Piece a Watermelon Quilt! Macrame a Wallhanging! Make your own Sewing Labels! DIY Rug from a Garden Hose! Make an Insulated Mason Jar Bag! Learn How to Dye with Flowers! DIY Butterfly Sculpture Under Glass! Free eBook! Paint Textured Roses! Recycled T-Shirt Bracelets! Appliqué an Heirloom Lap Quilt! Petal Enhanced Yarn! 3 Lavender Cross Stitch Charts to Stitch! Knit a Belted Tunic Dress! Put a Message on Your Door Mat! Embroider Vintage Images! Sun Dye on Fabric! It’s Time for Pinecone Elves! PLUS . . . Recipes, Videos, Inspiration, Creativity, Ideas, and More!

ARTspiration

Artists or art that turns me on and feeds my soul. This modern piece is by artist, Joan Miró, and is called, FEMME ET OISEAUX

 

YOKE DU YOUR

A boy asks his father, “Dad, are bugs good to eat?”

“That’s disgusting. Don’t talk about things like that over dinner,” the dad replies.

After dinner the father asks, “Now, son, what did you want to ask me?”

“Oh, nothing,” the boy says. “There was a bug in your soup, but now it’s gone.”

DESIGNspiration

Look around you. Design is everywhere! Marie-Anne Oudejans is Jaipur’s newly minted tastemaker—and her hotel apartment is one deliriously lovely reason why How can you incorporate the beauty that surrounds you into your art or craft?

IDEA I LOVE

Now’s your chance to recycle your leaking garden hose — or to dumpster dive for one.  Make this cool outdoor, practically indestructible rug!  Pretty cool, right?  Find the tutorial here:

http://annsgardenpath.blogspot.com/2013/07/hose-rug.html

IDEA I LOVE

Warm days on a picnic or at the beach call for cool treats  (except in New Jersey where Chris Chrispie-kreme http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/07/christie_pictured_at_island_beach_state_park_durin.html#comments  closed all of the New Jersey beaches and parks this holiday weekend except for his own family – dip shit that he is).

Try whipping up these pretty insulated mason jar bags for all of your hot weather treats that you’ll be chowing down on in your backyard rather than the beach, at Sew Mama Sew.  Here’s the tutorial:

http://www.sewmamasew.com/2015/06/insulated-mason-jar-bag-free-tutorial/

YUMMY DISH!

KIELBASA KAPUSTA

SLOW COOKER RECIPE!

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS

• butter
• bacon drippings
• sweet yellow onions
• sauerkraut
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• light brown sugar
• water
• kielbasa

FOR THE FULL RECIPE, CLICK HERE http://foodfolksandfun.net/2016/05/kielbasa-kapusta/

IDEA I LOVE

Now that the weather is nice and your flowers are about to spring into color bloom (except on New Jersey parks and beaches LOL) why not gather some petals and experiment with natural fabric dyeing.  Here’s the tutorial on how to turn your garden into enviable fabric stash:

http://abeautifulmess.com/2017/02/experimenting-with-natural-dyes.html

IDEA I LOVE

I like the look of a professional label on handmade masterpieces but sometimes buying them can be very expensive, you have to order more than you might ever use in 4 lifetimes, and they might look pretty crappy once you get them.  Try making your own.  Here’s the tutorial (Maybe Calvin Klein started this way?):

http://www.easysewingforbeginners.com/project/make-fabric-labels-home/

 

SO DRINK, CHUG-A-LUG CHUG-A-LUG

BEST LEMONADE MIMOSAS

Ingredients

• lemon zest
• sugar
• lemon
• champagne
• lemonade or pink lemonade

FOR THE FULL RECIPE, CLICK HERE http://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a53750/lemonade-mimosas-recipe/

OBSESSED WITH

IDEA I LOVE

I am so NOT a butterfly person.  I mean, I like butterflies, but they do nothing for me on quilts, pillowcases, wall sconces, lamps, etc.  This little butterfly craft, however, I do like.  Of course, it all depends on if you find top-notch paper butterflies — otherwise, it could look like some arthropod experiment gone horribly wrong (not to mention ass-ugly).   Here’s the tutorial:

http://www.markmontano.com/2012/09/butterflies-under-glass.html

WORDS TO LIVE BY

 IDEA I LOVE

Cute, cute, cute.  Easy, easy, easy. Summery, summery, summery.  “Hey, Kids!  Hide your t-shirts . . . Mama’s got her scissors!”   Here’s how to bangle up your look this summer:

https://craftsbyamanda.com/make-bracelets-from-recycled-t-shirts/

MY RECENT MUSIC OBSESSIONS

Sister groups!

