Fall & Winter Projects

As the days are getting cooler and my major sewing seems to have gotten caught up, my mind turns to the projects that I want to work on this fall and winter.

Projects, such as this, need no longer wait for me to delay in finishing them.

I found a pattern for these mitten ornaments, and several other cute ideas, this time last year and was immediately struck with the potential for them! Mom and I fell in love with the idea and made a trip to Hancock's for supplies. I was able to find wintry type fabric on sale, we already had thread, and since we have a large stash of buttons handy we didn't need to buy any!

I already have quite a few mittens started so I shall work on putting the blanket stitching around the edge and embellishing the mitten itself.
What am I going to use them for? I can see them used as a "garland"-strung across windows or up the stairway, used as decorations on a small tree, or put on gifts. What I like about them is that they are winter decorations not just Christmas.

"In my Sewing Stash"
In my overflowing sewing fabric basket I have some camouflage fleece and two types of decorator fabrics. The camo is Sawyer's Christmas present! Since he enjoys curling up with Sayre's fleece blanket, I figured he would enjoy one of his own. He helped pick it out and he actually sits on it when he's in the sewing room. Last week I told him it was his Christmas present to which he responded "Ohhhhhh, that is so sweet of you Ashy". I'm hoping that he forgets about it in the next two months!!! Anyway, I'll be turning the edges under, sewing them down, and then I'll do a blanket stitch along the edge to give a special touch.
With the decorator fabrics I shall be assembling a purse/tote bag. The white and blue toile will be on the outside while the blue stripe shall be on the inside and possibly the straps (I'm not wild about the stripe, but it was the closest matching fabric I could find).

I also need to start this cross-stitch that I bought earlier this year. I have everything I need other than time to work on it! Maybe I'll finish it by next October!

There are other things that I have down to do...
1) make the curtains for my room.
2) Momma and I want to make a quilt together.
3) I have a skirt and two blouses I need to make in addition to three other skirts that I need to find fabric for.

I do believe that these things will keep my busy until oh, February at the earliest!
Do you have any fun projects planned?

Of Housebuilding and Gardens

I'm so enjoying these beautiful fall days! Temperatures have hovered in the seventies during the day and getting down into the fifties at night. With the windows open a delightful breeze comes through certain rooms and seems to clear the air! I think fall is my favorite season although spring ranks right up at the top as well!

"The Work Continues"
Trevor's house has begun to look more and more like a house during the past week. They put the tin on half of the roof over the weekend and he spent Monday "puttering" on those small projects that have to be done sometime (like putting a doorknob on the door, filling some holes he accidentally put into the bathtub, etc..)

"Taking a Tour"
On Saturday he gave Momma a tour of the house and showed her where future walls are going to go. He had also made a few changes to the floor plan that he was able to confer with her on.

"Construction Acrobats"
Trevor wanted to see how high he could climb the ladder while keeping it standing up. I'm sure Sayre will be trying this one out sometime soon!

"Of Onions and Zinnias"
I moseyed out to Mommas garden late yesterday afternoon to see how the fall vegetables were doing. Since her garden is inside of a fence she thought that this would be a good place for the veggies as I'm sure "the critters" would get into stuff out in the big garden.

"The Broccoli Patch"
As you can see the plants are HUGE! They aren't quite knee high yet, but compared to how big they were when we got them... well they are monsters now! Several of the plants have heads on them and I am now going to be monitoring their growth; I wonder how big they (the heads)will get?

"The Cauliflower and Brussel Sprout Patch"
You have to pay attention to the "item tags" when you're in this particular patch as everything is huge and "all together". If you aren't paying attention you may mistake the Brussel Sprouts Cauliflower!!
You can also see that the zinnias are still in bloom. All of the flowers are enjoying the cooler weather to their fullest! I simply had to go out and pick some for a centerpiece last evening for they are so cheery looking!

"It has finally Bloomed!"
The roses have gone nuts and are producing beautiful blooms! My little rose bush finally put on some buds and it's happy peachy color brightens my day.

"Mowing"
Even the grass is performing now! We have to mow once a week just so it doesn't begin to look like a jungle out there. Apparently the cow wasn't eating "her" grass fast enough for Tristan had us mow it (at the highest setting mind you) late last week.
I found it highly amusing to watch the cow pen being mowed... MooCow, Lila, and Maggie were all playing mind games over a cantaloupe that someone had thrown out of the garden. Each time the mower got to close whoever was eating it, they would jump up and then as it moved on they would all stare at each other and see who would make the first move! Since the cow doesn't have teeth that grip she couldn't run off with it like the dogs could!! :o)

"Playing Baby Moses"
Momma has been reading Bible stories to Sawyer and we've found them being integrated into our everyday lives. For example, at dinner last night Sawyer started talking about God creating the animals (or something like that. We couldn't understand him very well.). Then this morning he came and got the laundry basket so he could "make a nest" which turned into Momma re-enacting the "Moses story" with him. I became Miriam and had to watch him for a little bit. He is truly a hoot!

"Y'all come back here now, you hear?!"
Ahh yes, we are going to have puppies sometime in the next few weeks! After my initial "oh boy, how on earth are we going to find homes for ten to twelve puppies?", I have to say that I'm really looking forward to this occasion! It will be fun and I know we/I am going to learn allot! Maggie is huge... she's eating a ton... and her personality has become sweeter (she was sweet before but now she's downright lovable). We're all eager to see what kind of a mother she is and if she matures at all.
Does anybody want a puppy?!