*The boy* and I just got back from a lunch date with the parentals. Mom's been feeling lonely and I thought it would be nice if I picked up treats and shared with my folks. My dad and *the boy* chat and chat and chat and that gives me time to hang out with mom. I've been having major cravings for Nicaraguan food. I don't make any...because I don't cook...and I hate asking my mom to make me food since she's getting on in years and doesn't move around very well. She needs to rest...not busy herself in the kitchen making food for her spinster child and her boyfriend. No...not allowed! But I succumbed and decided to pick up some nacatamales. I did a little research, drove to the Mission, picked up some Nacatamales from an authentic Nicaraguan restaurant along with some yummy pieces of cake and arrived loaded down with food to my parents and had a nice lunch. And with my last bite, I realized I should have brought my camera to take photos so I could share what a nacatamale looks like!
Well, trust me...it was good! And long overdue. I think I spent so much time talking about nacatamales and needing a fix that *the boy* found a tamale vendor at our local farmers' market last week and brought one home. I admonished him about how a nacatamale from a tamale stand can't be authentic and it couldn't be good....plus also not the way for him to try his first nacatamale. I was right. It was terrible!! So *the boy* had his first authentic nacatamale. He was finished before anyone else! I guess that means he liked it! lol Even my mom loved it!
That said...eating a nacatamale is the nicaraguan equivalent of eating half a pound of pasta. I need a nap!
The week's been a blur and I haven't been stitching very much because I've been trying to finish Julie & Julia which is now a week overdue to the library! Whoops...I've become a slow reader! I'm enjoying the book a lot...and have about 80 more pages to go!
I have managed to get a coulple of stitching finishes done but have to do the finish finishing on them which means I am procrastinating. With that, I've kitted up my next 2 projects. Letter C by Nora Corbett and Cinderella Sampler by Willow Hill Samplings. Here come my fabric questions:
1. Despite ironing both of these linen pieces to the point of getting an arm cramp from ironing, there are still creases! Any tricks to get the creases out?
2. Does anyone have any experience with Country Stitch linen? I was internet surfing (someone stop me please!) and found the perfect piece of linen for a someday Mirabilia. Of course, I found two pictures using the same color and they are both very different. I'm worried about ordering and getting a piece not like what I am expecting. I'm going to have to internet order directly from NZ (cheapest way) to obtain the fabric. Just want to know if anyone has any feedback with this supplier.
I'm hoping to get some stitching in this weekend...and I am so in the mood for a Mirabilia. I hope that working on Letter C is enough...that one is for a gift. But all I can think about is Fairy Moon, Waiting for Ships, Stargazer, Titania, Petal Fairy and Trick or Treat Fairy...all of them just clammoring to see the light of day. One day...I'll have a Mirabilia wall...one day!
But I am thinking this will help me get more stitching done.
I bought a new lamp for my stitching perch. I've been wanting an Ott-lite forever but I didn't want a white craft lamp since it would stick out like a sore thumb in my black-furnished living room. I've been looking online and I hated thinking I would have to order online and then have to return it and pay for the shipping if I didn't like it. It's kept me from buying a lamp for years. But my old lamp was really making it hard for me to see and I would keep every light on, blind *the boy* with the klieg lights (as he called them) and still have a hard time seeing despite it being as bright as an airport runway in my little living room! In my internet surfing, I discovered some Lowe's carry Ott-lites and after some calling, we drove to the one 30 minutes away and found this one. What's even better is that they had the price mismarked on the floor model and I got it for $25 cheaper than it should have cost. Woot...sale!! I am loving it so far and I can see perfectly with just this light on. It's awesome!I hope to show a progress pic of my next start...once I get some creases out of linen!
Enjoy the weekend!
Until next time...
18 comments:
I am not familiar with Nicaraguan food, so think I will have to google nacatamale ;) Sounds like you all had a really nice lunch.
Love your new floor lamp. I have to agree the regular Ott Lamps may be better to see with but are not much to look at :)
Wiki is my friend, I would totally eat a nacatamale.
My tamales come from my neighbor who knows a guy who meets him in a parking lot to sell them to him. I'm convinced it's an Angel, they certainly taste like heaven.
