Art date

It was a rainy gloomy weekend here, and our houseguests have gone home.
Mr Hunting Creek wanted to have Thanksgiving this weekend, since the house is so clean and perfect. I told him I was having an attack of inspiration deficit disorder, so he took me to the bookstore to get the newest Threads and Quilting Arts Stitch magazines. I'm a person who likes to wander around the bookstore. It is always fun to see all the new books and magazines. I think we were the only ones there. We got a parking spot right in front - that never happens! Then we went to the Crate and Barrel outlet to look for some new placemats for Thanksgiving. Mr. Hunting Creek is the kind of perfect husband who enjoys picking out new placemats for holidays. (Just so you know that I appreciate him) I'd rather make a nice new t shirt or some fun new silk pajamas than sew 8 identical placemats.
We were successful in our search for new Thanksgiving stuff, and Mr. Hunting Creek coined a new word for the happy feeling you get when you have searched and shopped victoriously: spendorphins.
(I feel so patriotic by spending a little money and helping the economy recover.)
I noticed that the Crate and Barrel outlet had Marimekko fabric by the yard for $4.95 a yard. It is very cheerful stuff, so if you have an outlet nearby it's worth a trip. They also have beautiful tablecloths that could be turned into something else - curtains? Skirts? pillows? (Let your inner Scarlett O'Hara inspire you.)
The Crate and Barrel outlet that we go to is about a block from the Old Town Alexandria -King Street Metro Station. Check their website for locations near you.

After we got home I read my new magazines while the guys watched football. I enjoyed reading the cool ideas in the Stitch Magazine. The whole issue was about world fabrics . I have always loved Japanese Fabrics and I liked the patterns for the totes and the pillows and scarves. It got me thinking about different things that I could do with my vintage kimono fabric. Lots of ideas.
I'll read Threads in bed tonight - my treat!
I may still have inspiration deficit disorder, but following the good advice many of you have given, I'll make something easy and tried and true, and go on from there.
Since my sewing area is all clean, it is begging to be messed up again.

Stitch in Time

Have you read the new sewing magazine, Quilting Arts Stitch? I have been reading mine and have enjoyed the clean clear graphics, the no nonsense sewing advice and the full size patterns tucked into the center. I also bought it to encourage the development of more sewing magazines. There need to be MORE! There are way too many scrapbooking and quilting magazines compared to sewing. Magazine people, get with the program! And sewists, you need to do your part by buying the magazines and encouraging more new sewists. I think I'd like to try making the scarf with the disolving stabilizer. It looks like fun, and I have some vacation time and some pretty silk scraps that would be perfect for it. If I get at least one good idea out of a book or magazine the experience is worth the time spent.

We had a great Thanksgiving here. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. We cooked this year. I did a two hour turkey - you should have seen the look on the guests' faces when they arrived and I was just putting into the oven. "we'll eat at MIDNIGHT!", they cried. Actually, not, we ate at 530p, as planned. I always cook my turkeys the high heat 2 hour method as detailed in Barbara Kafka's excellent book, Roasting - A Simple Art. The turkey was moist and flavorful, and the guests were amazed. I took all the credit, but really, it's super easy.(Plus my daughter had ordered a beautiful fresh free range grass fed turkey) Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake turkey for two hours (mine was 15 pounds). The thermometer showed that it was done as well. It also made excellent sandwiches the next day. My son makes his with everything (including stuffing and cranberry sauce) on them. We've already eaten ours up!
I hope all of you had a great holiday.
Happy Sewing!