Moving Again

Once again everyone I have moved. You can now find out about all my creative adventures at www.creatinglace.wordpress.com.

Tea Time

Last year I decided that I wanted to start collecting tea pots. So when Christmas rolled around I handed Geoff the Stash tea catalog with a whole bunch of stuff circled. This is the tea set he picked out, and it wasn't even circled. He did a great job because it goes great in my kitchen. Well this past weekend we woke up asking each other the same question we ask every weekend, "what are we going to do today"? Well we decide to go to IKEA. I have always heard great things about IKEA, but have never been. Upon arriving I learned to never return on the weekend. I hate crowds. So while wondering through the store I found these plain white canvas place mats for $.99. I grabbed four, and now wish I had grabbed more. I immediately knew what I was going to do with them.
So when I got home I pulled out my Sublime Stitching book, tracing paper, and my chalk pencil. The iron on's did not work, the tracing paper was to smudgy, so free hand with a chalk pencil is what I ended up doing. I had designs to go by though. I have finished one, and have three left. I think they will go perfectly with my whimsy tea set. Now I just hope the chalk washes off.

What is a MEME?

My sister nominated me for this MEME thing. I don't know what that is. I understand that you have to say 8 random things about yourself, but what does the word MEME have to do with talking about yourself. So here are my 8 random things about myself (I hope I can think of 8).

1. I am the youngest of 4 kids, and love it. The only thing that stinks about this position in life is the lack of baby pictures.

2. After a minor accident when I was 10 or 11, I can now bend my baby toe completely side ways. Seriously it bends from the middle of the toe. I don't know I broke, but it never healed properly.

3. I currently have 5 different crafting projects going on right now. All of these projects are assigned to a different room. That means I work on them in that room, but occasionally one might wonder to another room.

4. My favorite bible verse is 1 Corinthians 16:14. Do all things in love.

5. I enjoy learning about history.

6. I am trying to go green. I use all of my own bags at the grocery store, instead of plastic. I also try to use non-toxic chemicals in cleaning my house. When it is nice out I try to hang my clothes out side to dry (that is if I remember to drag the drying rack out).

7. I don't enjoy making the same thing over and over again. For example I once smocked 2 dresses in a row of the same thing. I thought my fingers were going to freeze up and I got this horrible stir crazy feeling. Mass production is not my style.

8. I always wanted my mom to teach my to sew growing up. I used to always look at my moms old singer in amazement, and wish I knew how to use it properly. I understand that she didn't have the time. She worked and had 4 kids. But I know how now and that's all that matters. Thanks mom for the inspiration.

There you have it 8 random things about me.

Trees

If you have never heard any sound come out of my mouth you would not even know that I am from the South. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE having a Southern accent, but my hubby and I agree that what we don't like about the South is the heat. It seems that now that global warming is setting in, the heat is getting worse. We do love cool/cold temperatures, and Fall. I am so glad it is here. I Love seeing Pumpkins everywhere, and everyone celebrating the harvest. I also Love the changing of the trees. Did you know that leaves on trees change colors in the fall as a result of the shortening of the days (once again my nerdiness prevails). I find that fascinating. You absolutely can not beat Fall in the North East. When we lived in New York, I was amazed by how beautiful the dying foliage of a tree could be. Well it seems that Washington is proving to have some beautiful colors as well. Its amazing, because no matter how hard you try to duplicate the colors of the changing trees, you can't. These are colors that only God can make, and how glorious is that! Since the weather is getting cooler I should be cuddled up with some knitting, a cup of tea, and a warm quilt. I just Love this time of year!

I'm Back!!!

Last month was absolutely crazy, so I took a break from a lot of stuff, including blogging as you can tell. I have to say it was a nice break. Sometimes I find it hard to think of things to right about. But I am back now. I am currently working on 4 projects. In my craft room I have 2 cutting mats. One has one project in the works on it and another on the other.

