Sparkly Dangles

Bloggers are the most generous people EVER! A few months ago I helped Joy from Cupids Charm translate a document from French to English. She oh, so generously sent me a beautiful Marie Antoinette necklace in return. I was privileged to wear the necklace at Versailles this past summer, where Marie danced and charmed the court and loved her family and friends. Upon my return I sent a few pictures to Joy, showing her where her necklace traveled, and in turn...she sent me these gorgeous earrings.

I just love them. I put them on immediately and they sparkled and danced while I did my housework. I didn't want to take them off - ever. But I did, promptly photographed them and here they are. Thank you, Joy!

And the fleur de lis ribbon - ooh la la! You really should just pop over to Joy's site and see her jewelry. It's all beautifully done.

Tomato Season!

It seems like I wait for months for the first ripe tomatoes from my garden. I start thinking about them in January, buy seeds in February, start the plants inside in March, set the seedlings in bigger containers in April, finally plant outdoors in late May, stake them in June, prune them in July and then...August comes and I am rewarded for my efforts. This year is a bumper crop and I'm delighted. I plan on canning them, drying them, making sauce from them, and of course, eating them fresh with basil and mozzarella cheese on fresh bread. The best lunch ever!
This platter of tomatoes is what's left from yesterday's picking. The remainder I roasted.

Roasted tomatoes are so good! I just core them, cut them in half, sprinkle on salt, fresh thyme, fresh oregano, a grind of pepper on each one, a generous drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of chopped onion. I roast them at 300 degrees for about 4 hours, or until they are collapsed and just starting to caramelize.

What to do with a roasted tomato? Tonight I'm going to combine them with pasta, capers, leftover salmon and some fresh basil. I'm going to freeze some in batches of 6-8 halves. Combined with sauteed onions and garlic and chicken or vegetable broth, they make a wonderful soup for chillier days. I just simmer everything, then puree the mixture and add a little cream. The best tomato soup ever!

What do you do with a ripe tomato?

Traveling Tablescape

There are no elegant dishes on this table, no heirloom linens, no shiny flatware. But it was one of the best meals I can remember. When my husband and I were in Paris, we shopped for our evening meal a couple of times. We found plastic wine glasses that come apart for packing, a small corkscrew and those were all the implements needed.

Peering at the food in the nearby store, we picked up some cold ham, lettuce, and tomatoes. We tucked a half litre of wine into our shopping basket, went by the boulangerie/patisserie for a baguette, a slice of apple tarte and a slice of strawberry tarte, then to the fromagerie for some cheese. We set it all out on a placemat fashioned from the wrapping of the baguette. Our plates were nothing more than the plastic containers the meat came in. The cashier at the Monoprix was happy to give us a couple of plastic forks and knives, and voilà, une picnique à la française!

We ate in front of our window overlooking the streets of Paris. Tablescapes don't have to take time or expense - the most important thing is to nourish both body and soul at the table.

For more Tablescapes, visit Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. She does a wonderful job of hosting every week.

Late Summer Pleasures

Sweet ripe strawberries, damp with morning dew

Zucchini gratin with garlic and cheese

Nasturiums glowing in mottled shade and light

Bright cosmos that never seem to stop blooming

Many signs point to the fast-approaching end of summer. Last night we went for a walk on the breakwater and down by the water the chilly wind made me glad I'd remembered my fleece jacket. Tomatoes are ripening quickly, warmed by the daytime sun and made sweeter by the cooler nights.

My husband and I went blackberry picking a couple of days ago and I have the scratches to prove it. The air had that warmth particular to late summer when the heat rises up from the ground and smells hot and earthy.

Projects include making pickles, finishing up the jam making and filling the freezer to the top with berries for the winter. We use them for cereal toppings, cobblers, muffins, sauces and more. They provide a taste of summer in the dark dreary days that will come.

And I want to cram in as much of summer as I can. Bouquets of flowers adorn my home, salads are a big part of every meal and I want to use the outside grill, not the oven. The ripening apples, the faint yellow tinge on the very tops of trees and the fading roses all seem to whisper, hurry, hurry...enjoy us now.

