Supper

My favorite part of having company for dinner is setting the table, choosing dishes, staring at the linens for an hour deciding which to use. Okay my favorite 3 parts. And I like wrinkled white, almost sheer linens the best. At least for summer. Even though the mood of our get-togethers is never formal, I just like setting. I was always the setter in our family. Presentation. Presentation. Presentation.



I also like the flower hunt in the yard. With very little time for any gardening this year I resorted to one of my faithful crepe myrtles. She is so trusty. Whether she's dressed in white, autumn red, or scantily clad in bare branches, I can rely on her showiness. In the summer I like to deleaf the part of the branch that will go in the water and let them float instead of tangle. They look happier like that.



We are kind of saying goodbye to summer almost aren't we? It's still really warm but I can hear fall knocking on the door. So I considered our dinner a transition meal that should bid a nice adieu to the sweetness and freshness of summer. Which sounds like I thought about it way hard. But really I didn't. The salad. Mixed field greens, sliced strawberries, honey-roasted sliced almonds, croutons and cubed feta (I don't buy crumbled, I like to cut it myself).

The dressing. We need to talk about this for a minute and our conversation should begin with an apology if you don't live within driving distance to Nashville. Emily's Kitchen Sesame Vinaigrette is so, so, so good. Which should explain the homey looking bottle, inkjet label and the $6.99 price tag. Its just sweet enough, just tart enough, and so mellow I would swear it must have liquor in it. When you put it in your mouth it's like someone just told you you're beautiful. Actually its better than that. It's like someone just told you you're brilliant. It's liquid gold. It was made, served and sold at a favorite lunch spot of mine which ended up closing a few years ago. Then I happened to find it in the refrigerator case at Granny White Market, our neighborhood convenience store. Emily, I don't know who you are, but, thank you.

Alrighty. For dinner. Orzo and chicken with tomato, fresh basil, garlic and lemon.




With fresh cooked tomatoes I am very picky about the skins. I don't like them. I only eat skins when its cold tomato salad. But for fresh tomato sauces, or purees, byebye skin. You know the trick to easy deskinning? Drop them in a bath of boiling water, the one you're about to cook the orzo in. It only takes about 30 secs and those suckers pop, then you can peel off with one swoop. If they're already on a vine, leave them that way, cause its easier to fish them out. And don't worry about the yellowy stained water, it makes the orzo taste better.



In an iron skillet I piled up chopped tomato, tons of chopped fresh basil and garlic, juice of 4 or so lemons, salt, pepper, a spiral of olive oil and about 3 tablespoons of butter. If I'm making it with chicken I add about 1/2 cup whole milk, if I'm making it with fish I add white wine. Meanwhile I am skillet cooking chopped chicken breast which was first doused with salt, pepper, lemon juice, olive oil, dried oregano, dried basil. The cooked orzo is just kinda hangin out back there staying warm.



When the chopped sauce is nice and bubbly, I add some parmesan to make it thicker.

I pour all three components together in a big stainless bowl and toss together. Then taste, and add lemon, salt or parmesan as necessary. You could top with feta.

I am the worst when someone asks for a recipe for anything, because I absolutely never follow one, nor do I measure anything. I'd rather just have you over when I cook. Really. Come on. I can tell you how big the heap was with a hand motion or how tart something should taste with a weird expression on my face, probably. I don't think I'll be writing a cookbook anytime soon, unless someone can follow me around and figure out what I'm doing. That would actually be nice to have anyway. What am I doing?


Dinner was great suppergirls. The conversation even better. Come back soon. And thanks Janna for the lemon icebox pie. I think theres still a sliver of that summer in the fridge.

xo,AM

Reporting from Afghan-o-plan

Just an update on the current state of Grandma's afghan. Some of you seemed truly concerned, so thought I should share news of its safety. It is pleasantly warming the playroom couch. Well, maybe I can't assure its safety, but it is all in one piece. And it will remain in one piece. I like it here. The little monsters love it. I'll likely crochet, knit, patch my own funky cover for the ottoman instead, but the weather needs to cool off before I can get in the mood to do that. The rain is ushering in some of those cozy feelings though.

