There and Back

Better Late then Pregnant

2012-01-29T16:12:00.000-08:00

I guess the title is only funny is you ever watched The Golden Girls. It was something that Blanche said on more than one occasion. During the years the show was on, I didn't actually "get" the saying. Well, I get it now, and it cracks me up every time. Anyhoo.......About 6 months ago Katie, Faith and Lee hosted the Summer Sampler Series. Participants quilted along for about a month and ended up with a 12 block sampler quilt.

1. I've done, 2. Summer Sampler Series, 3. Bali Sampler, 4. Summer Sampler Series, 5. Border 091411, 6. Summer Sampler Series quilt in Habitat, 7. another baby quilt, 8. Summer Sampler Quilt Finished!, 9. Completed Sampler Quilt, 10. Summer Sampler, 11. Summer Sampler quilt, 12. SummerSamplerQAL.TopSashed0001

Really pretty, right? So even though I'm 6 months late (but not pregnant - whew!) I'm going to jump in and make it. I've got a bundle of Lecien's Flower Sugar which is very pretty, but generally not my style. I wanted to make a quilt in fabrics that I ohhed and ahhed over in other quilter's quilts, but had never used myself. I'm not sure how quickly I'll make this quilt, but if the four blocks I made this weekend are any indication, I'll be done soon.

Star of Virginia or Sawtooth Star/Variable Star

Greek Cross

Mosaic

Flower Garden Path

This one is ~~a whole lot~~ just a little wonky. I'll have to decide how much that bothers me......

I'm linking up with

Busy Fingers

2012-01-27T06:23:00.000-08:00

After a whirlwind trip to Calgary to visit my aging grandma, I'm back home. As nice as it is to get away for a few days, it's even nicer to return home to a family who missed me. Being away from my sewing machine for four days meant if I wanted something to do, it would be handwork. So, in between visiting with my grandma and other assorted extended family members, I didn't get a whole lot done.

I have a great start on hexagons for a flower garden quilt for my daughter. And that's all I managed because I needed more hexagons but I couldn't find the size I needed. Sure, I found 1" and 1-1/2" but not 1-1/4"!

As tired as I was when I got home, I managed to stitch for a bit. (My husband is always amazed when I say that sewing relaxes me. I know I'm not the only one who feels that way.) I finally put the binding on this tiny little Christmas runner. The snowflake embroidery patterns are from Carina of Polka and Bloom. Before Christmas I took an online stitching class from her. I can now, finally, do more than backstitch! Carina is one of the creative ladies behind &Stitches. If you're a stitcher and haven't yet checked out the e-zine, you really should!

See? Definitely little. Here's a close shot of the stitching. I'm not a great stitcher, but I like how it turned out.

I did my Whirling Star for the Solstitce Star Series.

I also put the finishing touches on my noodlehead gathered clutch. The tutorial was easy, however, I'm sure if I'd actually followed the directions, it would have been even easier. The fabrics are Art Gallery Fabrics, which is definitely one of my favourite companies.

It's little too, just large enough for my hexagon supplies!

The last thing I made was a new pink flower pincushion. My old one was maybe 10 years old. It was part of a swap package, so it made me sad to see it go. I think it held up pretty well but had a few rogue pins inside that would stick me every now and then.

See? Old, and new.

I'm linking up with

and Crazy Mom Quilts

On the Surface

2012-01-25T05:00:00.000-08:00

When quilting a quilt I generally follow along the pieced lines. It's quick and easy to quilt a quarter inch from seam lines, but it doesn't always add that special something, especially if there is already a lot of contrast in your colours. I think it's a popular choice because you don't have to work too hard coming up with a design, or spend hours marking it out.

In this orange and purple quilt, the fabric was pretty busy to begin with and a lot of creative quilting would have been lost in the fabric. I handquilted in the orange rectangle about an eighth of an inch from the seam line and quilted an X through the purple centre square. I quilted like this more for utility than anything. This quilt was one of the first I made after I began quilting in 1999.

I quilted similarly on the cover for my desk trash can, but this one I machine quilted.

In my weathervane runner, I quilted diagonally, following the lines created by the star points. It keeps your eye moving to create more interest in the blank spaces. I love how this one turned out. I will definitely be making some more traditional blocks with modern fabrics. I made the blocks using a tutorial from Don't Call Me Betsy

I made the flower basket quilt for my mother in law in 2004. She has since passed on, so now my daughter has it hung on her wall. I handquilted a lily pad lily in the upper half of the basket. I wish it were easier to see in the picutre, but nothing I did would make it stand out more. I love the way it looks, I think the rounded edges of the quilting softens the pieced lines of the basket. Besides, every basket needs a flower!

I've made a few log cabin quilts, but this is the only one that I made for myself. It was one of my first forays into creating a quilting design that worked with, but didn't follow piecing lines. I am so happy with the way it turned out. I love the rounded lines. I'm not too keen on the butterfly border, but what can I say? I made this one in 2000.

I generally don't know how I'm going to quilt a quilt until after it's done and I've had a chance to stand back and look at it for a while. I usually plan something out in my head and begin measuring and marking. I've never sketched anything out beforehand to see how it would look.

I'm at a bit of a loss for planning the quilting for my sliced coins quilt. I think maybe some kind of allover pattern. This top was made with instructions from Don't Call Me Betsy I think I'll look to the Sliced Coins Flickr group for inspiration.

