Sunday's Soup/Roasted Cauliflower with Arugula

Whew!, it's been a while since I last checked in. In my last post, I shared that my dog Gracie had a ruptured blood vessel in her ear. Well, it resulted in surgery last Thursday. She is better, as better as one can be with a cone around their head ;) But, the cone is needed as she wouldn't have an ear at this point. The cone keeps her from scratching at her ear, but I can't keep her from shaking. UGH!!! I never realized that the dog shakes her body as much as she does. 

In the meantime, I came down with a cold and have been a running temperature. Oh well, it's my yearly cold, so hopefully I'm getting it over with and will have a super fun winter, full of winter sports! As I type, I'm drinking a cup of tea with a little whiskey, actually Grand Marnier(my favorite). I'm telling myself that the orange flavor of the liqueur is vitamin C ;) Regardless, the warmth of the tea mingled with the liqueur is very soothing to my throat, so...good enough for me!!! 

I did manage to make a wonderful soup this week. I wanted something simple, and I wanted a little extra warmth as I've been so cold, so I decided to do a little roasting. If you haven't roasted vegetables, by all means, give it a try. Roasting gives the vegetables a slightly smokey taste and I think, enhances the flavor.

I wanted a big batch, so I used 2 heads of cauliflower. The recipe will be for a smaller version using just 1 head of cauliflower.

Begin by breaking the cauliflower into small florets. Slice a purple onion and garlic cloves. Line a baking sheet with foil. I laid out my cauliflower first, and then topped it with the sliced purple onion and slivered garlic. I then sprinkled olive oil over all of the vegetables and added salt and black pepper. My absolute favorite salt is pink salt. I purchase it in a large grinder and use it for almost everything.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the vegetable mixture in the preheated oven and roast for approximately 45 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender. The bottom of the cauliflower will be nice and brown, and the edges of the onion will be crinkled and brown. 

I then put my vegetable mixture in my pot. Added vegetable broth, and pureed the mixture with a handheld mixing wand. If you don't have a handheld wand, puree the mixture in a blender. I like to say that there's almost always another way to do just about anything ;)

Once the vegetables were pureed, I added the chopped arugula. Love the spicy taste of arugula. I then added thyme and oregano, and adjusted the salt and black pepper. Brought the mixture to a boil and then reduced to simmer for about 10 minutes to give the arugula time to flavor the soup. 

As is, the soup is the perfect vegan soup.

If you would like, and you don't follow a vegan diet, top the soup with a little shredded parmesan cheese and chopped green onions.

If I may say so myself, the soup is delicious!

Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Arugula

ingredients;
printable recipe

1 large head of cauliflower broken into small florets
1 medium purple onion sliced
2 cloves of garlic slivered
2-3 tablespoons olive oil sprinkled over vegetables
4 cups arugula before chopped
2 teaspoons dried thyme  
1 teaspoon dried oregano
6-8 cups vegetable broth for desired consistency of soup 
Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Break cauliflower into small florets and place on foil lined backing sheet. Top with sliced purple onion and slivered garlic. Sprinkle olive oil over vegetables. Top with salt and black pepper. 
Roast in preheated oven 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Once tender, place roasted vegetables in a large soup pot. Add vegetable broth. Begin with 6 cups and add more if needed for desired consistency. Using a handheld mixing wand(or blender), puree the soup mixture.
Once the soup has been pureed, add the chopped arugula, thyme, and oregano. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer for approximately 10 minutes to allow the arugula to flavor the soup. Adjust salt and black pepper to taste.

Soup may be topped with grated parmesan cheese and chopped green onions. Serve and enjoy! 

I have SO enjoyed this soup. It will freeze well and be great for an easy dinner in the future, or a fabulous, warm lunch. Or, you can be like me and double the recipe and share...or maybe not ;)

Rhonda

Sunday Night Reflections

One Pattern So Many Ways, All In One Place/A Great Design Resource

I love patterns! There was a time when I couldn't wait for the new Vogue pattern catalog to come out. I would go to the store and literally sit for at least an hour(if not more!)and dream over the patterns. Better than a Christmas wishbook for me! 

Then...I went to school and learned how to design and draft my own patterns. One thing I learned is that a good basic design is really all you need, well that and some instructions :)

A while back, I took Butterick 5678, which is sadly out of print, but available on sites like Ebay and Etsy, and showed you how to take it from a basic shirt and add lots of design details. The instructions are a little difficult to find as they are all over the blog, so I thought I would consolidate them all here on this post. That way, if there is something you would like to try, you can easily find it. 

This was the first piece that I did. The basic shirt was used, but a Peter Pan collar added and a change in the sleeve. You can find the instructions for the Perter Pan collar HERE, and the sleeve instructions HERE.

While this looks rather complicated, it's really quite easy. The collar tutorial can be found HERE, and the sleeve tutorial HERE. 

This is a favorite of mine, the raised neckline. The collar tutorial can be found HERE, and the sleeve tutorial HERE.

