A Fuzzy Brain

The weather has been as such that we have rain part of the day and sunshine towards evening. The temperature is warm day and night. Not hot, warm.

Lifestyle

On Friday I headed out to have blood work done for my thyroid. I have been feeling so tired lately I'm sure it will mean an increase in medication. I slept for 4 hours one afternoon and then slept all night. 
We did a trip around town and got fertilizer for the lawn. The Spousal Unit put it on yesterday afternoon when the humidity was 94% and the sun was shining. We know where to get some rock for the bottom of pots which we will get next week. Next up is planters and plants. 
We were to New Minas yesterday to get a dining set for the patio. Saw forsythia blooming of which I do love the bright yellow flowers. The magnolia trees are coming out into bloom and we saw one small and one large tree with creamy white blooms. The leaves are starting to come out on the trees and the fields are green. It was a nice time out with family. 

Sewing

I haven't been into the sewing room for a while. I haven't had the brain power to sew. Maybe this afternoon I will give it a try even if it is to baste elastic onto the doll shorts. 
I have a lead on an American Girl doll. I am thinking of buying her in case I want to sell clothes. With my brain in a fuzz, I have been waffling around as to whether I want to or not. 
I am still going to try and draft a blouse for the Gotz dolls. I have an idea of what I am going to do and will give it a try and then ask people to test it for me. 

Knitting

I have set up the second sleeve for the Billie Jacket and need to continue knitting on it. When done I will do some modifications to the pattern so I can do an i-cord trim up the front edges. I'm not liking the edge on this sweater. 
I have to wind a ball of yarn so I can start the Russian dress, my May project. 

Today

I have to start doing housework and try to do a bit of sewing. I need to watch that I don't get really tired even though I need to get the house clean. If there is enough energy left, I will try to do some sewing on the doll's shorts. 
Until the next time........................

Laura

Yesterday was wet. When they say periods of rain, you know it will be heavy rains with wind. It cleared off last evening and it is going to be nice and sunny today.

Laura

At around noon, the post lady arrived at our door carrying a box. Anna was really excited as she knew Laura had arrived. 

I had to drop all housework plans to let Laura out. The girls were shy for a few minutes but they greeted each other and became fast friends. 

Daughter-in-law monitored the situation while I took pictures. They sat on the couch visiting about their trips over. Anna came from Germany and Laura came from England but they are related.

Anna told Laura to watch out for the cat even though he is sleeping. He will want to bug you she said. After a bit more talking, they looked at what Laura brought with her. 

Later on they scurried downstairs and giggled while they went through the clothes I have sewn. They decided to do the twin thing and wear something comfortable after Laura's long trip. 

We now have a couple of tomboys on our hands. 

Our house is very busy now. 

Until the next time.................................

Forsythia Blooms Means Spring

Yesterday was the last day of a run of sunshine. Today it is warm but raining. We certainly did enjoy the lovely weather we had and the rain will do its magic for nature. 
Lifestyle
We can say spring has officially arrived. We saw forsythia in bloom. 

We await for the bush at Son's place to bloom plus there is another place that has forsythia along their curved driveway. It isn't in bloom yet. 
We worked on the front flower bed at Son's house yesterday. The edging was put in and the bed leveled. From the road, it looks quite nice. Next up is the weed fabric and then the mulch. We have another flower bed to edge which will take a couple of days. 
We get the heat pump cleaned today of which I am hoping there will be less fluff in the house. We haven't run the upstairs heat pump since the weather turned nice. The downstairs one is still on but it doesn't run much. 

Sewing

No sewing done yesterday. I need to finish up the shorts and sew the top so I can say I am done their Spring 6 PAC. I am ready to move on to other sewing projects. 

Knitting

I cast on and knit the leg warmers/boot cuffs. They do finish the outfit. 

They are a quick knit. 

I am glad I took part in the Knit a long but won't be doing another one for a few months. I need to get other knitting done. I did work on the Billie Baby Jacket and am ready to knit the bottom part of the jacket. Then the sleeves and it will be done. 
May's knitting projects are the Russian doll dress and socks for Daughter. 
Today
I'm heading out for a couple of hours with Daughter-in-law and once home, I have housework to do. Being outside most of the week has left us with laundry and vacuuming to do. But, we did enjoy the outside jobs we did. 
Until the next time...........................

