RSC17: January - Purple

Hard to believe that January is pretty much over.

As soon as purple was announced as the color for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, I pulled out my scraps and got to making blocks made up of strips of purple. Not really creative, but it's what I was able to do...  I was trimming so the blocks would be the same size, but then thought I'd leave them be so I have more flexibility when I actually use them in a project.

I also was going to use purple for the Growing Up QAL, but decided that I wasn't going to do that project this year.  The rose does look pretty though doesn't it?

The skill to practice was using the blanket stitch to go around the design.  Something I hadn't done before so I thought I'd better step back and try with a simpler shape for practice...

This was so boring to do, I decided to stop even trying to do the more elaborate design.  Last year I learned so much following along with Alida's QAL, but decided I really need to concentrate on finishing up projects I have already started, rather than pushing myself to do new skill building blocks this year again.

Things in my personal life are rather confusing right now, so I'm glad I was able to get done when I did do this month.

BTW I am continuing to take the once a week quilting class.  The teacher has been doing a much better job of actually teaching concepts and techniques, so I do plan to continue attending. Unfortunately, to take the class we had to agree to not share the patterns so I won't be able to show off those projects.

Photos from January 2017:

San Diego Airport: No Ban, No Wall  My husband and I went to support the cause.  Earlier that day I went to a new friend's house to write letters and postcards in support of public health care.

Utility Box seen before attending Vietnamese New Year's Celebration.

Buffy waiting for me to take her for a walk!

Cute place I walked and had hair cut as a treat to myself!

Walk with a friend in North County - cute house.

Really old, cute house.

Shamrocks?

It rained a lot this month, there were a few rainbows...  It was so oppressive and confining when it was raining.

Made marmalade with our son.  Each batch was different even though we were trying to do them all the same.

Used a pressure cooker after the first 6-7 hours cooking time!

This was my first batch made alone.  I noticed the mixture still boiling after it popped!

My birthday dinner plate.

Pressure cooker.

Night time photos from Old Town San Diego.

Husband and I went out to dinner and to catch Pokemon, but enjoyed the colorful displays and plants too!

• Linking up to the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!

Birthday 2017

Time again for my birthday!  My husband and son make me a special burnt almond cake every year, it's such a treat.  Although they take notes each year the cake is a little different each time.

This year, they included making a dinner together too.

Vegetables being prepped to be roasted later.
Note the jars on the cook top.  Earlier we made marmalade, the jars were being sealed while they did the prep work!

Starting to add the custard between the layers. This year there was not enough for the third layer, so we put sliced marzipan (that I had purchased for another reason) and frosting for that layer.  Delicious!

Working on the frosting.

A snazzy way to apply the top layer!

Our butcher put the chicken cordon bleu together so that saved time and effort that day.  We just needed to cook it.  My husband made a delicious pan gravy that really finished it off fabulously!

Cake all assembled, frosted and with the toasted almonds.

Almond extract is used for the annual dish, it's almost the only time I use it so the bottles last a long time.  This year needed to get some new - notice the same titled recipe is on the back of the boxes - but the ingredients and directions are different!

My Godmother, Aunt June, had burnt almond cake for her Eastern Star installation as Worthy Matron.  I hadn't heard of it before, but it was lovely that day - and wonderful to have each year now made by my guys.

I scanned the recipes to share:

This year it was especially nice to just have the three of us together for the day.

Happy New Year - 2017

Note: To make the brussel sprouts he first boiled them.  Then drained and in sauce pan put some white sugar and a little oil.  Once it was melted he added the brussel sprouts and tossed them and heated thru.

We had a wonderful evening at my husband's department chair's home! Her family, one other professor and his son, and our son came along too!

Boy, this is the way to do New Year's Eve!  I posted the photos in the order things happened.  We arrived 7pm, started with food, then took a game break while the meat course finished cooking and was plated, left around 1am alert with happy thoughts and hearts.

Hope 2017 is a great year, a better year for all of us.