Quaker Garden - Finished!

Yeah! I finished Quaker Garden tonight. It took me exactly 10 days. I love how it turned out! :)



Quaker Garden by Blackbird Designs
Loose Feather #19
Linen - 32 ct. Pear from Lakeside Linens
Threads - Weeks Dye Works and Sampler Threads



Now if the mail lady would be so kind to bring my Village of Hawk Run Hollow tomorrow that would be so nice! :) Speaking of stash... I went to Hobby Lobby today and found some great deals - I only spent $5!





I got HSM 1805 by The Marking Samplar for $.51. Next I got a Silk Mori kit from the Remember the Ladies series - Girls' Night Out by Kathy Barrick from Carriage House Samplings for $2.82. And last I bought some DMC thread holders for $.26 each and some DMC linen thread to do the freebie heart that Susan from A Stitcher's Finish Line stitched up (scroll down to 6/21 to see her wip). She used hand-dyed thread, which I thought was very pretty also!!!


Dh went to Florida last night to do some things for the two police departments he applied with. He's going weigh the pros and cons of each deparment and decide from the two - assuming they both want to hire him! It looks like it's getting ready to storm here - I'll write more later!


Edited to add a little better pic.

Feeling a little better...

My mind is definitely not racing as much. I just have to tell myself to take it one day at a time and not look ahead too much because there is a lot that is out of my control. Anyway here's the promised pic of my Quaker Garden. I scanned and stitched it together so the colors are much better!





I went to the doctor today - everything is fine with the baby. I start going once a week now until I have him. In the two hours I was gone the kids tore the house up and dh ate my cheese danish. They should all be severly punished! ;) write later!

Can't Sleep

I only went to bed five hours ago, so why can't I sleep?? Well, it could be my life is going to change a lot in just a matter of weeks. It could also have been dh's snoring and cover hogging. It could also be The Village of Hawk Run Hollow. It's sad, but right now because I'm not working I can't stop thinking about this project! I got to thinking what if the Light Examplar is too light. What if the church doesn't show up? I guess I could backstitch it? And of course the cost of the project - I have buyers remorse, slightly. I know I will love this project so much, but it is/was expensive. I think I'm going to sell some things on ebay to make up for the cost or at least part of it. Anyway, these are the silly things running through my mind at 4:31 am. The baby is also kicking and of course I had to get up to use the bathroom. Argh! I know I will regret this in the morning. Maybe I just need a snack? I got more stitching done last night on Quaker Garden. I think I may get it finished in the next couple of days! I'll post a pic - tomorrow, well, today, but when the sun is actually up! :)

A little more Quaker Garden Progress...

I've been steadily working on Quaker Garden. I've learned it helps my ribs to put a pillow on my lap when I'm sitting in bed stitching. That way I'm not bending over as much to read my pattern. They still hurt though especially when he decides to give me a good jab with his foot! :) Here's my pic... it's pretty yellow though. My camera is such a pain sometimes!





I pulled the DMC for The Village of Hawk Run Hollow. Although I'm not using DMC I wanted to see how the colors would look on the fabric I chose. I'm very happy with it - I can not wait to receive everything in the mail! Hopefully Friday?? :) This picture is much better...




It looks like we may be moving down to Florida in August! I think dh is close to getting a job down there. He's going again to do some tests for the police dept. he interviewed with last week. It's good timing for Bradley because school starts there on August 9th. Not so good timing for me because the baby is Due July 24th. I'm sure my mom or MIL will come up to help move though. I'm not moving everything right now. Just the essentials. We'll put our house up for sale after we are out, so I'm not worried about showing it and keeping it clean with the new baby and the boys. Then after it sells we'll come back to get our furniture. We'll most likely be staying with my mom until it does sell - hopefully it won't take too long! Write later!

Sometimes I think I'm crazy!

