Stitches in Play

proving stuff to myself

Most times taking pictures, making stuff, blogging and flickr are super fun and creative outlets for me.  But for some reason I cannot get in the habit of taking a picture a day for my flickr 365 - I have failed in previous years but intend to make it though the year in 2013.  I seem to remember to take a photo on days that my family sticks to a schedule.  But the whole family was home last Monday in honor of President's Day and I didn't take any pictures.  We went out for breakfast and then for a hike with the dog.  I didn't bring my camera and just thought I would take a photo "later."  We came home for a bit and cleaned up around the house, ate a late lunch, and then off to ballet for the girl and taekwondo for the boys - still no pictures taken.  I went grocery shopping during the kids' classes and came home to put away groceries, whip up a quick pasta dish for dinner, clean the kitchen, and hang out with the family......no pictures were taken.  I won't bother with the details but exercise, pets, kids, a dirty house, an unexpected visit, and guitar lessons filled up my Tuesday as well - once again no pictures. 

So on Wednesday I was pretty upset with myself for truly enjoying my days but somehow not being able to take a single photo to document them.  I left the house right after the kiddos got on the bus to exercise with a friend, then I ran errands for myself and on behalf of several members of our temple.  I came home and walked the dog right before the boys came home from school.  We had thirty minutes until we needed to get in the car again to drive to taekwondo.  I grabbed my camera and took pictures of anything - mostly nothing - but I took pictures.  It was quick and fun.  And I (hopefully) proved to myself that all I need to do to take a picture a day is to pick up my camera.  How easy is that - right!? 

On Friday I also (hopefully) proved to myself that I can piece a quilt again - all I have to do is take out my sewing machine and fabric and place it on the kitchen table while I eat my lunch!  I will share quilt progress soon!

The following are just some of the pictures I took in the thirty minutes it took me to get the boys a snack and get everyone out of the house and on to taekwondo.  Lesson learned - pick up the camera even when you think you are super busy and running around the house (still) in your workout clothes at 4:30pm!

Quilt blocks coming soon.  I am so excited to be making again!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

 

observing valentine's

Valentine's Day 2013 in pictures:

On this Valentine's I took pictures. 

Abby went off to school with a bag full of Valentine's cards, candy and small gifts.

Ezra and David are in middle school and no longer exchange cards or candy in school so they have to settle for the cookies and brownies that mama bakes.

Above photos of plastic rings are from Target.  $1.50 for a pack of eight. Abby asked that we buy some for her girlfriends.  There were three left and they are so lovely when the sun hit them that I couldn't stop photographing them. 

Martha Stewart's heart sandwich cookies were beautiful but not terribly flavorful.  The chocolate were much better than the pink sugar variety. They were, however, a ton of fun to gift to friends and neighbors!

There were hearts in my ivy plant and pink streaks in the sky.  It was a wonderful day!

I bought myself red tulips from trader joe's for $4.00.

Greg bought me what I really wanted for Valentine's.  (I had to tell him what I wanted ahead of time but after nearly twenty one years of marriage we are both just fine with that)  And now I cannot stop smelling myself - and i'm just fine with that too!

The morning after shot...

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

rainy weekend snacking

Just popping in to share our weekend snacking favorites. 

On Saturday it rained.  And we snacked. And then it stopped.  And the sun came out.  So we rode our bikes around the neighborhood.  And then it rained once more. And we snacked again. And then the sun came out again so i decided to take pictures of all our snacking.  Of course!

This first snack relies on the concept of "ratio" - a small amount of dark chocolate and a big handful of almonds.  Yummy, healthy, absolutely no prep involved.  Who needs portion control when we have ratio?

Second snack is anything topped with trader joe's cherry preserves.  Perfect on bread, ice cream or right out of the jar.  We didn't make strawberry jam this year so we're making do!

Third snack is this awesome organic popcorn. 

And, or course, I am never too far away from a cuppa warm chai tea.  Helps wash down all the snacks in the most delightful way!  (for some reason i cannot help but channel Mary Poppins this morning....)

Hope your Sunday includes a bit of snacking.  It's Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! 

life is good

Working on clearing up some issues so that you all can view my blog again. 

Extremely thankful to Sarah for some very detailed instructions on how to go about doing this.  You totally rock!

Grateful to all the folks who sent me emails and flickr messages - i heart blog friends so much. 

In the meantime, we're making salad out of veggies from the farmer's market. 

We're finding hearts in the sweetest figs.


 We're playing in the pool.

And remembering always that "In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity." -Albert Einstein

appreciating the moments

School let out two weeks ago and we have been thoroughly enjoying our summer vacation.

Eating healthy lunches that include yummy eggs courtesy of our sweet hens.

Arranging flowers on our kitchen table.

Picking perfectly sweet strawberries from our garden.

Reading and playing together.  (not always this amicably)

 

Gobbling up salt water taffy.  (yet another reason to love trader joe's)

Swimming (and splashing and teasing and giggling) in the pool until we are exhausted.

And then resting up so that we can do it all over again the next day.

These days I am being patient with myself. 

After the tornado hit our town the oldest boy has arrived home from am school by 12:45.  With Mondays off from school and my husband working most weekends I have had little alone time. 

I have been taking moments for myself here and there.

Giving myself space to breathe deeply. to pause. to think.

to enjoy the weather.  to walk my dogs in the woods.

I have also chosen enjoy the not-so-pleasant chores.  like cleaning out the chicken coop.  mowing. weeding.  planting. mulching. driving my kiddos to Hebrew school, swim meet, taekwondo, math bowl practice.

Chosen to spend more one on one time with my kiddos.  with ezra leaving for school at 6am I have two hours each morning to spend with the younger kiddos.  Middle child who never gets to sit in the front seat of the car really enjoyed the privilege each morning for the short drive to the bus stop.  even though we barely drove for a mile he loved adjusting the seat and turning on the seat warmers.  I never use these because it can't be that healthy to sit on hot electric coils but i figured that just a few minutes each morning wouldn't hurt.  Plus we giggled as our backsides became warm. 

We also found the time to stop by the ice cream shop after finding out that his team did not place in the statewide round of the great computer challenge.  We decided on ice cream floats to "drown our sorrows" and giggled at how silly we sounded.  In the booth, sitting on extra tall bar stools the boy told me how much fun he had and how well he worked with the two girls that comprised his team.  We agreed that his team would have done better if there was more time to practice bridge construction methods.  We realize that with the short school year only four practice sessions may not have been enough and we move on.

We are living in the moment.  We are focusing on fun.  We are sucking down ice cream and soda through pink straws.

I'm not really making much of anything these days.  Still knitting a dishcloth out of yarn sent to me by a friend.  Washing dishes using the dishcloth she knit for me.  Feeling fortunate to have made many wonderful friends through blogging. 

Just finished washing dishes from lunch.  Peering out the window every so often to see that the rain has broken and the sun is shining.  Feeling fortunate that I have dishes to wash.  Fortunate that it's summer and I no longer have to wake up at 5:30am to get ezra on the 6am school bus.  So happy that I am a mama with many commitments and responsibilities who is finally figuring out that not everything needs to be done immediately or perfectly.  But that each and every moment must be appreciated.

We are also just two weeks away from finalizing the purchase of a small home in the city.  We are just overjoyed.  After years of hoping and dreaming and preparing our country home is nearly paid off and we were able to make a small space in the city a reality.  For the past six years I have been driving to the city several times per week (usually fridays and sundays and some saturdays) to the city an hour away to attend temple services and hebrew school.  This is the closest temple to our home and while an hour drive each way isn't that bad add in three kiddos and a husband who's at work while mama is driving said kiddos and you get the picture.  Plus with two bar mitzvahs in the next three years we are going to love our little oasis in the city even more.  We are already planning lunches and play dates with all of our city friends who have generously invited us over and fed us over the years - this home base will do us a world of good.  I am not even allowing myself to think about the fact that I will have another kitchen and two more bathrooms to clean or bedrooms to pick up and more clothes to put away because I would rather do all those things with my kiddos than spend six hours per week strapped into our car seats driving through traffic.  So if all goes well in two short weeks we will be enjoying our woods and chickens in the country and our friends, temple and community pool and playground in the city.  Oh, and while this had nothing to do with our decision to buy the city house it just happens to be exactly one mile away from a trader joe's and a target.   I am one lucky girl - and I am appreciating each and every single moment because they fly by so fast.

Thanks for letting me share this news with you friends!  Hope you are appreciating the moments this summer.

Jennifer Casa's new book Teach Yourself Visually: Crafting with Kids - review and giveaway!

Welcome friends!  Today I have the pleasure of reviewing Jennifer Casa's awesome new book:  Teach Yourself Visually - Crafting with Kids. 

First a little disclaimer.  Jennifer is my friend, I have loved reading her blog for years, two years ago I won some gorgeous wool in a giveaway on her blog and I have purchased some of her lovely creations from her etsy shop to gift to family and friends for Christmas and Hanukkah gifts.  So when Jennifer asked me if I'd like to review her new book in a blog tour I jumped at the chance.  I was sure it would be filled with fun and creative ideas to make with kiddos....

But then I received this book and saw that it had 75 fun crafts and projects (yes 75!), each illustrated with numerous step-by-step color photographs and using common materials we have on hand and divided into chapters for seasonal making, game playing, gift giving, party celebrating and more! 

Immediately, my kiddos were inspired to grab what we had on hand and create Button Botanicals on page 71. More on that later....

This book is great for so many reasons.

First, every single project is accompanied by so many photos that you don't even have to read (heck, you don't even have to know how to read) the instructions to get the urge to begin making.  The moment this book arrived at my house my kiddos began flipping through it's 240 pages and rummaging through our craft supplies.  What's so wonderful about this book is that although Jennifer provides clear and easy to follow step-by-step instructions the photos provide so much inspiration to get the creative juices flowing that kiddos can easily put their own spin on the projects.  This is a must at my house  - my kiddos love to be inspired to make but they often rebel if they feel that they have to follow precise instructions.

Second, I love that most of the projects call for craft materials that most people already have on hand.  You can complete so many of these projects with just paper, paints, fabric scraps, glue, buttons, foil, toilet paper tubes, popsicle sticks and yarn.  We always have these items lying around the house but need ideas to use them in new and creative ways and this book does just that.  When I was reading this book I often had to stop and say, "Why didn't I think of that?" or "So that's how you make a Kaleidoscope out of two toilet paper tubes!"

This brings me to my third point.  This book is not just for kiddos - it's also great for grown people.  I loved learning about how to make dyed t-shirts, easy play dough, tissue paper sun catchers, marbled paper, and button barrettes.

Around here we love collecting buttons and coming up with new, fun ways to create with them.  So button botanicals was the first project we tackled.  We already had these canvas boards, some poster paint, buttons and glue so off we went.

Even the just turned twelve year old boy was inspired and had a blast making.  And he gifted his creation to his mama!  Then he told me he wants to make watercolor cards (page 148) next.  I just love what a great book can do!

Teach Yourself Visually Crafting with Kids is such a wonderful book to add to your making library.  And yes, Jennifer is providing a signed copy of this fabulous book to one of you.  Plus I will be sending my promo copy to another lucky winner because I purchased a copy of my own  - that's two chances to win!  Please leave a comment on this post between now and Monday night.  Don't forget to leave your email if it's not linked to your profile. I'll announce the winners on Tuesday. Good luck!

