Plain Vanilla

Every year my sweet nieces sell magazine subscriptions as a fundraiser for their Christian school.  This year I decided I ought to subscribe to Martha Stewart Living again.  It has been so very long.  Needless to say, I have a whole stack of unread magazines.  Yes, they are lovely, but after a few issues I realized how far Martha's path and mine had diverged.  Were they ever really even close?

I find myself thinking how hard it must be to work at the Martha Stewart Magazine company.  I mean, really, these people have to work to keep digging up new stuff for these articles.  Sometimes I am not sure where they find it all!

I do not forsee myself baking tarts for Bastille Day, inspecting my beehives, or placing straw under my pumpkins (?). 

Anyway, I digress.

The true purpose of this article is really about ice cream.  Yes, ice cream.

Now, first, let me warn you we are ICE CREAM PEOPLE.  You would fall over backward if you really knew the amount of Blue Bell flavors we have at this or any given moment.  In fact, we really only keep the important stuff like ice and ice cream in the kitchen freezer.  The other less important items like beef, chicken and frozen veggies get to hang out in the freezer in the laundry room.  Priorities.

This evening I was rather pleased to see there was an article in the latest issue of Living about ice cream.  Perfect summer time article.  Ice cream.  Actually, perfect anytime article.  Anyway, I flipped to the article, read a few photo captions, and seriously, burst ought laughing.  I guess I have been a Blue Bell fan for far too long (nah).  I know I am prejudiced and I am very OK with that.  But, even so, I am just not sure my delicate palette can handle the flavors the article was suggesting I should make for our summertime enjoyment.

I am not sure which I will try first: Avocado Cilantro Sherbet or..... Sweet Corn and Basil Ice Cream.  You?

How about some Cucumber, Celery, and Gin Sorbet?

Oh, wait.  I know.  I think I am going for the Strawberry Aperol Sorbet.  What's an Aperol?

The Cantaloupe, Tarragon, and Vodka Sherbet might be a hit with the kids.

And who really puts roses and lavendar in ice cream? If you want to dress things up you can always just add Hershey's Chocolate Syrup!

I think I will remain a die hard Blue Bell fan.  I feel like I can trust them.  Count on them in my need.

How about some Homemade Vanilla?

PS - Next time I order magazines, remind me to stick with quilting ones.
PPS or PSS (whichever) - If you are surprised that I could write this extensively about ice cream, just remember my freezer!

Quilting Advancements

I am so excited about this quilt!  First of all, it was really fun to play with another one of Bonnie and Camille's fabric lines, Happy-Go-Lucky.  Such a precious bunch of fabrics.  I love everything they create!

It was also a lot of fun to make all these half square triangle and then come up with a design.  I really love how it turned out.

Once I got the quilt top finished, it was screaming, "Quilt me differently!"  Every time I looked at it, I kept feeling like it needed something different than one of my usual all over quilting designs.  It seemed like it might be a good time to try something new, especially since I have a block of the month quilt which will definitely need some special quilting!

I have had this book for a while and have used it to try some designs every once in a while.  It is a great book!

 

Then I bought the Kindle version of the following book after thumbing through it at a bookstore and liking what I saw!

Both books were super helpful in helping me think about the design for this quit and then put it into action.  It felt weird to quilt it all at a much slower speed.  I was able to adjust my speed higher after a bit, but never wanted to go too fast and lose control.

In hindsight, I wish I had flipped the designs on the patterned fabric to the white areas and vice versa.

Quilting this was such a huge learning experience for me and did a lot to build my confidence in working with other free hand designs.  What fun!

So here is the finished quilt before washing.  Yes, I am washing it as usual.  To me a quilt that is going to be used isn't a quilt until it is washed and dried and soft and snuggly!  I am interested to see how it looks post wash and dry.

 Here are a couple of up close front photos.  In the center white square is a fun flower.  Love this part!  In each of the patterned triangles I quilted a loopy flower looking fan thing (technical name, yes).  In white areas I did double circles.

Honestly, my favorite part of the quilt is the back!  I love how well it shows off the quilting design.  Stunning.  Makes me want to do a solid color quilt just to play with quilting motifs!

I am so excited about doing this and learning all I did!  Can't wait to get it out of the dryer!

Thanks for bearing with all my quilty gushing!

Andrew's Birthday Quilt!

I finished this over the weekend!  The top and the backing were done for his birthday, but I had to wait to quilt it until my machine came back from maintenance and cleaning.  

He loves his quilt!

Quilts and Such Added to my Etsy Shop - Celeste Creates

 All of the following items have been added for sale in my Etsy shop, Celeste Creates.

Go take a look around!  Tell your friends!

And.......

Have a blessed day!

Andrew's Birthday

 Opening presents before breakfast.

 Opening a new game that has been very popular the past several days.

 Chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast!

 Playing Stratego.

 Pool time!  Andrew's big jump into the deep end!

 He was so excited that we go to get out the blow up pool for his birthday!

 Hanging with Daddy!

 Getting ready to blow out his candle on his Chocolate Eclair Cake!

Staying up with dad for a movie night to watch Star Wars for the first time.

Andrew's First Holy Communion

Well, since I am such a diligent blogger, I totally forgot to post photos from Andrew's First Holy Communion.  

