turkey feathers

Stepping Into Summer

Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, though it seems at times, the weather can't quite make up its mind.  But so far it's looking good and we had a great weekend celebrating its arrival.  There was a full day of gardening on Saturday, so much that I could barely stand upright at the end of the day.  Nothing a hot bath couldn't fix though.  Most of  Sunday was spent dashing about in the kitchen making crock-pot chili and potato salad for a family BBQ, and much baking.  Including these sweeties (see below) for Grace's "Sweet 16"  craft-tea party yesterday, which was part craft fest, and then a more refined luncheon inside, with table settings of silver, crystal (water goblets), and the blue and white "china".  Such fun.  I've had these dishes (Ming Tree) since the Mister and I were married, almost 26 years now, so I guess that makes them...and, um, us..vintage...but I still really like them.  There's just something classic about blue and white dishes and I've hung onto these as other sets have come and gone.

The vintage tea cloth was a gift from a dear blog reader (thanks again, Marcia!) who found inspiration here while she was recovering from cancer treatment last year.  I think of her and her courageous spirit every time I look at it, and am touched and happy to know that my blog, apparently can be a light for someone who's in a dark place.  Although that thought, is making it hard now as I contemplate my next move.  Which is to sign-off for the summer.  It's time.  I need to plant a vegetable garden, build a new chicken coop, take some relaxing trips,  get back to a few house projects I've let slide, and do a lot more entertaining.   The PatternBee website and Esty shop will continue to be open and updated from time to time, and the blog archives will still be accessible, I just won't be yakking about anything new here (after the end of this week), until Labor Day.  In the meantime, I'll be a busy bee!!  And when I return, I'll hopefully have something new to bring to the conversation.

So.  Now let me tell you about these cupcakes.  Oh my.  What is it about tiny pink cupcakes anyway?   Can we ever get enough of them?  I say not!  What we have here is a standard simple white cake recipe,  poured into greased mini-cupcake tins (without papers).  Then I turned to Wilton's for the  quintessential Buttercream Icing recipe, my favorite, because it always turns out perfect for piping or decorating and holds its shape beautifully.  For the icing swirls I used my open star cake tip #22, starting at the outside edge and working toward the center in a continuous circle.  Very easy.  Wilton Icing color: pink #256, in varying shades.

The cake part of the cupcake was only a mouthful, mostly a vehicle for all the delicious fluffy icing.  Yum.  I see a lot more of these in my future.    Lots.

FAQ Friday

Welcome to FAQ Friday. This is where you will find answers to questions concerning my projects, patterns, and other things you may wonder about. You can ask questions in the comment box or email them to me and I will select random topics each week to reply to here. If you want a link back to your website or blog just ask. I'll try and let you know if your question has been selected earlier in the week, or just check back here Friday for the answers if you're shy (tee hee) and don't want to post an email address. Before asking a question, check here first to see if it's already been addressed. OK, that's it! Here are this week's picks:

Q.  I love your website and all the vintage embroidery patterns, thank you so much for sharing them. Do you know where I can find flour sack tea towels to embroider on? Thanks, Sherry

A.  I've found a number of sources on the Internet, here, here, and here.  Some people like to make their own towels out of birdseye cotton (diaper fabric) and huck toweling, both available by the yard at most fabric super stores.  Both will shrink quite a bit, so buy extra with that in mind.

Q.  Your quiche recipes never fail me, I've clipped them out and save them.  Will you be adding more soon? Jean

A.  As a matter of fact, I've just added "L" to the list in the side-bar album. This one's a yummy springtime Leek and Carrot Quiche.  Another hearty meatless dish and a great way to use leeks. Hope you enjoy it!   

Q.  Hi,  I love reading your blog and all the things you make are so lovely. Ellanora, the elephant doll has sent me on a search for elephant doll patterns. Which pattern did you use for her and could you tell me where to purchase it? Thank you, Lee

A.  I used an older Simplicity Crafts pattern #7140 created by Faith Van Zanten in 1990, and modified it a bit.  Your best chance of finding this pattern would be to search any number of auction sites, including ETSY.