Here's the blog tour schedule for more reviews, interviews and chances to win:

Tuesday, April 5 (release date)  -  JCasa *handmade
Wednesday, April 6  -  The Crafty Crow
Thursday, April 7  -  Sparkle Power
Monday, April 11  -  WhipUp
Wednesday, April 13  -  A Stitch in Dye
Friday, April 15  -  Smile and Wave
Monday, April 18  -  Elsie Marley
Wednesday, April 20  -  Maya*Made
Friday, April 22  -  Stitches in Play
Tuesday, April 26  -  Aesthetic Outburst
Thursday, April 28  -  Artsy Crafty Babe

about what matters

I cannot believe i have been away from this space for so long.  But not only did my kiddos get a super long spring break due to budget cuts but...On Saturday a tornado hit our town.  Many homes were damaged and the roof was completely blown off one of our two middle schools and mangled school buses were thrown about the roads.  Clean up is underway.  People are thinking about what is important and which possessions truly matter.  One newspaper article stated that teachers had asked to be allowed to return to the school to retrieve their belongings.  But on Tuesday the perimeter of the school was fenced off and it was announced that the structure was not stable enough to enter.  Everyone received an important lesson on letting go of the 'stuff' and turning our attention to the people and community.

[On a personal note my family is just fine - we lost power overnight and our yard is littered with branches but we suffered no damage.  Today I drove Ezra to the bus stop at 6:30am for AM middle school.  He will attend school until 12:45pm and the students from the damaged school will be bussed to his school for PM classes (1:00 to 6:30 pm!). Thank goodness there were no students in the school when the storm hit on Saturday and thank goodness there are only thirty-four days of school left - i, for one, cannot wait for summer vacation to begin.]

All of this has caused people around here to focus on what is important:  friends, family, pets, relationships, health, sunshine...

This article talks about living with less stuff and how we are happiest when we spend our time and money on experiences such as vacations, entertainment and sports because they allow us to create lasting memories. I love the simple quote by Professor Dunn, "It's better to go on a vacation than buy a new couch"  This quote, in particular, speaks to me because last July I painted the walls of my home white and donated two of our three couches.  I fully intended to replace them with a nicer, no-so-worn couch but nearly a year has passed and our family of five has lived very happily with just one couch (and two arm chairs + the twelve chairs surrounding our dining room and kitchen tables!).  All of this leads me to the post I said i would write on how i go about keeping our home clear and clean.  Although i enjoy decluttering, organizing and donating these tasks are not synonymous with having a picked-up home - complete with clean, cleared-off surfaces.

Cleaning up, unfortunately, is a daily chore that I have to constantly remind myself to stay on top of.  To find motivation i tell myself how much better my family functions when the kitchen table, couch, coffee table, and kitchen counter tops are clean and available for play, cooking, and making.  And having supplies for crafting, cooking, and playing games neat and organized allows us to begin a fun project or recipe when we choose rather than waste precious family time searching for the lost game piece or missing purple marker.

My number one trick to quick cleaning is to keep all surfaces as bare as possible.

Only flowers and a candle on the kitchen and dining tables.  I have put away the place mats because crumbs and juice spills get underneath so i have to clean the top and bottom of five place mats as well as the table top. This way i just clear the dirty dishes, throw the napkins in the wash, and wipe down the table.

Only a lamp, alarm clock and a book on the bedroom nightstands. Makes for easy and quick dusting.

Only a lamp and artwork propped up on dressers in each of the kiddos bedrooms.  Everything else has a home in a drawer or on a bookcase.  I can dust all four bedrooms in ten minutes when all the surfaces are free of clutter.

Only a toaster oven, cutting board and blender (for daily smoothies) on the kitchen counter. I do not have many appliances or kitchen gadgets and i have made room for the ones i do have in the cabinets.  My kitchen is tiny with only four pull out drawers and four cabinets and very little counter space.  I have gotten into the habit of cleaning as i work when preparing meals - i am constantly wiping down the counter top and cutting board and putting away ingredients as i use them.  This makes for quick cleanup after dinner because there are no spills or stuck on food to scrub.

Only soap, toothbrushes, and contacts lens stuff on the bathroom counters.  (the kiddos only have soap and toothbrushes).  I dislike cleaning bathrooms the most so very recently i decided that i would wipe down the counter tops and sinks with just a rag and warm water daily.  While i'm there i swish the toilets with a bit of comet cleanser.  I usually wipe down the master bath and guest bath in the mornings and the kid's bath when abigail is in the tub.  This only takes a few minutes per day and i never feel like the bathrooms are dirty.  About once a week i use method all purpose cleaner in grapefruit scent on the counter tops and floors - i get mine at target.  I do not worry too much about killing all germs in the bathroom - there will always be germs and i don't like the thought of being responsible for their death.

In order to maintain all these surfaces free of clutter i do two things:

1.  Follow the rule "if you used it - you are responsible for putting it away."   Your kiddos will do this if they see you doing it.   Remember that kiddos learn by example and love working as a team.  We also have a "five minute put-away time" each night before dinner or before bedtime.

2.  Donate all things in your home that you do not use often or love.  The dilemma here is that often the items we use most are out on tables and counter tops while those that we have no use for and have forgotten we own are neatly stored away taking up precious space in closets, drawers, bookshelves and pantries.  To remedy this, every few months I go through my closets and drawers and donate items that i don't use to make room for those that i use daily.  I came across this book on amazon the other night and judging from the stellar reviews it could be very useful.  I have not read this book - just putting the information out there for those who wish to live with less and want a bit more guidance.

As for laundry, I have recently switched from a big laundry day (where i washed a weeks worth of clothes + bedding and towels) to throwing in a load every evening after dinner.  Some days I fold this load in the evenings while the kiddos are going about their nightly bathroom + snack routine.  Other days I fold the clothes in the morning while everyone is waking up and preparing for breakfast.  The following sentence is controversial but I will admit to putting my kid's clothes away for them and straightening up their rooms and tossing trash while i am in there - my boys rooms are often already neat and tidy but the six year old girly still cuts, shreds, glues and paints on every surface and needs some help to keep all the supplies + the resulting projects organized.  Once a week, in the morning, i wash everyone's bedding and get it back on the beds by bedtime - that way i don't have to worry about folding or putting it away.

Ezra vacuums most of the house every week (or more often if needed) and David and Abby each vacuum their own rooms.

Each of the kiddos dust their own rooms.  I dust the rest of the house (usually in the evenings when the kiddos are doing homework) using a Swiffer sweeper cloth - these work great for dust.  I do not own the stick sweeper that it attaches to because i do not use these to clean the floor (we just wipe up spills and vacuum the floor).

We do not make the beds - everyone just straightens his or her covers/ quilts each morning.

I hope this helps a bit and that you can take this information and apply it to your cleaning routine.  Don't worry too much about what you clean or organize or donate - just do what you can today.  

 Because "You can't wring your hands and roll up your sleeves at the same time."  Anonymous

If nothing else, be sure to clear off a space to create with your kiddos and then stop by here on Friday for a review of Jennifer Casa's gorgeous new book and a chance to win one of your very own!  Book tour schedule is here for more chances to win. 

Big hugs to you and thanks so much for stopping by!

 

stream of consciousness

Since I was last here...

Everyone in our home is healthy once again.

My kiddos are back in school after a four day weekend (our county is saving money by closing down the schools resulting in many long weekends). 

I truly enjoy having my kiddos home the extra days.  This weekend we visited the space museum. We visited the library and read new books in our pj's.  We watched this visually stunning film - i just love streaming movies through netflix.

I have been knitting a bit.  A cardi for Abby.

I have been sewing a bit.  I'll be able to share soon.

I have been snacking a lot.  I like to eat my food directly off the cutting board.  It's fun and there are fewer dishes to wash. (that's goat cheese on the crackers - yum.)

I have been folding laundry while listening to the soundtrack from this wonderful movie.  I recommended this film a while ago but it's definitely worth repeating.  Watch Once first - you won't be disappointed.

I took a nature walk on a rainy morning.

 

 

Since I don't have any completed projects to share and nothing earth shattering (thank goodness) has transpired I thought I'd share some random things about me:

I love a long, hot shower.  I rarely take baths.

I drink a lot of this tea.  Often times I sneak in a second tea bag - this is my current favorite.

My favorite thing to eat with tea is almond biscotti.

For the past several weeks I've had the music of April Smith and Tarja Turunen in heavy rotation. 

My kiddos and I love listening to Vitamin String Quartet - they play some awesome Lady Gaga without any of the offensive lyrics.  Check out all their albums here.

In the past month I have slept in a white tee so that I could just throw on a coat when I drive Ezra to the bus stop at 7am.  I have also worn boots so that I wouldn't have to change mismatched socks.

I could live on brown rice, black beans and salsa...

With blueberry mango smoothies to wash it down. (I buy frozen blueberries and frozen mango chunks at Trader Joe's and blend them with a banana, vanilla yogurt and a bit of water)

For the past two weeks I have written grocery lists and forgotten them on the fridge.  Both weeks I managed to buy everything on them except for cinnamon.  I must admit that our french toast, granola and cookies have been lacking. 

I feel good when my hands and feet are moisturized. 

I think I may be growing my hair out.  Either that or i just haven't bothered to get it cut in a while.

I love to paint my toenails but I don't paint my fingernails.

I cannot hear myself think when the television is on - at least I hope I am still thinking.  I do not feel the same about watching movies.

I try to take my contact lenses out right after dinner - but I often forget.  My eyes do not thank me for this.

I feel truly thankful for my husband.  Not a day has gone by since March 1991 that he hasn't told me how much he loves me.  I know that he means it because he always looks me in the eyes and smiles when he tells me. 

Having too much stuff makes me nervous.  Each time I bring something new into the house I cannot help but think about how I will have to dust, wash, store or otherwise care for yet another thing.

I am happiest when the sun is shining - even if it's really cold out.

I feel blessed to have all our pets. (we have 2 dogs, 1 cat, 2 guinea pigs and 9 chickens)  I talk to them when I have a problem to work out, I get exercise when they take me along on their walks, I breathe more deeply when I stroke the soft feathers of our hens.

Every morning for breakfast I eat eggs moments after they are laid by our hens.  They are the most delicious eggs I have ever tasted. 

Most nights I read for 30 minutes before going to bed.  I wish I could knit and read at the same time.  But I choose to read because knitting often involves watching television.

At times the computer makes me feel anxious.  On one hand I want to know what all my friends are up to and I want to share what I have been doing.  But I also want to spend that time making and knitting and reading. 

I received this book in the mail today and I cannot wait to read the ending to this amazing story.

I don't have an electronic reader.  My husband has one and has offered to download a book for me so that I can try it out.  But I am not ready yet. 

I purchase way too many books.  They take up a lot of room.  I think I will try the e-reader for my next selection. 

I think better, and feel more creative, when I put pen to paper.  I have started keeping all my making ideas in notebooks.  I also doodle little sketches in the margins.  Somehow typing just isn't the same. 

I feel best on the days I make it to the gym.  I have more energy, walk straighter, sleep better and stay healthier when I work out.   I wish I had the discipline to exercise at home but I don't.

I haven't gone to the gym as often as i like this winter because I have been "too busy."  But after reading this wonderful post I plan to slow down, take my time, and get more done!

Hope you take your time and get more done today!

 

hi there

Hello there!  I miss you!  Verizon hasn't let me upload for days.  You see they're upgrading our phone lines for all the extra smartphone users and adding iphone service to our area.  Yes, such are the perks of living out in the country!

Thank you so much for all your sweet comments on my last two posts.  Shelby really liked the hat I knit her and the bracelet pattern was indeed from More Last-Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson.