N'kay, back to housecleaning, hosting supperclub tonight. Hoping to share my little feast with you here tomorrow. xoAM

Light Sewing

The other night our power went out. Again. Power loss is one thing in the winter when you can huddle close, bundle up, light candles, etc. It's another thing all together when its a million degrees outside and you want to stick your head in the freezer after about 30 minutes of it. But doing that would sacrifice the freezer temperature so you don't. Luckily this time Jeff had all the little ones at the pool and stayed an extra long time realizing there was no reason for them to be at home. So Juliana read by her window in her room and I folded every clean and dry piece of laundry I could find. Then I picked up a baby gift I've been working on. On and off. Power off. Hand sewing on.



Thankfully there was about an hour or so of good light left so, I pulled a chair over to the living room window. What is it about handsewing?! Anyone else know what I mean? Are you sad when you're done? I'm heartbroken when I'm done, I cherish it, really, really. This is probably why I tend to embellish small appliqued items so frequently. I'm never ready for it to be over quite yet. So I continue the conversation between the background, the embroidery, the cut fabrics. Like hosting my favorite friends and I'm not ready for them to leave. I'm the youngest of three. I hate being left. Thank goodness there's oodles of fabric in my studio and it doesn't have anywhere it needs to be.

So the gift is a pair of miniature pillows for a new baby friend. A Miss Clarke Caldwell who is affectionately called "CeCe". This baby girl is so adorable. Especially adorable. I need to have another holding session. She just sinks right in like she knows me even though she doesn't. She will soon I guess. So I still have one more "c" to go. Yay. Now if I could just talk her mommy into naming her "CeCeCe" we'd be in business.

xoAM

Our Greece

Our radio wakes us up to NPR every morning. My eyes were filled with tears this morning before they were even open. Again. I've been following the tragedy of fires in Greece since I first heard on Friday night and I am shaken by the grief it has caused this beautiful place. My parents are in Greece right now visiting their home there and all the family so I was quick to check on them. They are fine as are all of the dozens of aunts, uncles, and cousins that I have there. The closest fire to them out of nearly 200 burning now is probably still 40 miles away. So many of you have emailed me with concern, some knowing my parents are in Greece right now and some of you just knowing that I'm Greek and that I may have family there. I do, lots of family and, thank God, they are all safe. Thank you all so much for your concern, really so kind.

My mom always brings me her plants to care for while they are away, so I'm watering them and keeping them alive. I can't stop thinking about those who have nothing but a garden hose to save their homes, their families, their lives. I've been thinking about childhood summers spent in Greece kicking around the village roads with my cousins. My Yia-yia's geraniums spilled, no, poured, over the stone walls of the family home. Such beauty. The people, the landscape, the spirit of the entire country, just beautiful. My heart is breaking some today for it all. I'll keep watering and praying. Thank you for sending your prayers eastward and over the ocean too.

with love, Anna

8/29/07 - Thank you all for the thoughts and prayers. I want to share this recent exchange with a reader in Athens:

Gia sou Anna Maria,

My name is Andromahi and I'm from Athens, Greece. I decided to email you when I read your article yesterday.

Your words touched me deeply. Even the title "Our Greece" shows how much you love this country.

It's very painful to see our country suffering so much. All these people who lost everything they had. Relatives, friends, houses, lands.
Entire villages and forests disappeared from the map in a single night.

We are watching on TV old people refusing to abandon their houses because their houses, simply, are their whole lives. Young people risking their lives to save people they don't even know.

This is the biggest tragedy for Greece since the 2nd World War. And everyone is wondering, "who is causing this tragedy?" and "why?"

And grief becomes anger...

Thank you for being so "Greek" Anna Maria. Thank you for praying for "Our Greece".

Andromahi

****

Gia sou Mahi, So nice to hear from you and how thoughtful that you wrote.

I wondered all my life about the phenomenon that my father must go through as an immigrant here in the states. My feeling was always that he never felt at home yet never felt away from either place. I've only been in Greece a handful of times yet always have a bit of my heart there due to having so much family there.

When this horrible occurrence of the fires began I felt it in a way that I cannot describe. I know all those faces that I see on television. Not in real life but in my heart. I know that spirit that helps a stranger. I have never felt love for Greece more. I have never felt more like it belongs some to me as I did when I watched it burn up.

