Instant July Calendar

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Print it out and put it wherever you want.

My fabric "Fruit-A-La-Carte"
I'm going to make my dress apron (over the head) with this print.
Sewing Patterns is on Simplicity catalog.
The picture will post end of July.

Fruit cocktail

• 30-40 ml vodka (per person)
• 1 tbsp lime juice (if you enjoy your drinks a little more sour, like I do)
• 2 (or more) kinds of different-colored fruit (Example, strawberries and Orange, Apple and Pineapple, etc.) - the amount depends on how much you want to make
• ice

Directions

1. Blend the first type of fruit with half (if you use 2 kinds of fruit) or 1/3 (if you use 3 kinds) the ice, vodka and lime juice.
2. Pour into cocktail glass.
3. Blend the next type of fruit with another part of the vodka and ice.
4. Using a spoon, put the mixture on top of the cocktail glass, creating a layered effect.
5. Yes, it's going to seep through, that's the point :).
6. Repeat for every type of fruit used.
7. Decorate the glass with a piece of fruit and enjoy.

What a great feeling it was when we won!

My has been playing ice hockey since he was 5 years old. I took him skating at the ice house down in Hackensack when he was 4. Just like my father used to take me. I made him use these white figure skates that my friend had sent me from Japan. (I took him skiing when he was 4 as well. He flips now....)
Picture -2005 He was 10.
He didn't like it when I held his hand. He didn't know how to stop, so he used to run into the wall over and over again, until he learned to stop. He would watch other kids skating that knew how to skate like hockey players, and he learned...quickly actually.
He didn't want to wear figure skates any more.

I signed him up for a hockey league without taking any lessons. It was only about 125.00, but I paid 350.00 for his equipment. I told him this,
"You may not quit ice hockey for AT LEAST three years."

He never quit. That was the problem. I would pay a higher price every year..When my son moved up to high school, we discussed his options for his ice hockey career.
The high school he attends doesn't have a hockey team.
We both made the decision not to go to private school just because of ice hockey. He made the choice to play a short season (September - November).
High school hockey starts on November 15th every year.

He needed as much ice time as possible, due to his situation and all. He became an Ice hockey official or a Reff. He also played for a club team this past winter, but many games were lost due to not enough kids showing up based on their High school game schedules.

He showed up to every single practice and even the younger kids practices to fit in as much ice time as he possibly could.
He and his friends found out about this tournament. Little did they know that this was a very, very competitive tournament. The best freshman, sophomores, juniors, and even graduating seniors showed up to this tryout.
Garden State Games Ice Hockey- SCHOLASTIC - High School Tournament.Majority of the kids who participated in this tournament play for famous Hockey schools all over New Jersey. As well as playing for AAA or Junior teams, both already pro hockey. (They play full season from September to March, AA and under play short season from September to November.)
I never thought of him making it. We knew at least 50 kids that were cut from the tryout.
Somehow he was chosen. His friends couldn't make it.

He was the only Player in the tournament that doesn't play for a high school team.
He never even tried out for a AAA or Junior team.
They chose 80 kids and divided them into 4 teams, all very evenly distributed for a competitive tournament.
Every single game was very close. All teams had chance to win.
There were three preliminary games, ours had placed 4th with an 0-1-2 record.
Playoffs @ Prudential Center (Devil's Practice rink) We beat the team who placed first. 5 - 2.

Today was the championship game.
We gave up two goals in the first period.

Third period, our team woke up and scored two quick ones.
Other team scored again making it 3 - 2. Then We tied it again. 3 - 3.Then our team scored one more goal.
We gave them a power play, but we killed it to the end.
After winning they gave the second place team medals, our team got champion hats. (Wasn't a medal, it was a hat. Funny), The director of the tournament who had announced each kid's name asked my son when it was his turn, he said "How did you end up here? Your school doesn't even have a hockey team."
My son said, "I don't know, but I'm trying."He played with and against many graduating seniors who are playing for college teams next season. My son is sophomore.
It was a great experience for him. I was very pleased that he could be part of this.
I enjoyed watching these games a lot.
He is playing for Bandits AA this up coming season.
He learns about life through tryouts and games, I really hope he is.
His new season will start after our Japan trip. He will play with his best friends. It will be a fun season for him!

The most difficult part about it is self discipline, to conquer yourself.

What a great feeling it was when we won!

By the way, am I a good motion photographer? I took about 200 pictures through out the two games at the PruCenter. My son got many great pictures. I think he's a lucky boy! His number was 8. This was a lucky number too.

A gift set for Lily!!

My friend's baby, Lily was born January 2011. Finally, I could meet her. I made small gift set for her. Reversible bib and Card / Cherry from Fruit-A-La-Carte.
She is an adorable baby, isn't she.

These small projects will be on Hoodie's Pincushion sometime soon.

Join the Crochet Dude at Etsy Labs @ Etsy Craft night

I was with Simplicity members, at Etsy 7th floor on Monday.