We have all taken turns being under the weather around here.  Abigail was home with me yesterday due to some tummy troubles.  She's off to school today but Ezra is home with a headache and stomach bug.  He's such a trooper and hates missing a day of school - he got dressed, ate breakfast, took some motrin and made it all the way to the bus stop before he admitted defeat and asked to stay home.  Right now he's wrapped in a quilt, nursing a cup of cinnamon apple tea, and reading Make magazine.  So glad he's feeling a bit better. 

I've come to the conclusion that there's nothing more important than one's health.  Each week in temple we take a moment of silence to pray to G-d individually yet all under one roof - I always ask for health for my family and friends.  Some weeks I question whether I should be asking for world peace or an end to hunger or...but I always end up asking for health.  I guess i figure that we can work on fixing most other issues if only we had our health.

And on that note we've been cooking up a storm of healthy yumminess around here.

We baked the moistest pumpkin muffins using Ellie Krieger's recipe.  We omitted the pumpkin seeds and sprinkled chocolate chips over the top to make them even more yummy. 

We also made potato leek soup - twice.  I modified this recipe.  I doubled the amount of chicken stock and added three sliced carrots and some chopped broccoli because who couldn't use some extra veggies in their soup. We used yukon gold potatoes because they make the soup creamier and give it a pretty yellow color. 

And here's some veggie/beef pasta sauce that was a huge hit with all three kiddos. 

Saute 1 chopped onion, 3 sliced carrots, I head cauliflower in olive oil.  (You can add or substitute with mushrooms, broccoli, spinach, etc.)

Add 1 pound ground beef to veggie mixture and continue to saute until meat is cooked through.  Adding the beef to the veggies keeps it from browning and makes it moist. (kinda like meatball consistency)

Pour in 1 can of diced tomatoes with juice, 1 cup of chicken broth and juice of 1 lemon.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Simmer for 10 minutes and toss with whole wheat pasta. Enjoy.

In case you were wondering  - yes, 95% of the meals i cook are prepared using just one pot - or one bowl.  I have a lengthy lack-of-dishwasher story that I will share at a later time but we do just fine bringing our one-pot meals to the table and digging in!

As long as we're on the topic of food, I wanted to mention that we do not bake the dried cherries or cranberries with the granola we make - we just stir them in once the granola is baked and cooled.  I mention this because Ezra was making the granola this week and came to ask me if he should add the dried fruit before baking - as directed in Ina's recipe.  He knew to ask because we always add the cranberries and cherries to the jar with the cooled granola and shake until it's incorporated.  I must admit that I never read the recipe carefully enough to realize that Ina recommended baking dried fruit for 30 minutes - this would surely make it dry and not very tasty. 

See the hearts?

We have been finding them everywhere lately. 

Turns out you just have to slow down and look!

snow days

This Sunday the snow came down. A whole foot of it!

In the morning I took photos out the window.

But once the wiggles set in and i had three stir crazy kiddos on my hands we took the show - and the camera - outdoors.

  

Then the sun came out and we set forth to explore...

in the veggie garden:

with the girls: who refused to let their feet touch the snow and remained "cooped up" (pun intended) for two whole days.

 

with icicles picked off the roof:

All that play can be exhausting so we took a break.

Then back inside for a snack.

I have been making Ina Garten's Cherry Granola for a while now but when Soulemama posted her granola recipe i decided to combine the two into what turned out to be the best granola EVER!

We just mixed all the ingredients leftover from making holiday gifts for the teachers and we got this half gallon jar + one quart jar full of yummy, healthy, hearty goodness.

We couldn't stop munching on it right out of the jar...

 

But around here everyone enjoys granola best over a bowl of plain yogurt, generously drizzled with honey.

Happy New Year to you! 

holiday wishes

 

From our home to yours...

i wish you joy.

i wish you wonder.

i wish you peace.

i wish you merriment.

(thanks to Dani for the button snowflake inspiration)

i wish you warmth.

 

i wish you simplicity.

i wish you wisdom.

i wish you find a bit of magic.



(crocheted trees from Tonya)

I wish you the most wonderful of holidays spent with those you love. 

 

 

the soup and a shawl and forty

Today I turn forty.  I am super excited. I am healthy, I have a wonderful family, the greatest friends, I feel joy in my heart and (on most days) a spring in my step.  Today I picked pajamas off the floor and thought how fabulous it is that my girly still can't seem to pick up after herself because this mama can use the extra squats to keep her backside in shape!  Delusional or not, I am happy to be my age and look forward to an awesome year...beginning with my cake!  (I wrote this on sunday and will post photos of me and my cake as soon as I eat some tomorrow.)

Now back to the busyness (I mean business) of serious blogging.

For those of you who showed interest in my mushroom soup recipe from Thanksgiving and patiently waited more than a fortnight for me to finally get around to posting I have the recipe - proceeded by a small disclaimer. 

  

Disclaimer: I make soup at least once a week (often twice) when the weather is chilly.  I rarely use a recipe as I have found a cooking "method" that works for me and that my family will eat.  No matter what type of soup I'm making I always begin the same way - by sauteing the veggies in olive oil and then adding broth and leftover chicken or meat or beans.  Thus, this is less of a mushroom soup "recipe" and more of a "method" for making whatever kind of soup you like.  I usually use trader joe's organic chicken broth for most of my soups but mushrooms go best with beef stock.

Mushroom Soup  - the Method

olive oil (enough to generously coat bottom of large soup pot)

1 large onion, diced

8 oz carton mushrooms, sliced

4 oz package mixed dried mushrooms (i got mine at trader joe's)

Saute onion and mushrooms in olive oil on high heat for 5 minutes.

2 carrots, sliced

2 stalks celery, sliced

       2 cloves garlic, minced

1 turnip, sliced

Add above 4 ingredients and saute 5-7 minutes more. (this gives the soup a ton more flavor than simply tossing them into broth to boil). 

2 -32 oz. cartons beef stock/broth

3 cups water

5 small red potatoes, diced

Add beef stock, water and potatoes and simmer 15 minutes.

leftover chicken breast, shredded  (optional)

1 bunch rainbow chard, sliced

Add chicken (if using) and chard and simmer 5 more min.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Enjoy.

Note:  do not omit the dried mushrooms - they impart the most wonderful flavor and smell to this soup.  Also, there is no need to rehydrate dried mushrooms if you are using them in soups.

Soup Tip:  Leftover soup of any kind tastes great ladled over a bowl of pasta or steamed rice - and satisfies the needs of all the carb lovers at my house!

But wait; there's more. 

I knit this super simple, super cute shawlette.

This is the storm cloud shawlette pattern by ever green knits.  I knit the ruffled version shown in blue but modified the pattern a bit.  To create the ruffle I knit into the front and back of each stitch followed by 8 rows of garter stitch.  There are a lot of stitches here but this small shawl knits up quickly and it's a perfect beginner project - just knit stitches and yarn overs.

I used 2 skeins Noro Kureyon wool left over from this sweater and half a skein of Rowan Pure Wool for the ruffle. (about 300 yards total)

Pattern: storm cloud shawlette

Yarn: 2 skeins Noro Kureyon &  half a skein Rowan Pure Wool  (300 yards total)

Needles: US size 8

Mods: for ruffle I knit into the front and back of each stitch followed by 8 rows of garter stitch (not elongated garter like the pattern suggests).

Finally I learned that I am not the only one getting older around here.  My girly, who turned six in September, is a very big girl and requires a size 8-10 sweater.  And nothing will bring a knitting mama back to the reality of how big her kiddos are getting like ripping an entire sweater (i had been ripping for a while when i stopped to take this picture).  So this year I vow to live each day with purpose, to have joy in my heart, and to be present with my kiddos because the years are passing way too quickly.  I also vow to knit my girly more sweaters now - before she gets even bigger and her sweaters take longer to knit - or heaven forbid she asks to borrow mine!

"Happiness is a sort of atmosphere you can live in sometimes when you're lucky. Joy is a light that fills you with hope and faith and love."  - Adela Rogers St. Johns

thankful after thanksgiving

Today finds me busily putting together a few Hanukkah gifts  - the first night is tomorrow and I am not ready, many things that I had planned will not get done and I am just fine with that. 

I cannot help but think about how thankful I am that really and truly we already have everything we need.  But because I cannot wrap up hugs nor kisses nor giggles nor time playing or hiking outdoors, I wrap gifts that symbolize all of these to me.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving full of food, family and about a gazillion games of Apples to Apples Jr. (give or take a few).

Before I share a few images from our week, I'd like to thank all of you who come here and visit and share.  You all mean so much to me and I feel blessed to have you in my life and to call you my friends.  I wish you much joy and thanks giving - not just in this holiday season but throughout the coming year.

This past week we...

Enjoyed the yummiest, tiniest, and most fun brussel sprouts ever.  We roasted them with lots of olive oil, salt and pepper and everyone ate because everyone helped!

Arranged flowers for our table.

Marveled at how the blue eggs are blue on the inside too.

We took cooking breaks to venture outside and breathe the beautiful, crisp fall air.

We shot arrows at targets - or just into the woods.  This boy loves his archery and spends time each day perfecting his shot.

Then we made mushroom soup to accompany our turkey and all the trimmings.  The secret to this soup is definitely in the dried mushrooms.  (two stalks of celery and one turnip also went into the mix)

When it was all cooked, in went this gorgeous swiss chard.

Yum.

In fact, the mushroom soup was such a hit that only half the Thanksgiving feast was comsummed before the masses decided it was time for a walk in the woods.

We walked...

 We ran...

We played hide-and-seek.

And lots of cinnamon hot cocoa was consummed.

See.  I told you we already have everything we need.  But the presents will be wrapped (and unwrapped), the latkes will be fried, all the menorahs will be lit, and there will be lots of silly singing and dancing.

And all weekend long I wore this very warm little gift that I made for myself (finished more than a week ago).  More details as soon as I get the photos cropped.

I'm off pick up my kiddos and rush them to the dentist.  Why is it that I always forget to consult the calendar before scheduling that six month visit?  Winter break and holidays just seem so far off when the heat of June is messing with my last few brain cells!  At least I get to walk through my carpet of red maple leaves one extra time.  I am so very thankful that no one in this family takes the time to rake - these leaves are fabulous!

Be well, my friends!

celebrating each day

I did not mean to be away this long.  I have been busy with all that comes along with this holiday season, both at home and at my kiddos' school.  Seems like we just celebrated halloween and now Thanksgiving is only days away and Hanukkah is a week later on December 1st and all teacher's holiday gifts need to be wrapped and ready by december 16th.  I'm slowly working on several gifts that I'll share soon but mainly I've been unusually calm this year. I'm taking one day at a time and focusing on being present with my family. 

I especially love that Ezra arrives home an hour before his brother and sister this year - at 2:30 I drop everything so that I can spend this precious hour with him. We talk about his day while we walk the dogs, get the mail, check on our chickens and share a snack.  This has become our daily ritual and I cherish every moment that my pre-teen wants to share his concerns and his joys with his mama.

Abigail has been busy decorating our home for the holidays. 

We still had fall pumpkins and gourds on the table when we added bowls of halloween candy.  Over the weekend she placed Hanukkah "gelt" (chocolate coins) right over the leftover candy.  Just as it became nearly impossible to tell which holiday we were celebrating....

Abigail added this strawberry corn and declared us "ready for Thanksgiving!"  While I'm not sure which holiday we are prepared for, we are giggling a lot at all the silliness around here.

And for the past week all of our baked goods have been arranged in a giant latke platter that the girly insists sit in the center of our kitchen table.  This has resulted in nearly daily baking because a dozen muffins disappear quickly when stored in plain sight like this.  (These muffins were made from Trader Joe's Triple Berry Bran muffin mix - yummy and healthy.  I substitute buttermilk for the water and add vanilla extract and semi-sweet chocolate chips. I am not a purist when it comes to baking and often doctor up a boxed mix because my kids don't care - they just want baked goods that are warm out of the oven. Bonus - these muffins each have 7 grams of fiber.)

