Nani Iro Sewing D

 Ahhhh... fall...  LiFong gave us some amazing pink pomegranate seeds.  Owen just likes to suck the juice off, but they are divine on some yogurt.

 This year we have had some prolific, enthusiastic, very tall sunflowers... they are starting to peak, and we are getting all sorts of seed heads to save up for chicken treats over the next few months.

For my big ol' three year old, I made a circle skirt  as a homage to the minnie mouse obsession that has gripped her since her fearful trip to Disneyland.

 She likes it!  The cute lace was in part an attempt to make it a touch longer (talk about mini skirt), but ended up being an awesome addition... but man, circle skirts take a lot of yardage to trim it out!

 I made it!  I've bee married to this handsome dude for 10 years now, We got to celebrate with an evening of climbing... that was NOT a complete failure (which it had the potential of being... since it has been over seven years since I've been on a wall)... in fact it was awesomely fun.  We also enjoyed a fancy frenchy dinner at Le Pigeon... We went all kinds of crazy and went for the tasting menu which included my favorites of a rabbit and eel terrine, served with all sorts of accouterments (peaches, avo, miso foam.... fancy stuff) and was so good as well as a pretty odd, but became fantastic fois gras profiterole.  The rest of the dinner was pretty delish as well, a short rib and perfect scallop, a tripe ragout with salt cod on gnocchi, and ummm, shoot I"m missing a dish, but the goat cheese "ice cream" (it was called something else... but essentially smooth icecream) with watermelon was pretty great too.  Anyhow, yum + fun!

 Owen and I printed some Kona Cotton with a toilet paper roll (sounds less glamorous but its what we used) and some fabric paint.  Made a pretty cute boarder print that I used for one of two shirts using the nani iro pattern book D.  It's a boxy top, but I think so cute.

 and looks so comfortable, there is an adult version, I am now tempted to make it.

 Grace and I also picked up this super super soft flannel at Jo Anns... it washed really nicely and is, well, just so darned soft.  I love the shirt, and I think G. is more likely to wear this one, just 'cause it is so cozy.

 Plus I put the cute pockets in this one.  I thought it messed with the print too much in the other one, but this one, it's just right.  I'm really spinning my wheels since I got these shirts on only with a bribe today and a promise that she can put her dress right back on... The chances of her selecting a non-dress is slim these days.  We're going to have to start hiding her sun dresses as the weather changes, my Girl is addicted to them!

Trying to be good about going for a walk on these beautiful, golden fall evenings.  I am not being super successful, but when we do make it out... wow, its lovely.

 Saw this awesome garden fence while on our walk today... can you see it?  It's the west coast with major rivers and lakes etched and glassed into it.

 neat-o.

Not only is he cute but he cooks.  Brian made the best tomato beef chow mein I have ever had today.  He used the recipe from our favorite "Cooking for two cultures american and chinese" cook book.  I am constantly stalking these on used book websites.  It is an old fund-raiser for a church cookbook and it's what my mom uses... I also love my circle and square cookbook of the same genre that was favored by uncle dudley and auntie gigi.

best ever...

So, the best things ever?

Watching Owen make bug houses in the playground or at home.

The beach, about anywhere, watching Brian run around with the kids.

And Grace... every night after her Daddy reads her books and while I am reading to Owen comes into the room, requests (and receives) a kiss, gives a big hug and one kiss more then I have to say "goodnight goodnight little dinosaur" and if I don't she'll remind me to "say it!"

best meals ever?

That ballena of pacifico relished as we set up camp in a (relatively) verdant wash in Baja California after a long, bumpy, dusty drive with dear friends who had taken me under their wing and set me on the path to what has turned out the rest of my life.  I have never enjoyed a beer more (well, some of Brian's more recent brews are up there).

Picnic dinner on the deck in the perfection that is a Portland summer evening.  Veg from the garden, raspberries you can lean over and pick right there, Rose or homebrew.

There was that perfect Easter brunch on the Grass in Old Field where we moved the table outside and Michael played violin, the sun was shining, I grilled something that turned out well (I just remember being pleased, not what it was).

Massive chinese banquets when I was growing up, surrounded by family and friends who you thought were family who want you to eat more and more and more, surrounded by steamy warmth and a golden light, dish after dish after dish of deliciousness, giant lazy susans always in motion, a celebration, a brief toast, best clothes, connection and love (and all sorts of things I would be shocked to be served now... massive seabas, sharkfin).

That dinner in NYC for Derek's graduation where Grandpa Jerry kept insisting I try some blue cheese, which I really didn't like at the time.  I'd try some, say yeah Grandpa, I really just don't like blue cheese, he said this is really really good, you should like it, and have me try some again ... this time with this pear...and... nope still don't like it...he tried at least four times, never thought it was tasty... but for some reason it was really making me smile inside.  I like blue cheese now.

more duvet blankets... or in search of the narwhale

Okay, here's the blanket I made for Erin and Mike, but (a) fell in love with it, (b) realized it matched our couch nicely and (c) found some more beautiful fabric that seemed more "erin and mike" than this pretty nani iro double gauze floral.... now it lived on our couch, and they have a beautiful blue one.

 That same idea from purl bee which is lovely because it is easy and it also showcases fabric that I fall in love with, and yep, I fell in love again.  I had decided when Suz. told me they were expecting a little girl to go with the primary colors... no bubble gum pink for this princess.  Nope.

 Then I headed to fabric depot, got this great flannel, that I swear was the softest flannel that I placed hands on in a pretty huge selection... plus (I know its floral) it looks like sea anemonies.
and in spite of a cart full of other lovelies, this cute (nar)whale fabric just was impossible to pass.

SO... baby girl gets a pretty pink super soft and cushy wool batting with silver machine ties (and a few little tidbits).

as a reminder to myself... always look at the directions before starting a project, even if you are confident that something this simple, that you have done before would be no problem.  Yep, layered the pieces incorrectly, sewed it all up and went to turn it right-side-out and it was all sorts of out-of-order with batting on the outside.  Had to rip it all out and do it again... that's a lot of ripping out.