Gehring Road

today there was sewing!

Hello there from bronchitis land! I have the full blown version, Rob seems to have bronchitis light. It really isn't fun and consists of coughing, little sleep and congestion that feels a lot like someone standing on my chest cavity. Go away, bronchitis! I carved a bit of sewing time out of the day today anyway. Following Jenni's pattern, I made "The Everything Bag" with the small bit of Ruby Star Shining I picked up and Alexander Henry Heath from my red stash. I used ribbon for the pulls because I wanted this quick project to be even faster in the making. I love the pattern and know it will be a go-to bag for many things. So fun! Then there was napping... and coughing... mostly coughing.

I wasn't going to mention this here for fear of the world thinking I'm insane but since we're speaking of coughing, in the wee hours of this morning (hello 3 am coughing fit) after watching Project Runway and trying not to wake a sleeping Rob, I searched the web in desperation for a fix for persistent coughing and found... Vicks on the feet. Have you heard of this? Literally hundreds of sites and testimonials where people put Vicks on the bottoms of their feet, covered them with socks... and slept, finally. I'm a little embarrassed to say, I tried it... and it worked! I have no idea why it worked, I really didn't even care why it did, I just wanted some relief! I tell you... in five minutes, my incessant (breaks of 30 seconds at most for hours) coughing was almost non-existent and has been much less even today. I know, crazy... but next time you're battling a night-time coughing fit give it a go. I'm off to Vicks my feet and not ashamed... sort of. Happy (and healthy) weekend to you! 

etsy finds... on a sunday

Red Tartan Plaid Tote with Upcycled Leather and Brass Chain from By Loom and Hyde Etsy Shop

Happy October! The last few weeks have been a bit rainy and a bit gloomy around these parts so we used a break in the pouring rain to grab mums, corn husks and pumpkins today. No pictures though, and a good thing too, everything was soaking wet... but beautiful. The front porch is decked and it is feeling like fall... finally. Here are some fall-ish picks I've been spying...

Craspedia bunch from Flores del Sol Etsy Shop 

Milk Bottle Wall Vase from Mary Ober Etsy Shop 

Mid Centry Vintage Teacher's Stand from 86 For the Home Etsy Shop 

French Advertising Tin Box Red/Gold from Lucie Tales Vintage Etsy Shop 

Wool Coin Purse Yellow Plaid from Oktak Etsy Shop 

Metal Bread Box from Cynthia's Attic Etsy Shop

Quilt Ladder from Surveyor's Corner Etsy Shop 

Vintage Blue and White Metal Dutch Boy Pail from Kelly Street Vintage Etsy Shop 

Antique Wood Shoe Shine Box from Frog Goes to Market Etsy Shop 

Lidded Bee Bowl from Circa Ceramics Etsy Shop 

The Rucksack in Cinnamon Brown from Infusion Etsy Shop 

I want to grab that rucksack, the little lady and the guy and head out for a leaf peeping picnic, but today it's more like napping, grading papers and trying to move as far away from the sound of Rob's uber-drill (I can't begin to describe the sound of this concrete drill...aparently I'll try...it's like a cross between a scream and a cat fight) as possible. Such is life. I need to carve some more time out in front of my sewing machine... until then, back to contemplating some grading. I hope you are having a beautifully relaxed and lazy weekend! 

to market

When we first started frequenting our local farmer's market a few years ago, it was a few vendors in a field near a historical salt box home... well, it has grown and grown and grown, which is exciting, albeit overwhelming. Sunday, which was opening day, could not have been more beautiful, and the market was packed. I love to see some of the local farmers and restaurants that support local growers getting so much well deserved attention. We're looking forward to the tunes, the rhubarb, the seafood, the kettle corn and the sunshine (hopefully!) again this weekend. A very lovely weekend to you! 

scenes from a day...

Today I...

:: watched our little lady find the sun... and doze... and dream

:: admired the goings-on outside, when the sun transforms the grass into fields of violets, it's beautiful...

:: contemplated sewing, and wondered what could be done with left-over thread

:: walked by my knitting bag, and loved that it is filled with a work in progress

:: organized pins 

:: listened to some lovely tunes

:: admired some new additions/editions

:: did some therapy and laughed at the face on the diagram... again...

:: admired Rob's handiwork and the new corner in the loft

:: resigned myself to the fact that I will not use that fabric and should display it instead 

:: watched the beginnings of the garden being sown 

:: managed to smash my fingers in between the windows and the grills... again... no pictures of that, thankfully...

