turkey feathers

Better Late Than Never

Indian Summer, you've finally arrived!  And I'm so glad.  Autumn's party is just getting started and it wouldn't be the same without you.  Thank you for coming and ushering in a new season.  We so appreciate this time to hunt and gather a bit before we retire back into our houses again.  The rose garden sends it's love.

I'm almost ready to hang up my apron for awhile and get back to some fun sewing.  Is it too early to talk about Christmas?  I know.  I shouldn't. 

But I'm excited about this holiday fabric from Sheri Berry Designs.  This is one panel from the group, plus I found a small assortment of matching prints.  I'm having fun just staring at the little pictures and dreaming about what I will do with them.  A quilt perhaps, or something else.  Any ideas?

 

In the meantime...between the pickles and the pies, I've been re-organizing my collection of vintage patterns.  I love doing this because I find so many things that I forgot I saved—like these directions for making an elephant doll.  Sometimes old pattern companies included a freebie with an order and I think that's what this was; no identifiable info on it anywhere; just a stamp that says, "This is your free gift."  So I'm passing it on because that's what stitching friends do.  I can't say how easy or difficult this is to make though, because I don't crochet.  (I just save things; besides--it was too cute to boot.)  I'll be offering it through Sweet Surprises for a limited time.  Go to the sidebar link for the PDF.  Eventually, I'll add it to free stuff on the PatternBee website.  If you happen to make this doll, I'd love to see how it turns out.  A pink one would be perfect I think.   Have a great weekend!

Look Who's Lurking

There's so much bounty from the garden right now.  My dining room table is taken over with canning jars ready to be filled.  More pickles, some tomatoes, and soon, applesauce.  I love this time of year.  Sweet September, with autumn beckoning and sumac turning red along the creek, always one of the first signs of fall.  And it's my birthday month!  But Indian Summer, where did you go?  The skies are gray and there's a nip in the air.  I'm not quite ready to slip back into socks and sweaters and close my bedroom windows at night.  Though, around two o'clock this morning I wished I'd had, as I was abruptly shocked from sleep by a wild pack of yapping coyotes that went racing through the back field.  I bolted up half-awake; still dreaming, and thought I was at the beach house, and for a few seconds I feared for my life thinking those varmints were coming in after me through the open windows.  That is the first time in my life I've ever had a waking dream.  I was looking around my bedroom, but I was seeing a completely different place.  Quite, strange.

 

I love this little vintage cutting tool.  The serrated edge makes perfect pickle chips...

 

...and another yummy addition to the pantry.

Sometimes I find this time a year a bit overwhelming with all that needs to get done before the weather lowers the boom on us, and I'm definitely feeling that urgency right now.  Like a crazed squirrel gathering nuts.  Making lists and checking them twice.  I'm often working on so many things at once around here.  However, I do remind myself to appreciate what I have accomplished this summer, and I'm so hugging myself right now for finally sewing up some new curtains for the kitchen.  Sixteen panels in all.  Yes, I did have a bit of a production line going.  But I spent one afternoon cutting, and a couple of weeks sewing in my spare time.  I'm thrilled they're done because it was a project that's been on hold for such a long time...mainly because I just couldn't find the right fabric.  Then last month, just by chance, I ran across a whopping big bolt of lovely off-white cotton lawn (at a thrift shop of all places), and I couldn't believe my luck.  Plus—it was "on sale" for half-price that one day.  So double-woot! Not bad for covering eight large windows for $15.

 

 

Turkey Talk:: Thought some of you might like to hear an update on Turkey Lurkey and her flock of chicks, that I blogged about a few weeks ago.  They have been making frequent visits to our house, although sadly mother turkey is hopping on one leg, apparently the victim of a predatory attack. I've been sitting here watching her hop along with her crumpled leg drawn up, still diligently herding her chicks, and standing guard over the remaining five left (out of a dozen). They often nap in my flower bed.  It makes me a little sad to witness their struggle to survive, but how I admire their fortitude.  I know that wild turkeys can create problems when left unchecked, and we often hear such stories about that from a nearby town that is over-run with them.   But I like watching them pass through, and do appreciate their foraging and feasting on those pesky summer bugs.  They do seem to enjoy the cracked corn and raisins I (ahem) "accidently" toss out on occasion too.

Sticks & Stones

After a fantastic weekend of Mother's Day indulgences and perfect gardening weather, a lovely spring storm passed through yesterday and gave me a chance to rest up and recuperate.  Oh boy.  Did I need it.  Always, and without exception, the first few days getting re-acquainted with my yard after a long season of neglect, and the physical toiling required to whip it back into shape is sheer torture.  Along with whipping myself back into shape.  I think it rains weeds here in Oregon.  Yes, I'm convinced of that.  We maintain a lush organic environment and using harsh chemicals is not an option; the same weeds re-emerge  year after year without fail and need to be dealt with face to face.  A territorial battle ensues.  I put up a good fight, but the weeds always take-over.  Eventually, it pays off (for a season or two), but getting there requires honest-to-goodness back-breaking work.  And it just seems never-ending at times.