This is a wide variation of the shawl collar. Look closely and you'll see that the collar sits up a little higher on the back of the neck. This is one of my favorite dresses for summer. The tutorial for the collar can be found HERE.

This is the narrow version of the shawl collar. You can find the tutorial for the collar HERE, the sleeve tutorial HERE, and the circular skirt tutorial HERE. 

I also showed you how to take the pattern and turn it into a summer jacket and add pockets HERE. The sailor collar tutorial is HERE. The sleeve has a turned up cuff, and that tutorial can be found HERE.

And finally, my favorite of all!!!!, my zebra dress. You can see my design process HERE.

This is a dress that I find every excuse to wear. 

Although the pattern I used is out of print, plenty of basic shirt patterns can be found. Any of these designs can be used with a pattern that has a good neckline, the shoulder seam sits at the shoulder, and has a princess line seam.

I think it's about time to choose another pattern and have some fun with it. I'll put that on the schedule for January. In the meantime, I'll start looking around for a good basic pattern and deciding how I can manipulate it. If you have any ideas, let me know :)

My Stephen Burrow's Inspired Coat

Thank you to everyone who sent notes yesterday. I'm so very happy that I once again received a great report. It seems that the moles have grown a little in size(width), but not in depth, and depth is what can mean cancer. So, I can still see, and you will continue to receive my crazy blog posts ;)

Our fashion show chair for the upcoming 2018 Haute Couture Fashion Show has been very inspired by the work of American designer, Stephen Burrows. She would really love to have an entire segment of the show devoted to pieces that have been inspired by his work. 

Yesterday, I shared with you the sewing challenge entitled, "Designin' December." Linda of Nice Dress, Thanks I Made It, loves to sew and loves to try and inspire others to sew, so she came up with the idea to encourage others to copy, rather than purchase a garment that they would like to have in their wardrobe. If you would like to participate, she even has a button that you can attach to your blog.
   

When I did a little research on Stephen Burrows, I found the coat below and loved it! So I told our fashion show chair that I would recreate it with the hope of getting a few others to make up a Stephen Burrows inspired design for the fashion show. So since I am coping a designer original, I thought I may as well participate in the Design' December challenge. 

My fabric just arrived yesterday. My coat will not be an exact match, but still inspired by the original. Sadly, I just couldn't get the light right, as the colors are much more vibrant than they appear, especially the yellow. It's much closer to the yellow in the original coat.

Now to make up a muslin. The coat is a very basic design, it's just a matter of the placement of the colors. I think it will be a lot of fun to play around with the colors.

The fabric is a washable merino wool ponte from Fabrications in Michigan. I was a little concerned that all of the colors that they had on their website might not be available, but when I called to order, I was told that if they don't have it in stock, it's not on the website. Nice!

So, a fun new project. 
You won't miss me walking down the street!!! 

The Wednesday Showcase

A very Happy Wednesday to everyone :) 

In just a bit, I will be off to see the retina specialist for my eye exam. Three years ago I learned that I have moles on my retina and that they had grown. Shocked, I asked what that meant, and the ophthalmologist said, "cancer." What I thought would be the normal eye exam turned into something that I had no idea could even  happen. As it turns out, you can get melanoma in your eyes. As crazy as it sounds, it does happen. When I was originally given the diagnosis, I wrote about it here on the blog, and I was amazed by how many lives this has touched/changed. 

Melanoma in the eyes is treatable, but there is a catch, the closer the mole is to the center of the retina, the more likely you are to lose your eyesight when treated. I have moles in both eyes and in both eyes, the moles are near the center. But, so far, so good :) No cancer, and no treatment. 

When I first learned of the possibility of potentially losing my eyesight, of course I was devastated. But then, I decided that it doesn't mean life is over, it just changes. 
I'll share a little something crazy that I did...
The mountain where my husband and I like to ski, has a wonderful program for handicapped skiers, physical limitations as well as a program for the blind. So, I thought that in the event that I lost my ability to see, I can learn to ski without my eyes. One day, we were coming down a run, and it was especially quiet, so I decided to close my eyes and just experience what it would be like. Different for sure, but I found out that with the help of a guide, I could do it. 

One day, my husband and I were on a lift with a guide and a young man who was blind. When he began to talk about the runs that he likes to do...OMG!!!. Those are runs that makes me panic just to look at them! It's amazing what one can do when we only decide to try.

So, it's Wednesday! Let's meet some fabulously talented ladies :)

First up is Jess of The Sterling Thimble. Rather than me introducing her, I will let her do the honors as she has done a wonderful video on who she is what she likes to do. 




In Jess's video, she says that she doesn't have a lot of time to sew, but when she does, she makes the cutest pieces, like the pajama pants below and the lace trimmed top.

Love the red! This was made for Valentine's Day. What a gorgeous piece for a celebration. You can read more about her journey HERE.

And last, but far from least, check out the incredible handwork for a jacket she is currently working on.

These are handmade buttonholes ladies!!! Incredible!

If you've taken a peek at her video, you know that Jess loves getting to know fellow sewists, so be sure to say hello!

