Thimbleanna

Moving with Number 99.

2007-07-30T20:05:00.000-05:00

Hmmm. If you've been keeping track of that little counter over there in the left-hand column, you know that this is post number 99. And you know what that means. Number 100 is next -- with its little 100th post tradition, and all. ;-)
BUT wait. Before we get to post Number 100, I have just a little favor to ask. Or maybe this is a bribe. I've moved Thimbleanna. Jumping over to a new host and Wordpress. I hate to be such a bother -- I'm sorry to ask you to update all your bloglines and links, but hopefully it will be painless and before long we'll be settled in our new home. Because I would miss you all terribly if you didn't move with me! And because it's lonely over there all by myself!!!

So, please make a few adjustments and join me HERE. For post 100 and a little giveaway. Thank you from the bottom of my lil' ol' heart!

XOXO,
Anna

Christmas in July

2007-07-27T19:57:00.000-05:00

Thank you so much for all your very kind comments about SweetiePie's pink purse. You're all so very sweet -- and you know how much I love your comments! The little love birds are out for a special dinner tonight and when they return, I'll give her the purse. I hope she likes it!
I've seen lots of posts this month about Christmas in July. Oh my! It's unbelievable that next Christmas is closer to us in time than last Christmas. There's good reason to think Christmas in July when you make homemade gifts. They take planning and time to make. It's hard to even think about it though. Hopefully I'll get my act together in the next few weeks and sit down and do a little thinking about gifts for this year.
This Christmas tree skirt is a "Christmas in July" project from a year or two ago. I had to start planning in advance. I made it for MeMum and gave it to her for Christmas. She desperately needed a tree skirt as she'd been wrapping her tree stand with quilt batting for years. Every year I planned to make her one, but I could never decide on a style. She loves Victorian things and for a long time, I sort of planned to make her a crazy patch tree skirt. But, I just couldn't ever get excited about that plan, so it never happened. Then one day, we were in a quilt shop and she commented on how much she loved redwork. How well I remember that lightbulb moment. Right then and there I decided I'd make her a redwork tree skirt. I love embroidery, so it was really fun to make. I adapted the sleigh and reindeer outlines from a wool table runner project called All Through the Night by Bonnie Sullivan.This tree skirt is much larger than normal because MeMum and BigDaddy always get a big tree -- 10 to 12 feet high. Big Daddy always puts the stand on this huge piece of plywood, so the tree skirt had to be big enough to cover the plywood. MeMum loved it and it looked pretty under her tree last Christmas.

So, now I'll yell at us. Get off of that computer and get to work on your Christmas in July! Oh, and have a great weekend!

XOXO,
Anna

Hard Work Deserves a Reward.

2007-07-25T18:42:00.000-05:00

SweetiePie has taken me under her wing. I started trying to clean the sewing room a few weeks ago by folding fabric, etc. and I just didn't get very far. The poor room is just too far gone. I got bored at the lack of progress and lost interest. Enter SweetiePie.After dinner last night she said "C'mon Mrs. Thimbleanna, lets go tackle that sewing room." She grabbed armfuls of fabric and moved them to the adjacent room and the ping pong table (where much folding will take place.) She cleared shelves. Ahhhh. That felt so good. Then we had room to work. We sorted and organized the paper supplies. We worked until midnight and got about 1/3 of the work (not counting fabric folding) done. Painting and sewing supplies are left to do.I'd show you pictures, but it's possible that you'll never see pictures of the dungeon. My sewing room shares space with all the household mechanicals. I've managed to partition the room a little with some big cabinets, but it's still dark and dingy. No windows. I'd love to have a spacious, bright sewing room, but the truth of the matter is, as long as I have a little light and electricity, I can still sew. On sewing days that are just too pretty to miss, I move my machine upstairs. Can't let a little thing like a dungeon come between us and our sewing, now can we?But, I digress. SweetiePie worked hard to get me going. And she gave me just the push I needed. Even if she can't help me anymore, I have a plan for the rest of the organizing, so I can finish myself. I think she deserves a little present, don't you? So, I thought I'd give her this little bag I just made. (Remember TheEmptyNestChild's scarf? It wasn't a scarf.)I saw this pattern at an Indianapolis LYS. They were out of the pattern, so I just bought some yarn and decided I could figure it out myself. It's just a rectangle of knitting with cables in it. Any combo of cables would probably be cute. And it was a pretty fast project 'cause it's knitted on size 17 needles. I mail ordered the purse handles from Ewe & Eye.
So, special thanks to SweetiePie. She's a keeper. And I'm sure you can tell why I named her SweetiePie!

XOXO,
Anna

I've Been A Very Good Girl.

2007-07-23T21:16:00.000-05:00

At least that's what I'm telling myself! Because I never win anything, but I've won two blog giveaways in the last few weeks. I'm a VERY lucky girl. My first big win arrived today in the mail. An absolutely FABULOUS apron from the very lovely Sarah at A Stitch in Time.

Sarah was much too modest about this apron when she blogged about it here. It's perfect. I love it. It's just my style. If only you knew Sarah ... it's just my style! The front is made of denim and the pockets are adorable birds. (Much to Gurney's dismay, I love birds!)

And Wow! It's reversible. Look at the cute fabrics on the back. SweetiePie (aka FutureDIL) graciously agreed to model the apron. (Isn't she a cutie? She got new little leopard print shoes -- TheFirstChild and I were making fun of her, so I told her I'd include them in the picture!)So, Sarah! Thank you from the bottom of my heart! I'm feeling a little guilty because you gave up this apron because you already had one and here I sit with several aprons, but I can't help it. I just love them. I'm in hot debate with myself whether to use it in the sewing room (as you have it pictured) or the kitchen 'cause it would be so nice and durable. Decisions...Decisions. I love, love, love it!

XOXO,
Anna

P.S. Aren't we glad Bloglines burped and recovered from it's bout of indigestion? I logged on the other night and it said I had 1469 unread posts -- I nearly choked on my diet pepsi!

Another KnitNight

2007-07-19T22:00:00.000-05:00

The quilty peeps and I still get together occasionally (we miss you Gurney!) to knit. We're very casual with our schedule and we don't have a set night or anything. We just get together when it's convenient. It's a good thing for me -- it keeps me regularly knitting. Otherwise, knitting might be swallowed up by my everyday activities. Lorna and I are still arguing in between working on my little Scruffy project.

Tonight, Junie brought her finished bag that I showed you way back when. Can you believe this was her very first knitting project??? She did a fabulous job, and I'm very proud of her! It's looking very stylish on her bum, don't you think?
This bag is called the Coco Bag and you can find the pattern here. She started one of these little bags tonight and it will be a breeze compared to the Coco Bag.
With the pink and brown, I think Junie's bag would be very pretty mingling with MeMum's coneflowers. MeMum has the prettiest patch of coneflowers. I was there the other day and there were bees and butterflies everywhere.
A few odds 'n ends:
I might just have to buy a yoyo tool. Have you seen these? Them'r cute!
I'd love to have this sign in my kitchen.
It's no secret that I love to camp. How cute are these?
And, do you have a fabulous brownie recipe? You should enter this contest -- you could be the next browniebabe and just look at the super apron you could win!

XOXO,
Anna

It's Monday Already.

2007-07-16T21:05:00.000-05:00

Boy. The start to another week. I feel like I'm not even finished with last week. We had a very quiet weekend. Not much exciting going on. I managed a teeny bit of sewing and some cleaning. Aside from birthday cake, the highlight was visiting MeMum and catching up on Big Love. I'm addicted and it provides a nice diversion while WE (you are waiting aren't you?) wait on Sawyer's return.

So, when there are no new tidbits of craftiness, you either get an old project or recipe. Flip a coin? Um...it's tails -- recipe. This is my favorite baked gift. (I may have said that about those Orange Cranberry Cookies, 'cause I love to give them too, but really, this is my favorite gift of baked love.) Several of the kids friends love it too, so when they all come home from school, if I know they'll be around, I'll make it for them. But, my biggest fan is BigDaddy. The recipe makes 2 loaves, so I usually have plenty to take to him too.

BigDaddy's Favorite Poppy Seed Bread

3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp poppy seeds
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. each, vanilla, almond, and butter extract

Combine all the dry ingredients in mixing bowl. Add all the wet ingredients and mix well. (I just use a wooden spoon, rather than a mixer.) Bake in 2 large greased loaf pans at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes. Cool on wire racks for approximately 10 minutes. Remove loaves from pans and place on wire rack. Poke holes in bread while it's still warm and pour glaze over top of each loaf.

Glaze:
2 Tbsp. frozen orange juice
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. each, vanilla, almond, and butter extractThe extracts in this recipe really give it a wonderful flavor. I like to wrap these loaves individually in parchment paper, tie them with string, and add a cute homemade tag.

And while we're hungry... wouldn't this make a great dinner -- butter roasted chicken, twice baked potatoes , and pie? Yum - O - Yum!!! Go ahead -- you can start your diet next week!

Behave yourselves....
XOXO,
Anna

Happy Birthday BigBoy!

2007-07-14T11:24:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to TheManoftheHouse!We won't say just how old he is, but he did say this morning that he doesn't feel that old -- he's apparently stuck in his thirties. He's the little cutie in the middle -- with no teeth. I'm happy to report he's not old enough to have lost their replacements yet. He's in for a low key birthday, 'cause somehow, that's just what happens with the male birthdays in our family -- they're pretty low key. He's requested his favorite tacos for dinner, and I think I'll try this recipe, as he loves jalapenos.

I love you BigBoy -- I hope you have a grand day!
XOXO,
Anna

P.S. It appears that all you bloggers out there have much better control of your emotions than Lucy and I do. (Either that, or you don't want a goodie from me -- ;-( ) In any case, I'm still on the hook to PIF to three people, so, I'm just going to pick my own. So there. And since I'm picking you, I'm altering the rules and you won't have to PIF. ;-)

Pay It Forward

2007-07-13T08:13:00.000-05:00

I'm laughing this morning because Lucy Locket asks "Oh, What Have I Done?". So, here's what she did. She saw the following on Leanne's blog:

I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don't know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week... LOL... but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

And then, lured by the opportunity to get a gift from the fabulous Leanne, she signed up! Which means she has to make a handmade gift for the first 3 people who signed up on her blog! SO THEN (and I'm sure you can see where this is going), lured by the opportunity to get a gift from the fabulous Lucy, I signed up! Which means, I now get to promise this on my blog:

I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don't know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week... LOL... but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

SO, if you'd like to receive something from me and promise to Pay It Forward, jump into my comments and sign up! Then I can join Lucy and say "Oh, What Have I Done???"

And just so I can have a few pictures, and because there have been several "summer reading" or "favorite books" posts going around blogland, here are two books that would make a great summer read (btw, as a hint, my favorite genre is historical fiction and if it takes place in the UK then I'll probably love it):

The Dress Lodger by Sheri Holman. Cholera, Medicine, 1830's England, Prostitution. I can't do justice to a description of this book, you'll just have to read it. We read it in 2001 in my book group and it's still one of my favorite books. (Which may or may not say much about our recent years of selections. Which btw, I'll eventually have a list here of the books we've read over the last x-teen years.)

Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks. A lovely story about the plague in the 1600's in England. I loved it for many reasons other than the fact that the narrator is named Anna. ;-)

So, Happy Reading and Have a Wonderful Weekend. And don't forget to sign up for PIF!

XOXO,
Anna

P.S. Has anyone else noticed it's been awfully quiet here? I sure hope that means that things are going well in that little corner of blogland! Sending best wishes that way....

Blue & White: Check.

2007-07-10T19:12:00.000-05:00

WooHoo! I've finished my pesky blue and white quilt top.
And I don't mean pesky in a bad way, but you know how it is when you get to the point in a project where you just want it done? I was very disappointed when I put the blue and white blocks together a few weeks ago and then decided that I needed 20 more blocks.
Normally, that would have been enough of a set-back to make me set it aside for awhile again, but I really want to get some UFO's done this summer. I just have too many lying around. I don't have a ginormous (check this out) number or anything, but there are enough that it makes me cringe to start a new project.'Cause with all the new fabrics out, I'm itching to start some new projects. Besides, it seems we're to have a wedding around here next spring, and where there's a wedding, there must be a wedding quilt, right? TheFirstChild will wed SweetiePie, and she and I have been working on a plan for just the right quilt. But more on that much later -- after a few more completed UFO's.This quilt block is called Lady of the Lake and the fabrics are all different white-on-white and blue prints. Because this is a very traditional quilt, I'll pack it up and take it to a hand quilter. I'm perfectly capable of doing the quilting myself, but if I want to see it finished in this lifetime, it's best off in someone else's trusty hands.

Now I must go water my flowers who are wishing they'd been sent to nurseries in England this year!

XOXO,
Anna

Random, Random

2007-07-07T12:08:00.001-05:00

The very fun and interesting Meggie has tagged me to do the random posts. Like Meggie, I've already done a random post which I turned into a list of random UFOs. This time, the topic works out, 'cause I seem to only have a bunch of randomness to talk about!

1. I hope everyone in the U.S. has a wonderful 4th of July. We had a great time with family and friends at a cookout. We played basketball, volleyball, and cornhole. And cooked and ate lots.
2. I know it's been raining like crazy in other parts of the country/world, but here in the midwest, it's dry, dry, dry. My flowers are very happy that I have a hose.3. Yesterday, Daisy Cottage said "It's Friday already! Now, how did that happen?" Forget Friday. It's JULY already! HOW did THAT happen??? (Furthermore, wasn't it just yesterday that we were planning big parties for the turn of the century??? How did 2007 happen???)

4. When we moved back to Indiana from Minnesota, my boys lived with my sister for a month so they could get going in their new school while we attended to move details. Somehow, she managed to teach them to take their shoes off at the door. What a great gift that was! After we got settled, I painted a big bucket for everyone to dump their shoes in.5. I love it when my ~~little~~ big boys are home. TheSecondChild is home for the July 4th break. He brought lots of laundry with him. When he dumped it on the laundry room floor he said "Look Mom! Aren't you proud of me -- I even brought my bedding!" Yes, dear, I'm very proud that you've remembered that sheets need washing too!6. Why is it that in art and needlework the thistle is so beautiful, but in our gardens, it's a weed? By the time I saw this little weed, it was waist high, so I decided to leave it to see how pretty the blooms are. I can't decide quite how long to let it go -- though I think the end is near.7. I've had a great time these past few days being off work. Just lazing around -- a little cooking, sewing, reading -- all the things I love to do. I'd like to figure out how to have the whole summer off. Then maybe I could add a little cleaning/organizing to the list. The sewing room organization appears to be stalled at the moment!8. I think I'll follow Meggie's lead on number 8. I do enjoy this blogging community. "Meeting" so many people from all around the world. I just love the opportunity it provides to see how much alike, yet different we all are. And I think of my Grandma who probably never even went anywhere on an airplane. How much fun she would have had to be able to "talk" to women so far away. We're SO very lucky!

Now. Hmmm. Tagging is the hardest part for me and I'm not managing to come up with 8 more people to tag. I think most everyone I know has done this already. So, I'll use the standard lame line...if you haven't posted random things yet, or for that matter, if you want to do it again, then consider yourself tagged!

XOXO,
Anna

2007-07-04T10:09:00.001-05:00

Happy 4th of July!!!

A July 4th Project

2007-07-02T22:17:00.000-05:00

When a holiday comes around, I like to make some sort of themed project. The problem is that I don't usually think about it until a day or two before the holiday. Which means the project needs to be quick. I have tons of bigger projects filed away for all the major holidays. Some year I'm going to be prepared and remember weeks before the holiday. Some year.On Sunday morning, I started thinking about the 4th being this Wednesday. And I remembered that I'd always wanted to make these little candle holders that I saw years ago at a tole painting convention. I've always wanted to place them along my patio walk when we have our annual cookout. Every year, when I would remember that I wanted to make them, it was always too late. This year though, I had a whole day! (The fact that I had planned on working on the blue and white quilt was beside the point. Or, maybe that was the point -- I was putting off having to make yet more blocks.) I ran to the store and bought 8 jars of baby food and got to work.

They're really pretty simple to make. I removed the labels and washed and dried the jars. I used GooGone to help remove the sticky residue. Then I applied some white paint to the outside of the jar with a sponge. This gives the paint a little texture and doesn't show lots of brush strokes.When the paint was dry, I drew a line to mark the area that was painted blue. I could have freehanded this area without marking it -- I did one jar that way and it came out pretty even. To mark it, I placed a pencil on a short box and put the upside down jar next to the pencil. Then I rotated the jar to draw a line.After the line was on, I painted above the line with a blue paint. When the blue paint was dry, I freehanded the red stripes.When the red paint was dry, I painted some little freehand stars on with white paint. I drew them the way we used to draw them as children and then filled them in. They're very casual and rough looking. A small heart stencil or stamp would have been a good way to go, but I didn't have one, and since this was a last minute project, I had to make due with what I had -- which was nothing!When all the paint was dry, I took a fine tip black pen and drew in some detail lines. (There are lots of possibilities here -- I debated about writing some patriotic words on the jars, but in the end, I just left them as you see in the pictures.) Then I gave the jar a light coat of a spray varnish. After the varnish was dry, I made a hanger out of some wire and attached it around the neck of the jar. For a little decoration, I also tied a strip of red fabric and a little decorative yarn around the neck.

When all done, I put a little tea-light candle into each jar. I had some little garden stake thingies (highly technical term there) so I planted them along the walk and hung my little jars on them. They'll be fun on the patio when we're sitting around, after dinner, in the evening.If you'd like to make some little jars -- you still have a whole day before the 4th -- plenty of time! ;-) Even if you don't want to paint the jars, you could just leave them plain and tie some little bits around them for decoration. It's the same idea as the bigger jars you've probably seen in catalogs hanging from trees! The ~~sky's~~ jar's the limit!

XOXO,
Anna

Bags.

2007-06-29T11:29:00.000-05:00

I'm having a busy few days, with not much time for sewing. Work all day, book group last night and a wedding tonight. I'm hoping to work on those pesky blue and white squares a little this weekend, but I'm also planning on working a little at the job too, so I can take Thursday and Friday off next week, making it a 5-day weekend. Woohoo!

So, with nothing new to show you, the classic fall-back is to show you something I love. This time around, I'll show you some of my favorite bags. The quilty peeps and I have been exchanging gifts for years (although we're currently in a lazy spurt and need to get back to it.) We always make 4 of whatever item we make, that way we all have the same goodies. Over the years, we've made a few bags:

I carry this little gem, made by Gurney, all around the house with me. It holds all the little tools that I need for hand work -- hand quilting, mending, etc. It's the perfect size.Junie made this little bag. I didn't use to be a bag person, and I remember when she gave it to me I wondered what I would use it for. It was too small for a magazine but too big to be my little "handwork" bag, as pictured above. But, that was before I became a sock knitter. It's THE perfect size for my sock knitting project du jour. It travels everywhere with me!And my big bag, made by Jewels. I love big totebags. They're great for everything. This one currently cuddles a sweater that I'm working on.I'm such a lucky girl to have such good friends. I luv me my quilty peeps -- and the bags they've given me!