Thank you for your words. My 9 year old son was almost in tears and said he wished he was there fighting for the land and that the people he saw could be here in safety. He was overcome with sadness for a place he has only seen as an 18 month old.
So my suspicion about my own feelings for Greece must be true. It is in the blood.

With prayers, be well, Panagia mazi sou, Anna Maria

Little lollipop launch

Hey its me and the Chicks! Look what this talented group of designers has been sewing up with Chocolate Lollipop. There are some astonishingly adorable frocks to be had at their ebay auction that just went up this week. Be sure to arrange by the newest items first to see all the Lollipop thingies that are continuing to be be updated.



I am so humbled when I receive emails from readers who tell me how much my fabric has inspired them, or how one of my ideas may have gotten them out of a rut and started sewing again. I really just can't even tell you how wonderful that is. Certainly I make my living doing this, but seeing what you do with my fabrics is payment beyond measure and is actually inspiring to me. More than you realize. Getting paid for something really never tells me I'm doing it right. Watching what happens after it leaves my hands is like dessert.

I really am paying attention to what you make, what you say and what you do with my fabrics. As a designer its not just a joy to see but really interesting to view how some of you are putting together various prints- both my prints or mine with some of my other designer peeps.

As I work on new fabric collections (literally, like I'm procrastinating as we speak on the second of two new lines rolling out in the next 6 months), I am guided a bit sometimes by how you use all this fabric that started out as sketches in my drawing book. Please keep up all the beautiful creating and please keep sharing it with me and your darling loved ones!



I'm glad to know that more of you are sewing and that your children, pets, friends and houseplants are watching you do it. I dare say the world is better for it. Uh-oh, sounds like I'm starting to take this seriously.

xo,AM

(Photo credits from the top:
Lollipop Launch layout designed by Kris
pink pieced top and skirt by Katarina of Flowers*and*Butterflies,
daisy apron dress by Sharon Mirick,
multi-floral pieced jumper by Lori of Belles and Bows)

Puppy love

There was lots of puppy love for Bela's birthday. After about 30 minutes of passionate deliberation, Juliana and I came up with a great plan for the cake. We used to 2 standard size sheet cakes and only frosted the bottom one. Juliana was the smarty who decided the top yellow cake shouldn't be frosted so it would look like a furry yellow lab. Bela's favorite. I cut the cake using the same design I used for Bela's new tote bag. Juliana did the yellow polka dots and the "bela" frosting. Eleni licked the frosting. Very helpful.



The big kindergarten girl chose her own selection of fabrics for her new tote. The applique was very easy because there was no turning involved, I just left the edges raw for a furry little puppy.



I even made this little Puppy Love silhouette and simple instructions for any of you dog lovers who might like to try it. Just click on that link to download the 11x8.5 jpeg to your desktop then print it out (the link is also over in the sidebar now under "printable playthings"). You can enlarge or shrink the silhouette for a cake or a coin purse.

Isabela runs here little fingers over the 'fur' when she holds her bag, like she's taking Leo with her to school. School must be seeping into her dreams at night. When I woke her up this morning she said "oh I was having such a good dream but then it turned around and brought me back home like the schoolbus".

I love childspeak.

xo,AM

A sprinkling

Isabela is 6 years old today. Happy Birthday to Bela! And a Happy Birthday to Grandpa Jack. I'll never forget having birthday cake in the delivery room on the fun day that Isabela shared her arrival with Jeff's dad's birthday. My sweet school girl was greeted with a sprinkley breakfast this morning lest she forget it is her day. We'll save the home made yummies for later on. A puppy cake has been requested, of course. Bela is our resident dog lover, as you know.

It is so hot in Tennessee that the schools only have a half-day, and perhaps more half days this week. Although we've declared Isabela Day as the reason. We had our first rain in weeks during the night. It sounded so wonderful and comforting that I almost crawled out of bed to watch it. Almost.



We had a busy weekend with a little bit of everything. Yard work, swimming, hiking, shopping, thrifting, baking. Oh, I found those 5 little sunny plates for 25 cents at Goodwill. It fed my folk love for the time being. Also the boys now pride themselves on being able to make sunnysideup eggs all by themselves, and they are out of their minds thrilled if their sisters want one too. So I thought these a perfect set for the 5 of them as they feast at strange, often not-typical-egg-eating-times of the day. I think I need to buy some chickens. Anyone raising chickens?

