Sewing continued...

The cute dress on the right in the previous post doesn't fit- too tight in the waist. I'm currently ripping it out and hoping to try again. May end up being a skirt! Here are a couple more projects- felt letters and an old t-shirt skirt. I love sewing wool felt! It's nice to just be able to sit on the couch and take my time. I wish I could make everything out of felt!

Beginner Sewing

So, I finally dragged my sewing machine out of the closet after about 4 years. All I had ever sewn with it was knitting needle holders. I'm ready to raise the bar! Here are a few of my first sewing projects.

So...it's been a while

Thought I'd try to do some blogging again. Let's see how it goes!

Flicca, Flicca, Flicca.

Why can't I get my Flicca sweater done?! I've got all the pieces done except the two sleeves. I've been stalling on the first one for months! But, I think I may have figured it out. It's just been so hot this past summer, I never wanted to pick up that yarn! But, today was our first day in the 70's- now I think I'm motivated to get these sleeves done. Of course I dread finishing the sweater, but we'll deal with that when I get to it! Here's the sleeve- I think it looks exactly the same as the last time I posted it!

I'm also making another Elisa's Nest tote for my mom. She loved my sister's that I made earlier. I think I'll give it to her for her birthday in November. I'm using the allhemp6 again, which I absolutely LOVE knitting with. I guess I'm in the minority since I prefer knitting with hemp and cotton. It just feels good in my hands!

And here's poor Franklin's reaction to my starting to knit again. Poor baby!


As far as our adoption process, we now have all the paperwork we need, and it's all apostilled! We just need to make copies and send it in! Such a huge relief and so exciting!!!

A little hat

Yesterday I worked like crazy to finish this little baby hat to go with an outift I had bought for a friend having a baby this week. I know people get so many clothes for showers and new babies, but it's so hard to pass up baby girl clothes. They are just so adorable, I couldn't control myself!! It's just your basic garter stitch hat pattern with a little floret (from Knitted Flowers). I used Blue Sky Alpaca organic cotton- so soft!! (My favorite yarn!)

Back from traveling bonanza

So the traveling is over! We were out east for a week and then back down to LA. Now we are back teaching this week- a big whirlwind of traveling. It was hectic, but fun! My first trip to New York City- I loved it!

I got a tiny bit of knitting done on the plane ride out there, but mostly slept and read. I have really slacked on the knitting lately. And I'm sure with school starting back up I'll really be slacking. Those first graders wear me out at the beginning of the year!

So, I guess I filled out my INS papers wrong for the adoption. Ugh! I hope it doesn't set us back too far. Luckily, they emailed us for clarification rather than just throwing out our whole application. We'll see how it goes. Keeping me fingers crossed...

One down!

I finished Elisa's Nest Tote tonight. Perfect timing- we're off to New Jersey tomorrow morning at 5am.... so I'm off. Here's a quick picture:

I'm into gray

It looks like I'm into grays latley- both my knitting projects are being done in gray. I will admit, I do love grays, browns and greens! I'm knitting the Elisa's Nest Tote found on Purl Bee's website using hemp:

And still working on Flicca! Here's the SLOW progress on my first sleeve. I think it's just too hot to be knitting a sweater, I'm not movtivated!

Will I ever finish a project?

So, I started another new knitting project. It's Elisa's nest tote from the Purl Soho Bee website. I'm using Allhemp yarn for it in a light gray. I'm excited about it, but still have my baby blanket and Flicca to finish. I think I've been working on my first Flicca sleeve for about 2 months! As long as it's done by winter!

Our dossier for the adoption is SO close to being done. I'm really hoping everything from our end will be done this week. We'll most likely just be waiting for our I-171H. Atleast the fingerprinting for that has already been completed. We're just still trying to get the final home study report reviewed and sent to INS. We have a notary coming to our house (my friend's sister- so nice!) on Wednesday to get most of our stuff notarized. I was hoping to have it all done before we went back to teaching in August so we could just drive the papers to Sacramento to get apostilled instead of mailing them, but we'll probably just have to mail them. It's too hard to have to miss work right at the beginning of the school year.

I've also been going into to work a ton this summer. I love having my classroom organized and ready to go, and since I will be visiting my family in New Jersey the week before school starts, I need to have it all ready. This is definitely a busy week. I feel like I haven't had hardly any days to relax and knit and think of nothing. Hopefully next week. Except I'm always saying that!

Once I get this bag knitted a bit further, I'll get a picture posted.

Dossier, dossier, dossier, dossier, grrrrrrrrr

This is all that goes through my head lately. Ugh! I just want to get this done. I know many adopters say to enjoy this time, the part where we have control over everything, but I think I am going to more enjoy the part of waiting and hoping. This paperwork is just becoming the end of me. We're battling the police departments trying to get a notarized criminal background check, our doctor doesn't have letterhead to put our medical check on, but our agency (or country) requires it, still waiting for an appt. date for our INS fingerprints to get our !-171H to complete our dossier, and two of our reference letter writers are out of town and unable to be reached. It's just a bunch of little things adding up to make me want to take all the papers and throw them around the room and stomp on them! :) (But, of course, I won't--that would make the anxiety even worse.) I can't wait for the day when I submit my final dossier!!!! Please, hurry day!!!!

