Thoughts on our Farm Share

When we signed up with our neighbors to participate in a local organic farm's community supported agriculture project I was so excited. I've been wanting to do this since I was in college but wasn't ever rooted enough to figure it all out and get in an application on time. We ended up joining for one family portion with two other families because there is a waiting list and you can only get a share if you are in with someone else that already has one. (Makes me wonder why there aren't more farms doing this, with such high demand.)

Anyway, I was assuming that I would acquire so many recipes for unusual vegetables and, have this whole new collection of seasonal cooking tips, etc. Now, perhaps, it's because we are sharing with so many other people and so don't have a surplus of food (it's just enough, really) but this hasn't been the case at all. I've discovered something else that I think it so beautiful and simple it makes me shiver. Good, local, organic food doesn't need alot of dressing up. Grill it, toss with olive oil, pepper and salt and it's stunning. Grate it or chop it fresh and it's also stunning. If it is leafy and green, I saute garlic in oil until it's super hot, toss in greens for a short while, then take off heat and top with lemon, salt and pepper and, you guessed it...it's stunning. We are eating vegetables like fiends and I can really feel the difference in my energy level. But, the best part is it is so simple and not alot of extra work. With a little one, a lack of effort is always welcome. It took a while but I figured out that good food is good. Bad food needs sauces and, well, cover up. Not that I don't love my sauces and cover ups but you get the idea. In all, YEAH! for good food.

We've Gone Batty

It doesn't look like much but this slatted block of wood is our new bat house! It all started when a friend gave us screen and a book on how to build a bat house. After the little guy arrived we realized that we didn't have the time to build our own but we really like the idea of having a bat house for natural insect control. After reading Last Child In the Woods, we were even more into the idea. So, we ordered this pre-built bat house from The Organization for Bat Conservation.
So, this past weekend we painted it black (as the book recommends for keeping it warmer) and attached it to a post that happens to live in our backyard. It's only around 12 feet tall, when they recommend 20 feet but, we are hoping for the best. Our future plans include building one with little C when he's get older and sitting outside around dusk to watch for bats. It's a whole family adventure really and we are all pumped.

Cat Gets A Tuffet...

...and all she can do is give me the stink eye!
Completely ungrateful. She doesn't even like her little fish. The tuffet replaces a old pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt covered in cat hair that used to be stuffed into her bed. Guess it had gotten comfortable for her.

The whole set is from Bend the Rules, of course. I am sticking to my promise and systematically going through the book with all the projects that I like but I have to admit that I'm getting a little burnt out. That said, this one involved putting in a zipper in a new way (for me) that I really like. And, I'm going to use it for my upcoming pillows, so that is good. I have to say, it's not that I'm not learning new stuff...I'm just getting the itch to create stuff on my own. But, that is exactly how I ended up putting in zippers in the most awkward way possible until now. Harumph.

Speaking of pillows. I attempted to make a little something with cording and it was a DISASTER. So, I'm going to make them simple but embellish with embroidery and take my time...another thing I'm not so good at. These puppies are going to be well-loved before they are showcased, no exceptions.

Ever Growing Wish List

I have just four, make it five words, to sum it all up...make your own panda applique! I want this book and I want it bad. But, for now, I'm holding back. Don't I have amazing personal restraint!

Formal Introductions

I love the way that admiring one person's blog leads me down a path to other blogs and other beautiful, handmade goods and loving crafters. Just like this...annamariahorner.blogspot.com, Anna Maria is a fantastic fabric designer who has been featured on Martha Stewart and is the mother of 5(!). I already own her fabric, though I didn't know it, and used it to make Callum's lunch sack, so I consider this Monday morning discovery our formal introduction. It's a great browse, and calming to hear her words on colors and sweet thoughts on the mundane. And, of course, hugely inspiring.

Pillow Making Advice

I want to tackle some falling apart pillows in our TV room and make them prettier using the flower print fabrics in this shot. Trouble is, I can't decide what is going to look best.

This style of pillow below from sprout design. This would give a simple look and show the full effect of the fabric (it is a nice design, not well highlighted in my picture). Or I could try to add cording to the edge but still a similar idea to this one. Or..

A design like this from Oh Fransson! . I mean not so busy, maybe just use the blue dot fabric in addition to the flower fabric but jazz it up a little. Without all the patchwork she has. So, not really like this photo but having the double border that she has. Thoughts on this? I'm looking for a soothing, elegant feel to the room. (Realize it would have been useful to show the room but it's just too embarassing.)

