We love to see what people do with fabric!
Send us pictures of your projects
so we can add them to this page!
See here for
POSTCARDS- Home Decorating
And for work showing postcards from professionals see
POSTCARDS from PROFESSIONALS
Valerie Hart- the Visual Vamp
I don’t follow many blogs. Most I find filled with a lot of pictures, but no content. But, I recently became aware of one that is worth one’s time!
PAINTING and EMBROIDERY on FABRIC
For some interesting ideas for painting and embroidering on fabric take a look at what Debby from the Lazy S’S Farm Nursery does! This is a tale of plants and fabric combined!
Hand made shoes by Mary Wales Loomis
Have you ever wanted to have shoes that matched a dress?
Or do you have problem feet and can’t find shoes that fit?
Mary Wales Loomis wrote a book just for you! It is called “MAKE YOUR OWN SHOES” and it explains exactly how to go about making a custom pair of shoes that will fit your feet perfectly!
HORST RAACK- Costume Designer
Once in a while one runs across someone doing something that is so unique it astounds one. A couple of years ago I received an order for the Faberge egg fabric. It was not a large amount, and because I like to fill the mailer, I inquired if they needed more. The answer that came back, about what it was to be used for, was a surprise.
Soups
For those of us who love soup the song of the Mock Turtle in Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll says it all:
Beautiful Soup
BEAUTIFUL Soup, so rich and green,
Waiting in a hot tureen!
Who for such dainties would not stoop?
Soup of the evening, beautiful Soup!
Soup of the evening, beautiful Soup!
Beau–ootiful Soo-oop!
Beau–ootiful Soo-oop!
Soo–oop of the e–e–evening,
Beautiful, beautiful Soup!
Beautiful Soup! Who cares for fish,
Game, or any other dish?
Who would not give all else for two
Pennyworth only of Beautiful Soup?
Pennyworth only of beautiful Soup?
Beau–ootiful Soo-oop!
Beau–ootiful Soo-oop!
Soo–oop of the e–e–evening,
Beautiful, beauti–FUL SOUP!
Whether hot or cold, summer or winter, soup provides us with a feeling of being nurtured. Soup does not have to be complicated, or take a long time to produce! Enjoy!
Gazpacho Soup
A bowl of gazpacho is as cooling as can be on a hot summer’s day. And it is as easy and quick as well!
Gazpacho Soup
A bowl of gazpacho is as cooling as can be on a hot summer’s day. And it is as easy and quick as well!
We don’t get much really hot and humid weather here in Maine. But, in August, when the Bermuda highs head up the eastern seaboard of the U.S., it gets down right unpleasant! As most of us don’t have air conditioning, ways to keep cool are at a premium. One of the coolest meals for this time of year is gazpacho- make it in the cool early morning, and finish it in the afternoon.
Originating in Spain, there are many variations on what is essentially chopped up salad. And like clam chowder there are red and white versions! The red is based on tomatoes, the white almonds. How one prepares this soup depends strictly on one’s individual likes- finely chopped or chunky? With bread as a base, or not? Olive oil or not? Onion or chives? And of course the balance of tomato to other items all make this a work in progress.
Below is how we make ours. It is just a jumping off point for people to experiment with. I like it rather chunky, my husband likes his very finely chopped. We have reached a compromise!
BRICK HOUSE FABRICS
Gazpacho Soup
2 ripe tomatoes
1/3 red pepper
1/3 green pepper
1 large cucumber
1 garlic clove
Stock, tomato juice, or water
Salt/pepper/paprika or Aleppo pepper
Herbs
Chives
A Lime
Peel and seed the cucumber if the seeds are large. Chop it into chunks and pulse in a food processor until finely smashed up; or chop finely. Put the cucumber in a large bowl. Do the same with the green pepper, and add it to the bowl. Add salt. Hand chop the tomatoes until very finely chopped. One is supposed to seed them, but we never do. Add them to the bowl, and hand chop the red pepper until very fine as well. Chopping by hand prevents a froth from forming. Slit the garlic, and add to the mixture with lots of freshly ground pepper, and some paprika if desired. Cover it, and chill it.
GAZPACHO READY TO BE THINNED
Later on thin it with stock, tomato juice, or water. Just before eating add a squeeze of lime to each bowl, ladle the soup into the bowls, and garnish with chives.
For experimenting:
try adding some olive oil, vinegar, and fresh herbs.
Serve with crusty bread.
A Rant about Beets- and a suggestion
A SHORT RANT ABOUT BEETS
There are three things about beets about which I feel strongly. ( A bit redundant there… )
Beet Salad
Last summer I was visiting family, and my sister and I went out to lunch. As a vegetarian, who does not care for mushrooms, I often run into the issue of there being very little on a menu that I can eat. This restaurant had a beet salad with pistachios. I decided to try it.
Caprese Salad
When summer tomatoes come in, and the heat and humidity are through the roof,who does not like a fast meal that still screams “SUMMER”? See my latest version of this classic summer fair.