AWOL

I'm going to be AWOL this week.

This sweet angel of mine went missing over the weekend, while I was out of town.

His buddy misses him.....

 

But not as much as I do.  Please keep us in your prayers, we miss him desperately and want him to come home as soon as we can possibly get him here.

Thank you.

Weekend Wrap Up

Friday - First Snow

There's something exciting about the first snow of the season !  I don't know if it's the change of seasons - just really good childhood memories of building snowmen, snowball fights, sled riding or ice skating - maybe crackling fires in the fireplace - or big, bulky, warm sweaters.  Whatever it is, it's all good.

Spent the day getting things ready for our weekend away.  Honey Do has to work, but I get 24 hours in a hotel room doing what makes me happy.  I have plenty of projects packed.

To start with, once all the things that needed immediate attention were done, I found some sewing time.  

The binding for the baby quilt is done and sewn on.  

I stitched up another snowman.  I still have enough scraps left to make a third one of these little lovelies.  So I put the scrap fabrics around the stitchery.  All that's left is to put the backing on and stuff it.  Into the Love Stash it will go.

Once Honey Do got off work, we packed the truck and hit the road.  Time away is good, let's you get re-acquainted and take a break from the daily stresses of life.

The ride was uneventful except for some construction traffic about half way through the ride.  The weather was perfect.

I managed to get a few yo-yo's stitched on the ride, but I have to be careful because I suffer from motion sickness and can only look down for so long.

Saturday

We got up and had breakfast.  Honey Do left for work.  I found a movie to watch - The Hobbit - and started working on the baby quilt.  I started this several months ago.  I got the first one done fairly quickly.  I had enough blocks left to make a second baby quilt, and that's the one I'm finishing this weekend.  I also had enough left to make a twin size quilt for Newton for Christmas.  The top is all put together.  I just have to finish it.  Once we get home from this weekend, I will start full swing on the Christmas gift projects.

Once I was finished with the baby quilt I moved on to preparing another project - Charlotte Anne pincushion.

Deciding on colors and placement is always the most challenging part of any project for me.  I'm never sure how it's going to turn out.  I love this red and green print with the black and green.  The blue floral is a Hiedi Grace, but when I laid out the pattern I didn't like all the white.  I do have an alternate plan for it.

The pattern called for four prints, but I ended up with just the three.  I think I'm going to like the way this looks like it's going to turn out.

Once I got through deciding and cutting, I packed everything up in a gallon size storage bag to keep it all together so I don't lose anything on the way home.

I also used the ironing board in our room as an extra table.  Made it easy to stay organize.

The Wonky Houses are a project I've been wanting to do for awhile.  I thought I would get all four done this weekend, of couse, I packed more projects than I had time to get done.  But the thought of not having enough to do with all my free time was more than I could bear.  So I got the first one started.  These were just small and easy to pack.

For Sunday, I'll spend my free time reading.  We have to out of our room by 11, and we aren't pulling out of town until around 3.  So I'll find a coffee shop and while Honey Do is working, I'll read my Bible study lesson and then move on to my novel.  I also have a new craft book to puruse and see what projects might be a possibility for Christmas gifts.

Thanks for stopping by.

Wishing you a creative, blessed day.

There's a little more than frost on our pumpkins . . .

Wednesday began like this

Thursday, I woke up to this

Yes, this is snow !!  

  The first of the season.

My vegetable gardening/harvesting has come to a screeching halt - I believe this will be my last harvest for the season.  :(  My hands were numb by the time I was done.

Does freezing rain and snow count as a killer frost?  Guess it doesn't really matter at this point.  I had a nice long growing season this year - April until now.  

I did manage to find some time to work on the baby afghan AND the baby quilt today.  I finally got the binding for the quilt made.  

I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel :)

Thanks for stopping by.

Wishing you a creative day.

Wicked

I've been busy this week catching up with family.  First a visit with Mom and her sister.  Then a visit with BFF.  Feel like I haven't had time for any crafting this week, although I did start the third skein of yarn for the baby afghan.  Should be done this weekend.

So this morning, I'm catching up on emails and blog hopping.  It's the Halloween season and I have seen some pretty cool creations.  Here's a really good place to start.

Mdm. Samm is hosting "Wicked", a Halloween themed blog hop.  Here are some of my favorites:

I'm amazed at all this talent ! ! ! !

Can't wait to see what they come up with for tomorrow's share.

Thanks for stopping by.

Wishing you a wickely creative day.

Image

Mid - busy - week

Just stopping in to touch base.  It's been a busy week with personal stuff.  Some fun, some just things you have to do.

I spent part of the day with Mom and her sister who is visiting for the week.  We had a really nice visit and Mom made lunch for us.  I got the leftovers :)

Wednesday I will celebrate BFF's birthday with her.  It's a week late, but schedules just weren't lining up for either of us.

Thursday, I'm cleaning house, packing for a weekend away with Honey Do.  I'll be able to do some stitching, latch hooking, reading, crocheting and whatever else I can get packed to take with me.  Unfortunately, I can only take so much otherwise I'd pack the sewing machine and get those Christmas gifts knocked out :)

Thanks for stopping by.

