Three finished cushions

Thanks for all the emails about my GREAT ZIPPER CHEAT. No kidding!! Why didn't I figure that out about 30 years ago??

The porch sofa project is still coming right along. I love, love, love working on it. There are so many aspects of it that I love. Right now, I'm listening to a great book on tape in my sewing/studio/disaster/basement.

It is a very big project, and it is a lot of work. But I knew it would be -- and so far, I am loving all of it, learning a lot, and having a wonderful time...

This is the third cushion...

The three back cushions are all the same -- yet sooo different. I AM LOVING IT...

And here is what the BACKsides of the first three cushions look like.

AND -- take note of the new bench in the front of this picture. It was $5 at a local garage sale. And I am hoping I haves enough fabric left to reupholster it to match the sofa...

Uncle Melvin

I wrote this blog post a year ago....

My favorite Uncle -- and my LAST Uncle -- is struggling for months.  He is in congestive heart failure, and has been spending time in and out of hospitals and nursing homes.   Such good memories.  I'm posting it again just because I can...

If you have a favorite Aunt or Uncle -- call them today.  Have them over to sit on your porch.  You will never be sorry....

Time is short.  It always is....

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It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Uncle Melvin and his wife Kathy, two of my favorite people -- were coming for supper. We'll eat on the porch and watch the hummingbirds. My brother Calvin joined us (he eats like he is late for a fire -- so he was long gone before I took any pictures.)

My menu was: Panka pork, 7-layer salad, homemade applesauce, roasted red potatoes and deviled eggs. Kathy was bringing her delicious-now-signature-rum-nut-cake for dessert.

I spent the WHOLE DAY COOKING. And, really -- Sunday is a TERRIBLE DAY for me to have company. Everybody in the world knows that MONDAY IS MY CLEANING DAY.

Lillian spent Saturday night -- and she simply DESTROYS her room. She drags toys and dresses from one end of the house to the other. Sunday morning, she said: "Your house is so messy, Grandma."

I just looked at her... "YOU NEED TO COME ON TUESDAYS FROM NOW ON..."

Lilly knew I was cleaning and cooking because we were having company for supper.  She has met Uncle Melvin before, but she was struggling to figure out who he was...and how he fits into her world...

I said, "Who is your favorite Uncle, honey?"

She said, "Uncle Ross"

Me:  "When I was four years old, Uncle Melvin was MY Uncle Ross..."

She got the biggest smile on her face.  Like..."Well, DUH -- why didn't you say that in the first place..!!" 

The other day, my friend Valerie was in a local restaurant and she overhead the man in the next booth introduce himself as Melvin Dodds. As she was leaving, she went over and said, "I know who you are. Rita Farro is my best friend and you are her favorite Uncle."

He replied, "I am her only uncle. And I didn't know Rita had friends....she's never mentioned you to me..."

The BEST Amish Thing...

If my life is going right -- THIS will be a moment I am reliving.  This is a post I wrote last year, uon the discovery of Amish Peanut Butter...

YUMMO>>>

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June 2013:

The MOMENT we arrived in Indiana Amish country -- we needed to EAT. For our late lunch, Rhonda picked the Essenhaus Restaurant in Middlebury. Of course, I was not surprised to see Apple Butter on the table. You've gotta love those Amish condiments...

But I had no idea what this thing called Amish Peanut Butter was about....??

Rhonda ordered the house specialty -- beef and noodles served on mashed potatoes. I ordered the chicken pot pie -- and we split our dishes....OMG....

The restaurant is HUGE -- with many different dining rooms.  Even considering the large scale of the place -- the wait can be over an hour...

They are famous for serving the food family style -- and there is also a huge buffet...

The next day, when Rhonda was teaching -- I treated myself to lunch at the Blue Gate Restaurant in Shipshewana. I was delighted to see that they ALSO had squeeze bottles of Amish Peanut Butter sitting on every table....

AND THEY BRING LITTLE HOMEMADE LOAVES OF WARM WHOLE WHEAT BREAD RIGHT TO YOUR TABLE???


