Goodbye 2018 — and Mom (Lillian)

Lillian Applegate Westfelt
1932-2018

For those readers who don’t know, my mother, Lillian Applegate Westfelt, the Lillian in “Lillian’s Cupboard,” passed away on November 11, 2018. I wanted to make an announcement post before this but just couldn’t face it. Now, with the old year running out, I thought it was a good time to pay tribute to a great woman.

My mother was 86 years old and didn’t start her blog until right before her 70th birthday. She jumped in with both feet and made a terrific success of it. (I only wish I’d had the number of hits she racked up on her worst day.) If you take a look around the blog going back over the years, you’ll see what an accomplished woman she was. A great cook and baker, talented quilter, and enthusiastic knitter; and a fine writer, a compliment she never really accepted. (I AM a writer, and an editor as well, and I know good writing when I see it.)

We’re hoping to leave Mom’s blog up indefinitely. It’s a wonderful archive of information, recipes, and memories; a true legacy as well as a fitting tribute to who “Lillian” was and what she cared about.

If you’re here only for the recipes or the quilting, someday take some time to read her memoir posts about life in the 30s and 40s and as a young mother in the 50s and 60s. She also was a tireless chronicler of life as it happened. If I ever need a refresher about a birthday celebration, holiday, or other event, I know I can go to this blog and relive the whole thing.

The day after she died, I posted a tribute to her on my own blog here and more about that night here. Frankly, we’re still reeling. We had a good Christmas, though, which would have made Mom happy. She insisted we go on celebrating no matter what and not become morose or bitter when she was gone. She adored Christmas.

To all her readers and followers, thank you for supporting her over time. She valued each and every one of you. Even though she slowed down in her blogging over the past year, she remained dedicated to it. There’s a wealth of reading on “Lillian’s Cupboard.” I hope you’ll stop back now and then to relive special moments in a long and happy life.

Best,

Nancy Susanna Breen (Lillian’s eldest daughter)

Cozy Afternoon Block-of-the-Month – A Hassock Cover

Jacquelynne Steves recently offered a series of free blocks-of-the-month called Cozy Afternoon.

http://jacquelynnesteves.com/cozy-afternoon-block-of-the-month/

The block patterns began in May and ended in October with suggestions on setting and borders.  I intended from the first day to make a cover for a large storage hassock I keep in my sewing room.  There would be one panel for the top and four for the sides, adding corner triangles and sashing.

I thought the blocks were very pretty  …..

Unfortunately, the end product was not what I wanted.  The cover doesn’t fit as well as I hoped and I’m not sure about the triangle fabric I used.  It has the beach and shoreline look I wanted but doesn’t set off the blocks very well.

I’ll keep the cover for now, but the piece would be easy to take apart and I’ll be looking for ideas to use these nice panels in a better way.

Pie Carrier – A Tutorial

Whenever I’m invited to a pot luck dinner or picnic, I like to take a two-crust fruit pie.  This kind of pie holds up well en route, can stand the heat and is something that a lot of people don’t make for themselves.

I like to use a carrier to protect it and have designed a pie carrier that works well.  For special people, I leave the carrier with them as a hostess gift.  It would also work well to carry other food items that will fit in an 11×11 inch container.

This is how I made my latest version, using a vintage embroidery pattern for the top of the lid and 3 orphan blocks for the lid lining, carrier and carrier lining.  A few scraps for the side panels and tie handles along with some stiff interfacing completed the supply list:

Front and back:  Cut 2 pieces 11-½ x 11-½ inches (includes ¼ inch seam) fabric
Cut 2 pieces 11-½ x 11-1/2 inches lining
Cut 2 pieces 10×10 inches of stiff fusible interfacing such as Inner-Fuse by Dritz

Sides:  Cut four 3 x 11-½ inch pieces of fabric for carrier
Cut four 3 x 11-½ inch pieces for lining
`    Cut four 2-½ x 10 inches of stiff fusible interfacing such as Inner-Fuse by Dritz

Tie:  Cut two pieces 3-3/4 x 16 inches of fabric
Cut two pieces 3-3/4 x 16 inches of contrasting or lining fabric

Lid:
Cut one piece 11-1/2 x 11-1/2 inches fabric
Cut one piece 11-½ x 11-½ inches lining
Cut one piece 10 x 10 inches of stiff fusible interfacing such as Inner-Fuse by Dritz

Lid flaps:
Cut 2 pieces 11-½ x 2-¾ inches of fabric
Cut 2 pieces 11-½ x 2-3/4 inches of lining
Cut 2 pieces 10-1/2 x 1-¾ inches of stiff fusible interfacing such as Inner-Fuse by Dritz

Binding:  Cut one piece 1-½ inches x 44 inches

Velcro:  Cut two sets of ¾ inch Velcro 10-½ inches long.

