have it all

Sneak peek: baby projects

2012-02-19T12:53:00.000-08:00

I have started on a couple of projects for my twin grandsons, due May 9. Both are fairly simple, but since I need to make two of each, I decided I had better get started! The nursery will be done in shades of yellow, aqua and gray. I am knitting chevron baby blankets in these colors. The gray isn't quite as dark as it appears in this photo.

Of course I wanted to make quilts for them, so when I was in Minneapolis two weekends ago, Kate and I went to Crafty Planet and she chose these fabrics. I am using them in this pattern for a zig zag quilt that was also originally from the Purl Bee. I'll keep you posted on my progress...

Did I mention I'm going to be a grandmother?

2012-02-13T08:30:00.000-08:00

My daughter Kate is expecting twin boys on May 9th! We are all very excited, but I am still very nervous...being an L&D nurse I know everything that can go wrong. So far so good though, boys are growing well and no signs of preterm labor. I went up to visit for her first baby shower last week. I took a few pictures that I haven't uploaded yet, but here is one her friend Erin took of us and and the huge number of gifts she received. Erin, who is also pregnant, blogged about it here.

While I was up there, we went to Crafty Planet and bought fabric for two crib quilts. I will be sharing my progress here...I promise!

Last weekend

2011-11-18T11:55:00.001-08:00

Last weekend my BFF, Marjorie, and I went to St. Louis for the Mary Engelbreit Home Companion Workshop, organized by Mary herself and Barbara Martin, former editor of the MEHC magazine. There were fabulous teachers, Charlotte Lyons, Kathy Curroto and Nancy Wethington, who guided us through lot of crafty classes! I had gone to two previous workshops, last year and this past June, but I think this was my favorite one yet. Maybe it was the Christmas theme or the fact that Margie and I were together, but for whatever reason, I had the best time. We did a needle felting class with Kathy on Saturday morning and Charlotte snapped this picture of us modeling our scarves.

Saturday afternoon we decorated holiday sweaters with Charlotte, but somehow I missed taking pictures of that. Barbara did take this photo of us with Queen Mary herself.

I can't tell you how nice Mary is. Having the workshops at her studio is wonderful experience. Everyone is so warm and welcoming and everything there is so CUTE! After the classes on Saturday we had milk and cookies, and names were drawn for prizes. Look what I won!

And Mary even signed it for me...

On Sunday morning we made paper wreaths with Kathy, who provided us with a plethora of vintage Christmas ephemera to use in our creations. This is what mine looks like...

And in the afternoon we made little house ornaments with Charlotte. Can you guess which one is Margie's and which one is mine?

I was thrilled to find this photo on Charlotte's blog. We have been fans of Mary for over 20 years, so it was like a dream come true to spend the weekend together with her!

You can find lots more pictures of our weekend on Mary's website, Charlotte's blog and on my Flickr page. And Tina has a fantastic slideshow on Knitting Contessa. Enjoy!

I'm gonna be a grandma!

2011-11-10T10:12:00.001-08:00

I know I have neglected this blog terribly. Lots of excuses, none of them valid. No new quilts to share, although I have completed a few more block of the month blocks...will try to post pics soon.

We moved my mom into a senior apartment complex on July 1. I have made numerous trips up to Mansfield, trying to get her settled and get the house ready for an estate sale and then on the market. Lots of stress there.

On the other side of my sandwich generation thing is good news...my daughter is 14 weeks pregnant with twins! Here they are at 12 weeks.

As soon as we find out their genders in a few weeks, I foresee lots of knitting, quilting and sewing of baby clothes to ensue. Thinking about getting a serger...any advice on that?

I am leaving tomorrow to go to the Mary Engelbreit Home Companion Workshop in St. Louis. It will be smaller that the one last year, but it is being held at the studio, a much cozier setting. My BFF Marjorie is meeting me there...can't wait to see her and Mary and Charlotte and Kathy and all the other talented people who will be attending. I promise to share our creations soon!

Link to the ME Contest

2011-10-05T06:47:00.000-07:00

You all know how much I LOVE Mary Engelbreit!

Link to the ME Contest

Our latest trip

2011-06-02T18:35:00.000-07:00

We just returned from 2+ weeks in Italy. Here we are in the Boboli Gardens at the Pitti Palace in Florence (Firenze). If you are interested, you can see all my photos on Flickr. Ciao!

A week in Paris

2011-03-22T20:32:00.000-07:00

Mike and I spent a week in Paris for our twentieth wedding anniversary. If you would like to see my photos, they are on Flickr...enjoy!

Another great giveaway

2011-01-31T07:21:00.000-08:00

Amy Barickman is having a fabulous giveaway over at her blog, A Thimbleful of Thoughts. Check it out!

Finally finished...

2010-12-14T05:42:00.000-08:00

This is the block of the month quilt from Cabbage Rose I started last year. This photo is a bit overexposed...the colors are actually much richer. I had it machine quilted and managed to get the binding on in time to give it to my mother for her 80th birthday last Friday. Of course she loved it!

Inspired Ideas

2010-11-12T14:05:00.000-08:00

Check out this fabulous ezine from Amy at Inspire Co.

Open publication - Free publishing - More happy

Turkey and Greece

2010-10-18T20:08:00.001-07:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

Mom's gotta brag

2010-10-16T11:37:00.000-07:00

I know I have been MIA for a while. We recently returned from 2+ weeks in Turkey and Greece! We flew to Istanbul, where Mike visited MD Anderson's Radiation Therapy facility at the American Hospital. We spent three days in Istanbul, then took a Windstar Cruise from Istanbul to Athens, stopping at Ephesus, Rhodes, Bodrum, Santorini and Mykonos along the way. It was fabulous! After two days in Athens (the Acropolis is amazing), we flew back to Istanbul for two more days of sight-seeing. It was really a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I have 600+ unedited photos on Flickr, if you want to plod through them...this one of us was taken on the Bosphorus, under the bridge from Europe to Asia.

When we returned, I found this book awaiting me. I had pre-ordered it from Amazon because my beautiful and very talented daughter did all the photography for it! Pretty awesome, huh?

Fall color

2010-09-11T14:02:00.000-07:00

My best friend recently moved from the Chicago area to Jacksonville, Florida, kind of like how I moved from Milwaukee to Houston 8 years ago. She loves acorns and all things autumn, so for her birthday (today) I made this little piece from a Fat Quarter Shop kit. I hate to break it to her that it is probably the only fall color she will see living down here in the south...

Block of the Month finish...well, almost

2010-08-30T08:57:00.000-07:00

Remember these? Well, I finally got around to finishing all the blocks and piecing them into a quilt top. Just need to find something for the backing and this one will be off to the quilter!

Inked

2010-08-07T06:36:00.000-07:00

I have been in love with Paris for as long as I can remember. My favorite book as a young child was Madeline. I still have my copy of it from 1954. I have only actually been there once to visit, although I have flown through CDG a few times. I'm hoping that we will spend our 20th anniversary there next March. I have been contemplating a new tattoo for a while. I have a 30 year old ladybug on my hip, but I will spare you that sight. It took me a while to decide what image I wanted indelibly etched on my aging body, but once I had the idea of the Eiffel Tower, I couldn't get it out of my head. I have been motivated to do the tattoo thing this year. I usually donate blood every three months, but you can't donate for a year after getting inked. I learned that I can't donate this year because we traveled to India last November, so I thought this would be a perfect time. Last weekend we were visiting our kids in Minneapolis and there is a tattoo parlor very near my daughter's house that she and my son-in-law have both patronized. So with at little encouragement from her and assurance from my husband that he wouldn't divorce me, I got this work of art by Miss Kitty on my right ankle. It's a little bigger than I had originally envisioned, but she was able to get remarkably fine detail into it. What do you think?

Before & after

2010-07-24T13:27:00.001-07:00

I bought this chaise lounge about 10 years ago at my favorite consignment shop in Milwaukee. I had my eye on it for a while and waited till it got marked down the second time. I don't remember how much I paid for it...less than $200 I'm sure. I was able to see past the ugly red Stewart plaid to the down filled cushion and the carved wooden legs. I remember hauling it home in our minivan and my daughter being terrified that someone would see us bringing it into the house. I fully intended to have it reupholstered, but in the meantime just draped it with an old Bates bedspread.

We recently had our bedroom painted and I was finally motivated to have it done. I found this great fabric at High Fashion Home and had the work done at Alief Upholstery, a local shop. I am really pleased at how it turned out, and so are Purrkins and Graycie.

Fabric giveaway!

2010-07-09T08:37:00.000-07:00

Although I certainly could (and probably should) give some fabric away, what I'm referring to is the giveaway at everyday beautiful...check it out!

Another graduation quilt

2010-06-25T10:47:00.000-07:00

My niece Olivia graduated from high school a few weeks ago, and guess what she got as a present from me? I made her this quilt out of Birds on a Whim 2 by Amy Schimler. It is the same Yellow Brick Road pattern that I used for my brother's 50th birthday quilt.

I have a panel of cute Susan Branch labels and used one on this project (click on the photo for a close-up). We were in Toronto so we didn't make it to the graduation, but I was told that she likes it, by others as well as in her thank-you note.

I have been out of town for the last three weekends, so just trying to get back into the swing. We missed our CSA delivery on Sunday but was able to pick it up on Wednesday. I have been told that no one wants to look at photos of frozen meat, but here is the latest addition...eggs! This will appease my desire to raise chickens in our backyard...I can always go and visit our grandchickens.

Another blog giveaway

2010-05-12T05:36:00.000-07:00

The Vintage Workshop is having a great giveaway over on their blog...check it out. Really cute stuff!

A little quilt for a big accomplishment

2010-05-11T08:11:00.002-07:00

Last Friday I went up to Lawton, Oklahoma to witness my baby sister receive her master's degree hood. She completed this accomplishment in 3 years while working full time as a middle school teacher, wife and mother of 2 teenagers...no small feat! Here she is receiving her hood from one of the professors whom she admired most.