I just took the kids to Cici's Pizza for a treat and to get out of the house. Well, it seems these child care centers have the same idea. Last time I took them to Mcdonalds there was three buses full of kids and this time there was at least one or two buses. I need to start bringing the Tylenol with me! Anyway, I decided to take them down to Target - well of course Jake sees something he can not live without and proceeds to throw a temper tamtrum. Screaming and crying and pushing at me to stop me from walking out of the store. And of course our car is way down by Cici's, so we're walking the whole way with him doing this. What makes it worse is me being hugely pregnant and people must be thinking I'm nuts for having another when I can't control the one I have! He fell right to sleep when we got in the car and got going. I guess I should've just stayed home, oh well.



Hugely pregnant me at 36 weeks today - total opposite of how I looked dragging a screaming three year old down the sidewalk.


In other news... remember how I said I was a little bad and ordered that pattern and threads? Well, now I've been REALLY bad and ordered The Village of Hawk Run Hollow pattern, threads, and linen from Needlecraft corner. I swore I wasn't going to do it because I haven't even finished the first house of The Houses of Hawk Run Hollow. I know the main reason I haven't finished is because I'm using DMC, and I should've gone with the silk. I'm going with the silk this time. I've heard there are problems with getting the linen, so I ordered a different color linen - 36 ct. Light Examplar by Lakeside Linens. Drema (shop owner for Needlecraft corner) advised against it because I would only have a 2 inch border with the only cut she had, but that doesn't bother me. I don't plan on using a mat when I frame it. Dh was so sweet and told me to get it - probably because he feels sorry for me being hugely pregnant and all! :) Well, I think I need to go on the wagon now. I've done enough damage for quite awhile!! :) Write more later - going to try to get some stitching done!

Halfway Finished!

I'm a little over halfway done with Quaker Garden. It's going much faster than I thought it would. I scanned this pic - it definitely shows the true colors much better.





I can only stitch for so long and then my ribs start hurting and I have to lay down. Well, nothing else going on. Just so glad to be done with work for awhile. Write later! :)

Quaker Garden Progress

I've been stitching away on Quaker Garden. It's been a fun stitch so far! Here's a pic of my progress...





It's definitely different doing a whole sampler using only five different colors of floss. I'm really liking it though! :) Well, I was a little bad and ordered something... A New Beginning by Abbey Lane Designs along with the Weeks Dye Works. I have a fat 1/4 of R&R Oatmeal that I think would look nice, so I saved a little money there. I fell in love with the pattern after seeing Carin's progress on her blog (see Jan. 21).


Well, exactly one month away to my due date - July 24th!! I'm so excited! I can't wait to see my little monster - oops I'm mean precious baby! :) Today's my last day of work for 12 weeks! Woo hoo! I will not miss it at all! Write later!

Finally Decided...

I finally decided what to start next - Blackbird Designs Quaker Garden - Loose Feather #19. Karen from My Favourite Things is coordinating a SAL starting in July. I decided to start a little early because I'd like to finish before the baby comes. Here's some pictures of my progress...



32 ct. Lakeside Linen in Pear, Sampler & Weeks threads.



My progress with Pattern.



Close up of my progress.


I'm enjoying it so far! I love the linen the color and the feel - it's so nice.


My dh has to go back to Florida July 1st to take a polygraph test for the job he interviewed for. So I only work this Saturday and then my maternity leave starts. I'm so glad! I think we've finally decided on a name - Matthew Walter. Matthew because we both like it and Walter after dh's grandpa. He's being very active right now... wiggling and pushing on my ribs. He needs more room - I'm ready to give it to him whenever he's ready! :)

So Anxious

Ok - I'm getting into my last month. I'm due July 24 and it's now June 19. Both my boys came about four days early, so it's possible this one could too. I can't stitch, I can't sleep - I'm just antsy. I remember with Jake (my youngest) I started about four different projects in August (he was due in Sept.). They were big projects like L&L's and Mirabilia's, and they all turned into UFO's that I got rid of. I keep looking at all my kitted up projects and I can't even decide what I want to start if anything. My mind is a whirlwind right now.


My mom and dh went down to Florida yesterday. My mom will be there permenantly and dh is going for an interview today - coming home tomorrow. They had a wonderful ride with my mom's springer spaniel puppy. At the end of the trip they were both exhausted!