STIFFENER
Attach stiffener to lining pieces by centering on the wrong side of each piece and stitching a cross to secure.  Do this for the top, bottom, four sides, lid and two flaps

TIES
Sew fabric ties right sides together with lining/contrasting fabric, using ¼ inch seams.  Sew two sides and across top of each set (pointing or rounding top if desired).  Trim, turn, press and top stitch each side ¼ inch from edges.

Your pieces should be:
Fabric:
Bottom, 4 sides, lid, 2 flaps, two sewn ties
Lining:
Bottom, 4 sides, lid, 2 flaps – all with stiffener sewn in place.

Sew four pieces of fabric sides, right sides together,  to four edges of fabric bottom, leaving ½ inch at beginning and ending of seam.

Fold corners of sides together and sew from raw edge to ½ inch from end

LINING

Sew four pieces of lining sides, right sides together, to four edges of lining bottom, leaving ½ inch at beginning and ending of seam.

Pin corners together and sew from raw edge to ½ inch from end.

Fold corners of sides together and sew from raw edge to ½ inch from end.

Pin wrong side of lining in carrier, wrong sides together, matching corners and raw edges.  Baste 1/8 inch from edge.

Pin tie handles to the outside of the carrier at the center of two sides of the carrier.

BINDING

Join ends of binding with ½ inch seam and pin to top edge of outside of carrier, right sides together.  Baste 1/8 inch from edge.

Stitch with ¼ inch seam around edge.  Turn under ¼ inch and hand stitch binding to inside of carrier.

LID:
Sew the fabric flaps to the fabric lid on two opposite sides (flaps should be on sides that do not have flaps).

Sew the lining flaps to the lid lining on two opposite sides (flaps should be on sides that do not have flaps).

Place fabric lid and lining lid right sides together and join with a 1/2 inch seam, leaving a 3 inch opening on one side for turning.  Trim, turn, press and top stitch the lid.

On the two sides that don’t have ties, measure down ½ inch from the top edge of the lining flap on the lid and draw a line.  Center the matching Velcro piece with the top edge of the Velcro covering the line and stitch in place.

Measure down one inch from the top binding edge of the carrier and draw a line.  Center the matching Velcro piece with the top edge of the Velcro covering the line and stitch in place.

Place an aluminum 9 inch pie pan in the bottom of the carrier and place the baked pie on top of the aluminum pan.  Place lid on top of carrier and fasten with Velcro strips.  Tie the two tie strips together to form a handle.

Carry by handle, but keep one hand under the pie for security.

                   Fresh Apple Pie

“Can she bake a cherry pie, Billy    Boy?”

Peach, Pineapple and Tomato Salsa

Susan at Desertsky Quilting posted a recipe for a cooked salsa with tomatoes, pineapple and peaches (click here for her version) which sounded really good.  I wanted to use this idea, taking advantage of the wonderful fresh produce that is available now and made up an uncooked fresh salsa.  I didn’t have fresh pineapple and used two slices of canned pineapple cut into small segments.

Note:  Peaches and tomatoes can be peeled easily and without waste by dipping them in boiling water for about 20 seconds – the skins slip right off.

• Servings: About 3 cups of salsa
• Print

1 cup peaches, peeled and diced
2 slices pineapple, drained and cut into small segments (about 1 cup)
2-½ cups peeled, diced fresh tomatoes
1 Tblsp. hot banana pepper, finely chopped
1 Tblsp. cilantro, snipped in small pieces (fresh basil is also good)
1 Tblsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tblsp. honey
¼ tsp. salt
Grating of black pepper

Place prepared peaches, pineapple, tomatoes, banana pepper and cilantro in a medium bowl.

In a separate small bowl, mix together the vinegar, honey, salt and pepper.  Pour the vinegar mixture over the salsa ingredients and toss lightly.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Makes about 3 cups of salsa.  Will keep well in refrigerator for 3-4 days.

This is a good side dish and was delicious served with grilled tilapia.

It is also good served as a dip with cinnamon crisps.

Mug Bag-Mug Rug as Easter Gift

Red Brolly is offering a free pattern for a really cute, easy-to-make mug carrier and mug rug.  http://www.red-brolly.com/2015/03/butterfly-mug-bag-have-you-made-yours/

Update 9/20/15 – A reader let me know that there is a problem with the above link and sent me some alternate ones for the pattern itself.  She said these links are intermittent but she was able to get a printout of the pattern.

Page 1 http://www.red-brolly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/1.Mug-Bag.pdf

Page 2 http://www.red-brolly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/2.Butterfly-Mug-Bag-Outer-Casing.pdf

Page 3 http://www.red-brolly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/3.Mug-Bag.pdf

Page 4 http://www.red-brolly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/4.-Butterfly-Mug-Bag-Making-the-Handle-copy.pdf

Page 5 http://www.red-brolly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/5.-Butterfly-Mug-Bag-Template-Page.pdf

The bag is designed to hold a medium sized mug about 6 inches tall x 3 inches diameter …

and has a pocket for some teabags.

