angry chicken

peach craziness

As of last week, there were still peaches available here and this caramel peach grunt was made, again. I recommend serving it piping hot. You cook the peaches in a caramel sauce and then add the biscuit topping and bake the whole thing. I had it all going in the cast iron skillet, perfect from stovetop to oven, but I knew that adding the biscuit topping was going to cause a disastrous overflow of caramel and peaches in the oven, so to avoid the bad situation, I made the quick change out before adding the topping.

The recipe is in Rustic Fruit Desserts, which is still one of my go-to baking books. I once again need to say the teacake is amazing and can be used for almost any fruit. Flipping through the book, it's easy to miss, but they sell seasonal ones in their bakery (Baker and Spice) and they are amazing and so easy to make at home, it's dangerous.

• Unrelated to all this I am knitting this sweater (Ingenue from the Custom Knits book. it's a Ravelry link) after a 2 year break. You know how these things go. I got some help and am on a roll again. Well see how far I get now. I need to finish it because next up I really want to start this vest by Jared Flood for the only man that lives in the house, but um, what the heck? (steeks!) It seems a bit advanced for me. I want to use Noro Silk Garden yarn color 252, which is keeping me up at night. I might use another vest pattern instead if I get too nervous trying Jared's, maybe one in Men's Knits called Simple Vest.

• It's a big weekend here—my brother and eldest child share a birthday. There will be much celebrating. Sadie has requested Frosted Flakes for her special breakfast. And she sure is hoping she gets that pogo stick. I'm not sure my brother would want Frosted Flakes, but he'd be all over a pogostick. For gift ideas for him, I was recently shown this crazy thing by the charming Mr. Paulson, iRig, which turns your iphone into an amp. You know, for rockin' out on your guitar all Eddie Van Halen style, which my brother does. But I didn't get him that in time. Maybe for Christmas? I hope he isn't reading this.

• I am excited to be blogging over at habit this month. This is a whole new way for me to blog and I am so curious to see how it will feel. Please come and visit!

that wee wonderfuls book & an interview

Hillary's super fantastic book is out. It's called Wee Wonderfuls: 24 Dolls to Sew and Love. It's beautiful, amazing, awesome and just plain perfect. It's the book we have been waiting for since she started blogging. Her toy book. Her doll book. Her genius book. Okay so we are friends and have been for years and I got this book as a review copy, so let's just say I am biased, but come on, her designs are incredible. So, she agreed to answer a few of my nosey questions. And for a full description of what's in the books (patterns, templates, and all that fun stuff) you can read about it and see a preview here.

And if you don't read all of this (for shame!) notice there are directions on how to enter the book giveaway (a signed copy no less!) at the end of this post.

So let's get these questions rolling!

A: So, your book is so amazing! Hardback! Yellow spine! And the projects are just perfect as is the photography— a little something for everyone. How's it feel now that's it's finally out? Is it real to you? Have your kids seen it in shops yet? Did your mom order like, 10 copies?

H: I don't know how I feel. You know I'm not really in touch with my feelings. It takes a while for things to sink in. I think, in like 5 years, I'm going to be really really excited, in retrospect. It also seems not really real because it's all out there on the internet. I'd love to find the book in real life, you know in some cute shop somewhere. And the kids, well they couldn't be less impressed. Overheard on a recent trip to Borders..."Why do we have to go look for your book, we have one right here!" But my friends and family have been very excited for me and that's so awesome of them. My friend Betsy even threw me a book release party. So fun!

A: Do you have a favorite project (Sophie's choice! so hard!). I think mine is the topsy turvy Margo doll, with Little Miss Story book coming in a close second.

My favorites switch all the time. I know who the stinkers are. The ones who gave me trouble, whose fabric wasn't quite right or whose capes wouldn't fit right (ahem). But my favorites flip flop. Right now it's the little bear librarians. So each toy had their own backstory. I wrote them silly little stories or poems but they didn't make it into the book. Melvin (for Melvin Dewey) and Marion (Marion the librarian) still at least have their dorky names which makes me smile.

A: Let's talk nuts and bolts: What's your favorite doll making tool, the one you think is the most valuable? For me, it's the stuffing fork. That really changed my doll/toys making projects for the better. Such a simple tool that I would never live without.

