Once In A Blue Moon

Recipe: Pesto Pinwheels

2011-11-15T07:10:00.000-08:00

Making the transition to vegetarianism has been a bit of a challenge from both a time and a monetary perspective. While we are committed to the changes, and strongly motivated by the expectation that it will improve the H-man's chances of beating the cancer, the practicalities of changing the way we cook and eat haven't been all that easy. I have been gradually cleaning out the pantry, the fridge and cabinets, getting rid of foods that are no longer viable options for us. Who needs relish when we no longer eat hot dogs? Ditto for the sugar laden BBQ sauce that the H-man liked as a dipping sauce for pork.

Some decisions are easy; others much harder. Call it rationalization if you like, but we are consuming some "marginal" items which will be replaced with better alternatives in the future. One of these items was a package of puff pastry sheets in my freezer. Very low in sugar, though not made with whole wheat, I used it as the basis for something the H-man went crazy over. While he hasn't suffered any of the traditional nausea that plagues chemo patients (and I believe his dietary changes, positive attitude and overall health play a major part here), it is still important for us to keep his body well fueled. Facing a life crisis like cancer is a big deal both physically and emotionally. My goal is to feed not only his body but his spirit as well, and these little babies did it (even if they aren't "diet perfect" - yet!).

All summer I grew and used fresh basil abundantly. Now that colder weather has settled into our northern latitude, I am forced to try and keep plants alive indoors or buy fresh at the grocers. While I may use the basil in any number of ways, our favorite is of course in Pesto. I rarely use a recipe or measurements, but rather make it based on how much basil I can harvest or buy at the time. The smell of basil wafting through the house is enough to make the H-man come running, tongue hanging out, salivating. So here's a recipe I created based on what I had available. I will try it again in the future with a whole wheat filo dough if I can find some.

PESTO PINWHEELS

Ingredients
about 2 cups (more or less) fresh basil leaves (one large hydroponic batch from the grocery store should do it)
1 or 2 cloves garlic, peeled, cut into quarters
olive oil (fresh, EVOO, the best you can afford)
about 1/2 cup fresh, grated parmigiana reggiano, Parmesan or pecorino Romano cheese (not the Parmesan stuff that comes in a can....)
about 1/2 cup nuts (pignolias or pine nuts, almonds or walnuts)
1/2 package (1 sheet) puff pastry, defrosted overnight in the fridge

NOTE: Pignolias - also called pine nuts - have come under attack recently. The US crops have suffered some losses, and prices have risen to upwards of $35 per pound. Imported nuts, while less costly, have been infected with salmonella. Though I am a purist at heart and have always made my pesto with pignolias in the past, I find it prudent to steer clear of them right now, and have substituted other nuts with no significant loss of overall taste.

Directions

Heat a small skillet over medium heat - do not add oil or any kind of cooking spray! When the pan is warm, add the nuts. Shake the pan every 30 seconds or so, until the nuts are toasted and lightly browned. Remove from heat and let the nuts cool completely before adding to the pesto. NOTE: While you can skip this step and use raw nuts, toasting the nuts brings out more flavors and helps "refresh" slightly stale nuts.

Add the garlic to a food processor and process until finely chopped

Add the basil and continue to process until well chopped

Alternately add the oil and cheese until basil is finely chopped and it is the consistency of a thick paste. (Pesto consistency depends on its ultimate use - for pasta, it might be thinner, but for these delights, it should be a little on the thicker side. That means a little more cheese and nuts, a little less oil.)

Add the nuts and pulse into they are incorporated into the pesto, but not completely minced.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Lay out the pastry sheet and roll out to smooth the dough and make slightly larger

Spread the pesto over the dough all the way to the side and bottom edges. Leave about 3/4" at the top of the dough without pesto.

Starting at the bottom, roll up. Spread a little water across the dough at the top (the part without the pesto) so it will adhere to the roll.

Slice the roll into quarters, then slice each quarter into three or four slices - for a total of 12 to 16 slices.

Lay slices flat on a parchment lined (or silicon lined) baking sheet. Since they tend to "flatten" when sliced, so I round them up a bit as a lay them on the cookie sheet.

Bake about 15 minutes until pastry is cooked, light brown and "flaky" in appearance.

Serve hot, warm or cold. To retain the crispy texture, it is best to reheat in oven rather than microwave.

I served them with a large salad, but they'd go equally well with a bowl of soup or as an appetizer. And walnuts are a very heart healthy protein! Enjoy!

Recipe: Peanut Sesame Stir Fry

2011-11-15T05:24:00.000-08:00

Relationships with partner/family/friends, working full time, commitments to several evening groups, upkeep on a house and yard, and several hobbies keep me busy and on the go all the time. To feed us, I had come to rely on "prepared" food - you know, things that come out of boxes, bags and cans. Sure, I also served lots of veggies and fruit with those meals, but it was a quicker (and lazier) way to cook. With the H-man's cancer diagnosis, we decided to permanently alter our lifestyle and our eating habits in a major way. The transition to vegetarianism, so far, has been one of experimentation to find meals we really like without feeling deprived.

