and I'm back!

Gosh, it's been a crazy month and a half. I didn't think I'd be gone that long, but a lot of life has happened. Let's see: we moved across town (bye bye beautiful porch for all that sunny picture taking), suffered some seriously bad machine mojo (computer, sewing machine, scooter), and Billy started a nursing job (woohoo!). Things were just starting to settle back down... I even was a little crafty. First a sock monkey for Craft Hope...

...and then some quilt blocks for Common Threads...

.... and then we almost ran over a puppy on the way to our friend's house. And, because fate is cruel, she looks exactly like Baby! No tags, no microchip, and no calls from her previous owners despite the fact that she's an utter sweetheart. We've named her Violet for now, but the jury's still out as to whether Baby can handle a younger, spunkier, fartier sybling in the midst of so many other changes. Pheww... puppies are a lot of work! Hopefully, I'll get to use the craft room - oh, yes, the room of crafts! - soon. I'm thinking Violet may have crafty tendencies....

hiking and packing adventures

With the sewing machine still down for the count, I thought I'd share a few shots from our hiking trip to Potato Knob (just south of Mount Mitchell). The blueberries were quite cool and delicious, though we were in the middle of a bear sanctuary, so we nibbled watchfully.

But the time has come... the Carestio family is moving uptown! Goodbye, West A'ville; hello, North Asheville. With the move, I'm thinking a little blog break may be in order, at least til I get my craft room set up and ready for action. So, until next time....

labor day (for real)

Now for something different.... There is something about buying furniture - especially the used, cheap kind - that sets my heart aglow. After months (really!) of looking for dining room chairs that didn't cost a fortune, I found these beauties (not really!) on Friday at the local Habitat for Humanity store. And the set was on sale: even better.

After some intense sanding, priming, painting, and sealing - oh, and stripping and stapling and sweating (labor!) - I have a new set of dining chairs that I absolutely love. And the fabric: super yummy. I think it's actually outdoor furniture fabric, but that's probably a good thing since the hubs and I both tend to be the spilly type. I love these types of projects - especially the transformation aspect.

Speaking of transformations, we're about to make a big one: moving from our much-loved, yet pricey rental house to an apartment. We're saying goodbye to a lot: lovely West A'ville, a superb yard, our hot tub (sniffle, sniffle)... and it's bittersweet for sure. But there are some definite positives: hello, my first ever very own craft room!

virtual quilting bee, round #1

Here is installment #1 of my round with the Common Threads virtual quilting bee. What fun! I love the colors Amber chose... It'll make it hard come my turn. I think my favorite part of both blocks is the tone-on-tone blue stripes. I'm thinking I'll have to put that technique to use again sometime soon.

Unfortunately, these blocks have done the unthinkable: they have killed my sewing machine. Well, actually, it was probably the 20+ years of steady use without a servicing. Either way, I'm taking her in for a checkup: fingers crossed. Gosh, I never thought I would get so emotionally attached to a machine.

And I can't help but share some lovely shots from our weekend camping in the mountains. We camped at Lake Santeetlah - which was still warm enough to for swimming (oh, moonlight swims!) - and did a little bit of hiking at Joyce Kilmer. And Baby took her first canoe ride... like a champ! Admittedly, we were trying to extract one last flurry of summer fun, but the nip in the air is nice, too.

(very) wonky log cabins

I think it's a good thing: being able to embrace my inner wonkiness. Or maybe that's just a bit of laziness coming through... either way, wonky log cabins are here to stay, complete with some embroidered details.

And since the only thing I photograph besides crafts and my hubby doing silly things, you, dear reader, will be subjected to installment #46 of Baby in her best porch-sitting pose. Here, she's looking bored and ready for fanning - one of my favorites!

back to reality

Hmmm... this is my second post with this title. Either I spend a lot of time avoiding the real world or I do a good job taking a break from it at times, thus necessitating a return. Ah, the bored ponderings a vacation supplies.

Yes, indeed: the Outer Banks were absolutely splendid. If we three - Baby, my hubby, and I - do ever decide to start a professional beach sitting team, the Outer Banks will most definitely be our training grounds, provided they have enough limes. Here are a few pics from my new favoritest beach in NC:

From top left across: provisions, Baby and the big "bath," Billy and Baby in the sound, the Hatteras lighthouse, the boardwalk, and my vacation table runner (yes, the sewing machine joined us for our journey).

beach bound!

...but not without a crafty project in tow! I'm thinking table runner in yellow and grey. We'll see how much work I actually get done, and if my hubby can handle me bringing my sewing machine on our official honeymoon (two years late but hey!). My main objective is some serious beach sitting and maybe just a touch of sweet, sweet boredom: it's been so long! Outer Banks, here we come.