Coincidence

It was only a coincidence.

There I was happily quilting away on my little blue/green HSTs. You know, the one Hubby thinks is my coolest quilt ever. And the one where he thought I should have matched up the background circles? (By the way, I told him he could make the quilt himself next time if he thinks that's ever going to happen.)

I'm busy twisting and turning the quilt as I add the straight line quilting when I notice this:


And this:


Out of 272 blocks I managed to match up these two seams, without even trying. That counts for something, right?

One Year

I can usually hear the footsteps the second the feet hit the ground. A tiny body sliding out of her giant bed, stepping around the dog sleeping on the floor, blankets and Tiger in hand. She sometimes opens the blinds, the creak of the roller a dead giveaway, just to make sure it's morning. Then she stomps down the hall. It sounds like stomping, even though she barely weighs 30 pounds. Her hand grasps the knob on the door to my room. A short turn and she peeks in. If she sees me awake she quickly pops in the room, slams the door behind her, props her crap on the bed, and climbs in.


She usually doesn't say a word. Not until she is settled and snuggled beside me. Her face is glowing with a morning smile and she practically purrs with delight. We lay like that for a what is probably only seconds. Then she pops her head up.


"Mama, can we bake today?"




*******


One year ago I marked my first day as a stay at home parent. My husband left for work, to return more or less almost 4 months later. I was thrust into the role of full-time parent with no regular paycheque. It was an initiation, almost hazing, that no college student would ever survive. 24 hours a day, alone, with my kids.


Being home with my kids was never a reality I imagined. I was going to either save the world or make a lot of money working hard. For a while I thought I could combine the two. Then these little creatures emerged, growing with me, and encouraging a sense of self I never knew was there. Our family changed and the needs of the whole outweighed my desire to save the world. Instead I needed to work on just saving us.


So, here I am. A year in. Much calmer now - most days - and still working on keeping us all sane. I've had to revise my own expectations about what can be achieved by the family and by me, in our time. I've also blown apart my own thoughts about the pleasure this would bring me and the peace it gives my husband. I still wonder what the hell I'm doing and I don't love it every day. But I like it. A lot.


In this past year I've developed a whole new relationship with the girls, worked to define this new thing with my husband, and searched for a balance to my own desires and goals. It's been HARD. And that's not counting the disappointments, struggles, grief, and disorder that the last year also brought.


And I wouldn't change a thing. As hard as this life is, it is better. Much, much better.


*******


Peach pie, lemon cupcakes, muffins, scones, cookies, bread... We're baking it all. Practically something new every day.


The Monster isn't as thrilled with being in the kitchen as she used to be. If there is the prospect of chocolate she will join us. Otherwise, The Evil Genius pulls up her bright orange chair, rifles through the cupboard for her apron, and says to me, "So, what should we bake today, Chef?"


With the Monster starting Kindergarten this morning I see even more baking in my future. That kid will have the best snacks in her heart covered backpack. Full of love and most likely chocolate.






Nectarine, White Chocolate and Cardamom Scones
(adapted from the basic English Cream Scone recipe in the original Five Roses Flour cookbook)
Makes 16-18 kid-size scones


1 nectarine, chopped into 1/2'' chunks
3 ounces white chocolate, roughly chopped
2 cups flour (you can mix whole wheat with regular, but don't go 100% whole wheat)
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 cup cold butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp sugar


Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or a silicon mat.


Make sure your nectarine and white chocolate are chopped. Set aside.


Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and cardamom in a large bowl. Cut the butter into the flour. Frankly, we use our hands. 3 years olds are very, very good at this. You could also use a pastry cutter. Stir in the nectarine and white chocolate


Reserve 1 tbsp of egg whites in a small bowl, then beat the eggs with the cream. Add to the dry ingredients and mix well. The dough will be wet and sticky. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto your prepared baking sheet. Leave 1'' between scones.


Brush the tops with reserved egg white and sprinkle with the sugar. Bake for 10-13 minutes until lightly golden.


Jane Austen


Full disclosure: I've never read Jane Austen before.

When I told my sister-in-law this she commented that she felt like she didn't know me anymore.

