New Year's Day

Every year, on January 1, we eat the same meal. Fresh pork, mashed potatoes and sauerkraut. This is a Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania tradition -- and it does not matter if you are Irish, Polish or Italian, English, African-American, Dutch or French -- you eat this meal. It brings you good luck -- something about pigs "rooting ahead"....and so far, it's working.

I love setting the table with Aunt Rozella's silver...Spring Glory...


And of course, I love using the good china...Coaching Scenes...


This year -- I invited Uncle Melvin and his wife Kathy. The menu is: Pork roast, mashed potatoes, sauerkraut, homemade chunky applesauce, a big relish tray and POPOVERS. Yumm-o. Kathy is bringing a Rum Cake...

The meal was FABULOUS. The star is a very large fresh pork shoulder roast. After two hours, the temp was up to 140, so I poured off the fat and surrounded the roast with two large jars of Frank's sauerkraut. My mother-in-law always cut an apple in quarters and nestled it into the kraut -- so I do that, too. (I pick it out and throw it away before serving the kraut).


Uncle Melvin and Kathy have never had popovers...and THAT IS ALWAYS SO MUCH FUN.


When they walked in the door -- I had just put the popovers in the oven. Kathy and I watched them raise up like it was a TELEVISION SHOW. They were perfect. Really wonderful with this meal...


Kathy's run cake was TO DIE FOR. It was sooo rich and moist. With a pecan crunch on the top...the perfect ending to my holiday over-eating!!

The very next day -- I got on the treadmill and walked for 2 miles. I enjoyed the holidays but IT'S OVER NOW.

I am quite sure eating fresh pork with mashed potatoes and sauerkraut is why I have such good luck...so I'm very optimistic about 2012...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Quilt Cuff

I've had several questions since I wrote about Ross's duvet cover -- particularly about the "quilt cuff".

At a later date -- I will post pictures in this blog of a few of my vintage "quilt cuffs". I first learned about them when I was doing research for my book, "Dress Your Dream Bed". And I have always thought they make SUCH PERFECT SENSE -- they should be making a big comeback.

Here's the thing -- the quilt cuff is something EXTRA that I made out of the TWO PILLOW SHAMS that came with the duvet cover. Sorry...I forgot to say that.

I have NEVER been a fan of the pillow shams that come with the "bed in a bag". Let's be honest -- you put a $5 Walmart pillow in it -- and if anybody really sleeps in that bed -- they toss those two pillows on the floor when they go to bed.

But the great thing was that those two shams provided me with more than enough matching fabric to make the quilt cuff...



And the purpose of the cuff, of course, is to catch all of the grime that comes from pulling your covers up at night. If you do it right -- the cuff will be the only thing you ever touch -- thus, protecting your quilt or, in this case, the wool batt.

It's such a wonderful idea, it should be packed in every bed-in-a-bag...instead of the two worthless pillow shams...

Ross's Wool Batt BRIDGE duvet

One of my BEST SEWING PROJECTS this winter was Ross's new wool batt. Remember the great bridge picture graphic on the duvet cover I bought from Target? And I ordered the fabulous wool batt from my friend Bill Batchelder who owns Bemidji Woolen in Bemidji, Minnesota.

But it's not as easy as just putting the batt inside the cover. To keep it from lumping up -- I sewed "ties" to both the batt and the cover...of course, I use strips of t-shirt fabric. PERFECT. It's soft and strong...and you can "untie" it if you need to...



I chose to put color-coded ties at the top of the duvet -- so that if Ross EVER decides to take the duvet off to be laundered (I'll probably be long dead before it happens) -- he'll know how to put it back together.





A very important element of this project is a "quilt cuff". And the point of the cuff is that it can be taken off to launder...My Great-Aunt Glad told me that when she was a girl, it was her job to sew the cuff on, using a long running stitch. That's definitely how I'm going to attach MY OWN quilt cuff...but Ross would NEVER wash the cuff if I did that...