This HST quilt will be easy, I'm going to quilt a quarter inch from the seam lines the way Rita of Red Pepper Quilts did with hers. I still have to add a thin yellow border, but it's almost ready to go. I loved working with this fabric line, it's Momo's "It's a Hoot" with a few Kona solids thrown in. I wish I had bought more than a charm pack to work with, I'd love it if this quilt were larger.

Going through my stack to find these quilts to take photos of made me realize just how many unfinished projects I've got going. Yikes. Time to get off the computer and get sewing!

The One Where I Admit to Being a Huge Copycat

2012-01-23T03:52:00.000-08:00

Everyday I read a ~~gazillion~~ handful of blogs. Most of them are quilt or sewing blogs, so I'm constantly bombarded with creativity and colour. I see so many things I want to make, and sometimes I can't help myself I just have to do it.

In February, Bloom and Blossom posted a linen sewing machine cover. What do I now have?

Yup, a linen sewing machine cover. Ok, three linen sewing machine covers.

Then there's Amanda of Crazy Mom Quilts. Last week she showed the cutest little bobbin keeper; this week I have a very similarly made desk trash can.

Jessica of All About Orange had not one, but two, sweet posts on origami. I am now an origami master. Well, maybe "master" is a bit of a stretch, but I'm working on it.

So let this be a lesson to you. If you don't want me to make what you've made, don't make it! Or at the very least, don't show it to me!

P.S. I might copy you, but I will always credit back to you if I blog about it!

The More Things Change....

2012-01-21T05:30:00.000-08:00

The more things change, the better they get! I made these 4" hand pieced bow tie blocks more years ago than I care to remember. I'm sure you can tell by the fabric that it was not in the last decade. I must have had a plan to piece a small quilt. There are sixteen blocks completed with pieces cut and marked for twenty-five. Twenty-five! I'm glad I didn't throw them away years ago, although I am throwing them away today. I had a chance to see how my style has changed over the years, and boy has it ever! I wonder what I'll be sewing 10 years from now, and what I'll be throwing away....

Weathervane Runner

2012-01-20T06:00:00.000-08:00

Last Friday Elizabeth, of Don't Call Me Betsy, posted a tutorial for a weathervane block. I absolutely love some of the traditional blocks, especially when they are made in more modern fabrics. Since I'd never made the block before, I decided to join in. I only had enough of the aqua and gold fabric for three blocks, so I made a runner for a table behind my sewing area. Two blocks are white and aqua, one is aqua and white. I'm pretty darn happy with it. Thanks Elizabeth!

I'm linking up with:

and Finish it up Friday

Snow Day

2012-01-19T11:52:00.000-08:00

Not a real snow day, we don't get that much snow here, but I've declared it a snow day none the less. For me, a snow day is one where I stay inside and sew, watch old movies and drink tea. I should do this more often!

Ribbon Star

2012-01-18T18:22:00.000-08:00

Are you quilting along with Fresh Lemon Quilts Solstice Star Series? This was our first block, the ribbon star. I made mine slightly different than Faith showed in the tutorial. Because I used the geometric circles in the centre, I wanted it to be a solid square. I did a bit of measuring, sewing, unsewing and re-measuring before I got it right. I'm really happy with the way it turned out!

Hopping on the Drawstring Bag Bandwagon

2012-01-18T05:00:00.000-08:00

I'm probably the last person alive to make a drawstring bag using Jeni's tutorial, but finally I did it! I had been ~~hoarding~~ saving some Art Gallery Fabrics for ~~four years~~ a while and finally decided the time was right to begin cutting.

I Just Can't Get Enough

2012-01-17T18:45:00.000-08:00

1. Hexies on a tray, 2. Hexagons for the Insanity Quilt, 3. 140ish flowers waiting to be stitched, 4. Hexagon close up, 5. hexitis, 6. Hexagons to Date, 7. Hexies on a tray, 8. Little stacks of hexies, 9. IMG_2611Created with fd's Flickr Toys

The Well Dressed Table

2012-01-16T13:33:00.000-08:00

Just after the new year began, I decided my table needed a little dressing up.With Christmas all tucked away the whole house seemed a little bare. I dug out a fat quarter pack of Khristian Howell's High Society and a bit of Aneela Hooey's Sherbet Pips. Put them together and what have you got? The well dressed table!

A Walk in the Woods

2012-01-15T15:14:00.000-08:00

One of the benefits of living in a rainforest is the all beautiful walking trails in my backyard. The old growth fir, cedar and huge ferns almost make you forget that civilization is just five minutes away.

Needlebook Tutorial

2012-01-13T12:03:00.000-08:00

~~A few days ago~~ Almost a year ago, I said I would do a tutorial for a felt needlebook. Well finally, here it is. I'm certainly no expert at these things, but I love making them, they work up very quickly and make sweet little gifts for sewing friends. Enjoy!

First things first, gather your supplies:
-co-ordinating colours of felt (I get mine from Wool Felt Central)
-embroidery floss
-glue or applique pins
-embroidery needle

Cutting:

-outside piece 4"x5" (light blue)
-inside piece 4"x5" (dark blue)
-needle page 3.75"x4.75" (yellow)
-header (dark blue)
-flowers (red)
-leaves (green)

NOTE: I used a gift tag pattern from the book Fa la la la Felt as my cover design.

1- Cut a wave along the dark blue header piece and use either a dab of glue or pins to attach it to the upper right corner of the outside piece, Sew with a running stitch along the wavy edge and the left edge only.