I've always been totally honest in this space, so I thought I better make the confession to all of you. And yesterday I went out and bought all the books (on sale!). It will take me a long time to get through them at my current pace of about 5 pages before my eyelids close at night. Besides, I can't take away from my quilty time...

Tagged:

A Fund for Jennie

A few weeks back an on-line colleague lost her husband, suddenly. Jennie Perillo and her young girls are now struggling to define a new life without husband and died. Like me, Jennie is a food writer. Like me, she has two young girls. Like me, she shared a passionate life with her husband.


Right now a new not-for profit, Bloggers Without Borders, is raising funds for Jennie and her family. Food writing, let's be honest, isn't a lucrative job. But it is infinitely rewarding, on a daily basis. The goal of the fundraiser is to hopefully provide some security for Jennie and the girls as they move forward into a new normal.
Bloggers the world over are holding fundraising auctions and drives for donations to A Fund for Jennie. You can donate directly by clicking through on the button above.


Readers here at Backseat Gourmet may or may not know that I am also a quilter. I design quilts, write about quilting, and quilt at almost any moment. A Fund for Jennie has some amazing auctions, and while I'm proud of my skills in the kitchen and what I could share from it, a quilt is where my heart goes when healing needs to be done.




To see my work click on any of the gallery quilts on Naptime Quilter or take the time to explore the site for details on my creative process and thoughts on quilting.


This is my contribution to A Fund for Jennie:


A custom, one-of-a-kind modern quilt. It can be anywhere in size from a crib quilt to a generous lap size (roughly 60'' by 80'' or 70'' by 70''). I will work with you on a colour scheme or inspiration. The majority of it will be completed by machine, but I always hand finish my quilts.


You can submit your bid in the comments on this post. We'll make arrangements to make the donation through Bloggers Without Borders for the successful bidder.


Bidding opens at $500 (US or Canadian, it's pretty close these days).


A Fund for Jennie

A few weeks back an on-line colleague lost her husband, suddenly. Jennie Perillo and her young girls are now struggling to define a new life without husband and dad. Like me, Jennie is a food writer. Like me, she has two young girls. Like me, she shared a passionate life with her husband.


Right now a new not-for profit, Bloggers Without Borders, is raising funds for Jennie and her family. Food writing, let's be honest, isn't a lucrative job. But it is infinitely rewarding, on a daily basis. The goal of the fundraiser is to hopefully provide some security for Jennie and the girls as they move forward into a new normal.

Bloggers the world over are holding fundraising auctions and drives for donations to A Fund for Jennie. You can donate directly by clicking through.
This is my contribution.

A custom, one-of-a-kind modern quilt. It can be anywhere in size from a crib quilt to a generous lap size (roughly 60'' by 80'' or 70'' by 70''). I will work with you on a colour scheme or inspiration. The majority of it will be completed by machine, but I always hand finish my quilts.

You can submit your bid in the comments, then we'll make arrangements to make the donation through Bloggers Without Borders for the successful bidder. I've already got a quilt on the go for Jennie and her girls, but I want to share the love a bit more.

Bidding opens at $500 (US or Canadian, it's pretty close these days). Auction is open until noon MST September 2, 2011.

Thank-you, the auction is over.

Girls' Room - Before

Last week I had the most awesome pleasure of a week to myself at home. No kids, and mostly, no husband. I think it might have been the best week of my life. Well, at least of the last few years. We sent the kids to Camp Baba/JoJo/Grandma - our family out of town. Hubby was working, and I stayed home.

I quilted, I read, I worked a little, I cleaned up my house. It was all done at a leisurely pace and with very little stress. I ate nachos for dinner and went for long bike rides because I didn't have to report back to anyone. I mentioned that it was glorious, didn't I?

One of the things I did do that certainly felt like work, but was utterly necessary, was clean out and redo the girls' room. It was chaotic and crowded in there. And with only a two bedroom house and a husband who works at home it was high time I got it organized so the girls and I could actually function in there if Hubby is home working.

Our house is only two bedrooms and a few years ago we switched and gave the girls the bigger room. This means all their toys and activities can be in their room, instead of taking over the house. And that way my crap can take over the house instead! But the room was messy and full of stuff no one was using anymore. So, in between my little breaks of personal creativity and relaxation, I tackled the room.

