Learning to Sew

My best friend Robin recently moved to Hawaii, taking her family halfway around the world on a brand new adventure in paradise. When she left she handed over her Pfaff Hobby sewing machine. The intention was to keep it put away until July and give it to Nellie for her ninth birthday. Nellie's little brother couldn't hold on to the secret that long, in fact he only managed to keep it for about twelve hours.

Last week we went shopping for fabric and notions, today we finally got on with the sewing.


There aren't many things that make my mom heart happier than teaching my kids how to do something I love.

Little hands and big hands working together. Nellie caught on fast, halfway through the first seam she was flying solo. Very serious and seriously happy.

Here we are having the "foot" vs. the "pedal" conversation.
And trying to figure out where her hands need to be to keep her seams straight.

Stitching away. Maybe not perfect, definitely not perfect. But she is so proud of herself.

One hour later my little girl in a pillowcase style dress and matching headband, admiring her handiwork.
As impressed with her dress as she is with the fact that she made it on a real sewing machine.
Thanks to Robin, the best gift ever, and a Saturday spent at home.

"I feel so pretty" And she is.

Our Backs Against the Wind, Smiling

Here we are at the beach for my mom's birthday, we all love the beach so this seemed like a good idea. End of April, fifty degrees, sweatshirts and blankets packed up and ready to go. Not a cloud in the sky, so far so good. We stopped at Iggy's Clamshack for chowder and clamcakes, and headed for Fisherman's Cove beach in Point Judith. It was windy, and cold. Did I say windy? It was windy, very windy. And cold. We ended up huddled against the granite stones of the Fisherman's Memorial eating our lunch with the wind at our backs. The cold made the warmth of the chowder that much sweeter, to say nothing of the piping hot steam rising out of the clamcakes with that first bite. Perfection.

Only the boys would brave a walk on the beach with me afterwards. Heads down against the wind. Laughing.

We have been through a lot of changes in the year since my sister passed away, some good, some difficult. The hardest has been the struggle to hang onto our house, after a year of jumping through loops for banks and lawyers, worrying, waiting, we have decided to move sometime in the near future. All that really matters is what is in that top picture, all of us together (with me behind the camera) sharing the day. Celebrating all of the good things that we have, and we do have a lot. This decision is so new we don't even have a plan yet. We just know we want to stay together, (the worst legal advice,the lawyer who told us to give "those" kids back to the state and take care of our family. That was his last moment as our lawyer). Our new lawyer is wonderful and helping us figure things out in a way that accomplishes what matters, and that's staying together. Look at that bunch, I love them all so much my heart could burst. We lost one member of our motley crew just over a year ago, we have no plans to let go of each other anytime soon.

We can't say exaclty what is going to happen or where we will be a year from now but we will be like this - Huddled together our backs against the wind, smiling.

St Patricks Day

This year's slightly failed (or completely unrisen) soda bread





And an ode to the much maligned tradition of "it's not really Irish", Corned Beef and Cabbage dinner. And my grandmother.

New England Boiled dinner cooking in a pot
A gourmet meal is something you're not
my grandmother made you this day each year
while humming a tune (but not drinking a beer)

her parents were young when they landed here
to build a new life free from fear
corned beef and cabbage was a rare treat
a way for all ten of their children to eat

it was a new dish to them, to be sure
passed down for decades along with the lore
of lives well lived in a new land
and now my son will give me a hand

we'll make this dinner on this day
to remember the past in our own way
we will make soda bread with it too
while wishing Irish Blessings to you

Celebrate this day with loved ones near
there is no wrong way to cherish those you hold dear
those who are with us, those who are not
what matters most is that they are not forgot.


proving that once again, Joe and I may not be poets
or even very good cooks, but my grandmother would have loved him helping in the kitchen, the way my brothers' and I helped her when we were young.

Happy St. Patrick's Day, Grandma!

Grandma's Doilies

one of my favorite ways to relax after work is to browse all of the lovely things on Etsy. I hardly ever buy, but sometimes I just can't resist.

Doilies! I love doilies, they remind me of my Irish grandmother, and at this time of year I miss her more than any other time. My grandmother who taught me to sew, to love buttons, a good book, and how to bake. And who had doilies on every piece of stuffed furniture in her house. Every sofa, every chair, antimacassars, and doilies for the arms, doilies on the marble tops of her steam radiators for resting your teacup.

I spent almost every weekend with my Pop and Grandma, we gardened, watched Dialing for Dollars in the afternoon, and went to every yard sale and flea market for miles around. I learned to save (or be a pack rat depending on your point of view) and to love a bargain.






Two bargains in one, the beautiful velvet shirt from a local charity shop,




And doilies and vintage trim from VintagePleasures on Etsy
a shop worth any grandmothers attic



the pocket is a doily fragment that has been lined, so it really works as a pocket.
the trim is hand crocheted pillow case trim.
A trio of beauties.

I know most people hear the word doily and think, "Grandma"
so do I, with love.

Happy Valentines Day

The last few months have been a bit crazy for me, working full time, making lots of stuff for my etsy store, and oh yeah, taking care of those three kids.

We love Valentine's Day around here, lots of hearts and love, and in true Valentines Day tradition cake. Usually we use a heart-shaped cake pan that I've had longer than my oldest child, this year we broke with tradition and had cupcakes.

Super yummy, and yes, from a box, Cupcakes.

But not quite by the box directions
No eggs, no oil, no water.
Instead -
-twelve ounces of spiced apple cider
(a local orchard sells it cold pressed with all the spices added)
-one half cup salted mixed nuts

cook according to box directions until they look like this



When they cool melt two hershey bars in the microwave
(kitchen goddess that I am I used a paper cup for this task)
drizzle melted chocolate onto cooled cupcakes..

looking yummy, but not quite yummy enough



ooooh whipped cream. Now they're YUMMY!



Especially since my younger brother and his wife sent an edible arrangement as a gift.
Now that is love on a plate.

Hope your Valentines Day was as yummy and full of love as ours was.