Just a quick post

Just wanted to post quickly to say that I'm still having computer problems. My husband gave up on trying to fix the old laptop for the time being. Notice I said "old" since we did get a brand new one last weekend. We are having problems getting it to "see" the main computer in the house through our wireless network. Meaning I still can't back my pictures up on the external hard drive (which is then backed up via Carbonite) and we can't print anything from this computer either. I am also having a hard time posting anything from PhotoBucket. So I have to use the ancient computer to post my signature. My husband is usually pretty good with computers (works with them for a living), but this new version of Windows is a real p.i.t.a.   He plans to eventually get the old laptop running again but that will require finding or buying another hard drive.

In the meantime, I have been working on my Little Neighborhood project. I am stitching the leaves on the center tree. I find myself actually having the urge to sit and stitch on it from time to time. And that's a good thing considering how long I've gone without stitching.

We are also winding down and preparing for B's upcoming tonsils and adenoids surgery next week. I'll be glad when it's all done and over with so I can stop fretting over it. The good thing is that when she goes back to school after recovering from her surgery, she'll only have 1-1/2 weeks left. Yea! She'll be home for 2 weeks minimum. I really hope all goes well. One of  B.'s friends lent her a bunch of her Nintendo DS games to play for when she gets her tonsils and adenoids out. I'm friends with her grandma and I thought that was really nice of them to offer. I'll have to get her a little thank you gift for letting B. use them. We also picked up some pre-owned Gameboy games at Gamestop for B. to use in her Nintendo DS for dirt cheap. The most I paid was $1.25 and the cheapest was .50 cents. She loves the Lizzie McGuire games the most it seems so far. B. also got a few new DS games for Easter. So she'll have some things to keep her mind occupied while she's recovering and needing to rest. And, of course, I'll be playing board games or coloring with her as well. Depending on how she feels.

As soon as I am able, I will have to post a pic of my Little Neighborhood work-in-progress. Until then...

Happy Crafting...

Having Computer Problems...

Just wanted to post quickly here to say that I probably won't be able to blog much since the hard drive in our laptop bit the dust this past week. Although I've been pretty good about backing up pictures on an external hard drive, I did lose all of my .svg and .ttf files for my SCAL for the Cricut and I'm not happy about that. I know there were probably other important things on that hard drive, but it's too late now. My husband has been trying to fix it by installing a different hard drive, but it's not looking good. Our plasma tv also died  this week - in fact on the same day as the computer. But my husband was able to figure out how to fix it himself with the help of YouTube -  for under a dollar. Can't imagine what a repairman would have charged. Gotta love YouTube.

Anyway, I just happened to have taken a picture of my kitted up Little House Neighborhood project before the laptop died, so that's the only way I'm able to post a picture here now via our ancient computer and it isn't compatible with my newer SD card meaning I can't back my pictures up, edit them, etc.

I started stitching this the other day and am really enjoying it so far.

And since I was getting this project together, I decided to get the fabric and floss for this next one since I've had the chart in my stash for oh 4 or 5 years maybe? I figured I'd get the fabric (16 ct. natural aida) when I got the chart and fabric for the one pictured above to save on shipping...



I've barely picked up a needle to stitch during the past few years, but when I do it's oftentimes a Little House Needleworks project. They are one of my most favorites to stitch.

I may not be back for awhile. Hopefully the computer problems get resolved soon though.

Hope you all have a good weekend ahead...

Monday Musings

I hope you all had a good weekend. Ours started out with a power outage on Friday at around 2 p.m. when a tree fell on a power line a half hour away. That tree falling somehow caused three substations to lose power and also caused a power line to come down just 5 minutes from here that  also caught on fire. They say it's all connected somehow and 6,300 people were without power. Luckily, for us we had ours back on by 5:30 that evening.

Saturday, we took a quick trip out to Amish Country mainly to visit the cheese factory again...

