Old Things, New Things

I haven't been up to very much because I've been caught up in a British mini series called...

It kept me captivated and I just couldn't keep myself from watching it.  It takes place in Victorian England around the turn of the century.  It centers around a place called White Chapel which according to  history wasn't the best place to live.  Jack the Ripper was active at this time and the series revolves around the men on the police force and how this effects their professional and personal lives.  If you love dramas with a twist, you'd love this show.  One word to the caution...British shows are a lot more lenient on what they are allowed to show so be ready for some R rated scenes.  It's available on Netflix.

I thought I would show you some of what we saw at Disney this last time.  Every noon they have a parade down Main Street and we were there to watch it.

This time we had lunch at Tony's Town Square Restaurant where Lady and the Tramp had their famous kiss.  I think Little John liked it but what could go wrong with macaroni and cheese right?  Well I had a 10" pizza that was so thin you could of read thru it and it tasted horrible....price $19.00.  Little John's macaroni and cheese.....$10.00 and Peyton's chicken alfredo.....$22.00 and it was all horrible.  If they want to charge these kind of prices they should at least make the food worthy of the price.

I was sitting in my chair the other day stitching and I happened to look over at my baby and she was zonked.  I'm not sure if I mentioned that our baby is going blind but she is so I had her clipped a little bit shorter around the face so her hair doesn't cover her eyes.  I can't believe she will be 10 years old this coming December.  Time flies by and it's very depressing.

I felt like doing a little sewing so I made some matching bags for my crochet hooks and knitting needles.  These match the drawn string bag I made to hold my yarn cakes while I'm working with them.  I've also started a new shawl as you can see.  This one is made from a yarn that is acrylic and wool and drapes beautifully.  I have about 1100 yards so I'm just going to make it large and use it all up.  I'll probably end up with a blanket. :o)

I'm also working on a new Hands On design called "Chocolate Bunnies".  I'm stitching it with what the designer calls for.....Sulky Cotton which is wonderful to work with.  I'm using one thread over two on 28ct. jobelan and it covers very well.

Well that's about all I've been up to.  I hope wherever you are your weather is improving and Spring is beginning to bloom.  We had two wonderful days this weekend without a cloud in the sky and so blue it hurts your eyes.  I'm not looking forward to summer again but that's the way it goes.  You must take the bad with the good and not complain so much.  Or so my Mother always said.

I will be starting another British mini series tomorrow called The Frankenstein Chronicles starring Sean Bean and we only have 3 weeks for the series finale of Games of Throne.  I've heard some disturbing rumors about the series and how it ends which I hope are not true.  They just cannot kill off Jon Snow!!!!!

Blessings Abound,

Barbara

Just had to share...

For those of us who have lost pets...

Blessings, Barbara

It's Been Awhile

I've been pretty busy these past few weeks helping Peyton with doctor appointments....meaning I watch the boys....and doing a lot of finishing of projects that I've been working on.

First up is Joseph which I absolutely love.  I just can't wait to get Mary and Baby Jesus finished.  

Remember the yarn I purchased called Downton Abbey at Christmas Time?  Well I finished my shawl/cowl and I'm very pleased with how it turned out.  I'm planning on wearing it to the Downton Abbey movie that's coming out this fall.

Winter seems to be hanging on for so long for my Northern friends so I thought I would share what I did today.  New York City has Central Park....well Orlando has Leu Gardens and that's where Peyton, Little John, Zane and I went today.  It is so fabulous with all the native flowers and bushes and so many were in bloom.  I was disappointed that the Rose Garden was not in bloom yet but about another month and it should be spectacular.  Here are some of the lovely things we saw today.  Oh and the temperature was 84 degrees.

Our Little John who isn't so little anymore.

This is looking across the lake at the beautiful hospital where hubby has had all his surgeries.  The people there are Saints.

A refreshing little waterfall.

Peyton with Little John.  Zane is riding.

Fountain in middle of Rose Garden.