Next up is Linda from Nice Dress, Thanks I Made It. Linda has been enjoying a ready to wear fast since 2015, and addicited to sewing since the 70s.  
The holiday season can get so very hectic, and we can easily lose ourselves in the process of trying to do everything. but Linda came up with an idea to help keep us focused and create something special. So, she created "Designin' December!"

Here's a little of what Designin' December is all about;

"We have all seen something we LOVE, either in the stores, online, or on the runways, but don't actually want to buy it for some reason. So I propose that we sew that garment that we see/want. If you are lucky and already have an exact pattern, either and indie pattern, your own self-drafted pattern, or a big 4 pattern that you can use, great! Whatever it takes, let's make what we see and want!"

The contest runs through December 31, 2017. There are LOTS of prizes to be won. You can read more about it HERE. Such a great incentive to get that special garment put together for the holidays, or just whenever. Linda even has a fun button that you can attach to your blog and let others know you are participating, or to encourage them to join in.

Between Jess's incredible handwork inspiration, and a challenge to get you sewing over the holidays, I think that's quite the inspiration for a Wednesday :)

Have a fabulous day!
Rhonda

Tuesday's Tips and More

Lit my first fire of the season yesterday. Warmed my soul, and the house. Another cold, gray day, just may need another fire :)

A few weeks ago, I did the first Tuesday Tips post. I don't plan on doing this each and every week, just when I have something that I think is worth sharing. I also asked if you might have a tip to share. Liese of Live Thread Studio shared a lovely tip on making your own lavender oil spray. She said that it is her go to sleep aide. Just spray a little on your pillow and drift blissfully off to sleep :) 

Lavender Oil Spray

50/50 cheap vodka and water.

For a measuring example;

1/4 cup vodka

1/4 cup water

lavender essential oil, use as many drops as needed for preferred level of fragrance. If by chance you don't care for lavender, any oil of your preference may be used.

Shake well before use.

Liese said that not only is it great on your pillow, it's great straight out of the bottle for small burns, and when mixed with a carrier oil, works on rashes for humans and dogs.  I just made up a batch, and it is fabulous! Thanks Liese :) 

I always enjoy hearing your stories, whether told to me, or that I find out on my own. As it turns out Liese has quite an inspiring story. You can read more about her, and her journey HERE. 

My husband loves Tic-Tacs, the little breath mints that come in a shaker like container. For years I have thrown the containers in the recycle bin with no thought of the possible organization tool they might be. A few weeks ago as I started to throw a container into the recycle bag, I stopped!, and realized that this was just the thing I needed.

What a wonderful box to organize all of my small snaps, hooks, etc. And because they snap shut, I can carry pins if I'm traveling.

The lid opening is perfect for shaking out just what you need.  

At this point, I have organized, hooks and snaps. I love that we have access to so many types of hooks, and now I can easily see what I have without digging through everything. 

A few years ago, I had gone to the American Sewing Expo in Novi to participate in the Passion For Fashion competition. I literally dumped all of my snaps, hooks and whatever else in a bag and that is where they remained. No longer!!! Now I just need to get my husband to eat a bunch of Tic-Tacs ;)

I need to figure out a nice container to store my tiny bins in. If you have an idea, I would love to hear it. Just email me at sewbussted@yahoo.com.
If you have a tip that you would like to share, email me as I would love to share it here on the blog. We can all use great tips!

Now for something rather magical...

While I was in Fredericksburg, VA, getting ready to teach a class at the Original Sewing and Quilt Expo, I turned around and a lovely young woman was standing beside me. She said that she had come to give me a gift. I was rather shocked! She handed me a bag, and inside the bag was a lovely star. The front has beautiful little white sequins,  

And the back is a plain, heavy weight of linen.

On top of the star is a bell and a reminder to dream. The bell makes me think of the angel in the movie "It's A Wonderful Life." A bell to remind us that angels are ever present :)

Before she left, she handed me a card, but for the life of me, I can't find it. If by chance the bearer of this gift reads this post, please email me. 

After the same class ended, one of the ladies who took the class came up to me and said, "I too have a gift," and handed me this lovely tissue holder.

Once again, I was shocked and so taken that she had actually brought me a gift. The tissue holder is now transferred each time I change my purse. Just the sweetest gesture. When I look in my bag and see it, warmth comes over my soul. 

It's no secret that I am a HUGE fan of Emerson. There's a pond at the Heller Nature Center in Highland Park, IL. The nature center is a place of true joy for me. While Little Bit was still alive, it too brought her so much joy. She and Gracie would run and run to their heart's content. Now, Gracie and I go alone, but it still brings great joy. Whenever I come upon the pond, I think of Emerson. It's his kind of pond ;) 

I thought I would share his words on the gift of our days...
  

And finally, I came across this picture of President Johnson singing with his little dog. Little Bit loved to sing, and she especially loved when I would sing with her. Makes me think of the joy that she was :) 

May your day be filled with joy!

Rhonda

Sunday Night Reflections