saturday sewing

I had some sewing time last Saturday and it was just what I needed.  Some people shop for therapy.  I create for therapy.  It's a good thing when I get some sewing time....You know that saying about mama being happy?  Well, when this mama is sewing, it's all good in the house!  You'd think they'd be pushing me into my sewing room but no, I've got to wait it out and carve out sewing time here and there.  When I get a whole day...it's like Christmas. 

OK....I'm not complaining...just being silly.  My family is fabulous about allowing me some time to create and they are always wanting to snatch something that I've made.  Especially these pretties.

Jodi from Pleasant Home has a fun Etsy shop with patterns and fabrics.  It's like a perfect storm.  Just the right amount of goodness ready for a day of sewing therapy.  I purchased these patterns and some fabric from her and after a day in my craft room studio.  I emerged triumphant and giddy. 

I'll be making some more of these wallets as gifts for my girl's friends.  I think a gift card inside one of these wallets would make a sweet little gift. 

Out of the two patterns I thought the wallet would be the hardest, but I think it might have actually been a bit easier than the note holder.  Neither of them was hard though.  The directions were clear and easy to follow. 

The note holder is similar to the mini notebook covers that I made earlier, it just has a bit more pizazz to it!  There's a tab to keep it shut and a handy little pocket in the front for notes and stuff.
I love how it turned out but I think it could benefit by being a bit sturdier.  I think the next one will get some heavier interfacing for stability. 

 These projects would both be a great way to use up some scraps and try out some new color combinations.  I've never been a big pink and red girl but I love how the fabrics and trim all worked together to make this so fun and girly.  I also love the red and turquoise combo....I'll be using those colors together again.

How about you, do you have a favorite color combination that you love use?  I'm loving the fresh look of these two projects and it's got me thinking about some new color combos. 

the soup bowl

I'm hooking up with Jodi for a soup swap.  The idea is that everyone who participates, posts a delicious soup recipe and we're all blessed in the sharing.  Click here to find the links that will take you to all the recipes. 

My soup is a fall favorite.  My mom's church served this every year for the Mother-Daughter Thanksgiving tea. I begged the lady who was in charge of the menu for the recipe and apparently it was the recipe on the evaporated milk can.  No matter,  It's got the perfect blend of savory and the pumpkin adds a hint of sweetness underneath all the flavors. 

2 Tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons of curry powder ( LOVE this stuff!)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper (I don't have white pepper so I just use my regular pepper)
3 cups chicken broth
1 15oz can pumpkin (make sure it's plain pumpkin and not the pumpkin pie pumpkin with spices)
1 12oz can of evaporated milk

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium high heat.  Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently for 2-3 minutes or until tender.  Stir in curry powder, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute.  Add broth and pumpkin; bring to boil.  (keep an eye on it while it's coming to a boil)  Reduce heat to low; cook stirring occasionally for 15-20 minutes.  Stir in evaporated milk.  Transfer mixture to blender and process in batches.  (Be sure to leave a vent hole when processing hot liquids....trust me!)  Blend until smooth.  Serve warm with a dollop of sour cream if desired. 

Enjoy!  And thanks to Jodi for hosting the Soup Bowl....we'll be having lots of soup in the coming days! 

a little bit of bling

This simple cowl was a freebie pattern from my lys.  The pattern calls for 1 skein of "Nuna" by MIRASOL, but I had this luscious Wenslydale yarn from Amanda of Joli House that was perfect for this project.  In addition to the main yarn, you hold a strand of "Lazer FX" alongside when you knit every 6th row. 

The sequins add just the right amount of bling to a rather ordinary knit.  You don't even have to cut the sequin yarn, you just let it run on the back side and it hides itself wonderfully. I used size 8 needles and knit until it was about 7 1/2 inches tall....easy enough! 

It seems like cowls are the thing among knitters these days. I see them all over the blogosphere and on Ravelry.   They are fun, fast and make great gifts, but what I really want to know is, "Do people who aren't knitters wear them?"  Let me know what you think....I've got some on my list to knit as gifts and I'm wondering if they are going to be received with joy or that "ooh, how nice! (what was she thinking knitting me a neck tube)"  kind of reception.  You know what I mean?  Sometimes I wonder if my knitting gifts are as appreciated as I hope or if they're received like that scratchy sweater your grandma knit you in bright green and orange acrylic yarn when you really wanted a curling iron......maybe that's just me. 

from strength to strength

Sipping my morning coffee and reading the Word, I came across Psalm 84: 

"Blessed are those whose strength is in You, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.  As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools.  They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion."  (v. 4-6)

As I read the phrase "they go from strength to strength" I found myself praying...."Lord, help me to journey through life from strength to strength.   I sometimes feel as though I'm going from crisis to crisis or prayer need to prayer need." 

You know what I mean?  It seems like certain stretches of road have me going from drama to drama (maybe that's because I have teenagers) or concern to concern. Don't get me wrong.  I count my blessings every day and I know my cup runs over with abundance, but when I hit those places in the road where things are tough I find myself wanting the gentler road...the one without all the mud and all the mess.     That's when I long for the pretty path with flowers and paved roads. 

