The Countdown Has Begun...

All through the house, basement and back porch

are piles of "stuff."

Nanniepannie and I 

are in the midst of getting ready for the annual

Tree Street Neighborhood Yard Sale!

This is a BIG event!

It is an established event and many

people in the region make a special effort to get here,

and get here early,

in order to snag some real bargains.

Each year this event brings thousands of 

people into our neighborhood.

So, not only is it a great shopping adventure,

it is an excellent way to clean up

and get rid of things we no longer need or want.

I have even cleaned out my fabric stash

and will be measuring and pricing it today.

We are one week out.

By this time next week,

we should be the owners of a

lot less stuff!

Our rule is that once an item is taken outside

for the yard sale

it cannot be brought back into the house.

Happily there are several local charities

who make the rounds after the sale

and will take away anything you want to donate.

I have also been baking and freezing for several weeks

in preparation for our

"Bistro on the Porch."

Each year for one day

I get to satisfy my fantasy of having a 

tearoom, bistro, cafe, whatever.

We set up on the front porch

and offer a lovely little retreat for the 

weary and hungry yard sale shopper!

Thus far I have stocked away

Heath Bar Brownies (6 pans)

Mounds Cookies (6 dozen)

Zucchini Bread (8 loaves)

Cinnamon Cake (2)

Lemon Loaf Cake (4)

Pineapple Muffins w/Coconut Drizzle

Applesauce Muffins w/Cinnamon Sugar

(I've lost count on the muffins.)

The 80 chicken salad sandwiches I always make

will need to be made just before the sale.

The preparation continues...

Last year's event.

On My Needles Today...Not...or The Coat is Finished!

It's been a bit of a journey,

but my knitted coat is finished!

I love the color way and am calling it

"Abalone."

It has subtle shades of

aqua, sea foam and lavender.

The sleeves, which should be

a simple component,

gave me some challenges.

I started with the stockinette stitch 

you see above,

but decided I did not really like the look.

I then changed to the 

"Mistake Rib"

pattern I used on the opening

and sides.

After knitting almost half a sleeve
I decided I didn't really like the

way it was looking either. 

So, I changed to a larger needle and

worked them in stockinette stitch (again).

I found the perfect buttons at a lovely yarn shop in

Blowing Rock, NC

during a recent road trip with my

knitting buddies, called

Unwound.

There are slits at the bottom of both sides.

I never finish a project like this without thinking,

"If I ever knit another one of these I will..."

There are some slight changes 

I would probably make,

but over all, I'm very pleased with

the final results.

So...what IS on my needles today?

I am in the process of binding off a FUSION scarf in

shades of teal.

I plan to make a slouchy hat to match.

Happy knitting!

Caprese Garlic Bread

I haven't made bruschetta all summer long.

The reason is because of the

above recipe on Pinterest.

I used to post my cooking endeavors  
fairly regularly on my blog.

But since becoming an avid "pinner" 

I see there are so many bloggers out there

doing it SO much better than me.
(Believe me I know my photography limitations!)

So, I think I'd rather

try their recipes and link 

you up with them when I find a real winner.

THIS is the BEST recipe I have yet

discovered on Pinterest.

It's from Two Peas and Their Pod

and it is for

Caprese Garlic Bread

In addition to replacing your favorite bruschetta recipe

it's also a great replacement for take-out pizza.

What I think sets this recipe apart is a 

spread of garlic butter on the bread

and a finishing drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

The only change I have made is I am

no longer reducing the vinegar

as the original recipe instructs.

Instead I have purchased a mister

and am misting the balsamic vinegar on at the end.

With tomatoes in season

and basil plentiful in the garden,

there is NO reason not to give this a try!

(Continuing...) On My Needles Today...

Still working on my FUSION jacket,

which has finally "told" me

it's going to be a coat rather than a jacket!!!

The back and one front are now complete.

I made a start on a sleeve,

but decided I wasn't happy using

the stockinette stitch for it.

So...

...a bit of ripping out this week...

(Personal motto...

"If you're going to knit,

you're going to rip...")

...and back to the drawing board for a bit of redesign.

So much of this process is trying something

and deciding if I like it.

I wish I could clearly envision how

designs are going to actually look once knitted.

But I'm a "try it and see" person.

I decided the sleeves needed a bit more texture

than the stockinette stitch I originally tried.

