Hey Pickles,

  Jeff and I met with lead Northcott designer, Ro Gregg, to show her our new line — the one that will appear in stores AFTER califon is released at Spring Market in Portland in May.   This new one will debut at Fall Market in Houston.   She liked it a lot and even called us later to say that our stuff just keeps getting better and better.  We were very happy. 

It’s really nice to have a fabric company actually manage a line and offer guidance and support, rather than just blindly throwing shit on a wall and seeing what sticks.  There is a lot of communication with Northcott, discussion about sales strategies, marketing, etc.  I guess that’s why they’re an industry leader. Someday, you’ll read all about it in my book!  LOL  

So far, this has been a good move for me.  I’m finally learning the right way to design fabric and it’s thrilling — and a lot more challenging and interesting than I once thought. 

 In the meantime, chickens, if you have an idea for a fabric line — meaning — want to design your own fabric line and have something on paper — please email me.   Maybe you can design for Mark Lipinski Home for Northcott? 

I’m always on the hunt for new talent — both for the magazine front and now for the MLHome department. 

 WINDOW SHOPPING

After our design team meeting, Jeff and I hit the mall.   We went to what is considered a very tony mall in New Jersey — The Mall at Short Hills.  It’s gorgeous (for a mall) and has absolutely the most high end shops and clothiers that I have ever seen (and it ain’t cheap).  

 But I’ll tell you this: Never in my life have a seen such an excess of “Fashion Don’ts” walking the cavernous marbled hallways in my entire life!  I was hysterical. 

 Jeff and I kept giving each other the eye and whispering, “Did you see that?!?”  Pullleeessszzze.  Don’t tell me you’ve never done that yourself!  Dear God!  You would have D-I-E-D!

Now, you know I would have snapped pictures of these fashion monstrosities, but I was afraid I’d get caught, and even I have limits, my dears! 

You gotta love this fountain.  It fills with water then spits it out from the top.   The photos do it no justice.

OK, time to reveal my true self (again).  I got snagged by the Saks Fifth Avenue Bridal Department.  I couldn’t help it.  It was right there!  Just as I walked into the building from parking lot to store…BAM!  Bridal gowns.  

Besides food, bridal fashion is my most favorite thing in the world.  You know I collect all kinds of shit.  If I had the room, I’d collect bridal gowns.  I love the embellishment, and the satin and beadwork and threadwork and lace and, well, I blame it all on the Sisters of Charity.  Of course I’m drawn to the gaudy — can you blame me?  I spent literal years starring at women dressed in simple, caped black habits (and that’s a tough habit to break)!

 Trusty camera in hand (sans flash) I snapped a few photos of some of the embellishment work.   Now know that no gown was under $6000.   Of course the one I liked was $8000.   So worth it (unless I had to pay for it for MY daughter). 

  The beading was actually done on netting and then the whole piece was appliqued to the satin.

This entire gown was ornate raw edge applique and beading.  I almost fainted.  I wish I could have gotten the whole shot for you but I was afraid I’d get kicked out of the joint.   Amazing.

  The interesting part of this gown was that the entire tiered gown was just silk or rayon seed stitches.  Nothing more.  Just 1/4″ random stitches. I thought, “Shit, man, I can do that on quilting fabric!”   And so can you!  It adds such simple elegance.  Try it!

  I met these two adorable, sweet chipmunks as they were watching me snap photos from behind store pillars.   The lady on the left told me that she only parks on that side of the mall so that she can come through the same door I did and peek at the bridal gowns. 

She told me the sweetest story.   Sixty years ago, when she was shopping for her own wedding gown, she shopped in every store in Manhattan and was forced to call her father to tell him that, although she looked everywhere, all she could find was a gown that was $250.    “He told me that was too expensive and to keep looking.”  

My, how times have changed.   I paid less for my first car than the least expensive gown that I saw today.   By the way,  the lady called her dad again, and her father allowed her to buy the gown she had fallen in love with.  $250.  The year  was 1948.

Not all embellishment has to be ornate.  Take a look at how just simple faux  pearls dress up this printed scarf.   Sometimes a little says a lot.   For instance, a little cake makes for a big ass. 

Here is another example of simple embellishment that caught my eye from across the mall.   It is just a bead on a running stitch.  Very eye catching and would draw people right into your quilt and dress it up, easily. Another technique for you to try out.

Loved this shirt.   Well, not the shirt so much as the fabric.

