Thimbleanna – Page 159 – My little online diary.

A Backpack from my Friends

14 Comments / October 4, 2007 February 18, 2011 / Sewing

This blog world is a funny place. In July, Holly wrote a post about her friend Cheryl, Cheryl’s harley, and the “bulging knapsack on her back.” So, with that knapsack image fresh in my mind, and being smitten with Holly’s La Belle Rose Collection, I did the only thing I could. I suggested that the La Belle Rose fabric would make a cool backpack for Cheryl because all the black in the fabric would coordinate with the Cheryl’s black leather Harley outfit.

And presto-chango Holly produces a backpack out of La Belle Rose fabric and a Cindy Taylor Oates pattern on her very next blog post. (And btw Holly, all this time I’ve been thinking that you or a minion threw that backpack together in four days. As I’m reviewing your blog to set up the links here, I notice that you posted after my comment (I rarely ever make it back to the comments section on other posts) that Cindy Taylor Oates had already made that backpack. So that’s how you got that backpack so fast! Don’t worry though — you haven’t burst my bubble — I still believe you could whip that backpack up on short notice — you’re still the Lakehouse Goddess!)

Back to this story…I didn’t even know Cindy Taylor Oates had a backpack pattern. But I’m thinking, it’s just what I need! ‘Cause when I have my work trips to NJ and I go into NYC to go shopping, I always have to lug my laptop around with me. (Everyone knows you can’t leave your laptop in your hotel room and if you leave it in the trunk of your car, some slimeball will steal it — been there, done that.) That heavy laptop will be so much easier to handle hanging on my back, rather than my shoulder. So I ordered the backpack pattern and searched my stash for a fun backpack worthy fabric. And whaddyaknow, right there in my stash is one of my favorite fabrics — this adorable candy print by none other than Holly herself.

I love this candy fabric. I love the bright colors. And what’s not to love about candy? I’ve loved it from the first time I laid eyes on it. I first saw it in a quilt at a shop, but they’d sold out of the fabric. My wonderful quilty peep Jewels was with me that day, she took note of how much I loved that fabric, and a few weeks later she found some and sent it to me. Thanks again Jewels, you’re a sweetie!

I think I got a little carried away on the size of the monogram on this backpack — it could certainly be a little smaller. And lucky for me, along the selvedges of one of the candy prints, there was a candycane-like print. I used that print to make the piping that lines the edges of the backpack. It’s wrinkly looking now, but it will work itself out.

Pretty goofy for a woman of a “certain age” to have a candy print backpack, huh? I don’t care. Everyone knows, as you get older, you’re entitled to be more childish!

XOXO,
Anna

Catching Up

22 Comments / October 1, 2007 February 18, 2011 / Chat, Travel

I’ve been busy trying to catch up on what all of you have been doing. Maybe blogland should have designated posting days so that I don’t get so far behind everytime I take a break! We had a great weekend visiting TheSecondChild for Parent’s Weekend. It’s always fun to check up on him and his friends. There were dinners out (big treat for college child — away from cafeteria food), a tailgate party and a football game. And some re-arranging of the apartment furniture. The boys don’t seem to have the decorating gene. Furniture just gets placed awkwardly. Now, the tv is visible from all seating locations. ;-)

On the way there, I decided we’d take a 10 minute detour off of the freeway and visit a new little quilt/yarn shop I’d been reading about on this blog. The shop is Clementine’s and I sort of snuck up on Camilla as she didn’t know who I was.

It was my first blog meet and it really made my day! (I didn’t take any pictures of the inside of the shop because Camilla has some really nice pictures on her blog.) I introduced myself and we had a nice time visiting. She was even kind enough to entertain TheManoftheHouse while I browsed the fabrics. She has a great collection of Westminster fabrics — a VERY needed addition to Indiana as they’re so hard to find here. I browsed, we talked, I browsed, I selected a fabric, we talked, her 2-yr. old Eli wandered by (so cute!), we talked, I selected another fabric, we talked, I selected 2 more fabrics, she and TheManoftheHouse talked, I selected another fabric (someone please stop me!), we talked, she helped me select a Kaffe Fassett print for Magoo, I ended up in the knitting books, she chatted more with TheManoftheHouse, I selected knitting book, we talked about her AGA (which I didn’t even know you could get here in the states), I browsed, ….you get the picture! Ms. Cami — your shop is going to be a great success — you have mastered the fine art of making the customer feel at home — we browse, we chat, we buy!!! LOL!

