Karma

Call it Karma... a co-inky dink... devine intervention... or just plain surprise... but I believe deep down in my soul that if you are a good person and do good things, then good things will happen to you. However... I also believe you have to help it along. Sitting in a dark room all by yourself not making contact with the outside world will not help you get what you want... well, unless you WANT to be in a dark room all by yourself.

Sometimes I seem to stick my neck out just a bit too far. Yesterday was one of those days. I read an article in New York magazine about Barnes & Noble founder Len Riggio and his arch nemesis Ron Burkle. Author Andrew Rice asks the question in big bold letters if they are the only people in America who still want to own a mega-bookstore. I couldn't wait to go on the website and answer... " I do! I do!" I'm comment #10.

It is very rare that I comment on an article on the web. I will comment on someone's facebook wall. I might leave a comment on someone's blog... but I don't comment on articles. One reason is that if I wait long enough someone else will leave a comment exactly like the one I would have, so why bother? Who reads those comments anyway??? What's the purpose? Despite my misgivings I was compelled to leave a comment this time. Type, type, type... send. Done. I sat back and let my mind wander (we creative types do that a lot... at least that's what I keep telling myself). I wondered what it would be like if Mr. Riggio (or more likely a staff member) invited me for a meeting to discuss the book industry and the direction it is heading. I have a few creative ideas... but surely Mr. Riggio has a highly paid staff to think of the same things... right? Right?

Back to Karma... I put my thoughts and 'energy' out in to the world. Maybe Mr. Riggio will pick up on it, maybe not... but he'll never know it's out there if I didn't at least cast the first stone.

So... in honor of Karma... I have made a line of bracelets to wear and show off that you 'believe'. Besides... they are just too pretty NOT to wear. Below is a picture... they are available at my bookstore... Chicklet Books and my etsy store at www.uniqueandnovel.etsy.com Wear them to remind yourself to PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE. What goes around really does come around... as long as you do your part to help.

These wrap bracelets are made using 100% silk that has been expertly hand dyed in luxurious colors. The Karma ring is 24K Antique Gold bonded to solid copper. A real quality piece. I scoured the market for these particular items and put them together myself. Only the best would do! Feel free to leave a comment, suggestion, or question.

Now... go out there and do good things!!!

Blueberry Scones... YUM!

Last week I received an email from a friend with a link from America's Test Kitchen attached... for Blueberry Scones. The email read... "If you are planning on coming down to the shore this weekend, I would like these".  What it really should have said is... 'If you are coming down let me know so we can go shopping and bake these together'. OK... now you're talkin'.

I read the list of ingredients, and watched the video. Knowing that the kitchen was not as well equipped as mine for baking (I'm a frustrated pastry chef at heart) I packed things like a rolling pin, micro plane, baking sheet, cooling rack and all of the dry ingredients. Thank heavens I didn't need my Kitchen-Aid mixer! We shopped for the rest of the ingredients and went to sleep while visions of blueberries danced in our heads. Like little kids on Christmas morning we couldn't wait to get downstairs... to start baking! But first... coffee. Then... CBS Sunday Morning Program. OK... NOW can we bake????

As far as I'm concerned the only 2 programs worth watching on television are America's Test Kitchen and Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood. Wait... and The Big Bang Theory... so I guess that's 3 programs. Sunday Morning is so peaceful and educational. The closing segment is always a calming view of some beautiful part of the world. It puts me in a happy mood... all is right with the world. I remember years ago when by brother, Les watched this show I thought it was the most boring show on Earth... that only old people watched that show. Well... I guess it's official... I'm old.

America's Test Kitchen is my number one all time favorite cooking show. At first I thought the host, Chris Kimball was joking by wearing a bow tie... however it really does fit his personality. Hey!!! I just noticed that my 2 favorite shows have the hosts wearing bow ties... hmmmm.... I wonder what THAT is all about? Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory would probably wear one too if he had to dress up. I guess I like nerds. Any way... America's Test Kitchen's recipes ALWAYS turn out EXACTLY like they should. Their kitchen crew tests everything in so many different ways, then explain to you why it didn't work and what needed to be changed to get the result they wanted, so you don't have to experiment. I have learned so much about the 'science' in cooking. Molecules, gluten, fat, starch, you name it... I'm learning it.