Can’t you just see a pearl or bead in the center of each daisy?   Love it! 

Yes, turtles, patchwork shorts are VERY in this season.  Cut up your old tops that you haven’t quilted yet and make an easy pair of drawstring shorts.   Just in time for summer. 

Jeff and I decided that this is how we’ll dress up our pool area this summer.  This was in the window of Restoration Hardware (this store, by the way, has lost a lot of its steam as far as I’m concerned).   I have to say, before YOU say it, I’m very drawn to the Katmandu-ish themes.

I saw this in Crate & Barrel.   Fabulous cobalts (that you can’t really see).  What a quilt or fabric this would make! 

On my quest for more applique from pottery designs, I found these at Williams Sonoma.  Click on the images to see larger pics.

Black and White is in.  At least if you live in Short Hills.  It is everywhere — along with splashes of red. 

I would like to see all of the Pickles (every single one of you) in this get up!   Can you imagine?  Hot pants are back in style.  Blech!

 califon

Now I promised you a sneak peek at my new line, califon.  So over the next several weeks, leading up to quilt market, I’ll debut some of the line just for you Pickly-poos! 

Since B&W are the fashion forward colors, I decided to create a stunning B&W line — that can be minimally embellished.

Drum-roll please:

Click on these to see a full size of the accent colors

Here are the yellow and blue versions of this particular design.

Now, kids, this is just a VERY SMALL taste of what’s to come in the califon fabric line.

To get your shop to see the entire line and/or order califon, have your shop owner call

Bernie or Vic at (201) 672-9600 

Mark’s AMERICAN IDOL WATCH

What the hell was this!?!? 

I jumped when poor Amanda Overmyer (ridden hard, hung up wet) came out to sing (if that’s what you call it) on Idol last night.  I thought The Bride of Chuckie might be subbing for her (either that or Lainie Kazan took the stage) or worse!  Horrors!

Will the real American Idol please stand up?

or    

FRIENDS AND FOES

This is the funniest blog entry EVER about Quilter’s Home. It’s from Bunny Hill Designs.  I love the Bunny Hill Designs so the fact that she likes the magazine is a bonus — but she didn’t always like it — she may still be having second thoughts!   LOL  Click here to read all about it.

Designer and AQS author, Karen Griska’s blog has a friendly mention of that damn Foreward I fretted over. 

MORE

There is a great article about Long Armer Janice Jamison in today’s Star Ledger.  Click here to read it (I hope).  Janice has quilted many of my quilts and is a dear friend, to boot! 

 Happy Tuesday Pickles! 

The SUN is out!  

Ooops!  That’s Paris Hilton’s MOON.

    Ah, that’s better! 

Deer in the yard…eating Jeff’s bushes!  YIKES! 

Jeff and I drove to Clinton, New Jersey again to take in the show by Cuban artists at the Hunterdon County Art Museum the other day (this Cuban thing is beginning to become a weird theme).   We had to drive through the neighboring town of Oldwick, so we stopped for coffee and snacks.   I thought I’d share the town with you….

OLDWICK

  This is the Oldwick General Store and the main street of Oldwick.   It’s just a stone’s throw from Pickle Road and this is the joint where I get my coffee on my way to the airport and to my local quilt shop!

What I love about this store is that the floors are original and it still holds the ambiance of the old days.  I like how they have old, antique shoes and lanterns hanging from the wooden ceiling.  

Now, in spite of what you see on the main street, this place smells of old money.      Some of the surrounding farms and estates are breathtaking.  Former NJ governor Christie Whitman has a place here. 

It’s horse country! I’m sure these folks participated in the horse competitions with the

 Jackie Kennedy’s who had a farm in another close town, Gladstone and Peapack (yeah, Malcom Forbes lived there, too.)

  This is the library. The homes and businesses on the main street are Victorians.   There is a farm stand on the main drag where you can pick apples and peache when they are in season.

 The General Store has the best homemade apple turnovers  ever — and they are gigantic.   By the time we got there, at 11-ish, they were already sold out, so we got the apricot and strawberrry twists (which were still warm). 

Across the street from the General Store is Zion Lutheran Church and the old, original cemetary. 

The dates on the grave to the left are b. 1784 d 1833  

Clinton

I loved this soapbox derby display in the old Pharmacy window.  My dad made mine and I can still remember how angry he was that we lost!   Old habits die hard.   I used to do Evan’s stuff for him!  