We celebrated with a lovely Mass on Saturday, May 4th.  The Mass was wonderful and our new Pastor, Father Jim, did such a wonderful job with the homily.  Just wonderful.

Of course, I boo hooed all the way up to Communion as I walked behind him.  Thankfully, our other priest, who knows me pretty well, saw and I know he understood.  It is such an awesome amazing moment.  Tears are totally appropriate!

 What a handsome Communicant!  We love you Andrew!

 The whole family in front of our beautiful altar.

 Andrew and our pastor, Father Jim.

 Andrew outside the church.

 Jacob, Andrew, and Michael - handsome boys.  Jacob got to serve at the Mass.

 A little dessert reception after the Mass.

 Andrew's cake.

Each of the children receive a real grown up Bible and case for their First Holy Communion.  What a treasure.  At some point during the BBQ that followed we couldn't find Andrew.  He was inside reading his Bible and underlining passages.  Precious!

Braden turns three!!!!!!

Can you believe it?  I know I can't.  It is hard to believe my sweet baby is three years old.  It has been a joyous three years.  What a treasure he is!  He is such a funny, loving little boy.  He loves to play and imagine.  It is fun to watch him with Playmobil and cars.  He sure loves his big brothers and sister.  Today his big brothers went somewhere without him and he had such a sad face.  Poor baby.

His birthday was yesterday, but we had a wonderful, big family and friends party on Sunday to celebrate his birthday and Andrew's, who will celebrate a this next Monday!  Actually, it was a great excuse to get together with people we love!

Some serious eating and talking around the table.  And the cupcakes haven't been touched!

Some gathered around our new picnic table out in the back yard.

I think Braden ate his weight in chips.

Sweet friends playing AG dolls in Nicole's room.

And a very intense fame of fusbol(?)

A little basketball and spread in the driveway.  Fierce competitors.

Braden opened a few gifts, but his gifts from us were saved for hie "real" birthday.

When you give the boy a ball.......

I love how all the kids always hover when there are presents to be opened.  It was Andrew's turn for a few.

Here is Braden yesterday morning.  When he woke up I made homemade donuts for his birthday breakfast and then we opened presents.  He got some great "Gone Wanger" (Lone Ranger) items.

We had boxed mac and cheese for lunch (his pick) and then we ate dinner outside when it was cool and lovely.  We had sausage and pasta salad and beans and cheese.  And.......

Chocolate cake for desert.  And, of course, a little Blue Bell ice cream.  Mind you, that is not our entire selection on the table there.

Silly brothers.

And a happy family!

Next Monday we will be celebrating Andrew!  What a fun time family birthdays are.  I love how we have built our own traditions and how the kids look forward to them.  I pray they will be memories to treasure forever.

Finished Quilts

On to Andrew's birthday quilt!

On Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all you precious mommies out there.

I have had a lovely day despite the fact that I have had a mild cold since Friday evening. Felt pretty bad during the night last night, but everybody let me get lots of sleep and rest today.

They made a really nice breakfast of sausage and eggs burritos. They reheated some for me when I FINALLY got up! We had a late lunch/early dinner of grilled fajitas and tamales and salad before heading to Sunday evening Mass at 5:30. What a blessing to have my Jacob serving at the Mass.

And here is my lovely Mother's Day gift!





My lovely new garden statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary! The one I had was plastic and seriously broken. I am so happy. Doesn't she look lovely in my flower bed? This week I hope to get out and get some pretty annuals to plant in from of her.

Blessings,

Celeste

Peace

Peace. Coveted peace. Peace of mind. Peace of soul. Peace in my heart. Where do I find peace?

This morning is filled with peace. Peace in our home (I use that term lightly) and peace within me reigns this new day. I am praising God that truly His mercies are new every morning. Yesterday was less than peaceful after a long, tiring weekend. We got a slow start. Some of the kids slept way too late. Our whole timing was off. School work took grumpy, tired children much longer to complete.

It is easy for me tell myself that the peace that has begun this day is a direct result of MY diligence in getting everyone out of bed much earlier (and an earlier bedtime last night), of MY ability to get things accomplished this morning before school begins, and of MY CHILDREN'S peaceful cooperation thus far. If I believe this then I am deceiving myself and allowing the "deceiver" to let me believe that peace is a direct result of something I have done.

So I stop right there. True peace is only found when I am putting myself in Jesus' presence all day long and trusting Him with every morsel of time. It is only by His grace and mercy and faithfulness that yesterday was labeled "less than peaceful" and NOT "disaster"! I know you know this truth deep down. So do I. But, oh, how easy it is to let those little lies slip into our minds and make a home.

Peace in Christ today!

As I was praying on this yesterday as well, I began to think of what robs my peace that Jesus offers so freely. More on that later.

So what robs you of peace?

Blessings,

Celeste

New Fabric.... Surprise, surprise

I bought this fabric last week off eBay.  I loved this fabric when it came out ages ago.  It has been out of print for years now.  Last week I was looking around and found this collection of one of each fabric from the original line, Katie Jump Rope.  It is so vintage and wonderful!  It wasn't cheap, it i snagged it anyway.  Each piece is approximately 9x11 and there are 36? of them!  I can do something nice with these.  Yay!

Easter Fun