One of our favorites was a (packaged) thai peanut dish that unfortunately, contained a lot of sugar. Since that is one of the main components we eliminated from our diets, I looked for a healthier alternative. While I am now cooking mostly from scratch, there are still times when I need a "quickie" dish, and I found one that seems like a better alternative. Yes, there is still a bit of sugar in it, but only about 1/3 of the original brand, and since we eat smaller servings than the package calls for, it is even less. So here is my version of:

PEANUT SESAME STIR FRY

Ingredients
1 box Annie Chun's Peanut Sesame Asian Meal Starter
1 TBS olive oil
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8-oz. package fresh sliced mushrooms (or 1 can mushrooms, rinsed and drained)
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 to 2 bunches green onions (scallions), green and white parts, chopped
1/2 cup chopped peanuts

Directions

Chop all vegetables in preparation.

Bring about 3 quarts water to boil. Add noodles and boil about 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain well.

While noodles boil, heat saute pan on medium (never hotter!). When the pan is hot, add oils. When the oils start to "shimmer", add the garlic, peppers and mushrooms. Stir fry for a 2-3 minutes, then add the scallions and stir fry another minute or two. (Scallions will get very limp and almost "disappear" if cooked too long - we like ours firmer).

Add the cooked, drained noodles and the sauce packet to vegetables and stir until well mixed and sauce is heated through.

Add about half the peanuts and mix well.

Serve, topping with remaining peanuts.

Wake Up Call

2011-11-04T05:01:00.000-07:00

It's been exactly one month since we got the news that the H-man has the dreaded cancer! Talk about wake up calls!

We thought we lived pretty healthy lives: reasonable diets, moderate exercise, take herbs and vitamins, get enough sleep, use environmentally friendly products, etc. We weren't radical or anything, but read and researched a lot of issues before making decisions. We're not really part of the "consumer" generation - we shop Goodwill (or Bon Volet as we call it) for pre-owned clothes, keep our cars (well-maintained) for 15 years or so, repair and maintain whenever we can (my washer is over 35 years old). We shop at the local farm markets for produce in season. We cook and eat at home most of the time. And because we both need to lose some extra pounds (and the H-man had a tiny gout episode in the spring) we had made even more changes several months ago to avoid / reduce / eliminate certain foods like red meat and sugar .

But I guess these cells - a slow growing neuroendocrine carcinoma - have been floating around in his body for who knows how many years. And because we are fairly well tuned into our bodies, he found it as soon as it presented the first external sign.

These past four weeks have been ones of extreme education. All the tests, doctors' visits, and lab work have consumed vast amounts of time (and to some extent resources). And while we have great confidence in the medical professionals who are treating him, and they all practice "disclosure", we need to digest the information they tell us, then read and understand more on our own. So that's what we've been doing.....

I won't deny that allopathic medicine can play a significant role in treating many diseases and medical problems. But it does not seem to go far enough. It often targets a specific symptom, rather than the whole organism, the whole body (physical, emotional and spiritual). Which is why for the most part we have relied on my training in herbalism to provide the "cures" for many of the small day to day ailments we incur (colds, flu, cuts, bruises, upset stomach, etc.) In reality, we have rarely been ill. But when we do, we listen to our bodies and pay attention to their need to purge (mucus from a cold) and rest (stay home in bed). None of this modern "I'm indispensible" crap (to be blunt) by taking a pill and going to work where it gets spread to every other person at work (thank you very much!)

Back to the point. Yes, we are doing as the doctors have recommended, and the H-man has started chemo. But as many times as we have been to the treatment center, no one has talked about any of the other factors that might play a part - like diet. This is a BIG center, yet they only have a part time dietitian with whom we can "request" an appointment. They have a pamphlet about diet - but it's all about making sure the person eats enough to keep strength up. Sure, they mention eating fruits and vegetables, but also stress meat for the protein. They never talk about any of the "bad" foods that might contribute to the cancer. This just seems so wrong!

O.K. I am not a dietitian, and of course, for every "fact" I can find about a specific topic, I usually find "facts" to refute it. That just makes wading through all the research more time consuming to determine the underlying truths. I really wish there was a place I could find all the information I need neatly laid out so I could just "do" it - follow the advice and be done with it. But of course, it can never be that simple. Maybe it's out there somewhere and I just haven't found it yet. I'll keep looking.

In the meantime, I'll track what I find here and the things we're doing to make a difference!

Post Holiday Report Card

2010-08-31T13:13:00.000-07:00

Well, the weather didn't really cooperate but I did (6) go to lunch with a friend;(7) scanned more vintage images, and (8) took a play day with HK. I've decided to cheat on (2); I ordered a dress from a special catalog sale - half price - black sleeveless sheath (comes with a short sleeve button front jacket/blouse which I can wear for work) and the sheath looks great with the hat, handbag and shrug. So now I'm almost ready for the wedding - just need to craft a vintage wedding card.