Speaking of sprinkles, thank you soooooo much for sweetly sprinkling my comment box with all the advice, help, encouragement, and thoughtful words regarding blog services. I'm still thinking it over, though I know that some change will happen. I have fiddled a bit with the html in blogger to do a few things, and know that I could figure out more if I had the time. But thats just it. The time. I've learned (often the hard way) that just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should. My time is likely better spent doing other things, so I'd like for a more effective set of tools to be waiting for me when I'm ready to go. It seems like typepad and the wordpress service are comparable, just a different trade-off with cost and user-friendliness. I do like the idea of seamlessly integrating my blog with my website, which is in dire need of updating. Which leads me into thinking about just programming my own blog on the site, etc. And this is the way its been going in my head around in circles for a few weeks. I'll keep ya posted, pun intended. Anyway. Have a donut. You deserve it and its calorie free. Thanks peeps. xo,AM

Sell it to me, baby

I just posted an "ooops" post to apologize for a momentary template loss on my blog in case anyone saw it. I've yanked the "ooops" post and replacing with this one. It's my appeal for your feedback fellow bloggers! When I started blogging last year I ended up at blogspot by default...no real thought went into other than, well, its free, I'll try it. Had no idea how much I would fall in love with the process of it and with my readers and fellow bloggers. With love comes demands. Blogspot is disappointing me and I'm finding I need more out of our relationship. I've been committed, faithful and yet I never get emails letting me know about comments anymore or I often have a hard time uploading photos. Which results in wasting time and not getting to respond to comments as often as I wish.

So, do tell. Tell me why you love your particular blog service. I'm not looking to do anything overnight, but its been on the list. I am much better with the tools shown above than the computery stuff, but somehow I manage. Or cry. Which makes Jeff help. Which is the same as managing. So I'll bug you guys this time instead of him. He says thanks.
Thanks kids, xo,AM

Breakfast for one

Eleni is the official only one at home this school year. Even sharing a room with Isabela, she can't manage an eye open early enough to see the other kids load onto the bus. So every morning she wakes up and asks where everyone is. She sorta doesn't seem that disappointed. She hasn't even asked why she's not going to preschool like she did in the spring. I surprised even myself with that decision as busy as my days are. Something in me just wanted her here. Maybe because shes the last. Is she the last? God only knows. I get that question a lot. A whole lot. More than I did when I had 2 or 3. Now that we're up to 5 people assume we're already crazy, so they wanna know just how crazy maybe. Which is fine. Truth is I don't know how to answer it. I don't know what our number is. So I usually say "oh, I think 5 is a good number" which is not a lie. But its not the whole story maybe, just an answer.

My cup runneth over. I can hardly stand it. In the best way. xoAM

School Rules

To make our new standard school attire more bearable for the resident fashionista (the other one), we decided to do a small story showing off a few little tricks.

So here are the options...
Shirts: white, navy, green or yellow button-downs and polos and turtlenecks. (green and yellow? I know, don't ask, school colors)
Bottoms: navy, black, khaki pants,long shorts or skirts
Dresses: black, khaki, or navy shirt-dresses ,polo dresses or jumpers

Clearly its going to be imaginative uses of a few colors, eye-popping details and less ordinary silhouettes that keep Juliana on the fashion bus.



Lets start with this short story. Her hair has changed a bit, no? I love it. So does she. A little pink streak never hurt anything either, especially when conservatively tucked back with a silver bow.



And balanced on the other side by a single gold butterfly earring.



More sparkles at the toes. No rules about sparkley toes.



Heres a new jumper and tote she made herself. I love the floral buttons she found. Ever since she started making jumpers and totes it seems there's always one or the other in progress. Her mock turtle neck is from Old Navy.



I love this shirt dress from the Gap. I bought one too. Not a size two though. Ahem.



A stinkin' cute red clutch from Forever21 is very pop-y with black.



Naturally, more fun shoes. These are from the Gap too. Not the same kind of deals as these, but an essential, don't you think?

So there's 3 variations on a theme. We wouldn't want her personality to suffer from lack of expression. Its pretty obvious how hard it is to get her to relax and be herself. Snicker. We had so much fun, I would have taken pictures all day but she got sick of changing.