Nuala Dress Completed

Yesterday was another glorious sunny day with a high of 22-23C. The humidity was low which was nice. Today has started out sunny and warm but it ends tonight. We have rain tonight and tomorrow. 

Lifestyle

We headed out yesterday to renew our passports and once that was done, we worked at Son's place. The front flower bed under the living room and office have been stripped of the weed cloth and mulch and the edge cut down ready for edging. The flower bed under the bedroom has been pruned, raked, and ready to have the edge cut down. We got more done than we expected. 

Sewing

Saving sewing for tomorrow when it is raining. I should be able to sew for a couple of hours. If the weather doesn't allow me to work outside, I hope to finish Kate's outfit. 
I am still working on the reading corner of the sewing room. I keep thinking about what I want beside the table which will hold my knitting projects and has a nice top for a lamp and enough space for a cup of tea or water. 
The other item that I need to address is the doll patterns. The pdf ones will be put into binders and stored in the book case. The ones that I have purchased from McCalls and Butterick will have to be organized into categories and stored in a small cube or a dresser drawer. I need to control the patterns in an organized way. 

Knitting

I finished the Nuala dress last night. The pattern was hard to remember until I got to the sleeves. The sleeves were easy. Sewing it up took some time as the pockets are finicky. But the overall design is nice. 

I love the color combination and have enough yarn I could do it in reverse. I also have another ball of yarn to make one in also. But not right now. 
Anna is waiting for Laura to arrive as she cleared customs. Maybe in a couple of days. 

Unless Katie 2016 comes back on the market, I may refrain from adopting another Gotz doll. I do love Aspen but it remains to be seen if I adopt her. I want to look at thrift shops to see if I can find an American Girl doll so I can continue to make clothes for her. 
On the knitting front, I have to finish the Billie Baby Jacket and then start the Russian dress that the ladies on Raverly have reversed engineered into a pattern. 

Today

We are back at Son's place to continue working on the front borders. It will be nice to see them done and looking fresh. We are thoroughly enjoying this project. 
Until the next time....................................

Daffodils on a Sunny Day

We had another lovely day with a high of 16C or 61F. The humidity hit a low of 22% which is as dry as Kamloops got at this time of the year. Today is to be another sunny warm day. 

Lifestyle

While at the Department of Agriculture in Kentville, we noticed daffodils against the building. They are in a well shaded area and are almost in bloom. 

They could have opened up by late afternoon but should be open today. 
The neighbors bought this play center at an auction and had it delivered last evening. There is a lot of pieces to be put together before the kids can play on it. 

I'm sure the kids on the street will love playing on it. We did find out that the bushes at the edge of our property are some sort of gooseberry/currant bushes. I doubt if they have berries as they have been kept well pruned. 

Sewing

No sewing was done yesterday as I was tired. So tired that I had a nap instead. 

Knitting

No knitting last night as we were across the street visiting while the play center was unloaded. But...................
I found the cutest pattern on Pinterest. 

Type in "Little Cotton Rabbit" and see the adorable items this lady has created. Little Cotton Rabbits is her website and her patterns can be purchased on Etsy and Raverly. I would love to knit one for sure but may end up knitting more than one. But, not until next winter. I have too many things planned to knit until then. 

Today

We are going to work on the front flower bed at Son's place. We hope to get the old mulch and ground cover up and I'd like to start edging the bed. We will work until noon as it will be too warm this afternoon to work in the sun. 
Until the next time..............................

Yard Work

Yesterday was sunny and the high got to around 15C. Today is more of the same. 

Lifestyle

I spent the morning running in and out of the house helping the Spousal Unit. I finished raking the mulch under the shrubs that run the depth of our property. When that job was done, we focused on the front yard. Another ball game. 
The front yard has one small flower bed under the living room window. In it is three shrubs like the ones going the depth of our property. They have thin sharp prickles on them. There are also three lily plants in that bed. The lily plants stayed, the three others were removed. That meant we had to dig a bed behind the shed for 2 of the shrubs and the third one will leave the property. 
While digging beds and plants up, I edged the flower bed and removed some of the soil. By noon, we were ready for hosta plants in that area. A liberal dose of cayenne pepper will keep the cats out of that bed. 
After lunch and a nap, we finished up the BBQ and it is ready for grilling. And between all of the outside jobs, I got this weeks bullet journal entries done. 

I am remaining steady with the layout. I like it and it works for us. 