Also did a lot of work in the studio (4) since that was indoor work (cool and dry on hot, humid and rainy days). Took a couple loads of donations off to the craft place (supports the local senior council) and some things, including 4 bags of clothes off to Goodwill. HK and I did do a little shopping at our favorite place, Bon Voile! (Goodwill) and came home with 2 bags of nice fall business attire for less than $50. Such a deal!

The Studio is coming along. I still get overwhelmed by the decisions I need to make to divest myself of stuff. Things I'd forgotten I had but still struggle to give away once I uncover them. Why is this????

And of course, I am back in the office, dealing with the usual - and that nice feeling of relaxation I had on vacation has all but evaporated. But I am still gainfully employed at the moment, and that counts for a lot!

I'm On Holiday!

2010-08-24T12:44:00.000-07:00

I'll be out of the office for the next couple of days, enjoying a well deserved break. Another hellish week as we uncover the names of more long time co-workers who have lost their jobs, and face more rumors of outsourcing, including the possibility of my job, by the end of the year. I try really hard not to worry about it because it is out of my control. Although this downsizing is rarely about an individual's performance - good or bad - I still do my best to work hard, stay focused and not let myself fall into that trap of goofing off that so many are tempted into when the depression of layoffs hit them. Some rumors are just that and never come to pass.

Of course the list of things I want to accomplish on my days off is probably far greater than the amount of time I'll have to spend. I need to (1) finish hemming the shrug; (2) cut out and sew the dress for the wedding; (3) sew the shoulder seams on the sashes; (4) do some more organization/clean-up in the art studio; (5) paint the garage floor; (6) meet a friend/former co-worker for lunch; (7) scan some more of my vintage images; and (8) take one day off and "play" with HK. I think I'll pack up a picnic and visit a state park with scenic views and waterfalls. Mid week we can get in free (Golden Park pass) and it shouldn't be too crowded.

I'm just gonna take each day as it comes!

2010-08-23T06:43:00.000-07:00

What a busy weekend. Friday we spent all afternoon crafting our badges and sashes. My committee was certainly willing, but I've learned to let go of any idea close to perfection. Even simple jobs like cutting around a shape seem to go awry and circles end up looking like blobs from outer space. But it's the thought that counts, right? Either that, or I (re)do them all myself.

Saturday we went to the local farmer's market for fresh produce, and I spent the morning preparing food for a picnic we attended all afternoon. Needless to say, not much else was accomplished.

I did manage to fit in a few minutes to hot glue the new black ribbon band on and the golden yellow silk flowers to the hat I am wearing to the wedding. The big decision is now whether to wear them in the front or the back - it looks great either way. I decided to wait until the rest of the outfit is complete to decide. I trimmed the ends of the black ribbon to points and left them hanging over the brim - which is fine for the flowers in the rear. However, If I turn them to the front, the black ends need to be trimmed off or tucked in. I'll post a photo soon.

Sunday we had other commitments, and a rainy, cold day left me very drowsy. After a nap, I did manage about an hour or two in my art studio laboring at the slowly progressing organization tasks.

2010-08-19T06:28:00.001-07:00

Almost the end of the work week. Last night I had to pull together some materials for a project we'll be working on this afternoon. My TOPs weight loss group will be attending an awards banquet in mid September with all the other groups in our county, about 300 people total. This annual event has a specific theme, and there are "contests" for a variety of things including group costumes, individual costumes and centerpieces. Last year my centerpiece for our group won first place. We're looking for a repeat win this year.

Since the overall theme (Camp Yougottawanna) has to do with camping and weight loss (of course!) we chose as our group's motto "Paddle to Success." Our costume/uniform will be tan bottoms (slacks, shorts, skirts), solid color bright top or tee shirt (preferably red). We are sewing little neck scarves out of a camping print (bright green background with red and yellow canoes and other camping designs) and muslin. And making sashes in the style of Girl Scouts also out of muslin. The sashes will be stamped with our motto on the front and our group ID on the back.

Using the computer, I downloaded some free clipart. A canoe with two paddlers is now our name tags (name printed across canoe), cut out and laminated with Xyron machine. And we also have "badges" in the style of Scouts - round circles with a piece of clip art representing something we do to be successful at weight loss (like attending meetings, eating nutritionally, etc.) which will be laminated, cut out and pinned on our sashes. We have a large group and cost is a factor, so custom printed tee shirts are out. But muslin is cheap and we can carry the theme through with a few inexpensive ideas. Will we win? Who knows? We have one of the largest groups in the county and that limits us to using more creativity and less money than some of the smaller groups. You can get more creative participation when dressing only 3 or 4 people in a group costume than dressing a group of 25. But we'll have fun trying and we have a good group of volunteers who will craft anything we design.

Having A Better Week

2010-08-19T05:43:00.000-07:00

Overall, I've had a better week. I'd like to think that it's because I have been more focused on my art again, the art having a somewhat soothing effect on my spirit. I lost weight this week (yahoo!), some parts of my body are on the mend and I feel a bit more motivated.