Well that's what I've been up to.  Have to go this Thursday and get driver's license renewed....what a pain!!!  Can't wait till Thursday nite cause that's when Debbie of my LNS comes back from Nashville with all the new goodies.  I'll post on Friday what I ended up with.  I will admit I made a list for her and I'm not sorry one bit!!!    Come March 14th we are going to Disney World again for that month.  I get the biggest kick out of watching Peyton and Little John....I'm not sure who's the bigger child.  LOL

Everyone have a Blessed week,

Barbara

A Rainy Day in Florida

We are having some much needed rain here in Orlando.  It makes for a cloudy, sleepy day but it is a great day for stitching.

I didn't like how that last shawl start was working up so I tore that out and joined a CAL on Ravelry.  It's a 3 part CAL and it's a shawl we are making.   Most of the ladies are doing theirs in 3 different colors or textures but me being me, I have to be different and do mine in one color.  I chose a beautiful soft peach colored yarn that is 50% wool and 50% milk.  That's right milk!  It is so soft and silky and it drapes beautifully.  I have the first clue finished and here it is...

I will post it again after we receive the second clue.

I know I'm always behind the times and I am a huge Game of Thrones enthusiast which doesn't return for the final season till sometime in April so I had to find something else to get in to.  I came up with Downton Abbey and I'm loving it.  I have watched the first 4 seasons so far and I find I laugh and cry at this beautifully done period piece.  Then I heard that they are coming out with a movie this fall to theaters that continues the story of these wonderful characters.  What makes this even funnier I was looking on Jimmy Beans Wool Site and found yarn called "Christmas at Downton Abbey" and you know I had to  purchase it.  Here is what it looks like on their website.

I cannot wait to get this and make my own shawl in tribute to this amazing mini series.  Please let me know if you have watched this and what you think of it.  

The other day I was over at Peyton's and she called my attention to a bush she discovered in their side yard.  My mouth dropped open when I saw this and I would give anything to have this growing in my yard.  I absolutely love English roses and she has a stunning pink one.

I also made a new project bag which is in my Etsy store if you're interested.

Have a wonderful weekend and many Blessings,

Barbara

Some Updates

I hope all of my northern US friends have made it through this last blast of arctic air and are now basting in the warmer temperatures.  We had some cold ones down here but nothing like you guys had.  Brrrrrrr

I've made some good progress on Joseph and I feel confident that this series I just might finish.  LOL  I've begun two other ones and lost interest pretty quick but this one is keeping me going.

I'm loving the colors Vicki has used in these but I'm waiting till the end to pick out the backing fabric.  I want something that goes with all of them.

I finished my Pioneer Woman shawl and I think I'm going to add it to my Etsy store.  I don't wear alot of lavenders or purples but I really do love this yarn.  You see the stripe of solid lavender?  That's a ball of yarn I've had for about 5 years and just couldn't find anything to add it to until this shawl.  It's a yarn called Luxuria Air Lace weight and it's composed of 40% possum, 40% cashmere goat and 20% silk.  It is so soft I wish I could of made of entire shawl of it but at $29.00 for only 191 yards, I just can't afford it but I thought it looked really nice in this shawl.

Then I went and splurged on a new knitting/crochet tote.  This one is from Namaste and I found it on Jimmy Beans website.  I love it!  The top inside is magnetic so it holds your pattern or scissors as shown.  It's 12 inches long by  6.5 inches wide  so it holds my work in progress with ease.  It's a beautiful dark grey leather and I'm sure I'll get many years usage out of it.

......and I started a new shawl called "Custard Cream".  It's to be found on Ravelry here.

Hopefully within the next few days I'll be placing more patterns in my Etsy store.  I'm really going thru my stash aggressively and cleaning house.  It's time to get real about what I can and cannot finish in my lifetime.  So check back in a few days and there might be something you're looking for.

Blessings Upon All,

Barbara

YEA

It feels good to finish something, doesn't it?

And now to start Joseph.

Blessings, Barbara

I have some updates on my projects that I've been working on and a finish that turned into a mess.  Has anyone ever made a rag quilt?  Well I just made my first one and I ended up covered in pieces of thread and lint.  I made the mistake of wearing something dark and what a mess.  I ended up throwing away the shirt I had worn because even putting it through the dryer wouldn't remove the lint.  Anyway, this is what I made...

Can you tell I'm praying for a girl?  The squares that make up the top are flannel and the backing is yellow cotton with little pink ladybugs.