Thank you for the quiltie-love. Sounds like those white backgrounds are just as scarce as I thought. Yoo-Hoo fabric designers, more white backgrounds please. We have a pretty busy weekend planned and it looks like good weather is sticking around for it so far. I think it reached 80 degrees yesterday, we were out in the yard working 'til sundown. I'm feeling happy because the "fortress" is almost finished. We hired someone to roto-till and The Mister finished the gates yesterday. He's going to start building the raised-bed frames today. We're also throwing an early birthday party and BBQ with family and friends for Grace on Memorial Day; she's going to be "sweet 16" in another week, which I can hardly believe, and driving a car now too. (I feel gray hairs sprouting as I speak.) How quickly they grow up. So dearies, I've got a lot to do; time to tie on my apron and get cracking. Hope everyone has a super-dooper weekend!

Dolly's Delights

Our own lovely Miss Grace has been busy over here, whipping up more petite confections.  These sweeties, fresh from the dollhouse bakery, are for Jenny.  (Warning:  a visit to her site may send you into a diabetic coma! Happily so.)  These are the teeniest cupcakes ever.  I can't even fathom this, and yet here they are.  Each one is about the size of a blueberry, the platter an inch-and-a-half in diameter.  I want to gobble them down in one bite.  But I won't, I promise.  They'll be on their way soon, right after I stop drooling and staring at them.  Besides, Grace would kill me!  She's worked meticulously on them for weeks now.   

And here's one of my latest doll quilts: 12" x 12" (approximately).   I'm really so fond of  this block pattern made by simple strip-piecing.  Little embroidered bunny is from this old pattern set.  The blue and white flower print fabric, was picked up from a thrift store for 25c.  There was just a handful, not enough to do much with, except, make a doll quilt of course.  For which, it worked perfectly.  I'm always on the lookout for floral prints with white (not cream) backgrounds, but they are so hard to find for some reason.   Is this the case or am I just not looking in the right places? 

Simply Marvelous Mail

The mailman was smiling when he brought the big pink polka-dot box with butterfly stickers all over it, around to the back door.  I'm sure he thought it was someone's birthday.  It felt like mine, let me tell you.  I did a little swaparoo with Calamity Kim;  a mini-quilt for an apron, and this is what she sent me.  Oh my.  Such sweet generosity from one of the nicest (and sometimes most hilarious) blog pals on the planet.

Every package held something special.  Packages within packages, all wrapped in delicious scraps of cloth and yummy trims.  This treasure box was for Mother's Day.  (How sweet is that?) It was packed with many, many delightful things too.  I was (and still am) so touched by it all.  There were...things like....

...vintage hankies, seed beads, mica glitter, a flower pin, darling little miniatures for the dollhouse, a tiny paper umbrella, alpha deck of letter cards;  I just sat on the floor and took my time opening every little thoughtfully wrapped present and feeling totally spoiled.

Another package held a very cute heart-shaped pincushion on a stand. Everything seemed to be sprinkled with flowers and butterflies.  And I hadn't even gotten to the package with the apron yet. 

Which was exquisite...and was sprinkled with flowers and butterflies...and fairies, and birds, and lace, and yo-yo's, and all kinds of the sweetest things.  After I calmed down and stopped screaming, I just sat and held it, staring at every minute detail for the longest time.  Grace happened to walk into the room then, wearing the perfect outfit (I thought), so she got to model for me.  I think I'm gonna have a heck of a time wranglin' this sweet nellie away from her though.  Especially now that she's noticed it's reversible, with CUPCAKES on the other side.   

Yes, I may have some trouble on my hands people.  Maybe we can share it.  Um...Yoo-Hoo...Gracie-e-e-e, do you think I might have a turn wearing it now?  Pretty please...

 

Well.  I just couldn't be more pleased with this.  Thank you so much, Kim!  (I owe you big time now Dearie.  Need any vintage embroidery patterns?)  Check out the apron in more detail over here.  And while you're at it, take a gander at the new flickr group Kim started, appropriately called, Doll Quilt CrAzY, and add your wee-quilt pix if you have them.  (I need to go do that now.)

FAQ Friday

Welcome to FAQ Friday.  This is where you will find answers to questions concerning my projects, patterns, and other things you may wonder about.    You can ask questions in the comment box or email them to me and I will select random topics each week to reply to here.  If you want a link back to your website or blog just ask.  I'll try and let you know if your question has been selected earlier in the week, or just check back here Friday for the answers if you're shy (tee hee) and don't want to post an email address.  Before asking a question, check here first to see if it's already been addressed. OK, that's it!  Here are this week's picks: 

Q.  I love your mini quilts. When in the process do you do the embroidery? On the muslin before the square is cut? After the top is pieced? Or does it matter? You've inspired me.  Linda N.

