Stitch Fall Leaves Embroidery Art! Paper Piece a Halloween Mug Rug! Piece a Rings of Color Batik Quilt! Knit a Pair of Falling Leaves Mittens! Mix a Batch of Pumpkin Bath Salts! Sew a Charming Key Holder! Custom Paint an Area Rug! PLUS . . . Recipes, Inspiration, Smiles, Memories, and More!

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DON’T MISS A THING, MISS THANG!

The SLOW STITCHING MOVEMENT Webinar is now ON DEMAND!

At last! The much talked about SLOW STITCHING MOVEMENT webinar is now available ON DEMAND for download directly to your computer. This is a recording of the record-breaking webinar hosted by Mark Lipinski in June. Here is the link:   http://bit.ly/1xE2l34

YOKE DU YOUR  

(a joke from my buddy Bonnie Patterson)

Doug Smith is on his deathbed and knows the end is near.

His nurse, his wife, his daughter and 2 sons, are with him.

He asks for 2 witnesses to be present and a camcorder be in place

to record his last wishes, and when all is ready he begins to speak:

“My son, Bernie, I want you to take the Mayfair houses.”

“My daughter, Sybil, you take the apartments over in the east end.”

“My son, Jamie, I want you to take the offices over in the City Centre.”

“Sarah, my dear wife, please take all the residential buildings on the banks of the river.”

The nurse and witnesses are blown away as they did not realize his extensive holdings, and as Doug slips away, the nurse says, “Mrs. Smith, your husband must have been such a hard-working man to have accumulated all this property”.

Sarah replies, “Property?  The idiot had a paper route!”

ARTspiration

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?  By the 18th century Japanese artist,Hokusai.

DESIGNspiration

Look around you. Design is everywhere! How can you incorporate the beauty that surrounds you into your art or craft?  A vintage Pierre Sterle Hematite Peridot Citrine Diamond Figural Brooch.  $35,000

IDEA I LOVE

 

Here is a little fall leaf embroidery tutorial to decorate your home, embellish pillows or table runners with,  add to a jean jacket or blouse, or TO just get the hang of designing small embroidery pieces. I was just saying to myself yesterday that fall absolutely exploded on Pickle Road. Mimic some book colors in your yard in town into your  hand embroidered leaves. Here’s how:

 http://www.dosmallthingswithlove.com/2014/09/fall-leaves-embroidery-hoop-art.html

 

GARDENspiration

 OMG!!! I LOVE THESE! They are called habitat walls! I must build one!

Here’s how you make ’em:  http://www.sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/uploads/how%20to%20make%20-%20a%20habitat%20wall.pdf

IDEA I LOVE

 

A little paper piecing never heard anybody and you will only have to do a little paper piecing when you make these cute Halloweenish triangle mug rugs. The only thing that makes them appropriate for Halloween is the color choices, so choose your own colors for your own taste or celebration, pour yourself a cup of tea, and stop leaving moisture rings on your table! Here’s how you make them:

 http://wildolive.blogspot.com/2014/10/project-epp-halloween-ish-triangle-mug.html

YUMMY DISH!

SLOPPY JOE BISCUIT CASSEROLE

 

HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• PAM® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
• ground round beef (85% lean)
• frozen whole kernel corn
• frozen chopped green bell pepper
• frozen chopped onion
• Manwich® Original Sloppy Joe Sauce
• Van Camp’s® Pork and Beans
• refrigerated buttermilk biscuit dough

FOR THE FULL RECIPE, CLICK HERE:  http://bit.ly/1177VAq

IDEA I LOVE

This is just the store-bought rug that has been painted to match someone’s decor.  Looking for the perfect colors in an area rug that you just can’t find? Then painting a  plain old rug might be just the solution you’re looking for.   There’s no reason, once you learn this technique, why you couldn’t stencil in color or even paint freehand (if  you are of the annoyingly creative and artistic variety human). Start here to learn everything you need to know:

http://ournerdhome.com/diy-doctor-who-rug/

BREAD!

STREUSEL APPLE BREAD

 A touch of lemon, chopped cranberries and walnuts make this quick bread seem like coffee cake. Norma Hendricks of Hopedale, Illinois, likes to serve this for dessert. “I made this by combining a couple of recipes 35 years ago,” Norma says. “I think I started with a cranberry bread, but most of my kids don’t like cranberries. Then I saw an apple bread recipe, and I thought streusel would be good on top.”.

