Christmas, Then Halloween

it's official. Christmas is coming before Halloween this year.i've completed 5 cottage blocks. & have all my other pieces cut out ready to sew. i love mine. & i love all of the ones i keep seeing out there. check out the virtual quilt that T of Purple and Paisley has posted here. it would appear that i am not the only one who believes in this thing called Christmas.

The Influence Of Red

i was daydreaming the other day about a ride to the beach. & was overwhelmed at the response to such a whim. i didn't go. but that would have been the day. a storm is looming nearby and we will have much rain for most of a week. only Monday looks clear. now what do you do on a rainy day.

garnet sweet potatoes. red lentils. red onions. a few of my fav ingredients. so when i saw this simple recipe i knew i had to make soup.celery and salt are my substitutions for stock cube. most cubes have too much salt for me. if you make soup you have to have a stick blender. i highly recommend this Cuisinart one. it's made of stainless steel. & comes apart for easy cleaning. no need to drag cord over to sink for cleaning. if i reheat soup i will add ricemilk instead of water.

the view from my window. i live on the third floor. this tree is beautiful. & changes every season. i forgot it has berries. it brings the birds. & they sing to me all year long.i've been thinking about an old red project i was excited about years ago but abandoned. i made this simple runner. always left it near a sunny window. so now it looks like an antique. old. & faded. then i bought all these red fabrics to make a similar runner. to honor a local CT artist. i can't find that cd cover with the beautiful pic of Kate Callahan. but i was annoyed that i could not copy cd cover onto fabric paper so that it measured exactly 6". it kept reducing it 98%. perhaps the new printers we have won't do that. you can listen to her on her myspace page here. those 3 selections are not on her 2 albums. The Influence Of Red. The Greatest Of Ease. check them out on iTunes. you won't be disappointed.i will leave you with another local CT artist. Chuck E. Costa. you can listen to him on his myspace page here. he has a few albums. his selection "when the city comes" even made it onto a Starbucks compilation. but find & listen to "peace is war". hope he figures out this blog stuff. but untill then his rendition of "little boxes" should make us all feel better about our scrappy cottages.

my soup is delicious. and it's still raining. & here's a look at my little boxes.i didn't think i would use ric-rac. but know i don't know how i couldn't. should i redo those windows and sew on that mini red ric-rac. it would be so much cuter.

It Really Is Autumn

my Mom is spending a few September days at the Cape. the kids are playing football and practicing their cheers. my sister leaves homemade apple pear cake for school lunches unattended on the kitchen counter. yummm. warm sunny days with a t-shirt turn into chilly nights with a sweatshirt. stitches on the knitting needles. sewing without the air conditioner on. this is my favorite time of year. i've waited all summer for this. what am i doing inside. i should be outside. enjoying as much of this as i can. i need a drive to the beach. just pack a book & a sandwich & go.

Old Puppy Finds A Home

while having my morning coffee. while stitching letters for my current project. while browsing blogs. i found this post from Brown Dirt Cottage with very familiar fabric. it's old. it's cute. i've been keeping it in the back room on top of a pile. so i see it everytime i go in there. so i go get it. to take another look at it. then lay it on top of my little project. which i cannot move until i get further on it. & it matches. oh no. it matches.

Fun With Quilting

i do luv being thrfty with quilting. even if it's just for fun. this phase can't last long. with all those beautiful fabrics showing up in the stores. so i am enjoying the excitement of it before it passes. my Secondhand Comfort quilt is pinned. ready. but standing in line. as i need to finish up some other things. decided to hand quilt. & i have an idea to use as many beautiful colors as i can all over. that will of course necessitate a trip to the embroidery store. yeah. perhaps more than one trip. yeah yeah.i received permission to take those summer capri jeans on the right. they will not fit my growing niece next year. & will make a scrumptous Baby Secondhand Comfort quilt. & those printed cargo shorts on the left are going in Nora's Xmas Quilt. it's not a secret. the only secret is whether i will finish it in time for xmas or not. i'll tell you about Nora's xmas present from last year on another day.

i've signed up for my very first block exchange.it's cute. & it's xmas-y. how could i resist. many of you know Nanette. but i've been lurking on her blog Freda's Hive for many many months. she designed an easy block. & has already posted a tutorial. you should join too.i'm guessing that the blocks we make will be identical. but with all the stash xmas fabrics i have found. i could probably make my own scrappy xmas cottage quilt.