H: I love that spiky fork but never use it. Not sure why. I guess I always just go for a pencil when I'm stuffing. I think the most life changing for me would have to be the long doll needle. I spent way too much time losing short little needles inside stuffed dolls.

A: I love how much you describe stuffing and the process. It is so important to the overall creation of a 2-D to 3-D object. It's what makes it come alive. I also love the advice you give about messing up a face (make a new head!) I noticed you never draw/paint on the fabric for doll faces but always embroider (save the pink cheeks) have you tried this before? Thoughts?

H: I don't have the stomach for it. I painted the cheeks on topsy turvy and it practically gave me a heart attack. Seriously. I was sweaty and panicked and dabbing on the tiniest bit of paint at a time. Of course I'd already done the hair, faces and outfits for both sides of the doll so it was not so smart to leave the painted cheeks til last. I guess I always go with embroidery because you can undo any damage. Painting is so final.

A: Tim, your husband did the amazing how-to illustrations. Did you make him a pie?

H: Nope. No pie, poor guy. He is the unsung hero for sure. He does at least half the work and I take all the glory. Right now he's in there sweating over pattern files to send to the printer and I'm here drinking coffee and taking interviews. I also like to forget what's his work and what's mine. Recently I was looking through the original drawings for the diagrams -- normally I draw something sketchy/spazzy and then Tim makes it right in Illustrator -- so I'm looking at this drawing telling him "wow, I really did a nice job on these diagrams" and he's all "yeah, I drew those." Don't you wish you were married to me?

A: The video!! Okay, um, when are you going to make a real movie? Kids shows? All that. (Note to producers out there, snatch this gal up fast before it's too late) How fun was making that amazing video with your dolls? How long did it take? And how did you survive it? Was there pizza involved? (you can see the amazing promo-video for Hillary's book right here. please watch at least 5 times.)

H: We survived it by having NO time to do it. We only had a couple of kid-free hours to do it and that was it. There was a lot of yelling and fighting and then it was over. I almost think that's the only way to do these things. Like pulling off a band aid. We had no time to hunt for props or make a fancy background and it just became an invention of necessity and I love how it turned out.

A: Do you think you would have been a toy/doll maker even if you have never had kids? Do you think it would be easier? I sometimes think sewing kids clothes is easier with no child in mind, at least for me, so then I get full creative control. :)

H: Yeah, I do think I'd have become a crazy doll lady with or without kids. Funny, I was just remembering this time I'd spent an entire afternoon watching old movies and drawing up paper dolls with crazy elaborate outfits. I was wishing I still had them. And that was when I was like, 25. I've always had toys/dolls on the brain. Having Oscar and staying home with him definitely gave me an opportunity (and excuse) to indulge my crafty tendencies but I think I would have gotten around to toy making at some point. Tim and I joke that we had to have kids to justify the inappropriately large collection of toys we were amassing.

A: Here's some unrelated questions so we can all get to know you better (pick one)

• Morning person or night person? —neither. noon, can I pick noon? I suck at both early and late.
• Pho or thai food? —and now I want both. I guess pho. thai is so hit or miss, pho always spot on.
• What was your book soundtrack? did you have one? (besides the musical quality of kids' voices, ha!) —yes! I have a "hillary upbeat" playlist that I'd listen to. I needed lots of really happy yelly overly cheerful music blasting to keep me from panicking, like Coldplay's Viva la Vida. It drove Tim crazy. He's really into the mopey mellow arty music.
• Halloween or christmas? —Christmas!

A: Here's a flashback-check out this first interview we did, like forever ago (in blog years) over on whip up.

H: yeah, did you see how I picked heels over flats in that first interview? that MUST have been a typo on my part. I've never worn heels in my life!

A: Okay. Thanks Hillary! And thanks for offering up a signed book to give away. Just leave a comment telling us the name of your childhood doll or stuffed animal (mine was Mandy) and at the end of the day wednesday (about) a random number generator will chose a winner!

Check out Wee Wonderfuls for her blog tour information. For those of you not up for making anything this holiday season, might I suggest to buy this book and add a little pile of hand selected fabrics, felts and trim to give to a lucky crafter in your life. Who wouldn't want that!? And you didn't have to make a thing! Double awesome!