I was VERY impressed! Supposedly, all five children were lurking somewhere. They must be very well behaved as we didn’t hear a peep out of them. Speaking of the children, what happened to that cute little Eli? Hey — here he is:

Is that TOO CUTE or what? He fell asleep right by the front door. No wonder we didn’t hear him anywhere! After we were done, we quietly left and once outside I had to take another picture of sleeping little Eli — you can see what it looked like if you went walking by the outside of the shop:

Thank you Ms. Cami for a very delightful visit. I’ll definitely be back — hopefully next time with Quilty Peeps in tow.

I did manage to get a little sewing done on the trip. I usually do most of the driving when we travel, but this time I made an obvious discovery — if I don’t drive, I can sew or knit! Duh. I always thought it would make me car sick, but no! I did forget to look up often though, so I sort of feel like I missed part of the trip. I’ll have to work on the fine art of sewing AND paying attention next time.

One last thing — the sweet and innocent hysterical Isabelle has issued a “Show Us Your Jugs” challenge. Much to the dismay of TheManoftheHouse, I don’t have a jug collection. Just two reasonably small (and not the same size, I might add) jugs:

Inspired by Isabelle, I’m definitely thinking of starting a jug collection — you must go see Isabelle’s jugs — they’re very lovely! And certainly, I’d like to encourage all of you, dear readers, to “Show Us Your Jugs”!!!
Until next time, when I promise I’ll actually have sewing content,
XOXO,
Anna

Summer — Don’t Leave Me!

23 Comments / September 27, 2007 February 18, 2011 / Recipes

I know everyone is posting about fall. About how the weather is changing, the leaves are starting to turn, and Halloween will be here soon. But I’m not ready! Summer went by too fast. And we just got that darn new grill!

So, in its honor, I’m posting one last summer/grill recipe. Grilling season isn’t over yet. We still have Indian summer. And besides, there are a bunch of you down under who are just getting ready for summer. So, this recipe is for you. It’s a recipe for grilled potatoes wrapped in foil. They make a great side dish and since they’re grilled in foil packets, the clean up is very easy.

Grilled Potatoes in Foil

1/2 c. Miracle Whip salad dressing (don’t let this scare you, it melts and disappears while cooking)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t. paprika
1/4 t. each: salt, pepper
3 baking potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 large onion sliced

Mix together salad dressing and seasonings in large bowl until well blended. Stir in potatoes and onions to coat.
Divide potato mixture evenly among six 12-inch square pieces of heavy-duty foil. Seal each to form packet.
Place foil packets on grill over medium-hot coals. Grill, covered, 25 – 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Makes 6 servings.

Throw those potato packets on the grill, burn your pork chops and you’re ready for dinner!

We’re off to see TheSecondChild tomorrow for parents weekend. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.
XOXO,
Anna

P.S. Are all the rest of you being killed with spam comments? I can filter out most of the drug spam (so if you decide to send me a comment containing “viagra”, “levitra”, etc., your comment will go into moderation!) but I’m having trouble with the Paris Hilton spam. What words do I filter out?

Paris – what if someone wants to comment on a great trip to Paris?
Hilton — a comment about a great Hilton to stay in?
Crotch — there is occasionally sewing content here — what if we need to discuss crotch seams?
Photos — Hello? We discuss photos all the time!

Send advice! ;-)

GOATS!!!

14 Comments / September 26, 2007 February 18, 2011 / Chat

Look, Look, LOOKie!!!! I’ve got my very own GOOOOOAAAATTTTSSSS!!!! Isn’t it exciting???

Aren’t they cute???

Whaaat? You don’t believe me? Just because I’m a city girl? Well, I do. I have my very own goats.

Ok….so I don’t have to feed them — they’re on notecards! The very fabulous Ms. Rohanknitter sent them to me ’cause it was my lucky day a few weeks ago and I just happened to be the first one on her blog to guess that she and her family were going to Wrigley Field to see the Cubs play baseball. (Isabelle, you must forgive the excitement of my run-on sentence!) Just look at all the goodies she sent me.

