So many flies it's brutal!

Sitting out on the porch and watching the birds and squirrels and ducks, well that's just how we hang!  The unfortunate thing is the flies like to dive bomb us while we are trying to just relax and watch the world go by while sipping coffee or sweet tea.  The flies are so bad that when I open the door to go into or out of the house they zoom past me and into the house so they can bother me more.  They have even laid eggs in my coffee machine...OH THAT WAS SO GROSS!  thank God I clean the insides daily.  Anyway so a while back someone told me to hang a ziplock baggy full of water from a hook out on the porch.  I thought, how stupid does that sound and how could that possible even do a darn thing?  I mean really, I'm going to look like a total idiot with bags of water hanging from hooks on my porch.  People will think I'm trying to ward off aliens or something crazy like that....
Well about a month ago the flies were so brutal I though what the heck I'll give it a try, if it doesn't work I'll just take the bag down and no one would be the wiser of my foolish plans.  Guess what....this stupid trick works, I mean really really works.  I haven't seen a single fly since I hung that bag.  We've had many discussions on how this thing could possible work but have not come up with the answer.  I'd sure like to know the scientific answer to this!
So if you have flies on your porch and can't enjoy the day because of them...hang a ziplock baggy full of water up and your problem will be solved.

Here are some neat pictures of woodpeckers:

and some flowers:

I finally made the Mocha Chocolate Icebox Cake

Mocha Chocolate Icebox Cake
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/mocha-chocolate-icebox-cake-recipe/index.html

INGREDIENTS
2 cups cold heavy cream
12 ounces Italian mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup coffee liqueur, such as Kahlua
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, such as Pernigotti
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 (8-ounce) packages chocolate chip cookies, such as Tate's Bake Shop  (Get the no chip kind)
http://www.eggshellskitchencompany.com/products/tates-bake-shop-chipless-wonder-cookies?gclid=CL6j0_ql3LgCFSlo7AodVSMAnwfor  HEB carries them for $4.50
Shaved semisweet chocolate, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the heavy cream, mascarpone, sugar, coffee liqueur, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and vanilla. Mix on low speed to combine and then slowly raise the speed, until it forms firm peaks.
To assemble the cake, arrange chocolate chip cookies flat in an 8-inch springform pan, covering the bottom as much as possible. (I break some cookies to fill in the spaces.) Spread a fifth of the mocha whipped cream evenly over the cookies. Place another layer of cookies on top, lying flat and touching, followed by another fifth of the cream. Continue layering cookies and cream until there are 5 layers of each, ending with a layer of cream. Smooth the top, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
Run a small sharp knife around the outside of the cake and remove the sides of the pan. Sprinkle the top with the chocolate, cut in wedges, and serve cold.
The verdict...Hubby say's...this was the best desert he ever has eaten...wow that's something for him I tell you! We did both agree though that next time, when I make the cookies (I used the ghirardelli milk chocolate cookie recipe) I will leave the chocolate chips out. Since it is a refrigerated cake, the chips get really hard and to us it just ruined the consistency of the cake. Oh it was so good though, it's kind of like a very creamy tiramisu cheese cake. This one is supper easy and quick to make, you do have to refrigerate over night which means you have to plan for it. I have seen gourmet chipless cookies at HEB (http://www.eggshellskitchencompany.com/products/tates-bake-shop-chipless-wonder-cookies?gclid=CL6j0_ql3LgCFSlo7AodVSMAnwfor 4.50) so that would make this even faster to make. This is definitely a must try cake.

Is it wasting time or is it fun?

I don't know about you but I seem to collect software that lets me be creative.  I also enjoy making my own software!  I do have a few programs that I sell.  Anyway, I have software to assist in:  Stained Glass, Cross Stitch, Quilting, Paper piecing, machine embroidery designing, and the list goes on and on and on....
I seem to spend more time designing than actually creating....so am I wasting my time?  Should I make a pack with myself to create everything I design, one design at a time?  I bet you understand.  I have made things I've designed and I have designed things I hope to make, so maybe it's okay and maybe it's just part of the process.
I'm going to show off the Ruler Bag again (It's one of the boutique workshops we did) so I can show you that I did use one of my many programs to create something and then actually used it to enhance something.
I digitized the 2014 Quilt Show logo using Embird.  I love that program, paid a fraction of the price that the quilt stores charge for their over priced digitizing software.  I purchased it a few years back and the day I loaded it on my machine I digitized a design for a tea towel.  To me, well that's an accomplishment considering all the nightmares I heard about that "over priced" program!  If you want to digitize designs, I suggest looking at Embird, is is awesome and easy (most important)!
Anyway here is the bag I made and placed my newly digitized quilt show logo on! I also got a little fancy and made prairie points using a technique from a book I purchased a while back.  "Lined Prairie Points"

Make a purchase and you might win a beautiful handmade Quilt!

During the Peace Love and Sew Tri-County Quilt Show the boutique will have drawings throughout each day and a final drawing for an awesome handmade quilt!  To enter the daily drawings and the final drawing come by the boutique booth and make a purchase.  Each purchase of 10.00 gets you entered in the next drawing.  If you spend 20.00 dollars you get two entries and so on!  Then there will be a final drawing where all entries from the daily drawings will be entered into the final drawing for the Quilt.  5 of us are making the quilt and here is my row to give you a sneak peek!
Some other drawings we will have:
A couple baskets full of sewing goodies
A CD that includes all the original patterns we will be selling at the quilt show
A few different sewing bags
A light box
And much much more!
So be sure to mark your calendar for the Peace Love and Sew Tri-County Quilt Show in 2014.

Light Box Raffle for the 2014 Quilt Show Boutique

So we decided to do a raffle to raise some money for the 2014 Quilt Show Boutique.  We are hoping to raise 200.00 to go toward supplies for the boutique projects that we have been busy making in our workshops.  We have been working on "Sewing Room" themed items and we hope we will have good luck selling all things sewing room related.  We do have a couple things that are not sewing room, the ladies had to twist my arm to get me to agree though :) .

So I searched high and low at all the hardware store that I knew about for the opaque plastic for the top of the light box and well I ended up having to custom order it on line.  Then I purchased a florescent light fixture that didn't include the cord (for crying out loud) so I had to wire the darn thing.  This ended up being okay because the cord needed to run through the box anyway.

I had fun making this and I'm at this very second putting the clear finish on it.  2 more coats to go before I can post a picture with the white opaque plastic in place.  But for now here is the box....it is complete...I hope we get some interest so we can raise some cash!  This thing is a dream for anyone that needs to trace.  It is a full 21x27 1/2 inches....I WANT ONE!

Raffle tickets are $1.00 if anyone is interested.  We will have a couple places in the greater Houston area where tickets can be purchased.  Let me know if you are interested and I'll tell you where you can get some raffle tickets for this beauty!

Update:  No raffle for the Guild :(....  We didn't bother asking about doing a raffle, we never even thought about asking....and well, the guild is only allowed 2 raffles a year because of their tax status.  They don't want to waste one of them for this and I don't blame them.  But the great news is Quilt Works is going to either sell it for us or have their own raffle for us.  Can you believe it?  Wow the ladies at Quilt Works are so awesome.  We sure couldn't be so productive without them!  THANK YOU Quilt Works !!!