Cross Stitch

I finally finished the Christmas sampler cross stitch I was working on.

Then, I finished the Christmas snowman cross stitch. I have a Santa cross stitch to do, but I think he's going to wait until next year.

Projects

I got some brick wallpaper to hide the crooked old tile backsplash behind the stove. I didn't know the cabinets and hood were crooked until I pushed the stove back many years ago and I've been trying to hide it ever since. I think this finally did the trick. I patched the grout lines and sanded it and wiped it and then used wallpaper border paste on it and so far it's sticking good. I really like how it looks.

I decided to try to make an easy quilt for something different to do. I think it came out good for a first try. I had the checked fabric because I liked it, but didn't know what to do with it. I also made Christmas pillow covers for the couch pillows that day.

I finally finished my Halloween cross stitch sampler. I like how the colors are muted in this one.

More Projects

My Mom and Dad made this doll high chair for me when I was really little. They also made a cradle and carriage to go with it. I thought I would slap a coat of paint on it and use it for display. I like how it came out and I might do the cradle next and use it as display in a bedroom.

Projects

I've been getting some projects done lately. This is my childhood rocking chair. I saw the same one painted and distressed in a store recently and wanted to try it myself.

I used an ivory color, but it looks really white. I wish it had some more color to it or a little more yellow, but other than that it looks good.

This is my latest knitting project. It was a simple block pattern.

I made a new cross stitch recently. I got a bunch of new patterns to work on during the Summer.

Yard Work

I've been expanding planting areas around the house this year. I enlarged the corner near the stairs out front because the stairs block most of the sun and I thought some shade plants would work better here.

We added a couple bushes out back and changed the black mulch to rubber mulch so we won't have to do it every year.

I enlarged the area in front of the porch so I wouldn't have to trim the grass along the foundation and because it's one of the only sun areas we have so I could select different plants.

New Blanket

I am finally done my most complicated knitting project yet. I think it took me about 5 months to finish. I love the pattern and how it came out, but I hated doing it. I prefer simpler patterns like the one I'm going to do next. I still have some chilly days and nights to enjoy it before it gets put away for the summer.

Painted Hutch

I painted the hutch and yet again failed to take a before picture. This time it's because I thought I would use the before picture from the microwave stand and then realized it was only the bottom. Anyway, you can see what it looked liked like in the decor picture from Christmas.

I painted it in Whipple Blue from Benjamin Moore. I used the Advance paint in matte finish. I love this paint. It's what I used on the kitchen cabinets. It's not chalky, but it's not shiny either. I removed the doors because they blocked most of the space on top and I filled in the extra adjustable shelf holes and the metal lock things that hold it together. I think it gives it a higher end feel.