No fear

This week's wiplash competition is entitled "NO FEAR" which brings me to today's thoughts:
El desafio de whiplash de esta semana se titula "SIN MIEDO" lo que da lugar a lo siguiente:

1- This hound is nothing to have fear about
1- Este perrito no da ningun miedo


2- The one years old who will be receiving it today will have no fear to suck on it
2- El ninho que cumple hoy un anho y al que se lo voy a dar no tendra miedo de chupar el perrito


3- His mother will have no fear about him choking because it's childproof
3- Su mama no tendra miedo de que se vaya a ahogar con el porque esta hecho a prueba de ninhos


4- He has no fear to climb around my garden
4- No tiene miedo de subirse por mi jardin


5-My husband's pants where the doggy's fabric came from are in a "better place" now, they became shorts and my husband will have no fear to wear them in the hot Florida summer.
5- Los pantalones de mi marido de donde salio la tela para el perrito han pasado a la historia, se han convertido en pantalones cortos y mi marido no tendra miedo en ponerselos durante el caluroso verano de Florida

New apron: tie one on

And using what I have this month, I have made an apron for the tie one on show and tell. It was fun at the beginning, putting pieces together of different sizes but when I had to finish the puzzle it got complicated...but at the end I like how it looks, kind of short, but that makes it have a "younger" look.


Y usando lo que tengo este mes, he hecho un delantal para el blog de tie one on. Fue divertido al principio poner todas las piezas de manera aleatoria pero cuando quise acabar el puzle la cosa se me complico...pero al final me gusta como ha quedado, un poco corto, pero le da un aire mas "joven".



Following the yellow theme I thought I would post a picture of these beautiful straw flowers my husband cut from our garden yesterday:

Siguiendo con el amarillo pense que seria bueno poner una foto de las flores secas que mi marido corto ayer de nuestro jardin:

Organize my head

Today I am trying to be more productive by organizing my thoughts and cleaning up my home...there was such an invasion of fabrics around my livingroom that it didn't seem like I was getting anything forward...I mean, even though I have 4 projects going, I have not finished any of them, and it looks like they are getting to a stop because it is getting harder to find anything around here. But yesterday I put away all the fabrics that I do not need, cleaned the carpet, organized the livingroom and threw away stuff that I don't know why am I keeping it, and now I am ready to continue with these 4 projects.
Hoy estoy intentando ser mas productiva mediante la organizacion de mis ideas y la limpieza de mi casa...habia tal invasion de telas en mi sala de estar que no parecia que estuviera sacando nada adelante...osea, que aunque estoy trabajando en 4 proyectos, no he acabado ninguno, y parece que estoy quedandome parada en todos porque cada vez es mas dificil encontrar cualquier cosa por aqui. Pero ayer guarde todas las telas que no voy a necesitar de momento, limpie la alfombra, organice la sala de estar y tire cosas que no se porque guardo, y ahora estoy lista para continuar con estos 4 proyectos.

The first one is an apron. I will post a picture as soon as I'm done, probably soon. I am doing this following the tie one on challenge, this month's theme was yellow and white.
The second one is a quilt I hand stitched while I was writting my dissertation. I finished the top but I still need to put some borders. I gave it to my mom for her birthday last November but since then I haven't touched it....I will finish it soon mami! Here is a pic of this unfinished quilt:
El primero es un mandil. Pondre una foto en el blog en cuanto lo acabe, probablemente pronto. Estoy haciendo este mandil para el blog de "tie one on" en el cual el tema de este mes es amarillo y blanco.
El segundo proyecto es un edredon que lo hice a mano cuando estaba escribiendo mi tesis de doctorado. Acabe la parte de arriba pero aun le hacen falta los bordes. Se la di a mi madre por su cumpleanhos en Noviembre y desde entonces no la he tocado...la acabare pronto mami! Aqui esta la foto de este edredon sin acabar:


