A T-Shirt Quilt Repair Project

A woman saw us at the Ocean Beach fair and startred talking about the custom t-shirt quilts.  Her best friend had passed away at an early age leaving her college-age daughter behind.  This woman is close with the daughter and when the daughter wanted a quilt of her mom's t-shirts with which to wrap herself for comfort, the woman went out to get one made.  The result was a disaster (I'm not going to post the before pictures) and in despair, she brought it to us to see what we could do to fix it for the daughter.  My mom is a master-fixer and the result has made the daughter very happy.  This is a large quilt and we got in most of the pieces we salvaged.  Have a project for us?  Let us know!  :-)

Thanksgiving Recipe: Cranberry Relish

While the big feast is only a day away and I'm late to the game to post this recipe.  We've been on vacation and came back to big catch-up at my full-time job (no, it isn't the sewing! although how I wish it were).  In case there are a few out there looking for a new cranberry sauce to accompany the bird, this is a recipe from the now-defunct Gourmet magazine that is super easy and has to be the best I've had.....I've had it made with 1/2 cranberry sauce and 1/2 cranberries.  Enjoy!!  And have a Happy Thanksgiving to anyone out there who still reads my blog - I have promised myself to be more blog-attentive. :-)

Cranberry Orange Relish

Gourmet
November 2009
by Ian Knauer

2 oranges
2 (12-ounces) bags cranberries (thawed if frozen)
2 Gala, Fuji, or Red Delicious apples, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 to 2/3 cup sugar

Cut peel and white pith from oranges and cut segments free from membranes. Coarsely chop, discarding any seeds.

Pulse fruit with allspice and 1/2 cup sugar in batches in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and stir in sugar to taste.

Cooks' note:
Relish improves in flavor if made 1 day (and up to 3 days) ahead and chilled.

Happy Halloween!.....and some new stuff.

Happy 10-31-10!  What kid doesn't like Halloween?  When younger, my brothers and sister and friends and I used to try to hit every house in our development.  There were 9 blocks and then houses along the main road.  I always felt confident we'd make it to every single one and then inevitably, when we'd be furthest from our home, I'd feel like I could not walk another step.  One good thing about where I live now - Long Beach - the houses aren't so far apart, but it isn't a private block, so lots of traffic.  I know years from now when Little Olive is trick-or-treating with her friends, I'm going to be a nervous-wreck.  For now, here she is choosing a pumpkin:

And some hot-of-the sewing-machine projects include a vintage blue chenille quilt (truly a one-of-a-kind gift and available on our website http://www.olivestreetstudio.com/ ) and some new handbags......Hope you had a Happy Halloween!

Giveaway!! At "If I Had a Hammer" Blog

So glad she is back posting to her blog....and to top it off?  a giveaway!!  An adorable cherry ring.  Check it out here.  But, remember, I'm going to win it. he he he

10-10-10 & Pumpkins & Bracelets - Oh my!

A Sunday in October, in 2010, but it isn't any old Sunday, it is the 10th.  I'm someone who loves numbers and special dates.  Even if it doesn't seem a 'special date' I always add up the numbers to see what I can see. I count steps when I know I'm walking far - and then the next time, try to do the same trip in less steps.  Or only step on a section of sidewalk one time and see how many pieces I can hit before having to take a second step.  Or, if I happen to turn the light off when the clock says "10:10 pm" then I will myself not to open my eyes again to see if the minute has passed.  OR - I'm just weird this way.  But - today is a very cool date.  Had I been engaged, I'd have pushed to have the wedding today (as I believe many other couples have done).  It would be cool to be born today, at 10:10 am or pm.  :-)

Other than the date, the day was beautiful here in Long Beach.  We took Little Olive to the Long Beach Fall Festival.  City hall workers put up a carousel, make a pumpkin patch in a drained fountain, inflate one of those obstacle-balloon courses, book live music, and feature food from local restaurants.  In all the years we've been here, the festival is gratis - except for the food and the pumpkin patch, but kids can get a free pumpkin for wearing a costume, otherwise it is $1.  THIS year, there are obviously minds-a-workin' in the offices of the big brick building because each obstacle and carousel ride was $1, and the pumpkins were $2 for a small and $4 for a large.  *sigh* nothing is free, but it was nice to get the pumpkins for the doorsteps.

 "Stella and Dot" released some new items for the holidays.  I loved these wrap-bracelets and ordered a set:

 I also treated myself to the Petra bracelet as my SIL raves about it:

But, my Fall standby thus far has been the Vintage Twist:

Followed closely by the Vintage Link:

And then there is the slinky-like Bardot Spiral:

and the Cortez cuff:

Happy Sunday!  I hope you enjoyed the 10-10-10 day!

"Locks for Love"

Last Spring, when I literally let my hair down after months of leaving the house with it wet and tied in a bun, I was shocked at how long it had grown.  I really wanted to get it cut shoulder-length, but then remembered a couple of friends who had donated to "Locks for Love", an organization that accepts donated hair to make wigs for sick, disadvantaged children.  I went to the website to see the requirements (bc I do have a bit of gray in there now) and was happy to see that color didn't matter, but length needed 10".  Ugh.  I need more unless I want to go the way of Demi Moore in "Ghost" - BTW, I've always envied that haircut and wish I were brave enough to do it, but alas, I'm not.  So here I am at September 24th, with just the 10" to donate and still retain a decent length (i.e. able to put it back in a clip). My mom, the best in the world, gave me the cut, color, and highlights as my birthday present. 

Here are the results in pictures.  This was my first time going to this haircutter, but I trusted her - and she did a fabulous job!  Or at least I think so. :-) 

I hope this inspires some others who are near the 10" brink and itching to just cut it all off, to take the plunge and donate to the good cause.
BEFORE:

 DURING:

 AFTER:

AFTER THE HUMIDITY HITS:

September 11th - Nine Years later

Hard to imagine what happened 9 years ago today, actually happened.  That morning I was up in the kitchen washing dishes - less than 2 miles from the Twin Towers.  I heard a plane go overhead and thought to myself "that plane is flying very low" because the sound was not normal.  Come to think of it, most plane noise isn't normal over NYC.  I thought about looking out my window, but knew I wouldn't see anything in the sky through my sliver of visibility.  So I went back to washing the dishes.  Mason was in the bathroom readying for work.  Then the phone rings and it's my sister telling me to put on the news because a plane just flew into the Trade Center.  She was driving her friend to work down on Wall Street before heading herself to New Jersey.  I thought it was a commuter plane with the pilot likely having a heart-attack. 

And then we all know how the story ends.  It is such a tranquil day here in Long Beach.  I'm happy not to have to go to work today - I am always nervous on 9/11.  Today we get to spend the beautiful day together.

My heart goes out to all those families effected by today - and the effects are now engraved into lives.  Elodie - I'm thinking of you....