*terrible picture, I apologize, I didn't realize it until I'd gone a couple of steps ahead!*

2-Cut out your flowers. Since I used a pattern from a book I had a template to print and trace. Decide where you'd like the flowers and hold with glue or pins. Stitch down in a star pattern, it's meant to look like the stamen of a real flower.

3-Cut out your leaves and again glue/pin and stitch onto the cover.

4-Now it's time to add the vine. Stitch a meandering vine in the empty spaces. If you want to add any additional embellishment, now is the time to do it. French knots maybe? More vine? Words on the header?

5-Layer the outside and inside pieces, blanket stitch around the edge. I'm certainly not an expert blanket stitcher. If you need a tutorial, I used Futuregirl's

6-Next, place your needle page inside. Being cut a bit smaller, it will line up just inside your blanket stitching.

7-Fold your needlebook in half and mark a sewing line along the "spine". Sew along the spine of your needlebook, using a lockstitch at both the beginning and the end.

8- Press flat. Steam or don't, it's up to you.

9- Fold and press into a book. Again, steam or don't. I steam.

10- Voila! You have a cute little needlebook....or two!

O is for Origami

2012-01-12T13:55:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Jessica of How About Orange posted the cutest origami kitten bookmark, with a link to the video tutorial. While I'm not nearly proficient enough to tackle it yet, I did manage a few cuties. A swan an angelfish, and my favourite, a bunny. I think I've found a new obsession!

Hands are for Quilting

2012-01-11T17:04:00.000-08:00

As I was reading Nicole's blog post on her Favorite Things I was reminded of how much I love to hand quilt. Nicole had a great list of gadgets that we all seem to love and buy with abandon, but my very favourite on the list was the Roxanne thimble. You know the ones, beautiful, heavy and, *gulp*.......kind of pricey. Well worth it, however. Hand quilting is easier on your hands with the right thimble. If your hands don't get tired you're much more likely to keep at it.

In the past few years I've been caught up with quick finish projects, mostly because I really didn't have the time or attention to devote to a long term commitment. I've made wall hangings, baby quilts, bags and clothes. I've embroidered, appliqued and cross stitched. What I haven't done in a long while is hand quilt. Maybe I should get back to it, once upon a time my hand quilting made Monica drool! Yes it's true, see her sweet comment?

Ok, I know it's a crummy little screen shot, but you could always look here on flickr to see the real deal!

A Bowl Full of Goodness

2012-01-10T11:40:00.000-08:00

Once a week at work I make this delicious crunchy nutty granola that sells out the day I make it. It's full of sweet goodness, with a little bit of good for you thrown in for good measure. Because the recipe is one I created, I can share it with you, you lucky ducks!

Katie's SuperAwesomeFantastic Granola

8 cups rolled oats
1 tbsp + 1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp + 1 tsp salt
5 1/2 oz. vegetable oil
1 cup honey
1 cup maple syrup
1 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp + 2 tsp vanilla
2 2/3 cups sliced almonds
2 2/3 cups chopped hazelnuts
2 2/3 cups raisins
2 2/3 cups dates, chopped

Set your oven to 325F, if you have a convection oven set it to 300F
Toss oats with cinnamon and salt
Add the oil, honey, maple syrup, brown sugar and vanilla
Mix well, I use my hands to be sure that every single oat is thoroughly coated ;-)
Spread out onto baking sheets, this makes a lot so you'll probably need 4
Bake 10 minutes
Sprinkle with almonds
Stir, flip and spread out
Bake 5 minutes
Sprinkle with hazelnuts
Stir, flip and spread out
Bake 10 minutes
Cool completely on the baking pans
Break up into bite sized pieces, placing into a large bowl
Mix in the raisins and dates
Wow your friends and family

The recipe makes about 6 pounds, which is usually too much for one family, unless you're the Duggars. Store it in a sealed bag and it will keep for several weeks. It also freezes well. You can also make lots of yummy substitutions. Change the kinds of nuts or fruit, add coconut, flax or sunflower seeds. I just use regular old grocery store honey, but a flavoured honey would probably be nice too! Give it a try!

Some Days I Work

2012-01-08T14:16:00.001-08:00

A is for Applique

2012-01-06T21:23:00.000-08:00

A Girl's Gotta Eat

2012-01-05T19:30:00.000-08:00

Today I received my new Southern Living magazine in the mail and of course the first thing I did was flip to the recipes. No, I don't live in the South, I live in the Pacific Northwest, but I like to consider myself an honorary Southerner. I lived in Texas when I was thirteen and then again when I was twenty-three. While I'm sure real Southerners might like to argue against my claim to being one of them, they are most certainly too polite to do so! Truth be told, it was probably only twelve months total I spent there. Sadly, one year does not a Southerner make. Ahhh well.
Back to the magazine, and the food.....right away I was taken by their picture of skillet chicken pot pie. I'm one of those people who likes to see what I'm making before I make it. I don't understand cookbooks that don't have at least one picture for each recipe. That is just weird! So, what started as this

became this,

and it was thoroughly delicious. The recipe is here, though I made a few changes. I had only a few peas so I substituted corn. Yes I make wily-nily changes, try to stop me! (Wily- nily is another one of those words I'm bringing back) They called for a pastry crust, but I made dumplings instead. Crazy, right? Mmmhmmm, crazy good!

