My latest finish in Cross Stitching 12-29-2020

 

American Promenade by  Annie Beez Folk Art

Fabric   18 count Adia Hand dyed by Fabrics by LJ in the Willow Tree colorway.

Using all the called for colors. 

Changes I did.  Did not stitch the grass between houses and the fence or the sand on the promenade.  

test. new ipad

Hello there

Cooking.....

Good evening,



Where I live at moment I do not have access to really cook.    I like to cook but don't find it easy like some people do.  It's something I have to work at.  All my "recipes" seem to all taste Italian or Mexican.   I have in the last few years have fallen in love with the idea of collecting cookbooks. 

In watching Vlogmas on YouTube I was reminded again by the You-tuber Sandy at "by the lakeside" of her love of  Cookbooks and how she seems to love just to read them at bedtime.

She has a huge collection that spills from the kitchen into the dining room and living room.

Here is a sample of some of her favorites.










 She also has favorite authors in General:



  Nigella Lawson
I need to try some of her recipes.




  Jamie Oliver
I have loved him since he came out as The Naked Chef.



Ina Garten
I think she is the best.  I want all of her books.

Some of my favorites that i also saw on her shelves.

The Pioneer Women - I do have one of her book but right now it's packed away. 



Ree Drummond - I love how her empire is just getting bigger and bigger.


Magnolia - Joanna Gaines




It's also fun to see how her and Chip are putting their toes into so many areas. 


And my favorite

  

I have been watching her since the 80's.  I love her voice.  It soothes me.   I will never  be a perfectionist like her but she has been such an inspiration.

Tootles,

Dottie

A New Start.

Hello Everyone!!!!!

 Long time since I blogged. Today is  December 2nd 2019 , and it looks like the last time I blogged in 2015 or was it 2014?  That is no matter.  I am going to try to rectify that and try to blog  everyday this December and to update more in 2018. 
 My life has changed  again (which seems to happen every ten years) and I am trying to build a new me and find my Bliss.   I don't think many people use the word Bliss anymore but it describes what I am searching for.   There are other more posh or modern words but I like how the word rolls off my tongue and it seems to fit me right now and the word to use.  I  am going to have it one as my go to words as I build this life.   I might find other words to add to the list but I am starting with this one.

  It's Christmas season.  Time to bring Joy!.   I am excited that the Vlogmas and Flossmas YouTube video's have started.   I am watching them with glee.

Here is the tree in Portland Oregon Pioneer Square to help you get in the Spirit.

 Isn't it beautiful?   Haven't made it down to see it.  But I will.

 One of my goals is to get my financial house in order.   I am a believer in Dave Ramsey, but i haven't made the final commitment to be come Gazelle intense.  I am moving that way, because I don't like how limiting my life choices are that debt has made me have to contend with.  

  In lieu of that,  this Christmas season, I have no money.  In fact I hardly go into stores at all as I just don't have the money to buy anything and I cave so easily.  Well I have destroyed my budget,  I  went into the outlet store for Montavilla Sewing Center yesterday as they have a closing sale (it's in the same building as Fabric Depot and that is such a sad story) and I caved.  I bought a gently used Janome QS30 machine that was 50% off.  This brings my total up to 14 machines.  I will blog about them one day.  Here is everything that came  with it and the machine.

I am having buyers regret, but it will be a great addition to my collection.  Its a smaller size one that has all the bells and whistles (but no thread cutter)  and I won't be scared to break it when I travel to Quilting Retreats.   Looking forward to using it for my next project.

  

Well this is a good start.  Look forward to my next post.  

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𝒯𝑜𝑜𝓉𝓁𝑒𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝑀𝑒𝓇𝓇𝓎 𝒞𝒽𝓇𝒾𝓈𝓉𝓂𝒶𝓈,

𝒟𝑜𝓉𝓉𝒾𝑒

2015 Word of the Year.

My word for 2015 is RED!