Have a great weekend everyone!
XOXO,
Anna

A Letter.

2007-06-26T18:30:00.000-05:00

Dear Sirius and Cassie,

The Lady here has suggested that I write you two a little note, you know, a welcome to the 'hood sort of thing. (You know how mother's "suggest" that you clean your room or something? Yeah, that sort of "suggestion.") Anyway, I'm ok with it. Welcome to Blogland all the way from over here in America!

Hopefully you'll like it around here. There's lots to see. Lots of kittie porn. You can make new friends and check up on all their cuteness. Like here, and here, and even a hint as to what you might look like when you grow up, here. And, of course, Moi. As you can probably see, I'm a rather handsome stud myself, blurriness and all.It looks as though you've found yourselves a rather wonderful family. And they've bought you such a pretty bed! My Lady bought me the dumbest thing. I know she meant well, and thought I'd like it 'cause I jump into every bag or box that she puts down. But, Hel-lo! I'm way too big for that stupid bed. Besides, it's a cat head, for crying out loud. I sent it over to my Auntie kitties and they didn't like it either. Smart Aunties. Hey, before I forget ... can you get Haggis in your kitty food over there? 'Cause, that could be pretty tasty!

Well, anyway, not that you two need it or anything, but I thought I'd give you a few tips, you know, in a big brother sort of way:

::Your people will love it when you leap at them. I see you're well on your way to perfecting that. The other day, I took a running leap at my Lady and almost buckled her knees. I'll try harder next time.

::If you can find yarn or string around, it's great fun to unwind it all through the house. Around table legs, up and down stairs, in and out of rooms. Stay away from the ribbons though. Man that stuff is fun to eat. I ate a few feet of it one day and got a big tummy ache. Stopped eating for a few days (you know it had to be serious, 'cause I have to eat often to maintain my stunning physique.) Anyway, next thing I knew, they cut me open and took all that ribbon out. Ouch!::The men are the best to cuddle up with. They have those strong hands that are good for scratching behind the ears.

::Hide and seek is awesome. Cassie, I heard that you've tried that one out already. Kinda freaks the people out when they can't find you! But it's oh-so-fun to listen to them calling and calling your name while you're hidden somewhere snickering.

I guess I should probably wrap this little missive up. My lady has been kinda crabby lately. She's been working on a blue and white quilt. She laid a ton of little square pieces all over the living room floor the other day. I had the time of my life dive-bombing all that fabric. Even took a slip-n-slide approach and ended up under the couch. Then, I hear the Lady yelling at me and her big ol' face appeared under that skirt-flap and she yanked those squares I took under the couch away from me. Poor sport. She's got no sense of humor. I heard her complaining to her Mum (hey -- like how I'm using Scotland-speak for Mom?) that she didn't have enough blocks and now she's going to have to make a bunch more. Sah-weet! I hope she lays them all over the floor again.
Well, you kids be good. When you get a little older, I'll tell you a few big kitty tricks. Let's just say, stuffed animals are involved. (Ooh, maybe I shouldn't have said that -- your Lady might not let you hang out with me.)
Later man,
Scruff

P.S. Have you two heard anything from Sheepcat lately? If you see him, tell him I said hello!

I've Been to the Holy Land.

2007-06-24T11:21:00.000-05:00

The fabric mecca. It was awesome and I could kick myself for waiting so long!

I arrived early in the morning (the early bird gets better parking rates at the PATH station), before all the shops were open, so I decided to go to Times Square and walk around. Good Morning America was playing on ABC's jumbotron, and I remembered that they have free concerts in the park so I walked over there. What a beautiful little park in the middle of all the skyscrapers. And look, over there to the right -- they have movies in the park! How cool! But I digress.

The free concert. OMG it was Hannah Montana!!!! (You have to read that in your best screaming twelve year old voice!) Who the heck is HM??? I've never seen so many screaming little preteen girls in my life! It was pretty cute. I walked around the outskirts of the concert and happened to be on the street near the Bryant Park Hotel, when the flurry of body guards and HM made their exit. I had the perfect up close, unobstructed, picture of the starlet herself that I was going to post for those of you with little girls, but my shutter wouldn't snap and in a split second the opportunity was gone. Oh well. I was comforted in the fact that it wasn't Sawyer -- a missed close-up of him would have been truly tragic!Ahem. Back to Mecca. Now, we can have my screaming old woman voice. Holy Cow! I was beginning to get all emotional with the beauty of all those fabric, button, trim, etc. shops when I passed this shirt:No. Really. I don't think it would have been appropriate for me to show my emotion. They would have taken me away. I visited many of the shops that others have described, and like Flibbertygibbet, I'll forgo the links here and leave that up to Liesl's fine post. And, I'll just summarize, as both Flibbertygibbet and Yarnstorm have just been to visit this past week and they have fabulous write-ups!

I spent most of the morning in the garment/fashion district. Gail...what on earth could you have been thinking by sending me to Daytona? Did you notice how many fabric stores are on that street? I'm not young like you are. My heart almost couldn't take it. At least you had the good sense to teach me your breathe in, breathe out techniques months ago. It came in very handy. Thanks for the great recommendation -- I hadn't seen Daytona on the other blogs, and like you, I loved the place.

And I thought I'd lose my mind in B&J fabrics. I've never seen so many cottons with lycra in one place. It was interesting though and shows that you have to be careful. One of the Hop Skip Jump prints was on a big roll of fabric in the cotton section for $12.95/yd. Much higher than the $9.xx/yd print on the bolt at Purl. The fabric width was the same -- maybe you just pay more for the privilege of having no fold in your fabric? MJ Trim and Tinsel Trading's ribbon shop were other favorites. I mostly just found myself wandering around wondering what other fabulous shops were hidden among those monster buildings that we don't know about.

I walked all over and managed to cover more shops than I thought I would in the short time I had. I was surprised, really, at how small all the shops are. These places are larger than life in blogland. Nowhere was this more evident than at Purl and Purl Patchwork. Tiny little shops. But so well loved. I pondered this fact while flying home on Friday night and decided it's just the sheer quality of the product inside. And then, probably almost at the same time I was flying, Jane wrote this post which said it all about Purl, much better than I could.

A few other favorites:
This is why I don't want to park in NYC. Just how do they get those cars on that 4th tier???Probably a common sight, but not in my neighborhood. Too fun!And of course, I had to go to these two places. Research, you understand. A taste comparison.
But could I make a decision? No. Perhaps Magnolia makes the better cupcake. I bought a few to bring home and they survived being slammed against the top of the box while I ran through O'Hare trying to make a tight connection. (Which was pointless, 'cause even though you get to your gate and watch the plane sitting there for 10 minutes, if you and the other delayed passengers are a second past the boarding window, fuggeddaboutit. At least there was a cupcake to console me.)

So. I loved it. The quilty peeps and I are hoping to go to NYC in the fall. Ladies, Mr Doubtfire said it best to Mrs. Doubtfire: "Brace yourself, Effie." Yup. Methinks it's as good as what Effie was in for!

XOXO,
Anna

P.S. Isabelle has her person from Salford. And I have my Karen, the mystery person who is leaving me wonderful comments. Karen, I'd like to respond to you, but blogger is giving my no hints about who you really are -- I don't think you're my Ohio friend Karen or Yellow Farmhouse Karen. What other Karen am I forgetting about? Please send me an e-mail, so I'll know!

Travel

2007-06-21T21:30:00.000-05:00

When I travel for business, in the evenings, I like to do something "local." Most of the time, that means finding a local quilt or fabric shop. Since I visit the same locations, I fall into habit and tend to visit the same places each time. New Jersey has proven a little difficult from the "shopping" standpoint, so, my favorite activity evolved into visiting Liberty State Park. I love to stop here on my way in or out of Newark airport. If I have at least 30 minutes, I love to come here. I enjoy walking around the train station, dreaming of all those immigrants who came here, after processing through Ellis Island, to catch a train to their new life in America. And I sit on a bench and just look. I look at Miss Liberty. I look at the boats going by. But mostly, I just look at the Manhattan skyline. Just staring wistfully across the water, dreaming of all the treasures that lie buried among all those skyscrapers.I've been coming to NJ for several years, but never quite figured out how to get into Manhattan, among those skyscrapers, on the short schedule I always seem to have. On my first attempt, I decided to drive into Manhattan. Just get the "lay of the land", I reasoned. I have a pretty good sense of direction, so, in general, I feel that if I do get lost, I'll eventually find my way. I mean, I'm still here, so, I couldn't have been too lost. And, I've driven in several big cities, so NYC should be no problem, right? Armed with my rental car map, I drove through Holland Tunnel and emerged into a web of one-way streets that weren't marked on my map. It wasn't long before I found myself headed to Brooklyn on the Brooklyn Bridge. I viewed this as a happy accident -- if I hadn't ended up going the wrong direction, I would never have seen the Brooklyn Bridge. It's beautiful and I'm sure I looked like a little kid with my mouth gaping open. I also briefly felt myself transported into Francie's world. Very cool for a girl (me) who lives in an architecturally challenged place! By the time I got turned around and back into Manhattan, I sort of figured out the method to the one-way streets and made it to my goal, Times Square. By now, it was dark, so Times Square was spectacular. As much as it could be from the point of view of a driver in a car trying to avoid striking one of the hoards of pedestrian tourists. That was enough for one night, so I drove out of Manhattan and headed back to NJ to my hotel.I'd survived that first attempt, so on a subsequent trip to NJ, I decided I'd try it again. I really wanted to visit The City Quilter. (This was before my blogging days -- before I knew about Purl and Tinsel Trading and ... well everything else. The only thing I had to go by back then was my quilt shop guide and the only quilt shop it listed was The City Quilter.) This time, I had a better map and a better plan. After my plane landed, I headed to the Lincoln Tunnel. What the ??? I sat in traffic for over an hour, just to get to the tunnel. I thought rush hour traffic (it was after 6:00 p.m.) was supposed to be headed out of the city, not into it. Clearly, NYC doesn't play by rush hour rules. I finally found my way to City Quilter's neighborhood, nervous that it wouldn't be long before they closed. I found a parking "garage" and pulled in. More like pulling into someone's living room. The cars were stacked 6 or 8 deep, and there was nowhere for me to go. The attendant appeared and asked for my keys. Um. Ok. I handed them over and he disappeared with my car into another "room" in this building. I hoped I'd see my car again. I paid my quick visit to City Quilter, and when they closed, I returned for my car. It took 10 minutes, but my car reappeared. For all I know, it drove to Queens in my absence. Maybe they don't really park your car. Maybe they just drive it around until someone calls them to bring it back. You never know.I might be a little slow, but I got the message. Cars aren't meant to be in Manhattan. I sort of gave up, but then I discovered blogs and so. many. of. you. blog. about all the craftiness of NYC. All I had to do was figure out how to get from where I was in central NJ to some sort of public transportation (along with a few other logistics issues.) I think I've finally figured that out. I'll try my plan out tomorrow. If you never hear from me again, you'll know my plan didn't work. ;-)

XOXO,
Anna

Step Away From Your Blog!

2007-06-20T09:32:00.000-05:00

Aack! I've been "off the grid" for a few days and my bloglines is lit up worse than a Christmas tree! I fear I'll never get caught up on all of your lovely blogs. I'm on business travel, which usually isn't a problem because I can catch up with you in the evenings. But the preparations for the trip and then the weather delays, and just real life got in the way of my addiction.

Storms on the east coast yesterday. I should have had an easy flight from D.C. to Newark last night, but there were ground stoppages (is that a word?) So, I rented a car a drove. I SO wished it had been daylight. I've never been to Delaware (woohoo, check that off my list of the lower 48 states to visit -- only 5 to go to make all 48!) and the short blitz through there looked as though it might be beautiful. I really wanted to see the Delaware Memorial Bridge with the sun -- as I crossed over it, it looked as though it may be huge -- with big supports that reminded me of those on the Golden Gate Bridge. But then it may have been my imagination -- it was dark and rainy, so I'm not sure what was out there.

I've just barely, and I mean just barely, read a few blogs this morning and it looks as though you've all been busy! Summertime activities and sewing! Look at this great new block! I just love Leanne's stuff. And check out Miss Marzie's new apron that Lululollylegs made. They had an apron swap and Miss Marzie made Lululollylegs a fabulous apron too! That's some serious swapping!!!

Unfortunately, I must run to meetings now. You all need to take a break. Go rest for a few days. Give a poor blog reader a break!!! I'll leave you with this wonderful picture of these adorable pincushions that the very clever and funny Vallen sent to me a few days ago. Just because she read that I wanted to start a pincushion collection. Aren't they cute??? Check out the cute little birdie, the nest and that adorable little china cup. Oh so clever! Thank you SO much Vallen -- I just love them all!!!

Remember, you're all resting......
XOXO,
Anna

Happy Father's Day!

2007-06-17T09:12:00.000-05:00

I'm one of the lucky ones. I have a wonderful father! Here's a picture of BigDaddy when he was a little boy, taken around 1934 or 1935. He's the little guy, next to his big brother. Isn't he a cutie? You can just see the mischief in his eye. I would loved to have been around back then. I suspect he was a handful when he was a little boy.

As an adult, he's been a lot of fun. He was such a gentle, loving father. He came by it honestly -- his father was that way too. When I was very young, my maternal grandfather was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor. Long before the days of Hospice, BigDaddy took a 4 month leave of absence from work, and our little family of four moved to my Grandma's house, so that BigDaddy could take care of his father-in-law in his last days. What an incredible thing to do -- that's the kind of big heart BigDaddy has.

I never remember him raising his voice to MyDadLovesMeBestSister and me. We adored him, so if we were acting up, all he had to do was look at us disapprovingly and we straightened right up. I also don't remember being spanked. I do remember the one time I learned just how smart he is. MyDadLovesMeBestSister and I must have done something to make him really mad. He told us that he would spank us in 30 minutes. Oh the suffering! 30 minutes (which is forever to a little girl) of worrying about a spanking-to-come was FAR worse than an actual spanking. We spent our 30 minutes trying to figure out how to soften the blow. Our final solution was for each of us to tuck a kitchen pan in our pants to shield our rear ends. I don't remember the spanking, but I sure remember the suffering that preceded it!

BigDaddy has always been surrounded by women and he's learned to go with the flow. Always game to visit a quilt shop or just hang out with the ladies. Remember that picture I posted in March of us in our aprons? That's typical Dad. But he's not a girly man! He holds his own with the manly men. He can do anything around the house -- from hang wallpaper to rebuild a car engine. And he's a fabulous woodworker.

Really, I must stop now. You get the picture. He's just perfect and I love him so! Happy Father's Day BigDaddy. You're a Good Egg!!!

XOXO,
Anna

P.S. Here's a sweet video, not really Father related, but perfect for Father's Day. It's been mentioned on several blogs, but if you haven't seen it, it's well worth it!

The Garden Shed

2007-06-15T08:19:00.000-05:00

With all the gardening going on in blogland, I've been wanting to show you the pond and the little shed that my brother-in-law built for MyDadLovesMeBestSister a few years ago.The pond area used to be a big hill -- my BIL dug it all out (the whole area, not just where the actual water is) by hand with a shovel. He's such a hard worker! My BIL is a lot of fun and he loves to do handyman things. He'll try anything -- even if he's never done it before. (Which is a little scarey, if you think about it.) I love that sense of adventure about him! They live in an 80 year old house, so he's had a lot of projects. When the family girls were in Hawaii, he gutted the one full bath in the house, as a surprise for MyDadLovesMeBestSister upon her return. She had been wanting to re-do the bathroom for years. He did a great job -- it wasn't quite complete when we returned, but what can you expect for only one week? MyDadLovesMeBestSister was SO excited. *

Anyway, back to the pond and shed. My BIL also did all the work on the shed himself, with barely any plans. The picture to the right is a close-up of the door. They found an old screen door in the attic and asked me to paint it for them. He did a great job on the shed -- it's so cute and MyDadLovesMeBestSister keeps all of her gardening tools inside, along with a potting bench. She did all the landscaping around the pond. I think she did a great job of planning where everything should go. You can't really tell it from the pictures, but the pond is directly in front of the shed. So, if you are standing with your back to the door of the shed, you'll be looking at the pond.Wouldn't you just love to have a little gardening shed with a pond like this? I sure would!

Have a great weekend everyone!
XOXO,
Anna

P.S. It should be noted, that while I would love for TheManoftheHouse to be such a hard worker like my BIL, if TheManoftheHouse decided to completely redecorate a room in the house while I was gone, I would have to "do him bodily harm"! Really, would your ManoftheHouse be able to remodel to your tastes? I also admire my sister's fabulous ability to be so easy going!

Strawberries!

2007-06-12T18:06:00.000-05:00

On Sunday, while I was sewing, MeMum called and said she'd made some strawberry shortcake and wouldn't I like to come over? Well, no one has to twist my arm! MeMum makes awesome strawberry shortcake. Except, can you call it shortcake if there's no shortcake? We've always called it shortcake, but it's really an angel food cake. It's one of my favorites and the highlight of this time of year!The sponge cake is sweet, moist and just heavenly. Nothing like those little angel food cakes they sell next to the strawberries this time of year. In the event you might be interested, I thought I'd share MeMum's recipe:

Angel Food Cake

12 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 cup sifted cake flour
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat egg whites (at room temperature) and salt until foamy. Add cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form. Add 1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff peaks form.

Sift remaining 1/2 cup sugar and flour together. Gently fold into egg whites. Add flavorings.

Spoon the batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Invert cake; cool 1 hour or until completely cool. Remove cake from pan. Yield: one 10-inch cake.

Add strawberries mixed with a little sugar, and whipped cream. (Cool whip, if you must, but this cake really cries for the real thing!)

In the meantime, I've been trying to keep up with all of you bloggers. You're all wearing me out -- in a wonderful sort of way! I think maybe we should have one blog-free day a week. You know, kind of like in the old days, how Sunday was a day of rest. Probably wouldn't work though -- everyone would just save up what they had to say and then double-blog.

Apparently, Julie just can't sit still. Look what she's come up with now. She's incredible!

Here and here are some samples of the cute quilts at Dogged.

And check out this little beauty over at Barefoot Daydreams. Very inspiring.

I feel a nap coming on. See you next time.
XOXO,
Anna

A Beautiful Weekend

2007-06-10T21:59:00.000-05:00

It was such a nice weekend here. The weather was perfect. I attended a high school graduation party yesterday, and then high school graduation. It was fun to see several of my sons' friends who have been away at college. This was their common reaction: "Well hello, Mrs. Thimbleanna, what are you doing here?" You know, not having a graduate and all. Well, I just love going to graduations. Love seeing those eager, pensive faces. So happy to be done. Yet wondering what the fall will bring. And graduation is always full of traditions -- the speeches, the awards, the bagpipers and the proud, teary-eyed families. Not to mention the outdoor ceremony, which makes it even more enticing. It all made for a more than pleasant Saturday.