While we're keeping an eye on the calendar and all that needs to get done, we must not forget that our hens need tending each and every day. 

These girls haven't heard about Thanksgiving or Hanukkah or Christmas or New Year's.  They just provide us with the most delicious (and beautiful) eggs ever - each and every day.  The kiddos have named all of our hens and each time I present a baked good or an egg dish they ask which hen laid the eggs they are eating.   And it's not uncommon to hear,"I'll have one of Rusty's eggs - sunny side up."  I had no idea the joy and laughter and nourishment that these hens would bring us when I mail ordered day old chicks last May on a whim.

 

And while we're on the subject of staying calm and present during this holiday season I'll share that while I finished the jacket I was knitting - loosely based on the featherweight cardi - I could not figure out what possessed me to knit a garter stitch collar.  It is now ripped and i'm knitting a 1x1 rib instead.  I was watching this film when I made the dreaded decision to use garter stitch and so I am tempted to blame Coco Chanel for this atrocity - but just thinking about that makes me laugh out loud so I will assume all blame, savor the process, and re-knit the collar. 

The above photo was taken by Abigail who is six and it is not cropped at all.  After we finished reading her book I asked her to take a picture of my sweater - and she stood so close that she managed to frame it perfectly.  The wool used is Peruvia Quick by Berroco in shade #9137.

May you find a reason to celebrate today.

kitty, curtains and quinoa

I noticed that kitty is having trouble getting a good day's rest in my bed.  I figured it may be due to all the light that's streaming though the nearby window.

So I sewed curtains for our bedroom out of this great fabric adorned with orange birdies.  (Fabric is Dolce by Tanya Whelan)

Kitty loves his new curtains.  Photos coming as soon as the sun comes out.  In the meantime, It's Monday so my kiddos are home and we're off to our favorite hiking trail in the park.

On an unrelated note, for the past year I have cut down on my meat consumption by not eating meat for breakfast or lunch.  I've been trying to come up with quick, healthy and yummy meat free meals.  We eat lots of beans and rice + roasted veggies.  I also eat eggs on whole wheat toast + salad.  I recently discovered (quite by accident) that a thinned down hummus makes a thick and creamy salad dressing full of fiber and protein.  Just blend a can of garbanzo beans with its liquid, a couple tablespoons of olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, 1 garlic clove + salt and pepper until smooth and pour over your favorite salad.

Above is our lunch of quinoa cooked in chicken broth + stir fried napa cabbage, carrots, bell peppers, onions and garlic.  Quinoa is a healthy substitute for rice and the cabbage mixture is my version of a deconstructed egg roll - all the filling without any of the wrapping or frying.  I'd love to hear about your quick and meat free go-to lunches.

Happy Monday to you!

i sewed a table runner

This Sunday Dad and the boys went to a nearby field to meet up with some other boys and fly their remote controlled planes.  While they were away the girls set the table in anticipation of the yummy Chinese food that said boys would bring home upon their return.

But setting the table for such a feast is no simple task.  First mama and the girl had the clean up the Monopoly game that was occupying the entire table.  They joked about how it had become their favorite game since the girl learned to count money, give change, and purchase the properties that had eluded her brothers so that she could sell those same properties back to them for far more than their true worth.  They then fetched the "chicken plates" that they purchased at tjmaxx over the summer.  (Mama and the girl are aware that these plates do, in fact, depict roosters but around here it's all about the girls and hence they are referred to as the chicken plates.)  Then the girl set out the John Derian insect tumblers that she insisted mama get the moment she spied them at target.  Because she was convinced that simple milk and juice would taste magical when consumed from a cup bearing the image of a ladybug and butterfly. This proved to be true.

Once the table was set, mama and the girl felt it was a bit bear.  So they sewed a table runner.  Out of some fun fabric that mama has had on a shelf for a year - maybe two.  And they made it reversible because the girl found that the yellow fabric would compliment the gourds and mini pumpkins on the table that she loved to arrange and rearrange over and over until they were just so.

The girl also thought that some felt leaves would add the perfect touch to the fall table awaiting Chinese food.  So she and mama cut leaf shapes out of felt and the girl arranged them on the runner, just as she had her pumpkins.  Mama considered sewing down the leaves but decided that doing so would make the table runner more difficult to launder.  And in the world of accidents, spills and mishaps in which this mama resides, easy laundering is of utmost importance. 

After all, beauty is in the simple things.  And in quick projects, crafted with eager kiddos that create lasting memories.  And that is why I sewed a table runner. 

documenting

All three kiddos began school on Tuesday, September 7.  Everyone is thrilled with teachers, schedules, schools (Ezra is now in middle school!) but I have yet to find a moment for myself.  On Tuesday I drove the youngest two to elementary school and stayed at the school until noon sorting fundraising packets, organizing emails and PA announcements, and meeting with volunteers - because this year I am PTA vice president in charge of fundraising. I know, what was i thinking... but the school needed someone and I couldn't say no.  On Wednesday I did more of the same plus cooked a special Rosh Hashanah dinner to celebrate the New Year.  On Thursday I cleaned a bit and then prepared and cooked and baked and wrapped and decorated for Abigail's birthday on Friday.  Yes, my baby is now 6! 

My sewing space is almost organized again, my schedule is packed, and my day is an hour shorter because my middle schooler arrives home at 2:40 but I have missed this space and all of you terribly and my goal is to begin posting regularly beginning today.  

This is a catching up post - I'm easing back in slowly.  Just my kiddos and some food but I will be back soon with some making because I have so many ideas and things I want to try and I cannot wait to share!

Documenting the last BLT sandwich I made using the final batch of tomatoes from our garden.  Summer is over and all our tomatoes are done but I have this photo to remind me of all the yummy-ness we savored and of all the fun we had outdoors.

     

And speaking of fun outdoors...Here are two of my kiddos playing around after Abigail's color belt testing.

   

We also traveled to a taekwondo tournament in Raleigh, North Carolina last month and the kiddos had a great time competing and exploring in a new place.

This is a busy week for us because my boys will be testing or their black belts on Saturday and many an evening is spent in the studio perfecting their technique.

 

Documenting my littlest two getting off the bus on the first day of school.  Ezra got out of the car to be the first one to greet them.

 

Documenting my kiddos' reaction when I asked them how their first day of school went.

 

Documenting that I asked them to move to a spot with better light so that I could take a photo to send to the grandparents - but, as we all know, the staged photo is never as good as the impromptu one. 

 

Documenting that my baby is now 6!

 

Documenting that she received many wonderful gifts...

 

But none evoked more excitement that the rainbow streamer.

"Now I can be a real gymnast!" she screamed as she spun and twirled.

   

Documenting this moment so that we never forget that true joy lies in appreciating the simple things.

 

May you always find joy in twirling a rainbow ribbon, my sweet girl.

Documenting the joy this mama feels when she sees her kiddos sitting side-by-side, deciphering the instructions to a new game. 

Now enough with all the documenting - I'm heading off to do some makin' so that I have something new to share.

 

But before I go I must share how absolutely easy, quick (they bake in just 9 minutes), and yummy these Buttermilk Pudding Cakes are.  Mine are a bit darker because we used whole wheat flour.

Have a wonderful day!

painted house

I painted the rooms in my house white. 

Ralph Lauren's Pocket Watch White (#WW01) to be exact.  It's a clear, warm white that doesn't feel yellow and it looks great with all the wood molding.  The Home Depot no longer carries Ralph Lauren paint but they have all the colors in their computer and can color match any RL color in Behr paint.

I've wanted to paint every surface in my house white for a while now and then I found this vase at TJMaxx for nine dollars. Its sense of laid back sophistication spoke to me and I was immediately inspired to bring this same feeling to my home.

 

We've been savoring ever bit of summer around here so I've only had a chance to declutter the house and paint and there's not much to look at.  Plus it's nearly impossible to photograph a white wall - there's nothing for the camera to focus on.  But the fact that I took a bunch of boring, poorly lit photos of my walls is not going to stop me from writing a post - because I am a blogger and I will "make it work." (Project Runway reference and I'm loving this new season - but I digress.)  So here goes:

Kitchen table area painted white...

Family room painted white...  (no artwork on the walls yet)
 

Dining room (love how the color compliments the not-so-attractive molding)...
 

Entryway...
 

And while I was painting the walls I decided that we needed shelving by the kitchen table to help us stay organized and to keep clutter off the table so I painted an old black bookcase.  I used Ralph Lauren Basalt (VM121) which is a white color with just the slightest hint of blue. 
 

Then I stocked the shelves with items that we use everyday - those items that constantly end up on the kitchen table and have to be cleaned up before we can sit down to eat. 
 

Thus far, the shelves hold:
 

A basket for extra napkins,
 

votive candles for dinner, 

Chai tea bags and turbinado sugar for mom,

More candles and canning jars that we use for just about everything - from vases to candle holders to drinking cups to pencil holders. 

 

silverware for setting the table,
 

some plates and bowls,
 

notebooks and pencils (these never had a home and had to cleared off the table before nearly every meal),
 

must-read magazines,

 
And this vintage glass hen dish that I thrifted several weeks ago.  Because all these useful, practical, functional items were getting a bit too serious and this hen adds just the right amount of whimsy.

So there you have it - the "painted house in progress" tour.  I'll post more as I add pieces, paint anything else that holds still long enough, and otherwise decorate.  In the meantime, hope you find a way to add some whimsy to your days.

the (it's almost summer) weekend update

I realize that Monday is nearly over but I spent the day cleaning the house and restocking supplies (read grocery shopping).

The Bad:  The weather was either hot and humid or pouring rain

The Good:  so much of the weekend was spent in the pool.

The Good:  Abigail floating in the pool without a care in the world

The Bad:  while the boy refills his super soaker water shooter. 

(I do have a photo of what transpired next but I like to keep this blog a happy space - that way when I read over it years from now all the screaming and fighting will appear to be just a figment of my imagination.)

 

Most Clever:  Here's Remmy lounging under a tree canopy where he's safe from both intense heat and pouring rain.
 

The Best Alternative Use: mason jars make beautiful chick waterers. 
 

The Girls:  I'm in love with these twelve-day-old girls who are now able to fly right out of their brooder.  They grow so fast! I only have sixteen left and I am going to have major trouble giving the last batch to their people.
 

The Verdict:  The only green part left of the smoothies around here are the straws.  The kiddos didn't care for the spinach and really it wasn't enough to make a difference.  I find that if I wilt it down with a bit of olive oil and garlic they'll eat a whole bowl full of greens so we're back to these banana, frozen strawberry, watermelon and yogurt smoothies - a definite hit.
 

The Making:  I started the spicy fitted tee from this book.  I'm not sure why I chose to knit a summer tee in black using a thick wool but the pattern is simple and interesting and at the rate I'm knitting it'll be fall by the time i'm done.  Maybe I should knit long sleeves...
 

The Shade:  I spent a bit of time knitting under our Mimosa tree which is flowering right now with these awesome silky pink flowers.  I love the lacy shade canopy that this tree provides but is can get messy once hundreds of these blooms fall to the ground.

We also ate a ton of food (mainly outdoors and using our fingers), read many books, and flew lots of paper airplanes.   Seven school days remaining but it definitely feels like summer.

quick projects

My girlie asked for a "cover" to wrap her bear in.  You see Berry ("spelled like the berry in strawberry, mama - and not like the beary in brown bear.") doesn't have pajamas and is cold at night.  How could this mama possibly say no to keeping sweet Berry warm?

