And here we go!

The canvas of the tent shipped yesterday, it is due to arrive Monday. I now also now have a heavy duty sewing machine, needles, thread, and extra bobbins on the way. They are also due to be delivered Monday!

Project for this weekend (sometime not sure when yet...) is to figure out measurements for fabric cuts. That is between a sewing project, a consultation for a full size quilt, and a party we have been invited to! Busy and exciting, but wouldn't have it any other way.

Clothing Progress and More!

So I have been busy at work making clothing, finishing quilts, and we have been doing a TON of stuff with SCA. And loving every minute. We have had a few medical issues this year and I have gone back to work on a much more part time basis. Still trying to find a good balance there, but getting better.

So I have figured out a great deal with the clothing of late. I mixed and matched patterns to make the dresses and tunics. Joseph has a tunic, Katherine and I have underdresses and apron dresses made. Next is Isabelle and then a better one for Lillian (did her's first and learned a LOT and not extremely happy with it.

This first picture is me working on my dress. After a whole day of cutting and sewing and everything going really smooth... I had an OOPS! I had started sewing a right side to a wrong side... Me and my seam-ripper became friends.

Left picture is me in my dress, almost done. I had to shorten sleeves, and finish up hems.


Using the things I learned between doing Lillian's dress, Joseph's tunic. and my dresses, by the time I got to doing Katherine's it was really getting to be much easier! Here is her's getting ready to be measure (and marked) for straps on apron dress. She loves it!

I still have finish touches to add to our dresses. Going to use some trim that I have weaved... (left) and we are working on some other finishing touches.

Next is dresses for Isabelle and Lillian, another tunic for Robert (that fits him better), pants for Robert and Joseph, and then some more complicated clothing for those of us who are not growing like weeds!

On to my other projects... Embroidery and FINISHED Quilts!

I was asked to do a Celtic knot hand embroidery for a hand-fasting as part of a wedding ceremony a friend was officiating. It took some time, but I really love how it turned out, and so did the bride and groom! They have already made it part of a permanent keepsake. Makes me so happy to know that they are enjoying it, as I truly enjoyed making it for them.

Now some of the quilts I have finished in the past 6 months to year... This one has now SOLD! :) It was a camping theme baby quilt.

This one is still currently available for sale. It is one that I have done for Autism Awareness (which my niece has). It is called Unzip Autism.

This is a quilt that I did for a friend who was wanting a memory quilt. It included a couple of embroidered pieces that I made, t-shirts from events she has participated in, part of her late father's shirt he used has part of his business (I embroidered his information on it), and her daughter's coming home outfit.

This one is a quilt that I did for Joseph. The top part is from a pattern called Jelly Roll Race 2 and went together super quick, like a few hours, including cutting! For the quilting I wanted to do something different and Joseph was all for it. I was practicing my free-motion quilting and each of the 32 rows are at least a little different. The theme of the fabric was a mix of "school" and circus stuff. So I did A, B, C's on some and his name is on others. He loved the musical notes and apples in the fabric so I quilted some of those. I also did train cars and some more traditional loops and zig-zags, and peaks. It was fun to get more creative with this one and try to come up with some different stuff than I usually do!

This is my latest completed quilt. It is for my little Lillian. She LOVES it. It gets taken with us most places right now. The bright colors and flower patterns really fit her personality!







Other things we have been doing...

We have been very busy (happily!) with the local SCA groups (both OKC and Norman areas, as we are right at the boarder between the two). It has been a blast! SCA is the Society for Creative Anachronism (Here is a recent NBC piece on SCA - https://www.facebook.com/NBCNews/videos/vb.155869377766434/989879561032074/?type=2&theater)

We do weekly activities including Archery and Thrown Weapons older kids to Chivalric (heavy fighting). We have been to various other meetings and activities - monthly Populous meetings where we learn what is going on in the area, event planning meetings, Arts and Sciences where we either learn new things or work on our own projects (we have done court dancing, cap making, and I did viking embroidery). We have also done baronial work days with both groups - get signs ready for upcoming events, sewing banners, painting tents and painting tents again.