So... we made the scones. I did things I never have done before to make these. The blueberries had to be frozen... so you didn't end up with Smurf batter. The butter was also frozen, then grated like mozzarella and put back in the freezer. Everything had to be keep cold... and you had to work the dough quickly so the butter wouldn't begin to melt... that's the secret to flaky pastry apparently. Rolling the dough into a log shape with frozen blueberries in the middle was the most difficult step. The little critters kept escaping and rolling onto the floor... but enough stayed put to make it worth the effort. FINALLY.... TA-DAH!

My First Ever Blueberry Scones!!!

The pastry part was flaky and delicious... with a hint of lemon. The flavor lingered well after the last crumb slid down your throat. At first we thought they needed more sugar, but then realized that would make them taste more like a muffin... and besides, there was a sprinkling of sugar on the top... that was enough for a scone. Perfection! Add a cup of coffee... and yummy scrambled eggs with ham, peppers and onions... and you really have to wonder why people eat brunch out on Sundays. They are missing the whole point of  'and on the last day he rested'.

What was I thinking????

Just when I started to feel that I had all my ducks in a row... WHAM... a goose waddled in and caused chaos. Here I was... going through life thinking that I had hit rock bottom and was working my way back up to a respectable level. My bills were getting paid and I was quite pleased with myself. I was working on my quilt, weeding my front yard, mucking out the disaster known as my house and feeling good about the new life that was just ahead.

Last Sunday a friend called saying 2 tickets to see Rufus Wainwright just fell in his lap and wondered if I wanted to go along. Not having a clue who Rufus whatever his name was I answered emphatically, "YES". So now I had to step up the pace for the day and get moving faster to finish all of my errands so I could go to the concert. I jumped in my car to go food shopping and.... NOTHING. My car wouldn't start. The battery worked fine... but then there was just this sad little 'click'. No cranking of the engine... no roar. Uh-Oh. This doesn't sound good.

As it ended up... my friend was able to come get me and we made it to the concert in time. 

BUT... my car was dead and I had no money or credit cards to my name. I can't live without my car. Seriously. I feel it is a part of my body. It is my 'safe space'. My car and I have done so much together. It reliably got me to the hospital 3 times a week to visit my husband who was over an hour away from me... for 4 years. My car got me safely from New Jersey to Kentucky so I could work at least twice a month for 3 years. It makes sure I get to my mom's at the Jersey Shore whenever she needs me. It has been my office, my kitchen, and my bed many times. The heater has also been my hair dryer!!! (Did you know that if you turn your car heater on full blast the front of your hair will be dry in 15 minutes.  Hmmmm... maybe someone should design a car with a fan in the headrest so the back can get dry too.)

Emergency!!!! Emergency!!!! Someone call AAA!!! Get a mechanic quick! We have a patient in CARdiac arrest!

As I nervously waited in the dealer showroom I ran through my head all of the possibilities ... and wondered how I would pay for this. I looked up with concern in my eyes as the mechanic came in to break the bad news. My car needed a new starter. "How much will it cost?" I asked sadly. "About $600", he replied. GASP!!! Where oh where will I get $600 I wondered. 

At this point I decided to call my daughter and ask to use her credit card. THAT moment was really ROCKBOTTOM. I'm the MOM! I'm the one to run to when you need help... it's not supposed to be the other way around. All in all I am happy that my children are well adjusted, doing well, happy and such... and I am glad I can fall back on them and know we are family and are here for each other when needed the most. But seriously... it was one of the worst moments in my life.

Happy ending... the car is recovered. I have my wheels back... now I just have to figure out how to pay my daughter back :-)

I really, really, really, hope that THIS was as far down as I have to go. I can still see the daylight... so It's not  so far down. Right?

Everyone has a story to tell

Giant neon pink poster board signs screaming ESTATE SALE TODAY were stuck on the side of the road as I was driving to work this morning. Automatically my hands turned the steering wheel to the right, straight in to the driveway. WOW! This sale must be crazy... about 50 people were parked on the front lawn... and there was a line waiting to get in. So... I too parked on the grass and got in line. Oh... I see... we are to take numbers... like in the deli. OK... I reach in the basket, grab the next number... 69... of course.

Two and a half hours later I emerge clutching my 'treasures'. I didn't purchase much... just a few things that I thought were interesting. DARN! I should have looked for a toaster... someone bought mine at our whole house sale.

