Sunday Sevens – Week 55

Hi everyone, it’s time for this week’s Sunday Sevens, a little ode to randomness, those bits that don’t merit a whole post. For info about Sunday Sevens, please pop in to see the creator, Natalie, over at Threads & Bobbins. There are no real rules, just sharing of seven(ish) pictures.

It’s been a busy week, but not a picture-taking one, so I’ve little to share. But…share I will with what there is.

WEATHER

Just because I haven’t posted a cloud scene in a couple of Sundays….and because the beauty of a cloudy, sunny sky never fails to enthrall me.

FABRIC

Made my choice of fabric for my new skirt, lovely heavyweight cranberry….still playing with the chiffon embellishments.

FALL CLEANING

What is better than freshly scrubbed windows, ready for nice clean curtains to go back up.

ON THE PORCH

My old rattan porch chairs needed a bit of touching up….and new cushions! They are not as pinkish as they look in this photo. And oh so comfy now.

SALT AND PEPPER

What’s to say? They are just cute. And a little change-up from my usual cat pics.

WORDS OF WISDOM

Some bathrooms have no built-in storage, so plastic bins hold sundries. Placement of similarly packaged products is rather critical. For instance, if one is dressing in a hurry, one must be careful to grab the correct item with which to spray one’s hair. Don’t ask me how I know this.

So, be sure to pay attention to details, and have a great week, everyone!

 

 

Sunday Sevens – Week 54

Hi everyone, it’s time for this week’s Sunday Sevens, a little ode to randomness, those bits that don’t merit a whole post. For info about Sunday Sevens, please pop in to see the creator, Natalie, over at Threads & Bobbins. There are no real rules, just sharing of seven(ish) pictures.

 

PROOF OF AUTUMN

These little girls have been annoying each other all summer, but look at them now. Methinks Frieda is making sure her heat source, Jasmin, doesn’t escape.

Our local major grocery, Wegman’s, is ready for fall! In addition to the decorated entrances, the entire street frontage is adorned with sheaves. (Oh bother – so blurry.)

A lovely, rustic apartment complex is across the street from the woods, and lots of students live there. With this view from your front door, would you study, or venture out along that little path?

Speaking of paths, the first time I walked past this gorgeous, winding driveway I was so envious. The first time in the snow? Pure happiness for my short, straight one!

And one new book, the incomparable B.B. King.

WINTER, SPRING, SUMMER OR FALL

One of my pet peeves – dishes left in the sink overnight (which would be my own fault). This morning, a rather marvelous arrangement greeted me. How did I do that?

AFTER THE THAW

Plans begin….and sometime in the spring, somewhere along the central California coastline, my daughter will be married!

It’s a breakthrough!

Hello lovely sewing bloggers, or is that lovely blogging sewists? This post was started yesterday, with an entirely different tone. It was titled “So Many Questions”.

I still have some questions to pose, but….

…there has been a major breakthrough! It was brought about by this bit of shiny goodness, which we will get to in just a minute.

Sunday Sevens – Week 53

Hi everyone, this begins a new batch of Sunday Sevens, a little ode to randomness that doesn’t merit a whole post. For info about Sunday Sevens, please pop in to see the creator, Natalie, over at Threads & Bobbins. There are no real rules, just sharing of seven(ish) pictures.

This week was mostly about the weather.

In the space of three days we went from sweltering heat to downpours, from 90 degrees to low sixties! Do you suppose that thunderhead was a factor?

So how did we spend these cool, drizzly, blustery days? By cooking up nice warm comforting meals? Of course not! This recipe is to be served as salad or dip and used all the ingredients here plus a pack of extra firm tofu, which is hidden under the greens. I toasted the sesame seeds, threw everything in a bowl, and gently mashed. Then, to mix it up a bit, I chopped red bell peppers, lettuce, tomato and feta cheese — then rolled the chop and the mash into whole wheat tortilla wraps. Yummy!

Kept up with my walking on the cooler days….the neighborhood will be out in force with the rakes very soon!

This was at 11:00 this morning. The picture is darker than it really was, but those clouds were certainly ominous.

Under those clouds, we walked the high school track for the Flower City Down Syndrome Network annual Buddy Walk. There is our little Lily showing us which way to walk, you can see her if you zoom in.

My next project? I’d like to create something similar to this skirt from Anthropologie. Doable? I’m not sure what the fabric is, having saved the picture without its description.

Have a great week everyone!

 

 

The Not-So-Humble, Dual-Personality Apron

The apron project is finished! But before we can begin, the first order of business is to apologize for the photograph quality. I will blame it all on the heat. The blurriness, the washed out color, and my “it’s-too-hot-to-care” hairdo compensated with red lipstick – all due to the summer that refuses to end.

Okay then, here we go.

The Maria Wrap Apron pattern I found on Etsy, by way of Pinterest. I ordered the downloadable pdf and was all set. It seemed straightforward enough, to make a reversible cross-back apron, right? Just make two and stitch them together. Well, not so fast. I knew I’d need help with this and Sharon, creator of Maven Patterns, was kind enough to create a tutorial for a reversible version.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My plan was to have black (or charcoal) linen on one side reversing to black/white dots on the other. This is what I ended up with – navy linen, and coral ground with blue birds. Not quite my original plan, but so much better!

Sunday Sevens – Week 8 for me

Hi everyone, here is this week’s Sunday Sevens, a little ode to randomness that doesn’t merit a whole post. For info about Sunday Sevens, please pop in to see the creator, Natalie, over at Threads & Bobbins. There are no real rules, just sharing of seven(ish) pictures.

This is my eighth week, but it is Week 52 for Natalie and those who joined right away. It’s been such fun trying to make the mundane seem interesting for these past few weeks.

My oh-so-fabulous new apron will have a post of its own in the next day or two, so here is a bit of miscellaneous “stuff around the house” for your Sunday Sevens viewing. We didn’t go out much as it was just too  &%$#*@  hot. Yesterday was the hottest day of the week 90 degrees – with 100% humidity! (How is that even possible?)

COFFEE ON THE PORCH

This morning, in anticipation of another sweltering end-of-summer day, we had our morning coffee on the front porch. We enjoyed the gentle breeze, and slightly cooler temperature.

WELCOME TO OUR (WELSH, IRISH) AMERICAN HOME

We definitely plan to paint the dreary and not-so-very-welcoming entryway. The same color extends upstairs and into the landing. Something a little lighter, brighter, and well…more welcoming!

I LOVE PITCHERS

This old German one picked up at a yard sale many years ago is definitely missing something…

An antique Welsh (or English?) pitcher with broken spout is valuable only to me.

This sweet little bovine, French porcelain, was purchased with our wedding dishware.

UNCLE TOM’S GOLF TROPHY

My mother’s brother Tom was my favorite person in the whole world. Though he died when I was only seven, I still vividly recall his twinkly blue eyes and lilting voice as he called me his “little Jenny Wren”. An avid and accomplished golfer, this barometer was one of his many trophies.

HELLOOOOO THERE

We took a short train ride New York State Fair in Syracuse. Hot. Hot. Hot. But lots of buildings with nice cold air, a diary building with milk for 25 cents, a fabulous Native American show, more food than anyone could eat, horticulture, crafts, music, and of course, animals. Unfortunately, the animals were in transition on the day we visited, so very few were open to visit. We did see a few horses (oh, the most beautiful Percheron), a newborn calf and 6 laboring mothers, pigs, a couple of llamas, and this little charmer named April.

Have a great week everyone!