Here she is with her beautiful family.

And with my mom...

And with my mom, my brother and me. We are all so proud of her.

I only realized about a month ago the this was happening now, so I decided to finish one of several works in progress to give her as a gift. She is a big Mary Engelbreit fan, too, so I thought this one would fit the bill. You may recognize the fabric from a decade or so ago.

The ME page a day calendar had this illustration on it a few days earlier for Teachers' Day, so I scanned it in and printed it on some fabric to make the label. So true...

MEHC Workshop in St. Louis

2010-05-02T18:40:00.000-07:00

You all must know that I am a huge Mary Engelbreit fan, so when the first (hopefully annual) Home Companion Workshop was announced last year, I immediately signed up for it. I had hoped some other people I know would have gone, but that didn't happen. The theme of the workshop was "Bring a friend, make a friend," and while I didn't bring one, I made several! I found a roommate on the Yahoo Group that had been set up ahead of time. Jen and I got along fabulously. She is one very talented lady!

The first thing on the agenda was a tour of the Mary Engelbreit studios. I had toured her old studio back in the 90s. This one is much smaller, but still very cute.

I felt honored to sit on the Queen's throne!

This is the print that Mary did to benefit the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. I bought one as soon as it was released and received number 2/250. I found 1/250 in the studio! I have a lot more pictures of the studio on Flickr if you are interested.

We had the opportunity to take four workshops with some very talented instructors. My favorite one was Charlotte Lyons.

This picture of me was taken in her workshop when Mary came around to inspect our work. This is what I made...I love how it turned out. Who would guess it was made from a corn flake box? I was pretty excited to see it (and my nametag) on Mary's blog!

And this is the bracelet I made with a kit from Kaari Meng. You may be familiar with her Rouenneries fabric from Moda.

There was a panel discussion entitled "The Future of Handmade" during lunch on Saturday, followed by a book signing and photo ops.

Amy Butler was just a sweet as can be...it was a thrill to meet someone whose art you admire.

Mary was very gracious about signing books and posing for the camera.

And this was the "goody bag" everyone received. It was a fabulous weekend...can't wait for next year!

Had to share...

2010-04-10T09:46:00.000-07:00

I just bought this at Shirt.Woot. I have long been a fan of Wonder Woman (at one time I had a WW Halloween costume) and this just tickled my fancy. I'm sure I will never wear it, but couldn't help but buy it.

The quilt's out of the bag

2010-03-22T13:27:00.001-07:00

My older nephew got married last Saturday in Dallas, where the high on Friday had been 73º. The ceremony was held outside, during which snow flurries began. Fortunately, the reception was held inside and it was a lovely affair.

I made this quilt as a wedding present, and while I'm fairly sure neither he nor his bride even know this blog exists, I didn't want to risk spoiling the surprise by showing a work in progress. I used the same Just a Piece of Cake pattern that I made my sister's 50th birthday quilt from last year, this time using a Moda Basic Grey Blush layer cake. Due to time constraints (aka my own procrastination), I machine quilted it myself. One of these years I am going to learn to do something besides stitch in the ditch!

Machine embroidery on the border...

And a cute Susan Branch label...

The newlyweds are off to Maui for their honeymoon...hope they have a fabulous time!

Valentine's dinner...and flowers

2010-02-27T09:04:00.000-08:00

As I previously mentioned, Mike made dinner on Valentine's Day. Here he is, looking a little grumpy, probably because of my comments...

...on how he is so messy when he cooks. He only had 4 of the 5 burners going here.

I broke out one of the tablecloths we bought in India.

And the flowers? Not for Valentine's Day. I got 3 books, one about the Wizard of Oz (one of my favorite movies) and two about Istanbul, where we hope to go later this year. The flowers to which I refer are the camellias blooming in my front yard. Although we have had record setting cold this winter, these lovelies are a sure sign of spring.

Unfortunately, after spring comes summer...

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T15:36:00.000-08:00

I made dinner last year on Valentine's Day, but since it is on Sunday this year, Mike is cooking. Since it is also Chinese New Year, he is making a Chinese inspired dish that was in the Houston Chronicle last Wednesday, Sesame Salmon with Bok Choy. No photos yet...

Always a Northerner: Le Creuset Giveaway (or, I may as well use this blog for something!)

2010-02-05T05:04:00.000-08:00

Jackie is having a Le Creuset giveaway, and by blogging about it, I get another chance to win. And since I don't appear to be doing anything else with this blog of mine...of course if you enter, you have a chance too!

Always a Northerner: Le Creuset Giveaway

Just like Seinfeld...a post about nothing

2010-01-14T17:13:00.000-08:00

I know it has been a month since my last post, I just don't know where the month has gone! I keep thinking that I should post something, but haven't really had anything to post about. We had the kids here for Christmas, which was great. I must admit that the only Christmas gifts I made this year were a hat and scarf out of Green Bay Packer fleece that I found on clearance at my local Hancock Fabrics. I still haven't figured our why they even had Green Bay Packer fleece! I haven't been very productive as of late. I have 3 unmade blocks of the month, still working on blind stitching the binding on my last quilt and have started another quilt as wedding gift for my nephew, who is getting married in March.

We cooked a delicious free range turkey for Christmas dinner, but I failed to take pictures...I was just enjoying having everyone here! My daughter, Kate, did take some pictures in my kitchen. I do have some pictures in my camera that I need upload. I know that a blog post without any pictures is even more boring than a blog post about nothing, so here is a shot of Mike and me at the Amber Fort in Jaipur.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas!

2009-12-15T13:04:00.001-08:00

Earlier this year my dear Aunt June passed away at the age of 92. My cousin (her daughter) sent me a box of photographs from her, including this one of me and my father, circa 1955 or so. I had never seen it before and just fell in love with it. Look at the tinsel on that tree!

Just in case anyone still reads this...

2009-12-08T05:37:00.000-08:00

We have been back from India for a week now and I am still fighting the jet lag. I'm trying to get into the holiday spirit and get stuff done, but wanted to let you know that I did find some "cloth" in India. I bought three saris (read 6 meters of fabric each!) and some cotton yardage as well. Hopefully I will get around to taking some pictures to share, but in the meantime have a look at the 558 I have uploaded to Flickr...India 11/09

Just realized that my toolbar has the added option of Type in Hindi...सतरंगे!

Greetings from India

2009-11-23T22:50:00.000-08:00

I am such a bad blogger that I didn't even tell you I was going to India. Things were pretty hectic preparing for the trip. We left on Tuesday 11/17 and I worked 12 hours the previous Sunday and Monday...what WAS I thinking? Mike is giving several presentations at the AMPICON meeting here in Hyderabad and I am spending today in the hotel room catching up on my Google reader with some very sketchy Wi-Fi. I have taken LOTS of pictures but can't upload them because we are using an MDACC laptop...also I didn't bring the camera cord! I am trying to upload a photo from my iPhone but am not sure that is going to work.

We flew into Delhi through Amsterdam and spent a few days there before flying on to Hyderabad. Yesterday we hired a car & driver to see the sights around the city. We went to some historical sites and then stopped a couple of places to shop. The first was a pearl shop (Hyderabad is the pearl capitol of India) and the second was a handicraft shop where I purchased a lovely pashmina wrap (for myself :-) and several silk scarves to give as gifts. I was pleasantly surprised when the driver asked if we would like to visit a "cloth" shop. I, of course, responded an enthusiastic "Yes!" and told Mike he could wait in the car with the driver while I shopped for fabric. Imagine my disappointment when we pulled up in front of a clothing store. I profusely apologized to the driver for misunderstanding him. Mike just smiled.

"What's for dinner?"

2009-11-07T19:36:00.000-08:00

"Food."
"What kind of food?"
"Good food!"
If my children read this, they will recognize this conversation.

Well, we were in Chicago earlier this week and had better than just good food...we had FANTASTIC food at Topolobampo. I had the Adventurer's Tasting Menu. The pictures are from my iPhone, so they are not that great, but trust me, dinner and wine were fabulous!

The restaurant was very busy, crowded and noisy and the server was very scripted, but we still enjoyed our evening very much.

Everybody loves a giveaway...

2009-10-28T11:38:00.000-07:00

...especially when fabric is involved! Check out the fabric giveaway at Everyday Beautiful...maybe one of us will win :-)

Did I say bi-weekly? I must have meant bi-monthly!

2009-10-26T13:18:00.000-07:00

I have really thought about blogging a few times in the last two weeks, but just haven't gotten around to it. I have been working a bit more, my sister and niece were here last weekend for the Quilt Festival and we were in Milwaukee this past weekend for a wedding. Enough with the excuses, though. I have a few things to show you.

Here is my latest block of the month:

And here is a little (12"x 34") table runner I made from some of these fabrics. Not bad for two bucks.

I bought this chair as a birthday gift for Mike to go with our new couch.

We have had this chair for at least 15 years. We bought it at an antique store with no seat. We cut a piece of plywood to fit, had a piece of foam cut and I covered it with this 90s green fabric.

When I ordered the new chair, I also ordered a yard of matching fabric and recovered the cushion. Not a great picture, but you get the idea.

We decided that we needed a different coffee table to go with our new look. We considered buying a new one, but decided to take this route instead. Mike has had this trunk since his mother died. She used it when she moved from Chicago to San Francisco in 1939.

This is the shipping tag that was still attached. People misspelled Gillin even back then!

We had glass top made for it and are very pleased with the result.

As previously mentioned, I have the binding machine sewn onto this quilt, and have started the laborious process of blind-stitching. Wish me luck!

I LOVE the internet!!!