Love the lamp, it looks great in your room. And spiffy scroll cover; I'm using a pillow case from the seventies - harvest gold anyone?
I used to be in the Country Stitch rainbow club, so have a lot of their fabric. I don't think you will be disappointed. All the fabric comes overlocked around the edges also, which I really like.
Sounds like you had some fun and great food with your folks! :)
I wouldn't worry too much about the creases in the linen, as the stitching will hide some of them and framing should ease the rest out. If you're really unhappy, I've heard that dampening the fabric, putting it into a ziploc bag and putting it in the freezer for a while works wonders. Just iron it direct from the freezer and the creases *should* disappear. Might be worth a try.
Countrystitch fabric is lovely to stitch on, one of my favourites and Cath, the owner is wonderful to deal with. Just email her and tell her what you want and she'll do her best to help.
Sounds like you had a lovely lunch with your parents.
Love the new lamp.
I love Missy's comment... I can just see this guy in a parking lot pulling open his trench coat to reveal tamales. LOL I've never had Nicaraguan food but the nacatamale sounds good!
I love your new floor lamp. Enjoy your hours of stitching with it! I think it's much prettier than my day light lamp. I love my day light lamp but it looks like something you'd see in a doctor's office. LOL
PS--I've never ordered from Country Stitch but only heard good things about them. Good luck!
I have no great secret for getting out wrinkles - I just live with them if they don't come out.
The lunch and time with your folks sounds great (especially the food)!
Great lamp - it looks just right in your room!
Ok, now I want a picture of Nacatamales. I'm curious! lol! Like the new lamp! I love my ott lites. Yes, I have 3, although one is a daylite lamp. I'm heard something about freezing fabric to get creases out? Never tried it myself though. Sorry, can't help with the NZ fabric. Never tried it. Good luck with your Mirabilia fix!
I'm not familiar with what nacatamales are. I'll have to look them up because you have me curious :o)
I LOVE my Ott-Lites! I have the ones with the glass shades. I knew that Lowe's carried them but only after someone else bought one there. I never would have guessed. That's awesome!
I tried dealing with that fabric company but her communication was terrible so gave up. There are some that will dye the fabric to the colors you want if you show them what you are looking for. That's another option.
As far as creases go, if it's not HD fabric, I'll wet it or spray water on it before I iron it. I find that after being in the Snaps for awhile, they middle ones tend to come out. Once you stretch the piece, even more will come out.
I've heard the same thing that Karen wrote - dampen it and put it in the freezer and then press out. I have found though that if you press it good, after the pinning/stretching that all should look fine.
The nacatamale sounds wonderful. I love authentic food of any type. Like my SIL's tamales (she's Mexican). I realized that the stuff I was eating up here paled big time in comparison with hers.
Love the lamp too - I have one almost identical and would be lost without it.
I am curious to see what a nacatamale looks like too...as Dh and older son are tamale fans. To get out creases, I have heard about the wetting and freezing method too. While I have never tried it, I have been using a little sprayer that holds a mix of water and starch, which I spray and then iron. It seems to work out ok.
Sounds like things are going well with you...take care!
I've never heard of freezing fabric to get creases out. Linen is tough, but the thing that's worked the best for me is to press it with a lot of steam to dampen it, then pin it tightly to square the corners and let it sit overnight to 24 hours. Then press again with the pins in, and one more time (not as much steam) with the pins out.
The light is super cute.
I've never heard of freezing fabric to get the creases out but I sure am going to try it. I also never heard that Lowe's carries such pretty OTT lights.
The lamp looks perfect in your room. Happy stitching!!
I used a spray starch to remove creases! I lay my stitching facedown on a towel, lightly spray with the starch and iron - voila no creases!
Your Ottlite is lovely and so much more in keeping with a living room .... no I do not need any more lamps ... or do I?
I had to google "nacatamales" to see what they were and what they looked like, Valerie. YUM--they sound amazing...
I've heard about the freezing fabric thing, too. Never tried it, but it may be worth a shot...
Great new lamp (much more attractive than my stitching lamp, that's for sure!).
What a fun weekend, I would love to try a nacatamale. After reading your post I also googled Farmer's Markets in Colorado and I have lots of great choices, can't wait for them to start.
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