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ANIMAL FARM LAHAINA

Birds of a Feather

Chirp. Honk. Hoot. Warble.
Squawk. Trill. Tweet. Cheep. Cluck. Caw. Cuckoo.
Quack-a-doodle-doo.

A haiku poem from Haiku Maui
by Mark

My new collection, Birds of a Feather, started shipping mid-November and Kait from Michael Miller Fabrics decided to kick off the release with a blog post. Her posts are great so make sure you check out Michael Miller Fabric's blog Making It Fun for the complete BofaF (as we refer to it) post!

There are lots of wonderful, inspirational projects and as you can see below, I am offering the instructions for the standard-size pillow case. The machine embroidery appliqued feather can be downloaded at The Needlework Factory.

Clockwise: Quill - white; Nest - coral, Cotton Couture - soft white, Twigs - teal

Standard-Size Pillowcase with Separate Cuff and Trim

Mark's technique gives the inside of the finished pillowcase a professional, tailored appearance!

MATERIALS:

Body (main fabric): 1-1/4 yards                                         Matching and/or coordinating thread

Cuff:  1/4 yard fabric                                     Scissors, rotary cutter, cutting mat, tape measure

Trim 1-3/4" fabric                                                              Sewing needle and basting thread

CUT:

Body:   43" x width of fabric       Cuff:    8" x width of fabric         Trim:    1-3/4" x width of fabric

PREP:

Body: Cut just enough to remove the selvage from one side of the Body fabric. From this side measure 29-1/2". Cut off extra fabric so Body fabric measures 29-1/2" x 43".

Cuff: Along one of the longest sides of the cuff fabric, turn and press 1/2" to the wrong side of the fabric.

Trim: Fold, and press the Trim fabric in half, wrong sides together, to measure 7/8" x width of fabric.

CONSTRUCT: **If using one-way designs, "test" the placement of your pieces before sewing to make sure the designs are facing in the correct or desired direction.

~ With RIGHT sides together, match the raw edges and sew the Trim to the Body fabric along the longest (43") edge using a 3/8" seam allowance. Pin if necessary.

~ With RIGHT sides together, match raw edges (pin if needed) and sew the Trim side of the Body fabric to the Cuff using a 1/2" seam allowance.

~ On the RIGHT side of the pillow case, press the Cuff up and away from the Body of the pillowcase and the Trim down toward the Body of the pillowcase. Turn to the WRONG side and make sure all seam allowances are pressed toward the top and the Cuff of the pillowcase.

~ Fold the pillowcase in half lengthwise RIGHT sides together, matching the raw edges and seams. Pin. Remove any excess Trim and Cuff that "hangs over" the raw edge of the Body, if necessary. *Remember to remove any pins before cutting.  Starting at the bottom folded edge of the pillow body (not the turned under cuff edge) sew, using a 1/2" seam allowance, along the two (2) raw edges. Back tack at the Body/Trim/Cuff junction and at the start and stop of sewing.

~ Starting at the bottom of the pillow Body (as above) serge the edges of the pillowcase, trimming to a 1/4" seam allowance. Slow down at the Body/Trim/Cuff junction, and run the stitch off of the seam allowance 2" before the turned under edge of the cuff. An overcastting or zigzag stitch finishes the raw edge nicely too!

~ On the Cuff: Fold the turned under edge of the unfinished seam allowance down along the seam, forming a small dog-ear. Fold the cuff to the WRONG (inside) side of the pillowcase. Cover the stitching with the turned edge, match the seams and fold the seam allowance to one side to make it lie as flat as possible. Pin along the turned under edge. Base turned edge in place from the RIGHT side of the pillowcase, a scant 1/16" away from the sewn Cuff edge, where the edge-stitching will be (the basting serves as your guide).

~ Edge-stitch on the RIGHT side of the Cuff through all layers to secure the turned edge of the Cuff the Body of the pillowcase on the WRONG side.

~ Trim threads. Turn case. Press if desired.

Women's Pre-washed Reversible Bucket Hat 

Quill - color Bark 

Three different linings. Anyone interested in the pattern, please contact me. The women's size S (shown) is comparable to the children's XL (included in the 5 sizes of the children's pattern available).

Tweet - aqua - newborn 

One of MY Best Meals Ever!

Cooking, for me, like a good meal, has many layers. Many things considered, I enjoy doing it as a creative outlet and it is fun to be inspired by someone who sparks that creativity and has a good appetite. Yesterday I decided I wanted to do a nice meal for my friend Joy who has spent the last week with me and has been a wonderfully easy person to have visit and to say thanks for her reciprocated hospitality.

I did this based on the meals she has been ordering when we dine out and the meal came together without a hitch... and like magic, afterward, the pots-and-pan and dishes had all been washed!

