What Have I Been Up To??

Wow!! Can you believe that we are a few days away from March?? I can't! Especially since we are supposed to get yet ANOTHER winter storm. We have already had the snowiest February on record here in western PA. Now we are supposed to have another 6-12" at least. UGH!! I have had enough already!

Ahhh.....I think that I am done with my little rant there. Just had to get that off my chest. LOL!! So the last time that I posted, I promised that I would show you the rest of my sewing room with the counter top in place. So here it is. I am so pleased with it! I absolutely love it!!
The color is a little off, but it really does look fabulous. The dark brown of the counter just looks spectacular against the creamy walls. And really pops against the white cabinets.

So there you go! There is my whole sewing room! I am so pleased with it. I just love spending time in there and my kids do too. They love to come in and see what I am doing.

So what have I been working on? Well, now that my room is all done, LOTS!! And I have been loving it!! I have been doing some hand stitching, but I have also been using my sewing and embroidery machine. The first thing that I have to show you is the adorable bag and blanket for my DD's American Girl Doll, Emily.

I loved making this and my DD is in love with it. We can't go anywhere now without Emily and her bag and blanket. Tonight she asked me if I could make a matching pillow for Emily. So I guess that I will be making one of those soon.

As you can see on the picture above, Emily has her name embroidered on her blanket. I have been working on the embroidery machine and learning new things about it every time that I try it. I am in love. So DH asked if I could embroider shirts for him for the summer for our business. So here are a couple of shirts that I did for him. I don't think they turned out too badly for the first ones that I have done.

So this is just a taste of what I have been doing. But it is late and I am really tired and have an early morning tomorrow.

So until next time (and I promise that it won't be so long next time!).....Happy Stitching!!

My "New" Room

I am back home from my trip to Baltimore to work at the Phi Sigma Sigma headquarters office and trying to catch up from the couple of days out. So I wanted to FINALLY show you what my "new" and almost done sewing room looks like. I say almost done because we have ordered the countertop for my one set of cabinets, but of course, it is backordered. They told us that it was scheduled to be in this Friday so keep your fingers crossed for me. And what I have found is that I REALLY miss having this extra counter space for cutting and such.

So take a look. Here is the front of my room that looks out onto our front yard, notice all the "lovely" snow. 13 straight days of snow here in Western PA.


This is looking in from our kitchen to the side that you can see in the picture above. The cabinet on the wall is FULL of all my fabrics.

Here is the cabinet that I am waiting for the counter top for. It is 6' long. Lots of room for cutting and piecing. I may even use the wall for my piecing board. We will have to see. I would like to keep everything as clean as possible. My craft room before just felt too cluttered. This feels much better.

And here is the opposite wall looking into my kitchen. My ironing board isn't going to stay there, but it just happened to be on that wall. The picture in the left of the picture was the birth sampler my grandmother made for me.

So there you have it. It's my "new" and almost done sewing room. Hope you liked my little tour!

Until next time, Happy Stitching!

Happy New Year!!!

I wanted to take just a minute to wish all of my online blogging friends a Happy New Year!! May this year be filled with love and happiness and good fortune for you and yours, and of course lots of stitching time!!

Happy New Year!!

Where Does The Time Go?

I don't know about the rest of you, but I am not sure where the time has gone? There is always so much to do and never enough time. Do we do this to ourselves? I would say that I do. I don't know about the rest of you. I personally can't wait until tonight. Everything has to be done. And then I am taking a few days off. But I have to run already this morning......more to do of course. Tomorrow its me and my stitching and my comfy chair!!

I hope that everyone takes a little time to slow down and relax. Enjoy the season and the people in your life. There never seems to be enough time just for that.

Until next time, Happy Stitching.

Thanksgiving Trip To Disney World

We had the most wonderful time at Walt Disney World over Thanksgiving. We flew out on the Tuesday night before Thanksgiving. Wednesday it rained most of the day in Orlando. So we spent the day running from shop to shop in Downtown Disney and we went to the mall. But the rest of the time was beautiful! It was a little chilly on some of the days, but for the most part it was great!!

I thought that I would share a few of the photos of our trip. Here is DD and I at Minnie's house in the Magic Kingdom. I love this snap.
This is the kids at Epcot Center. They love to have their faces painted.
Here is DD at the Bibbibi Bobbidi Boutique at Downtown Disney. They did her hair, makeup and nails. She loves to have her "spa" days!! But then again what girl doesn't?
And her is our favorite ride......The Magic Tea Cups! Too bad Daddy doesn't like spinny rides! The kids and I think that they are the best!!
It truly is the happiest place on earth! It is one of our favorite places!!