...and you? What scenes are you enjoying from today? 

etsy finds... pops of color

Vintage 50s Ceramic Cuckoo Clock from Twin Hearts Vintage Etsy Shop 

Birds all around here... I recently discovered the Angry Bird Ap, thought this is strange and installed it on my iPad. There follows the fastest three hours of my life, I looked at the clock wondering how one spends three hours flinging cartoon birds at objects and officially called it a bit of a habit. I'm limiting time spent with cartoon birds... really all birds (they are not my favorite).

We're also under attack by one lone robin here in our home.  He is seeing his reflection in the doors (garage and home), windows (woke up to robin giving us the stink eye in the bedroom window this morning... interesting) and really anything reflective.  He shows up in the strangest places... giving you a certain look through one eye, it's... unsettling. So, paper has been put up, screens have gone in, and we have some window washing to do this week (the forecast says 78 on Monday!). 

I have an eclectic group of Etsy finds for you today. It has been a while since we've done this here, last time it was ode to brown and right now, with the sun (that isn't blocked for robin) and things popping up from the ground... there are many bright pops of color in my Etsy favorites... here are a few...

Vintage Red Enamel Pitcher from La Pomme Etsy Shop

Distressed Blue Chair with Flower Fabric Seat from Darling Octopus Etsy Shop

Vintage Ohio Art Tin from Call Me Jasper Etsy Shop

Delicious Ice Cream Screenprinted Shopper from MrPS Etsy Shop

Rare Blue and White Porcelain Liptons Tea Sign from Vetromile Etsy Shop 

Mint Vintage Tammis Keefe Towel from Call Me Jasper Etsy Shop

Vintage Wood Fruit Box from Haven Vintage Etsy Shop 

Passport Cover Retro Paris Metro Map from Two Polka Dots Etsy Shop 

Can't Shake the Blues Side Table from Spruce Home Etsy Shop

Urban Throw Pillow NY from Nesta Home Etsy Shop

Vintage Daisy Angel Handkerchief from NeatoKeen Etsy Shop

Zippered Cases from Pilosale Etsy Shop 

Salt Air Hair Print from The Wheatfield Etsy Shop 

Vintage Malted Milk Soda Fountain Container from Solstice Home Etsy Shop

Off to enjoy the weekend... Rob is off to spend the day in the woods getting some firewood cut and split for the season.  I'm banned from such activities as my physical therapist noticed my tender shoulder was "sitting wrong" in its socket after last week's cutting and stacking. So, finalizing grades for the third quarter (we currently have only 40 school days left, not that I count such things) and possibly heading to a knitting class today is on the agenda... and of course a little bird dodging peeping as it happens.  Back tomorrow with some changes here on the blog and a bit of exciting news.  Happy Weekend to you and yours, I hope the sun and warm weather find you too... 

it's national quilting day... so I bought some fabric

 Heather Ross for Spoonflower fabrics 

A very happy National Quilting Day to you and yours... I did little quilting (really some loft organization) but I did pick up a very, very small bit (swatches really) of Heather Ross' new Spoonflower fabrics. The small bit is really a case of my leeriness at Spoonflower quality. I've heard it isn't so great, but I love these new fabrics and am going to use them on infrequently washed things only.

We also bought a new television today so the very, very small bit of fabric was really a topper to a fantastic day. We are not big television watchers, save PBS and our local channels. We do however love movies and so we're loving that we can watch Netflix and our Flickr photos on our TV, so tonight finds us gazing at Super Moon and enjoying all things new. Happy Weekend to you! 

stitch magazine giveaway

Small little giveaway on this Saturday... if you haven't already gotten your hands on the Spring edition of Stitch magazine, no worries... I have an extra! This season's issue features some tips and techniques, some awesome applique projects and some really lovely improve ideas. Leave a comment for the post (tell us what you're up to this weekend if you'd like!)  and I'll choose a random winner on Monday evening.  

Our weekend so far has been quiet, save a trip to Borders (they're going out of business - sad!) where I nearly hauled the entire craft section out to the car... luckily I own most of them so it wasn't all that necessary. I found some gems though, and all of the books are 20% off... still, sad! Rob made a fantastic mushroom ragu...

... delicious... we also did some laundry...

... it is my fault that she loves a laundry basket, when she was a puppy and we were living in England, I used to put her in it to keep her contained while I showered... if only she was into folding...

 ...and there has been plenty of resting too. Happy weekend! 

comfort

New Year's Day Cherry Pie... it was as good as it looks...

Rob is away for work.  It is January in New England.  Yesterday we had the last of two different storms in twenty-four hours roll through.  This morning's (second solo) snow removal was accompanied by an angry North wind.  I couldn't help thinking, as I cleared the driveway and dodged that mean wind, that it would be impossibly wonderful to curl up in the house in front of the fire and forget the snow, forget the need to leave the house at all... with a piece of Rob's cherry pie.  Comfort. The cherry pie Rob made for New Year's day at my parents' is long gone, but apparently not forgotten... feast your eyes...

