Readying The Winter Coats

I've been spray painting again. This time it's reproduction glass doorknobs made to use as hooks. They were on sale here (looks like they've sold out now) and I bought ten of them. I didn't particularly care for the gold so I chose to spray them with a black hammered finish that turned out just as I had hoped.

Hubby installed them for me in our basement guestroom. It's the room that's slowly evolving as I bring home thrifted treasures. I knew these hooks would be just perfect for holding some vintage ladies coats that I've been storing. I haven't stumbled across any old wooden hangers yet, so you'll have to overlook the plastic and imagine that they're hanging on something very charming.

How fun is that?

The blue coat is in perfect condition. It's my favorite. The pink coat was purchased for it's buttons, but I think I'll leave it hanging with the others for now. And the green one? I just couldn't leave it behind. Isn't that a pretty button? It's large, has lots of neat texture, and is just the nicest shade of soft pink.

Another fun project completed.

Thinking Ahead

I'm thinking ahead for gift ideas as I fiddle in my sewing room. A spa basket came to mind after making the lavender eye pillows. Maybe the basket would include a collection of luxury items for winding down and pampering. I used this tutorial to make a neck and shoulder heat wrap, but filled it a little differently. For the filling, I followed these instructions that were written by a nurse who makes hospital-approved microwave heat bags for her patients.

The filling happens to be feed corn. My local feed and seed store carries a fifty pound bag that has been screened and sifted several times for extra cleanliness. For eight dollars or so I can fill a lot of bags.

It's super simple to make :: just a plain insert that is segmented into five sections and a pretty little slipcover that can easily be removed for laundering. I tested it out on my grandmother and she loved it. We decided to make it a couple of inches longer on each end next time, but that was just our preference. This could be made in all different shapes and sizes to fit little people too. It can even go in the freezer to be used for bumps and bruises.

So, I was thinking that a neck wrap, a lavender eye pillow, a beautifully fragrant candle and a nice natural bar of soap, all packaged up in a pretty basket would make a very special gift for a loved one. Do you agree?

Cleaning Up

We've been working on our garden areas :: pulling up tired annuals and trimming back perennials that have done their part for the season. It's refreshing in a way, to clean up some of the messiness and to view the simplicity of what's left behind. The Globe Amarynth in the photo above still have such a beautiful vibrant color even after living in the sun all summer. I think they'll look fantastic paired with the yellow yarrow that's drying in the shed. The lavender has finished blooming for the seocnd time. What a joy it's been to watch it grow, to dry it and then to use in sachets this season. Little by little we're emptying the pots and cleaning them up for winter storage. They'll hang out in the potting shed until spring when they'll be filled up again.

Kale and spring mix seedlings are growing in the potager garden. I definitely sprinkled way too many seeds so they'll need to be thinned. This is my first attempt at fall vegetable planting so I'm excited to see how it all turns out.

And look who's still going strong and standing proud :: Kim's Knee High Coneflowers :: they always make me smile.

Autumn

Well, what do you know? Autumn is here!

A few things I love about Autumn:

• Going to the pumpkin patch to find the perfect pumpkin with the perfect stem (I'm all about the stem)
• Vibrant fall color
• Apple picking
• My mom's pumkin cake (I'll share the recipe here - it's scrumptious)
• Walks in the woods with my honey :: we call it "leaf crunching" and we do it every year
• Homemade applesauce
• Soup, stew and chili
• Long sleeves, sweaters and scarves all layered together
• Vibrant fall color
• Boots
• Colorful leaves against a deep blue sky
• Sitting in front of the fireplace
• Early morning exercise in the brisk cool air
• Vibrant fall color
• Pansies, mums and ornamental cabbage
• Holding a hot cup of coffee on a chilly day
• Jean jackets (with a vintage pin of course)

Did I mention that I love vibrant fall color? Well I do. I'm not sure why I feel so strongly about fall. Maybe it's because I was born in this season. Were you born in your favorite season? I'm interested to know.

One Reason The Dusting Never Got Done This Weekend

Dusting was on my list. In fact, dusting is always on my list. Lists work well for me. I write down what needs to be done and find great satisfaction in crossing things off as they're completed. For some reason though, I don't do the dusting. I just add it to my new list :: over and over again. This is my new stool. Well, I've really had it for a year or two. I found it at a flea market shop and thought it was overflowing with character. This weekend I decided to recover it. It's one of the reasons I never got to the dusting. I had this red polka dot oil cloth left over from a tablecloth project. You can never have too many things with polka dots, so I decided to cover my new old stool with it. It was better, but the olive green paint on the base of the seat wasn't doing it for me. A quick search through the basement revealed an off white can of spray paint so I got out the drop cloth and the painters tape and sprayed away. Ahh...nice and clean looking and so much better, don't you think?

This is just one of the fun little projects I did this weekend. See why I never get to the dusting?

