Sunflower Star Barn Quilt

As the summer heat begins to fade, our mountain begins to burst in colors of yellow, orange and rust.  It's sunflower season and the colors of those cheerful blooms are a welcoming call to the fall season.  This year we are adding one of our favorite sunflower barn quilts to the Tweetle Dee pattern & kit collection.  Welcome the  Sunflower Star .

This is one of our most loved fall barn quilts, and not it is available as a sizable full color pattern.  So, whatever size sunflower you want to paint the step by step instructions will help you to paint this striking quilt.  Instructions for how to paint a barn quilt are included as well as a Prairie Paint color list.  Finishing instructions will help you finish your barn quilt to perfection.  All of our patterns are available as a PDF download or as a shipped pattern.  

We are also adding the Sunflower Star Kit to The Shop.  Our kits include a 22" framed ready to paint barn quilt, Prairie Paints, a marking pen, tape, brushes and a pattern for the design.  You also receive a link to our monthly Zoom barn quilt class, which is second Saturday of each month, where you can ask any questions you have an receive a quick tutorial on how to complete your kit.
So whether you want to a kit, pattern or a painted Sunflower Star these golden flowers are ready for you to welcome in our most favorite season of all, fall.  Let's paint!

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Sunflower Star Barn Quilt

Coconut Ginger Banana Bread

Sundays mornings at our home are about the only time we have to slow bake.  We love to turn on some music, open the windows and make something from scratch.  This Sunday we got our big mixing bowl out to make my favorite Coconut Ginger Banana Bread.   This sweet bread is so incredibly good, you may want it for dessert with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. 

Hand smashing very ripe bananas was the first step, leave big chunks of banana to mix in.  I use three to four big ripe bananas.  There is just something about peeling back the golden brown spotted fruit and mashing it that feels like childhood.  Maybe it was the baking I did with my grandma, whatever it is...leaving big chunks of banana is key!  I'll list out the other ingredients below.  Candied Ginger, chopped and mixed with the sweetness of fresh banana and then coconut is mind blowing.  Each bite is so moist and full of flavor, it is by far the best banana bread ever! 

Coconut Ginger Banana Bread

3 to 4 Ripe Bananas, Peeled and Hand Mashed

1 Cup White Sugar

1/2 Cup Softened Butter

3 Eggs

2 Teaspoons Real Vanilla

2 Cups Enriched White Flour

1 Teas Baking Powder

1/2 Teas Baking Soda

1 Teas Ground Ginger

2 Tablespoons of Chopped Candied Ginger 

1 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips

1 Cup Sweetened Coconut

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a bread pan with parchment paper.  

2.  In a large bowl, mash the bananas leaving good chunky pieces.  Add sugar and softened butter.  Mix by hand with a dough whisk or spoon.  Add the eggs and vanilla.  Mix together.

3.  Add dry ingredients to a separate bowl and whisk with a fork to lighten the flour.  Add to the banana bowl and incorporate by hand just until it is all together.  

4.  Lightly fold in the Candied Ginger, Coconut and Chocolate Chips.  

5.  Spread carefully into the lined baking pan.  Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out a little crumby.   Let cool on a board until cool and then lift from pan with the parchment.  

6.  Slice thick and serve warm or for dessert with vanilla bean ice cream.  

This Ginger Coconut Banana Bread is soooo good you will want this recipe printed and taped to the inside of your baking cupboard, because you know that's where the best recipes always belong.  Happy weekend and happy slow baking!

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Coconut Ginger Banana Bread

Olie & Evie Barn Quilt Class

One of the highlights of the summer was our Olie & Evie Barn Quilt Workshop in gorgeous Idaho.  We loaded up the trailer with barn quilts, patterns and our Prairie Paints and drove through the night to wake up in the beautiful farmland of western Idaho to join the loveliest group of ladies for a day of barn quilting!  As you browse through the pictures you will see why we love our traveling workshops.  The blessing of gathering and "quilting" together brings pure joy!  

We are so thankful to Rhonda from Olie and Evie for inviting us to her beautiful shop and garden for the day. Thank you to everyone who came and "quilted" some beautiful barn quilts with us.  Our next class will be in Woodland Hills, UT and registrations are now open for this all day, paint anything fall workshop.  Register soon as there are limited spots.  We hope to have you join us soon!

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Olie & Evie Barn Quilt Class

Tis a Gift to Be Free Embroidery Pattern

Happy 4th of July!  I can't believe we are already celebrating the red, white and blue.  This is one of my favorite holidays because of the family celebrations I remember with our family on the farm in New York.  We would get together at the cottage on the lake and swim or fish...a little canoeing happened too.  A great picnic with potato salad (my favorite), rhubarb pie, and Grandma Brown's baked beans (thick and sweet).  We finished the night with fireworks over the water and a drive to the town firework show.  Lots of laughter and tons of fireflies....oh summer!

Those memories of my summers at the lake with family are about as simple as you could imagine.  I think if we could film them in the Kodachrome colors they would be called pure Americana.  I feel lucky and very blessed to have the heritage I have and to remember my ancestors who came as pilgrims, Palestine's and immigrants to this country because they had a hope of something better for themselves and their posterity.   It was their gift to us that we can be free.  
I created this hoop-art embroidery Tis a Gift to Be Free as a free downloadable pattern for you to stitch an enjoy.  The words come from an old Shaker hymn, which happens to be one of my favorite songs to play and sing.   The materials for this project are super simple to pick up.
Tis a Gift to be Free Hoop-Art Embroidery Pattern
 8 or 9" Wood Embroidery Hoop10" Square of Chambray Blue Fabric10" Square of Cotton BattingDMC Floss NeedleScissors Frixion Pen or Sulky Paper Sulvy
1.  Click on image below and enlarge to the size you want.  Print on home printer on paper or if you are using the Sulky Paper Sulvy, print the design off onto the paper.  
2.  Transfer design onto fabric using a Frixion Pen and a light table OR trim the Sulky Paper sheet to the desired size and stick to fabric.
3.  Layer the fabric onto the cotton batting and place in hoop.  Remember to tighten the screws and stretch the fabric to be "drum tight".
4.  Begin Stitching...
       Ecru - Back Stitch all lettering.  Star Stitch three stars.       #3820 - Back Stitch flagpole, star, beehive, and Cross Stitch x's inside hive.       #321 - Back Stitch lines on flag.  Star Stitch two stars.       #799 - Back Stitch square inside flag and Cross Stitch "stars" inside.  Star                            stitch three stars.
5.  If using the Sulky Paper Sulvy, lightly rinse transfer away with cool water.  Let dry.  If using a Frixion pen, steam the lines off and let cool.
6.  Stretch back into hoop and enjoy!  Remember we now have our Hoop Art Box Frames that would be darling to display this stitch in.  
We hope you have a great time with your family and friends and thank your stars for the gift of freedom.  Happy Independence Day!!!

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Tis a Gift to Be Free Embroidery Pattern