You know teenagers. They are born rule breakers. The challenge is making sure they use their brains and creativity enough within the confines of rules to make the most of it. Its almost more of an accomplishment to maintain style within rules than if you had full freedom. But only if you care about that sorta thing. We're not sure she does, really. She does think she's really funny though.

xoAM

Dear Jeff

We miss you. I finally got a nap in yesterday afternoon. Our 4am trip to the airport did not do much for my single parenting patience yesterday. I forget how hard it is when you're gone. I took the boys and Isabela to the science museum this morning with Karen who brought Josh and Leah. They all had a blast, dinosaurs, flight simulators, and every other gadget-y science-y trick. Karen and I got to watch from the comfort of a bench and an overdue conversation about life, family and parenting. I needed that. How did we get so lucky to land next to another family of 7? What great neighbors. Afterwards we swung back home to pickup Juliana and Eleni and headed for our favorite lunch spot. They were all like moths to a flame at the pastry counter, naturally. But they eventually gave in to the $4 PB&Js instead. Juliana and I got our usual Greek salad and Mediterranean veggie sandwich. Yum.



Well the spat over whether or not Juliana can glue all her magazine clippings to the wall seems to be taking a turn for the better. She's painting all the images instead. I guess she figured she's allowed to hang art. She worked on it all day yesterday and today. It looks amazing actually, I can't believe how good she is without anyone really teaching her anything. She completely has a handle on light, dark, color, structure and other things that some people take years to learn. I think she'll love taking art and photography at school this year. We watched Music & Lyrics last night which was predictably amusing yet predictable. I figured we would get a few girl movies out of the way while you're gone.

I just noticed that Eleni foamed your shaving cream all over our bathroom wall today while I was one the phone. Isabela has the keyboard on the powertools setting and I feel like our house is being remodeled again. Although Juliana is certain those sounds are more bearable than listening to the pre-programmed Aladdin soundtrack. Four more days till school. Long days. But only four of them.

Well, I still have to take a card and gift to Sherry, pickup my prints (we need to get our new printer!) for the new fabric and home goods collection so I can send off the discs....so I better run. Hope your presentation went well and also that you can get the earlier flight home. We all miss you. Even Leo.

xoAM

Scrappity-doo-dah

So maybe your scrap piles are overflowing like mine. I have been sewing up a storm this summer, and all on stuff I can't share yet. I did however lessen the load in my scrap boxes recently by stripping some fun pillows for the patio. I encourage you to organize your scraps by warm colors and cool colors. It might be the control freak designer in me but, I am just about 100% positive this trick alone will make you a happy person. It made me happy to randomly grab scraps from each box when stitching up these little doo-dahs.



I perched them on the wicker sofa in a cozy corner of the patio for now. Right on cue the little two also noticed I had moved some of their books out there. Do you ever move some kid books just to see if they'll follow them? It works. I think they stop seeing them if they're in the same place all the time. Plop a stack somewhere else in your house and see what happens. I am telling you its like birdfeed.



Eleni said she had to sit next to that one declaring "it has the same like me" pointing to the red and yellow embroidered flowers on her Mexican frock. Yes, of course, I thought. Isabela, ever the agreeable one, settled for the being next to the blue and green one.



Only a few more days of this duo and then Isabela heads to Kindergarten. Anything me and my scraps can do to make these fleeting moments more memorable is a worthwhile endeavor.

xo,AM

Sunday night

And in this corner

Here are some very early morning photos of another studio wall that got some color recently. Miss Form is wearing a dress by Juliana in progress. You've seen the airy blue wall here and there and I am enjoying how it mimics the early morning light from the windows. Then there's the deep straw-ish color I shared recently too.



I'm pleased now to introduce you to the creamy-coral-pink wall. This space is so large and multi-functional that choosing one color for all the walls felt a daunting task. I face a different wall depending on whether I'm sewing, painting, drawing, reading, blogging, cutting, etc. Choosing several colors makes this place feel like four different rooms in one. It makes it feel cozier. Thats a metal trashcan thats holding rolls of fabric. I have to wait until they get skinnier before I can fold them and put on the shelves happy and tidy.



This is not a new pillow, as you and my banner know. The bed now unfortunately looks more sink-into-able at around 3:25pm most days. That bed has some secrets of the napping variety.

time to make coffee. have a great weekend! xo,AM