First Finish!

2012-01-05T08:57:00.000-08:00

Wait....does finishing one placemat out of eight qualify as a finish? No? Drat. Yes, I just said "drat", this year I'm going to bring back some old words and sayings that I feel need to replace some of the new ones, which are generally quite awful. Anyhoo, back to the sewing machine!

Occupy Katie

2012-01-04T10:26:00.000-08:00

After my workout yesterday, my abdominal muscles are protesting. It's like they've set up their own annoying little Occupy Katie movement. *sigh* it's all progress, right? Onto the elliptical.....

New Year, New You.....That's What They Say, Right?

2012-01-03T09:30:00.000-08:00

As always, the beginning of a new year brings a clean slate. It's a chance to clear away the old and bring in the new. This year I'm actually making some goals towards improving my health. I've got a few pounds I'd like to lose and I really would like to improve my overall fitness level.
In November I started working with a trainer in a small group setting. Four of us meet two days a week at 5:30 AM. (Yes, I really do mean AM) It's the only time I can, or will, commit to a regular exercise session. At home I have an elliptical trainer which I use sporadically. My goal is to use it at least two times a week for 30 minutes. I also want to get outside more. I live in such a beautiful town, but sadly I don't get out there to enjoy it often enough.
Best Me 2012 is a local initiative to improve the health and wellness of everyone in our community. I'll get help setting goals, and figuring out how to meet them, nutrition advice and get some testing done. It's probably about time I had my cholesterol and blood pressure checked anyway! I've made the appointment for my goal setting consultation for later this week.
I think some small changes, and a bit of effort, will go a long way to making me healthier and more fit. Let's get going!!!

Quick Start

2012-01-02T14:50:00.000-08:00

For whatever reason, right now I'm all fired up about my sewing projects. After work today I cut out a bunch of giant hexagons to work up into placemats and a table runner. I used Khristian Howell's "High Society", it has a much more modern feel than the fabrics I usually go for, but I've decided that 2012 will be about stepping out of my comfort zone. I may also have decided the same thing about 2011. Perhaps I should start writing these things down.

December 31

2011-12-31T06:39:00.000-08:00

As I read over this post prior to posting, I realized how very different it was from the post I had intended to write. Funny how that happens....

Ok, so this year was a year like no other. Major life changes marked the end of what I can only call a mid-life crisis, although I am far too young to be at the midway point just yet. My family was glued back together from scraps, to create a concrete bond, I could never have imagined it happening but am so glad it did.

I tried, I really tried to get back into blogging. I wrote about my projects, I took and posted pictures, I found and commented on several lovely blogs, I participated in bloggy stuff, again and again. Somehow though, I didn't feel any satisfaction, blogging felt like just another obligation. I know why. I was looking to instantly make or re-new connections. I wanted a quick community. I saw people who I considered inferior sewers/quilters/embroiderers/crafters who had huge followings and successful online businesses, yet I thought I was somehow more deserving than they were. *sigh* Yes. I am an idiot. Yes I can sew. So what. Yes I might be pretty good at a few things, but does any of that really mean anything? Uhhmmm, no.
So. If I have a resolution this year, it's to blog for the enjoyment of it. It's not a popularity contest, the one with the most followers does not win. So join me, if you will, as I craft and create for my own enjoyment. I'm not going to try to keep up with the Joneses, or the Janes, Sallys or Marthas.

Happy New Year, friends. Here's a bit of what kept me busy this year, maybe next year I'll write about it!

Blogger's Pillow Party

2011-03-27T18:40:00.000-07:00

In January, I was the lucky winner in a giveaway held by John aka Quilt Dad. When I entered, it was my first visit to his blog and I felt like a bit of a heel, entering and winning without having visited before. I was just getting back into blogging and sewing after a break of about two years. Now, I visit John's blog regularly, as well as many many others, including that of Pat Bravo who generously provided the prizes for John's giveaway.

I've used Pat's Art Gallery fabrics before so I knew what a delicious treat I was in for when I received my lovely prize. The fabric is the softest cotton you've ever used. It has an amazingly soft hand, and drapes beautifully, almost like a shimmery satin.

I knew I had to do something special with this fabric, which had been called "scraps" in the giveaway, but with some pieces nearly fat quarters, you could hardly call this prize scraps! I then did what any good quilter would do with new fabric, I ironed it, sorted it by colour and imagined the possibilities.

Having recently decided that I love English Paper Piecing I decided to try the dresden plate block. This isn't a block that ever appealed to me before. I thought it was old looking and very dated. I hoped that with my newfound love of hexagons, and some beautiful fabric, I could find a place in my heart for the dresden plate. Well, it has definitely earned a place in my heart. I stitched while at my son's hockey practice. I stitched while on the road to Seattle. I stitched while on my lunchbreak.

Here is the video I used before I first tried English paper piecing. I had the basics down but found it helpful to see the technique in action.

The finished pillow is undeniably a little ~~wonky~~ non-circular, but I'm happy with it. It was made entirely by hand. There are lots of memories sewn inside.

What's Inspiring Me Today

2011-03-21T19:23:00.000-07:00

1. New River Gorge Bridge, 2. Bridge over Jungle, 3. Guy West Bridge Across the American River (e3), 4. Bridge to the City ( From East Bay ), 5. Golden Gate at Sunset, 6. Oakland Bay Bridge

The Handwriting Game

2011-03-19T06:29:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged by the lovely Ashley over at I like your {{moxie}} kid, to take part in The Handwriting Game. All through my life I hated my handwriting, which is a combination of print and script, until I discovered the I like it when I used pencil. Huh. The things you learn.