Then I have two more quilts, one is handmade and the other one is by machine. The machine one is finished but I need to put a back and the batting, this is a surprise present. The other one is a surprise too, but I haven't finished putting the pieces together. It is hand stitched so it takes longer. I usually work on that one on Sundays when I hang out with my quilting friends and if my son is with me I don't get much done. So it's going slow, but the top is almost done. Then I have two more quilts in my head, I just bought a bunch of fabrics for those, and I am planning to make them with the machine, otherwise they won't arrive on time for the arrival of the babies of two of my best friends.
Luego tengo dos edredones mas, uno hecho a mano y el otro con la maquina. El de la maquina esta acabado, solo me queda poner la parte de detras y el relleno, esto va a ser una sorpresa para alguien. El otro tambien sera una sorpresa, pero no he acabado aun cosiendo las piezas de la parte de arriba. Esta hecho a mano y por eso tardo mas. Suelo trabajar en este edredon los domingos cuando me junto con mis amigas que tambien cosen y si tengo a mi hijo conmigo entonces no hago casi nada. Asi que va lento, pero la parte de arriba esta casi acabada. Luego tengo dos edredones mas en mi cabeza, acabo de comprar telas para ellos y estoy pensando en hacerlos a maquina, sino no van a llegar a tiempo antes de que nazcan los bebes de dos de mis mejores amigas.

I guess my problem is that I like to start new projects before I have finished any other, so I get myself in trouble by not meeting any deadline and having tons of unfinished projects. Oh well, this clean and tidy environment around here is sure going to help. I am also going to make new shelves in my livingroom (this is where I do my crafts and where I blog too!) to organize all my fabrics. That's another big project. And this is a sneak preview of all my secret projects:
Creo que mi problema es que me gusta empezar proyectos nuevos antes de acabar con los antiguos y me lio de mala manera porque no acabo ninguno a tiempo y al final tengo muchos proyectos sin terminar. Bueno, esta limpieza y organizacion de mi ambiente de trabajo seguro que me ayuda. Y aqui pongo un vistazo de todos mis proyectos secretos:

Chinese cookbook

I went to a book sale the other day and I got loaded with second hand books...I can't help it. There are so many tempting options that I had to get several craft books, children's books and this one. I really wasn't looking for a cooking book, but I found this one left by itself in another place and when I saw these drawings...I had to get it. It is just 2 years "younger" than me. I like the style of back then. I also like the recipes so I am enjoying this one. The pictures are not great, today is cloudy and I am always in a hurry :(

Handwritting meme

An idea gotten from Logtar's blog: Write this pangram "The quick brown fox jumps over a lazy dog". Sign it with your first name or your handle (not your signature) and take a picture. Then post this and your picture on your blog and let's see what your handwritting says about yourself.
For me, the places where I've lived have influenced my handwritting a lot. Every country has a different style of teaching calligraphy, and also different generations. My handwritting is skinny and elongated specially after living in Japan.

Letting my surly side out

I guess I usually inhibit my surly side, not that I have the need to let it out too often, but sometimes it feels good...and this week's whiplash competition has given me the opportunity to do it. There is this one woman that I know through work that happens to come to me all the time. We have some things in common and so she likes to come and talk to me and talk and talk and talk. In other words, she talks her head off not even having the least interest on letting me say anything back. It really irritates me, but I try to be polite and just listen. Recently I had determined to do something about it, ignore her in an obvious way so that she would quit contacting me, but then my husband came along and said noooo you shouldn't do that, just be polite and don't create enemies. And so there is still that link between us, although I do nothing to encourage it. Anyway, I figured I could make something to express how feel about this relationship. I made this monster without a head representing her talking her head off. Then I made sure the monster's mouth was shut with red stitches. I feel better now looking at this quiet monster.

New Mexican style quilt

I once bought a bunch of fabrics in New Mexico that later on I realized I could buy them also in Florida, but to me, they had the New Mexican look. I used those fabrics for the Walmart block. I also started a huge quilt that apparently nobody in my home liked! Which was discouraging. After a while working on it I put it all in a bag and it is still waiting for me to get back to it....It's been more than year. Fortunatelly I did get to use some of those fabrics in a smaller quilt that I made for a friend. I started making a romboid and then I continued adding pieces of fabric until I finished the quilt. Design on the go. She liked it and I think it matched her style.



Una vez compre un monton de telas en New Mexico que luego me di cuenta que tambien las podria haber comprado en Florida, pero yo creo que tienen pinta Nuevo Mexicana. Use estas telas para el bloque del concurso de Walmart. Tambien empece una quilt enorme que aparentemente a nadie en mi casa le gusto! Lo cual fue desalentador. Despues de trabajar en ella un tiempo la meti en una bolsa y todavia esta esperandome para que continue con ella...ya ha pasado mas de un anho. Afortunadamente use algunas de esas telas en una quilt mas pequenha que hice para una amiga. Empece haciendo un rombo y entonces continue anhadiendo piezas de tela hasta que la acabe. Disenho al momento, sin planes fijos. A ella le gusto y creo que es de su estilo.