2009-10-11T15:00:00.001-07:00

I know, I know... I have been a very bad blogger. It just seems that I have been very busy lately, working a fair amount and getting organized for some upcoming travel. We are going on a trip to India (yes, INDIA) next month and have been trying to get that all in order. We have our tickets from Houston to New Dehli, but still have lots to do in preparation for the trip. Our ultimate destination in Hyderbad, where Mike will be giving several presentations at AMPICON. Today we got online to fill out our visa applications, which I will take to Travisa Outsourcing on Tuesday with our passports and, oh yes, the obligatory passport pictures. Now we could just drive over to Walgreen's and spend the $12 to have some high school student take some really bad pictures of us, but I thought "There must be a better way." And there is. I Googled "passport photos" and the second hit was http://www.epassportphoto.com/. Five minutes later I had this:

Probably the best passport pictures he has ever had taken, for only the cost of photo paper and ink. Now I just have to get him to take one of me. I'm sure I will be more critical of mine.

Outstanding in the Field, again

2009-09-29T16:06:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday (which just happened to be Mike's birthday), we went to another Outstanding in the Field event. If you recall, we went to one in Minnesota on July 31. This one was held at Jolie Vue Farm, which is where we get our monthly meat delivery from. This truck is part of the the Grass Fed Express, but I doubt that it actually makes 60+ mile trek into town.

It was HOT outside, so you can see why everyone was trying to huddle in the shade while Jim Denevan gave his talk.

This is the herd of cows whose off-spring make their way into our freezer.

After eight months with their mothers, these guys have it made in the shade while they fatten themselves up native grasses.

And here is where the pigs live, out in the forested areas.

One of the two heritage breeds, Berkshires and Durocs, that are raised here.

Some of the prep work being done to serve dinner to 150 out in the middle of the farm field.

The menu...

Roasted pig noses (they tasted better than they looked!)

Chilled cushaw squash soup with arugula pesto & purple hull pea crostini

Goat tamales in banana leaves

Grilled Gulf whole snapper with chile glaze, squash, radishes & field peas

Crispy roasted pork belly, apples & red cabbage

Toasted, herbed cornmeal poundcake, goat cheese mousse, blueberry compote and butternut squash, spicy walnut & sage macaroons.

Quite a different menu from the event in Minnesota, but that's what locavorism is all about! The food was all great, even the pig noses and tails, but hopefully next year they will hold this event in late October instead of September, when the chance of cooler weather is more likely.

Les Petites Images: Better than Christmas: A Give Away

2009-09-21T05:39:00.000-07:00

I know how much everyone loves give-aways, so thought I would post a link to one. This is my daughter's blog and she is giving away some great stuff from Marx Foods!

Les Petites Images: Better than Christmas: A Give Away

Finally, some pictures!

2009-09-20T19:36:00.000-07:00

I still only have the binding machine-sewn on this quilt, but thought it would look prettier photographed on a bed than on the clothesline. Now to begin the blind stitching...

As I mentioned earlier, Marjorie and I hit 9 of the 14 shops in the North Texas Shop Hop. At each shop we got a free fat quarter...these are mine. A couple of the shops let you choose any one in the shop, but most had a limited selection to choose from.

I bought these at Cabbage Rose to make a table runner, figgy pudding by basicgrey from Moda.

This was the last they had of this Tulip Nouveau by Ro Gregg for Northcott at Quilt Among Friends but it was so pretty I had to take it. They had shown a black skirt and jacket trimmed in it. Maybe I will get the urge to take up garment making again.

And at Common Threads they had a bin of "scraps" that you could fill a bag with for $2, and fill it I did!

Can you believe all this was in there? I especially love the orange and brown vintage cowboy print.

In total, I don't think I spent more than $30 (excluding gas :-), but we sure had fun!

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth...I was just in Fort Worth

2009-09-14T17:56:00.000-07:00

Mike and I went up to Mansfield for Labor Day. We spent the weekend at my mom's and got to visit with my brother and his kids and our kid (who lives in Plano). Mike flew home on Monday afternoon (so he could fly to SFO on Thursday) and I stayed the rest of the week. My BFF Marjorie was in the metroplex for a company meeting and we got to spend the weekend together. Her timing was perfect, because it was the North Texas Shop Hop. In a day and a half we managed to hit nine of the fourteen shops, which was especially impressive because it was pouring rain all weekend (including a good portion of my drive back to Houston Sunday morning.) We saw LOTS of pretty things, got some great ideas, a free fat quarter at each shop and did buy a bit of fabric and a few patterns. When I finish the laundry, maybe I will get around to taking a few pictures. I also got my last quilt back from the quilter and have the binding machine-sewn on. Now for the blind stitching...

The road to hell...

2009-08-27T14:18:00.000-07:00

I always have good intentions about posting. But then something always comes up...work, house guests, Facebook Scrabble,etc. And, oh yes, quilting! These are the last two blocks from the Cabbage Rose Kaffee Fassett mystery block of the month. Next month the finishing kit will be available and we will finally get to see how these all go together.

And this is the third block in their new 3rd Saturday mystery block of the month. Kind of boring after the previous ones, but it will be pretty with the first two.

And while I didn't win the Marx Foods giveaway, the nice folks there did send me 25 of their palm leaf plates for posting about it. I don't usually use disposable plates, but these are pretty nice. Maybe we'll have to have a party...

Eco-friendly disposable plates

2009-08-14T14:16:00.000-07:00

Marx Foods is having another giveaway. If you use disposable plates, you should check these out. "These biodegradable plates are a natural and renewable resource. Naturally discarded sheaths of the leaves of the Adaka palm tree are collected from the forest floor. No trees are cut down. The plates and the disposable cutlery are even compostable!" Definitely better than styrofoam (which doesn't biodegrade) or paper (which require killing a tree). I also think they are much nicer looking, don't you?

And then a miracle happened...(my 200th post!)

2009-08-12T16:37:00.000-07:00

So, this morning our DSL was still not working. I went to a meeting at work, then out to lunch with some friends from the F2O, then stopped at the AT&T store to buy a new modem, hoping that would solve the problem. I got home, hooked up the new modem, but still had the solid green power light, solid green ethernet light and flashing red DSL light configuration. Since AT&T is scheduled to come out on Friday morning, I disconnected the new modem, carefully repackaged it to take back to the AT&T store for a $54.95 refund, and reconnected the old modem. That is when the miracle occurred...solid green lights all the way across! And working internet access! Mike said that the old modem must have just needed a rest (never mind that it had been turned off since Monday afternoon) but that doesn't explain why the new one didn't work. Oh well, I am just happy to be reconnected!

But you're not here to hear about my technology trials and tribulations, you're here to see my latest quilt! I didn't post anything about it when it was a work-in-progress because it was a surprise for my sister's 50th birthday. She and her kids came down last weekend, so I was able to give it to her in person. It was made out of a layer cake of Tula Pink's Nest fabric.

For the label I scanned a picture of her and me taken in one of those four for 25¢ booths in 1961 or so.

I also had the opportunity to give my niece Emma a quick sewing lesson, and she made this cute pillowcase out of Amy Butler fabric. It was her first sewing project, but hopefully not her last. She comes from a long line of seamstresses and I hope she grows to love the craft as much as I do!

Technical difficulties

2009-08-11T13:29:00.000-07:00

I know I promised a real blog post yesterday, but we had a big thunderstorm in the afternoon which caused us to lose power momentarily, and also caused our DSL to go out. I still don't know if it is a problem with the line or if the modem is fried. I am working today, but hopefully tomorrow I will be able buy a new modem and determine if that is the problem. AT&T is scheduled to come out Friday morning if a new modem is not the solution. I already uploaded pictures of my latest quilt, a 50th birthday present for my sister, which hopefully I will be able to share by Friday afternoon, if not sooner!

Summit's Unchained Series Debut: Kolsch

2009-08-10T06:34:00.001-07:00

I will have a real post later today, but wanted to share this article by my daughter, Kate.

Summit's Unchained Series Debut: Kolsch

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Outstanding in the Field: MN Edition

2009-08-02T11:32:00.000-07:00

Friday night we went to Outstanding in the Field in Delano, Minnesota. I took a few pictures, but my semi-professional photographer daughter, Kate, took a bunch and has posted them on her blog. Enjoy!

Les Petites Images: Outstanding in the Field: MN Edition

Bitten by the quilting bug

2009-07-25T10:30:00.000-07:00

I have sewn forever. Well, at least as long I have been tall enough to run the sewing machine. My mother and grandmothers and aunt made almost all of my clothes growing up. And I made almost all of my own clothes starting in middle school (or junior high as we called it back then). In high school I made my own prom "dress." It was actually a tunic and pants, ivory shantung with sequin trim around the bottom of the tunic and pant legs. It was kind of an "in your face" thing to do, since in 1969 women were not permitted to wear pants of any sort to school. I figured they couldn't throw me out of prom, since it was a Saturday night and all. I made my first wedding dress. I made my first husband shirts and pants and even a sport coat. And when my daughter was born I started sewing for her, and continued as long as she would tolerate it. I made her a junior bridesmaid's dress for my sister's wedding out of fabric we ordered to match the bridesmaids' dresses. I made numerous Halloween costumes for her and my stepsons, including Dorothy, Peter Pan, Dracula, Jasmine, a clown and a poodle skirt, as well as the Beast and Belle for Mike and myself. Maybe someday I will scan some photos of many of the garments I have made over the years. But for some reason, I stopped sewing. Maybe it was because I didn't have the time. Maybe it was because I didn't have any one who wanted me to sew for them. Maybe it was because patterns and fabrics got more expensive and ready-made clothing got cheaper as their construction got outsourced to China. I made a few things for my niece, including a requested leopard print bathrobe, but she just turned 13 and is taller than me...no fun sewing for her any more. The last garment I made was the jacket for my mother's birthday last year.

