More Progress on Knitting project and almost finishing up Christmas decor

So, yup, I've been a busy lady of late. Besides working hard in clinic, decorating for Christmas, addressing Christmas cards to send out, I have progressed with some more knitting of a scarf.

 

Mr. Darcy is liking this alot. It's lambswool with dark brown mainly and avocado green flecks intermittently.

 

I last posted this 2 days ago:

and I felt I was getting nowhere BUT when I look at the pic I can see alot of progress.

 

Kinda like life. Someone told me long time ago and I certainly find it to be true: we don't live in the past, but we certainly have to take a look in the back mirror to see how far we've come to where we are going. That defines success. For success is not how rich we are or our place in society, it's how far one has come from where they started in the first place.

 

I've found that knitting has a very relaxing effect on me. Wish I had more time.

The scarf is cast on 21 stitches. It's a chunky yarn and I'm knitting every row for basically learning.

I know that I will knit, purl, knit, purl, another one after this.

On days like today, I think I will get alot done. It's pouring rain, cold and all I want to do is drink coffee and knit and watch a Christmas movie!

However, we have soooooooooooo much to do on the basement level to get Mr. Darcy's office set up.

He has quite the massive Presidential desk that is going to look great. He has been working to help me get it into a better living space.

And this day marks Mr. Darcy and my first month anniversary!!!

 

I ordered this ornament for our first tree. It's a 7 ft slim fir. The ornie was ordered from Personalization.com which is a GREAT gift site. They have wonderful deals and make the most memorable gifts of all you can imagine.

This ornie has our date on it.

I still am adding more ornaments today. I don't think I've ever waited so late to get my decorating complete but it's definitely surrounded with love and Christmas day is going to be special.

 

 

 

 

 

There are a few gifts under the tree. I still have wrapping to do. Mr. Darcy is quick. He wrapped his right away......smart guy!!!

 

 

 

Abbie's mat came in too.........she is already enjoying her Christmas giftie. Now she has a placemat to enjoy some people food for supper sometimes.

 

She especially enjoys potatoes and corn, and ham of late. :P

 

She is so funny this year. This is the first time she really has noticed a Christmas tree as I didn't have one last year. Occasionally at night she will walk over and put her nose up to an ornament like a deer.

And also she, for some reason, likes to take her food morsel by morsel over to enjoy eating it on the tree skirt.

 

I'm listening to Fox news this morning and see 2 really big storms coming through the north and south; hence, bringing our strong rains all day.

Everybody stay safe out there in your travels.

I see alot of the airlines in the north have canceled many flights and they are calling for alot of snow and they are expecting a white Christmas there.

 

 Continuing on to finish decorating the tree,

Jennifer

Lincoln progress

 

I started in the middle of the pattern so yes, there is much more top hat to go. When I finish him, I'm going to do Mary Lincoln facing him and they both go in matching black frames.

 

 

Started on Lincoln's sillouhette last night for several hours while watching a Christmas movie.

I plan to finish this on the scrap of 30 ct R and R Creekbed Brown with 310 DMC and into a 4 x 6 black matt frame.

 

 

I am revising Lincoln's chin to be more pronounced. After I saw the movie, I decided to revise.

When I get done I will share the revision chart.

 

Here's hoping your Saturday is full of joy!

 

Jennifer

Samplers and other Sundries

I hope all is well, sweet friends, and as the early, early touch of Fall in the air at night, the increasing anticipation for nature's production of color is rising. Fall is my fave time of year, always has and probably always will be.

 

Mr. Darcy is bringing wood up to the wood stand on the big porch and I guess you could say I"m nesting more than usual, in preparation for visits from friends during the leaf-changing season.

 

I have many projects started but focusing mainly on this one, as I have a perfect reason and purpose when it's completed. As this is a large project, it wil be well worth it. It's stitched in Mulberry fiber and the variations contrast perfectly with the 30 ct Sheepstraw linen.

 

I'm getting the designing bug again of late so working on some more of those as well.

 

 

This week almost finished with another motif on BBD, Love One Another. The mulberry thread is a delight to stitch with.

