Curve It Up Quilt Along Top (Almost!)

Jenny over at Sew Kind of Wonderful challenged the Curve it Up Quilt Along participants to have their quilt tops done by July 1.  Well, I almost made it, this is what I had done at 11:30 last night.

  I believe another shopping trip will be in order before I can call it done.  This is the fabric that I had purchased for the outer border.

  

It is not speaking to me now that I see the top together so it is back to the drawing board.  

 I used most of the background fabric I had left to add a small frame to the blocks to allow them to float.  I didn't like the darker fabrics right up against my sashing fabric.

The top looks unfinished to my eye,  but I don't have any other metallic fabrics in my stash, and I really don't want to add a non-metallic fabric at this point as everything including the background has metallic gold on it. I only have very small pieces of the fabric I used to piece the blocks.  Not sure where I will go from here...

I just have to share one of my best ideas of all time... Last summer we started a family tradition and it is back up and running now that school is out.  One day a week during the summer my girls (ages 15 and 12)  are responsible for making supper and dessert.  It is totally my favorite day of the week!  They check the flyers to see what is on sale, pick the recipes, make the grocery list, and come shopping with me, do the prep, cooking and clean up.  They have really learned a lot.   I am always around if they need a second opinion on the "doneness" of the meat, of what "soft peaks" look like, but they really like doing it without me.  This week the menu was rolls and butter, green salad, mashed potatoes and cream chicken (a "recipe" from grandma  - you know the kind, no real amounts or set cooking times, more like a vague description of how she does it).  

And for dessert - chocolate mousse!  I might have to step up my game so they don't outdo me all the time!