Sewing for Myself

I have not done any sewing for myself in ages.   I needed a new dress and this polka-dot fabric was on sale at JoAnn's for cheap so I whipped up a dress and this belt made from scraps of vintage fabrics from the forties and fifties.  I picked up the buckle at the Brimfield Fair last fall.

 

Someone gave me these scraps that had been carefully cut into squares and saved in individual envelopes perhaps for a quilt that never got made?  They are very retro and remind me of necktie fabric.   Very fun to work with.

Pickity Place

I had a delightful day with girl friends at a favorite lunch spot called Pickity Place.  Located in Mason, New Hampshire, this quaint little restaurant is surrounded by beautiful herb gardens now quietly sleeping under a thin snow cover.  Each month the restaurant features a different menu with five courses revolving around locally grown herbs.  I used to live just few miles from this restaurant and would go frequently but had not been in several years.  I was glad to see few changes and the food was as wonderful as ever.  If you ever have the chance to get there, don't miss it.  Especially when the gardens are in bloom.

The house dates back to the 1700's and was used as inspiration for Elizabeth Orton Jones' illustrations of Little Red Riding Hood.  Part of the house is set up with lots of Red Riding Hood memorabilia and of course the Big Bad Wolf disguised as grandmother.  My kids were always fascinated and slightly freaked out by this.  The restaurant has a special lunch served in a picnic basket for little ones.

I've had a mind to make a Red Riding Hood doll ever since one of my fellow artisans brought in a scary wolf sculpture to the gallery.  I had lots of inspiration here.  There are so many versions of the fairy tale.

These guys know where to hang out on a cold winter's day-  right over the radiator!

This is my favorite part of the grounds.  I love this cozy little herb drying shed. 

 

Dessert was especially delicious this month:  White chocolate mousse in a chocolate tart cup with raspberries and kiwi puree.  Yummy!