A weekend working on the house, socializing and I think life is back to normal again (after vacation).

Last weekend was very productive, as productive as it could be in sweltering heat and humidity! We removed the siding from the driveway side of the house (first story only) where the windows will be replaced once they arrive. This went pretty well actually and now we just have to strip down all the boards we saved.

I've set aside Celtic banner for now (oh... pictures to come because i worked a little more on it last week) and last night while watching TV I picked up my old Knotwork piece - the fishy! The fish itself is finished, so it's just filling in the background with colonial knots but it's relaxing so I'll try to keep at it in my free time (haha!).

And I can't believe July is almost over! This weekend we're going to my sister's house to help work on HER house for a change, I'm looking forward to that (and to seeing my whole family again). And only 2 1/2 weeks left of work until we take a vacation!!! Really looking forward to that!

I just got back from a 3 day vacation in Maine with Sarah. The 3 days included the drive up and back which is significant (just over 4 hours) but we got a lot of stitching done. We decided to continue the tradition of stitching on Celtic Banner which we started together in Maine 4 years ago.

Progress was definitely made!
This is the picture I took after stitching Sunday and Monday:
And this is after stitching on Tuesday:

The piece is getting very long and it's hard to show much of it since it is on scroll rods but it is 4 pages long and we are more than halfway through page 3!

While stitching we listened to Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder (Glass series book 1). This is the same author (and many of the same characters) as a long time favorite of ours the Study Series. While the story was very interesting the reader was very distracting, mis-pronouncing almost every pronoun which was beyond frustrating. I was however motivated to go back to the Study series directly after and I'm happily more than halfway done with the first book in that series again.

Wow the month is half over and I haven't blogged at all.

What have we done this month so far?

Well July 4th weekend we went up to Lake Pleasant with my husband's family - it was great fun. We drove up friday and stayed through sunday. The weather was great for being on a lake but we made the best of it and had a blast. My niece is absolutely adorable and so much fun to spend time with that it really doesn't matter what we're doing as long as we can get her giggling.

I spent the following week after that finishing the new door we had ordered for our future TV Room. I stained it and then polyurethaned it all week (had to let it dry between coats and sides). It was all ready to be installed this past weekend when my family came out for our belated fireworks celebration. We spent Saturday at my uncle's house ending with our annual fireworks craziness (30 minute show it's up to now). Then Sunday we finished the install of the new door which looks great!

Oh and most importantly - I did some sewing last week (while finishing the door) - I should have pictures shortly so I'll give details then!

Goals - okay I missed June but I'm trying to get back into this:

May/June Recap:
1)Work on baby sampler for coworker - [done - just need to mat/frame now]
that's really the only crafty thing I plan to do this month. most of my goals are house related:
2) Finish framing of bathroom done
3) Replace bathroom window not done
4) Figure out Doorway in tv room done
5) Wire bathroom and tv room not done
6) Prepare for insulation guy and set up appointment NOPE
7) Set up roof repair appointment done - and roof repair done
also done:
- hemmed and adjusted bridesmaid dress for my sister
- worked on Leanne's Quilt block 8!

July Goals:
1) Finish baby sampler for coworker (frame)
2) Finish Leanne's Quilt block 9
3) Start Leanne's Quilt block 10
4) Work on Celtic Banner (Maine trip coming up!!!)
5) Wire bathroom and tv room
6) Finish (stain/poly) new door for tv room
7) Install new door in tv room
8) Install fan/vent in bathroom