9.9.09

I felt compelled to create a little design for this special day.

Today is a very unique day. I went to get a massage today (not something I do often, but hey, I had a gift certificate) as I was writing the date on my check it struck me...9.9.09. I had a flashing thought back to the 3rd grade when my teacher said. You know today is unlike any other day, it can never be duplicated or changed, it is a day like none other. I think there was some sort of lesson in that (evidently there was because I remember it!) but today IS unlike any other day, never to be duplicated. As a mom, sometimes you think(at least i know i do) that I am in GroundHog Day, every day is exactly the same...but it isn't. So I am embracing the day.

It is also, I might add, easy to embrace the day when it is GEORGEOUS outside, and my muscles are no longer tense after an hour long massage, and my kids are surprisingly agreeable. But hey whatever it takes.

How are you embracing your day??

Interesting side note...represents the last set of repeating, single-digit dates that we'll see for almost a century (until January 1, 2101), or a millennium (mark your calendars for January 1, 3001),

In the Morning,
G

Getting back to the Stationery...

Little Lady Thank Yous and Calling Cards

I have not done any stationery for a VERY long time, b/c my printer has been shot...but we just got a new one, and in time to do this sweet suite of stationery for a friend of mine. I have missed, missed, missed my paper designs. opening the files was like seeing an old friend, I was like "I remember you" you were one of my favorites. Inspired by my little lady.

If you notice from the post below, the embroidery design compliments the stationery. Business idea??? Maybe...

Enjoy.

In the morning,
G

My very OWN Embroidery Designs...

Sweet Flower Embroidery Design

Little Chick Embroidery Design

So I am in the process of digitizing some of my stationery designs into embroidery designs. This was prompted by a few friends wanting me embroider a couple of baby blankets for presents. Being the "I can't just do any ol design girl" that I am, I decided to download a couple of free 30 day trials for digitizing software and go to it. This is the result. I am actually quite happy with them.

What do you think? Should I do more???...Hmmmm, maybe I will. Maybe there are some more 30 day trials, b/c I don't want to fork over the $$ just yet for the software.

This makes yet another crafty notch in my belt...

Now that the kids are going back to school I will have time to do more.

In the Morning,
G

Channeling my Inner Southern Girl Cook

Okra and Tomatoes in Prep,
don't have the final product, we were to busy eating!

The graciousness of a next door neighbor brought about my inner Southern Girl Cook the other day. He is 98 years old and still tills about a HUGE garden by hand...and has more bounty that he and his wife and extended family can endure! He dropped a whole bag of okra by on our front door and I thought I HAVE to do something with these. I do like Okra and tomatoes, and have needed a new vegetable recipe. Soo... Foodnetwork.com here I come...the next stop...the consomate Southern Cook Miss Paula Deen. (you may have heard of her!)

I grew up in the south but my parents were transplants from "just north of the Mason/Dixon" in Maryland. We really never had the classic southern cuisine of fried chicken, okra and tomatoes, macaroni and cheese, cobbler, etc. (my waistline is much appreciative:) So I must rely on the good ol internet to bring them to life. And this recipe did the fresh okra justice. E kept asking for seconds, and thirds! So a winner all around

This is one of the more healthy of the Southern Favorites, so you should try it.

Here is the recipe... Okra is almost out of season.

In the Morning,
G

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon, diced into small pieces
• 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon chicken base
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 cups fresh okra, cut into 1-inch pieces (may use frozen, if fresh not available)
• Fresh ground black pepper

Directions

Cook bacon slightly. Saute onion and garlic with bacon until tender. Add tomatoes, chicken base, sugar and pepper. Stir well and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning if needed. Meanwhile wash okra and remove fuzz if using fresh and cut into pieces. Add the okra and simmer until okra is done, about 20 more minutes (less if using frozen okra.)

I can do that...my matra!

Please ignore the wrinkles, I just got out of the car!
and the photography isn't my best.

So I decided that I was going to make something for myself the other day. Of course I am not a big planner, and didn't have a pattern, or fabric that was especially inspiring, but when I get something in my mind, I can't get it out.

The inspiration for this sudden urge to make something for myself came from our Asheville trip...I had popped into JCrew and I saw this top for $98 and I thought. I can do that! I tend to say that about alot of things. So I just jumped in and sewed one for myself. This is the first rendition of many. It fits fairly well, There are a few things that i will change for the next one. I wore it with white pants and yellow shoes. (don't have a pic of that but hey, can only do so much)

What do you think?

The next one will be out of Dupioni silk with a silk ribbon trim...I think will be perfect for the fall.

In the morning,
G

I love a good field.

This is one of my favorite paintings that I bought at Meeting Street Antiques in West Columbia a couple of years ago...it was a splurge at the time, but it spoke to me. I was about to have my second child, and the mother with her children wandering through this field, I could see it being myself...it started a fixation with fields. It is hanging in my living room right where I see it often.

If there is a third child it will have a lot to do with this painting...and the fact that I might want one:) I digress.

There is something tranquil about a good field, the color contrast of the sky and land, that it seems to go on forever, its peacefulness, it is beautiful year round, I could go on. It makes me want to just jump on a horse bareback and gallop with reckless abandon or run through one with my family.

(it also might have something to do with my favorite childhood show "Little House on the Prairie" and the opening sequence of Laura running through the field like a plane.


Here are a few pics fulfulling my field fantasy.

Photo taken by Hope Bray of our Family in the Fall

Taken my Moi the other week on our drive to Aiken. Just stopped the car on the side
of the road and snapped away...something I have been wanting to do for a while.

In the morning,
G

Another trip to the FARMHOUSE....fabrics that is!

1. Rick Rack trim in all colors
2. Ribbon Rick rack (a special FarmHouse Product)
3. Dupioni Silk in many colors
4. Spaghetti Bias (a special FarmHouse Product)


I went to the the awesome warehouse of Farmhouse Fabrics to get my monthly fabric fix. Sally and the gang were great as always. Here are some pics of some of the awesomeness that is Farmhouse Fabrics . They manufacture their own spaghetti strap, bias, ribbon rick-rack, and wholesale BEAUTIFUL Double Faced satin ribbon in any size and color your heart desires....seriously! As well as all of their high end fabrics., ribbon, trims, etc, etc...it is a meca for all of your fabric needs.

They have a first Friday of the month Open Warehouse coming up, so if you want to head on over to Beech Island, SC...i am sure you will not be disappointed.


In the morning, G