OREN

Meet Oren. He's the "Oren"ginal Mock Pie Studio teddy bear! 100% handmade. He's so lovable! Hope to have many of his friends and relations available for sale at the October and December shows. For more information, visit my "WHERE I'M GOING" listings to the right.

TO TOSS OR NOT TO TOSS

"Peek-A-Boo" by Sara Mika

(created with tea bags)

Chances are, if you know me, you've heard something about my collection of used and dried tea bags. You may even be one of the lucky individuals who have saved and dried their used bags for me. (Thank you!) I set up a tea bag drying station at work and I've even gone so far as to have a local business save their used commercial sized bags for me. Yep. I collect them, dry them, empty and store them.

So why do I go to all this trouble? I use them in my art quilts. The empty bags are moisture and heat resistant so I can use them in a variety of ways. I love the random dye patterns and because I obtain them from many different people, I have collected quite an assortment.

"Piece of Mind" by Sara Mika

(created with tea bags)

Here's the dilemma. Since I recently bought a home, I've been trying to weed out the junk. You know, get rid of the stuff I've been hanging on to forever. But I just can't decide on the tea bags. I've got so many it's almost ridiculous! I think of the reasons I love them and then I can't stand to part with them. However, if I make myself use them all, I know it will take me until the rest of my natural life. I think of all the other art I want to create. I don't want anything weighing me down or holding me back.

"Peek-A-Boo" (at the top of this post) is my latest tea bag creation. It's also got an old x-ray that is visible when the piece is held up to a light source. I love it. I submitted it for publication but found out the other day that it wasn't selected. I told myself that if it didn't get in, I would toss the tea bag collection. I ALMOST did today. But I just don't know. What do you think???

BOTANICAL BOUNTY

The first sunflower finally arrived! Reminds me of autumn...

Love, love, love my yard! Not sure what variety I've got here, but I adore these yellow relatives of the daisy! So sunny and happy!

Look what I found among the weeds...literally! This single pale yellow flower was growing underneath my tiger lillies. I nearly pulled it up with a handful of weeds! Lucky save. I potted it and gave it a more fitting home in my sunroom.

Never knew hostas were so beautiful...

I've got tomatoes! Deceiving pic...they are actually very teeny baby toms.

Rescued these sweet white flowers from obscurity.

Here's the first of the cosmos. Delicate and dainty. Perfect.

PROUD AS A PEACOCK

Farmer Gram must be proud as a peacock! The first morning glory has bloomed! It's so beautiful. A requirement for my new yard was a bounty of morning glories on a wagon wheel just like Gram had at the farm. Mine are currently growing up lattice, but they are just perfect. The center is the purest snow white. Heavenly! The white and violet striping on the underside is simply mesmerizing.

These lovely pink pretties came from nowhere. They have a very tropical flavor about them. I'd like to pluck one and tuck it behind my ear....dance the hula in the backyard. Tempting, but I'd probably be committed.

The sunflowers are beginning to peek out of their leafy cocoons! Hurry, hurry! I'm getting antsy! And I know the sunshine can't wait to kiss your pretty petals!

SPAGHETTI SOUP

Spaghetti Soup? Yep. Spaghetti Soup. When I was young, I remember taking a trip with my Dad to visit a friend and their family. It was fun. It was a long way from our home in New York. Seems like it was somewhere in Pennsylvania. When we got there, we climbed up a big mountain that seemed to be practically in their backyard. At the top was an awesome outlook. They lived in a HUGE place, with many floors and tons of rooms. I suppose they were remodeling or had just moved in because many of the rooms were empty. One room had several mattresses lined up on the floor. They kept us kids occupied with jumping up and down until we were told to cool it. At some point, I remember reading a book in a bedroom while the rain fell outdoors. The windows were huge. You could almost crawl up onto each ledge. Really, the only disturbing thing about the trip was the Spaghetti (or "Ba-sketti" as I used to call it) Soup we were served for dinner. Our host seemed so proud at the frugality of the meal. But all I could think was...Spaghetti SOUP??? It was cooked spaghetti, tomato sauce, and I believe stale crackers all mixed together in a blender. I looked at Dad in astonishment and probably a little fear. Did I really have to eat this?! He quietly said something like, "Just eat it!" Yikes! Needless to say, the memory of that supper is good for a laugh now and again. Too funny! But guess what? Today I pulled out a recipe book and somehow flipped right to one for Spaghetti Soup! I can't believe it! It's a REAL recipe that doesn't involve a blender or a food processor. I thought I'd better document it. So here it is.....Spaghetti Soup. Oh, and Dad? Guess what's on the menu the next time you visit!

Spaghetti Soup

Heat 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil in a 6-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 lb. of skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into cubes. Cook until the chicken is well browned, stirring often. Remove the chicken. Reduce the heat to medium and add another tbsp. of vegetable oil. Add 1 medium chopped onion and cook for 1 minute. Add 1 large chopped carrot and cook for another minute. Add 1 stalk of finely chopped celery and 2 cloves of minced garlic. Cook for 1 more minute. Stir in 2 cups of chicken broth, 1 can of condensed tomato soup (10 3/4 oz.), and 1 cup of water into the saucepan. Heat to a boil. Stir in 3 oz. of uncooked spaghetti broken into 1-inch pieces. Cook for 10 minutes or until the spaghetti is tender. Add the cooked chicken and 2 tbsp. of chopped fresh parsley. Heat thoroughly and serve.

THE SUN'LL COME OUT

I have been saying it forever! "The sun'll come out...tomorrow." But today, it was finally sunny enough to do some coffee/cinnamon staining. I was a busy girl today! The quilted vintage blocks above are cut in the corners because they are going to become chic fiber pinwheels. Can't wait to display them in a tin pail!

These vintage quilt block pillows are so sweet when hanging on a door knob! I hung four of them on the closet doors in my studio. By the way, a total re haul of my new studio space will shortly be underway. I plan to document the entire transformation here on my blog. I'm so excited for my dream studio space to become a reality. I can picture it in my mind and it is breathtaking!

I managed to squeeze in a few hours of yard work this morning. I did some weeding, transplanting, and watering. Everything was thirsty. A lovely reward for a morning spent laboring in the yard were these gorgeous tiger lilies. A welcome addition to the yard!

WAYWARD TOMATO

Couldn't pass up sharing this sweet, wayward tomato. Found it this morning while clearing some out-of-control weeds from beneath my holly bush. What the heck was it doing there? How did it even get there? How has it thrived so without my incessant watering and nosy check-ups on it growth status? A bizarre mystery indeed! Could be an epidemic...I also found a sunflower growing in the marigold bed and a morning glory far from it's hitching post!

WORTH WAITING FOR

Yippee!!! It's finally done! The baby shower quilt turned 1st birthday gift, was finished with only about an hour or two to spare. Of course I had to do plenty of hand quilting and tie funky orange buttons on. I know I was pushing it given the time constraint, but it came out great and was well received. I would say definitely worth waiting an entire year for! Now I'm moving on to Kelly's signature block quilt. All the blocks were signed at her wedding reception in June 2007. Then, I decided to free-motion stitch calla lily motifs onto nearly 100 blocks. Sometimes the designer in me isn't taking into consideration that an artist really ought to sleep once in a while! This will be a much bigger project! Kelly, you invited A LOT of people to your wedding! But at least your quilt is up next, girl! Love ya!