I will post some more tomorrow! I will have snaps to share of my sewing room.

Until next time, Happy Stitching!!

Jen

How A Month Can Fly

Wow! I can hardly believe that it has been a month since I have posted here!! I have been following my favorites, but haven't had a chance to post. So over the next couple of days, I will post all the news of the last month and pictures of what has been happening. And there has been quite a lot, however, not nearly as much stitching as I would like.

There have been several large things going on in our life right now. I had posted last month regarding my sewing room and the catastrophe with the radiators leaking down the wall. It is now ALMOST done. I have to hang up a few more things. And I have to get the counter top on my long cabinet, but it just isn't in yet. I am going to post pictures of that later today. I waited too long to take the pics, but it was too dark and I just couldn't get the color to come out right. So I will take them tomorrow and then post. All I can say is that it was a VERY long process, but I think it was well worth the wait! I am EXTREMELY happy with the outcome for my sewing room. It is so different.

I have been doing a great deal of training for corrections officers around our state and it has been keeping my very busy. I was supposed to have one tomorrow, however they wanted to reschedule for January and I was never so excited!! I just need a break and this was VERY welcome.

We have most of the Christmas decorations up. I have a couple more things to put up and I am going to do that tomorrow. I have been doing Christmas shopping and am just about finished. I have a couple of small things to get and then to wrap them up. This is the latest it has been in a long time for me to get things wrapped up. Usually I am done at Thanksgiving with my gift list.

I was lucky enough to take a stitching class back in the middle of November. I took a silk gauze class. I have never worked on silk gauze, but I absolutely LOVE it!! Even though I have to put on those darn little reading glasses. Just a little too small for me to see easily.

And of course I can't forget that we fit a week long visit to Disney World in there. We took the kids over Thanksgiving and had the best time!! We spent 3 days in the Magic Kingdom, one day in Hollywood Studios and one day in Epcot Center. I will post those pictures this week for you all to see. It was great!

So as you can see, it has just been crazy here. But that is how life is. So I will show you what it looks like and the little bit of stitching that I have been doing.

So until next time, Happy Stitching!

Busy Week.....not much stitching :(

Unfortunately this has been a very busy week and I have not had much time to do stitching. Right now my sewing room is completely empty and the wall paper is all off the walls. About 6 weeks ago, the furnace guy came to do our yearly service and forgot to tighten up the radiator in my DD's bedroom upstairs. By the time that we discovered it, the radiator had ran for 24+ hours and water was running down the wall in my sewing room and all over my hardwood floor.

Needless to say, the furnace guy came back and realized what he had done and immediately called the restoration people to come and start to work. Now it seems as if they are doing a good job, but lord are they slow. So yesterday, I decided that I had had enough. I called him three times and finally he answered the phone. I politely asked when he would be coming to finish my room. He replied that he had several jobs that he was working on. I politely informed him that we would be going to Disney for Thanksgiving and it needed to be done before then. He is coming back on Monday morning to continue his work. I think that I am going to have to stay on top of him to get this done. I really hate to seem like a pain in the butt, however, I WANT MY SEWING ROOM BACK!!!!

Today, I am going to take a class at my LNS. We are working on a small scissor fob that will be done on 40 count linen. I have never worked on this, so we will see how it goes. I don't really think that I need to take a class on this, but it is fun to stitch with others sometimes. I will post tomorrow night about this.

Tomorrow, I am taking my mom and DD to see the Radio City Rockettes. My DD is very excited about that. And I am too. I have never seen them before.

Well, if I am going to get everything done that needs to be before my class, I better get a move on it.

Until next time, Happy Stitching!

I Have Been A Busy Girl!

Well I have had a busy weekend in my sewing room which leads to a very happy girl!! I guess I should really start last Thursday though. I was traveling for work and was able to stop at Bush Mountain Stitchery....which always makes a long travel day much better! So of course I had to do a little stash building while I was there. :) I picked up Bluebird's Thread Keep from Blackbird Designs and the threads to go with it. I got a 30 ct. Mocha Linen from Weeks Dye Works. I love the color. I also got the new thread slide from Just Nan. It is a cute Christmas one. I just couldn't resist. I also picked up more needles just because you can never have enough. And last but not least, I got a new needle minder from Puffin and Co. It is toooooo cute!! Take a look at all my goodies!

