Wrap up and a little bit o' decoration...

Thanks for letting me fill up your blog readers this week with all this Derby stuff. I've had a lot of fun.. I hope you enjoyed it.  If you didn't sorry,  *wink* we'll be back to our regularly scheduled crafting next week!

I thought I'd wrap it up and show you a fun banner that I made for my fireplace mantel.  I love to hang banners on my mantle, and this one was perfect timing! Too late for Easter and too early for 4th of July...
It say's "Go Baby Go"...
here are a few closeups.

I just wanted to also share a few quick links with you... there is some great fun stuff out there on the web if you are looking for more Derby ideas!

I'm off to the Oaks! Maybe I'll post a photo of me in my hat, if you're not sick Derby stuff yet !! :) (because getting to pick out and wear a fancy hat is really the BEST part about going to the race !)

Okay links...

Kentucky Derby Festival

links to all the fun stuff going on around town during Derby week. If you are thinking about checking out the city  Derby week... go to this site! Great info on all the events! They have a really good varieity of stuff to do..

Kentucky Derby Party

Free evites, recipes & games

Kentucky Derby .com

History, Horses, Photos... the whole enchilada

Blog Links

Mostly MEllen..

CUTE CUTE invites, (not just derby)... hat ideas, fun Kentucky Stuff. thanks for Lemontree Creations blog for sharing this link with me!)

One Pretty Thing

Links to lots of fun craft ideas!!

This year's Derby Round up

Last year's Derby Round up

Derby Hat cookies on Bakerella (okay she calls them Easter bonnets, I think they'd be so cute as Derby Hats)

Race horse cookies @ Bake @ 350

Gifts

Taste of Kentucky

Derby Pie, Kentucky Bluegrass, Order Derby Prints (like the one on the napkins from earlier)

Coton Colors Pottery

Cute hand painted pottery, not just derby stuff & a cute blog with fun party ideas...

I've had a great time putting all of this together this week.  Have fun  watching the race Saturday and cheering on your favorite horse!

hit a superfecta with your table decor

Hi! I'm Lori! I have my own blog, dedicated mostly to sewing projects, called love hazel. I would love for you to visit me there! I also have an etsy shop where I sell handmade boutique quality clothing for little girls which you can access from my blog. (my shop is currently on vacation while I work out a few kinks, but will be back up soon). I'm so excited to be a guest blogger today and I am so flattered that Melissa asked! Thanks, Melissa!

So... the Derby. aaaah, the Derby. I lived in Louisville for several years before I got married, then moved to TX for 1 year, and returned to live in Louisville for several years after I got married. I actually attended the Derby 2 years. The first year I went to the infield. There are some things I saw that day which will be burned in my memory forever. Wow. The next year I went with my family and we stayed in the paddock area, which was much more my speed and a much more enjoyable experience. I must say though that either way, the excitement is palpable and there is no place better for people watching! Now that I live in NC, I miss Derby time, but in the years since I have left, I have never missed a Derby race! It's something that becomes a part of you once you live there.

I always loved looking at the jockey silks in the racing booklets at the track. They are so colorful and bright. I also like to keep placemats on our kitchen table which pertain to whatever the current holiday is. I'm always at a loss after Easter and my table usually remains bare again until fall. So, this idea was born. Derby Placemats.

They were very easy to make. I just drew a jockey silk and cut it out of some colorful fabric. Then used a fusible web that you can sew on to adhere it to a 12x12 square of another colorful fabric. Sewed around the edges of the silks, backed it with 12x12 square of white muslin, then sewed the border around each edge. I made the bias tape for the border, but you could totally buy some already made. In fact, I would recommend that because that was the part that took me the longest.

Another thing that I think is worth mentioning since we are talking about table decor, is the collectable Derby glasses. I have quite the collection! These are actually the glasses we use to drink out of daily as they are such a nice size. I started collecting these way back when I lived in Louisville as a single woman! They make a different one each year and sell them at local stores. The winners from every Derby are listed on the back of each one up to the current year. Below I have pictured glasses from the year I was born, the year I graduated from high school, and May 3, 1997, the day I got engaged (Derby 123)! My sister still lives in Louisville and gets me the new glass each year. This year she is getting me an Oaks glass too so I will start to add those to my collection! Love the Derby glasses and actually use them on my table every day, although they are a great addition to any Derby decor.

Below is a close up of the 4 place mats I did. I loved how they turned out. I think you could also totally do a quilt with these as the blocks if you so desired. Just a thought.

Hope you enjoy this Derby idea. Right now, the place mats are on their way to KY. I decided to give them to my sister (who also likes to decorate with themed place mats) to thank her for all the Derby glasses she has purchased for me over the years!

Well, thanks for reading, and thanks again, Melissa for having me as a guest! It has been fun, and truly an honor.

A Little bit about me... & The Kentucky Hot Brown

I've lived in Kentucky for 15 years, until last year I had never been to the Kentucky Derby or the Oaks (more on that later).... I was beginning to get a bit perturbed... I mean what's the fun of living in a new place if you can't go enjoy what it has to offer.  Tickets to the Derby are a bit hard to come by (that's an understatement..) it seems to me you either "know" someone or you pay big bucks to buy them 2nd hand.  I was just patient figuring "someday" we'd get a connection.