Court Dancing

Robert's Thrown Ax (YES he does hit target!)

Me helping prep tent by tracing projected design.

Group of us finishing painting and retouching one side of tent

Almost complete painting of second side of a tent. Waiting on more paint to come in.

So what is coming up for us? Well we are definitely continuing with SCA. The values that we hold high and want to make sure that our children are taught are held in high regard within the SCA - honor, integrity, honesty, friendship, family. If the kids are not doing their chores they are not corrected just by us. Others are reinforcing that they have to obey us and do their work! The kids are included in so much that we do.

We will be busy with events coming up this fall and early winter, so day events and some weekend camping stuff. We will have weekly practices still, as well as more work days, and event planning days. I also have a few quilts that are being commissioned by others!!! (I get paid to do what I love doing! YEAH!!!)

But we are adding a BIG project to that list... We are making our own TENT! Yes, you read that right! We are making our own tent! I just ordered 100 yards of water repellent, mildew resistant, flame retardant 100% canvas.

We are also planning on making our own furniture including beds, mattresses, tables, chairs, shelving, chests, and more! Stay tuned and I promise to do better on updating more often so it is not so long all at once...

Underdresses here we come!

Got all the kids measured for underdresses (girls) and tunic (Joseph). I have not made clothing in a few years, and it is kinda a bitter-sweet feeling. I have usually done projects like this with my grandmother who taught me to sew, my Munner. Unfortunately she no longer remembers who I am, nor how to sew...

So with reading several patterns and trying to figure out how to cut everything (without a "paper pattern" which I am used to having!) here I go! Starting with Lilly's as the linen was on sale so I got extra of it, plus her's is the smallest so if I mess it up I have more "wiggle room" to re-cut and start again.

I currently have the body done, neck hole and slit cut, and one sleeve sewn to the body. Hoping in a few more hours I will be able to finish her dress.

This is the dress I am working on -

from http://www.excaliburgirls.com/lopvmakersbuildalong/current-project/viking-wear-2014-workshop-1/

New Leaf, New Direction, Big Changes!

So I quit my job... This has NOT been easy for me... But it has been GOOD!

(I will add pictures to this later!)

We have a garden in this year! We did lady bugs, and butterflies, and are anxiously awaiting our praying mantises hatching. The front garden is getting the attention it needs. I am taking a more hands on approach for my kids schooling - which they need! There is a LOT less "screen time" around here. (Like getting closer and closer to none!)

Then Robert get's a kidney stone... OH NO!!! 3 ER trips, trip to doctor, 2 trips to specialist... Stone gone! (yeah!!!) Medical bills coming in... We are currently up to $1800+. Add Belle needing oral surgery and my parents were in a motorcycle accident... YIKES! Everyone kept asking what I wanted for my birthday and I kept saying NO MORE ER OR DOCTOR TRIPS! (And I was serious!!!) I had been to the ER, surgery center, or doctor appointment 8 times in 10 days - not including our weekly chiropractic appointments. I was DONE!

My house is cleaner than it has been in YEARS! We are doing school almost all orally or project based and the kids are excelling. I got a quilt done and 2 more almost done, as well as an afghan almost done too. I am starting to learn to knit, and needle felt, and picking up my crochet and cross-stitch again.

We went to the Medieval Faire in Norman again (like we have almost every year, for me for about 20 years). We got connected with the SCA group again. After discussing it with Robert we decided to go ahead and join up. Of course with Robert and myself, if we decide to do something we DO it! The kids are joining right in too. We have already been to a day event and a weekend event (camping for the first time ever as a family!). The older two kids have been doing chivalric (combat) practice. (Kat was in the finals after 2 practices! We are so proud of her.) Robert sung at the Torchlight fights. Lilly tried to join the fire dancers!

We are staying home this weekend and what are we doing? Robert is out making me and Kat inkle looms for weaving and I am in researching and starting to get things ready for making tunics and dresses! Linen is ordered, and I will probably go get a little more from JoAnn's since it is on sale and I only need some off white type colors (that is really all they have!).

