Gone To The Beach

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Spring Cleaning and a Walk on the Beach

Hello, everyone! Hello, March!

some of my Shaker box collection: Blues

We only got a dusting of snow this time, the storm missed us. But brrr, it is very cold. And the late winter sun, happy as I am to see it!--is relentless, highlighting every nook and cranny. And each crevice is just filled with sand. It creeps in on our shoes, sneaks in through the old wooden window frames. Marches right in through the front door, oh so bold!

So I began my spring cleaning a few weeks early.

LOL, I flipped up the living room rug and I swear there were sand dunes forming under there. I got out the heavy duty antique TriStar ''motel special'' vacuum cleaner and sucked all the sand away.

Then I washed everything, floors and walls, baseboards, windowsills included. With Clorox [sorry, Mel]. Scrubbed the bathrooms' tiled walls and floors.

I couldn't wash the window frames or screens because it is too cold, but I did sweep and wash the doors' lintels. Then I washed the white slipcovers. [uh oh].

Just one sofa's covers. IKEA cotton covers.

Man, did they shrink!
I estimate the main cover is at least 12" shorter than it was!
I had to cut the cover to get it back on. And I'll have to replace it soon. I am just glad I didn't wash the other sofa's covers, or the big chair's. But washable slipcovers aren't much good of you can't, uh, wash them. (I even put them back on damp, no dryer time. But---no.] To give IKEA its due, these were ordered online through an outlet, not purchased at the store. Because unlike the rest of the world IKEA does not have a web catalog. [so no returns/ complaints possible.]

I needed a walk afterwards to clear the cobwebs out of my head!

It is cold but here is no wind. You know the summer saying, It's not the heat it's the humidity? Well, here the winter corollary is, It's not the cold, it's the wind! So a calm, still, sunny day with temps in the teens is just delightful. Mmm. Breath of fresh air. Just what I needed.

My little world is sparkling indoors and out. Do you spring clean? Or are you like my mom, whose house was kept so impeccably that there was no need?

love

lizzy

gone to the beach...

Friday, February 28, 2014

February Finishes

Hi! Here's what I did this month! It's fun to keep track of progress, isn't it?

I don't care for the quilting world's word ''flimsy'' which means a finished quilt top. To me flimsy means shoddy, and though my skills are not perfect, I hate to think of what I've made as ''shoddy'' or junky. [Yes I know that is not what quilters mean by the word, but it's how it makes me feel.]
So here goes, finished tops and blocks of February '14.

Tah Dah! Look at cutie Lost Quilt!

I was worried that the central portion was too bright, but with the borders and cheddar baskets, I think it is adorable.

I made up the fancy name Cordelia's Crib Quilt, but I bet in my mind it's always be the Lost Quilt. This is the eBay quilt, below, you can read my post about it here

(Yes. My chevrons are wrong. I'm over it.)

Here is the backing that inspired me to attempt to copy the quilt I didn't win on eBay a few months ago.
Love this colorful toile.

Perhaps it will have double pink binding, though more likely turkey red.

Not sure about the quilting. I know what I want to have, but am not sure if I or my machine quilter should do it. Not going to hand quilt, probably will sell it?

This is another crib quilt. I began it a year or so ago then never got back to sewing on the last border til now.

The star blocks are early, pre-Civil War. From Maine. They are so pristine I didn't have to wash them.

Love the fabrics and how each block has a red or pink diamond, so one's eye is drawn all over the surface of the quilt.

I used two of my treasured vintage, but not old, sepia documentary print cottons. One is roses, the other tiny pansies. I have hoarded them both for many years.

Backing will be double pink. Binding may be a different double pink. It is off to the quilter on Monday! Yay!

And here are my first two Noah and Matilda blocks. Remember we are being given FOUR blocks per month, so as of now, I have done 2 of 12. Looks like if I do one per month, I 'll be fine. Four years...plus a border (so 5 years). Hmmm.

Original Noah and Matilda Quilt,
link at the end of post here

My idea is to reproduce the c. 1845 quilt somewhat as it looks now, not as we surmise it looked when new. This means utilizing antique fabrics from my collection, either yardage or simple worn-out blocks.

January. Mine, then original.

This is my February block. I''ll add a photo in a a day or so when I get it entirely done.

Originally I had prepped these diamonds for the tulips.

I even bought myself a tiny iron so I can sit comfortably to prepare these blocks. Pretty great little tool. I know we're supposed to STAND not sit, or so medical science now tells us, but my back screams in agony if I stand over the ironing board too long. Best to sit awhile.