The work aggravation has quieted somewhat with the protagonists out of the office. On the other hand, some company wide reorganization has eliminated more jobs and people I've known and worked with for years. That's a bit unsettling.

Several years back when the Cropper Hopper products were first being carried at our local Michael's and JoAnn's, I purchased a couple holders for 8x8 paper. Now that I'm in this studio reorganization mode , I wanted more of them to sort and store that size paper, but do you think I can find any? Of course not. Ironically, I think they are selling more 8x8 paper pads now than they were years ago, so how do they expect people to store them?

I stopped at Big Lots one day after work this week on my way home from the office. And found among the back to school supplies, a box of 8x8 scrapbook paper holders. Not the same as Cropper Hopper - these were more like plastic envelopes with tops that fold over to close, only about an inch thick and came in colors. But each one would hold one pack of paper, and I can label the ends. And the best part? They were only $1 each!

Things are definitely looking better this week.

Georgia On My Mind

2010-08-18T05:10:00.000-07:00

In March 2009, during a quilt and waterfall trekking vacation through four southeastern states, we stopped at an adorable little quilt shop just over the border in Georgia. There I found some fabric charm packs and a lot of wonderful patterns to make use of them. I bought several, including this pattern which was intended as a birthday gift for a friend back home who was born and raised in Georgia as a child.

I borrowed the pattern from her and made up the table runner sometime in 2009. I finally got around to quilting it in July 2010 at a Saturday sewing session at the same friend's house. And just this weekend pulled it out of my sewing tote to finish the binding.

Fabrics are 100% cotton. All came from a charm pack except the sage green print that forms the stems, backing and binding - which came from my stash. Batting was from JoAnn's on the bolt. (Thermolam - the stuff that is almost like felt that you find in the interfacing section. I like this for runners and placemats because it lies very flat!) It was machine pieced and hand appliqued. The finished top was machine quilted; the background in a grid pattern that lined up with the corner triangles; the stem and leaves in outline, and the flower centers in concentric circles. Binding was cut on the grain, sewn into one continuous piece and applied with folds at the corners, pressed to the back and hand stitched to the back.

The project was easy enough. I used my own method for applique (using thin interfacing to machine stitch around the edges, then turning inside out and pressed flat). The stem was cut on bias, machine stitched on one side, folded over the raw edges and hand stitched on the second side. I've only done one other piece with corners not at right angles and had a lot of trouble with that binding. This one, while far from perfect, did turn out much better using a continuous strip, and the standard methodolgy of stitching almost to the corner, lifting the needle, folding the binding back, and begin stitching again. Hard to tell from this picture - some corners were much better than others. Just wasn't sure how much to fold back and at what angle. None of the other quilters at the sewing session that day had any idea either. There must be directions out there somewhere on the web and I'll just have to seek them out for future projects. This is not a project that I'm likely to repeat, however.

Tote-ally Cool!

2010-08-17T05:39:00.000-07:00

So here's the finished bag. Amazing how the choice of fabrics can change the look from the pattern's "funky" to something rather more classic.

I used Butterick 5367, View B (size = 15" by 15"), with the breakdown of costs as follows:

2 yards, 1/2" cotton piping, (handles) @ $0.49 yard = $0.98

3/4 yd. FC Shancey Midnight cotton (main floral print) @ 9.99 yard, less 40% coupon = $4.49

3/4 yard black taffeta (lining), red tag table @ $6.00 yard, less 40% coupon = $2.70

3/8 yard Picnic Spice Red cotton (front pocket) @ 9.99 yard less 40% coupon = $2.25

1/4 yard FC Diana/Onyx cotton (houndstooth side pockets) @ 9.99 yard = $2.50

1/4 yard VFF black suede (handles, pocket band) red tag table, 7.00 yard = $1.75

1 yard White Pellon 40 interfacing @ $1.99 yard = $1.99

Red flower pin = $1.97

That's a total of $18.63! Woo hoo. Used black thread on hand, and because I wasn't paying attention, I didn't buy enough interfacing. Pattern called for 1 yard of 45" interfacing, and what I bought was not as wide. Used some from my stash at home. Also used a double layer of fusible Peltex from my stash on the bottom instead of the cardboard it called for.

Pattern called for using same fabric for lining as front. I did that with the pockets, but I lined the inside of the main bag with the black taffeta. There are no pockets on the inside and if I ever do the pattern again, I will probably add some. Pockets on the outside are mostly for show; I think things might fall out of them, especially the side ones. Pattern showed the addition of funky buttons along the front pocket band. I found a cute flower pin in the sale bin in the same rosy red to use in place of the buttons. There is no closure on the bag, so I stitched the top extensions where the handles protrude together about an inch down on each side of the handle. This made the insides a lot more secure and a bit less accessible.

