Fall Wreath

Through two moves, I could not find my fall wreath.... a perfect excuse to go to JoAnne's and buy supplies from crabbby old ladies that give my cat-ear beanie dirty looks.... (Excuse me, but you work at a sewing/craft store.... wouldn't you be happy to see someone who actually makes stuff and is creative???) Chalk up another one for living in the midwest....
Anywho.... had a good time making it, and two little drop-wreath thingies...

Before and during construction............

Sorry about the glare from the storm door....
I used a combo of bunches of fall leaves/berries/flowers/cat tails
Ostrich feathers
Black velvet leaves
Red sparkley grass-type stuff

What you can't see is the squirell and/or bunny chew marks on our pumpkins... the little ones get scattered all over lawn every night. :)

Mantel

Here you go mom!  This is our new mantel, in our new house.  It is exactly what I had been looking for, and found it at a neat little shop called Ecletables.  The mosiac hanging on the wall was made by Grandma Julia and her friends who were part of a ladies auxillary called "Home Extension."  This was made over many once-monthly meetings (that, btw, are still being held with surviving members), where a gaggle of mid-century housewives would get together, swap recipies and gossip, and have an day away from kids and chores.  I have many fond memories of the Chritmas Party of 'HE' ladies, where I would be allowed to miss school, eat candy, and be fawned over while serving tea and coffee.
The collection of knick-knacks on and around the mantle are from antique shops, garage sales, and hand-me-downs... I collect anything, as long as it speaks to me.

Past Experiments......

This was a 50th birthday cake I made for my father-in-law's birthday dinner at the families' favorite dinner place, Cafe Du Berry, off Macadam in Portland.  This has been my most ambitious cake to date... yellow cake with chocolate filling, the bottom and middle layers are cake, the tower is a styrofoam cone covered in frosting... (couldn't get the rice krispie treat to behave for tower, so I had to make an emergency trip to Michaels!)

This was my first attempt at a quilt last Christmas for one of my best friends' little boy, Nolan. (the white-ish material are baseballs)  I loved making it, even if all the edges didn't match up... made several more for other babies....

Welcome

I have to admit that until very recently, I was not a blog fan.  I especially never had a reason to write or maintin a blog, because let's face it, who cares.  After a year in my new (cringe) home, the midwest, I thouht perhaps my family and friends back in the great Pacific Northwest might want to see what I'm up to, and I figured if nothing else, this will give me something to do.
This site will focus on fun crafts, sewing, design, and cooking projects that I am either trying for the first time, trying to perfect, or a new leaf I'm trying to turn over (like making my own broth).  This is in no way a place for me to pretend that I can do anything better than anyone else (because I can't), just a place to share ideas.
Most of all, this is a place for me to pay hommage to my maternal grandmother, Grandma Julia.  Much misunderstood and 'pu-shawed' in her time, she has always been an inspiration for me.  She graduated top of her class in the 30's from Jefferson High, believed in gnomes, wore bright red lipstick and Chanel no. 5 while collecting eggs from the chicken coup, painted her carpet with brown daisies, hand-made all of my mothers' clothes, and most importantly taught me how to cook, sew, and think for myself all in the short 13 years I had with her.