This week I'll share the before pictures. Next week, after I finish hanging pictures, I'll share the after pictures.
Christmas decorations still on the wall, an old mattress for guests/trampoline, and crap everywhere!

Two dressers, yet clothes piled everywhere. This bookshelf creating a hallway and blocking off the room.


The bookshelf - the closest bit of order in the before pictures.

A dresser storing fabric, some of my clothes, the Monster's clothes, and dress-up stuff. The diaper genie still there when diapers disappeared from our lives 3 months ago.

The dresser I grabbed from my Mom's basement (minus the legs) to refinish for the girls. It might have been my brother's when he was a kid. It sat next to the deep freeze, filled with fabric scraps from home ec and family sewing projects in the 80s, as well as some baby clothes of my Mom's and some Ukrainian embroidery.

I'm pretty sure I drew on this as a kid. No one remembers, but it is most likely that I, the biggest brat in the family, did it.

Next week, the afters. Just wait! I can tell you that the girls love it and so do I.

Little Feet, Pins and Needles (Wrap-Up)


Thank-you for coming along with me on the Little Feet, Pins, and Needles series. It sounds like this series struck a chord with many. Whether it was the reminder to slow down with our kidlets around or new ways with old toys or inspiration for time to spend with the grandkids. I'm glad I was able to inspire and maybe even educate.

Part 1 - This post was about space planning and coordination. It includes safety tips as well as notes on adjusting our attitudes going in to creative time and space with little ones around.

Part 2 - This post was designed to inspire play with your kiddos. Games and treats to bring out creative tendencies and perhaps, just perhaps, direct them towards fabric a little bit.

Part 3 - This post was about ways to get your little ones sewing with you. Not necessarily making quilts right away, but getting them involved in your own projects. It is a bridge to them sewing their own projects.

This entire series was about tackling your quilt, or any sewing, projects when you've got toddlers, preschoolers, and even infants around. It is about still creating when you're in the thick of those days before most kids will curl up with a book, bike around the neighbourhood, or disappear with their own projects.

I want to share with you one last tip. Read with your kids. There is a plethora of childrens' books out there about quilting, but there are many more that feature quilts. My friend Barb has her own Once Upon a Quilt Children's Book list as a quilter and former bookstore employee.

Sure, you've got quilts littered around your house, covering every soft surface. Or maybe you make them and give them away all the time. But the best use is always a snuggle and what better thing to do that snuggle and read together.

Image above snapped from The Ticky-Tacky Doll by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Harvey Stevenson

Little Feet, Pins and Needles (Part 3)


This week on the Little Feet, Pins, and Needles series we're going to talk about getting your kids actually sewing with you. This can be on either their own projects, sewing side by side, or getting them directly involved in what you are working on.

Kid as Paper Bag
The famous paper bag technique for Improv piecing (how Denyse Schmidt teaches) is quite a good method. Without looking, you grab your next piece and sew it. Once you've got things together, then you make it work. Kids work just as well as a paper bag. They will pick and choose for you, taking your thought process and judgements out of the Improv work.

Now, if you've got a kiddo who is obsessed with pink or stripes then expect to get mostly that at first, but it does even out. You can also control what they choose from, limiting the propensity for bubble gum blocks.


Use Their Eyes
It might be because the fabric is stored in their room, but my girls love to pick fabric for a new project. I pull out the bins by colour and we all make a great mess. It isn't that I'll always go with their picks - they would pick every fabric given the choice - it is that they are involved in the process. And, I'll be the first to admit, their take on combinations can be quite refreshing.

You can also ask their opinion on layouts or get them to help you place blocks as your play with layouts.

Yes, this will get messy and you will be required to refold and organize every time you do it. This isn't for the highly anal.

Put Them on Your Lap
With really little ones (toddlers and preschoolers) you can put them on your lap and get them used to the motion of sewing. Feeding the fabric through, keeping it straight (seam guides are great when you do this), and watching their fingers. Soon enough you will have them working on a machine and it will feel natural.


Red Light, Green Light
I'll admit, other than messing up my fabric, this is my girls' favourite way to sew with me. They sit under the table and push the foot pedal for me. I tell them Green Light to GO and Red Light to STOP. Yes, it makes the progress go slow, but I love that they are so excited about it. You do need to think ahead and anticipate that they won't exactly stop when you are needing them to. Don't try this when you are working on Y-seams, but it is great when you are strip piecing.


