not so blue

We are moving. I’m frantically trying to write this post before my battery dies. My power cord is broken and this is the last I can use this laptop until the replacement cord arrives.

Our new house is right next door to our old one if you can believe it. It took a year to move one house down the street! Jerry flies in tomorrow night to drive things back, we will follow in about a week, at least that’s the plan at the moment.

These are just a few blue things. A mohair wrap I’m knitting, the lake today, peacocks we recently visited, and a pretty new design from By the Bay Needleart!

More soon (as soon as I am able anyway).

Bye for now!

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come for a month…..

stay for a year!

Yes I have now been in Michigan almost an entire year. I’ve been a little sad lately and not feeling too well, sorry for the long absence here at the blog. Hopefully, in the next few days we will have finalized moving plans however. Trying to be patient just a bit longer.

I’ve been knitting gifts and doing a tiny bit of stitching. Here is my small progress on Antique Animal Sampler from Elizabeth’s Designs. I’m stitching this on 35 count lambswool linen using 1 strand of floss. These sweet pinkeeps from Pineberry Lane have recently caught my eye as well.

Spring is blooming here and my allergies are extreme at the moment, my tissue box is my constant companion. I hope by my next post to have some good news to share!

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on the lake

Great flocks of migrating waterbirds have been touching down for a short stay all weekend. Today we have some pretty Canvasbacks bobbing in the windy waves. At least I think that’s what they are.

It is a nice warm day here, a bit windy but it feels like Spring. Amber tells me she went to work in her winter coat yesterday and that it was 70 degrees on her way home. It’s supposed to snow there today so it sounds like Spring is arriving in Colorado as well. I surely hope to see it myself very soon.

This pretty design has caught my eye. Antique Animal Sampler from Elizabeth’s Designs. I have had a nice bunch of orders for Impie, Hattie & Bea products. As soon as I sew up some more inventory I plan to get stitching on this one. I’m suffering through one heck of a head cold so I’m moving just a bit slow here.

Hope you are having a nice week so far!

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catching up

I really meant to blog more this week, I’m just not sure where this week went. Here are a few items from last weekend (following a bit of a winter storm) and some stitching.

Stitching first, making some progress on Little House Needleworks Summer Splendor, a very sweet sampler I think. Using a remnant of hand-dyed 28ct linen (maker unknown) and mostly the called for threads, it’s coming along nicely. The broach in the photo is one of a tiny collection I’ve begun while out thrifting.

We did get some snow that is mostly gone now. My sister-in-law baked a yummy pear upside down cake to help warm up our Saturday evening. Super yummy recipe that I plan to try in the future. I need to double check a few of the details when she is home for the weekend.

Max and Ethan had a good time in the snow while I kept warm inside with my knitting, keeping an eye on the fun.

I’m going out for dinner and music with friends tonight and Jerry will be on an afternoon flight here tomorrow, another batch of nicely busy days lay ahead.

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it might snow

I have a teeny tiny finish to share! I think I have my glasses adjusted properly to stitch now. It was getting so hard to see that knitting became my main pastime and my stitching languished! I confess I have become addicted to knitting.

This little design is from Prairie Schooler. It’s part of the new January design. Such a quick stitch and I think I’ll make it up into a little pillow the next time I pull out the sewing machine, probably this weekend.

Some snow may be headed our way although they have down-graded the Winter Storm Warning to a Watch.

Some webshop news. I’ve changed my shipping rates, Shop More, Save More!

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winter?

We had a true blast of Winter on Friday which has stuck around a bit but the lake is still not frozen completely.

I like to watch the swans while dinner is cooking, in fact it’s been mild enough most evenings to sit on the deck for a bit without a heavy coat. I hope you’ll enjoy sharing my view here. I took these pictures this past week before our little bit of snow and cold weather.

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craft time and a little news

I’ve been sewing, knitting, and stitching. Love these new designs from Little House and Country Cottage!!

Yes I am still in Michigan. Jerry is back in Colorado where he recently started a new job with a company he often did subcontractor work for during the last 10 years. He spent the last quarter of 2011 in Nebraska so house hunting was on hold during that time. We aren’t packing the moving van yet but hopefully (hopefully) before too long!

I do plan to grow the webshop in 2012, I still take orders but have not promoted the site here in Michigan. I will be having an inventory clearance the weekend of the ‘big game’ February 3-6.

Also, the new Prairie Schoolers will be here before long. I talked to Nancy at PS and she will be sending designs shortly. I will be offering my usual special and am already stocking up on photo mailers for safe delivery! If you would like to reserve designs please feel free to contact me.

Jane has a new toy too.

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PS – Thank you for visiting me here, I do love company.

winter day

We have had a couple of true winter days here lately. The lake still isn’t completely frozen over. The swans aren’t completely frozen either, they were looking a bit more lively this afternoon.

Jane is coping as best she can.

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a nice finish

From Little House Needleworks, Plant Kindness. I stitched this on 35 count lambswool using mostly the prescribed threads. I did switch the black to DMC 3371 because it was what I had on hand. I plan to frame this one so I’m keeping a lookout at the thrift shops for the right frame.

Another Little House Project in the works….I’m working out my plan to finish this as a Jane Austen themed sampler and hope to have it finished up shortly. I didn’t start this project with that in mind but it occurred to me late one night that it would work out nicely.

It has been a very mild winter here in Michigan for which I am grateful. The lake didn’t freeze solid until yesterday, this picture is from Tuesday when it was trying to freeze but the waves kept breaking up the ice. Today it has frozen across and though I said it has been a mild winter, I am just a bit jealous that it is supposed to be 63 degrees in Colorado today!

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getting ready

Jerry’s visit went by far too fast, even with a ticket mess up that gave him an extra day here. We have taken the decision to not consider any moving plans before January so I’m gearing up for a Michigan winter which are much harsher than the lovely Colorado winters we have enjoyed for the past 15 years. I am really going to miss my attached garage I think.

I made a tiny start on Snowflake Serenade from Country Cottage Needleworks – a design I’ve loved since I first saw it. I’m stitching this on 35 count lambswool linen and made one color change so far, I was out of the blue prescribed for “Jingle Bells” and went with a lighter shade I did have.

With a sad heart I am also getting ready for my uncle’s funeral tomorrow. I will be seeing family that I haven’t been in touch with for a very long while and that will be a good thing but it is such a sad occasion.

No snow yet but it won’t be long I think.