coming up for air

I'll be back with a proper blog post later this week (hopefully), but for now I am buried under piles of wool and leather and zippers and have vowed to put everything else aside (except the ever important laundry and cooking) until I finish these 40 pouches.  

After the pouches, of course, comes more scarves and bow ties, probably in multiples of ten.  

The goal for this November: make it through.  

Anyone else notice my shop name change?  I've had several conversations about it this week and realize that I need to fill everyone in soon.  More on that next week!

fall/winter 2013 bow tie collection

Friends, we have some seriously awesome bow ties in the shop for fall and winter.  Awesome like I can't even pick a favorite.  Or three favorites.  So I'm just going to show you all of them.  

The world map tie is back and as popular as ever.  I bought enough of this map fabric back in July to last through the holidays.  At least I thought I did.  Once I ran out of that yardage (in September), I found another bit that will hopefully last me another month or so.  It's kind of like a scavenger hunt, buying fabric.  (Exciting side note: this fabric will soon be available in two sizes of leather bottom pouches as well!)

This orange and navy I chose because I love the bold colors, and then later realized that it would be perfect for an Auburn or UVA fan.  Not that I'm endorsing UVA fans, but business is business.  

The typeface tie was a wildcard and I've been a bit surprised by how popular it is.  I've had to go hunting for more of this once or twice too, but now we are stocked up for the season.  I love how the graphic black and white can work with any color shirt or jacket.  

Mint green continues to be a popular color this year, especially for weddings.  I didn't know if I'd find a winter counterpart to my mint seersucker tie, but this cotton wale pique works really well for the cooler months.  I also have some in red, for the Christmas tie crowd.  

I'm on a big mustard yellow kick this fall and would wear this tie myself, if I could.  In fact, I wish it were a shirt.  In fact, maybe I need to get serious about learning to make my own shirts.  But until then, I can just enjoy having this cheerful checked tie around, brightening up the office.  

So that's the starting lineup!  I have other ties in the shop too, but these are the newest batch.  We're working on some lovely packaging as well, so any gift ties will arrive ready to give!

It's hard to believe that tomorrow is November.  We're looking forward to a quiet weekend, hopefully involving time on the patio and pumpkin frozen yogurt.  I'll meet you back here next week!

less is more

Six months ago today, we met in an apartment in Taiwan.  We didn't know much about each other, or speak the same language.  But he'd seen our picture and we'd seen his and, somehow, we turned into a family, right then and there.  

Our lives are so different now, than before we knew him.  We do less.  We volunteer less, we plan less social activities, we accomplish less in a day.  We sleep less, the house is much less clean, and I think I even eat less, because someone is always stealing my food (he calls it "sharing").  

And I think that it's one of the big mysteries of life, how less can feel like so much more.  We added one small person to our already happy family of two, but our joy has been multiplied tenfold.  

Today we are celebrating by reading books and eating tacos (and maybe M&Ms!) and just generally being together.  Being together is the best celebration of all.  

let's talk about grits

Do you know I'd never even tried grits until a few years ago?  I always assumed I didn't like them.  And I probably don't like them prepared a lot of ways.  But these dinner grits are the perfect thing for a cold fall evening and they cook in the crock pot, so they're basically impossible to ruin!

Slow Cheese Cooker Grits

Stir together 2 cups uncooked stone ground grits and 6 cups water in a slow cooker.  Cover and soak 6-8 hours. (I've soaked as few as 2 hours before and they turned out just fine).  Cook grits on high 2- 2 1/2 hours, stirring halfway through.  Stir in 1/4 cup heavy cream, 2 Tbsp. butter, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  

What makes these grits a viable meal option, in my opinion, is what you put on them.  Most recently, we topped them with bacon (do you make your bacon in the oven?  Once Natalie told me about this trick, I've never looked back.), sauteed peppers, more shredded cheese (obviously), caramelized onions (here's how to make them), and mushrooms.  I sauteed the mushrooms in some butter, garlic, salt, pepper, and Marsala wine.  I could have eaten a whole bowl of just those mushrooms.  

As is usually the case on Mondays, I'm feeling optimistic about the week and all I'll accomplish.  I'm working on a new project for the shop, as well as restocking some sold out items.  I'm planning a few product posts for later this week because I feel like it's been awhile since I've shared what I'm working on!

fall in the mountains

So it's Friday, again, and I'm still trying to finish blogging about the previous weekend.... again.  It's been difficult to find time to write lately, mainly because my quiet morning hour has all but disappeared, naptime is filled with sewing, and if I have a spare moment that I think about sitting down to blog, I can usually visualize the dirtiest parts of the house staring me down like, "Seriously?!  That's what you're doing now?!?"

