New Prim Mama Bunny Dolls

I finished up a couple more bunnies yesterday after our little trip to Starved Rock State Park. They are now listed in my etsy shop!!!

http://rockriverstitches.etsy.com

It was a gorgeous day yesterday, so we decided to make our way to Starved Rock State Park. I had never been there and hubby said he'd been there when he was a boy. Tons of hiking trails! So my legs are a bit sore today. Starved Rock is a huge park and there seemed to be many people like us that had the same idea that Sunday was a perfect day for hiking! Man was it crowded for such a big park! I did manage to get a few pics!

A beautiful shot of the Illinois River. Over on the sand bank were some geese honking away!

Gorgeous Bluebells in bloom!

A bunch more Bluebells!

There were many fishermen out on the Illinois River

Loved these! Dutchman's Breeches

Dutchman's Breeches

Was hoping to get some shots of the waterfalls there, but it was pretty dry. We didn't get that much snow this winter and not much rain either this spring.

These were my favorite! Spring Beauty

There were a lot of these! Yellow Bellwort

So that was my day yesterday! Today it's back to being very cold. Barely made 50º today, but will be close to 70º tomorrow. That's spring for ya!



Red Barn Sale!!!

What a busy weekend! Went by in a flash! I can't belive the weather we have been having! I think it has been getting up into the 80's for about 4 or 5 days now! Crazy I tell ya!
My first order of business yesterday morning, was to head to the annual once a month Red Barn Sale!! It runs once a month from March to October, I do believe. I found this sale last year on their last sale of the year. For all my primitive blogging friends, I tell you what, you would love this sale! And the prices were awesome! I asked the owner for permission to take some photos to post and my blog and she was more then happy to oblige. I'll show you the goodies of what I bought after I show you all the goodies they had for sale!

Oh and have to tell you the photos are not my standard best as I was taking the pics with my iPhone.

And here are the two things that I purchased. The wooden drying rack I got to grow my cucumbers on this year! And the rusty star is way cool! It has a little door in the back that opens so you can put a little candle in there.

So that was my adventure for the early morning. My hubby was telling me that he saw the other day that the eagles were still around here. I didn't think they would be with the temps for the last 4 or 5 days have been in the 80's. The bald eagles come to my area every winter to fish out of the two rivers that we have. So I grabbed some breakfast and headed down to Sunset Marina where hubby saw the eagles. At first I didn't see any and found the only mallard duck pair in the whole place! Here is a shot of the male with his gorgeous emerald head!

Young eagle with his fresh catch! Sorry the eagle pics aren't the best. They were way across the pond.

This pic is when he flew over my head!

When I was sitting there taking the eagle pics, a older gentleman walking his dog asked me if I had been to the marina during the winter taking any pics. I told him no I hadn't. He told me about three weeks ago when it was still cold that one day he counted close to 100 eagles!! He said it was the most he had ever seen in all the years coming to the marina. I am kicking myself now for not going there a month or so ago. Oh well....I will be there next winter!

So after I left the marina I went to the Botanical Gardens to see if I could find some flowers blooming. I found these lovely Daffodils!

And these interesting spring blooming flowers are Siberian Squill. I only have a few spring flowers from the Botanical Center that were outside the gates. I didn't pay to go inside and see the greenhouse area. I'm saving that for another day as I have promised my sister we would go there together. Then I spent the rest of the day doing yard work!

And what did I do today!!!! More yard work! Raking and raking leaves! At least we got it all done.

More Primitive Bunny Rabbits!

Whew!! Finally finished a batch of bunnies yesterday! What should I work on next?? These sweet dolls are now listed in my Etsy Shop. The second one from the left has been sold. I may make a few more if there is a great demand for them.

Maybe I'll go out and find some interesting photos to take. Like something growing!! Will be in the 60's today!! Tomorrow will be the same. Seems crazy, yesterday morning when I got up it was 14º. Come on Spring! I'm still looking for the first robin. My sister and I always have a contest to see who spots one first! 

