Monday, November 29, 2010

Blowing in the Wind

Today has been very cold and 

very windy.
The good thing is that it kept me home
and blew me right up to my studio
and I actually spent the day sewing.

I continue to work on UFO's that
seem to multiply rather than diminish.
I did manage to clear a couple of things off
my list.

"All from my stash"  Ta-Dah!

I finished a quilt for Project Linus.
It's a great pattern from Quiltville.
Check it out if your looking for a quick and easy 
quilt to make.

Also finished about 15
Sweet Zips designed by
Terry Atkinson.

I had bought a few Hawaiian fat quarters on
my recent trip and decided 
to actually do something with them.


So I made these adorable and easy little bags.
The perfect size for a little gift.
I haven't' put a zip in for a long time, but
this was fast and straightforward.
Couldn't have been easier.

Even though the wind continues to blow
and I'm wearing 2 sweatshirts 
and have my little floor heater humming,
I've accomplished a bunch.

That's a good thing!
Hope your Monday was as productive. 
Until Next Time-

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Pie is the traditional dessert for Thanksgiving.  
Everyone has their favorites and traditions.

Pie is relatively easy and inexpensive to make.
Most can be made a day or two ahead.

Remember, I said easy, not neat.


No matter what you have eaten for your 
Thanksgiving meal there is always
room for a sliver of pie.

I read that the top 3 pies for Thanksgiving are:
Apple pie
Chocolate
and Pumpkin


Well, I made 2 of the three.



Pie is humble.


Pie is nostalgia.

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

We were apart yet, through the wonder of skype
we were together.


Until Next Time-

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Happy 26th!

Minnie Mouse Cartoon

Happy Birthday!
Kate and Jessica 
Today is your day!

Do you remember this party?
It was your 5th birthday, 1989.
You wanted a Minnie Mouse Party.
You played "Pin the Bow on Minnie".

Didn't we make a great cake?


You both got to blow out candles,
but it was the same cake.
Sorry, sometimes twins have to share.


Smile, Kate.


Enjoy your special day.
Even though the two of you are apart,
your hearts will always be one.


Until Next Time-Kyle

Monday, November 22, 2010

I Can Do It

Mary Engelbreit always says it right.

I don't usually cook a turkey.
But the grocery stores have
such a good deal on them over
the holidays.

So I did.
I do know how.


Looks good and tasted great.
So for the rest of the week before
the real Thanksgiving meal,
I'll be making Turkey Soup with Wild Rice
and Grilled Turkey Sandwiches.

I'm hoping all this preplanning will leave
me some time to quilt.
The projects are mounting.

Until Next Time-Kyle

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Fabulous Friday

For today: 

Looking Out My Window: It's gotten cold enough for ice on the lake. 

My Weekend Plans Include: If you read my previous post you'll know how I'm getting ready for Thanksgiving, shopping, organizing, prepping. Maybe I can squeak in some quilting as well.

I’m Reading: Open by Andre Agassi

Movie Marquee:  Sherlock Holmes and Toy Story 3.  We'll plan to save them for the holiday. They'll be good ones for the family to watch.

Something Quiltie:  We got some wonderful zippers in at the store last week.  They are perfect for making bags.  They are the deal of the day, a 14" zipper- $1.00.  They're from Atkinson's Design and the colors coordinate with all the current color trends.  Perfect time to make a bag.

One of My Favorite Things: is trying new recipes.  Now that's it's just Ed and myself, I'm met with little resistance.  I get tired of cooking the same things over and over.  So this past week we had something new for dinner 4 times.  We had a frittata with zucchini and goat cheese from Williams-Sonoma, Bobby Flays' Macaroni and Cheese Carbonara from the Food Network Magazine, Teriyaki Burgers from Annie's Eats, and Creamy Portobello Soup also from the Food Network Mag.  All were winners.


I’m Thinking About: the fact that sometimes the days feel so long, but the years go by so quickly. Where has all the time gone?  There's not a minute to waste.  It's so important to enjoy the moment and don't let opportunity pass you by.

What’s For Dinner: I vote for pizza.

A Favorite Photo: 
 Don and Elizabeth having fun
making raviolis

Until Next Time-Kyle

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Thanksgivings Coming

I have never been a procrastinator.
I like to think and work ahead to avoid
 stress or anxiety.
I don't work well under pressure.

