Handyman + Shoes = LOVE

So -- Thanks to Oprah -- I UNDERSTAND how John shows love -- HE FIXES THINGS. God knows, there is never any shortage of things in a house that need fixing. But this summer, John really outdid himself. And he fixed TWO things that put a big smile on my face...

I LOVE SHOES. Holy Cow. I have DOZENS OF PAIRS...but I have never had a good shoe storage situation. Our house is small, and the closet in our bedroom is an ordinary built-in-1980 closet. My shoes ended up in a big pile on the floor -- many of them seldom worn because they got shoved to the back corner of the closet and became buried by other treasure (as you can imagine)....

For several years -- I tried going the "seasonal" route -- taking a bin of winter shoes to the basement in the summer, and vice versa. But last year, I found a cache of shoes in the basement that were like new -- but woefully out of style...

That system sucked....

I've tried the hanging bags -- but there simply wasn't enough room in our small closet.

However...I bought two heavy-duty hanging muslin shoe bags at a thrift store. And there is a corner in my room where shoe bags could theoretically hang...hummm.

IF SOMEBODY HANDY COULD ONLY FIGURE IT OUT...since the bags are designed to hang on a closet rod. I showed the bags to John. Then I waited...

A week later, I came home and found his surprise handyman gift in the corner of my bedroom. He walked around Home Depot for over an hour before he found the right heavy-duty hook (meant for a garden hose). He hung it on the wall so both bags can hang together.

As it happens -- the shoe bag corner is the first thing I see when I open my eyes in the morning. So the first thing I see when I open my eyes are my two hanging shoe bags....and I get the BIGGEST SMILE ON MY FACE....

Because -- yes -- I feel loved...

P.S. And you won't believe the SECOND thing he did...coming soon...

Jay Ohland Sandwich

Among some of the whining, complaining emails I received last week -- Karen wrote to thank me for her new FAVORITE SANDWICH...lol.    She ate it last summer after reading about it here -- and this year -- she made this sandwich with the first tomatoes from the garden.  Even before her BLT!!  She'd never heard of such a wacko combination -- and she LOVED IT. 

This is the season for the BEST SANDWICH known to man. And maybe the strangest...

Years ago, I worked for a wonderful architect with a great sense of humor who loved to cook -- Jay Ohland.  He and his wife Elsa taught me many things about cooking and canning. Every year, when the tomatoes are ripe, I look forward to eating this sandwich...and I think about Jay and Elsa...



Yes -- that's white bread. I prefer the large cottage loaf...really fresh...

Spread mayo on one piece of bread -- and crunchy peanut butter on the other piece. THEN, all you need is some thick slices of delicious, ripe tomatoes...

THAT'S IT. Heaven. I'm telling you. Absolutely delicious. There's something about the salty peanut butter and the tangy mayonnaise...it is the PERFECT combination.

THIS is the sandwich you'll get hungry for in the middle of a cold Iowa winter...but you can only enjoy this sandwich when the tomatoes are fresh and ripe from your garden.

TRUST ME...and -- hey -- Thanks, Jay!

Joseph O'Hara's gift

HEY -- WHAT A GREAT BREAK!! But, thanks for the emails telling me to GET OFF MY FAT ASS AND GET SOME BLOGGING DONE...You're right. A break was not a bad idea. But enough is enough...

The good news is I am feeling fine. AND more good news -- I've been so busy, I have LOTS TO BLOG ABOUT. But it may take me a little time to get back in the swing of things. Holy Cow -- I ENJOYED that break a little too much, people...

Last month, when John's friend Joseph O'Hara visited here -- he left a note in Lillian's room, thanking her for sharing. AND he left four one-dollar bills for her. SHE WAS SO EXCITED...as you can see from this picture...

I hope the video turned out better than the picture did...

Hey -- I'm no photographer. I AM A WRITER. And I've been working on an exciting new project -- WHICH YOU WILL HEAR ABOUT VERY SOON...

sorry...a short break....

Lilly was spending the night. As I was tucking her in, she told me her throat was scratchy and her ears tingled.

Obviously....that was my cue to run out of the room at warp speed -- spray myself with Lysol and take cover from this adorable little toxic cesspool of germs.....

But, instead -- I leaned in, gave her a big hug and told her I loved her to the moon and back....

Two days later -- I was sick as a dog. And, as it turns out -- Contac gave me hives. Ugh. So much coughing now I have laryngitis.

I'm taking a blog break.

But -- don't worry -- that adorable little germ-bomb LILLIAN IS perfectly FINE...I'll be back...

