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Thanks everyone for all your supportive thoughts and calls and emails. I received so much great  advice and I have to share 2 things that cracked me up.  I got an e-mail from my dear friend Jill
today, whom I had recently told that I just wanted to "scream," to which
she replied, "…and if you must scream, this is the season to do so!"
Oh, Jill, so, so very wise beyond your years. And Heather who said, "I have no
idea what you are battling and it doesn’t even matter. What matters is
the totally classy and rad way you are going to fight your way out of
it." Okay that made me laugh, thanks Heather. I WISH I could be
totally  classy & rad while fighting my way out of anything!!I think it just felt so much better to get it out there, off my chest. It was interesting to read about others who said they were in the same place, or recently had been. I’ve been so self-absorbed in everything that’s been going on here that it never really occurred to me that right now, out there, others are struggling too. I know, it’s absurd. I realized, I just need to pull my head out. I just need to serve others. I used to be so good at service and doing things for others, but I haven’t done anything  for so long, I’ve just turned into this little hermit crab. So now, things are a changing. Neighbors are getting cupcakes.

I picked up this magazine while I was in Utah last month and was chomping at the bit to make these guys. There’s a ton of other great recipes in there that I can’t wait to try. Aren’t they a hoot! LOL!  We made carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. Henry and I just delivered them to some neighbors upstairs and we will be out delivering some more tonight. I think it’s just what this little family needs.

My MIL’s birthday was Thursday and so at 9 p.m on Monday night, I decided I probably should make something for us to send. When I first started sewing, patterns were just beyond me, so since then I’ve been coming up with patterns on my own, which is by no means an easier solution. I pulled out the dozen or so apron patterns that I had and decided on this one. Man, it’s so much easier when everything is already measured out for you!! What had I been thinking?  This was Butterick #6567, Apron A, and it came together quite easily, and my MIL is just as much as a Halloween nut as I am, so I hope she likes it! Now if I had mad sewing skills, which I do not, I would SOOO be this for Halloween:


Miss Pumpkin??? It’s beyond brilliant. I want to be her so very badly, but how would I ever do that hair?? (okay the hair should be the least of my conerns..) My recent haircut, which is a short bob, would just ruin the whole effect. And where would I ever find a hat like that? How much yardage would a dress like that take? I fear  I would just wear it all year long.

Oh well, here’s to dreaming!

xoxo

I’ve been feeling so sad lately. So out of sorts. Feeling left behind. Forgotten. Feeling like sometimes I may have just been given more than I’m able to bear. Ever feel like that, too? I have much, much to be grateful for. And for those things, I am. But I am in a horrible funk that I can’t shake. I feel like I’ve been here for far too long. I feel like I’m 2 steps away from a complete and total nervous breakdown. Maybe I just need a really good cry. Don’t worry, I’m not going to have a total freak-out. I don’t need my neighbors to show up with muffins or anything. I’m just feeling very heavy and waiting, praying for things to change. Still. I’m hopeful they will. Someday.

I came across this song tonight. I’ve never heard this version before. Chris says he’s heard it once, on a fishing show. I really like it. I’m not taking any responsibility for the cheeseball graphics.

So until then, I sit, waiting for my troubles to melt like lemon drops, high above the chimney tops, that’s where you’ll find me…

Please read this story. We are the same age. We are Mothers. She is a friend of a friend. She is a survivor. We all have so much to be grateful for. Give your little ones an extra squeeze today.

xoxo

** you can see a picture of the dress my mom made on my sisters blog here.

We are back from the wedding and still trying to get our lives back to normal. Henry looks like he had a good time, no? I think we have a future marching band member on our hands (as long as they allow sippy cups & fudge he’ll be fine.) My sisters over-the-top adorable and talented boyfriend/wedding photographer Dustin took this hilariously cute picture of Henry at the reception. Dustin, if things don’t work out with Megan…(I’m not kidding people, he’s REALLY CUTE!) He took the most amazing photo’s of Vanessa out on the salt flats. They were incredible. I can’t wait to see the rest.

Chris put us on ‘the list’ for the premiere of  DWTS, so we went to that on Monday night. (Did anyone else see my back?? I’m practically famous. I think they might ask me to dance next season.) Going to the show is always a hoot. We are swimming in piles of laundry and trying to get organized so that  the Halloween/Fall stuff can come out  asap! 