I took an order for 8 apron the other day. I am glad I make them, but I am starting to resent them. This is why I don't make stuff to sell at shops. I get tired of making the same thing over, and over, and over again. One time I smocked to bishop dress with the same pattern. One right after the other. I felt like I was going stir crazy. I need change and inspiration. I like to try new things. So I will slowly get 8 apron done in the next few weeks, all the while wishing I was starting something new. Second project on cutting mat 2. I actually started this way back in 2005. I had all this extra material from bags and other stuff that I had made. So one day I decided to put it all to good use. I cut out a square of paper and made my own quilt pieces from that. I stitched one square together in 2005, and cut out another and for some reason came to a complete halt on that project. Well when my neighbor showed me a quilt she had been working on for along time I got inspired to start again. I love the idea of making a quilt, because you can really personalize it. This will be my 3rd quilt to make and will be a Christmas present for a family member. I am going to hate giving it up. I has a lot of vivid colors in it.
I get to work on my third project while watching TV at night. A couple of weeks ago my sister called while she was in Micheal's (in Alabama). Well she kept telling me about this free pattern for this adorable purse. I was in route to Micheal's myself (in Washington). As I strolled through the yarn I saw the example already knit in front of the Patons yarn, and new this was what she was talking about. I had to make it. Instead of using the Patons wool I chose Lion Brand wool ease. I love doing cables so this was right up my ally.
My last project has been in the works for along time. I need to just hurry up and finish it. I can't show pictures of it because it will be going to my sis. I took the picture above the other night. As the weather has cooled I think all our cold blooded friends are looking for warmer homes. This little guy lives in my extremely small side yard. I often find him hanging out on my grill. I just think he is so bright and pretty. I guess I should name him.

I speak a lot of my sister, and recently she has entered the knitting and blogging world. I think she is on her 3rd or 4th swap and has decided to co-host one. I have kind of put off swapping for a while, but this one I will join. It is the Winter Coffee Swap, and registration begins Oct 24th. What could be better coffee and yarn. I will be updating again soon, so come on back!

Coming Soon

Updates coming soon!!!

$1,675.10

The $1675.10 has absolutely nothing to do with the pictures posted below. This weekend my MIL and BIL came for a visit. During the weekend I got a phone call from my bank to discuss charges made to my account. Evidently somehow someone got my card number and expiration date, gave the numbers a test run online, made a card and went on a shopping spree. Everyone wants to know where I lost my card at, but I didn't. I had my card, and the big spenders were in New York (I am on the West coast people). Thankfully my bank will reimburse me. From now on I encourage everyone to start making people check you ID's when shopping. Also keep a close eye on your bank account. I thought my husband had charged the 2 test run charges while he was out of town.

Good News, our bank decided to refund our money! I can now go to the grocery store.
On to our long wonderful weekend. I hope everyone enjoyed theirs. My in-laws came into town on Thursday night. We waisted no time Friday morning to start sight seeing. We went up to Seattle, walked around the Pikes place market. We also went to the Space Needle. I did not know that there was an amusement park around it. We did not go up to the top because just like every amusement park it was super expensive.
The second day we took a trip the Mount St. Helen's. I was so excited about this, because I volcano's and other geographical/historic stuff fascinate me. (The nerd in me is coming out!) But that is an actual volcano behind my hubby and I. It was still steaming and everything. A brief update for those of you who do not enjoy geography, Mount St. Helen's blew in 1980. In the month before it blew the width of the top expanded over a mile wide, and was growing up to 5 feet a day. This was due to all the magma being pushed to the top. Scientist were also tracking that up until is blew the were having earthquakes almost every minute. That was also due to the magma moving to the top and also building pressure. When the volcano erupted it blew 1300 feet off its top, and part of its north side. I really wished we could have gotten closer, but maybe next visit.
The next volcano we visited is not as active. It stands at about 14,410 feet high. With 26 major glaciers, it is the most glaciated peak in the lower 48 states. It has 2 volcanic craters overlapping each other, and each reaching 1000 feet wide. We did not drive all the way up it, but up the side of another mountain to get a good look. We stopped at 3860 feet because the cliffs were getting a little high. I was absolutely beautiful to look at God's creation though.
And last, this was a water fall fed by one of the glaciers. The color of the water was very different because it is glacial water. Five of the glaciers feed into the Nisqually river. the color of it was a little different too. We had a fabulous weekend. Geoff and I can't wait to go camping and hiking in all our new adventure spots.