Happy Thanksgiving

 Happy Thanksgiving  

Gatherings. A nod to my country childhood, we'd gather berries, branches, buckeyes and acorns and gourds to decorate our Thanksgiving table. My dad's ancient Thanksgiving Christmas cactus would be in lavish bloom. My mom would use her treasured Swiss grandmother's tablecloth, hand dyed a lovely salmon-rose red. My job was to hand down the wine glasses and polish the silverware. Plates were simple mid century white. And okay, yes, the honeycomb paper turkeys made a guest appearance too. And it might snow! ///In the Cape Cod years, after the turkey was in the oven, we'd pile into my mom's old red Jeep and drive around to all the Pilgrim sites, First Encounter Beach, Corn Hill and so on. Wendy's lunch and Nauset Light. Our own little pilgrimage, imagining those who came before. Back in the day, what a joy to recall.

love,

lizzy and Baby Mo from the beach......

The Subtle Beauty of November

 

Happy Sunday! November is drawing near its final week. My favorite month, tied with July-August, I suppose.

Autumn, true autumn, has arrived and when the wind is gentle, I've been enjoying walks to the beach, though sad and guilty Mo can no longer come along.

Many sightings of sea ducks, a lovely sight.

They don't form Vs, but long scraggly skeins, that ravel/ unravel in the chill November sky.

 

Golden eyes, squas, surf scoters. Buffleheads. I love their names.

Speaking of skeins, I took my yarn in my pocket one warm day, thinking a change of scenery might clear my head and I'd enjoy an hour knitting on the dune benches.

Sadly marked off limits. Repair, remove? Mo and I used to sit there sometimes on very quiet Fall days.

After one big wind blow I gathered leaves to press and save for my slightly neglected nature journal.

The pickings were meagre but the colors enchant me. Inspire me.

Colors echoed by the soon to be stored Fall quilts stacked here awaiting their airing before sleeping another year. Don't you love the cheddar Stars w the prairie points! It was ''misfiled'' for years. I'll add pics before storing this week.

The pumpkin and the bowl have been added to, how fun to get out the prim cooky cutters. On Dec 1st I'll bring the pumpkin to the beach for the small critters to feast upon.

The sewing box is empty now, summer projects are complete. It needs a tidy up, then will be stored under my cutting table until summer comes again.[7 1/2 months til summer]

One morning I made a few sewing gifts, end of day pieces that use remnants and saved bits and buttons. I haven't made any strawberries recently. So fun!

Perhaps I'm ready to work on them again. I kind of froze up bec I ordered real emery powder to use instead of my beach sand. But then was wary of using the emery, the fine grit seems iffy--I can just see me inhaling it somehow. ( yes, laughable, but thus speaks anxiety personified.]. I dithered all summer on how to safely use it but for these little tuck in gifts I went back to safe white sand. 

Yes, my strawberries are deliberately primitive and make do, mostly. For these I use old fabric bits, buttons, yarn or string. 

Looking for buttons was again a pleasing task. This time I found a bizarre nickel, very modernist, from 2009. And I found a new-ish penny on my leaf walk. Whatever will become of pennies now they're discontinued?  I wonder.

Have a good week!

Happy Thanksgiving. [below, look, autumn tulip. I'm thrilled.]

love

lizzy

gone to the beach...

  

A Mini Post

 

Hi!  A mini post tonight for everyone here and on IG who weighed in about the Jacks' final border/ edge--here it is. 

And omigosh that worn washed soft shirt plaid was hard to work with. 

I see it,  I agree it's the right choice, but oh  yawn, sigh.

The cheddar bellybutton polka dots were so much better. But confining. Distracting. The tan plaid lets  the Jacks remain the stars. 

This will prob be the back. Isn't sshe precious! the hair bow, the big eyes....

The  large scale graphic panels were a mistaken late night purchase. I expected them about 5" square. But no. 14"? The Cheri "Jacks'' quilt pattern is entitled Trick or Treat and since I loathe embroidering, this is a fun way to acknowledge that.

Now I must order the so cute polka dots, the drawback of always ordering only 1/2 yards. The top is about 35" square.

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FYI or for anyone who wondered why I wanted the new repro Shiny Bright ornies: ($12.99 ish)

here's an auction  this year in Ohio.

 Note the prices. I remember when my dad brought home the boxes he found in my aunt's attic after she passed. Mostly bells and some w the indentations. How I marveled at their hand made fragility, already old back then. 

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Yesterday when it was cold , so cold, and gale windy, I made my TJ pumpkin Cake.

I added 2/3 C sour cream and a generous half cup, maybe 3/4 C, of chocolate bits. Baked in a cake pan instead if a loaf pan. Oh delish , best cake I've had in many many years.

Back for a regular visit Fri/ Sat  or over the weekend/ Monday. Have fun holiday prepping til then.

love

lizzy

 PS Here's the Jacks w real googly eyes! From the Turby project. Plastic , glow in the dark.