Modern Crib Quilts (for Twins) (or Not)

I am not joking when I say I am cranking through my stash. These two are the first of many quilting projects that will go in the shop. I've been busy the last couple of months! 

All linen tops, hand-quilted with lots and lots of quilting.

Navy Wool Cape

When I get time to sew these days, I'm still busting away at my stash. This cape used up two lengths of vintage wool--navy for the outside and gray for the inside. Shop here if you're interested!

Georgiana, a Doe

Daisy has just branched out to true dairy goats, and now has a herd of one Saanen doe. Georgiana has never been bred, but that will happen in February in hopes of a July kidding, then plenty of goat milk.

 Daisy still has her two little Nigerian dwarf friends--a wether, and a female too tiny to breed. Milking a goat will be taking her responsibilities to the next level, for sure.

And thanks everyone for your kind wishes to Bella and Arthur! We are so happy to welcome him to our family. Stay tuned for wedding details . . .

Bella Has a Ring to Show You

A Baby at the Stone House

Strictly speaking, when these pictures were taken, baby August was still in the hospital.

But he is at the Stone House now, thrilling everyone with his dimpled chin.

Unexpectedly, I ended up attending the birth and helping Eliot coach Emma through her labor.

She was magnificent--such strength and determination.

And she is richly rewarded for all her hard work.

Oil Painting: First Draft, and Finished Project

I thought you might like to see the difference between half-way done and all the way done. The right half of the canvas was quite empty, and pulling your eye away from the subject, so it's been darkened. The shadows were too warm, so they have been cooled down with blue and a cool purple. More darks in the vase give it more depth. 

Clara's Tatting

I don't know how to tat, but Clara has taught herself. She's done shuttle tatting and needle tatting (like this) which she says is much easier. This is going to be a snowflake. 

Oil Painting: Chubby Roses

The First Camellias with the Last Hydrangeas

Turning the Living Room Around Again

Today was one of those too-warm and too-waspy days that come right before the weather changes.

Felix was over part of the day so I put him to work doing some heavy lifting--he carried Frederick's large cage out into the yard so I could hose it down for it's bi-annual super-cleaning

And he moved all the living room furniture around for me, to re-orient everything around the fire, which we will be lighting tomorrow.

Log Cabin Quilt Top: The Meadows*

Usually Clara helps me with my piecing projects--we do assembly line stitching, pressing, and cutting to knock these log cabins out. Last week, however, she had mid-terms and multiple outside engagements and just didn't have time for me. No matter, I thought, charging ahead! I can do this on my own. I'll just lay out thirty-six block starts and get to work.

Three days later I started putting my beautiful, Meadows-inspired blocks together. Oh yes, I was short by a count of TEN.

So, change of plans--twin size quilt coming up.

* The Meadows is the name by which Felix and Molly's charming house and extensive gardens are known around here.

The Hugels of Felix

When Felix and Molly bought their house in June, the first thing Felix did was start to build some hugels. What was he even doing? 

Now, of course, we know all about hugelculture and we are all true believers. I have paid Felix and Eliot to convert my vegetable garden into hugels. I can only hope that next year, like Felix, I can grow okra plants that are eight feet tall and have to be taken down with a chainsaw.

Fruit for a Teenager

Daisy was headed to Laney's birthday sleepover this afternoon. It was "no gifts," but Laney loves fruit, and her mother said it would be fine to send some along. Daisy put this together and it looked stunning, especially in the afternoon light.

Strippy!

Another one pieced and waiting for a cozy winter of hand-quilting. 

Oil Painting: Green Mums

Not done yet, but a good start tonight. Working on black canvas again--I like it!

This Year's Birthday Feast: Italian Farmhouse

Our annual feast to celebrate the Composer's father--this year it was all Italian farmhouse-style (inspired by a library book). 

Food centerpiece was a beef tenderloin roast. I patted it with chopped garlic and rosemary, laid on bay leaves, wrapped the whole thing in bacon, and (thanks to Daisy for the smart suggestion) pinned it all together with rosemary sticks.

Clara made an incredible arrangement of herbs for the center of the table.

Let's talk about this mad polenta. I used "Dixie Lily" cornmeal because the name is so charming. Made it up into mush, stirred in an unconscionable amount of butter in which I had sauteed garlic, then stirred in fontina cheese. After in cooled in a pan, we turned it out and Bella faithfully fried it up in some olive oil. I do not exaggerate when I say that Felix took a bite, then started crying.

Salad was farmer's market lettuce with tomato, hard-boiled egg, prosciutto, and Parmesan,

Here's the menu . . . 

And here's the family.

Pretty New Things for the Sitting Room

My mother's neighbor had a garage sale and passed on the leftovers--so I got this sweet hooked rug which Fitzwilliam loves to settle on.

And this big green platter which is perfect for all the mail that comes here for Felix and Molly. And anything els outgoing.

Daisy's Advice Column: Ask Miss Manners

This has been issuing forth from the typewriter lately. The cats submit their questions and Miss Manners answers. Above: "When can you bite a lady's legs?" (probably submitted by Fitzwilliam, who is known to turn on those he loves).

Below: "What are the rules for sitting on a hotpad?" (likely from Lucy Gray, who recently sat on my sewing project and covered it with bits and fur.)

Oil Painting: The Cake

All In

 I'm serious about using up all my scraps. It might not be this week, but it's happening. This is a gigantic quilt top to get things started. I pieced it using these instructions which of course I could not follow properly. I cut four strips, sewed them together, then cut them in half, then cut them into triangles. At that point, Clara looked over my shoulder and said, "You needed to sew these two squares together first. That's why it shows the fabric in the sewing machine. "

Who knew? Well, I know now. I'm probably about to make another one of these, not quite so big, and then take stock. Scraps, your days are numbered.

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