The Handwriting Game

1 Name

Katie ---> Kathleen Ann Brown

2 Blog

There & Back

3 Write this

The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.

4 Favourite quote

You must be the change you wish to see in the world. Gandhi

5 Favourite song

Keep Askin - Citizen Cope

6 Favourite Bands/Singers

Citizen Cope James Blunt Beck The Shins Broken Bells Dr Pants <--- my friend's band! Johnny Cash

7 Anything else you want to say?

Is it you or your parents in this income tax bracket? ---- ok, so it's from a song, but I like to say it ;-)

8 Tag three people

Maddie Domestic Anarchy at 100 S.

Sarah Atlantic Atlantis

Amelia Notes From the Laundry Pile

I hope you decide to play along, it's fun!

Words That Are Hard to Spell

2011-03-17T14:02:00.001-07:00

For more lists ----> 30 Days of Lists Flickr group.....

What's Inspiring Me Today

2011-03-14T15:43:00.000-07:00

1. Cuba Gallery: Italy / Amalfi Coast / blue / boats / water / sea / ocean / clouds / peaceful / beautiful / amazing / symmetry / photography, 2. Cuba Gallery: Typography / water ripple / blue / red / color / reflection / ocean / texture background / ship / sea / boat / numbers / photography, 3. Morning light, 4. Blue boat, 5. Boat, 6. Blue tastes like this...(Explore Page)

30 Days of Lists - Day 8

2011-03-08T13:36:00.000-08:00

I found a fun new project, 30 Days of Lists Since it's already started, I'll begin where everyone else is and catch up along the way.

In my bag.......

My giant, ridiculously expensive Roots bag, that I bought with Airmiles points so I only paid $30, holds everything I need, and more.

Strange that I have a pen, but no notepad......

Are You???

2011-03-08T12:59:00.001-08:00

What's Inspiring Me Today

2011-03-07T14:41:00.000-08:00

1. New York - Brooklyn Bridge Sunset 2, 2. Birds over Brooklyn Water Towers, 3. Pont St. Michel & Quai des Grands Augustins at Sunset, Paris, 4. Sunset at Place du Parvis Notre Dame, Paris, 5. mer de tranquilite, 6. Letting go of time

Finally! Indie Begins!

2011-03-02T15:36:00.000-08:00

Early in the year I signed up for an online course designed to help guide the creative entrepeneur towards success.

The course has just started and already I'm having fun. I've getting to know several classmates, there's even one who lives not too far from me, Kate Pixley Designs. By not too far I mean, within an hour. WooHoo. I imagine there is coffee in our future......

Anyway, our first assignment is to make our portfolio look pretty. I was eager to get going on coursework but it's always much nicer to work with a pretty book, so I jumped right in.

When I design something, I don't usually have a concept in my head. I know what colours I want to use, and possibly a style, but that's about it. Just like when I designed the pillow for Rachel's pillow party. I guess my design style is kind of evolutionary. I just build on the previous element.

I started with a green binder then went to the craft store and started pulling things I liked off the shelf. Some pretty paper, glittery letters, rhinestone brads. I still had no idea how I was going to put it all together, until I started cutting.

I started with the cover, cutting and layering. It took me back to days when I loved working on scrapbooks. I had so much fun!

I can't wait to fill this portfolio with all my ideas. It's my first step towards success!

Ta-Da!

2011-02-23T16:21:00.000-08:00

Last week, before I headed off to Seattle, I blogged about wanting to make a new needle case. True to my word, I whipped up this little beauty while my husband drove. It was quick and easy, and it gave me something to do on the two hour drive. Once it was finished it occurred to me that I should have photographed each step for a little tutorial. Oh well, perhaps that will be a project for another day....

Itchy and Scratchy....

2011-02-22T12:38:00.000-08:00

I wasn't sure if I was going to blog about my new tattoo, but decided that I might as well. It's a huge part of me now and is currently driving me insane, so it's all I can think about. So far, it's just the outline of the foreground. I'm starting on the background in about 6 weeks. There will be a NYC skyline, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge. It's going to be a long process to finish this thing!

My First Listing!

2011-02-21T17:55:00.001-08:00

Can I get a WOOHOO?! I finally have something in my Etsy store! Check out my listing :-)

Heaven, I'm in Heaven.....

2011-02-16T16:34:00.000-08:00

I arrived home from work today to a parcel at my door. What could make a girl happier than fabric? Uhhhh, yeah, not much. Included is Christmas Groove fabric by Caleb Gray (Robert Kaufman) Ty Pennington Impressions (Free Spirit) and a bundle of Suburbia Kitchen (Robert Kaufman) I found them all at a lovely Etsy shop The Fabric Shoppe The shop is new to me but is now one of my favourites! Jody has fabulous taste, great selection and great prices.

Yes, I know I promised to stop taking all my pictures with my phone. I will, really. I just need to find one more camera part.....

Blogger's Pillow Party

2011-02-16T15:55:00.000-08:00

Since it's my first time joining the pillow party , I thought I'd start small. This pillow is just 13" x 8", so it's not really good for much, except looking cute and when you think about it, that's the most important part anyway, so mission accomplished, I guess.