I'm just saying -- if you EVER GET A CHANCE TO VISIT INDIANA...you really, really must try this addictive thing called Amish Peanut Butter. I have gained ten pounds just blogging about it...

Mary Fons

Today, I am in Shipshewana at the Quilt Festival there -- and Rhonda Pierce (Marketing Director for Schmetz Needles) and I will be attending a lecture by Mary Fons.

I am SO EXCITED TO MEET MARY FONS...

Here is a link to her blog...Mary Fons

So, if this blog is blank for the next coupla days -- GO TO MARY'S BLOG...because she is waaaay smarter than me about this whole "blogging live" thing...and I'll bet she blogs about Shipshewana...

Shipshewana, Indiana

THIS WEEK -- I will be in Shipshewana, Indiana for the Shipshewana Quilt Festival
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I am packing up my laptop -- hoping to do a REAL TIME blog...if that doesn't work, I'll at least be posting on my Facebook page...

So -- if there are no new posts this week -- you'll know it's because I am  IN INDIANA...eating some very delicious fried chicken, with a wicked peanut butter/marshmallow cream spread that they put ON EVERY TABLE...

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This is what I wrote last June:
You know how much I enjoy touring a nice mansion or historical society. I IT'S WHAT I DO. The first time I was in Salt Lake City, I dragged Mary to the Beehive House (Home of Bringham Young). One of my favorite road trips of all time -- upstate New York with Marion -- we went to see Franklin Roosevelt's estate -- Springwood. AMAZING...

And -- if you ever get to Shipshewana -- you MUST VISIT the Menno-Hof center.

The reason they built the Menno-Hof center is because so many visitors would come into town for the famous Shipshewana Farmer's Market (Tuesdays and Wednesdays) -- and they'd ask a million stupid questions.

(Can we take their picture? Why not? How many wives are they allowed to have?)

So -- they decided to build an official information center. This place is very well done. You start off with a docent -- and for the next two hours -- there is an interesting mix of films, guides, displays, push button exhibits, etc.

I must admit -- I was completely ignorant about Amish people.

There were several brief movies -- and I especially enjoyed the one that condensed 2600 years of religion into 4 1/2 minutes...(that's about the right speed for me...)

The grounds around the center are beautiful -- there is a gazebo...beautiful gardens...

The Center tried to explain how and why the Mennonites broke away from the Church -- and then how and why the Amish broke away from the Mennonites...

One of the things I learned at the Center was about the Mennonite Disaster Service.

The "tornado room" was amazing. The MDS shows up wherever and whenever there is a disaster.  They clean up, cut trees, haul debris, rebuild homes, feed people...they don't do it for publicity or awards.  They do it because they are living a principal.  The MDS team was one of the first to hit the ground after Hurricane Katrina...they recently sent teams into Oklahoma City after the devastating tornados there. And they were in New Jersey and Staten Island the day after Superstorm Sandy.

Oh, yeah.  Shipshewanna is a great place to visit.  YOU SHOULD GO THERE...

Porch Sofa Zipper Problem

One of the most daunting things about my porch sofa project was the prospect of putting in six long upholstery zippers. Ugh. I am NOT A ZIPPER GIRL...mostly I leave that job to Mary Mulari -- my Ya Ya Sister who inherited ALL THE ZIPPER GENES in our family....

But, as I looked at the cushions -- and thought about my options...it occurred to me that somebody else had already done the hard work. These six zippers work fine...they are the right size...they fit the cushions already...hummm...

I thought about how I could re-use the existing zippers...

So, I cut the zipper bottom off the first cushion cover...

Then, I just topstitched two pieces of zebra fabric down both sides...

Here's what it looks like on the back side...

WHAT A GREAT CHEAT...!!

After I topstitched the new zebra fabric in place (hiding the ugly floral print) -- I cut it down to size...

AND I added a zipper stop at both ends...

IT IS OFFICIAL -- YES, I AM A GENIUS...

I am LOVING MY SOFA project...but it is on a temporary hold because I have to move on to projects for the Pennylvania Cousins visit...

 So far, I have four Aqua "Frozen" dresses ready to go...but only one cape.

And after I do three more capes, I still have to think of something FOR THOSE CUTE BOYS...

