It always seems to get pretty quiet around here right before a show. Having other things on my plate the last few months, sewing has taken the back burner, but there is always that one last push before a show and it has felt good to get back into the swing of things. We just finished a small, family style Herbstmarkt (Fall Market) and now that the dust has settled, I have a little time to share.
Among the exhibitors was a retired gentleman that has been making willow baskets for years, and is really something to see an age tradition carried on.
A market in Germany just wouldn't be a market in Gemany unless there is a Crepe stand there. From savory to sweet, the filling choices are endless, and a rich chocolate Nutella crepe is always my husband's biggest temptation.
One could even spot royalty among the crowd... what a sweet and gracious princess!
For the kids entertainment, the local youth fire firefighters did a show exercise as a practice and performance to show what they have learned and trained.
My favorite "Blumenkinder" (flower children) were found among the exhibitors offerings, which is a German craft and tradition that has been passed on for hundreds of years. Angels and Christmas figures are especially popular.
And of course, flower arrangements reflecting the current season's color palette decorated the lawn and tables announcing the time of year.
Even though it is only the middle of September, I am really excited for October to come, but not necessarily because I'm a "fall lover". Actually my anticipation for next month has nothing at all to do with the weather, the changing season, or autumn traditions, but with fabric. So why is October the big month? Because every year the International Quilt Market is held in Houston, Texas where all the fabric designers introduce new fabric collections, products, and ideas. For a fabric lover, I would imagine that it would be safe to describe it as just about the closest thing one can get to "heaven on earth".It almost makes me feel like a kid at Christmas time, knowing that there will be lots of presents under the tree, but having to wait is just like torture. For those of who cannot wait and must have a "sneaky peak" for fear of exploding with excitement, perhaps I should let you in on a little something that the "queen of all fabric designers" aka Amy Butler is introducing this next month...
But just like Christmas, we will all have to wait until December like good little boys and girls to get our hands on and devour this fabulous "eye candy". Which one speaks to you most, Heart Love or Soul Love?
... Please make sure to wipe the drool from your screen before you log off today. "Fat Quarter" preview found here.
After sitting in my garden yesterday and enjoying tea on a beautiful fall afternoon, I scanned my garden, or at least what is left of it, and came to a realization... the fall color palette is one of my favorite combinations of color. For some reason I have always been drawn to deep pinks and purples, but especially in combination with warm oranges, yellows, and reds. I know that it might be a little boring to stay on one side of the color wheel, but these colors just speak to me. So much so that these are the inspiration colors in my living room... my favorite room in the house.
Since living in Germany, I have never appreciated a warm summer so much, which makes leaving this one behind especially hard, but I am excited about the array of colors that nature has inspired. Do you have a favorite season color palette?
Are you a stack person or are you the kind that has to have everything filed away and in it's neat and orderly place? Personally I am a stack girl. One can generally find "organized clutter" all over my house... usually in a stack. For some reason organizing things in stacks just works for me.
I'm working on a new set of "stacks"... more wallets for the show coming up this weekend. I am really excited that purple is the trend color in Germany right now... and I just can't get enough. I have always been a "purple girl"... so much so that it is often mistaken for my favorite color.
I would love to stay and chat a little longer, (as everyone knows that I can) but the stacks are calling.... "sew me, sew me!" Hmmmm... Does your fabric talk to you too?
Weekend plans are spending time with the family... which means speaking lots of German. I can't help but to be a little sad that summer is fading, cooler breezes are blowing in, days are getting shorter, and long sleeve shirts are being pulled back out. Am I the only one?
Wow... can't beleive it's September already!
I just love ribbons. I think that if I were forced to choose between buttons or ribbons, life would just end up being too cruel. I just got a restock of ribbons yesterday, and there were few new colors and designs that are begging me to create something with them. I think my favorite of the bunch is Patty Young's, Kiwi Birdie Damask ribbon with a fresh punch of lime green and pink.
Two new ribbons from the talented Jessica Jones were added to my collection. If you have never stumbled onto Jessica's blog, How About Orange, it is worth your while to stop by. She is always posting all kinds of clever project ideas.
Oh, what you can do with ribbons! Here are a couple of projects ideas found on Patty Young's blog, Modkidboutique. Add a little ribbon trim for a snazzy camera strap, shown here from My Funky Camera.
... or jazz up those boring bath towels. 
