For every house is built by someone,

but the builder of all things is God.

Hebrews 3:4






Thursday, January 7, 2010

What have I been up to lately?



I decided to do some canning.
Canned organic carrots on my pantry shelf is time saver when I need to throw a pot of soup together.
I cut up my carrots and hot packed them in pint jars.

 


I also like to use organic beans (middle) in my soups so I canned some of my dried organic pinto beans.  I'll keep canning those until they are gone.

You can't beat homemade canned chicken broth (two jars on the side).  We eat so much soup at this time of the year so it's nice to have these already on hand.


My chicken broth recipe:





I had a large box full of fabric.  I didn't even know what I had until I pulled it out and organized it.  I don't have a before picture but here are pictures after I organized them according to color.




 Aren't these just wonderful fabrics!

 

Visit my son's blog to see what he's been up to lately.

 

I basted my heart quilt together thinking that I would start hand quilting.  After quilting one square, a sore back and neck, I contacted a Long-arm quilter in North Carolina to get a quote to have it quilted.  I'm still trying to decide what to do.  Bethany at Bethany Quilts does such beautiful work, I know she would do a great job on my quilt.  

Go to her blog and see for yourself how talented she is.



~
We are getting snow today!
Oh how cozy.  I think I'll make a big pot of Tortellini Soup tonight.


Here's my Tortellini Soup Recipe:


~



Happy New Year my friends!




 

~ Christa ~




 

12 comments:

Debbie said...

You have been busy making delicious things. I did something similar with all my fabrics last year thinking I'd put a quilt together. It's been several years since I've done that; I need to try.
Looking good! Debbie

Lady Farmer said...

Wow! Talk about industrious! I never think about canning in the winter time! I don't know why. It is so much more pleasant to do canning when the weather is cool. I may just have to do alittle ~ thanks, Christ, for the inspiration!
I just love seeing fabrics all organized and within reach when the mood strikes! I have often thought that it would be so glorious to have a fabric shop, but then I could never sell any of it, I love just looking at it!
What a great son you have! One would never guess that that is the same barn! It looks new! And I love his chicken coops!
Oh, your Heart Quilt is just gorgeous! I do hope you decide to finish it with the hand quilting! I love the old traditional way. But I know that it takes so much time. What about an old fashioned 'quilting bee'?
I am making soup tonight also ~ split pea! No snow hear but very cold temps! Perfect for a big pot of soup!
Blessings, my friend!

Christa said...

Oh, I wish I could do a quilting bee but I don't know anyone here who hand quilts. I too would love to own a fabric shop but we know the realities of that right? LOL

Enjoy your big pot of soup.

Christa

Nadine said...

Dear Christa,

What wonderful goodies to can! My sister called the other day and said that she bought me a pressure cooker and in exchange she would like some canned goods through-out the year...I am so excited, I am going to start going through my canning books to pick out goodies to can!
Your fabric stash is great! I adore your quilt...you are so talented!

Blessings!
~Nadine

Camille said...

Oh Christa ~ I have missed you! But I see you have been very busy!! Your furniture (in the quilt picture) looks very similar to our livingroom pieces. SO country and COZY! :) AND your quilt is GORGEOUS!! Thanks for sharing your recipes with us...I am craving some good soup now!

Have a lovely day my friend!
Blessings,
Camille

Anonymous said...

The fabrics are beautiful -- and the jars are too. I never thought of canning beans before. We usually let ours dry. But makes sense -- thanks for sharing.

Sandra

The Garden Life said...

Very pretty jars. I never thought to can our stock or beans--we normally freeze ours. Looking forward to trying it.

We've been unusually cold also for Texas so we've been enjoying soups lately. Tonight, Laura made a great pot of spicy tortilla soup to open our sinuses as we're in the middle of cedar season and everyone's allergies are going bonkers. Thanks for the tortellini recipe.

I love the way you've folded your fabrics in the boxes. Laura has been boxing all her fabrics the last two days to put into storage, but she placed them on top of each other so you can't see the different pieces. I think after seeing yours, she's going to repack them all. She loved the way you organized them by color.

Do your daughters quilt?

Stay warm!

Donna

Christa said...

Hi Donna,
Cassaundra quilts but Brittany does not, however, she would like to make one quilt before she gets married.

:)

Christa

Stacie, A Firefighter's Wife said...

Wow, that quilt is beautiful! Also, your canned goods look divine!

Unknown said...

The soup looks good and boy that quilt is gorgeous Christa. I love hand quilting but have been known to pack a quilt off to the machine quilt experts. WOW, I love your orgainized fabrics. I need to do some of that and your canned goods, what an inspiration you are. Home-canned beans are a total time saver :)

Warm Wishes & Blessings!
Gail

American Home said...

This is a great post. You have been very busy. I am now encouraged to pull out the canning pot and can make jam from my frozen berries. It is 9 degrees here and canning would be a great way to keep the house warmer. I love the broth idea. I have never tried canning broth but I am saving this for future reference.
Thank you.
Have a wonderful Sunday.

Farmhouse Blessings said...

Such a wonderful way to spend these cold winter days. Your jars look like jewels on that shelf! And the fabric ~ well as a fabric enthusiasist myself, I sure can appreciate that little stash. I'm hoping to find some shelves at the thrift store so I can bring mine down from the attic to enjoy more often!

Wishing you joy,
Lea