Today, I managed to sneak in a batch of flapjacks and then a little sewing. A new apron, modeled by one of our big pine trees in the backyard. TheManoftheHouse ventured into the dungeon this morning, wondering what I was making. "Don't you already have an apron?" Why, yes I do. But they keep making cute fabric and I can't think of anything to make with it. So, I made another apron.My camera hungry petunias were just a little jealous of the pine tree, so I promised them the close up. I did the little embroidery on my machine -- it came from Embroidables. I think a little piece of hand embroidery would look really cute there too -- maybe an embroidered version of one of the desserts on the Susan Branch dessert print. I probably should have waited for Susan Branch's new embroidery patterns to come out. Guess I'll just have to make something else with her fabric when they do!

XOXO,
Anna

P.S. Do you think there are any flickr tutorials? 'Cause sometimes I just don't get flickr. Like browsing flickr. And adding pictures to other groups. And lots of stuff like that.

A New WIP

2007-06-07T21:15:00.000-05:00

Just a little one. I need a diversion from socks and from fabric folding. My ~~stew-dee-o~~ sewing room is such a pigsty so I'm doing a little cleaning. I'm finding the fabric folding method to be very helpful, although pretty slow. Hopefully I'll be done before TheSecondChild graduates from college in two years.

Not much else happ'nin around here. The quilty peeps and I are in a high state of distress. Our LYS closed and we've been rendered Cascade220Less. If you have any good recommendations for great yarn mail order places, we'd love to hear them!

Remember when I posted about s'mores? I found these and these that look heavenly. Definitely on the list to try. Btw, I tried the Eclair Cake and it was a big hit with TheManoftheHouse and my extended family. Yum, Yum.

And if you haven't checked out H2's blog, get thee there now. She's been doing a great series of posts on the SLC quilt market. Have you ever seen a booth so beautiful?

TheEmptyNestChild told me this better be a scarf for him. Hard to believe that sweet innocent face could have those balls of yarn spread all over the house in a matter of minutes.

XOXO,
Anna

Favorite Shops in TheBigCity

2007-06-05T19:52:00.000-05:00

I always enjoy going to Indianapolis if I know I'll have time to hit some of the quilt and yarn shops. This past weekend was perfect because TheManoftheHouse had a show that he wanted to see, so I dropped him off for the day and then I went shopping. Indy being the "Crossroads of America" and all*, I thought I'd tell you about my favorite shops there. I'm sure someone like Be*mused is infinitely more qualified to tell you about these shops, but I'll give you my opinion anyway.

So, here they are , 3 yarn shops and 3 quilt shops, starting on the south side of Indianapolis and finishing on the north side. Luckily they all have websites which will give you much better info than I ever could.

Back Door Quilts. This is a great quilt shop. They have lots of stuff that covers a wide variety of styles of quilting. A little bit of everything -- except for the "modern" quilter. No free spirit types of fabric that I noticed.
For yarn shops, the mecca is Mass Ave. Knit Shop. After reading descriptions on the internet, I'd imagined a very sexy warehouse setting (picture New York Loft), neat, tidy and very stylish. Not so. It's pretty haphazard. A well-worn pair of shoes sort of feeling. But, oh, the yarn. And books. And friendly atmosphere. And lucky me -- I just happened to be there when everything in the store was at least 20% off. How often does that happen at a yarn store? (If you're near Indy, the sale lasts until Saturday, June 9th!) Mass Ave. Knit Shop is very near downtown. A little hard to find, but well worth it. You enter through the back door, sign pictured here.
I also like The Knit Stop. It's a much smaller shop, but very pretty. Lots of shop samples and inspiration. When I was there on Saturday, there were three dogs roaming around. I love dogs, so that was a really fun surprise and an unusual twist on the yarn-shops-are-for-cats line of thinking. And good news, they're getting ready to expand into the shop next to them, thus doubling their shop size.

Practically next door and just down the street from The Knit Stop is Quilts Plus. This has long been my favorite quilt shop, although The Back Door is giving it a run for it's money! They have beautifully made quilts, which are getting harder and harder to find as we are busier and tend not to invest time in the details of many pieces and fine handwork. Lots of civil war and wool stuff too.
Another quilt shop is Quilt Quarters. They're also a Bernina Dealer. I don't know what it is about quilt shops that are also dealers, but somehow they lose some points on charm. Quilt Quarters probably has the largest variety of fabric of the three shops with just a smidgen of Free Spirit to boot. And look, I felt compelled to buy some of the new Susan Branch fabrics here too. Do I need more fabric? No. But, it's my over-crammed sewing room and I'll buy if I want to.
And last but not least was my real treat for the day. The loverly Jewels has been telling Junie and I about Stitches and Scones for several months and I finally got to check it out. I loved it! Great yarns and displays and exceptionally neat and tidy. As my 12-yr. old nephew would say Sa-weet! Thanks Jewels for the recommendation -- it should definitely be added to our list for girls-day-out!
Somewhere along the way I picked up this Duck Duck Goose fabric. There are no babies (that I know of) on my radar. But I just had to have it. Maybe I'll make it for me. Well, probably not really. Maybe I'll do like Gurney and start a baby hope chest for those grandbabies that may someday arrive.XOXO,
Anna

*You never know when you'll be driving across the country! I-70 runs smack-dab through the middle of Indy. Along with three other major freeways: I-65, I-69, and I-74. It's not the quilty/yarn mecca that someplace like Minnesota is, but just in case you're driving through....

My Favorite Places to Eat

2007-06-03T12:57:00.000-05:00

On Friday night, TheManoftheHouse asked me if I'd like to go to The Big City on Saturday. We had a fun day, with just one annoying moment. For some reason, he decided to inform me that, with the boys soon out of college, we should think about downsizing.

We have several friends who are beginning their downsizing. But, I've never understood this concept. Just because the kids are gone, doesn't mean you don't need the space. I want space so the kids will want to bring their kids back home. And we can have big family dinners. And if TheManoftheHouse is bugging me, I can hide out somewhere.

So, after a little thought, I told him I had a downsizing plan for him. He'll be the first thing to go. He wasn't amused. It's such a burden to have to slap him back into reality sometimes. And he's burdened by the fact that his wife is a smart arse. Oh well...there'll be no more talk of downsizing, if you know what's good for you. ThankYouVeryMuch.

Now....on to the purpose of this post! KBG has tagged me to list my 5 favorite restaurants where I live. Please keep in mind that she said I can cheat:

1. Hands down, my favorite place in Ft. Wayne, IN is Asakusa -- a little hole-in-the-wall Japanese restaurant and sushi bar. Not that I'm a big sushi eater, but I LUV their Teriyaki dishes. I found out about Asakusa from our customers who visit us from New Jersey. They insist on eating at Asukusa whenever they come to town. And rumor has it that our corporate goobers in Boston make up excuses to visit us, just so they can eat at Asakusa too.

2. Next would be the Casa chain of locally owned Italian restaurants. The afore-mentioned NJ customers claim it isn't that great (and being from Soprano-land, I suppose they would know), but it's better than the big chains and it's what we have.

Now, here's where I start to cheat. I've seen these posts on other blogs, and a lot of them mention high-end restaurants. We have some really good high-end restaurants here, but we rarely frequent them. I'm just too practical. Think how much fabric you can buy for the cost of one good high-end meal! So...

3. Das Essen Haus in Middlebury, IN. This is an Amish-style restaurant where you can eat family style or order off of a menu. It's not that the food is incredible (although, it is good), but if you tell me I'm eating at Das Essen Haus, I start salivating, 'cause that means I'll be visiting the nearby quilt shops in Shipshewana, IN. (Someday, that will be a separate post!)

4. MeMum's. Sorry, I know this isn't a restaurant, but I love to eat at MeMum's. She's a fabulous cook.

5. Now, for some, this one will be boring. A big chain. While in The Big City last night, we ate at Cheesecake Factory. (At least some of you have a chance of being able to eat at this restaurant -- 'cause what are the chances that you'll be eating at any of my previous 4 -- northern Indiana isn't exactly a tourist mecca!) Almost everything on Cheesecake's menu is appealing to me. Especially the cheesecakes -- duh! My very favorite dish is Madeira Chicken. And fortunately, since Cheesecake is a 90 minute drive from where we live, I was able to find a knock-off version of this recipe on the internet. I have made this recipe and it's a dead ringer for the original. Here's a very unappetizing picture, but trust me, it's delicious! (Kim -- really, I know it has mashed potatoes, but it's fabulous. If you must, give the potatoes to the kids!)

Cheesecake Factory Chicken Madeira

1 T olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets
8 asparagus spears
4 mozzarella cheese slices
Madeira Sauce:
2 T. olive oil
2 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
3 c. madeira wine
2 c. beef stock
1 T. butter
1/4 t. ground black pepper
(And here, I have a handwritten note, to add a little cornstarch to the sauce to thicken it up a little.)

1. Heat up 1 T. olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cover each chicken breast with plastic wrap, then use a mallet to flatten the chicken to about 1/4-in. thick. sprinkle each fillet with salt and pepper.
2. Saute the chicken fillets for 4 to 6 minutes per side, or until the chicken has browned just a bit. Remove chicken fillets from the pan and wrap them together in foil to keep the fillets warm while you make the sauce. Don't clean the pan. You want all that cooked-on goodness to stay in the skillet to help make the sauce.
3. With the heat still on medium, add 2 T. of oil to the skillet. Add the sliced mushrooms and saute for about 2 minutes. Add the madiera wine, beef stock, butter and pepper. Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until sauce has reduced to about 1/4 of its original volume. When the sauce is done, it will have thickened and turned a dark brown color.
4. As the sauce is simmering, bring a medium saucepan filled about halfway with water to a boil. Add a little salt to the water. Toss the asparagus into the water and boil for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of your asparagus spears. Drop the asparagus in a bowl of ice water to halt the cooking. The asparagus should be slightly tender when done, not mushy.
5. Set oven to broil. Prepare the dish by arranging the cooked chicken fillets on a baking pan. Cross two asparagus spears over each fillet, then cover each with a slice of mozzarella cheese. Broil the fillets for 3 to 4 minutes or until light brown spots begin to appear on the cheese.
6. To serve, arrange two chicken breasts on each plate, then spoon 3 or 4 T of madeira sauce over the chicken on each plate. Serve with garlic mashed potatoes.

Makes 2 to 4 servings.

Of course, if you make this dish, you'll have to make cheesecake to go along with it!
XOXO,
Anna

Oh P.S.! Who to tag: How 'bout everyone who commented on the last post 'cause it makes for great diversity! That's Nicole from the west coast (who has potentially already done this?), Rohanknitter from the Heartland, Jade in Australia, and two girls from the UK: Lucy Locket and Kim, who is sure to include pubs with mashed potatoes! Also, a little boomerang tag for KBG, since you taught me how to cheat, could you give an example of a typical Ukrainian meal eaten at a local restaurant?

Two Shirts: Check

2007-06-01T22:12:00.001-05:00

Before the big pile was dumped on us, I managed to cut out three shirts and get two of them completed. (Check that off the list!) They're made from the fabric that I bought when I went to Hawaii. This blue shirt is a cotton fabric with a little bit of lycra, so it has some give. Cotton with lycra has been fairly hard for me to find, so if I even remotely like it, I'll buy it because it's so comfortable. I've made this pattern (Vogue 7433) before and I wear it a lot.

This pink shirt is an all cotton print. It's a new-to-me pattern (Simplicity4045) and I altered it a little bit. The original had cap sleeves and I lengthened them, 'cause, you know, I'm not 16 anymore. I have vivid memories of my grandma making cookies and her little arm flaps wiggling. While I don't have grandma's arm flaps yet, I do worry that they could spring up any day now, and I want to still wear this shirt!

I have a friend who likes to go to high end clothing shops and try to "copy" the styles. She once told me that a fair amount of designer clothing appears to be cut on the bias, which makes them give a little more. And that is supposed to make them more comfortable. The reason I'm telling you this, is because the front and back of this pink shirt are cut on the bias, so I'll be able to test this theory out. So far, so comfortable.

KBG has tagged me to list my 5 favorite restaurants, so I'll be giving that some thought. Maybe I'll even test one out tomorrow. Yeah, that's it. "Honey, we have to eat out 'cause that cute girl* in the Ukraine wants to know where I like to eat!" Think it will work? Report this weekend!

XOXO,
Anna

*You could be 75 -- I would still call you a girl 'cause "lady" and "woman" just seem too stuffy!

A Happy Day!

2007-05-30T19:25:00.000-05:00

WooHoo! Look, LOOK, what was in the mail today! My first package from the Flibbertygibbet Fabric Swap was fabulous, so I could hardly wait to open this second package, all the way from Jade in Australia!

Look how smartly she wrapped everything. Those tags are too cute! I almost didn't want to open them -- it's so fun to have pretty presents sitting around. Yeah right....I ripped into them to find:Underneath those tags: with For the Swap, there are three fabulous Heather Bailey prints (YUM!); with A New Project, a cheater piece of fabric with pretty flowers on it; with For the Stash, some embroidery floss and ribbon to match the fabric; and with For Your Sewing Kit,

OHMYGOSH, an adorable pincushion. Oh Jade! I've been wanting to make one like this 'cause I want to start a pincushion collection. And now you've done it for me. Thank You, Thank You, so much Jade. I love it all! I do believe, my dear that you've set the gold standard for us all to strive for in future Flibbertygibbet swaps.

What a lucky girl I've been to get packages from both England and Australia. And btw, thanks so much to Gail for organizing the swaps -- they're so much fun!

And, as if that weren't enough, three other things made me really happy today:
1) Your comments indicate that I'm not the only one with lots of UFO's. (Ok, I already knew it. Just trying to get you all into the 12-step program.)
2) I went to MeMum's and BigDaddy's at lunchtime. I loved being able to remind BigDaddy that today is his mother's birthday. She was born one hundred years ago today. We both really miss her and wish she were still here. I made dinner tonight in her apron in her honor!
3) I had a wonderful surprise this morning! Gurney posted in my comments section! She listed 7 of her UFO's. And since this is a long post, I'll save you from having to go look at those comments by reposting her UFO's here. Gurney said:

Geez, only 7? Where to start?
1. Katie's high school grad. quilt - still working on applique butterflies. (She just finished her first year of law school.)
2. Still cutting out the bow ties from the blue fabric exchange.
3. Pieced a few blocks of the millennium 2000 square exhange. Were we nuts? 2000 fabrics?
4. Quilting the I Spy quilt from the I Spy fabric exchange.
5. Quilting the "Minnesota" quilt.
6. Looking at the 4" squares we exchanged. There are like 100. Need to set them together. Anna's is finished. (Slut).
7. Cara's wedding quilt. Her 4th anniversary is in July. Bit off a bit more than I could chew with this one I think.
8. What? I'm only allowed 7? There's so much more!

Excellent list Gurney! Do you all see the subliminal message between the lines? (Blog, Blog, Blog....)

Thanks for hanging in there for this long post and sharing my happy day. Wow! After today, tomorrow is sure to be a bit of a disappointment!
XOXO,
Anna

Seven UFOs

2007-05-28T22:19:00.000-05:00

Jemimah has tagged me for the 7 random things meme. Not too long ago, Jade also tagged me, but I misunderstood the tag to be the 7 weird things which I'd already done. So, for both the J's ( ;-) ), here are my 7 random things....

I've noticed that some of the 7 random things posts have pictures, so I thought I'd use that format. Hmmmm. What 7 random-alike things do I have that I could show you? It appears that the most prolific things in my house these days (aside from jars of little things like buttons, bobby pins, toothpicks, etc.) are unfinished projects. Gee, maybe if I post them, it will prod me to actually get to work on them!

So, here's a tour of 7 of my UFO's:

1.This UFO, is potentially the oldest. When the kids were little, we loved the series of books entitled My Father's Dragon. (Highly recommended for those of you who have pre- to early-readers!)They make great read-aloud books and I enjoyed them so much that I decided to make a quilt featuring some of the drawings in the book. I got as far as sketching the plan for the blocks and making the first block, sort of. Poor guy, he still needs his stripes. And, I wanted his wings to be special, so rather than using a gold colored cotton, I used a gold lame. It worked pretty well. I just never got around to finishing it. Maybe someday for a grandchild!

2. Not much to this UFO 'cause we didn't get very far. The "we" part was MeMum, MyDadLovesMeBestSister and me. We each chose a background fabric , then we gave each other 1/3 of our background fabric. We would each make enough 9 patches out of scraps to make a quilt. For each scrap of fabric, we would make three 9 patch blocks -- one from each background fabric. Then, depending on the backround of the block, it would be given to the "owner" of that background. So, when all the blocks were done, we would each essentially have the same quilt but with different backgrounds. (I'm sure I could have explained that better, but I hope you get the idea.) Anyway, the sister has long since abandoned ship. MeMum and I still talk about it as if we'll start working on it again tomorrow. Who knows, maybe tomorrow's the day? (Snort, snort.)

3. This was a quilt that I started when the friendship group had twelve members. I had each of the members make pinwheel blocks out of scraps. The pinwheel part of the quilt is put together and it just needs four applique borders. Two of the borders are done. Two left to go.

4. This quilt top is all done, ready to be quilted. Jewels, Juni, and Gurney came to visit me one year when I lived in Minnesota and we saw a quilt similar to this hanging in a quilt shop. We all decided to make this top, but in different fabrics (pinks and greens, retro 30's prints, etc.) We're all in different stages of completion -- Jewels is the big winner with a finished, quilted quilt.
5. This is a wallhanging I started for my sunroom. I want some beehives out there -- 'cause I love beehives. Probably because I was born in the Beehive State.

6. This quilt is just embarrasing. I've been quilting it for over 10 years. (Ok, tell the truth, probably more like 15 years.) The blocks were made by the girls in the friendship group. There are 77 bow tie blocks + borders. I think I only have about 10 bow ties left to quilt, so I'm certainly more than 1/2 way done.

7. And last, we have 90 Lady of the Lake blocks all ready to be put into a quilt top. Really wouldn't be that much work -- just haven't done it yet. After the friendship group got out of the "making blocks for each other" phase, we had a blue and white fabric swap. We each brought a few yards of several blue prints and then cut them up and shared. This is probably the UFO that I want to get back to the most.

So, a little dip of your toe in my lake of UFOs. My tastes have changed over the years, which probably makes some of those projects hard to pick up again. Hopefully it will happen before someone has to sell them in an estate sale.