I've recently fallen in love with making hexagons. I like the portability and the fact that I can get tons done while watching Criminal Minds with my boys. They don't have to know I just watch it for Shemar Moore, do they? Anyway....I used a bit of thrifted linen, as well as scraps from a table runner I made for a friend. A bit of embroidery and hand quilting and bam! Cute little pillow.

A Race to the Finish

2011-02-14T13:50:00.000-08:00

Since joining Anne Marie's 9 patch challenge I have been working away on two 9 patch quilts. The first one finished is made with half a jelly roll of Hunky Dory by Chez Moi. I used just the blue and yellow strips in this quilt but I also made 9 patches with the pink and green strips. I will likely make a matching quilt with those. The solid in this quilt is Kona cotton Brick. This quilt is small, it's 41" x 35".

On the back I used a light yellow/orange batik. I hand stitched the binding on the backing, as I always do. I've never found a way to get a machine stitched binding to look good. I know people do it, I've just never been able to!

I might list this quilt for sale in my Etsy shop. Right now it's a sad little shop with nothing in it :-(

Something is Needling Me

2011-02-10T15:07:00.000-08:00

ok, I know the strawberry picture is huge but I'm too tired to go & fix it.....

A few years ago Happy Zombie Monica gave out a pattern for a cute little needle book. I had never used a needle book before, I just tucked my needles into spools of thread. I found some ~~cheap dollar store~~ inexpensive felt and made one. Very cute but the felt I used was ~~garbage~~ poor quality and it didn't last very long.

This is the needle book when it was new. It's in a sad state now, no way am I taking a picture of it the way it looks today.

Today while browsing blogs, I spotted a very cute needle book. It's small, it's floral and oh so sweet! I think I need to make one. It will be the perfect hand project for my trip trip Seattle this weekend. Now comes the hard part, breaking into my brand new stash of

wool felt.

Coin Stacks

2011-02-03T18:41:00.000-08:00

When I joined the Sliced Coins Quilt Along I didn't really expect to fall in love with this simple pattern. I thought it would be a fun quick little quilt. Well, it is a fun quick quilt but it's turned into so much more. Originally I ordered fabric for it, but couldn't wait for it to arrive, so I headed to the local shop and bought something else. Since I was already a week behind everyone else, I spent a couple of house after work one day cutting and sewing. Today when everyone began linking their progress, I got antsy. I couldn't be left out of the linky fun! So I sat down to my new little machine and spent an hour sewing up the coins. That's it, an hour. Oh how I love this pattern! So quick! So easy! No angles! No set-in seams! No bias! I think I'm in love.....

The colours are not nearly as washed out as they look in this photo. The quilt feels to me like beach glass. I promise to stop taking pictures with my phone, just as soon as I find all the parts for my camera.....

Pillow Sneak Peek

2011-02-03T15:27:00.000-08:00

In progress for The Bloggers Pillow Party

The Bread of Life

2011-01-31T14:15:00.000-08:00

Yes, I actually do mean bread, not something deeper and more spiritual. For me, breadmaking really is something that requires study and devotion. I consider it an art, just like painting, acting or sculpting. Of course I'm not talking about quick bread, bread machine bread or bread made with commercial yeast. I'm talking about bread made with wild yeast. The stuff you grow yourself, in your kitchen, on your counter and in your fridge.

For several months I've been interested in sourdoughs. Real sourdoughs. The kind that don't use any other form of yeast. I've searched for recipes and tried a few. I've been on many internet forums asking around but no one seems to rely solely on wild yeast. Granted, commercial yeast is easier, less time consuming and more predictable. Finally though, I found the book I'd been searching for. How had I never heard of this man, his bakery , or his books before?

I've decided I'm going to do a Julie & Julia with this book. Julie has a blog, although it hasn't been updated in a while so I'll have to do some sleuthing to find out what corner of the internets she's hanging out in these days. Anyway, just like Julie did with Julie Child's book, I have decided I"m going to make every single recipe from Chad Robertson's book. I realize the book is puny in comparison to Julia's Mastering the Art of French Cooking I mean really, 536 recipes compared to what? Maybe 100? Many of those are simply variations, so don't really even count as separate recipes. But--- I'm not trying to compete with the idea Julie Powell had. I like what she did. She took a book and mastered it. That's what I am going to do. I'm going to learn how to make the best wild yeast bread I can. Starting this weekend. Pictures will be taken.

My Genius Moment

2011-01-27T16:06:00.000-08:00

The other day as I was typing up a new post I had a hard time inserting links. I couldn't do it the way I normally do. Weird. Then I linked my French onion soup recipe to Randi's Recipe Box Swap and didn't get a single comment, not even from Randi, which I thought was very odd. I would have expected the host of an exchange to visit everyone. Hmmm. Curiouser and curiouser. Lots of hits from Randi's blog, as well as several from Anne Marie's blog, but not a single comment. How discouraging. Then it hit me. I just had someone install a new header and background. I looked at the date of the install and compared that to the dates the comments stopped and what do you know, they were the same! So, I removed the beautiful background, replaced it with a stock blogger one and lo-and-behold, comments work, so do links!

You may now comment to your heart's delight. Please.

