Just Saying Hello

Hello all!

I have been picking up needle and thread lately which is fabulous! Making progress on "It's a Very Fine Sampler" by Birds of a Feather, Sarah Chapple by Shakespeare's Peddlar and a new sampler by Hands Across the Sea, Esther Benson! You can follow me on @dollsmusings on Instagram to watch my progress.  Lots of adventuring here and my boy keeps growing up! He's starting preschool in September...sigh!

Here's a few pictures just to keep this blog going!

Sarah Chapple 1 over 1

Esther Benson

Lake side stitching

Esther Benson's NPI silks

Current progress on It's a Very fine Sampler

Esther Benson start and a Titus tail

My 4 year old

Cheers all!

Thanks for stopping by!

Merry Christmas Everyone!!

Hello to all of my lovely stitchy friends!

I have missed everyone here and have lots to update you all with.  I'll make it a short post though since I have limited time with a busy toddler. We ended up moving from Vancouver to my old hometown, Prince George! The decision was a hard one since we really loved where we lived and made close friendships with the parents in the neighbourhood. But we felt since Vancouver was becoming more and more expensive, that we had to make a move before Nathanael was of school age. 

So far it's been a good decision.  I have a new full time job which keeps me busy.  I get home by 4 pm now instead of 6 or 7 pm.  I don't spend 3 hours of commuting to and from work....it's about 20 minutes in total! Huge difference in quality of life.  We still don't have a vehicle but we are working on that.  My family is so happy to have us here and we have been doing all sorts of family gatherings and outings in PG.  Our house is nice too.  We are renting right now.  We may buy in the future, which is more realistic here than in Vancouver.  There's definitely things I will miss in the big city but not the crowds or the commutes, that's for sure. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Oh, and I've been stitching my son a little Prairie Schooler ornament.  No picture yet but I'm eager to get it done for our January 7th Christmas....I still have time!

Hope you enjoyed the update!!!

Hugs

Anne

WOW How long has it been?!! One Year!

Not sure if anyone will read this but hello out there!

I've wanted to post many times but had difficulty getting into my blog until now.  Not sure why, perhaps it has to do with all the changes to blogger since I last logged on.

Now an update.  My little boy is two! Time has flown by as a full time working mama with a busy toddler.  No stitching has been done but I've been feeling an itch to stitch! My replacement hobby has been making essential oil products for me and my family.  I've got quite the collection growing and love studying about each essential oil and their benefits. 

Really not a lot to say here other than a big hello from me and it's been lovely to see so many of my blogger friends on Instagram.  It's the easiest platform for me to use on the go.  I do miss blogging though just a wee bit.  I still would like to update every so often and not take over a year to pop  in.  Hopefully I can upload a few photos for you to all see!

Cheers and big hugs from me...

Me, my boy and my tired eyes

Climbing trees the little monkey

Playing with sticks as always

Second birthday chocolate mouth

Mother's day bouquet

Snuggling under his favourite blanket...my granny stripe

Getting towed around by Papa on his "guck"

Hope you enjoyed the light sprinkling of photos! There's been so much going on it's hard to make edits!

Remember Me?!

Well, this feels strange, updating my blog?!! I figured why not update after filing my taxes and my boo boo is asleep! Not much to report other than we are currently exhausted and stressed about my impending return to work in less than two weeks.  I so wish I could be a stay at home mom at least for another year.  Nathanael is too young to have his mommy be ripped from him for 4 days a week at 10 hours a day, including travel time.  He is still nursing and I haven't weaned him yet and don't want too.  We will nurse in the mornings, when I get home and before bed and all weekend long if he wants to and I'm sure he will! I'm also stressed because I'm not returning to my familiar job as a learning assistance teacher...they gave my job away and put me in a kindergarten class, of which I am not adept at teaching.  I've been spending precious mat leave time planning and fretting about my return but I shouldn't complain since I know other mothers in the world have it tougher than me.  Still doesn't make it easier with that knowledge.  Anyways, we have been trying to make the best out of our days. Lately, I discovered a gardening nursery nearby and just down the street, a little farm with sheep, chickens, horses and pigs! We've been going there a lot, using it as therapy sessions of a sort.  It's so relaxing to be walking around in the "country"! I also bought a number of plants to make hanging baskets and some herbs to line our patio.  Tending to flowers and our garden has also been a source of joy.  We planted some veggies too! Beets, carrots, radishes, potatoes and very soon, string beans.  I feel that this summer will be wonderful as we see the fruits of our labour flourish and bloom.  Nathanael loves being outside and happily plucks away at dandelions and well, just about everything else.  He packs everything into his chubby little fists like a squirrel, prepping for winter.  He just turned 11 months old yesterday and has been walking since he was 10 months and 2 weeks but a lot more steadier now.  He's quite the card too and makes the funniest sounds when he sees an animal.  If you've followed me on instagram, you can watch the video there.  

As for stitching, that has been a no go.  I did pick up needle and thread the other night, made a big mistake and spent the rest of the night picking it out.  Needless to say, I haven't picked it up since.  But I will! Instead, I have been fooling around with aromatherapy and making a lot of wonderful products to support and heal us.  Inhalers, bath salts, sprays, toners, roll ons and my next venture will be an anti-aging serum.  Aromatherapy is quite the trip and one learns something new everyday.  I was quite surprised that there is a lot of unsafe usage information out there mainly put out by big mlm companies such as Young Living and Doterra.  One of Young Living's oils, cinnamon bark, was recently tested and found to be adulterated, meaning it wasn't pure and cut with chemicals.  You would think that essential oils should be all safe but it's not the case when money is involved.  Isn't that the way with all things though? Anywho, I have found other reputable companies with cheaper prices and have been happy with discovering new oils, uses and scents.  It's a lot of fun!!

Okay, enough rambling, here's some photos of my boy.  I should include some flower photos but I'll wait until my next post...hopefully that won't be 4-5 months away! 

There will be more photos, but I forgot to mention our dear Vickie stitched the most adorable flatfold for Nathanael.  It's a little boy holding Titus, ha, if Titus would let him!! NOT!!!! Thank you dearest of friends for this precious gift xoxoxoxox.

Annnnd, some stitching I forgot to show! One day, awhile ago, as I was making the bed, I knocked over a glass of water and it spilled on my Sarah Chapple! The dye ran a bit but thankfully, because of the dark linen, you can't really tell unless you look real close, that there's ruddy dye marks on the linen.  Oh well.

Some wee grass I stitched awhile back on my JCS 1707.

Now back to my boy.

Okay, I should've edited but it's hard to do when he is just so darn cute.  I miss all of you and think of all of you all the time. Seriously I do.  

Big hugs,

Anne