fabric and fiber

hmmm...what do we have here?

IKEA madness!

• 4 yards of a cotton/linen blend, 17 1/2 inches wide, with both of the long edges already hemmed!
• 2 1/2 yards of 54" wide dec weight white w/red plaid cotton.
• 2 white dish towels with red edges, 49 cents each. 

Let the holiday sewing begin!

And, I forgot to tell you about the FABULOUS fiber art show Gretta and I checked out while in Vermont this past weekend. It's a collection of the BEST fiber artists in Vermont right now. Very different styles, but a very cohesive show, nicely curated. Showing at the T.W.Wood Gallery and Art Center in Montpelier, the show is cleverly called Good, Good, Good, Good Fibrations. 

Some of my faves, (Karen Henderson, Judith Reilly, and Carol MacDonald) have work hanging, and I discovered some new beauties as well. Cynthia Ross does lovely work in creamy canvass, Lauren Lacroix does gorgeous work with felted wool, and Karen Kamenetzky knocked my socks off with her fabulous color work. Elizabeth Billings works magic with pine needles, twigs, and fabric. Brian Goblik's work with twigs is stunning.

If you have a chance to see the show, DO IT! Otherwise, enjoy all the links!

GramElaine's macaroni and cheese

1 1/2 cups elbow pasta (multi grain pasta vs. white is an ongoing Reed family controversy)

2 Tablespoons flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 pound cheddar (vermont, of course)

2 Tablespoons butter

1 1/2 cups milk

1/8 tsp pepper

1/2 cup crushed Ritz crackers

• Cook elbows, according to directions on box. Drain, place in buttered casserole.
• Heat butter in double boiler. Add flour, salt and pepper and blend.
• Add milk slowly until sauce thickens.
• Cut cheese into cubes, add to sauce.
• Stir constantly until cheese has melted.
• Pour cheese sauce over elbows and top with crushed crackers.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Gretta and I were driving home from VT today, and I asked her what she wanted for supper. I told her she could have anything, and she wanted this "comfort food". Then, I was talking with Lindsey on the phone, and when she heard that we were having mac and cheese for supper, she asked me for the recipe.

So, I thought I'd share it here. It's from my Mumsie's recipe file and just like my dad, we always eat it with ketchup.

sent with love and respect

click the photo to enlarge for detail.

the blue fabric is indigo shibori dyed cotton,

done in a class with jane.

i used polyurethane to preserve the birch twigs from 

our "bit of earth".

and i'm still fascinated with frayed edges,

using this lovely green linen again.

the crows are fused and cut from a commercial cotton print.

the text, written in permanent ink came to me while riding 

the train last weekend.
machine quilted with rayon thread.

at doug and ra's

cranberry glass

cranberry orange relish

a walk around the cranberry bogs

between dinner and pies

a few miles away from where the

pilgrims landed in plymouth.

so grateful some of us were able to

gather together.

hope your day was filled with gratitude and blessings.

tea towel fun

who will help with the washing up?

filling you in on this and that...

tomorrow's project...

PIES!

Taking a tea break to catch my breath and update you on a few of my recent posts...

HENRY had his teeth cleaned last week and while he was anesthetized, our vet took some tissue samples from under his chin (some for biopsies, some for culturing). He has four little sutures on his chin which must not be scratched, and thus the cone. He is moping a bit and I know we'll both be glad when the cone comes off next week. Thanks for all your questions and concerns. We appreciate your good thoughts, for sure.

THE CROWS are part of a piece I did for a swap, and I'll be happy to show the whole piece once it has reached its destination. I was stuck for a while, but had a flash of insight while riding home on the train from NYC the other night.  I think sometimes my wee brain just needs a little space to process ideas.

My friend Potts' comment on THE GRAINS reminded me of the poem I read at my dad's memorial service in 2003. You can read it here. There really is something magical and awesome and comforting about fields of grass.

Tonight, Batman will drive to La Guardia to fetch Gretta from her journey home for the holidays. May I just say that I am excited to share my new studio space with her, and get into some crafty mischief together?

Thinking of all of you this week, dear blog buddies. Grateful for the connections we've made near and far...

this week is for...

...amber waves of grain

and bringing in the sheaves

and our daily bread

and prairie wind

and the field of opportunity

and threshing floors 

and winnowing baskets

and harvesting gratitude...

i sink into the midst of it all.