Saturday Sampler: Patio Edition

 

Bread Therapy & Butter Thoughts

I don't know why baking bread is so calming and comforting. Or why eating even the simplest homemade bread--flour, yeast, salt, and water--feels like such a luxury. But it is, and it does. Does it tap into some ancient genetic memory? Surely no other food crosses time and culture like bread. When I was growing up, my mom always baked bread before a storm. Before typhoons when we were stationed in the tropics, before blizzards when we were stationed where it snows, before hurricanes when we were stationed in Texas. I'm sure that was mostly just preparation, but as an adult I now wonder if it was also some sort of self-soothing ritual: indulging in the calm and comfort of baking bread before everything goes sideways. There are all sorts of storms in life, some worse than others. Some are severe but pass quickly. Some batter us for months or even years. Maybe it's the simple things and the old ways that carry us through, just as they've carried our ancestors through for generations... putting our hands in the dirt and growing things... sitting down with a needle and thread... baking bread to nourish ourselves...

I found this recipe when I was looking for a low-effort homemade bread and I couldn't be more pleased with it. Mr. Wonderful loves it. It's as easy as falling off a log. I stir it up before I go to bed and then whenever I get around to it the next day, plop it onto a floured surface, shape it, and bake it. Ta-da! Fresh bread! So far I've only made the mini loaves, but I think I'll experiment with one large loaf or a couple of smaller ones. Lots of folks like their homemade bread with a crisp crust, which this has when just baked. I store mine in a plastic bag on the counter (which softens the crust to our liking) and even in a hot climate, it lasts almost a week, probably due to the salt content. You'll probably want to experiment with the amount, especially if you're eating it with salted butter (I use Kerrygold).

On the subject of butter, as long as we're being luxurious and making our own bread, we might as well have lovely soft, spreadable butter on hand. I'm not sure at what point, or for what reason, we decided that butter had to live in the fridge or we'd die from food poisoning, but it happened, and we've been depriving ourselves. I keep butter for baking and cooking in there, but for eating, there's nothing better than room temperature butter. I have a very pretty French butter crock, but it holds too much butter for us to get through in the few days required in this climate. I went looking for something to hold just a wee bit of butter and found this absolutely adorable little butter keeper in this Etsy shop. It lives on the counter by the bread, ready at a moment's notice for a quick snack of homemade bread, soft Irish butter, and strawberry jam. Now that's luxury.

I have more thoughts on why things that were once so common and necessary to daily life they were completely unremarkable have become modern day luxuries. But that's for another day. 

Happy Baking!

 

All is Calm...

 

Hey, y'all. I think I can say, two-thirds of the way through this summer and over halfway through this difficult year, that I'm finally starting to feel a bit more settled, or at least a bit less unmoored and thrashed about. I've come to realize I won't ever feel fully settled in this house because I know we'll be moving to our permanent quarters next spring. Another move. In about eight months. The thought of it sort of paralyzes me, so I try not to dwell on it, but there it is. Everything I do to carefully put this house together--hang pictures, unpack treasures--is accompanied by the thought that it all has to come apart in a few months. Not exactly a restful thought. I'm working on just being present in the moment and not worrying about doing this all again shortly, but I'm not very good at it. Of course, stitching helps.

Which brings me to my latest finishes. These little lovelies are from a new-to-me designer called Cosford Rise Stitchery.  I found them quite some time ago and wanted to stitch them instantly, but of course had to put it off. I've finally gotten around to stitching them and I just love them.

Just a few notes on how I stitched mine: The models are stitched on 36 ct., using one thread of floss over two linen threads, so only one skein of Weeks Snowflake is required. I stitched mine on 28 ct. Winter Brew by R&R Reproductions, and on the larger count you will need TWO skeins of Snowflake, and if you cross each stitch as you go, you may even need THREE skeins to be on the safe side. 

On the matter of stitching styles, I've mentioned before that when working with hand dyed threads, I almost never follow the "cross each stitch as you go" rule. Here's my rather lengthy post on stitching with variegated thread. I usually use the Half Stitch + Mismatch method I describe in that post because I prefer more subtle color variation over the striped or color blocked look of the usual method of crossing each stitch as you go. With the exception of the border (which I changed to Weeks Ivy and crossed each stitch), all of the stitching on these two little pieces is Half Stitch + Mismatch. 

Weeks Snowflake is a very pretty white with distinct patches of pale pink and pale blue. Using this method gives you a very, very soft flush of color here and there instead of noticeable sections of pink or blue snow. But that's a personal preference. If you like the stronger colors, go for it. I've seen both pink and blue snow with my own eyes and it's gorgeous. In fact, due to unusual lighting, some of the prettiest snow I've ever seen was as pink as it could be. 