There is an accompanying mug rug which folds up in back of the mug bag.

I have made four versions of the bag to use as gifts.  I made this one as an Easter gift for my granddaughter.

The fabric is from scraps of an Easter dress I made for her in 2011, back before she became a sophisticated going-on-12 lady who doesn’t wear pretty lace-trimmed dresses any more.

Instead of a mug, I’m using an 8-oz jar of jelly beans in the bag and will be putting a gift card in the pocket.

For my two daughters, I’ll have the mugs filled with candy and will have gift cards in the pocket.

I made one bag/rug to have ready to give to a good friend from Chicago who visits during the summer.

In her case, I made an embroidered mug rug that shows a painter because she’s a gifted artist.

I enjoyed making these bags and rugs out of scraps, including using up a lot of small batting pieces.  I included a snap and vintage button on each one.  It’s a pleasant afternoon’s project with just a bit of hand sewing.

Red Brolly’s post has some beautiful bags made from her pattern by other readers.

Click on pictures to enlarge.

Heart of Ohio Antique Mall – Springfield, Ohio

Because of back problems the past two years, I haven’t been able to travel too far and my daughter and I have taken one day a week during the month of September for a “staycation” day in an area that doesn’t require too much driving.  We enjoyed our last day of this year’s staycation traveling about 1-1/2 hours to Springfield, Ohio.  We pass through the charming town of Yellow Springs and love to have lunch at Young’s plus a stop on the way back home for one of their renowned Bull Shakes made with cream from their own Jersey cows.

It’s about 30 minutes from Yellow Springs to a huge antique mall called “Heart of Ohio” with 650 dealers.  I found a treasure -a  handmade book rack that I would date to the 1940s with my favorite Scottie theme.  I imagine it was made from a kit and includes flaws like the very visible screws and holes drilled in the wrong place, but that made it more lovable to me.

When we got in the car, my daughter handed me something she had bought as a remembrance of our trip.

It’s Roseville and the chips (which I don’t mind) made it very affordable.  I love the little dog lapping up the spilled milk.

On the way home, I was telling my daughter I had seen a small “Made in Japan” Dutch planter which I talked myself out of buying.  Later that evening, she came out with another package that she was going to save as a Christmas gift – the planter I wished I had picked up.

This was a very successful day.

One week of our staycation we went to a favorite restaurant (Grand Finale in Glendale, Ohio) and our favorite local antique mall (Ohio Valley Antiques in Fairfield, Ohio).  We’re at these two places so often, I didn’t think about taking pictures.

Last week we visited an Adams County, Ohio, store.

The first week we stayed local with lunch at our favorite barbecue restaurant (Eli’s in the East End of Cincinnati) ….

…Stopped off at Avoca Park in Terrace Park …

…and did some antique store browsing in Milford, Ohio.

I’m beginning to really love this staycation idea.

A Staycation Day in Adams County, Ohio

For many years, my daughter and I traveled to Holmes County, Ohio, to spend several days in Amish Country.  I can’t travel too much any more and we have been taking one day a week during September to visit an area that is not too far away.  This week, we decided to drive about an hour and a half to a small Amish community in Adams County.  It was well worth the driving time and, in fact, the drive was a really enjoyable part of the day.

We started off the day with brunch at a Cracker Barrel in nearby Milford, Ohio.  I recommend the pecan pancakes but unless you have a hearty appetite, order just two pancakes – not three as I did.  They are huge!

We wanted to visit Miller’s Amish store in West Union and I was especially anxious to shop in the Bulk Foods building.  I bought some hard-to-find items along with pumpkin fudge to eat on the way home.

They have a large selection of furniture and I especially liked this glider with the morning glories.  My daughter said it was very comfortable.

My daughter loves to travel the back roads and we passed many houses with the familiar Amish clothing drying on clothes lines and an occasional buggy.  We also passed one buggy on the road, trying to contend with automobile traffic on a bridge.  These horses were beautiful but kept their heads hidden behind a fence.

This was one of the back roads we traveled with no traffic at all.

We were able to cross over a perfect covered bridge.

To me, it was a condensed trip to Amish country with everything we wanted to see, only there was less of it.  A very successful staycation day.

Last Day of Vacation

We completed the last of the once-a-week vacation days that my daughter and I have enjoyed this month.  I’ve had medical problems the past year that have been manageable as far as going out for lunch or dinner, but have not allowed me to stand and walk long enough to browse through antique shops.  Since I’m better, this is what I chose for our annual fall vacation.  Fortunately, my daughter also loves antique shops and has patiently been the driver and dining companion.  For the last day, I chose a location that is about an hour from our home – Waynesville, Ohio.  The village was founded in 1797 and was an important Quaker settlement.  There are still over 200 historic homes, most of them in the shopping area of several blocks and side streets.  We stopped for lunch at the Hammel House Inn which was built in 1799.  The original brick walls are still visible and the fireplace is homey and charming.

