Stitching update

First off, Nancy from Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe recently posted pictures of some of her framed finished models from this year.  Among them was "Welcome Spring" that I stitched for her.  Just look at that beautiful frame she used with it!

Nancy has some beautiful sampler designs, threads, trims, buttons, fabrics, etc. for sale which can be seen here:

Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe ebay store

Victorian Motto Sampler Shope blog

I also finished and mailed off a model for Nikki at Country Cottage Needleworks  .  In fact, I see that she's released another recent model I stitched for her called "Cookies for Santa".  I love her designs and am honored to get to do some model stitching for her.

I'm expecting another model soon but in the meantime, I'm working on the PS Santa 2014.

La D Da's Wicked Witch has been "calling" to me lately, so I ordered the fabric called for and will stitch that up, hopefully, before Halloween.  It should be a quick stitch.

Our is visiting from Denmark.  He's keeping busy trying to see as many friends as he can while he's here.  He just left with a friend to go hiking near here.  He also spent last weekend in Austin visiting with his brothers, a friend, and going to the UT football game.

On the cooking front....DH and I should probably stop watching cooking shows.  We had one on as background noise Saturday before football started and were intrigued by a recipe called "Milk Can Dinner". Apparently it started out when people with dairies stopped using the metal milk cans to get the milk from the barns to where they'd process it.  (Now they pipe it there.)  Someone got the bright idea to use them for cooking.  They'd put a layer of hot rocks on the bottom, then layer different veggies (potatoes, cabbage wedges, carrots, onions, whole garlic cloves), put in some fresh thyme sprigs and a couple of bay leaves, and top with sausage of some kind.  It was enough to feed a small army!  The recipe was adapted for use in a Dutch oven...even that recipe made a lot, so I cut it by half.  You start out by browning links of Bratwurst in a little oil in the Dutch oven.  Take the sausage out and layer your veggies in the Dutch oven.  Cut your sausages in half, then place them on top and season with a little salt and pepper.  Pour a little beer over the top, cover, and cook "slow and low" on the stove top.  I added some big chunks of green pepper about halfway through the cooking time.

It was very easy and very tasty!  We'll definitely be making it again.

Happy stitching!