  Boots in the window that I thought you’d like. They look good but I bet they don’t look so good after a week of snow and slush.

This is the Hunterdon Art Museum.  It used to be a grist mill.

While looking out the side windows of the museum, I got a few good shots of the Red Mill across the pond.   It’s one of my favorite places — during every season.

My attempt at artsy.  I need to stick to quilting.   All original floors and structure.

A few weeks ago, on the Pickle List, we chatted about using human hair in knitting and crafting projects.   I took this photo — of one of the exhibits at the museum. It represents the flag of Cuba and is made from human hair that is wrapped and affixed to the piece to pay homage to the soul and people of Cuba. 

In the studio area there was some kid art.  I liked the primitive way this was put together — and given it is made of fabric — a quilt of sorts, I snapped it for you.   I love that puce color!

Last night we ended up at my favorite supermarket in Bridgewater, New Jersey.  It’s a Pennsylvania chain called Wegman’s.   It is remarkable and if you can’t find what you’re looking for there, then it hasn’t been invented yet!   

The place is massive.  These pics don’t do it justice! 

Look at only a PART of their candy section.  I couldn’t fit it in but it goes on for miles.   By the way, what a nice stripe those colors would make as a quilt border.

We found this GIANT Chinese grapefruit.  It was MASSIVE!

I ended up buying lox and bagels for Evan (it’s his favorite).

I thought that these were kind of weird and unique.  Maybe the latest thing for summer?

One of my spring favorites is the Hyacinth.  They were only $5-bucks.  We bought a few. I love that smell.   I was half tempted to buy an orchid, too, but I’d kill the damn thing.

  Aren’t they amazing.  And not very expensive at all!

Now when I see pottery, I’m always on the look out for designs that can be turned into patchwork or applique.   Here’s what I found that night:

I don’t ever remember seeing this color on a Heinz product before but I really, really like it.  I’m now on the hunt for fabric of the same color!  Neat-o, eh?

PROJECTS:

I finally finished writing the Foreward for Karen Griska’s new AQS book.   Shit, that was hard!  I’d never written a Foreward before and I panicked!   Funny?  Serious?   Dr. Spock?  Dr. Doolittle?   I hope she likes it.  I release it tomorrow.

 I’m still plugging along on my own book.  That’s another cross to bear.  I never dreamed it would be this difficult.  Of course, I am my worst critic and I want it PERFECT.   I hope to have that off to C&T by Friday. 

STOP AND SAY ‘HELLO:

Pickles, I’ll be in The Craftman’s Touch Books booth  this Saturday (March 1), signing copies of Mark Lipinski’s Quilter’s Home.   This is at the Mancuso show, called Quilt Fest New Jersey in Somerset, New Jersey.  Click here for directions and to read all about it. 

Meg Cox will also be there signing copies of her new book, so stop by! 

SPEAKING OF QUILTER’S HOME:

I want to show you the just completed cover for the May/June 2008 issue.  I think it’s a lot of fun - hanging upside down was not!  LOL

Click on the thumnail to see a full size version!  

FINALLY:

I just got a bunch of new books that I want to share with you.  And don’t forget that I’m going debut 1 piece of my new line for Mark Lipinski Home for Northcott — califon!   So keep watching!  xoxom

FRIENDS AND FOES:

 You will die when you see the horribly hysterical Pickle Prize that was created and awarded to Randi on the Feathered Fibers blog!   Click here to see it (and make sure you swallow what you’re drinking first!).   If you click on the thumbnail of the award it gets much larger for even a bigger laugh! 

Knitting is Kneat-o’s blogtalks about using Katmandu fabric for a project that she has pictured.  Click here.

Here’s a Flickr entry that mentions my talk in Connecticut along with the most beautiul applique quilt called Ladies of the Sea.  Click here to see it!

 Needle Girl’s blog writes about her book on The Blog of Pickle Road.  Click here to read it!

AllenQuilts blog’s cup runneth over.  She’s sweet (and talented)  Click here to read it.

A Peach in Stitches’ blog on February 20 talks about “fake cleaning her sewing room.  Click here to see it.

Still really snowy and icy on Pickle Road.  

  Of course, Evan needed hearing aid batteries — apparently he’s been just taking them from the spot where we store them without telling us.  When he announced that he needed new batteries and we went to get them, of course they were long gone.    

