back from the beach

Yikes!  I have neglected my blog!  Sorry about that.  What have I been up to?  A little pickling: enjoying farmer's market: And some much needed down time with my Mom at the beach! So much fun! We went to Ft. Bragg, CA last weekend and it was v. nice. Here was our view from the hotel room. Beautiful. We found a really nice beach with the help of a local and it was just perfect. My Mom may or may not kill me for this picture, but I think it's cute!
 We did some bird watching. They were hilarious! Mom did some reading while I did some knitting. We also trolled around Mendocino which was nice. There were some really cool shops. We also went to see Finding Nemo in 3D, which was awesome! Mom hadn't been to a 3D movie and this was only the 2nd one I had been to and we really enjoyed it. I loved sitting next to Mom listening to her laugh, she hadn't seen it before so it was fun to see her reactions :) All around it was a great trip!


ps: if you ever go to Ft Bragg you have to check out Egghead's for breakfast, it's sooooo good.  The smallest seating areas you've ever been in but worth it.  And now I must learn how to make garlic swirled crepes and it's their fault :)

to pickle or bust

Today I checked out the farmer's market hoping to find cucumber to pickle.  One of the ladies I work with had been there last weekend and said she had gotten a whole bunch.  I got there a bit later than I had thought I would and at first was kind of disappointed that I missed the boat.  There were cucumbers at a few vendors but they were either too big or not the right kind.  I asked at one booth and he said they were just starting to produce and to check back next week.  Huh.  I took another turn hoping I'd missed something somewhere.  I asked at the very last booth and she said "in the cooler."  Score!  I picked out about 70 cukes, some jalepenos and garlic.  Next stop was the grocery store and I got the very last bunch of dill!  I've never garned so much attention as when I was walking through the store with that giant (and I do mean giant) bunch of dill!  I had no less than 5 people comment!  It was hilarious.  One guy wanted to go with me home to make pickles!  Now I just need to find some grapes leaves and I'll be good to go.  There are some vines up the road so I'm going to stop and ask if I can have a branch - wish  me luck!

bounty

Holy smokes!  The air is so smoky up here!  Yikes!  Looking out my window this morning it was so thick it looked almost like fog.  My allergies are letting me know they no likey.  In spite of the yuck I have gotten a lot done this weekend with plenty of nothin' in between!  One of the ladies at work brought in bags of fresh basil from her garden on Friday and I was lucky to snag a bag!  I made fresh pesto last night using this recipe.  I did add another couple of sprigs of basil in addition to the 2 cups the recipe called for.  I had never made this before and it was really easy with my food processor.  I also baked up a couple loaves of yellow squash bread subbing crushed pineapple for oil and adding some shredded coconut.  It turned out really yummy.  For dinner I had put a veggie lasagna in the oven before making the pesto - multitasking :) 

Today I have chicken enchiladas cooking up in the crock pot to take to a family who just had a baby who has breathing issues.  And I made two loaves of zucchini bread subbing applesauce for the oil and I added carob chips.  I was a little heavier handed with those than I had intended.  The first couple handfuls just sunk into the batter and looked like there were hardly any, soooo naturally I added another couple handfuls.  I'm thinking those will last a bit longer since they will be so sweet.

It's funny because unless I'm sewing something I usually feel like I haven't gotten much done.  But, I did get the house clean yesterday and all that baking.  Today I did sew some hexagons while watching a movie so I guess I have accomplished something by my own standards!  I am making a table topper, like a circular-ish one with fall fabrics for the hexagons.  I embroidered a few of them for the very center, I think it will turn out cute.

another bunny

It's funny to me that it seems like all I want to do is knit!  I am totally digging sitting out in my adirondack chair in the shade with the dogs running amok in the back yard.  It's just perfect.  I decided that Max, the bunny that I had knit before needed a mate - you know, since they're bunnies :)  So, here's Vi.  Like I do with every creature I make I think of a story in my head.  Vi likes to play the violin while Max reads classic literature in his study with his pipe.  They are quite a sweet little couple of bunnies.
Not sure if you can tell but her eyes are purple.  I had bought them awhile ago for the amigurumi that I was making and have really enjoyed the colors.  You can find them here.  It's sort of hard to find a good safety eye.  For Vi and Max's sweater, I used this pattern and I have just loved it.  V. Easy to follow and the outcome is cute.
I have been working on the vintage sheet quilt but have hit a wall.  I have one white sheet left and I'm hesitating to cut into it because it's in really good shape and has a pretty rose pattern across the top so I've been debating whether I actually want to use it.  I looked at Goodwill but so far no luck.  And, I've been thinking that I might be moving on to another baby quilt.  I've been looking for the perfect pattern, which I may have found so the vs quilt may be on the shelf for a bit.