Even if these are not on your to-stitch list, do check out her Etsy shop linked above. She has a beautiful seasonal flower basket series that I hope to start this fall. So far she has March through September available. 

So I'm working on "all is calm" in my mind, with varying success depending on the day. I've been busy with some stuff lately that has kept me out of my sewing room (booo!) but I hope to get back in there this coming week. Hopefully, I'll have more finished and framed stuff to share with you soon. And there's definitely a recipe coming that you won't want to miss!

Happy Stitching!

Frogtastic

 

I've started one of my summer projects, Magic Swamp Sampler by Stitchy Princess. So far, we've got a frog queen with luscious lashes basking under a friendly sun. This is going to be a really fun stitch. Perfect for summer. The only problem is that this fabric is just about impossible to photograph. No matter what I try, it always looks too dull, too grayish. It really is a beautiful yellowish green. Maybe I'll figure out how to show it off properly. Anyway, I'm so enjoying stitching on it. It's 32 ct. lugana in Dark Olive.

I have a new little friend, too. This wee one has taken up residence in my azalea. Isn't he adorable? So tiny.

Happy Stitching ( and no frogging)!

Green & Purple Goodness

 

Painted Egg (bird with egg) is from the Cross Eyed Cricket leaflet called "Eggs... etera" (#109).

The chick in a purple dress is my color conversion of Here a Peep There a Peep from With Thy Needle & Thread. My color choices are in this post.

Be Well is a freebie from The Drawn Thread available here. My color choices are in this post. The purple flower trim is from Hobby Lobby.

*****

My sewing room time is being rudely interrupted this week by something called "life" but I'm hoping I can get in there to play a little bit, at least. I seem to have amassed a backlog of Christmas finishing and framing, so if you're in the mood for Christmas in July, I'm your girl. I've also started on one of my summer projects, and there will be a peek of that soon. Don't go far or you'll miss something!

Happy Stitching!

It's Happening!

 

Sewing room is up and running and I've actually framed something! It's my Northern Lights color conversion (all info in this post) and although it's out of season, I'm leaving it out to enjoy it because I just love how it turned out. The frame is from Hobby Lobby, but I've had it for a while and don't know if it's still available.

I'm glad to be back in my sewing room after all these months, surrounded by my stash and my finishing goodies. But I must say it's been a bit hard to settle down. Still working on that. I've got several projects ready to go and I've got my finishing and framing piles sorted. Now I just have to get my mind quieted down. Finishing is good for that. And boy do I have a lot of it to get done.

2022: Summer of...

A few weeks ago I was rambling about my new-ish tradition of having a theme for my summer stitching. In late spring of 2020, when we were all still trying to adjust to the awful reality of the pandemic, I was casting about for something cheerful and distracting to focus on and came up with Summer of Halloween. Our first Halloween in that neighborhood was a blast and reminded me I hadn't stitched any new Halloween pretties in forever, so I decided to spend the summer just stitching that. I enjoyed it so much I did Summer of the WIP in 2021, working to finish some long-neglected projects. 

What to do about 2022? This year has been... well, y'all have been here. You know. I hadn't given a thought to my summer stitching theme until some time in May. I was sitting in temporary quarters one afternoon, trying to come up with a theme, something I would really enjoy. Something calming. Something therapeutic. Something that would help me recover from these difficult months. And then I thought of the perfect project. Exactly the right project.

Me.

I'm the project.

2022 is the Summer of Me.

I got out my little notebook and started jotting down things I'd like to do over the summer that would be just for me. Things I enjoy. Things that calm the mind and repair frayed nerves. Things that are quiet, and slow, and pretty. And of course, creative. Things that got swept away in the upheaval and grief of the last six months.

Reading on my pretty little patio

Having tea with my favorite tea sets

Getting back to my rowing machine (Mr. Wonderful attributes this love of rowing to my Viking genetic memory... lol)

Baking, baking, and more baking (thus all the rowing!)

Of course, stitching... I have a couple of projects chosen

And all the little things you let go of when your hands are too full of hard things to hold onto them.

There's something else I want to do. Something I absolutely love--get lost in--and always, always, always put off because there's always something more important I should be doing. 

Finishing and framing

When I get going on a pile of stitching that needs finishing or framing, I may as well have fallen down a rabbit hole. I become totally absorbed. I make a mess. I spend hours and hours and then days and days at it. I completely lose myself in it. I thoroughly enjoy it. Which is why I rarely take the time to do it. Which is... backwards and wrong? My reasoning goes something like this (stop me if you've heard this in your own head): "I can't tackle this pile of finishes because if I do I'll end up spending days on it and I have all this other stuff to do and I can't just disappear into my sewing room for days so maybe once I get all this other stuff done I can get to it..." And of course we know that all that other stuff never gets completely done and so we never feel like we can break away and play. 