Needle Pulling Thread
It is one thing to give them their own scraps to start sewing - and that's a great thing - but it is also great to get them helping you with hand sewing your own projects. The girls, especially my younger one, will curl up with me while I handstitch a binding. I place the needle and they pull. It also works with my handquilting and applique. On some projects I should definitely be putting their names on the label because they help so much!

There are two very important things to keep in mind when you decide to pull the kids into your sewing projects.

Number 1, being patient is key. If you expect to burn through your sewing at your normal rate you will be painfully frustrated and disappointed. And the younger ones won't always get what you are trying to get them to do. But be patient and enjoy the process (you've heard that from me before!)

Number 2, keep in mind that they probably won't want to help forever. Take what you can get, when you can get it.

As parents we always hope our kids want to do the things we love to do. It makes our life easier and saves us from driving to hockey practice when you don't know how to skate or spending your sewing time on dance costumes. Taking small steps to bring your children in to the quilting fold can help, but it isn't a guarantee. It is, however, a great way to encourage their creativity, foster your own, and spend some useful time together.

A Pie for Mikey

You start out with an idea, a concept of where you want to take it. A taste, a feel, a look. A finished product to be savoured and enjoyed. Something to share, to show off, to take pride in.


You gather the things to make it, and you bring them close. You handle them, you edit, you cut, you taste. Add heat, maybe some sizzle, and quite often a long simmer. At many times will you season, highlighting the flavours and subsequent adventure.


Usually it gets messy. You are either the type of person who cleans as they go or the kind that has a third hand following them washing and wiping as you move. It doesn't matter, as long as you address the mess at some point.




Eventually you sit to enjoy. It isn't necessarily what you expected it to be. Sometimes it doesn't work and you have to start over tomorrow. Quite often it's better. Much better than expected.


One day it explodes. The pleasure is insatiable. The joy immeasurable. On another day it is more subtle, simple. It is good, but not great. The pleasure and peace, however, is there. It's lingering and comforting. Perfect.


At least, this is how my marriage feels.


My husband is my best friend and an incredible man. Kind, generous, a little bit wicked. Committed, driven, and horribly sarcastic. He owns his own business and used to race mountain bikes. But I always thought I'd marry a professor or snooty intellectual. We'd live in an old house filled with books and no kids. Obviously that isn't what I've got.


My man in my life and our marriage came about like a farmers' market dinner. One day you find something that looks fantastic and you go with it. And so we have, experimenting along the way. Some days it explodes with pleasure and some days it is lingering and comforting. Perfect.


Imagining a life without my husband nearly stops my breath. Cold.


And now there is a colleague, a friend I met through blogging, who is living this fresh hell right now. Her husband, the father of her two little girls, suddenly collapsed and died last week. She is feeling the immeasurable pain of loss, the unimaginable.


This pie is for Mikey, for her, for their girls. This pie was his favourite and it deserves a celebration. As does he, as does the love he and Jennie shared. Their recipe gave the world this pie. Let's celebrate.


The food blogging community - including those who live close to Jennie and are lucky enough to share a drink and pizza with her - are gathering around her right now. This is community. Today we are making pie. People the world over are taking Jennie and Mike's pie and making it for their own loved ones. They are adapting the pie for themselves, making the recipe for their own loves. In doing so we celebrate a man, relationships, and the spirit of adventure in love, cooking, and life.






Little Feet, Pins and Needles (Part 2)

Welcome to Part 2 of the Little Feet, Pins and Needles series. Last time we talked about setting up your space and bringing a relaxed attitude to quilting when you've got young kids around. This week I want to talk about some ways to encourage creativity and an interest in quilting with your little ones.

This is about more than encouraging the with needle and thread or getting them literally involved in your quilting. (That's next week in the series!) Getting your kids thinking about colour, about the motions of quilting, and the aspects of design is a great way to foster an interest in your hobby/work without ramming it down their throat.

Here are a series of activities, games, or toys you can bring out to get your kids playing. You can always have these set up beside you as you sew. You could also get down on the floor and play with them. That's a great way to play yourself and find some inspiration along the way. Its always a welcome break for everybody.


