Zebra Disappointment

I'm afraid you are sick to death of hearing about my porch. Hey -- any excuse to put up pictures of my favorite people, y'know...This is a picture of my two favorite Linda's during our bookclub lunch. And the other day, remember the picture of my Fritatta breakfast? In both cases, the table is set with the stunning Zebra striped placemats. You can only imagine how much I've enjoyed them!

And, just using them always made me smile because I purchased them during my trip to Canada to visit my friend Marion (who I know reads this blog!). I was sooo delighted that day when I found the fabulous zebra striped placemats at our favorite Home Sense store. The fun & funky souvenir of my trip -- and I could actually pack into my suitcase without paying a $75 overweight fee! I knew they were PERFECT. And I have enjoyed them so much -- they added a great touch of panache to my zebra-theme porch meals.

Even though I only used them for special occasions, as you know, it's been a VERY busy summer -- so I finally had to launder them. IMAGINE MY DISAPPOINTMENT when they came out of the washing machine, full of hard lumps in the corners. OMG.

But it just proves the point -- ONCE AGAIN -- that you're getter off SEWING -- because I would have used a washable BATTING. DUH!

Can you see what was inside the placemats? I opened a seam to take this picture. It was some kind of cheesy, paper-like stiffener. I would never call it interfacing -- but it had that feel to it. UGH. After just one washing, it turned into big lumps. They would never be worth the time it would take to fix them. So -- SAY GOODBYE...

I never throw zebra out. Sooner or later, I'll recycle the zebra fabric. I could use it in the denim recycle project...that's right -- I still might need a butt gusset....

Bonne's Mystery Element??

Email from Bonne today:
Jan is done and Rita has her 4 letter word, but just remember who comes out on top between the turtle and the hare? :-)

In all fairness and semi disclosure I should let you both know that I acquired something yesterday that is going to just make my jacket!!! You are going to be surprised, shocked, amazed... and in all honesty you'll probably laugh or giggle. The clue is: the envelope please...

Are you shaking in your boots yet, or just scratching your heads??? LOL! Bonne

SO -- THEN-- Bonne sent this mysterious picture?? I'm wondering if it's something she bought on ebay? What does she mean, she "acquired it" It sounds like a military OPS...

Jan replied:

Good for you oh dear friend bonne - mine is just plain and simple, no surprises, nothing to be shocked about or amazed - just straight ahead forward everyday stuff - so good on ya girl!!! Finally you're getting the concept!!! jan, running like crazy!

For the record, people -- THESE TWO WOMEN have been doing this for a really long time. And they've got some GAME. I feel like I stepped into a very advanced chess tournament -- and any minute the other players will find out I only know how to play checkers.

JAN IS DONE!

From Jan, yesterday:

dear rita & bonne,

the jeans queen is DONE!!!!! Yup, my project is finito!!! (Is that the way you spell that?!!) Ready to wear! Bring on some cold weather!!! And I have a 4-letter word, oh! maybe "title" for it!!! It is proudly gracing one of my mannequins and lookin' gooooood! as we speak, or BLOG - thats what we're doin', blogging!!! Your challenge buddy, jan.....who is now really into this recycled jean thing!!

So you can keep the players in our little game straight --Jan is in the black & white vest, and Bonne is in the jeans jacket. Linda McGehee is the one who DISCOVERED these two super-sewers and put them on the stage last year. I can HARDLY WAIT to see what they both came up with for this jeans challenge. For the life of me, I do not know what I was thinking...AND -- Jan -- WHAT DO YOU MEAN, "ONE" OF YOUR MANNEQUINS?? AND -- hey -- who color-sorted ALL THAT FABRIC?? The two of you are really scaring me...cuz I am in WAAAAAY over my head!!

Rita's jeans redo hint

Like all really fun sewing projects -- the "thinking" and "planning" is the most difficult stage. My restyled blue jeans project is no exception. I thought I was going to do one thing -- and it turns out -- I'm headed in a completely different direction.

Although I was stalled for a long time -- having a deadline is a very useful thing for me. Y'know -- like, when you're sewing for a wedding, or a Christmas project...having that date when you MUST finish...it just gets the creative juices going. One of my very good friends, Eileen Roche, the editor of Designs in Machine Embroidery magazine -- taught me the important lesson that "done" is a worthwhile goal -- whereas "perfect" is a waste of time.

Then, too, there was Jan sending a snarky email about the fact that SHE IS ALREADY DONE. A week before the deadline? REALLY? You're right, Bonne -- she's quite an overachiever.

I DO have my four-letter project description all figured out, tho. HEY -- that took longer than you might think.

Anyway -- I don't want to give it all away...but, as it turns out, my porch pillow is a gigantic hint -- in ways you can only imagine...

P.S. As a reminder -- our big unveiling is NEXT WEDNESDAY. September 9. And I'd also like to remind everybody that I haven't actually "worn" a pair of blue jeans for over 20 years. Seriously. It's a good thing I lost 100 pounds in preparation for this momentous occasion, eh??