And Drew and Brett. Brett Bana was interviewing Drew.
Drew was holding my fabric, Hoop dots Col/ Eggplant

Craft night started 4:00, ended 8:00.
I bought some my new fabrics for TT with me.
She was using my Lemon and Raindrops fabrics.Simplicity Deluxe Rotary Cutting and Embossing Machine is amazing. It cut two layers fabrics, even 4 layers. Joint each fabric stripe. Make fabric thread. Then, crochet it.The project was a coaster.

My mother was a master of crochet and knit. I was watching her master pieces since I was a little. I learned from my mother. Besides I had school projects a couple of times. So I can make some easy crochet projects.

Some people never tried crochet in their life. The day was their first trial.
It seems they were hard to hold yarn (or fabric stripe), so they are easy to lose their process.
Once they got the point, they could had made their own coaster.

It was fun to teach people, because I could see happy smile after they could has made their master pieces!!!!! It was my first time to teach crochet in English. I didn't know right English words for crochet, but my demonstrations were helped. Smile!
This coaster is my master piece.
Using the fabrics - Nettie Dots/Brown, Bubble Dots/ Red and Leaf My three collections (Nettie Dots, Raindrops, and Bubble dots) are very good for fabric stripe crochet or knitting projects. Because the collection has many colors and can make much color coordination. I'm planning to make crochet projects using my fabrics. Maybe, hat and bag.

I want to try for knitting too.This coaster made by April. Hoop dots / Eggplant and ForestAfter craft time, many people were taking pictures @ photo stand.I thought "What's a mess"

it wasn't a mess!

These were props for a picture taken.After the event, we walked a couple of blocks to find our dinner!!!!

We didn't go any of place in the pictures. We went to Sushi place. They had Hot and sour miso soup. I never heard it. Spicy tuna! It is a American sushi. Hot and sour miso soup is a Chinese Japanese soup. It is very creative foods. I can't eat this taste in Japan!There was two beautiful American girls with fan at Sushi restaurant!All about craft night @ Dumbo.

What is going on The City Quilter in NYC?

The City Quilter is located Belly Button (Center) of Manhattan, 133 West 25th Street.
They opened Gallery for the quilters. (The ArtQuilt Gallery·NYC')
I went to the opening party for Noriko Endo whose Impressionist Quilts. (She is a second quilt artist for the gallery. )
Look, Noriko and her beautiful artwork!She said,

"I love the fine art by oil paints. But I can't paint on the canvas. So I tried fine art by sewing."
Of course, we spoke in Japanese!

Her amazing work at The City Quilter will be until August 6th.
The City Quilter have many sewing classes.
If you fell like to start something new, sewing is a great challenge!!!

They have a large selection of fabrics in the store. Well, my all veggies were there.
Most of them were sold out. Few yards of Green Pepper were still there.

They are selling some my designs from Joy Basket.

• Fun Play dots / Midnight and Red
• Cheer Wheel / Brown
• Spin Jam / Black

I forgot to ask my Veggies will be in the store again or not.
They are expecting my Fruits-A-La-Carte will be in the store!

Wonderful events by Alliance for American Quilts

• Quilters Take Manhattan : Join us!
  

• Modern Stories: Documenting the Modern Quilt Movement:
  Friday, August 5, 2011, 7:00-10:00 p.m.

• Marianne & Jay on the Runway: A Quilter's Alliance of Fabric & Fashion
  Saturday, August 6, 2011, 1:00-6:00 pm

• NY’s Ultimate Block Party: Cocktails at The City Quilter
  Saturday, August 6, 2011, 7:30 - 9:00 pm

Last day of Noriko Endo's show, they will have another party!

Instant June Calendar

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Print it out and put it wherever you want.

Special Pasta Soup

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and diced small
• 6 medium tomatoes, quartered
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
• 10 sage leaves
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons Italian extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing and drizzling
• 2 liters vegetable stock
• 100g/ 4 oz very small pasta shapes
• ½-inch stick cinnamon
• 1 level teaspoon red chilli flakes
• 100g/ 4 oz cooked cannelloni or borlotti beans (from a tin)
• 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 4 tablespoons vegetarian Pecorino cheese, coarsely grated

Directions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees C/ fan oven to 180 degrees C/ or gas mark 6.
2. In a greased baking tray, place the squash, tomatoes, onion, garlic, sage and rosemary, spreading everything around evenly. Season to taste, drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, and toss the vegetables lightly so that they are evenly coated.
3. Place the baking tray in the oven and roast for 30 minutes until the vegetables are soft and beginning to brown.
4. Once cooked, let the vegetables cool slightly, then take the peel off the tomatoes. Discard the tomato peel, garlic, sage and rosemary. The garlic and herbs are only used to infuse the squash with flavour – you won’t need them in the soup as they will be somewhat coarse and bitter on the tongue.
5. Heat the stock in a soup pan and bring to the boil. Add the pasta, cinnamon and chilli flakes, and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
6. Add the roasted vegetables and beans, and simmer for a further 5 minutes until the pasta is cooked. Add more seasoning to taste.
7. Ladle the soup in individual bowls, and sprinkle with parsley, cheese and, if desired, a little more olive oil.

Sorry for delayed post!