The pattern was easy to cut out, easy to sew. Even the oval bottom went in smoothly. There was no hand sewing required; some top stitching. From cut out to final stitch took a bit under three hours with a couple of small interruptions. Since I just received a JoAnn's coupon for a discount on a total home dec purchase sometime over the next month, I definitely think there's another one of these bags on the horizon . I didn't particularly like the way the handles are sewn into the side seam where the side and front panels come together, and next time will probably sew them into the seam formed at the top of that little rectangular extension rather than into the side seam. But overall it was a great little project!

Weekend Progress Report

2010-08-16T12:41:00.000-07:00

O.K. so I'm addicted to fabric. I used a little free time I had on Friday afternoon to stop at a different JoAnn's, a bigger one. I still had more of those discount cards to use and more coupons. I had taken a quick rifle through a stack of my patterns before work, and had pulled a couple to take shopping, including a pattern for a bag. The problem was the more I thought about using a little black clutch with my outfit, the more I realized it wouldn't work. I'll probably end up driving which means I need room for my wallet and keys. And the camera, some tissues, the wedding card, and some incidentals. They just weren't going to all fit into a clutch bag.

The bag pattern I selected had 2 side pockets (fabric A), a center pocket (fabric B), trim for the center pocket and handles (fabric C) and the main body of the bag (fabric D). When I tried to find fabrics that would coordinate with each other - and more or less match the floral fabric for the shrug (black background with peachy rose red and gold flowers, green leaves) I was stuck. I wandered over to the home dec and was quickly able to find some heavier cottons that worked perfectly. A floral print with similar values on black for the main body, black and beige houndstooth check for the side pockets, a solid rosy red for the center pocket and from the sale table, some faux black suede for the pocket trim and handles.

I had also had the foresight to bring the straw boater I was planning on wearing. I bought some black ribbon to replace the navy on the hat, and a spray of gold flowers to decorate the back brim.

P.S. Checking out here was easier at this store - the clerks had good instructions and "cheat" sheets to scan multiple cards.

So, over the weekend I prepared the hat for finishing - just need to find my trusty glue gun to assemble the pieces. Cut out the shrug, Frenched the seams and am now pinning the slippery edges to be finished by topped stitching. And I completed the bag from start to finish. Oh, and I even finished hand sewing the binding on a table runner I quilted several weeks ago. All in all, a fairly productive weekend!

How much does "free" really cost?

2010-08-16T12:25:00.000-07:00

On Thursday night I stopped at JoAnn's on my way home from the office to pick up some thread and the lining fabric for the dress. Picked out a couple of patterns ($1.99 each) and another piece of the dress fabric (since the original piece I bought was the end of the bolt - and I figured it wouldn't hurt to have some extra on hand). When I went to check out, I had 3 different 40% off coupons and a bunch of the $10 off a $10+ purchase "gift" cards I had earned from the previous weeks' purchases. I figured the total cost would be less than $10 cash.

Unfortunately, the JoAnn's management never bothered to instruct their cashiers how to enter more than one of the $10 off cards and since all of the cards had the same bar code number, the computer balked. For over an hour the night manager tried and tried to enter the sales, and each time the system came up with different amounts. In the end she "fudged" parts of the transaction, and separated it into pieces just to get it rung up. And despite the small print on the cards which said they were good on both sale and regular price merchandise (with a few big ticket item exceptions) apparently the computer would not allow the cards to be applied towards the patterns on sale.

One hour of time totally wasted. And that after the meeting from hell at the office. And my man at home waiting to take me out to dinner and worried sick that I had been in an accident. Somehow the "free" $50 didn't seem like it was free after all.

ACTION PLAN STEP 1: Done! Traced Shrug Pattern

2010-08-12T08:51:00.000-07:00

Between working long hours, and attending an evening meeting, I made virtually no progress on any of my projects yesterday. I did remember to bring my do sew tracing materials and traced out the McCall's shrug on my lunch break today.

Tracing patterns and cutting out fabric always seems to be the most tedious parts of garment sewing. I find that if I can do them ahead - making use of small bits of time like lunch hours - then when I sit down to sew, things go much faster and smoother. I also use lots of zip loc baggies in all sizes to store patterns, outfits I've cut out, interfacing materials and keep things organized as I move from spot to spot to work.

Why, oh why if I know what works well, don't I actually do more of it?

Wedding Ensemble

2010-08-10T12:06:00.000-07:00

I have been invited to the wedding of very good friend's eldest son early next month, and I need something to wear. It is to be held outdoors (weather permitting) in the garden of a castle sitting lakeside here in New York state. But September can be very iffy - very hot or very cool, or even hot one minute and cold the next. We have a famous saying in this area: If you don't like the weather, wait a minute and it will change.

In my stash is the most gorgeous sari fabric brought back from a trip to India with all sorts of lovely custom embroidery, not at all like the "faux" sari fabrics sold in chainstores locally. I considered using it for a stunning outfit for the wedding but was very reluctant to cut into it until I have tested a suitable pattern and adjusted it for fit.