We are all wanting to get into archery, Robert wants to do siege weapons, I want to do blackwork, and Robert and I are interesting in scribal, and the list goes on and on... These are things that we kept saying we wanted to do or learn. And now as a family we are working on it! Teaching history in a more hands on way in the process as well some practical skills (sewing, woodworking, ...).

Time for a CHANGE!

Boy the last couple years have been an experience! So much has happened... I was working, and I am thankful for that opportunity to work from home. But it is time for a new season! I realized that I while I was working from home, I was physically present with my children but I was not really present for their lives. I am so incredibly thankful for my husband for allowing ME to see this and help me to make the changes needed, without forcing it (even though he saw it for a long time before I did!).

Most of this came from us loosing another baby. While that is always difficult, I had significant blood loss and was really terrified of not seeing my little ones again! I was in the ER for about 10 hours, and was in "recovery" from home for a couple weeks and was barely coherent for at least a week. I am grateful to dear friends who helped my children while I was in the hospital and helped bring me things to help me recover. After that the family member who was renting our house gave notice that she was moving out (just as I was able to get out of bed again for more than 2 hours at a time)...

We spent November and December fixing the old house, almost daily... It was LONG and HARD as I was still weaker than I should have been and of course had 4 children to try and entertain. I painted over the nursery I had created (and SO LOVED!)... I cried, BIG TEARS! I had promised Robert I would never ask to do a project that big again... I hadn't. I did most of the painting with Robert coming down in the evenings after work to help in areas that were more difficult to get to. My dad helped SO much with getting flooring in - Yes we did it ourselves! My mom helped with cleaning up flower beds. Some friends came over and helped with cleaning, replacing fixtures, scrubbing, and some of the other repairs. It was long and hard on all of us! We ended up with a couple different contracts, as one fell through after closing had already been set. It was heart breaking! Once we finally got it done we went on vacation to Dallas for a couple days. It was very much needed.

But through all of this my hours of working were cut WAY down for 3 months! Money was TIGHT! Medical bills, repairs, paying mortgages on 2 houses... It was stressing me. I was angry... I don't like that feeling. Through it all I had my little Lilly keep coming to me - "Momma, read me book." "Momma, I wuv you!" "Momma, I cook with you." "Momma, HUGS!" All with her huge smile, blue eyes glinting, and blond ringlet curls. My children are what I prayed for. I had the things that I had always said were MOST important to me! And the worst thing is I WAS NOT TAKING THE TIME TO ENJOY THEM! My oldest had turned 11... ELEVEN already! Where did the time go?!?!

My oldest is already half way to adulthood, my house was a mess, I was stressed (almost all the time), chores and schooling were not getting done, I always felt behind on everything! Something HAD to change... I had to be fully present in my children's lives!

Rest of trip and HOME! (With House Update)

We were driving and driving we 3 little kids and me about 18 weeks pregnant for that long is NOT fun! We made more stops on the way back.

First day we did Casa Larga Vineyard, Aquarium of Niagara, and Niagara Falls. It was a "short" travel day (only about 6 hours) and then we did more touristy stuff. Fun but does not get us home.

The next day was NOT fun! We drove 12+ hours... I was hurting and Isabelle was DONE! (About an hour before we got to Robert's parents on the way up she VERY clearly declared, "Down! NOW!" and we were about there again!) But we made it from Buffalo area, stopped for a LATE lunch in Columbus, Ohio. We then went to Target for a "walking break." We got the kids a small toy, a couple CDs, snacks of sliced apples and grapes, and benedryll! Joseph and Isabelle had been coughing, sneezing, and not sleeping well at night and I had left it at home. :( We were hoping to go to the Columbus Zoo, but it was too late in the day by the time we got there and they do not open until 10 and we wanted to make progress and not stay there for 2 nights. So we drove on instead... We made it to St. Louis! Yes Buffalo, NY to St. Louis, Missouri IN ONE DAY!

