* * * T H A N K Y O U Y O U G U Y S !!!!! * * *
I am gob smacked. Thank you for your orders and all of your kind words. You guys are seriously awesome. And I am truly grateful. Super-stellar awesome-assistant Stacey has shipped almost everything, with the rest going out on Monday. Then there will be more five thousand Maggie and her animal cousins' kits all over the world at this point, and I'm so proud of them. Thank you ever, ever so much for buying and making my patterns and kits. I love designing and producing them more than I can say, and am very grateful for your enthusiasm and support. Thank you so much.
So, it's deep fall, isn't it. October was really busy. Halloween came and went (in a torrential downpour). The Red Riding Hood cape (McCall's M4567) was a total fail. It was so crazy big and so heavy (I even shortened the thing by about a foot or more!) it wouldn't stay on her shoulders at all, and I couldn't blame her for not wanting to wear it even once! I tried a few solutions, including buttons at her shoulders (her hair wound around them horribly) and tying it on like a backpack under the arms but nothing really felt functional. Halloween morning I made a run to JoAnn's for yarn and a giant hook and wound up speed-crocheting a new hood in a few hours. The pattern was also sort of nuts and no one was more amazed than I when, lo and behold, a hood came off my hook, and the child donned it willingly. Until it started raining cats and dogs and every one of us and our friends were in a ton of rain gear, slogging through the drowning neighborhood in a downpour to get about twelve pieces of sopping candy. Man, I wouldn't trade it for anything.
It's a gorgeous, gorgeous morning here today. Andy and Amelia are headed out together for the day and I'm sitting in my newly reorganized office trying to collect myself. My office is so clean and tidy and . . . where am I, seriously. It hasn't been like this in years. This morning I made a giant list of all of the things I want to make this fall. Bathrobe (she wants a bathrobe, which cracks me up) for Meems. Nightgown (she wants nightgowns) for Meems. Thanksgiving dress and pinafore for Meems. Thanksgiving skirt (gathered, with pockets — I've made two already and love them — will tell you how I did it as soon as I get my act together) for me. Friendship quilt with Martha like this gorgeous one by Lucy. This sweater for Amelia. An advent calendar. A crocheted blanket I am halfway done with but I don't think I've shown you yet. A kooky flowered skirt for Amelia. Christmas dress for Amelia.
Seriously??? It does seem like a lot. I think it will be okay. The quilt's obviously a long-term project. And a lot of the other stuff can be done on the sofa while watching Christmas movies, so what could be better?
I've also been cooking a lot. I made Ann's No-Knead Bread. I made Thai curry lentil and sweet potato soup. That was excellent. I made Tessa Kiros's meat sauce from Apples for Jam, which is one of my favorite cookbooks (though the font they used for the recipes is seriously unreadable). I made dirty chai (that's chai with espresso, FYI) cinnamon rolls using the one-hour dough from this recipe and the filling and frosting from this recipe. OH MY STARS WHAT AN AWESOME PAN OF CINNAMON ROLLS THOSE WERE. I made butternut squash and spinach lasagna. That, too, was very good.
I guess I made a runner for my dining room table, too. Apparently Andy had the whole week off and I got a little excited.
Sweet! Love the hood 😊
Love to view all your life's details you share with you blog friends, your talents (love your photography), your love of family, and your passion for creativity. The cape is adorable. Looked like it would have fit you if not for the length. Too bad. The lining and details were beautiful. Clearly you don't just throw a costume together. Do you? Actually I think the crocheted version looks better. More what I would envision "Little Red Riding Hood" to look like. All the best to you and your family. You're adorable!
Gorgeous autumn light. Amelia's hair looks so pretty in it. And I love the photos of her on the steps, it's a picturesque spot. The cinnamon rolls look scrumptious. I've just discovered Pukka cinnamon tea, and I'm thinking one (or two) of those rolls would go with it very nicely. Love the plan for some making and movie watching, it sounds perfectly blissful. CJ xx
"where am i, seriously." - ha!
oh, how i pine for glimpses of your studio - -
love, love, love visiting here. you amaze and inspire me.
I just love reading posts like this, all about the happy-busy times in life. I'm in one now myself and I'm giddy with the rush and tumble of it. I love Amelia's costume, it's adorable even if it didn't come out quite right. And your cinnamon rolls look good enough to eat, right there in the photo.
I love coming here, it is one of my Happy Places.