The Three X Sisters

The Boswell Sisters

The Andrews Sisters

The McGuire Sisters

The Lennon Sisters 

The King Sisters

The Paris Sisters

The Carter Sisters

The Simon Sisters

The Dinning Sisters

The McGarrigle Sisters

The Pointer Sisters

The Maharelle Sisters

MAN CAN LIVE BY BREAD ALONE!

QUICK CINNAMON BUNS

WITH BUTTERMILK GLAZE

OR

(Why my tuchus is the size of Maine)

 

For the Cinnamon Buns

• unsalted butter
• dark brown sugar, packed
• granulated sugar
• cinnamon
• cloves
• salt
• flour, 
• baking powder
• baking soda
• low-fat buttermilk

For the Glaze

• cream cheese
• low-fat buttermilk
• confectioners’ sugar

For the full recipe CLICK HERE: http://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/weekend-baking-quick-cinnamon-buns.html

FREE AUDIO BOOK

I don’t know how I found this free eBook and after I downloaded it I didn’t listen right away . . . I mean, I’ve seen the movie.  How different could it be?  Well, a lot different, as a matter of fact!  I actually loved the book and it’s so unlike the film.  The story has so many layers and subplots that the Bela Lugoisi film doesn’t even come close to interesting.  Give it a shot.  You might like it.  Here’s the link I used:

http://www.audiobooktreasury.com/dracula-bram-stoker/

MEMBA?

When it took half the time to get out of the market — and the cashiers knew all of the prices (and so did we because all of the products had prices labeled or stamped on them), they entered them in manually and more often faster than the scanners, AND they were able to count change without having the register do it for them.  The good old days!

 

IDEA I LOVE

In the mood to paint?  Grab a few tubes of cheap acrylics and learn how to paint textured roses!  Here’s the tutorial:

http://www.craftberrybush.com/2017/06/how-to-paint-textured-roses.html

And now a personal word  . . .

Last week, I gave my last lecture for the foreseeable future at the Historic Cold Spring Village in Cape May, New Jersey.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by. It was a sweet send off . . .

It was bittersweet. I love the performance.  I love meeting and talking with quilters and other creatives, but I’m just not strong stong enough to continue – even on a local level.  Between the kidney failure and some pretty negative reactions to the drugs, I am barely doing anything at all.  It’s very frustrating — but I still think I’m luckier than many.  We have to find gratefulness in all of our experiences (gifts are there if you look — even under dire circumstances).  That said, I’m forced into hibernation.

As it turns out, after my last bloodwork, it seems my creatinine numbers have surged and I will most likely be beginning dialysis shortly until we find a donor match.  The bad news is that as a result of the several blood transfusions I had to save my life, protiens had been introduced into my blood that unfortunately renders about 60% of all possible donors unfit. There is hope but it may take just a little longer than expected.

At least dialysis will keep me alive (hopefully) until a match is found.   As a matter of fact, I have a preliminary appointment on Wednesday with a new pre-dialysis doctor referred by my transplant team.

Current Fantasy

I want to get rid of everything I own. Everything. I don’t have the energy to even try but I can dream . . .

Stash Page

Get first dibs on all of my eBay listings when you follow the  Pickle Road Stash Busting page on Facebook!  Here’s the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PickleRoadStashBusting/

FACEBOOK LIVE

Mr. Electric and I will be back NEXT Sunday evening!  (Keep watching Facebook for alerts).  I have special sales for you, new products to show, and more!  See you there!

I also started a YouTube page and will, eventually be doing some live broadcasts and probably a few online classes there.  I will be uploading all of the Facebook Live videos to my channel first (and adding retroactive links to this blog).  I already have some uploaded and am working backward — hopefully, I can organize them later. Then, I’ll think about creating and adding original content.  Please subscribe to my channel, here:   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeWRvfCwPVqbXXvphw6bsVg

Celebrate! 

IDEA I LOVE

How terrific is this Sweet Heirlooms Tomato Garden Quilt?  Looks like Kaffe Fassett fabric to me (www.gloriouscolor.com).  Such a great idea and I love the fabric choices, too.  Here’s a link to the free applique lap quilt pattern:

http://www.mccallsquilting.com/mccallsquilting/articles/Sweet_Heirlooms_Bright_Fun_Tomato_Garden_Applique_Lap_Quilt_Pattern

COOKIES!