 

HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• flour
  
• apple
  
• butter, softened
  
• sugar
  
• eggs
  
• vanilla
  
• baking soda
  
• salt
  
• sour milk or orange juice
  
• cranberries
  
• walnuts
  
• 1brown sugar
• lemon peel
  
• butter

FOR THE FULL RECIPE, CLICK HERE:  http://bit.ly/1vhmDBw

BREATHLESS INSPIRATION

Serbia-born, Denmark-based artist Vladimir Stankovic crafts enchanting GIFs that don’t just capture entire stories in each frame, but entire worlds.  these are so wonderful and weird I had to share them with you, cupcake.  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/03/vladimir-stankovic_n_5889106.html?utm_hp_ref=arts

NEW JERSEY — THIS FRIDAY!

I will be presenting The Slow Stitching Movement lecture, LIVE, on Friday, October 17, 2014, for the Hunterdon County Quilting Guild in Readington, New Jersey at 9:30 AM (refreshments will be served). Here’s the address: Readington Reformed Church; 124 Readington Road; Readington, NJ. (between White House Station and Flemington).  See you there! xoxom

 

SO DRINK, CHUG-A-LUG CHUG-A-LUG 

CINNAMON WATER

INGREDIENTS

•  water
• cinnamon sticks

FOR THE FULL RECIPE VISIT: http://www.thekitchn.com/try-this-cinnam-162828

 

WORDS TO LIVE BY

 

IDEA I LOVE

 

I carry my keys on a ring, but this is the perfect key holder  for that “extra” key that you might place in the hands  of a trusted neighbor or relative in case of emergencies. There is little chance they’ll misplace this one-of-a-kind key keep, and it’s a nice reminder to them not to screw with, or challenge, your creative powers!  Here’s how you make one:

http://www.minkikim.com/?p=1634 

MEMBA?

Crisco oil in a brown glass bottle.

IDEA I LOVE!

 

Late at night I can begin to feel bite of cold and wet in the autumn air. If you really keep your fingers warm this fall and winter, you had better dig out your knitting needles, by some gorge lush yarns, and start this beautiful falling leaves mittens  knitting project. I prefer mittens over gloves, so maybe I’ll make a pair of mittens for myself this season — minus the frills and flowers.  Here’s the pattern:

 http://www.justcraftyenough.com/2014/09/project-falling-leaves-mittens/ 

And now a word from our sponsor . . .

 

DESSERT!

CIDER-SPIKED APPLE AND PECAN TART

HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• butter
• pecans
• brown sugar
  
• flour
  
• salt
  
• eggs
  
• ice water
  
• firm-tart apples (such as Rome Beauty, Stayman Winesap, Granny Smith, Idared, Northern Spy)
• granulated sugar
  
• cider, applejack, apple brandy or dry sherry
  
• lemon juice
  
• apple jelly
• hipped cream

FOR THE FULL RECIPE, CLICK HERE: http://www.midwestliving.com/recipe/cider-spiked-apple-and-pecan-tart/

PATCHWORK, BABY!

 Add a lot of batiky color to your wintry rooms by piecing this Rings of Color Batik quilt.  This quilt is made with pre-cut squares and rolls. Just looking at it makes you happy, doesn’t it?  Here’s the pattern, kiddo:

http://www.michaelmillerfabrics.com/inspiration/freequiltpatterns/rings-of-color-batik-quilt.html 

SHOEspiration

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN, Leaf-embellished velvet ankle boots.  $1,537

MUST HAVE

 

 In spite of the fact I don’t consider myself an electronics geek, I am finding that I am using my iPad in the kitchen an awful lot. I’m always cooking using recipes from the Internet that I need to reference, and sometimes I even watch movies while in preparing dinner. That’s why I love this under cabinet iPad dock. I really need one…

http://fancy.com/things/698840962436177214/Under-Cabinet-iPad-Dock?utm=shop 

IDEA I LOVE!

 

 Nothing is better than a soaking top during a cold and windy autumnal night. Here’s a quick way to make your own spicy pumpkin bath salts for soaking away the day and relaxing you for evening stitching. Here’s how you make them (and what a great hostess gift for Thanksgiving, right?):

http://www.craftsunleashed.com/seasonal/fall/pumpkin-diy-bath-salts/ 

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There are only about a million quilting and sewing creative retreats being advertised in any given year.  It got me thinking . . .

• What is it you look for when considering to go on a creative retreat?
• Are classes and workshops and learning your priority or is it the location, the amenities or ‘extras?’
• How important are nationally known teachers and speakers vs. being with your sewing buddies?
• Do you prefer projects on all of the days or would you like a “free project” sewing time included?
•  what makes you want to go on a retreat?   What would you say are the top three most important elements to a retreat?
• Can you give me some examples of retreat you have been on that have been both an amazing retreat experience and/or a  crash and burn retreat experience ( no need to mention names)?

I really appreciate you helping me out by answering some of these questions. Please leave your feedback in the comments section!  Thanks!    xoxom