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Okay! I have officially closed the comments on this post—thanks so much for all these great dolly/stuffed animal names and stories! A winner has been chosen from the random number generator:

Congrats, Joanna and her cabbage patch kid named Stew Brenton (with the less popular sister, Bonnie Anna)—please e-mail me with your mailing address to get this amazing book.

sketching in the Rose Garden

In early September we were able to sketch at the Rose Garden before the season passed. We are heavy into Leonardo da Vinci right now and are doing a lot of sketching in notebooks of flowers (like his), inventions, and animals, and architecture—but today it was roses. They smelled amazing. We gathered up fallen rose petals and are pressing them right now for some art projects.

getting ready for cooler weather

We have been having fun making supplies for the cooler months ahead. I love having these natural/herbal remedies ready before we need them. And the girls have fun making them, too. And they make great gifts, so I try to make double batches.

These are all made from the eMailorder #11 issue ($8 USD), which has a recipe book you make yourself, labels, and a cheat sheet for handy reference. And it's a PDF, so you can print it right now!

I get all my herbs and supplies (including containers, bottles, and lip balm tubes) that I can't find locally at Mountain Rose Herbs. They also have a ton of helpful information about properties of herbs and essential oils.

I love reading about herbs almost as much as making medicine. After checking out almost every herbal book in the library over the last two years these are the ones I ended up buying and use extensively:

• Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health: 175 Teas, Tonics, Oils, Salves, Tinctures, and Other Natural Remedies for the Entire Family
• The Herbal Medicine-Maker's Handbook: A Home Manual
• The Herbal Home Remedy Book: Simple Recipes for Tinctures, Teas, Salves, Tonics, and Syrups
• A Kid's Herb Book
• Make Your Place

Okay, Autumnal Equinox 2010 (today!)—bring it. We are ready. To celebrate, we will also be making these Caramel Apple Mini-Cakes and will eat some just for you.

From blog to book. A long, arduous journey.

I mentioned long go I was printing this blog at home and binding it into books. Well, I did. I started in April and finished in July, working slowly, just plugging away. There was 5 years worth—a book for each year, except for the first, which was 2 volumes.

This could be the longest post in the world and I am kind of overwhelmed at trying to describe just how I did this and everything I have to say about it, so I will just list many many bullet points. Here are few reasons I made these myself instead of using one of the many blog-to-book services out there:

• I didn't want a cheesy cover.
• I didn't want to have to format at all.
• I had tried other websites and after uploading nightmares, I still had to spend hours formatting.
• Buying 5 years worth of books (at over $130 each) was going to cost a small fortune. I wanted to spend as little time on the computer for this as possible.
• I was wiling to spend my time binding, printing, and making the books instead. (Also swearing, making multiple trips to the copy shop and office supply shop, and dealing with misprints, errors, and some glue mishaps.)

I felt compelled to do this because I realized while going through my grandparents' belongings this summer, just how important it is to preserve some of what I do, if I can.

My grandmother was a newspaper writer and had a regular column. We were concerned her articles weren't saved and I was almost sick about it. But she did keep them, we finally found the binder, and I thought about how ephemeral the internet is and how this blog of mine exists in this sort of unreal environment and wanted to get a physical copy in the house. I could go on a bit here about how a printed blog is totally different, because it's not interactive, the links don't work, and the comments don't appear (it would be too long to print) so I just have to think of it as a different format altogether, which is it.

So here's what I did—

• I used Blog2Print and bought the PDF option which was under $8 per book. I tried making the PDF myself without this service, which worked, but there was no formatting so many of the photos were cut in half. So, I bought PDF option for a year at a time, then I would finish a book and then start another. I used the option they provide to make the posts as space saving as possible. This means not all posts fit on one page, but it DOES mean there was no formatting on my part at all.
• I deleted the table of contents pages they provided, which was like, 13 extra pages.
• I printed these at home on my cheap printer and they looked just fine. (HP Deskjet 810c)
• I used the heaviest weight paper (24lb) for a laser printer (even though I have an ink jet) so I could print double-sided with no bleed through. The paper worked great.
• I printed them double-sided which sometimes worked well and other times was a disaster, caused me to almost cry, and was a real challenge if I ran out of ink midway.
• I had to buy ink twice for these 6 books, and 3 reams of 500 sheets of paper, along with bookbinders board, glue, all that. It ended up being about $30 a book. I don't totally remember, but it was way less than the roughly $135-150 the sites were changing me for a finished bound book.
• I also got quotes at copy shops if I sent the PDF to them to print and it was about $1 a sheet. Most of my books were about 200+ sheets each (printed on both sides) so that wasn't a good option.
• I had these velo bound at a copy shop (which uses that little strip of black plastic) after I printed them, then made a cover and cased them in out of bookbinders board, book cloth, and bookbinding know-how from my college days.
• I can't really explain how to do this type of bookbinding in a post. If you know how to case in a text block, you are good to go. You can see a good video of how to case in text blocks at Paper Source. It's not exactly as easy as this because of the velo strip, but I was still able to do it with some tape cover up on the inside cover. Not perfect, but just fine. I would not use this project to learn how to case in a text block. Just saying.
• I could have had the books coil bound, or comb bound at a copy shop, but had my heart set on having hard back books.
• Along with making labels for the front covers, I was going to label the spines, but preferred the minimal look and also nothing seems to adhere to this book binding cloth I used.