These are my two new sewing machine tables.  I've always wanted my machines to be in a corner and I finally achieved that.  No more going back and forth....

I've been also working on my shawl and made some progress.  I still have a long way to go but I'm in no hurry......

.....and the angel of my Nativity should be done soon.  

Peyton had her first ultrasound and it's just one baby which is good.  They haven't determined yet if she needs to go to a high risk doctor and she'll find that out soon.  Everything looks good and so far our prayers have been answered.

Hope everyone's week is filled with many Blessings,

Barbara

Beginnings and Ends

Just have some updates to share with you.  I don't know about everyone else but I've been down in the dumps for several days now and all I want to do is sleep.  Went Thursday and had some blood taken for my thyroid test so maybe that will show something.  

I finished the shawl I was working on and here it is...

It's crocheted using Scheepjes Whirl which is a cotton/acrylic yarn of fingering weight that is a gradient yarn..  I loved making it but they really aren't my colors so I'm putting it in my Etsy store if you're interested.

I'm making slow progress on the angel of the Nativity....

I'm having trouble getting into the stitching mood....hence I have started another shawl.

The yarn is a Euro Fingering weight and the color is called "Pioneer Woman" and I'm loving it.  I wanted to make an old fashioned shawl and what could be older than the granny square.  I'm planning on adding some other stitches in the shawl but I'll make that up as I go along.  I have over 800 yards of this yarn so it should make a fairly good size shawl.

Hope everyone else is feeling up to par and getting much stitching done.

Blessings, Barbara

Just Had To Share This

If you're like me I'm all thumbs when it comes to cookie and cake decorating so when I see something that is just amazing my mouth drops open and I wonder "How did they do that?".  I love watching the baking shows where you have to try and reproduce something that a master chef made.  I'd never make it!!!  So when I saw these on Pinterest.....again my mouth dropped open.

How do they do this and would you seriously eat one of these?  I'd frame them!!!

I wanted to wish everyone on this last day of 2018 a very Happy New Year and if you decide to go out to a party or to see loved ones, please be careful and come home safely.  My hubby and I always stay home on this night and leave the merry making to others.  Also be aware of your animals when the fireworks start going off.  Vallie is terrified of them and hides under a blanket on my lap till they end.  Poor babies just don't understand.

Blessings, Barbara

Some New Starts

Well here it is almost the end of 2018 and what a year it was.  I'm pleased with how many projects I finished and ones that I have started and hope to finish in the coming year.  A really big surprise was given to us for Christmas but more about that later.  

Here's what I have started and hope to finish in 2019.

First off, have you all seen the new Cross Eyed Cricket designs of the Nativity?  Well I love CEC designs and when I saw this I knew I had to stitch it.  I've wanted a stitched Nativity scene for quite awhile but never came across one I wanted to stitch.  This one is it.

I decided to start with the angel and here's her starting from the bottom.

The designer has decided to use Kreinik Blending Filament but I absolutely despise that stuff so I'm using a Rainbow Gallery thread called Petite Silk Lame Braid that has a bit of metallic in it.  It's hard to make it out in the picture but all the white is this braid and it is so much easier to work with.  

I've also started a new shawl with a yarn called Scheepjes Whirl that is a gradient cotton yarn in sock weight.  This one starts in pale grey through light blue, brown, purple, teal to black.  The first 38 rows were kind of boring with just doing the granny stitch but now I'm getting into the actual pattern.  If you're a member of Ravelry you can find this under the designer Katya Novikova and it's name is "Grafika".  

Now for that surprise that we were told on Christmas.  It seems our family is going to have a new addition in August.  Peyton is pregnant with their third and last child.  They wanted 3 and all close together and wow are they getting it.  Of course we are all praying for a girl but I must confess, I love those other 2 little guys so a third one would be no problem.  I'm very worried about Peyton because she immediately had to stop taking her medications for her Trigeminal Neurolgia and so now her pain will come back full force.  She's not letting it get her down though and tonite when we went out to dinner with them, she was in fine spirits.  I truly don't know how she does it.

Well that's all my news for now.  I hope you all have a safe and Happy New Year's and start 2019 out with loved ones surrounding you.

Blessings, Barbara