I have also written up the 90 Day Goals for losing weight. I am still working through the points to get it all together. May 1 is start date and I am getting excited to start this. 

Knitting

I knit more on the sleeves and have 25 of the 40 rows knit before the sleeve cap is shaped. Knitting both sleeves at the same time has been great. My brain likes that both will be done at the same time. I want to knit the leg warmers before I start the next project. There is a hat to go with this outfit and if I want it, I will have to buy the book.

Today

 We have to go to New Minas to take soil samples to the Dept. of Agriculture and get our passport photos taken. Once home, we have to get ready so we can work at Son's place Tuesday and Wednesday. 
Until the next time......................

Sunshine Bliss

Yesterday turned out to be a lovely day. The sun shone and it was quite warm outside. Today is starting out cool (-3C) but the sun is shining. 

Lifestyle

I was home from Bedford before 1 p.m. with a lot of groceries and some yarn. The Spousal Unit had been mixing and spreading mulch while I was gone. 
After we unpacked and put away the groceries, the Spousal Unit put out the chairs we got for Christmas onto the deck. We sat outside in the sunshine and enjoyed it. Even if we wore our coats, it was nice to be outside soaking up the sun. 
Son stopped in on his way home from town. Grandson stayed to help put out more mulch and to play with the children who were next door. He even went out and played after supper. 
After several days (5, I think) of using light therapy for SAD, I start eating healthy today. I will be tracking this in the bullet journal for 9 days. I am slowly getting back on track to being more healthy. 

Sewing

I popped into the fabric store to get more yarn for my knitting project. I spotted these cute buttons and had to buy them. I am sure that the spring button change over is coming soon and these may just disappear in the change. 

I found this website when looking up sewing room organization. It is suiting my needs as I will be working on spiffing mine up over the next 6 months. 

10 Tips for a more functional sewing room

I will be using the ideas for my room. 

Knitting

The buttons were purchased to go with a skein of yarn I have in the stash. For a coat that will need a button or two on it. 

There is a darker yarn that I can buy to make another coat using the remaining buttons. I am known to make outfits around buttons I love.
The Nuala dress is coming along. The pockets are knit. I have knit the grey cuff for the sleeves and have started knitting the magenta. A couple of days and it will be done as in the yarn ends woven in and ready for blocking. 
The red sweater set is blocked and dry. The short sleeve sweater needs to have snaps put on the back. The jacket does not have buttons on it. I will be ready to photograph it while we have sunny days. 

Today

I will be in and out of the house. I have to help with mulch. We want to finish up the bags we have so we know how much more we need to buy. I have a tiny bit of housework to do and I need to sew. I also need to set up the bullet journal for next week. And I want to sit in my chair in the sunshine. It will be a busy day for us. 
Until the next time........................... 

And it Snowed........

It snowed for most of the morning yesterday but none stuck to the ground. We then had rain and by evening, it cleared off and the sun shone until it set for the night. We woke up to snow on the ground this morning. Not a lot, just a good dusting. Today is suppose to be nicer. 

Lifestyle

We have had about 5" of moisture this week and think we should be done with it. But, we know we need more to get the water levels up so we won't have water restrictions this summer. We had very little snow this winter in comparison to other years according to the locals. We forget as dry is what we had in BC.
We were out and about yesterday for a bit and then I did the final push on our medical. All is taken care of and we will roll over to NS medical next week through my pension plan. Everything is good. 
Step one of the pre-90 Day challenge is established. I am using the SAD lamp every morning and it is helping. Next is to add Vitamin C and D. We are probably low in both those vitamins, especially D. I will then start tracking my food again. Taking the time to figure this out has been good as I am now feeling quite a bit better. 
Doll #2, Laura, is in Halifax and Anna stood by the door waiting for her to arrive yesterday. 

This is her disappointed face when we arrived home mid afternoon and Laura still hadn't arrived. 

These dolls are so expressive it is crazy. Laura is the same face mould as Anna but has brown hair, brown eyes and freckles. I ordered her quickly as I didn't want to miss out on her like I did Katie, who has red hair, green eyes and freckles. Katie has a different face mold but is very expressive also. 

Sewing

I spent some time sewing the lace trim onto Kate's shorts. I am ready to stitch down the elastic waistband. When done, I have a matching shirt to make and then it is on to sewing the Spousal Unit's western shirt. 