One More Down

From Amy Karol's Bend the Rules, her artsy clutch. This was so easy to make, it took no time at all and turned out well thanks to the great instructions. It's a 'no reason' gift for a friend. The button is another given to me by my mom. Can you see her hippie roots, or what? The fabric was on sale at contemporary cloth. I used some of the heavy sunblocking fabric left over from the curtains in an internal layer and it worked really well to stiffen the clutch and give it some heft. Heft is good, right? Especially when it comes to a clutch.

The Final Curtain(s)

These round out little C's bedroom with matching barkcloth-like fabric of circles and little bee's from reprodepot.com. All in all, these curtains paired with the pillow pals and painted bench constitute the completion of all the plans I had for my maternity leave...which was supposed to be two weeks and ended up being all of 1 day.
It turned out for the best, however, because I also made sunblocking curtains (hid behind the nice ones) to go with these. And, my pre-baby mind never would have been able to understand how handy that was going to be. The best part is that the room is coming together and we can take down the lap quilt and bath towel that previously provided a full morning sunlight blockade.
Plus, no more curtains to sew. It was great to accomplish it all but nice to be able to focus on smaller things.

Lessons learned: I finally figured out to use a bigger numbered needle on tougher home decor weight fabric and it worked!! No broken needles this time. How did I figure this out? I actually sat down and read the manual that comes with my sewing machine. It was a fantastic education. Now I know all about what my machine can do and I'm thrilled. Different feet, different sewing techniques, thread weights...the whole shebang. Funny that I've had this same sewing machine since my early twenties and I only just sat down with my new favorite reading material.

Summer Water

It is hot. Very hot, and the NorthEast heat wave isn't showing any signs of letting up. We are all dragging our feet when we aren't sat directly in front of the airconditioner. It's getting old. So, to beat this heat this weekend I made on of my favorite and super simple summer treats.

Summer Water.

It's so easy, and delicious. Put ice cubes in filtered water (especially if you live in NJ and can't trust the contents of your local water source), add lemon slices (about half a lemon), and then add mint leaves. You can drain it and add more water, the flavor lasts for a surprisingly long time. Don't skip the ice, however, it helps bruise the lemon and mint and keep the flavor coming.

Any other summer, heat-beating recipes to share? We are eager to embrace them!

Lunch Time!

The combination of prolific tote bag making over at attheendofthisrow and little C's move into the toddler room, where he will need a lunch bag prompted the creation of this little lunch sack. I used 100% cotton batting as a lining, rather than semi-creepy chemical composition of interfacing. And, I have to say I had a blast.
The inside of the sack include a pocket for his fork and spoon, hard to see in this shot, but definitely part of the fun.

Good enough to eat!

I need to find a reason to justify buying these bag handles from http://superbuzzy.com. They make me want to skip to the library and bring home just enough books in my perfect little tote.

Oh, the things I could buy...

I am absolutely in love with everything that Nikki McClure has ever made. I splurged on her book "Collect Raindrops" after my sister bought two of her children's books "Awake to Nap" and "Welcome" for Cal. And, that led to me NEEDING her 2008 calendar and it's been a full-fledged love affairs since then. How does she do it! Cut with an exacto knife from black paper and capture all of life's most amazing moments. I'm blown away and imagine she and I are good friends and she loves me. I also go all gooey for the entire Roebuck furniture line. It looks so sturdy and fun. This chick chair is one of my favorites but really everthing is great.

Lopsided but Loved

Oh, so he is a little lopsided and has a stump for an arm but he is well loved by both little C and Big K. K actually said, "You made a turtle! Cool!" Which is more than the curtains got. And C tried to eat him immediately and then carried him around. So, I felt a little better about my inability to sew corners. He's made from a felted sweater and the same old corduroy from the thrift store top. So, he is soft and squishy. But, my future in the business of making turtles is not so bright.

Free Fabric Fridays

You all have to enter this contest on Fridays! I did this past Friday and won a free yard of fabric from Sew, Mama, Sew! I picked out this cute flower print from the Park Slope Collection by Erin McMorris. All you do is make a comment on the FFF posts on Fridays and they select the lucky winners.

Good Luck!