So, taking advantage of coupons and sale prices, I purchased Vogue pattern 8567 ($3.99) and some lovely polyester babysilk in a rosy peach (1-7/8 yds for $11.32). The bolt called the color "Claret", but it is much rosier than the scan shows and not anywhere near as red as the pattern photo. The empire style sleeveless dress with back zipper calls for a full lining, but I am considering only lining the top because I don't want to destroy the fluidity of the fabric in the skirt. We'll see....

The slightly transparent black background floral print (2 yards for 13.98) will become a loose shrug (McCall's #3880) which ties in the front. I've made this quick and easy pattern before; the only tedious part is carefully pinning and hemming all the edges as it is not lined. The print charmeuse is not prone much raveling, so that should help.

And to finish it off, a lovely straw hat whose ribbon band will have to be changed from navy to black most likely, with the possible addition of some silk flowers. Black wedge heeled sandals on my feet - no spiky heels for walking in the gardens. And a little black purse, of course.

I should add that I am rather on the short side (under 5 feet) and a bit thick in the middle, so I do best with solid colors as my main focus. I like my skirt length a little longer than I probably should as a height challenged woman, and rarely wear sleeveless without something to cover my upper arms. I know I also need to consider the proportion and scale of any print I intend to wear, but current fabric and fashions trends don't always work in my favor. This print is probably just a tad too large in scale for me, though not outrageous and will add a bit of visual interest. All in all, I think it will make up into a nice afternoon garden wedding ensemble.

Vintage Treasures

2010-08-10T04:32:00.001-07:00

One of the greatest fun about cleaning out my studio has been finding all the treasures I'd forgotten about. Bits and baubles, fibers and buttons, inks, paints and markers galore! One of my most favorite surprises was a packet of vintage ephemera that I'd forgotten about.

My better half is a philatelist (stamp collector) and I've always loved rummaging around in his discards. Over the years I've squirreled away packets of stamps by theme: flowers, birds, holidays, quilting/sewing related, artworks, etc. And of course I have a whole collection of owl stamps - my spirit guide. But occasionally DH will surprise me and one holiday gift several years back was a large packet of vintage ephemera.

I absolutely love vintage! I've always been a collector of old things, though I prefer that they be useful old things. And this large collection of authentic (not reproduction) ephemera has just put me over the moon! Don't you just love this naughty little girl with paint spilled on the carpet and her dress? That is so me!

Of course, the sticking point is whether or not to actually USE the ephemera itself in cards and creations. When I didn't have access to originals, I used artwork from the web printed out in color on cardstock. Now that I have the "real" stuff, I'm torn. If I use it, am I destroying or preserving it? Well, for now I am going to shelve that discussion since I am still in the "clean up" mode and not yet in the "making art" mode. But at the very least, I will scan them in and preserve them for whatever I decide to do in the future.

Come To My Party

2010-08-09T09:29:00.000-07:00

Although I didn't have the epiphany or breakthrough until last Friday, it is clear that my subconscious has been busily at work inside me for some time now. My paper arts "studio" - a small segment of the basement - has been totally trashed for months, maybe years. The fact that the space shares functionality with other tasks only complicates the cleanup further.

About a month ago, I began clearing it out and cleaning it up. I promised myself that when I was done, I'd reward myself with a day of artful play. I haven't gotten there yet, and the end isn't even in sight. But I am making progress.

Why is it going so slowly? Well, instead of just temporarily scooting things out of sight or to another area of the basement for a quick but temporary fix, I am trying to make a decision about each thing I pick up. Do I need it? Want it? Is it a craft I once did, and will I really do it again? If not, should it be tossed out, given to a friend or donated to one of several local charities? I've been filling up bags and have already made several donation runs. Some decisions are harder and more painful. And for some, I spend time awaiting responses from friends or friends of friends who can make use of the item.

Why do I have so much stuff? First because I am a collector and a packrat. (And I'm sure Freud and Jung would have something very deep to say about that....) Second, because I've been crafting forever. Crafts come into vogue, fade away and reappear years later - and I still have all my original tools and supplies (untouched in many cases). Third, because my focus has changed over the years; I've become more of an artist and less of a crafter. Fourth, because as the art evolves, so do the tools and supplies that support it.

A prime example is diecutting. The original Sizzix was heavy and so were the dies. But I bought one. Then came the QuicKutz. Smaller machine, smaller dies. And with all the specials on the alphabets we couldn't scrap without, we each ended up with two and three of the darn things. Then came the little red Sizzix for the Sizzlets which was much easier to use, more portable and would cut QuicKutz dies. But then the dies started getting larger and out came the Cuttlebug, the Spellbinder Wizard and the BigShotz. Finally the Cricut and Slice emerged which did away with all the manual effort. And as each new and improved model came into existence, it was easy to talk myself into upgrading at least some of the time.

Same goes for storage options. But as tempting as it has been, I have not traded up my iris carts and stackable drawers for the wooden drawers and cube sets. Still, I've purchased plenty of other storage items over the years that I now have to make decisions about.