I could strangle him.    No boundaries whatsoever —  no matter what the consequences.  I should have let him go deaf for the day.  But into the car Jeff and I went to get him batteries.  Bad son!  Good dads! No respect!  Teenagers!  Ugh!

This is our neighborhood, we followed the plow onto Old Farmer’s Road.  When we got to our local, Long Valley Pharmacy, the whole strip mall was closed because of the weather.  So we had to drive to Chester, NJ (the next town) to the Rite Aid there.

On the way home, we stopped at Alsteade’s Farm to see what they had.   

Look what greeted us at the door!  There were about 3-4 peacocks in all.   Really pretty birds. I wish I could have some on Pickle Road but if the raccoons didn’t get them, then the fox would.   I’ve lost too many cooped chickens to gamble with a peacock! 

Here is the inside of the farm stand.  It was such a breath of fresh air after being locked in the house because of the weather.

The first smell that hits you when you walk in the door is hot apple cider and cider doughnuts! 

They have their own orchards for apple picking during the fall.

   Some local honey!

Local, and not so local, syrup. 

  There is a little attached greenhouse.  It smelled like spring. 

Jeff bought some seeds for the garden.  Planting season isn’t really that far away.

  I love the smell of beeswax candles.  

We bought a homemade Peach/Raspberry pie for dessert!  Yummy! 

   I was introduced to the Creative Whack Pack about 16 years ago, by Lisa Nee, a programming exec at Lifetime Television.  She swore by them.  When I saw them in a local Borders the other day, I picked up a pack.  They are terrific for creative types like us.  When you get stuck or depressed or confused, you pull a card and it will guide you right out of your dry spell and creative slump. 

  I got this “new” old book the other day.  I swear that I’m going to start designing rugs  and counted cross stitch again!  

 Later, Pickles!  xoxom

  I just found this on the Continental Airlines site.  Even if I wanted to weather 6+ hour delays, I wouldn’t have made it to Omaha anyway.  The flights, including the one I was booked was not only delayed, but cancelled! 

The Good News Is:

Due to the rescheduling, some students had to drop out of the classes.   SO Lincoln area Pickles, there is room in BOTH classes — The Embellished Katmandu Bag and the 3-D Geisha Classes. 

 They are full day classes:

The Embellished Katmandu Bag — Saturday, April 5

3-D Geisha Wallhanging — Sunday, April 6

Both classes will teach you techniques that you’ve never learned before in a quilting class, and techniques that you can adapt to all of your future quilting, sewing and home dec projects!   You won’t be sorry!  

To sign up (and you better make it quick as these classes will sell out - again)  Telephone Nancy Holman at (402) 437-2712 to make a reservation — TODAY! 

xoxom

It’s snowing on Pickle Road — REALLY snowing.

You might wonder why I am not on a plane to Nebraska.   Yesterday, the class coordinator, Nancy (poor Nancy) and I made a call to postpone my classes until the first weekend in April (5 and 6) due to the storm warnings and Continental’s urging to reschedule due to flight impact on their carriers.   Right now, almost 4 hours before my flight was scheduled for take off, there is an FAA delay of over 5 1/2 hours.   The worst part about this storm?  Evan’s school was cancelled — so I’m home with him all day having him nag me about texting.   Please stay tuned to your local Eyewitness News for updates on his impending murder. . .

“Already, this is the most significant storm of the season for New York City,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Jim Connolly. The weather service predicted 6 to 9 inches for the city, with up to a foot in suburban Westchester and Rockland counties. Up to 10 inches was forecast on Long Island before the storm passed out of the region late Friday.The New York City Department of Transportation has suspended alternate side of the street parking rules for the day.

While I’m sad that I won’t be in Lincoln (the quilter’s there really rock, you guys — so much fun), I’m happy that we made the right call and in plenty of time.

Janet-Lee Santeusanio, who is the founder of the Machine Quilter’s Exposition, (MQX), an annual machine quilting show and conference, read the blog and saw the typewriter jewelry.  Look at hers!  She’s a trip.  If ever you get the chance to meet her, do it.  I wonder where she was able to find the customized version? 

I opened a letter yesterday to find a photo and raffle tickets for my Brownstone Quilter’s Guild in Northern, NJ. The tickets are $1 and I’m buying both of my books myself (I hate whoring them out to my friends). But I want to say that I think this is a beautiful quilt and you should get a chance to win it — I mean, let’s be real for a second –  Every raffle quilt that I’ve ever been involved with is won by someone that no guild member knows from out of state or out of the country so you just might win it.  Now, how to get you your ticket?  