I know the news about Simon Haskins was a shock. HE IS SO YOUNG...and of course that will work in his favor. I'm going to ask Simon to write about his project -- the Sunshine 4 ALL quilt blocks...stay tuned...

My friend Simon Haskins

Here's a review of several blog posts I have written about my friend, Simon Haskins...

In 2010 -- I wrote:

Okay -- THIS IS SO MUCH FUN. Simon Haskins is on a whirlwind midwestern tour -- in the weeks before the International Quilt Market in Houston. Here's a picture of Simon at the Spring Quilt Market -- as he autographs a book for my sister Deborah -- his biggest fan.

You ALREADY KNOW what a huge fan she is -- she loves Jenny Haskins embroidery designs -- and I believe she's made 27 embroidered silk quilts so far. (that is only a slight exaggeration)...

This is the back of her denim jacket -- adorned with Simon's designs...

Well -- as you know -- she embroiders clothes for me ALL THE TIME. And she will never accept any money...but today I figured out a way to PAY HER BACK...

I have arranged with Simon's host shop -- in Paducah -- to present Deborah with a gift certificate at the beginning of the day!!

SURPRISE, DEB!! And -- hey -- KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!! FINALLY! My embroidery-crazed sister Deborah got to meet her sewing star idol -- Simon Haskins!! If you are a regular reader of this blog -- you may remember an actual video of Simon talking to Deb on my cellphone...

Yes, she's a HUGE FAN of his...

Behind this embroidered masterpiece -- my sister Deborah...taking part in an all-day hands-on class with Simon Haskins -- in Paducah, Ky.


After attending Simon's class -- Deb sent me this note:

The day was awesome Simon did a great job teaching the class and keeping everyone on track. We learned different things about stabilizer-how to weave ribbon on sticky stabilizer and attach to a design-how to use fabric softener to get the sticky off the fabric by letting it soak in water. It was really neat seeing the quilts that you have seen in magazines.

Simon was just like I thought he would be -- creative and fun loving. He is all about just getting it done.

This is a picture of my sister Deborah on the left, Simon, and her friend Nancy...



This is my favorite picture...of Deb and Simon...I'm gonna have it framed...

AFTER the class -- Simon sent me this note:

Rita -- Your sister is a doll you are lucky to have her and she is drop dead stunning. We had a great day she was wonderful to have in the class full of energy and happiness.
********

Fast Forward -- two years later -- maybe the best sister moment I ever had -- Deb and our faux sister Barb greeting their best-embroidery-buddy -- Simon Haskins at the 2012 Sewing and Stitchery Expo in Puyallup....  

Deb and Barb are SUCH HUGE FANS of Simon.  Deb has made so many of his embroidered quilts...her talent, and artistic touch with the embroidery machine, and his passion for this creative hobby we all share.

*************
UPDATE:

As I write this -- our friend Simon is in the fight of his life back home in Australia.  He was diagnosed with  a rare cancer -- Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and he will be undergoing chemotherapy for the next two years.

If you are on Facebook, you can go to Simon's page to cheer for him and be awed by his spirit and heart.    WE LOVE YOU, SIMON...

Disney Princesses

Just so you know -- WARREN occasionally is doing great -- smiling all the time.  He is the HAPPIEST baby I have ever personally known...and we don't ignore him -- really...

But because Emily is still nursing Warren -- the biggest favor I can do for the E team is to spend time with Lillian. No problem. We are having a wonderful summer. She spends one night a week at Grandma Rita's house. It is amazing to me how her brain works, and she is really beginning to THINK things through for herself. I enjoy listening to her...and we sew, and cook, sometimes watch a movie.

Here she is in her new swim cover-up she helped me make...of course, you can see the touch I added...t-shirt fringe...

Her favorite part is the embroidered THREE PRINCESSES on the front. Ugh. We argue about this all the time. From the beginning -- I was not a fan of Barbie. But I thought the Disney Princesses were harmless enough. BUT I WAS WRONG...

Here's a typical exchange between me and Lilly at the Goodwill store...Lilly brings up a Princess piece-of-junk and asks if it's a "possibility"...

Grandma: Sorry, Lilly, you know I am not impressed with the Princess message...

Lilly: I know, Grandma. But I am. And I can't help it...I'm just a little kid. Remember -- I am only four years old.

You can also see in this picture how I completely opened the sleeves when I added the t-shirt fringe. Because it was a size 3 -- and she wears a size 6. The sleeves were far too tight. But, hey, it did have her favorite Princess emblem on the front -- and the zipper was awesome.

The BIG sewing adjustment I made was adding 8"of t-shirt fabric to the center back -- with a box pleat at the top...NOW it's perfect...

Pinterest Favs