A.  Thank you Linda!  I tend to do things off the cuff as I'm going along, but I think the best advice is to do the embroidery first.  Make sure you stamp or draw your design on a piece of cloth that is larger than your embroidery hoop so it can be stretched taught as you work.   Press it from behind to remove any wrinkles, and don't forget to include a 1/4" seam allowance all the way around before cutting it to the desired size. 

Q.  Do you sell the items on your website or patterns to make them?  I am interested in purchasing the Mixed Bag, and several other items I saw. Thanks, Melonie.

A.  Hi Melonie, I used to make and sell things on my sister website, scrap.happy, but I found that managing another site on top of my PatternBee biz, took more time than I had to devote to it properly.  For now, the few items I still make can be found in the Etsy shop I share with my daughter Grace.  The bags and other items I've shown on my blog were made without patterns, (unless noted) and at this time, I have no plans to design and sell patterns for them.

Q.  I have really enjoyed reading all your posts & looking at your photos! Such colorful creativity! So many great links too. I'm curious about the swaps you do, how do you find out about them - do you use swapbot at all? Thanks so much. Smiles, DianeM :)

A.  Thank you Diane, I'm happy you're enjoying my little corner of crafty blogland!  Swaps are fun but totally random with me. I've never used swapbot, or join groups anymore.  I've had to find a balance by setting priorities and time limits for certain things, and tend to connect with blog pals individually if there's a shared interest in something.

I can't beleive this week is drawing to a close already, it seemed to go by too fast, but I think I got most of the things done that I wanted to do.  Poor Miss Ginger woke up with a sore throat first thing Monday morning, thwarting our field-trip plans to visit the OG.  By Wednesday though, she was feeling better and we were able to hook up with friends a couple times this week.  My gal-pal Missy, (who sells this wonderful fiber-wrapped felted handmade soap), has a very cute  'new addition'  to her family.  One of her alpaca's had a baby (called a "cria") ten days ago, and we saw it for the first time yesterday.  I forgot my camera, but I couldn't get a better picture than the one she sent me of little Neopolitan here, napping with his face to the sun.   She had a few baby chicks hatch out too, they were so cute.   Talking and thinking about all this reminds me that the new PatternBee "Signs of Spring" bonus transfer, is up on the website now, inspired by all the hatchlings and early flowers.  I'm looking forward to a little garden action this weekend.  We're all set for an afternoon delivery of top soil today.  Can't wait to dig in the dirt now!  (It takes so little to entertain me sometimes.)

   

All Or Nothing

Isn't this pretty?  It's one of those ingenious hanging berry pots, I bought from Cynthia's organic farm stand a few weeks ago.  This is how it looked right after I brought it home.   I love it and have been fussing over it since, moving it around to various sunny spots on the patio, perhaps hanging it a little too low at times, but I was keeping a close eye on it.  Or, um, I thought I was.  Yesterday it was really loaded with juicy ripe strawberries and as I passed by it, I was gleefully thinking to myself that I would finally pick them.  Unfortunately, I got busy with a few things first and put it off just a few moments too long.  Big mistake.  Every berry was gone, (along with half the plant) when I went back.  Yep, you guessed it.  We had visitors when my back was turned.  The deer, (two bucks) even had the gall to lounge around on the grass after wards gloating, patting their bellies and licking their chops and would not leave.  (And why should they?  We hand out free strawberries here afterall.) Talk about wearing out your welcome.  First the purple lupine, then the strawberries.  Boo-Hoo-h--o-oo.  If it sounds like I'm whining, I SO am.  (You should hear the pitiful sad sounds I'm making behind the scenes here just re-living this in the telling.)  pooh.

But, (sniff), there's still a bit of GOOD NEWS:  the roses have not been touched.  Not a single bud or flower has been munched.  So it's not all bad. And that can only be attributed to the Mister's Magic Concoction.   I truly hope so anyway, because several folks have been asking for the recipe, which we are happy to share, I just don't want to make any wild claims.  Ya know, just in case. 

