Post Halloween, Pineberry Lane, and Primitive Doll Making!!!!

I hope everyone out there had a fun and wonderful Samhain/Halloween! We were pretty low key here, with just sitting on the front porch handing out candy. Had a bit of rain, but it cleared up and it was a nice night overall. 

We did some of our regular holiday ritual things, like going to King's Dominion a few times. We decided there really isn't anything about Halloween we don't love and that Christmas could learn a lot from Halloween. 

I wanted to stop stitching on the patriotic BBD I had going. I'm not feeling very patriotic lately, and since Autumn began, I wasn't feeling it anyways. I wanted to start something with Autumn colors, but not necessarily Halloween, because I knew I would be stitching it after Halloween since I am so slow. So I began Pineberry Lane's Tansy Yarrow Rue. Perfect. 

 I hand dyed some 16 ct. aida and it turned out great. Great colors and simple design. Doesn't mean I'm still not a slow stitcher. In my defense, work has been horrific. I never used that word about work before. I've been there for 15 years and some recent changes have put me square in the "not afraid to use the word horrific" category. Ugh.

One of our very favorite places to eat has closed permanently. Joe's Crab Shack. I was going to meet my mom there last week for lunch. We'd just been recently too! Pulled up and got this in return. No name, empty parking lot, dark restaurant. BOO. I'm very sad about this. We spent so many great times in here with family. Lots of good memories.

As I said, we went to King's Dominion and had a lot of fun. They do such a great job on atmosphere and decorating. Magnificent!

I went out on a limb and tried primitive doll making!!!! This is something I have been wanting to do for a couple years now. And in fact, I bought this pattern online at Etsy two years ago and had all the supplies waiting for me in a bag on the back of a doorknob and I said "enough is enough"! So I got to work and had her done in a weekend! It probably could have been finished in one day, and I'm sure the next one will. You can find her pattern HERE. I cannot recommend this shop enough. Directions are clear and easy! I never thought I could do this!

I got a little glue gun happy so I made her a cowl. LOL. I think she's precious! I am hooked. So yet another craft under my belt and something else to take up my time and money. Makes me so very happy though and it's so fun to learn something new.

These mugs. I bought them at Marshall's and they kept me going this Halloween season. I fell in love with them! Super cute, and I'll be using them ALL YEAR. Adorable, am I right?

Now it's time to prep for Thanksgiving and Christmas I guess. The past couple of years have been a bit surreal. It seems time has gone so slow in one respect, but I look around and wonder where it all went. Story of my life!

I really hope everyone out there is doing well and taking care of yourselves. Please VOTE on Tuesday upcoming. I vote every election and take it deadly seriously. Just do it.

Keep stitching and doing what you love to do. Until next time,