QuiltNut Creations: 2015

crafting

I've done hardly any crafting this year for Christmas, I haven't even made a single gift yet. I'm only planning on one so I'm not panicking but it's still weird lol.

I've been looking at these on Pinterest all year and finally made one.

I love how it looks. So different from a usual wreath. I almost bought a bigger frame and now that it's on the door, I'm glad I went with this smaller one(it's an 8x10)

I did make myself a new table runner with the leftover from my Ribbon Star quilt.

I had a wee bit of an accident on Monday; I sliced the tip of my right index finger open. Of course I am right handed so this has made some things a little interesting. I'm hoping it heals soon since I can't do any hand sewing right now.

wordless wednesday

classes

I love when local quilt stores do a class and we get quilt after quilt of the quilts. It's always interesting how everyone puts a quilt together differently.

Barb's version of this fabulous star quilt.

quilted with Dandelion

I love the colours Barb went with.

And the feathers, lovely!

Dorothy's version.

quilted with a meander

I love the fallish colours Dorothy used.

Dorothy didn't like how the middle of her quilt lined up so she appliqued the circle onto the middle. Give the quilt a different look.

Claudia made these two lovelies.

quilted with Flirtatious

So pretty!

And her red version

quilted with Tickle Too

I absolutely adore this version.

Can't wait to see more of these. Thanks ladies!

snack saturday

Gingerbread Cupcakes

1 2/3 cups all purpose flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground cloves

3/4 cup salted butter room temperature

1 egg white

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup molasses

1/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

Caramel Molasses Cream Cheese Icing

1 cup butter, divided

1/2 cup brown sugar

4 oz cream cheese

4-5 cups powdered sugar

2 tbsp molasses

1-2 tbsp milk or water, if needed

Instructions

Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Whisk together all dry ingredients (everything before the butter) in a large mixing bowl.

3. Add remaining ingredients and mix on medium speed just until smooth. Do not over mix.

4. Fill cupcake liners about half way.

5. Bake 18-20 minutes.

6. Allow to cool for 1-2 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to finish cooling.

Icing

1. Place 1/2 cup of butter and brown sugar into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for about 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each interval, until the sugar is mostly dissolved, about 3 minutes. It'll boil and bubble up. Set caramel aside to cool.

2. Cream remaining 1/2 cup butter and cream cheese until smooth.

3. Add 3 cups powdered sugar and 1 tbsp milk or water to butter mixture and beat until smooth.

4. Pour caramel into icing and mix until smooth.

5. Add another 1-2 cups of powdered sugar.

6. Add molasses and milk or water, if needed, to reach desired icing consistency.

card friday

wordless wednesday

keeping busy

This might be the first year that I don't make any homemade gifts this year. Saying that, I do plan in January to make Boys 1 and 4 new quilts for their beds. But for Christmas? No homemade this year.

I did want to make a new Christmas quilt this year. I was inspired by a video I saw on the Missouri Star Quilt Company for a ribbon star quilt.

I will admit that it took awhile for me to figure out the blocks. The video showed making the blocks backwards and I could not figure it out lol.

I love this Solstice line!

I'm also working on getting our Christmas cards finished.

I cut our mailing list way down this year; stamps are just too expensive. I have 10 more cards to make and than get these in the mail. And maybe then I can get my Christmas quilt quilted!

quilt monday

I started this runner(it's actually a pillow pattern) back in October. I knew I wasn't going to have it finished for this years Thanksgiving but I gave it a go anyway.

I had the pieces cut out and sitting on my table so long that I lost the first T. I found it on the weekend in the ironing basket lol.

So may fun shapes to applique. The shapes were fun, not the appliquing lol.

I kept the quilting simple and did a meander over the whole runner.

And the braids, I love the braids.

Happy Monday!

card friday

wordless wednesday

snack saturday

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Ingredients

1 16-ounce package peanut butter sandwich cookies, divided
4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick) butter, melted
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 8-ounce container Cool Whip, divided
1 3.9-ounce package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup milk chocolate & peanut butter chips OR 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips + 1/4 peanut butter chips

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a blender or food processor, finely crush 24 of the cookies.
In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter and finely crushed cookies until well moistened.
Press into an ungreased 8 X 8-inch baking dish.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Allow crust to cool completely before proceeding.
In the meantime, mix the package of pudding with the 1 1/2 cups of milk in a small bowl.
In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and peanut butter together.
Fold in 1 cup of the Cool Whip and mix until well blended.
Spread the chocolate pudding over the cooled crust.
Place dollops of cream cheese mixture over the pudding layer and with an offset spatula, gently spread to completely cover.
Spread remaining Cool Whip over the cream cheese.
Refrigerate two hours.
In a plastic bag, break up the 8 remaining cookies.
Sprinkle the cookies and chocolate / peanut butter chips over the top just before serving.

note-Snack Saturday recipes are my family favorite recipes. not all recipes are my own creations.

card friday

craft crawl

This weekend is a popular event here. the Craft Crawl(details here). We've been busy finishing up some store samples for Hamels to display for the weekend but you can see them now!

This quilt. I love this quilt. I may have to pick it up for myself lol.