Not this summer. This summer, I want to finish and frame until I go cross-eyed. I want to enter my sewing room after my morning row and only emerge for snacks. I want to make a mess. I want to throw some things into my slow cookers for supper (two new cookbooks have arrived!) and walk away from the kitchen. I want to spend an hour trying to choose just the right embellishment. I want to re-pin something three times. I want to beautify the things I've stitched so they can live where I can see and enjoy them, instead of in the finishes box. 

And it's almost as if this was the plan all along. My sewing room is small, but it's painted a soft, sunny yellow (by some past resident) and has a bay window. My pink and green sewing room is going to clash magnificently with the yellow paint, but I don't care. I think my soul needs sunny walls and a bay window. 

So it's the Summer of Me. I'll be quietly puttering away, putting myself back together. You're most welcome to drop in any time. Consider it a season-long open house. We'll have tea. We'll eat tiny baked goodies. We'll get lost in the sewing room. We'll sit on the patio and listen to the birds. And we'll feel better. (I won't make you row.)

See you soon, my dears.

Baby Fox is finished!

I'm somewhat surprised I have a finish to share in the midst of moving chaos, but I do. Isn't he sweet? I love his expression. This is one of my Ukrainian designs, stitched with DMC on the Zweigart manufactured 32 ct. fabric from Hobby Lobby in the color Spa. What a lovely boy.

Unpacking is moving along. My kitchen is about 90% put together, so that's the biggest job pretty much done. I've got a few days of work left around the house before I can get at my sewing room, but I'm hoping I can start on that at the end of this week. Mr. Wonderful is down with a summer cold and I need his help with a few things, so my plans may be delayed a bit, but I'm close to getting to that sewing room. Fingers, toes, and eyes crossed I do not catch his cold! No time for that nonsense!

Ukrainian Stash

While we're waiting for me to unpack my sewing room, let's look at my Ukrainian haul! Back in this post I shared some links to several Ukrainian designers' Etsy shops for those who might want to support them through their work. Over the next few weeks, I did some shopping with them and photographed my new stash but didn't get a chance to share before we moved. Let's see what I got...

First, of course, foxes! 

This gorgeous design is from KitsBySAstitch and is part of a series of animals bundled up in winter clothes. They are all absolutely beautiful.

Fox Silhouette: HappyLittleMouse

Grandma Fox: MrStitchxMrsNeedle

Spring is in the Air: NonStopStitch

Swamp Sampler: StitchyPrincess

Joy, Autumn Fairy, Pumpkin Mousse: NonStopStitch

Swamp Sampler? Yes! Big fan of all things green, critters, and unique designs, and this one has it all. I just love the warm, summery feel of this sampler. I can almost hear the buzz of the insects, the croak of the frogs, and the bird calls. What a great summer project.

Moving from summer to fall, feast your eyes on this fantastic turkey from AwesomePatternStudio! Y'all know how much I love this type of design and it's an ideal style for a turkey.

Lighthouses and Seagulls: NonStopStitch

If you're a lighthouse lover, that's your shop. They have a series of really pretty ones. I held myself back and only got two. For now.

That's my haul. I made a pretty notebook to hold my pdf designs, put them in plastic document protectors, and divided the notebook into categories. When I find it, I'll show it to y'all. 

Hope you're inspired to check out these shops (and the others in the linked post) and that you find some designs you didn't know you needed. These are not the only Ukrainian shops on Etsy. You can filter your search of cross stitch pdfs (or anything) by country of origin and find a lot more.

Back to unpacking. Happy Stitching!

My Travel Kitchen

We got our shipment on Thursday and oh my word, what a day. It poured rain all day. The unload--which took three hours for our last move--took seven hours. At the end of the unload, the truck was empty and we were missing 45 items. The next two hours were spent painstakingly going through the inventory and hunting through the house, locating and matching items missing inventory stickers, or missed on the call-out, a task made much more difficult by the less-than-exact inventory prepared by the company at the other end. Thankfully, we had a good crew who calmly and cheerfully searched through the chaos and we ended up finding everything. What a blessing they were. But y'all. We have never had a move like this. We've already found some damage and I'm praying there isn't more.