I've been reading The Pact by Jodi Picoult. It's pretty good - I'm about halfway through. Reading definitely helps with the anxiety. Well, not much else going on here.... I'll be in the waiting game for the next month. Fun, Fun! Since I have no stitching to show I'll leave you with one picture of my boys in their matching PJ's I got them the other day. They can be so silly! :)



Bradley (6) - Jake (3)

Yeah Mail!

I got an order from Nordic Needle today! It was mainly some threads I needed to finish kitting up some projects. Nordic Needle carries a lot of different varieties of threads from Anchor to Au Ver a Soie. Here's what I got...



Threads for Blackbird Design's Summer House.



The fabric is Summer Sky hand-dyed Jobelan, which I already had. Katie from Fils'Harmonie stitched Summer House on blue and I loved it! The blue I've chosen is brighter than hers, but I think it will still look pretty - at least I hope! :) Here's a link to her picture trail album - scroll down to see finished pic.

edited to add: I found another Summer House stitched on blue linen on Bea's blog Les Broderies de Bea (scroll up to view).



Crescent Color's Wavy Navy and 36 ct. Creme Brulee linen (already had fabric)for the The Goode Huswife's Samplers pattern.



Anchor Pearl cotton and Silk threads for Indigo Rose's Peek-a-Boo cushion chart.



DMC Perle Cotton and Waterlilies Silk for Just Nan's Cynthia's Sampler (fabric is 32 ct. Cream Belfast).


And last...



Little House Needleworks Daisy Lane Cottage with Crescent Colors Blue Beadboard thread.


Now I've got several projects kitted up... hmmmm... what should I start next??? :)

Finally Finished!!

I finished up H is for Honey (bee) last night. I have been so tired lately, so I haven't been stitching much at all. I got a little spurt of energy yesterday and was determined to get it finished.





Sorry the scan is a little crooked! Here are the stats...


Leaflet - G*H*I from Prairie Schooler
Linen - 32 ct. Lambswool from Wichelt
Threads - DMC


I only have about 5 more weeks to go now (considering he comes a couple days early like my two older boys). I'm getting more and more anxious as the days go by!! I can't wait to hold him and see his little face!! :) Well, not much else - write more later!! :)

One House and Two Motifs...

I stitched a little bit on my Drawn Thread Game Board Sampler. I have been so tired today. In between stitching I've been laying down and sometimes napping. I feel like I'm in my first trimester again! My mom is staying with me and she is so bored because she's used to keeping busy, but I'm just too tired to go anywhere. I went out with dh yesterday, and all I could think about was getting in my bed and going to sleep! :) Anyway, here's my GBS pic..





Well, I'm off to bed - It's taking all my energy just to post this... how sad!! :) Write later... much later!

Baby knitting is great!

I love baby knitting... I can't believe I haven't done this before. I've got almost all the regular knitting done on the sweater I started a couple days ago. I just have one sleeve to go!





I took a week off from work - my mom was supposed to be moving down to Florida this weekend, and my dh was going to drive her. Well, her closing didn't go as planned and the schedule was already made, so I just decided to take the week off anyway. They're going to try to close on her house next week, and then my brother is going to come up and get her.

Having the time off has been nice though... I've gotten a lot of rest, and have been able to keep my house clean! :) DH and I saw The Break Up yesterday. First movie I've seen since Rent was in the theaters. It was ok, the ending was pretty weak. I think the problems she faced are faced by 90% of women out there and we just deal with it.

Anyway, I plan to work on my Game Board Sampler today. I'd love to get at least a house and motif done. Write more later!

Feeling Crafty...

In the past few days I've cross stitched, crocheted, and knit. Here are some things I've worked on...



H is for Honey - I got all the beehives done!




A crocheted dishcloth - took no time at all!





The above photo is a Debbie Bliss baby sweater I started knitting today. It's the Cardigan with Fully Fashioned Shaping from the Baby Knits for Beginners book. I'm using Cascade Sierra - the yarn I was using for a scarf I know I'll never finish.


Well, we have about 7 1/2 weeks to go and we're still stuck on the name. We like Maddox and Matthew, but are unsure of which we like best. Maybe I should set up a poll? :) He is stuck up in my ribs right now, so I'm going to go lay down! Write later! :)