Keeping My Sanity ... Cooking & Crafting.

I am doing all I can to keep my spirits up in this insane "Spring" weather we are experiencing. This weekend saw us through yet another snowstorm ... and if it weren't for crafting and cooking, I might have gone insane (I did have one meltdown but cured it by browsing through some real estate web sites ... I am so out of here).

I was able to work on my "Spring Project" quilt this weekend. The top is nearly completed. I am now in the process of deciding what to do with it. I usually know beforehand who a quilt is intended for, but I am so unsure about this one. It is the first time I have done an applique piece like this one, so I am tempted to keep it. But after inheriting so many of my Mother-in-Laws gorgeous quilts, I see no reason to keep any more (though I only possess one of my own quilts).

I also inherited my Mother-in-Law's Janome Memory Craft 9000. Though I have had it for almost a year now, I only just began using it this weekend. It is just such an incredible machine ... so different from my Memory Craft 3000 ... and thus so very daunting. But Halis and I looked through the manual this weekend, and I got comfortable enough to work with it on my current quilt ...


I also tried my hand at cooking some Turkish food this weekend as well ... for the very first time! After nearly 12 years of marriage to a Turk, I have finally tried my hand at making Boreks. Thanks to The Sultan's Kitchen by Ozcan Ozan, I made some delicious Spinach and Feta Cheese Boreks (page 54)*.

(* For those who would like to try these as well, e-mail me for the recipe. I would only suggest that you not use as much butter as is called for - as these are greasier than my In-Laws make.)




These Boreks are actually alot of fun to make. As I was brushing a buttery mixture on each sheet of Fillo dough, my husband was telling me about the many occasions when he would help to make these as a child. As he watched me make them, he said "My Mom would be so proud of you." Though I am not entirely sure of that, I thought it was quite sweet of him to say.

It amazes me how very "domestic" I am getting in my thirties. I have suddenly taken an interest in cooking the foods of my husband's youth ... and making quilts for charity ... etc, etc. (Somebody please pass me a bra to burn before I take this too far!)

Also, I am really getting into this whole ATC movement in the crafting/blogging world. And after several weeks of snooping around at the ATCs of others ... I finally made some of my very own for a swap that I participated in titled, "Extreme Close Up Photo ATCs". I love how they turned out:

These photos were all taken during an outing that Isaac and I took to the Bangor Public Library. I am very excited for my 3 swap partners to receive them. I also kept a set for myself so that Isaac could have them when he is older. They are so much more vibrant and interesting in-person. I lok forward to making more. I have already gotten Meg into making them and she even plans to put together an ATC swap for kids! We'll keep you posted.

Love,
Jodi