And that will be just about enough of that. Onward. Last week I mentioned my travel kitchen, my bare minimum of kitchen things that I take with us so that I can make simple meals as we wait for quarters, or for our stuff to catch up to us. I've been doing this for years and never thought to share, probably because we've never been displaced for this long. All of this stuff fits in a hard-sided, collapsible grocery tote that measures 13"L x 11"W x 11"H, with the exception of the small crockpot.

Here's my list. Easy to customize to your own preferences and useful in all kinds of situations, not just moving. I also should note that this list assumes access to a microwave and a small fridge, which are pretty standard no matter where you stay.

Slow cookers: 3 qt, 1.5 qt

Dishtowels

Dishwashing liquid, scrubby

Cutting board, small knife

Liquid measure, measuring cups/spoons

Saucepan

Micro-cooker (2 qt., Pampered Chef)

Small tongs

Can opener

Spatula, serving spoon

Mix n' Chop (Pampered Chef)

Pizza cutter, ice cream scoop (yes, bring the scoop)

*****

I love my slow cooker collection and use them all the time, and they really are invaluable when you don't have a kitchen. The 3 qt. size is perfect for the two of us: large enough to accommodate a pretty wide range of recipes, but small enough to take up very little space. The 1.5 qt. is just right for a small side dish, or even a small dessert. I also use it to cook chicken breasts for other recipes (it will hold a package of 3). Lots of great low-prep and no-prep recipes out there for both sizes.

The Pampered Chef items I've had for years and are some of my most used. The micro-cooker (microwave) can be used to steam vegetables, heat stuff, and even brown ground beef. This 2 qt. size also doubles as a mixing bowl. The mix n' chop is what I use to break up cooked ground beef.

And that's it. Just a small tote of essentials and you can set up a tiny but adequate kitchen and get a break from fast food. There are a number of "slow cooker for two" cookbooks to choose from, with recipes sized for these smaller crockpots, or you can just do some googling and choose what looks good to you. 

There is definitely an emotional boost from smelling the aroma of a favorite dish wafting through an empty house, or in our case, a house that smells of cardboard boxes. Having supper simmering away all day as I unpack endless boxes--without having to frantically find kitchen things to cook with--makes me feel like I might survive this.

Happy Cooking!

Calm Before the Storm

 

My goodness, it rains a lot here. Fine with me. I love rainy days. Except when I'm trying to photograph finishes. And when I'm trying to move. Our shipment arrives tomorrow and of course there is torrential rain in the forecast. Because of course. *sigh*

But we're really, really ready to get this move done. "Camping" gets old after a couple of months. However, if you plan a bit, you can camp with some new patio furniture. At least we have something to sit on.

Speaking of which, think I'll share my "travel kitchen" with y'all next week. It's my little collection of the absolute bare minimum of kitchen things that I travel with so I can make simple meals when we're between homes and waiting on shipments. Eating fast food every day for weeks is demoralizing, not to mention expensive. Even the simplest food you make yourself is a comfort compared to that.

So tomorrow is the big day. Fingers crossed the rain holds off.

In the House

 

We are fiiiinally in our house after five weeks in temporary quarters. Base housing won't be available for 6-8 months so we're renting for the next year. Our shipment gets here Thursday, Lord willing and the creek don't rise. This is our backyard. 

I got some stitching done while waiting, but not a huge amount. Here's my baby fox I mentioned a few posts ago. Really, if you need a mindless but enjoyable stitch ("low threat" as Mr. Wonderful would say), these geometric animal designs are the best. Loads of them on Etsy.

One of the things I've been doing is mentally "decorating" the pretty little screened in patio we now have. Honestly, it's the thing I like best about this house. I've chosen a pale aqua and taupe color scheme and I can't wait to get it pulled together. Miss Tiger Lily is also getting a fancy new cat perch so she can enjoy the patio, too.

Moving is so tiring, sometimes you just fall asleep on your face. But we are almost there. My goal is to have the house completely done by the end of June. I always prioritize the kitchen and bedroom, and my sewing room is always last, so it'll be a while before we can get back in there and play.

I'm so looking forward to being able to post regularly and share my stitching and finishing. If you've been here for a bit, you may remember my Summer of Halloween (2020) and my Summer of the WIP (2021). When I decided to do Summer of Halloween, I wasn't thinking of starting a tradition. I just hadn't stitched any Halloween in a while and I was wanting a fun project to focus on during that first pandemic summer. I ended up enjoying having a summer theme so much that I did it again last year. 

With my dad passing and this prolonged move right on the heels of that, I haven't had the head space to devote to thinking about a summer theme for this year, but a few days ago, a little idea crept quietly into my addled brain. Not sure what I'm going to do with it yet, but it's just patiently sitting there, waiting for me. 

2022: Summer of... ?