XOXO,
Anna

Oh, P.S. I really can't think of anyone who hasn't already done this meme. Do you think I'd have any success at getting Jewels, Juni and Gurney to post 7 random things in the comments??? (Just trying to drag them into blogland..... ;-) )

Memorial Day

2007-05-28T08:44:00.001-05:00

In the US today, we remember those who serve our country and have given their lives for our freedom.

The Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor

Everyone celebrates in their own way, but here are some suggestions.

XOXO,
Anna

A Little Surprise Amid the Work!

2007-05-27T20:26:00.000-05:00

Whew! I'm sure glad we're done with that little mulching task. After two long days, we're done and I'm sore. Fortunately we only subject ourselves to that pain every other year. It rained on and off all weekend, so we got pretty wet and dirty. I felt like we were shoveling mud. The good part is that I planted a few new daisies, coneflowers and hydrangeas before mulching the beds, so it will be fun to see how pretty they might be!

I did have a little excitement in the middle of it all. This afternoon, I took a little break after I realized that we had been so busy yesterday, we'd forgotten to collect the mail. And just look what was waiting for me in my mailbox!It's the first of my two Flibbertygibbet swap packages -- this one from Sarah way over in England. I was SO excited to open it (I had to wash that brown muck off my hands first!). Look at the fabulous red fabrics! (Jewels, I know you're salivating now -- for the rest of you, Jewels is ALL about red!!!) Sarah also included a lovely hand made tag, a cute little notebook, those mod Cath Kidston tissues (how could you ever blow your nose into those???), and such adorable kitty-ness -- some kitty stickers and that cute kitty magnet! Thank you SO much Sarah -- I love it all. TheEmptyNestChild joins me in thanking you for remebering his kittyhood -- and he says hi to your three cute kitties! ;-)

The best part about this swappy stuff is that you "meet" new people, and now I have a new blog to read. Sarah, I'm enjoying your blog and I'm loving your package!!! ;-)

Now, I think I may have to take Shropshire Girl's advice and go have a nice long soak.
XOXO,
Anna

Gone Shovelin' ... Back Soon!

2007-05-26T09:50:00.001-05:00

The Other Graduation Quilt

2007-05-23T19:48:00.000-05:00

I've shown you the high school graduation quilt I made for TheFirstChild, so now, here is the quilt for TheSecondChild. Whereas, TheFirstChild had his little U-Turn indiscretion, TheSecondChild had an indiscretion involving a stork. No baby involved, just the stork.He was at a party when one of the boys decided to use the phone number from one of those big stork yard signs (that people use to announce the birth of a new baby) and prank call the stork guy. Boneheads. It's the 21st century. The century of caller id. All those 16 year old boys got in t.r.o.u.b.l.e.

It was pretty funny at the time. Good clean fun. But, these days, you can't have just good clean fun. Not unless it's politically correct. My, how things have changed. So many things kids can't do now that past generations could do. My Dad was a class clown sort of kid. He lived in a small town and is full of prank stories from his youth. Turning over outhouse kinds of stories. One day, they even hung one of their teachers out of a second story window by his feet. Can you imagine what would happen to boys if they did that now? They wouldn't pass go. They'd go straight to jail!Someday, I hope the TheSecondChild will be able to tell his grandchildren about the stork. And all about his friends who signed his quilt.

XOXO,
Anna

Jane's Flapjacks

2007-05-21T21:24:00.000-05:00

After I finished my work this weekend, I rewarded myself by finally trying Jane's recipe for Flapjacks. I had purchased the golden syrup weeks ago at our local World Market. I'd never made an "untranslated" recipe from the UK before, so it was certainly an educational experience! I made the stupid assumption that you can use the 8 oz. = 1 cup rule for both liquids and solids. (What the heck was I thinking -- obviously it's been way too long since I learned "how" to cook and I've forgotten a few of the basics.)
So, anyway, Jane's recipe called for 6 oz. of butter and 6 oz. of brown sugar. That's 3/4 c. each, right? Well, conveniently, that worked. But, how 'bout the 9 oz. of oats? 1 1/8 cup you say? Now if you're thinking (which I clearly wasn't), you'll realize that brown sugar is much heavier than oats. The recipe was WAY short on oats. What emerged from the oven was a gooey mess. (Which actually, when cooled, molded into tasty little candy-like bits that weren't too bad.)

At this point, I realized that we did indeed have a small RARELY used scale. So, I got it out and weighed the ingredients for a second go-round. 9 oz. of oats, is approximately 3 cups -- a lot more than the 1+ cup I used the first time. Viola. There's a reason for the scale. And it worked -- the little bars were wonderful. Even TheManoftheHouse and TheFirstChild really liked them. I'm pretty set in my ways though. It would take me awhile to get used to weighing everything out whenever I follow a recipe. Maybe if I make this recipe often enough, weighing ingredients will grow on me. I'll definitely be making them again.

And while we're on the subject of cooking, I've noticed a few more recipes I'd like to try:

An Eclair Cake recipe at Homespun Living

Pink Meringues from Miss Marzie

And, Cream Scones from Smitten Kitchen

(Hmmm. I've just noticed they're all sweets. Why do you suppose that is???) Now, I'm off to sneak a leftover Flapjack before bed.
XOXO,
Anna

I'm Baaaack....

2007-05-19T00:34:00.001-05:00

...and look what was here to greet me!I was hoping it would be here -- a beautiful new little corsage from Ragged Roses. And just look how prettily she had it wrapped. Underneath the bow is a lovely notecard, with what looks like a close-up of one of her tea cozies. So cute!But wait -- there's more! She put in a few extras. An adorable smaller corsage and a link to a recipe that cracked me up. She mentioned on her blog that she doesn't like mashed potatoes, so I teased her about how could anyone NOT like mashed potatoes??? Very funny Kim -- and thanks for the recipe!Kim's corsages are WONDERFUL! C'mon -- I know you want one! Rush on over and you too, can have one of your own! Thank you, Thank you, Kim!

It's a good thing I had such a fun surprise, 'cause it will carry me through my weekend of work. I'm hoping to get a little sewing done and of course, this time of year, there's lots of yardwork. Last weekend I managed to get a few flowers and herbs planted. (You're probably thinking those herbs are planted awfully close to each other, but they never grow much -- it's either WascallyWabbit or HerbChallengedGardener (that's me!)).

And do you know what this is? Anyone?It's a new season for HysterectomyLove. (Yes, it's important to knickname your plants.) Last year, my lovely friend Jewels sent me the most beautiful hydrangea for a post-surgery get well gift. I kept it in the house for 3 or 4 months and when it started to look a little wimpy, I decided to plant it outside. After which all its leaves fell off, so I thought I had killed it. But no...it's come back to life!

Which only goes to show you that when I introduced my friends to you, I was absolutely correct about Jewels. She does have a heart of gold. My friends teased me about how I characterized them -- assigning Jewels the heart and Junie the style. Jewels jokingly said she wanted to be the one with style. You just wait Jewels....when HysterectomyLove blooms, everyone will see that you have a fabulous sense of style too!

Have a great weekend everyone!
XOXO,
Anna

*Marquee courtesy of HowAboutOrange, HappyZombie and RedKid.net.

Celtic Cables

2007-05-17T19:25:00.000-05:00

I went to a Fiona Ellis workshop on Tuesday night. I really can't say enough about the wonderful time I had. What a fabulous, charming woman! She was so pleasant and the rhythm of her voice was perfect for knitting. Who doesn't love a Brit accent?

We knit a little sample in class to learn the basics. Do you know the difference between regular cables and celtic cables? Regular cables move up and down -- celtic cables can also move sideways. Thus forming the celtic "knots".
She told us a little about herself and I loved a story she told from her childhood. She learned to knit and sew at a very young age. One day, she was making a little doll dress and she didn't know how to do gathers, so when she joined the skirt to the bodice, she had excess fabric at the back. She took the problem to her grandmother, who looked at it and said "Well, let's make a bustle!" She attributes that "make lemonade out of lemons" attitude to her abilitly to come up with creative solutions and designs. It's a good lesson to learn. I could use a little of that spontaneity. I would have taken it out and learned how to make gathers. Stupid rigidity.

I learned some new tips. Like (and this one is common sense -- duh, me) cables shouldn't be knit with dark colors 'cause they don't show up as well. (Could of used that tip before I started the sweater I'm currently working on.) Early on in the class, I asked her if it's possible to drop just a few stitches off the needle to repair a mistake several rows back, without ripping those rows out. She assured me it was and she went into detail about how it could be done. Naturally, since I asked the question, I would be the one to make the stupid mistake and forget to cross some stitches, not noticing it until four rows later. Dingbat. It was actually a fun lesson though -- I got to see her in action. It was pretty cool to watch her fingers move as she repaired that mistake. I'll have to make a lot of mistakes like that before I become fluent in the language of successful cable repair work.

If you're interested in cables and you get the chance to go to a workshop (or if your guild needs a great workshop) with Fiona, don't miss it! She's a very interesting woman and great fun to listen to. Highly, highly recommended! Oh, and that book in the picture is great too. There are a bunch of really beautiful sweaters in it. One of them is a cute hoodie -- the celtic cable goes up the back and continues all the way to the front of the hood. Alas, another obsession.

XOXO,
Anna

P.S. Fiona has a new Fair Isle book coming out in October. Just can't picture that -- she'll always be the cable woman to me!

The Beehive Cake

2007-05-16T16:44:00.000-05:00

I'm sitting in O'Hare airport on a delay from a cancelled flight and thought I'd take this opportunity to catch up on all the blogs I'm way behind on and post the beehive cake information that some of you have requested. And by the way, thanks so much for all of your wonderful comments. I love to read your comments and I try to answer all of them. Blogger is a weirdo though -- and I often can't find an e-mail address or website for some of you so that I can respond to your comments. So, just know, that if you don't hear from me (or if I don't reciprocally comment on your blog), it's not because I'm ignoring you!

Now, for the beehive cake. I've googled the pan and it seems to only be available from Williams Sonoma. It's made by Nordic Ware and I'm wondering if maybe it's made exclusively for WS. I love Nordic Ware pans -- I have an embarrassing number of them because MeMum and my DadLovesMeBestSister know how much I love them, so they are often gifts to me. I'm very lucky that way!

Here's the recipe (it's long and looks much harder than it really is, so hang in there):

Lemon Beehive Cake

For the cake:
2 3/4 cups (440g) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
16 Tbsp. (2 sticks/250 g) unsalted butter
1 2/3 cups (410 g) granulated sugar
3 tsp. lemon zest
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 cup (160 ml) milk
1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice

For the glaze:
1/2 cup (185 ml) honey
1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt

For the quick buttercream:
4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick/60 g) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups (185 g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 Tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

For the royal icing:
1 cup (125g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 to 3 tsp. milk

Have all the ingredients at room temperature.

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour the Beehive Cake Pan; tap out excess flour.

To make the cake, over a sheet of waxed paper, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 1 minute. Add the granulated suar and lemon zest and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla just until incorporated, about 30 seconds.

Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour. Beat each addition just until incorporated, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the lemon juice and beat for 30 seconds.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, spreading the batter so the sides are highter than the center. Bake until the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 55 to 60 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the glaze. In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the honey, lemon juice and salt and bring just to a simmer, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Tap the cake pan gently on a work surface to loosen the cake. Set the rack over a sheet of waxed paper, invert the pan onto the rack and lift off the pan. Using a pastry brush, brush the warm cake with the glaze. Let the cake cool completely, at least 2 hours, before assembling and decorating.

To make the buttercream, in a small bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the confectioners' sugar, milk, vanilla and salt and continue beating until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes more. To make the royal icing, in a small bowl, stir together the confectioners' sugar and the 2 tsp. milk until smooth. If necessary, add more milk 1/2 tsp. at a time until the icing is thick but still pourable.

Stand one half of the cooled cake vertrically on its base. Using a serrated knife, level the flat side of the cake by trimming off 1/8 to 1/4 inch (3 to 6 mm) from the edge. Repeat with the other cake half.

Using an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of buttercream, about 1/2 cup (125 ml), on the cut side of one of the cake halves. Place the cut side of the other cake half against the frosted side and gently press to secure the two halves; using the spatula, smooth the buttercream at the seam.

Using the large spatula, carefully transfer the cake to a serving platter. Drizzle with the royal icing, making sure to cover the frosted seams of the beehive. Decorate with sugar honeybees. Serves 16.

I'm sure this recipe would be good made in other cake pans too -- TheManoftheHouse loved it cause it's plain and simple, just like he likes his desserts.

Congratulations if you stuck it out this long and you're still here. And thanks for keeping me entertained while I see if my standby status will pay off. I really must go now though....I'm being drummed out of my waiting area by people who talk too loud on their cellphones!

XOXO,
Anna

P.S. Check out this picture posted by PamKittyMorning. That crochet on cardboard is the cutest thing I've seen in a Long Time. I'm seeing it soon in our future! ;-)

My Favorite Apron

2007-05-14T22:13:00.000-05:00

It's National Apron Day! And another "after the day is over" post for me. I'm so behind. You know, 'cause I had to work, mow the lawn, feed the family, pay the bills, and squeeze in a picture of my aprons while the sun was still up. ;-)

The minute I read on Randi's blog that it was National Apron Day, I knew I had to post my favorite apron. It was my Grandma's. Grandma has been gone for over 30 years now. She died when I was 14 and I tucked her apron into my hope chest. It stayed there until we moved into this house and when I found it during unpacking, I decided I'd really like to wear it every now and then. Not too much though -- it's getting pretty old. Grandma was a great cook, so when I need extra special good cooking karma, I don grandma's apron and go for it.

Most other days, I wear this apron. (I should have taken a cue from Randi for how to pose in a full length apron -- her cute pose is much better than the dorky look you see here!) I'm a slob, so I really need a full length apron. Although, I must say, that Amy Butler 1/2 apron is sure tempting me! (For a super cute version, check out Weathertop Farm!) I love the little pleats. I wore my aqua apron most of the weekend. It probably still has beehive cake residue on it. Speaking of which, thanks for all the beehive cake comments -- I'll look online for pan sources and the recipe and post them in the next few days.

Hop on over to Randi's blog and view other apron participants. I love aprons and have fabric for several more ... just need to get sewing!

XOXO,
Anna

A Late Happy Mother's Day!

2007-05-13T22:55:00.000-05:00

Well, now that the day is over, rather than wishing everyone (everyone that celebrates today, that is) A Very Happy Mother's Day, I'll just have to say, I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day. The weekend got away from me, and before I knew it, it was gone.

It was a wonderful weekend here in the midwest. Perfect weather. TheManoftheHouse started it off early by bringing me a present from work on Friday. Now, some of you are probably saying, "Oh, poor girl, she's married to one of those." But, this is the kind of present that makes me do cartwheels! (Well, not really -- I've always been athletically challenged (unless you count sewing olympics), so my cartwheels are all in my mind.)

Back to TheManoftheHouse. I've ruined him. He's always been the perfect present-giver. Very romantic and thoughtful. But, I've always been a practical sort of girl. So, appliances are always welcome. Or in this case, yard tools. I was doing yard work on Friday, and the weedeater died. So, I left a message on TheManoftheHouse's answering machine at work, requesting that he "take care of the problem." And he did! I'm so excited about a battery operated ~~weedeater~~ grasshog (calling it a grasshog instead of a weedeater makes me think of a Tim-the-tool-man grunt.) I've never been strong enough to start a gas powered weedeater and the 100 ft. cord on the electric one was really a bother. Hopefully, this battery operated technology will be effective. Report next year! ;-)

There's still a bit of his old romantic self left though -- the weedeater was in one hand and these were in the other:
As for the rest of the weekend ... it was spent cleaning house and preparing a brunch for MeMum. MyDadLovesMeBestSister and her family were also here and we all had a good time. I even tried out my new beehive pan that MeMum gave me a few weeks ago. The recipe that comes with the pan was delicious!
Happy Monday!
XOXO,
Anna

Lorna is Not My Friend.

2007-05-11T18:45:00.000-05:00

I've been working on my socks and trying to come up with a solution to the "pooling" problem. I was using a pattern with 64 stitches on size 2 needles. I tried increasing stitches to 72 and reducing needle size to size 1. That didn't work. Then I read somewhere (a google search on "lornas laces pooling problem" yields many other people with this problem) that you can solve the problem by using two skeins at once. So I tried that, reducing the number of stitches to 48 and using size 4 needles.As you can see, it definitely gives the variegated look that I want, but the socks are pretty thick. Which would be fine for winter socks, but these are pastel colors and I'm hoping to wear them when I'm wearing spring/summer colored jeans.

I've used Lorna's Laces before and couldn't figure out why I've never had this problem. So, I looked through my socks and found this pair.Gee, I didn't even notice the pooling when I made them. I must have been on another planet or something. Anyway, I've decided I'll just duplicate this pattern again and be done with it. I'd much rather have a variegated look, but oh well. Lesson learned. And too bad, 'cause I just love Lorna's Laces colors.

Hope you're all geared up for a nice weekend!
XOXO,
Anna

Odds 'n Ends

2007-05-09T19:51:00.000-05:00

It seems this new book appeared at my doorstep today:
Now, I know you're probably thinking...How could you have a whole book on s'mores? Or, even better, who in their right mind would buy a book about s'mores? There's nothing difficult about them. Even children make them around the campfire.

So, here's my defense. I LOVE, LUV, LURVE, s'mores. They have the best of what's edible: graham crackers, CHOCOLATE, and marshmallows melted over the open fire (or in the oven, as the case may be.) My lil' ol' heart pounds, just thinking about them. And my second defense? The pictures in this book sucked me in. They're beautiful. I love beautiful pictures and if they're of food? Well, I'm screwed, so to speak.

There really are some fun ideas in this book. Most of the s'mores have chocolate and marshmallow in them. The graham cracker part is sometimes substituted with different varieties of cakes or cookies (there's a version with sugar cookies and white chocolate!) Then there are chapters with fruit (that way you can rationalize that you're being healthy), "extreme" varieties (one puts a banana nut muffin crown on top (that one's for you Gurney!) and check out this one with popcorn in it), and even holiday favorites where there's a smore for every major holiday (strawberries and blueberries for the 4th of July, peppermint for Christmas, etc.) Here's one that looked good to me 'cause I love these girl scout cookies!At first glance, many of them seemed too "out there", but the more I looked at them, the more I wanted to try them. Can't wait for summer -- I'm going to have to experiement!

A few cool things I've seen this week in blogland:

I LOVE this 365 Challenge idea. I'm going to have to figure how to work it into my giant pile of UFO's.

Check out this cool paper cutter that Finny Knits blogs about. I wonder how long it will be before they're making an affordable at-home version.

Love these log cabin blocks. Please disregard the fact that she mentions boobies in the same post.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a hot date with Sawyer and s'mores. Well, not really. There's no s'mores. I just wanted to see if I could type Sawyer and s'mores in the same sentence and remain perpendicular to the floor.