I guess my mom emphasized that attribute.
As a kid I always had my school work done
way ahead of time.

It's a trait that has stuck ever since I was young.

Well, with Thanksgiving a week away, it
means I need to start my Thanksgiving count down.

The menu is planned.
That's easy because it rarely changes.
I have a whole folder of interesting recipes, but
my family generally rejects any new ideas.
Turkey is dismissed immediately.

Next is organizing and planning a grocery list.
I have a general list that I use each year.
I just make a new copy.
I'll head off to the stores over the weekend.

Also on the weekend, I'll plan the table and
clean out the frig to make room for all the good food..
Ed will make "the Sauce".

Monday means getting out the appropriate serving dishes,
utensils, place settings, and tablecloths and napkins and 
planning a simple centerpiece.


Tuesday or Wednesday is prep day.  Making
the pie crusts, cranberries, rolls and ,I think, this year
making the ravioli's ahead.
Poor Ed always ends up away from the family making
raviolis on Thanksgiving

in the basement on his special pasta table

When it is, Thanksgiving, it will be just putting it all together
and enjoying time with family.

Our Italian menu is pretty straightforward
and allows everyone to take pleasure in the day.
It's not "the traditional" meal, but
the Redente family won't have it any other way.


Until Next Time-Kyle


Monday, November 15, 2010

Something New Yet Old

Over the weekend I should have stayed focused.
Stuck with the projects I already had started.

But instead, I splurged just a bit
and added a new (old) quilt to my collection.
It's not in perfect shape.
A little wear around the outside border and on the binding.
But the color shouts out.
It's so vibrant..
The orange is just so happy.

Take a closer look at the blocks.
The quilter must have been happy because of the delightful color she was
working with, but
 didn't really care
how the blocks were put together.

I counted 5 different ways the blocks were pieced.
Maybe she just thought, "oh, well"!
Maybe it was one of those group projects and not everyone got the message.
I'm sure that #1 block was the original intent.

The piecing is nicely done with all the points in the right places.

The quilt was machine pieced and hand quilted.
The quilting was her forte.
The stitches are small and even
and the design is fairly elaborate with a feathered wreath in the open area
with
double lined quilting going over the pieced blocks.


It's difficult to date a two color quilt.

But based on a few other clues I'm thinking it was made during
the last quarter of the 19th century or early 20th.
Some general characteristics were:
Bindings were generally very thin
Simple patterns
less quilting than earlier
double lines of quilting
cheddar orange was popular
 more solids were being used at the end of the century.
Some of the orange fabric is shattering so it might have been 
made with cheaper fabric that was readily available.

Of course, it was made by 
"The Unknown Quilter"

We'll never know who made this, when or where.
But I will enjoy it here and now.

Until Next Time-Kyle

Friday, November 12, 2010

Fabulous Friday

For today: 

Looking Out My Window:The first few days of new cold weather takes a bit of adjustment.  The colors of fall have all but vanished.

My Weekend Plans Include: I'm definitely adding some play time in my sewing studio.It's time to look at my UFO's list again and see what I can get done quickly.

I’m Reading: The Cook's Holiday Baking magazine.  It makes you want to bake and bake and bake.

Movie Marquee: "Laws of Attraction" and "Intolerable Cruelty"

Something Quiltie:  Have you seen the new Dr. Seuss fabric by Robert Kaufman?
I liked these fabrics very much,
I had to do much more than touch.

I cut them by the yard and yard and yard.
I'm telling you it wasn't very hard.
So now I'll put them in my stash, 
They're so pretty, I'll be sewing in a flash.

A quilt is what I'll sew and create,
I'm too excited to sit and wait.

One of My Favorite Things: is baking cupcakes.  I tried a new recipe this week for Stashbusters class.  Those delightful ladies are my best clients. This month was Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes.  It's obvious with the chocolate and peanut butter combo why they were so good. I added a bit of Reese's on the top of the peanut butter cream cheese frosting.

 

I’m Thinking About: how I often delay doing something because I don't think I have " time."  Who knows if I will have the "free time" later. 

What’s For Dinner: Yesterday was the perfect day for Chili.  Leftovers are even better.
A Favorite Photo:  
 A sea turtle
We went on a snorkeling trip and 
several were swimming next to the boat.
It was a great sight.

