It's a ~

 ~ Baby Quilt!

Yup, I'm making a baby quilt again.  And this time it is for a new little grandson.  Jennifer and Trever are expecting a little baby boy to join their family. We are thrilled, and I am excited to work on a little boy quilt this time.

An AMAZING Quilt ~

Look at this quilt.  I'm enough of a quilter to appreciate really exquisite quilts even though I don't make them. Mine tend to quite a bit simpler, but I love this one.  The best thing about it is that I (and you too) have a chance to win it. Isn't that neat.  You can read the details here.

With a little help from a friend ~

This beautiful photo of Jennifer was our favorite of her bridal portraits, except we really wanted one of her by herself.  The little niece is a cutie, but was in the wrong place during the photo shoot. After trying for a whole afternnoon to fix the picture, I gave up and emailed the file to a friend and she was able to work her magic and sent me back a beautiful version with no extra little girls, or wall outlets. Isn't it amazing?

Before

After

New Puppy Portrait ~

I got Gus to sit still the other day for a picture.  Actually I had his bowl of dinner sitting there and he had to get his picture taken before he could eat. Maybe that is why he has such a concerned look, or maybe it is that he still has too much extra skin. He is growing so fast, but his skin is growing faster.  No kidding, when he lays down by the fire, which is 90 % of his day, his skin lays in folds on the carpet. Actually Bassets are bred to have baggy skin and long ears, so you can tell he is a quality dog. I think it just makes him cuter. I put together his pedigree chart the other day. It was fun to see how many champions he has in his family. We are still trying to decide if we should breed him or just go ahead and get him fixed.  Isn't this face worth passing on to more cute puppies.

Actually, I have a Great Grandpa Gus. We would go visit them on the numbered streets here in Idaho Falls when I was little.  So it would be kind of fun to have him be a "Grandpa Gus" too.  And no, he wasn't named after my grandpa. Kristine named him and thought He looked like a Gus.  I guess he does.

Homemade Pizza ~

It is Homemade Pizza day on my Cooking From the Heart Blog.

Getting Crafty ~

Wanted to show you a little project I made this morning.  They will either be pins, or hairbows for the little girls.  I wish I had Kymber here to model them.  They would look much cuter in her blond hair that they do sitting on the table. OK, I'm back to work now.  It sounds like Gus is getting into trouble.  Love this puppy stage.

She did it ~

Michelle has started a blog. Yes, I am proud of her, but I am also glad she has a place to share pictures of my sweet little grand daughters. So here is the link to Michelle's Blog. Stop by and say "Hi". Let's give her a great welcome to the blog world.

Scrapbooks ~

Yes, I have a few. Last night I pulled them out of the top of the closet and put them out where we can enjoy them. OK so I only brought out half of them.  There are 27 years worth of memories that are stored in over20 albums. I started scrapbooking in 1989, way before it was the thing to do, so I have pages that range from the very simple to ones that use the latest and greatest products for design team projects. What was interesting was that I didn't look at the older pages with a critical eye. Instead, I just enjoyed the memories that they brought to mind. I especially enjoyed watching the kids grow up.  I still have work to do though. I made notes about what still needs to be added to get them up to date, and I am so glad there are new little grandbabies coming so I can keep scrapbooking.

Back in the Scrapbook Groove ~

The Big Reveal ~

You've been waiting and now, after one whole year, the big kitchen remodel is complete.  Well, I do have a few nail holes to fill, but we are done.  And here is the proof.

Some more favorites ~

My new Favorite ~

Anyone who knows me knows I love cookbooks. I collect them, I buy them as souvenirs on trips, I read them over and over, and yes I even cook from them. Today I found a new favorite.

It is The Pioneer Woman Cooks. I've loved her blog which is full of fun stories, pictures and recipes. This cookbook has it all. The recipes look wonderful and I can tell it will be on my night table for quite a while, when it isn't in the kitchen. It is full of real food recipes, beautiful photos and of course her stories. And to top it all off she loves Basset Hounds too. Yes, this is a short blog post today, I've got some reading to do.

Hot Bacon Cheese Spread ~

If you love melted cheese and bacon, you will love today's recipe on my Cooking blog. It is a family favorite that we usually make for holiday parties. I know you'll love it too.

Cooking From the Heart Blog

Spread the word ~

My sister's friend Laura is having a giveaway.  They are giant 42" initials. They would make a great decorating accent.  I'd love a "W" for my craft room.  Stop and see here.

Bowtie Pasta Recipe ~

I just added this delicious recipe to my Cooking Blog.  The link is in the right column.

Introducing . . .

. . my new Cooking Blog.  COOKING FROM THE HEART!

I can't wait to share some fun recipes and cooking adventures with you. There is a link in the left column so it will be easy to find. Leave me a comment on the cooking blog to let me know what recipes you'd like to see. Hope you'll join me on this new adventure.

It's a Work Day ~

And Gus is helping.  Well, not really, he is trying, but he gets in the way and hauls off the tools. But he sure is cute doing it.

More Sewing Fun ~

It has been so fun to get back into sewing and quilting.  There truly is a time and a season for everything.  And the fabrics and patterns now are cuter than ever.  Look at this:

You can go here to see more of her cute things and enter to win this fabric bundle.  Kati Cupcake Blog.

A time to sew ~

Last week I finally took some time to sew and finish up this bag.  I think it sat around unfinished for a few months because I didn't like the handles. But, I came up with a quick fix and I love how it turned out.  When I make the pattern up as I go, that kind of thing tends to happen often. But I love how it turned out.

Gus at 16 weeks ~

We've almost had Gus for two months now and he has been a great addition to our family. He has learned that if he sits on a rug, he gets puppy treats. He knows that we keep his food in the pantry, so he will sit between it and his food bowl looking back and forth when he is hungry, which is quite often. He is enjoying trips to the backyard more now that it is a little warmer, warm for Idaho that is. He went for a walk around the block, this was really a big deal. His ears are getting longer and his skin is getting baggier. He is a perfect little basset hound.