The year Kate went off to college (2000), my nurse manager asked me if I wanted to get my MBA with her, one night a week for a year and a half. I said, "No thanks, I think I'm going to take a quilting class." And so it started. Over the last 9 years I have only made a dozen quilts or so, having dabbled in knitting, cross stitch, beading, scrapbooking, etc. as well. But recently I have really been into it. I have one quilt at the quilter, one that I am sewing the border on, and I just finished machine quilting (stitch in the ditch) this one. I bought the kit at Painted Pony and Quilts when we first moved to Houston. I have worked on it off and on for several years, and am finally almost finished. I just need to find the fabric for the binding. I'm pretty sure I know where it is. It is Mary Engelbreit fabric, and my first foray into applique and prairie points.

I fused the hearts with Wonder Under and used the blanket stitch on my machine.

The kit came with the stems and leaves already embroidered, I just had to sew on the buttons (also done on the machine).

I am pleased to be (almost) done with another work in progress. I am trying to decide what to start on next. These are the first two blocks from Cabbage Rose Quilting's new mystery block of the month.

I have fabric and patterns for several more quilts, just need to decide what to start next. I have been thinking of making another T-shirt quilt. I have numerous Mary Engelbreit T-shirts which I never wear, and a boatload of ME fabric, so I think it would be a fun project.

And on a totally unrelated subject, these are eggs from the farmers' market...aren't they pretty?

A Day Late and a Dollar Short: The Water is Cloudy. Very Cloudy Indeed.

2009-07-23T04:51:00.000-07:00

Allison has very eloquently put into words what I've been thinking for a long time. It is ironic that we have the safest water supply in the world, yet spend millions on bottled water. That being said, I would rather see people drinking bottled water than soda.

A Day Late and a Dollar Short: The Water is Cloudy. Very Cloudy Indeed.

Back on track

2009-07-16T20:22:00.000-07:00

So, my whole "blog every Monday and Thursday" thing didn't last too long, did it? Well, I missed a week, but I am hoping to get back on track. A friend, who is also from the midwest, sent me this yesterday:

I found this beautiful summer poem and thought it might help make your day. It did mine, and it's very well written.

' Summer in Texas '

SHIT!
It's Hot !
The End!

It's true. I was driving home the other day and was surprised at the temperature on the bank sign. So I looked down at my climate control and sure enough...106º

Needless to say, I have been spending most of my time inside, in the comfort of air conditioning. I can't imagine how anyone ever lived here before the invention of A/C. I did sneak out one afternoon to take a picture of my quilt top before I sent it off to the quilter. The sun is actually behind it, so you can really see the pattern well here.

Purrkins gave it his seal approval.

My birthday was last week and this is what I asked for.

After 20 years together, Mike still refuses to buy me appliances as a gift, even if I ask for them. I have wanted one of these forever. He said, "Buy it for yourself." So I did (I have learned a thing or two in 20 years).

The mother of all irons...it has a 1 liter water tank and a 6 foot steam hose. I particularly enjoyed the instructions which state "Never iron or steam clothes while they are being worn." It doesn't say anything about using it on hair, like we did back in the sixties.

I rarely iron except when I'm sewing, but then I want something that does the job right without having to refill the water reservoir all the time. I was so excited to use it I made all three of these mystery blocks in one day. This month eleven, so I got a bonus block, and hadn't made up last month's yet. One more month to go. I can't wait to see what these all look like together.

At least my mandevilla like the heat.

Almost, but not quite...

2009-07-06T18:34:00.000-07:00

I have the first two borders on the quilt, one more to go and it will be ready to go to the quilter. The third border will be 5" of the large pink and yellow floral. I hope to finish it tomorrow.

Here is the fabric for the latest Kaffe Fasset mystery block...it is a flying geese pattern.

And Cabbage Rose has started another mystery block of the month, on the 3rd Saturdays. These are the fabrics for the first block.

Today was another one in the triple digits, with no rain in sight. Guess these are what they call the dog days of summer...but don't tell Purrkins. Nothing he likes better than sleeping out in the screen porch where it's only 95º.

Charlie Trotter's redux

2009-07-02T12:48:00.001-07:00

Gosh, here it is Thursday already and it seems like I just finished my Monday post ;-) So here is just one more about Chicago and then maybe I will have a quilt update. The Charlie Trotter experience was so awesome that I have to say more about it. The staff was so friendly and gracious. The hostess even offered to take a picture of Mike and me in the lobby before she seated us.

The menu I posted here is one that I downloaded on my phone. This the menu we actually had along with the wine pairings.

And I did sneak one photo (little camera, no flash) of one of the four different desserts (two each) we were served. Even in the low light you can appreciate the presentation.

Like I said before, definitely a once in a lifetime experience!

My kind of town...

2009-06-29T18:22:00.000-07:00

We had a great time in Chicago! Mike went for the RTOG meeting and I went for the fun! When we lived in Milwaukee, we would go down to Chicago several times a year for various occasions. Both of our mothers were born and raised there, so we have an historical basis for our affinity to "the Windy City." One of Mike's favorite places to go is The Berghoff. It's not that the food is so great, it's the history. They claim to be Chicago's oldest restaurant and Mike recalls his grandmother telling him that she remembered being taken there in a horse and buggy.

They have updated their menu a bit. Here is Mike enjoying his "beer flight."

My favorite place to visit is Marshall Field's. Of course, it is now a Macy's, but fortunately they had the good sense NOT to remove these signs.

And the iconic clock remains as well.

These towers were built in the 60s. I remember an issue of the Chicago Seed depicting them as ears of corn.
On Thursday night we went to a taping of Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. It was fun to see what we listen to every Saturday. We have been to A Prairie Home Companion several times, but this is different because it is taped, not live. Here you can see what Carl Kasell, Peter Sagal, Roxanne Roberts and Tom Bodett look like (sort of).

On Sunday we went to the Art Institute. It is one of my favorite art museums, with an incredible collection, yet small enough to be manageable. This is one of the pair of lions that guard the entrance.

This Georgia O'Keefe is their largest painting.

But I like this one so much better...

We had seen this in an exhibition of Van Gogh & Gauguin several years ago. I didn't realize that it is a part of their permanent collection.

The same is true of this Mary Cassatt.

A Frank Lloyd Wright window...

It is amazing to turn a corner and find these famous paintings right in front of you.

This Renoir is one of my favorites.

Seurat's A Sunday on La Grande Jatte.

Magritte's Time Tranfixed.
I love this one by Toulouse-Lautrec.

Especially this detail...

A smaller bronze of the Picasso sculpture in Daley Center Plaza.

Mike studying this large Picasso painting.

Nighthawks by Edward Hopper has certainly been parodied often.

Though not as often as Grant Wood's American Gothic.

Including this much larger than life installation on Michigan Avenue.

Mike obliged me by posing for this outside of the Lego Store in The Shops at North Bridge.

I can't wait to go back for the ASTRO meeting this fall!

Charlie Trotter's

2009-06-25T06:13:00.000-07:00

We had dinner at Charlie Trotter's last night. No pictures, because I didn't want to embarrass Mike, who was buying me the most expensive dinner of my life, but I did manage to copy the menu from Urbanspoon. After dinner we had a tour of the kitchen and the demo kitchen where they tape his TV show. Definitely a once in a lifetime experience!

Grand Menu

Effingham Oyster with Wasabi & Nori

Steamed Freshwater Japanese Eel with Cilantro, Roasted Banana & Soy

Scottish Salmon Confit with Rose & Black Tea

Roasted Duck Breast with Kumquats, Wild Licorice, Szechuan Peppercorns & Duck Gizzards

Salt-Crusted Veal Loin with Oregon Morel Mushrooms, Fermented Black Garlic & Thyme

Red Shiso Sorbet with Mango & Grains of Paradise

Poached Quince with Sesame Ice Cream & Rosemary Shortbread

Oloroso Sherry-Raisin Ice Cream with Chocolate Cotton Cake, Dried Plums & Ennis Hazelnuts

~An 18% Service Charge is Added to Each Check

My progress so far...

2009-06-22T09:02:00.001-07:00

Not bad, hey? There are three borders to be added yet: 1" pale aqua, 2" ivory floral and 5" large yellow and pink floral, and then it will be ready to be sent off the quilter! I am so happy I decided to finish this up. I had a fair amount of time and money invested already, just can't believe it took me this long to just do it. It really didn't take much time once I got started and it really is quite lovely. Mike has asked what I am going to do with it. I said, "I don't know, maybe I'll just put it on the dining room table for the cats to lie on."

Another sweltering day here in Houston...99º today and they are saying triple digits by Wednesday. We are escaping to Chicago for the RTOG meeting, where it will only be 90º, but we will be seeing some ~~old~~ long time friends and enjoying one of our favorite cities. More later...

My new (old) project

2009-06-18T18:22:00.000-07:00

I saw the orthopedic surgeon yesterday and despite some range of motion issues, he gave me permission to go back to work. With only two weeks left of my "leave of absence" I had contemplated starting another quilt, but I have had this gnawing at the back of mind. I did a block of the month at It's a Stitch several years ago in Moda's Paris Flea Market. I then took a class on how to quilt as you piece. It is a very laborious process which I realized I would never actually complete. So these blocks as well as all the fabric to complete the quilt have been sitting in my guest room closet. Last weekend I pulled them out, ripped out what I had done in the "quilt as you go" class and set about piecing this quilt top in the normal fashion. These are eleven of the twelve blocks.

And here is the basic layout of the quilt top.

This is the piecing detail.

And this is how far I have gotten...halfway there! I hope to finish it before I go back to work June 30th.

When I was outside taking that picture I rescued these poor things from the scorching 95º we have had for the last several days. Summer has definitely arrived on the Gulf Coast!

Finally...and after

2009-06-13T07:54:00.001-07:00

So first, the sink. Much more attractive than the old one, don't you think? And with an appropriately sized faucet as well.

