Gehring Road

recent finds

 

Button Wallpaper from Studio Ditte

The weather has taken a turn for the unbearable as of late... heat and humidity has been the course of things as of late, though today we're enjoying a break from the humidity and it's just plain hot. Ah, Summer in New England... All this ugly weather has us looking for things to do inside. Besides finishing some bee blocks, I've spied some really sweet wallpaper from Studio Ditte... love the bits of string on those buttons...

 

And though I rarely buy patterned fabric from JoAnne's... while picking up some more Kona white for bee blocks, I spotted a very Orla Kiely-esque print along with a vibrant fat quarter pre-cut.  

So a few recent lovely finds, taking a break from the Etsy finds for a bit... and I'm off, back to hiding from the heat. 

i love mondays :: especially when they feel like a saturday

I love these Miz Mooz Kensington Boots (on sale now!) seen at Infinity Shoes. I'm always in search of the perfect boot, the perfect slouchy wear in the fall under skirts and over jeans kind of boots... I think these Miz Mooz boots come close, I'm just not sold on the buckles.  Though I've seen people wearing them and they look slouchy and fabulous on them... hmm... maybe for back to school.  

Speaking of back to school, I had my first back to work dream last night... oh, it is early for that.  Anyway, I was in an old building (that made it sort of ok for a second, my dreaming self was admiring the ceiling height and huge windows) with 52 kids in a class (there were lining the walls under said windows... suddenly very much not ok) and I was trying to make them laugh with stories of blenders (I haven't used a kitchen appliance blender in years) and there was discussion of standards and meeting goals, at which point I woke up in a cold sweat.  That's a long way off... a long, long way off, isn't it?  

My plan for the day is some luxurious 8 am sewing... possibly followed by some 10 am reading, possibly in pajamas because I can.  I hope you are enjoying all of the possibilities of this day! Happy Monday!

sunday stash... and things beginning to come to life in the loft

Sunday finds us ready to head to the Farmer's Market for the first time this season, trying to keep the heat and humidity out of our home (hence the less than sunny shots), and milling about our respective spots.  Rob is in the garden fighting blight... yes you read correctly... blight... again... yes on the tomatoes... yes again, but such is life. I'm snapping shots of the amazing light that comes in through the blinds and beginning to organize the loft for some sewing.  

See, I've been stashing some Anna Maria Horner Little Folks Voile for a while... really ever since it came out. I talked about making a quilt with it, and Rob's birthday gift of a set of square block rulers kind of solidified the deal. I'm going to make 12'' blocks with that stack of loveliness for a throw to be kept in the loft... which is really quickly becoming a shrine to all things Anna Maria... fabric (linen cabinet, curtains, throw)... it's almost threatening to become a loft-in-a-bag, but oh how I love that fabric.

Besides that lovely voile and dreaming of quilts, I'm also making quilt squares as part of a Flickr Quilting Bee... The 3X6 Sampler Quilting Bee is filled with exceptionally talented sewists each making six blocks of their choosing in the colors preferred by the recipient (one for each of the other members in her group). I chose to make string blocks and used this tutorial... highly addictive.  This was my first 1/4 of the first block...

... four of these will be sewn together to make one block. Super fun, easy and a great way to use up scraps. More loft news to come... we're off to the Market.  Happy Weekend! 

how does our garden grow

The emergence of that hammock signifies summer to me... and I simply love summer. Have I mentioned that here before? Maybe once or a dozen times, I know... I can't wait to show you my view (usually book, dog, trees, sky) from that hammock... lovely. The emergence of really everything in the garden is what we're loving about summer right now. Here's what is coming up...

 

... garlic and shallots just pulled today...

 

... eggplants! We're so excited about this...  

 

...early black raspberries... already tasty...

 

... sweet baby zucchini's (and plenty of them!)

   

... tiger lilies up close and in focus... loving the new camera...

A very happy Solstice to you, I hope it finds you loving what is around you and enjoying the emerging season. Have a lovely weekend! 

this moment :: strawberry picking

this moment - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Happy Weekend!

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tutorial thursday :: double wedding ring

 

Double Wedding Ring Quilt from Erica Ray's Photostream on Flickr. 

Today is my very first day of summer vacation and all I can really think about is tearing into the fabrics I've been putting aside for some planned quilt projects... free time at last!   The Double Wedding Ring Quilt is one that I've seen over and over again and loved, but not one that I'll tackle this summer. The version above is beautiful and modern, and of course I love the hand quilting. The talented crafter who made that beautiful quilt spent 15 months working on it. She chronicled her work on her blog... For more inspiration, The workroom also has a set on Flickr of versions made in their class... really lovely quilts. 

So this Thursday's tutorial is a free pdf pattern from Freespirit for a version of the Double Wedding Ring Quilt. Happy Thursday... and a very happy summer to you!

this moment

This moment - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

 

 ... a little late this week but here none-the-less! Happy Weekend.

etsy finds tuesday... lovely little things

 

Silk Lined Green and White Silhouette Forest Frame Kisslock Clutch, BrianaEdelmanDesign Etsy Shop

The school year grinds to a close in my little world, so this will the last Etsy finds for a bit as I buckle down and wrap up some work... namely frantic exam grading and then reveling in the last few days with some of my students. In the meantime, here are some lovely little things I've been looking at lately, when I really should be grading, ahem...

 

BBQ Fun from BROOKLYNrehab Etsy Shop    

 

Vintage Pretzels Tin from FrenchbyDesign Etsy Shop 

 

Home Sweet Home Block Print from 1canoe2 Etsy Shop 

 

Cities of Europe Bus Roll Bus Scroll from TransitDesign Etsy Shop   

 

Women's Mary Jane Crocheted Slippers from BrokenHallelujah Etsy Shop  

 

Vintage Wooden US Mail Box from bellalulu Etsy Shop 

around here...

 

Lavender from the herb garden... 

It was a mere second after I took this shot for this post that my camera slipped out of my hand and landed with a sickening crack on the floor in the loft.  A few weeks after Rob's slipped out of his bag and onto the floor with a similar result. So, this weekend we found ourselves camera-less and not quite ready to purchase the DSLR that is in our future.  Regardless of the big fancy camera that we end up choosing (if you have suggestions or warnings about cameras in your life, please share!) we've always thought we would have a point and click for work trips and hikes and other small camera preferable moments.  A new little Canon Powershot (SX 210 IS for those into that kind of thing...not me!) has entered our lives, and I'm in love... 

 

the detail captured (and focus!) are easy to get used to...

 

 

 

... Rob's home-made pasta and bolognese sauce... 

 

... and chocolate cookies... I know, I'm spoiled...

The camera so far has been fantastic... and it has been such fun to capture all the goings on of the weekend.  Rob found his way home from a work trip, as you can see plenty of cooking happened and plenty of pictures were taken of one very content Jack Russell.  Happy start to the week to you all and I'm loving this Monday! 

this moment

"this moment" is a Friday ritual over at one of my very favorite blogs, Soulemama... Amanda calls it "a single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week... A moment... to pause, savor and remember." Amanda has invited her readers to do the same, so here we go... 

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