Knitting

The body of the Nuala dress is finished. I finished knitting one pocket and will do the other one tonight. Then it is on to the sleeves. The bottom part of the sleeves will be grey and the top part magenta. I need to get one more ball of each color. The plan is to make leg warmers and a hat to go with the outfit. 

Today

I am heading into Bedford to do some shopping. I have to get some items we can't get here. I hope to be back early this afternoon as I am shopping at the smaller center. I do the big shopping center in a couple of weeks. 
Until the next time.....................

Pinterest Inspiration Outfit Done

We have several days of rain. There has been some sunshine to help brighten things up. The forecast is for more of this and some snow until tomorrow. Then we are suppose to get warm and sunny. 

Lifestyle

With it raining so much, we have not been able to work outside. The lawn goes squish, squish. The Spousal Unit has done some work in the garage and is getting his tools put away. 
I got the housework done and don't have to look at it again until Monday. Then it will be cleaning up again and I hope to tackle the basement also. It has its fair share of fluff floating around down there. 
I saw the respiratory therapist yesterday. I got a new mask for my CPAP machine and learned a few tricks about keeping the filters clean. I get a report sent to me and will see her in 6 months. 
I have started the 90 day challenge by using my SAD light for 3 days in a row. I have changed nothing else as I will start on the next part on Sunday when I do the bullet journal. I am focusing only on Lifestyle until May 1. 

Sewing

Anna's aqua print outfit is done. The inspiration for what I did came from this picture I found on Pinterest. 

It turned out quite cute and the pattern is quite well drafted. 

I used lace I had in the stash and like how it just meets the waistband on the skirt. 

Paired with the aqua jean shorts is also sweet. I accomplished the look I wanted. Now to get some pictures outside. 
Kate's outfit is started. I have pinned the first row of lace onto the shorts and am ready to stitch it down. I am excited to get them done as I may have to draft these for Anna. Once these items are done, it's on to sewing for us. 

Knitting

I am working on the Nuala dress and it is almost ready to divide. I had to undo 7 rows yesterday morning and then had to undo 2 more rows during the day. 

Here it is just before I decided to start the waist shaping. The plan is to knit the neckline and the sleeve welts in grey to help break up the magenta. The pattern is very dense and this will be a wonderful winter dress with Anna's silver tights and grey Ugg boots. If there is enough yarn, I will make leg warmers and a hat. But, first I need to get the dress finished. 
I do knit once in a while on the white jacket. It is an easy knit and great to knit a few rows when I am stressed with the dress. 

Today

With it raining and snow in the forecast, I'm not sure what we are doing. I do know I want to get the dress divided sometime today so I will be knitting. If we go no where, I can sew on Kate's shorts. Today is still up for discussion in our house. 
Until the next time......................

Aqua Doll Clothes

Yesterday it rained. We got about 3/4" before it stopped for the night. Today it is cloudy but we may see the sun shine during the day. It is warm with very little wind. 

Lifestyle

Though yesterday was deemed an indoor day, we dashed out after lunch between storms. We picked up a new cushion for our couch. 

We had a lounge cushion on this couch and it was too much for our smaller space. We like this much better. The foil is to keep Elliott from scratching the furniture. It helps. My knitting takes up a cushion and I will be getting a container for it. Trying to keep organized, but still allowing ourselves the opportunity to have books and knitting in that space. 
I used my SAD light yesterday and felt much better than I have for a long time. I was able to meet the weather head on and didn't feel washed out and exhausted at noon. First step taken in the 90 day challenge and I do know I will be using that lamp a lot more than I have been. 

Sewing

 I sewed a skirt for Anna using a Lilli and Fleur pattern. It is well constructed pattern that is easy to sew. 

When gathering the skirt, I did three rows of gathering; 1/8, 1/4 and 3/8" from the top edge. I find this gets the gathers laying neatly when gathering and pinning them to the waistband. 

The buttons are a bit large but I'm leaving them on as I like them. I only put on four though the pattern calls for 6. I put 2 snaps on to keep the skirt closed and may add a third one. 

It fits Anna and she awaits the top to go with it. 

I am also getting mentally ready to design a front/back button top to go with slacks and skirts. I would like to design it so it has both short and long sleeves. And with any luck, I may be able to add a collar to it. I need to work on this after I finish the aqua sewing and while sewing the Spousal Unit's shirt. 

