Autumn Sewing

Today I'm in the sewing room working on an old-fashioned blouse out of a lovely vintage calico. Dr. Quinn, Little House on the Prairie, or even Tasha-Tudor inspired. Take your pick.

All I have left is to do the sleeves, and hem it up. Then it will be ready for selling.

a Tasha-Tudor-day

In the last year or so I've heard some "talk" (okay, never mind. I've read online...) of a woman named Tasha Tudor who loved tea, homemade goodies, gardening, books, handcraft, knitting and a great deal of other things. Not to mention, when seeing pictures of her, she was wearing printed cotton dresses and seemed to have an old-fashioned essence about her.


Being a blog reader of Marmee's, I found that today's post was of "a Tasha-Tudor day" and linked to another site and apparently today would have been her birthday and several of those who she inspired, sort of honor her today. Personally since I don't know much about her, her life, and if she was a Christian woman and don't feel like I can really honor or endorse her.

Some Black-Eyed Susan's in one of my beds

But I do find her favorite pastimes to be quite parallel to mine, and it isn't everyday that you come across someone like that. Perhaps out of inspiration, I'll kick off my shoes and put on a cotton skirt, (a soiled black and white work jumper just won't do!) don an apron, make up a delicacy in the kitchen, turn a few more pages in my current reading of Dickens, make some tea, and weed the gardens.

To quote from another blog reader's recent post, "I am hopelessly lost in the wrong era."

Zucchini Bars

In my garden you will not find any zucchini growing, as in most gardens. You wonder why? Most often we are blessed with friends and neighbors who offer us some of their over-abundance of it, and so we've never had a need to grow it.

This year my friend Amber shared a recipe with a bunch of her friends online, per request, of a tastey cake-like bar using zucchini. I could hardly wait to try it out, and this morning I was able to put it together. This afternoon I sampled it, and it is delectable! One of my picky brothers also agreed by saying, "Mmmm! It does taste good!"

~ Amber's Zucchini Bars

3 eggs

1 c. white sugar

1 c. brown sugar

1 c. oil

2 c. shedded zucchini

2 c. flour

3 t. cinnamon

1 t. salt

2 t. baking soda

1 t. baking power

Slightly beat eggs. Add sugars and oil; mix well. Add, alternately: zucchini and dry ingredients. Mix well. Bake in greased cookie sheet at 350* for 30 minutes.

Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese

2 c. powdered sugar

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 t. vanilla

Mix well and spread on cooled zucchini bars. Sprinkle chopped nuts on top.

Ginnies in Bright Color

Over the weekend I added two new aprons. Perhaps you saw them already?
I just loved the fabrics of both!

And this week if I can find the time with working everyday, I have a bright, colorful, and really "far out" or outlandish print that I'll be making into a Gracie. That will take place after I finish an apron for myself, as the two that I have are getting to the point of falling apart. I'm trying out a new pattern, so that's been fun.

Delicious Blue

After work, my older sister and I were finally able to visit JoAnn's. Believe it or not, I haven't been to JoAnn's for well over a month, and while I didn't quite look like I'd been released from prison, I found myself ooing and ahhing at several bolts of fabric.

I decided to pick up some corduroy yardage of a favorite color: stone blue, slate blue, medium blue; whatever you wish to call it, that caught my eye. Especially since it was 50% off. Though it could change, it will probably be made into a jacket or skirt for this winter. ::sigh:: I do so love the feel, drape, and warmth that a corduroy skirt gives!

Happily, I was able to get a few Simplicity patterns as well. They were on sale for $1 each, and I wanted to snatch them at their cheapest. After seeing some of Laura's recent baby sewing projects, #2900 was one on my list to pick up, but they were out. Hopefully they will be restocked, and not be on the out-of-print list!

Goodbye, Miss Rose

The time has come for me to say farewell ...
... and also to this gorgeous (never worn) Edwardian Butterfly Comb

Take a look on ebay

Patterns for Sale

I've recently gone through my pattern containers (yes, I have so many that I have containers!) finding some that I know I won't use and some that I more than likely won't use. Anyhow, I have them in lots, so if you're curious...

Take a peek!

of Apron Lovers & Corn

What does one have to do with the other?

Well, quite alot actually. Today is the day that we "put up" corn, and I mean LOTS of it! Of course with 7 children still at home, all who love corn, we freeze quite a bit of it. And it is really quite easy:

Go to your local farmer who has corn (taste test it first; you know, buy some and have corn on the cob. If it's a hit, you know that it would be safe to buy several bushels). That is to say, of course, if you don't grow your own.

Recruit as many in the family as you can, by setting up chairs in the garage or on the porch. Sit yourselves down for a couple of hours while you share stories or verses in the Bible, sing songs, listen to music, and husk and desilk every cob of corn.

Grab the largest bowl(s) you can find and start cutting the corn off the cob. Or you can use a creamer (which I'm using in the picture below) and cream it off. We actually like to use both. It gives it a wonderful consistency. Despite popular belief, you don't have to blanch your corn before freezing, as it takes away flavor from the corn. Oh, and you're already going to cook it when you pull it out of your freezer, so what's the point in cooking a vegetable twice? [yuck!]

Grab some freezer bags, and start filling them with the amount that you think your family would consume in a meal. While closing, be sure that there is no excess air inside, as it will later turn to ice. Lay flat in the freezer. This will save you alot of freezer space later on for other things.

To cook in the winter: add a little water to cover the bottom of a sauce pan with anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of salt (depending on the amount in the bag). Once boiling, add the frozen corn, and cook thoroughly & enjoy!

So where do aprons come in? Simply this: they are perfect for wearing while husking, cutting, and cooking corn. They also add some happy smiles. =)

Circles 'n Swirls

or is that Swirls 'n Circles?
Either way, little "Molly Grace" is in the shop.

Gracie just got smaller!

Last week I was delighted to find a lovely vintage "Gracie" apron, and it obviously found it's way into my possession. =) It also has a unique pocket design on the apron too.
Upon trying it on, I saw that is didn't fit me as well as my first Gracie, and when my very slim sister tried it on, ta-da! it fits her like a gem. So I now have two sizes! I think I'm going to take this one apart as the binding is very worn, make a copy of it (yes, for smaller sizes to be added to the shop), upscale the pattern to a large/extra large now that I have two different sizes to go by, and then re-bind the original for Molly to have.