Macadamia Nut Crusted fillet of Ono and Shrimp on a bed of Gingered Spinach, Roasted Purple Sweet Potato, Lilikoi Butter Sauce, Black Sesame Seed garnish

We could have licked the plates in the privacy of my home but we didn't ;)

Ana'ole - Green Sea Turtle #4: A Turtle Tale

Bittersweet and melancholy were the two words that I though were going to color my mood this past Thursday as I attended the release of six juvenile green sea turtles into the clear blue-green. As you may remember last year I entered a contest sponsored by the Maui Ocean Center (MOC) to name the baby honu (turtle). My name, for turtle number 4, Ana'ole, was chosen and ever since, I have had a special connection with the flippered-and-hard-shelled hatchling.

Green sea turtles can live in excess of one-hundred-years old, so Ana'ole, pictured below, is no more than a mere infant: 46 pounds and about 18 inches long, from top to tip of the shell. Microchips imbedded in the back flippers were scanned and recorded, measurements taken, identifying markings retouched and Dremelled into the shell all in preparation for the  return home to the sea from whence her ancestors came.

The tail measurement seems an odd piece of data to record but quite vital (I discovered) when I asked of Ana'ole, "Male or female?"

They didn't know. The sex of the turtles is not apparent until they are about twenty to twenty-five years of age, and is determined by the length of the tail: females having shorter tails and males longer ones.

After a chanted blessing in Hawaiian to sanction the event, each honu was taken down one of two lanes leading to the water and set free.

I watched Ana'ole disappear quickly as if becoming one with the ocean to begin a new life in the waters surrounding the Hawaiian Islands. Aloha, Ana'ole. A hui hou kakou (Aloha, Ana'ole. Until we meet again).

August Tid Bits

Here are a few snippets of things I have come across and caught with my camera this month.

As of the 2nd of September I have my friend coming to visit for a week so of course we two shall be cruising around the island and I hope to bring you some new and exciting images from our travels and ventures around the island.

In a week, next Thursday I'll be attending a very special event which will be the conclusion to an event in my life that I have previously shared with you. I'm going to leave it at that, and keep you hanging. I know, I'm being mean....

One morning I went outside to water my plants because it had not rained during the night as is quite common where I live during the summer months, and look who I found nestled comfortably amongst the aloe vera...

The girl in The Frog Prince must have been very farsighted to have actually have kissed a frog. I don't know about you, but my lips wouldn't have come anywhere near this creature - royalty or not!

Blossoms on the starfruit tree

This was taken this past Saturday in Honolulu. I spent the day on Oahu to attend the Made in Hawaii festival. My friend and neighbor, Gary, and I arrived early and wandered around before the event opened. We came across this and made several assumptions based on the look of the place: the name, the lack of windows (or single very small one in the duck's face), the heavily armored door, a lack of menu, hours of operation... hmmm, I don't think they're singing karaoke here...

If we weren't booked and departing on a 6:30 flight back to Maui I would have eaten here in a heartbeat! Love the graphic and the font too!

One of Nature's unexpected gifts...

An eucalyptus leaf caught in the silken thread of a shredded spider web

Lo-goin' Nuts! Maybe YOU Can Help?!

Aloha!

Lately I have been a spinning top behind the scenes here at 26 Poko Way. It has finally become a realization that the small business venture of producing reversible pre-washed children's bucket hats has the grand possibility of becoming a viable business. 

I have branched out to include women's and men's hats as well, and 5 styles of baby blankets, a reversible bib and I am working on a prototype for burp cloths.

I have a dedicated swing tag that is attached to the individual products, but it's time that I  seriously consider a label to be sewn onto each piece.

The brand "The Mad Hatter of Maui" for me, is just way to long to put on a label (hey, I have to contend with Hordyszynski) so I have been toying with a logo-style image that is more symbolic than written wording.

Following I have posted samples of what I have been working on. I am presenting these to you, the readers, because you represent my customer and I would like to know what you're reacting to: what you find interesting in design, color, graphic layout, etc. Each is numbered and I would ask that you vote for your favorite, and if you feel inclined, to leave a comment about why you like it and/or (possibly) what could be better OR what you think could also work. It's not a contest - I am asking for your honest and valued input. Please select one and register your answer at right.

Mahalo!

mark

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Let Them Eat Pie...

...And lots of it.

That's what the unspoken rule at the Pie TweetUp seemed to be yesterday.

Pies, Pies and more Pies. Because of health restrictions and codes (no refrigeration) nothing could contain dairy. But there was Apple, Mango and Lemon Meringue pie. Strawberry-Lilikoi pie, Beef and Kidney pie, Savory Quiches, Empanadas, individual servings of Chicken Pot Pie. Avocado-Chocolate Mousse pie and my brainchild Poi Pie. (For those of you unfamiliar with poi: poi is a condiment of sorts, eaten with other foods, usually salty or pungent ones, to cut the flavors. It is made by pounding the taro root and adding water to make it into a paste the consistency of cake batter).

 Dania Katz, left, coordinator of the event and two participants. Sweet Potato Manju w/ Lilikoi Butter. A photo of my pie. (photo credit unknown)

Just after setting it down on the table - Poi Pie with Ginger Snap Crust, Boiled Hawaiian Honey and Salted Pistachio Nuts - oh so ONO!

Making it up as I went along, the filling has poi, sugar, coconut milk, melted butter, eggs and spices - in many ways it harkened to the likes of a pumpkin pie filling. I can't wait for my next excuse to throw caution to the wind and be unabashedly creative with food.

