Baking

I don’t bake anymore, I used to bake years ago, breads, cakes. pies from scratch. Now I have a great daughter in law and a close friend who are always happy to show up with baked goods.

But of course I break that rule when Aytan comes to spend the night.  P1050707P1050709P1050706Very important to taste as you go. No, we didn’t bake from scratch, thank you Betty Crocker.P1050710Saba has to get in on the fun.P1050718We called these the Elk-Mandy cupcakes. Elk (uncle) doesn’t have a mustache but he likes the theme and Mandys’ (aunt) business is all about the lashes.  Actually, these should be called the Westley cupcakes, since it’s a combination of what both of his parents like.P1050719Add some sprinkles and it was take them home to mom and dad. I did eat one, the making was much more fun than the eating.

City of San Buenaventura

Black Friday, I had just spent two days cooking and then enjoying the Thanksgiving meal with family and friends. Now it was me time.P1050639So we drove up the coast to what we call Ventura, everyone calls this town Ventura, except like Los Angeles, it actually has a much longer name. P1050635Summers here can be overcast and gloomy, this time of year is when the sun is out and very very bright.P1050638Not everyone was shopping, many were out with us enjoying the day.  The pier is old, it is from the late 19th c. when Ventura was fighting to become a large port town, topography and Los Angeles changed all that. So now it is a working class coastal town. A little further north, Santa Barbara takes all the glory.P1050636Yes, sea gulls are rats on wings, sort of like pigeons, but they do photograph well.P1050641A number of these rock towers decorated the beach.PicMonkey CollageWe sat for a while and enjoyed watching the surfers…P1050648And got ‘artistic’ images by shooting right into the sun.P1050653Back up to Main street, lovely old Beaux Arts building from 1926, this one is special.PicMonkey CollageWho knew, that Perry Mason was born here. These days I find that many a crossword clue is looking for the name Erle, but I forgot that he is the one who wrote the Perry Mason books. I still remember the old TV show with Raymond Burr.P1050686The Mission San Buenaventura, what started the community.P1050662A wonderful old restored brick and tile building.P1050694An Art Deco theater, all lit up.century theaterAhh, but it turns out this is a modern building, built recently as a 10 theater multiplex. I’m willing to accept this as Art Deco, although some purists will say Art Deco ended in the 1940s’, so this is in the style of. I must say, I’ve seen some pretty bad original Art Deco, so I’m happy with the way this one looks.

A fun day trip, so many more little gems like this all around Southern California.

Quick sewing

With the quilt done, I’ve been whipping out some quick knit shirts.P1050328I used up the rest of the fabric from my Moneta dress. That was a summer dress, this shirt is fall or winter, so I won’t be wearing them in the same season.P1050575Cute diagonal plaid on a cotton jersey. I also made the skirt from a new to me fabric, knit denim. Yes, it has stretch to it, but not a lot, so I used a pattern for woven fabric.P1050556I inserted an invisible zipper. The skirt has a nice snug fit, but not enough stretch to eliminate the zipper. I made a few more skirts, but forgot to photograph them.

Now, on to Thanksgiving cooking.

Samurai, Japanese Armor

If there is something LACMA does very well it’s exhibitions with Japanese themes.  Without reservation, I’d say they do it the best in city.  Even The Japanese American Museum can’t hold a candle. So I was very excited to go see Samurai, Japanese Armor. Run, don’t walk, just get to this exhibit!IMG_0479At the entrance I was greeted by Samurai on their horses. Their armor is designed for warriors shooting arrows from the backs of galloping horses. Btw, if you notice the red color, that is all done with lights, but it does suffuse the whole room.IMG_0484I took many photos, but of course, they didn’t come out all that well, anyway, I’m just giving you a taste – my photos are just meant to whet your appetite. Most of the armor on display was made both for protection on the battle field and as Dress uniforms for display.

IMG_0486 Of course, whatever example we see in this exhibit probably never made it to battle. Although there are examples of breast plates with dents, the thought is that was simply a way of testing out the armor.IMG_0498The armor is made of thousands of small iron plates sewn together with silk thread. What looks delicate and insubstantial is actually very effectual.IMG_0485The face is often covered with a half mask of iron.IMG_0506The helmets are sight to see, once again, I’ve just captured a few.IMG_0513The fine filigree work would look better on a crown, but then for many of these Samurai this was their crown.IMG_0514

For those of you in Dallas, the exhibition originated at The Ann & Gabriel Barbier Mueller Museum, I would wait until after February 2015 to visit. More than a third of collection is at LACMA right now.

but also – as parade wear. Something this this brightly colored example is more for show.

Yarn bombing Grand Central Market.

Yarn bombing has gone completely legitimate. What started as some knitters running out in the middle of the night and putting ‘sweaters’ on lamp posts has know gotten the imprimatur of the authorities.

IMG_2849Grand Central market in DTLA has become the hot spot for fancy expensive food, so of course it’s needs a little colorful sprucing up as well. Btw, I’m not a naysayer of the improvements, I’ve enjoyed, Wexler’s Deli, McConnell’s Fine Ice Cream, Valerie. Haven’t stood in line for Eggslut, but have bought fruits, veggies, spices and household goods from the old time vendors.

