Ask Jo: 3rd Edition

Every so often I answer questions that are left in the comment section here so everyone can hear the answers…here are today’s questions.

About my “studio” tour, Jen asked, “The first picture, showing your “dented” bathroom cabinets has a beautiful quilt hung in the middle, please can you tell me where you got the pattern?”

The pattern is a Miss Rosie Quilt Company pattern, “Hot Cross”.    You can find the pattern in her Schnibbles Times Two: Quilts from 5″ or 10″ Squares (That Patchwork Place).   It’s one of my favorite quilting books.  The fabric is from an old Moda line, “Collections for a Cause:  Hope”.  You can read the original post about the quilt here.

After my cupcake post Marie asks, “Just curious at how much that lovely goodness cost—–and I assume calorie free?”

The cupcakes are $2 each.  I didn’t think that was horrible.  I would so rather have this than a candy bar or other grab and go junk food.  The calories I don’t know about….I am assuming probably 500 each as the cupcakes are larger sized.

The question about making stickles comes from Victoria over at Park Hill Farm.  She asks, “Okay, I’m Corn-fused. Do you mean agricultural lime like you put on the lawn? Or lime like you put into your Cuba Libra’s (rum coke with lime)? Not sure, thanks!”

The “lime” I referred to in the recipe is pickling lime.  We tried to find it at the grocery store and couldn’t.  We did find it at the farm store in the canning section.  You should find it near pickling salt or pectin.

Mary E over at Country Threads told me that she has made these only added green food coloring to green them up.

Next up Carolyn asked about the chickens, “So when they get more than a yr old they don’t lay as many eggs?”

For me, I notice a decline in egg production after three years.   It’s not bad but there is a decline.  I feel like I can pass them onto another family and the hens will still lay for awhile that’s why I get new chicks every three years.

I think some people may have been offended when I asked the question about why some families move far away and don’t come back for reunions and such.  I didn’t mean to offend anyone.

It just seems that some families are truly closer and I wanted to know if anyone had suggestions on how to keep them close.  I have to say I really smiled and it made my day when I read from Jody, “You know I will bring my “nest” your way any time that yours is feeling a little empty! :) Then we can ponder your question more in person over some yummy thing that you just baked! We can’t stay away from your place.”

Jody, the person in this picture front, left, second person in, is my niece.  She is only four years younger than me and honestly feels much like a younger sister.  I had kids early in life…she had her’s later.  While my youngest is 17 her youngest is soon to be 3.  We are a bit on opposite end of a spectrum but I still feel close to her.  She is great at coming to visit and my kids purposely try to come home so that they can see her crew when they come.

I am also close to Crystal my niece next to her.  We talk on the phone regularly and take an hour or so to catch up.  I love that!!

When I asked about how can families stay close, I guess I am just wishing and pondering  and trying to figure out how I can have that relationship with other family members and how can I nurture that in my children.

That’s it for this round of “Ask Jo”.