My mode of crafting has also changed dramatically over the years. Ten years ago I taught classes and attended crops regularly at a local scrapbook store, and attended long weekend retreats. All of our supplies needed to be portable to some extent, and despite good project planning, we found that some perfect embellishment or a tool we needed was at home. Many smaller cases and totes were purchased to make all the gear portable. Now, I never craft anywhere but home or occasionally at my sister's house - and she's as well equipped as I.

Portability is no longer a necessity.

So now I am really trying hard to keep only what I will use. And part of what is slowing me down is that I need to find a place - a single place - for like items to reside. As I uncover bags and boxes and containers, I neatly package embellishments and flowers and fibers (just love those 4x5 inch clear plastic bags!) and store in labeled drawers together. Paper is all in one place by color and theme. And so on. Progress, and the rewards :>)))

Epiphany!

2010-08-09T08:57:00.000-07:00

Last Friday I had an epiphany. You know, one of those moments where the light bulb goes on and you see something so clearly you wonder how you never saw it before?

I have been struggling with a lot of change at work these past couple years – changes in ownership, management, and philosophy; downsizing, outsourcing and layoffs. I’ve managed to hold onto my job so far but there is an unspoken threat over our heads that anyone of us could be next. I’m on my third change in manager in just this year alone. Very, very unsettling. And several non-work related events, like the sudden death of my stepson, have added another layer of complexity to my life.

It would be an understatement to say this has been (and still is) stressful. And much worse, I have been allowing the stress to control my life. I’ve become totally disorganized at home, letting things pile up. My creativity has all but evaporated and I’ve barely sewn, quilted, scrapped or stamped anything at all in the last two years or so. And when I attempt something, it’s almost too painful to complete because my “mojo” has gone into hiding.

Worse, my body has recently started to exhibit symptoms of this stress. My weight is creeping back up. My sleep is disturbed. And a few other uncomfortably painful (though not fatal) issues have emerged.

My epiphany? That I have been allowing things to literally and figuratively “burn my ass” (if you’ll pardon the phrase…). I have internalized all this emotion and allowed myself to become victimized by the events and circumstances of the past few years. I have felt isolated, powerless, without allies, and unable to trust those around me at work. (And no, I’m not paranoid – I have plenty of friends and stable relationships outside of my work environment.)

While I might not have had any control over the changes at work, I know that I can exercise control over my reactions and responses to them. I have options! Right here, right now, I choose to change my thinking and commit to a new and improved ME!

For The Love of Betsey...

2008-11-11T05:24:00.000-08:00

I have a confession to make. When I was in high school, my dream was to become a fashion designer. I idolized Betsey Johnson, whose career was just starting to take off. I didn't really know much about the business end of things, but I loved to sew and work with fabric. I loved to create and add my own flair to everything I made. Now, nearly 40 years later, she's still a big name in the fashion world (though I'm not as fond of her designs as I once was....) and I have a career in finance. But I still sew and play with fabric, and many of my designs have unique and creative touches.

So as I've been giving much thought to the new wardrobe I'm in the process of planning, I've also been thinking about my old aspirations of becoming a designer. Realistically, it's a bit too late to go back to school and change careers, but surely I can still satisfy my dreams in a more personal way. That was one of Randy Pausch's absolute commandments in his "Last Lecture."

Randy talks about his many dreams and how he accomplished them in one form or another. He was lucky and had a family, and later friends, mentors and co-workers who pushed him, encouraged him. Me? I didn't have dreams, wasn't encouraged to have them. Dreams took money and energy to support, and my family had neither (though we did have love.) I'm not into blame and excuses, but I didn't receive a whole lot of personal affirmation when I was growing up. Most girls can remember wanting to be a teacher, a ballet dancer, a nurse or even a doctor. The only dream I can ever recall having was to attend FIT and become a designer. And that was about as foreign an idea to my family as moving to the moon would have been.

Well, that dream didn't happen then. And knowing what I know now, I'm O.K. with it. The New York fashion scene isn't my really my kind of place. I'm more of a back-to-nature, practical, down-to-earth kind of gal (my Capricorn showing through). I've weathered a few bumps and scrapes in my life, but I am happy with who I am and what I do today. I have the love and support of my life partner of 20 years, and he is encouraging me to fulfill my dream to design.

So while I don't expect a runway show, I will showcase my many talents as I design my SWAP wardrobe and beyond!

Stash Jacket Pattern in Crisis!

2008-11-05T04:58:00.000-08:00

Well, here's the jacket pattern I am starting with. Having had the pattern in my stash for some time (and after all, the pattern is called the "Stash Jacket") I decided it was time to put it to use. I viewed it as a jacket, something I'd do in firmer fabrics, and line it fully in a silky lining - cotton linings just stick to the butt. So I scrounged my stash and my local fabric stores and came up with the spectacular tapestry (photo to come), some floral home dec, some textured suedecloth, some lace, and a few other possibilities. I'm aiming for a look more like the red one - mostly darks in chocolate brown with touches of red and sand - rather than a mixture of light and darks just because I couldn't find the right mix of fabrics for light and dark.