a godstop moment

Last night was bible study, we've been doing a study called "A Heart Like His" which is another Beth Moore study.  It's an older one, one of the first ones she did I think.  I hesitate to write this post because I don't want anyone to worry about me or be offended or take it personally because if you're reading this then it has nothing to do with you.  Trust me.  I'm a pretty up front kind of person so if I feel something I would have told you.  I'm going to be speaking in generalities. 
So, back to the study.  She was saying how God wants us to have certain connections with people, like we should have a multitude (church group), a group (like the group of disciples was to Jesus), a few close friends to keep us accountable, and then a relationship with God.  He wants us to interract with people and share our gifts with each other.  The whole study for me was hitting the mark.  It's so easy to be a hermit.  So easy.  My dogs love me no matter what, I don't have to explain anything or be funny or talk or listen or anything.  But people, they are a whole other story for me.  So, I withdraw.  I haven't been going to church, so strikeout multitude for me, and go ahead and take away the group too.  What that leaves is my bible study.  I almost didn't go last night because sometimes I feel disconnected there too.  I notice that I am not in the loop of their lives.  Is it because I don't text?  Is it because I don't call?  I don't know, it's probably a lot of reasons and not just me because my phone isn't ringing either.  Then she (Beth Moore) gets to the part in the study about the relationship with God and how he draws us in and if we hang back and try to just stay with our friends then we will become frustrated with them........uh, what?  Dang it!  I was caught!  Here I was just doing that, getting annoyed at my friends, and yes my family for not reaching out to me (even though I could reach out too, I realize)!!!!  Gah!  Now what?  My whole life I have been afraid to be close to anyone, really close.......and that would include God.  I start to get close and I run.  There are only a few people who have stuck by me.  So that was last night and I'm still processing it.  Mulling it.  I am thanking God that he hasn't given up on me, because frankly we've been circling this issue for years.  Me, knowing I need to draw close and sort of getting there and then pulling back, God revisiting in different ways and mediums (music, books, videos) and on and on.
And then, there's the whole thing of this video being recorded in like 1997!  It's on vhs even.  The timing is nuts.  Like how could God know that last night I needed that message that was recorded almost 15 years ago, and that we picked that study because one of the other ladies wanted to specifically do it, and I just happened to be along for the ride?  But, God is just like that.  He knows.  And as much as sometimes I just chalk things up to coincidence or fate or luck or whatever, I know that last night was perfectly timed. 
Welp, I think I've rambled enough here.  You get the picture.   I had a moment last night that got my attention, nuff said. :)

fall inspiration

I haven't done any swaps for quite awhile and thought I'd get back into it and signed up for a fat quarter swap. I'm glad I did because one of my partners sent me a whole half yard of a fun fall print! Lucky me :) This week I also rec'd the fall issue of my quilting magazine that 3 squares I wanted to try: Peace and plenty, windblown and big dipper.  I felt like I had no other choice than to make the squares and then once I had they looked like they needed to be a table runner!  Perfect because then it gave me the chance to use my new darning foot for my old machine and free motion quilt!  I like the way it turned out and it was nice to finish a project pretty quickly. I know I've said it before but those little blocks, each one was 6" finished, are such a pain! Too fussy.  But, I like the way it turned out, the tree triangles are from the fabric that was sent in the swap.
Yesterday I went to the book sale that the library has on the weekends and scored some books on CD.  Hubs likes to listen to them so I try and pick them up when I can.  I had not ever gotten anything for myself because I usually prefer music while I'm sewing.  But, I picked up a book by Lauren Weisberger called Chasing Harry Winston and put that on while I was sewing.  I liked it!  I found myself pausing every so often just to listen which is funny because I usually only pause when I'm stuck for inspiration!  I'm about halfway through, and I'd say it's a good read (listen).  She is the same author that wrote The Devil Wears Prada, which I also liked.
Okay, lets talk about something random.  Have you ever found yourself dreaming, daydreaming, fantasizing about doing something and picturing yourself doing something but then never actually doing it?  I would say that I'm a big dreamer.  There are lots of things that I conjure up in my imagination. One is that I dream of being a runner.  But, even though I've had vivid dreams of my feet pounding the pavement I don't ever actually do it.  There are lots of reasons I don't, the biggest reason being that I'm embarassed.  I know I am my own worst enemy.  So, I'm going to try and break out of this, I'm going to start super small and see what happens.  Is there anything you dream of doing - even something mundane - but hold yourself back from doing?  I say, do it!  Start small so you don't get overwhelmed and then just see what happens.  Nothing illegal though, because frankly I don't want to be anyone's inspiration for that - lol :)

one the design wall now

Okay, so you know how my singer pooped out and I'm using my super old metal machine? It's been great and all but I was getting really worried that I would not be able to free motion quilt with it. I stopped into the vacuum/sewing machine repair shop and they had a low shank darning foot and it works! So excited. And, looking for something to really test it out with rather than a test square. Awhile ago I participated in an online quilting bee with vintage sheets. Before sending out a square I would usually do a test square since I was very, very new to quilting and didn't want to send complete crap to someone. I saved the squares thinking that they might make a fun sampler quilt. Perfect for a quick to put together project, right? That's what I thought, too :) Here's what I have so far: You can see the top row is bordered with white and the rest is sort of jumbled. At first I was wanting it to be all jumbled but my mind could not wrap around it. I'm blaming it on hat big house square.  It was actually bigger but I cut it down to 16 inches.  So, that is what is setting the standard for the rest of the squares.  So, I'm just sort of arranging them and then adding the white until it measures 16" and I think once it's all together they will still retain some "floati-ness".   It's funny because a few of the squares, the starburst at the bottom right, the butterfly, and the cat, were all testers for my month.  I wasn't sure what to do for my month and those were ideas that didn't make it.  Then, I had a stack of 5" squares and I thought I'd put them in as fillers between the others and that's kind of been fun.  That granny square at the top right was a pain in the bazoo, I'll tell you that! 
What else is new?  Well, I hate earwigs for one thing!  They are disgusting, vile creatures!  Why would I feel so strongly towards them?  Because they are eating my poor little zucchini plant!!!!!  BAH.  So, the war is on.  They struck first.