Knitting

I did knit more rows on the Nuala dress and am almost ready to do buttonhole #3. It will soon be ready to start the waist shaping. 
The Billie Baby jacket was also knit on and it is slowly coming along. I am thinking of what to sew for it to make an ensemble. Ideas are floating in my head as I do love this pattern a lot. It is longer than the other sweaters I have knit.  
The Russian doll dress pattern is ready to knit and I will have to wind some yarn. It is lace weight and I need to see if it will knit to gauge. It is very fine. 

Today

I have to clean more of the house and do some sewing and knitting. I also need to think more on my 90 day challenge as I am not sure of my mindset goals. I like them but need to reword them. 
Until the next time...............................

Raining Cats and Dogs

It was pouring rain when we got up this morning. And the wind was blowing pretty good. It is still windy, but the rain has stopped and it is a bit brighter outside. Since I wrote this, it has been raining hard outside. We have had 1/2" fall this morning. 

Lifestyle

Elliott made it safely to the vet and home again. His weight remains constant which is good and bad. He was very good while having his teeth checked, his nails clipped and the vaccine given. He was dopey mid afternoon but by evening he was back to his normal self. 
We headed out in the afternoon to get the Spousal Unit some wood strips so he can hang his peg board. He isn't a fan of the kit I bought him as the spacers fall off while he is putting the peg board up. He is working at organizing his stuff and I will be out there soon to do more sweeping. 
I have picked up some paint chips to paint the house. One is the color we painted the house in Kamloops. I still love that color and it is a griege with a darker brown base than most griege have. I have several more to hang up and look at for a while to see what I like the best. 
The 90 Day challenge is coming along and is in the rough draft. 

I will be rewriting it once or twice more prior to it going into the bullet journal This is my first brain storming session. It is good enough that I can follow it. And, I jotted down my SAD light as I used it this morning. 

Sewing

Pinterest is good and bad and it is a rabbit hole. It gives me ideas I like and then more ideas I like better. Two more ideas are rolling in my head for the reading corner of the sewing room. 
I had thought I would buy a bedside table to put beside the chair. Now I am looking at this cube. 

It may or may not work but I can look at it in Ikea. I am also looking at this cart which could go in that area but move around the room. 

I am still thinking along about what I need and how I will do it. I know I need a place to put items I am working on in the corner. Not just my knitting but my sewing journal. It ends up getting misplaced which annoys me. The cart allows me to have three projects ready to sew or knit. Not as useful as table as there is no place to put my tea cup. But useful to have to see what I am working on. 
I did sew yesterday. Kate's jeans are done and ready to wear for a week prior to putting the button on the front. I do this so the elastic spreads out evenly in the casing. 

I am happy to have the jeans done. That is 5 pairs and 1 pair of jean shorts from two .5 meter cuts of denim. 

When going through the tray to get the next items out for sewing, I found a pair of the peach jeans and the beads I had bought for necklaces. I had forgotten I had them so will be thinking about a design. The metal is hearts. 
After I finish the next pieces, I will be stopping doll clothes to see how I can put together some ensembles. As I do that, I will do people sewing. 

Knitting

The dress I am knitting was being horrid. I had dropped a stitch and the pattern was wrong. I unknit 4 or 5 rows, picked up the stitch and it was still wrong. I finally unknit it to row 1 of the magenta. 

It was the best decision I made. I have now knit it to row 16 and am pleased with the results. 

The stitches on the yarn will become the outer part of the pockets. I have found that I can't read and knit this pattern as it needs my full attention. 
I will spend a bit of time knitting on the white sweater as I want to finish it so I can see how it works with an ensemble. Having these done will allow me to focus on the Russian dress the ladies are reverse designing. 

Today

I have cleaned our bedroom, done some laundry, knit a row or two and started sewing an outfit for Anna. We will be heading out after lunch to pick up a cushion for our couch. Good bye lounge cushion, hello regular cushion. 
Until the next time..................

Down the Pinterest Rabbit Hole

Life is grey with lots of clouds. Not a lot of rain though. Though the Atlantic's water temperature is 14C, we are not experiencing warmer temperatures at the moment. 

Lifestyle

I have been on a thinking roll and have become quite docile. I have not been in the sewing room for a couple of days. I have knit some but not as much as I had been. Thinking has been on my agenda since I went down a rabbit hole in Pinterest. 