XOXO,
Anna

(Sawyer, s'mores, champagne. Sawyer, s'mores, champagne, fabric. Sawyer, s'mores, champagne, fabric, bubble bath. Sawyer, s'mores, champagne, fabric, bubble bath, beautiful sunset....)

*UPDATE: Thanks to Junie for letting me know that *#&*$&# Microsoft apparently has no sense of humor. I tried to progressively shrink my font on the last comment and it shrunk all other posts after that. I would never have noticed it, as I use Firefox. Thanks Junie!

A Graduation Quilt

2007-05-07T21:40:00.000-05:00

First things first. The very sweet Kim has tagged me to name seven weird things about me. Kim, I'm sorry, but there's no way I could top not liking mashed potatoes! ;-) That's definitely weird, 'cause I think mashed potatoes are almost my favorite food on the planet! For the first six weird things about me, you can read here. Hmmm. A seventh? How 'bout, I'm not terribly fond of backrubs. I think most people love them, don't they? I'm supposed to tag someone to name weird things, but I think almost everyone has listed their weird things at some point, so I'm tagging anyone who's been missed. Go ahead and name them!

Not much sewing, knitting, or anything creative has been going on around here. And judging by the mess that's been created by two college boys and all their sh stuff coming home, ~~I'm~~ we're going to be cleaning for awhile. So, because I like to post with a picture or two, and because it's that graduation time of year, I thought I'd show you the graduation quilts I made for the boys when they graduated from high school -- TheFirstChild's quilt now and TheSecondChild's in a later post.This was a complete surprise for TheFirstChild. I had all of his friends sign blocks. Then I gave the quilt to him at a family dinner the night of graduation.

He was so cute -- he had to leave immediately after dinner to go to a graduation party and he didn't want to leave his quilt -- he was so busy reading all the blocks. This quote has always been his favorite. He had me write it on his bedroom wall, so it had to be the quote to go on his quilt. It was a great surprise and I loved that he was so touched by it all.

XOXO,
Anna

(He has a "no-u-turn" symbol on his quilt, because he had a car accident in high school -- he made a u-turn and one of his best friends, who was following him, hit his car. There has been quite the discussion ever since then about who's fault it was -- they both got tickets!)

One Small Step...

2007-05-06T10:41:00.000-05:00

...out of Tuition Hell, One Giant Leap for TheFirstChild.

I'd thought I'd leave my post for this weekend at that, but since so many of you love to take pictures, I wanted to mention an important lesson I learned yesterday at graduation. When the graduates were all lined up and marching to the outdoor stage, I was squished among the crowd trying to get a picture of my graduate. That's always so difficult because they are on the move, people step in front of you, etc. After I snapped a pic of the TheFirstChild as he walked past me, I happened to glance at his father, who was on the opposite side of the procession. I had the camera on the wrong person. And by the time that realization hit me, it was too late. The expression of pride that appears on a father's face when he spots his child in the crowd, is one that should be captured. It would have been a much more valuable picture than the blurry image I caught of TheFirstChild walking by. There are so many opportunities to take pictures of the person who is the center of the activity, but often, because we are so focused on that person, we miss the reactions of the people around them. It's a lesson I hope to remember for future events.

XOXO,
Anna

Swimming in Chocolate

2007-05-03T19:25:00.000-05:00

Thank you so much for your kind comments about my little bags. They're so fun and easy to make -- I do hope some of you will try them!

It's a busy time here at Thimbleanna's. I spent all day yesterday on the road to "gather up" TheSecondChild* from college. And what do college kids do when they're done with their finals and they're waiting to go home?Don't be silly -- they go Swimming in Chocolate!Tomorrow we'll travel to spend two days celebrating the graduation of TheFirstChild from college. Then we'll move him and all of his belongings back home. I'm looking forward to having the pitter patter of big feet back in the house again. Obviously there won't be much sewing or productivity going on around here this week. But there will be lots of picture taking!

XOXO,
Anna

(*I've had the urge to try new names on the boys. Son1 and Son2 just weren't nicknamey enough for me. So, we'll see how these ones work out.)

More Knitting....

2007-05-01T20:46:00.000-05:00

Well, I tried my fourth iteration of the pastel sock last night with no success. So, while I mull it over, I've been amusing myself by finishing the little felted bags I started a few weeks ago. I saw the pattern in February here, and knew I'd have to try them.

They work up pretty fast, so like the little bunnies, I figured, if I'm making one, I might as well make several.And remember the little embroidered thumbtacks? I told you you'd be seeing more of them. This time, in the form of button flowers to sew on the purses.

These are so fun to make. They're small -- the buttons are only 3/4- inch. Try them -- they make a quick little project!XOXO,
Anna

Just Perfect

2007-04-29T21:41:00.000-05:00

We had the most perfect day here today. It was sunny and warm and just a bit breezy. I had big plans to go into the dungeon and sew all day, but I just couldn't do it. Instead, I opened all the windows and cleaned house. I love to clean on a beautiful day with the breeze airing everything out. Just Heaven! The downside of all that cleaning is no pictures. I doubt you'd enjoy a picture of the cleaner in the toilet bowl, would you?

I did start a new sock this weekend, out of a Lorna's Laces yarn in a pastel color.Notice how the colors are pooling? (Yellows with greens and pinks with purples.) If I continue with this pattern, I'll end up with a candy cane effect on my sock. Apparently, this is a common problem with Lorna's Laces. I've tried three different patterns and the pooling persists. I'll be ripping this one out tomorrow to try something new. Hopefully sooner or later something will produce a nice mottled effect.

I do have a question for any of you readers with a green thumb. I've noticed the ends of my newly emerging hostas have been nibbled, which indicates that my wascally wabbit has returned. Does anyone have any rabbit deterrent suggestions? Several years ago we had a cat that patrolled the yard, but she disappeared on day. As a result, I won't let TheEmptyNestChild go outside. And speaking of cats, I heard once that it might help to put litter box contents around the hostas, so I might try that.

Here's to a good week ahead!
XOXO,
Anna

A Birthday!

2007-04-27T15:04:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to my DadLovesMeBest Sister! Today is her day. I could tell you how old she is and make fun of her, but since she's 19 months younger than I am, that would just be inappropriate.

Awww. Isn't she cute? She was a beauty queen in high school. And to illustrate how different parenting is now than it was then, when she won her beautyship, no one from the family was there to see it. These days, as parents, we don't dare miss even the most trivial of activities. But back then, our parents only occasionally went to an activity. We had all been there the year before when nothing happened; so out of 120 girls, it was just assumed that, once again, she wouldn't win. But she did. And we've all felt guilty ever since!

She got over it (actually, I don't think it really even bothered her) and now we just have lots of fun together. We lived in different parts of the country for the first 10 years after we grew up, but now, we're very happy to be living in the same city. When I saw these rainboots, I knew I had to get them for her. They had her name on them. (And, really, I don't know how it happened, but when they were delivered, there was a pair in just my size with them. Hmmm....) I'd never really seen Wellies here in the states (except for the plain green or brown variety) until I saw them here. There are all sorts of fun patterns. She'll look stunning in them while she's doing her gardening.

Well...Happy Birthday Little WeinerHead! I hope you're having a great day!

XOXO,
Anna

(P.S. Her DadLovesMeBest knickname comes from a conversation we once had when looking at a catalog. I told her I was going to order one of those shirts that says "Mom Loves Me Best." She said, "That's ok, 'cause Dad Loves Me Best.")

My Favorite Pasta Salad

2007-04-26T07:13:00.000-05:00

The weather this past weekend was so beautiful and stirred up visions of summer to come. Now, however, it's cold and rainy as winter coughs up it's last (hopefully!) gasp. The forecast promises better weather after tomorrow, so, in preparation, I thought I'd share my favorite summer salad.

Ham and Chicken Salad
Salad:
3 oz. (1 cup) uncooked pasta nuggets
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 cup cubed cooked ham
1/2 cup sliced red onion
1/2 cup sliced celery
1 *8 oz.) can pineapple chunks, drained

Dressing:
1/2 cup tarragon or cider vinegar
1/3 cup oil
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cook pasta to desired doneness as directed on package; drain. Rinse with cold water.

In large bowl, combine all salad ingredients. In jar with tight-fitting lid, combine all dressing ingredients; shake to blend. Pour over salad; toss to coat. 4 (1 1/2-cup) servings.

This salad should have kind of a sweet and sour taste to it, so it's better if you make if several hours before you're going to serve it. I always have to at least double the recipe because TheManoftheHouse loves it!

XOXO,
Anna

I Love Baseball

2007-04-23T18:19:00.000-05:00

Baseball has been a big deal at our house. From the time he was three years old, Son1 has loved baseball. At that young and tender age, he used to sit on the couch and watch an entire White Sox baseball game. He also started with T-ball at 3 years old and has played baseball every year since then. Almost 20 years of baseball. At 8, he began pitching.

We've had more fun with Son1 and his baseball than I could ever have imagined. The friends, the travel teams, the games with their blow-by-blow re-caps. the camaraderie, and the sportsmanship. You know...the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. There's just no way that I could eloquently describe a mother's feelings as she watches her boy muster up the courage to go back out on that mound after pitching a bad inning. Or what it's like to watch him hit the game winning run. And I can't imagine what my life would have been like without it. But dang it, it sure went by fast! Where did those years go???

It was with a little sadness that we traveled to see him play in his last college home game this weekend. He pitched a great game. One hit shy of a no-hitter. We're full of wonderful memories. And it certainly won't be the end of baseball for Son1. In addition to his day job next year, he'll be assistant coaching his old high school team. Maybe there will be an adult league. If he's extra-special-lucky, maybe someday he'll be blessed with a little boy who loves baseball too. And, if nothing else, there's always his beloved White Sox.

Oh, and not to be outdone, Son2 was off at his respective school participating in a little sport of his own. Defending the family honor. Or, rather the Pie Eating Championship that he won in the fall. Once again, he remains undefeated. The skill...the courage....We are so proud.

XOXO,
Anna

A Little Inspiration

2007-04-21T16:19:00.000-05:00

Darn it all, the weather here today is stunning. Finally, we have a beautiful sunny day. Not that I'm complaining, but that means mowing season has started. (Technically, it's well under way. My nutty neighbor has mowed three times already. Obviously, he's not hooked on ~~crack~~ blogs, like I am.) Oh well, I've finished for today, and just thought I'd pop in quickly to mention a few of the fun things I saw in blogland this week (well, ok, some are more than a week old, but I keep forgetting to mention them!)

First of all, thank you for all the very kind comments about the bunny pincushions. For those of you who asked, they're made from a pattern called Bouncing Bunny by Lori Karper in 1989. Guess it's getting pretty old by now! ;-)

So, some inspiration for you, if you haven't seen these:

RohanKnitter made these adorable Nancy Drew bags! I loved Nancy Drew when I was a girl. And think of the possibilities for other books that could be put on these cute bags.

Check out these clever little paper clips!

Read this awesome article via Ali. Do you think you would have stopped?

The World's Longest Scrunchie. Allsorts is amazing, as always.

Here's a fun thing to try from Williams Sonoma. You can see samples of aprons personalized with your name in different colors.

How About Orange pointed out that you can design your own Kleenex box for $4.99 each. I briefly played with this and can see where this could be really fun for little presents or stocking stuffers. (Not that we're planning ahead for Christmas or anything!)

In my "resistance is futile" granny effort I saw these (so cute!) and these. Maybe they would be good alternatives for someone who vows not to do an afghan???

And last but not least, Cherry Menlove hosted an interview with Susan Branch. Bloggers were able to submit questions (which I did 'cause I've loved her stuff FORever) and then ... at the end (and here's where I am so fortunate to have had "breathe in, breathe out" lessons from Flibbertygibbet) ... Susan said... "Anna, your thumbtacks are so darling, you inspired me. I'm designing a Viking embroidery CD for machines and because of you, I sent them all kinds of letters, some with flowers twining 'round them!" OHMYGOSH!!!!! Please pardon my excitement, but Susan Branch was here! And even a bajillion times better -- there's going to be a new Viking disk with designs I can use on those thumbtacks that I LUV to make!!!

Flib, please pass the paper bag! Do you think I dare dream it? I mean, if Susan Branch was here.....well, do you think... could there be any possible chance that maybe Sawyer could be far behind????

XOXO,
Anna

The Book Fair

2007-04-20T20:05:00.001-05:00

I made a visit back to the school my children attended for the annual book fair. I love children's books and I've always enjoyed the book fair. They do a book fair right -- they have a dedicated committe of parents that research throughout the year and create lists of books in categories such as art, science, all the grade levels, travel, Classics, Fairy Tales, etc. They even have a cookbook table for us mothers. The first picture below is just a small section of the book filled gym.

Also, a special treat this year, a wife of one of the teachers was selling her handmade line of clothing.

We usually manage to find a special book that we've never seen. One of my all time favorites that MyDadLovesMeBestSister spotted one year is Benjamin and Tulip by Rosemary Wells. It's a very funny little book. A little perverse maybe -- Tulip is always telling Benjamin that she's going to beat him up! I wish I could show you a picture of it, but I can't find my copy. It's around here somewhere and will probably turn up when I least expect it! Sadly, I think it's now out of print. Barnes and Noble show used hardback prices starting around $40, Amazon around $85. Gak! I better get searching!

XOXO,
Anna

(Note: The book fair workers are still wearing the aprons I made 12 or so years ago! I had lots of fun making them -- I wrote many of my favorite children's books (at the time) on eight aprons. It was funny when I checked out -- I asked to take their picture. They had no idea that I made their aprons and I think they thought I was nuts. ;-) )

Bunny Pincushions

2007-04-18T21:00:00.000-05:00

So far, I've been holding steady. Resisting the urge to make those grannys. But dang it...they're dropping like flies. Bad Fortune Cookie, Creative Little Daisy, Flibbertygibbet (the Babette is close enough), and {gasp} Yarnstorm are all "doin' it." And last night at KnitNight, Junie asked me "How hard are those granny squares to make?" She's wondering. She's thinking about it. Bunny pincushions are taking my mind off of those grannies. For today, anyway.

Years ago I made bunny pincushions for the women in my family. Shortly thereafter, my little bunny disappeared. I ended up with MeMum's but I've always felt guilty about it. So, I finally got around to making a replacement for her. And if you're making one, you might as well make several! That way, if your bunny decides to take a hike, you'll have a spare.

XOXO,
Anna

Knit Doctor

2007-04-16T22:01:00.000-05:00

First things first. When we arrived home from work this evening we were greeted by this scene in the rarely used living room. How sad that I'm airing my dirty laundry in public, but we thought this was pretty funny. TheEmptyNestChild was apparently burrowing in the couch. I just have two things to say. 1) Our sweet dog has been gone for two years, and 2) There will be no comments about my housekeeping. Thank You.

Over the years, I've thought a lot about all this crafting that we do in relation to gift giving. What if the recipient really hates that gift that you've toiled over? Should you spend a lot of time on something that you know won't be appreciated? I've finally decided that I make things because I love to make them and once they leave my hands, the recipients are free to do whatever they wish with my gift and I won't be offended, no matter what the outcome. So, this week my quarterly newsletter from Sheep's Clothing (in Valparaiso, IN) arrived and it contained advice from the Knit Doctor on just this subject, and I thought I'd share it with you:

Dear Knit Doctor,
I know you have heard tons of horror stories about unappreciated hand knitted gifts. Well, here is my contribution. Years ago I knitted an elaborate pillow for my son and his wife. It was a complex cable pattern. I went to visit them and noticed that the family dog had a very nice pillow -- hand knitted -- by me. I decided to say nothing, but put the pillow in my suitcase and took it home with me. I now enjoy it in my home and make no attempt to hide it when family comes to visit. Nothing has ever been said about this. Sometimes I wonder if they realize that this is in fact the self same pillow. I'm actually not mad at them for not appreciateing my gift. I'm really rather enjoying it myself.
No Pillow Talk -- Muncie, IN

Dear No Pillow Talk,
The fact of the matter is that a hand made gift fares no better chance statistically of being appreciated than a purchased one. It is my feeling that any hand knit gift should come with two contracts. First the knitter must make a contract with herself not to become emotionally involved if the gift is not well received. Second, any hand knitted gift item should include a return clause. You simply exercised your rights under the return clause.

Dear Knit Doctor,
Years ago we received an elaborate knitted pillow from my husband's mother. For reasons which we cannot explain, our dog just loved that pillow. Every time we retireved it from the dog, when we'd turn our backs the dog would have it again. We finally gave up trying to preserve the pillow from our dog. You can probably guess what happens next. Mother-in-law visits. Pillow disappears. Pillow reappears in mother-in-law's home. Since then I've seen it at her house many times, but no one ever mentions the... Pillow in the Room -- Griffith, Indiana

Dear Pillow in the Room,
In your family there is a Pillow In The Room that no one speaks of. In many families there is an Elephant In The Room that no one speaks of. This should put a new perspective on the basic good health of your extended family life. You are all wise enough people to enjoy each other without letting smal l matters, like pillows, get in the way.

So, there's my weak attempt at humor, 'cause really, all I can think of is what happened at Virginia Tech today. I really do think that blogs should be a place where we can escape, and most of the time that will be true here. I've had the news off all night. I have two boys away at school and for now I'll have to be an ostrich with her head in the sand. In the grand scheme of things, there's just nothing I could say that would be of any importance. I'm just so very sad for all the families that lost their children today.

XOXO,
Anna

The Quilt Show

2007-04-15T10:01:00.000-05:00

Sorry -- I'm a day late in telling you about the quilt show. Unfortunately, after two very pleasant days, yesterday was my annual MTTD (Major Tax Tirade Day -- not to be confused with mTTD -- minor Tax Tirade Day which will occur in about a week when the property tax bill comes and I rant and rave about why our tax rate is higher than, say, someone who has a beautiful view of the Golden Gate Bridge, when our view here is of cornfields!) Anyway, with MTTD my tirade isn't related to the amount of money that gets hijacked from my bank account as much as it's the ridiculous amount of work that it takes to fill out the forms. It's the annual slap in the face I get to remind me that I am not a filer. I try to be organized. I put things away. I just can't remember where I put them. It's just way too much work and I resent the amount of time spent filing taxes -- time that could be spent sewing! They know how much I make -- why can't they just send a bill for some percentage? Ahem. I digress. Suffice it to say, there was much wailing, gnashing of teeth and stomping of feet yesterday and I feel much better today. Thanks for listening!

On to the quilt show! We had a very fun day. I accompanied my dear friends Junie and Jewels (Gurney was sorely missed!) and Me.Mum (My beloveds must all have a nickname. I love how the British (and Australians!) call their mothers Mum and since my mother has declared that she's never getting on an airplane again unless it's to go to the UK, I've decided to call her Me.Mum.) Anyway, I thought the picture to the right, pretty much summed it up.