I wanted granite that was as close to solid black as possible. Not that you can see much of it with all the stuff I have on it. I do love my Omnigrid Fold-Away Cutting Station. I initially bought it to take with to my stitching group, but I use it all the time! I only have to take out the big cutting mat and ironing board when I am working on something big (which I actually am...more on that on Thursday).

And here is where I sit to sew. It looks out on to the screen porch. The little enamel topped table is one on my very favorite pieces. I bought it out of the basement of an estate sale in Milwaukee for $20 and repainted the wooden base in a glossy white.

So, this is totally unrelated, but I am such a sucker for cute that I have to share this with you...Kleenex in a watermelon box. Never mind that I have 12 boxes of Kleenex from Costco in my linen closet. I saw these at Target at did not even think twice. I don't even know how much they cost (although I am figuring out how to open the box from the bottom to refill it). I have always liked watermelon motifs. Back in the 80s I had lots of them in my "country" decorating style...them and geese wearing blue kerchiefs around their necks, but hey, who didn't?

OCD...moi? Non!

2009-06-11T16:11:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I DID actually take some "after" shots of my room to share with you, uploaded them to iPhoto and then promptly deleted them in a cleaning fit. But since I did promise a Thursday post you will have to settle for these...

My mystery BOM Kaffe Fassett fabrics...

And the finished block...

And my find of the day, a Mary Engelbreit resin flower pot and saucer from the Sunshine Shop for $3.75...totally Thrift Thursday!

And the winner is....

2009-06-08T06:13:00.000-07:00

Robin! Robin, please email me with your address so I can mail your prize to you. Thanks to all 124 of you who left a comment! (Just in case you're interested, I used the random number generator to choose the winner.) I hope at least some of you will come back and visit me on occasion. I promise to post more often...how about every Monday and Thursday? Hopefully I can come up with something mildly interesting at least twice a week. And be sure to check out the Sewn web page!
So, in today's at least mildly interesting category are the two newest additions to my Scottie collection. You did know that I have a Scottie collection, didn't you? What self respecting Mary Engelbreit fan doesn't? Some of you have commented on my blog header. That is a little piece I made from a Keepsake Quilting pattern several years ago. Anyway, my two most recent acquisitions both found their way to Houston in my suitcase after my recent trip to Minneapolis. My sweet daughter, Kate, gave me this cutting board as a Mother's Day present. She bought it at Anthropologie. I doubt that it will ever see the blade of a knife.

And this little cutie was purchased by me for $5 at a flea market in the parking lot of the 331 during the Northeast Art-a-Whirl. He now sits next to my computer holding important things like my nursing license renewal form.

Coming up on Thursday...those long awaited "after" pictures of my sewing/crafting/laundry room! We had a small dinner party last night, so I was motivated to clean up my mess. I will quickly take some pictures while it is still presentable and share them with you then.

Nine hole buttons

2009-06-03T15:40:00.000-07:00

These are so doggone cute! I especially like the idea that you can sew them on using letters...another thing I could be doing if I didn't spend so much time online.

Before, not after...

2009-06-03T07:38:00.001-07:00

I was going through my iPhoto files, uploading to Flickr and cleaning them out, when I came across these shots of my laundry/craft/sewing room. I took them last September, just before we had the new countertops put in. It was my intent to take some "after" shots and show what a difference they made. But then we had this little thing called Hurricane Ike and somehow I forgot about it. I am sharing the "before" pictures with you now, hoping that this will motivate me to clean it up enough to take those "after" shots.

We bought the house from someone who remodeled and "flipped" it. They really took a lot of (cheap) shortcuts. The backsplash on the sink is nothing more than the laminate surface run up the wall. (If you click on the photo for a close-up you will see what I mean). And about that faucet...

My workspace had the same laminate issue. At first I thought it was a bit excessive to put granite in a laundry room, but looking at new construction around here, that is what is being done, and we are trying to make improvements that will make the house more marketable when we do decide to sell it. When that happens I will be changing out my ME cherry door/drawer pulls!

So, it has come to this...

2009-05-27T13:24:00.000-07:00

For the second time in my life, I was fingerprinted this morning. The first time was in 1975 when I was applying for a city of Milwaukee bartender's license. Something about wanting to keep the criminal element of Chicago out of Milwaukee taverns. Today's was also employment related. In order to renew my nursing license in July, the state of Texas has to have my fingerprints on file. I guess this is a good idea, making sure that we nurses are not hardened criminals. This time was different than the last...no ink was used, just some sort of digital scanner. I did ask for a copy, just as a souvenir.

My latest quilt

2009-05-26T15:09:00.000-07:00

The day after Christmas I took my sister Jan and niece Emma to Cabbage Rose Quilting. It is absolutely my favorite quilt shop...too bad it is 250+ miles away! Emma fell in love with this quilt made from Amy Butler fabrics. I decided that I would make it for her high school graduation present. They told me that a kit would be available soon. I went back when we were in Fort Worth in March, but alas, no kit. No pattern either. They were kind enough to help me figure out how many fabrics I would need and I sketched out the pattern. I quickly got it pieced before my surgery, not knowing how long I would be unable to use my sewing machine, and sent it off to be quilted. (My friend Sue has hooked me up with a quilter in Arkansas who machine quilts in half the time and for half the price of what I have found locally...just have to pay postage.) I hadn't anticipated that Emma's graduation would be so early. It was last Thursday evening, in Lawton, Oklahoma. I was getting ready to drive up to my mom's (near Fort Worth) on Wednesday, and then to drive her up to Lawton on Thursday. I was literally packing up the car, when the mail arrived, and there was Emma's quilt. I had the binding ready to go, so machine sewed it on at home and took it with me. I hand sewed the binding on Wednesday night...I always have functioned best under pressure! I even remembered to take a photo of it.

Emma had been told by her mother that because of my surgery I wouldn't be making her a graduation quilt. I'm not sure she bought that line, but she did seem happy and surprised with her gift.

Where does the time go?

2009-05-22T15:08:00.000-07:00

I just realized that my last post was almost two weeks ago...what a bad blogger I am! I am at my mom's for the weekend, but just wanted to share my two latest mystery blocks of the month. This is the fabric for one of the blocks...

And for the other one...

I think these two are actually my favorite so far. Maybe I am just getting used to the garish Kaffe Fassett colors.

And just to refresh your memory, these are the first six. Only four more to go until we find out how wild this quilt is actually going to be! Stay tuned...

Happy Mother's Day...

2009-05-10T10:10:00.000-07:00

...to you all!

Catching up

2009-05-07T14:14:00.000-07:00

Ironically, the tomato plant I planted last September before Hurricane Ike has yielded me the most tomatoes of any I've had since we moved to Houston almost seven years ago. I guess it's true that "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." We have been enjoying these lovelies all week. There was another ripe one, but a snail got to it first :-( I have my eye on several green ones, which I'm guessing will ripen quickly in this 90º weather...trying to look on the bright side.

The warm weather has also yielded some lovely garden blooms. My orchid has bloomed for the fourth year in a row. Only two flowers this year compared to four last year, but still pretty. Maybe if actually fed it or something it would be more productive.

Same goes for my gardenia. It has been the same pot for several years and might get a very occasional application of Miracle-Gro when the mood strikes me. It it a very scrawny looking plant, but has managed to produce many very fragrant blossoms.

I got my latest quilt back from the quilter and am in the process of sewing on the binding. It is so warm here that even with the A/C on I can only stand having on my lap for short periods of time. Here it is hanging outside...looks a bit washed out by the bright sunshine.

I wanted to see what it would look like on the bed...

...with a cat under it.

After I took those pictures, I realized that I had a shot of Mike's nightstand. Just to be fair, here is what is on mine. The squirt bottle is used for cat behavior modification (keeping Graycie off the dresser).

Next up I have two mystery BOTM which I haven't even looked at yet. I am trying to be disciplined and finish up one thing before starting another!

Sewn blog launch party

2009-05-02T08:44:00.000-07:00

I read about the launch of the Sewn blog on Library Gal Quilts and decided to play along. I have never participated in one of these giveaways, but thought it would be fun and a good way to liven up my blog, which I have been shamefully neglecting as of late. I will be giving away a copy of this book, which is full of cute apron patterns. To enter, just leave a comment and on June 8th I will draw a winner.

Finally, something to blog about

2009-04-30T14:55:00.001-07:00

Well, it's four weeks tomorrow that I had my surgery, and the physical therapist says that I am right on schedule. I am able to be out of the sling for increasing amounts of time, so I have managed to take some pictures. I always think that blogs are more interesting with pictures, don't you?

We spent some time working in the yard last Sunday. Mike planted these mandevillas for me on either side of the garage doors. The idea is that they will grow up and over the top of the doors and meet in the middle. I have seen this elsewhere, and really like the effect. I will keep you updated on their progress.

These are our Belinda's Dream roses. They are Earthkind, developed to do well in this hot, wet climate. I neglected to prune them this year, but that doesn't seem to have inhibited their progress.

Every year, after our forced amaryllis have finished blooming, we plant them outside along the north fence (there were some growing there when we bought the house so we have just kept adding to them). I think, coming from the "frozen North" we are intrigued that we can grow these outside.

This is another flower that is not hardy up North, but comes back every year here in Houston, the canna lily.
This is a macro shot of one of our Turks cap blossoms.

Our old compost bin has seen better days, not to mention that it is full!

So we bought another one, just like the old one, and set it up.

Okay, I know, new compost bin, not so exciting, but new couch, now that's exciting! Remember when we ordered it, December 30? They told us it would be 2-4 months. Well, today, four months to the day, it was delivered. I am sitting on it as I type.

We have already decided that we need to get a new coffee table...not sure what style the old one is, but definitely not Craftsman. We could go back to the Amish Craftsman, but might just order this one.

Hmmm...maybe a new rug too.

