Out and About . Joann's and Jeep

Hi! In the midst of planning Thanksgiving with my friends, I had to stop everything and choose a new car! I hate, loathe, despise car shopping, don't you!?

Anyway, off we went to the Jeep dealer. I always drive a Jeep, they drive in floods and hurricanes, in sand and snow and mud. And on ice.

For many years I have always driven a Grand Cherokee, but budget needs had me choosing a smaller less $$$ model this time. I like it! Very responsive and nicely designed interior, good cargo space for a small SUV.

Then I went with my friend L to Joann's. Quite a long drive! We thought we were catching the end of Veterans Day sales, or the pre-black Friday etc sales...but no. I needed things like supplies for Christmas gifts, rotary cutter blades, fusible web. Not glamorous. Not a coupon to be had either.

Anyway I got some pretties too. I was pleased to find Joann's new [to me] line of quilting prints called Premium Vintage Quilt Prints.

I loved that they came in groups of color ways, not like the usual Joann's hodgepodge.

This design group also came in a red colorway and a lavender/ purple colorway. Price: a whopping 14.95/ yd! On sale it was still 10.95. Yikes.
I adore mud colored prints! So I chose a few of the mud grey-brown and mustard prints.

I somewhat stupidly didn't buy all the fabrics in the color group because  I thought they would be available online, but no. Not really. here
I like that the selvage shows the color palette. I know I have some other mud colored fabrics from a Blackbird Designs group of about 6 or so years ago. I can add them in.

I am thinking to save them for Barbra Brackman's new 2018 historic sewalong. HERE
I have never used a single fabric grouping in a quilt and think it would be a fun challenge. Or possibly oh so dull and drab, and inauthentic? [I am still fussing with the  other group I got a few month's ago [Nancy Gere, Jamestown: poison green, purple, black , chrome yellow. I love the fabrics but am imaging how awful the end result quilt might be???]  Usually I choose fabrics by color and style, never limiting myself to one manufactured assortment. So I'll see.
Maybe Brackman's quiltalong quilt should be a useful blue an white instead?]

Other finds, I always love the remnant bins!
Grey linen embroidered with snowflakes, 1 yard 9.99, down from 54.99!

It was/ is for my Cheri Santa quilt but I used it for my fave customer Elle, another Elle!, instead. Even on sale it is 39.99 to replace it.

Cute remnant of tape measures: I've seen mug rugs made using this, and needle cases.

Woodland neutral:

Pretty text on canvas, very oversized motifs, for throw pillows.

Sweet little seashell calico and some dots etc, stash bits.

Double sided quilted fabric, also $$$,maybe 19.99/yd?, for water bottle carriers and iPad/ Kindle propper uppers.

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Back home Mo and I sat on the cold cold deck and I finished ''Muddy Waters''/ Parmeteer Point's binding. Label not attached yet.

I tea dyed it to make it look more cohesive and old.
Without tea dye:

After tea dye but not washed and fluffed.

Washed, fluffed, done!

I have the made up story about a little pioneer girl who played with her doll and quilt beside a muddy river one Autumn, while her daddy fruitlessly panned for gold. "If they's gold in California, Abigail there's gotta be gold here in Oregon." Maybe yes, maybe no, but Abigail's quilt got left behind that day and was blown by the Autumn winds into the rushing river. It floated downstream and laid in the mud all winter. In the spring another little girl happened to see it, in the grasses along the riverbank. She took a stick and eased it out, brought it home and her mama helped her wash it. Some stains remain, but the little girl loves it anyway. Mud and all.

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I think Mo is reconciling to the notion that we'll have to do our sewing hour indoors now.

For years I have wanted a small table to set up against the big glass windows so we can sew and enjoy the hot winter sun and the birds, and the view of the beach. But for now, the dining table will have to do.

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A quick reminder: NOW is your last chance to buy paperwhite narcissus bulbs. They are on sale at groceries and garden centers, often boxed up as gifts. White or pink amaryllis are lovely too. Buy now, put in a cool dark place til mid January. By Feb 1st you'll have spring flowers, such easy pleasure in the coldest darkest  time.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach......

Thanksgiving ~ The Food! The Wines!

Hello! I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I usually tell all about my food and table settings but this year I went to my friends' house to share their wonderful celebration. I didn't take a lot of pictures, to respect their privacy, and no recipes because I was not the chef. I'll mix in photos of how Mo and I shared the day, glorious though cold, with walks around the neighborhood.

The hosts were my friends I often mention, of the minimalist grey home decor and tropical garden. Over the years they have picked up some of my design ideas, changing things like throw pillows throughout the seasons. Instead of bright orange for Fall they used oatmeal linen with burlap piping and wool tapestry the color of dried yellow corn for pillows,with  hints of tarnished copper for the festive day.

Table setting.

These friends are healthy eaters, so the food was wheat free, mostly; dairy free, mostly; soy free. Post-Paleo/ semi vegan [because there was, after all, a turkey!]. Everything except my contributions and the wines, was from Trader Joe's.

MENU

 starters/ hors d'oeuvres

an exquisite cheese platter [we call this antipasto, even if it's not classic Italian antipasto]. Goat milk brie, dried cherries, interesting crackers, hot pickles, and spreads. Classic salami, provolone, Swiss/ Jarlsburg, and for me, a favorite, white cheddar with dried cranberries.

And also these delicious small savory ''pizzas": cauliflower crusts [ordered online?], one with fig chutney and goat cheese , the second with a caramelized onion spread, the third added to the cheese board for the spreads, like carrot and squash and others. These little hot ''pizzas''were amazing! Light but so flavorful!

Wine for this course was a rose, no info or sauvignon blanc here  Featherstone Vineyards. 

Main course:

Free Range Turkey with gravy

Whipped mashed parsnips

Roasted, caramelized Brussels sprouts with apple wood smoked bacon

Stuffed mushrooms [spinach, goat cheese.]

My stuffing [ cornbread/ sausage/ apples/ chestnuts]

my Creamed onions, because I love them.

Wine was Etude pinot noir  here

Dessert

Vegan Pumpkin Pie with coconut milk  whipped ''cream'' topping.

This is an exceptional dessert, very light and sweet, with light pumpkin flavor and cinnamon. 

Nicer than classic!

I had hoped to go back today for leftovers! I always love Thanksgiving leftovers. But my friends were off to the city for the weekend---what is more exciting than NYC at Christmas. Yes, I was a tad envious but so grateful to have have shared the holiday with my children and good friends.

More Thanksgiving walks with Mo. Thanksgiving is the height of autumn here, what leaves we have are finally starting to change. Note how green the grass is!

One favorite moment was walking down the again wind blown and barren  beach path and smelling fresh cranberry sauce simmering on someone's stove. Mmmm.

Even though I was not the host/ hostess this year, I was tired! Haha, all that lovely wine. Today I walked on the beach, then Mo and I had a sunny if chilly hour on the deck, as I sewed on Muddy Water's / Parmateer Point's binding.

I have a big etsy order to fill! Yay! But after car shopping this week then the holiday, I needed a quiet day. How about you?

love,

lizzy

gone to the beach.....