Now that's a Cuke!

Well nothing much to report in the stitching sector of my life but the garden part of my life well! Hubby did well. Look at this Cuke! With all the rain that we have been getting well - it's pickle time!!!!

You would think this was a zuchinni if I was growing one, but this must have been one that I missed on the last pick a few days ago.

Here is a link to an amazing pickle recipe - but the gentleman that posted some years ago - a few questions always comes up - the salt goes into the brine mix and it is white vinegar that is used. Russian Dill Pickles (wonderful Sweet/sour pickle)

Now for my refrigerator version:

I used a empty (LOL!) pretzel container, you know the large barrels. In layers of the remaining ingredients.

Make double the brine recipe

dill/vidalia onion (I used 1/4 onion for each layer)
3 inch layer of chunk cukes - 1/2" slices
more dill and onion
2nd layer put in addition Crushed garlic clove (not minced like recipe calls for does the same thing)
continue till you get about 2 inches from the top.
On the top place 4-6 cloves of garlic and 1 tsp of Alum(found in the spice section of the grocery store - this helps prevent the pickles turning black)

After brine has cool some - warm pour over the pickles. Using a wooden (not metal spoon), push the cukes around a bit.

Let the container sit at room temp for 5-6 hours and then put in the frig. Ready in 24 hours. Great in 2-4 days peak - if you can wait. Not happening once you taste them! LOL!

So enjoy the reaps of your labor - I have been enjoying mine!

Hugs and happy gardening Joan

Wonderful Vacation Getaway

Well I had a wonderful time on vacation - just got back from 3 days in Atlantic City with hubby! Of course found a wonderful needlework shop- okay knew was there - so it was a revisit. Here is the stash I came out with. Who wants to put money in the slots. Actually this shop is located 12 miles south of AC, in Ocean City, NJ.

So here is the hauling:

 So this is what I bought: Rainbow Galleries: Very Velvet in Christmas and fall colors. Inspiration into the Christmas Card SAL! DMC no 5 Pearl in Christmas colors. The whites also Rainbow Galleries - Alabaster, Artic Rays and Fancy fur (also part of the SAL). Needle Necessities - since out of biz - Love going there to get some more for the collection.  and Carons Watercolors Marigold. Since her shop is distinctly for Needlepointers she has some linen she sold me for real cheap. So the name of the shop see below! This is what the shop looks like from the outside - go to her website to see the inside! DROOL!



So anything you need and want for the SAL will let you know which ones I will be using by the end of August so you are ready for the first part in mid-September!

So did you think that I would not come back with thimbles - you are all so funny!
Of course I did - ones for me and extras for swapping! You want to swap let me know!

 So as you can see ones from Atlantic City, NJ and extra New Jersey ones. Close up in next pic.

 So if you want to swap for a jersey one - well needs to also be a souvenir one from either your state if I do not have it or some where else. Just need to send me a pic!!

and unfortunately these were the only 2 I could find the day of my jaunt to Ocean City, NJ, so these are staying in my collection. so the collection grows.

Now a few pics of my trip: this was the skyline coming into AC

 Early morning boardwalk walk after we got all settled in

 View from the one restrarant we ate at in Bally's

 One view of the NJ Korean War memorial - very impactful!

 It's Sugar Store - and yes that elephant is covered with Jelly Belly Jellybeans

 One of many views from our room

 Night shot of Wild Bills casino

 Trip to Ocean City, NJ, this is the music pier

 And this is a shot I took from it!

Then back to AC for an evening walk down by the beach!

Thanks all for looking! Now back to Drooling over my new thread stash!!
Hugs and Stitches Joan

making comments

so I try and I try to comment back to your comments and blogger will not let me - so dumb - so I am not ignoring you - blogger is! LOL!

Lil' Christmas Tree

So this is the Michael Powell - Mini xmas tree - the 2nd of my tripic - before the backstitching.

Will update the backstitching - should be completed by tomorrow.

In My Garden

This has been one of the most exhausting weeks in work. So when I take the pups out at night for the nightly doings - came around the side of my house and like a breathe of sunshine this is what I had to go back into my house and get captured on my camera.

I do so love the dew drop effect on the plant - this is the first year since we planted this hydragena that it produced blooms. Happy dance. Thanks for looking. Joan



4 more thimbles

Just a quick blog to let you see the 4 new thimbles my friend brought me back from Alaska

Thanks Chrispy!

Christmas In July Swap

Christmas in July

So last week in the mail it came all the way from Finland and My friend Pirjo. I meet her some 4-5 years ago on a group of cross stitchers and she has followed me to my own Yahoo Group Sapphire Stitching. She has featured me in some of her finishes on her own website Tam's Creations. So today was Christmas in July and got to open up my gifts. And they were plentiful!

See for your self from the pictures posted below as I catch my breathe.

This first picture contains fabric for quilting and smalls. My favorite is the first one with teh ethnic finland dolls on it and the others I love as well. Pirjo knows how I love halloween. Scrapbooking papers and embellishments even the ribbons and threads she used in wrapping i can use in cards. See the handstamped guy in the middle that is how I felt when I open my packages. A 12 cards package of small charts and stickers.

 Of course now onto the fabbies and threads. Not sure if you can see the soft hand dyed linen really beautiful. Also, a linen coaster to stitch. Hand dyed floss - fingers loven them  from ThreadWorx (the multi color) and Nima's threads - 2 skeins of Monster Green. Okay Tam looks like a monster to stitch! LOL!

 And of course my most favorite of all MORE THIMBLES! Took 2 pics so you can see the front and back of the first 2. The last one have to confirm with Pirjo looks like it was created from I would guess Elk bone. So recylcing at it finest!

So speaking of thimbles here are 2 more I received this week from my swap partner in Denmark! Thanks Stine! she also sent me a bead kit for making key chains and another one I am sure for beading but since still on the elastic a instant bracelet - looks like hemitite.

So as I end here and start another blog! Happy Christmas in July All! Joan