There's always been a long line when we've gone there in the past, but on this particular day, we didn't have to wait long to get in. Which was nice. Of course, we sampled pretty much all the cheeses. Bought some of our favorites, and also some yummy root beer in glass bottles on the way out.

Next stop was the bakery across the street. We'd never been there and just wanted to check it out...

We didn't get anything, but boy did it smell good in there! Then we stopped at a few different little shops we'd never been in before. We'd browse for just a few minutes and then move on to the next one....

The guy who owned this next shop, was indeed the friendliest out of them all. He had us laughing as soon as we walked in the door when he asked if we had lost a wallet. We said no and he opened it and it caught on fire! lol! His shop has all sorts of nifty things that you used to see in the backs of magazines back in the day. Gag gifts, retro stuff like Brady Bunch, Wizard of Oz, etc. along with some "as seen on tv" stuff...

He had tons of vintage tin signs which were probably my favorites in there...

The main thing that I wanted to be sure to see that day were quilts. Since, as you all know, if you've been reading my blog, I've been reading up on quilting lately. One day I will learn how to make them.  If you want to see lots of beautiful quilts anywhere on display,  then Amish Country is definitely the place to go (besides the internet of course :)  Some of the quilts we saw that day went for $1,000+. Dang. I don't really think they were all made by the Amish. In fact, I highly doubt that many of them even actually were since they tend to use more plain fabrics in their quilting....

One of my favorite places to stop at was the HUGE quilt shop. Oh. my. goodness. It was absolutely amazing in there...

My new walking foot would be perfect for a quilt like this Sunbonnet Sue one....

They had lots of beautiful quilts on display and for sale, along with books, tons of fabric and, quite a few beautiful quilting stencils....

Although, the stencils have some really pretty designs, I have no desire to take up hand quilting. Nope, I will learn to use my sewing machine and the darning foot I bought for free-motion quilting instead. Plus where in the world would I put a honkin' huge quilting frame like this...

Oh yes, I will definitely go back there someday when I learn to quilt....

The last stop was at the cross stitch/frame/all types of needlework store..... The cross stitch shop doesn't exist out there all by itself anymore. They are now a part of the framing shop. Strangely enough I didn't find one single cross stitch pattern while I was in there. I must have been looking in the wrong places. I don't know. But my dear hubby was in a hurry to leave, so my visit there was a short one......

Ah yes, rag quilting. Another one of my Crafting ADD things I took interest in awhile back. Bought the special spring-loaded Fiskars fringing scissors and a pattern book. Someday I'll give it a go. Probably for B's room in pink, black, white, polka dots and zebra print of course....

I took some pictures for some stitching inspiration since Heaven knows I haven't picked up a needle to stitch anything in a really long time...

I actually bought this rooster chart more than several years ago after seeing this beautiful model on display when they were in the other building. It sits in my stitchin stash all kitted up with the floss needed, but minus the fabric...

And my most favorite of them all. This one has been on my wishlist since it was first released four years ago. I got into scrapbooking and kept putting off purchasing this chart...

I kept putting it off that is until now. After I saw how beautiful this is in "real life" and how large it is after it's framed and all, I definitely want to stitch this now for my dining room. So I ordered the chart and fabric to go with it from my favorite online store over the weekend and got the floss for it this morning at JoAnn's. This is "Little House Neighborhood" by one of my most favorite needlework designers, Little House Needleworks. I've already stitched several other designs of hers that would go perfect with this one. I won't be able to go anywhere for quite some time after B. has her upcoming surgery, so I figure it's a good a time as any to pick my needle up again and stitch something that I'm actually excited about. Nothing like a fresh project to hopefully get my stitching mojo going again (I hope). This was the first stitching anything that I've bought in a really long time too.

Before leaving Amish Country and heading home, we stopped for a late lunch/early dinner. B. had a bacon cheeseburger and fries, I got their yummy broasted chicken, and my hubby got country fried steak and stewed tomatoes over mashed potatoes. And we all got sweet tea. Yum!....

Til next time...