A Lemon Drop Bedroom

The bedroom summer curtains are done!! Yeah, it took alot of fabric wrestling and three broken needles but I can say I didn't cry or have to use the seam ripper. And here they are. The light in the morning is fantastic, a great warm yellow room.
I copied our Ikea curtains for how to create them because I liked how they hang.
This one, below, is the whole reason for this debacle. It's made so that I can hook it and it hangs above the air conditioner. Makes it a little blousy looking but all in all I'm thinking it's as good as it gets without using a shade or something.

What I did to create this is added three buttons and three hoops at the bottom so I could pull it up to the correct length. These buttons (which I love) were given to my from my mom's collection years ago. I was almost not going to use them because they are so cute and deserve a better showcase but I stockpile too many things like that so I went for it.
Up next are curtains for C's room but this fabric hasn't yet arrived. So, I think I'm going to work on some smaller, instant gratification type projects.

Sad Little Garden Patch

We were determined to grow some vegetables this summer but didn't end up getting it together for a bigger garden patch. Instead, we planted this little guy. I am proud to say that we seem to have a healthy jalapeno pepper growing (though I have to admit this one started from a starter plant, not a seed.) We keep saying...next spring we will be on top of it. This remains to be seen.
The marigolds and lavender are supposedly natural pesticide plants. We got the inspiration for this little patch from the book "The Practical Organic Gardener" by Brenda Little. Though, we were much less intense about it than she would have liked.

Girl dress giveaway!

Check it out and enter to win. The dresses are adorable!

http://playisthething.blogspot.com/2008/07/giveaway.html

Machine sewing needles

I have been having some trouble with my machine lately. It is skipping stitches and bunching in random places. Sometimes it helps when I stop and re-thread my machine, but I am wondering if I am just doing something silly or wrong. What do you ladies know about machine needles? Should I be more diligent about changing them? Also, is there a rule of thumb (or thimble?) about when to use what kind of needle? How about thread? Are there certain projects when I should use synthetic (polyester) or cotton? Does any of this really make a difference, or might there be something wrong with my machine?

Seeing Japanese

What is it with the Japanese craft books and fabric and linens and small, cute things? Who knew that all along I should have taken Japanese to really learn how to craft. This is possibly the best Etsy fabric site I've ever come across. It's called A Little Goodness. This fabric is called "Waiting for the Bus" and I'm completely in love with it. It's a good thing that I have a new rule: Stop Acquiring and Start Creating!!! or I would be in the red after finding this.

The Crafty Crow!

I was browsing this website and enjoying all the kid-friendly activity ideas when I came across our very own Lily's outhouse! Isn't that cool. So, check it out and be sure to scroll down for Ten Finger Workshop fun.

Meanwhile, I'm working hard on curtains. Pictures to come.

A new banner and A Great Giveaway!

For all knitters this raffle sounds kind of amazing and so super fantastic it seems unreal. Knitting is so out of my reach it's nearly funny. I tried, I really did and have the knitting needles and Vanna White yarn to prove it but no luck. I digress, not only is this raffle great but this site is like lemonade on a hot summer day. It's fantastic.

And, I finally conquered the flickr world and made a banner for the site! Not without serious trial and error, mind you. I keep quickly checking the site to see the new banner is a 'fresh' new way. Make sure I still like it. All of this is done in much the same way that I check my hair after a new, dramatic cut. Catch myself in a car window or the hallway mirror and think "do I like this look?" It's all good fun.

Bean Bags and Thanks

So, Amanda Blake Soule of this book, that I keep talking about, suggests giving kids fabric of different texture and yarn (under adult supervision) to play with. So, in keeping with that idea I threw together a few bean bags from scraps. It is such a satisfying project because it's quick success and there is no need for perfection. Plus, it's bean bags...they are just fun.

And, thanks for the porch advice. I like it...the rug just has to go. Gotta convince the husband to tear up the nasty carpet under the nasty rug and paint the floorboards. It's a good plan, I think he will actually love doing that. It involves demolition AND painting.

Cocktails?

I'm working on a set of table linens for a friend's wedding and finished off the six cocktail napkins first. I'm working off of Bend the Rules (again) but didn't like Amy Karol's idea of printing sayings on the napkins so I went, instead, for a simple embrodiery. The fabric is linen on one side and cotton on the other. All from contemporarycloth.com.
The tips of the cat's feet are also in the picture because she just wouldn't leave me alone this afternoon. She's been kind of needy since the little guy arrived.