Enjoying time together
Hawaii, 2010


Until Next Time-Kyle

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Home

When Dorthy clicked your ruby red slippers,
she said, 'There's no place like home."
She was right, but I
think I could make my home where the
palm trees sway, and the temperature
doesn't vary too much from 80 degrees.
The perfect days.

So I went from this


to this.

Lesson:
We just have to make the best of
whatever circumstances we find ourselves in.

So instead of a working on my perfect tan,
it's the perfect day to snuggling inside with a hot bowl of chili.



Until Next Time-Kyle

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Maui Balance

I am on a wonderful vacation.
Maui is just like it is suppose to be.
Paradise.

But, it is all about balance.
I'm not talking about the balance it would take for me on a
boggie board.
 That would be almost impossible.

Instead...
It's balancing "doing" and "relaxing".
It's balancing together time and alone time.
It's balancing eating simple and eating fancy.
It's balancing  sun and shade.
It's balancing "going" or "staying".
It's balancing sharing dessert or eating our own!

But no matter
It's about enjoying the moment.
Not waiting for the good time to come, but
knowing you're in it right now.

Aloha.

Until Next Time-Kyle

Friday, November 5, 2010

Fabulous Friday

For today: 

Looking Out My Window: Sun, Surf, and Sunshine and add a little sunburn.


My Weekend Plans Include: taking the road to Hana.  It's a 50+ mile road trip with beautiful beaches, waterfalls, and twisty roads. 

I’m Reading: The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.  I probably don't need the book here in this beautiful place.

Movie Marquee: No, movies this weekend.  I'm living a movie.

Something Quiltie:  I brought my A to Zzzz embroidery.  I've even worked on it a bit.

One of My Favorite Things:  Spending time with my best friend.  That would be you, Ed. But add the Mai Tai's.

I’m Thinking About: Never coming home.  Sell the house, girls, and send the $$.  We should be able to stay another week!

What’s For Dinner:  Mama's Fish House, a resturant highly recommended by everyone. Can't wait.
A Favorite Photo:  
Beach Sunset

Until Next Time- Aloha, Kyle

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Getting Ready

We are heading to Hawaii
to celebrate our birthdays.
I have already reached my milestone birthday, 
and Ed's B-day is in Feb.

So why not go celebrate in November.

Ed is always full of surprises.
He was getting ready.

Announcement:
I am going to shave off my beard!


Now I am ready!

I did shave my legs.
I guess I'm ready too.

Until Next Time-Kyle

Monday, November 1, 2010

November Show and Tell

I love going through my collection
of quilts.
Here are a few that look more like "Fall".

"Castle Keep"
1985
I use to call this quilt my "gymnastic quilt".
It's hand pieced and hand quilted.
 I did a lot of the piecing while I watched
Elizabeth at gymnastic class when she was 4!

The fabric is a Jenny Beyers line and she designed the 
pattern as well.
 I "fussy cut" the fabric to create the kaleidoscope pattern
in the middle of each star.
I don't know how I got so much done back then...
a 4 year old and 1 year old twins.


This quilt was so much fun to
find, swap and use plaids.
One of my quilt groups, "Material Girls"
did a plaid exchange and 
this is what I made.
Bear Raids, Kyle's Stash
1996

All kinds of combinations were made
and even sewed "slightly off grain"
The Bear Paw pattern is one of my favorites.

Here's the label and the back.
There are bear paws appliqued across the back just for fun.

This quilt was also done with friends 
and a fabric exchange.
"Stars Galore"
1997

The stars were done with fusible applique and then 
stitched around the edges using black thread to give a 
more primitive look.
The background fabric was a Moda marble
that we referred to as "paper bag brown."
I quilted it with a big stitch and
still enjoy looking at all the different 
fabrics I used.

This last quilt is one of the oldest one I have in my collection.
I have taken classes by Barbara Brackman
and Eileen Jahnke Trestain, both women who
are experts on dating fabrics and they have 
both critiqued and dated this quilt.
1875-1900
a Nine Patch Variation set on point

Don't you love the cheddar?
It's hand quilted with both white and cheddar thread.
The binding is a small gold print called 
"California Gold" popular during the gold rush days. (1849)

The turquoise prints were popular during the 1840's.
There's also some wonderful madder browns
It's in wonderful shape.
I should be so lucky when I'm about
130 years old!
Until Next Time-Kyle