And then I quietly heard in my heart the Lord whisper to my spirit, "It's not your strength that you go from, it's Mine.  In those times of crisis or trouble or drama, it's My strength that you land on and take off from."  That Valley of Baca is a reference to a place of tears.  As I walk through the places that make me cry (and I will walk through those place...we all do), I find comfort and refreshment in Him.  He is the source of my strength. 

See, I was backwards in my thinking.  (again) What I was really wanting was 'cake walk' to 'cake walk', but I know enough to know that during those hard times, that it has been His strength that I've encountered and that has supported  me and held me up.   It's particularly during the hard times that I find myself leaning in to Him.  It's His strength that gets me through one trial and onward in my journey.  If I didn't have to pass through those Valleys of Tears, I wouldn't know His strength the way I do.  I'm so blessed.  I have been all along.   He reminded me that I have been walking from strength to strength.....not mine.  His.

In the end, it doesn't matter what condition the road is that I find myself traveling on...

just that I am found traveling in Him.  I've set my heart on pilgrimage and I'm so thankful that He supplies His strength for each mile of the journey.  

the bliss of autumn...outside and in

We're right in the middle of peak foliage for our state.  It is beautiful outside. Ordinary yards are transformed with brilliant colors and the woods are just magical.   Today John and I took a drive to our favorite heirloom pumpkin stand.

 This is one of my favorite places to visit each autumn.  I always take loads of pictures....the place is pure eye candy!

 I saw these cheese gourds and took this picture specifically for Jodi.  (check out her squash edition..it's very helpful!)  The tag said that the Long Island Cheese was perfect for pies and stored well over a long period.....I think one of these would make a really big pie!

These peanut pumpkins were really fun and unusual.  Two ladies came by and picked one up without any hesitation....they were on a mission and apparently it involved unusual pumpkins. 

 We lingered around the stand taking pictures and watching the chickens and then we took the long way home through the creek.  It was a great little getaway!

Inside, I've been decking the house with these great fabric pumpkins.  These were made from a Patchwork Pumpkin pattern that I bought from RetroMama.   There are three sizes and I made several of each. 

 Kim did a great job writing this pattern. It is chock full of tips and tricks and the photos helped so much.  They were so fun to make.  I held myself to using fabric that I had on hand.  (a self imposed challenge....and it helped use up some of my fall scraps)

 I ended up making 6 pumpkins.  After the first one, I had the hang of it and they went together pretty quickly.  My favorites are the two wool plaid ones which were made from an piece of fabric leftover from a vest my mom made many years ago.

 I gave one to my mom and she showed it off at book club this morning.  All the ladies want me to make them one now!....they are really cute!    I have a feeling I'm not done making these pumpkins.... but for now, I'm going to head out and enjoy the beautiful autumn scenery!

Hopefully you'll find some time this weekend to enjoy the scenery around you....Happy Fall! 

just a pumpkin peek

I'm caught up in a pumpkin patch of sorts.  Making these pumpkins is too much fun!  

 Be back to share soon! I'm off to the store for more stuffing.   Hope your days are filled with autumn delights!

ADVENTuring

My ADVENTure has been on vacation lately.  The start of school and three birthdays in September seems to have knocked all ADVENTuring to the back burner, but this weekend I was able to get in some sewing.  It was a great Sunday afternoon full of football and sewing.  The windows were open and the sun was shining.  I had a hot cup of coffee and I was ready to go! 

  I made some mini notebook covers for my book club.  These are so fun to make!  The book club is a mother/daughter book club - I'm a daughter which is weird because I'm so used to being the mother these days. We've read some great books and it's been really good to get me out of my comfort zone with literature.  I tend to pick the same genre over and over again.  Some of my favorite book club reads have been:  To Kill a Mockingbird, Jane Eyre, A Thousand Splendid Suns, and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.   We've worked through about a dozen books so far.   I'm the oldest of the daughters which makes my mom the oldest  most mature mother (in the book club).  It's a great mix of ages...30's to 70's. 

 I tried to pick fabric to coordinate with the personalities in the book club. Can you tell that we have some free spirits and some whom might be more easily labeled as traditional?  The diversity makes for great discussion!  They'll probably all get their notebooks and want to swap with each other for a different fabric choice! What do I know!?! (Remember how you used to do that in elementary school?  The teacher would pass out folders and you'd be nudging your neighbor to trade colors with you...) 

  I found the tutorial for this mini notebook cover on blogger a couple of years ago and I couldn't find the blog to link to it anymore.  (it came from a blog called "knitting after hours").  The covers each take a fat quarter and they sew up pretty quickly.  I bought these little notebooks in packs of three from Office Depot.   I'm sure you can find them in any office supply store. 