Finished Kitchen Curtains

I tried my hand with the new fabric and finished these super easy curtains with instructions from Bend the Rules (again.) Adds a bit more color to the kitchen and provides better privacy from neighbors.

Also in this shot but relatively hidden (behind the electric kettle) is my new love...The miniprep from Cuisinart. I fell in love and had to have one after watching the tutorials on weelicious.com. There is alot not to love about the Weelicious woman, ex-model that feeds her son only homemade, super healthy baby food, need I say more? Anyway, she was whipping stuff up in her miniprep and it dawned on me that I need that. I thought it would mean more baby food but mostly it's just quicker grown up food. But, really, that's pretty important too. I haven't yet achieved a model's figure. But, I will let you know if the MiniPrep is also able to achieve success in that area.

Front Porch Advice

So, we got this great front porch furniture from Target. I love it, it was inexpensive and turns our front porch in a whole additional room in the house. Most nights we eat our here and Cal loves to play out here. It's great. The only problem is, nothing matches. I thought about recovering the furniture because it has such an old-fashioned design and is kind of itchy (it's that outdoor-style fabric that isn't soft AT ALL). But, given the cost of heavy-duty fabric (a cost I am recently all too familiar with, see post below) I was thinking I might switch gears and try to make a rug from old scraps. Any thoughts, advice, rug tutorials, or furniture recovery tips! I honestly might have enough leftover fabric from the curtain craziness going on but that project will take years given my new fears so I can't count on that. Help!

What Was I Thinking?

So, after all these attempts to re-use old fabric and be a greener mama, a whole slew of fabric arrived this week. And, by slew I mean slew. It comes from HouseFabric.com and I WAY overestimated the yardage I needed. AND, I way overestimated my abilities! I just got started and didn't stop once I got on-line.

It started with wanting to make curtains that accomodate the air conditioners that hang in our bedroom windows (Kieran's idea, mind you). But, then I thought about all the other rooms with half-broken curtains and just kept going. Now, I have fabric for curtains in all three bedrooms and the kitchen and stuff to make pillows to match curtains in the office. It all seemed like such a good idea until it arrived. I'm in way over my head.

This isn't even all of it! There is a sage green yet to come. Like I mentioned I think I mostly overestimated my necessary yardage so I will have alot left over. I will need Beth's tote bag tutorial to make up for my mistakes. The other things is, it's so darn expensive when you buy too much upholstery fabric. Silly rookie. And, because it is all so daunting I feel a bit frozen and afraid to start. Argh. Wish me luck.

Tote bag tutorial

I see quite a few of these tote bags in my future. I stumbled upon the tutorial from Sew Mama Sew!'s Summer Sewing Month (July!) If I can manage an hour away from the kiddos today maybe I'll be able to knock one out. Just yesterday, as I was loading up on 4th of July picnic stuff, I was thinking that I needed more reusable grocery bags and these will be perfect! Now, to resist the temptation of going out and getting a bunch of Amy Butler fabrics to make these...that's a different story.

The Sailor Set

I finished this pair of pants and matching sweatshirt last week. It's my first successful applique and embrodiery. Though, calling it embrodiery is a bit of stretch...just a straight stitch with embrodiery floss, really.

Here are the pants in their early life, masquerading as an old man's pajama top! The best part of doing the pants this way is..no hemming. YOu just cut down to the hem. The pattern is from makebabystuff.com and fits Cal perfectly.
Here is a little closeup of the whole deal. This sweatshirt was the cutest sweatshirt from my sister, she had stencilled on it "I Heart Duluth". It was great but I messed it up somehow when I washed it so had to cover the stencilling. The light blue portion was an old t-shirt that I ironed onto fusible interfacing so it was easy enough to stitch onto.
And, here it is on my reluctant model. He's not yet in the posing for photos stage.

Gratitude Wrap

I am in LOVE with this idea
http://www.soulemama.com/soulemama/2008/07/gratitude.html

from Amanda Soule, who wrote "The Creative Family", which I am reading right now, or at least trying to when I find the time. I kind of find it hard to read about crafting sometimes because I'd rather BE crafting. Anyway, I like her.

Cherries Anyone?

Anyone know how to dry cherries? We've got a bumper crop about to explode all over our driveway and I'd like to save as many as I can, but don't know how. If you send me some advice, I'll send you a packet of dried goodness when they are ready :)

Of course any good pie, scone or other cherry recipes are welcome too!

ps. These are tart cherries, but I don't know what varietal they are. (Is varietal a word?)