Yes, I sew -- but No, I don't like buttonholes. I have a sewing machine that makes the perfect buttonhole every single time -- but mostly, I hate the measuring...the PLACEMENT takes so much time....and I just don't do it often enough to be any good at it...

I considered velcro...but it adds so much stiffness...

Big safety pins? Good option, but ugly...

Really -- nothing beats good old fashioned buttons and buttonholes...ugh...

THEN -- IT STRUCK -- RITALUCK!! No kidding...during a trip to the Goodwill store -- I found a black cotton duvet cover. WHICH ALREADY HAD PERFECTLY SPACED buttons and buttonholes all along the bottom. I LOVE MY LIFE...

And, just in case I need more than six buttons -- I found a gray spring coat -- with BIG flat buttons -- and all those beautiful matching buttonholes -- for only 25 cents!! YES -- it was QUARTER DAY!!

I'll just cut down the front of the coat and use the buttons on one side and the buttonholes on the other side...I'm pretty sure I can do SIX BUTTONS AND BUTTONHOLES -- all perfectly placed -- by just ironing the coat strip on with some stitch witchery!!

Yes, I am blessed...this is what the finished quilt cuff looks like...on the top of the duvet...
You can see how I added the recycled strip of buttons and matching buttonholes...

I did a little hand sewing to secure the strip with the buttons (after first ironing it into position with some Stitch Witchery)...

On the front of the duvet -- I added some hidden buttons -- using the tab and flat buttons off the rain coat...


Hopefully, the quilt cuff will be easy enough for Ross to take off and wash (occasionally) -- doing it's job -- which is to save the duvet from 90% of the grime and slobber...

When it was done -- I put the duvet on the bed in guest room so that Ross could sleep under it for a few nights before he went back to Minnesota...

OF COURSE -- I decided Ross's new wool batt duvet should have it's own travel bag...AND I had this wonderful stretchy knit fabric...I inserted a piece of t-shirt knit that said, "Do Something -- NOW"....just because I thought it was funny...

I put a double drawstring in the top of the big oversize bag...and Ross was READY TO GO...

NOW I need to get started on my own new wool batt duvet...

Ronda's Support Group

My sister Ronda has an addictive personality...

For many years, she "collected pigs". Every room in her house became overrun with all-things-pig...There were pig curtains, pig rugs, pig ottomans, pig towels, stuffed pigs, painted pigs, glass pigs -- well, you get the idea.

We had just about come to terms with her pig collecting mania -- and there were times when I actually thought it had run it's course -- when we realized she had transferred that collecting addiction from her love of pigs to her love of nativities....

And I AM NOT KIDDING...

So -- the pigs go into hibernation during the Christmas holidays to make room for the hundreds of nativities....

This one has dolls who are about a foot tall...

Her most expensive nativity...special wood....hand carved....From Bethlehem, no doubt...(I'm pretty sure Joseph did it himself)...

Some sets have their own special lighting...

Or significance...this one came from Alaska -- where Ronda & Dean lived while serving in the Air Force...

Of course, her Fisher Price set inspired me to get one for Lillian's room...

This glass set takes up the whole top of her dining room buffet...

Always a sucker for Precious Moments...

Or anything welded out of metal...

Every shelf is full of miniature nativities...



The night of our party -- Ronda gave each grandchild a small nativity...

I thought you'd enjoy a picture tour of Ronda's nativities -- which is just a small fraction of her collection. She has nativity sweaters, there are nativities in every room of the house -- AND in the yard...it is quite something...

I'm pretty much done making fun of her this year....but it did occur to me that maybe Ronda isn't the only one with this problem.

And maybe she could be helped...if only she could find the right support group...

Although, I couldn't find anything on the internet...there's every kind of support group for addictive behavior...drinking AA, Al-Anon, eating, TOPS, Weight Watchers, gamblers have Gamblers Anonymous, sex addicts have "Charlie Sheen's Posse"...well -- you get the idea...

People who are compelled to collect nativities could be called???

We simply need a catchy title...

Disney On Ice

When Mary was here for her December visit -- I got tickets for "Disney on Ice". Mary had never met Emily or Lillian and I wanted the four of us to have a "girl's night".