90 Day Challenge

I'm not heading into what is brought up on the net. Nope, nada, no. My 90 day challenge has 2 parts; looking after me and sewing to get some doll ensembles put together. It is to help me focus in these areas.
Researching gave me a great website to read, mull and use. 
I had decided to work on the two goals this writer had chosen; business and personal. 

Hers:

Business - Gain clarity about the future direction of my business so I stop being stuck in indecision and overwhelm.
Personal - Increased vitality and confidence so I can show up as my best self in all areas of my life. 

Mine:

Sewing - Gain clarity about the future direction of my sewing so I stop being stuck in indecision which can lead to being overwhelmed. 
Personal - to loose 10 pounds through diet and exercise. That will set me at 10% of body weight lost since joining Weight Watchers. 

Menu Planning

The second area I looked into was menu planning. I have wanted to do this but never got around to it. We decide in the morning and make do. Now I want it to be a focus. Part of that focus is to eat very healthy. I have the shopping list in the bullet journal. Now I need to plan the meals for the week. Friday night may become meal planning night for the next week. One idea is to make a large batch of tomato sauce with vegetables in it so we can have it on hand to make spaghetti, chili and lasagna. I am also going to make a dry rub for our meat. We enjoy that when we cook. I will also do some injections of liquids into pork chops as they do improve their moisture level. Ideas are rolling through my head and I need to capture them on paper. 
I will be building these in my bullet journal so I can track what I need to do. Layout pictures will be added here so you can see my plan.

Today

Is a day of getting a few things done and taking Elliott to the vet for his vaccines, nails clipped and weigh in. We have been keeping him busy by making him chase the laser light and running to get his food. Hopefully he has lost and not gained as we changed his food. 

Bullet Journal Update

It quit raining yesterday morning and there was a cool wind. It didn't get as cold as predicted last night and we may see the sun shine today. 

Lifestyle

We spent the afternoon with family. The Spousal Unit, son and grandson got the Spousal Unit peg board, cut it up and put into our garage. Once it is put up, more organization can happen out there. 
Daughter-in-law and I cooked or should we say I helped her cook. We ended up making 4 lasagnas and a batch of pizza pops. I hope to make spaghetti sauce to freeze which is easy for me to do. 
The bullet journal has worked amazingly well for me this week. Today I do next week's spread. I am thinking of adding a couple more things to the journal in May. Finding some ideas I like -- 90 day challenge and menu planning. 

Sewing

I love looking for sewing room ideas and usually scour Pinterest. This one I found when looking for something else. 

Though my room does not have all the roof angles this one does, I love the simplicity of the room. Her bits of bright color are lovely. This is what I am aiming for using red as my bit of bright color. 
I am not sure how May is going to look but I am not going to start the historical clothing. I will sew the Spousal Unit's shirt and grandson's pj pants. I also want to sew myself a new t-shirt. I am also going to play in the sewing room; the reading corner and some pattern designing.

Knitting

I am almost ready to publish the messy bun hat for Gotz dolls. I admire those who write and publish patterns and I know it will be quite a while before I do another one. 
I fooled around with yarn yesterday and have decided to knit the Nuala dress in grey and magenta. The welt and pocket tops will be grey and the rest magenta. I am happy with my decision at this time. 
Next up will be the Russian dress. Not sure what yarn I will use as I am getting more and more limited on sock yarn to use for a first knit. I want to knit this dress in expensive yarn when I get the first try right. 

Today

Is moving ahead quickly. I have done internet searches, laundry, and a few other jobs that needed to be done. I have to set up next week in the bullet journal. That will be started soon. 
Until the next time....................

Saturday Thoughts

Though warm and windy, yesterday was not an outside day. Though the rain stopped, the grass was so wet it was miserable walking in it. This morning it is raining with a temperature of 6C. 

Lifestyle

We got our feet wet walking around yesterday. The only thing we accomplished outside was to hang the sun ornament onto the side of the shed. We both had damp feet when we got done. 
The packing boxes stored in the garage went to a new home yesterday. I swept more of the floor and we did a bit of organization. The garage is cold so you can only work for 15 minutes before heading in to warm up. 

