Log Cabin Quilt: Pink Tulips in Delftware

Pieced back in September, this quilt was finished just this week. My mother hand-quilted it for me, pausing for an elbow replacement, a double mastectomy, a reconstruction, and a few other bits of business.

Gee, what took you so long, Mom? :)

Since she is a genius colorist (and the quilter gets to choose the finishing fabrics), it's bound in a perfect teal print. And, it's backed with both the deep purple you see above,

and this exquisite vintage tablecloth that's hand-embroidered in fruit orchard colors.

And here and there you'll see another sliver of this or that added in,

because my mother has good ideas.

Two Linen Blouses

Today I burned the candle at both ends--first the end that goes to  professional development (otherwise known as six hours of embroidering time) and the other end, that rakes dirty straw out of goat pens.

And, I'm putting two linen blouses in the shop. They were Clara's, but she definitely prefers a dress to a skirt and shirt. Shop here.

A Library in the Bathroom

I hate to tell on Felix, but when he left for the summer, he left his room in a real state. It's true that he had just fifteen hours between arriving home from the beach and leaving for the airport, and he's between apartments, but does that explain the stacks and stacks of books all over everything in his room?

In the meantime, I needed space for all those books, and decided to put them on a big shelf in the downstairs bathroom. No one bathes there this summer (there's no shower), so I figured they would be safe.

They make the room look so cozy! Now I *want* to take my bath in there, enjoying Sibley's guide to the birds of Peru, or the complete works of Isaac Asimov . . . or not.

A Big Float with the Girls

The girls and I just got back from a camping and floating trip. Camping these days is very low-effort with these enthusiastic and skillful three. I sat back as they put up the tent.

Carol, always my partner in summer adventures, set up closer to the river. We're old hands at these things now and are good at making these jaunts easy, with food cooked ahead of time, lots of cut-up veggies, and plenty of homemade brownies.

The river was perfect and quiet, and we decided to try something new--a nine-mile float in inner tubes. Before this we've always stuck to canoes, but we bravely rented the tubes and put in, and sailed on down the river for nine and a half miles! That's a lot of time in the water, but everyone did great and we only had little bits of sunburn here and there.

Unlike most of our other camping adventures, it never rained on us. It didn't rain until we were in the car coming home, and then the skies opened and really dumped. But hey, that's progress!

And for the record, I am very grateful to live near such beauty.

Voice Lesson, Green Dress

Clara during her voice lesson, in the jersey dress I made last summer. It's a bigger size than she wears, but a matching thrift store tee shirt covers all.

Blackberries in the Bistro

These were growing in my garden:

so we picked them and made this:

 and then ate it out here:

What We Had for Lunch

Because it is delicious and cheap and easy, healthy, gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian . . . if you need all that.

*Black Bean Skillet*

In a large skillet, saute part or all of a bag of frozen mirepoix mix (Cajun or regular--I prefer Cajun for the green peppers.)

Squeeze a couple of cloves of garlic in, add 1 tsp. cumin, and add salt and pepper generously.

While that sautes for a few minutes, open and rinse in a colander the contents of 2-4 cans of black beans--you can't go wrong with quantities here.

Add the beans to the skillet, and then 1-2 cups of chicken broth (homemade or storebought), or water if there's no broth handy.

You can opt to add a bay leaf or a chopped canned chipotle pepper also at this point.

Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and leave to cook down over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more liquid if necessary. Taste for salt.

You can leave it loose and soupy, cook it dry, or leave it loose and then puree it (try not to puree that bay leaf though!).

Serve it over rice, or with tortillas, or with corn chips, and garnish with some or all of: chopped avocado, salsa, Greek yogurt, etc.

Alabama Chanin Six Gore Dress and Bolero: Golden Ferns

I love my custom version of the Alabama Chanin six-gore dress. Ten inches longer, raised neckline.

If I cut this dress out of three yards of fabric, there's enough left over for a matching bolero. This to me is the perfect sleeve solution. I might not want to wear them at home or in the garden, but they can go with me to town, or to sit down to dinner. And they can be fancy.

Golden, beaded ferns on the back and on the fronts of this bolero--and lots on the sleeves. 

Frederick in the Sewing Room

Because you get a lot more done with a parrot on your knee.

A Good Day to Work on Ferns

It was a good day to work on the ferns, being damp . . . and green . . . and ferny outside. I took several plants out on the back porch and divided them.

Most of my ferns have duplicated themselves in their pots. Divided into two and planted separately, you'd never know they'd just been uprooted. Still beautiful and lush.

These are something like Fluffy Ruffles, purchased at Lowe's when they were small. They've grown so happily in their milk glass containers.

Alabama Chanin: Golden Ferns

I don't see the "Ferns" stencil from Alabama Chanin used very much, and I understand why--it is a pain to cut out! But it's very graceful and makes a great straightforward base for embroidery.

I used a mix of two fabric paints from Hobby Lobby--one part French Roast to two parts Pond Scum--for a kind of neutral sparkle, then chose a cool non-metallic golden floss for my modified satin stitch embellishment. I'm going back over the fern fronds adding a golden bead here and there. Soon I'll stitch it all together and it will be an elbow-sleeved bolero.

She Shops for Shells

Beach House Evening

A Week at the Beach

We are in Florida for the week, having a family vacation. Giles came down to join us so we are all together, and that is the best thing ever.

We're in a house that's just a step from the beach. Second best thing ever.

How many pictures over the years, of Felix and his binoculars?

Beautiful tumultuous skies tonight,

the upside of a little rain.

My new jersey embroidery project--can you see that Ferns stencil there? 

My girlies.