Our table was near an open window where we could look out onto the long front porch.

We had a lovely lunch.  I chose the English Grille.  The salad with strawberries was especially delicious.

My daughter ordered a Reuben sandwich and the cheerful and efficient waitress took our picture.

We don’t usually have dessert, but couldn’t resist some really good quality vanilla ice cream with just a drizzle of chocolate, pecans and whipped cream.

In just a two-block area, we visited three antique stores.  The Olde Curiosity Shoppe is one of our favorites.

I found three items to add to my collection – a baking dish and pitcher with the poppy motif that I love and a Roseville bud vase in the freesia pattern which was reduced in price because of a chip that I didn’t mind at all.

There’s also a great quilt shop, Fabric Shack, which is familiar to a lot of my quilting friends around the country because of their excellent online service.

On the way home, we stopped off at a farm market called Hidden Valley to check out their very well stocked rustic store.

There were even a few animals to see…

…and we bought some fudge and cookies to take home.

I’m glad that my daughter and I were able to share these days and enjoy so many beautiful things that southwest Ohio has to offer.

Click on pictures to enlarge

A Staycation Day–Lunch and Antiques in Two Old Buildings

My daughter and I are continuing to have one day a week this month as a staycation day, lunching and then visiting an antique shop in the Cincinnati area.  This week, we went to lunch at a restaurant we’ve been enjoying for over 35 years.   This beautiful place is located in the equally beautiful village of Mariemont.  Mariemont was founded in the 1920s as a planned community village and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2007.  The area has houses built in the English architectural styles from Norman to classic Georgian.  The Mariemont Inn is a Tudor Revival which opened as a hotel in 1929 and the restaurant is named after the term the founder used to describe the village – a National Exemplar in practical town planning.

There are two large dining areas plus party rooms and several areas like this beautiful lounge.

My daughter and I always order a favorite turkey and dill crepe when we have lunch here.  The potatoes are simply wonderful – crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

We left the gorgeous Mariemont Inn ….

And drove a short distance to the Cincinnati suburb of Oakley.  The antique store, Duck Creek Antiques, is housed in a building that used to be the Grace A Rush Bakery, in business from 1937 to the late 1980s.  Mrs. Rush had a thriving fruitcake business in her home in upscale Hyde Park before she moved to the building in middle class Oakley.  I raised my family in Oakley and remember the bakery and the wonderful Grace Rush fruitcakes very well.  It’s nice now to browse through the booths of over 150 dealers on two floors in this 1930s building.

I found two items at reasonable prices:  A large soup cup with a Dutch motif….

….and a small ironstone syrup pitcher.

Another very beautiful and successful vacation day.

Click on pictures to enlarge.

An Eating and Antiquing Vacation Day

My vacation plan this year is to spend one day a week during September to have lunch and browse an antique mall with my oldest daughter.  This week, we revisited Glendale, an area near Cincinnati that we love.  The village was begun in 1851 by 30 gentlemen who wanted to live in a rural area but still work in downtown Cincinnati.  The first house was built in 1852 and many of them from the pre-Civil War era are still standing and in beautiful condition.  We like to just ride through the streets and look at the old homes and gardens at different times of the year.

A more modern addition in an old building is the Cock and Bull Restaurant.  We had never eaten here before and in the spirit of vacation adventure, decided to give it a try.

We sat by a window with a view of one of the early houses in the village.

I don’t usually order fish but staying with the Cock and Bull theme, I decided to order fish and chips.  It was wonderful – two large portions of thick white fish with a great, light, crispy topping.

My daughter ordered a fish sandwich and a glass of Guiness.

After lunch, we drove a short distance to Fairfield, Ohio, to the Ohio Valley Antique Mall.   This is a huge mall and a favorite of ours.  My daughter rented space and sold antiques here a few years ago.

The store occupies 65,000 square feet (plus an in-store café) and every inch of it is filled with pretty booths and displays.  I liked this booth which included a lot of replacement lids along with its other treasures.

I was drawn to this old refrigerator and thought a bit about buying the paper storage unit on the wall with a Dutch motif.  I liked it a lot but I just don’t have the wall space for it.

I did buy a small creamer pitcher that I love.  I like these little pitchers for serving sauce for dessert or for a small arrangement of flowers.  The piece was marked Germany.

When I got home, I realized I had a sugar bowl on the mantel from the same line, only with a water lily instead of roses.

I’m really enjoying this vacation.

Click on pictures to enlarge.