Pennsylvania Cousins

Every July, for one week -- John's brother, Jerry and his wife Linda host their four sons, wives, and six grandkids.  They come from Utah, Virginia, all points of Pennsylvania...

Thankfully, they have a very big house...

And a gorgeous, HUGE swimming pool...

THIS year, Elliott and Emily are taking Lillian and Warren to join the gang during their reunion/celebration. Lilly doesn't know these Pennsylvania cousins -- so I went on Facebook to create a photo album -- thinking it would be good for her to "meet" the kids before their trip...

Marc, Sammy, Cora, Maddie, Lydia and Dominic

Lillian and I are creating a "party box" for her cousins...so we've been talking about what might be fun to do....??

Of course, she and Memphis are ALL ABOUT THE DRESS-UP...

AND THE BIG dress this year is the aqua dress from the hit Disney movie, FROZEN

My first Frozen dress was for Lilly at Easter...

Then, Elizabeth got my second Frozen dress...

The Frozen dress is ALL ABOUT THE COLOR AQUA -- and the FLOWING CAPE in the back -- with glitter snowflakes... During my recent thrift store forays, I have been accumulating aqua fabric tafetta/old formals/netting/chiffon/dresses/nightgowns...there is a big assortment of Frozen-colored-stuff in my stash...

But -- will it be enough??

Lilly wants to give Frozen dresses to Cora, Maddie and Lydia.

WISH ME LUCK...I'M GOING IN....

But what can we make for the three boys???

Maureen's Dream Kitchen

During our recent trip back to Pennsylvania for Marissa's wedding -- OF COURSE we had a visit with John's sister, Maureen. She recently finished a kitchen remodel. In typical Maureen style -- it wasn't just ANY remodel. It was an over-the-top-SIX FIGURE kitchen remodel....

She actually blew out the entire formal dining room to double the size of her kitchen...

The under cabinet lighting reminded me of every airplane I was ever on...

There are TWO dishwashers!!

A very large pantry...

Two giant islands...

John and his sister Maureen.

Duing our tour of Maureen's grand new kitchen, I kept thinking about Maureen's mother, Helen, and how pleased she would be with everything in that kitchen. Cooking was how she showed her love. I didn't know it at the time...but I understand it now.   I think of her every time I make her gravy, or an Easter ham, or Panko chicken...

And it makes me wonder what my grandchildren will remember about my cooking...hummm...

A Rental Car, BBQ Chips and a Book on Tape...

If you ask me -- the most difficult thing about going on vacation is sharing a car.

We live in Iowa -- and every single person I know has their own car.  You get your first one when you're 16 years old and you never, ever stop driving.  It just isn't done.  (altho, if an Iowan turns 90 and the DMV gives them any shit -- they just move to Florida or Texas...)

So, during our Pennsylvania vacation -- a whole week of not having my own car is hard on me.  I did have ONE DAY TRIP planned.  And I was excited.  I got up early, stopped at the local WaWa convenience store for my road trip supplies...and I was OFF.  Listening to another Jack Reacher book by Lee Child.  It was an overcast day -- and the traffic around Allentown, Pennsylvania was awful -- but I just stayed in my lane and enjoyed the drive...

The trip took about two hours.  Then, I arrive at the beautiful historic little town of Clinton, New Jersey... Have you ever been there??

I don't consider myself a photographer -- but this was a beautiful picture.

There is an old mill on the edge of town...

You drive into town over this see-through low bridge...wow...who knew??

Such a quaint town Clinton, New Jersey!!

There were so many adorable shops!!

WAIT!!  A consignment shop?? LOVED MAGPIES

Perfect -- I have about 30 minutes before I meet my date...

THIS IS A PURSE, people.  And I can't believe I did NOT buy it!!  Who said I have no sales resistance....??

 After crossing the bridge, I took this picture of their iconic Red Mill...

AND -- aren't you curious about who I'm going to meet here in Clinton, New Jersey??

IT WAS SUCH AN EXCITING TRIP. If you aren't getting in your car and heading out into the world -- BY YOURSELF -- I am telling you. YOU SHOULD...