all buttoned up.

High Desert Dispatch: Soft Boxes

We are on our way home from a few days away in Sisters, OR.  I have to check in at the quilt shop (and die a little) and maybe squeeze in a dessert out with Paul (Grammy and Grandpa are here, too) and then we are home.  It's Back-to-School-Pizza-Night-Welcome-Back-Fall-Paul-Get-Our-Canning-On time, plus Guess Whois back in town for a little while and I need some Shim time.  Thank you for all your words of encouragement about Sam starting Kinder-- I know that it's going to be so much better than last year (less crying from both of us) and we plan to totally hunker down for September and October while we all get used to a full day of criss-cross applesauce, keep your hands to yourself. 

Before things get rolling, I'm teaching a class at Bolt for any of you local peeps who might be interested.  It's next Wednesday and we're going to be making small, soft boxes together much like the ones you might have seen at Bolt (and all over this blog for that matter).  The boxes above are larger versions of the ones we'll be making and currently house the trim by the yard spools in the store.  You can check over in the sidebar over at the Bolt Blog for more information. And for those of you unable or not wanting to take the class, there's always this (how time flies).   

We have a ways to go

Labour Day weekend is late, late, late this year, making the march towards Kindergarten seem long and foreboding.  It's All Day, People.  How is he (am I) going to deal with this?  For starters, he bought a Transformers lunchbox today.  I, on the other hand, might take up mid-morning cocktails.  We are taking one more little trip next week and not least of all, trying to jam all the work we'd hope to get done on the house earlier this summer into these last few days. 

Sew, Mama, Sew posted a tutorial of mine this morning-- I put it together a while ago, but I realize it has happily coincided with Alicia's on the same topic.  There are loads of ways to paper piece... call mine the Travel Scrabble Version.  Best of all, I betcha you have everything you need to get started right. this. minute. 

I need to load up the IPod with last minute traveling stories.  Our favourites for the moment (and for all time, really) are as follows:

• Paddington and the Darkest Peru.  My favourite, too.  "Please Look After this Bear".
• Ramona the Pest... I wanted so badly for him to read this before he memorized it off the tape, but there are others.  We have the Stockard Channing version, which is very nice.  He giggles so hard and honestly, Ramona and the whole Kindergarten thing is very timely.  He also likes The Mouse and the Motorcycle, though slightly less so.

• And finally, Boomerang.  I'm guessing you've heard Blair talk about Boomerang before, but I have to say how much this program is becoming a part of our lives.  I wasn't sure that Sam was reading for it, (do all five year-olds get down with Tesla?) but he was and is.  He's an NPR kid through and through and this fits the bill perfectly.  Paul is loading up some of podcasts for his classroom this fall-- his kids are not used to seeing or hearing people their age create something like this.  He's thinking it might inspire them to create something similar as a class project.  He has high hopes-- maybe he can convince Dave Schmave to do a little urban collaboration...?  Anyway.  It's good stuff.  Our dear Blair writes for the blog and they are starting an affiliates program which I fully support.  

But before we go anywhere, though, I've committed myself to tiling a shower and piecing a quilt.  And more pickles.  I spy with my little eye a Coping Mechanism: Distract myself with a growing list.  It's probably better than drinking.  Updates to follow.

(edit: Paul thanks you all for the bday wishes and wants you to know that he sits like that all the time.  Just like they do in the movies.)

I Didn't Tell Him to Sit Like That. The Hoodie.

It is Paul's birthday this week and we got him a gift certificate.  That's right.  I bought him a piece of paper with the money he makes so that he can go and "spend" said piece of paper.  He'll be okay with it.  I'll make him a nice cake.

Earlier this summer I attempted to use up a bunch of the knit that I bought at last year's Outdoor Sale.  It coincided with Mariko's Craft Book Buying Bender, which was handy.  This is a great, great book.  The measurements are reasonable (finished measurements are often on the how-to page, in metric, and the "size" measurements are usually at the beginning of the book).  The ease on this pattern was huge and while I used the pattern pieces to put this all together, it looks nothing like the picture without the drawstring at the bottom or beautiful woven fabric (I'm saving all that for mine). 

