Author Archives: Deborah

Trip Around the World – One Year Later

I began a pretty green quilt for myself about a year ago. It was something I was doing in-between other projects. As a result, it took waaaaaay longer to finish than many of my other quilts. But finished it is.

I pinned all the layers together at the beginning of April and here it is June. Felt like longer!

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I should have taken a picture with all the safety pins in it. They always look so punk that way.

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Back to the Half-Bath

You know how when you look at a project that you’ve finished and you breathe a sigh of relief that it’s all done? Well, maybe you don’t. I do. But then I generally find something else to pick at. This time I am sure I’m done.

Last May I remodeled our half-bath. Down to the walls. I think the only thing we kept was the mirror – which we had cut down and put a new frame on – and the medicine cabinet.

mirror cut and framed

mirror cut and framed

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Not Cooking or Decorating…

Okay. You got me. When I’m not cooking, decorating, sewing, or whatever else I’ve been showing you here on these pages for the last couple of years, I make soap. A lot of it. Especially at the beginning of the year. The rest of the year I sell it.

At the Honeyfest, September 2014.

At the Honeyfest, September 2014. See D’s cool pumpkin?

Because if I didn’t, we’d have enough to last us well into retirement. And I like making soap. It feels good. It smells good. And I can play with color on a consumable. Quilts are great and all, but they don’t get used up. Unless you leave them out on the bright sunlight, wash them with rocks, or give them to a dog. Even small babies can’t really do any damage to them. No teeth.

Recently, I had a friend tell me that I was doing myself and you a disservice by not sharing all my soap stuff on these pages. So here you are. Continue reading…

Colleen’s Chocolate Raspberry Truffles

Here’s an easy treat for all you chocoholics out there. I got this from a good friend who added them to a platter of goodies one Christmas. I had to have the recipe. It really is crazy simple to make. You need to allow time for the mixture to chill. And I strongly recommend wearing a pair of vinyl gloves for rolling, so you don’t waste any of the chocolate by having it stick to your hands. Then again, if that’s your thing, don’t let me stop you! Continue reading…

Glass Tile Table

Early last year a good friend was giving away a bucketload of tile samples she got from a specialty store. I didn’t want everything, but I did want the glass tiles. I have wanted to try another table project ever since the back porch coffee table project. And now I want a bench/table on the front porch.

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Christmas in the Office

My office decided to have a cubicle decorating contest this year. I had a great time planning what I was going to do and what ornaments I wanted on my little tree. I won the competition. Partly because I am so darn creative and told everyone how I made everything, and partly because only one other person decorated with more than a wreath.

The first bits go up.

The first bits go up.

The beginning of my inspiration was a banner on Pinterest. It doesn’t look like the HGTV link from there works any longer, but I only needed the inspiration. I have a shelf on my outside wall, so I thought it could stand in for a mantlepiece. D— is a much better draw-er than I am, so I asked him to take a length of the roofing felt that we had leftover from doing the entry hall and draw a fireplace on it for me. He found a pastel crayon that didn’t flake and had this for me in about 30 minutes. Continue reading…

Mansfield, OH

On May 11, D and I went to Mansfield to see the Ohio Reformatory, location for several films, the most well known of which is The Shawshank Redemption. Empty for the last 25 years, the state of decay the place is in now is fascinating. And beautiful in a textural sort of way.

Transom in an office window

Transom in an office window

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Shrimp Ravioli

I’ll admit it. I got this from another tasty looking blog. But I did a few things differently. Mostly I did one thing differently. I didn’t feel like making pasta this time, so I used spinach won ton wrappers. Absolutely the way to go if you don’t feel like putting in the time for the pasta, or you are really bad at it. I’m not bad at it. I was just lazy.

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