A bit of Halloween Egg fun

I made these super fun hard boiled eggs for my deviled egg plate for the Halloween party tomorrow.

I would love to take all the credit for them.... But, my husband saw them in a magazine and I just copied them. Still super fun for Halloween.

Not hard to do. Just need to use some dark colored food coloring paste. Boil your eggs, knock the eggs with the back of a wooden spoon so they crack and crackle a bit them put them Ina bowl with the food colored water. Put the bowl in the fridge for a couple hours and then peel them. Wherever the cracks were the food color dyes the egg white and you get these spiderweb looking hard boiled peeled eggs! Just make sure to wear rubber gloves, it makes it harder to peel the eggs but much better than having violet fingers.









- Steph... From my iPad

Location:Home

Halloween Sneak Peak

- Steph... From my iPad

Bummer!

I had a quick one night trip up to Portland, Maine. I have been trying to stop into interesting fabric and/or quilt shops during my travels. (as time permits)

I finished up about an hour earlier than planned and had found a great looking quilt shop in Kennebunk, Maine. That would only take me a total of 20 mins out of my way plus browse time. I plugged the address into my trusty Garmin. And made the detour. Kennebunk Was a nice place to detour through! Too bad the weather was gray and wet.

I find this charming Inn and beside it is the quilt shop in an old refurbished barn. Ohhhh, I liked the looks of it. I park, grab my purse, check my time and walk to the entrance only to be greeted by one of those awful 'we will be back' clock looking signs with 2 pm on it. Maaaaaaan. I was bummed! I eagerly looked through the window and sighed. Too bad. No way I could wait 40 mins for them to come back.

So sad. I guess 'Mainely Quilts, quilt shop' will have to wait another day. If your ever in southern Maine make the stop, it looked intriguing.



- Steph... From my iPad

Location:Logan airport, Boston, MA

The doggie leather jacket

So... I couldn't help myself and totally spoiled my grand-doggy, Holly.
I had the leather bin out doing some work for Halloween Costumes and had a perfect size piece to make a great leather jacket for Holly. All of my leather pieces are recycled from old garments. The soft leathers are cut from old leather coats and jackets and the thicker, heavier suede pieces are cut from old riding chaps.

I had the leather out to re-do the sides of my husbands leather vest and had this great piece of super supple leather sitting there right next to Holly's little winter coat and I just decided to whip one up. I lined it in a remnant piece of black parachute pant fabric that was in my scrap stash.

For Halloween I will attach the key to the coat via some carefully placed stitches to the lining. Then after just snip off the key and she is all set.

I promise to get pictures of her in it!






- Steph... From my iPad

Location:Home

Halloween Quilt Shop Hop and Costume sewing

I participated in my first 'Shop Hop'!

It was seven shops in the Chicago Western Suburbs.

Pieceful Hearts Fabric, Lisle, IL (my usual quilt shop)
The Quilt Basket, Downers Grove, IL
Quiltfabric.com, Willowbrook, IL
Thimbles, Lockport, IL
Roberts Sewing Center, Joliet, IL
Prairie Stitches, Oswego, IL
Prairie Shop Quilts, Batavia, IL

At each shop you had to get a stamp in your passport and find the gift basket and write down the location. If you wore a mask or costume you also got a coupon for future use as well as a free quilt pattern.

I spent 2 days shop hopping, meeting lots of great people, and ohhhhhhhhhh, all the fabric! I LOVE fabric.

I have been working on lots of Halloween stuff in the sewing room and promise pictures soon. To hold you over here is a picture of part of Holly's (the mini doxies) costume.



Part of the costumes also have leather. My new machine is wonderful, every time I get used to it some other awesome thing presents itself. Like the ability to sew through 2 layers of thick leather without blinking an eye.



- Steph... From my iPad

Location:Western suburbs of Chicago

Swimming with the fishes and Miami Beach

So, what a crazy day for me! Woke up early, took a 2.5 mile walk on the Miami Beach boardwalk followed by a 30 min swim in the ocean with my kick board and a school of fishes to accompany me. It was so cool! There I was about 25 yards of the beach, flat water, me with my trusty kick board and goggles and a small school of fish. They were about 5 inches long, silver with yellow tails and they just decided I needed company and encouragement on my swim. I certainly was not complaining!

The day just progressed from there. A seemingly endless number of hours in sales meetings, followed by a lovely company reception outside in the hot and humid air. Next an impressive thunder storm, drinks, dinner more drinks and holy cow it turned into 1:30 am! Not possible! Too many people out... A cab back to the hotel which happened to have the lobby turned into a giant night club with me wanting to run after all the girls and pull down the non-existent dresses and skirts! Holy moly!!! things so darn tight and short they could not possibly be considers clothes.

I must be getting old! 2am and I left the 'nightclub' lobby and called it a night. Thinking WOW, Miami Beach Is very much like Las Vegas!


- Steph... From my iPad

Location:Collins Ave,Miami Beach,United States