Deer Repellent Mixture

To 1 quart spray bottle add:

1 beaten egg

1/4 cup milk

1/4 teas. dish soap liquid

1/4 teas. vegetable oil

5 drops clove oil (available at craft or health food store)

Water to fill container after all ingredients have been added.

It's recommended to spray this mixture once a month, but I have been misting a few times a week, because I'm still not totally convinced this is all it takes.  So far it does seem to be working though.  Just for fun, I'd love for anyone else to give it a try and tell us what your experience is with repelling deer, bugs, slugs, aphids, or whatever you discover it's good or bad for. 

So dear ones, that concludes our garden tour for this week.  I hope you enjoyed it.  Thanks for coming along.  I'll be back tomorrow with another FAQ Friday, which includes a sneak peak at my latest mini-quilt WIP. 

Experimentals

Our garden tour continues with a stomping cute birdbath or maybe it's for squirrels.  Either way, I wish it was mine.  And yes, I definitely think I need to plant a snowball bush now.  Thank you dearies for sharing your thoughts and info about it.  I've been doing a little more research and was surprised to learn that it's a distant cousin of the hydrangea.  Which would explain a lot of things, in my mind anyway, like size and shape similarities.  I've always been fascinated by how you can enrich the soil and change hydrangea blossoms from pink to blue.  Our soil is on the acid side, so I see a lot of blue ones around our area.  Last year, I planted a start as an experiment, because there are 3 kinds of flower varieties at my house: annuals, perennials, and experimentals.  When something survives around here, I feel like throwing a party, and I will, if this plant makes it because, it's really not in the ideal location.  It faces west and gets way too much summer sun, to the point where it faints and I have to revive it with a cool drink of water and hold its leafy green hand and encourage it to hang on.  Oh, the drama!  I plan to put a lattice wall behind it eventually, and that should improve matters I hope.  Right now, it looks rather pitiful surrounded by chicken wire, sometimes draped with a wet sheet, which is even more ridiculous looking, but when it's strong enough I'll turn it lose and see what happens.   Maybe when its all grown up it will thank me one day, with a few glorious blooms. 

Like the lupine, which I just happened to catch standing tall and graceful in our backyard this morning, awaiting their fate like brave martyrs before they are cut down by the deer.  There was another bunch on the other side of the path that (I just noticed) were eaten down to the ground.  Oh the sorrow and utter horror of it all.  It hurts, it hurts! 

Especially because these lovelies are friends to endangered butterflies.  Our little Fender's Blue Butterfly, particularly, although it prefers the Kincaid's lupine for laying eggs.  I actually spotted it twice (for the first time), in the last week now.  It made me so happy to see it, and I was reminded of a movie we watched a few months ago, called The Blue Butterfly, with Will Hurt and a dying boy who becomes obsessed with finding a rare butterfly in the South American jungle.  (The movie was OK, perfectly fine for our "family movie night";  but you really have to give credit to our good man Bill for his incredible endurance and stamina, as he pounded through humid jungles and rocky streams carrying a big kid on his back..chasing a butterfly.)    

So, I'm thinking I need more chicken wire to wrap these lovely ladies up in. 

And quick too!!  I think I hear rustling in the trees.

Snowballs & Cottontails

I keep seeing these snowball trees everywhere lately.  Their fluffy little flower globes are hard to miss.  Apparently they attract bees & butterflies.  All the more reason to plant one, I say.    This one was growing in a neighbor's yard we visited over the weekend.   It was twenty years old and about ten feet tall.  I just stood right here staring up at it for the longest time.

But it was only one of many mesmerizing wonders that were growing over there. 

The entire garden had deer fencing around it.  Something I found very encouraging as we continue to work on our own fortress.   .  .

. . . which is coming along nicely, despite a few small fuzzy distractions. 

Good Day Sunshine

Thank you for the Mother's Day wishes!  Hope everyone had a lovely day of it.  My happy-go-lucky weekend was just over way too fast.   Imagine visiting inspiring places, having quiet time for crafty sewing, good weather for garden puttering, with other thoughtful little presents scattered throughout, including phone calls from wonderful grown children living near and far; delicious food (cooked by someone else), including chocolate cupcakes baked by Grace, (the real kind you can actually sink your teeth into), and that would be the sum of my weekend.  The fun actually began on Friday with this bouquet of flowers from the Mister and an afternoon trip out to a sweet little shop in the woods that opens its doors just a few times a year. 