And in other news. I've gotten totally addicted to Independence USA goat cam. If you know me, then you know I just LOVE goats!! It's located in Pennsylvania. It's of 2 goats, a mother (Pepper) and daughter(Elle). Pepper the black and white goat, gave birth to 3 kids on Friday night and I was able to watch the whole thing! If was truly amazing! The babies are so darn cute!!! They are so funny hopping and skipping around. We are now waiting for Elle the white goat to have her kids anytime now! The owner Frank believes that today or tonight might be the time.  

Link to the webcam on Ustream---> http://ustre.am/HKZb

So everyone have a wonderful Tuesday and hope it's warming up in your neck of the woods!!

Bird Seed Tote Bag Tutorial

Good Tuesday to you!! I've a new tutorial for you! I go through plenty of bird seed for my many bird feeders. I get the seed that is in those bags that are made out poly canvas. I just can't throw them away. There just seems there is something you can do with that durable fabric. So I googled tote bag tutorial and found this blog, Craft Buds with really easy to follow directions. So I made up my own tutorial for a Bird Seed Tote Tutorial!

This bag I made was from a 20 lb. bag of seed. I get the 50 lb bags now if my hubby is with me. On Craft Buds blog she gives you 2 different size bags you can make I used the small 15" size for my bag. I cut mine just a little bit bigger as the front of the bag was almost 16" folded flat.

Now cut a square 15" from the front of the bag and the back of the bag. With both layers together cut a 3" wide x 2 1/2" tall square out of each corner.

Then with your right sides together stitch a 1/4" on both sides and across the bottom of your tote.

Then take your corners and pin them together and stitch.

Then I took the sides that I cut off from the seed bag, which were 15" long by 4" wide and made straps for my tote.

I just folded them length wise with raw edges in the center and stitched down the open edge a 1/4"

Before sewing your straps on, turn over your top edge of your tote under and stitch along that so you don't have a raw edge at the top of your bag. Now find the center of your bag on one side. I just fold it over and make a crease. Then measure 2 1/2" from that center mark and mark with a pen. Then lay one end of the strap up next to the mark so your strap is to the left of the pen mark on the left  side and for the right side of the strap, to the right of the pen mark. There should be a 5" space between the straps in the middle. Sew a square and then a X to secure your straps. Do the same on the other side of your tote.

Then turn your tote right side out and there you have it!!! I will be making a bigger bag with my 50 lb. bag that I have saved. I need something to carry my fiber fill in when I'm stuffing dolls. One of my kitties like to rip up the plastic grocery bags that I normally use. Don't think they will be ripping this bag up!

In other news, I now have a pattern for my new Primitive Mamma Rabbit Bunny and Baby Doll!

The pattern can be found at Pattern Mart, My Etsy shop, Here on my blog and my website, Rock River Stitches. There is a link to Pattern Mart for a instant download over on my right hand column.

And I forgot when I was out taking pictures of the beautiful snow we got last week, I wanted to tell you about this really neat app I got for my iphone. It's called Photosynth. It lets you take panorama photos. You take several photo shots and then it hooks them together as one! Very cool! Here is one I took of my backyard. It's made up of 4 photos "stitched" together as they call it!

Just go to your App Store on your iphone and get Photosynth, its FREE!! Got to love those free apps!

And one last thing, I have a bunny doll that will be ending tonight on ebay! Just click my Ebay link at the top right hand column of my blog.

Have a Wonderful evening my blogger friends!!

New Mama Bunny and Baby Doll

Good Evening my blogger friends! The weekend is here!! Just letting you all know that I have another Bunny Doll for sale and just listed her in my Etsy Shop a little bit ago!

Will start working on a pattern for her tomorrow!!! This doll is a little larger then the one I have listed on my ebay right now.

This morning woke up to the most beautiful sight! We got around 3 inches of beautiful fluffy snow that stuck to everything! I was up at 7 a.m. and out the door at 8:00 to take some pics. I wanted to get some great shots before the wind blew all the snow off the branches. So now that we got some beautiful snow.... Spring can move in now! LOL

Birdhouse that the squirrels live in.

Sun coming out and peaking through the trees!

Made a trip to Black Hawk State Park

Snow covered pine tree at Black Hawk Park

Then made a trip to Riverside Park and then back home again to get some breakfast.

Tufted Titmouse

House Finch

Have a Wonderful Weekend!!!