The woman who lived here is 96 years old and needed to be placed in an assisted living facility. The contents of her home now being sold off by her children. A product of the depression era, she saved everything... and I do mean EVERYTHING! No, none of the balls of string, rubber bands or aluminum foil, but sea shells, yarn, plastic canvas, jars, and zippers. Yes, I bought the zippers... how could I pass up 50 perfectly good metal zippers??? Teeny, tiny bits of thread still clung to the edges from where they were ripped from slipcovers and such. There was a box of pocket linings lovingly cut from work pants... I guess so she could replace worn ones? No, the pockets didn't call my name.

The basement was overflowing with more 'treasures'. One man unearthed a framed letter from President Ronald Reagan... with his real signature. The same man pulled a picture of Farah Faucett out from a box and was ecstatic to discover that it was an iron-on for a t-shirt. Woo! Hoo! As the saying goes... one man's trash is another man's treasure. 


Everything that had ever been given to her had been saved. Most were found in their original box or wrapping, others were banded with rubber bands. ALL had scraps of paper attached with who gave it to her and when. For example... I fell in love with a 3 tiered dessert tray. The note taped to it read, "Elmer's Christmas gift to me, 1955". Baby blankets not only had notes of who made it and for which child, but who else used it... and a photo of the gift in use. All of her craft supplies, although all thrown in drawers, boxes, and baskets... were labeled with which part of which craft item it was used for.


The most amazing collection were her sea shells. Old mayonnaise and pickle jars were filled with shells she found over the years on their family trips to Florida. Each strip of masking tape on the lids identified the type of shells and their craft use. They were so beautiful grouped together on the table... but what on Earth would you ever DO with all of those shells? I wish I could meet her and ask.


One entire bedroom was filled with tables holding the Styrofoam packaging of the special plates offered by the Franklin Mint on a subscription basis. I have never seen so many of them all in one place. There must have been at least 100 collected over the years. All have their certificate of authenticity with them. I am sure she thought she was making an investment when purchasing these plates. Sadly no one is interested in them... so there they sit.


Her sewing room... if that's what you want to call it... held the most interest to me. I spent about an hour just in that room alone. Most people go to these sales and look at the furniture and appliances. Not me... I head right to the crafts and linens. Did you know that the Star Ledger sold sewing patterns through the mail? I found a real cute pattern to make a retro apron still in the envelope sent from the Star Ledger... and I found the perfect fabric to make it too. The drawers in her hutch were bursting with baggies, old checkbook boxes, baby food jars, and baby wipe containers holding lace trim, rick rack, sequins, pins, and all the other little odds and ends a sewer could perhaps find a use for... some day. At the bottom of one drawer I found an old spice jar filled with sand, labeled, 'From our trip to Sanibel Beach'. A small olive jar held a different color sand... also labeled however the name of the beach escapes me. I wonder why she held on to those two jars of sand? From the looks of her sea shell collection she has been to many beaches... why only those two? Don't you think this would make a great story line?


An organ sits proudly in her living room. Happy 'sing-along' type music books are stacked in a pile on the floor. I can almost hear the family singing gathered around her while she looked up and smiled. I don't know if this ever really occurred. Maybe she didn't play the organ at all. Maybe one of her children did... or maybe her husband. I'll never know. However, I do know that she must have been a dear sweet woman that loved her husband and family. 


Two sentimental items were found and given back to the family. Love letters exchanged between her and her husband while he was away in the military. Hers to him tied in blue ribbon and his to her tied in pink.


Everyone is interesting. Everyone has a story to tell. What's yours?

Procrastination and Pillowcases

I took a day off from the quilt today... I know, I know, that's how procrastination starts. The next thing you know I will get involved with another project and the fish quilt will get pushed aside, then things will get piled on top of it and in no time at all it will make it to the bottom of the pile and be forgotten. I promise that won't happen... REALLY!

And do you know why that won't happen???? Because one of you (THANKS Sassy) emailed me with a FANTASTIC suggestion and I can't wait to 'get to it'. I'll keep the suggestion a secret for now. In a few days I'll post a picture for you all to see. I'm so excited!!!!!