So we picked some fabric, cut it into strips, and pieced together a cover.

 

Even the kitty likes how it turned out.
 

This design is so simple and super quick to sew because it is pieced randomly and none of the points match.  I'll be back in the next couple days with some quick instructions on how to make one of these random brick pattern quilts.
 

 

The best part about this cover is that it also doubles as a super hero cape!

 

My husband was home today because he will be working all weekend and we spent a few minutes cleaning up the garden and "picking" our lunch.  This is our lunch at 11:45 am.

 

Lunch at 11:50 am.
 

Lunch at 12 noon.

(Arugula sauteed with olive oil and garlic served over leftover quinoa and corn.)  

Hope you find some quick, easy and satisfying projects today!

had I not

This week sped by way too quickly. 

I met a friend for lunch and then tagged along to a nearby antiques/thrift store as she searched for a farmhouse table.  We saw some great pieces and I took lots of pictures.  But the prices were quite high and neither of us got anything.

 
    
 

Then on my way home I stopped by a local thrift store and spotted this 14 piece glass dish set for $15 and I had to get it.  It was so cheery and sparkly and well priced.  And absolutely perfect for summer ice cream sundae parties.   I don't think I would have wanted it so had I not spent time in the pricey antiques store, but things happen for a reason and I am so glad that these dishes came home with me.

 

I played around with a pattern for the hundred-or-so triangle blocks that I pieced.  And I would have been happy with this zigzag pattern had I not come across this fun configuration on flickr.  Which would you choose?
   
 

And had I not entered Imene's hand dyed wool giveaway I wouldn't have won this awesome skein of yarn and these lovely hand crafted stitch markers.   Thanks so much Imene - I love them!

 
And now for the most round about had-I-not of all...  The other day I met a real estate agent to view a house that, judging from online photos, seemed perfect for our family but was put off by the long and muddy dirt road that led to the property.  I came home a bit disappointed and began perusing decorating blogs for some inspiration on how to make our kitchen function better. (Reading blogs always makes me feel better)  I clicked on some links and ended up on this great blog.  Then I read this post on their family's awesome portable chicken coop.  I followed the link, showed my husband, and we immediately agreed that building the Catawba coop would be the perfect way to keep chickens on our property.   We cannot wait for the instructions to arrive so that we can begin building our coop - and order our chicks! 

If you are still reading this had I not gone to view the house I may never have found the home and harmony blog.  Had I not found the blog I might not have come across these portable coop instructions and had we not found the portable coop we would not have gotten chickens because we don't want to clean out a traditional coop and we have too many animals out here in the country to allow chickens to free range.  Bottom line is that my kiddos are so very excited.

Oh yeah, and had I not met my friend for lunch in the city I would not have been by Trader Joe's and we wouldn't have this big bowl of yummy organic fruits to munch on.  I also got organic frozen berries for smoothies, naan bread, strawberry kefir, and chocolate orange sticks and spicy dried mango.  Yum.

 
 

Have a wonderful weekend full of adventure...you never know where your path will lead!

going green

My kiddos have decided to help save the earth by reusing, recycling, and saving water and energy.  Today my five year old daughter even used the bathroom in the dark to save electricity!  We are also trying to use fewer paper products and to do my part I sewed some "paper" towels. 

 

Just cotton fabric sewn, right sides together, with an old towel.  Then turn right side out and topstitch along the edges.

These are much more absorbent than the dishtowels we are currently using.  But if we are going to stop using paper towels all together I'm going to need to make some more of these.

 
And speaking of green, my sweater/shrug is almost done blocking.

  

For dinner I added some green to our pasta with clam sauce.

Saute lots of garlic and basil in olive oil for several minutes.  Add two cans chopped clams (with liquid), chopped tomatoes, red bell pepper, and baby spinach leaves. Saute for five minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste and toss with whole wheat angel hair pasta.  (I also added 1 cup of starchy pasta cooking water) Enjoy.

 

And mustn't forget all the green outdoors.  We added some fresh mulch and I set out the 'shine' stone that Lisa sent me last year.  All this green sure is making me smile.

Hope you are finding lots to smile about today!

the past couple days

These past couple of days have been rainy and windy with a bit of sunny thrown in and we've spent as much time outdoors as possible.

Playing with caterpillar friends.

  

Taking her doggy for a walk on the toddler trike because mama tried to donate it.

Loving my napkins and dish towel from Kim.  Thanks so much to Lisa for hosting the swap.  So much fun to make napkins for a new friend.

   

Putting said napkins to use right away.  (greek yogurt with honey and berries)

 

Enjoying a bit of sewing time.  More on this soon because I really did only have a wee bit of time.

 

Quilting my basted nine-patch.

The days seem to be passing so quickly lately that I don't feel that I get anything tangible accomplished.  It scares me to see how fast my kiddos are growing up and I am making every effort to fully enjoy them.  I want to have fun with my guys - to laugh, play and work with them, to listen carefully to all they have to say, and to make our home a happy place.  I have been feeling super thankful for all that I have, especially my family and friends.  I want to thank you all for the sweetest comments and kindest emails ever - you always brighten my day.

Hope you are having a wonderful Thursday!

noticing

"All there is to thinking is seeing something noticeable, which makes you see something you weren't noticing, which makes you see something that isn't even visible."  Leo Strauss

Noticing beauty in the ordinary....

 

noticing how much i love all the little stars lined up along the rim of the jelly jars that hold our silverware. 

noticing all the pollinating action on the azaleas.  

noticing that a nine patch quilt top would make an awesome rug on my floor.

noticing how keeping my dryer sheets in a pretty dish provides just the motivation i need to transfer the laundry into the dryer.

noticing that reading these books in bed each night has caused me to dream of painting every surface white.

 

noticing how many compliments I receive when i wear this dottie vintage bag created by Beki.  Jeans, white tee, gray scarf and this purse = very stylish.

Have a wonderful weekend! 

quilt + play

We're heading to the beach for a few days and the kiddos are packed and ready and giddy with excitement.

I started to put together a tutorial on piecing nine-patch blocks out of strips but life got in the way.

I'll have this quick and ever-so-simple tutorial all ready to go early next week. 

Hope you take the time to enjoy every moment that is Spring!

this monday

Today is a rainy day... and it's a Monday. 

But we had a wonderful weekend full of food, friends, sunshine, and many exciting outings in celebration of my guy's eleventh birthday.  Of course all those photos are on my point and shoot camera (which my husband accidentally took to work) so today I will share what I have.

 

This amazing kiddo, who whittled the wood to create this bo staff,  is smart and wise, positive yet realistic, caring and thoughtful, and an all around pleasure to parent.  He loves books and spends hours each day reading, he conducts research and sets up experiments to solve science and math questions, and these days he is passionate for the art of taekwondo.  On Saturday he turned eleven which means he is big now - but still young enough to want to spend time being silly with his mama.  And this mama could not be happier.

Happy Birthday my sweet eleven year old kiddo.

 

I finished his Spring cover just in time with some quick squiggly quilting and fun red binding.

Here's a close-up of the quilting and binding.  (all my cute photos are on the other camera)

I have been busy on the home front with sports tournaments, school events, another birthday to plan...  But I have so much I want to share with you including two small tutorials (because you asked) and a giveaway that will be hosted on another blog later this week.  I also received a beautiful blogger award from my friend Rose of Sand in My Yarn where I am supposed to tell seven interesting things about myself but I have been going so fast lately that the only interesting thing I can think of is that my current favorite snack is chai tea with bananas and walnuts - eaten together.  It's the perfect combination of sweet, spicy and crunchy. Yum.

And I'm sipping tea out of my new Liberty of London cup that I got at Target this weekend.  (the Target just happened to be across the street from the space museum where we celebrated Ezra's birthday and my kiddos were so exhausted from all the fun they didn't even complain - and even kind of enjoyed - a bit of shopping with their mama.) 

Happy Monday everyone!

pi + day

Today is 3.14 or Pi Day, as well as Albert Einstein's birthday, and so we celebrate with pie.

Greg and I have baked pies on Pi day for the past eighteen years.

Yes, we are geeky that way.  And we have been married that long.

This weekend began with rain.

But then the sun came out and off we went exploring.

Then Abigail and I went on a little shopping adventure while the boys were busy preparing for the big taekwondo tournament. 

 

First, we got these at the thrift store.  Love.

 

Then we filled them with these from Trader Joe's. 
 

And finally we got these because they made us smile. 

All in all, it was a very good Pi day! 

still here

The weather is warm.  The sun is out.  And I have barely seen the inside of my house this week.

Outside there has been chalk.

 

And more chalk.

Rock skipping.

Car climbing.

Chasing through the woods.

And many, many walks.

Inside it's been quiet.  I've been running errands, attending meetings, volunteering at school, driving to the orthodontist, preparing taxes, planning two birthday parties, and shopping for groceries - twice.   The highlight of my morning was the thirty minutes I spent knitting with one of the mama's that I volunteer with - she's a new knitter but she's fast and her stitches are so even that I will be helping her cast on for her first sweater next week.   So very exciting. 
 
Then home for a quick lunch (I had toast and avocado too) and off to assess the damage in my abandoned sewing space.

I cut the fabric for another apron.

And I browsed through my favorite quilt books for inspiration on piecing this fabric. 

Finally, I cut lots of this yummy home decor weight fabric in preparation for sewing birthday gifts for my boys.  If all goes as planned I will be sharing a tutorial for this super easy and quick project soon. 

Just to let you know, Kathy of Pink Chalk Fabrics is offering 50% off many home decor fabrics. 

giveaway winner and some q & a

The random number generator said #16 so the winner of the giveaway is Dodi of the lovely new-to-me blog live, laugh, food, craft.  Congratulations Dodi and please email me your address so I can get the apron and wool out to you!   Thanks to everyone for playing along - I am truly touched by all the kind comments you left.

And Tracy of Bits of Everything please email me your address and I will send you something - not sure what yet but I was blown away by this comment you left on yesterday's post.  Tracy wrote:

"YEAH!!!! I was so excited when I saw this post. I have been working on this and wondered what the finished product would look like. Here is a pic of my strips. http://bellaandmolly.blogspot.com/2010/02/here-project-there-project-everywhere.html
I will have to let know when I get it done."

Yes, that's right, this woman trusted me enough to begin piecing even though I neglected to post what the finished quilt would actually look like until yesterday - how awesome is that!

And now for some answers to your questions...

1.  How do you prepare your chai tea?

First, it's important to use a good quality chai tea bag.  My favorite teas (that are available out here in the country) are Good Earth Chai, Tazo Chai, and Twinings Chai.  Fill cup 1/3-1/2 full of milk and microwave for one minute to warm.  Then place tea bag in the cup and fill to top with boiling water from kettle.  Let steep several minutes and sweeten with honey.  Enjoy!

2.  What fabric did you use for this apron?

This is a home decor weight Free Spirit fabric.  It's from the Prairie Gothic line by Jane Sassaman. 

 

What size is your deputy tote and will it fit standard sized notebooks?

Well, I totally forgot to mention that the finished size of this tote is about 13" x 13 inches and that it will fit numerous 8 1/2" x 11" notebooks. (see photo above)  I took this photo several weeks ago and since then I have finished reading the book Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson.  Nobody asked but just in case you were wondering it's a beautiful book and I really enjoyed it.

 

How do you get your sweaters to drape so well?

While the correct size is important, sweaters need to drape well in order to look good.  My favorite way to achieve drape is to use a thinner yarn paired with slightly larger than recommended needle size.  If gauge is too tight the resulting fabric will be stiff and even a perfectly fitting sweater will not drape well or look as good.  Having said that, I do the opposite for cardis.

