildren 
that I may have
someday ----
and that these will be the start
of a baby quilt...
for the first one....
👶
["I can dream, can't I?" ...file under
songs for all occasions.;)))  ]

AND
below are the rest of those 
leftover strips sewn in pairs 
hanging over my ironing board...

These will yield 8 more blocks as they are
full length...

At least it's a start, right?  
I am really pushing myself
to get out of this "no-sew-jo" 
state of mind...
👹👺😞😟😡😢

****************************

Here is the 2nd flowering of my
waxed amaryllis...

And my planted one has two opened flowers
left and one new stem about to burst into bloom.
This one got a little top heavy with FIVE
blossoms and began to list dramatically
so I propped the stem up gently with
a couple wooden chop sticks...

*********************
It was one degree when I arose this
morning at 7:00 and has
now risen to 19....
This cold is slated to stay with
us throughout the coming week...
Fingers crossed we miss that
Nor'easter that is barreling up the
coastline toward us tomorrow!!
☃⛇

Hugs, Julierose,
La Blageuse
(Helga-is-back-in-business-euse)

















Tuesday, January 27, 2026

SENTIMENTAL SCROLL PANEL #6 PROGRESS, et al

 

PANEL #6 IS NOW:
 invisibly basted and all
those raw edges 
are whip-stitched down...
↷↷↷↷
You can see all the little stitches...
I used Sulky Cotton Petite #12...

I really have come to love this thread...
it really suits my stitching...

Now, it will be onto the filling in
with Kantha stitching...

*****************************

Here is our back deck after the freezing sleet 
compacted the snow  down....
It was almost up to the 
bannister level...


Tom shoveled a little pathway just in
case we have to get out that way...
as the front door is drifted shut 
as is our garage door...

We are awaiting our exhausted snow plow guy 
to come and shovel the front walk for us...

So today we are staying put here...
We know the roads are passable, 
but why rush out there?

Tomorrow I am planning on 
doing the weekly food shopping...

Tonight:
Tom will have leftover
Beef Stew 
and
 I will have leftover 
chicken soup...

I hope you are staying safe and warm 
in this bitter cold...
☃⛄

Hugs, Julierose
La Blageuse
(still-making-neutral-Ojos-euse)





Saturday, January 24, 2026

HELGA'S RETURN, et al

 

Helga decided she wanted to work with little squares
first thing when she returned...
😂😁😀😄😅😉

Here is her first effort: below

:)))))
She is sewing beautifully...

We are all set up for the next round tomorrow..
we are trying webbing these rows...
Seems to work pretty well...


******************************
Meanwhile I have set up my
latest "Sentimental Scroll"
panel
I have invisible basted all the collaged pieces
in place so I could remove the pins

Blow you can see the little dimples the
basting stitches make on the front...
I learned this method from a class I took long ago 
on Jude Hill's blog
[called then "Spirit Cloth" ].

Next in line will be for me to whip stitch all
those raw edges before I begin
the embellishment rounds...

And here are two of my favorite 
hand stitching helpers..
↧↧↧↧
I use this little wooden thread caddy to hold
and deliver my basting thread, 
and the thread magic keeps the threads
from tangling and knotting as much...
;)))
There is a little magnet on the top right
of the caddy  to park your needle....
I really love this great gadget...
💓💖💗
*************************
On the amaryllis front:

Five huge flowers on the
top of the first stem are pulling
my flowers over..

I had to prop it up a bit...

and the leaves have decided to
lie down on the job!! 
They did this once before and then
righted themselves--but this time 
they look a lot lower!!!!
S T R A N G E ...

**********************
So far no snow here--
I think that the storm 
is due to hit us overnight 
and most of Sunday
and Monday--followed
by freezing sleet...
☃⛄⛇
🌚
If you are in the path of this 
"snow-ma-geddon"
stay safe and warm...
hugs, Julierose
La Blageuse
(happy-to-be-sewing-with-Helga-euse)













Friday, January 23, 2026

BOOKISH FRIDAY, et al

 

Are you a book person?  Above is my collection
of favorite books that I've read and 
re-read...;))))
(you can see titles if you click to enlarge.)

Of course this does not include my
DNF's or books that I consider MEH!!!
{You can see "Rochelle, Rochelle" our
Roomba on guard in front... ;))) }

And oh, yes, other bookcases:
This tall one holds all my quilting and
craft books and binders with all those
pages I've saved through the years from
the quilting mags I used to subscribe to...
and also some finished journals 
on the top shelf..

And, yes more still....
this smaller bookcase that
 I have just cleaned out
holds:
Crafting books, books on embroidery and books that
I will use to make journals, some DMC threads 
and,
[I see, a small rolled up quilt!! How did that get
stashed there???]

 On its top resides 3 of my six drawer
units and various 
finished journals on display....

And last but certainly not least,
Here is my small collection of
hard cover Agatha Christies
that I am slowly amassing.

I started by adding one on my birthday yearly...

My other Agathas are in paperback form in my big
bookcase...(top photo)..

There are many other books scattered about our home
on tables, chairs, in corners etc etc....
My cookbooks are on a shelf in the laundry room
for example and on some kitchen shelves...

This is definitely a "bookish" household...
📓📒📑📕📖📙📘📗📚

***************************
I've finished the next panel on my
"Sentimental Scroll"
Mainly showcasing my Grand-mere's crochet piece...

and attached to the scroll now...
Sitting right next to the lovely tulip....

I am in the planning stages for the next two
sections...then i think it will be
pretty much completed except for the 
piece sewed onto the bobbin and the closure...

**********************
FYI:
Helga has returned home after
her spa treatment and is
in fine form....anxious
to begin sewing...

Stay safe if you will be in the path of
this humungous storm bearing
down upon us Sunday....
Hugs, Julierose
La blageuse
(reading-planning-inside-for-sure-euse)














Wednesday, January 21, 2026

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY (sort of)

YESTERDAY EVENING..



TODAY, 

AND...
TOMORROW....

Hugs, Julierose,
La blageuse
(enjoying-my-Amaryllis-euse)