Have a creative week.

Image from Fiona.  Isn't it great?  She has a great blog too if you've never checked her out. Thanks Fiona - I love this cutey.

FNSI - Friday Night Sew In

FNSI started with this scrumptious dinner.  No - I wasn't counting calories.  I have been hungry for chicken enchiladas.  Newton was gone for the evening, Honey Do had his own agenda and said make whatever you are hungry for.  I gave in :)

And boy was it good !!!  :0)  :0)  :0)  I don't eat this way often - I'd be as big as a house, but every once in awhile you just have to give in to cravings.

Since I'd worked so diligently getting things my projects ready, I spent Friday afternoon putting groceries away and making some of my weekend menu. 

Cream of potato soup - you can get the recipe here.  It's listed on the pin at Pinterest (frozen hash browns in crock pot at the bottom of the board).  Don't try to go on to the website, I did and it's not there.  

Roasted cauliflower soup - that recipe is here.

It makes the whole weekend feel more productive if you don't have to stop and fix dinner.  And fortunately for me, Honey Do doesn't mind.  We usually spend the weekends cleaning out the refrigerator of all the leftovers anyway.  So having things prepared ahead of time is good for all of us.  Meals are more relaxed and everyone just grabs what they want, when they want it and goes from there.  Sometimes there's enough leftover to go in the freezer for another time . . . for those days when you don't feel like cooking or don't know what to fix.

On to my projects . . .

No. 1 - Pumpkin Pin Cushions

This evening's entertainment:

I finished the pumpkins Saturday.

Newton has already claimed three of them - one for himself, one for his teacher and aide.  Both ladies are pretty special, so I didn't mind sharing the love.  The rest are going into My Love Stash

No. 2 - the baby afghan, at least until I ran out of yarn.

Wish you could feel how soft this yarn is.  I'm loving it.  We know this one is a boy, so the yarn is variegated blue, bright green (almost a lime) and white.  I may have to get more of this yarn and make one for myself.  I'm making it in a single crochet just to keep it more closed.  I'm liking the way it's coming out.

Once the yarn ran out, I pulled out the latch hook kit again.  It's starting to feel like I'm making some progress on this too.  It's a good fill-in when it's too late to start something new or just too late in the day for anything that requires too much thought.

For those of you that joined us, I hope you had a productive weekend.  FNSI is a good excuse to finish some of those projects you've been trying to finish.  I have a weekend out of town with Honey Do coming up soon, I'm already planning my projects to go with me.  I love sequestering myself in the room and just working away uninterrupted watch cable tv.

Thanks for stopping by.

Wishing you a creative day.

Bloggin' Buddies

I know I've said this before - at least a million times - but I love my Bloggin' Buddies.  You are some of the nicest, kindest, most generous, wonderful cheerleaders a person could ask for :)  I have received so many sweet, encouraging comments.  I can't thank you enough.  I have my own cheer leading squad now.  You are all phenomenal.  Thank you.

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FNSI - Friday Night Sew In.  I spent yesterday and today getting ready :)  I think we should have FNSI every Friday.  Once a month gives me an excuse to be a slacker :)  Not really.  Who has time to slack?  Not me !!

So if you haven't signed up, you can do so here.  Or you can get hooked up with the button on my sidebar - I think that's the first time I've said that. Wendy is our hostess again this month - but she's in Australia, I'm in the U.S., so there is that time difference thing you have to consider.  It can be such a nuisance, but we'll deal. Thank you Wendy, you're the bestest hostess.  :)

So here's what I'm getting ready:

Thanks to Madam Samm I have pumpkin pin cushions to add to my love stash. I've told you about a 100 times that I have another great nephew on the way, so Sister and I are getting goodies together.  I'm working on the binding and finishing the quilt I started a couple of months ago.  It's the second one.  The first one is done. To add to the baby love, I'm also crocheting an afghan. Can't have too many projects can we?  Can you tell I'm excited to be working on some new projects? :)

Binding for baby quilt. 

I managed to get the leftover blocks all sewn together by chain sewing between the squares and the pumpkin sections.

 Pumpkin pin cushions - there are eight of them to finish.

Afghan - I wish you could feel how soft this yarn is. Since it's another boy, I chose blue, green and white variegated yarn.  I think this is a type of chenille.  I just love it.

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Not only have I been getting ready for FNSI, but I've also been working in the yard and pulling some from the garden.

                                               Rhubarb, peppers, broccoli

Rhubarb is done for the season and the peppers were just ready.  The bushes are still pretty full of small ones.  This cooler weather is definitely not hurting.  Zucchini is still trying and I'm afraid the deer have pretty much done in my tomatoes.  I'll have to come up with a way to keep them away from them next year.

Honey Do had to cut down a tree at the end of last winter.  That wood hasn't really been dealt with appropriately, so I've been whittling away at it this week.  A little here, a little there.  The dogs get to run while I move things around, straighten them up and get them ready for winter.

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There's always much to do.  For the most part I enjoy being busy.  Occasionally I find those times when I need to just sit and do nothing.  But fortunately, they are rare.

Thanks for stopping by.

Wishing you a creative day.  I'm ready for FNSI :)