I blogged more about it here last fall.  Grace and I went together this time, and I credit her for this picture.  The bird was perched on the sign above an amazing patio structure made from old branches and twigs, along the path, that lead to the little cottage of sweet treasures.  We're talking homemade pies, jams, and baked goods; garden things, potted flowers, bird houses, scrumptiously sewn smocks with sparkly buttons; collectible china and dishes.

And handmade things like pillows, jewelry, and other pretties like these. The heart is filled with dried lavender and smells wonderful.   I could've made these myself, I know, but sometimes it's nice to support the local crafting efforts.  Besides, I couldn't resist these colors.  Anyway, a funny thing happened when I was over there poking around.  The lady who runs the shop recognized me from my blog and we started chatting.   It's funny, because I tend to think that I'm quite obscure in my own neck of the woods, outside of close friends knowing what I do, but I'm telling ya, this blog has taken me around the world and back again, several times now.  I have to admit, I love that about it.  That moment when a connection is made and suddenly you realize that you share common ground.  It's been amazing too, that I keep crossing paths with people that live in the old neighborhoods where I grew up or graduated from the same high school, but neither of us knew it until the blog.  Gotta love the Internet for that. 

So...back to the adventures...we took two garden tours on Saturday.  Both were having 'plant sales' and opened their backyards to the public.  This neighborhood backyard was small but it felt huge because every inch of space was utilized to the max with lots of smaller garden areas within it; steps leading to arbors and benches and lovely paths throughout.  When the owner's two sons grew up and left home a few years ago, the transformation from grass to garden began.  We left with a pot of blue geranium for a hanging basket, which I was able to get planted and hung up, out on the patio already.  I told ya it was a great weekend!  I'm running out of time, so will continue the garden tour all week long with another FAQ Friday.  And for all you farmgirls out there, don't forget today is 'national wear an apron' day! 

Seen But Not Heard

This little darling was peeking out from the trees when I rolled out of the driveway yesterday.  I had my camera in the car and snapped his picture from the driver's-side window.  Deer are shy and often lurk in the shadows, waiting and listening, before moving closer to the house, where the deer-candy grows.  They are sneaky that way.  That's what was on my mind as I drove away.   Would he, or wouldn't he, move in on my rose bushes during my absence. 

When I got home several hours later, I went around to check on them, still curious to see if The Mister's magic concoction was working, bracing myself for the worst, just in case it wasn't, but to my surprise not a single pink bud had been beheaded.  More joy, that the flowers were making it into bloom.  So, only time will tell.  Since I already used up the whole batch spraying every other day, instead of once a month, as recommended, (I want to believe, really I do!) we'll be mixing up another batch this weekend, and I'll share the recipe when I figure out what all goes into this. 

In the meantime, I'll try and answer a few of the questions I've been asked recently, since I don't have any crafty sewing to show today.  I'm actually thinking of making Friday my FAQ day since I don't seem to be able to respond to emails and comments as often as I wish to.  So ask away, and I'll pick a few inquiries each week to address here on the blog. 

Q.   I'd love to know what rose that is in your garden. It is absolutely beautiful!! Would you be able to post it on your blog? Thanks so much!!! Kari

A.  I'm not really sure.  It was planted long ago by the previous owner, unfortunately no tags. But, it does resemble the David Austin "old rose" shrub variety like this one.  Its growing habit is somewhat rangy and bushy, with smallish three-inch wide blooms.   The stems are spindly and not the best for cutting, although I do use them in squat bud vases. 

Q.  Your cat is just adorable!! Would you consider sharing your pattern? or will you be putting it in your shop (I hope)??  Thanks -Helen in Malden, MA

A.  Thank you Helen, and to everyone who commented about Miss Kitty!   (She's stealing the show over here, pouncing and prancing all over the place, hoping desperately for a dance partner so she can compete on DWTS.  She dreams big. )  Anyway, sure I'd be happy to share the pattern.  It isn't ready for prime-time yet, so to speak, but if enough people are interested I might be persuaded to draft something up, so stay tuned....