Something's Gotta Give...

I love our home. I love my stuff. But, I'm beginning to realize that something's got to give. My stuff is owning me these days. Have you ever felt that way? It's really frustrating.

I look at the wonderful images on other blogs that I visit and for a while, I'm transported to these lovely places of white, serene and organized. Then, I close my laptop, look around and wonder what I should do differently around here. Man, it's worse than watching HGTV! Handsome is not a white, cottage-y kind of guy so he'll never sign on for that look. I need to find a different solution.

Currently, I'm frustrated by our kitchen. There are these great display areas above the cupboards. I have things I like to have up there, but I feel like it's starting to look more like a flea market than any kind of meaningful (or pretty) display. I have a collection of pitchers and creamers that are lost up on that shelf. Then there are Toby teapots, a much-loved antique jardiniere that belonged to my mother-in-law, a huge lily pad platter that was a gift from our daughter-in-law. You get the idea.

I asked Handsome for some insight. His first comment was, "How does something utilitarian like a group of creamers or pitchers get elevated to the status of a "collection", and why should they be displayed, instead of kept in cabinets?" How could I answer this with a straight face? Has the love of my life forgotten that I'm currently collecting acorns? In my mind, the fruit of the oak tree has become fodder for a new collection. We probably weren't going to see eye to eye on this.

I pulled out an old favorite book in hopes that I'll find a new perspective. It's called Eliminate Chaos by Laura Leist. I really like her approach to identifying, tackling and eliminating the problem spots in a home. I don't need more furniture (like a display cabinet). I don't want to get rid of all my stuff. But, I need to figure this out and I'm hoping you might be able to share some of your inspiration with me.

I've made the photo from our kitchen a link to other photos of our home. It will give you an idea of our decor. Handsome has always loved Scandinavian furniture, which I used to dismiss out-of-hand - until I walked into a store with him, saw all the teak, and fell in love with the look. My issue isn't with the furniture. It's with the "spare" look that goes with that furniture. How do I edit out my stuff?

Our dining room and living room are now furnished in beautiful Scandinavian pieces. But I still love cottage elements (sigh), and we have the oak table in our dinette area that was a wedding gift from my parents. I can't part with that! Our master bedroom is Tommy Bahama. Perfect for Florida. Scandinavian? Not so much. And then, there are the little knick knacks and other items on shelves and table tops that I like having around. What do I do with those? Are you beginning to feel my pain?

Really, I'll appreciate any input you can offer.

Make Mine Pumpkin, Please...

I've never been asked to answer one of those blogger interview-type questionnaires. But if I did...and if I were asked what flavor pie is my favorite...I would answer, "Make mine pumpkin, please."

This is the newest cookbook on my shelf. Coming Home from Gooseberry Patch. It's filled with great seasonal ideas, inspiring images and projects, and recipes. Oh, you should see the recipes! I actually started to salivate when I saw the recipe for Crustless Pumpkin Pie!

Now, I don't want anyone to get testy with me if you're already staring Winter in the face, but here in south Florida it's still hot. I mean nearly 90º hot during the day...and humid. So, the thought of firing up the oven to make pumpkin-anything is not on my immediate agenda. But, in about a week, I'm heading to Wisconsin. I'm not telling you why at this point (that's for another post on another day), but Mum is telling me it's bloody cold up there already. Snow in October! Apparently, Wisconsin didn't get the memo about "global warming". I'm afraid I might freeze while I'm there! I'm seriously hoping for Indian Summer.

Don't you think she'd love it if I took my new cookbook with me and whipped up a little Crustless Pumpkin Pie for her? We may have to huddle around the oven if I don't get my "weather wish".

So I'm thinking - Indian Summer, Crustless Pumpkin Pie and perhaps a batch of chili for the Packers game. What do you think?

A little reminder that if you click on my images, you get a larger view. (ie., You'll be able to read the recipe!) Yea!!!

Sunday, I Was "In The Pink"...

Sunday was a really nice day. Handsome spent some time doing yard work and I was in the studio. I was sewing sashing to the pink flannel quilt blocks.

Of course, after he had finished his yard work, a swim was in order, so we both went on break and spent about an hour in the pool. I'm so sorry if you're in the North and subjected to the premature cold weather already. It's still in the 90s around here and we so were anxious to cool off.

After our swim, I headed back to the studio where I put together all ten strips - each made up of six four-patch blocks and separating sashes. I was pretty proud of myself for matching up all the seams when I joined the first two long strips together, then gave myself a beaver slap to the forehead when I realized that I hadn't attached the long sashes yet. (There has to be a long sash between each long strip of blocks to match the ones I stitched on the sides. The finished effect is a contrasting block around each four-patch. It's a necessary step, since we all voted for sashing!) You can see the side sashes in the second photo. My bone crochet hook - which I use to guide fabric through Miss Ellie's presser foot - is pointing to the sash fabric.

I should say one more thing about my technique here. I do not stress over lining up plaids or stripes in my quilts as I do in garments. I like the random, haphazardness that comes from just sewing them together as they want. You'd think with my Type A personality, I'd be working toward perfection. I'm only that way when matching seams, not when lining up those straight fabric patterns. I tell you this so that you don't think I'm just a sloppy quilter. I do this on-purpose.

Anyway, you guessed it. When I realized that I had missed the long sash, out came the seam ripper to unsew that one long seam. By the time that was done, it was time to prepare dinner, so I turned off Miss Ellie, the fan and the studio tv and walked away.

Today, I've got a fresh outlook. I'll first cut all the long sashes, and then I'll set about correctly joining all the long strips of blocks together. When I'm finished, the quilt top will be all assembled. Then, all I'll need to do is assemble the backing and it will be off to the machine quilter's this week.

I want us to be able to keep all these completed quilts straight, so I'm calling the nine-patch quilt from this post "Garden Magic", after the name of the fabric line. This pink flannel quilt I'm calling "Cotton Candy" because that's what I think of whenever I see the pretty pink fabric. Of course, there's no better name for the red and grey quilt shown here than "The French General" named for the designer of the line. Besides, I don't know how to pronounce the fabric line (Rouenneries)!

I don't know how long it will take for the quilts to come back from the machine quilters, but you can rest assured that as soon as they do, I'll be crowing about her work and showing you the finished pieces.