IF YOU LOVE PASTA......

As some of you know, I ran a little cooking school YEARS ago, awarded one of the ten best Chicago area cooking schools by Chicago Magazine (Sept. 1978). My focus has shifted to quilt making but I still LOVE to cook and hope this 'off fiber' subject interests you.

 WOW.....This was my 3rd attempt making  Spaghetti all'assassina.  It's a strange way to make spaghetti served with a red sauce and we love it. The link for the recipe is above.

Instead of cooking the pasta in a big pot of water, draining then covering it with your favorite red sauce, the spaghetti is basically cooked IN THE SAUCE.  Weird, yes and a bit putzy to prepare...worth it.

This time I altered the recipe a bit and 'the husband' liked it even better.  #1. Instead of tomato purée......(because I couldn't find it where I shop) I used two jars of Marina sauce...garlic/basil.  #2. I exchanged chicken broth (Swanson box stuff) rather than the water.   #3.  I cut back on the amount of red pepper flakes ('the husband' can not tolerate really spicy flavoring anymore). However, with these changes the flavor still developed nicely.  

The view you see is at the end of the first cook down after the introduction of the first half of the sauce.  I woke up this morning thinking of it.....breakfast anyone?!?

Let me know what you think...DO NOT let the cooking method scare you.....it's just an amazingly delicious change for your pasta night.  We paired it with another fav.....Neuekse's smoked Jalapeno cheddar brats.  (NOT very spicy at all) Normally we would heat them on the grill but this time I popped two in the red sauce as it was simmering....PERFECT.  They ship anywhere and you haven't had bacon till you've had theirs.

Spaghetti all'assassina

NEW INVENTORY LARGE COMPOSITION BOOKCOVERS

 I've been in my happy place creating composition book covers using a wide range of interesting fabrics with emphasis on gelli printing and Japanese themes.

The prices range from $15 - $20, line ruled book included.  They can be purchased now for yourself or gift giving.  If you are local stop by to select your choices.  Shipping is also available.  More photos upon request, but here are some to tempt you....some photos show the front and back.  Each one is created with care and quality construction.

    

    

    

   

 Double posting today.....I'd been having trouble getting my photos to load on my blog.....finally figured out what was wrong.....and since I have now finished my latest tree piece.....here it is.

Now available with free shipping.

 

5 TREES  -  28.5” x 17”

Gelli printed grunge style trees on cotton, raw edge appliquéd, commercial batik background, densely machine quilted, hand embroidered, faced edges with hanging sleeve attached.

GROWING

My trees are growing...........................

BE MORE FLEXIBLE

Just because you want to use a specific piece or style of fabric, doesn't mean it will work! Continual reminders like this are still necessary despite my 40+ years of creating original art quilts.

I WANTED to use one of my beautiful ice-dyed fabrics as a background for a new art quilt that will feature some of my newly made 'grunge' gelli printed fabric. You can clearly see another option was going to show off these gelli prints more clearly. Okay, just do it!!!

Quilting on the appropriate background fabric has begun! 

"THE TWINS"

 It's been my habit to share mostly quilt/fiber related art on my blog and Facebook page.  It acts like a journal for me to document my projects and development of  techniques.  I'm grateful others find it interesting enough to follow along.....thank you.

Today it's more personal...........of thoughts floating in my mind, especially at the beginning of April each year and July 2nd and the urge to speak out loud (or rather via a keyboard)..  ****No quilting remarks today so hit delete if you wish.

We were always referred to as "THE TWINS".........not necessarily Nancy and Mary................but just "The Twins".  The pictures here show you why.  It's now been 23 years since your shining star became visible from above.  Oh the memories.......

The summer we spent 2 days in a row sitting through back to back showings of "Bye Bye Birdie"........and sang that song over and over as we swam in Cedar Lake, the day I drove you to the hospital after you broke your leg, the time you talked me into practicing your developing hairdresser skills by streaking my hair and turning me into a skunk!  And the biggest shock of all, when Dr. Parker of the City of Hope Hospital informed us DNA tests confirmed we are identical twins, rather than fraternal as we had grown up believing.  As he said, "The DNA does not lie".  

Think of you most of all today Nancy......my twin.

GELLI PLATE RABBIT HOLE

 I've gone down a rabbit hole! I'm so smitten with Gelli printing on fabric, mostly trying to understand and learn to be more intentional, though results are generally still happy surprises.

It was high time that I used some of the growing pile, printed only on fabric...no paper. I've used pieces in art quilts but wanted to find other uses. Here are two large composition sized book covers that are stitched/pieced/appliquéd - not collaged.

With another Artisan Faire coming up in the fall my goal is to grow that inventory of products. The last two books I've shared here are made using deconstructed screen printing and rusting on silk noil, plus digital photo transfer on fabric. *Available