Sewing

I spent no time in the sewing room yesterday. I did order Laura who is Anna's sister. She has dark hair and freckles with a face like Anna's. With that done, I had to think through their clothing. I have decided:

• No complete look a like wardrobes. 
• Two of the same kind of outfits can happen for special occasions and I will have to limit that to a specific number of times a year. I am thinking Christmas and Easter in particular. Same dresses and sweaters. 
• Knitting will be the same though I will use some of the same patterns I really like but in different colors. 
• If I decide to make same color outfits, I will try to use different patterns. On occasion they can have twin outfits like on July 1. 
• Small amounts of yarn will be used up for short sweaters , slippers and socks. 

The other thing I am working on is organizing their clothes. Right now, I put them into a small tub but they get full quickly. I am thinking dressers to put their outfits and fabric into. Ensembles can go into large ziplock bags that have white scrapbooking cardboard inserted for stability. Shoes can be kept in small ziplock bags. I am thinking this may work for me. 

Kate is posing a problem at the moment. I want to retire her and get an American Girl doll. I have so many patterns for those dolls. Retire can mean keeping her or selling her with a small wardrobe. I still have months in which to decide. 

Doll clothes can accumulate quickly and I wonder if I should be selling them on Etsy. The ones I am making right now are learning curve outfits. I have some definite ideas up my sleeve on that. To do an ensemble takes between one and two weeks to make if knitting is involved. I may not start an Etsy shop until next year. It gives me time to make a back drop and work on my photography skills. 

I also have to remember that I need to sew for myself and the Spousal Unit. Using the Bullet Journal certainly reminds to do that. 

Knitting

At Fibre Ops, I started another sweater for Anna. This one is in white to go with other clothes for an ensemble. The pattern is written line by line and fairly easy to keep track of in a group setting. 
I started the Nuala dress and need to buy another skein of Magenta. The bottom welt is done and the 4 rows that make up the pattern is complete. I am leaning towards making the dress sleeveless and adding a lacy coat to the mix. When I go shopping, I will get another ball of yarn in several of the colors I have on hand. I'd love to do this dress in a light purple and lime green. 
There is a group of ladies who are working on a dress designed and knit by a lady who lives in Russia. 

One of the ladies is designing it and writing it up in a fingering yarn. I will buy expensive yarn to knit this dress as it is so beautiful. It will become a Knit Along (KAL). 

Today

I have to pick up two books I ordered in at the library and help Daughter-in-law make lasagnas. It seems as if we are doing a production line for the freezer which is fun. 

Grass Fire Excitement

It is wet and windy today. The temperature is 5C or 41C and is suppose to go up to 11C or 52F. There is water running in the ditch. After 3 sunny days, we will accept the weather as it is today. 

Lifestyle

The Spousal Unit worked hard yesterday and got 4 more bags of mulch out. Mixing a bag of red and a bag of black together is the hardest part. He did a fair amount of work then headed out with Son to grandson's soccer practice and got 10 more bags to finish up the yard. He was very tired last night. 
On my way home from grocery shopping, I saw a huge plume of black smoke over near our house. When I turned up onto our road, there was a grass fire with flames 8 feet high behind the owners house. A fire truck had just arrived and the fire was moving quickly. Thank goodness there was no wind. We headed out to see how things were going, went to Son's house to turn around and when we headed back home there were 5 or 6 fire trucks at the scene. The fire got very close to the neighbor's house. Lots of people and excitement. 

Sewing

I sewed on Kate's jeans yesterday and am ready to put the waistband on. I'm ready to sew something else. 

Knitting

I finished the red sweater last night. I still have to block both pieces. 

Once done, I will do a photo shoot of it on Anna. 

I enjoyed doing the i-cord edging instead of garter stitch. A bit of a different look. 
I am about an hour from finishing the messy bun hat. All of the mistakes are corrected. I need to check the last row before I send it off for the final reading and then I will post it on Ravelry. 
Next up I am planning on knitting a dress for Anna. It is a Knit Along (KAL). I am starting off with the dress and then will add a coat. 

Nuala by Deb Debonair

My color inspirations are 

• Pink and grey. The dress will be pink with a bit of grey on the pockets. The coat will be grey and if there is enough yarn, I will make a hat and leg warmers. 

• Pink and teal. Again the dress will be pink with a touch of teal on the pockets. The coat will be teal with a hat and leg warmers if there is enough yarn.

I was going to do orange and grey but will save that for an outfit this fall. 

Today

We are headed to the library this morning and this afternoon we have someone coming to pick up our packing boxes. I do hope to finish the last pair of jeans today. 

Until the next time.........................