Updated to answer yet another wonderful question I just received:  

- even though I use a one size larger needle, I still try to obtain stitch gauge so that the sweater fits.  But I do not worry about getting the row gauge perfect - mine is usually a bit bigger than stated in the pattern but I don't worry too much about this because I usually like my sweaters to be about 15 inches from the bottom to armhole shaping so I just knit until I get that length.  If I'm knitting top down, I just stop when I reach desired length.  If you are a very lose knitter you will not need to go up a needle size because then you may have holes in your sweater.

- I also usually go down one needle size for the ribbing.  This pulls the bottom, neckline and cuffs in a bit and creates a more tailored look. I did this with the Francis sweater above.

- another tip is to knit sweaters a bit shorter so that they don't drape way over the belly giving me that 'bump.'  Shorter sweaters visually "cut" the midsection in half making the not-so-flat-belly less noticeable.  If you do not know what I am talking about here - disregard this advice completely. 

 

Drape is not so good for a cardi because it causes the bottom corners to sag and pull.  For a cardi,especially this shalom cardi where the bottom edges are not supported by buttons, I achieved a tighter gauge by using thicker wool + thinner than recommended needles to get a thicker fabric with very little drape that kinda holds its own shape.  I use this as a general rule but remember there are exceptions to every rule - when in doubt, follow the pattern recommendations. 

 

What music do your kiddos like to make up dances to?

We listen to a lot of music but our favorite music to sing along with and make up silly dances to has been the Groove to the Music Backyardigans CD.  This disk covers all types of music including swing, jig, hip hop, salsa, country, zydeco and rock and is our family's favorite CD to dance to - silly or not.  Go take a listen for yourself.

Please remember that I am not a sewing, knitting, tea brewing, or silly dancing expert.  (hmmm,  well maybe I am a silly dancing expert!  I'll have to get back to you on that one.)  Anyhow this is just how I do things so take what you want and leave the rest - or better yet tell me how you do things differently.

Have a wonderful weekend!

happiness

It's Sunday night and I'm feeling happy.

 

Happiness is kiddos who no longer ask what's for dessert. 

They already know we're having apple oatmeal cake  (topped with semi-sweet chocolate chips of course).

Happiness is knowing that no matter how much things change, kids' crafts remain the same. 

I got this circa 1974 craft book at our library book sale.

 

Happiness is spying my febrile girlie (who spent the day in her pajamas) enjoying some restful quiet time.

Happiness is playing with gorgeous, simple, handmade toys that entertain children of all ages. 

Because when kiddos tire of playing the intended game they make up their own rules and keep right on playing.  Thank you Tonya.

Happiness is the opportunity to play with super cool fabrics for this months 12 squared quilting bee.

Happiness is when my ten-year-old son takes a photo of me for no reason at all.

He borrowed my camera to take a picture of an ice crystal formation in the woods.  He said he took this picture because he wanted to know what i was thinking.  I told him that it was fifty degrees out, the sun was shining, my kiddos were playing a game in the woods, and the birds were chirping all around - and I was thinking how happy I was.

What is making you happy today?

cake + walk

This weekend the snow came down.  again. 

But we made the yummiest cake ever.  Using a recipe found on the side of the Stonyfield yogurt container.  It was truly the tastiest and moistest cake I have ever eaten.  I added raisins and sprinkled the top with chocolate chips - for good measure.  I know it's not much to look at but make it - and you will understand.

Oh, and we also had soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. 

 

And we took a walk.

"The color of springtime is in the flowers, the color of winter is in the imagination. "

~Ward Elliot Hour

 

 

 

How will you use your imagination to color your world today?

random thoughts

We had a great, although somewhat rainy, three day weekend.

We played dress-up and counted lollipops. Abigail came to me and said, "Mama, I can't remember if a poodle skirt means I'm a 40's girl or an 80's girl."  I took one look at her outfit and assured her she had both decades covered.

We baked these brownies and they were a hit.  Yummy, chocolaty, and low fat, plus a whole can of pumpkin.  I did add one egg to the brownie pumpkin mixture - just in case.

 

But this morning it was nice to see that there was still a kitchen table under all the craft projects and play dough.

  

And I may have found my next knitting project.  I say "may have" because I really want to knit Lucy's gorgeous Adeline coat but I'm trying to use up stash yarn and I really don't have enough of any one yarn.  I even thought about making it shorter because long coats aren't that flattering on me.  Either way, I must cast on for something soon.  I haven't had anything on the needles for a week and the indecision is making me anxious.

  

I did manage to steal an hour away to design a little pattern.  I will be sharing it later this week.

Tomorrow I have volunteering at school followed by orthodontist appointments in the big city and taekwondo in the afternoon but I hope to be back in this space on Thursday.

Thanks so much for stopping by and enjoy your week!

thankful

Thankful for yummy, minty sweet candy canes...

and their ability to transform a white gift bag from Hanukkah wrap to Christmas gift.

Thankful that they can be crushed and and pressed into semi sweet chocolate to make the best - and easiest - peppermint bark.  (i'm also thankful for vacuum cleaners that pick up all the cane bits that ended up all over the kitchen floor - and a special thanks to two doggies who gladly licked up what the vacuum left behind.)

 

Thankful for how candy cane peppermint bark and coffee can get a mama through loads of playing, beading, stringing, cutting, gluing - not to mention a bit of chasing, yelling and bickering.

Thankful for these games (some new, others old favorites) that were played on each night of Hanukkah - and continue to be played almost daily.  Tradition dictates that no work be done while Hanukkah candles are burning - only playing, singing and dancing - so on the nights that the kiddos received clothes or mama made items they also received one game to share and play.  Several nights they also chose to grab an old favorite to play.

 

So very thankful for an extremely generous birthday gift from a very dear friend.  Thank you so very much Lisa.  I love the hat - that's my coat underneath and it matches perfectly!

 

Thankful for yet another thoughtful and gorgeous birthday gift from a dear friend.  Thank you Kristyn. 

Thankful for kiddos who requested banana French toast for dinner.  Just mix cinnamon, vanilla extract, and a splash of orange juice into eggs.  Top with bananas fried with a bit of cinnamon and maple syrup.  Yummy and super quick.

Thankful for playing-in-the-snow days.

   

Happy Holidays Everyone!

 

I've been...

Making... Hanukkah 'gelt' coins out of semi-sweet chocolate and this. Yum.

Baking...this cherry cake.  I used a mixture of frozen cherries and blueberries and substituted whole wheat flour for the all purpose. 

Knitting... yet another Mustard scarf because they look great and only take about three hours to complete.

Sewing... reversible scarves for all the guys on my list out of this fabric.

Shopping...for this soft and wool-y scarf from  Sarah's shop over at smashing darling.  I bought this scarf for myself several months ago and wear it all the time - it's soft, warm, light and it matches everything.

I've missed this space - and all of your spaces - so much.  We have been super busy making, baking, celebrating Hanukkah, preparing for a Taekwondo tournament on Friday, and my husband's birthday tomorrow.  I'm also in charge of two of the kiddos' class holiday parties this Friday... 

But all is great - all the Hanukkah gifts have been made and gifted or mailed and nearly all the teachers' gifts are complete.  I'm almost done with gifts for my friends who are celebrating Christmas - although I did have a small panic attack last night when I realized that Friday may be too late to mail gifts in time for Christmas.  Then I remembered my motto for this holiday season was 'slow and steady wins the race' and went back to playing this game with my kiddos. 

Wishing you and yours a lovely Wednesday!

 

much ado about food

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. 

Lots of cooking.  Much eating.  Abundant hugs.  Considerable giggles.  Immeasurable love.  Full bellies.  Endless stories told.  Loads of games played.  Countless walks in the woods.  No shopping.  Very little driving.

On Thanksgiving days we watched the moon come through our window.

 

And the candles flickering long after dark.

 

The next day some meatballs were in order. (I mean "ordered" - by the kiddos)

 

Followed by leftover chocolate pie.  (funny how they won't eat leftover turkey but leftover pie... no problem.)  Hmmm....

Then with full bellies, they settled in to watch this movie.

 

And mom (that's me) made herself a plate of yummy leftovers.  Dad had to work.

 

The next day dad was home and we added roasted cauliflower, mushrooms and onions to our leftover bonanza.  I was about to write "just to brighten things up a bit"  when I realized that mushrooms and cauliflower were not the brightest of veggies.  But they are quite yummy!

Then on Sunday, dad took the boys to the flying field to test out their new airplanes - and socialize with other folks who "get" what they're talking about.  While the girls (that would be Abigail and I)  stayed home and made soup from the final bits of turkey.

Large bowls of this soup were gobbled up by all, with no complaints or requests for peanut butter and jelly.  And my daughter told me that I was such a great cook that I should have my own show on the Food Network.  But Ezra quickly chimed in with, "But if she's working on the food network she won't have any time to cook for us!"  No worries kiddos - this mama is plenty happy right where she is... besides, the food network hasn't called.

And so concludes my Thanksgiving post of food - mainly because very little crafting was done.  It was nice to turn off the computer and sewing machine and just "be" with my kiddos for four days.  But I did get in a bit of knitting,  and several of the handmade gifts I purchased arrived in the mail today, and I will be sharing some holiday gifts that I'm working on real soon.

Hope you had much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. 

Happy Monday Everyone!

tidbit tuesday - answering your questions

Thank you sooo very much for all the beautiful comments and neighborly love on yesterday's post.   You all truly made my day!

Now for today's post:  In the comments and via e-mail you have asked.  I'm more than happy to provide the answers - plus it saves me the trouble of coming up with something to write about - you all are the best.  So here goes:

1.  How do you miter the corners on your napkins?

Answer:  No mitering of corners here.  These are reversible.

Cut 2 eighteen inch squares of fabric.

Place squares right sides together and sew around the edges - leaving a 4 inch opening for turning.

Snip off all four corners.  Turn right side out.  Press napkin, folding in the opening.

Topstitch around the perimeter, closing the opening as you go.  Be sure to stop at the corners with the needle in the down position when you rotate the napkin.

And you get a reversible and durable napkin - no mitering required.

2.  Where did you purchase this ruler?

Answer:  here at Joann Fabric.

3. More info on these boots please.

Answer:  They are Sporto Demi boots, purchased last year at TJMaxx (I paid $24.99).  They are super comfortable, lined in warm flannel, and perfect for wearing in the snow. I think they are waterproof - they are not leather.  I wear a size 6 1/2 shoe and these would look cute in all sizes...nuff said.

4.  How did you close up the bottom of these stuffies?

Answer:  I used my sewing machine - just plain old running stitch with regular sewing foot.  The bottom edge that you see in this photo is the actual cuff of the sleeve from the sweater that I used.

5.  Care to share the cutlet recipe?

Answer: Of course.

3 pounds ground beef (very lean - 3% fat)

1cup matzah meal (or plain bread crumbs)

1 small onion diced

1 8oz can tomato sauce

1/4 cup milk

3 eggs

1 T garlic powder

1 T paprika

salt & pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Form into small cutlet shape using palm of your hand - wetting hands first helps. Fry in canola oil - about 3 minutes per side.  Makes about 25.  I usually have 2 pans going at once.  Leftover are great for sandwiches the next day.  You can also bake them in a 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes on a greased cookie sheet.

 
This was fun!  So keep those questions coming.

Wishing all of you a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend! 

grown-up girl neighborly

The following is my pattern for Jennifer Casa's  neighborly sweater modified to fit us girls who are all grown-up.  Who said only the little ones should have all the cute clothes?

