Leafy Prints

You might have noticed on my last Sunday photo that the leaves were especially colorful...

Their natural beauty had been "enhanced" with watercolors. We made prints using the wonderful leaves that Janis, my assistant, had collected. She's a talented water colorist who took the lead on this project.
Once the leaves were collected, Janis pressed them in a phone book. To use for printing, the leaves still need to be soft and flexible. So the pressing is only for a few hours or overnight.
First, each student chose a few leaves, and then put a small amount of 3 colors (tube watercolor) on their palette.

They arranged their leaves on the watercolor paper, paying attention to the composition. Positive and negative space was discussed- the artists were to look at both as they decided where each leaf would be placed.

Next,the artists first brushed the leaf with soapy water, make sure the surface of the leaf would accept the watercolors.
After painting the back side of a leaf with one or more colors, they pressed it down on their paper, using a folded paper towel on top of it-to make sure they didn't tear the leaf.

They loved the surprise of seeing the texture as it appeared in their print.

Make it a Wonderful Day!

Hot Apple Cider Quilt

I bought a jelly roll last year after Halloween -half price.

I made this adaptation of 'Strawberry Lemonade", a pattern in the book, "Strip Lovers Quilts", by Susanne McNeill. (The book was also half price!) The quilt in the book is in summer brights. Mine is in Halloween brights, most from the jelly roll with a few substitutions and additions. The colors are a bit like Cheetos and movie popcorn, but I'm getting to like them better.

You sew strips together and cut into blocks to make half square triangles.

Like my 'Round Halloween quilt in my previous post, I guess this is another tablecloth, since it's also not quilted. (Do you see a pattern here??)

Make it a wonderful day!

Seasonal Scene

Have a wonderful day!

My Favorite Fall Soup

I love soup. Especially in the fall. It's all about cozy tastes and simple meals. Hearty but not heavy.

I came up this recipe after having a delicious deli soup at a local market. Using their ingredients list as a starting point, I experimented in the kitchen. And I did something I always mean to do, but don't usually get around to. I actually wrote down what I came up with!

This soup is a flexible recipe. (Aren't most soups like that?) I added mushrooms, flat leaf parsley and spinach this time because I had them on hand. And I accidentally left out the tomatoes. No matter. Healthy and delicious! (Come back tomorrow for dessert!)

Stephanie's Black Bean & Pumpkin Soup

1 medium onion, chopped

3-5 medium/large carrots, cut in thick chunks

1 T. oil

3 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1 large firm apple, cored and coarsely chopped

1 large bunch fresh cilantro, chopped and divided

2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained

1 large can crushed tomatoes (use spicy tomatoes if you like a bit of heat)

1 (29 oz) can pumpkin puree

2 T. dried parsley

1 tsp. dried basil (or 1 T. or more fresh)

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 quart stock (vegetable, chicken or beef)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Optional additions:

1 C. thickly chopped brown mushrooms

1 C. fresh spinach, chopped

1 C. fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

In large pot, saute onion and carrots in oil, about 5 minutes. (Carrots will still be slightly firm). Add beans, tomatoes, seasoning, apple, any of the optional vegetables, and 1/2 of the cilantro. Add pumpkin, thinning with stock to desired consistency. Continue to simmer until heated through on low, stirring freqently. Adjust seasoning. Garnish with remaining cilantro, plain yogurt or sour cream, red salsa and tortilla chips. Or enjoy with your favorite hearty bread.

Serves 8-10

Feels Like Fall...Inside and Out

Have a wonderful day!

Thrifted Treasures

I found this cool lantern at Value Village a few weeks ago. It was made in India, and I think it's pretty new- I think I remember seeing it in a catlog... Anyone recognize it?


And this book was "thrifted" when I helped a friend move years ago. She had a pile of things she wasn't keeping, and this was one of the items. She wasn't sentimental about it, but it has her name, along with her siblings, written inside with the date, 1967.

The book was published in 1961, so I think it qualifies as "vintage".


The book is by Johnny Gruelle, and here is what's written on the last page:

The Gruelle Ideal

It is the Gruelle ideal

that books for children

should contain nothing to cause fright, suggest fear,

glorify mischief, excuse malice, or condone cruelty.

That is why they are called

"BOOKS GOOD FOR CHILDREN.

So that explains why the witch is Wonderful, not Wicked...(And I found out after reading the book, she's really not a witch at all!)

Make it a wonderful day!

Felted Feline

A couple of birthdays ago, I gave my twin sister the gift of us taking a needle felting class together at a local craft store. She LOVES dogs, and that's what we made in the class. We had a good time laughing together as we poked our puppies into shape.

A few weeks later I met a woman who asked us to come to the County Fair to demonstrate needle felting. Mind you, we'd had about two hours of experience with this craft.

But we went, and we had a good time. Kate was in town, and we made her come with us. She made a purple dog as I recall... or was it blue?? With polka dots???

Since then, I've taught a couple of friends how to make a felted dog, since I'm such an "expert" now.

And I made a kitty for Halloween...


Notice the pumpkin that looks like it's been around for a while? I made that when I was five. And can you see that cute spoon in the front? Nan made that- she made one for each of us in our quilt group. It's a thrifted spoon with a wire-wrapped/beaded/adorable handle.

An antique postcard, dated 1912, is there on the left...it's adressed to "Master Kenneth (can't make out the last name), and the note is signed, "Love from Aunt Flossie". I love stuff like that. All this is displayed on a cake plate in the kitchen so I can enjoy all of my little treasures while I'm cooking.

Have a wonderful fall day!

Fall into Color

I couldn't pass up these Ghost Pumpkins and Acorn Squash. You can't tell in the photo, but the center one is actually a pale yellow. The other two are a wonderful shade of white. (They went very nicely with my wool table runner, which was a gift from a friend, and thrifted dishes.) All very calm and cozy.


And this is what arrived in the mail yesterday!

I ordered these from Tennessee Quilts http://www.tennesseequilts.com/cgi-bin/Store/store.cgi on Friday noon, and they arrived on Monday! They are 1/2 yards of Kaffe Fassett Shot Cottons. You gotta love the names- Thunder. Pool. Persimmon. Bittersweet. Veridian. You get the idea. YUMMY! I'll be using a bit of each of these this week.
Color just makes me happy!

Trick or Treat Quilt

It's finally fall here, after a beautiful and warm September.

I call this one Trick or Treat.

It's adapted from "Home is Where You Hang Your Heart", in the book Folk Art Quilts by Sandy Bonsib.

I often piece borders just to add to the scrappiness. And to use up my scraps.

The houses are nine patches, and the roofs are flying geese.

See that blue sky? Days like this will be few and far between from now until the after the Fourth of July...

But I'm not complaining. Honest. Just makes us who live in the Pacific Northwest appreciate sunshine and blue sky all the more.