Chinese handmade outfit

My friend Hui just returned back from China. Today she came to visit us and she gave us several nice presents for me and my son. Her aunt made this cute outfit by hand in only one week!!! It looks like the pants are knitted and the top is crochetted. I am no sure about the top because I am not familiar with this technique, but the way she described it that's what it sounds like it was. She said she designs her own patterns and colors. How amazing! Too bad right now it's 87F (31C) here in Florida. What a HOT day! too much, my son doesn't like it so far, he better get used to it...


Mi amiga Hui acaba de volver de China. Hoy vino a visitarnos y nos dio varios regalos a mi y a mi hijo. Su tia hizo este trajecito tan mono a mano en solo una semana!! Parece que los pantalones los tejio y la parte de arriba esta hecha a croche. No estoy segura porque no tengo mucha idea sobre esta tecnica, pero segun me lo ha descrito parece que si. Dijo que ella disenha sus propios trajes con los colores y todo. Que increible! Una pena que aqui, en Florida, estemos a 31C. Que dia tan terriblemente caluroso! demasiado, a mi hijo no le hace ninguna gracia, pero mas vale que se acostumbre....

Friends

Most of my friends here are foreigners. Maybe because I am too, we become closer in a country that is not where we were raised. Funny thing is my husband is from the USA, but he behaves like a foreigner too. I was very lucky with friends here. From the beginning, already 5 years ago, I got to meet wonderful people. The kinds of friends that I will continue to talk to for years to come. I often talk about my friend that likes to make crafts like me. We are very close, we are neighbours and we have many things in common. We get to share so many things that it makes life just much more fun. I also have some other friends that are not living here anymore. I once made a quilt for a good friend from Argentina, Myrian. She is here in the picture with Hui, my good friend from China. I hope Myrian gets to use that quilt in the winter, although I think where she lives in Argentina is not all that cold. It was hand stitched and quilted and I think she really liked it. I am glad she got something to remember me always.

Getting ready to welcome a new baby

My friend is having a baby soon. She is due on May 1st but it seems that Manuella will come to the outside world sooner. Her mom is already dilated almost 3 cm and she will probably have her within a few days. They are my neighbours and friends and we are all excited about the new arrival. I wanted to give her some things that I also got from my sister right before my son was born. These things that news moms don't think about and then they come really handy. I made this bag for Manuella:


And these are the goodies:

Whiplash

This is my entry to the first week of the Whiplash competition. The theme was "everyday creativity". And after spending since Thursday thinking about it, I finally decided what I wanted to make. My son is too young to go egg hunting, so I decided to create two imaginary kids that were climbing this colorful mountain towards the Easter eggs. I have to say this egg was given to my son today and I though it was beautiful so I had to take a picture of it.


A close-up of my colorful craft shows all the fabrics I have used, 17 total.


And this last picture actually shows the real functionality of the "colorful mountain". It's a cover for the toilet paper, I will get to see it everyday!

New books, more fun

Micanopy is a small town near here with a lot of antique shops. They also have pretty dusty book stores where I have happened to find some interesting books every time I go. We went there with my family in law that are visiting for Easter. It was a pleasant day and we enjoyed walking around this "historic" place. I also happened to find 3 books that I am sure I will give good use.
This one is my favorite:






And this is probably the most useful one right now:



Happy Easter!!

Japanese crafts

When I was living in Japan I could spend hours in the department store looking at dolls and stuffies. I remember I sent one to my little sister, a frog with a huge head, a crocheted stuffed animal. My sister in law also went to Japan and she found these animals cute as well. She found this one, I think my son will love it, me too.


The other thing I loved to look at was stationary. They have the most beautiful papers to write letters, to wrap presents, to do origami and just for decoration. My dear husband took me to a nice Japanese paper shop in Santa Fe the other day, for my birthday and he bought me this beautiful piece of paper that I will frame and hang in my Japanese wall at home.

Feliz cumpleanhos

Happy birthday abuela, we miss you!

Festive table runner

My mother in law asked me once if I could make her a table runner for her dinning room. It took me a long time to make it, and several unfinished tries. It wasn't hard to make, but the hardest part was the design. I usually don't have a design to start with. I just go with the flow and see where it takes me. I know she likes Japanese things because she does have many little figurines in her dinner room from Japan, so I thought I could start from there. I got some squares with dragonflies over ebay, and then I tried to combine those colors with fabrics I already had at home. I also wanted to adapt the fish scale shape I had just leaned in my quilting class and then I managed to do the center part. But it was soooo colorful that I just couldn't decide what fabric to put around it. So I took it to the fabric store and compared fabrics and it was still too hard because it was so colorful! But I finally I found a purple and gold fabric that worked and made it look very festive. Just appropriate for special ocations. I think she really liked it. Here is how it looked:

Polvoron de limon, same as mantecado de limon

You might be wondering what's up with the name of my blog. Well, polvoron is a treat we have over Christmas in Spain. And to me, the lemon kind is the best. I just found a place in New Mexico where you can find spanish products and when I saw a box of polvorones y mantecados (pretty much the same thing) I though I should have it.


