Really Fun pARTy.

Jen hosted another fabulous pARTy this past weekend. We painted and drew on ceramic. A few months ago I found these tiles at a major retailer and fell in love, but I knew I could make my own. Jen suggested I try using the tiles with alcohol inks and look what I got! I love them. I still hope to try recreating the bird pattern with terra cotta tiles and terra cotta paints, but that can wait.

I also picked up some mugs at Ikea and we drew on them with ceramic pens. I could have created dozens hundreds of these. And probably will, someday. (If you have a birthday coming up in the next year, expect a mug). I drew a teabag on one, birds on branches on another and flowers on the rest. So simple. So quick. So adorable.

And you know the best part? Better than the cute mugs and the bird tiles? Hanging out on a Saturday night with beautiful inspiring women and a bottle of wine. That’s the best part.

Check out what Kristin made here, and what Jen made here.

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Purl Soho and a Plan

A few weeks ago while I was in New York, I stopped by Purl Soho. It was one of the top places to visit on my list and I was so excited to spend some time there. I’ve admitted that I’m addicted to fabric, so it could have been a dangerous stop, but I knew I was limited by the size of my suitcase so I was able to maintain some control. I picked up a few yards of some great stuff, but I also picked up this adorable pack of 1/2 yards. When I chose it I had no idea what I was going to use it for, but I finally figured it out. And it will be a surprise. A beautiful, sentimental surprise. So stay tuned. I plan to start it this week, so hopefully it will be done soon. (Soon is a relative term.) Either way, aren’t the fabrics just adorable and such a fun mix! I can’t wait to get started!

Note: I went back and looked through the fabrics to see what maker/line they’re from. The white one is from Cloud 9 Fabrics (Love them!), and I believe the top one is Alexander Henry. The  rest weren’t labeled. Bummer. Any ideas on the others?

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The Summer Day

A favorite by Mary Oliver. May you find time to fall into the grass and enjoy your weekend.

The Summer Day, by Mary Oliver

Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean-
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don’t know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?

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Advanced Sandwich Construction

I love a good sandwich, so I was pleasantly surprised to see this diagram in the New York Magazine this past week. It’s loaded with quirky advice, like butter the bread to prevent it from getting soggy. And that in terms of meat, less is more. I couldn’t agree more! Such good advice.

And along wtih the diagram is an article with the city’s 51 finest sandwiches (101 online). If only I had this two weeks earlier while in New York. Guess I’ll have to go back and eat my share of sandwiches. Yum.

Do you have a favorite sandwich?

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Meatless Monday and Muffins

I’ve been reading a lot about the new movement to encourage people to eat less meat. I am certainly not a vegetarian, but I also don’t feel I need meat at every meal. I decided to jump on board, so last night I knew I had a whole lot of eggs and a large bunch of broccoli from the Farmers Market. I quickly googled “Broccoli” and “Frittata” and I found the perfect recipe,

It was easy, it used ingredients I had on hand, and it was good. Really good. I served it with some good crusty bread, a bowl of fresh blueberries and kiwi and a side of salsa. Delicious. And meatless!

And on a totally unrelated topic, I made a batch of Rhubarb Muffins this weekend from this recipe. They are delicious. For some reason, my muffins rarely turn out. They’re either too dry or too moist or too boring, but these are really, really good. Really good.

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Family Treasures

My Grandmother passed away a few years ago. Before she did, we kept her off-season clothes in our guest room closet. I’m not really sure why I was nominated to store her clothes, but it never really bothered me, and it was nice to have a piece of her here in our house.

I also was given a box full of her jewelry to hang on to. And I still have it. There are no jewels or diamonds, primarily costume jewelry and a lot of clip-on earrings. I went through it when I first got it and chose a few pieces I liked that I thought I’d wear. Recently I’ve been feeling nostalgic and found the box to see what other treasures it held.

I found a couple of bracelets that I’ll wear, but it was this pendant that really blew me away. I can’t believe I’ve never noticed it before. I adore the butterfly and flowers, and wish I had a memory of her wearing it. I’m sure she did. I remember shadow boxes with butterflies  covering their walls and Grandpa always had an amazing flower garden.

I love it, and I’m so glad I took another look through the box.

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It’s All About The Birds

I’ve been on a bird kick this spring. I love listening to the birds outside my bedroom window early in the morning. I love watching the baby birds being fed by their parents outside our kitchen window (living in the bird houses Husband built), and I love seeing birds in artwork and fabric and other inspiring places.

I love the birds in Rachel Ann Austin’s work.

This sweet little buy on this necklace I found from Ruche.

These fabric bird houses from an adorable shop in Soho.

These bird wall tiles from (hush) Crate and Barrel.

And this print on the PJs I picked up for Daughter at Target.

They’re so happy and bright, they just make my day. Speaking of, it’s time to have another weekend. I plan to meet my Mom for lunch, do some sewing, make a Key Lime Pie and go for a few walks with the family. What about you?

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Not Just Any Fat Quarter Swap

I joined an International Fat Quarter Swap through Bree’s blog, Me and My 2 Guys. And silly me, I didn’t realize that Bree, and as it turns out, and most of her readers are in Australia! How cool is that? I rarely get readers outside of Minnesota (more like just family and friends), but to connect with fellow sewing-addicted-bloggers from Down Under? Cool.

So, I was paired up with a woman named Fran, who also has a young daughter, also doesn’t quilt, but loves to sew. My job is to send her a Fat Quarter by the end of next week. I’d love to find something unique to Minnesota, or at least the Midwest. Any recommendations or ideas? I’ll be heading to Treadle soon if I can’t figure it out. The experts are sure to have ideas.

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St. Paul Farmer’s Market

We made it over to the St. Paul Farmer’s Market this weekend along with nearly every other person who lives in the Twin Cities. It was so crowded, we could barely get our little tiny stroller through the crowds. (We had considereing bringing the backpack carrier, but figured it wouldn’t be THAT crowded. It was.) Maybe it was all of the wagons being dragged through the crowd, really? You need that huge wagon for a three aisle wide market? I love seeing the community support our local farmers, but it’s frustrating when we’re trying to actually buy some groceries!

Anyway, enough ranting. We loaded up on fresh and local rhubarb, asparagus, broccoli, eggs and chicken. I can’t wait to try to make the asparagus we had in New York, and to make some rhubarb muffins. If you have a recipe I should try please let me know, I’m having a hard time finding a reliable one online.

If you’ve never been to the St. Paul Farmer’s Market you really should go. All the vendors and products are local. And there is so much more than just produce! There’s Bison, Cave-aged cheese, Handmade Soap, Fresh Egg Rolls, Plants, Herbs, Handmade Sweaters, Bags, Fresh Bread, I could go on. Just make sure you don’t bring your big, huge wagon.

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