It had been a long time since we'd been to such a good quilt show. We gave up Paducah many years ago because it was just too crowded. This show didn't seem to have the number of quality of quilts that Paducah had back then, but there were certainly some pretty quilts on display. We're a group of pretty traditional girls, and sadly, hand quilted quilts are just getting harder and harder to find. Our viewers choice was this clever quilt of a tumbling little boy.

The vendor selection, on the other hand was awesome. Far superior to what we've seen in the past. We were all thrilled to see our old standby and favorite vendor, Schoolhouse Quilts. We've been followers of Judy Rothermel for years and years -- her piecing and quilting are exquisite. There were many other wonderful vendors too. One of my favorites was Nifty Thrifty Dry Goods (sadly, no website), a booth that had tons of ribbons, trims and buttons. All organized by color -- so inspiring!

It was a great quilt show -- very well run and organized with lots of room for the crowds. It will definitely be on our list for next year!

In other news, we're having very weird weather here for April. It snowed almost all day yesterday. I thought spring had arrived two weeks ago when our ducks showed up. They come back every year, just like clockwork. One mallard and one drake. Duck Love. We never see any product of their union, but they always seem to be very happy just waddling around the neighborhood for a few weeks. Here you can see them enjoying the growing puddle in our backyard caused by all the rain we've had this spring.

Lots of people are complaining about the cold weather. Not me. I love the snow. And I love the delay of spring. 'Cause if there's snow on the ground, it means I don't have to mow the lawn. I love to mow, but I don't have the winter nesting/sewing out of my system yet. Happy Snowmen.

XOXO,
Anna

OH. MY.

2007-04-12T21:10:00.000-05:00

I waited. And waited. And it seemed like it took forever for Miss Potter to finally come to our little burg. We saw the movie tonight and it was SO Beautiful. I loved it. Like I haven't loved a movie for several years. I had tears in my eyes from the very first scene and they were there for the whole movie, even during the many humorous parts. (And I wasn't the only one -- there was a lot of sniffling going on in that theater.) What a tender, endearing movie. Renee Zellweger was wonderful. *Sigh.* I feel like I should say it completes me. If you have a chance to see it, I highly recommend it! (And just a note, the picture I'd really like to have here would be the pumpkin coach with the bunnies pulling it -- was that adorable or what???) Needless to say, the DVDwill be at the top of my wish list for Christmas this year.

Now, on another note, the very sweet GardenGirl over at LavenderDaze has nominated me for a Thinking Blogger award. I'm very touched and humbled and just don't know what to say, except that "I'm not worthy." And to prove my point, as a recipient, you are supposed to nominate 5 more blogs -- your favorites that make you think. It's very ironic, for as I just stated in my favorites post, there's no way that I can choose among the blogs I frequent. Some of the blogs I love are listed over in the sidebar, but that list is so incomplete. My current bloglines counter is over 100, and it keeps growing. (Speaking of which, I have a little beef with bloglines -- it doesn't seem to always update. As a recent example, GardenGirl had a wonderful post about a baby knitting book that looks great and I completely missed it. How'd that happen? For one thing, I'm sure my new-grandma quilty friend Gurney might be interested in this book.) So, I nominate them all. Thank you so much GardenGirl. If you haven't checked our her blog, run right over there -- it's SO pretty and peaceful. You'll feel refreshed when you're done reading!

Off to a quilt show tomorrow. Hopefully it will be worthy of a report!
XOXO,
Anna

KnitNight

2007-04-10T22:04:00.000-05:00

I met with my quilty friends tonight to knit and since they've discovered me here at Thimbleanna's, I thought it might be time to introduce them to you.

My first little quilty friend is Gurney (there's a story behind this nickname, but we don't know it yet!) Unfortunately, Gurney moved away quite a few years ago and she now lives 2 hours away. We used to only ever get together every 4 or 5 months and she always made it. But now, with an interest in knitting, we're meeting more often and she can't always make it. So, she wasn't with us tonight and we miss her terribly! She's lots of fun, knits and quilts all kinds of wonderful things, and she's a brand-spankin'-new grandma for the first time. That probably means we won't see her as often as we used to, but we're really excited for her anyway!

Next up, and to the right, we have Jewels. Jewels has a heart of gold, a fabulous sense of humor, and she keeps us laughing all the time. Jewels mission at our Knitnights is to learn how to knit socks. This is her very first sock and she's just turned her first heel! Woohoo! It's all downhill now baby! And do you notice the color of the yarn? 1) It's red. Jewels is all about red and she's made me love red too! 2) Notice a similarity to my sock? That's 'cause I admired this beautiful yarn and Jewels went out and got me some -- she's a sweetheart!

And lastly, we have Junie. Junie has a keen sense of style -- you should see her beautiful home. She and her husband are into all kinds of fun retro-y stuff -- jukeboxes, schwinn bicycles, and all kinds of old game machines (is that what you call them -- pinball, bowling, etc.) What you see below are exhibit A and exhibit B. Junie is knitting her very first project ever! She didn't even knit a sample. Not a scrap! She's making a felted purse and she's taken to knitting like a duck to water. She didn't even have the initial awkwardness that people have with the needles at first. I attribute it to her vast quilting/other needlework experience. Now, not to make fun of poor Junie, 'cause we're laughing with her, not at her, but in Exhibit A, you can see that she is unraveling a few rows. She picked her purse up one day and started knitting backwards. Haven't we all been there? I love mistakes, 'cause that's how I learn, and as she told me, "Bet I won't make that mistake again!" Exhibit B shows Junie progressing along nicely!

I hope you love my quilty friends as much as I do -- I'm sure this isn't the last time you'll be hearing about them. ;-)

XOXO,
Anna

It's Let's Get Real Monday!

2007-04-08T21:03:00.000-05:00

Randi at I Have to Say is once again hosting Let's Get Real Monday. Posting a dirty closet last time was a piece of cake compared to our assignment this week. ;-) Randi! What are you thinking??? I mean, seriously Randi. It’s Get Real Monday – Get Real!!! (And I mean that in the nicest way!) Do you have any idea how hard this topic is for me? I love everything. I have favorites of everything. This is a huge topic – Randi, were you thinking this would be easy???

Think about it – how many times do we use “favorite” in our normal everyday conversations? “Hey, there’s my favorite store.” Or, “This is my favorite poem.” Or you ask someone for a recommendation, “Who’s your favorite plumber?”, “Who’s your favorite Dr.?”, or “Who’s your favorite caterer?” (Ok, maybe that one’s a stretch, just had to throw it in there.) Or someone is trying to get to know you…”What’s your favorite book?" Movie? Food? Dessert? Main Dish? Ice Cream? Vegetable? Holiday? Hobby? TV show? How ‘bout your favorite president? Place to live? Vacation destination? Mode of transportation? Maybe your favorite yarn? Needle? Applique technique? Quilt that you’ve made? Quiet place to do your needlework? Place to sit and think? Or to the everyday…your favorite cleaning product? Brand of laundry detergent? Type of salt? Kind of cat litter???? Heck, I even have a favorite tooth. A few years ago it broke and I begged the dentist. “Mr. Dentist, puh-leeeez fix it – it’s my favorite tooth!” Speaking of personal favorites, how ‘bout my favorite way to annoy TheManoftheHouse? Or favorite way to tease TheEmptyNestChild? And people are totally off limits. Can you pick a favorite child? Relative? Friend? Or HeavenForbid – a favorite blog??? (There’s No Way that could ever happen!) Do you see the problem here? This list could go on forever.

Technically, I could have a slam dunk here. I’ve already got a head start in this category – I could just defer you to my "favorites" category in the side bar. You can check out my favorite cookie, chair, baby gift, and hostess gift. And there are many more favorites planned for the future. But in the meantime, I’ve been tortured by favorites all weekend. Like the good and bad angels that sit on your shoulders, they’ve been yelling at me. “Pick me! Pick me! Me!Me!Me!Me!!!”

But finally, I slept on it. I took a deep breath. I said, let’s think about this here blog. Its name is Thimbleanna. Hmmm, thimble. There’s been little mention of thimbles here, so, perhaps it's time to bring them up. I do have a very small collection of sterling silver thimbles. My mother started me collecting them and she has a bigger, very small collection of sterling silver thimbles. And in my very small collection, I do have a favorite:
In 1998, we took our boys and my parents back to Germany to see where we’d lived many years ago, and we went to the Thimble Museum (or Fingerhut Museum as it’s said in German – isn’t that cute? Finger in German is finger, and Hut is hat – you get finger hat!) in Creglingen, Germany. It’s just a little one-room museum, but it’s very close to Rothenburg o.d. Tauber which is a big tourist attraction, so, while in the area, it’s well worth the visit. Especially if you love fingerhats like we do. Anyway, we bought this thimble there and I love it because of the sewing scenes.

So, there. I found a favorite. And Randi, how ‘bout a little break for the next Get Real Monday? Maybe we could list bad habits? Projects? Hmmm. I see your problem. Life is just too BIG.

XOXO,
Anna

A Wish...

2007-04-07T21:07:00.000-05:00

Happy Easter Everyone!!!XOXO,
Anna

The Gig's Up!

2007-04-05T20:55:00.000-05:00

I had KnitNight with my best and oldest quilty friends and one of them said, "I have a confession to make." I've had a bet running with myself about how long it would be until this confession, so, I knew it was coming when she said..."I found your blog." !!! So, it's very fun and I must say Welcome! to my bestest friends! (Isabelle, I'm sorry for my improper grammar, I'm cheating in excitement.)

My friends and I have been together since we started our friendship quilting group almost twenty years ago and we've had some wonderful times together. They've been a great source of inspiration to me over the years. Sometimes it will be months between our visits, but when we get together, it's like we just saw each other yesterday. The really good part about having them join us here at Thimbleanna's, is that occasionally maybe they'll let me sneak some of their inspiring projects in here (that is until they all start blogs of their own) but the bad part is, that if I make something for them, I won't be able to show you until after the fact. It's a sacrifice I'm more than happy to make!

Now, Shropshire Girl asked me to explain how I make my little Easter ducks. Unfortunately, I didn't take any "in progress" pictures when I was making them, but I'll try to give you a rough idea of how they're made.

You'll need:
Egg shaped plastic molds that are split lengthwise (like those pictured at right.) You can find some here.

Circle shaped molds for the heads. I've never had good molds for the heads. I use a plastic ball christmas ornament that is cut in half for the big head (the one I have is really too big) and for the heads on the little ducks, I used a melon baller to scoop the circle halves. When they are released from the scoop, they're a little loose, so I press on them a little to "tighten" them up.

Sugar Recipe (recipe below)

Royal Icing(recipe below)

Orange and/or yellow feathers

Orange felt -- cut duck bills and feet. Just be free and wing it!

Wiggly Eyes

Make sugar recipe. One recipe should make at least 2 small ducks.

Press sugar mixture firmly into sugar molds. Unmold onto cookie sheets. Bake egg halves in 200 degree oven for 5 to 7 minutes. When done, let cool for a minute or two, then pick egg half up and hold in palm with flat side up. Gently run a knife around the edge of the egg, approximately 1/8 inch in from the edge. Scoop all the sugar out of the middle of the egg. If the egg breaks, just crumble it up and add it back to the moist sugar mixture and do over. For each duck, you'll need two egg halves (one half should have a flat side to make the bottom of the duck) and two half spheres for the head.

Let the egg halves dry out for a day or two so they'll harden and not be so fragile. Mix the icing:Put it into a frosting bag fitted with a star tip like 4B or 6B. Squeeze a little icing onto one half sphere and attach the other half sphere to it. Squeeze a little icing on top of the duck body toward the front of the duck where the surface starts to drop off. This will create a little icing shelf for the head to rest on. Pipe decorative trim around the edge of the top half of the duck. Let the top of the duck dry for 20 or 30 minutes.

After the icing has set up a little, pipe a decorative trim around the seam on the duck's head, then attach the head to the top of the duck body. Gently press two little duck bills into the decorative piping around the head. Pipe decorative icing around the neck seam. Pipe little stars of icing for the eyes and feathers, then press eyes and feathers into the icing. (Refer to picture below for placement.) Hold your breath for 3 hours while the duck head dries in hopes that it doesn't fall off. (Just kidding!) Attach two little duck feet to the bottom half of the duck. Let duck dry overnight.

Repeat for as many ducks as you want and fill with candy. This is a fun project to do with older kids, but they do have to have some patience as the eggs can be a little delicate and the icing takes time to dry. Making these is somewhat like making the sugar Easter panorama molds. These instructions might explain the process of hollowing out the eggs more clearly.

I hope you try these -- if not this year, maybe next year!

XOXO,

Anna

Getting ready for Easter

2007-04-03T19:40:00.000-05:00

Thanks for all your nice comments about my thumb tacks. They're really fun to make, I hope you'll all try them. And I'm sure you'll be seeing more of them. ;-)

I grew up moving around a lot, but when I was little we always went "home" for Easter and Christmas. "Home" was the little town in Utah where my parents grew up. One of my favorite places to be was my aunt's house. She is a wonderful woman -- she has 5 daughters and 2 sons and she was always busy doing something fun. She taught me lots of "crafty" things, but the one that means the most to me is cake decorating. (Sewing, etc. are my favorite activities, but my mom taught me that sort of stuff.) When I was 14, my aunt gave me my own little cake decorating kit for my birthday -- tips, couplers, bags, and a Wilton catalog. I still have them all and they hold wonderful memories for me.

One Easter, she taught me how to make these little ducks.

They're made out of the same molds as the sugar eggs. I've never had good molds for the heads though, so I have to improvise. That's why they're a little wonky. The ducks are a little goofy looking, but I like them anyway. I think maybe we'll use them as placecard holders for our Easter dinner this year.

XOXO,
Anna

A New Obsession.

2007-04-01T09:11:00.000-05:00

I'm always looking for some way to "soften" my office -- make it more me. I hate my office, mostly because it's not my sewing room, where I'd much rather be. And I can't surround myself with fabric, 'cause, well, all those men would just make fun of me! So, when I saw these thumbtacks last week at HowAboutOrange, I knew they would be just perfect. Then Sally came along and printed numbers on them. Ohmygosh, my breathing got more rapid and I had to make some as soon as I could:
I don't print on fabric much, so I ran those little numbers through my embroidery machine.If numbers work...letters can't be far behind. You could spell out words. Think of the possibilities! And I think these would make really fun little gifts. I'm definitely making more of these -- my only problem is finding the buttons to cover. One store I checked was empty and the other one only had 2 packs -- 14 buttons. Maybe I'll have to shop in bulk! Ack!

XOXO,
Anna

A Sunny Day

2007-03-30T23:46:00.000-05:00

The weather was beautiful here today. I have every other friday off of work, so I managed to catch up around the house a little. I finally had time to put out a few Easter decorations. I love being able to just hang around the house and enjoy it all.

And here's TheEmpty NestChild, just a little stressed out because I'm outside and he's inside.

I hope you are enjoying some nice spring weather where you are!

XOXO,
Anna

Now this is funny....

2007-03-30T22:31:00.000-05:00

Among the many blogs I love to read is Gyl at Rhembein. She makes absolutely beautiful purses and children's clothing, lives in an idyllic setting, and posts fabulous pictures of newborn lambs. So, tonight, I was reading a post about a no-complaining challenge she has joined. Hmm, this is interesting. And at the bottom of her post, she has tagged three people to join. Wow, isn't this interesting, one of them is named Anna, just like me. So, I mouseover. Wait. It IS me. HahahahahaHahahahHhhhhaaaaaa! The challenge is to not complain about anything for 21 days. Me??? Gyl! I've been married to TheManofTheHouse for TWENTY-EIGHT years (ahem, I was a 7 yr. old bride) -- you're asking the impossible !!! (And, BTW, TheManofTheHouse is laughing even harder -- there's no way I'm even going to mention this to the boys-- they'd have a field day with this one!)

Ok, now, I'm attempting to regain my composure. I'll have to try it! How could I not -- I'm feeling honored that Gyl thinks I'm up to the challenge. So, here are the rules (as copied from Gyl):

There's a movement right now to help create a Complaint Free World. Can YOU do it? Can you go without complaining for 21 days? Scientists say it takes 21 days to break a habit and create a new one. So can you? Here's what you need to do.
1. Click on Beki's blog to order a free purple Complaint Free bracelet.
2. Tag at least 3 people and spread the word. Challenge them to participate.
3. Sign the Mr. Linky On Beki's Blog so we can see how far this goes!
4. The final step, and most important. STOP COMPLAINING! You put your bracelet on and any time you catch yourself complaining you must switch it to the opposite wrist. The goal is to go 21 days without switching it. If you switch it, your 21 days starts all over again.

Of course I'll probably die with my purple bracelet on one of my arms. And said demise will probably be hastened since no complaining will cause me to swell up and with that elastic on me and my circulation will be cut completely off. But, oh well, it's all in the name of self-improvement in blogland.

I have to tag three other people, so I'm tagging Sandi, Sunny, and Sierra 'cause your names all start with "S" and like Sunny's name implies, I'm sure you all have sunny dispositions and never complain! (And I'd like to apologize to those of you who are PG, I know it's rather unfair!) As your disclaimer, I won't be offended if you choose not to join in!

XOXO,
Laughing-still Anna

P.S. Gyl -- there's NO way you'll make it complaint free longer than I will!

Did you know?

2007-03-28T12:59:00.001-05:00

I've been thinking a lot lately about this information age we find ourselves in -- the internet, blogs, information everywhere we turn. And then, the other day, in a site-wide meeting at work, they showed us this video. It's really worth taking a look, just to think about where we've been and where we're going. For those of you outside the U.S., it's very U.S. centric, but if you can get past that, there are some staggering statistics (which are all documented on the authors blog). Even if you were to half their impact, they're still amazing. Besides, I love the music!

Let's Get Real Monday

2007-03-26T11:04:00.000-05:00

Randi over at I Have to Say... is hosting Let's Get Real Monday with a theme of spring cleaning. There's plenty of dirt around here, but I didn't want to be too disgusting. Like, say, the toilet in the kids bathrom upstairs. I haven't been up there since the kids went back to school after Christmas break. So, I'm assuming there are probably things growing in there by now. Outta sight, outta mind. Or, life's too short to clean a toilet no one uses.

So, on to my most dreaded spring cleaning project: The Linen/Gift/Overflow ClosetIt might not seem like much, but all those linens really need to be removed, laundered, and re-folded. The last tablecloth I took out of there had spots on it, and I know it was clean when I put it in there. Spots grow in the dark, you know. And all that other junk needs to be straightened/pitched. Oh, and see that little orange teddy on the top shelf? He's there for his own protection -- TheEmptyNestChild thinks it's his boyfriend. If you know what I mean, and I'm sure you do.

Now you've seen it. Post your own Get Real Monday project and hop on over to Randi's and list yourself. Like Autum, I'm going to close the doors. Maybe I'll get to it later. Maybe not.

XOXO,
Anna

It's Slow Here.

