Hello, hello, are you still there? You didn't blow away did you?  This is currently a common greeting in our circle of friends.  I have replanted some of my flowers for the third time now this spring!  And it is not because the deer ate them or the squirrels dug them up.  Mother Nature has sent us the windiest spring that I have ever seen.  Perhaps she got her M months mixed up this year.  The 45 to 60 mile an hour gusts have played havoc with my gardens.  I have given up on even trying to plant all the rail boxes around our deck for now.   Even the herbs look windblown and unhappy.    Oh well, on the bright side  with the hanging baskets swinging so much the birds haven't even considered building nests in them.

I posted the cookie jar covers we made for the charity auction.  I said that I would post the instructions for the coasters and tea towels in the basket shown.  And I promised one reader my Flourless Brownie recipe so it is at the bottom this week even though it has absolutely no relationship to the project.

Here are some of the coasters and towels by themselves

For the coasters:

What you need for each one:

Two squares (5 1/2" each) cotton tea towel fabric (we used a leftover tea towel to make these for the auction but cotton squares would work just fine.)

One square (6") thin batting

Cut away stabilizer

embroidery designs (I used designs from Summer Picnic)

Embroidery thread

Sewing thread

What you do:

1.  Hoop the stabilizer.  Center one fabric square and use a little adhesive spray around the edges to secure.  Embroider the design.

2.  Place the batting on your work surface.  Place the embroidered square face up on top of the batting.  Place your other square of fabric face down on top of the embroidered square.

3. Using 1/4" seam sew around the square leaving an opening along the bottom edge for turning.

4. Trim off any extra batting and stabilizer.  Trim the points off the corners.  Reach between the two fabric squares and turn the square right side out.  Press the opening seam in and the whole coaster if desired.

5.  Topstitch 1/8" from the edge all the way around.  Repeat for as many coasters as you desire.

Note:  If you use cut away stabilizer you can leave it on and just trim off the edges as directed in step 4.  If you use tear away be sure to remove it before sewing.

The towels were done using the gingham blanks and Alphabet Xpress.    You just bring in the design of your choice, add lettering and save it back to your hard drive as a new design.  Hoop the towel with some tear away stabilizer and sew the design.  Yet these are so cute that Mom and I have made several sets as gifts and as you can see below for a charity auction.

Quick gifts are always fun to make and to give.

If I don't blow away I'll be back soon.  Happy Spring.

Take care,

DB

These brownies are completely flourless but no one will know I promise! 

1 1/4 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

1 can (15oz) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed, drained and patted dry

3 egg whites

1 egg

2 tsp instant coffee granules (optional)

2 Tbsp canola oil

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

dash of salt

Melt the chocolate chips until smooth.  Let cool slightly.  Place beans, egg whites, egg, coffee, oil and vanilla in food processor.  Cover and process until smooth.   In a small bowl combine brown sugar, baking powder and salt.  Add to bean mixture and process until combined.  Gradually add melted chocolate and process until smooth.  Pour into  a 9" square pan or 7' x 11" rectangle brownie pan sprayed lightly with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted near center comes out with moist crumbs. (Do not over-bake.)  Cool completely in pan on wire rack. 

Add nuts before you bake or frost after cool.  Or just leave as is and serve with ice cream.  Yum!