I did the random number generator on Monday night and ANNIE was the big winner. Send me your info and I’ll get your banner out asap!  It was so great reading all about your favorite Fall things. I kept thinking, "Oh, I like that, too! That’s brilliant!" We made this soup for dinner on Monday (the first of the season) and it was pretty delish. We didn’t have any tortilla’s or cilantro, but it still turned out really good. The cumin and coriander were a great combo. It was very simple, and we’ll definitely give it a whirl again. Oh, Ina. You are so brilliant. I don’t know what it is about Fall, that just makes me want to cook/bake. Chowders, casseroles, comfort food, hmmm I"m getting hungry.

Starting tomorrow, Holly is giving away a $25.00 gift certificate to Williams Sonoma along with a "Big Pocket Apron" pattern and fabric w/ric rac! All you have to do is hop on over and vote for your favorite desert during the blog-able feast!

Happy Wednesday!

xoxox

I was so thrilled when Holly asked me to be part of her Blog-able Feast (although I’m quite certain I am the only non-professional-quilter! I’m trying hard not to be intimidated!!) We are starting with desserts, and I’m happy to share one of my favorite Fall recipes. I started making this recipe about 5 years and originally found it on Allrecipes. Get ready, it’s going to make your home smell heavenly!
Ingredients:
6 Cups grated carrots
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Cup Raisins
4 Eggs
1 1/2 Cups granulated sugar
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
2 tsp. Vanilla
1 Cup crushed pineapple (well drained)
3 Cups Flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking soda
1 tsp Salt
4 tsp Cinnamon (or apple pie spice)
1-2 Cups chopped walnuts*

Directions:
1) Mix carrots and brown sugar in a medium bowl and let sit 1 hour. Stir in raisins.
2) Pre-heat oven to 350 and grease & flour (2) 10" pans**.
3) In a large bowl, beat eggs until light. Gradually add in the sugar, oil & vanilla. Stir in the pineapple.
4) In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt & cinnamon. Add to wet mixture until absorbed. Stir in the carrot/raisin mixture.
5) Pour into prepared pans & bake for 45-50 minutes or until cake tester indicates done. Cool for 10 minutes & remove from pan. Allow to cool before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
(2) 8 oz packages of cream cheese
1/2 Cup butter softened
2 Cups confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions
In a mixer or bowl, cream the cream cheese & butter until smooth. Add the vanilla and gradually add in the confectioners sugar.

*I omit the walnuts inside of the cake and just use them to coat the sides. If you are a nut lover, you can add 1 cup to the cake and have 1 1/2 cups on had for decoration.
**I made this cake using (3) 10" pans so I’d have more layers, if you do this, just reduce the cooking time.

I think that Parsley makes the most adorable little carrot tops, so if your feeling adventurous, pipe on some carrots and throw on some parsley!

So aside from sharing a recipe, I am supposed to share something that I’m working on. Unfortunately, all I’ve been working on are these Halloween Banners (which my blog readers recently read about).

So to spice things up a little, I’ve decided to give one away (and did you notice, the banner features one of Holly’s  Fabrics?? : ) Just leave me a comment and tell me, what’s your favorite thing about Fall? Mine? Hmm, the smell of onions & garlic saute-ing on the stove, crisp cool nights, The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, Apple Picking, Soups & Candy Corn. I’ll pick a winner when I am back home from the wedding on Monday.

Have at it!

xoxo

Well, I am pleased to say that it all came together (in more ways then one. Mu-ha-ha!) It was all so very last minute, but thanks to my Mother-in-law, who let us borrow some quilting frames and a bunch of quilting gear, we were able to make a quilt. Together. It was so great.  I picked out some Amy Butler fabrics about 2 hours before the shower, ran home, washed it, mom cut it and sewed it together, while Megan & I got the food ready and voila, it was ready to be put together & tied.

As part of the gear my MIL let us borrow, there was this awesome sheet that had all these holes already cut out (new to me, the amateur quilter) which made it so much easier and made for no pre-tying marking or any of that mumbo-jumbo.

Anyway, the ends still need to be finished, but I think the future Mr. & Mrs. Zinke are going to get lots of cozy cuddle time under this quilt in the cold Vermont winters. The big wedding is 4 days away. WOW. We are all so happy around these parts.