Getting Back Into the Swing of Things and Looking Forward to Saturday

Whew! What a couple of weeks it has been! I hope everyone who stops by here has been doing well and that despite record temperatures, odd weather, current events and personal affairs that you've all been doing well.

I have become obsessed with my hats. I am fortunate to say they are doing well at retail in the shops I had prior to going into the summer and now, I've added a few more and really upped the ante. No sooner do I finish adding to the inventory when another order comes in and I practically wipe out my newly finished stock.

Sole proprietorship. Flying solo. CEO, VP, mail clerk, secretary, cleaning service... you name it and I wear the hat in this company. So needless to say, I'm pooped.

And I know... things could be worse.

To add to that, I have put out some extensive and exhausting posts recently: The Mirror Ball Dot Blog Hop and SHAG: A Tale of Mammoth Proportions give-away to name a few... so as I stated in the title of the post, I am Getting Back Into the Swing of Things by resuming with publishing mini-posts containing snippets and blurbs of my daily life.

Today, I am exploring sustainable cooking.

I recently made two new friends who are avid foodies and I have once again been bitten by the culinary bug. I have a renewed reason to explore food and be experimental, creative and daring or with less vernacular: I have an audience so I can be a show-off!

This Saturday we're doing something fun and going to a Pie TweetUp.

In a pie shell it's a social event:

July’s Pie Tweetup!

Photo by www.chefjana.com

Hosted By: @KulaFields @DaniaEdibleHi @KupuMaui

Hashtag:   #KupuMaui

You’re Invited to our 3rd Annual Pie Tweetup

Saturday July 20, 2013 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

• Free event and open to the public
• Make a pie to share made with a focus on local ingredients
• Remember we like both sweet and savory pies
• Invite family & friends to bake with you
• Use the hashtag #KupuMaui on facebook, twitter & instagram
• No store bought pies, please

If you want to attend and don’t bake or are on vacation, please come and bring: Eco-friendly Paper Plates (no styrofoam, please), Ecofriendly forks, napkins and eco-friendly cups. Please emailinfo@KupuMaui.com for a list of needs.

Today I told my mom about it and one of my ideas for a pie to bring. Her response was oozing with skepticism (in the best way), "You might want to make one before, just to make sure it works out...."

I have my concept, I did my research, I have my skills and taste buds, and no one has ever perished from my cooking. It's all gonna be good. I am not holding back on revealing my pie to be selfish; I am only doing so in case mom is proven right... =\

And then that evening I'll have my foodie friends over for dinner. I have a nice menu planned and again, I'm not not telling in case I change my mind a hundred-million times before then BUT as I stated above, I am going to explore sustainable food.

By sustainable I mean - today it hit me while looking at the thicket of elephant bamboo on the property that bamboo shoots are an edible. I equated sustainablewith bamboo because it has become one of the more prominent players in the discussion regarding sustainability. So I trotted on over to the tall, swaying poles, clacking together like rooted wind chimes in the gentle afternoon breezes and low-and-behold!

SHOOTS!(or as Gollum would say, "SHOOTSES!")

More shoots.

Shoots removed from the base of the plants. 

 The fibrous outer husk removed revealing the tender heart.

 The shoots cut in half. I don't know about you but I see 

the faces of one-eyed space creatures with open mouths shaped like lips...

The halves are now submerged under a small plate in a bowl of water to keep them hydrated while I do more research into preparing them for cooking. Instinctively I think they need to be poached or parboiled in a brine with salt or an acid like vinegar or lemon juice and since we're going to be grilling, to slice and oil them, grill quickly, julienne and toss with a vinaigrette. Lemongrass, mushrooms and even pineapple come to mind too... maybe something Thai inspired.

To be continued....

Shag-adelic Tuesday

I was in a quandary for choosing a winner.

Karen Neary, a Mirror Ball Blog Hop participant, was going to receive, and did, a copy of the book in her "Thank You" package...

Danette had already read and owned a copy of the book...and I wasn;t going to send her another one... so there :P

and that left 3 readers who had left comments (BTW only 3 comments out of hundreds of people who viewed the page)...

How could I choose?

(the image above gives away lots of what's inside the novel)

So, Kate, Linda H and Linda will all receive an editor's copy of the book!

Please send your address to:

markhordyszynski@mac.com

Congratulations to the winners!

Mega Mammoth Monday

Meet Shag

Click on the banner above

SHAG : A Modern Tale of Mammoth Proportions

He’s furry. He’s cuddly. He’s mammoth.

Well…um, actually, he is a mammoth.

Woolly mammoth.

Click on the cover for a free preview

Available at Amazon, Barnes and Nobel, iUniverse and other notable booksellers online.

Leave a comment to win a signed copy of

SHAG: A Modern Tale of Mammoth Proportion

You'll get to experience the book as I did, in its first printed form as an editor's copy, to review the manuscript for errors and corrections. It is one of less than 10 such copies.

Winner to be chosen at random next week.

Great Summer reading!