Dinner for the Working Man

We've always eaten dinner as a family. It wasn't really planned or anything, just something that I grew up with and didn't know anything better. This summer, the oldest child has a job at one of the theme parks. He's cheap frugal like his mom and doesn't want to part with any part of his minimum wage salary for a meal. So he takes a snack. Pop-tarts, usually. I know, great mother, buying those things. Don't judge, they have six whole vitamins and minerals in them. Cardboard, salt, marshmallow, aluminum, thiamine and riboflavin. Whatever. They're also high in carbs and sugar, but the kid is 7 feet tall and weighs 80 lbs. He needs that crap. I digress.

Anyhoo, said child will not eat leftovers. He calls it "old food." As if our leftovers are dug up from the lawn like kimchi or something. I make a full, nutritious meal six days out of the week, so there is always "old food" neatly packaged in the fridge. This kid won't touch it. It could be steak and lobster and he would pass on it. And me being guilty mama, will make him fresh food when he arrives home from work at 11 pm. No one should go to bed hungry. Even if it is a spoiled, junk food-loving 18-year-old. I blame his father. ;)

So now that I've ranted about my spoiled kid, let me show you my new toy. It's really, really neato. Looks like a normal cutting mat, right?

But it spins around! Makes trimming blocks easy peasy. Jo-Ann's had cutting supplies 50% off and I've been eye-balling one these for a while. I cut fabric (and paper) at an old wood drafting table that is still set on a slant, but the slant doesn't affect the rotating mat.

Doris and Evelyn figured out what this vintage cover was. Tada! Now I won't have to dust off my winter coat. Check out Doris' blog for some quilting eye candy. Her studio is so lovely. And Evelyn has a wonderful blog too. I hope these gals don't mind me sharing their blogs. As I've said before, I'm a blog-taught and blog-inspired quilter. And I like to share!

Speaking of sharing, if you have some extra quilt blocks lying around or you'd like a quick project, these two organizations are requesting blocks for charity. Rainbow Around The Block benefits families in Tennessee who lost their homes to flooding this past Spring. GlobalChange.me is working to provide safe, clean water and sanitation to people living in extreme poverty throughout the world.

This little hourglass quilt is heading out. Hopefully I'm not spoiling the surprise. This is for the doll quilt swap I host on the Quilting Board. I finished the binding on the fourth of July, so I was feeling quite patriotic that day.