Food … glorious food !

Bhelpuri is a savoury snack originating from India, and is also a type of chaat. It is made of puffed rice, vegetables and a tangy tamarind sauce, and has a crunchy texture.

How to make bhel puri

1. I usually cut open a fresh pack of puffed rice when I make chaat recipes bhel puri, churumuri or jhaal muri. If the puffed rice is not crispy then dry roast them until crisp. Cool and then add them to a mixing bowl.

2. Add the boiled potatoes. I cube the potato and boil in 2 cups of water until just cooked. Drained the water and cooled completely. Potatoes must be dry and not moist. Then add half a Chopped onion, one chopped tomato, and a few green chilies chopped according to taste. Then add them to the puffed rice.

Toss them well. Then add tamarind chutney. I begin with a small quantity of chutneys as you cannot undo if it becomes too sour or sweet. I also feel too much chutneys or too thin chutneys will make the bhel too soggy very quickly. So add them as needed after tasting.

You can buy both chutneys at the Indian grocery store. Will blog separately on how to make them ..

They age with you but never lose their warmth…

After a week of block making during my spare time ,mainly trying out new blocks as I went along ,I finished both the dining table runner and the coffee table runner.

The colours are bright and beautiful.. I don’t usually use much black but this combination seems to pop . I’m loving the look of it.

I was going to follow a traditional pattern but you know me … I created as I went along… and the results not too bad in my book.

I sent a picture to the friend who is getting this and she absolutely loves them … I’m so happy 🤩

And now without much further ado … I present … Stardust

They age with you but never lose their warmth 💝

My next project has begun. This time two table runners … one for a dining table and the other for a coffee table. It’s a matching set.

This beautiful person I have known since my days living in India. We lost contact when I moved here and just like that we were back in each other’s lives when she moved here a few years ago.

She loves all my work and is totally biased coz I’m her friend 😘

She asked me to make her a runner for her dining table and I said I’d make her a set .

Here’s a preview of the colours I’m using as her table is black and her favorite colour is pink …

I’m still making blocks and haven’t decided how I’m going to assemble them but I know I’ll get there.

Here’s the layout at the moment…

With Needles & Thread 🪡

Each new day brings fresh ideas and stars in my eyes with what my next quilting project is going to be…

Last year in isolation I stitched & stitched & stitched….

This year so far has been no different …. the love for quilting is still there….however the pace seems to have slowed down. Now it’s not a frenzy to complete in a week or a day… I’m savouring the process so much more !

I needed another quilt to cover my bed… I love bright colours and what better than Kaffe Fassett. I made pinwheels matching the reds & blues and then bordered each with a plain red & blue.

As my hands can’t take large free motion quilting I decided to quilt each block separately. Then joined each together with Ragging. I absolutely love the softness of Rag quilting and this has given a new dimension to this beautiful quilt 😍

And so I present my new quilt 🤩

Well it’s time again and as I missed last month I simply could not miss this month …

The runner that I have made is called my 2020 WRAP… coz it has all the scraps from all my 2020 projects.

As I’ve made a fair few quilts and gifts over the year I don’t have them here with me to look at or feel. This runner will be a reminder of all things made last year.

I haven’t actually set it out making sure colours match … I’ve just pulled them out of the stacks of scraps I have now and free motion quilted them on the batting. It’s turned out bright and has a stained glass look to it which I love.

Here’s to more ScrapHappiness next month 🤩

Kate , Gun, Titti, Heléne, Eva, Sue, Lynn, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Tracy, Jill, Claire, Jan,
Moira, Sandra, Linda, Chris, Nancy, Alys, Kerry, Claire,
Jean, Jon, Hayley, Dawn, Gwen, Connie, Bekki,
Sue L, Sunny, Kjerstin, Vera (Me!) Nanette, Ann and Kym

2021 … new year … new project!

Surprise surprise… I have had a bit of a break from quilting as it’s been Christmas baking … Christmas entertainment… daughter moving to her own house and then getting engaged…

Suffice it to say it’s been hectic but oh so joyful.

I’ve looked at my table and touched my machine and felt the inevitable pull but seriously have had to walk away 😃

I’ve cut and stitched four blocks and got lots more to go but as usual I don’t have a complete plan in mind … it’s definitely a quilt and will have some ragging involved too… As much as I want to work out a plan of action I always go back to making and then deciding what I want it to be.

So here goes … progress reports will definitely follow 😍

When we started this year it was filled with optimism and joy knowing the year will have lots to offer….

As a few months passed we found ourselves in the middle of a pandemic… something totally new to everyone and some took it very lightly while others more seriously…

We found borders within our country closing and distances to travel curtailed….

Everywhere we turned the country and the world in general in turmoil.

And yet through all this we as a family have remained blessed with our health and work…. two things very essential to everyday living.

Christmas is a season I love and look forward to each year. From decorating in vibrant colours to the warming smells of Christmas cake … I love each second that goes into preparing sweets and presents.

This year has been no exception… there is a limit on numbers in the home but we were still able to go to the Family Mass with my family and for the first time in 27 years I didn’t have a lunch in my home. This year it was one better …. it was in my daughters new house.

Boxing Day brought even more joy as her partner proposed to her !!! And today my husband and myself celebrate our 27th wedding anniversary.

How much more joy and gratitude can my heart hold !

As the year draws to a close I thank the Good Lord for all the Blessings we have received this year.

Thankful & Blessed 💞

This is the highest praise and honour any person could receive in my book. The comment on my quilting blog below is from my teacher from Loreto House who taught me when I was in middle school.

Makes my heart sing that she wants me to now teach her 💝

The ‘Miss Bose’ she is referring to was my sewing and craft teacher at school. She had asked for me to take over her position at school after she retired. I was heading to Australia at the end of that year so couldn’t do it. If I was living in Calcutta still I would have been the sewing teacher at my Alma Mater for 28 years by now !!!

Life somehow comes full circle and for one of my teachers to ask me to teach her is amazing and humbling ❤️

It’s been a long year and a stressful year with the pandemic. Not to say that it is over yet but things are looking up where we live and we seem to have beaten the virus at the moment. It’s early days yet and best not to get too complacent till the vaccine is out.

We are now able to have a few more people visit and as I love to entertain I was able to have my family over and a couple of friends for dinner.

It was awesome to catch up and didn’t realise, as much as I love my solitude I have missed sitting and chatting and exchanging stories.

I cooked up a storm as always as it is another of my passions and everyone enjoyed the meal and the deserts. I took the opportunity to decorate the house for Christmas and for me it was pre-Christmas celebrations.

Here’s to the next month of baking Christmas cakes and listening to Christmas carols and sewing Christmas presents for everyone 🎄

One of my dear dear friends turns 60 next week and as she’s going away with her family I decided to have something at my place to make the milestone memorable.

She’s a lovely human being and even though we lived on the same street in Calcutta so many years ago we never really knew each other.

It took our youngest daughters playing district netball to bring us together and we have enjoyed years of laughter and friendship.

Having friends who stand by you and understand you makes life complete. Carina is a loyal friend and a loving friend…. what more could you ask for in life.

Happy Birthday my sweet friend ♥️