My bud, Amy Buehler, told me about this 1996 book - The Unbroken Thread, A History of Quiltmaking in the Catskills.  

BEFORE I WRITE ON:   Is Quiltmaking and Quiltmaker a compound word or two seperate words such as quilt maker and/or quilt making?    I can’t seem to find a definative answer anywhere on line.   As an editor of a quilting rag, you might think I would know the answer?

Our mutual friend and quilt designer, Mary Lowe (she works at Kindred Quilts) is in it, I went nuts and bought an old copy right away!   Now that damn Mary never mentioned a word about having been in a book.  Consider this her “outing.”

This is Mary!  I couldn’t believe my eyes!

  This is Mary today (Be careful — Who you calling, Mary?)

Friends and Foes

Zeppelin Threadsblog talks about Katmandu. 

Quilter’sRInn’s blog gives a 10% discount if you can find the “pin up” picture of me in their shop!  LOL  I wouldn’t mind seeing it myself! 

 I want to play in the snow!  I just might take a walk after I have a conference call with my boss-lady, Lin! 

More later Pickles!  xoxom

Hey Pickles –

I’m off to Lincoln, Nebraska tomorrow — with snow in the forecast here, in New Joisey.  I hope I can get out of Newark!

Found another “new” old book that I picked up.  It’s called Quicker Quiltsby Linda Rimel (is she still around?) This one I like, although I can’t tell you why as there is nothing totally unique in it by today’s standards — but it does have a “woven” quilt in it that I kind of like.  It’s from 1985 and cost me $9-bucks.  I love that all of the “how to’s” are hand drawn!  LOL

I wanted to show you a piece of fabric that I saw in a window that was simply embellished.   It’s just a plain piece of fabric with hand drawn swirls and done with a bead/sequin embroidery technique - which you Nebraska Pickles will learn on Saturday! 

Mark’s American Idol Watch

  I thought I heard Connie Francis spinning in her grave after Amy Davis butchered Where the Boys Are.   What?  Connie’s not dead?  Well this rendition fricking KILLED her! 

Oh dear …she looks dead and propped up as a feature in the Wax Museum . . .

  I so much do not like Carly Smithson.  I just don’t. But I have to give her props for her performance.  She has pipes.

  Nice surprise from this youngin’, Alaina Whitaker who is only 16.   

I still like the guys better so far this year.  At least they don’t all look alike.  The girls look like they all came out of the same Barbie mold.  Blech!  Except for this next one . . .

Not crazy about her.  Amanda Overmyer.  I loathe affectation!    Now she’s only 23 - but looks like she’s been ridden hard and hung up wet.  She looks like she’s 40!  Blech!  And, well, the rocker shtick is so yesteryear.

Friends and Foes

Yesterday, I gave you a link to the FRIEND who writes the  My Quilt Life Blog.  I actually reread it today on the advice of another Pickle.  Seems Quilt Life thinks that the quilts in QH are computer generated.   Au Contra-ire!  All of the quilts in Mark Lipinski’s Quilter’s Home are the real deal — photographs of quilts from our designers.  Computer generated!  Humph!  (I even went back and looked through the issues).  

A Peach in Stitches has TWO Mark Lipinski’s Quilter’s Home magazines.  A familiar lament! 

This link has NOTHING to do with me but I stumbled upon it — AND TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AMAZING QUILT!  Click Here.  The quilting on it is supreme!

My next blog will be from Lincoln, Nebraska!    Oh, and next week, I’m going to start posting pieces from my new Northcott Line — califon! 

xoxom  

 Hey Pickles!

I just recieved this from Quilts Inc.  Thought you might be interested.   What do you think?  

Artist taught thousands to quilt through her TV show

Alex Anderson named recipient

of the 2008 Silver Star Award

HOUSTON—February 20, 2008—International Quilt Festival announced today that the recipient of the 2008 Silver Star Award is Alex Anderson of Livermore, California. The award is given annually to living persons who have made a lasting and positive impact on the field of quilting and textile art over their careers.

An artist, author, teacher, and multi-media host, Anderson was chosen for many reasons, including her stint hosting nearly 500 episodes of the national TV series “Simply Quilts.” The show was integral in introducing and promoting the artform to a large audience

 On our way to Montclair, we drove through Tom Cruise’s hometown!   Glen Ridge, New Jersey! 

