Around the World Blog Hop

Hello! And a hearty welcome to any new readers who are visiting from the blog hop, where bloggers from around the world have been posting weekly all the crafty things they're up to!

The girls and I were asked to participate in the Around the World Blog Hop by Nic over at Dragon Rambles. Nic is a quilter and an avid knitter, so check out her blog to see what she's up to. Thanks, Nic, for asking and including us in the hop!

Some of the things we usually blog about include gardening, soaping, baking, quilting, knitting, basket-making, beekeeping, house-building, and hospitality--all the fun activities that make up our slice-of-life blog.

"What are we currently working on?"

Quilting...well...when it comes to quilting, the question should be, "What am I hoping to start working on soon?"

Jacquelynne Steves over at The Art of Home recently started a free block of the month project called Sew Sweet Simplicity. You can get all the details here.

I signed up right away, but somehow all the beginning information didn't show up in my emailbox. I think everything is squared away now, so hopefully I won't be too far behind the rest of the group!

Vintage Farmhouse Block of the Month...I've also been signed up for this block of the month by Fig Tree Quilts and Joanna Figueroa over at Fresh Figs for several months. As you can see from the photo below (photo credit: Fig Tree Quilts), this is what the finished quilt will look like...but that's Joanna's quilt ready for quilting and binding and not mine.

So now that gardening season has come to a close, I'm planning on beginning these vintage blocks:   Row-Along...and let's not forget the Row-Along I began early in 2014 with my friend, Chris. We both took a break from the rows because of our busy lives this spring and summer. This is the last photo I posted several months ago...and the last time I worked on it...heh..heh... But, break out the confetti! I'm starting the mitten row this week! Baking...Fridays always look like this in the kitchen (and even more than what's pictured here!) since Sarah has lots to get ready for the Saturday Farmers' Market. Speaking of market...the last market of the season was this past Saturday. And we all said Hallelujah! It's time for a break!

Baskets...We recently posted a picture of Granny working on three large custom-order baskets:For any new readers here from the blog hop, if you're interested in how Granny got started making baskets, Granny wrote a post about it!

And here are the three completed baskets just waiting for the customer to pick them up before Thanksgiving. I love how they turned out:The other two baskets she made that were a little too large for the customers' needs are now in her Etsy shop and ready for purchase. Here they are pictured below with bands of brown, orange, and green: And here's the other one below with the colors higher up on the basket. I love them both! Here are the latest potato masher baskets Granny made just waiting to be dipped in walnut stain. We wrote about some of her mashers in this post: Hospitality...these delightful sisters came to visit us recently, and here they are with Granny in her basket shed:

Bee-Keeping...we haven't written much about Jonathan's bee-keeping lately because, unfortunately, all the bees were lost in last year's very severe winter weather. He's planning on starting the bees again once he's not busy with building his house!

House-Building...Jonathan's house is coming along nicely. Since I last posted a picture, the shingles are finished, and the front porch is being built.

This is the newest family craft, and everyone is learning about house-building and teamwork! This past Saturday, after Market was finished, Tom and Sarah were working on the cripples...now that was a new word for me!

The next step is to get in the windows and doors before winter arrives: Soaping...Hannah is continuing to make soap throughout the busy fall/winter season, packaging orders to local stores, and gathering various fragrances of soaps for custom orders:A couple of weeks ago Hannah was in the kitchen harvesting some fresh aloe gel to use in her Skin Soother soap. She simply breaks a leaf from our large aloe plant and scoops the gel out to be incorporated into her batch of soap:Hannah was also working this past week on some handmade photo cards for delivery to Cranberry's, a local store that carries her cards: And last, but not least....

Gardening...I only recently finished planting the 38 blueberry bushes that arrived this fall. I actually only ordered 6, at least I thought I only ordered 6 bushes; and yet when the large box arrived, it contained 38 bare-root plants! What box did I check incorrectly to create that much work for me??

I shoveled topsoil and more topsoil to fill 3 extra-long raised (temporary) I-beam beds to hold all those plants! And then I planted them all and covered with a thin layer of mulch.There's so much more garden work I could do...if only it stayed fall forever!

And...if I get to it today, there are 100 bulbs to plant: "Why do we create what we do?" 

If you read our blog for any length of time, you'll see we love the whole process of creating any of the crafts listed above, and we love seeing the finished products. If our craft will be gifted to someone, we love blessing them with it and seeing their joy in receiving the item.

"She...works with her hands in delight." ~ Proverbs 31:13

We mostly create to give thanks back to the Lord for giving us the talents we have to use for His glory. 

If you'd enjoy reading other Around the World Blog Hop posts, just google "around the world blog hop," and you'll find blog after blog listed with their crafts and why they create what they do!

If anyone would like to participate in the hop, leave me a comment directing me to your blog so we can read what crafts you're working on!

~Deb

Comments

[Chris]

WOW! Jonathan's house is coming right along, it looks great!! I enjoyed reading this post, learned something new as well. :) My Row-along is anxiously awaiting my return! :) Actually I think I won't get to it until January due to all my Christmas "Crafting" but my mitten row is already done so we will be on the same page after Christmas. :)

[Becka]

I foresee a lot of blueberry baked goods in the future at your house! Maybe Sarah can sell some berry products and Hannah can come up with a blueberry soap. :)

[Nic]

Jonathan's house is looking great. You guys have been busy.
Sorry to hear about the bees. Hope the next lot do better.
I can understand the relief of the markets being over for now. Especially on cold dark mornings.
Looking forward to seeing all those Blueberry bushes start to grow and seeing what you guys do with them all.
And good to hear you can start quilting again. A great pastime for the winter months.

[Tammy C]

A busy family.The house is really coming along.

You should have taken a picture of Tom with his woodworking!

I hope the blueberries work out with lots of them growing.

[Katelyn Wahlquist]

Y'all sure have been working quickly on Johnathan's house!! It looks really really nice.

Is Johnathan's house far from yours?

Keep up the good work. :)

[Emily Hynes]

Y'all are staying busy! Everything looks beautiful. I really like the quilts. So pretty! So excited for Jonathan and Bethany! Praising the Lord for you! : )

[Bobbi]

The snow is beautiful! I saw about 10 flakes here in Chesterfield. Jonathan's house is beautiful and it's not even finished. I guess the snow will slow him down some. Your entire family is such an inspiration and blessing to me. I hope you all have a safe and blessed Thanksgiving!

Bobbi H.