1. Lego
As a kid, my favourite way to play with lego was to build houses. House after house, one day blue beds, another day red. Space lego was really out there for me. Now that my girls are getting into Lego I am struggling with do more than that. If they aren't asking me to make something specific I find myself defaulting to shapes and lines. My youngest took over my thought process and now she makes Lego quilts, working fastidiously to cover the entire green slate with colour.

2. Paper Quilts
We have a bit of a scissor issue in this house. To direct that habit I put coloured paper and recycling in her path. That leaves us with bits of paper everywhere. Everywhere. Now we take those bits and I hand them a glue stick. Voila! Paper quilts.


3. Sewing Cards
A kind reader of my blog sent my girls sewing cards. (Thank-you Nanci!) When they asked me to teach them how to sew this is the first thing I pulled out. We patiently work on front-to-back and back-to-front concepts with these cards. I let them explore the where to sew next question rather than guide them. This way they learn the rhythm. Or they don't, but then they love the end result more.

4. Embroidery Hoop
This was actually the first thing we did together. Thread, some linen, and a hoop. Go to town! They weren't getting the concept entirely, but they loved the feel of needle pulling thread. I believe the important part is them enjoying that feel and loving what they created. As they get older we can work on stitches. This will be an age/development aspect that you can adapt to your own kids.

(Put together by Abby, Amanda Jean's little one, while I was visiting.)

5. Their Own Design Wall
If you've got a big design wall, or even a small one, letting the kids go wild with their own designs is great. I'll admit, it can be stressful when they want to "help" you lay out a quilt. By giving them a space with some fabric or blocks of their own they can explore on their own. And who knows? It may end up inspiring you! When I was visiting Amanda Jean her little girl was always making creations in a corner of the design wall. It was great to see her determination at times, an her abandon at conventions we might hold close.


6. Mess Up the Scraps
Because I sew in a very shared space there is fabric everywhere. If I kept it all precious and off-limits then I would spend more time being stressed. So the girls have free reign of my scraps. Actually, they have free reign with my fabric stash too, so long as I'm with them for that. My youngest, in particular, loves to organize, stack, fold, and play. She makes sculptures, presents, and generally, a mess. And she loves it. It will keep her occupied for quite a while for a 3 year old. Her pride in her creations is immeasurable.

My goal isn't to create future quilters - although, that would be nice. Rather, my goal is to foster a playful energy towards colour and creating. My medium happens to be quilts and so I can encourage development through my medium.

Community (And Pickled Chioggia Beets)

"Anti-social media."


That's what my husband says when you bring up Twitter, Facebook, Google + or anything that incites or requires interaction through a computer or smartphone. He is, at heart, a huge people person. His business requires near constant contact with people - all of which he prefers to do face-to-face or at least on the phone.


His argument is that people think they have friends that they make or maintain friendships through social media, but that it's just superficial. Indeed, he merely tolerates my stories of people I've never actually met. He's not discounting that, once you've met in person, a friendship can grow.


I'll admit, some days I completely agree with him. Then I get a note from someone who reads the blog that is full of more support than a friend I've had for years has given. Or someone I only know from on-line shows up at my door with food, when no one else does on a bad day. Or I am heavily impacted by a tragedy that rocked the world of someone else.




Always remember, there is a real person behind that on-line presence.


That means you can indeed form a relationship with someone you've never met. Will it be as close as the one you have with your best friend since high school? Maybe. Maybe not. But it will still be valuable and important for its own reasons.


On the days that I do see merit in what he says, I take a step forward into my community. Not my on-line world, but the one that is literally outside my door. I take a walk and chat with the neighbour. I grab a beer with another mom from the preschool. I call my brother or sister to just chat about our kids. Nothing can replace a face-to-face conversation.




Because of those conversations I have beet pickles today.


There we were, minding our own business, devouring my husband's hamburgers in the backyard. Our front door was wide open, the dog was probably sound asleep, and the kids were already performing after dinner hula hoop tricks. Suddenly the back door opens and one of our neighbours walks through. In her hands was a grocery bag full of chioggia beets and a big bowl of apricots.