 

 

There is Abbie found in my stitching chair. She loves to jump up there if I have to get up as it's a nice cozy, warm spot for her.

 

 

Hey ya'll!

 

 

There are actually 3 of these large motifs in a V pattern. I think I'm going to stitch the word Another before doing another motif (that sounded strange, but anyhoo). I'm using a basic hardwood oval frame from The Scarlett Letter, which leaves wrinkles but they will come out with pressing later on the reverse side. If you haven't taken a look at their hardwood frames, go to the website for The Scarlett Letter and cruise for a few.

 

 

 

Mr. Darcy is working on this Hoosier cabinet I had for about 3 years now.

It's a Sellers brand and was won at auction for very little junkin' price.

 Mr. Darcy and I have read alot about Hoosier cabinets used in kitchens in 1900-1930's.

It's basically a baking center.

This will go in Mr. Darcy's kitchen as he has the perfect spot for it.

The handles are red and were previously painted over. We are hoping that in removing the paint it doesn't destroy the handles as they are about 25.00 a piece when buying for renovation.

 

 

 

He used a sander yesterday and interestingly enough, the wood looks in good condition. The middle is the flour holder. It holds pounds and pounds of flour and the sifter is right underneath. Still works. This will be cleaned up well and actually painted white.

 

 

One of the doors to the top.

 I'm amazed at how clean this is getting. New hinges of course and most likely repainted instead of stained for it's original finish and I'm not sure but I think Mr. Darcy is sold on my Peach Cobbler. :P

 

 

This is a tin I found while junkin' last week at one of my favorite places. I collect old tins in the kitchen and as you can see why, this one for a couple of bucks, won my heart.

 

 

The back reads that it is made in England. I LOVE, love, love the sampler print on it as if stitched on the old tin.

 

 

 

Another thing that arrived in the mail of which I am planning to make basic pillows includes this yard of OLD Waverly colonial fabric.

 

 

 

 

I have always loved Colonial Williamsburg and I dream of another trip back to do more site-seeing there. The blue color is my fave.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was very please with this snag on Ebay as it's very different and also has the colors of a small Colonial hutch I recently got. I will get more pics on the blog of it next week as I will be on a mission to redo Mr. Darcy's kitchen with some paint/ color in Cabin Red. It's a deep, barn red that is going to look really good. I will take before and after pics.

 

 

I just want to say thank you to all who take the time out to read and especially comment and send me emails about different subjects on stitching or homesteading. I love reading them and getting to know other stitchers and readers from all over the world. I also enjoy perusing your blogs as well. There are some gifted, creative spirits out in the world. From one creative spirit to another.........

 

Peace and love,

Jennifer

Progress on Love One Another--Blackbird Designs

And the beat goes on..........star motif finished.......Blackbird Design's sampler Love One Another

Hope your weekend went well!

My Carpanion!

My sweet Abigail===She lights up my life.........

The faces of Abbie in the car are funny to watch. She stays in her seat and as long as she doesn't see a bright car or strangers, she is quiet.

The Eyes Have It

This week flew by quite fast but it always does when spending it with a very close friend. Went on a trip this weekend and in the process am being trained with a new gun.....yup it's pink. LOL  I'm serious but what a gun! I would post pics but I don't want any political groups aiming at my blog for gun ownership. :)

 My first lesson of target practice at an indoor shooting range, with my new gun with an advanced instructor is this:

Yep, my instructor asked me to shoot to aim for the head and my first and third shots were between the eyes!  Shocked him!  Yup. The afternoon was quite fun and I did pretty doggone good. Then he had me aim for the center of the chest and I did that pretty doggone good too. I shocked myself.

Of course, my self-defense, advanced-training instructor is here:

and ALL his targets were right in the center. This man can shoot.

And in between this, we grilled out, watched a good movie and laughed alot.

I didn't take my magnifier light so even with my prescription glasses, I was slow but did get some progress on the sampler by BBD.

I hope to work on this some more tonight WITH my magnifier light, wrinkles and all, at least to finish the Quaker star motif. The Mulberry overdyed fiber is so pretty!

Abbie enjoyed the ride in the car and was the perfect "lady" until we went through drive-in's for food. OMG she turned into a BIG dog then. She didn't like the employees through the window.