Breakfast Fritatta

Two of my favorite people in the world -- my sister Ronda and our good friend Phyllis -- came for breakfast on my porch. I made a fritatta. Every woman should have one "go to" delicious thing she cooks really, really well. Years ago, at a Sunday morning breakfast brunch in New York City -- I discovered fritattas. Since then, I've made them with feta cheese & spinach, leftover spaghetti or hashbrowns, green onions -- it is a very flexible dish. Fritattas are often featured on my favorite cooking shows (yes, I am addicted to the Food Network!). Another great thing about a fritatta is that you can make it on top of the stove, or in the oven. It is great for leftover vegetables, macaroni & cheese, meat...whatever you like. Here's the one I made:

Cheese/Bacon/Fritatta

In a mixing bowl, beat 6 eggs and 1/2 cup of milk. Then, I added:

1 cup leftover pasta

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

1/2 small white onion, chopped

1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

1/2 cup cooked bacon (or ham, salami, meatballs, sausage, pepperoni, etc.

Pour into a large pie pan (no crust). Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes, until set. (I added another handful of grated cheese on top, with lots of crispy crumbled bacon).

P.S. If you have the right size non-stick skillet, you can cook it entirely on top of the stove -- and it takes about half the time. But the secret is to have it "set" (without burning) -- and then use a plate to "flip" the whole thing so it cooks on both sides...OR -- you can start on top of the stove, and finish it off under the broiler. It's one of those easy, versatile dishes...

We also had a fruit salad and warm scones. HEY -- they were not as good as the *Fischer Scones we get at the Puyallup Fairgrounds -- but because I had a jar of delicious homemade peach jam, they moved up the taste ladder to AWESOME.

* Ever since Debra Justice gave me a Fischer Scones Mix gift box years ago -- I have occasionally made scones from scratch. Frankly -- the mix is better! This year, I'm gonna remember to STOCK UP during Sew Expo!!

Jan's Jean challenge update...

Jan sent this email:

Dear Rita,
Sooooooo, my friend bonne has brought up the "four letter word" now in your blog!! (That still is a strange word!) blog blog blog........she whines and whines when she has to do hand sewing! Last year at expo, Jane from YLI Thread, asked the two of us to help her with her 4 hour class, and you won't believe what the class was!!! Ha ha!! Yes! HAND SEWING!! Like embroidery stitches - bonne had about passed out at the thought of her helping in this class!! So ya know what she did?!!! she offered to take the tickets, the money and hand out the supplies!!!! She sat as though duck taped to the chair in the back of the room - oh she did help a lady who lost her needle by getting her a new one!! But she did look good in one of our challenge jackets!!! I hope everyone who reads your blog (!!) will come to expo next year - we could have a bloggers get together! We have so much fun and there is so much to see, do and learn! Are we allowed to tell everyone about out fashion show we're gonna do again this year?

(Note from Rita -- HEY -- in two weeks, I'm going to activate the Sewing & Stitchery blog -- and that would be a great story for us to lead off with...especially now that, because of our exciting JEANS challenge, everybody from THIS HERE blog will wanna go over there and see what the two of you are up to. Right?? We'll have to get our friend Linda McGehee in on the fun...)

Well, I guess I'd better get busy in my studio and quit blogging - only 9 more days til our deadline! byee, jan

note to blogo readers: I've received several questions about why both Jan and Bonne shared pictures of their "sewing studios" -- but I did not. The reason is simple. I do not have a "sewing studio". I have a "sewing dungeon"....and I would be ashamed to let anybody see it. Y'know -- I posted a picture of the backseat of my car. Isn't that enough embarrassment for one year??

Rita's Actual Treasure

I had so much fun writing about my Saturday-treasure-hunt, but there has been a bit of whining because I only showed pictures of what I did NOT buy....lol...HEY -- thanks for sending emails asking to see what I actually BOUGHT!! (Sue, Linda,Jun e -- you are sooo curious!) In the first picture you can see the beautifully ironed (starched,, even) red apron. Who would not pay $3.95 for that?? The paisley apron is an extra large size, with green rick-rack, always a favorite. You can see my new bathroom handtowels, and a brand-new string of lights that are surrounded by silk flowers (daisies, I think) They will be the perfect touch in my guest bedroom (one day, I'll take a picture). I also got several books, some new old blue jeans from the Goodwill -- a nice $7 baby walker for my friend Val (her new grandson is the same age as my Lillian), AND a cast iron dutch oven for my niece, Amy. ($16).

Also -- you'll be happy to know that my cousin Kim is going to buy the darling little chiffarobe. It is EXACTLY like the one she had as a child, and then painted for her daughter Carrie. Now Elizabeth can have one, too.

Here's my absolute best find of the day!! ($2.38 from the Goodwill)