2007-03-25T01:13:00.000-05:00

There's just not much going on here at Thimbleanna's. I've been gone so much the past few weeks that I haven't had time to work on any projects. I posted a few weeks ago that I was getting a cold and I finally adimitted defeat and went to the Dr. today. On Wednesday, I flew to NJ and I'm pretty sure during the descent, someone hit me in the head with an ax. My travel companions told me to take pseudophedrine for the return trip on Friday and that helped with the pain, but I haven't been able to clear my ears since we landed. I feel like I'm walking around with my head in a trash can. Hopefully, we'll have a little clearing as the antibiotic begins to take effect tomorrow!

In the meantime, I'll leave you with a picture of my airplane knitting. You'd think with all my trips I'd have these done by now, but I've been sleeping pn planes more than knitting! I love to knit socks -- they're portable and once you've made a few pair, they don't take much concentration. These are my first sort-of-red pair.Autum posted that Randi posted about "Let's Get Real Monday." The premise is that we post "the truth" about something, instead of only showing nice things to our guests, as we so often do on our blogs. The theme this Monday is spring cleaning. We'll see if I get brave enough to show some of my disgusting dirt. There's certainly more than enough to go around.

XOXO,
Anna

Hawaii

2007-03-21T20:20:00.000-05:00

I was going to title this post “The First-Timer’s Guide to Hawaii” but decided it was too confusing. I meant the title as if the author was a first-timer, but decided that a reader might assume that it was a guide for someone making their first trip to Hawaii (which, I guess it really is, but I’m certainly not experienced enough to offer comprehensive advice.) So, whatever, you want to call it, this is my guide, as a person who has just returned from her first trip to Hawaii. Warning: This will be a long post. ;-) I’m going to list (and rate) the things we did in chronological order.
First off, a bigfor renting convertibles. We rented two convertibles for eight of us and we had SO much fun driving around with our “lids” down. We rented from Thrifty Car Rental – their service was good and their weekly rate was almost half of any of the other major car rental agencies. Well worth the moolah!

And while we’re driving, a big to traffic in Honolulu. If it’s remotely near rush hour, expect to crawl. Try to do a better job of planning around traffic than we did!

Sunday:
Bumming Around. Just checking out the beaches, relaxing, and enjoying the waves should be a number one priority. We didn’t get to do enough of this ‘cause there was so much to do. Must. Rest. More. Next. Time.

Turtle Beach. This is a beach on the north shore of Oahu where BIG sea turtles come ashore to sun themselves on the beach. It’s just a free beach on the side of the road, but there are rangers on duty to keep an eye on the turtles. In addition to seeing some turtles on the beach, you might also get a glimpse of one in the sea trying to come in. Very peaceful and beautiful!

Monday:

Waimea Falls. Also on the north shore, Waimea Falls is a gorgeous botanical park. Even if botanical parks aren’t normally your thing, this place is awesome, because after a mile hike, you get to swim in a 30 ft. water hole that is fed by a waterfall. This was one of my favorites!

Polynesian Cultural Center. I didn’t actually go to the PCC as I was pretty sure it wasn’t my sort of thing. Several of my cousins had been before and they love it and had a great time – one of my cousins even declared it a “spiritual experience.” MyDadLovesMeBest sister went with them, however, and declared it a complete waste of her money. This split of opinions was pretty much what I found out when researching whether or not to go there. You either loved it, or you didn’t. One big debate we had was whether or not to attend a Luau there. Most people recommended a better Luau (at least one that was on the beach) – the PCC is inland a little bit, so their Luau can’t be on a beach. We went to a different Luau – more on that later.

Tuesday:

This was our “Island Hopping” day. We split up, with ½ of us going to Kauai and the other half going to Hawaii.

Kauai. I didn’t go to Kauai, but those who did had an awesome time. And, since a friend had told me earlier that her very favorite thing in Hawaii was the helicopter ride over Kauai, our Kauai party took the helicopter tour. They loved every minute and said it was incredible. Fortunately, they took their trip the day before the two helicopter crashes on Kauai. They say you’re odds of being in a car accident are greater than a helicopter accident, so, you be the judge (again!) (Sorry, no picture from Kauai as I wasn’t there!)

Hawaii. We went to the Big Island for the day to see Volcano National Park. You can’t even get close to the lava flows unless you take a helicopter tour, so we did. I’m sure it wasn’t nearly as beautiful as the helicopter tour on Kauai, but it was still incredible. Being able to fly directly over the volcano vents and look down at the red hot lava was an unforgettable experience. After the helicopter flight we drove out the the National Park. Very educational. We also visited the Mauna Loa macadamia nut plant. It was ho-hum – only do it if you have time to kill.

Wednesday:

Swap Meet. We had a great time visiting all the booths and buying a bunch of souvenirs for the friends and family back home. Much better deals on touristy junk than anywhere else.

Waikiki. It was a complete accident that we ended up at Waikiki and I’m so glad we did. My mother got too hot at the swap meet, so we decided that we should find a cool restaurant to hang out in and someone told us there was a Cheesecake Factory in Waikiki. We had pineapple and coconut cheesecakes. Yum-O. We lost a lot of time in traffic getting both to and from Waikiki however, and we weren’t able to stay nearly long enough. We did get a glimpse of the beach though, and it was fabulous. If I had it to do over again, I would have spent a day there and checked out all the great shopping. (Check out Diamond Head in the picture!)

Paradise Cove Luau. This Luau is on the west coast of Oahu, so you get a beautiful view of the sunset. And there are lots of people dressed up in Hawaiian costume. And you could visit different stations to make lei’s, etc. And they had a little show where they lifted the pig out of the pit and hauled him away for you to presumably eat later. BUT. I felt like I was at a church supper. Long tables with plastic tablecloths and plastic chairs. Then, when it was time to eat, you took your plate and went through a pot luck type of line. Very Tacky. For 65 smackeroos, I expected overflowing platters of pineapples and Polynesian fruits and flowers. And oh, it would have been nice to be served. But maybe I’m just getting old and finicky for my money.

Thursday:
Hanauma Bay Snorkeling. This is a state park and costs $5.00 plus snorkel gear rental. We had a fantastic time – even getting both the grandmas out to snorkel and they loved it. Fish viewing inside of the buoys was somewhat limited, but if you’re a good swimmer, you can venture a little outside the buoys and see lots more fish. Great Fun. Highly Recommended.
Pearl Harbor. We certainly felt that any visit to Oahu would be incomplete without a visit to Pearl Harbor. We all loved it and I’d definitely go again, even though I’ve just been there!

Friday:
Kaimuki Dry Goods Fabric Store. Naturally, the place of my ill-fated meeting with Sawyer should get a thumbs up. Seriously though, if you’re a fabric fondler, it’s worth the visit.

Shrimp Trucks. We stayed on the North Shore which is known for all of its Shrimp Farms. There are little shrimp buses/trucks all over. Just pull on up, order at the window and eat at a picnic table.

So, it was a whirlwind trip, but I definitely give it a big . In spite of the minor difficulties of traveling with 8 women (at one point, I was prepared to dole out estrogen patches!) we all had a great time! Highly Recommended.

XOXO,

Anna

The First Day of Spring

2007-03-20T05:53:00.000-05:00

New Beginnings. New Births. The first day of spring is the perfect day to have a new baby. And that's just what I was doing, twenty years ago today.

Son2 entered the world on March 20, 1987 and things have never been the same. We've laughed and cried and had a wonderful time. He's smart, cute, funny, and witty. He works hard and he plays hard. As a little boy, he was so laid back you hardly knew he was around. But, like the old stock broker commercial, when Son2 spoke, everyone listened. He didn't say much, but when he did it was so perceptive for such a little guy.

The perfect child with a few glitches thrown in here and there. Like when he was around 15 or 16, as Mo says, the body snatcher came. Teenage Hell. Many gray hairs for me. But today we're out of the "teens" and the sunshine is peeking through. He called yesterday from school, so excited about his new job. He'll be working in a neurology research lab.

Me: So, what did they have you do, on this, your first day?

Son2: The easy part first, I'm sorting fruit flies, based on their characteristics.

Me: Hmmm. How do you catch them?

Son2: (Wish I could have seen him, I'm sure there was some eye rolling here.) Mom. They're born in test tubes.

Dumb mom. I never could keep up with that sparkly child. He's my baby and I'll always adore him. Happy Birthday Big Boy!

XOXO,
Anna

I'm So Weak

2007-03-17T21:48:00.000-05:00

That's what Autum says when she's been fabric shopping and has no willpower. All my recent travel has left me very weak. I bought fabric and I couldn't help it.

In Hawaii, we visited Kaimuki Dry Goods. (Sadly, we were running late and missed Sawyer though.) Kaimuki was a wonderful shop with lots of different fabrics. They even had woolens and fleeces, which on the 90 degree day of our visit, I found myself wondering when they would ever use/wear them. In my weakness, I purchased the prints to the right for some summer shirts.

In the Kansas City area, I visited Prairie Point Quilt Shop (no website, phone is 913-268-3333), Harper's Fabric and Quilt Shop, and Country Expressions Quilt Shop . I always visit Prairie Point when I'm in the area. They have a nice variety of fabrics and samples. I also love Harper's. Mostly because they have more modern quilt fabrics which are harder to find where I live. I've been on the lookout for the Freshcut fabrics, so I had to get some, along with some other prints that snuck into my bag.

At Harper's I also found the valentine pin-up-girl print that's been on my search list. It's pictured here with a Hawaiian pin-up-girl print from Kaimuki's. I have a great time making boxers for my boys with these types of prints. (Please ignore the wrinkles, these fabrics are fresh out of the suitcase!)

This was my first visit to Country Expressions. It's about an hour from the KC airport, but it was well worth the trip. I got there just as they were closing and they were so nice to stay and let me browse for a few minutes. I found the flannel to the right that will eventually appear in my wardrobe as new jammies. Also at Country Expressions, I bought a few of the prints that are in the picture above of the Freshcut fabrics.

And if all this fabric weren't enough, when I got home, more fabric had arrived from the Flibbertygibbet fabric swap. I waited until I mailed my packages this morning, then came home and tore into my packages to find all of this loveliness!

First, from Dawn some wonderful bright fabrics. Dawn, they're not too bright and I love them! Thank You So Much! Then, from Helen some great earth tones with orange which I also love! And some beads to match and a little piece of the chocolate I've heard so much about. I'm hoarding it, but I doubt it will make it through the weekend! Thank You, Thank You Helen!

Swapping was so fun -- I'm ready to do it again! I am a little concerned though -- it seems everyone has high expectations that I'll actually get something made from these fabrics! I'm a hoarder -- I thought you all knew this! LOL!

Oh, and this is a little late -- but Happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone, especially you, little Irish lass!

May your troubles be less
And your blessings be more
And nothing but happiness
Come through your door.
-- Irish Blessing

XOXO,
Anna

My Favorite Cookie

2007-03-14T21:28:00.000-05:00

Holy Cow. I'm SO tired. It's taken me three nights to catch up on blogs. You guys sure write a lot! And I'm getting a cold, so I'm not getting much sleep. Makes for a lot of yawning during my boring meetings.

Before I left home, I grabbed a cookie recipe to share with you this week. So far, there's been no recipe sharing here at Thimbleanna -- a problem that needs to be remedied, since I do love to cook. These Orange Cranberry cookies are my VERY favorite and that's saying a lot, 'cause I love cookies. My aunt found these cookies several years ago at a bakery and since I don't live in the area and can't get the cookies whenever I want, I wrote to them and asked them for the recipe. And they sent it! I've made some changes to their recipe and if it's possible, I actually think they're a little better -- not quite as dry. I took 2 dozen of these cookies on the Hawaii trip and after the first day, they were all gone. (Note: the recipe calls for a box of yellow cake mix. I suspect there are some of you who don't have access to a yellow cake mix. The only thing I can think of is to maybe try substituting the mix with the dry ingredients in this recipe.)

Frosted Orange Cranberry Cookies

1 box yellow cake mix (I like Betty Crocker Super Moist Cake Mix)
1/2 c. butter, room temperature
Generous 1/4 c. sour cream
2 T. orange juice
1 t. orange extract
2 t. orange zest
1 c. coarsely chopped dried cranberries
1/2 - 1 c. chopped walnuts or pecans
Mix all ingredients together. Drop by heaping tablespoons (I like to use a medium sized ice cream scoop -- six scoops per sheet) onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. You just have to watch them -- I take them out when they are still underdone in the center and I leave them on the cookie sheets for a few minutes to keep cooking. When cool, frost.Frosting:
2 c. powdered sugar
dash salt
2 T. butter, melted
2 t. orange zest
3 - 4 T. orange juice
Mix all together.

I've found 1 large or 2 small oranges will provide enough juice and zest for the cookies and the frosting. You might not think these cookies are that great when you're eating them. But trust me. Eat one. Then go and do something. Pretty soon, your tongue will be craving another cookie. So. Good Luck!

XOXO,
Anna

Just a Reminder...

2007-03-13T22:35:00.000-05:00

Don't forget -- tomorrow is Pi Day! Read about it here.

"That day falls on Wednesday this year: March 14. Or 3.14."

You must celebrate! Eat some Pie!!! Or sew 3.14 pincushions. Or something Pi related!!! ;-)

XOXO,
Anna

I'm baaaack....

2007-03-12T22:15:00.000-05:00

...and boy, have you fellow bloggers been busy! I'll never catch up on reading the blogs -- I'm SO behind. And SO worn out from the trip. We got back late Saturday night. Since we flew overnight on Friday night, it made for a long day. I spent most of yesterday resting, doing laundry and getting ready for my trip today. Tonight, I'm in Kansas for work this week.

So, I didn't get a chance to clean up my pictures from the trip before I left this morning. I'll do a little write-up of the trip (with a few tips, in case any of you are planning a trip to Hawaii in the near future) next weekend so I can include a few pictures. In the meantime, before I left home, I managed to grab one picture of all of us on Waikiki beach.

l to r: Cousin7, My Aunt, Cousin3, Cousin4, MyDadLovesMeBestSister, My Mom, Cousin1, Me

We hadn't planned to visit Waikiki, but we had to make a few changes to the schedule due to the heat and had 5 minutes to walk along the beach and take a picture. The guy taking our picture told us all to flash the "hang loose" symbol. Cousin1 added an extra finger. ;-)
Off to bed so I don't fall asleep in my meetings tomorrow!
XOXO,
Anna

A Blog Break

2007-03-02T21:33:00.000-05:00

Thanks so much for your nice comments about my Cousin Bags! I do so appreciate when you leave me little notes. Tomorrow it will be time to take my cousin bags on the big trip to meet the cousins, so I'll be taking a break for a little over a week.

There will be 4 cousins on this trip. My mother has 1 sister and she has 5 daughters, 4 of which will be traveling with us. And I have one sister. So, the two original sisters and their 6 daughters, makes 8 girls -- and you're probably wondering where could we be going? To Oahu and I'm so excited! I've traveled a bit here and there, but never to Hawaii. All us girls were pretty close growing up and we rarely manage to get together now that we're all grown up and have families of our own. We usually only get together in the little town where our mothers grew up -- we've never actually been on a trip together. So, when Cousin3 called about 5 or 6 months ago and said she had an almost free deal on a condo on Oahu, how could we say no?

Here is a picture of some of us that was taken at an auction/ flea market about 12 years ago:From l to r: MyDadLovesMeBestSister (PG), Me (don't worry, I don't look like that anymore as I've been through teenage hell), Cousin2, My Mom, Cousin3 (also PG), My Aunt, and My Dad
One of the reasons I'm posting this picture is to show you the incredible deal my aunt found at the auction. She got that wicker laundry basket FULL of vintage aprons for only two dollars. What a deal! You'd never find a deal like that now. Naturally, we had to pose, right there in the middle of the flea market, with our aprons on. Anyway, they're a fun group and I'm really looking forward to us all being together. When we get together, we all play a card game called Hand and Foot in the evenings. It's perfect for visiting and catching up.

Now, if you're easily excitable, you must avert your eyes now. As you know, Lost is filmed on Oahu, so I have great confidence that, at long last, I'll run into Sawyer. So, if you're in Hawaii (and sitemeter tells me that a few of you are), and you see him this week, tell him to meet me here next Friday, high noon. 'Cause really, for a girl who loves fabric AND Lost, what could be hotter than Sawyer fondling fabric???(Disclaimer: Crappy photoshop job intentional)
Be still my beating heart. As Flibbertygibbet would say, "Breathe in, breathe out". You kids be good while I'm away!
XOXO,
Anna

Cousin Bags

2007-02-27T19:53:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in a previous post, I've been working on some little bags for an upcoming trip with the women in my family.
These didn't really turn out like I saw them in my head. When I made the first one, it had a bottom like you see on these (with the box shape) but the zipper ran straight across the top. They just looked so awkward though, so I changed the top to reflect the boxy shape of the bottom. Then they looked really dorky, so I added the little ribbon loop. They still look a little odd to me, but I'm very pleased with the little bee on the back of each one and I think the ribbon loop added a little something.

I have no idea what the cousins will use them for. I'm going to use mine to hold camera stuff (batteries, extra cards, etc.) On the theory that you shouldn't gift an empty bag, I'm going to put some snacks, lip balm, and bandaids in them -- a little beach survival kit, so-to-speak.I feel like this green floral fabric should be my thrifted white wool blanket. After all, my fabric was free -- can't get much more thrifty than that. It would certainly be more versatile if it were plain white, but I can still envision several projects for this fabric -- not that I'm crazy about it, but because I want to use it up. I didn't use much of it on the outsides of the bags, but I managed to use a fair bit of it on the linings. The women in my family are probably going to get sick of seeing it!

XOXO,
Anna

And the Winner is...

2007-02-25T23:42:00.000-05:00

This little beauty is definitely the winner in the most beautiful dress category. Just look at the colors in that bodice! Oh to be young AND a princess...

XOXO,
Anna

My Favorite

2007-02-24T18:27:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in my last post, on Feb. 19th, Portobello Pixie challenged anyone interested to write about their favorite "design". It could be anything, she said, it didn't have to be something sewn. I thought this would be fun and fit right in with the category of things that I already post as "my favorites."

About 6 or 7 years ago I saw an article about painting chairs in different ways. And somewhere in there, I was thinking about those special plates that you can order that say "It's Your Birthday" or "It's your Special Day" or something like that. I've always loved the idea of making a big deal over a kid's birthday. Or the day they get their braces off. Or have a stellar report card. Etc. And the thoughts collided and I thought it would be fun to have a chair that the kids could sit on for "their special day." Then, the idea expanded a little more, and I thought it would be fun for others in the family to be able to sit on the chair -- for Father's Day, or Mother's Day, or a promotion at work, etc. So, I thought it might be fun to paint a "Celebration " chair.