  

Hauling in over 700 lbs. of river rocks for borders didn't help my back situation either, but it brings us closer to creating smaller low maintenance solutions.  This little corner is shaping up nicely now.  You may recall, it started out like this.  I love the look of natural stone for borders and ground cover.  The trees that we had trimmed and chipped earlier in the year made a nice dressing to cover the soil inside the beds.  The deer no longer bother the azaleas, rhodies, or the 'Harlequin Glory Bower' (peanut butter tree).  But everything else that's tempting, has been sprayed with the *magic concoction* .  For those who have been asking about it again, you can download my DEER REPELLENT RECIPE and print it out for safe-keeping.

 

Last year, we added another section to the herb garden the length of our fenced-in veggie garden.  This is so much bigger than it looks here, at least it felt bigger when I was weeding it; it got the rock and chipped bark treatment as well.  I'm so tickled with how it all turned out.  I threw myself into a 2-hour salts bath after this project though.  And, I'm still hobbling...

 

Which is why I picked up some fresh new fabrics yesterday to tackle some tame inside sewing while my muscles knit themselves back together.  Besides, I can always use a few more gardening smocks.  It's actually quite possible that this may end up being my summer wardrobe at this point.  And I actually couldn't be happier about it.

BTW thank you all for the baby doll dress LOVE.  I'm already thinking about the next one, for big sister this time, who turns 5 this summer. 

And, on another note...if you're looking for a little vegan romance--get out your embroidery needle and floss and check out sweet surprises.   Those veggie heads are rocking.

Lovely in Lavender

I'm so happy and pleased to report back, that I finished the dress just in time for the birthday girl's party yesterday.  I was practically stitching up until the very last minute.  Many of you requested a peek at the finished babydoll dress; so here it is...almost done, pinned up and awaiting the hem.  (above)

Looking quite dainty with a tiny (removable) ribbon corsage.

 

Ahhh...finished, wrapped up, and ready to take a ride to Portland.

   

And a perfect fit!  More pix here.

*Happy Mother's Day* to all you Mom's out there too!

Animals In Aprons

Hello!  Thank you for stopping in for a visit today.  I'm excited because I actually have a cute quilt to show for a change.  With the winter days being so short here in the northern hemisphere, it often seems like I'm not getting much accomplished in the way of creative stitching.  Before I know it the day is over.

 

So, I've been pulling out my unfinished projects and -- instant gratification!   I just put the finishing touches on this vintage baby quilt for my grand-daughter Olivia, which was started last summer.  I'd tucked it away as the days got busy toward year's end. Actually, it's not vintage, but the designs are.  They're from this old pattern with the sweetest little animals -- all wearing aprons.  17 motifs in all, but I only used 7 here.  Very easy and fun.  Above, Miss Bear attempting to raid the honey hive.   

   

Miss Kitty washing up. 

 

Mr. Rooster cock-a-doodling. 

 

The quilt.  It's dark on this cold January day and impossible to get a good picture.  I should've taken some yesterday when the sun made a lovely showing, but as I was out of the house all day I missed the opportunity.   Anyway, before I putter off to dig up more UFO's that need finishing, I'd love to give away a free Animals in Aprons PDF, which I can send anywhere via email.  You will have to print out the pattern and trace the design in reverse to use it.  Visit my website for tracing tips.  If you want to be entered into the drawing, just leave a comment and include the word 'apron'.  I'll announce a winner sometime in the next few days.

Hearty Greetings!

It's been awhile since I made anything.  So one quick project--to wish you all the best for the new year.  Let's hope 2009 treats everyone kindly.  I was actually hoping to offer this little goth-torian heart greeting as a free pattern today, but alas dear friends, I ran out of time. We are just so busy.  The good news is, the embroidered design is included with the free-with-purchase bonus transfers this month which will magically appear on the website tomorrow. So if you are so inclined, you too can make yourself a little greeting.  As for my pillow project here, a little fancy Blackwork was called into action. Used three strands of floss throughout, in case you're wondering. How I *LoVe* these vintage buttons.  Mostly, the mother-of-pearl. The older the better.  Particularly if they've been hand-carved from abalone shells. I rather like that they're not so perfect.  I've been collecting them for years, but never seem to have more than one or two that match, so this is a nice way to use and display them. 

So, mostly housekeeping today.  Company coming tomorrow; two crock-pots simmering, and cakes in the oven for our January birthday boy. A four-layer, vanilla/chocolate cake to be exact.  Grace is in charge of that -- making marzipan snowflakes to decorate the top as we speak.  Oh, it's so good.