SAND DOLLAR COOKIES

Ingredients

tapioca flour/starch
egg yolk
powdered sugar
butter, melted
coconut milk/cream

FOR THE FULL RECIPE, CLICK HERE  http://www.diamondsfordessert.com/2011/06/sand-dollar-cookies.html

 

IDEA I LOVE

Hey yarnies, this is cool.  Make your own flower “petal dyed yarn”!  It really looks like such a fun project and now is the time to try it — because believe it or not we have less than 60 days before September weather and the leaves begin to fall — i.e. prime knitting time!  Here’s the tutorial:

http://childerhouseblog.com/?p=4077 

LOL

JUST BECAUSE I SWOON 

Appliqued gowns designed by 26-year-old (and former racecar driver) Mark Bumgarner.

 

IDEA I LOVE!  CROCHETspiration

 Whip up a quick crocheted beach bag (unless you live in New Jersey, or in just case you are invited to Chris Christie’s private beach house this weekend)

FOR THE FREE PATTERN, CLICK ON THE LINK:   http://www.marthastewart.com/907071/crocheted-beach-bags

BE DAZZLED!

Jewelry designed by Istanbul jewelry artist, Derya Askoy.  “These majestic pieces were drawn out of her inspiration for nature, in fact, Aksoy transferred real moth and butterfly wing images onto fabric to create these eye-catching pieces.”

Here’s a Derya Askoy work in progress . . . stunning!

PATCHWORK, BABY!  

I love watermelon and I love this watermelon quilt, too.  Isn’t it fun?  I especially love the big polka dot that SuzyQuilts used for the back!  Here’s the free tutorial to make your own super easy watermelon quilt:

Click to access ModMelons-Pattern_Digital2.pdf

SHOEspiration

From the Ralph & Russo fall/winter heels collection for 2016/2017.

IDEA I LOVE! LAVENDER 

I love these little lavender inspired cross stitch charts.  Have at it!

 

IDEA I LOVE!  KNITspiration!

Here’s a knitted wrap around belted tunic dress that you can make to fit!  I kinda like it.  wonder what it might look like in a mix of colors?   Here’s the pattern:

http://www.canadianliving.com/home-and-garden/knitting-and-crochet/article/knit-a-belted-tunic-dress

GARDENspiration

Here’s a simple tutorial for personalizing a door mat. Just think of all of the trouble you could get into with your own unique messages! LOL    Just follow this tutorial (to get yourself arrested):

http://www.settlinginsawdust.com/come-back-with-tacos-doormat-diy/

MUST HAVE

Moroso Shadowy Armchair for Indoor and Outdoor. Part of the M’Afrique collection, Shadowy is seating made using woven threads normally used for fishing nets, the designs are all different and original hand-woven, they are human in their perfections and flaws. Painted steel base and colored polyethylene threads hand-woven; on PVC glides.

$1,630

https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/seating/armchairs/moroso-shadowy-armchair-indoor-outdoor/id-f_7583163/

IDEA I LOVE

Make your lips the most kissable in town this summer with your own DIY vegan lip balm.  SWAK!  Here’s the recipe:

http://helloglow.co/diy-vegan-lip-balm/

EMBROIDERYspiration! 

I love old family photos.  Use this tutorial to add some color and texture to old images using transfer to fabric medium and embroidery floss. You’re not just creating art — you’re creating an heirloom.  Here’s how to start:

https://dmc-usa.com/discover/free-patterns/cross-stitch-diy-projects/a-stitch-in-time-embroidered-family-photo/ 

IDEA I LOVE

Use the power of the summer sun to sun print fabric this summer using flowers, leaves, and weeds from your own garden or neighborhood.  It’s super easy and fun. Start here:

http://www.marthastewart.com/337724/sun-print-pillows-how-to

DESSERT!

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

There is a tie between this and Carrot Cake as my personal fav!

Ingredients

• non-stick baking spray butter, softened
• sugar
• vanilla extract
• eggs
• flour
• baking soda
• cinnamon
• salt
• buttermilk
• ripe bananas
• Frosting, recipe follows
• Optional garnishes: sweetened flaked coconut, chopped macadamia nuts

Frosting

• butter, softened
• cream cheese, softened
• confectioners’ sugar
• lemon juice
• vanilla extract

FOR THE FULL RECIPE, CLICK HERE http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/hummingbird-cake-recipe-1976976

 

IDEA I LOVE

When the moon is in the 7th house and Jupiter aligns with Mars  . . . you’re going to need to re-learn macrame!  It’s baaaaaaack.  Peace and love.  Peace and love.   Start here to make your own knotted treasure:

http://placeofmytaste.com/macrame-knots/

 … and CHRISTMASpiration IS HERE

And not a moment too soon . . .  Santa will be here before you know it.  Why wait until the ground is snow-covered before looking for ready, willing. and able pinecones?    Click the link for DIY pine cone elves:

http://onelittleproject.com/how-to-make-pinecone-elves/

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