... that filling goodness was piping hot when the picture was snapped.  If I didn't need my fingers for work, I would have gladly suffered the third degree burns to taste it when it surfaced from the oven. So good.  What's not good... the weather. This is the punishing time of year when the wind blown snow that one is currently shoveling takes aim at the few inches of exposed skin and just pummels... that brings out the complainer in me.  I look to creature comforts... oh pie, how we miss you... to get through. Rob's Cherry Pie was a recipe from our favorite Cook's Illustrated. In the meantime, we wait patiently for our pie maker to make his way home, watch episodes of Pushing Daisies on Netflix (watching shows in part about pies might be torture, but so is shoveling so it's in season) while taking pictures of the most beautiful snow... from inside the house... 

... Kylie (who has been glued to my side since she saw Rob leave the house - suitcase in hand) and I wish you a very comfort filled weekend, and a lovely start to the week! I'm off to sew some, and rest my aching back... I'm lift-from-the-knees challenged. 

tape

Japanese Tape Wrapped Package from Everley James

How I wish I was at the wrapping gifts stage of gift-giving, instead, I'm waiting for some fabric to arrive to finish the backing of a quilt and have a pattern for a bag calling my name from the loft.  I love the idea of handmade gifts, but the execution of my gifts needs a bit of a rethink over the summer... a bit of joy is taken out of the season when the last-minute panic ensues, but I'm trying (and succeeding, I think, ask Rob) to keep it to a minimum and enjoy the gift making this year. 

Of course not being in the gift wrapping stage (yet...) all I can think about is how wonderful it would be to go crazy with some Japanese masking tape.  I'm seeing it everywhere lately and loving it.  

 Tags from The Haystack Needle 

Mint Business Cards found here

I just love these tapes, they're really sweet and make a huge impact.  As I'll be (cross your fingers) basting and quilting on Tuesday... here are some tape Etsy finds, a wee bit early...

Japanese Washi Masking Tape from Littlehappythings Etsy Shop

New Masking Tapes from Littlehappythings Etsy Shop

Pack of 6 Washi Masking Tapes from Littlehappythings Etsy Shop 

Japanese Masking Tape Set of 4 Plaids from Studio Koizumi Etsy Shop 

Japanese Masking Tape Grey and Purple from Pretty Tape Etsy Shop

Pretty Oriental Pattern Tape from Pretty Tape Etsy Shop 

So wherever you are in your merry-making, I hope this finds you enjoying every moment of the season. I'm going to go answer the call of that Amy Butler pattern... happy interfacing to me! 

the state of gehring road and a winner... or two!

That one photo kind of sums up where I've been... and my reasons for the absolute abandonment of this blog.  The giveaway bag(s) are there as are a few swaps, fabric for this year's Thanksgiving place mats and napkins waiting to be cut, fabric squares cut for last quarter's bee (lateness...) and oh those scissors... did they get a work-out... more on that later.

So as a way to make up for my (I'd say forgetting, but it's more like falling asleep at 7:30 each night this week) lateness in picking a winner, I figured the only possible way to make it up to you is by choosing two! The Random Number Generator tells me they are...

#12 Brooke... what a fun thing!!! just lovely.. i would have been in heaven with all of those gorgeous quilts! and even seeing the one with her new line in it (that i've been questionable about), looks gorgeous! i'd love to win a scrap bag, since i am on a fabric buying freeze for the rest of the year ;) xoxo

and...

#15 Kaye... Gosh, I just would have loved to have been there too! I don't know how you possibly could have withstood buying one of the quilts!

I'll be in touch ladies!  As you're reading this post, I'm mulling around my loft tidying and getting ready to be crafty, how I love that.  Can't wait to share more of what I've been up to... In the meantime, here is more of the state of things around here...

... the state of Rob this Sunday, painting the trim now that he is the undisputed painting master here, behind him lies the state of the laundry... don't look...

...the state of the walls... Coventry Grey... how I love it... 

... well worth the drama... here, in case you missed it... the most lovely color grey...

    ...the state of the curtains... chosen, fabric purchased, arrived and waiting to be finished... I'm following this tutorial...

So that's where we are this weekend... looking forward to a lovely little Thanksgiving celebration on Thursday, a half day for me on Wednesday (pep rally in the morning though, send good thoughts) and plenty of things made for one of our favorite days of the year. I'm feeling thankful for your patience and for the day to fold fabric, gather surprises and see the new bedroom color in each change of the light.  Happy Weekend to you and yours.