Stitching Up A Storm

November has come and gone much too quickly.  Most of the autumn leaves are on the ground now looking like soggy corn flakes after the rain, bringing the pine trees and evergreens that blanket the hills to the forefront.  This was the chilly view at sunrise from my window this morning.   And this is where I am at the moment.  Inside where it's warm and safe.  Safe from all those bargain shoppers.   Truthfully, I'd just as soon spend my weekend relaxing at home, rather than being part of a mob scene.  In all fairness, I did try shopping "Black Friday" [once] just to find out if I was missing anything.  I wasn't.  Basically, I spent a lot of time circling parking-lots trying to find a place to park the van, and ended up in a multi-tier parking structure near the top.  Only to discover that when I was ready to leave, so was everyone else, and we were completely grid-locked for over an hour trying to get out.   Cranky tired children sobbing in the back seat did nothing to quell my claustrophobic outbursts either.  OK.  That was many years ago.  Another time, another place.  But obviously, I'm still not over it.  I doubt any of that has changed much though.  The small town I live in today, doesn't have a single shopping mall.  It's not always convenient, but there are advantages.   For one thing, it forces me to be more thoughtful and creative with my time.  And thankfully there's ETSY--where I will be doing a lot of my holiday shopping online in comfortable slippers, again this year.  Besides, it's always nice dealing with crafters and artisans directly if you want that personal touch.  Never had any disappointments on that score either.  Anyway, I'm in a crafty mood.  Cold weather has that affect on me.  Especially with Christmas only 25 days away.  (Ssshhh...who said that?) 

Here's something I just finished making yesterday.  This little snowman in a Lucite box frame is making me so happy!   Must make more of these.  My altered vintage design is part of the free-with-purchase patterns (available here)  starting December 1st.   I stamped this on light-blue cloth with white polka-dots for a 'snowfall' effect.  You could add words or a name to make a personalized gift if you wanted to.  I just folded the cloth around a piece of cardboard cut to fit the frame.  Easy to make and easy to remove when the season is over.  The frames are also inexpensive--I found mine at Michael's. 

More fun things I'm itching to make:

1.  Pennie Pockets courtesy of Happy Zombie.

2.  Fabric Beach Balls courtesy of The PurlBee.

3.  Anything from this book.  (Grace already made these little apples using the patterns from it, adding real twigs for stems, which I think turned out pretty cute.) 

Time to head back to my sewing chair. . .

And I have the papercuts to prove it...

Whew! The first shipment of autographed books has just taken flight and are on their way.  I'm expecting one more delivery.  I'll do my best to be speedy. I appreciate everyone who has patiently been waiting. 

Are you finding it hard to believe it's the last week of November already?  There's a young lady here who is having a birthday in two days.  My baby is turning eleven! 

Look - a finished project!  Grace's inspiration board...we actually started on this during summer, but kept getting side-tracked.  Finally just covered it with fabric we already had with the help of a hot-glue gun.  Now it's hanging in her room being adorned with lots of pretties and inspiring tidbits, and my work table is mine once more.  I love the sight of a clean work table and thinking about the next project.  All the possibilities.

But first it's good to tie up loose ends.

Tourniquet Patch

A fashion statement for the new economy.

Damage Control

This is the sight that greeted me when I stepped into my sewing room.  I'm always pleased when there's a thought process before something gets discarded.  Questioning whether it can be repaired, recycled, or reused in some way before adding it to the landfill.    However, it's always a little sad when someone's favorite jeans end up on the chopping block.  These belong to "Sarah".  I suppose she meant for me to save them in some way, with my trusty scissors and thread.  We could afford a new pair, but she loves these.

And I suppose she could wear them 'as is'.  After all, torn ragged jeans are considered fashion-savvy in some circles.  (Would you look at this price tag!)  Maybe.  In the right setting.  Amongst others who get that.  For kids living in a rural environment though, it can look downright pitiful. Like you just tumbled off that proverbial turnip wagon.   That may not be the case at all, but it's the image often perceived.  Especially if there's a great big goofy patch on them - so sensing my cue here, I shall proceed with caution and try and do what I can to salvage these.  Maybe fetch me some PR innovation.  Then, to be continued . . .

Blanket Statement update:  *Thank You* all again for your excited correspondence (in all forms!) I'm thrilled with the response.  I've got a load of books ordered and on the way for those requesting signed copies.  At the request of Calamity Kim this morning, I've already started a flickr group here, to share your finished projects.   Maybe a little soon, since many are still waiting for books to arrive, but it's there when you need it.  Join up anytime.  And, my book is now available on Amazon and also, I just noticed, online at Target.  (I'm so proud.) 

Have a great weekend!