Small Thing of the Day

St. T Treasures

All my creative energies are tied up with design projects right now but I can't resist posting pics of the Japanese fabric I got at St. Theresa's on Friday. It was 40% off which is nearly as wonderful as the prints themselves. What's more, I know exactly what I'm going to do with it. First on my list, however, is to get started on the bedroom quilt. I've created the block pattern for it (thanks to Adobe Illustrator) and started some cutting. With the work on my desk, I'll be happy to get a single block done this week but that will make me very happy.
The origami cranes got me started...

Cincy Trip

We've spent the last two days in Cincinnati, visiting both the Newport Aquarium and the Cincy Zoo. Erik and the kids had a great time. Aside from feeling like I've been on a conveyor, viewing every animal species known to man, I had a great time, too.

Each of us had our favorite moments. Erik liked seeing the city, especially the Levee area. He thoroughly enjoyed his La Rosa's pizza. Sarah liked everything but staying in a hotel for a night was pretty special. I was unpopular for making the kids leave the hotel pool before drowning of exhaustion from our busy first day. Matt liked everything, too. He loved being able to walk free at the attractions and we decided he'd never had so much exercise. He did well walking and talked to us lots about what we saw which was a treat.

My favorite things were being with my family and, this will come as no surprise, visiting St. Theresa's Textile Trove for the second time. Two and a half years ago, I became obsessed with African fabric and played hooky one day to visit the store I saw mentioned in a book about African quilts. Since that time, the store has closed and reopened in another location. Much has happened to my little hobby, as well––I now have a sewing machine and know much more about sewing than I did then.

St. Theresa's was quiet on a Friday afternoon. It's not a "quilt-fabric" store. It feels more like someplace in New Orleans, where someone in the back might tell your fortune. Maybe it's because it's dark with old wood cabinets and sells items from places that have voodoo and house gods. The store carries products from all over the world––Mexico, Bali, Africa, India, Japan. There is much more than fabric––buttons, beads, metal trinkets. You want to touch everything and know its history.

I had only a few moments (it was nearly dinner and the family was starving) but it was better than nothing. And, they had a sale (believe it or not, this had nothing to do with our trip planning!). It only took a few minutes before I found some Japanese lovelies. Oh, and lovely they were. I did much drooling and fondling: the store carried Etsuko Furuya's Echino fabric and other Japanese patterns with a toothy texture. I'm too tired tonight for pictures of my prizes but maybe tomorrow. Just look at these buttons (there was a whole wall and I didn't have a chance to finger a one).

What I like about a store like St. Theresa's (besides being edgy and extraordinarily unique) is that it reminds me to appreciate fiber beauty, in all its forms. It reminds me of the history of cloth and of the similarities we have with our sisters around the world. I am also reminded that I can sew any way I want, in any style. And, like I found when I did my African quilt, that creativity means I can try something and then try something else entirely different. And that I should.

Stash Love

It was Happy Stash-mas for me yesterday. Since we had several errands in Franklin, the kids and I hit Clementine's. It had been a while and I needed a fabric fix. I was undeserving––I still have unfinished projects––but the soul needs what it needs. My right brain grabs in the wheel when I am in the store. Sometimes even when I go in with a planned project, serendipity takes over. This was the case yesterday. I went in to look at a certain Japanese fabric and took out mucho stash to create a quilt for my bed. Right now I'm thinking about a modified log cabin pattern. Sarah and I played with the fabrics for a long time before bedtime.

Small Thing of the Day

Holy Toledo!

Is this not the largest zucchini you've ever seen? This daddy was 75 cents at the local market this morning. He had to have him––he was as large as a whiffle bat.
Cutting it up was messy. Cleanup was easy. I got over six cups of grated from this guy.
In the summer I freeze 2-cup batches of grated zucchini for muffins and breads. Here's Erik's favorite recipe:

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

3/4 c. butter

2 c. sugar

3 eggs

2 c. grated zucchini

1/2 c. milk

2 t. vanilla

2 1/2 c. flour

2 1/2 t. baking powder

1 1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 c. baking cocoa

1 c. pecans (optional)

Beat butter with electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat after each. Combine zucchini, milk, and vanilla. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients. Add to butter mixture, alternately with zucchini mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in pecans. Put in two loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes (depending on pan type). Cool in pans before removing.

They Say It's My Birthday

Happy 10th birthday to my best friend, Sam. Here's to many more walks together.