Back from Vacation

We've been gone for just over two weeks and arrived home last night. Today was busy with laundry and catching up with the garden - I picked cucumbers, tomatoes and strawberries. I need to get to the raspberries tomorrow. I was too busy to take photos of the bounty, but these are a few from our trip. We visited friends in Nampa, Idaho and Spokane, Washington, then drove north to visit family in the Red Deer area of Alberta before wending our way home through the Rockies and seeing more family in the Fraser Valley before catching the ferry home last night.
The photo is of the Spokane River, just behind our friends' home. We took tubes and floated down the river - was it ever COLD! We had wet suits on and I was still shivering after an hour in the water. But it was a lot of fun after the first set of rapids when I fell off my tube and was tumbled about in the water.

Evening sunset, also taken near the river. The pinky purple sky and glowing sun - just magical.

I've started a couple more courses and I have lots of catching up to do in the house and garden, but I hope to reply to your lovely blog comments soon. It's good to travel, and always good to come home.

Sunset at Winter Cove

I just love the name Winter Cove - I think of some sailor who hunkered there in a quiet anchorage over the winter and named it. We were there on a hot August night (last summer). I took this photo and the one below from our sailboat, looking different directions.

Both are beautiful, but it's important to look in every direction to get a complete picture. And beauty can be found in the sensational warm and bright colours of the sun, or the quieter tones of the shadows. I just need to recognize it.

Waiting

Waiting is something everyone has to do at various points in life. I know that I don't enjoy waiting at all. I know it's character-building and builds patience and perseverance, but it's HARD. And I'm learning that I can wait badly - stomping around, being grouchy, getting impatient, or choose to wait well.

Waiting well - that's been my goal for this summer and maybe into the fall.

More of Butchart Gardens

Doesn't this look like a cool, shady place to sit with a good book and a glass of ice cold lemonade? Too bad it's just for looks. Butchart Gardens does have places to sit and enjoy the shade and the grass, but other places are off limits.

The sound of water is always relaxing and there are benches here to sit and gaze for as long as you like.

Oh, the colour!

I do love blueberries

And it's that wonderful time of year again - blueberry season! These squares are so good! I make them with frozen berries as well so they are not just a summer pleasure. A bit of lemon, some oat-y goodness and sweet bursts of blueberries.

For the recipe, click here.

More Art Journal

I've enjoyed playing a little more this summer - playing with pens and pencils, brushes and paint. And glue, of course. Here's another page.

Beauty in the Commonplace

I do love this quotation. It reminds me to look for beauty in the little things of everyday. Right now, it's so hot I can hardly think, but I can hear my neighbour's water fountain trickling coolness in the evening. Cold soups have become a staple for dinner. I make one in the morning and it sits, melding flavours beautifully and getting cold in the refrigerator all day.

Last night we went to the lake. I swam and swam until I had goosebumps. We were in the water for over an hour, floating on tubes, or swimming lazily and chatting.

And last night we slept outdoors again. I was awake for a long time - I forgot that the iced tea I made was caffeinated - oh dear. But I lay and looked at the stars and saw two more shooting stars. Now, I have to ask myself, are there always this many? And why don't I see them? Then I realized - I'm usually in my room at midnight, not laying outside looking up at the sky. And it made me think - how many more wonders are out there that I don't even notice, because I'm not looking. It's a reminder to me to keep my eyes open no matter where I am.

Our outside bedroom

Victoria, and much of the west coast of the USA and Canada are in the midst of a heat wave. Record-breaking temperatures all around. Last night it was just too hot to sleep in the house, so outside we went. A corner of our deck is somewhat private and we set up our camping air mattress and settled in.

Listening to the noises of the city - and the neighbor's trickling water fountain took awhile to get used to. We watched the stars and just as I turned over to go to sleep - oh, a shooting star blazed across the sky. I think we'll be out here again tonight.

Hot, Hotter, Hottest

Western Canada is undergoing a heat wave! I'm loving it - until about 10:30 pm when it's time for bed. Heat like this is so rare in Victoria that practically no one has air conditioning. We do have a fan in our bedroom, but last night, even that air felt warm.
Meanwhile, during the days I'll enjoy the flowers in the yard and the fact that I can just about SEE my garden grow - the tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini are soaking up this lovely warmth.

Evening shadows on my potting bench. A birdhouse constructed by my son, painted by me years ago, some driftwood from the beach and a heart-shaped rock found in my garden.