Anyway, those diamonds were too bright, I realised. I redid them in one of my go-to fabrics, an old [ripped] mid 1800s quilt back. Softer colors like the original, though not as pretty. Mine, then original.

I also decided I couldn't bear to do 4 years of applique onto plain white cotton muslin. The original quilt was apparently a gift quilt with blocks contributed by many friends of the [?] bride and groom, Noah and Matilda. So I thought maybe in my world the ladies had to use whatever cream or white fabrics they had; I plan to use variety of neutrals then tie them together visually with setting blocks of just one fabric. (I hope I don't regret this plan,lol.)

Wouldn't it be wonderful if years from now I showed you all the final top! And we could see that by doing/ learning/ trying---with practice!--- my stitches got tinier, my leaf curves got smooth and rounded, my points became pointy with no frays? Maybe. Someday?

love

lizzy

gone to the beach

photos of original Noah and Matilda Wedding quilt used with permission of Dawn, from Collector with a Needle.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Pasta Puttanesca: Using Up Your Pantry Supplies

Hi! Some mornings we wake up and see THIS:

Especially this record breaking snowy-coldy-long grey winter of 2014. Another ''polar vortex'' is up on us, and some days I just don't want to go out to the store. This is when my emergency pantry stock comes in handy. Every summer I get a flyer reminding me to stock up on hurricane supplies. And every winter I get another flyer, for blizzard preparedness and ''stuck in your car'' crises.

Fine. But I've lived here a long time and I for one do not someday want to have to eat 15 year old Spam. This means the pantry has to get rotated, and used and restocked every few months.

Those of you who knew me well know I am not one for prepared or canned foods. I don't get all crazy and buy 100 cans of chicken noodle soup when they're on sale 10 for a dollar. If we want soup here, I make homemade. Yeesh. But there are some veggie items---tomato paste? consomme? that I use a lot of and don't make from scratch. This is a favorite easy pasta sauce for those Use Up the Pantry days.

Pasta Puttanesca.

The story goes that that the prostitutes of Sicily would throw this sauce together, in a rush, when they'd see the fishing fleet return with the day's catch. I suppose only mythical Italian 'ho's feel compelled to feed their clients,lol. History, here.

Get out your best heavy le Creuset pot , or something similar.

In olive oil saute a minced Vidalia/ sweet white onion, 6 -8 finely minced cloves of garlic.

(I had an eggplant in the bin, so I diced it and sauteed it too. Adds yumminess but not crucial.)

Now get out those cans and your [Not-Electric] can opener!

Open all, drain well:

-1can of plain artichoke hearts.

-1 small can of black ''pearl'' olives

-1 can of diced tomatoes or whole tomatoes chopped up. Whatever. I had this jar of marinara sauce, horrors! Used it up instead of using tomatoes.

-1 jar of capers.

-1 can of mushrooms.

Other than the mushrooms, you can see these are not ''from the farmers market'' kinds of veggies. But they hopefully have lots of wintery vitamins. And we love veggies here. (What is a caper, anyway? My mom always said they are nasturtium seeds! )

Cut the artichoke hearts in half.

Add everything to the le Creuset pot.

even the eggplant.

stir until everything gets nice and hot. 2, 3 minutes.

Add whatever wine you have in your fridge, red or white. Or---beer? About a Cup. Stir. Add some water if you like, but only a little.

Seasonings: salt, pepper, 2T of sugar or Splenda. [this is important, adds depth and caramelizes the sauce. ]

Basil, oregano, lemon pepper, a few fennel seeds? Lots of parsley.

Stir well, cover partially, simmer for about an hour. Less time is fine if you're hungry.

If someone doesn't want a quasi-vegetarian meal, you can add diced cooked bacon or pancetta near the end.

I like this on hearty whole wheat spaghetti or linguine. Al dente. Please. It is also good as a sauce on pan-grilled rib eye steaks. Lots of freshly grated Parmesan on top.

By the way, if it is very cold outside, and maybe inside too---it is worth the effort to heat your plates or pasta bowls. Just run hot water over them then dry well, or turn the sauce pot lid upside down, so it is flat, and set the plates on top while the sauce simmers.This dish is best served steaming hot and fragrant.

I often freeze half of the sauce. It can also be eaten cold, like a ratatouille, in the event of a power failure. No Spam for us! Though I will admit a secret love for canned corned beef hash.

Tonight I am using the second half from this weekend's batch to make baked ''ziti'', using up all my leftover bits of pasta. With ricotta and provolone. The baking casserole smells so delicious! Using the oven makes my cottage so cozy and warm. Perfect for Polar Vortex Three.