Smocking! Upcycled Window Coffee Table! Embroidered Autumn Brooch! Philadelphia Pavement Quilt! Cluster Burst Crochet Edging! Woven Jewelry! PLUS . . . Recipes, Jokes, Art, Design & Memories! (2024)

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“C’mon Ma you have got to try it” I pleaded to my elderly Mother. I don’t know how my Mother lasted this long without ever using the internet, but enough was enough! I thought.

“Ok” she said reluctantly settling down by the computer and slowly putting on her reading glasses “what do I do now?”

“Now I’m going to open the home page of google”, I explained. “OK here it is! Now type in ANY question you want into the bar over here and you will find an answer to your question.” I confidently assured her.

My Mother looked at me warily, thought for a second, and slowly began to type, How is Gertrude doing this morning?

Artists or art that turns me on and feeds my muse! Like it or dislike it, what about this art inspires your own art or creativity?Ellen Dittebrandt; “Under Over”

Look around you. Design is everywhere! How can you incorporate the beauty that surrounds you into your art or craft?Brigid Berlin’s Tabloid Needlepoint Pillows.

Don’t mock the smock! My friend, Sherry, is a smocking maniac, and actually it was through Sherry that I saw smocking for the first time. Luckily for me, Sherry just had another granddaughter, so that means she will be smocking for many years to come! I think smocking is remarkable because it is actually a very versatilefabric manipulation. If you would like to learn to smock just followed this tutorial…

http://mellysews.com/2012/05/smocking-tutorial.html

Summer is the time when people get their windows replaced and there are old window sitting along the curbs in almost every neighborhood in America! Now’s your chance to grab a few and to make this really cool looking window coffee table. It looks terrific as is, but it could be a great place in which to display some of your treasures, or to store your toddler when she starts to act out (just sayin’) Start here…

http://martysmusings.net/2012/05/unbelievable-window-table-or-my-husband.html

Believe it or not, the first ofAugust is on Friday! That means you have about 35 to 40 days until the official start of fall weather. Why not start your creative autumnal crafting now instead of waiting for September and finishing your fall project by January! (Oh yeah, I know your type! You think I don’t know your type?) Here’s the tutorial for these pretty embroidered leaf brooches…

http://fiberluscious.blogspot.com/2012/10/tutorial-autumns-inspiration-leaf-brooch.html

Heather Secrist uses kale in her pesto for this tomatoey creation, though you can substitute arugula, spinach or basil if you prefer. “Pesto can be frozen in ice cube trays for use throughout the year,” says Heather, owner of Suncrest Gardens Farm in Cochrane, Wisconsin. “Once frozen, place the cubes in a freezer bag to pull out as you need them.”

22 year old Singapore Business studentGrace Ciao, is the surprising designer behind this beautiful and elegant collection of fashion design illustrations. Rather than utilizing your everyday creative utensils, Grace chooses to manipulate the petalsflowers to create her unique fashion garments. Theshapes and tones of the petals present Grace with a whole new world of fashion, “They help me create prints which I otherwise couldn’t have thought of”.

Source: inspirationhut

Sometimes antique quilts are actually the best quilts. I love this Philadelphia Pavement quilt whichwas featured in an old issue of McCall’s Quilting. Of course, it is a modified Trip around the World, but it is a stunner and you will get tonsmore compliments on this than you will any square-in-a-square(with a white or gray background)quilt. Trust me on that one. Here is the PDF…

http://www.mccallsquilting.com/content_downloads/Vintage_View_-_Philadelphia_Pavement.pdf

Cake rouge.

Crocheting anafghan is one thing, finishing is another. Here is a tutorial for you, that gives you a pattern foredging your crocheted blanket with this cluster burst effect. Itjust has afinish that most crocheted afghans do not have – – or at least the crocheted afghans that I’ve seen. Go for it…

http://www.petalstopicots.com/2014/07/cluster-burst-afghan-crochet-edging-pattern/

This is an nice variation of a bread pudding that uses whole slices of bread, along with strips of croissants, and cinnamon, for a delicious breakfast dish or dessert.

Ingredients
12 slices of cinnamon bread (regular white bread or raisin bread may be used as a replacement)
1/2 cup of butter (softened to room temperature)
2 croissants
6 eggs
1 cup of granulated white sugar (plus a bit more)
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
1 quart of half and half
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon (ground)
1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg (ground)

Directions

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
Slice your croissants length-wise, into quarter-inch strips.
Butter the bottom of a nine-by-thirteen inch baking pan.
Butter one side of each piece of bread, and layer them in the bottom of the pan, alternating with strips of croissant.
In a mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the eggs on medium-high speed until they become somewhat thickened (about five minutes).
Add the sugar and vanilla, and continue to beat until combined.
Next, lower the speed, and add the half and half, mixing until smooth.
Pour the wet mixture over the bread in the pan slowly, until the bread has absorbed the mixture, and all of the mixture is in the pan.
In another bowl, mix the cinnamon and nutmeg with 1/8 teaspoon of granulated sugar (the extra mentioned above). Sprinkle this mixture over the bread.
Find a larger baking pan, and fill it half-way with hot water. Place this pan in the oven.
Carefully place the baking pan into the larger water-filled pan, and bake for 45-50 minutes at 325 degrees.
Throw out the water, and chill the bread pudding until cooled (at least a couple of hours, or overnight).

Enjoy with maple syrup, a sweet sauce, preserves, whipped cream, or mascarpone cheese.

Source: (and, oy, the daisy already! LOL) http://www.theardentepicure.com/2011/04/whats-for-dessert-french-toast-bread.html

Itotallydig these wildelven shoes called Needle and Thread by Bezalel Academyof Arts and Design student . Displayed at Ventura Lambrate during Milan Design Week 2012 as part of the academy’s “Design Bonanza” installation, the shoes are made out of locally-sourced pine needles and depict a combination of playfulness and respect for nature, as well as an incredible attention to detail. Imagine what you can do when the needle start falling off of your Christmas tree this year! Shoes for everyone! – See more at:http://www.designboom.com/design/pine-needle-shoes-by-hadas-ilani/

Conjure that hippie chick inside of you and leave this terrific DIY woven necklace. Look, if you are a serious fiberholic, you can’t not wear one of these at some point this season. I really like it, I think it is a conversation piece, and I think that the whole point of wearing jewelry is for conversation as well as adornment. Strut your stuff…

http://sayyes.com/2014/07/diy-woven-necklace.html

On Friday and Saturday, August 1 & 2

I’ll be visiting Fabric Affair in Troy, Michigan!

On Friday evening I’ll be giving mywild talk (the fun one)!

All day on Saturday, I’ll be teaching my Lemon Cathedral Workshop!

Sign Up for the Workshop TODAY!

YOU’LL LEARN MY LEMON CATHEDRAL QUILT

THE SLOW STITCHING MOVEMENT WEBSITE?

The new Slow Stitching Movement blog has been posted. This blog is about “Semper Tedium! What I Learned (and you can, too)!” I’d love for you to take a look at it and give me any feedback. Thanks! xooxm

Just CLICK on the SLOW STITCHING BLOG box on the Slow Stitching Movement website:http://www.slowstitching.com/ (please subscribe while you’re there)