No Need For Tutorial, She Says

i told my niece that a blog friend wanted to know how i did that to her jeans. & she thinks. & she points. & she's serious. & she says. but. didn't you just take out that seam. & then sew that piece in. & blah blah blah. & isn't that what you did.& i said why yes that is what i did.

book looks like a prop. but i really was reading it when she came home from school. & i hadn't seen her for a long time. & she was wearing those jeans. so i picked her up & tackled her down. of course she was laughing because she could totally have stopped me. & the book just didn't fall off the couch.

Yummy Secrets

my new guilty pleasure is an embroidery store visit just to find the perfect Perle coton color for a project. they have everything you would need if you stitch. & my fav threads are kept in these great wooden cabinets. i would bet there are stitchers in CT that know not of this secret thread hideaway.& if you make regular visits to a great store. you will eventually get sucked in. even if to only say yes i'm working on something too. endless repeats on t.v. let's watch an old movie again. Pride & Prejudice. the black & white one. you can watch original trailer here. how could you possibly watch one of these movies where everyone has gathered in a sitting room. without imagining yourself sitting amongst them. working on your own stitchery. i've never heard anyone ask what they're working on. so i can't imagine why you would ask me.Melanie and i are working on a little project together. it's secret because we are both using the same pattern & fabric but have no clue as to how we will be using them. Melanie revealed a bit for me here. shhhh! here's my response.if that's not yummy enough for you. to energize the spirit of our project. i baked Melanie's recipe for Grasmere Gingerbread. it has a long history with many variations. so i made some too.no cream of tartar. maybe baking powder. no mixed peel. use sugared ginger. & oh no. my quest to experiment with different flours. buckwheat is gluten free. & i've never tried it before. probably no match for the original. but a very very sweet treat for coffee time.

Walk The Dog(s)

walks were so simple when it was only me and Champ.

next time we're leaving Princess home.

she doesn't really need the exercise as much as we do.

if i visit my niece & nephews house and i feel like a walk. then they are very happy to come with me.

Secondhand Comfort

i found these jeans in someone's laundry room in the garbage. you know who you are. & decided to use in my attempt to attack Taffy Jane's Secondhand Comfort quilt. without leaving the house i randomly picked some floral fabrics in medium colors with a denim friendly appeal. i know me. choosing lights & darks would slow me down. there's just no time for that.i wouldn't call these scraps. just smallish stash without an assigned purpose. the jeans are a girl's size 8. i have no idea how big this thing will get. but if you know me. you know that i don't care about finished measurements. when i sit cross-legged on the couch i only need something 24" down & 36" across to keep me warm. anything extra just falls on the floor or has to be folded over. & it takes longer to quilt. what a pain. hehe.

let's see what the pattern says. o.k. done. well done for now.i really should be tidying up a bit. but i also think that by starting something i could accidently make tidier piles.

Oh Yes Baby

i started mending my Knotty Baby with a beautiful paisley print. i think i'm going to go crazy & mend to my heart's content. this didn't boost my confidence for not washing fabrics before sewing. but to be fair that white fabric was more delicate than most & strings were falling off the whole time i was working on it. i should have seen it coming.& i won a book giveaway from Softdrink of Fizzy Thoughts. hip-hip-HURRAY. i hope this will boost my reading break. for now it's on top of a pile of some books i have started but not finished but still really want to finish. i will get to my "new" book as soon as i finish an old but quick read called The Pilot's Wife. which i probably won't pick up again until i finish mending those bad spots on my quilt.Softdrink has posted about another book giveaway which can be found on Peeking Between The Pages. the book is called Broken and it sounds like an interesting read. if you're looking for your next book. or some funny stories from those that read every day. you should check them out. this is Softdrink. and this is Dar.