Thanks for all the great quilt advice and for the e-mails. You guys are always so helpful!

xoxo

So you may have noticed the little cupcake  that I’ve added to my sidebar. Starting today Holly is hosting a 2 week long Blog-able feast featuring other bloggers & crafters. Today is the first day, so if you are looking for recipes, click the cupcake or click here. Get ready for lots of scrumptious deserts (and you may see a little something from me towards the end of the 2 weeks…wink wink!)

Happy Weekend!

xoxox

p.s New Halloween banners  have just been uploaded to the shop. Will have a few more next week!

My Sister, Vanessa, is getting married on the 20th and we are having a family shower for her this weekend. Megan (my other sister) and I were just talking about how great it would be to have all the family tie a quilt for her at the shower. Only problem. I’ve never tied a quilt. Okay. Once, like 16 years ago.  I know there are lots of experienced quilters out there. Any idea’s or techniques that you can share? I need something that 15 people could work on at once….

Speaking of quilts, have you seen the over-the-top-adorable woodland quilt from Red Envelope? I saw it last week in their magazine and it’s just a shame there’s not a bigger pic on their website. The upclose pic’s in the mag were so, so adorable.

Anyway, I’m going to open my comments back up for this post (thanks to all you concerned readers who e-mailed and thought my blog was broken. I decided to turn the comments off last June for the summer.)

I’m counting on you guys!

xoxo

Last Christmas I was at Bath+Body and they told me based on my purchases, I could buy a denim tote for $5. Hmm…not a big denim fan, but sure. Why not. Well, the denim bag has grown on me quite a bit. I use it all the time. It’s all floppy and squishy and conforms to any space. I bought some denim a few months back to make library bags for Henry which I… never got around to. Probably because I haven’t taken him to a library in oh..about a year. We’ve got plenty of books here, don’t you worry! Then I realized, I have never made a bag. Ever. (unless lunch saks count. I didn’t think so. By the way- thanks for all the lunch sack love, or LSL as we call it around here. You guys are great!) So yesterday was the day, I was going to make my own bag. Since I break out in hives and start to feel like my brain is going to explode anytime I get near a pattern, this bag was going to have to be made from scratch.  Sew-as-you-go, if you will. Which turned into oh-crap-I-didn’t-put-lining-in-and-I’m-almost-done.

Now I realize that polka-dots, or at least these polka dots don’t scream "Fall"… and I guess the denim could go either way. But I love my little pokies. I wish the color didn’t photograph all kooky.Anyway, I  like big bags. No litte ones here. I just like a bag with lots of squishy room. And I think this bag has it.

I’m not gonna lie…the verdict is still out. I think I like it- it’s all wonky just as I had hoped. I just might need some time for it to grow on me. Maybe it will, just in time for next summer. I’ve decided that bags are my least favorite things to photograph. Since I knew you were all wondering.

Have a lovely weekend!

P.s. You’ll be happy to know it’s cooled off a bit here so I have officially stopped yapping about how flipping hot it is.

It’s September, but I feel like I’m living in Baker in mid-July. It has been so hot here. I think it was 110 today. I can’t stop saying how hot it is. I mean, it’s so hot. I think I am  making it worse for myself and those around me. I think it makes it worse when you just keep saying it over and over. And over. I can’t stop myself.

I was scrolling through some old pics of our last
trip to Boston which was 1 year ago this month. Apple picking,
sweaters, Fall foliage, rainy days. I miss it all. I don’t think this town has seen
an ounce of rain in about 8 months. I love rainy days. I miss seasons. What gives. One day, Boston. One day we’ll come back and live there again. Because I know you really miss us. And because it’s so hot here.

My only comfort is candy corn. And Halloween fabric. They almost make me feel as warm and fuzzy as a Fall day in New England.

I wish I could say that there is  a lot of great Halloween fabric out there. But nay, I feel most of it is rather cheeseball-ish. Not that I have anything against cheeseballs. I have one every New Year’s eve in fact. An entire cheeseball.  Did I mention that it’s so hot here? But I couldn’t keep my hands of this wicked awesome (that’s my Boston-talk coming out) repo-Halloween fabric. The frog. What a cutie pie. I think I’m going to make Halloween Bunting & Banners out of this stuff and maybe a few trick-or-treat bags? So very many options.

Happy Tuesday!

p.s. It’s hotter than hell here.