Clean-up..Shape-up...Fix-up!

It's not that I haven't been busy....I have decided to get some things done to and around the house....it's time (overdue). First, though....this was the chore yesterday...our friend Spenser asked for some of her favorite cookies....my chocolate chips. She is off to College now....so I sent them off to her today. We live in an older home, built in 1935, and there is always something that needs to be done. The picture below is me-unable-to-make-a-decision! It's been two years since I ripped the wall paper off...I finally bought samples of a few paints, put them on the wall and was able to decide on the khaki green (Ralph Lauren) that is closest to the lamp. My tastes are changing...and I think an idea to death.

We had all new windows put in a year ago....still haven't painted them (except one where I had to put an in-window air conditioner. It's time...10 big windows......

We also had to totally renovate the one full bathroom we have...a couple years ago. What a trick that was. I love the results...but a couple of the things the carpenter did left me wondering. I wanted a floor-to-ceiling cabinet...one item deep so I could see and easily reach things. I love the cabinet but the way he built it left the opening that you can see....more tedious finishing for me...it's time....

A number of years ago we had a bad leak in the small bedroom on the main floor....couldn't find the cause. So our friend (a builder) cut a hole in the ceiling to see if he could figure it out. Finally we concluded it was the bathroom vent on the roof. Sure enough....a $4.00 cap and no more problem...except the ceiling and wall pictured in the next two pictures. So we are finally going to rip all the wallboard and ceiling down and re-do the room...it's time....

Also when the bathroom was done they replaced the door and the moulding....but it wasn't quite wide enough to meet the wall paper...aaaggghhh!!! All these things we've been putting off...but retirement time is creeping up on us and we will sell and move....so we need to get busy.

One of the biggest problems with this old house is that they used cheap beaverboard (like cardboard) on the walls. It won't take any abuse, and cracks with settling, weather and dampness etc. Every corner has cracks like the one below....wallpaper doesn't cover it, it just rips the wallpaper. So we need to address that too.

So that is what I am up to at the moment...cleaning up the house, shaping up myself (weight watchers and walking) and fixing up all the things we've put off for so long.

And in three weeks I'm going to Colombus for Jan Myers-Newbury's class at the Crow Barn...so excited....so I'm packing for that.

Marcia

Last Days Of Dyeing

This week the temperature will be in the 70's, so I will have a chance to get some more fabric done...but the days are few. I have to work next week so I won't be able to count on those days. These three pieces of linen/rayon will go on the pile of winter projects. I'll be going to the Houston Quilt Show in November, so I want a couple new jackets to wear there...and this fabric is a good weight for that.

Since I loved dyeing the girls dresses this Spring, I decided to try some adult sizes for next Summer. They'll be perfect over a bathing suit or just as a sundress.

For those of you who like wearable art, my friend Priscilla Kibbee is teaching a 3-day jacket class this week in the brand-new DeCamp Studio in Palmyra, NY. I thought you might like to see some pics....most of the students are incorporating the beautiful pieces Priscilla brings back from her exotic travels to places like Panama, Nepal, India, Guatamala etc. Take a look.

http://www.priscillakibbee.blogspot.com/

Marcia

What A Night!!!

The weather was perfect, the crowd of a couple thousand or more was excited and Johnny Maestro and the Brooklyn Bridge were fabulous!!! It was an un-plugged sort of concert...they sang for an hour and a half, answered questions and took requests. We were standing on the deck of the restaurant right next to them...singing, dancing and having a blast.

They had a couple guests come up and sing...I didn't catch the names, but he said they were legends in doo-wop....they were great. One woman came right up in front of them and danced a whole song...inhibitions checked at the door evidently. We requested"Welcome Me love".....what a throwback to the late sixties early seventies...college...the Monte Carlo in Niagara Falls....Oh, I do digress!

Once again my little Village puts on a wonderful event....what a great place to live.

Marcia

Some Final Dyeing Days

The weather here this week is fabulous...and conducive to some fabric dyeing. I want to have a stash for the winter....so I will do as much as possible these next two weeks. Above are two pieces of the linen-rayon. I was hoping the piece on the right would be darker in the black areas, since I wear a lot of black and want to make some tops and jackets, but it looks good next to my black pants, so it's a go.

This is one of the $5 Hot Cotton shirts I got on ebay from Loehmanns in a closeout. They dye beautifully (after a synthrapol wash to remove any residue).

This weekend the Village is having an American Music Festival....25 bands, playing all kinds of music, over 3 days in different venues around downtown. Since I live down in the Village, we will be hearing the music all weekend. We will go to see some....tonight is Johnny Maestro and the Brooklyn Bridge...one of my favorite groups when I was in College....our friends and we will be singing up a storm. And it looks like the weather will be wonderful....even if a bit brisk after dark, I dare say the wine and singing will keep us warm. :)

Marcia

Red Sausalito Tunic

I'm glad to be back to my sewing this week....I had this tunic cut out a couple weeks ago, so I picked it up to sew it last night. The front is cut on the bias, and therefore drapes beautifully. This pattern is from The Sewing Workshop, and shows unlined and lined versions. Mine is made from raw silk that I dyed over the rack...this fabric is a dream to sew.