Les Petites Images: Palak Paneer, Part One: Paneer

2009-04-27T15:06:00.000-07:00

Okay, while I may not be cooking anything worth blogging about (I get the sling off on Friday!) my daughter is making cheese in her kitchen!
Les Petites Images: Palak Paneer, Part One: Paneer

Pink towel hood

2009-04-24T19:20:00.001-07:00

Pink towel hood
Originally uploaded by pepleo

This is too freaking cute!

Marmalade...

2009-04-20T12:17:00.000-07:00

I have previously posted about my dwarf calamondins here and here and here. Well, spring is citrus season here on the Gulf Coast and they were ready to be picked. I am not particularly fond of marmalade myself, but Mike likes it and I really wanted to do something with the fruit besides feed it to the squirrels, so I decided give it a try. I used this recipe. I had to laugh at the statement "Apparently, the tree was not widely distributed, because I have never met another soul who knows what a calamondin is," because I have found the same to be true. Mike bought the tree for me a few years ago at Christmas and I think he picked it out because it was full of fruit. Here is this year's harvest.

Seeded and sliced...

Boiling with water...

The "stock" ready to sit overnight...

Boiling with the sugar...

Poured into the jars (both of them)...

And out of the hot water bath. The one with the canning lid "pinged" and drew a vacuum like it was supposed to. The other jar is in the fridge for Mike to enjoy. He said it is quite tasty. Like I said, I'm not a fan, but it is pretty, and I was happy to have made something from my garden.

Hoppy Easter

2009-04-11T09:49:00.000-07:00

With thanks to Mike Peters...

One armed blogger

2009-04-10T15:40:00.000-07:00

I had rotator cuff surgery a week ago today and will be off work for at least two months. I had thought that I would take the opportunity to blog more, but guess what? My right arm is in an immobilization sling, so typing is an adventure, and I'm not doing anything worth blogging about! No sewing, no cooking, no gardening, no photography, nada. I did get a bingo in Facebook Scrabble earlier today...that's my excitement for today. And oh yeah, I almost finished our taxes. Who knows what tomorrow holds?

Heath ceramics

2009-04-04T11:29:00.001-07:00

On the Saturday we were in the bay area, we took a drive over to Sausalito and visited the Heath ceramic factory and store. I had been wanting to do this for a while, and when we were in Berkeley we learned that Chez Panisse uses their dinnerware. They have been in the same location for 55 years.

In addition to dishes, they also make ceramic tile.

Mike was very patient as I oohed and aahed.

I would have loved some of that cobalt blue...

So many pretty things...

We didn't buy anything, but we came home with a greater appreciation of the pieces we have. These serving bowls and platters belonged to Mike's mother, so I guess they would be considered vintage.

I bought these matching cups and saucers on eBay several years ago.

As well as these plates....

And speaking of Chez Panisse, I just saw this interview with Alice Waters posted on Design Sponge.

A taste of San Francisco

2009-03-27T06:22:00.000-07:00

We had a fabulous trip to San Francisco for Mike's 50th high school reunion. We also managed to fit in some fine West Coast dining. On Sunday night we had dinner at one of our old favorites, Zuni Cafe.

My starter was the avocado and beet "ceviche."

And my entree was the pork chop (see the menu above for the description). It was DELICIOUS!

On Monday night we ate at Gary Danko. We had not been there before, but apparently the economy has affected them to the extent that we were able to get reservations with only a two week lead time. It was fabulous!

Winter Menu

Caviar Service ~ 1 ounce
Black River Osetra $95 or Golden Osetra $125

Appetizers
Glazed Oysters with Osetra Caviar, Salsify and Lettuce Cream
Seared Ahi Tuna with Avocado, Nori, Enoki Mushrooms and Lemon Soy Dressing
Dungeness Crab Salad with Winter Citrus, Avocado and Meyer Lemon-Chive Vinaigrette
Treviso and Romaine Salad with Banyuls Vinaigrette, Anchovies and Parmigiano-Reggiano
Lobster Salad with Asparagus, Hearts of Palm, Mango, Lemon-Curry Vinaigrette
and Pistachio Espuma
Green and White Asparagus Salad with Roasted Red Peppers and Red Onion-Caper Vinaigrette
Risotto with Rock Shrimp, Asparagus, Morel Mushrooms, Stinging Nettles and Prosciutto
Seared Sonoma Foie Gras with Caramelized Red Onions and Rhubarb
Asparagus Soup with Smoked Salmon and Lemon Crème Fraîche
Savory Tart of Butternut Squash, Cipollini Onions, Gruyère and Goat Cheese Mousse

Fish and Seafood
Pan Steamed Shellfish with Thai Red Curry and Jasmine Rice
Branzini with Fennel Purée, Niçoise Olives, Navel Oranges and Saffron
Herb Crusted Tuna with Crème Fraîche Spätzle, Toasted Pine Nuts, Belgian Endive and Orange
Roast Maine Lobster with Potato Purée, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Edamame Beans and Tarragon
Mushroom Dusted Sea Scallops with English Pea Purée, Shimeji Mushrooms and Meyer Lemon
Horseradish Crusted Salmon Medallion with Dilled Cucumbers and Mustard Sauce
Pancetta Wrapped Frog Legs with Garlic Purée, Potato, Lentils and Parsley
Soy Marinated Tofu Scallops with Daikon Purée, Baby Bok Choy and Shiitake Mushrooms

Meat and Game Birds
Rare Moroccan Spiced Squab with Chermoula and Orange-Cumin Carrots

Seared Filet of Beef with Braised Celery, Potatoes, Bacon, Leeks and Bordelaise Crust

Roasted Loin of Bison with King Trumpet Mushrooms, Glazed Cipollini Onions
and Herb Spätzle
Quail Stuffed with Onion, Foie Gras, Pine Nuts and Quinoa, Wild Mushroom Risotto Cake and Pomegranate Sauce
Guinea Hen Breast with Braised Leg, Stinging Nettle Gnocchi, Brussels Sprouts, Apples and Pancetta
Herb Crusted Loin of Lamb with Garbanzo Panisses, Swiss Chard
and Roasted Grape Compote
Lemon Pepper Duck Breast with Duck Hash, Celery Root-Garlic Purée and Poached Rhubarb

Cheese
A Selection of Farmhouse and Artisanal Cheeses Presented Tableside

Dessert
Seasonal Sorbet Sampler with Cookies
Baked Chocolate Soufflé with Two Sauces
French Macaroon Ice Cream Sandwiches with Three Sauces
Warm Louisiana Butter Cake with Huckleberry Compote and Vanilla Ice Cream
Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding with Caramel Mousse Parfait and Chocolate Sorbet
Lemon Soufflé Cake with Crème Fraîche Panna Cotta and Pomegranate Sorbet
Non-Cholesterol Grand Marnier Soufflé with Raspberry Sorbet
Trio of Crème Brûlée with Assorted Cookies

Prepared Tableside
Flambéed Cardamom Apples with Chestnut Crepes, Ricotta and Honey Sauce
For two or more people, an additional $6 per person

3 Courses $66 :: 4 Courses $83 :: 5 Courses $98

The wine

Seared Sonoma Foie Gras with Caramelized Red Onions and Rhubarb

Pancetta Wrapped Frog Legs with Garlic Purée, Potato, Lentils and Parsley

Guinea Hen Breast with Braised Leg, Stinging Nettle Gnocchi,
Brussels Sprouts, Apples & Pancetta

We didn't order dessert, so they brought us this lovely tray of bite sized sweets.

And what's a visit to San Francisco without an Irish coffee (or 3 or 4) at the Buena Vista?

A day in Berkeley

2009-03-21T16:30:00.000-07:00

Thursday we were in Berkeley, on our way back into San Francisco from Davis, where we spent the night and visited with some of Mike's grad school professors. It happened to be the day of the weekly organic farmers' market. Of course we couldn't buy anything, but we had fun looking.

We had hoped to eat at Chez Panisse, but neglected to make reservations early enough, so had to settle for a look at the menu.

Mike's reunion is tonight at the Olympic Club, and we have reservations at Zuni Cafe for tomorrow night and Gary Danko for Monday night, so culinary delights do await us!

Something to look forward to...

2009-03-20T17:05:00.000-07:00

Tickets for Outstanding in the Field went on sale this morning, and with the assistance of my dear daughter (I am in San Francisco and was having some internet issues, but that is another story) we scored tickets for the Houston event, which will be held at Jolie Vue Farms, the place from which we get our monthly meat delivery. Last year they featured from cajeta from our friends at Blue Heron Farm. Guess we locavores are all in bed together, but that is part of the beauty of it all.

Just as I promised...

2009-03-13T07:42:00.000-07:00

Gosh, I don't know how it got to be the middle of March already...I don't even know what happened to February! We got our latest delivery from Jolie Vue Farms on March 1st. Yes, those are marrow bones! I think I will just roast them for myself...Mike doesn't go crazy over marrow like I do. Somehow, taking pictures of a bunch of frozen meat seems silly, not like the pretty pictures people take of their CSA vegetables.

Of course, I can always liven things up with a cute picture of my cats. Purrkins was checking out the empty cooler that the meat came in. Graycie was probably looking for something to jump up and break.

I do have a produce picture for you, though. I picked this tomato on March 1st as well. I had planted one tomato plant last September. It survived Hurricane Ike and has continued to grow all winter. We never had a hard frost, and somehow it managed to produce this one poor little malformed tomato (which was quite tasty, by the way). It is covered with blossoms now, so maybe my tomato growing luck has changed.

This is my latest quilting project, made from April Cornell charm packs I bought at the Quilt Festival in 2007. It is off to be quilted as we speak. I plan to use it on the foot of our bed, picking up on the brown and aqua theme I have going.

We were in Fort Worth last weekend for the Texas Radiological Society meeting, so of course I had to stop at Cabbage Rose. I did buy some fabric, but it is for a surprise for someone who might read this blog, so I will have to wait to share it with you as well. I am scheduled to have rotator cuff surgery (ugh!) on April 3rd, so I need to get as much done as possible before then. Fortunately, I will still be able to type with my left hand and play Facebook Scrabble!

