We're moving!

Our new saucy cottage on the internet will be located at:

http://www.jennicakes.com/blog/

Please update your links!

Quilt Monday: Block of the Month

sept1logcabin, originally uploaded by Hambone and Jennicakes.

Thanks to finding a link to this awesome tutorial, I was able to make this modified, modernized log cabin quilt block. I did have to mess around with the measurements a bit, which could very well be my fault - for a quilter, my math skills are nothing to brag about.

You can't tell from the pic, but all the strips I used are 3 whole inches wide, which makes this block an absolute beast: 20.5" x 20"! So an even dozen should get me a quilt of very respectable size - and my plan is to make one a month.

I have a tendency to use the same few fabrics over and over for everything until they are nothing but tiny shreds, which will REALLY come across in the block-a-month meme.

And, aesthetics be damned, I am arranging them chronologically. Yikes.

So watch this space for more crazy logcabinishness. Or better yet, do the project with me!

Emmylicious Buffet!

white chip cupcakes, originally uploaded by Hambone and Jennicakes.

Hambone and I had a little party Sunday for the Emmys, which were not, I'm afraid, all that exciting.

I was REALLY hoping Alan Alda would win for The West Wing, but when he did, and didn't attend(!) it took the wind out of our sails a bit. And I was sure my dear Stephen Colbert would not be beat out by Barry Manilow - WHAT??

At least the pre-show featured Tim Gunn quite liberally.

And the cuisine did not disappoint. I tried out a couple of new recipes, which I NEVER do when I entertain, but when I saw this recipe for roast eggplant at the Cream Puffs in Venice blog, I thought, "Why not? She clearly knows what she's doing."

And she does. It was wonderful, and I'm not an eggplant person. I can't wait to chow down on the leftovers later.

Allrecipes was fairly, if not completely, helpful with a traditional pierogi recipe, and with a cupcake suggestion - mix a bag of white chips (I used local favorite Ghirardelli, of course) and a few teaspoons of orange zest into boxed white cake batter. Delicious! It really altered the whole texture and added a lot of moisture. I just used regular old canned chocolate icing, because, frankly, I love it, and dark chocolate and orange is so perfect together.

Add a caprese salad and some barbecue wings (did I mention I cooked way too much?) and you have one Emmylicious buffet - certainly more Emmylicious than the awards themselves. Sigh.

Quilt Monday: Almanizer

almanizer, originally uploaded by Hambone and Jennicakes.

I take part in a monthly block swap, and while it's not a secret swap exactly, I probably shouldn't post what I made for my partner before I send it along.

BUT.

I really love this block. It's called "Almanizer," and I only chose it because I wasn't really sure what my partner would like. Now that it's done, though, I llove the way it shows off this cute fabrics that Carrie of Sommer Designs gave me.

And as luck would have it, Hancock's of Paducah is having a sale on charm packs, and I couldn't resist picking up a few. I love the idea of doing a wall-sized Almanizer quilt.

Only, does anyone even know what an "almanizer" means?

WIP Friday - Frame

frame, originally uploaded by Hambone and Jennicakes.

Remember that frame from yesterday? It's a step closer to its final incarnation. Just added a coat of paint, and I'll watch it dry while the sun goes down...

Thrift Thursday: fabric and frame

fabric and frame, originally uploaded by Hambone and Jennicakes.

I had some serious luck today! I thought I'd do a little thrifting inasmuch as it's Thrift Thursday, and look what I found in the shop where I usually have the least good luck - an empty vintage frame, and a big piece of vintage fabric!

I've been looking for something EXACTLY like the frame, so if it doesn't look like much, never fear - I have big plans. And I just couldn't pass up the fabric. it appears to have some very light food staining on it (I know, WTF?, right?) and has been hemmed, so I'm guessing it was a tablecloth, but I want to launder it before further examination. It might be a great funky cover for one of my many folding tables.

We shall have to see.