With family in warmer climates and friends coming through she was left with a pile of produce from her folks' backyard. Too much for her and her husband, she brought them over to share. And she knows I would happily accept because we've actually talked before. We live on a street where most of us make an effort to know each other. So she knew I would tackle the colourful produce with gusto and none would go to waste. (There is an apricot crisp in the oven for another neighbour who just had a baby.)




This is my community. Embrace the friends you have when they need it, whether with a quiet note or the full force of your arms. Embrace the shared journeys. Embrace the beets they bring to your backyard.


This was my first time making beet pickles. Inspired by the Pickling Party, hosted by Shauna Ahern from Gluten-Free Girl, and my neighbour. The recipe is a mish mash of ideas from memory, Aimee from Simple Bites, and the Harrow Fair Cookbook. Even my cooking is an amalgamation of my many communities!




Pickled Chioggia Beets
Makes 3 500 ml jars


2 1/2 pounds scrubbed beets, tops and stems removed
2 cups white vinegar
1 cup rice wine vinegar
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp pickling salt
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
3 cloves garlic
rosemary (optional)


1. Boil the beets in a large pot of water for 25 minutes. Make sure a fork will go through the largest beets easily. Drain and immediately place in a sink or bowlful of cold water. Once cooled use your hands and, if necessary, a knife, to trim the skin from the beets. Slice and set aside in a clean bowl.
2. While the beets are cooking clean and process 3 jars and the screw lids in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes. Keep hot in the water while you clean and slice the cooked beets.
3. While you prep the beets combine the vinegars, water, sugar, salt, and seeds in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and keep hot, hot until ready to use.
4. Quickly drain your sterilized jars. Keep the water boiling.
5. While they are still hot add a garlic clove to the bottom of each jar, then fill with beets. Stop filling 1/2'' from the top. Carefully pour in the pickling liquid, leaving at least a 1/4'' from the top of the jar of space. Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean cloth and screw on the lid.
6. Process for 20 minutes in a boiling water canner. Do not start timing until the water comes to a boil after you add your jars.


(Why didn't the skeleton cross the road? Because he had no guts!)
(Said skeleton keeping the almost pickles company.)

Little Feet, Pins and Needles (Relaunch Part 1)

Relaunching the Little Feet, Pins, and Needles Series today. I'll admit, I completely forgot about it in the chaos of this past spring. Today, a repeat of the first post. Thursday, post #2. Then 2 more next week.


Welcome to Week 1 of the series on quilting with little ones around. Every Monday in March I will be highlighting tips and tricks to making the most of your quilting time when you've got little ones underfoot. Whether you are a new mom trying to find time for your hobby or a new quilter trying to figure out just how to make it work, there will be loads of info here to get you sewing in mad fits. Along the way please share your own tips and tricks.

Today we're tackling space planning and coordination.

Whether you are lucky enough to have a room where you can start, leave a mess, and close the door or you are stuck in the corner of your bedroom, you can make it work well for you. Here are 5 ways to make your time sew successful.

1. Acceptance
No matter what space you are in, shared or not, kids will want to be where you are. It seems fantastic to be able to shut the door and shut out the rest of the house. I certainly dream of it. Even if you have that the kids will be coming in, guaranteed.

My sister-in-law has a great space in their fantastic basement. It's right off the family room and her oldest son's bedroom. But the last time I was there I saw the sewing machine sitting on the family room table, about 10 feet from that valued door. Moms and kids want to be together.

Accept the interest and interruptions. That seam can wait until the next game of Candyland is over. Yes, it can get frustrating, I know that. See it from your kid's point of view - they always want your attention and frequently need your help. You are a mom first and a quilter second (or third or fourth), so let the kids be there and everyone will be happier.


2. Safety
Regardless of where your sewing space is located, if there are kids in the house you need to keep it safe. I don't just mean keeping them safe from wrecking your quilts or tools. They need to be kept safe too.

Keep your iron, scissors, rotary cutter, and pins in a high or child proof location. You may also want to examine where you store your machine, ironing board, and any bins. Minimize any risk of those objects falling on you or the kids. Finally, watch your power cords and outlets.