Then last week I went hiking on a gorgeous autumn day with a girlfriend to a couple of waterfalls. And of course, like magnets, we're drawn to any quilt shops we pass along the way. One very nice store just east of Syracuse had the Stash Jacket pattern on display with a couple of samples. They were made from batiks and quilting cottons and had the look more of a shirt than a jacket. Totally blew my plans out the window in a moment of panic. I questioned my choice of fabrics, the size I should make it, the drape of the fabrics.

Later, as I had time to think about it some more, I decided I would makeup a muslin of the jacket in cottons to check the fit, and decide if I needed to bump it up a size to wear it as a jacket rather than a top. And I'll even get another wearable piece out of it for my wardrobe! And if the fit is too close to wear as a jacket even in a larger size, I can use a fall back TNT jacket pattern as the base, and cut it into similar pieces.

Phhhhewwww....crisis averted!

Working On A Plan....

2008-11-04T04:36:00.000-08:00

Lots of folk involved in the SWAP have these adorable story boards - drawings of their wardrobe pieces, fabric swatches, pattern selections, etc. I know I have all the right tools - scanner, digital camera, software - I'm just not too sure how to put them all together on my new computer yet. DH is willing to give me lessons if I can find the time, but that's in short supply while I scramble to get ready for my annual scrapbooking weekend with my sister.

I have set aside a whole selection of fabrics. More than enough to make the SWAP pieces, and then some. So I started with the jacket and selected one of my wearable art patterns - with multi pieced fronts, back and sleeves. Basically it contains all my "prints" and all my colors - dark chocolate brown, tomato red, ecru and sand. Including the most spectacular piece of tapestry that I'm just in love with :>}}} Since the rules say that all the tops must go with all the bottoms, it made me lean towards solids or tweedy types to maximize the compatibility with the prints in the jacket. Other fabrics that would match the tops or the bottoms but not the jacket will be sewn as extra compatibles, and not really part of the SWAP.

And then there's the pattern (in)decision. I know that I'll have to do some fitting since my body has been changing sizes. And since I'm still in the middle of this weight loss journey, it means that I'll be fitting a moving target. I look at the storyboards of the other participants and they are all sewing very complicated, detailed patterns with zippers and fitted waistbands. I have the skills to sew similar items, but see little advantage at this point with my body in flux. I am thinking more along the lines of less structured, full or partial elastic waists. And it almost seems so juvenile, or like I am cheating. And yet those are the clothes I need right now. I'll need to reconcile these feelings so they don't paralyze me and keep me from participating.

Only two and a half weeks until a blessed week of vacation where I'll be getting initmate with my sewing machine once again!

Seven Great Reasons to SWAP

2008-11-03T09:30:00.000-08:00

Well, if I wait any longer for the right words to start my blog, I'll be old and grey. Not that I'm ageist, mind. I thought I'd like to use the space to track some of my creative endeavors, though they seem to be mostly in my head at the moment.

I've signed up to do the 2009 SWAP (Sewing With A Plan) going on over at the Stitcher's Guild Sewing Forum. Thought it might provide some motivation and give me a focus for my sewing.

I need a new wardrobe desperately. After losing 40 lbs. (with quite a bit more to go) everything in my closet is too loose. Now that might not sound like a problem, but when the waistband is a bit snug, I am much more conscious of my eating habits. Loose clothes are too comfortable, and (I'm convinced) have contributed to the plateau I can't seem to move off of.
The concept is about sewing things that can actually be worn together, and not just orphan pieces that get made because the fabric is pretty or purchased because its on sale and in my size. This versatility should increase the usage of each piece, and in turn, aligns with my goal of leaving a smaller footprint on the earth.
While our office is business casual (which seems to have deteriorated to business sloppy), I think it benefits me to dress a bit better. As a short, older, fatter woman, I am aware how "appearance" can work against me. Although discrimination is illegal, in times of economic distress, it pays to use every available asset to ensure I keep my job. And I know that how I dress can influence people's opinions. That's reality!
I have more than enough fabric in my stash to sew clothes for the rest of my life - it's time I started using it up.
I've traditionally worn way too much black thinking it would minimize my fat profile. Yeah, right! Now I am ready for more color, more seasonably suitable color in my wardrobe. And some new basics to replace the black - like deep chocolate brown.
I am short (under 5 feet), and still rather heavy. I have a more-or-less "normal" back length - which means a lot of petite tops/dress don't fit as they sit uncomfortable above my waist. Yet my bottom half is missing great gobs of inches - my high hip is practically at my waist line. And due to a spinal anomoly, one leg is 2" or so shorter than the other (though my body has compensated and its not too obvious.) Sewing is the best option for clothes to fit.
I have the talent. I have the equipment. I may lack a bit in the time department, but if I prioritized differently, I could have the time.

So these are the major motivating factors for joining the SWAP. One jacket, 6 tops and 4 bottoms. Six months to plan and sew. Oh the possibilities are endless......