I am really happy with how these turned out. Now. At the time it was sort of horrible. Occasionally it was tolerable, but making 6 was a drag, even though I spaced it out almost all summer. I made different mistakes every time. It was sort of maddening. But now they are done, and I love being able to show them to the girls and look up old posts without turning on the computer. And, next year I only have to make one. Whew.

easy caramel (or butterscotch) sauce

I branched out and made a different caramel sauce than the one I have made all year. This one was so easy, crazy easy, and called for brown sugar, which in my book makes this not a carmel sauce but a butterscotch sauce. Am I right here? In any case, it was delicious. I ended up using a mix of white sugar and brown sugar instead of all brown sugar, making it a buttercaramel sauce. Or a carbutterscotch. A caramelscotch sauce? I have poured it warm on many food type items since making it. Here it is on a plum buckle, made from my cheatsheet (I used plums instead of raspberries and added 1/2 teaspoon of allspice.)

Unrelated:

• The newest Mixtapezine is available. I sure love this zine and look forward to every issue.

• I am loving two new items over at Yellow Owl Workshop. They would be perfect as gifts for friends (the pendants) and small people who have birthdays coming up (the stamps).

• I adore this outfit over at Olive Juice for the middle child of the house. She has a birthday coming up in early November and the only item she has consistently asked for is her own box of ziplock baggies. The irony is not lost on me, here.

 

we finally hooked up the record player

We hadn't gotten around to hooking up the record player before now. We finally did, and put it low so the girls can use it and got some records out of storage. They hadn't heard these before. Many questions were asked. It's so wonderful, emotional, funny and poignant to hear albums with them that we have such history with. I had them chose some to photograph.

Grease, The Musical Soundtrack

Grease. Oh, it's called that because it's what the boys put in their hair to make it look that way, you know, wet. I know she looks way way different in that photo. Well, she changed her look to make the boy like her more. You know, more make-up, high heels. Yes, I guess it did work. You know, it doesn't really have the best message, now that I am saying it out loud, but this song is great, huh? No, her pink hair was a mistake. I know, that was a swear word in that song!

The Go-Gos, Beauty and the Beat

Yes, I agree, this album is sooooo good. It's a beauty mask, it washes off. They were having a spa day, or something. Yes, only girls were in the band. Yes, you can play it again. I don't think we can ever meet them, no. But that would have been cool, huh?

Tom Tom Club

No, a kid didn't draw the cover, but it's so cool! I know it looks like it. Well, I really don't think a kid did, but you can decide a kid drew it, if you like. No, kids aren't singing on this, but it sure sounds like it. Actually, it really sounds like kids wrote these songs, Amazing! I can't stop dancing! Oh, it's called The Robot.

Vivaldi, The Four Seasons

Yes, so pretty. Growing up, my parents used to play this on Sundays while my Dad made a yummy brunch. It's so nice hearing this again. This one is called Spring.

Peter Paul and Mary, Album 1700

I sang "I'm in Love with a Big Blue Frog" all the time when I was little. Oh, they are trying to look like the characters from the movie Bonnie and Clyde, which came out around that time. It was about some glamorous very misguided bank robbers. It didn't end well for them. Yeah, you have heard a lot of them before, just not this album. This one was mine when I was a girl. Yes, this exact copy.

