Month: June 2016

Posted on in Necessity is the Mother of Invention

Necessity IS the mother of invention, it is true, but its father is creativity, and knowledge is the midwife! (Jonathan Schattke)

I was taught to sew by my mom at the relatively early age of 10. While my brother and sisters were out playing in the woods behind our house or caring for our horse, boarded down the road, I was designing and creating wedding attire for my dolls. Bride, groom, bridesmaids…shoes, bouquets, veils. I have been in love with everything about sewing since I can remember! When I was in 7th grade, Home Economics was a required class (for girls! How sexist! Ooops, that kind of ‘dates’ me doesn’t it?). I was pretty much beyond the requirements so my teacher was happy to modify! I remember making a fully lined jacket and a Holly Hobbie doll with hair made from mohair yarn, curled into little ringlets by wrapping it around a pencil and steaming it in place with the steam from an iron. I made the doll for my little sister, Melissa. Holly Hobbie spent her life, since then, in my mom’s cedar chest (a story for another day!) and Missy has recently given her back to me because I really wanted my Harlow to play with her and know about her. It was a very special thing; made with so much love!

So… yeah… in love with all things sewing…I bought this old sewing machine, a FIELD, in California (for an outrageous price). I insisted that it be brought with us to Pennsylvania, but alas, it did not survive the move well. One side was irreparably crushed. I still could not part with it. Love is love! Finally, I removed the drawers and I was using them to store scrapbooking stuff: glue, glitter, colored pencils, scissors… pretty! I thought that maybe I could remove the machine itself and use the cabinet as a planter, so that is what I did, fairly easy, right?

The DRAWERS! There had to be something more! I have seen drawers from old sewing machines in antique stores (and what a shame!) going for $15 to $30 each! I have 5 (one did not survive)!! What to do, what to do…? My initial idea was to make a ‘shadow box’ to hold some very precious childhood items that my sweetheart has procured from his mom, who saved them all these years for him, because, again, love is love! These things hold memories of love! For the purpose of this blog, I am not going to show that final product of my initial idea, I may at some later point, but for now I will just follow the sewing (love) theme.

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The first thing I did was arrange the drawers to satisfy space and need requirements, also, to appeal to the eye! Remember however, all old sewing machines are not alike… the development of this project can only be used as inspiration!

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I used a piece of the cabinet, that was no longer needed after I removed the machine and top, to fabricate a piece that would hold the entire box together for hanging. Again, this will vary from machine to machine.

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I routed the pieces of leftover boards (boards from the top of the cabinet that I removed to allow the space for the plant) to fit over each adjoining set of drawers.

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I used wood glue to adhere the joints, then waited for the glue to dry. You may notice that I used a picture frame (8×10) to create a nice even space between the drawers where there will be an open space. This helped ‘square’ it up, easy peasy!

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I used more wood glue to adhere the fronts together where there were gaps and used clamps to secure it until it was dry. I added hanging hardware, made sure the heaviness of the box would not be an issue (proper wall consideration). AND….

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There it is!! In all its glory! Showing off all of the antique (vintage…ha!) sewing related things I have collected (and once my mom knows what our obsessions are, gifted!) over the years.

My sister, Melissa, was sad when she discovered what the fate of the old Field sewing machine was to be… out in the elements, no drawers, machine removed. Ahhh, but it will live on! As a showcase for love!

 

Posted on in Not Just Any Recipe!

Not Just Any Potato Salad!

Ahhh Summer! Time once again for BBQ’s and of course that means Summer salads. Not just any salad, my Mom’s Potato Salad! I have made this recipe so many times that I don’t even measure the ingredients any more (hmmm… did I ever? I can’t remember.) The problem was, “Oh my gosh, Jean, the potato salad was sooo good this time! What did you put in it?” Uhhhh… nothing different.

Part of the problem, I am sure, is that everyone has his or her preference. More onion, less sweet pickle relish, more mayo, less mayo; the reason I probably stopped measuring in the first place. SO… my very first potato salad this summer, was da BOMB! By unanimous decision no less!

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But wait… uh-huh, I didn’t measure anything; 5 or 6 large russet potatoes, boiled in skins till the skins crack and insides are tender, cooled and chopped; 4 or 5 hard boiled eggs, cooled then coarsely chopped; a small-ish onion, chopped; a good heaping teaspoon of yellow mustard; dump in some sweet pickle relish with juice; sprinkle with a little ground mustard; two or three heaping spatula’s full of mayonnaise (you know, the size that fits into the mouth of the mayo jar). Also note, although I like Miracle Whip Salad Dressing in some things, this is not one of them. OK… fold all of this together, gently unless you prefer mashed potato salad.

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There it is! Now… taste, adjust, taste again, add salt and pepper, taste again, ask someone lurking around the the kitchen to taste, adjust, both of you taste again, on and on it goes until it tastes just like my mom makes it!  Seriously, we’ll just make this the main course, we’re full now. I am kidding, it usually only takes me one taste and one adjustment (if that) to get it right. Like I said, I have made this sooo many times.

Good luck and enjoy!

Oh, that’s right, most of you don’t know what my mom’s potato salad tastes like! Well, it is the best potato salad I have ever eaten; I compare all potato salad to hers. Very simple. So, just make sure it is the best potato salad you have ever eaten! Enjoy!

Because this blog is for my granddaughter I will actually list the exact quantities here for her future reference. You may also want to refer to it if you want your potato salad to be not just any potato salad (and perhaps to experience what my mom’s potato salad tastes like).

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Not Just Any Potato Salad
  • 5 large russet potatoes, boiled, in skins, 45 min to an hour till skins crack and insides are tender. Cool completely. Chop into (roughly) 1/2 inch pieces with skins. I refrigerated potatoes and eggs overnight till I was ready to make the salad the next day.
  • 5 hard boiled eggs (includes 1 for garnish if preferred or just add it in) coarsely chopped. To hard boil eggs: place eggs in saucepan, cover with cold water. Once water begins to boil set timer for 10 minutes. Remove immediately. Run cold water over eggs till cool or add ice cubes to water till completely cool.
  • 1 small onion, (1/2 cup) chopped.
  • 1/3 cup sweet pickle relish.
  • 2 Tablespoons yellow mustard.
  • 1 teaspoon ground mustard.
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or more, to your taste).
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper (or more, to your taste).
  • 1 cup mayonnaise.
  • 2 chive stalks, chopped or cut fine with kitchen shears and paprika for garnish.

Gently mix all of the ingredients. Taste, adjust, taste again, you know the drill!  Garnish if desired with a sliced egg, chives, and paprika. If you are not making this your main dish, serve with your favorite BBQ item! Now you will all know what my mom’s potato salad tastes like!