It is good to know I am not the only one that gets frustrated with the font on Apples For Jam. That was the year (or two) in which publishers thought it quite chic to make their font in grey tones. I think enough of us complained that it seems to be a passing fad. I absolutely adore Clodaugh McKenna's cookbook called Homemade. It is at least readable.
Your "Meems" gets more beautiful each day. Love the picture of her at the top of the stairs in the house and also love the pictures of her on the porch. Hve to try the cinnamon rolls and lasagna. Your post put a big smile on my face!
We are in the same boat; I just wrote yesterday about my possibly impossible Christmas-making list. But it's the best part of the season, I think, so I keep adding to my list. If Christmas isn't the time of year for pulling off the impossible, I don't know what is. Happy sewing/knitting/crocheting to you, Alicia! xo
Here's to you and your awesomeness, Alicia...so much love and joy you spread!
I Love RRH!!
One of our daughters dressed as she..for a play all the Little Friends did..oh..34 yrs ago...Jacques had built them an A-Frame playhouse w/ dutch door..one of the sweetest memories..
So so sweet..
Can't wait for my Martha mag..I forgot to tell you last time..
Does the Oregon Board of Tourism know about your blog?
You always bring beauty and inspiration to your posts, and you always make me think:
Next trip, Oregon!
I enjoyed all the images in this post, Alicia. Mimi looks adorable in her Little Red Riding Hood outfit, that dress is seriously historic looking. I got so inspired by the cinnamon rolls.. my mom made the best kind. I gotta try making them again. I think I'm off to take a photo of Mt. Hood now that it's not naked anymore. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
What a fun post, full of everything fall-goodness. Amelia looks so cute in her red hood. Happy creating-for-Christmas. I'm starting in too and it's fun!
I'm going to be so sad when Amelia is old enough to read your blog and you won't be able to pre-share your plans and pictures for her gifts...
So happy I have Maggie and Basil to look forward to making this winter and so happy you have received so many orders! Your patterns are so lovely, thank you for sharing so generously your designs and ideas.
When my son was about your daughter's age, he also requested a bathrobe. In orange. So I made him one and he wore it willingly. I love when a child loves to wear or use the handmade things!
I am so impressed with your last-minute (and successful!) Red Riding Hood. As well as with your staggering list of fall projects, followed by, "I think it will be okay." And congratulations on your appearance in Martha Stewart Living!
I could hear the excitement in your voice as I read your post today. Your sewing machine will be humming in order to fill Miss Em's list of wants. 😊
Those Cinnamon Rolls are truly tasty looking. Fresh & delicious!😋
Deep Fall is the best. Only thing better is deep Winter with lots of snow. Fingers crossed ⛄️
Bon Apetit's yukon gold cinnamon rolls blew my mind. Seriously, try them!
Oh how I've been waiting for your halloween pictures! Looking forward to seeing your crochet blanket and all of the other projects in the works. Please share more of that gorgeous table runner! x
oh cinnamon rolls! could be on my week-end's cooking projects list, thanks to you!
That costume is the BEST LRRH EVER!!!! So sad the cape didnt work out! That looks like it was ALOT of work! She looks so precious in EVERY picture! I cant wait to see her Thanksgiving dress:) Your blog is like a gift..every time you post I feel a surge of happiness!!! Love it ALL! and YOU:) I am going to make that lasagna tomorrow for Sunday dinner!
Too bad, I missed your post for the deadline, but I am still working on some of your cute animals from past purchases anyway. Loved the cute Little Red Riding Hood pattern, but sounds like a pain in the neck. Regardless, you are talented enough to fix it! Love all your pics of the Fall Season and Halloween! Thank you for sharing all your talents - love your creativity!
I was swooning over the red riding cape before I read the post -- it looks so beautifully made, I wanted one for myself. And the dress is amazing! But that other hood turned out perfect.
I can't wait to hear about the gathered skirt w/pockets!!! I am so excited about all your projects!!!
And Amen, about the light print in Apples for Jam, I almost think I don't use that cookbook because I can't read the page numbers!
Everything looks so cozy. I love the picture at the top of the stairs--so beautiful. The crochet cape is lovely--Halloween for mama's always seems to include last-minute costume fixes. I have made the capes in Meg McElwee's book "Growing Up Sew Liberated" and my children have loved them (also have made then for school plays). There is also an adorable number project in the book.
I love this beautiful life you are constantly creating. You inspire me. Coming up to the two year mark of my husband's death, and I need to do the same; create a beautiful life again.
**blows kisses**
Deborah