Ripping out blackwork

So while waiting for numerous analysts to actually get yearly changes to me for updates, I've been working on my blackwork here and there at work. Today I realized though that I left my pattern at home.
It shouldn't be too hard to do it without right? I've stitched the entire motif like 4 times already.

So begins the ripping out stage. After the fifth time ripping stitches out I just gave up for the day.

On another note though, Today was Alyvia's 6 month (okay so its a little late) pictures. Here is the sneak peek pic from Kimi Pollett Photography!

I love my child I love my child I love my child.

After this *awesome* week of day shift (actually its not that bad) I realized I hadn't snooped *ahem* visited all of the blogs I normally check out -- seeing all of your work both inspires and motivates me to work harder, smarter and faster :).
Lyvy has decided this week of all weeks to start pulling herself to a standing position now with the help of anything thats around (seriously I have been woken up a few times this week when she pulled herself up on the side of the bassinet, reached over and started patting my face as if to say "mamma, I wanna play now". -- Time for the crib). Her favorite is in the pac-n-play in the living room. Thats our baby holding tank! We've used that since she was born because of the awesome changing table part and the bassinet level. We spend most of our time in the living room or kitchen anyways so it made better sense to have her close and have everything we needed to take care of her in a pinch close as well.

The baby jail!

Except yesterday she hoisted herself up, started playing with the changing center and in the space of less than a minute, had pull all of the lotions/powders and whatnots out of one side and chucked them at the floor, found the collection of no-go binkies and pacifiers (we had a trial and error period with them) and had arranged them inside the playpen with her, and had pulled about 15 wipes out of the container and was in the process of shredding them (have I mentioned my baby likes to play with paper?)
Needless to say, bassinet layer came out, and now shes in the larger deeper main area.

After being rescued,
Pardon my naked baby it was hot
today and we'd just had breakfast!

But this presents a problem. She has so much room, and can wiggle around and crawl more that she gets tuck. Don't ask me how my little ball of cuteness does it, but during my blog surfing she has gotten her head mushed up into the fabric screen area twice and not been able to back out, shes gotten the blanket wrapped around her legs 3 times and has somehow gotten the ears of her bunny tucked into the top of her diaper and couldn't get it out.
I swear it seems like every 2-3 minutes I am saving her from something.
Could just be that she wants an apple straw :)

Also an update on my drawers: I dislike blackwork. Yeah I don't like it. I thought I did before but I'm just, not really a fan of it. I'll do it when its appropriate but I'm not gonna lie. I have no ambition to be super great at it.
I found an awesome pattern from here http://www.dragonbear.com, and decided to use the column/acorn pattern from the second sampler. I just changed out the acorns for flames (WOOOT). First - geometric flames are ridiculous. I mean retarded for me to draw. Mostly because I have very little experience with drawing as an art form. I always know what I want the end result to look like but that never seems to translate to the paper when I free form draw.
-Anyways!-

They do not look like mushy pineapples!

I ended up with this :



Ty says the flames look more like odd shaped pineapple than flames, but I thought they were as flamey as I could manage after 10-14 different tries of drawing them. I think the biggest issue I'm having with this pattern is there is no center line, no true running line to branch off of. Every single motif you see on there has been stitched differently. Every single one. And that's getting on my nerves. I liked the repetition of a determined pattern, its easier for me to memorize and then I go much much faster.

In any case, if you actually followed the link, on the same sampler the very bottom piece is what I've chosen for my ACC cuffs :D

This week its pocket, and underskirt.

Now off to rescue Lyvy again, I'm sure the bunny is beating her up!

I don't think I can, I KNOW I can!

I really can. I really really can.

I start a new detail tomorrow morning - yeah I said morning. For those that know me, I've been a swing shift employee for almost all of my nearly 13 years in service. But this project is a unique opportunity to go to day shift until November and I couldn't very well pass it up.
So tomorrow at 8 am, I am supposed to report to work. We'll see how this goes.

The odd thing is, I seem to do more in the evenings. Not sure why since I seem to have more time during the day (I generally get up between 9-11 and don't have to be to work until 4). and then more time after work, but the few times I was on day shift I managed to get more done.

In any case....
I am almost finished hand sewing the rolled seams on my drawers, then I'll start my black work. Why did I hem them first and now will start the black work instead of the other way around? Eh.. cause I wanted to. My hand sewing is going MUCH MUCH faster now, so I'm less daunted by the other hand sewing garments I'm considering throwing into the plan. After I get a few things done in my house today I plan on finishing that seam off and starting my blackwork so hopefully there'll be a picture added tonight of some progress.
I'm also going to be working on covers for our camp chairs.

After following Serephina's blog about her shade fly thingy - I knew I could made one too. We've talked about it alot in  سيربينت  بلازينج just to get different ideas of how to make our encampment better. So instead of using duck cloth or canvas I'm practicing on $2 a yard pretty cotton brocade I got at home fashion fabric. Its actually in our house colors and I have some pretty blue cotton that I'll be using to decorate and make the camp chair covers to match.
There are several plans for this house, including the portcullis, the shade flys, and the cooler covers! I love that I have so many crafty people surrounding me that want to make our environment look more period :D

And the last thing I want to get done today, is work on my ACC entrant information. I need to get it submitted so I have something to show that I'm ready for it.

Oh yeah, plus some paperwork called Letters of Intent (*deeep breath*). Gotta get those done too.

The Artemisian Costume Challenge and a question...

So how tickled am I that Mstr Bianca decided to do a challenge similar to the IRCC?
VERY!!
But now this presents a double problem as I want to complete in both. But I want to have a different outfit for the ACC. The only difference really I can see between the two competitions is the $100 limit on the ACC and it doesn't have to be Italian.  -- Oh and the documentation.
Challenge website All of the nifty bits are there.

ALSO! How awesome is it the amount and level of people who are going to be participating! I have just about ALL my material necessary for this project, and with a quick though of "hey if I use this fabric for ACC, instead of IRCC, I can just buy more for IRCC and then I won't go anywhere near my $100 budget!!" Fabulous how that works.

But there is one dilemma.

I need to pick something to make!!!

Yeah that part is already got me picking my brain. I ran across this

when I was sifting thru pictures on my computer yesterday. Other than the last layer blue fitted doublet style dress I've made "this" before. I like that the kirtle isn't clear up to the neck  and I can still get away with showing some cleavage. Plus those poofy Sleeves!! 
"Does it have puff sleeves??"
Why yes it does!!
I think this in fact might be the winner for my gown.

But what do you think?