12 Squared: September Square

This month's quilting bee block is called Cobblestones and Bricks.  Mine is a little unbalanced looking and I'm trying to mentally rearrange the fabrics to look less... party on the left and business on the right.

Maybe I just need to switch out a print, but which one?

Any suggestions?

Home Made Energy Bars

My husband likes to keep a stash of expensive energy bars for a quick breakfast on the run or snack in between assignments at work. So I decided to see what I could make to help with the grocery bill! After studying recipes on the internet this is what I made this morning! I think they are tastier than those Odwalla Bars! And much less expensive!

Janene's Homemade Energy Bars

1 1/2 c. granola

1 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 cup wheat germ or whole wheat flour

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup raisins or other chopped dried fruit

1/2 cup coconut

1/3 cup slivered almonds

1 egg

1/2 cup molasses or honey

2 T. vegetable oil

1 tsp. vanilla

3/4 c. chocolate chips (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 9X13 pan with parchment paper and coat with vegetable oil spray. Combine all wet ingredients in mixing bowl and add dry ingredients till evenly mixed.

Press dough evenly into pan. Bake 20-25 minutes. Cool completely and cut into bars.

Highlights of Los Angeles

Forget movie stars, Dodgers, surfers and taro card readers! For me L.A. is all about 3 amazing grandchildren!

Hunting for wildlife in the Malibou tide pools.

Seeing how close we could get to a rather tame pelican!

Messing up mom's clean kitchen with our cookie dough!

Listening/watching Fiddler on the Roof while decorating cookies! Tradition!

Giggles at bedtime!

Doll Clothes for Leah

My 6 year old grand daughter loves her dolls. During my visit we made them a few outfits

.

This two piece dress is a blouse and skirt made from McCall's Crafts Pattern # 2506. Added a ruffle to the skirt and made the blouse without the collar and we the shortened sleeves. Two fabric circles and a button serve as a flower embellishment tacked onto the waist.

Leah can mix and match with these two tops, two skirts and pink pants. From same pattern as above. To the top on the left I added a ruffle on the bottom. Both tops have velcro closures.

Leah dresses her dolls consistently each day and night. She is a good "mom" to her girls!

Coming soon! A dress for Leah from the fabric on the left, so she can match too!

Eva Learns to Sew

Eva is my oldest grand daughter. She likes to crochet, swim, play the violin and piano and sew!

I started teaching Eva to sew by hand when she was 4 or 5 during my annual visits. She is 10 now and becoming a lovely young lady. She is wearing her favorite pj's Becca made her!

She got a real sewing machine, however basic, for Christmas last year. So this past week our goal was to get her comfortable operating it and learning some basic techniques !

Fist she made this elastic waist dirndl skirt from some red paisley fabric she had picked out at the Fashion District two years ago. One seam, elastic waist and a pocket.

Eva likes to wear her skirts long. It was funny to hear her argue with her mom to make it longer! Boy, back in my day the it was the other way around!

Next her goal was to replicate her favorite peasant skirt. Attaching ruffles was challenging but she learns fast.

It was her idea to add the ribbon trim!