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 

 Hey Pickles! 

It’s hard to believe but we finally went out two days in a row for fun!   Jeff and I are so bogged down with work that we have literally made ourselves prisoners in our home (or home offices is more to the point).   I was so claustrophobic that I said, “screw it,” and off we went!

  Last night we took Evan to the mall — clothes shopping  and cell phone repairing — only to find out that even the gay families have to face the realization that their kid has racked up 3800 text messages in one month and $300 extra on his phone charges alone for the month!  It’s not like we didn’t warn him but, he knows better.  After-all, he’s lived for almost 16 years!   Grrrrrr!

 Anyway, after the Verizon drama, we ended up trying a Cuban restaurant called, Martino’s Cuban, on the main street of Somerville, NJ.  Fabulous!  

 I love Cuban food.    I lived right off Calle Ocho in Coral Gables (Miami) in the 80’s.  I ate at La Caretta several times a week.  It’s still my favorite Cuban restaurant in America! 

After dinner we hit Barnes and Noble and a bought a couple of truly crappy books from their ON SALE RACK.   You know that I love this kind of shit, and, well, I just couldn’t leave them there, but it’s a shame that trees lost their lives (and I almost lost mine for bringing another quilting book into Pickle Road) for these books.  

Today, we got up early, and at Evan’s request we headed to New Hope, Pennsylvania! 

 It was a cloudy day but a fun one.  It wasn’t too cold.   After we exhausted New Hope we went to Lambertville, New Jersey (which is walking distance from New Hope — across the bridge that goes over the Delaware River — a stone’s throw from where George Washington crossed the Delaware).  

     Liza Lucy lives in New Hope.   Also, the Mancuso Brothers (of multi quilt show fame) have their offices in New Hope.  Here’s the train station in New Hope.  Even the train is vintage and it still runs!  Big plumes of billowing smoke!  Beautiful!

I love to visit these towns.  I always find myself inspired. 

   Lambertville

  Lambertville

  We had lunch here.  I love that this place will only serve dinners on the full moon. PERIOD!

Here’s Jeff and Evan waiting for me so that we can get espressos to go!

WHAT I WANTED:

As you can see on the sign above, there is a great music shop above Bucks Coffee shop.   I was [thisclose] to buying a ukulele! I’ve wanted one for years.  Now you know I’m going to have to go back for the damn thing.   Shit, if Ricky can play the piano, I can warble on a ukulele!  I’m feeling my blood pressure raise as I type.  I shoulda bought the fricking thing. Damn!   Ever find yourself in this predicament? 

 How can you not love a town with a restaurant called ‘SCATmandoo?”  LOL 

 WHAT JEFF WANTED:

 Jeff found this painting that he fell in love within a window in Lamberville.  He went back to look at it several times.  It’s by Jane Gilday and it’s only $1850.00.  ONLY!  

He didn’t get it.  That’s A LOT of money.  So we dream.   What we did get were some small patters for our collection of Fiestaware.   We got the peacock, the lime and the red platters.

We could AFFORD the platters!  LOL

WINDOW SHOPPING

  While we were walking in New Hope Jeff spotted this in a window.  We both really liked the detail on the blouse.  It reminds me of the Andover fabric panels. 

I found this vintage dress on the street and loved the fabric design and colors!  

Here’s more of my window shopping.

  I love how this bag is embellished with regular old buttons and seed beads!

I also love the way this jacket from Nepal is appliqued in such a rough way.  See, beauty is NOT in perfection!  Please remember that!    Jeff hated this piece by the way.  I like the workmanship!

Again, simple embellishment on printed fabric.  You can do that! 

  I like this Russian Doll pillow fabric. This could make a great quilt inspiration! Get to work!

My Attempt at being Artsy-Fartsy

  Lambertville, New Jersey

More Lambertville, New Jersey   

  Loved this fabric hanging in a random door window. Jeff said it looked like a HEAD SHOPPE!

Sorry Ladies!  Look What’s Coming Back!

This “feature” was in today’s newspaper in New York City.  Ugh. 

No matter how sweet, tiny, and delicate, any woman who wears these shoes walks like a Clydesdale!

Be Warned!  Neigggggggggggggh!

Friends and Foes

Click here to read (Feb 16 entry) Ramblings from a Fabric Obsessorwho wonders if her blog will be chosen in the Friend or Foe list.  She’s never read Mark Lipinski’s Quilter’s Home.

 Take a look at Cowgirl Quilter’s blog.  All you have to do is click here.  She thinks I’m brilliant (and I so agree)! 

Bitnbyaquitingbug’s blog shows my Crystal’s Quilt.  I don’t think she’s seen the magazine.  Maybe someone should tell her to hold on to her hat!  LOL  Click here to read it.  By the way, I love the blog name:  Bitnbyaquiltingbug.  I’m a moron. I had to read it super slowly before *DING* I got it!  LOL

The writer of the Quilted with Loveblog really put a lot of thought into her struggle with quilting magazines (in general) and Quilter’s Home.  Maybe I’m just a mush but it almost made me cry.   Anyway, even if you’re not interested in the QH part — take a look at the quilt that her daughters are fighting over.  I just love it and might have to jump into the sibling boxing ring because I want it too!  LOL   Click here to read it.

Later kids!  xoxom

Four new books came in the mail yesterday from C&T books.   That means that they are on your quilt store shelves.  Look for reviews of one or more of them in upcoming issues of Mark Lipinski’s Quilter’s Home.

Mark’s AMERICAN IDOL Watch:

I’m an American Idol junkie.    I’ve watched every show from every season.  

I love this kid, David Archuleta, 17, from Salt Lake City!   I know that he has 8-1 odds to win, and the thought is that he’s ‘fragile’ but so far, I’m rooting for him.  Besides, he kinda looks like Evan’s brother!  He just seems like a really nice kid.

I’m also loving Syesha Mercado from Miami (Odds: 11-1) and Asia’h Epperson of Joplin, MO (Odds 10-1)

Syesha     Asia’h

Also, not crazy about Austrailian and Irish nationals in the competition.  If it’s called American Idol, then it should be limited to Americans, otherwise call it World Idol and allow everyone to compete.  

Michael Johns      Carly Smithson

So while I think these two have real talent, they should compete in Austrailian Idol and Britian’s Pop Idol.  

What do YOU think?

Friend and Foe Blogs

Click here to read a MLQH mention on the Always in Stitches Blog

Click here to read the Barrels of Monkeys blog.   Thank God for 40% off coupons at JoAnn’s!  LOL

Have a wonderful Saturday, Sweeties! xoxom