In the meantime... I took a day or two to sew pillowcases for the MILLION PILLOWCASE CHALLENGE by All People Quilt. Their tutorial on how to sew the pillow case 'burrito' style and have no raw seams is not to be missed. I have used this technique years ago and simply forgot about it. It was nice to view a refresher. Gee... speak about a STASHBUSTER... this challenge is eating away at my fabric stash. Woo! Hoo!

Keep sewing and smiling!

Quilt - Days 2 & 3

Day - 2... Making the patterns.  Running a bookstore in the summer can be a bit boring. Just about everyone is away on vacation (except me)... so business is extremely s-l-o-w.  Not to mention that we are in a heat wave here on the east coast and if customers are not at their shore home, then they are holed up in their air-conditioned house. I can't blame them... if I didn't have to come out to work I would have stayed home and sewed. So... I brought my project along to keep me from falling asleep at the front counter. Wouldn't THAT be embarrassing?

In true stashbuster fashion I grabbed whatever paper I had on hand and began to draw my major elements like the fish, lilly pads and flowers. BTW stashbuster's yahoo group is really cool. For those of you that don't know about them... check it out. Their main theme is to NOT PURCHASE ANY MORE FABRIC! Since I don't have any funds for this project this is a rule I strictly adhere to!!

Day - 3... cutting the fabric and positioning the major elements.  I have to admit, I didn't give ANY thought at all to the size and proportion of things. My paper was 8 1/2 x 11, so that was the fish size I drew.  I drew the lilly pads and flowers using the same size paper. That didn't really work out when it came time to position the items on the background fabric. A lot of trimming was needed to make things look more in proportion. The whole piece turned out much larger than I imagined it would be... but all in all I like it.

Here is the piece with the major pieces ironed on in place using Heat and Bond Lite. The blue gap above the fish to the right is for a turtle. Two lilly pads get frogs on them.  I will still have to trim the background fabric once the appliques and quilting are finished which will cut off some of the flower edges and lilly pads... by design.

Originally I thought about adding more interest to the water by using 5 different colors and creating a patchwork... but I thought that would take away from the original picture that I so loved. Maybe I'll do that to a small piece or two and make little hanging in the future. Hmmm... I'll see. In the meantime... remember that I am kind of new to this whole process. If anyone has any comments or suggestions please let me know!!

My plan of attack is to machine applique around all of the pieces. Then add the turtle. Trim to size and add border/s. Layer and quilt... add the frogs... embellish... make a label... and hang. If I am doing things out of order, or you see a flaw in my plan don't wait to tell me. Please tell me NOW!

And now... to bed!

Quilt - Day 1

Seven years ago I came up with the idea for this quilt. Two years ago I bought the fabric. Yesterday the picture and fabric worked it's way to the surface of my craft mess. Let's see how long it actually takes to make it.

7am this morning - Take the fabrics outside in the natural light and 'audition' them. Make sure there is enough contrast. No decision is set in stone... this is just the beginning. I originally chose a mottled blue fabric for the water... much like the picture... but I liked the movement of the swirls in this fabric better.

7:30am - Put all the 'winners' together and walked away. Went inside and ate breakfast... well if you consider a slice of apple pie and a glass of seltzer breakfast. Went back outside and took a look at the choices. Does anything look out of place? No? Good! Enough play time... Put the fabric away and go to work!!

                                                                                    9:00pm - What a mess! Threw it all in the washer and dryer and got ready to iron. I really should have been doing my laundry... but this was way much more fun. I'll dig something out of my closet to wear. I haven't gone to work naked... yet!                    

11:00pm - Ah... doesn't that look pretty? It kind of looks like it did in the beginning... but I know it's all clean, pressed and ready to roll tomorrow. Isn't this a crazy obsession? First we buy fabric, wash it, dry it, iron it all so we can cut it up in pieces just to sew them all back together. Crazy I tell ya... but oh so fun and creative!!

BTW... My Rowenta iron is a snob. It glided smoothly over the good quality quilting fabric... but dragged over the cheap stuff. It's amazing it could tell the difference. And my ironing board? It too is a Rowenta... but the legs aren't straight and it wobbles when I iron. I tried to straighten them out, but the board kept collapsing in the middle of ironing ... so I just put up with the wobble. Very frustrating!! 

Good Night All!!! I'll let you know how far I get the next day I work on the quilt.