I've been crazy busy!!

I've been crazy busy!!  Lots going on, to busy to blog that's for sure.  We just got finished with

our spring break.  Kids are back in school, Easter is over and my son had a huge school project to

put together as well ( we all know that means mom and dad have a huge project to put together;))

But thankfully I've kept up my stitching.  I love having something to work on that I am excited about and want to share.  My napkin collection is complete!  I finished the 12th one with this cute couple riding double.

A little out of order.....this rooster is also a napkin.  A Sew lovely embroidery pattern!

She posted him on her blog, check it out here http://sewlovelyembroidery.blogspot.com/2011/04/folk-art-rooster.html

Also I finished up my fancily dressed critter bunch.

The black bird :)

And Mrs. Rabbit.

I now have to work on some kind of display for these cute pets.

The garden is happy and thriving!  My snowball bush is blooming.  I just adore

these huge white blooms.

And also I became a Auntie!  My brother had his first baby.  Lily Mae, 7lb 6oz., 19inches.

 The chicks are growing quickly and spending most of the day outside now.  They are quite happy with this.

Lots of exploring, bug finding and grass eating going on.

Also my daughters softball season has started!  Busy busy I tell you

around here!  She's doing great and has found a passion for pitching.

Kids had a great Easter.  We had nice weather which was nice.  There

was a lot of candy eating that day, sorry to say......

Egg coloring :)



So I hope to blog more regularly now...crossing fingers and toes.

I'm off to the gym to burn off some of this Easter candy ;)

Have a great week!



In the garden!!

   I've been busy in the garden!!  I've only been getting some stitching done in the evenings.  I did this cute vintage bird motif.  I'm quite pleased with the colors, I've never been good at putting colors together.  But I

think I'm finally getting it.....So this is napkin 9 or 10 or something like that.  I can only think about, geesh I'm almost out of napkins..then what am I going to stitch?!

I just finished this teacup gal and I love her♥  She exhibits what I feel when I'm

out in my garden digging and planting.  I love her head, like she is

soaking up every last drop of sunshine!

Well lets get to the garden shall we!!  Here we have potatoes on the left.  I planted

red and russets.  On the right are onions, red and white.

Here I planted cucumbers 3 varieties, Armenian, sweet delicious, and lemon cucumbers.

In the back on the left a tomatillo plant and basil on the right!  Yum!

Aren't these tomato cages cute!!  I love adding whimsy in the garden :)

I found these at Lowes.  I love summer tomatoes and can't wait till these

babies take off.

And here are peppers.  Bell peppers & jalapenos.  There is a

black beauty egg plant too.  Celery on the left.

My wisteria is going crazy right now.  Smells so good and the

bees are going nuts over it.

The cherry tree is doing its thing right now too!

The chicks are getting bigger.  We hold them alot and are now taking them on little outings in the back

yard.  They are starting to eat more and are getting some feathers too.

Here they are on the couch taking in some American Idol.  Who new chicks dug t.v.?!

Ha ha!  My daughters doing of course :)

Hoping to plant some squash today.  We are forecast for rain so we'll see.  Have a great week!!

A bunting we will go!!

     Wow spring is finally hitting my neighborhood!!  The rain has finally stopped and trees are getting ready to
burst with blooms and leaves.  Yesterday I actually got work done in the back yard and mowed the lawns.
Cleaned off the patio of sticks and leaves.  I hope sometime this week I can make it over to the nursery to buy some veggie plants and some annuals for my empty pots on the patio.  We just added to our family two baby Ameraucana chicks.  These birds will eventually lay greenish blue eggs.  It takes about 4 months of maturity before a hen will start to lay.  So I'm thinking August.  Our other hens lay lovely shades of brown eggs, sometimes flecked.  So here they are Blossom (left) and Cornflake on the right.

Our dog Coco is like a hovering Mom over these new little ones.

Here are some Scandinavian Stitches inspired houses I did.  These are a lot of fun to

make and easy.

And another napkin done.  My first time really attacking the satin stitch

the proper way.  This pattern was fun because of all the different layers and

types of stitches I could do.

While waiting for spring to finally show up!  This weekend I made this bunting w/bright springy

colors and floral prints.  It now hangs in my living room over the windows.  I meant

for it to go outside, but I may have to make another one for out there.

And for my daughter a bunting as well :)  I couldn't resist.  There are

so may cute fabrics that I could do in her room.

