Introducing Baby Number Three...

Guess what I did yesterday? I spent the entire day needle dancing, while simultaneously doing two loads of laundry. It was a true day of accomplishment. For some reason, Baby #3 went pretty smoothly and quickly. Perhaps because I'd already done two?

This is how the piece looks so far. I only have one more bird to tackle...the one in flight. I'll do the fencing as my last element. I think that's going to take a while as I decide how I want to pad and stitch it, but I'm way ahead of myself even thinking about that right now.

I'll be at work today, so no time at the needlework stand. Oh, and we had a last minute call for Craft Day last Saturday. I'll share photographs of that with you tomorrow so you can see what we did. Even some of the kids participated!

Starting Baby Three...

Bluebirds - Work in Progress

With the weather change the past couple of days, my hands have been a little sore. Even so, the sun was shining and I had the itch to stitch. I sat down for about an hour and a half and began baby bluebird number 3. 

I know it doesn't look like a lot of progress, but I got quite a bit of the design started for the head and breast. It will be easier to lay in the other colors now that I have this part sorted out.

I'm going to spend the rest of this morning and early afternoon going through things to purge in the studio. We'll see how much I accomplish and hopefully the "Oh, look! A squirrel Syndrome" won't strike before I make some good headway. I just keep reminding myself how much I need to move things out, and how much better I'll feel once I get it done. I think I may develop a work plan where I purge for an hour or two, and then reward myself with an hour of needlework. It's not better than chocolate, but it's close. lol

Second Baby Bluebird Finished...

Two Baby Bluebirds Finished

I finished Baby Bluebird #2 yesterday, after I finished baking five loaves of bread and four hamburger buns. As with the adult bluebird, I won't add feet until their perch is stitched so their feet are on top, rather than buried in the fencing.

I have between six and seven hours in this little bird, although I didn't officially keep time. Next will be Baby Bluebird #3, and then I'll move on to the other adult.

Now, about those hamburger buns. We had the pressure canned sloppy joes on them for dinner. Rather than use my own barbeque sauce recipe (actually my grandmother's recipe) for the sloppy joes, I tried the recipe in my pressure canning cookbook. Handsome and I agreed that, while we won't toss the other two jars, we prefer our tried and true sauce. This one tastes a little too "Manwich-y" for us. It's more vinegary. As it will be pressure canned, my recipe sans apple cider vinegar is more to our taste. The rolls were just right, though.

I work again today, so my plans for Wednesday are to spend time purging studio "extras". I'm sorting through more fabrics, rephotographing my cork items, and then I'm going to have a sale in my Etsy shop in November. I won't be participating in the vendor show over deer hunting weekend, but I still want to move some of my current inventory. I'm also planning to add new items in November, too. I'll be making room to move around first, though.

How is your week shaping up? Are you doing something creative? Getting ready to put your yard to rest for the winter? Planning a trip? Celebrating anything special? I'd love to hear all about it! See you tomorrow.

Back To My Bluebirds...

I had full sunshine in the dining room yesterday, so I could be found sitting with my needlework frame in front of the windows.  I spent hours blissfully working on my bluebirds. It was time to start the babies.

I'd estimate I spent about five or six hours with needle and thread and managed to complete the baby in back, and most of the head of the second baby.

The original plan was to be in Portage today for our monthly craft day, but Adrienne sent out a message Friday morning to tell us it was called off because she and her husband are ill. Best we all stay home, which is fine with me. I'll be able to work on the rest of my second baby bird! I should have this wee one finished by the end of my stitching today.

Next - Baby Bluebirds...

I probably won't be able to work on them until the weekend, but next on the project is to stitch the baby bluebirds. I'll begin with the one in the background and work forward from there.

These babies will be embroidered in shades of cream, tan and light brown for the majority of their feathering. The babies are never as colorful as the adults, and these are no exception. I'll share my color palette for these little guys tomorrow.

Four more days of work and then I can play. I don't think I'll add extra hours for a few weeks now, either, as I still have canning and yard prep to do for the colder months. As much as I enjoy working at the store, home needs more attention than work, and I need my creative time.

My thoughts continue to turn to our last domicile, Florida. I'm so concerned for our friends as this storm intensifies. I'm concerned that they'll lose everything when Milton makes landfall. I pray that they all stay safe, and if they've tried to evacuate, that they managed to get out of the state before they had fuel and supplies run dry. Please keep everyone in the path of this hurricane in your thoughts and prayers.