A few caveats before I begin:

1.  Because this sweater has positive ease and a A-line bodice, this pattern is for a size medium but is easily modifiable to fit a size small or large. ( all mods will be provided here)

2.  to make this sweater fit a size small better I knit both the neckline and the sleeve ribbing using a sz US 6 needle (rather then US 8).  I also finished up the blocking process by putting the damp sweater in the dryer for 6-8 minutes (it tightened up a bit and shrunk about one inch all around).

This photo is for those of you who asked what I look like - see how much I love and appreciate all you guys for stopping by my little space here!

This pattern fits ladies size small-medium  [sz large in brackets]

Yarn :  2 skeins Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Worsted  - MC.
2 skeins Noro Kureyon - CC.
Needles : US 8  circulars and double pointed needles (sz US 6 dpn's or circulars for magic loop for ribbing)

Using MC yarn and size US 8 circular needle cast in 96 stitches.  Join for working in the round.

Set-up row:  k 36, pm, k 12, pm, k 36, pm, k 12, pm (this last marker should be a different color to indicate beginning of next round)

Next row:  Knit.

Row 1:  knit to one stitch before marker, kfb, slip marker (sm), kfb.  Do this 3 more times.

Row 2: Knit.

Repeat rows 1 & 2 fourteen [sixteen] more times.

Next round:  knit front stitches, place next 40 [44] sleeve stitches on scrap yarn, knit across the back stitches, place second 40 [44] sleeve stitches on scrap yarn. 

Work in stockinette for 14 rounds.

Next round:  (k3, kfb)* repeat* to last stitches -  about 156 [about 164] sts.

Knit 5 rounds.

Lower Bodice:  Note: do not break either yarn while striping, just carry it on the WS overlapping only when you switch from one color to another.

Knit 3 rounds with CC yarn.  Switch to MC and K 2 rounds.  Repeat 10 [12] times. 

Hemline:  Knit 10 rounds in garter stitch using CC.  (makes 5 garter ridges)  Bind off all stitches.

Armholes:  Transfer the 40 [44] sleeve sts from waste yarn to 3 US 8 dpn's (for size small - use sz US 6 dpn's).  PM and join for working in the round.  Work K1 P1 rib for 8 rounds.  BO in pattern.   Repeat for other armhole.

Neckline :  Using sz US 6 circular needle pick up 80 [90] stitches.  PM and join for working in the round.  Work K1 P1 rib for 8 rounds.  BO all sts in pattern.

Weave in ends and block.  That's it.

The neighborly pattern, as well as the beautiful sentiment behind it, was written by Jennifer Casa of JCasa Handmade.  Go check out some more of her fabulous patterns here.

And I totally think I was channeling Jennifer as I was writing up this pattern - I made these beef cutlets for lunch yesterday - the russian jewish girl's version of meatballs.  I loved these when I was little and now my kiddos gobble them up faster than I can make them.  It's a good thing.

Have a great weekend everyone!

we have power, we made a stuffie, and we snuggled

A nor'easter storm hit our area on Thursday.  School was canceled, streets flooded, trees toppled and power lines came down.  Our house is on a hill so we were fine but we did lose power which makes for long days with three kiddos home for an impromptu four-day weekend.  The storm kept us indoors all of Thursday so we painted and Abigail came up with this clever idea for stationary - perfect for our next letter to grandma.

We ate well because we managed to bake two pies early Wednesday before the power went out for good.

Then we saw this post about making stuffies on Hip Mountain Mama's blog and knew that some handsewing was in order.  Ezra worked on a relief map for school while David and Abigail sorted through hundreds of buttons, dozens of ribbon scraps and just the right color felt for their "sweater stuffie."  Yes, these are made from the sleeves of an old sweater.  After a good hour of planning and design we began to sew - constructing 'Sam' and 'Lizzy."

Here they are - having survived two days of non-stop play and love.  (It was way to dark to take photos indoors)

On Friday the storm broke and we ventured out for a walk.

Even Shadow the kitty was feeling restless and decided to join us.

He checked out the neighbors' mailbox...

While the canine members of our family stopped for refreshments. 

Ezra and David stopped to shoot some baskets - but abandoned the game once their ball rolled into the muddy woods. 

 

And I got to air out my no-nonsense "there's mud everywhere" boots.

Finally, on Friday evening the power came back on, everyone took a warm bath, and dad came home with Chinese food.  We stuffed our bellies and spent the rest of the evening snuggling on the sofa and recalling all that we were able to do without electricity.  After the kiddos went to bed, Greg and I went right back to snuggling on the sofa while watching The Namesake.  We absolutely loved this film about finding one's place in the world.

We concluded that huge storms are not so much fun, but two extra days of rest and play are not so bad.  Not bad at all.    

i feel good

This post title brought to you by this song.  I have been singing it all weekend and you will too after you see this movie.  Today my daughter informed me that my "singing volume is too loud"  followed by "but I like it when you sing the words 'sugar and spice" - gotta love that girl for all her sugar and spice.   We've been singing (and dancing) a lot around here lately and it's helped keep much of the bickering in check.

Thank you for all your kind comments about my pumpkin pie.  I use this recipe.  It is by far the simplest and yummiest pumpkin pie recipe out there - I found it years ago on the back of the condensed milk can.  I absolutely love condensed milk - it also makes the yummiest fudge.

Ezra used this recipe to make his pie.  I love this pie right out of the freezer - yummy!

I feel good because the weather was absolutely gorgeous this weekend and I got to wear my new red shoes.

I feel good because my kiddos found these seed pods in our woods.

I feel good because Lucy's gorgeous sweater is so perfectly designed and executed it brings joy to my heart.

I feel soooo good to be part of this crafting, blogging, creating community - you never cease to inspire me!

I'll be back soon with some crafting.  Monday was teacher work day at the kiddos' school so I'm a day behind this week.

 

a whole bunch of free motion quilting tips and a new quilt

I have been very busy at the kids' school this week.  But I did manage to finish quilting my log cabin quilt.  It still needs binding but I went ahead and took some pictures.

Here are several close-ups of the quilting.  I did a kind of messy stipple/meandering quilting because I like the way it makes the quilt all 'crinkly' after it's washed and because it is much faster that straight line quilting using a walking foot.  The kind of quilting I did is called free motion quilting because it's done with the feed dogs lowered on the machine which allows the quilt to move around freely under the needle.  With the feed dogs down you will also be controlling the direction and length of the stitches.  The machine will move the needle up and down and you will move the quilt back, forth and side to side.  It's kind of like drawing with the needle - only the machine is the pencil and you are moving the paper (quilt).  It sounds complicated but it's not once you get the hang of it.    

Often the only thing stopping people from attempting free motion quilting is fear.  I know because I too had fear.  And then one day I made myself a dozen 12X12 inch quilt sandwiches (just squares of batting and fabric pictured below) and practiced, practiced, practiced.  So:

1.  put in a free motion quilting or darning foot.  (This foot has a spring in its shank that lets it "hop" out of the way as you are moving your quilt around)

2. lower the feed dogs on the machine (there's usually a switch in the back of the machine - read the manual)

3.  Put in a new quilting needle.

4.  adjust the needle stop in the DOWN position.  (this way each time you stop sewing the needle will remain down in the fabric, allowing you to continue from the same stitch)  Watch Crazy Mom Quilts' video to see how this works during actual quilting.

5.  Thread the machine.  Remember that in order to thread the machine properly you'll need to release the needle tension while you are threading and engage the tension right before you take the thread through the needle.  This ensures that the thread is going through the tension disks properly.  (this is not specific to free motion - you should already be doing this each time you thread your machine.  But if you don't thread the machine properly for free motion you'll see loops of thread bunching up on the back of your quilt)

6.  Begin practicing on your 12 inch quilt 'sandwiches.'  Move a square under the needle, placing a hand on each side, and move the quilt under the needle to form the stippling design.

There are some great tutorials in blog land on free motion quilting.  Alissa of Handmade by Alissa has a great tutorial here.  Amanda Jean of Crazy Mom Quilts has a super informative video on free motion quilting. And this photo of Kathy of Pink Chalk Studio with her quilt over her shoulder is one good way to maneuver a large quilt.   Kathy also writes about the importance of using a sharp quilting needle.  Personally, I do not like to wear gloves while I quilt but you can try it and do what works for you.

TEN Very Important Things to Keep In Mind:

1.  Don't worry about consistent stitch length at first - that will come with practice.  The varied stitch length is the mark of a real person (you) moving the quilt around with you hands, and not a machine.

2.  The hardest part of free motion quilting is coordinating your machine's speed with the speed with which you move your quilt.  Find the machine speed (controlled by the foot pedal) that is comfortable for you and keep it consistent.  My machine has a slider bar that allows you to adjust machine speed - I like to set it on 'medium fast' which lets me floor the pedal without going crazy fast.  Then I move the quilt under the needle at 'medium' speed.

3.  Try to look just ahead of the needle at all times to see where your stitching is headed (kinda like looking ahead while driving)

4.  If your stitches are too long, increase the speed of your machine and slow down the movement of your hands.

5.  If the stitches are too small and bunched together, decrease the machine speed and increase the movement of your hands.

6.  First start the machine running slowly.  Don't move your hands (quilt) until you have taken a stitch or two.  Then move you hands slowly as you increase the machine speed.

7.  Problem solving tip:  If there are long loops of thread on the back side of the quilt, only two things could have caused this problem.  (1) you forgot to lower the presser foot before beginning to stitch or (2) you forgot to raise the presser foot when you threaded the machine.  To solve this:  carefully rethread the machine and start over.

8.  To train your brain, practice drawing the design on a piece of paper before you stitch.

9.  Any imperfect section will be hidden once the whole quilt is quilted.  It's the effect of the whole quilt that matters.  Remember that the recipient of the quilt does not know the effect you were trying to achieve.

10. This is truly lots of fun.  So grab a glass of wine, a comfy chair, turn the music up loud (the machine makes lots of noise) and quilt!

I will answer any questions in the comments - so ask away.

Question of the day:  What are the fabrics above, combined with...

...these fabrics...

going to become?

Answer:  My strip pieced version of this amazing quilt.  Several weeks ago Leslie of A Friend to Knit With was generous enough to give me permission to write up and share a pattern of my version of her gorgeous quilt with you.  It took me a while to figure out how to piece it correctly without having to cut up hundreds of tiny squares - which is probably how Leslie's was constructed because it is hand pieced.  Pattern coming soon so stock up on purple nail polish and search out the cutest embroidered jeans ever! (just kidding)  And if you were wondering why the lower left hand corner of my sketch is conspicuously covered by fabric it's because I totally screwed up while watching episodes of Project Runway.  But I promise that my math skills are far more accurate than my drawing skills.  Really.

Have a great weekend everyone!

cooking and talking with you is so much fun

My ten year old has become interested in cooking this summer.  He asks to help with chores in the kitchen, browses through cookbooks, and uses his tv time to watch the food network.  Yesterday he peeled and sliced apples for pie.  When he was done we realized that...

the peaches were not looking so fresh so Ezra decided to cut those up for a peach pie.  Then he suggested that we throw in a stalk of rhubarb to "add some acidity."  Maybe he's been watching too much food network?   I don't think so because halfway though our slicing my son informed me that "cooking and talking with you is so much fun."  Just goes to show that cooking is all about spending time with family, whether it be making or eating.  So with the help of some store bought crusts, we baked off two yummy fruit pies.

And then we reaped the rewards.

And speaking of rewards, I received this package from the UK yesterday.  Last Monday was our 17th wedding anniversary and I may have mentioned that I have yet to knit a Hanne Falkenberg kit.  To make it seem more like a surprise gift, I let my hubbie place the order and choose from the three patterns I was interested in.  After very little consideration he picked the Mermaid jacket in this blue and white colorway.  I love it and can't can't wait to begin.

