liking the same tones

After the last fairly shapeless linen sheath I made, I went to back to the fabric store to pick up another piece of linen.  I did but then I walked past the wools.  The nice wools.  The wools that were actually cashmeres.  The wools that were all in the tones that I wished the linens were in.  And then I got carried away.

I actually have two done.  One cut out that Koda Bear helped with.  And one more piece of wool and the piece of linen waiting.  I have a tendency to wander around in these just like the A-line dresses I make.  The wool is incredibly light and I am cool.  What more can you ask for in Houston?  I am also not wearing black. 

But I do say that having a treadle sewing machine is nice when the storms blow through.  I do not have to worry about power. 

My Beloved also asked what I was doing with the scraps.  Because even if you get the yardage pretty close there are scraps.  I am making nine squares and there will be cashmere in quilts.  The squares are so pretty! 

good bread with stuff on top

When I start talking about pizza, my Beloved tells me I do not like pizza but good bread with stuff on top.  When I talk with Mr. Bert, who lived in a heavily Italian immigrant area in New York City, he tells me it is pizza.  Good crust, smoothed with olive oil, vegetables, a little cheese maybe.  High heat.  It is what Mr. Bert considers pizza. 

I told him I was going to recreate a pizza I had out recently:  spinach, pine nut, and feta.  He drooled.  I would have to say the pizza I have out has olives on it instead of pine nuts but I do not really care for olives.  Olive oil, yes.  Olives, no. 

This was incredibly tasty.  I ate half the pizza which is really too much.  But if you only make pizza once every couple of weeks, you can a couple extra pieces.  I also admit that I have never really liked cold or reheated pizza.  I am very strange.  But then, I do not eat pizza with red sauce in most cases and I did not eat pizza with any regularity until I started making it myself.  Everyone else in my life really likes pizza with red sauce.

spinach, feta, and pine nut pizza

1/2 recipe pizza dough

1 pound spinach, well washed and chopped coarsely

1 teaspoon ground pepper

4 cloves garlic or roasted garlic, minced

4 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 to 1/2 cup pine nuts

1/2 to 1 cup feta

Preheat oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a skillet, heat two tablespoons olive oil over medium.  As it wilts, add in the garlic.  Once it has wilted and much of the water has cooked off of it, add the black pepper.  Take off the heat.

Roll out the pizza dough into a round that fits your pizza pan.  Or rectangle for a baking sheet.  Cover the pizza pan with parchment paper, put shaped pizza dough on it.  Smooth with two tablespoons olive oil.  Spread the spinach mixture over it.  Sprinkle with feta, to your taste.  Sprinkle with pine nuts, to your taste.

Put in the preheated oven for 17 minutes.

It will be golden and smell wonderful when it is ready.  The feta does not bubble.

Be careful not to burn your mouth when eating.  It is delicious.

Tropical Storm Bill

Tropical Storm Bill has been blowing through today.  It has been a dark, dreary day with rain but not bad.  My work decided to close the office so I have been home all day.  I am such a good hermit.

It has been a blessing to be home.  My stomach has been off since Sunday night so it was nice to be able to lay down when I wished.  I read a book this afternoon. 

I also have been doing a lot for myself.  I am working on a new sweater, similar to the last I made.  I am making it a bit shorter and I will shorten the sleeves.  The colors are different so I am spinning more yarn.

Today I spent some time spinning and preparing fiber to spin.  It is nice to be able to walk away when I need a break.  I have a few days worth of spinning waiting for me now.  But I also have more fiber to clean and card waiting for me as well.  I was teased by a friend that my fiber habit was similar to his wife's bead habit but it kept both of us sane.  His conclusion was that it was all good.

More spinning with and audio book will go on tonight.  Work is supposed to be open tomorrow so back to normal tomorrow.

storm coming

There is a storm coming.  Who knows if we will get much rain or wind but there was surf. 

Strong enough to ride.  And stand.  It made me smile so big.

Being in the water and sandy let the stress from everyday to ease.  Work has been a pain so this was lovely.  I could surf any day of the week but there is not surf everyday.  And I am just too responsible to skip work except maybe once a year.  It causes that huge smile.

a dress to a pillowcase

Due to purchasing a new bed/couch, we have the need for more pillows.  I get teased that when I stuff a pillow I make, that I make rocks.  There is truth to this statement because I use what I have and it may not be the most soft stuffing in the world.

I picked up a king size pillow and needed a cover for it.  I wanted neutral and I had a neutral linen dress in my closet.  It was too warm for most days in Houston.  I was lucky to be able to wear it once a year.  I also found that it was too heavy for many days in Washington state.  Especially summer days.  It became a pillow cover.

I cut it apart and got to stitching.  I also found some buttons to use as closures at one end to make it easy to launder.

I am quite pleased.  It is a neutral I am really liking lately.  The light color helps to brighten the space.

The contrast of the wood button makes me smile.

I do so like reusing and refashioning.