An Artsy-Fartsy Drawstring Bag

the beading.the applique.the stitching.i wanted to make Amy's Velma bag. but opted to make Amy's In Town bag as it is similar to my own bags. i did make it a little longer. my big camera actually fit inside making the shape when full more rectangle than triangle. there was supposed to be 2 tote handles but wasn't reading the pattern and forgot to insert before stitching lining down. i hate to read patterns. so i sewed on 1 handle from side to side. i think it's easier to carry and fits nicely on the inside of your elbow. the Czech glass beads came from JoAnn's. 48 gr. a few beads were sewn in center of roses. the fringe took 747 beads. 20 strings with 25 beads. 19 strings with 13 beads. there were no beads left when i was done. i cut the roses from fabric and fused to another piece so that it would be durable. i had made an extra one that didn't work in front arrangement. so i applied to back and it kept the opening bigger and the drawstring from moving around. the velvet ribbon was obtained at a thrift store in a shoebox of old stuff. so you know it's the real deal. i placed the backs of ribbon together and did an over stitch to keep it together. finished it with a knot.i went crazy with this part. afraid of beads going everywhere. after tying 2 double knots inside i tied sections together once and then twice before trimming strings. this was really strong thread on wooden spools i bought at a vintage shop. they told me it was used to sew leather shoes.crop yourself skinny. & you're ready to go. if only it was that easy.Eileen of Eileen's Attic was the only one to guess correct. surprise. i've already contacted her to let her know that she will be receiving a gift sometime in the future. oh yes i might.

Mom and Son

this was a fav pic that came from my camera.the ceremony was held outside under canopy on the patio. a huge Praying Mantis on the ceiling. two guitar players strumming in the back. sunflowers tied with raffia & carried. the weather was warm & sunny. the day before there was much rain from the storm.inside the reception was perfect. the windows. the chandeliers. the dance floor. the view. the outdoor tables for escaping. there were many photographers. & i expect the professional pics are going to be awesome. there was a slideshow which included many shots when they were young. we know that the Groom and his Sister were adorable children. unexpectedly we watched as the sweetest pics we had never seen of the Bride were intertwined with the familiar ones we still cherish of the Groom. the entrance of the bridal party was mischevious & energetic. as soon as the beautiful Bride sat down. she enjoyed a huge slice of pizza. (apologies to pamelajoy. not an ideal pic of B&G. but it was the view from my seat.) (click on photo as smart Bride smiles pretty as she moves pizza out of the way.)the Groom lovingly placed frosting on the Bride's nose.she lovingly smashed back a large handful all over his face. (apologies again. i saw the smashed face. it was so cool. unfortunately my camera missed it.)these beautiful creatures belong to my Sis and Messie Jessie. the candy bar was unveiled. a mad dash as if sugar never seen before.it was more exciting than Halloween.

How'd Ya Getcha Hair So Curlie

TAKE 1.

cut. cut. you're killing me. is that all you got.
let's shoot that again.


TAKE 2.

mandatory break for frozen pina colada.
yummm. o.k.
but don't start talking until i give you the thumbs up.
which i forgot to do.


TAKE 3.

that's a wrap.

Little Project Continued

i can only credit Ravenhill for this brilliant piece of art that came from my hands. i am unable to describe how beautiful her work is--you will just have to see for yourself.& if i had taken Computer Class I & II for sewing machine i might have been able to make proper buttonholes. for now these satin stitch rectangles will have to do. i really miss my old buttonhole attachment.looks like a little mat--you know i like to make those-- but it isn't. looks like that Anna Maria Horner fabric i've been drooling over--and it is.beads & buttonholes & a little bit of quilting. what can it be?
there's still time to guess.

Little Project

any guesses as to what i'm making. no fair if i already told you. there could be a small gift for you if you guess right. but i'm not saying when you'd get it.who would i have told anyway?