French Onion Soup

2011-01-25T00:29:00.000-08:00

A couple of years ago, before I deleted my old blog, I participated in several of Randi's Recipe Box Swaps. With the revival of the blog, and a newly minted diploma from culinary school, I am joining in again. Before culinary school, henceforth known as bs, wait no, that should be bcs, I wasn't an onion lover. Oh my, how things change when you know exactly how to cook one properly! Here is possibly the best French onion soup in the whole wide world. Well, I don't know about the whole world, but it's darn good and made an onion lover out of me!

yellow onion, thinly sliced 3-1/4 pounds

garlic 1 clove

olive oil 1/2 ounce

red wine 1-1/2 ounce

brown stock* 1-1/4 quart

chicken stock 1 quart

fresh thyme 2 tsp

salt & pepper to taste

toasted French bread slices for garnish

Gruyere, grated for garnish

-Saute the onions and garlic in olive oil over low heat. Carefully caramelize them without burning. LOW HEAT is very important or the onion will be bitter rather than sweet. Don't get impatient!

-Deglaze the pan with red wine, cook au sec (fancy French word meaning until dry)/ The onions will be a very dark, even brown.

-Add the stocks and cook 20 minutes to develop the flavour. Adjust the seasonings, you will need more salt than you think.

-Serve in warm bowls. Top each portion with a slice of toasted French bred and a thick layer of cheese. Place under pre-heated broiler until the cheese melts and is beginning to brown.

*brown stock is just chicken stock made with bones you have roasted in the oven for about an hour. It gives a richer and more complex flavour as well as darker colour to your stock. You might know this already, but I didn't until I went to culinary school :-)

Craft Book Challenge

2011-01-22T15:06:00.000-08:00

For some reason I seem to need a challenge to get me going on something. I find I can't just get to it on my own. It's the procrastinator in me, I guess. I've started working on a quilt for Anne Marie's 9 patch challenge. Finally, a reason to sew again! I'm having so much fun with it. I almost forgot how much I love to create.

Today while I should have been sewing but wsa reading blogs instead, I found a blog new to me and she is hosting the best challenge ever. Actually, I'll just say that after two years of not sewing or reading any creative blogs, they are all new to me. Anyway, Liesel has challenged us to make one thing every month this year from a craft book we already own. Now how easy is that? I can do that! It will give me a chance to use some of the ~~hundreds~~ thousands of dollars of books that are sitting in my closet. If I'm smart and crafty, and you know that I am indeed a smart and crafty gal, I can even combine the two challenges. Yessiree, I can make a nine patch something out of a book in my collection! Oh yeah, baby. I know I may seem a bit too excited about that possibility but it's quiet in the house today, I don't have much else going on this afternoon ;-) So, what am I doing sitting in front of my computer, you ask? I don't know, it's time to get sewing.

What I Do All Day

2011-01-20T18:07:00.001-08:00

Somebody Put a Hex on Me

2011-01-16T20:01:00.001-08:00

I went away this weekend thinking I had everything I needed to get a little farmer's market sewing done. Apparently to use the sewing machine and serger, power cords and foot pedals are needed. Huh. Who knew? I decided to make the best of the situation and do a little hand sewing. I'd always wanted to try making hexagons, so I figured, why not this weekend? In between watching movies with my boys, hockey practices and quiet afternoons on the couch I managed to make 35, enough for 5 flowers. I see myself making many many more. Those little buggers are addicting.

A Challenge

2011-01-13T15:17:00.000-08:00

So anyone who knows me knows that I like to buy stuff. I'm not a hoarder, yet, but I like stuff. A couple of years ago I bought 3 charm packs of Urban Chicks's Swell fabric. It was on sale, and oh, how I loved it! I had no idea what I was going to do with it, but that wasn't the point. Well, NOW I know! Anne Marie is hosting a nine-patch challenge. The idea is to use fabric you already have. Yeah, I can do that.

Swap Season

2011-01-12T16:16:00.000-08:00

It seems that with the new year, a new round of crafty swaps is starting. In many of the blogs I read people are signing up to swap handmade goodies. There's one I'd really like to do but you need to have evidence of a previous swap. Since I deleted my old blog I deleted the evidence. Boo. I looked through my flickr for pictures but there is only one of the bag I made for the swap. Sad, since I used one of my favourite Amy Butler fabrics for the makeup bag I made. I was so disappointed with what I received in the swap that I didn't take any pics of it. Oh well, I will find another swap to do and I will document it well. That way, when the next {Urban} HOME Goods swap rolls around I can do it.

On Again

2011-01-09T17:56:00.000-08:00

After over a year and a half of separation, many fights and tears, my almost ex-husband and I have decided to go to counselling and make this work. I was the kind of person who always laughed when people got back together with their ex. After all, there was a reason they split up in the first place. Well, yes there was a reason, but in a year and a half we've both become completely different people. I went to school, moved to the big city, got a full time job, made all new friends. As for my almost ex, I don't even know him anymore. He has lost weight, over 170 pounds. That has made him look at life, and what he can do, in an entirely different light. His priorities have made a 180 degree turn. So, we've decided to take the new us to a counsellor so we can work out our old problems. And I couldn't be happier.

Lazy Thursday

2011-01-06T11:19:00.000-08:00

Oh the weather outside is frightful, but I'm cozy inside working on a new project. I'm making these cute little elfies designed by Jenny Harris of Allsorts. Jenny has the happiest style. Her blog always makes me smile so I thought I'd bring a bit of that feeling home!

As I was sitting stitching a package arrived with my two new books. Looks like I won't be moving from the couch any time soon!

