Patty Van Dorin

the tomatoes little black dress

Every year, I play the game with Mother Nature.
Warm temperatures trick me into putting out my tomatoes, peppers and basil and then along will come one night where the temps threaten to drop to freezing.
Not that it is likely to get that cold but it is easier to protect the plants than run out to the garden center to buy more.

I wanted something cheap, easy to use and easy to store.
cheap - small laundry baskets from the dollar store, landscape fabric I already had.

The fabric drapes over the baskets and I can put them out quickly after the sun sets.

easy to store - the baskets stack into each other, the fabric fold up and all can be stored in the rafters of the garage

I used my serger to make these and was able to get 20 of them made in less than an hour. Not sure that landscape fabric is suitable for using with a serger but it made making these covers quick.

The black with gold thread adds a bit of couture to the covers, ala Chanel style.

Making these covers started me thinking that it is time to make myself a Chanel style jacket. A project to use all the special techiques and hand sewing, a project that can easily add up to a 100 hours or more, something to savor and enjoy the process.

I quickly recorded this idea in my little journal and made a few notes to get this project started.

My journal keeps changing as I use it.
Some days it's an art journal and like today it's a place to put down ideas.
Keeping a journal structured, where it can only be one type can be too much pressure and right now I like that it is less rigid and can be whatever I currently feel like doing.

Back to the plans for the Chanel style jacket. I think this wool woven is perfect. I have been saving it for a special project along with a small piece of Italian cashmere in black for edge detail. For the lining, I am thinking a gold silk would be nice and I may have some vintage trim that may also work well.

One project leads to another and I am sure as I am digging around in the vintage trims, I will think of something else to make. Maybe, I need to keep the little journal in my pocket so the ideas don't fly away as quickly as they come to mind.

endings and beginnings

Meyer Lemon Marmalade



Next year, I need to make 10 times the amount that I canned this season.


The last of the Camellias
Camellia Tricolor

The beginning of rose season
Gemini rose

tropical hippie

The camp shirt pattern worked well for this fabric.
It was tempting to use this fabric to make a tunic or pheasant style top but I think it would have been too predictable.

I went with no darts, it's an option with this pattern. Darts would have complicated the print of the fabric and there is no need to add more confusion to this pattern.
The simple camp shirt lines are nice with the neon paisley fabric.


See how the pocket is hidden in the color and pattern, details are easily lost in a busy pattern.

I found these glass button in my stash and had just enough. At first, I thought they might be too fussy which is pretty silly considering all that is going on with this blouse.

It kind of looks tropical hippie to me.
And the fabric was real nightmare to place the pattern pieces, match and get all the alignment.
When I first started working with the fabric, I didn't notice that the pattern in this fabric would be similiar to matching a plaid.
I am still not sure I got it completly right but it is as good as it gets when working with vintage fabric in limited yardage.

vintage boho paisley fabric

While out running errands this weekend, I just happened upon an estate sale that was winding up for the day. When I stopped, they were locking the doors but the people having the sale were kind enough to let me come in.


I found yards and yards of great vintage cotton fabric in all kinds of crazy bohemian prints.
Beautifully soft vintage cotton, the good stuff.
I have prewashed all of the fabric and making plans to use it.



My favorite is this neon bright paisley which I promptly set up to make a camp shirt using this Louise Cutting pattern.
So I wonder why the original owner never used these fabrics?
Everyone thought this particular fabric particularly hideous but this fabric is so me.

favorite jeans

getting a head start on a relaxed weekend
going to journal a bit
going to sew a bit
and going to do not much of anything

Happy Weekend

dianthus on the window ledge

App - paper by fiftythree

Mar 6, 2013

 

More from my iPad

app - Paper by FiftyThree

Mar 6, 2013

Playing with iPad

app - SketchBook Pro

progress

March 4, 2013

spending my time making new rose and flower beds
the flagstone path is getting closer to being finished
one more small section to complete

Feb 3, 2012
sometimes, I don't think I am making any progress but a quick look back at older pictures tells me that I am
even Ralph the Dog is happy now that he has a little grassy area to run without so many obstacles and minus one very mean agave

July 1, 2011
roses in pots waiting for their flower bed
I had to remove the zip line from the tree house before I could start
there was quite a bit of clean up before anything could be planted

July 15, 2011

you can't tell from the picture above but there was half a boat, a motor and 28 sheets of plywood behind the tree with the tree house
and other stuff I want to block from my memory
mind numbing clean up
loads of rotting wood
a mountain of brick was pulled out of the yard
tons of broken concrete

August 1, 2011
I keep a garden journal and it is one of my favorite types of journals
The first of every month, I take several pictures of the yard and house
it's fun to look back over the years.

purple dog running

 today's journal page
No particular reason why Ralph the Dog is purple other than I love cheap paint.
This page is just a silly play, where I swish on some paint with a palette knife and pick out a shape, just like picking out shapes in clouds.
I always find Ralph the Dog in the shapes.
This page may not be finished.
I may add a little UPS truck in the upper left corner.
Ralph the Dog's arch nemesis is the UPS man, he hates that brown truck with a passion.
I have been told that this is common with dogs, it's something about the engine in the truck and the sound it makes.

I use all types of paint in my journals and I love discounted paint samples at the hardware stores.
Every so often, I stop at the Habitat Re-Store and my local recycle center where most of the time these little containers of paint are free.