 Hey Pickles!  Welcome to Wednesday!  

It’s cold on Pickle Road that it could freeze the balls off a brass monkey!   We’re getting snow too.  Blech! 

I’m ready for my favorite flower to pop out of the ground - the lily of the valley.  I love the scent and the delicate bells (just like me — a delicate belle — whatev-ah!)

I picked up my refurbished typewriter yesterday in Montclair NJ (one of my favorite towns).   

This is Luis. 

He’s a dying breed and he’s one of the few who still repairs typewriters.   What a nice guy.  Luis is from Cuba. 

So now I’m totally into my manual typewriter.   I know I’ll rarely use it but I can dream — I buy fabric and don’t use it so what the hell?    Anyway, I found some really hot typewriter jewelry for women and men at Tokens and Coins.  Click on their name to take a look at their site.  In the meantime, here are  a few examples:

You know it’s just a matter of time before I end up buying junk typewriters so that I can style my own brand of typewriter key jewelry — and of course all of my junk typewriters will end up sitting in the garage with all of the other shit that I had to have but haven’t seen or touched since I bought it.   Think there’s a problem here?   Oh my dears, you have no idea! 

  I took a photo of this house that Jeff and I saw the other day in Lamberville, NJ.   We have been trying to find the perfect color to paint Pickle Road.   This caramel looks like something that we both liked — with white shutters and trim.   I like it.  But we’re still looking.

Textile artist and friend, Scott Hansen turned me onto this 365 thing he’s been doing (if you click on his name you can see his 365 project).  It’s something that’s happening on Flickr where you take one photo a day of yourself and post it.  I have zero idea why but it whet my appetite for some reason (if you think I’m easily influenced in crafting — you should have seen me when I was dating - yikes)!  

Anyway, Evan’s 16th is on March 9.  16 is an important birthday so I’m going to 365 Evan.  One pic a day for 365 days.   I’ll even let him take some self portraits.  Then, at the end of the year, I’ll have a photo book made of all of the photographs for him.  Shutterfly makes these neat books.  I like the idea and thanks for Scott for the inspiration.  Scott, and his wife Linda are a very creative couple.

 Drove to Clinton NJ today for some fabric…

  Clinton is a great little town.  One of the original NJ towns with real historical value.   This is a photo of the famous Red Mill.   Kindred Quilts holds their annual outdoor quilt airing there each summer as a fund raiser for the mill and the local museum (which I have yet to visit, now that I mention it).    Here are some random pics of Clinton. 

Jeff and I had Thai for lunch and then . . . did a little window shopping.   I ended up buying this great little kaleidoscope and a vintage-esque, repro, notebook.  Love those clowns.

I find great color and shape inspiration in kaleidoscopes.  Paula Nadelstern has a gazillion of them - really marvelous quality, real, k-scopes.  Mine was $3.95 but it’s all metal! 

I had to get Evan new ear molds for his hearing aids yesterday.  After we had him fitted, we took off for Montclair, NJ (close to Manhattan) to pick up my typewriter from Luis.  There is an amazing new and used bookstore, The Montclair Bookstore, next to Luis’ place.  I picked up this oldie.  Not so great, but I had to have it.  Lord knows when I’d find another one like it, right? 

 Here’s the bookstore.   How could you resist?  It just smells like old, wonderful books, is two floors and incredibly long.  Millions of books!   Click here for their website. 

Next, Evan and I went off to my favorite Brit import shop to buy some tea and toffee!  

Right next door is Little Cricket which is this home dec place that sells new stuff along with vintage and antique things.  Really fun to walk around this shop!  The problem for me is that I get so motivated and inspired that I can’t keep all of my ideas in…yet have no time to do anything.  It’s a curse, I tell ya! 

Of course, the Ev-ster was hungry and he spotted Cuban Pete’s and wanted Cuban food again!   This place was also very good and the ambiance was tremendous!  It is a bit pricey and Evan’s chicken was delivered cold, but they took it back and warmed it up.  The cafe con leche was AMAZING! 

  The outside on Bloomfield Blvd.

  You have to walk through buildings and their patio (strewn with coconuts) to get in the door.

  Here’s where we sat.   It’s beautiful inside and the classic Cuban music that was playing was wonderful.