I am using instead the "Mistake Rib" stitch 

I am using on the sides and front openings.

The sleeve here looks a bit out of proportion

but will widen out once it is blocked.

Once this sleeve is finished (very soon now)

everything else left to do, 

except finishing,

will just be a repeat of what has already 

been knitted (i.e. other side and sleeve).

So, although I still have a fair amount of knitting to do,

the finished coat is now within sight!

Happy knitting this week!

On My Needles Today...

I am continuing on with my

Fusion jacket.

The back is done!

I am presently working on one

of the fronts.

This is my beginning yarn inspiration.

The sleeves will be knitted with it.

Happy knitting this week!

SO GLAD I'm a Scavenger!

I found this set of blue vase prints

in the latest catalogue I received from

Ballard.

Gorgeous, aren't they?

I love Ballard's styling and

it is often a source book of

decorating inspiration.

However, this one time,

I was one step ahead of them!

Several years ago I found two unframed prints

in a local "antique" (i.e. junk) shop for $5.00 each.

I have loved blue and white forever

so could not pass them up. 

I framed them myself with frames from Michaels.

They now hang in my dining room.

Because of their position, 

the lighting in that room,

and my questionable photography skills,

I can't show you a really nice picture

of how they look.

They hang on either side of the 

dining room's archway into the living room 

and are a nice compliment to the

blue and white vases I have displayed there.

Now for the real beauty of it all...

Ballard's  19-inch square prints are priced at

$179.00 each.

My 19 x 23-inch prints cost me approximately

$40.00 each.

Priceless...

On My Needles Today...

I have started a new,

BIG 

project!

This type of project always starts with me pulling

yarns from my stash.  

My inspiration is from several skeins of a

sea foam green, wool and mohair blend.

That will be my "main color."

Then I pull any color that works with it, 

especially paying attention to getting

as much textural variation as I can.

Differences in yarn weights

are not a factor.

Aren't the colors gorgeous knitted together?

My plans are for this to become a 3/4 length jacket.

Of course at this stage, the project is always

subject for a change of heart.

This piece is one half of the back...

so it's early yet!

This will be an ongoing project for a few weeks.

I'll keep you posted!

Happy knitting!

Simple New Window Treatment for the Living Room

The living room has been evolving 

a bit lately at

Buttermilk Cottage.

With the addition of my new "knitting" chair,

which I showed you last week,

I needed a little something different

at the living room window.

I had just done new window treatments

for this room about a year ago,

but that fabric clashed with the chair's.

Since I had fabric left over from the slipcovers just

made for love seats in that room

I decided to use some of it.

It's the heavily quilted fabric at the bottom.

I found a second textured, off white 

to use as well.

I used the same simple design 

as the previous treatment.

This window topper is a series

of five squares of fabric

(one fabric on each side),

sewn together, leaving a small opening for turning.

Once turned, I used fabric glue to close up the opening.

Clothespins work great to hold everything in place

while the glue is drying.

I then folded the squares in half diagonally.

This allows the contrasting fabric

to show a bit too.

Using  small curtain rings with clips

I arranged the folded squares on the curtain rod.

Ultimately I would like to have a slip cover 

made for the knitting chair

with a fabric that coordinates with the original

blue and yellow window treatment

and then rehang those in this room.

But in the meantime, this is working for me

and I am enjoying the change.

Happy weekend!

On My Needles Today...

is a teal mohair mitten to match

one that is already finished.

The hat I was working on last week
is finished!

Happy knitting!

My New "Knitting" Chair!

After waiting eight months for a 

chair I had on order from Ballard,

I finally decided I could wait no longer

and cancelled the order.

Making the rounds of the local furniture stores

I found one that "spoke" to me!

 I like the French script fabric.

It was comfortable,

which was the number one criteria since

my back likes to bother me.

(For someone who sits and knits

as much as I do, a chair with support

is essential.)

And the scale of the chair was right.

It was delivered the same afternoon I bought it.

(Ballard, I love your style,

but your customer service needs improvement.)

I now have a brand new "work station!"

The hidden bonus of this chair is that it's a

RECLINER!!!

I have never been a fan of recliners.

They always seemed too big

and too bulky.

If someone had ever told me I'd own one someday,

I would have said they were crazy!

Never say never...

Come sit awhile...

Linking at Twirl and Take a Bow
at
All Things Heart and Home