We were thinking of stopping at the St. Louis Zoo in the morning since they open an hour earlier and our hotel was about 1 mile away! We woke up and checked the weather... Not good. Cold, and rain coming in... Okay we head on home. Everyone was getting tired and cranky after a couple hours. LOVE our smart phones! Start searching for something in area to do... See sign, check it out Meremac Caverns, just off highway. Kids have not done caves yet - 60 degrees, and underground. Open year-round. There we go. Everyone can walk, see something new, and we get a break from the van! (Sorry no pictures. Not even cell ones as cell phones were going dead; left them and let them charge.) I got postcards so if you want to see some let me know. :)

Lunch and back on the road... We finally got home at 9:30 PM. Another long day, but at least we had a break for a while.


Next day we went to check out the house. We had gotten a call during the week saying they were hoping to have the slab down by the time we got home...

No luck in that - STILL NOT DONE a week later. :(

But they did have the footing done!

View facing front of house.

Looking at the side of the house. The break in footing is where the garage will be.

Niagara Falls State Park

None of us had ever been to Niagara Falls so we were not sure what exactly to expect. We knew there was an "American" side and a "Canadian" side of the falls. We were not about to cross the border though! I am the only one that has ever had a passport and mine is expired (I used it in 1999 to go to England).

We got there parked and could not find clear directions on where to go. There were beautiful gardens and then we saw a Visitor Center. Went in and asked. Went down stairs and out the door and there we were - Good Choice to go ask!

There is a LONG path long the river leading to the American Falls.

Can you tell the water is moving FAST?!? It sounds like it too!

Looking over at Canada - Yes it really is THAT close! Took these as we were walking to the American Falls.

Now to the American Falls themselves...

Just past the falls...

The haze that you see is actually water spray still happening! It sprays EVERYWHERE!

The boats you see are the tour boats that are dry docked for winter. They take the boats very close to the American Falls during the summer "tourist" season. The "Crow's Nest" Observation Deck was also closed, as well as a walking trail that goes VERY CLOSE to the American Falls, while we were there.

More pictures from around the American Falls. If you look closely you can see the Horseshoe Falls in the background of these. (toward upper center)

 Looking downstream from the Falls. Just absolutely Beautiful!!!

Some information signs. One is much like in the previous post at the zoo. You can call in and get information about the area! SO LOVE THIS!!! The kids and I can (or ANYONE) can call in and get the information. We will probably do some more of this when we are looking at the pictures or as we are studying more about the area again later. :)

We then discovered that we could take a walking trail over to the Horseshoe Falls (typically considered the "Canadian" Falls) and remain on US soil! You bet we did it!

There are actually several islands that make up the Niagara Falls area. Wish I could find the trail guide so I could scan it and show you! We had to cross two bridges to and go on two SMALL islands to get to the Horseshoe Fall - well that and another good walk! These are of the river as we were crossing the bridges.

This is what you can see coming toward the Horseshoe Falls.

And we made it to Horseshoe Falls! (American side of course.) Oh and look at the flow rate of the water!!! AMAZING. We talked to Katherine about how much it was and she could not believe it! She said "That would be like a TON of milk cartons! EVERY SECOND!"

Huge drop with buildings in Canada in background. Remembered I had my better zoom lens so got it out to play some. :)

Looking upstream from Horseshoe Falls. 

On my cell phone I got pictures of the kids getting sprayed by the water. The spray was a lot more over at Horseshoe Falls! I had to step back after a couple pictures to clean my water and camera from the water. I did not really care to go get soaked. It was cool and starting to get dark so we headed back.

The stopped and played in some leaves while I finished talking pictures (and took a picture for a tourist couple). Then we headed on our way again. They kept seeing little squirrels all over and I got this picture of one.

At this point it was getting too dark to get pictures of the Falls, but it was beautiful at dusk!

If you get the chance to go it is worth it, but I highly recommend good walking shoes. If you have a choice summer is the best time to go. We spent a lot more time there than we thought it would be, but it was really nice. Going in summer and doing the optional tours would be cool, but if you do plan on it taking most of a day! During higher tourist times they have more "snack" stands (which we could not have done anyway) and of course more things to do. It is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week, all year!