Bag Pattern - A Summery Bag

This handbag pattern is one I've had in mind for awhile. I spent a pleasant afternoon stitching and ended up with something fresh and cheerful for summer. The bag is 12 inches wide and 9 inches tall, plus the handles. It's large enough to hold a paperback book, a water bottle and the essentials of wallet, comb and lipstick. There are two pockets on the outsides - I love having easily accessible pockets for my keys and sunglasses.

Piping along the tops of the pockets and the bag adds a crisp finishing touch.

I took pictures as I went along, and wrote down the steps so that someday I can make this purse again, and I decided to share them.

Summer Handbag Tutorial

1. Gather your supplies.
1/2 yard (or so) of fabric (I used a decorator cotton print)
1/2 yard of heavy interfacing (fusible or sew-in)
1/2 yard of lining (I used a cotton broadcloth because that's what I had on hand)
matching thread
paper to make pattern (or mark directly on the fabric)
handles
hardware to attach handles to purse
1 package of cotton piping

these are the handles and the hardware I chose

2. Cut patterns as indicated. Place the bottom of the bag on a fold on the fabric, the lining and the interfacing. Cut 2 pockets. Cut one strip for handle loops.

the sides are slightly angled

fabric, interfacing and lining

pocket pattern

I chose not to line the pockets, but it's an option

handle loops

3. Apply piping to the top of the right sides of the pockets. Use a zipper foot and stitch close to the piping. Press piping up.



4. Press 1/4 inch to the wrong side of the 3 remaining unpiped edges of the pockets. Fold pockets in half and mark the center top and bottom with pins.



5. Unfold fabric bag. Mark centers with pins. Pin pockets 2 1/2 inches from the top edge of the bag, with the wrong side of the pocket against the right side of the bag. Match the pinned centers. Edgestitch pocket to bag (stitch close to folded edge.) Backstitch at beginning and end.


6. Pin and baste sew-in interfacing to wrong side of bag body. Or, fuse, if using fusible interfacing.


7. Fold bag right sides together, matching edges. Stitch a 3/8 inch seam from top to bottom on each side seam.

8. Box the bottom of the bag. Match the side seam you just stitched to the center fold of the bag bottom. You will end up with a triangular point. Measure down 1 1/2 inches from the point, along the seam line, then draw a line perpendicular to the seam. Stitch across this line. Repeat for the other corner of the bag. This results in a flat bottom. If you don't want a flat bottomed bag, omit this step.





9. Press all seams flat - as much as possible.

10. Apply piping to the top of the bag, again using a zipper foot. Begin at one side seam and taper the ends of the piping down into the seam allowance.


11. Press handle loop strip in 1/4 inch on each long edge. Fold edge in half and press together. Stitch down the center of the strip. Cut strip into 4 - 2 1/2 inch pieces. You will have a bit leftover - just discard.

12. Mark top centers of bag with pins. Measure the distance between the handles you've chosen and divide that measurement in half. The handles I chose were 5 1/2 inches wide, so I marked half of that distance on either side of the center mark (2 3/4 inches from the center.)

measuring the handle

13. Fold loops in half. Pin the loops to the inside of the bag at the marks on either side of the center. Match the bottoms of the loops to the bottom of the piping. Stitch close to the piping, using a lower gear to get through all the layers, if your sewing machine has one.



The bag is nearly completed - you just need to add the lining.

14. Fold the lining fabric in half, right sides together and stitch the side seams. Box the bottom in the same way you did the top. Press all seams flat.


15. Press 3/8 inch to the wrong side of the top of the lining.

16. Insert the lining into the bag, wrong sides together. Pin the lining to the top of the bag, just underneath the piping. The scissors in the bottom of the bag in this photo were just to provide weight so it would stand up.



17. I like to handbaste the lining in at this point. I find that basting now makes the stitching later neater and easier to handle.

18. Top stitch along the top edge of the bag, just under the piping, making sure to catch in the lining fold on the wrong side. Again, use a zipper foot to allow you to get close to the piping. Stitch again, 1/4 inch below the first stitching, if you like.



19. To prevent the lining from pulling loose from the bottom of the bag, I tack it with handstitches along the box seams. I begin inside the bag and come up in the seam. The stitches are hidden by the seam that forms the box.



20. Attach the handles as per the instructions on the package.


Enjoy your summery new bag!

If you make this bag, I'd love to hear from you and see any photos you might have. Also, if you have trouble with the tutorial, please let me know. I'd be happy to answer any questions.