Was Your Week Sketchy? : A Couch Adventure
Fall Frenzy
First off, this Dahlia is from my garden with compliments of my son who has been dying to pick it since it started to bloom. We are still pressing forward with school. Some days are very long, while others are easier. It just depends on the amount of live classes and whether or not the teacher estimates the appropriate time for self-guided lessons. Each week we learn something new about how to do things and we are getting to the point where I am finally able to sneak periods of 5-10 minutes here and there to get something household related done.
Yesterday, during my sons live class, I strung up the basket of tassels I made during quarantine in my daughter’s room. I have SO much yarn and I needed to weed out my stash so I took a lot of half used skeins and colors that I thought I would never use and made a gazillion tassels. Ok, it wasn’t that many, but it sure felt like it at the time. At least my daughter was pleased. She danced around and pronounced it was a princess room.
Fall Smells
The weather has finally gotten cooler and it feels like fall. Two weekends ago we went apple picking with the family and the day was quite warm. It didn’t feel at all like the crisp air we are used to for apple picking. This weekend, we stayed home and relaxed. I made a Dutch Apple Pie per hubby’s request.
For those of you that don’t know, a Dutch Apple Pie is made with a crumb topping instead of a pastry crust topping. Speaking of baking, I m excited that the new season of the Great British Bake Off it out on Netflix. I can’t wait till family night so we can all sit and watch it together.
We also made homemade butter this weekend. My Mom was a teacher and she would bring our old fashioned butter churn into school to make butter with her students. On occasion, we would make it at home. I have the old butter churn now and I recently got it down off the laundry room when I was cleaning. My daughter inquired as to what it was so I explained the process of making butter. Ever since, she has been asking to use it.
To make the butter you add room temperature heavy cream and salt, then you churn away. My daughter churned for quite a while and then my sons came in and wanted a try. After about 30 minutes, the cream separated from the buttermilk which made it difficult to churn, signaling it was ready. I strained off the buttermilk and gathered up the butter in a ball and refrigerated it. We have been enjoying it on bread, sweet potatoes and muffins. Next time, I think me may try some honey butter. YUM!
Master Bathroom Update
We are finally starting to see progress in our bathroom! At the end of last week, our shower floor was tiled. It is not grouted yet but I think it will look similar to what you see here as we have chosen a white grout.
Here is the shower wall. This morning, I was informed by our tiler that the saw blade that he uses to cut these tiles broke. He ordered a few new ones but it will be a few days before he gets them, so the shower is on hold for now. But isn’t it pretty? We weren’t sure he would be able to cut the field tile (white) to fit into the mermaid tile. I tried not to get my hopes up as it takes a lot of extra time and planning to make the intricate cuts. Most people would just cut a straight line but our tile guy did everything he could to make this work. He went out and purchased a new saw and practiced before working on the real thing. Despite the time setbacks, we have a talented grew of guys working on our bathroom. I am super thankful for our second full bath as this remodel is taking a lot longer than planned.
Sketching Class
I am still working on my facial features class taught by Gary Faigin on Craftsy. I do most of my class work in the evening while hubby is watching football or a movie that I am uninterested in. Here is what I did this week.
I am learning to view the skull when I look at a person instead of just their surface features. The foundation of feature placement is under the skin. That has been the most helpful tip. The sessions I went through this week were eye study, ethnic and ancestry study along with the differences between male and female faces.
Get Out Your Easter Bonnet
Yes, I said Easter! This is my daughter’s Easter dress from this year. Well, it would have been her Easter dress but due to quarantine it sat partially started on my ironing board for the past 7 months. It is now fall and I haven’t sewn anything this year and all her dresses are too short. Yesterday, I grabbed two hours in the afternoon to rip off the short sleeves and whip up these 3/4 length ones. Afterwards, I tried it on her, just because, and found that between March of this year and October she has grown out of this bodice. I couldn’t get the bodice closed!! Should I cry now? But no worries, I just need to add an extension panel to the back. Thankfully, I didn’t have time to put in the buttonholes yesterday or I really would be crying. Here’s hoping I can get it completed by Sunday for church.
Light Reading
My mother In law and I were discussing fall decor last week and I was telling her how I want to decorate for the seasons but I don’t want to spend the money on decor that is going to sit in the closet for 11 months out of the year. She started telling me all about this new book she purchased, Welcome Home: A Cozy Minimalist Guide to Decorating and Hosting All Year Round
I love the authors take on simplistic decorating. Instead of making the emphasis of any season about your house or decor, she makes it about hospitality and sharing the time with those we invite into our home. She shares tips about hosting and how to make it a memorable experience without breaking the bank or stressing the hostess out. I am looking forward to implementing some of these techniques and tips, especially with the holidays approaching.
Tea Day
I am a bit late to the party today as I got sick last night, right around the time I start writing my blog post. I am joining in with the T day Ladies, hosted by Elizabeth and Bleubeard. My tea of choice today is Numi Organic Tea Golden Chai. I generally don’t drink a lot of bagged tea but nothing beats the convenience of it at times. This week I drank this delicious chai that I steeped in a large mug of coconut milk. It was very creamy and a delicious treat without all the extra calories of a chai latte or other fancy drinks.