I sew in my dining room. No matter where I put the machine there is a cable running from the table to the wall. My kids are high energy and think nothing of racing around the house after each other or the dogs. If the machine is out they have strict rules to stay out of the dining room because they've been caught on the cord before. To be perfectly honest, I have too. Remember to keep it safe for you.

3. Creative Space
Making a space to create often requires another brand of creativity. Whether it is storage, a space to spread out, a way to keep projects in order, or simply somewhere quiet to foster your creative energy, you need to think creatively.

We've got a small house, have I mentioned that before? In addition to sewing on the dining room table I store my fabric in my daughters' bedroom (at one point under the bed, and now in an underused closet), frequently use my kitchen counter as a cutting table, store current projects in plastic bins tucked in the dining room or in our small bedroom, and use the bed or a floor for a design wall.

In the dining room itself I've got my ironing board, cutting mats, and some projects tucked between the sideboard, toys, and our paper shredder (have I mentioned this is also the home office space?) On top of the filing cabinet I keep my thread in a vase, a pin cushion the girls are allowed to touch, and various bits of fabric and supplies. Some of my scraps fill some glorious canisters on top of the hutch that store both my cookbooks and art supplies for the girls.

When I really want to sketch or be creative I usually end up colouring right alongside my girls. If I really need the quiet though, my favourite time to do this is in the car. Not while I'm driving! When Hubby is driving and the girls are asleep I love to pull out my sketchbook and draw.

The only thing I find I really miss is a dedicated design wall. I'm working on that. Check out these creative options from Katie and Elizabeth.


4. The Right Timing
As you can tell by the name of this blog, I do my quilting when my girls are asleep. My ideal time would actually be first thing in the morning. Hell, it would be all day if I could! That just isn't realistic for me with a 2 and 4 year old that are both performers and love an audience for every single thing they do. After they go to bed I could and do sew, but that doesn't make my Hubby happy as he is either working or relaxing about 10 feet away in the living room. Needless to say, it makes me very happy that my girls still nap. Very happy.

You need to consider the time you get to sew when setting up your space. Your other family members' schedules should be considered. Sewing can be noisy and messy. Homework schedules, work, homeschooling, meals, music practice, and even chill out time should be factored in to your schedule and space planning.


5. Less than Perfection
The quilt police don't really exist, and unless your mother-in-law lives with you, the cleaning police don't exist wither. You know that quilting is messy. You know that your kids are going to get in your face, er... space. Who cares if the entire family has threads on the bottom of their feet? Better that than pins.

Accept that there won't be a perfect solution to your space plans, but with careful planning, creativity, and consideration you can make a happy space that works for you and the family.

Next week in the Little Feet, Pins and Needles series we'll talk about the game playing you can do with your kids to inspire their creativity and hopefully an interest in quilting.

Fireside Pyrohy



Glamping it ain't.

We went camping on the weekend. Our first time with the girls. A stunningly gorgeous spot in the mountains, right above the river. No facilities. That is - no water, no outhouses, no nothing. And it was awesome.

We had a chainsaw, bacon, kids, dirt, fire, toilet paper on a tree, fleece, and more bacon. Not much more is required for camping in our books.


Now we can also add fireside pyrohy to our camping must-haves. Boil the pyrohy at home. Toss with some canola or vegetable oil to keep them from sticking. Pack in the cooler, along with some chopped onion and perhaps a mess of swiss chard or kale with some garlic sausage. At the campsite it all comes together.

Because there is no camping without bacon, there will be bacon grease. In our case I was frying away for the little kids. Instead of dumping the bacon grease in the firepit I tossed in my onions and chard. After a minute I added the pryohy and sausage to fry up for colour and heat. Then I served it on my daughter's Lightening McQueen plate.

Good fuel for hiking, throwing rocks, and all the fun stuff on a camping trip.

Fireside


This weekend was the first Arkison camping adventure. Hubby and I used to go, before kids, but we'd never been brave enough to take the kids out. You know the real issue for me? Sleeping in a tent with them. We do not sleep together, ever, at home, so I was stressed at the thought of being in such small confines with them. Other than a moment the first night when The Monster feared the tent because she didn't know how it was made (?!) it went great.

We hiked, we played by the river, we went to the bathroom in the woods like a bear, we covered ourselves in dirt, we ate bacon in bulk, and we had fire. Hubby's obsession was trying to start a fire with a magnifying glass, the girls fawned over their cousins and specialized in getting as dirty as possible, and I stole moments to sew.



