A Little Bit of This and A Little Bit of That!!!

Hi there everyone. Hope you are enjoying these fall days. They are going by way too fast. Been a little busy at this end. Winterizing our little place. Gathered in all my tomatoes and cut the bushes down. Put my ceramic creatures away in the shed and cleaned the garage so I would have more space for the outside garden furniture. I guess in the next few days I should empty the water fountain (sniff and sigh). Then rake the leaves into the street and cut down all the flowers....a sure sign that "fall is over and winter is coming". Brought some of my plants in from outside...my hibiscus, that has been blooming like crazy and JP brought in the begonia plant today.

Our roof still has not been fixed. The scaffold was put up on Monday....but it's been raining everyday just about. The roofer said he would not open the roof till the weather was better. That might be next week. My life seems so un-organized what with this roof. Be glad when it's finished and the ceiling no longer leaks.

Been busy cooking. This is my last batch of potstickers. I cooked the meat first (this time) then placed the meat mixture on wonton skins. I think I will use the wonton's the next time I do these....and most likely cook the meat before stuffing the dumplings. Seemed to work out better.

JP came home with 2 large cabbages Tuesday night, they both measure about 10x10....pretty large!!!. So Wednesday I made sauerkraut, this was my first attempt....I think it will turn out pretty good and I can hardly wait to try some along with a pork roast. Here is the site I went to .

The 1st jar in the above picture is day one......this same jar in this picture is day two. Can you see how much more liquid there is in the jar....if the cabbage stays under water we will be good to go and the kraut should be good. I probably will tap it down again tonight....it is smelling very sauerkrauty.

Here is a picture of the other cabbage......oh I have some plans for this one. Stuffed cabbage, cabbage, tomatoes and bacon. cabbage and sausage, cole slaw....yeah and probably freeze some cabbage which I will use in soups and stuff. I went to Pinterest and typed in "cabbage recipes" oh my goodness so many ideas for cabbage. My all time favorite though is stuffed cabbage.....yummy. Reminds me of my step-grandmother, her stuffed cabbages which were awesome, were called "ho-lip-she's" (I am sure that is not how they are spelt, and probably have a different name depending on the country) Gram's came from the Ukraine but called them by their polish name.

Here is a picture of both the cabbage and sauerkraut.....yep it's been a busy week with still more to come.

You all have a great rest of the week. I will let you know how the sauerkraut is going in about 7-10 days, when it should be done fermenting.

See you in the next blog and keep looking up. Cheers ~ Louise

A Interview Featuring Elena from the Ukraine - Part 1

Hi fellow bloggers, how is your week going so far? Well as you can see by the title of my blog, I am doing an interview featuring Elena from Crimea, Ukraine. My last interview with Gail from Michigan was 4/4-8/11. Gail makes very beautiful Ukrainian Easter Eggs. To see her interview go to http://cards4ubylouise.blogspot.com/2011_04_01_archive.html and scan down to Parts 1, 2 and 3.

So, you might ask, why another Ukrainian Artist? Well, to answer that question, guess I am just partial to Ukrainians......as my mother married into a Ukrainian family, I was sort of adopted into their beliefs too. I heard many, many stories of their former country and the life they led till they came to the United States of America. Grams was the best cook of Ukrainian food........oh yum, miss those days of family dinners and delicious food!!!! Pops is 85 years old and lives in Las Vegas, most of the family and friends have died except for a niece and nephew.

Well, I guess I could ramble on and on about those days, but I better get on with this interview, this is the 1st part. Part 2 & 3 will come on Wednesday and Friday. Following is a beautiful doily that Elena made called tatting. Enjoy........her works of art and her interview.

1. Tell us a little about yourself, your family, and how did you got started on Etsy?

I live in Crimea, Ukraine. This is a wonderful place. We have a beautiful nature, sea, mountains, waterfalls, rare plants and animals, a mild climate here. I'm a happy wife and I have two grown sons (27 and 26 years old). I also have a pet (German Shepherd) 12 years old and it's a member of our family too. I am a Piano teacher and accompanist. I've worked 25 years at music and ballet school. Now I'm a housewife. I love giving gifts to family and friends. Gifts made by myself. At home I have a lot of handmade things. Friends have always said that such beauty should be shown at the exhibition. And my sister said that my products can not only be shown, but also to be sold! She advised me to create an Etsy hosted shop.

2. When and how did you become interested in tatting?

I've liked needlework since childhood. I was 7 years old and I asked my mother: Type series of loops on the needles, I'll knit a scarf for my doll! I grew up and my art became more sophisticated. I knit for myself and family. Sweaters and dresses with complex multicolored ornaments, knitting and crocheting, cross-embroidering, weaving, makrame, sewing patchwork. A year ago my sister gave me a set of needle tatting tools. Since then, tatting is my main hobby!

3. What is your inspiration for each idea and where do you get the ideas?

I find ideas everywhere: in magazines, internet, all around me. I see a yellow leaf fall from a tree and imagine a napkin, as it is similar to the sheet. I imagine a bag as similar to the autumn garden. I see a cloud in the blue sky and imagine the delicate white napkin, as the air! I watch a movie about a French king and imagine a collar of the dress just like a cape. Now I only have to make these fantasies by myself!

4. How many hours do you spend on each tatting doily?

Tatting is a very time-consuming and laborious technique. Operation times vary depending on the number of nodes. The more complicated the pattern, the longer it takes for the job. I made a small doily (5 - 7 inches in circumference) for about 40 minutes or an hour.

5. How did you feel when you sold your first tatting item on Etsy?

When I sold my first item on Etsy - it was a surprise and great joy for me! It was a large round white tablecloth!

6. What tools do you use for your craft that you cannot live without?

I use a tatting shuttle and needle. I love working with cotton mercerized thread.

7. What is a typical day for you and your favorte time of the day?

I do not have the same plan for all days. In different days, I'm doing different things: yard work, housekeeping, a trip to the store ... But I plan tatting every day for not less than 5 hours! I can not live without this art!

Hope you enjoyed Part 1 of this interview. Part 2 will be on Wednesday with a few more pictures. If you would like to visit Elena's Etsy store, go to: www.etsy.com/shopgift?ref=si_shop She is also on facebook and pinterest. You will see those addresses in Part 2.

Have a great day and keep looking up for your redemption drawth nigh.
Cheers ~ Louise