Goat notecards, cute little paper folders, notepaper with pen (check out those cute sheep on the green ribbon) and some beautiful hot pink extra fine merino yarn. I love hot pink. Thank you, Thank you Karen, for the super prize package! And HOW did you know that Hot Chocolate is my drink of choice? Not tea, not coffee — my very favorite is Hot Chocolate! You Rock, My Dear!

And if that weren’t enough luck, I’ve won two other contests in the last month. They say luck runs in threes and it must be so. (I joked with Marianne that I couldn’t enter her contest because I’d won two this month and I wanted to save my third win to go and buy a lottery ticket — but du-uh, I forgot — I’ve already won three contests.) Anyway, I won two beautiful patterns — the very sweet Cottage Garden Bag from Cinderberry Stitches and the ever-so-cool Magoo from Melly & Me. Thank you — all of you girls — I love everything and you’re all so generous! Please go and visit all of their blogs — they’re all full of great ideas and inspiration.
And also, don’t forget to check in with Hollycakes . She’s going to be having some giveaways (I heard the WS- word — shhhh, Williams Sonoma — among others) and some voting. And besides, you have to get over there to see her very hip, trend-setting cats in their bibs! Scruff saw those bibs and just started whining — he wants to feel the Lakehouse Bib Love too.
XOXO,
Anna

A Neighborhood Ride

16 Comments / September 24, 2007 February 18, 2011 / Chat

I hope you’ve had a very lovely weekend! Ours was picture perfect and I was able to spend the days puttering around doing the things I love most: mowing, cleaning out the car (not a whole lotta love there!), and sewing. And last but not least, catch up on some blogs!

Last week, Mrs. Staggs challenged us to get out into our neighborhoods and notice the things around us. And take some pictures. I was busy sewing in the dungeon and SweetiePie came and asked me if I’d like to go for “a tandem.” Why yes I would! And it would be the perfect opportunity to do as Mrs. Staggs suggested and take some neighborhood pictures. Before we even got started, I took a quick picture of a rather portly Scruff over there on the right — he was a little miffed at having been left behind.
SweetiePie and I went to the garage and got out the old blue tandem that belongs to BigDaddy and MeMum. I love to ride the tandem, especially when someone else is in the driver’s seat! We had a wonderful time, but I must tell you that little SweetiePie is a little ruthless when at the helm of a bicycle-built-for-two. No slow-poke touring for Miss SweetiePie. No-o-o. She’s a motivated dare-devil. I was a little concerned that perhaps I shouldn’t have brought my camera along — the odds of crashing with the poor girl dragging me along behind her were probably pretty high!

I did attempt to take a few pictures. I begged SweetiePie to stop, but she was on a mission. Have you ever tried to take pictures while you’re pedaling? ‘Taint easy! Most of them looked like this:

Can you tell what that is? It’s a neighbor’s friendly little dog. Sure wish I could have patted him on the head and begged him to pose nicely for a picture! Great shot as we zoomed by.

I did manage to get two, non-blurry pictures. Some pretty pink flowers at the bottom of someone’s driveway and a pedestrian crossing sign. That sign was put in place just for daredevils like SweetiePie — to slow down and don’t run over the poor people crossing the road.

Before long, we were back home so I took a quick picture of my Rose of Sharon before the sun slipped too far behind the trees. We had a fun time — thanks for the idea Mrs. Staggs! I need to remember to get out in my own neighborhood more often.

Before I go, just wanted to mention a few things I saw while blog-surfing:

Portebello Pixie is making some very cute Halloween garlands.
Check out Chookyblue‘s blog. Her camera is in for a multi-week repair so I casually suggested that if each of her blog friends would send her a picture, she’d have blog-fodder to last until the camera was returned. She ran with that idea and she’s done some funny stuff. I’m very impressed that she managed to come up with a topic for mug shots of pinocchio.
Have you seen these little hats before? I think they’d be pretty fun to make.
I think I’ve probably told you this before, but I just love these gratitude posts.
And, be sure you keep up with the Blog-able Feast by Hollycakes — rumor has it there are give-aways in the near future!

Happy Monday!

XOXO,
Anna