Happy Tea Day,
Kate
You have your work cut out with teaching. The tassels are gorgeous, a princess room indeed. And that apple pie looks wonderful! Happy T Day, have a great week, stay safe! Hugs, Valerie
You’ve had a very busy but productive week. I’m glad the school routine is starting to normalize. Your dahlia flower is beautiful. (I planted a few of those one year, and the deer ate all of them.) The tassels look great in your daughter’s room, and I like that pink princess thing in the corner. (I’m not sure what it’s called: it reminds me of a Medieval thing.) Your pie looks delicious. That modern butter churn looks easy to use. The master bathroom will be great when it’s finished. Your face sketches look good. I’m glad you’ll be able to modify your daughter’s dress so that it will fit her, with how much she has grown since Easter. (I like the bodice material you chose for it.) That book looks like a good read. Happy T-Day!
Good afternoon, you have had a busy week for sure. so fun for your children to churn butter-we did allot of that when we were in the homesteading mode. I was had a difficult time get all the milk rinsed out of the butter-if you don’t and want to freeze some it will go bad on you.
that was good that you did get the buttonholes made that would have been a disappointment for sure. I have been baking up apple crisps since it got cooler.
Happy T and new week ahead Kathy
oops I should have proofread my comment lol that was good that you did not get the buttonholes made
and I wanted to add love your daughter’s princess room
Your hanging tassel banner is a fabulous idea. I agree with your daughter. She has a bedroom fit for a princess.
I’m glad the home schooling – or whatever it’s called these COVID days – is going more smoothly. Our son is grown and on his on. I can’t imagine how I would have dealt with this situation when he as young. You do what you have to do; but kudos to you.
Making hand churned butter was brilliant! The mermaid scales tiles look beautiful. I love the association. You’re standing in the showier, with water pouring over you, imagining you’re a mermaid (or merman).
The Craftsy class sounds excellent and your homework shows it.
Good luck with the “Easter” dress. Is there anything you can’t do?
Happy T-day! Stay safe and stay sane. Hugs, Eileen
I Love how the tassels turned out, and your pie looks so yummy! I’m happy you can still use the dress you started as it’s precious. I’m glad your schooling is going well, not so much for my senior here, she’s struggling with all the learning being online and assignment based. Your bathroom is coming along beautifully too. I’ll look up the book, because I’m with you on not wanting to store any more things. Enjoy your week!
I love the tassels! That tile pattern is pretty, and perfect for the shower area. I remember making butter that way. Yummm! Happy T Tuesday
You certainly do wear many hats Kate, and they all suit you well too! Love your hanging tassels which go so well in your daughter’s room. Your new shower is looking beautiful and what a treat it will be to be able to step in it for the first time 🙂 The bodice for the dress is darling- and I immediately thought of a lace to extend the back of the bodice- but maybe that’s too grown up for your daughter?
And now you have on a chef’s hat-delicious looking pie and homemade butter- wow! OK, so the toque is off, and now you have on a beret for the sketching-which is wonderful by the way. Not something I enjoy or do well with.
Your tea is a wonderful one for the now cooler season and weather. Hope you are feeling much better today. Take care, and happy T day!
I have to admit your butter churn looks a whole lot different than mine. Yours looks quite modern. Glad the kids enjoyed making it, too.
How frustrating to have to redo the dress for your daughter. I hope you get it finished in time for her to wear it. Here in KS, our churches are not opening, still. The sermons are all virtual. And no one over the age of five is allowed inside any buildings without a mask on. I just hope you are all safe if you are heading to church,
Sorry you were not well last night. I hope you are better today. I love the sound of that tea. Wonderful for T this Tuesday. also, that tile work is out of this world. I bet that cost a fortune to have it cut that way,. I know it will be worth it in the end, though.
I love those tassels in your daughter’s room. I can see why she loves them too. They do make her room feel special, and even better her mom made them. And I love seeing their faces making butter. How fun. The bathroom is looking nice also. Hope it was a great T day. Hugs-Erika
The tassels look fabulous and very princess-y. When I was a kid, I was helping my mother in the kitchen make something. She had me make some whip cream using a mixer. I whipped it good and she wasn’t happy that I whipped it to butter 😺 The mermaid tile in your bathroom is stunning. Sounds like you got a real good tile guy to take the extra time to make the cuts. Such a pretty little dress. You’re so clever to be able to make the alterations. I would have just cried into my chai. Happy T Day
Wow what a nice post. You have been busy. Love what you did with the yarn. The pie and butter are excellent. I use to make butter too, it’s the best. Oh that flower is amazing. You enjoy your day.
Were you sick? I hope you are feeling better now.
Churning butter! Coincidentally my mum and I talked about that on the phone earlier today. So I know exactly what you mean and I am glad I have now seen yours (I had never seen my grandmother’s churn).
You have your work cut out with this home schooling. Are you in contact with other mothers who are doing the same system? That does help I’ve been told.
Dutch apple pie. I love that (perhaps it is because I am Dutch)
Your bathroom looks gorgeous.
And your daughter’s dress is gorgeous too. How clever to add an extra piece in the middle. Yes, little girls will grow.
And chai tea is really delicious. I’ve never had it with coconut milk. In fact I have never drank coconut milk. I have a tin in the pantry to make curry with but I’ve never drunk it.
Stay safe,
Happy belated T-Day,
Lisca
That is a Princess’s bedroom! Your bathroom is going to look fabulous when its done, what a skilled tiler! Your sketching looks great – good to use hubby’s football viewing time!! The book looks interesting – I always try to do a n Autumn theme before changing over for Christmas, I’m a bit late starting this year and want to start Christmas earlier than we usually do – we’ll see!! Hope you are feeling better! Belated Happy T day, Chrisx