Well I have still to go to the Derby,  but last year (and this) I got to attend the Kentucky Oaks. The Oaks is the race the day before the Derby for the Fillies.  It's sometimes referred to as the "locals" Derby.  Last year and this they have partnered with the Susan G. Komen foundation to have a "pink out" at the Oaks in honor of all those lady horses and to raise some money for the foundation.  (and as you can see, I had on LOTS of PINK!)

We had a great time last year!!! We went with some friends and even though we chose not to bet on the horses & drink the juleps there was plenty to do!!

speaking of Juleps, here's a photo.. want a little history and a recipe for  a non alcoholic version? Check out Traci's post today!

The horses are the real stars that day... Watching them thunder around the bend towards the finish line is a beautiful site. Truly stunning athletes.  (last year I took my tiny camera, this year I'm taking the good one :))...

The reason I share this is to just give a little background into mine and Traci's blog party this week. When people ask me about blogging or I hear advice from others I always hear "just be yourself!" I thought this would be a fun way for you to get to know me and where I live a little bit better! Each place you live will have is pros and cons... but I've tried to "bloom where I'm planted"  and embrace all the wonderful things that living in Louisville has to offer, especially at Derby Time.

photo Gene Burch... website here

I should drive around with my camera today and get some photos of all the gorgeous Dogwood & Magnolia trees in full bloom, and the horses roaming in the pastures down the street from me... those and the rolling green hills are truly beautiful.

Okay now on to that "infamous" Hot Brown... What is a Hot Brown you ask??? Well it's pretty much an open face turkey sandwich with bacon & a cream sauce...yeah bacon and cream.. it's pretty much to die for!  I only make these at Derby time, as they are not super healthy :) It was originated at the Brown Hotel in downtown Louisville. One of these day's I'm going to the Brown and order a Hot Brown (one of those bucket list things)..

This year I decided to try Bobby Flay's Hot Brown, it's the one he featured on "Throwdown" a couple of years ago, it's not 100% traditional... I LOVED it, my husband a bit more of a traditionalist didn't like the "french toast" aspect. 

The recipe is to follow... I did make a few changes

-I prepared them in individual gratin dishes

-I cooked the bacon on a cookie sheet in the oven and sprinkled a bit of brown sugar over it (yeah, healthy I know)

-I used smoked pre cooked turkey breast instead of roasting my own. The smoked turkey had a bit of a different flavor, but I liked it!

my gratin dishes, ready to be filled!

Ingredients

For the turkey:

• 1 turkey breast, about 4 to 5 pounds
• 4 tablespoons unsalted soft butter
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups grated sharp white Cheddar
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• Pinch freshly ground nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the egg bread:

• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• Salt
• 8 (1/2-inch) thick slices good day old white bread (recommended: Pullman or Pain de mie)
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

For assembly:

• Egg battered bread
• Roasted turkey breast, sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices
• 3 ripe beefsteak tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices and griddled until slightly charred and just cooked through
• 1 1/2 cups grated sharp white Cheddar
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 16 thick slices slab bacon, cooked until crisp
• Finely chopped fresh chives
• Finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

For the turkey:

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Rub entire breast with butter and season with salt and pepper. Place in a small roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 155 degrees F, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven, loosely tent with foil and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

For the sauce:

Melt butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk, bring to a boil and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened and the flour has cooked out, about 4 to 5 minutes. Whisk in cheese and cook until the cheese has melted. Season with nutmeg and salt and pepper, to taste.

For the egg bread:

Whisk together the eggs, milk and salt in a medium bowl. Dip each slice of bread in the mixture and let sit about 30 seconds, or until completely soaked through.

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook 4 slices of the bread at a time until golden brown on both sides. Remove and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining bread.

For assembly:

Preheat broiler. Place the egg bread on a baking sheet, place under the broiler and heat on both sides for 20 seconds just to warm through.

Top each slice of bread with 2 to 3 slices of turkey and 2 slices of tomato, ladle sauce over the top and divide the cheddar cheese and Parmesan over the top of each slice. Place under the broiler and cook until bubbly and the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven, top each slice with 2 slices of bacon and sprinkle each slice with chives and parsley.

*recipe courtesy of Food Network.

Tuesday Tutorial: Winning Colors Table Topper

Whew!! What a day! I usually like to be a day ahead with my blogging and have things ready the night before to post the next morning, but that was just not happening this week!  I went to put the finishing touches on this weeks tutorial and got a little sidetracked today!

The fuse in my craft room kept blowing (I have no idea why, and it's hard to sew with no electricity), my sewing machine bulb burnt out, I had a bit of camera trouble, and had a bunch of stuff to do for the kids school today!

Then like a genius, I decided this project would be a good one to practice my free motion quilting skills on... and I literally mean practice! I've got sooo much to learn!  So don't look too closely this really was a good practice for me! It was good practice but ended up taking a little longer than I had planned.