I choose it as it is my favorite color, it represents to me to stay strong, to take care of my health, love and mostly to take life by it's tail and ride the wild adventure!.   I am just now starting to think of my 2016 word.   

A long overdue update.

Well Hello blog readers!   I know that I have not updated since 2014 but I hope to rectify that.  So, let's get started.


In July of 2014, I moved from Beaverton Oregon to Vancouver Washington with my boyfriend, now fiance.   I went from a 600 foot apartment to a 1100 foot apartment.  What a difference.  It feels like a cozy home now instead of an apartment..   I had set up my craft room in the spare room but found I wasn't doing my crafting in there.  Found myself working on projects in the living room and at the dining room table so we changed the arrangement where my things are in our bedroom and the spare has become the "Man-Cave".  It actually is working better then I imaged.

I still work in Beaverton so my commute is now at least an hour and the drive home has been 2 hours some days which has cut down on my crafting, but i am finding in this new apartment I am doing more then ever before.

I plan on future blog posts on update on each craft but I will touch on a bit here.

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I am still quilting and have kind of gone crazy and have found some great buys on vint
age machines and I am up to 9 sewing machines.  I am going to gather all the names, take photos  and I am going to blog about them.  I am currently waiting to hear on a pink machine i found on Craig's List.  Oh my,  10 machines..

I recently received a huge fabric haul from a sad source.  One of my best friends lost their mother in September.  He and the family offered me a chance to go through her fabric and other crafts as they were clearing out her Craft room.  On the first visit I brought home about 30 yards or more of fabric.   On the second trip I have about 6 medium totes of fabric.  I  don't know how much that is as i still want to go through and fold it up.    While there I also picked up crochet needles and a bunch of knitting needles.  I also found a really cool needlepoint with an old fashioned Singer.    Also she had a cross stitch in progress of Winnie the Pooh that i am going to finish.  It's very simple and I love it's simplicity.
I haven't really completed any quilts but i have been going though my UFO's and completing them into tops. Many on my Singer 301A.  One day i just did 44 string blocks out of 30's prints.

I have always wanted to Crochet.  I have tried on and off in the last couple of years but it has never stuck.  When i was house sitting during my friends mother's funeral i tried again with some cotton yard i found in her craft room.   It stuck.   I am now working on two blankets.  The first is a ripple quilt using Attic's 24 pattern.   I  am about 3rd of the way through it. Below is an older photo.  I am on row 24 now.   I am doing it  using Sugar 'n Cream in all colors I can find plus a few from my stash.   I have also been stuck by another pattern. I want to learn other stitches then the double or single crochet.   It is the As We Go Stripey blanket, you can find the pattern here.

Another obsession I have developed is watching YouTube videos on Knitting, Crochet and FlossTube.  Not too many quilt ones out that but I hope that changes soon but of course I am following Quilt-Cam by Bonnie Hunger and FiberCast by Lynn and the new The Stitch TV show.    I am loving all of these.   It has really inspired me.   I first started watching videos on saving money and i slowly have moved over to the craft side.     A few of my favorites craft ones  are  FreakishLemon, TurboKnitter and so many more.  Watch a few.  They are good to stitch by.

Lately i have been obsessed with Chris Stapleton who i discovered on the CMA show.  I have been listening to his Pandora channel non stop.   Something about his voice.

I haven't been reading much or even listening to books on CD.  I am not sure why but it's not holding my interest much.

Another thing that has been taking up a lot of my time is Toastmasters.  I joined through work about 4 years ago. I have worked through by first level speeches and leadership workbooks and now can add CC and CL after my name.   For the  2015/2016 year I have been appointed the 93 Area Director.  I am struggling some weeks but I am learning and I am pushing myself out of my comfort zone.  I am also working on my bronze level in Speeches and Leadership.    I recently went to visit one of my clubs that is filmed and broadcast on a local public access station.   Here is photo of the board they use.

Well till next time

Dottie!!!!