Endings, or Beginnings

2011-01-05T14:39:00.001-08:00

I've finally found the time to get some neglected projects done. The first is a quilt that was "oh so nearly" done for the past three years. I had an hour of hand quilting to complete. Can you believe that it sat unused, unloved and unviewed for so long? Gah! The next project was finally figuring out how to make a journal cover. I had such a difficult time with any instructions I found. I started the project about 18 months a go but gave up due to frustration. For whatever reason, I simply could not "get" the instructions. I tried many links to different tutorials but didn't have any success until I found this one by Bloom & Blossom. I still had some figuring out to do but I finally crossed those covers off my list!

My unfinished list is still five miles long but at least now I've begun the long journey. Hallelujah.

Just So You Know Who You're Dealing With

2011-01-03T22:15:00.000-08:00

I am Clownfish, Hear me Roar.

2011-01-03T16:49:00.000-08:00

Symbiosis is defined as:

1. Biology A close, prolonged association between two or more different organisms of different species that may, but does not necessarily, benefit each member.

2. A relationship of mutual benefit or dependence.

Right now, symbiotic relationships rule my life. Most days I would love nothing more than to shut the door on my mother and lock it tight, however, I can't do that. I need her. I'm quite certain that she'd trade me in for a trip to Colorado or Spain or BFE, but she can't. She needs me.

I have a child who needs a babysitter. I realize that babysitters are a dime a dozen, good babysitters probably a dollar a dozen. I need a very special babysitter. My daughter has Phelan McDermid Syndrome which looks a lot like Autism. This being the case, I can't leave her with many people. She needs care from someone who knows and understands her and her abilities. Then there's my job. I'm an assistant pastry chef and many days I work at 4 AM. Not many babysitters are willing to come over at that hour. That's where my mother comes in. She's the perfect babysitter, she's available and she loves my kid.

My mother's story is another issue entirely. About 15 years ago she went through a breakdown related to clinical depression combined with bi-polar disorder. She's been on disability ever since. She lives on a very small insurance plan income and a very small pension. Generally speaking it's not nearly enough to survive in any major city, but living in Vancouver is especially difficult. Here we have the highest cost of living in the entire country combined with the lowest wages. While the low wages don't affect my mother, they certainly affect me! Gah! As my mother is my babysitter, I pay her for it. I pay 2/3 of her monthly rent in exchange for her time spent with my daughter. It works out to $600 a month. I've worked out how many hours she spends with my daughter each month and I pay her over $10 an hour. I think it's fair and my mom thinks it's fair. The only thing is, we're stuck with each other.

A clownfish and a sea anemone live in a symbiotic relationship. The clownfish feeds on small invertabrates which could potentially harm the anemone. Fecal matter from the clownfish provides vital nutrients to the anemone. If the clownfish were capable of logical thought, would he prefer to live out of the shadow of the sea anemone? Would the anemone want his space back? I suppose the answer is no. They need each other.

Thirty.........something

2010-10-18T20:02:00.000-07:00

So I have a birthday coming up. Not right away or anything, it's in June. BUT, it's a very significant birthday. I'm preparing for it already. By preparing I mean I'm getting rid of all aspects of my old married life and starting with a clean slate. So yes, I've divorced, gone to school and moved to the big city. Now that I've done all that, I'm getting into the best shape I've ever been in. I guess it's the age thing I'm finding hard to deal with. I'm fighting aging and I suppose the best way to do that it to look and feel good.

Five days a week you'll find me working my butt off at Survivor Bootcamp. My God, this stuff isn't easy. I suppose if it were easy it wouldn't be called bootcamp, and, I wouldn't be seeing results, so I'm not complaining. I've been in only a week and already I'm seeing results. I can run farther and do more pushups. Go me!

By the time my birthday rolls around I should be feeling at least ten years younger. Well, ok five.

Where Do I Go From Here?

2010-09-14T16:23:00.000-07:00

Where do I go from here? That's the question I've been asking myself recently. Life seems incredibly busy and crazy these days. I'm two days away from finishing culinary school, I have a full time job and a not so affordable apartment in Vancouver. I don't think I want to stay in Vancouver, partly because it's the most expensive city in Canada and partly because I didn't ever plan on living here. I just kind of landed here. So I'm thinking, deciding, wondering. Maybe I'll work here for a year and move on. Maybe I'll open up my own shop in whatever city I end up in. Hmmmm, where should I go?

Old life meet new life

2010-01-04T16:08:00.000-08:00

So I'm going to start blogging again. It's been way more than a year since I deleted my old one but now I find I have things I need to say. Things that I don't want to unload on anyone. So here it comes.

In August 08 my doctor suggested I should try to taper off my medication. I've been taking Zoloft for several years to treat depression and mild anxiety. I very slowly started going down in dosage. 6 months later is was down to 50 mg a day from 200, but I was a wreck. It was the worst Christmas ever. I was crying, sleeping, avoiding everything and everyone. I couldn't eat, I lost 10 pounds in about 2 weeks. I knew I wasn't doing well so decided to go back up in dosage until I felt normal again. Slowly I went back to 150 mg a day, where I have been since February 09.

Getting back into a depression wasn't all bad I guess. It helped me see that I wasn't happy. I always thought I was. I always thought I loved my husband and our life. Turns out I didn't.

In May 09, I told my husband I wanted a divorce. It hit him out of nowhere. He had no idea it was coming. He begged me to go to counselling and try to make things work. I didn't want any part of it. I was done.