  Even their bathroom was done up.  Tons of empty Cuban cigar boxes were mounted to the walls!  

Here’s what Evan ordered.  The rice, with a perfume of garlic, was the best I’ve ever tasted.  He gobbled it all up, in double time! 

  Here’s Evan sitting outside of Cuban Pete’s.   “I’m ready for my close-up!”

MARK’S IDOL UPDATE

I am in love with that David Archuleta kid.  He rocked on last night’s Idol - terrific voice, charming personality.  I liked him in spite of hating the song he sung - You Better Shop Around–  So damned cute and I just had to pick up the phone and vote for him after Ryan Seacrest was teasing him.   What a sweet kid!   

I also liked the guy with the dreads - Jason Castro from Texas.    He was an unexpected surprise.  He sang along with his guitar and did a really good job with Daydream. 

This is Jeff’s favorite.  Michael, the Aussie living in Atlanta.  I thought he was lame.    How can you even try to compete with the original, Light My Fire.   Even the cat left the room!   Jeff though he nailed it. 

Tonight — the women.  I think it’s the men’s game so far! 

Friends and Foes

This is a pretty long blog entry about Mark Lipinski’s Katmandu.  Check out My Quilt Life by clicking here.

Check out the Quilted Hills blog for her take on Quilter’s Home and Mark Lipinski.

Also the Passionate Quilterblog has a few comments.

Later my lovlies!  xoxom

 Hey kiddles!

I’m watching Bindi Irwin on Rachael Ray this morning.  YUCK!  My heart breaks for that kid.  She’s very smart but doesn’t seem the least bit sincere! Kind of like a talking, empty shell.  I loathe her stage mother who grosses me out.  Something ain’t right here.  Anybody see it?  What do you think? 

Sandy Muir sent me a copy of Texas Monthly.  In it is an article on the Houston Quilt Festival.   It’s really a nice, meaty, article written by Michael Hall, a quilter’s son (Jane Hall, author of The Experts Guide to Foundation Piecing).  I got a kick out of the typeface they used for the title, The Fabric of our Lives.  It’s “woven” and should have been used for an article on weaving and not quilting.   Some art director doesn’t know quilting from a hole in the ground.    I loved the article - a view as seen by a quilter’s son.  I also loved the photograph of Jane Hall in front of her quilt.   Of course, the shirtless cowboys (Alexander Henry) made the cut, too.   LOL   Thanks, Sandy!

   see the shirtless cowboys?

Speaking of magazines.  I picked up my favorite magazine, Vanity Fair, at Borders the other night.  First of all, I’d love to design a quilt using the colors of the gowns and background on the cover.  I get a lot of design ideas from looking at these kinds of magazines — and fashion magazines.  I also read that they’re doing a big screen version of Brideshead Revisited.  I loved that series on PBS (although I was a mere child at the time).  There is also a little piece on Phyllis Diller.  I met her once, at KGO in San Francisco.  Sweet.  Very sweet.   She’s 204 and she still looks the same as she did in the 60’s.  Hell, there must be something to plastic surgery. 

Media News

 In the meantime, I’m waiting to be interviewed on Sally Jessy Raphael’s radio show this morning.  They’re calling me this morning at 11:30.  I’m kinda nervous. 

My favorite catalog hit my mailbox, too!   I like the Pottery Barn (although Renovation Hardware is my fav to walk through). 

 Quilt Designer, Scott Hansen, sent me this ad this morning.  Notice the shorts!   Patchwork is back, baby!

 Here’s the latest new book to cross my desk.  It’s a hard back and very, very nicely done.  I’m just not into Crazy Quilts.  If you happen to be a fan of crazy quilts, then you MUST have this book for your collection.

I picked up this used book the other day while I was in Montclair, New Jersey, getting my manual typewriter cleaned.   Lucky me!   You know how I love a vintage quilt book! 

Book Progress

Today, I continue working on Chapters 1 and 2 for my C&T book.   It’s more difficult than I thought.   Do I really have that much to say?  LOL   Don’t answer that!    I put a dent in it the other day, but then stopped.  I’d like to finish the roughs today. 

Friends and Foes:

Check out these websites to see comments about me, Mark Lipinski’s Quilter’s Home or both!  

http://quiltramblings.blogspot.com/2008/02/my-weekend.html

http://quilted-with-love.blogspot.com/2008/02/its-nice-to-be-noticed.html

 Later!  xoxom