Tag Archives: Christmas

Tu-Na Quilts: O Come, All Ye Faithful (including quilters and crafters)–Day Five of the 12 Days of Christmas in July Blog Hop

This year’s hop is hosted by Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict. It’s not too late to join in on all the festivities.

Santa’s workshop is humming from all the activity. Fabric and thread are everywhere. Come on over and check out what’s going on at:

Tuesday, July 18th, 2017

Confessions of a Fabric Addict Sarah gives us our next sewing assignment which is just like the others; sewing one final strip set. She promises something different for tomorrow. In the meantime, I’ve got some sewing to catch up on. How about you?

Santa’s Trip Around the World Quilt Along is going on now. It’s not too late to start. Details on Sarah’s blog, Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

Seams To Be Sew Do you need new ornaments for your tree? Marian shows us how to make some simple ones from fabric. For only a short time spent, you can give your tree a new look this year.

Stitchin at Home Cindy is spreading a little JOY at Christmas time this year. This super cute project just might be on your list to make this year.

Domestic Felicity Anita’s stitching up some Christmas cards on her blog today. Or you could use this cute idea for some really fun gift tags.

Remember to leave comments on each of their 12 Days of Christmas in July blog hop posts so you can qualify to win some fabric giveaways of Tula Pink’s new holiday line, Holiday Homies, generously donated by Free Spirit Fabrics!!! You have through July 26th to leave comments.

I posted my 12 Days of Christmas in July post yesterday. Click here if you are looking for it. I showed how to make these two projects pictured below: a stocking and a kid’s mini wreath craft. You will also find a complete listing of all participating blogs on the hop with updated links that will take you directly to their 12 Days of Christmas in July blog hop posts once they are published. This might be helpful if you have to go back and comment for the giveaway or look at directions again for all the projects you want to make.

7.5″ wide and 9″ long, not including the loop.

Here’s what I’ve got coming up on Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats this week. Join me on:

Wednesday, July 19th, 2017 for Tu-Na Quilts: The First Reveal—What’s Inside the Stocking?
Friday, July 21st, 2017 for Tu-Na Quilts: The Second Stocking Stuffer Reveal—You Mean There’s More?

Sunday, July 23rd, 2017 for Tu-Na Quilts: The Third Stocking Stuffer Reveal—How Much Can It Hold?
Tuesday, July 25th, 2017 for Tu-Na Quilts: The Fourth and Final Stocking Stuffers Reveal—Does The Fun Have to End?

What I Learned Today:

The importance of checking that wordpress is occasionally saving the drafts I write. Yes, I opened this up and only part of the title was there and no way to recover it. So I had to recreate it. I am so thankful this didn’t happen for my 12 Days of Christmas in July post.
I am overwhelmed and overjoyed by all your kind and positive responses to yesterday’s post about my stocking and wreath. Thank you very much. That post was my most viewed post to date as well as the one with the most comments from readers.
I will be very busy responding to those comments the next few days.
Only 10 more days until the 2017 Quilt Minnesota Shop Hop begins. Are you going?

Question: Do your Christmas celebrations require travel plans or do you sit tight, bundled up at home? Since we winter where it’s sunny and warm, we’ll be traveling by plane to spend Christmas in the snow with family. Last year we spent two weeks, including a blizzard on Christmas Day, this year maybe only a week.

Thanks for stopping by and do come again.

Karen, Tu-Na Quilts

Tu-Na Eats: Cranberry Pineapple Sauce

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It isn’t the holidays without some of Mom’s Cranberry Pineapple Sauce.

I made some for Thanksgiving and I imagine I’ll be making more for Christmas. In fact, it’s the only cranberry sauce recipe that I make anymore. I’ve tried a bunch of different recipes but I seem to always come back to this one. So I thought you might like to make it, too.

Fresh plump red cranberries say Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming. I usually buy several extra bags to throw in the freezer to use during the year. Funny thing is that we found about 12 packages when we cleaned out the freezer this fall. Rinse the fresh or frozen cranberries.

Seems like this time of year the days go by so fast and there is so much to do. This sauce cooks up quickly and stays for several days in the fridge.

Usually, I buy crushed pineapple for this recipe but I accidently grabbed some tidbits instead. “No problem,” said the food chopper as it quickly turned those tidbits into tiny little pieces. Like I always told my kids when they were little, “There’s always more than one way to solve a problem.” Since I only buy pineapple packed in it’s juice, I drain the juice and use it as part of the liquid called for in the recipe. Once the pineapple is drained, I add water to the measuring cup to make the two cups needed.

It even tastes better if you make it a day or two ahead.

Boil the juice, water, and sugar for 5 minutes. I use a large kettle and stay close by.

Add the cranberries and boil without stirring until all the skins are popped open (about 5 minutes). That popping is like music to my ears. In fact, when I no longer hear the popping sounds, it tells me it’s done.

I usually can’t help myself and stir it once or twice to check on the bottom layers. Besides that, I find stirring food at the stove to be comforting.

Once all the skins are popped, remove from the heat and add in the pineapple. Chill for several hours before serving. It can even be made a day ahead of serving.

Here’s the recipe. Let me know if you make it.

Mom’s Cranberry Pineapple Sauce

2 cups sugar (less if you like it more tart)
2 cups liquid (pineapple juice plus water)
4 heaping cups fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed
1 large can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained

Drain the pineapple into a two cup measuring cup. Add enough water to make a total of 2 cups of liquid. Combine the sugar, pineapple juice/water in a large kettle. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Add the rinsed cranberries and boil without stirring until all the skins are popped, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the pineapple, stirring well. Chill in refrigerator several hours before serving.

I like it so well that I wouldn’t have to bother eating anything else for the meal.

What I Learned Today:

My mouth is watering as I write this post so it must be time to make another batch.
Cranberries sure have become expensive. It seems like just yesterday that I could buy a bag for 59 cents.
I’ve always wanted to attend a cranberry festival somewhere. I remind myself of that fact each year at this time. One of these years, I’ll have to remind myself earlier in the year so I can do just that.
My mom is a very good cook. Thanks mom!

Question: What is your favorite holiday food to make or it just wouldn’t seem like the holidays?