Then this weekend, I spent Saturday afternoon and Sunday making my first quilted tote bag. I was so excited that I actually did it. I know that there are several things on here that I could have done better, but I don't think that it turned out too badly for my first attempt. Please let me know what you think or if there are things that you think that I could have done better.
And just because I didn't get enough stitching done this weekend, I just had to start a new project. I am working on "Rose Sampler" Little House Needleworks. I have the thread keeper to go along with it. I just love little stitching goodies. I never can resist. This one I ordered from "Shakespeare's Peddler". If you have never visited Theresa's website, you should. She is a designer as well as a shop owner. She designs under Shakespeare's Peddler and Raise The Roof Designs. She is so nice and easy to deal with. I was just thinking that I am going to order one of her new designs called "Jenny Bean's Christmas Ornament". I just love the colors and too cute.

Well, I suppose that I had better get back to work. This stack setting here in front of me is never going to do itself. If I can just get one more thing done tonight, that would be great.

So until next time, Happy Stitching!!

Catching up

I thought that I would have been able to post a little more regularly, but you know how life gets in the way. I have been busy and traveling some more. Plus my DD has been sick and even stayed home from school one day. Which is really something as she HATES to miss school! So I knew that she was really sick.

I have been finding a little time for stitching and stitching related things. If you haven't ever read any of Monica Ferris' stitching related mystery novels, I highly recommend them. Right now, I am reading "Blackwork". It is the newest one and it is just as good as the rest. They are really light reads and entertaining and boy does she know needlework lingo! LOL!!

I have also been back to working on "From Sea To Shining Sea" by Little House Needleworks. I am on the third house and I am doing the border pattern as I go. I think that it is coming along nicely.
Also, I forgot to post a picture of my little goblins and ghouls from Halloween. They had a great time trick or treating with their friends. My DS had two friends stay over night and my DD had one. So we had 5 kiddos here over night. I am so not used to that, but they were all really good.
Well, lots to do tomorrow. Or I guess I should say today when I wake up so I better get to bed. Just wanted to say Hi and show you my little cuties!!

Until next time, Happy Stitching!

Another finish....I am on a roll lately!!

I did get it finished last night. I finished "My Pins" by Shepherd's Bush. I have not made one of these pincushions before. I know that it sounds odd, but I have only really done framed pieces or pillows. I think because I have always been afraid of the finishing for different things. But I have to say that I think that this turned out pretty well. I used crushed walnut shells for the filling. I can just see my son thinking that he should use it for a bean bag now!!

After I was done with that last night, I re-organized my stash a little bit and tried to decide what I was going to work on next. I am not really sure. I think that I may take a little pincushion by Blackbird Designs with me today. I have to take both kids to the dentist. Might as well shoot me NOW!!

Oh and on top of that, DH just came home sick from work. I really hope it isn't the flu, although I think that it probably is. He is light-headed and hot and cold. Oh the joy!!

Well off to work and work out before going on this wonderful adventure today!!

Until next time, Happy Stitching!!

A Finish & Other Fun Stuff

Yesterday my DH picked up my framed "Mermaids" piece from my framer. DD really loves it and we think that it is going to go great in her room!! Here is the snap. I think that it turned out great. The color in the snap is a little off as it is after dusk. I forgot to take it during the day with natural light.

I also worked on my "Traveling Stitcher" and finished the stitching on it. Now I just have to get it sewn to the needle book and the bag. I posted a snap of the needle one before, but I am going to post it again. I couldn't get the Needles snap to lighten up at all without really making it look really off. I am going to have to learn to start taking these when it is light out.

I also have a new start. It is the "My Pins" pincushion by Shepherd's Bush. I didn't take a snap of that one because I am almost finished with it and I thought that I would just take it when I was completely done. This was a really quick and easy one.

Also today, we took the kids to a Corn Maze. They had so much fun but boy was it muddy!! This is a great corn maze that starts operation in mid-August. Here is a picture of the kids and DH up on the bridge at the corn maze.
Ok, so I am off now to do some finishing and to sweep the floor. All of these leaves that are falling off the trees onto the ground here in Western Pennsylvania always seem to end up all over my carpets!!

Until next time, Happy Stitching!!

A Drawing to Tell You About!

You need to head on over to the Crafty Moo. Sarah is having a great drawing for a pumpkin pattern, threads AND fabric.....Silverweaver Boo!! Check it out, you won't want to miss this one!

Can It Truly Be A Month???

Can it be truly a month since the last time that I posted here?? I can hardly believe it. But that's what it says. Work has been consuming a lot of my time. But I have been getting some "Stash Enhancement Shopping" done and some work on a couple of projects. With this fabric, I am going to make a notebook cover. I use so many notebooks for work and travel so much, so I always have one stuck in the car or the truck or in almost every bag that I carry. I really like the colors of this.

The next is for a small wristlet. My DD picked out the fabric and she wants me to make it for her. I think that I am going to try to embroider a flower on the front of it before I sew it.

