First Day Gathering

                     
             I had the pleasure of being invited to a New Year's Day party.

                     I much prefer this kind of gathering, to the late night,rowdy     parties of my youth..

        It was my first First Day party- I am not much of a social butterfly!

I read on someone's Facebook post, that what you do on the first day of the year, is indicative of how your year will progress.

So, I guess that means I will become more social? That could be a good thing, considering I have become more hermit-like, since moving here to the country!

I was afraid my social skills had become a bit rusty - but good food, nice, artsy, earth loving folks, and a welcoming atmosphere made for a good time!

  This was a sort of progressive dinner - between two houses in the forest.

Mike and Karen's house was the first stop. Bonfire outside, a delicious assortment of potlucks and mimosas inside.One of the dishes, cooked in a cast iron pot, over the fire outside, was a delicious looking Brunswick stew.
It was made of of several types of meat, including squirrel, so I had to pass on tasting it!

Having just met Mike and Karen, I did not want to be rude and whip out my camera to take pictures of their VERY cool house!

We did get a tour. Karen and Mike are the 4th owners- the first owner, a single guy,  started the house in the 70's, by building a very neat geodesic dome on stilts. Don't let the outer, rustic, quaintness fool ya'! It is gorgeous inside!

Each new owner added on- with windows, skylights,  beautiful wood everywhere, and stripped wood logs from the forest out back for support beams and decor.

                              The hill right behind the house inclines directly into the National Forest.

After having great conversation, delicious food, and then there was that Mimosa (!), we all took a short hike down the road to the "dessert" house - my friend Maryanne and John's .

I have written about Maryanne and John's house before - they have a little late 1800's cottage for rent in the warmer months. This will be available for rent, when I have my quilt retreat in August-first come, first serve!!!!

My contribution to the dessert table: anise pizzelles, and almond featherweight pound cake (with some Trader Joe's pfefferneuse, chocolate covered edamame and pomegranate seeds on the side)

Maryanne made a delicious apple pie with Stamen (?) apples and pear thrown in ! Yum! Chris made rhubarb and strawberry jello, a local favorite - it was very good!!! There was a walnut sheet cake, snickerdoodles, and more-
yum,
                             yum,
                                             and 
                                                            YUM !!!!

 

 

Below are scenes from around Maryanne's house

 

I love this little wee one who greets everyone at the front door.....

Maryanne's rock art and cairns  can be found everywhere

Heart rocks abound

 

Mr. Green Jeans  going across the foot bridge - he took great delight in shaking the bridge as I was trying to cross and take pics! Not funny..........

 

View of the back of the refurbished 1890's rental cottage

Pump outside back porch of the cottage

Artsy wasp abode -everyone is welcome here-a very zen atmosphere

 

Maryanne's moss and lichen gardens can be found everywhere

(I'll be making some of these today!)

Despite what Martha Stewart says, this little mossy gardens do better outside

The gathering began at a bonfire.......................and ended at one

                     A great way to start the new year, and I thank you, Maryanne, for the invitation!!!

What I've Been Working on Lately......

Here are a few of the things I have been creating, some for the shop, some for gifts, some just because I wanted to!!!!
These gift tags are going to the Broadway shop, Julianna's, and I have another batch soaking in coffee, to use for myself !

The snowman's buttons are from my dwindling collection of vintage abalone and mother of pearl buttons.This snowman is made out of vintage, felted, tea stained wool.Some of the others are made of cotton batting or cutter quilt remnants.

These "zen sticks" are a result of  me playing around with my leftover beads and stones, after receiving a similar one from a "bloggy: friend. .They can be quite pricey to make, especially when using semi precious stones!
I received some  lovely calming beads from "faerwillow"- you can go to her blog and check out her etsy shop to purchase some of hers!She has some gorgeous ones!  My daughter promptly christened mine  zen sticks- they are a new age version of the old time worry beads. After having faerwillow's for a while, I can attest to their usefulness!! Mine are made with 20 gauge copper or silver coated wire. One of mine has a red jasper ring - jasper promotes harmony- we'll see if it's true!!! The other two are a beachy feel. These will just be gifts or giveaways.

The little bead bracelet spells out Broadway Gobblers - for the local high school team.

My feather tree is just a tiny "Charlie Brown" tree, made with a wood skewer, wrapped in floral tape, with faux pine branches, topped with a primitive rusty star. The pottery flower pot sits in a thrift shop votive candle holder made out of a slice of tree.

 I was harvesting herbs last week- and made this little hanger of curly willow (or Harry Lauder Walking Stick, not sure) with similarly scented herbs - lemon thyme, rosemary, and sage.

This bunch of lavender in the vintage silverplate urn may make it to the shop - altho I kind of like it!!!! The urn was a yard sale find - for 50 cents - since it had a broken handle!!! I fixed it!!!

Here's my vintage drying rack in the basement-the rack was also a yard sale find !

The upcycled teacup server and Christmas pedestal servers are already in Julieanna's.

The quilted table runner was one I made years ago out of vintage quilt blocks, machine quilted by Anne Weber of Ashburn, Va.

This last little piece was just me fooling around with a tin pie plate, after seeing Kimmie's tutorial on her bottlecap quilt! The reverse side looks better than the front, I think!!! The front is gessoed and decorated with bits of  clock innards. Not sure what I will do with it now tho......LOL

Now, off to make yet another cup of hot tea with honey, in an attempt to get rid of this cold!!!!