Anyway, it's 7:30 am and the little one is still asleep, so here we go- 

I love visiting my mom in the fall.  Fall is so beautiful in the mountains and her yard was full of mums and pumpkins and we played outside all afternoon and then slept warm under flannel sheets.  Her neighbors have lots of great toys and a willingness to share, so Arthur basically ran from one super fun thing to the next the whole time and cried when we had to go inside. 

I mean, seriously- this is what a good time looks like.  Most of the time while he was driving around, he had a very focused look on his face, but occasionally he'd break into a "this is the coolest thing I've ever done" grin.  

Now that we've lived here in the flat-lands for a bit too long, I almost always under pack when we go to the mountains in the fall.  This trip was no different and found me wearing every layer I'd brought, plus the gloves with the hole in the thumb that luckily happened to be in my vest pockets, plus Mom's shoes.  I should probably just store a parka and boots at her house and call it a day.  

We LOVED seeing everyone last weekend, but I also know we're going to LOVE being home for this one. Steve's got plans to work on the new patio, I'm hoping for some fall fun outside, and we're hosting a special birthday dinner on Sunday.  I feel like I've been slacking in the recipe-posting area lately, so soon I'll be sharing the amazing grits that we had for dinner last week.  

all I know

We took a quick trip over the weekend to see family and say goodbye to my best friend's childhood home. I moved semi-frequently when I was growing up, so my happy memories at my own homes are spread about- a few at one house, a handful at another.

But this house is covered with 24 years of memories and they all come rushing back to me if I stop to think-

Throwing markers back and forth out of the second story windows.

Hiding a tape recorder of scary noises in Little Becky's room and then waiting outside the door to see what would happen.

Getting covered in mud at the beaver pond.

Climbing trees.

Swinging to the Eagles.

Primping for hours in the upstairs bathroom.

Spending every Christmas Eve cozy by the wood stove with wassail and appetizers and gifts.

Parties- in the basement, in the dining room, in the yard.

Hundreds of meals around the big table and hundreds more at the counter.

Don, grilling in his apron.

Pam, offering one of my particularly sweaty dates a towel to dry off.

Sunning on the deck.

Little Becky, getting married in the garden.

It was Sunday afternoon and Adam and I lugged pots of herbs to the car so that I could plant them at my own home.  He said, "It's weird that these are our last moments at this house.  It's all I know."

We sat on the deck and talked about how surreal it is, to watch our children play where we used to play. We talked about the path through the woods and how you can't even read the sign at the entrance anymore. We talked about where the pets are buried.  Natalie climbed her tree, for old times sake.  

But mostly, we didn't talk about the end.  We just enjoyed the weekend, the fall air, the remaining flowers, the laughing children. 

Just like we are taught that the church is not a building, I learned long ago that a family is not a house.  No matter how much joy you experience in one place, you always take the best stuff with you when you go.  

We spent the rest of our weekend at my mom's house and had so much fun in her beautiful yard- I'll be sharing pictures later this week.  

backyard living

So- we all have a huge crush on the new patio.  It's for keeps.  We spent the weekend on it.  We had friends over this week, just so we could eat on it (okay, not really- we also really wanted to see them).  Arthur and I hang out there in the afternoons when I have reached that point of "oh my gosh I need Steve to come home from work right now" and it totally helps pass the time.  

Here are a couple of pictures of the patio from above.  Steve taped the camera to a 20 foot pole and set it to take a picture every five seconds.  If you know Steve, this will sound regular to you.  If you don't know Steve, I'll bet you wish you did now.  

Speaking of Steve, who is not only creative, but efficient, he has already started working towards our vision of partially enclosing the patio by building some awesome raised beds.  

Future projects include portions of fencing, a gate, some long bench seats, and storage.  The beds are a great start and I can't wait to fill them with herbs in the spring!

Arthur likes the patio because it gives him tons of room to drive his tractor around.  Also, he just likes to run back and forth and yell "new patio!!"

Today, in addition to enjoying the new patio, I am finishing up a batch of bow ties and working on an exciting new travel blanket pattern.  It's practically blanket season- who's excited?