Next is a collection of fabrics that I picked out to work on for a quilt called "Briar Rose". I found this pattern in a magazine and I think that it will be easy enough to start with. I really like these fabrics.

I have been working on a couple of projects when I get the time. The first one is something new that I have tried for the first time recently. It is called "Knotwork" and the pattern is by Theresa Layman. I really like it. It is easy and fairly quick. It is done using just two types of knots, a French Knot and a Colonial Knot. I really like it.

Then of course I have been working on the "Traveling Stitcher" by Little House Needlework. I don't have much more to do except finish the words and put my initials on. Then I will just have to do the finishing work on it.

So you see that I have been busy. Oh yes, I almost forgot. Along with all the traveling for work and follow up work after I got home, my DD had her 7th birthday. Her biggest present was something that she wanted, but that she had no idea that she was getting.
Well, I think that this post has gotten long enough. I will save some for my post tomorrow or Saturday. Thanks for looking and sticking with me. I hope to get back to my more regular schedule of posting on my blog.

Until next time, Happy Stitching!!

Finally!!

I thought that I was going to go crazy.....I have been fighting with my blog and trying to post to it and haven't been able to, but I think that it is finally working. And look at that, it has only taken me ten days!! WooHoo!! LOL!

Well at least I have been busy. I finally finished the "Mermaids" for my DD's new underwater room. I took at picture of it before I sent it to be framed. I think that it turned out great!! I hope she likes it.

I was in a hurry when I took this picture so the colors didn't come out very well at all. But as soon as I get it back from being framed, I will take a much better picture of it.

This Saturday I went to a workshop sponsored by one of my local quilting shops where I bought my Bernina. They had a presenter there from Anita Goodesigns. It was a great day! Chris, the presenter, was very entertaining. And we were able to do four different projects. It was fantastic. I was so glad that I went. We were also able to purchase design sets at a discount and so I got some really cute ones. I can't wait to try them out!!

But that will have to wait for a little while as we are heading out for the NASCAR race in Dover, DE this weekend with a bunch of our friends. We always have such a good time and of course I take stitching with me to do as we are driving down and back!!

Oh yes, and I almost forgot to say that I have a new start. I am trying knots. Have you ever heard of Teresa Layman. My LNS had a trunk show of hers and I had seen it before, but decided maybe I would give it a try. And much to my surprise, I really like it!! It takes a little time and you have to be patient, but it is great!! I am working on a little bee project and really it isn't taking long at all. I don't have a picture just yet. But I will try to take one tomorrow. The light is not cooperating this evening.

Well, it is getting late and I would at least like to put needle to thread for 10 or 15 minutes before I go to bed tonight.

So until next time.......Happy Stitching!!

Wow!!

Wow!! I can't believe how long it has been since I posted. But I really have been working on stitching. I should have "Mermaids" done tomorrow. I am just putting the last bubbles on. So I will take pics and post them this weekend. It is so darned cute!!!

It is late, but just wanted to say Hi and that I will be back this weekend with things to show you! Until then.......

Happy Stitching,

Finally Some Pictures To Post!

Life just seems to happen sometimes and get in the way of all the things that I intended to do. Isn't that the way things usually happen? LOL!! At least in my life that is the way that it is!

Tomorrow, or should I say today, the kids go back to school. It hardly seems possible that summer has come and gone already. It seems like they just got out of school.

So I have been stitching in between all the work that we do during the summer with the business. I was in an All Seasons Ornament Exchange that was due at the end of August. I just saw on that blog that my partner has received her ornament so I can post the picture here. Karen lives in Australia and I was so nervous about this ornament exchange as it was the first one that I have ever participated in and I was so scared that I wouldn't do as good of a job as my partner. But I was pretty pleased with how it turned out. The was an M Design ornament from Just Cross Stitch Ornament Edition 2005. It is called Joy.
There are beads on this and a crystal star at the top. I really think that it came out well. The fabric is Weeks Dye Works 30 ct. called "Linen".

I received my ornament from my partner in the mail this week too. Karen and I had each other for partners. I absolutely love the ornament that she sent to me. It has a summer theme and on one side were flip flops (My Favorite) and then a patriotic/summer theme on the other. I just adore it!!




I have been working on my DD's picture for her underwater room theme. It is moving a little quicker now that the ornament is done. Here is the latest picture of the progress I have made on this one.
I haven't been able to get back to my "Traveling Stitcher". I will once things calm back down and we get back into our routine. Once we do, I will have more time to stitch and work on my embroidery machine, which I can't wait to get back to!!

Well, it is late or early, whichever way you want to look at it, so I better get to bed. They will be up early tomorrow!

Happy Stitching!!