Yes, even on a camping trip I sewed.

Last week I decided I need a hand project for when I'm out and about or when I just don't feel like taking the machine out. I saw an image in a book of the girls', experimented with shapes, then pulled out my scraps (augmented by Amanda Jean and and Heather).

I have to give a lot of credit to Barb, who came for a visit last week. Her handwork is phenomenal! It was so inspiring, as was my afternoon with her. After that I knew I needed to slow down to address the roots and get out hand sewing needles. Templates too!

To be honest, I'm not sure where I'll take this project. It may be hand sewing, but it's still me. That means that I've started without a plan of any sort. I don't know if I'll run out of steam - probably - but I sure am enjoying the steps along the way. Especially if it means more camping.


Stress Relief


This has been a very demanding week of deadlines, parenting and very early mornings. Mama needs a break.

Even though I've got a million things on the go and my priority should be finishing finishing at least a half dozen of them I decided that the best stress relief was to start a new project. Makes perfect sense.

Amanda Jean's 36 patch quilt along perfectly fits the bill for me. These are easy blocks for me, almost mindless. I had a stack of fabrics sitting there leftover from another project, and a recent discovery that these colours are those exact ones for a needed wedding gift. And done.

Only 32 more blocks and two more big deadlines to go.

Fuddy is Not Duddy Challenge



It all started with a random tweet. I can't remember who said it first, but those tweet chats move fast! Before we could type burgundy, the gauntlet was thrown. So thanks to Talkin' Tuesday chats (hosted by Cara) and with the enthusiasm of Barb, Thomas, Susanne, Lesly, and a few more, we've got ourselves a challenge.

Introducing the Fuddy is Not Duddy Challenge.

Take your best burgundy, green, and brown fabrics, add in one more neutral or colour (one only).
Make a doll quilt to prove that these fabrics and colours aren't as old-fashioned as you or anyone else might think.
Share it with the world by October 10, 2011.

A Flickr group will be up soon. And I'll post closer to the end date with a Mr. Linky so everyone can share their finished pieces. It's all in good fun, but a prize or two is highly likely.

Are you up for it? Can you see beyond the bright, saturated colours many of us are instinctively drawn to? Can you combine the traditional and the modern?

Lemon Quinoa Coleslaw for Summer

Summer is a fine time for picnics and nearly no cook meals. We're tired from the heat, we're lazy from the heat, and we're hot from the heat. Yes, you could eat ice cream or even strawberry shortcake for dinner, but sometimes we do need a little bit more.

This coleslaw fits the bill. It's fast and easy to make, makes use of only a few ingredients, is packed with protein, and is completely dinner outside appropriate.

The quinoa adds protein and added crunch. The lemon vinaigrette is a change from the typical creamy or overly astringent dressings usually found on a slaw. The choice of cabbage takes advantage of what you get from your CSA or the market. And unlike traditional coleslaw, which benefits from a rest in the fridge before serving, this slaw can be eaten immediately.

You still need to eat in the summer, make it easy on yourself.

Lemon Quinoa Coleslaw
(serves 6-8 as a sidedish or 4 as a main course)

Vinaigrette
3 cloves garlic
2 lemons, juiced
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp dried oregano or 3 tbsp fresh, finely chopped

Slaw
1/2 cup red or regular quinoa
1 medium head Napa/Savoy Cabbage or Suey Choy (approximately 8 cups when thinly sliced)
1 can drained and rinsed chickpeas (optional)

Garnish
1/2 cup toasted walnuts

Finely chop the garlic cloves. In the bottom of a large bowl combine the garlic with the rest of the vinaigrette ingredients. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the slaw.

In a small pot combine quinoa with 1 cup water. Cook over medium heat until all the water is absorbed (8-10 minutes). Let cool while you prepare the cabbage.

Cut the cabbage in half from the root end. Remove the tough center portion. Using a sharp knife or mandolin slice the cabbage crosswise as thinly as possible. Don't worry is you have a little bit more or less than the predicted 8 cups.

Toss the quinoa, cabbage, and chickpeas (if using) in the bowl with the vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with walnuts.