Just in Time for July and the Beach, Judy Bishop shows us her Story Quilt! LOVELY and FUN! Plus my new yummy recipe!

Judy, my grandson loves Thomas the Train too! Great blocks and I adore that fish at the bottom! Good color, good composition and fun all around! This is fun for me to see what people come up with when they take my workshops. I never know what they will look like in the end or what they add as they work. This is the fun of these!
Judy says:
I have attached a picture of the story quilt that was built around the Hoochy Mama squares from the class in Texas in 2007(I think it was in 07). I call it "A Day at the Becah with Grandma." The grandkids flip flops are made with fabric that is very much who they were at the time. They were able to identify themselves on the beach by the fabric. Mine are made of coffee beans and when we are "all" together I need a lot of it!! One example are the flip flops with the puppies. My, now 12 year old, Granddaughter told me a couple of years ago that she would rather have a puppy than a home! I remind her of that. One of the smaller pairs have Thomas the Trains on them. My now 7 year old Grandson is Autistic and loves his trains. I have had so many compliments on it and will hang it in the quilt show here in October of 2011. I am being encouraged to hang it in the State show next spring, we'll see. I hope all is well with you. Judy Bishop Cottonwood, Az
-----
If you haven't done Hoochy Mama blocks or made a story quilt, you need to come and join one of my classes, my retreat in Idaho or at least pick up my Out of the Box book and my Hoochy Mama book-you would be making a diary piece that tells about YOU! Think of the possibilities!
---------------
Beautiful Orzo Salad for a crowd- I made this for the 4th and brought home a huge EMPTY bowl!
2 cups orzo-cook in 4 cups chicken stock for 7 minutes, drain,stir and cool-add last before dressing
In a nice size salad bowl cut up and add the following
1 can regular black olives sliced
1/2 small red onion-cup up small pieces
2 cucumbers-remove the seeds in the middle and cut in half lengthwise,slice into small pieces
1 large red pepper-juilenne slice
1 large yellow pepper-julienne slice
1 basket cherry tomatoes- wash, cut each in half
1/4 cup fresh mint
1/2 cup fresh basil
rind of one lemon (be careful not to get the white pith)
1/2 cup feta cheese-break up with hands and add
1/2 cup pine nuts
A good sprinkle of pepper
I bought a dressing called Sophias Tahini dressing-any mediterranian dressing will do. I once made a dressing of my own and bottled is just as good. I used 1/2 of the bottle, mixed it in, waited to see if it was enough and it was. I got loads of compliments and everyone asked for the recipe
Note I had artichoke hearts to add and I forgot-they would be good in there too!