... add trim as a decorative accent to the legs of girls jeans, or use with paper crafts... oh, the possibilities are endless! Many of Patty Young's Andalucia's ribbon's can be found here or here. What do you like to create with your ribbons?
It doesn't take long, living in another country, to realize that " You can take the girl out of America, but you just can't take the American out of the girl."
Sunday we attended a pot-luck dinner. For those not familiar with the term, this just means that everyone brings a dish, with no particular menu planned... they really are the best. In preparation for what I was bringing, I flipped through my cookbooks trying to find what would be the perfect, easy to transport, outside picnic snack. When I proudly finished my dish, and stood back to admire my handiwork, I thought... wow, does that ever look American!
But the thing is that I bought everything at a normal German grocery store, and with the exception of the tortilla shells found in the international section, all pretty regular foods... but how they were combined sends out a red beacon to the locals that this is not the usual German party dish... just subtly different.
Two years ago we had a birthday party and invited a bunch of our friends. One of our friends, who had lived the States for a few years, came rushing into the dining room quickly scanning the buffet table. I thought he just must have been really hungry, but later realized that he had been scanning the table to see if the ever popular American party platter of veggies and dip were present. "Yep, he exclaimed triumphantly, I knew it would be here!" What!?! Don't Germans eat veggies too? Yeah, but not usually in this way. Even when I go grocery shopping, my mother-in-law notices that the items in my shopping cart look different than the items in hers. Hmmmm... filled with things like bacon and eggs, cheddar cheese, taco ingredients, green asparagus, and everything else except for sandwich stuff.Want to make Confetti Tortilla Spirals too?
Just mix 8 oz. of cream cheese (they have real Philadelphia cream cheese here and I couldn't be happier!) with 2 Tablespoons of Dijon mustard. Add 1/4 cup of finely shredded zucchini, 1/4 cup of finely shredded carrots, and 3 chopped green onions. Mix well and evenly divide mixture onto 6 flour tortilla shells, spreading over the bottom 3/4 of the shell. Top with spinach leaves, roasted red peppers, and deli meat of your choice (I used ham, turkey, and cheddar cheese thinly sliced). Roll them up and use a serrated knife to cut them into 1 inch pieces. And there you have it... colorful, yummy, and very American... Mmmmm, enjoy!
Now I've heard of Christmas in July before, but Christmas in August?... you have to trust me on this one, it's just as much fun in August as it is in July. I got a big package from my favorite bead place this week with some of my favorite stones and lots of new colors. Which leaves me feeling...
to sew or to bead? Hmmm... that is the question. Have you ever had so many projects on the table, so many ideas in your head, that you just didn't know where to start? Oh, the problems of being creative... sigh. Too many projects, not enough time.
Last week, I talked my husband into venturing downtown with me. (to be perfectly honest, it was to check out my competition) Much to my disappointment the shop was closed because of the school/summer holidays, so we spent our time strolling up and down the streets, window shopping and popping into other inviting stores. One particular shop that caught my attention was filled with jewelry, purses, and accessories, all in such a lovely vintage style. See the thing is, I have an addiction... to buttons, especially when they are vintage. I love how unique and unusual they are...
It really is sometimes quite interesting... often I might buy a button, a ribbon, or an accent piece, having no particular project in mind, and a year or two later creating something that it seems like that button was custom made for... it really makes collecting so fun!
I chose the fun and bright fabrics from Heather Bailey's "Pop Garden" collection because my mother-in-law just made a "birthday dress" for my niece using the same fabrics. And what better way to say "I'm super special" than to have a matching dress for your favorite doll?
... speaking of Heather Bailey, she will be introducing a new fabric line at this year's International Quilt Market along with a few patterns. Here is just one of the adorable patterns that will be added to her list of other fantastic products. "Henrietta" is made with one of the fabrics from her new collection, Nicey Jane, which is more muted and not as bright as her previous "Pop Garden" collection... can't wait for the "proper introduction" this next month.
I chose the fun and bright fabrics from Heather Bailey's "Pop Garden" collection because my mother-in-law just made a "birthday dress" for my niece using the same fabrics. And what better way to say "I'm super special" than to have a matching dress for your favorite doll?
... speaking of Heather Bailey, she will be introducing a new fabric line at this year's International Quilt Market along with a few patterns. Here is just one of the adorable patterns that will be added to her list of other fantastic products. "Henrietta" is made with one of the fabrics from her new collection, Nicey Jane, which is more muted and not as bright as her previous "Pop Garden" collection... can't wait for the "proper introduction" this next month.