As I was taking photos of the notebooks, my boy came riding up on his bike and after checking it all out, asked if I would make him one.  I told him that I'd be glad to after I bought some more interfacing.  I mentioned that we could pick out a boyish print and he'd have a notebook for doodling.  He bent down, picked up the striped notebook and said, "This one looks like boy would carry it...can I have this one?"  After hearing yes, it immediately went into his back pocket and off he peddled.  Hopefully my book club members will pocket theirs with just as much joy. 

So, before it's my turn to choose our book club read, do you have any favorites you'd recommend? 

vite cowl

Vite is grapevine in Italian....I know because I looked it up.  Until I knit this infinity scarf/cowl, I'd never come across the word before. But that's the great thing about knitting...it's expanding my horizons...even if I never set foot in Italy.   Designers often choose peculiar clever names for their patterns and so I'm always learning new words.   

In addition to the vocabulary lesson, this was a fun, fast knit.  It took me longer to find a sunny day for photos than it did to actually knit the entire scarf.  It was knit on huge needles (size 15) with a chunky yarn (cascade magnum).  Kristi has the pattern available as a free download on Ravelry if you're interested. (thanks Kristi!) You can wear it long or doubled up....it's fun and versatile. 

The Magnum yarn is one ply 100% wool.  It's almost like knitting with roving.  I love this color (Lake Chelan Heather) and it is so very soft.  Since it is wool, it is also decidedly warm. 

I think this is one of those scarfs you could wear doubled up around your neck when you're outside and then let it out and wear it long when you get inside where it's warmer...it'd still give you some indoor style without all the warmth up around your neck.  

Here's the knitty gritty:

Pattern: Vite Cowl by Kristi Johnson

Yarn: Cascade Magnum (1 skein, knit until it's gone)

Needles: size 15

Modifications: none

in my line of sight

Thanks for all your well wishes on my eye wear!  I'm making progress, slowly but surely.  I had to laugh on Sunday when our Pastor's message was about vision...don't you know I'm apparently enrolled a series about life lessons for those needing vision correction!

Speaking of sight, I finally changed the scenery around here and we are in full Autumnal mode.  In other words, I decorated for fall.  Here's a peek:

entry way wreath from TJ Maxx - last year.  I left the kids in the car while I ran in to get it, and when I came out, the car wouldn't start...dead battery!  They'd played the radio and drained the battery...I swear I was in and out in under 15 minutes! honest.

hand stitched pillow- made by me several years ago

my new acorn cookie jar...it was just too perfect to pass up! (another TJ Maxx find)

this little guy, made by a friend is peeking out of a willow basket in our main bathroom

the living room mantle...still tweaking this one...but that's how I work..it evolves over time!

I love scarecrows for autumn...this guy is on a shelf in our kitchen.  The candle is from Tonya, I can't bring myself to burn it, it's so pretty!

the dining room hutch...this changes too...depending on my mood.  I like it. for now.

Here's my new lamp that I bought to cozy up the kitchen. My sister in law had one on her counter when we stayed in her beach house and I adored the look that it cast around the room.  But I'd like for you to weigh in -which shade do you like better?  It came with the drum shade (#1) and I had the burlap shade (#2)....I think I need a softer bulb for sure. 

Well, that's my view around here.....how are things looking at your house?  No matter the view, I hope your focusing on the blessings in your life!  Happy Fall!

focus

I've been wearing reading glasses since I was in college.  It's been no big deal...I put them on when I'm reading or stitching...or when my eyes would feel tired.  But lately, I noticed that I was putting them on more often and leaving them on longer.  So when Mckenzie needed her eyes checked, I thought it would be a good time for me to go in as well.  (it'd been 5 years since I'd seen my eye doctor).  Well, he nicely informed me that I'd hit that stage of life when lenses dry out and eyes become less elastic and he went on about my prescription needs having changed...really it was all downhill from there.  So I got these new glasses.

 They are progressives.  They have a section for distance vision, a section for reading and a middle section for the in between stuff (like computer work and dashboards).  They are not like my reading glasses.  I am getting adjusted to how they work and where I need to look to see whatever it is I'm trying to see.  I'm learning where to focus and it's been tricky.  I've been feeling a bit off balance.

  It's all gotten me thinking though that this adjustment process with my progressive lenses is a lot like life. I'm in a season of my life (aside from my eye glasses) where I'm adjusting my focus.  Life is full of opportunities for me to readjust my focus.  (new roles, changing seasons, kids growing, forgiving wrongs, trusting more, worrying less, letting go of wrong assumptions....I'd better stop while I'm ahead) But no matter what the area, I need to be patient with the process.  Just as it's going to take time to get adjusted to these new lenses, when I'm in a refocusing season of my life, I need to be patient with the process.  It takes time to readjust your focus.  When you're used to looking at something a certain way, it requires purposefulness to redirect your gaze.  It takes time to know where to look for what.  I might feel off balance from time to time, but I know Who my anchor is.  As long as I keep my eyes on Him, I can sharpen my focus.  "I have set the LORD always before me.  Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken."  Psalm 15:8.