I made dinner reservations at "Jumer's" -- a fancy local restaurant. They ramp it up for the holidays -- decorations, music -- there's a grand piano -- it's a pretty fancy place...

OF COURSE I had the perfect little dress for Lilly -- with ice skaters embroidered on the front...

AND Ruby Red shoes that she just loved wearing...


Emily did a great job of getting Lilly amped up for the evening...it was clear they'd been talking "Disney on Ice" for days...The show was at 7:00 -- our fancy dinner at Jumer's was 5:00...

The four of us sat down at the white-tablecloth-linen-napkin table. We're reading the menus as Lilly was looking all around. The room has a huge lofted ceiling, with large wood beams. There are real taxidermy animal heads everywhere...heavy velvet curtains and leather booths. Lilly is sitting in a blue leather wing-backed chair....taking it all in...


As I was watching her...she seemed puzzled. Then, she leaned over to me and whispered, "Grandma -- is this Disney on Ice?"

I still laugh whenever I think about that moment. How their little brains work...if you're not yet 3 years old -- how can you imagine what "Disney on Ice" looks like?? Had she been looking around for Micky Mouse all that time??

This is a picture of Lilly making friends with a child-size nutcracker...


Lilly was exactly the right age for "Disney on Ice". After we actually got there -- she was not disappointed. She waved at the characters and clapped in all the right places. She was DELIGHTED when Rapunzel skated her number with the Prince...(Tangled is her favorite movie and she's watched it a hundred times...)

My camera quit working...so I'm still waiting for Emily to send me some decent pictures!

It was the PERFECT girl's night out...and one of my best 2011 memories.

Muscatine Christmas Walk

When Mary was visiting Iowa this year -- she presented seminars at Neal's Sewing in Muscatine, Iowa...
Muscatine, Iowa is also known as "Pearl City" -- because of the industry that prospered there for a hundred years -- making buttons out of Mississippi clam shells.

Muscatine sits right on the Mississippi river...

And, in a stroke of Ritaluck -- the day Mary was in town was their December "Christmas Walk"

So many little towns do these events during the holidays...the stores all decorate, there was music on the street, and bands...lots of high school singers...it's a wonderful place to take small children, just to walk along the street, enjoy some hot chocolate and see your neighbors...

This display was in front of a local bank...

Thank you, Muscatine, Iowa!

If you live in or near a small town like Muscatine, Iowa...please TAKE PART in their events -- whatever they are. And SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL merchants.

Yea or Nay for Project Runway Allstars?

I've gotta tell you -- I miss Tim Gunn. The editor-as-mentor woman didn't really bring much to the party.

And I was a little underwhelmed during their initial runway show. Which was supposed to be a "recent" garment...and none of them were memorable. I was especially disappointed in Kenley's blue prom gown....what are you doing, hon?

During the final runway show -- they almost didn't show Mila's outfit. I had to go to the Lifetime website to see what she really did...and you should, too. Because it was VERY INTERESTING...and I think it was pants. But the editing of the style show was awful.



I still love Mondo and would have given him the win. But I worry about him -- because I thought he looked AWFUL. What was with the loose, baggy tank top he was wearing? C'mon, Mondo -- it's time to cheer up. I mean -- YOU'RE BACK ON A REALITY SHOW -- RIGHT? How bad can things be??

But it does make you wonder. What does happen AFTER the show? Because it's television, after all, and we think being on a show like this and being able to showcase your talent will make such a huge difference in your life. But maybe after it's over, Mondo and all the rest of them went home and the phone never rang...

Now I'm wondering...

Sending Elisa home was certainly a NO BRAINER. For crying out loud -- what language does she speak? She goes on and on and on...pointless, nonsensical talking...the words all sound like English...but the way she puts them together makes it all incomprehensible.

Gibberish...which is a very good word that could also be used to describe her designs...and WHY WOULD THEY BRING HER ON TO THE ALL STAR SHOW??

Hey -- Maybe the fact that they brought Elisa BACK means every other designer who was ever on the show GOT A REAL JOB??