I finished something (but it's not knitting)!

A while back, Purl Soho had posted this project on their website. I ordered fabric and finally got around to doing it today. I'm excited! But, the more I stare at it, the more I want to move the circles around. So, for now it's staying as is!

Our foster greyhound!

I couldn't resist posting some pictures of the greyhound, Lexi, we are fostering for the week. She's off to her new family tomorrow!


This is Lexi on the left, and our greyhound, Franklin, on the right.

Finally Some Pictures!

I finally got around to taking some pictures. First, since this IS supposed to be a knitting blog:
the tiny amount of progress on my baby blanket, and

my stack of Flicca! I've done the back and two front panels.


I've been painting walls too! I tried to take a couple pictures, but they didn't really come out too well. Here's the guest room that used to be a dumping ground. We painted the walls a light beige color.

And here's the soon-to-be nursery for when we adopt. Since we have no preference on the sex of the baby, I had to paint the room somewhat neutral. The walls are a greyish- light blue and the borders are a soft brown. I painted the shelf and outlets a light peach.

Here's the bedding for the crib too.


And, finally, the top of a quilt I started a long time ago. If I could just get the energy to face actually learning how to finish it!




We just finished our home study visit today. It all went well. My husband is out at the accountant's office doing more adoption paperwork. Then, he's picking up a greyhound we are fostering for the week. Her name is Lexi. I'm sure I'll have some pictures to post of her soon. I'm hoping she can perk up our Franklin, who is missing his sister, Meadow, a lot.

Quick Update

I have not had time to knit for a while! It's been a hectic time. We've been working like crazy trying to get the house ready for our home study visit tomorrow. I guess we're as ready as we're going to be. I keep meaning to take pictures of our paint jobs, but haven't. I must be out of shape because painting two rooms just about did me in. My muscles are killing! It was worth it though.

I wanted to share a picture of the second batch of baby birds we had. They look like they're about to go anytime. So cute!

And here's a picture of some of my first grade class's statues of liberty. They cheer me up whenever I'm stressed, they're so funny and cute!

Craziness!

What a hectic day! You'd think finally being on summer vacation would be relaxing! We just scheduled our home visit for our homestudy on Monday, so we are in full gear getting the house ready. Of course, my husband is also teaching summer school, so I'm on my own for a lot of it. I've been painting like mad. We are moving our guest room to where our den is. It will now be a den/guest room. My husband just installed wood floors in it, so I'm painting the baseboards. Then we have to move the furniture into in and then get started on the nursery. Our backyard is also a disaster so we need to work on it too. Unfortunately it's been 100 degrees, so we are limited to working in the am. I've squeezed a little knitting in today. I'll post pics when I get a chance!

Good-bye my precious Meadow

Our sweet little greyhound, Meadow, passed away yesterday. She was only 7, and it was very unexpected. She had been ill the past couple weeks and we had been going to the vet. I had actually just taken her yesterday afternoon. We came home, and I left to run errands. My husband came home, and she was fine, running up with Franklin and greeting him. Then, he said a few minutes later, she went rigid and collapsed. He held her in his lap and she took her last few breaths there. He took her to the vet where they pronounced her dead. And of all days, I didn't have my cell with me so my husband couldn't reach me. I never got to say good-bye. The vet says she probably had cancer, but I guess we'll never know. She was my husband's first dog, and my first adopted greyhound. She and my husband have always had an extra-special bond, so it is especially hard for him. She always wanted to nuzzle and cuddle and hold hands, she loved loving and being loved. We miss her so much. I love you, Meadow!

Lazy Knitter

I haven't knit in at least 2 weeks! I think work has exhausted me, as well as doing all the adoptions stuff. I see my knitting sitting on the sidetable everyday, and I just look at it with no desire to pick it up. Only two more weeks of teaching--maybe my energy will come back!

They're Gone!

I took this picture yesterday, so cute! I went to the allergist after work, and on the way home my husband called and told me he saw the mom trying to push the babies out of the nest. Once I got home, I took this picture and only got to see them for a minute. We were late to a dinner so we had to rush to leave. Once we got home, they were gone. It was kind of a sad feeling, isn't that weird?! I guess I just got used to seeing them everyday.

Our 1st Adoption Class

We went to our first adoption/parenting class today. It made the process really seem "official" I guess. It was nice to meet others who are also doing international adoption. I just wish I could fast forward a year! There's just soooooo much to do. I just have to keep telling myself to focus on one thing at a time. Easier said than done!

They Hatched!

There's two little baby birds in the nest! Soooo cute! They're really hard to see, and I couldn't seem to get a very good angle. I'll have to try again later.