IHSW

International Hermit Stitch Weekend.  On the third weekend of every month, we hermit ourselves and spend the entire weekend stitching.  Or at least, that's the idea.  While I wasn't able to drop everything else, I did manage to get quite a bit of stitching done.

Last week, Lynn, Dee & I went live with our new online shop.  We called it Treasure Chest of Friends.  We also have a Facebook page & a Pinterest account.  We are selling handmade items that we have sewn, crocheted, machine embroidered, or anything else we happen to have fun making.  Come check us out.  We're adding new items every day so keep coming back.  If you don't see something that you'd like to see, drop us an email.  If we can do it, it'll be a new item!  Our email address is www.treasurechestoffriends.com.

On Saturday, Mom, Mariah & I took a one stroke painting class at the library.  I haven't taken one in awhile & I really enjoy them.  This month we painted birdhouses. These are Mariah's

 

 

These are mine:

 

 

We had a lot of fun.  Next month, Kathy is doing wine glasses so I may just have to join that class as well!

 

When we got our CSA box this week (community supported agriculture), it was full of berries.  Red raspberries & strawberries to be exact.  I knew that we'd never eat them just like they were before they went bad, so I turned them into yummy items.  On Saturday, I made raspberry syrup.  We use this, not only on pancakes & waffles, but to make iced tea as well.  I gave Lynn a jar & she put it on top of ice cream last night and said it was great!  Sunday morning, I got up & made homemade buttermilk pancakes & put the syrup on top.  They were yummy!

 

On Sunday, I spent a good portion of the day in the kitchen.  First, I made strawberry bbq sauce.  Now, for those of you who are going eeeww, try it.  We first were introduced to strawberry bbq sauce several years ago at the Long Grove Strawberry Festival.  The tea room has a buffet for lunch that is quite reasonably priced.  On it was strawberry bbq chicken.  It was delicious!  When we got to the General Store, they were selling it by the jar.  I had to buy a bottle.  When that ran out, I searched for the recipe.  I found one that is very close to Long Grove's and have made it ever since!  The picture here is what remains of my raspberry syrup & the large jar of strawberry bbq sauce.  The recipe made the large jar, 2 pint jars, and 2 half pint jars.  I gave away the 2 pint jars and will make pork chops or chicken with the rest.

 

 Our basket also contained 2 small zucchini.  So, I made a loaf of zucchini bread & a zucchini cake!  I gave the zucchini bread & 1 of the pints of bbq sauce to my friend, Jen, yesterday.  We ate a portion of the cake last night, but there's plenty left for the next couple of days. 



I also scored a bunch of bruised bananas at Kmart on Saturday when we went grocery shopping.  Our super Kmart puts a lot of produce on the reduced rack, which I love.  I should have bought more as they had about 10 packages for 25 cents each, but I only bought 2.  I broke 1 package up & put it in my bag of frozen fruit for smoothies.  I intended to make Hawaiian bread with the rest, but Rich brought home a tray of brownies & I decided to wait a few days for the Hawaiian bread.  I'll share that recipe with you next week. 

Now, with all this, did I actually get any stitching in this weekend?  You betcha!  First, I finished my bikini beach bag Saturday morning.  I made mine extra tall so I could fit my stitching in it.  It has a reinforced bottom so it doesn't break through.  I absolutely love it!

  

I finished the wings on Petite Christmas Angel #2 yesterday.  There's a lot of gold braid in them!  Next weekend I'll work on the wreath she's holding.

Since I finished the beach bag, I got to do another letter on Enchanted Alphabet.  I did K yesterday. 

Today we go back to Fright Night Friends for 3 days.  I hope to get quite a bit done, but Mariah & I will be very busy today.  She has art class at Michaels this morning, her reading group at the library this afternoon, and then at 5:30 we go back to the library to see "Oz, the Great & Powerful". 

So, until next time, what did YOU do this weekend??