I started looking for chairs and soon found three chairs at an auction for $7.00 each. They were so odd looking, but I thought I'd see what I could do with them, and the chair to the right is what happened. I painted the three chairs exactly alike and gave one to my mom and one to my sister. So now, no matter who's house we're at for a party, the honoree sits in the celebration chair. The idea has grown a little too, for birthdays we've added a banner, placemats and one of those goofy stuffed hats with candles on top to the collection.

Here's a closer view of the front and back of the top of the chair:

A year or two later I was asked to paint some chairs for charity auctions. These pictures were taken before the chairs were sold and long before I had a digital camera, so they're dark, but you can see how the idea can be extended to different style chairs. The first chair didn't have a solid piece of wood running down the middle of the back, so I put the special days on little pieces of wood running along the top of the chair.
PeaSoup blogged the other day about a cape that she'd made for her child's classroom. When a child has his birthday, he gets to wear the cape and a crown all day at school. How I wish I'd known about that when my children were still in school -- just another thing to make their day SO special!

XOXO,
Anna

Sore Bums All Around

2007-02-22T00:11:00.000-05:00

Here's how my day went. I promise it really happened like this. The names have been changed to protect the innocent.

The morning started out with a bunch of sore bums at work. We had warm weather yesterday, which melted some of the snow, which made the parking lots wet, which froze overnight, and made lots and lots of black ice this morning. Allsorts of people fell getting out of their cars. I was lucky and caught myself between two cars before I went all the way down.

This was a travel day for me, so around 11:00, I left work for the airport. All of this weather inversion stuff created a very heavy Pea Soup sort of fog. And the drive to the airport was beautiful -- still heavy fog and lots of frost on the trees. They were all fuzzy looking -- sort of like we'd had a Yarnstorm or something.

So, fog means delays. Or in my case, and true to my traveling form lately, when I got to the airport, they announced that my flight was cancelled. To which I exclaimed, Turkey Feathers! So, they loaded us all on a bus for a 4 hour ride to O'Hare. In spite of the female college basketball team on board, everyone apparently fell asleep, 'cause they were all quiet as a Mausi -- you could have heard a Tree Fall (or maybe that's a pin drop -- whatever.) Unfortunately, I'd forgotten my handwork -- no Thread and Scissors (that's thread and clippers -- they don't like scissors on a plane, you know) at all. So, I spent my time perusing a downloaded version of Molly Chicken's archives and thinking about the little challenge that Portobello Pixie threw down on Monday -- to post your favorite project (which I fully intend to do when I get home this weekend.)

We arrived at O'Hare, about 10 minutes too late for my flight to Newark. So, I had to sit around for 2 1/2 hours. That was ok though -- I love O'Hare. Watching the people. And I usually don't see anyone famous, but tonight Mike Ditka went whizzing by in one of those beep-beep-beep airport carts with a cellphone glued to his ear looking all disdressed. Once we boarded the plane, the pilot announced that air traffic control said it would only be 10 minutes before we could take off. And, he says, they're pretty reliable. "Stop Kidding Around!" I say to myself. Everyone knows ATC tells whoppers. We sat on that stupid plane for an hour. Finally in the air, they're selling snacks. What's that all about? A bag of M&Ms for $3.00??? I'm thinking about taking Milk and Cookies next time and selling them to my neighbors for 50 cents. Would you buy cookies from a stranger? Nah, I didn't think so -- it's a Barefoot Daydream of mine.

So, now it's past midnight and I'm finally in the hotel. Such is Life on the Run.

But Wait. There's More. I. Missed. Lost!!! Flibbertygibbet!!!! We are not Be*Mused!

And to think, when I woke up this morning, all I wanted was to be was one Creative Little Daisy....

XOXO,
Anna

P.S. And just 'cause I hate to post without a picture, here's just about the only picture I have with me on my hard drive...TheEmptyNestChild in a box imitating a Scottish Lamb. (Sorry, couldn't help that one -- love her site and what's a girl to do at 1 a.m to squeeze her in????)

A Quiet Weekend

2007-02-19T20:00:00.001-05:00

We had the perfect kind of quiet weekend with no outside commitments. I was perfectly content to enjoy the snow from inside and work on projects. It's always fun to see that critters are snooping around outside. If this had been summer, we'd never have known that we had a visitor. I enjoyed it while I could because all this beautiful snow will probably be gone by this weekend, as we're expecting temperatures in the 50's (10 - 12 celsius, I think?)

I played in my sewing room a lot this weekend. Four or five years ago a man at work gave me a bunch of partially used bolts of the fabric you see to the right. He and his wife had recently divorced and he was getting rid of the evidence -- she had decorated much of their house in these fabrics. They don't really go with my decor, but a girl can't turn down free fabric! A year or two ago I made three big tote bags for my mom, aunt and myself for a trip to Scotland. I'll soon be taking another trip with the ladies plus cousins, so I'm working on some little bags for everyone. They're not really turning out how I envisioned them, but it's been really fun to play.

I've also admired the name tapes that so many crafters out there are using, so I decided to play a little with my embroidery machine and these tapes are the result. Given the huge variety of thread colors and ribbons, the possibilities for these little tapes are endless.

Other than that, it's been slow, but very relaxing around here. I spent a little time reading blogs too. I love these bags -- I love little details in sewing -- piping, pleats, gathers, buttons, etc. and these bags show some of them off beautifully. I also finished up reading the archives at Yarnstorm -- this site is so interesting and chock full of eye candy! Hope you have time to do some ~~snooping~~ reading too!
XOXO,
Anna

My Favorite Baby Gift

2007-02-16T16:58:00.001-05:00

TheManoftheHouse has a cousin who just had a baby (well "just" means before Christmas) and I'm "just" getting around to making her gift. So, I thought I'd show you how I make our favorite baby gift -- a tied quilt.
All the babies in our family (my DadLovesMeBest sister and mine) had at least two of these quilts when they were little. They all loved them, and son2 was particulary attached to his, well into his childhood. He called the little ties "nubbies" and he used to twirl them between his fingers as he fell asleep at night.
Here's a picture of the closest thing we have to a baby, wrapped up in the baby blanket:

So, you'll need:
1 1/3 yds of fabric for the top of the quilt
1 2/3 yds of fabric for the back of the quilt
1/4 yd of 4 different contrasting fabrics for the prarie points
Quilt batting
2-3 skeins of pearl cotton in a coordinating color

Preshrink your fabric. You need to cut a square of fabric from both your top and bottom fabrics. Measure the width of your fabric (after shrinking probably somewhere around 42".) Cut the length of your fabric the same as the width so that you have a square.

You need to cut 3-inch squares for the prarie points. Cut 2, 3" strips of each of the 4 contrasting fabrics, Also, cut 2, 3" strips from what's left of the backing fabric. You will now have 10 strips of fabric. Then cut 3 inch squares from each of those strips.

Fold each square diagonally. Press. Then fold diagonally again and press.

Now you'll have lots of small triangles to line up along the edge of the quilt.

Pin the triangles to the right side of the top of the quilt. Tuck the folded edge of a triangle between the edges of the triangle next to it. I've tried to figure out how to put the alignment of the triangles into words and I'm giving up -- a picture being worth a thousand words and all -- look and the picture to figure it out! ;-)

Here you can see how I align the triangles in the corner.

Sew 1/4" seam to attach the triangles to the quilt top.

Place the quilt bottom fabric on the quilt top fabric, right sides together. Stitch from the quilt top side, and stitch on top of the existing 1/4" seam, leaving a 10" - 12" opening in the middle of one side. Now, I don't have a picture of this next part, but leaving the quilt wrong sides out, place the batting against the wrong side of the top of the quilt and pin. Turn the quilt over and stitch from the quilt's bottom side, on top of that same 1/4" seamline (and don't stitch through the that 10" opening.) That makes three times sewing on this seamline. You could have put the batting in the mix during the 2nd stitching, but the batting would have been on the bottom side of the quilt and I prefer it to be on the top side. (It's hard to explain, but stitching three times makes for a nicer looking quilt from the top side.)

Turn the quilt right side out. You now have a quilt sandwich. Pull the prairie points out and gently press along the edge.

Hand stitch the opening closed.

Now, it's time to tie the quilt. Thread a tapestry needle with your "thread" of choice -- you can tie it with whatever you want -- Son2 loved his quilts tied with yarn. You can also tie the quilt wherever you'd like. I prefer to tie the quilt every 4". Sometimes the print on your fabric will "tell" you where to tie it (e.g., in the middle of every circle, on the tail of every puppy, etc.) When it doesn't, as in this case, I make a 4" square template out of cardstock and just place it along the quilt and move it along as I tie. That's 'cause I'm lazy and I don't want to take the time to mark the quilt. For you more motivated types, mark away! Move along the quilt in horizontal lines and grab stitches every 4".

Continue making rows of stitches until the quilt is covered.

Clip the threads between each of the stitches.

Tie each "tie" in a square knot. This is the best knot if you want it to stay tied.

After all the knots are tied, go back and trim the tails. I like to cut the length using my middle finger as a guide.

Voila, you have a finished quilt!

Wrap your baby up and watch TheEmptyNestChild freak out 'cause there's a new baby in the house!

XOXO,
Anna

Happy Valentine's Day!

2007-02-14T19:53:00.000-05:00

Just a quick post to wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day. (For some reason TheManofTheHouse seems to think I should be spending time with him, so this will be quick!) Thought I'd show you what I gave all my little Valentine's today. I got the idea here. XOXO,
Anna

Blizzard Warning?

2007-02-13T21:18:00.000-05:00

We're under a blizzard warning, but as you can see, it's looking pretty tame out my back window. (It looks foggy in the picture, but it's really a very fine snow falling.)

Anyway, the upside of a blizzard warning is that everything in town is closed and even though our place of work didn't close, we came home a little early. Which gave me the chance to take a few pictures of the friendship quilt that I posted about a few days ago.

Here's a close up of one of the blocks -- this person loves fairy tales!

I also remembered to bring home my handwarmers that I just made. They are the knitting project that I was working on a few weeks ago. I took them to work and forgot to take pictures. My hands get really cold at the keyboard at work -- TheManoftheHouse just rolls his eyes when he walks into my office and sees me wearing them. It's my office and I can wear what I want to! You'll just have to imagine my right hand in the picture, I haven't mastered the fine art of snapping the picture and having my hand appear in the picture at the same time. (Aka, I'm too lazy to get my manual out and look at the delay option on the camera.)

I sure hope you're all staying warm!
XOXO,
Anna

Housecleaning Roulette

2007-02-12T22:38:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in a previous post, my bookgroup read The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt this past month. I didn't finish the book, but in chapter 2, there's a passage that reads:
On one occasion I set about testing this notion by concocting a game called "photo roulette," the object of which was to walk around the city taking photographs at unplanned moments -- whenever a church bell rang or at every sighting of a dog or cat -- ...."
This made me think that we're usually so busy that we don't take time to notice our surroundings. And at the same time I'd been thinking that I haven't posted very many pictures of my "corners". AND, I was cleaning the other day to get ready for my quilty peeps. So, when I combined all three of those items, I decided to play my own little game of housecleaning roulette. I decided that, while I was cleaning, I'd set the timer for every 30 minutes, and wherever I was, I'd stop and take a picture of something that was near me. (Don't worry, there's no way I'm going to post bathroom photos -- so I cleaned the bathroom at the beginning, before the first buzzer.)

12:35 p.m. Just moved into the bedroom and ready to strip the bed. I didn't have a picture to put above the bed, so a few years ago, I put our monogram there instead. (I know, I know...Emily Post wouldn't approve -- TheManoftheHouse has his initial first. But it's my wall and I can put the letters in any order I want -- it's not like it's stationary or anything...)

1:05 p.m. In the middle of dusting the bedroom. A corner of the bedroom. Very uncomfortable old rocker, but it rocked my babies to sleep for many years, so I'm sort of attached to it. It's currently rocking my quilts that need bindings. (They've only been there for a few years -- maybe I could get those done as part of my "complete 3 unfinished projects" winter goal???)

1:35 p.m. OK. By now I was done with the bedroom and bathroom and took a little break to check e-mail and I'm in the computer room. Here's a little bunny that I got for Christmas.

2:25 p.m. (Sorry...the break went a little long ;-) ) Picking stuff up in the family room. I'm by the bookcase.

2:55 p.m. Dusting in the family room. (Which begs the question....do you dust then vacuum, or vacuum then dust?) When I look up I see my little sock knitting bag that I have to keep on top of the wall unit so TheEmptyNestChild won't get into my yarn.

3:25 p.m. I'm now in the kitchen area where our table is. (This is my favorite room 'cause it's the easiest to clean -- do the floor, dust the pie safe and it's done!) The Pinochio came from a school fundraising auction one year -- I don't remember what the theme was, but there was a big Pinochio as a centerpiece at each table.

3:55 p.m. Now in the kitchen. Note the gingerbread house still sitting there. You'll be happy to know I finally threw it out! (And who was the rocket scientist who thought tile on countertops was a good idea? How can you roll out pie crusts or cookies or anything?-- someday when we're out of tuition hell, it will be replaced!)
By now this post has gone on long enough and I was almost done anyway. Sorry so long...I probably should have split this into two posts.... Set your timer and see what's around you!

XOXO,
Anna

A Nice Day With Friends

2007-02-10T18:58:00.000-05:00

My quilty peeps came to sew for the day. We're the remnants of a friendship quilting group that started 19 years ago. There were 12 of us and we would meet once a month. We all took turns hosting the meeting. Each hostess would provide drinks and snacks and give everyone in the group a quilt block pattern and maybe some fabric so that they could complete one or more quilt blocks for the hostess in the following month.

So, for example, I hosted the very first ever meeting of our little group. I chose the bear paw pattern. I gave everyone a packet with the pattern, some fabric for the background of the block, and some embroidery floss. Then I requested that they each choose a blue and red fabric from their stash to complete their block. I also requested that they each embroider their name, the date, and something they "loved" (with the condition that it couldn't be their spouse, children, etc.) It's fun now to look back and remember that one of them loved wee babes, one loved books, one loved jukeboxes, etc. And, interestingly enough, no one chose the same thing!

We learned a lot that first year. We were all at a similar skill level except for one girl. I remember the block she made me had the seams cut so close to the stitching that the seams frayed and came apart. We tried to be a teaching group with demos and lessons, but even though we discussed 1/4" seams many times, she still cut them too close. Everyone was afraid to say anything to her for fear of hurting her feelings. She was only with us for that first year though as they had to move for her husband's job.

Anyway, after 5 or 6 years, we got tired of doing blocks every month, so we just got together and worked on our own projects. Over the years someone would drop out and then someone new would join. It seemed like the newer members never lasted long though -- I guess it's hard to join a group that has a history together. Now we're down to only 7 of us and we no longer meet monthly. Up until this last year, we always drew names for homemade gifts. We try to get together at least twice a year -- sometimes just for a Saturday and other times for an over night -- but always to sew together.

And, of course we eat too. Everyone brings a dish or two to share. That's fun too, because we always end up with a nice variety -- we never end up with all salads or all desserts, it's pretty balanced. This year, I added the little felted needle cases that I made a few days ago to the table setting.

Did you notice the little salt cellars? My mother found these at an antique shop and gave them to me for Christmas this year.

You know it's been a good day when the binding is done, the sun is setting, and the thimble is upside down.

Have a great weekend!
XOXO,
Anna

Blogs, Lovely Blogs

2007-02-07T21:10:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is my book group (which I'll tell you about in a later post) and, sad to say, I haven't finished the book this month. We're reading The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt. It's not that I don't like the book, I've just been preoccupied. It's the blogs.

They're just SO interesting. YOU are all so interesting. I love it that you can read about someone next door or someone on the other side of our small planet. And that you can discover how different yet similar you are to someone who leads such a seemingly different life. And maybe those of you who have been at this longer than I have can tell me if this excitement and ~~nosiness~~ obsession continue. Will I learn how to manage it better?

It's so fun to read archives and follow the lives of some of you. I've thoroughly enjoyed reading about Autum as she's discovered the joys of sewing -- my gosh, what beautiful purses she's learned to make in such a short amount of time! And what fun to read about Jean, who shares my grandmother's name and is such an incredible knitter. She whips out those sweaters so quickly -- it takes me a year! And the archives I finished just today of Isabelle. I ran across a comment she left somewhere mentioning that she lived in Scotland. So, of course, I had to check her out. I loved reading about her students and the funny things they write. And, although it would seem that we have very little in common (Isabelle! What willpower you must have to be a vegetarian -- I discovered two of my very favorite meals in your bonny Scotland -- Bangers and Mash and Shepherd's Pie -- how can you resist?), we do have similarities -- children close to the same age, parents to look out for, and a Scottish heritage.

The best thing about these blogs is the sharing. I love to comb the blogs for ideas. Just last week, Simple Sparrow posted these. It was just the inspiration I needed. My quilty peeps are coming for a day of sewing on Saturday and now I'll have a fun little gift to give each of them.

What did we ever do without the blogs? They're like our own little quilting bee that's spread around the world.

XOXO,
Anna

A Big Win!

2007-02-04T22:25:00.000-05:00

My DadLovesMeBestSister works at a school that has a big auction fundraiser every winter. It's a black-tie affair -- attendees purchase a ticket and are treated to a fabulous dinner and both silent and live auctions -- all in the school auditorium. They always choose a theme from a children's book (past years have included A Very Hungry Caterpillar, Where the Wild Things Are, etc.) This year the theme was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I never attend, but I like to sneak in before the event and check out the auction items and decorations. This year wasn't quite as over-the-top as in past years, but it was pretty neat, nonetheless. I took a few pictures...

A few auction items that caught my eye:

Entering the chocolate factory...beautiful flowers and the crowd behind the fence:

Hang up your coat and admire the candy:

Inside the auditorium, the tables were beautiful:

Every year they raffle off a diamond bracelet. This year they sold 100 chocolate bars for $100 each -- only one would contain the Golden Ticket for the bracelet. This morning, my sister e-mailed this picture to me:

She Won!!! The Golden Ticket was in her candy bar. Congratulations little DadLovesMeBestSister -- you deserve it! What a way to warm up the cold winter!!!

XOXO,
Anna

An Overdue Pillow

2007-02-02T18:04:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I read this post -- so beautifully written, and it reminded me of a quote that I wrote down a few years ago. So, I went to the dungeon, rummaged around in the stash and found some fabric.

I ended up not using the red ribbon, but I turned the quote into a pillow. I'm not real crazy about the way the embroidery turned out, but I love the trim -- wild and red!

Judging by the number of ~~wrinkles~~ laughlines I have -- I'm fabulously successful!
We're headed into a very cold weekend -- hope you're all staying warm....
XOXO,
Anna

New Books!

2007-01-31T23:09:00.000-05:00

The best thing about getting an Amazon gift certificate for Christmas is that you can wait until the dark, cold days of winter to spend it. My box of warmth arrived just before I had to leave on my last trip, so now I have some fun reading to cuddle up with for the next few days.

I hope you have some warm winter browsing too!

XOXO,
Anna