Yarnbombing Los Angeles, has gone from guerrilla bombing to working hand in hand with the authorities to create yarn centered art. In this case, celebrating downtown with both knitting and crochet.IMG_2851We are in the Laughlin Annex up on Hill St.  They do need more seating arrangements, because it’s getting very busy.  On the yellow background they have created symbols of downtown, here we have the Metro line.IMG_2850The new Oyster Bar,  The fashion and flower districts are represented.knitbombThe Jewelry district and an overhead view of Disney Hall.PicMonkey CollageCity Hall and the toy district.IMG_2856Yarn and crochet side by side.

If you have a chance, go to one of the hippest places in LA, grab some great food and enjoy some yarn art.

Blue Sweater

Working with large needles is very nice. I finished the sweater very quickly.P1050453I knit the buttons onto the button band, only problem was, the little metal shank came out of two of thembuttonsIt’s a good thing I’m multicraftual.  Pulled out my Jewelry pliers and some strong wire and I made a new shank. A little epoxy glue and I’ve saved  a button.  It’s a little bigger than the original – easier to get the yarn through.P1050490I’m glad I didn’t make this out of bulky yarn like the pattern called for, it would have been too bulky on me. Going up a few sizes worked.P1050477P1050481Yes, there are many knitters who would sew grosgrain ribbon on the back of the button bands. I’m too lazy, I’ll live with the gaps. Some things like sewing 1800 hexagons by hand I’m willing to do, sew grosgrain on sweaters – no.P1050489Despite knitting the buttons in, I needed to reinforce them will backing buttons, otherwise they just hang loosely.  I found 7 matching buttons in my box, so what if the color is different, we’ll just call it a design element.

Embroidering the label

A quilt needs a label, something to tell you who made this and when. Even if the quilt is staying with me.  I enjoy some hand embroidery, so out come the reference books.P1050493I found the Embroiderer’s Handbook at Borders when they were selling everything off before going out of business. One of the best buys I’ve made. I know how to embroider, I follow some good embroidery blogs, but this has become my stitch bible.IMG_0476Gathering the materials.  I have started using Frixon pens. The naysays are worried about the image coming back, I’m not. Even if it does, oh well, sometimes convenience and ease is more important that irrational fears.P1050457The Frixon pen disappears when heat is applied. Like an iron. See it works! Unintentionally! I thought I’d iron it out before I went on with my embroidery – big mistake! Luckily I hadn’t thrown away my lettering, so I simply had to recopy.P1050492In the second book I found this lovely butterfly. What is better in the garden? Or the Not garden.P1050491leftover snippets.P1050495P1050499Now it is really done!

Nichols Canyon

P1050427Another walk courtesy of the Santa Monica mountains conservancy.  Nichols canyon is one of many in the Hollywood Hills. Which means that alongside old rusting drainage pipes, one can see incredible views.P1050428A woman and her dog, looking down on Hollywood.P1050429Our trail had very few people, but this being LA, one is never completely alone.  Across the canyon we were looking over the intrepid hikers on the western side of Runyon Canyon. That is the busiest of the Hollywood hill walks. What we were seeing is the harder steeper trail, so actually a lot less people than on the eastern side.P1050438A glimpse of the Griffith Park Observatory. P1050430Downtown, one must have views of downtown.P1050425Turning to the west, Century City with the ocean gleaming in the background.  The neighborhood in the foreground is Mt. Olympus – but that is a story for another post.P1050446Looking down into Hollywood, The Capitol Record building as well as the enormous mural on the back of the Renaissance Hotel at Hollywood and Highland.joel and leahThe happy hikers. Joel always brings his walking stick, I’m starting to do the same,  although this was a short hike, there were some steep slippery parts.P1050440Patriotic agave.P1050449And the strangest thing of all. I’ve seen many of these manhole covers,  but this is the first time I’ve seen one that proudly proclaims it was made in India.  This may be from the 40s’, who  knew that we had our manhole covers brought in all the way from India.

Not Your Grandmother’s Flower Garden.

This is it, quilt is finished and named, all it lacks is a label.P1050380I love the way the quilting compliments but does not detract, it couldn’t have worked out better.  I think I’ll be doing more walking foot quilting. I know it’s going to be a very long time before I make a full quilt out of EPP.P1050401Back is just as beautiful, most people would call this the front of a quilt.P1050406Hey, this might replace my banner.P1050386Yes, I’m proud of this.P1050394I’ve gotten very good at glue basting the binding and getting wonderfully perfect mitered corners.P1050417Permanent home for the Not your Grandmother’s flower garden.P1050419Ahh!  Well deserved reward!

I have already submitted this to QuiltCon, which is why I named the quilt. Since it is a modern quilt show, I needed a name that reflects using an old technique, but not an old pattern.  I’m very impressed with old Grandmother’s Flower garden quilts, but as antiques, not as something I’d want to make myself.

I think I’m going to do some clothes sewing for a while before I start another quilt.

Lemon Tree very pretty….

Sorry,  I’m humming the tune to an oldie called Lemon Tree.P1050375“Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower’s sweet, but the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat.”  Well, my tree is OK, and I have Meyer Lemons so they are sweet.P1050376We planted the tree when we moved into this house 8 years ago, I clearly have rust and other problems. These days I sort of ignore the garden and guess what – results, after all this time, the tree is finally producing more than just one or two lemons.P1050379Pity it’s a little too chilly for lemonade, but I cook with lemons all times so these will be put to good use.