Have a lovely week!

Scandinavian Stitches!!!♥

    We were pretty much rained out all weekend!  So I tackled my new book Scandinavian Stitches by
Kajsa Wikman :))  I've had this book about a week and it's been driving me crazy.  I want to try so many projects inside.  I love her style and simplicity, bold colors and free motion stitching.

The project I really wanted to try first is the bird art quilt!

My attempt, and I am a complete beginner....

This mini art quilt was really fun.  I still have to master the free motion quilting thing.  I think I need to use a different foot on my machine.  So now I'm trying to decide what project of hers to try next!
My daughter made these cute little mice this weekend.  Her own pattern she tells me and it is.  She's eight.

I think there really cute :)

Also I stitched up this napkin this weekend, Chandelier oh yea!

And finally my finished octopus!  Lots of fun to stitch.

This was a stitch along, my first.  How fun to see every ones different takes and styles stitching this

guy.  Not sure what I'm going to get started on next, but I'm sure I'll

think of something ;)  Have a great week!

Time change tiredness

  Boy the mornings are killing me with this time change.  Springing our clocks ahead an hour is not my favorite.  But the longer days are wonderful and it means spring is coming up quick!  Here is my finished kitty portrait!  I love how she turned out.  Two down and two to go, the bird and the rabbit!

I recently bought a pack of 12  cloth napkins.  So I have embroidered a couple of them.  Cuddling owls and a blue bird.

  

My plan for another napkin is this chandelier pattern!

I've also been working on this super cute tea towel for my best friends birthday!

Vintage patterns, my work so far.  I think I'm going to edge the tea towel

with a cute fabric.

Also I've started the a March stitch-a-long with the Feeling Stitchy group.

A really cool octopus pattern, I started last night. 

I added some details to the octopus, picked my saying, floss colors and

fabric too!

My work so far!  Can't wait to get back to this and start stitching :)

Alas.....where most of the magic happens.  My little corner of the sofa.....

the spot closest to the lamp.

Hope your having a great week!  Until next time :))

House on the hill

   I took a little break from stitching and have been playing around with collage!  I really enjoy the process.  It's like puzzle pieces.  I was first inspired by an artist on Etsy, Sarah Ogren.  She's fantastic and I love her work.  So I tried to emulate a couple pieces of her art work. 

Something I did different was I embroidered the boat.  It's stretched canvas

so it worked out nicely.

So then I designed my own piece, "House on the hill".  I used collage of course, embroidery and paint

as well.

I had my daughter who is 8 years old write in the words on the house

"Once a upon a time there was a house, a magical house on top of

a hill.  Wonderful things happened inside!"

This is how I was keeping my paper organized.

Well that's all for now, I just wanted to share what I was working on.

Tomorrow the dirt comes, so I hope to spend the weekend in the garden!

 

 

Things I'm working on and thinking about!

Well hello there!  I had a nice quiet weekend with lots of crafting opportunities.  The best kind right!?

I finished the fox, he's very distinguished looking I must say.  A Sublime Stitching pattern you can find at www.sublimestitchng.com.  It went quickly surprisingly and next I'm going to get started

on the kitty.

I just love the flower in her hair and the broach.  This will be fun to stitch!

Also my daughter and I made this cute mouse pin cushion this weekend.  A spur of the moment

thing.  How cute is this little mouse.  A quick project, I downloaded for free from www.bustleandsew.blogspot.com .

Also, look at this fun Koi fish flag!!  I just love these fish and I found a fun pattern to make these

guys at www.dreamfollow.com .

This green guy is still in progress!  I want to make a bunch of colors and

hang them around.

I'm really excited for spring!!  My garden beds are waiting to be planted and I am ready to plant them!

My husband just built me these two new beds!!  There used to be a huge playset here, but

the kiddos just didn't play on it any more.  Soooooo  now I have more garden space.

And some more beds a little closer to the house.  Everything always looks so blah this time of year!

This Clematis vine is happy though!  And it smells soooooooo good!  I couldn't have picked a better place to plant it......next to the chicken coop.  This plant was worth every penny I tell ya.  I'm pretty cheap but I paid $24.99 on this sucker and I was sweating it.  But I'm really glad I did now.  It's fast growing and the blooms are wonderful.

Goldy

Fluffy chicken butts, gotta love them!

I will hopefully be shoveling a lot dirt next weekend into my new

garden beds!  Yippee for me!  Have a great week!