Sunday Morning Coffee Date

:: Wishing You A Lovely Day ::

Home Away From Home

Yesterday afternoon I stopped by my mom and dad's house. I've been lucky enough, throughout my life, to never be farther than a thirty-minute drive from them. My parents home is the place where you know you don't have to call before you visit :: just show up and you feel as though they've been waiting for you. It's peaceful , and there's a pretty good chance that while you're there, you might run into another family member who's "just stopping by". While I was there, I took a few photos. Mom's been working on a quilt and I thought you might like to see.

Several months ago she fell in love with the fabric and designs by these two ladies. She purchased the pattern for 3 Brother's Farm and has been working away on it. She's very humble, and doesn't think she's very good at quilting, but she really is :: see for yourself. It's truly turning out beautifully.

Right now she's working on appliqueing the horses. There's two of them and they're fairly large. Here's some more of the fabric. It's sort of patriotic and folksy with an elegant feel, isn't it?

There's lots of detail on this quilt, and more appliqueing to be done. I think she's planning to hang the finished product in her dining room. Maybe she'll let me share again once it's completely finished.

While we were outside photographing the quilt, Whiskers was "watching us" from the kitchen window. Whiskers is a little "fluffy" (ahem) and was spilling out through the hole in the screen.

Oh, hello Whiskers. So sorry to have disturbed you.

All Work And No Play........

It's still dark outside this morning as I write this post. I don't have to run out the door first thing so I'm trying to make excellent use of my time. For some reason (perhaps it was the cup of pumpkin spice coffee consumed right before bed) I was wide awake and ready to go at 4:50, am that is, and the to-do list was swirling in my head. Turkey chowder cooked through the night and a wonderful, cozy, fall kind of smell fills the air. So, dinner is ready and I am in love with my crockpot. Friday is "change the sheets day" and they're in the dryer as we speak.

My three item per day quota of ironing is complete (and a mountain still exists).

But all work and no play isn't a good thing now is it? A log cabin block to break up the monotany seemed like the right thing to do. I make deals like that with myself. I know, it could possibly be considered a little, shall we say, "cuckoo". But it works for me. A few chores followed by a snippet of time in my sewing room and I'm ready to get back to work again.

You do that too, don't you?

Meal Planning Success

So far, our meal planning/prep for the week has worked out quite well. For dinner Sunday evening hubby cooked the Pan-Seared Sea Scallops. They were drizzled with sesame oil and sweet chili sauce before cooking, which gave them a nice crispy brown coating and a delicious flavor. We used one of our favorite dressings for this salad, and threw in some nuts, goat cheese, dried cherries and tomatoes. Yum. That's healthy, right? Yeah for us! Last night we had baked salmon and Wheatberry Salad from Heather's blog. I highly recommend the recipe :: it's full of crunchy goodness and very flavorful. Right now, there's a turkey breast slow cooking in the kitchen, and I'll use that for the Turkey and Corn Chowder w/Barley which we'll have for dinner tomorrow night. I'd like to say that having healthy, nutritious meals planned ahead of time keeps me from eating junk food, but hubby just handed me half of a Hershey bar and, unfortunately, I didn't refuse. My Naturopathic physician says to live by the 80/20 rule :: eat healthy eighty percent of the time and the other twenty percent can be a little more lax. I really, really like that rule.

Year Round Herbs

One of my favorite things about summer is growing fresh herbs in the garden. Our garden alway has the common herbs :: thyme, basil, rosemary, sage and oregano, and it usually has some others thrown in for fun. Pineapple sage is one of my favorites. It smells heavenly and has beautiful little red flowers that attract hummingbirds. This year I planted chamomille, lemon balm, and melon sage too. Admittedly, I don't use the herbs to their full potential. It's really just a snip here and a snip there whenever I happen to need some for cooking.Over the weekend I potted some of the garden herbs to bring inside for the winter. I'm not the best at keeping houseplants alive, but the idea of having fresh herbs a few steps from the kitchen throughout the fall and winter is very appealing to me. The table in front of our big picture window seemed to be the perfect spot.

The sage is already looking a little droopy. Maybe it's not meant to be inside?? Wish me luck, I think I'm going to need it. :)

Nine More Days

Delicious Autumn!

My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. ~George Eliot

Ahead of the Game

Do you plan your meals on the weekends to prepare for the week? I don't usually, but that's what I'm doing today. Some of the meals are tried and true, and some are new to us. Here's what we'll be having:

Breakfasts

Blueberry Breakfast Shake

Breakfast Rice from this book

Dr. Oz's Green Smoothies

Salads

Romaine w/goat cheese, tomatoes, dried cherries, nuts, & apples

Wheatberry Salad (recipe courtesy of this beautiful blog)

Quinoa Salad (also from above blog)

Main Courses

Baked Salmon

Turkey and Corn Chowder w/Barley from this book again

Pan-Seared Sea Scallops

Beef Stroganoff from Cook's Illustrated Fall Entertaining Issue

I've just finished preparing snacks :: you know :: some healthy things to munch on in between or instead of meals.

:: Roasted Pepper Hummus with Veggies ::

:: Watermelon ::

:: Apples with Smoked Gouda or Almond Butter ::

I'll let you know if our new recipes end up to be "keepers". Have a wonderful weekend - I'm off to get some cooking done.