Spring Freshening Up

Today we can see the sunshine but it will be cloudier than the previous two days. Rain will start sometime tonight according to the weather forecast. 

Lifestyle

During the morning, I cleaned up the living room and now I need to corral my knitting. I seem to spread it out quite easily on the couch and end table.  
The Spousal Unit and I got the wheel barrow out and by mid afternoon, he had two bags of mulch mixed up and put out. 

He did around the trees also. 

This tree may go and a hydrangea bush/tree put in. 

We both love our yard to look fresh and tidy. Next up will be lime and fertilizer for the lawn. That happens when the soil samples are done. 
Last night I got weighed at Weight Watchers. I lost 8 pounds of fluid. I had gained almost that much after hurting my shoulder and back snowblowing our driveway. I am back on track and moving forward. I'm trying not think about missing my end of March goal and have set it for the end of April. My mini goal should be reached next week. 

Sewing

I worked on Kate's jeans and am ready to start on the back pockets. Making a 6 PAC for the dolls is a lot of work and is not allowing me to work on ensembles. When done the 6 PAC, I will put the historical dresses on hold and make some of the collection into ensembles. I really want the pieces to be interchangeable but also work as two or three piece outfits. If some of the pieces are knit, I can sew the people clothes I have planned. 

Knitting

I got a picture of grandson's last pair of socks. 

I am knitting the second sleeve on the red sweater and could have it done today. Then it will be blocking the set and adding snaps to the back of the short sleeved sweater. The remaining red yarn will be put away so I can use it with black and grey to learn how to steek a sweater for Anna. 
I printed the pattern for the messy bun hat so I can fix the mistakes in it. I have circled the ones I saw and am knitting a hat to make sure it is working out for the last time. I am using Red Heart Sparkle yarn which is discontinued. I have an almost full ball in white. 
When these projects are done, I will be taking part in two knit alongs (KAL). One is for a dress which will be grey with orange trim on the pockets. If I have enough time, I will knit an orange jacket to go with it. I can also do a grey and orange hat, leg warmers, and fingerless mitts. The other is a dress some ladies are figuring out the pattern from a picture. It will be a bit before it starts. These will be the end of April projects. 

Today

I am planning on cleaning the entry stairs and landing. It needs a good cleaning. Sewing and knitting are also in the books as is grocery shopping. 
Until the next time.............................

Successes and Failures

Second day of beautiful sunshine and warm temperatures. No rain or snow. Hurrah!! This morning it was -6C and it is to get to 8C today. 

Lifestyle

We headed out to New Minas after lunch as I had finished spring cleaning the kitchen. We needed to do a few things and did well in some areas and poorly in others. 

Gardening

We are now snooping around items for the lawn, beds, and pots. We know we need to add lime to the lawn so I took the Spousal Unit to the Nova Scotia agricultural station. He got the boxes for the soil samples. We got the red and black mulch for the flower beds at a really good price. And we got the slow release fertilizer for the flower pots. We also found out that the supertunias come into the greenhouse between New Minas and Wolfville. We had good success today in the gardening world. 

Sewing Room

The downside of our trip was looking at the crates for the side table and foot stool. Not happening as they are cheaply made. The wood is rough and thin and most of the crates had damage to them. So, I will be going with a white bedside table from IKEA. The foot stool will be another idea either from IKEA or another store. I am feeling bummed about having to buy rather than DIY. 
On the upside, I dug out fabrics for the lap quilt, wall hanging, and table toppers. 

The fabric to the left may go back into the stash unless it becomes backing for table runners. The rest are looking good. 

These also go well and can stay out. I'm starting to see #4 and #5 in the top picture and #1 and #3 in the bottom picture being in the room. 
I also have this this fabric which is a favorite of mine. It could be the wall hanging if I want to stretch it on a canvas or I could put up the huge wall hanging I made out of this fabric. Or I could save it for Christmas upstairs. Decisions!!

You can see cardinals in Nova Scotia. People talk about them here in Windsor. Plus, I love cardinals. 

Knitting

The red doll sweater has the body complete and the first sleeve is on needles with one row knit. I haven't chosen new projects at the moment as I want to knit swatches to see if they go with a pattern I want to buy for Anna. I will probably knit a quick scarf or hat before I start on more socks. 

Today

The goal is to clean the dining living room area and sew. We have to go out and do a soil sample sometime today and will probably do a couple of things while out. 
Until the next time............................