Quite embarrassing, but she is now out like a light on a quilt asleep from her trip.

Speaking of the perfect lady.......I move on to........

In the reading arena, my Kindle goes from Jane Austen books to Ana and Christian's love story in the trilogy of Fifty Shades.  I have never read a book like this before, Fifty Shades of Grey and it definitely is for MATURE audiences but it's actually got a good background love story to it. It started out very slow but by halfway the romance was better, the storyline actually had a plot and then Wham. The end.

The ending was dissapointing and a cliffhanger. Sad.

So, I wasn't going to read the second one above but I caved and got Fifty Shades Darker. Will start on this one soon and I hope it has text to speech feature on it so I can stitch at the same time.

Will I read all three of the books?  I don't know. We'll see. I've heard such conflicting reviews but mostly the second one is a bit sweeter so I'll give it a try.

I'm also reading a Mr. Darcy book and going from Christian Grey (main character in Fifty Shades) to Mr. Darcy in another era is like turning the light switch on and off. :P

With my Kindle, I read more books (rated PG or less) LOL along with stitching at the same time with using the text to speech feature. Although a little monotone, it's great and easy on the eyes.

Just remember the eyes have it.

 Either aim with 'em or read with 'em, stitch with 'em, or sleep with 'em but...................the eyes are an important accessory. I'm thankful mine are still working well with help.

Hope your weekend was insightful!

Talk later,

Jennifer

My Everything Progress and the Beauty of May flowers

Good morning, sweet readers!

I'm starting out my day listening to piano solos which have put Miss Abbie completely into a sleep, reading, catching up on mail, and drinking my tea from Teavana. It's a white tea with orange in it. VERY good.

I hope to work on this also today and do a few errands around the homestead.

This sampler is designed by The Sampler Girl and called My Everything.

Mail greetings such as this show there is really love left in the world.

It's natural Belfast and who can get enough of that?????  a staple for my stash!!!

I ordered a small piece on Ebay and as always , the dear heart of a stitcher, giving and kind, sent extra with it. I will probably stitch A Woman's Heart just designed by Feathers in the Nest on this fabbie.

this old pic for 2 bucks is sweet and reminds me by my reading chair how simple life used to be

The introvert that I am loves to write, read and stitch.

Everything is blooming.

Have a sweet Summer evening!

Till later,

Jennifer

Pink Hill Manor progress and a possible Frame candidate

Picked up a few stitches on this Blackbird Design piece.

Pink Hill Manor

Wrinkles and all here---- but the thing is......I went antique shopping for a frame 2 weeks ago and saw one that looked almost identical to the one in the stitched model! I got quite giddy.

I was so excited......I knew it was a bit bigger but when I got it home, it was alot bigger.

Also, I got it for a great price but the lady who sold it, said....."you're not taking that picture out just to use the frame, right?" 

Me:  "yes, mam" (biting my lip nervously)

She shrieked practically. It was one of her items I think that she brought to the booth and I said that it was a beautful picture but I had a sampler in mind for it.

Now that it's bigger than I thought, I haven't decided for it to remain framed and hang as-is, get another frame for BBD piece

Or

sew some pretty homespun fabbie around it to fit the frame!

the catcher is taking off the print which is very old.

And not feeling like I committed a felony. : P

I'm seriously thinking that I'm going to remove this print and put Pink Hill Manor in it.

Even though I'm a little nostalgic in removing this pretty print.

If you can see past the light flash on the paper....YIKES!  then you can see why I love this frame ;)

Before

and now.

I still have a few stitches to decide.

I'm a bit perplexed though.

One thing I DO know for sure is that the prescription glasses I thought I lost forever and ever in January were waiting for me at the bedroom door this morning, presented to me by Miss Abigail Dalenberg! Evidently during the night she went into my closeet and found them in a purse or somewhere???

She was so proud......and I did a complete happy dance before I even made my first cup of tea. They do have her little teeth marks on the side a bit but still very usable and hardly noticable except by me probably and everytime I see them, I remember who loves me......

yes, she got an extra treat for that too......