The back is cut on the straight of the grain...I may try another version (which is in my head, not in the pattern) with a slightly longer back to suit my fitting needs.

And the sleeves can be left full length or tacked up into a cuff...which looks really cute. My only issue with the pattern is how they finished the front neckline. Since the inside hem shows when it drapes, I want it totally finished...they say serge the edge and then fold over and top-stitch....so you would see the serged edge. That doesn't work for me...so I folded it over twice and top-stitched.

Marcia

PS...Nancy just reminded me that The Sewing Workshop doesn't carry this anymore...we bought it from another website (bullarddesigns.com)....Sausalito Top.

A Passing...James F. Murphy

My father-in-law passed away this last Saturday....we were all there and it was a blessing. I'm on my way back up to Rochester tomorrow for the wake and funeral. Everything else stops for now to honor this gentle, loving man....a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and proud American soldier.

Marcia

Onde Jacket

It feels good to be doing some sewing again....this is a new pattern from The Sewing Workshop and I love it. It is a very flattering silhouette. I will add buttons and buttonholes. The color is a bit off since it is a night picture. I couldn't wait until morning because I wasn't sure I would have time to post then. But you get the idea.

Marcia

Jersey Boys

Yesterday six of us took the train into NYC for a day of shopping (walking), dinner (then walking) and a Show (more walking to the train...oh my feet).....what a day...the weather was great, the dinner was wonderful....we ate at Il Cortile on Mulberry St. in Little Italy. There are more restaurants on this street than I have ever seen. We sat at Tony Sirico's table...they say he comes in alot...many of the Soprano actors have their special tables there. Terry loves the Sopranos, so that made for some fun conversation.

Then we took the Subway to 51st St. and walked to 52nd and Broadway to see the most amazing Broadway Show.

I laughed, I cried, I screamed and I SANG!!!!!! This show was fabulous....and our seats were front row center orchestra....WOW!!! It's nice to know people who know people. Every seat in the house is a good seat but this was such a surprise and just so much fun. Anyone who likes this music should make the effort to see this...hopefully it will run a long time...it's a packed house every show. There's a lot about Frankie Valli I never knew....made it even more interesting.

Today I got back to cutting out jackets and making a new batch of dyes...hopefully the weather will cooperate and I can get some fabric and scarves dyed next week.

Marcia

Spenser

In 1991 I was looking to earn a little spending money (stay-at-home-Mom) so I started babysitting Spenser...she was almost 18 months and a delightful little girl....seems like yesterday. Well, next week she is off to College at Albany State. She plays Lacrosse and soccer and is so well-rounded and level-headed....I think her college experience will be fabulous!

She is big sister to Chase, Sloane and Seaver....and first-born to Seth and Maureen. For those at the wedding, they were all dressed as pirates! We are all going to Gasho for lunch on Sunday and then to Dave & Buster's to play games...that is now our tradition!

Just a side-note...look who was the featured speaker at Spenser's graduation...Jesse L. Martin from Law & Order and Rent! He was great...it started to pour and he just kept talking and joking....made it not so bad!

Anyway...good luck Spenser...we love you and will miss you...study hard...play hard!

Marcia

On to the Beach!

This is my destination in the Buffalo area. It is actually south of Buffalo on Lake Erie on the Seneca Indian Reservation. My family built a summer cottage here in the late 60's. We rent the land and own the cottage. My two aunts and their families also have cottages...right across the road. In the top picture the area in the distance is Silver Creek, NY.

And this is our wonderful cottage. It has 8 bedrooms, a sleeping loft and many couches...and the best round table where we play cards and games most nights. Two years ago we added a great deck, which added even more space. I love this place.

This is Maddie wearing one of the dresses I dyed...she was the perfect size for the larger dress...so she got 2 or 3!

And this is Jane...perfect smaller size model....she got a couple too...along with Ella, whom I didn't get a picture of in a dress.

Every year we try to get as many group pictures as possible...we rarely have every family member...but we get who we can. This is my Mom, my three brothers, three sisters-in-law, and my sister (in other orange shirt, on the left).

And these are the kids and their kids! And there's 7 missing! We do have a great time when we're all together. I miss them as soon as I leave, and am so grateful that we do this every summer.

Yes...that's my sister and me in a kayak! On a whim...(didn't even have a suit on)...we jumped in the kayak and off we went...what a blast. I will definitely do more of that next year. At the same time, my husband was water skiing (after 20...30 years???). He did great and stayed up till he could ski no more!