Instead, I used a very lightweight dark brown and cream knit-- it's almost tissue weight, but I think there's some synthetic in there so it should be sturdy.  I hemmed the bottom edge and took in the sides a bit, so that it would fit properly.  It's just the right weight for autumn evenings.  Again, I don't use a serger or coverstitch machine for knits.  I'd like both of those things, but for now I put everything together using a long straight stitch. 

I'm always scared of making clothes for Paul because he uses a lot of fabric and what if it doesn't work?  Wasteful.  So I'm especially happy that he's happy with this. 

People that know Paul usually like him.  I mean, really like him.  Usually they like him more than they do me, and I don't blame them.  He's largely unflappable, generally funny, and he loves his family-- the boys and I-- more than anything in the world and he shows it.  He is unassuming and kind.  We are a lucky bunch.  Happy Birthday, Mister. 

Pomona's Pectin and a Few Pickles

 

We made it home last week-- the kids traveled so well.  I was very proud of them and will say with confidence that the plane rides were probably the easiest part of the whole trip.  There were a few meltdowns near the end (mostly from me, I think), two strange rashes (Sam), and the awesomeness that is Paul's complicated family, but we made out just fine.  It didn't hurt that our crazy, crazy Ford Flex rental had satellite radio making the extra 1400 miles we drove once we got to St. Louis, go a whole lot quicker.

We arrived home to some company, a sad, brown lawn (we missed almost all of the gruesomely hot weather), and the promise land of Portland (and its environs) in August-- fruits and vegetables.  I grew up canning all kinds of things and have tried here and there over the years to make good with what my mama taught me.  I don't put up much fruit because of all the sugar and because we don't have trees that I can pick from.  Jam has been a staple-- but again with the loads of sugar.  We went to pick Red Haven Peaches (to freeze) on Saturday and on a whim I picked up a box of Pomona's Universal Pectin from New Season's.  It was a bit more expensive than the regular Kerr or Ball pectin, but it makes close to double the amount and get this-- you can control/substitute the sugar.  Now, I know you purists out there are going to shout at me for not making my own pectin from currants or sour apples, but right now I need a box with directions, and this did the trick.

So, for 6 half pints of jam I used less than 3/4 cup honey and for the second batch, in addition to the honey, I threw in a handful of diced crystallized ginger.  It is very nice.  

My friend Beth has been thinking a lot about pickles and honestly, so have I.  The thinking turned to talk after she bought the book Small Batch Preserving (everything is in 4lb increments which is just lovely) and I started thinking about Brandon and Molly and the opening of Delancey and wishing I could be in Seattle.  Since meeting the two of them a year and a half ago and hearing Brandon talk vinegar and then reading Molly's book, I figured the next best thing to helping them wash dishes at the restaurant, might be to make my first batch of pickles in their honor. 

For the whole dills I used this recipe (192 mostly positive reviews sealed the deal, even if the ingredients sound on the safe side), skipping the hot water bath in the end-- everything sealed up fine.  (*edited to say-- as it has been pointed out, the hot water bath is for more than just sealing, so make sure you're clear with USDA or other food Authority guidelines.)  For the slices, I used the Bread and Butter Pickle recipe from Beth's book (hers were very good) which I will own soon.  I won't know exactly how mine came out until I pop them open in another month of so, but I have high hopes-- very high hopes.  AND, I've put my name on the list for a bag of gherkins when they come in. 

The labels from Sarah put everything right (she's having a free download week, best thing ever).  I used a little glue stick to get them on, but I'm thinking I'll try rubber cement next time.  And there will be a next time.   Get ready for a very Pickle-ish Gift Giving Season, Friends.