I have to admit it, I was bitting that one when I decided to take a picture of it. It was good!! But the real reason why I named my blog this way is because its texture reminds me of this:


Squishy (if that means anything) and delicious like my son.

Vintage sewing machine: Aqua

I am figuring out little tricks about this machine and it's making my life easier. Doesn't it sound good? Vintage sewing machine: aqua. So far this is my buddy. Thank you Sara Jane! I am having fun :)

A tablecloth for the princesses

And since I still had the opportunity to use my sister's wonderful sewing machine, I made a tablecloth for my niece. Not that she cared much about it, but eventually she will be able to use it when she eats and also to play kitchens, restaurants and cooking anytime she wants. In the meantime my sister and I had fun making it. She tought me how to cut properly with a rottary cutter. I have one but nobody showed me how to use it, and you can make things much better if you do them right....although I still think it is fun doing things by hand and cutting pieces with scissors...but we will leave that for other hand projects. Anyway, not only I learned how to be more efficient cutting, but she also taught me how to sew efficiently with the sewing machine...of course I ended up doing it a liitle bit my way, which my sister dissaproved (putting the pieces together like a puzzle rather than like straight lines which apparently is much easier and precise) but I also learned how to sew without pins and leaving the proper 1/4 inch seam allowance (instead of my random distance seam allowance). What a different way to sew. It's a completely different art. It's fun how at the end you can get the same result...well not exactly the same, a faster and more scientific one. But again, I still love hand stiching and hand quilting, I am glad I had the opportunity to learn this art that way first. I still have 3 quilts in the works that will be hand pieced and hand quilted. But that will take a while longer.

And here is the tablecloth:







And this is the one I made for the other princess, my sister...next time it will hang more, I promise...

Playing with scraps

I am still at my sister's. I am enjoying playing with her machine and using her little pieces of fabric from the quilts she once made. They are so colorful and nice that can be all combined together and it's easy to make something with patchwork. I told her the other day "I want to use your sewing machine so what do you want me to make you?" and she replied that she didn't want anything not useful. And by not useful she included bags that she doesn't really need or anything that has an assigned purpose in her life. So that doesn't leave me many options, because I am only here for one week. But I had an idea. I decided to make stuff to my niece. She is 3 years old and she will enjoy playing cooking and restaurants if I made her a tablecloth for her little table. Then I started making something that ended up not being the tablecloth cause I couldn't find large enough fabrics to combine. So decided to make her an apron. Here is what I ended up doing.



And a close-up:



I am working in the tablecloth now. I should finish today, because I will leave tomorrow to Florida. It's looking nice, and with my sister's techniques, all well planned, and super precise it's coming along pretty fast!

Fabric frenzy

And this is another birthday gift from my sister and family...they know what I really enjoy now! So we went to this local fabric store, really nice and I got a bunch of fat quarters and a couple of yards of Japanese fabrics...they are all so nice!! Now I have to think about what to make with them...



I am also using my sister's nice sewing machine, wow it's so easy with it! I have one that my mother in law lend me...so nice of her! and I use it a lot but I am not very good at it and I keep on figuring things out about it, like how to adjust the tension, how to properly use the foot...I know it sounds pretty straight forward but it's not. The other day I was trying to make the foot work but it would just make a noise like an engine trying to start but not making it all the way, and sometimes it worked and sometimes it just went really fast. Then I realized that I had to make sure I was putting the stitch lenght button into the exact position, and it appears that when I was having trouble with the foot it was because I was putting it in between two stitch lengths. But with newer machines (this one must be 30 years old) it's all much easier. I am going to enjoy this new machine here while I am visiting. I am thinking about making a table cloth for my niece's little table...we will see...

The zoo

The other day we went to Albuquerque zoo. It was a nice day, sunny and cloudy at the same time but not too cold. I loved that zoo. They have it really well set up, with animals that seem like they like living under those weather conditions. The light that day was great because it was sunny but polarized by the clouds so the pictures we took look really nice. Here are two of the guys we saw!




It was a great day because we spent it with family and good friends :)