Life Lately

It occurred to me the other day that putting together some photo collages could be a great way for me to get some blogging time in despite my limited amount of free moments. This way I can share all the interesting odds and ends in one go and you all still get something purdy to ponder (which, for me, is a big plus when I read through my own blog list). Life may be hectic these days, but it can still be beautiful and interesting (and full of random bouts of sewing whenever I think I can get away with it)!

From left to right, top to bottom:

—It's such a nice change of pace to have a day every now and then to settle in on the couch, catch up on all Netflix has to offer, and stitch up a batch of shoe orders. I love it when work and laziness are compatible!

—There is something special about seeing an old friend you don't get to see enough and realizing you are both wearing the same shirt and shoes without having planned any of it. Some people in your life are just meant to be I think.

—A bounteous farmer's market bounty which shortly became the last of our "farm to table" summer meals and a cupboard full of salsa and relish and all sorts of good goodness!

—Photographic evidence to remind me that healthy meals on late nights are not impossible, they just take a bit more planning ahead of time than ordering fried goodness over the phone...ahem, not that I am ever led astray by fried goodness...I am trying to do more meals that make enough for at least a couple nights though and this spicy peppernata is a healthy favorite around here since it's so versatile and gets better as leftovers like soup does.

—A new quilt top and it's queen-sized for our bed too...gasp!  I'll have to do a post on this when the weather clears up with better photos, but I really loved putting this together with a new-to-me method of strip quilting that made the piecing a breeze.

—After having lived in three different parts of the country, I've got to say that nothing quite beats the fall colors of New England. They are fading and falling to the ground as I write this, but those few weeks of brilliant blazing colors everywhere you turn are enough to get me through whatever winter has in store.

—Shout out to all my red line groupies! Long days and late nights on the T from the Alewife station to Harvard and back again define my existence right now.

—Speaking of good goodness, I can't be the only one who feels completely fulfilled by eyeing shiny jars of home-canned provisions. Seeing them all lined up like colorful (and edible) jewels make me feel so accomplished and savvy somehow.

—And last, but not least, a toaster cover I made for my friend Rachel. I used the old one as a pattern and decided the look and structure could both be accomplished with a bit of horizontal bee-hive type quilting. And I have to mention the geese in bows and straw hats on the old cover which she'd inherited. I'm pretty sure my grandma or aunt had the exact same one, apparently supa' fly accessorized geese were all the rage or what?