under the radar

I've had a great time here at my parents, awaiting our departure to England.  I have lots to post about, but time is running short.  I'll be missing from here for a few days while we travel, get settled, get internet again, etc.  Until then, my imaginary friends, be well!

for the love of rhubarb

There are some great things about being at home.  Home where my parents are.  Home where I grew up.  Home that I love coming back to.  One of those things, is rhubarb.  Oh for the love of rhubarb. 

I picked it, washed it and chopped it.

I can't take credit for the Raspberry-Rhubarb Jam though, that's all Mom.

I can take credit for the Strawberry-Rhubarb Puff however, and it was sooo delicious!

And I do believe there might be some more rhubarb savoriness coming up...  along with another photo series of another reason I love living up here!

Must. Have. Yarn.

While my Bernina is [hopefully] safely on it's way to the UK, along with all my fabric, I'm more limited in my crafting choices.  I have all my knitting needles with me, as I had planned to make a home for them using my mother's sewing machine.  But, I forgot to pull some yarn out of my bins before they were shipped away.  So I have a hundred million (it seems) needles, but no yarn.  No yarn?!  I had to remedy that immediately.  The one yarn shop I knew of around here closed (so so sad about that, by the way), so it was Michael's to the rescue!  I got some organic cotton to make socks for the new little R2, some nice cozy alpaca for a baby cocoon or two, and some stretchy sock yarn to make manicure socks for Mom and I (however, it's been so hot since I got here, I simply can't imagine putting anything resembling socks on my feet, even if they do have vented toes!)  You can check out what I'm making over at my Ravelry page.  I'll be posting more info and photos (finally!) as things get completed.

Bernina Love

I'm in love with my Bernina.  I was having huge tension troubles when I first got it, but thankfully I've had enough sewing machine trouble in my time to know how to fix it.  I was soo hoping to be able to complete a project on it before having to pack it up to send to the UK, but my Scooch was sick at the beginning of the week, and now I'm sick, and I still have half a house to pack by Sunday morning.  UGH.  So instead I went to a sewing center, about an hour away from here (I don't think I ever mentioned that I currently live in the middle of nowhere and it takes 20 minutes just to go to the grocery store).  It was heaven.  I stocked up on needles, bobbins, and eye candy.  Oh my the machines.  I had to force myself not to sit down at any number of them and begin playing.  Mr. R and Scooch are in the car.  I kept repeating that to myself and got out of there as quickly, and cheaply, as possible.  It was sooo nice though. *huge grin*

Side note: I apologize for the ugly blog without photos lately.  With everything packed, I have no idea where the cable is to plug my camera in to download photos.  Hopefully soon!

Bernina Joy!

The Bernina has arrived!  I'm so excited I could do a dance, if I didn't have a big belly.   Gonna go play!

Halfway

Oh! I nearly forgot in all the sewing machine excitement, that I'm 20 weeks today!  Woohoo!  Halfway there!  My little snail on the sidebar over there is a little behind, but today is officially the halfway mark!  It's been quite a journey so far, but the little guy is tumbling around in there and doing quite well.  The second half is going to be no less action-packed, for sure!

Bernina : Acquired!!

I never thought I would have one so quickly, but I just might after all.  Mr. R is going to pick up a Bernina tonight!  I found someone selling one on Craigslist, and he's bringing it home!  I'm as excited as the day we found out we're having another boy!  Okay, maybe not THAT excited, but I sure can't wait to get my hands on that Bernina!  AND, it's coming with one accessory that I was going to have to buy anyway.  Now I am just hoping that it comes in the box as well, so that it can get to England that much easier.

I debated buying used, but with moving and needing to buy a whole bunch of different voltage appliances, we really need to be saving everything we can.  Unfortunately, I spent most of our saved cash to get this machine.  BUT, it was either that, or wait and pay more AND buy a UK wired machine.  So while it hurts the wallet now, I do believe it was the best decision, given the available choices.

Now this doesn't mean that any Baby Travel Bags are going to come flying out of it any time soon (although that would be my wish!).  I still have no table to sew on.  I'm still planning to finish the two I've got going, while in NY, on my mother's machine, which is no Bernina.   But I'm so glad to finally have a great machine to work on!  If you don't sew, it's kinda like buying your first nice car.  I drove a car for about 5 years, in the south, with no air conditioning, or any other modern features.  Then I bought a newer car with loads of room and cold air blowing!  It was great.  That's sort of what it's like to buy a really nice sewing machine.