But first, I have a nature walk to finish - and super cool moth eggs to observe!

amazing mail day

This was a great mail week! 

First, I received this lovely, handmade card from Kristyn for no reason at all.  It was so nice to open the mailbox and find a beautifully written personal note full of kind thoughts.  Thank you Kristyn for making my day!

 

Next, I received this gorgeous, impeccably made bag from Beki at artsy-crafty babe.  I had been spying this bag for a while thinking I really don't need another bag - there was a time (pre-blog) when I used to make bags myself - and I have many to show for it.  But then it went on sale and I knew had to have it. 

This bag it so beautifully pieced and quilted, it's the perfect size, and the linen and cottons match my clothes so well.  Yesterday I wore this bag to taikwondo practice and all the moms assumed I had made it -- but, Beki I promise that I quickly explained that I purchased it from an extremely talented blog friend.  Thank you so much Beki - i love it.

Finally, I want to share with you the fabrics that I received on the mail for this month's 12 Squared Quilting Bee.  I learned something important about color from this fabric combination and I would like to share it with you.  When I first opened this package the red and white fabrics were grouped together and with all the blue and white fabrics my first impression was this will be a red, white and blue quilt.  But then I realized that three of the fabrics contained just enough olive and tan to make a huge difference in the overall feel of the color scheme.  Isn't it amazing how just one other color added to the traditional red, white and blue can transform the whole look into one very modern and contemporary quilt.  I almost forgot - the gorgeous and modern color combo was sent by Sarah of Hip to Piece Squares.  Thanks for the lesson Sarah!

On the home front, the kiddos picked basil, cilantro and thyme from the herb garden.

We used the herbs - along with olive oil, garlic, and lime juice - to marinade chicken breasts.

In knitting news, I'm still working on the cavern cardi but it may take a bit longer before I can share it with you because I'm thinking I may need to knit a belt with which to fasten it.  I'll make that decision tonight when I get a bit of free time.

Have a Happy Fourth of July!!

the days go by quickly

I only had time to knit one cabbage rose.

Cast on 10 sts.
row 1:  Knit
row 2 and all even rows: Purl
row 3:  kfb of each st.  repeat to end - 20 sts
row 5:  kfb of each st.  repeat to end - 40 sts
row 7:  kfb of each st.  repeat to end - 80 sts
row 8:  purl
bind off.

Because this week has been very busy.

Banana berry smoothies after breakfast to give us...

Energy for swim team practice.

And swim lessons.

Then home for lunch.  Bagel and avocado with tomato for mom and homemade pizza for the kiddos.

Then outside to paint.

And play with guinea pigs.

And worms...

But not if they prove "too slimy!"

In the afternoon we drive to taekwondo.  Here we practice kicking...

And more kicking...

And even more kicking.

We also learn forms...

and weapons.

And then we head home and make dinner, eat, bathe, brush, read until mom says no more reading, and go to bed. 

Blog friends, I'm here reading your blogs and trying to find a bit of time to make something in order to stay sane, but our summer days are packed and the kiddos want me "present" all the time.  But I have to admit that my kiddos say the darnest things and are such a pleasure to be with that I don't mind all the driving, non-stop talking, and incessant crafts.    Who was it that said:  With kids the days go by slowly, but the years pass by quickly.

Modifications

See where I am with my cavern cardi?  Well I was at this exact same spot (sort of ) last Friday night - only I had to frog about 14 rows and thousands of stitches because I made a poor decision on impulse. I'm sharing this tale of woe in the hopes that you learn from my mistake so that this won't happen to you.  So here goes:

Last Friday night just minutes before the kiddos are tucked in their beds (sugar plums dancing and the whole bit) a passing lightening storm caused our power to go out.  So I quickly give the "thunderstorms are not frightening but necessary to give the trees and animals a drink so that they can live happily in the woods" speech.  After I glossed over the part where it also means mom can go another day without standing out in the heat to water our veggie/herb garden I ran to turn off my computer which was ever so conveniently open to a Ravelry link that I followed from a blog.  Somehow - and this part is very hazy - I end up looking at cavern cardigan's knit by other ravelry members.  Immediately I spotted this cute tee created by joining the cardi at the bottom of the neck opening and knitting in the round.  Very smart mod, I thought to myself as I powered down my computer.

Right then, as I was about to grab my flashlight and make my way to my warm and cozy bed so that I could sleep on the impulse decision to transform my little jacket into a tee, the power came back on.  The next five minutes, too, are hazy but I somehow ended up on the couch, knitting in hand, harebrained idea in head, and this netflix movie in the DVD player.   

After a quick calculation to center the neck opening and a few stitch decreases, I proceeded to transform my cardi into a tee by knitting in the round for the next 2 1/2 hours.  I neglected to consider that my nubby yarn wouldn't drape like the one on ravelry but would stand up in an unflattering tent shape or that I had not decreased nearly enough stitches so as to make the tee fit properly.

On Saturday morning I awoke knowing that frogging thousands of stitches was to occupy a portion of my day.  So here I am  - hours of frogging, picking up stitches and knitting later - at the same spot I had knitted to on Friday night.  Only now it is the cardigan that it was intended to be - and I love it - and when it is completed I will wear it out in public.

I hope that you recall this tale the next time that you consider making a rash knitting decision late on a stormy night.   But then again knitting, modifying, ripping, re-knitting - isn't that what it's all about?

More weekend modifications:

Several not-so-fresh bell peppers modified by roasting them in the oven.  Peel and add olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.  yum.

A long neglected flower bed modified into an herb garden.

And the addition of four noodles to the pool modified the manner in which the kiddos played and/or whacked one another on the head.

Hope you find something to modify (for the better) this Tuesday!

tgif

It's Friday! 

And time to reflect upon the week...

I began a new cardi that I think I may actually wear.

I opened the last jar of freezer jam - and this weekend I have plans to make lots more.

I ate a yummy summer salad.

papaya
avocado
grapefruit
lots of freshly squeezed lime juice
salt

I took the kiddos to the library and found these for 25 cents each.

I had never heard of these or the knitting guild association that publishes them.  Have you seen these before?  Do you know anyone who belongs to the guild?  I will be conducting a google search tonight.

Each magazine contains about fifteen patterns - many of which are not my style... but I will be knitting this cute shrug.

I enjoyed watching my mother's day roses bud and bloom.

I could not bring myself to pull and toss the last of the pansies - especially since I so love watching the blooms unfold each morning.

I watched Remy bask in the sunshine with that huge smile on his face.

Pure joy.

While Sally likes to chew on a stick in the shade.

TGIF and whether you love to bask in the sun or relax in the shade (sans stick, of course) I wish you a lovely weekend. 
As for me, I'll be knitting in the shade with screaming and chasing kiddos all around and Sally at my feet.  Pure joy.

day after spring break

The kiddos went back to school today.  We had a great time and spent nearly each day at parks, museums, beaches, and chuck e cheese's.  We played a lot, laughed a lot, got a lot of clothes very dirty, and ate out way too much!

But today it rained all day long.  And I had to spend my few hours alone volunteering at school and running errands.

At 11:30am I pick Abigail up from school and the real fun begins...

After lunch and playtime we do our chores.  First we vacuum all the mulch and dirt that the dogs drag in off the kitchen floor...

Then we wipe off the kitchen table... (what, you don't do it like this at your house?)

Next, we fold towels... (multiple flower pins in hair optional)

Enough with all the cleaning!  Mama's got to sew herself a top... more on this tomorrow.

And I impulse bought some yarn from WEBS that arrived today.  I have no idea what these will become, but I 'just had to have them.'

Finally, I leave you with this out-of-my-filthy-window shot of my dog using one of the new shrubs we planted yesterday as a pillow!  arghh!

Have a happy pre-tax day and I'll see you all back here tomorrow.

pantry broccoli soup - approved by 2 out of 3 kiddos

Although broccoli soup does not photograph well, take my word for it, this one is delish!

After all, It's what's inside that counts!

Since all of these ingredients came from my pantry I will call this:

15 minute pantry broccoli soup

1 large onion, chopped
1 large bunch broccoli, chopped
splash canola oil
1 can chicken or veggie broth
1 cup water
1 small box butternut squash soup
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper to taste

In large soup pot, saute onion and broccoli in oil for 3 min. 
Add broth, water, and butternut squash soup and simmer 10 minutes.
Blend right in the pot using immersion blender. 
Add milk, cheese, salt and pepper.
Heat through (1 minute).  Enjoy!

Everyone (with the exception of the super- finicky middle child) loved this soup so much that I made it twice this week!  Try it - it's yummy and healthy!

Documenting recipes is yet another benefit of blogging.  For years I have been throwing together ingredients without writing anything down.  And months later when my husband would say "why don't you make the (fill in the food here)?"  I could never recall what it was that I did or what ingredients I'd used.  And now it's all here, neatly filed away, in cyber space!

Call me girl friday

I had a dozen errands that 'absolutely needed' to be accomplished today.  (well not really, but I like to check things off the list on Fridays so I feel I had a productive week).

Up at 6:00 :  brush teeth, get dressed, walk dogs.  Check.

6:30 - 7:30 :   serve breakfast, pack lunches, and drive three kiddos to two schools.  Check.

8:15 - 9:00 :  fill car up with gas, stop by bank, drop tax docs off at accountant's.  Check.

9:00 - 10:30 :  go to gym, work out, shower in not-so-clean locker room, dress again.  Check.

10:30 - 11:30 :  drop overdue books off at library, pay late fine, stop by grocery store for milk and dog food.  Check.

11:30 - 12:30:  unload groceries (yes, I brought a few extra items), feed dogs, make salad by dumping anything that looked good enough to eat into large bowl, eat.  Check.

12:30 - 1:00:  remember that I joined the red shoes club flicker group so I spend nearly thirty minutes looking for, finding, and photographing red shoes.  I spend the remainder of the minutes asking myself if this is normal behavior for a thirty-eight-year-old mother of three.

And just as I decide that taking photos of ones feet in red shoes is completely normal, fun even, and that more people should try it, the kitty looks at me as if I have lost my mind.

I spend the next few minutes with a big smile on my face because I am so glad that I started this blog.

 

Then I remember yet another great benefit that comes along with blogging - blog friends!  Like the very kind and thoughtful Lisa of Stitching Under Oaks who sent me this beautifully crafted mole skin that I am keeping right by my computer because it makes me smile every time I look at it.  Life is good.

1:00 - 2:00 :  Pick up first kiddo from school, feed her lunch, set her up with paper and scissors for cutting snowflakes.  Check. 

2:00 :  Try to finish up the three pillow covers I cut out yesterday only to find that the serger has somehow become unthreaded and now looks like this... ouch. 

Remember how I promised a 'how-I-sew-on binding by machine' tutorial and go cut and iron fabric for binding....

for this quilt, which I quilted last night while watching bad tv shows on this channel (it took a little over two hours).  Check.

But my daughter needs me to play 'magnet dolls' with her.  I am the ballerina to her fairy princess.  Check.

I think about this sweater that I have been working on for way too long because I am not sure I love it.  I decide to finish it before I cast again.

3:30 : Other two kiddos are home from school and I am done with errands and crafting for the day.  It is now time to cook dinner and spend time with my kiddos because the days go by so fast.  And I do not want to miss one single moment.  Check.

Lunch framed

This is my boy playing in the woods behind our home.  He is yelling that he is hungry and needs food "Right Now!"

This is the grilled cheese and tomato soup that mom made - which also happens to be boy's favorite lunch.

This is what I found when I went to clear the table - I kid you not.