No, I haven't forgotten you, honest I haven't

2009-03-11T08:17:00.000-07:00

I feel like such a blog slacker, but I have all the usual excuses, work, travel, illness, etc. I do have some things to show you, and I promise to do so in the next few days. Honest.

Mystery blocks of the month

2009-02-21T14:36:00.000-08:00

Somehow, I never got around to piecing last month's block and this month's arrived in the mail yesterday. Mike has been at the PTC all day today, so I have been piecing and playing Scrabble on Facebook. These are last month's fabrics...

And this is last month's block...

This month's fabrics...

This month's block...

Here are all of the blocks so far. It will be interesting to see what sort of finishing they have in mind for this gaudy assortment.

>

Valentine's dinner

2009-02-15T10:25:00.000-08:00

I decided to make Beef Wellington for our Valentine's Day dinner last night. I have two recipes I have used before. The first, which I made several times back in the 70s is in The French Chef Cookbook. It involves a whole beef tenderloin and making pastry from scratch which you prebake into a shell...very complicated. More recently I have used the recipe from The New Basics. It uses individual filets and frozen puff pastry. Last night I took the best of both recipes and combined them.

This is the part from the French Chef. You make duxelles by chopping mushrooms very finely and squeezing the liquid out of them through a towel.

Then you cook them with butter and shallots.

You then add dry Madeira, cook until that evaporates and incorporate some pate.

The Madeira sauce is also from the French Chef. You take the reserved mushroom liquid and cook it with beef broth and bit of tomato paste. When it has been reduced you add some cornstarch dissolved in Madeira.

The rest of the recipe is from the New Basics. You rub individual beef filets with Dijon mustard, salt, pepper and dried thyme.

You then sear them in melted butter. At one point I was actually using four of the five burners on my cooktop.

I somehow missed taking a picture of topping the filets with the duxelles. You just spread it thickly over the top and sides.

This is the part I really like. Cover the filets with a circle of puff pastry, brush with beaten egg and decorate. Then bake at 425º for 15 minutes.

I'm not sure where we got this lovely bottle of Côtes du Rhône, but it was a nice accompaniment.

As was the asparagus with hollandaise. The Madeira sauce was served on the side.

I used a heart-shaped cookie cutter for the puff pastry decoration.

And for dessert there was chocolate crème brûlée,

with raspberries, Mike's favorite.

I don't cook like this often, but when I do I remember how much I enjoy it. I spent a good portion of the day planning and prepping, but there was very little to do at the last minute, so I was able to relax and enjoy our dinner. Give me that over a restaurant any time...

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T09:04:00.000-08:00

I recently came across this vintage Valentine card. I'm not sure when it's from, some time in the early 50s. Note on the little girl's bracelet a small metal rivet.

It lets the ice cream cone rotate away from the little girl's face.

I love vintage Valentine cards, but this one is very special to me...it is signed on the back by my father, who passed away last April.

I love you, too, Daddy.

Back in the blogosphere

2009-02-10T09:53:00.000-08:00

I have just returned from dropping my daughter and son-in-law off at the airport, the last of our kids to leave after our wonderful family vacation, a week-long cruise out of Galveston to the western Caribbean. I had been wanting to take a family vacation forever...seems like the last one we had was when the kids were in high school. My original plan was to do this when our younger son graduated from college in 2006, but then he didn't really graduate till 2007, and that was the year our daughter got married. Then there was the issue of where to go and what to do. Somehow I got the idea of a cruise. The appealing part of this was the simplicity of it all. We could drive to Galveston, get on a ship and just relax for a week...no cooking or cleaning or getting on each others' nerves because everyone would have their own cabin and time away from each other. The ground rules were that they all had to get themselves to Houston and pay their own bar bills on the ship! It was well received by all, especially those who were happy to get out of Minnesota in February.

Our itinerary was Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Montego Bay. Unfortunately, the weather was less than cooperative. It was mostly sunny, but also windy, which affected our shore excursions. We went snorkeling in Cozumel, but the sea was very choppy and definitely NOT the best conditions for snorkeling. The wind followed us to Grand Cayman and our "Stingray City" excursion was canceled. And it was so bad in Jamaica that the ship didn't even dock. But we didn't plan the trip to go on the excursions, we planned to spend time with our kids...which we got to do, and had a fabulous time! We all had dinner together every night, hung out by the pool, played board games and enjoyed every minute. It was wonderful to have our whole family together for a week, but now I miss them more than ever.

Update: I have uploaded pictures to my Flickr account here.

Les Petites Images: Dinner, Houston style

2009-01-30T04:50:00.000-08:00

We are getting ready to go on our cruise, so I've been a bit busy. My daughter and son-in-law arrived yesterday and she documented last night's dinner on her blog...just in case you're interested.

Les Petites Images: Dinner, Houston style

I have a post in the works, honest!

More meat and a "new" bathroom

2009-01-28T12:18:00.000-08:00

We received our third meat delivery from Jolie Vue Farms. There is enough meat for 12 meals and also, being from Louisiana, they always include a "lagniappe." We have been very pleased with the quantity and quality of the meat we have received, and are very happy that we are able to support a local, sustainable farm. This was our most recent delivery:

Boneless beef shoulder roast 2#
Whole chickens (2) 5#
Ground beef 3#
Bratwurst 1#
Ground pork 1#
Bone-in rib eyes (2) 1#
Pork back ribs 8 oz.
Fresh slab bacon 8 oz.
Smoked bacon 12 oz.
Beef bones (lagniappe) 2.5#

In anticipation of our children visiting us before we leave on our long awaited family vacation (a western Caribbean cruise), we decided to finally redo our ugly guest bathroom. I neglected to take a "before" picture until after Mike and Donesh had successfully removed the very ugly 70's aluminum and glass shower door over New Year's.

We then painted it in "Gingery" by Sherwin Williams. Actually, Mike painted and I critiqued. I hate to paint. I made a shower curtain and valance out of some fabric I had bought for that purpose on one of my trips to Italy (we had been planning to do this for quite some time). We are both pleased with the result, and I am happy to have one more piece of fabric out of my stash made up into something!

He can't do it alone

2009-01-26T05:00:00.000-08:00

I haven't waxed political in a while, but I, like so many, am very happy that we have a new, smart, compassionate president who represents the things I believe in. I am optimistic that despite the morass this country is in right now, the new administration will set it on the right path. I hope that all the enthusiasm I have seen over the last week will be born out in people's actions...that everyone will actually work to change things and not expect the government to do it all for them. My daughter posted this on her blog, and I think it represents what we ALL need to do.

Back from New Orleans

2009-01-18T18:47:00.000-08:00

We just returned from four days in New Orleans. Mike had an RTOG meeting to attend, and I just went along for the ride. Well, actually HE came along for the ride, since I drove the whole way. Yes, I have control issues, but he doesn't even like to drive, so it works out better for both of us this way. This was the first time we had been to New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina. We stayed at the Sheraton on Canal Street, just across from the French Quarter. The quarter seems to have recovered well. There was no flooding there, just wind damage which, for the most part, has been repaired. Their biggest loss was personnel...many of the people in the service sector were displaced, so getting their staff back up to par was an issue that seems to have been resolved, 3 1/2 years later. We ate at many of our old favorites.

K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen, where we had cajun martinis,

fried green tomatoes with shrimp remoulade

and bronzed swordfish with fried oysters.

Acme Oyster House for oysters on the half shell,

Central Grocery for muffalettas,

and of course, Cafe du Monde for cafe au lait and beignets.

I did take a bus tour that went into the lower ninth ward. Three and a half years later, there is still much evidence of the devastation of Katrina, but also signs of reconstruction, albeit it very slow. Unfortunately I wasn't really able to get any pictures that show what it is like. Certainly the indomitable spirit of the city shone through, as evidenced by the ubiquitous Blue Dog.

This isn't a photography blog...

2009-01-13T07:48:00.000-08:00

...but sometimes there are things I photograph for no particular reason that I want share. Like this rare Houston sunset last week. For whatever reason, we seldom get pretty sunsets here. When I saw this I just had to take some pictures.

As well as this one. Cats rarely pose for the camera, so when they do you must act quickly!

Hog heaven

2009-01-10T13:09:00.000-08:00

My older stepson is a grad student in EE at UT-Dallas. We always see him on holidays when we go up to my mom's near Fort Worth, but he rarely comes down to visit us. We convinced him to come down with us after Christmas, and he flew back up on New Year's Day. He and Mike had some good father-son bonding which involved some yard work, several trips to Lowe's and starting a redo of our guest bath (which I have a feeling I may end up finishing). They took out an ugly old aluminum and glass shower door, which I am going to replace with a shower curtain made from some fabric I bought in Italy for just that purpose. We are also painting the room...a job I hate!

Another thing they did together was go to Fry's. They bought a wireless router and he installed it for me. This means that I can now be online in my sewing room...woohoo! This is especially nice when I am doing machine embroidery and have to sit here while the Bernina does its stuff. Does it get any bettter than that? I don't think so.

Speaking of sewing, here is picture of my mom and me on Christmas. She is wearing the jacket I made for her birthday. (And if you click on the photo for a close-up, you can see the Mary Engelbreit cross-stitch I made for my parents' 50th anniversary.)

An Engineer's Guide to Cats

2009-01-09T09:10:00.000-08:00

If you haven't seen this before, it's hilarious, especially if you have both engineers and cats in your family!

Pink Penguin: Baby Shoes

2009-01-09T08:26:00.000-08:00

Another unbelievably cute project!

Pink Penguin: Baby Shoes

Freda's Hive: "Doll House" Potholder Tutorial

2009-01-09T08:24:00.000-08:00

These are the CUTEST things ever! They make me want to abandon all my other current works-in-progress and make some!