So onto the project:

I wanted a table topper to put out with my Derby decorations (photos coming this week). I love the bright colors of the Jockey silks at the Derby, so I decided to use them as my inspiration for the table topper. (All of the polka dot fabric is Michael Miller)

So here's what you need to begin:

8 10" x 10" squares of white fabric
1 8" x 8" square of white fabric
2 1"x8" strips of fabric A
2 1"x9" strips of fabric A
2 1"x9" strips of fabric B
2 1" x 10" strips of fabric B
1 fat quarter for binding
fabric for backing (topper measures 29"x29")
quilters dream cotton for batting
Heat N Bond Lite
Jockey Pattern (found here)
Prints for Jockey Silks (each is 8" square so you just need scraps)

Trace the Jockey silks pattern onto Heat N Bond lite.  Cut the arms and collar off the main body of the shirt. Iron the shirt to one polka dot print and the sleeves & collar to a 2nd print.

Cut out & position at a 45 degree angle on one of your 10" white blocks.

Repeat with remaining 3 blocks.

Take your 8"x8" block and sew your 1" strips to the edge as sewn, repeat. You will get a double border. Press and trim block to 10"x10" if necessary.

Cut out and iron your horseshoes to the center of this block.

Assemble your blocks

Use the diagram above as a guide.

Stitch around each appliqued element (the jockey silks and horseshoes)

Quilt & Bind as desired.

Come back later this week to see what else I make with that Jockey Silks applique pattern!!

More Derby Stuff...

I've got a great sewing &  Derby related Tuesday Tutorial coming for you guys! But it will be later today (probably tonight), I'm in charge of teacher appreciation for my son's class and need to get a couple of things ready for that!

In the mean time...

Check out Traci's post today!!  She's got a great list of FUN kid friendly activities for your Derby Party!

and don't forget about Ali's awesome Derby Hat tutorial from yesterday!

guest blogger: make your own kentucky derby hat.

happy derby everyone! my name is alison. i write a craft blog (currently a little neglected) called she's one crafty mama. i live in park city, utah, but lived in louisville for four years while my husband was attending dental school. while i was there i really grew to love kentucky and its unique culture, a big part of which is the kentucky derby. i was fortunate enough to attend the derby in 2004 and let me tell you, it was SO MUCH FUN! especially seeing the women in their hats. for those of you who may not know, it is a long-standing tradition to wear a really fabulous hat to the derby.



this is the hat that i chose for my derby experience. i went simple because i am a simple type of gal, but some get really fancy and fun.










(this is one from the infamous infield, which two of my brothers braved when we went in 2004.)

i still love to celebrate at derby time every year. my oldest daughter was born in louisville and i like her and her siblings to know what a great tradition the derby is. one great way to share that with them, is by making their own derby hats. today, i would like share a couple of ideas for making your own derby hat with your children.

the first (and very simple) idea is to just buy or use any hat (i picked some up from a local party store) and embellish.


i used ribbon glued around the edges and other accoutrements such as, rolled fabric flowers, silk flowers, felt flowers, etc. literally, whatever you have laying around and what looks good to you will work just great.





one fun idea to make the hat especially fancy was to make pom poms out of tulle and then sew them on to the hat.




this one is mine.

the second idea is a hat that the teachers at my daughter’s prechool made (with the kids of course) with a product called texas snowflakes. i ordered them from discount school supply but you may be able find them at a local arts and crafts or school supply store. they are basically huge coffee filters (you will also need regular size coffee filters for the flower embellishments, as well).



you will also need watercolor paints, either in a palette or liquid spray form (which you can also get at discount school supply), duct tape and a stapler.

first we colored them with watercolor paints. you can paint right on the hat material or spray on with the liquid watercolors.





my girls chose to go light on the paint, but layering lots of different colors on looks great too.



after the hat is dry, use duct tape (there are lots of great colors out there) to shape the body of the hat. (sorry for the poor photos: hard to do and take a picture.) center the hat material on the head and wrap the tape around to make sure you have the right size. this can be kind of tricky, but luckily if you mess up, the duct tape comes off easily, so you can start over or just cover with another piece of tape to hide any mistakes.





then onto making your flower embellishments. simply paint two coffee filters the same way you did for the hat piece and let dry (i did different colors for each filter.)



pinch the center off the first filter and bring outside edges into a flower shape. staple.



this will be the center of your flower.



wrap the second filter and the first and bring up the edges the same way you did with the first.



staple both bases of the flowers together. you may need to turn the base flower and staple again so that the base stays closed.



then the decision is to scrunch or not to scrunch. i like to scrunch.

to attach to the hat, put the base of the flower in the crease between the brim and the body of the hat, fold the brim up and staple until secured. you can repeat this with however many flowers you choose.









a little windy for paper hats.

so there, i hope that gives you a good starting point for making your own hats to celebrate the kentucky derby. now go and have a piece of derby pie. (hopefully someone is sharing a recipe for that!)

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Thanks Ali so much for guest posting today!! Awesome ideas! I love the hat you made for yourself!!!
Go say "hi" to Ali over at her blog!!

Also
Traci's kicking off Derby week with a giveaway!!

Go check it out!!