And most nights this is the bonus...sitting on the beach and seeing this. A little piece of heaven...Snyder Beach.

Marcia

Summer Vacation 2

This is Carol Taylor showing one of her quilts at the Show & Tell group....her work makes my heart sing! She invited Marcia and me to her studio after the meeting. YIPPEE!!!

There was COLOR everywhere :) I must have gasped a hundred times. I SO admire art quilters....and I count a bunch of them as friends...I'm so drawn to them and their innovative ideas.

Carol's studio is amazing...the way she displays her quilts is ideal....love these racks.

There are so many quilts hanging here...I wanted to see them all. But I also needed time to look through her threads and decorative yarns. Then we went to the basement...

This is where Carol has all her dye stuffs....and a very cool dye table...and more quilts!

I love the way this quilt photographed...in person the bottom looked almost black...this is my favorite (if I HAD to pick one).

And then there is the fabric...there are probably five more shelves just like this....MmMm! Thank you Carol for a wonderful visit. And thanks to Marcia for a great time.

Marcia

What I Did on my Summer Vacation :)

On the Wednesday morning that I left Port Jefferson for Upstate NY, I drove onto the Ferry (which is 5 blocks from my house) and rode over to Bridgeport, CT....so I didn't have to deal with NYC traffic at a.m. rushhour. It makes my trip so much more enjoyable. That's Port Jeff Harbor in the top picture.

My first stop was Marcia DeCamps house in Palmyra to visit and maybe sell some fabric and jackets. I went to her show & tell group meeting and watched as one-by-one the beautiful work of the members was displayed. After the meeting I was invited to Carol Taylor's house to see her studio....WOW! Pictures tomorrow. Back to Marcia's. Above is some of her work done in a Nancy Crow workshop....Marcia is a veteran of NC classes.

Now...I have some fabric....but Marcia has MUCHO FABRIC!!!! And did you ever see such a neat display of fabric? I was salivating!! And the stories behind the acquisition of some of the fabrics was fun to hear.

Marcia and her wonderful husband Bill have the coolest house and grounds I have ever seen. They are both so creative and have some very unique ideas...fascinating to walk the grounds. And the Studio....well....it is a dream...I can't wait to go back and see it completed and hang out and do some work in it. That's it on the left. And I got to spend some time with Priscilla Kibbee, and bought some fabu buttons from Turkey and other places where she has traveled. All in all a great beginning to my summer trip.

I hope you can see this tree up close...very cool. My daughter who got married on Halloween would absolutely love to decorate this for October 31st!

Marcia

Summertime........

Well. I'm headed upstate to visit friends and family...so I probably won't be blogging much for a bit. I'm going to see Marcia D and her fabulous new Studio. http://www.decampstudio.blogspot.com/ ...I'll take pictures of course. She's taking me to her Show and Tell Quilter's group, and then we'll spend some time with Priscilla K. http://www.priscillakibbee.citymax.com/page/page/1476398.htm Then it's on to see the families in the Buffalo area and Rochester.

Nancy and I have decided to take a great new class with Jan Myers Newbury at the Nancy Crow Barn in the Fall...check it out. http://www.nancycrow.com/HTML/barnnewbury.html Someday I'll take a Nancy Crow class.....someday.

Marcia

Gorgeous Weather

We are enjoying the most beautiful weather...warm, sunny and dry . Too bad it's my work week...oh well, it's a 4-day week! I finished this jacket last night...it's cotton canvas.

I haven't been doing too much along fabric and sewing lines....busy with graduations, weddings, parties and house cleaning. But I did manage to get some more kids shirts done...I love these things.

Have a happy, safe 4th of July. We're going up to the Club and sit out on the deck and watch fireworks. Our village owns the Country Club, right on Long Island Sound. It is just one reason Port Jefferson is a desirable place to live. It has a million-dollar view of the Connecticut coastline and Sound, golf, tennis and fabulous restaurant. And as village residents, we pay very little to enjoy it, compared to other private places on LI. I'll take some pics.

Play Day

We had a great play day today...it was way too hot to go outside and dye, so we worked inside. Pat Rodgers was here from PA...so we of course had to get together. Esterita Austin stopped for an hour and caught us up on what she's doing and where she's going to teach.

Pat was showing us some techniques she uses and we were good students! Nancy's piece was put into a piece of leather to make the front of a purse. I made scrunched flowers with different silks...mmmmmm! Pat, of course, finished three pieces....with her eyes closed?!!! :)

Nancy brought a couple jackets for show and tell. The first, below, needs some finishing touches.

This one is done and really looks great

The back is fabulous...she dyed this canvas over the rack...then did some silk-screening with a thermofax screen.

Nancy also made and brought lunch...a yummy ratatouille with chicken....and left the leftovers...YES!!!

Marcia