Renegade Craft Fair - San Francisco

The Renegade Craft Fair is turning into an annual event for me! Once again I took the trek to San Francisco with a coupla friends and we made a day of it. The torrential rains and crazy city traffic did not hinder us from our quest. Once inside the Concourse Exhibition Center we enjoyed the hundreds of indie artists and their unique handmade items including clothing, houseware, posters and prints, plush items, ceramics, jewerly, stationary and lots more. Always FREE to attend. An inspiring experience with cool music, tasty food and a very authentic, creative vibe in which to wander.

Marisa Haedike from Creative Thursday was there, oh my!

I was lucky enough to meet her and gush about my love of her inspiring blog and her delightful art. I picked up stack of her adorable Christmas cards, which reminds me...I'd better get those written and mailed TODAY!

I came away from the fair with these lovely treaures.

Those darling, fabric covered magnets from Cookie and the Dude, will be tucked into a few Christmas stockings, I will, of course, save a few for myself! I instantly thought of my Little Muffin when I saw the tote with a sweet, little, winged Chihuahua. Oh, how my daughter will love it! Unbleached, cotton dishtowels with silk screened teacups had me at "hello". Check out more hip designs at The Heated. It was a fun and festive day!

Holiday Inspirations...

All Things Beautiful

Saidos da Concha

Saidos da Concha

Now Entering the World of Knitting!

I'm not a knitter, never even attempted it. My grandmother was not a knitter either, she was a sewer, that probably explains it. Knitting seems to be all the rage these days and I'm thinking it's high time I hop on the bandwagon! I have begun creating accessories for the knitter, now being carried by Balls and Skeins, as mentioned in this post. I have found myself slowly falling in love with yarn, as I have with fabric. There are so many appealing aspects of the fine craft of knitting, portability being hugely tantalizing to me. The thought of balancing my sewing machine on my lap while at family functions just doesn't seem like much fun. Knitting projects can be tossed in a Mama Roux tote and off I go, able to sit anywhere and knit, knit, knit!

My latest creations are these absolutely, fabulous Hanging Circular Knitting Needle Holders! Similar versions out there are made with plain, utility canvas and are quite unattractive. I have created these with gorgeous, designer home decor fabrics. I even created the numbered lables, using a simple but elegant font. Avalable at Balls and Skeins AND the Mama Roux Etsy Shop.

I have a feeling it won't be long until I have another obsession and my fabric collection will need to make room for the yarn collection that will most likely be coming!

Quilted Corduroy Hipsters

What could be more plush that quilted corduroy! I have been using corduroy in my creations quite a bit lately, seeing that it IS Winter here in North America. Corduroy is just so warm and cozy! These Hipsters are similar to my last batch of Quilted Hipsters, quilted in the usual manner with batting and a muslin backing. Fully lined with gorgeous designer fabrics and accented with an elegant applique. Luxurious velvet ribbon embellishes two of them. 40 inch straps make them fall just at your hip, depending how tall or short you are. Big and roomy, the perfect carry-all to get you through the winter months. Since I have corduroy on the brain I'm planning to incorporate corduroy into a quilt I'm creating as a Christmas gift. Plaid flannel and corduroy...talk about warm and cozy!! The Hipsters are In da' Shop!

The Bordeaux Hipster

The Bordeaux Hipster. Created with lush burgundy corduroy, quilted with a layer of batting. Amy Butler Grandiflora applique. One large interior pocket and a magnetic snap closure. Lined with Tina Givens Tree Top Fancy.

The Paisley Park Hipster

The Paisley Park Hipster. Created with cool, gray corduroy, quilted with a layer of batting. Accented with black velvet ribbon and a paisley applique created from McKenzie fabric by Dena. One large interior pocket and a magnetic snap closure.

The Ruby Bloom Hipster

The Ruby Bloom Hipster. Created with deep, dark, chocolate corduroy, quilted with a layer of batting. Accented with velvet ribbon and a Sandi Henderson Ginger Blossom applique. One large interior pocket and a magnetic snap closure. Lined with Catalina fabrics by Laura Berringer.

Balls and Skeins

Balls and Skeins is a lovely little yarn boutique located in Sebastopol, California. My pal, Diane, from Yarnertia, introduced me to Pam, the proprietor, who was interested in selling Mama Roux bags in her store. I was delighted! She also requested some sassy and colorful needle holders, which I'm currently working on. Even more delightful!

So, if you're in Sebastopol, CA. stop by Balls and Skeins. It's a fun place to visit where you'll get friendly service and a big hello when you walk in the door. You'll discover a huge selection of natural fibers for knitting, crocheting, weaving and felting.

Truly, a charming place for the passionate knitter who has an appreciation for specialty fibers, friendly conversation, helpful tips from professional instructors and...Mama Roux handmade creations!!

Thanksgiving Turkey Soup with a Twist

Oh, how I love making Turkey Soup right after Thanksgiving! I always make a big batch so that I have several containers in the freezer for quick dinners on cold evenings. I don't use an actual recipe so it is a bit different from year to year. Here's how this years batch came together...

Thanksgiving Turkey Soup with a Twist

Turkey carcass

pan drippings (saved from roasting turkey, fat skimmed off)

4 large carrots, 1/2" dice

8 stalks celery, 1/2" dice

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

1 stick of butter or 1/3 c. olive oil

4 cloves minced garlic,

1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

8 oz. sliced mushrooms

1 tsp. poultry seasoning

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

4 cups cooked wide egg noodles or 2 cups cooked brown rice

The "Twist"

Place the turkey carcass and pan drippings in an 8 qt stock pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer partially covered for approx 2 hours. Meanwhile, combine carrots, celery, onion, mushrooms, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper in a large pan with butter or oil and cook over medium heat until vegies are tender, approx 20 minutes. Once stock is ready, allow to cool slightly and strain through a colander into a large bowl. Rince stock pot and pour strained stock back into pot, leaving bones in the colander. Once bones are cool enough to touch, remove any leftover meat and add to the pot with the stock. Add cooked vegies to the pot. Now, here's the "Twist".....got leftover stuffing? Go ahead and add it to the pot (up to 2 cups). Got leftover mashed potatoes? Add them as well (up to 1 cup). Gravy? In it goes (up to 1 cup). And now for something completly different...yams or sweet potatoes? Dump those in, too (up to a cup). All of these ingredients will add tons of flavor and texture to your soup. Stir well to dissolve the potatoes into the soup. Stir in the noodles or rice. Serve hot along with warm cornbread and a glass of sparkling cider...too good for words!