Gehring Road

happy halloween!

We're celebrating the fact that this is first time in three years that this guy isn't just a light source. We have power, candy and trick-o-treaters. Yay! Happy Halloween... hope it's spooky! 

a bit of everything

This particular school year is testing me... my patience, my resolve, my abilities... just everything really. In the midst of it, I'm learning a great deal about my will and about perspective. So far, I've discovered that taking joy in the little things is essential... it's food for the spirit. Also, that apple pie martinis are really lovely. Back to perspective though. I've been treating myself to little bits of fabric, books that I find and love, a really expensive cup of coffee from an out-of-the-way stop in the morning... it just helps. With that in mind, I saw this beautiful bit of fabric at MissMatatabi's Etsy Shop. It's Nesshome's Feedsack Flower Pattern panel and contains eight different prints on each... just a bit of everything as it turns out. It couldn't be more different than the x plus Field Study blocks that I've been working my way through... a really nice change as it is. Some sewing with my growing stash of Japanese fabrics is in order. Sewing might just be the very best food for the soul... Happy Tuesday everyone! 

chocolat made me do it

 Image from designsponge

It started innocently enough... a bit of sewing, a bit of period film viewing. One of my favorites this time, Chocolat (2000), a sweet, clever little film starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp. Lovely little afternoon. I glanced up from my sewing to see...

image found here

...the opening of the chocolaterie (which often prompts a bit of a chocolate craving that is almost always endulged) and it hit me... that wall truly has been painted the most perfect color blue. I'm strange like that and most certainly a bit compulsive when it comes to paint of a paint connessoir. I fell in love with that color... and then started seeing it everywhere. Aparently we've been carrying on this relationship for a while...

I picked up this blanket from Target a few months ago... Kylie claimed it as her own...

My first Plucky Knitter purchase (coming soon!) in Skies of November...

My own banner right there at the top of this page! 

 

Oh yes, this love affair with that lovely, moody, blue has been almost wholly unnoticed by yours truly. Until now of course, thanks to Chocolat. And so... I've decided to paint an accent wall in my loft that really beautiful color. That back wall under the roofline to be exact...

I chose Benjamin Moore's Newburg Blue. It is such a rich and lovely shade, I think it will be a really beautiful pop of color in the loft... Ready to see a swatch? 

Yes, just right. Besides a bit of paint (so excited!), we also have plans for a lovely pegboard project for that same wall. Very exciting indeed. Happy Monday everyone, I hope you are finding the sweet in things and are enjoying this new week! 

life lately according to Instagram

I'm here on Instagram (and loving my new phone)... Happy Weekend everyone! 

three things I'm itching... to make

There's a bit of a creative bug happening here... not nearly enough hours in the day to accomplish the many things I'd like to try and tackle, but none-the-less, I'm feeling the need to make. With that in mind, I'm starting a bit of a series here in this little space, a little addition to my crafty list of things to do. I'm calling this little series "three things I'm itching to make" and hope that it will cover some recipes I'd like to try, knitted lovelies I'm looking to start, sewing projects I'd like to get stuck in to, even books I'd like to read. So here goes... 

 Image found here 

I'm not sure how I missed Katy's Farmer's Wife Quilt block when they first happened on the scene, but I did. Goodness are they lovely. I'm itching to tackle some small blocks, sew with my Liberty stash (goodness knows it's time) and I love the addition of that black fabric. Just perfect. 

Image found here

I love the muted tones and florals in this pile of whole cloth quilts. I need to use up some fabrics in my stash and love the idea of a simple printed whole cloth quilt with some irregular lined quilting. I especially love the thought of a more busy binding on this one. 

Image found here

And lastly, on the making dinner front (which I really do not do as often as I should thanks to the talents of my sweet guy) the very second I spotted these "Mushroom Lasagna Rolls Ups in a Creamy Gorgonzola Cauliflower Sauce" (phew, what a mouthful!) I knew I needed to make them. How genius is cauliflower sauce I ask you?!? I can't wait to try these and you know I'll share how they were. I should blog and pin less when hungry! 

Happy Thursday everyone, I hope it finds you feeling creative and looking to make the most of the day ahead! 

mint and pea pesto... it's what's for dinner

It was 84 degrees here today. 84. It is such a treat and we are just loving and soaking in these warm (bug-less and humidity-less) days. These delicious stolen moments make enjoying this fall season so lovely, but also have us holding on a bit to summer, especially when it comes to dinner. Mint and pea pesto has been on a continuous loop here at our house, it is so quick, so easy and most importantly so tasty. You must try it. My sister and brother in law made it for us when we visited them this summer and they follow this recipe. We follow it a bit, but mostly just eyeball things as they go into the blender. Here's what we do...

1. pasta into salted water and cook according to directions

2. reserve some of the pasta water for later before you drain it (this is 1 cup)

3. Into the food processor goes... 1 cup of mint leaves (we've kept a potted mint plant that stays pretty happy throughout the year, be careful not to mistakenly put mint into the ground, it will take over everything... my Aunt once tried to throw bleach on her runaway mint as it took over her yard... it still grew back... true story) 

4. Don't blitz anything yet, just throw in some peas (a bag or so is fine)

5. Next goes freshly grated parmesan cheese (1/4 cup or so...) add some olive oil (1/4 to 1/3 cup no precise measurements needed), lemon juice to taste (1/2 lemon? my sister likes a bit more) and blitz it...

6. Add that mixture to a sauce pan and heat it. Remember that reserved pasta water? Add it to the mix as it heats until you get a consistency you like.

7. Add in the pasta and make sure the pesto covers the noodles. Garnish with parmesan. 

Happy Wednesday! Hope you find yourself enjoying these first days of autumn, even if they're feeling a bit like summer. 

three things i love

I spent a bit of time over the weekend working on some x plus blocks for my quilt and decided to take my new Little House pins for a test drive. I love, love, love these pins. I'm convinced they are responsible for some amazingly accurate piecing on the blocks I finished over the weekend. I'm so happy with these little glass head pins. 

At first, I couldn't really justify spending a bit more for pins... I sew right over mine and though I've never had an issue, on occasion, they've bent as a result my laziness. I kept seeing Little House pins pop up in blogland (and promptly disappear) read some reviews on-line and decided to give them a go with another order I placed for thread. They're so great, and I'm so in love that I ordered another set. 

While I was thinking about coming here to profess my love for these little pins, I also thought about updating the post "to the beginning sewist" written a few years ago. While I don't quite have the time to do that just now, I have to share two other tools that I've grown to love and use while sewing. The first are my small scissors... I so love these. 

I bought mine a while back from Brooklyn General (it appears they are out of stock), a set of small scissors was not something I imagined was useful beyond embroidery. Since buying these little guys (which meet TSA guidelines), I've done everything from trim log cabin strips to snipping chain pieced rows for my x plus blocks. These stay right by my machine (some people like to keep them around their neck for easy use), and I absolutely find them a must have these days. 

Lastly, my Dritz Disappearing Ink Marking Pen is something I'm constantly picking up (when they're on sale) at JoAnns. I love the way this pen works. I'm often able to mark several lines before the disappearing begins making it perfect for quick chain piecing. It's also really fine, making my lines for my x plus blocks really accurate, always a fabulous thing. So, what are you loving in your sewing room lately? 

Happy Tuesday everyone!