The Genius of Ray Charles

This was one of my Dad's favorite albums. Your grandpa. No, honey, he didn't know you either—he died when I was pregnant with Sadie, so you never got a chance. Yes, I wish you could have met him, too.

alicia's newest book—

I have been poring over this book, Embroidery Companion: Classic Designs for Modern Living, by the talented Alicia Paulson, for a while now. I was sent an early review copy because we share the same publisher. I am also friends with Alicia, and remember when she first described (at our favorite Thai Food joint we always go to) what the book would be about, how she wanted it to be, what she wanted it to be. It's incredible. No other words to describe it. Here are just a few of my favorite projects in this lovely book—

The crewelwork pattern, Woodland in Wool.

The Blackwork Sampler, which is so close to my heart. I have such strong feelings about blackwork and Alicia's design is so wonderful.

And look at these illustrations—so pretty.

And this Gingerbread Heart Moblie is so sweet and clever and woodsy-wonderful, I am dying.

This book has many more projects that are just as incredible, but it also has a ton of very well written, clear, and extremely useful basic advice on starting and finishing a needlework project. It's perfect for beginners, or any one else. You don't need to reference another book to get though the projects, she provides the complete info in the book to get you from beginning to end, which makes this book even more special and impressive.

I didn't make it to her booksigning, we were out of town, but I hope you all did who were in Portland. 

Okay, here's what I have to finish first (from 2 years ago) before I can start a project from Alicia's book. This lovely pattern is by Handwork Samplers, and this is from Sampler Ornaments 8 pattern. I better get busy.

The Circus Aprons are up!

The Circus Aprons over on Tie One On are outstanding! Please take a look, it will put a huge smile on your face. This amazing photo and apron here is by Amber. Unreal! I am standing up and clapping!

the Little House dress

I finished this dress, apron, and bonnet up a bit back. Thank you so much for all your great boot suggestions. We ended up getting these Smokey Mountain Boots and they fit her perfectly and are so sweet. I was worried they would be too stiff, but they aren't at all. They hadn't arrived yet when I took these photos, but hey, the Ingalls girls didn't wear shoes much anyway.

This was made from this same pattern I used for the girls' summer nightgowns. The dress, bonnet, and apron were a fine pattern. I do prefer a less poofy bonnet, like the pattern I sell, ahem. This one while probably more historically accurate, was still a bit big on Delia. She has a tiny head. I even decreased the brim width quite a bit and it still was huge. The fabrics were chosen by Delia in the Civil War reproduction section (oh, how I love this section!) over at Fabric Depot.

As she grows, I will add length to make it longer. I was really on the fence on how long to make it. She is still 5, almost 6, so the longer length just seemed too big girl for her. I didn't sew the dress exactly as the pattern described—I didn't add the ribbon drawstring on the neck nor around the waist, I just gathered it and stitched and didn't add the folded up hem detail. I also made this long sleeved. I also found these bloomers I made Sadie years ago, so that was a nice surprise.

in other news:

• In my constant quest for old-timey accessories, I am once again wanting a handmade broom, like I do every Fall. Like these from Broomchick. How is it I don't have one yet? This is the year.

• For Sadie's Little House dress, I am interested in the Child's Prairie Dress and Pinafore pattern by Folkwear. I know they carry Folkways patterns at Bolt, here in Portland. I need to pick this one up.

• Speaking of Bolt, you can see a wonderful post from Melissa on the Bolt Blog describing an awesome quilt she made. Outstanding! For the quilting she used the stellar machine quilting services by Tillie Studio. Here is the quilt on Melissa's personal blog as well. (And you all know Tillie Studio is Grammie, my Mom, right!?) Anyhoo, if you have tops you are wanting to get quilted before the holidays, for gift giving and all that, go ahead and give my mom a head's up e-mail now so she can schedule you in. The holiday's are coming fast!

summer type fun

A fun month of the coast, hiking, rides at Oaks Park, a little food poisoning (me), a strained calf (me) and lots of outdoor shenanigans. I am sad it's getting cooler. I am not a warm weather person, but I still feel like I could use more summer.

• Oh, thanks so much for all the book suggestions. I got quite a few from the library before we took off, but only was able to read Water for Elephants, which I really enjoyed.

• For a fairy garden, I love these little houses by Suzanne's Pottery Farm. So hobity cute.

• The new theme over on Tie One On is up.