Freda's Hive: "Doll House" Potholder Tutorial

The ugliest one so far...

2009-01-04T18:01:00.001-08:00

Well, I'm glad I didn't make any New Year's resolutions about being a better blogger, because I would have broken them already! Seems like someone has put my life on fast forward...how can it be the second week of January?

This is the fourth mystery block of the month from Cabbage Rose Quilting. It goes with this one and these two.

I was in the shop the day after Christmas. Since I was at my mom's and they were having a big sale, I dragged my sister and niece along to ooh and aah over all their pretty stuff and their cute, cute shop. I mentioned to the owner (I think) that the Kaffe Fassett fabrics were not something I would have ever chosen for myself and alluded to the similarity between them and my grandmother's old slipcovers. She said, "Oh, you aren't familiar with his designs?" Me: "I guess not...I am more drawn to Mary Engelbreit and Amy Butler" (of which this shop has a boatload!) But being as O/C as I am, I will continue to make these "free" blocks. I did buy some pretty fabric and a pattern to use them in...

They are really calling to me...but I am trying to be disciplined enough to finish up a few other works in progress before starting something else. Wish me luck!

Happy New Year!

2008-12-31T17:45:00.000-08:00

Wishing you all a wonderful 2009!

New year...new furniture

2008-12-30T16:13:00.000-08:00

We have been talking about getting a new sofa for a while now. We have a few good reasons for doing this:

We now have Kate's old futon in our TV room...not very comfortable for sitting on for any length of time. It does function as a double bed, but again, not very comfortable.
Our old sofa(bed) in the living room is still in pretty good shape despite being at least 15 years old, but the burgundy/navy/forest green plaid upholstery is very 90's. It is a Berne, well constructed and we did pay a good amount for it. We could just have it reupholstered (which we may well do), but we would like to put it in the TV room (which is really a bedroom) so when we have more guests than the guest room can accommodate (which does happen) they can have some privacy.
If we put it in the TV room, we will have a more comfortable place to watch our weekly one hour of TV and will be able to update our 90's looking living room.

I have seen several ads in the newspaper for The Amish Craftsman. I love craftsman style...I am always oohing and aahing over the latest edition of American Bungalow. If I could have any house I wanted, it would probably be a craftsman style bungalow. We have a few vintage craftsman pieces, and almost all of our other furniture is oak. And after almost 18 years of marriage I know Mike well enough to know that if I get him to go and look at something, we are probably going to buy something. This is what we bought.
It will be crafted by an Amish furniture builder from Indiana or Ohio and delivered to us in 2-4 months. And this is the leather upholstery.

We decided on leather and I think that this is the color we chose...not brown, not burgundy...something in between that will hopefully go with the rest of the room, although I do foresee a new rug in the future. It was rather costly, but I do feel good about supporting domestic craftsmen who use domestic products. Now all we have to do is get the old sofa bed into the TV room...hopefully it will fit!

A little bit of Christmas...

2008-12-24T19:52:00.000-08:00

We got our second meat delivery last Sunday. I decided that it would be a good idea to date the packages, since some are duplicates from last month that we haven't used yet. I think there may be a meatloaf in our foreseeable future, what with ground beef and pork and all. We also have a package of veal liver. I don't remember the last time I cooked liver, but I think it involves bacon and onions. This is what we received:
NY strip 8 oz.
Pork shoulder roast 2#
Whole chicken 2#
Ground beef 2#
Pork cutlet 8 oz.
Bratwurst 1½ #
Pork sausage 1#
Ground pork 1#
Boneless pork chop 8 oz.
Hot dogs 8 oz.
Veal liver 1#

Mike and I opened our presents on Christmas Eve, because we left Christmas morning to drive up to Mansfield to spend the holiday with my family. My stepsons came as well, which was great, but I was really sad not to be with Kate and Kyle. I'm so glad I had last week with them, even if being gone the week before Christmas put me way behind schedule.

Purrkins wanted to help with the opening of gifts.

Although I should have known that he had an ulterior motive...

After Mike went to bed, I finished binding this quilt, which obviously did make it back from the quilter's. I gave it to my sister for Christmas. Mike had drawn her name, but we all know how that works! (I recommend clicking on the picture for a close-up :-)

Happy Christmas to all...

2008-12-24T19:46:00.000-08:00

...and to all a good night!

I <3 the internet!

2008-12-19T09:27:00.000-08:00

Well, of course, we all do, but I just wanted to share with you the most recent reason for my love affair with cyberspace. For the last 18 years we have sent out Christmas cards with a family photo taken during the previous year. It is fun to look back at them and see how the kids have changed over the years (Mike and I still look the same, of course :-). Last year we used this one from Kate and Kyle's wedding. This year, unfortunately, there was no picture to use. The only time during the year that we were all together was for my dad's memorial service, and somehow it never occurred to me to get a photo then. And yes, they are all grown and have lives of their own, so I guess I could have just used a photo of Mike and me and maybe the cats, but that just seems kind of weird. This was my solution. I uploaded some photos taken throughout the year to Flickr. Then when I got to Minneapolis earlier this week, we took a picture of Kate and Kyle and me (and their cats). Kate, a semi-professional photographer, Photoshopped them into a collage for me, which I then uploaded to Walgreen's. I am picking up prints tonight from my local Walgreen's in Bellaire, after I fly back to Houston this afternooon. The internet is truly a wonderous thing!

Vintage Christmas

2008-12-13T15:42:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to share some vintage Christmas items we have. This Santa planter belonged to Mike's mother.

As did this kind of scary looking wind-up Santa.

This nativity scene is from my childhood, purchased at the "dime store" (remember those?) We were so poor we could only afford one wise man. I seem to recall a shepherd, but don't know what became of him.

This is a wreath I made of old glass ornaments, Shiny Brites and others. The rubber reindeer is from my first Christmas in 1951. The "elf on the shelf" figure was given to me by my friend Patti...it belonged to her mother-in-law.

This crewel embroidery was done by Mike's mother...a lot of work for something that is just displayed for one month out of the year, but I do treasure it.

I love all these old things from Christmases past. The memories are what make this time of year so special.

Too busy to blog...again

2008-12-10T16:18:00.000-08:00

Gosh, I don't even know what happened to November and here we are two weeks from Christmas. I'd like to say that I have lots in the works to give as gifts, but that's just not the case. I have a couple of small (machine) embroidery items in mind and I am holding out hope that my last quilt will come back from the quilter, but other than that, no Christmas projects. Today is my mother's birthday and I did make this jacket for her. It has been a long time in the making. A few years ago her cousin was taking a trip to China and asked her what she would like him to bring her. She, being a long time seamstess (remember the doll clothes she made?), said "Oh, maybe some silk." So he obliged and brought her this lovely silk brocade, which she then asked me to make into a jacket for her. I used to do a lot of garment construction, but hadn't done any for a long time. I told her that I wanted to make a muslin first before cutting into this gorgeous silk, just to make sure that it fit. Well, to make a long story short, after several illnesses, a huge weight loss, and two muslins, I finally felt confident that I could make a jacket that would fit her. And it does. I finished it Sunday night, she received it today and loves it...says it fits like it was made for her (it was!) This picture doesn't really do it justice...maybe at Christmas I will be able to take a picture of her wearing it and will share it then. I was just happy that I was still able to do a set-in sleeve.

Salty blog

2008-12-02T10:00:00.000-08:00

It occurs to me that posting this here will actually reduce my chance of winning the $120 worth of salt,
but hey, it's the Christmas season!

A little embroidery, a little sewing

2008-11-25T18:11:00.000-08:00

Remember those fingertip towels I bought at the quilt festival? I was inspired by this one that All About Blanks had made up.

I had bought this Laurel Burch Christmas fabric thinking that I would use it in a table runner of some sort, maybe like the Susan Branch one I made for my friend Nancy's birthday last year.

But the towel idea seemed so much simpler, so I hooked up the embroidery module and started it up.

I made these two for my mom...

And while I was at it I made these two as well. I am giving them as Thanksgiving presents...if I wait till Christmas to give them away, it will be too late to use them!

Locavorism

2008-11-23T16:57:00.001-08:00

I have been fascinated by the concept of eating locally ever since I read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Obviously, living in city, we are not able to raise our own food. Heck, I can't even grow tomatoes successfully! We shop a lot at Whole Foods and at the Bayou City Farmers' Market when we can. After reading The Omnivore's Dilemma, I really started thinking twice about buying red meat. We don't eat much beef or pork, usually only a couple times a week, but after reading about CAFOs, I didn't want to eat any at all. Free range chickens are fairly easy to come by, and we do eat a lot of fish (the local version being gulf shrimp), but getting grass fed pastured beef and pork is a challenge. There are a few vendors at the farmers' market, but not a huge selection. And there is open season on wild pigs in Texas, but I don't think that I am ready to take up hunting quite yet. After a little web searching, I found Jolie Vue Farms and discovered that they have a monthly home delivery program, (and you all know how much I love having things delivered :-) We signed up for it, and look who came today.

Our monthly supply of meat arrived in this cooler...

Purrkins was interested to see if they included any kitty treats...

This is what was in our initial delivery:
Boneless pork chop 8 oz.
Pork porterhouse 14 oz.
Beef sirloin tip roast 2 #
Pork spare ribs 2#
Bacon 8 oz.
Ground pork 1#
Pork cutlets 1#
Ground beef 3#
Pork shoulder roast 2½ #
Whole chicken 3#
Italian sausage ¾ #
Smoked ham hocks 1#

A lot more pork than we normally eat, but it will be interesting to decide what to do with it all.

And they also included this cookbook, with recipes and tips on cooking grass fed meat.

I am excited to be able to make this change in our lifestyle...eating healthier food, supporting the people who produce it and reducing our carbon footprint in the process.