Meet The Fur Babies…

Yes, I am also the crazy Dog Lady. Currently we have 4 dogs. Several are rescues. I have also fostered multiple litters of puppies. Dogs give you the most unconditional love that there is. My dog Koko, who crossed the rainbow bridge last year, helped me through the most difficult times on my life. She licked away my tears through the death of both my husbands and both my parents. She was the one thing I could always count on.

I remember when I was pregnant, I worried that Koko would be jealous of Haley. I was so wrong. I took one of Haley’s blankets at the hospital home and let her sniff it, so she would know what she smelled like before she came home. I was amazed. Koko was her biggest protector. She laid under her baby swing. When someone came to visit she would move out a few feet to be in front of the swing so she could decide who was going to get close to her baby. She knew I was pregnant before I did, laying her head on my belly. I actually thought something was wrong with her.

All the way to the Left is Moka. She is our puppy. I went to get her after my Koko died. She is a crazy girl. But I love her. She has big shoes to fill. The ones in the middle are the little dogs. The little white on is Ruger, my only male dog. He thinks I am his property. He rolls all over me as if he was making me his. He ways all of six pounds and intimidates the heck out of Moka. The Chubby Chug (Chihuahua pug Mix) is Snibble. My late Husband Derrick rescued her from a farm. There were twelve puppies and she was the only girl. She was all bit up and the boys would never let her eat. She has a totally Chihuahua attitude. The Third picture is Clover (and Moka as a puppy). She is a three legged Flat Coat Labrador. She was a rescue that we were supposed be “fostering”. That was about 9 years ago. She gets around great for a dog missing a front leg.

Charm Squares for my Great Niece

I made this quilt for my Great Niece Addison. I used charm squares of reproduction fabrics. I love precuts, but often find them a bit expensive. I have found a couple of places that has very reasonable prices. I would suggest Missouri Start Quilt Co. https://www.missouriquiltco.com/. They offer a daily deal and very often it is on precuts. On April 1st, they sold a pack of precuts for 25 cents. I just bought the daily deal the other day for $1.95. Now, you do have to pay $5.00 for shipping, but I bought an extra pack of Daily deals at the regular price (8.95) and also received a free pattern for spending over $10.00. I belive my total was less than $16.00 for two charm packs and a pattern, delivered to my door in just a couple of days. Well worth the money.
My other favorite place to buy discount precuts, is http://www.craftsy.com/. They have a clearance section and have had up to 70% off. Shipping is also very reasonable. Craftsy is also a great place for ideas and patterns. More on that later.

I am not paid to say any of this stuff. Just want to pass along good information to fellow sewers/quilters.

A Quilt for my Grandchild…. Wait I don’t have one….

So, 4 weeks before my 40th birthday, my daughter Haley was born. I remember my sister telling me how awesome it will be when I go sign her up for kindergarten and I am old enough to be the other kid’s parents. Funny, but not funny. So, I am a 52 year old with a 12 year old daughter….. Oddly, I was told I could never have children and “surprise”. She is the love of my life, even when she tries me, which happens daily.

One of the many things I love to do is make quilts, especially baby quilts. I make them for friends that are having babies, nieces and nephews etc. I make others also, but for some reason, baby things are appealing to me.

So, if my daughter waits as long as I do to have children, I might not get to meet them. Sad. However, I want to make sure they have a quilt from their grandmother. I have made so many for others. Just sort of like my grandkid insurance. This is the first one I made for my future grandchild. My daughter (AKA future grandchilds parent) is holding the quilt.

I actually started the quilt when Haley was a baby. I love Red and it just appealed to me for some reason. I believe that the pattern was in a Better Homes and Garden quilt book. I should look it up. When I went back and looked at the quilt, I noted my signature mistake. By Signature mistake, I mean that there always is at least one in every quilt I make. There is a piece that is sideways. Maybe I should make that my signature. Make at least one thing sort of goofy.

Why Do This?

I think it’s because I have a lot of what I think is useful information to pass along. I have lived long enough to try and test many things. I have an adventurous nature, so I will try new things. Even if it turns out that only my daughter reads it someday, and I provided her with some benefit, then I consider it a success.

I have a few passions in life. One, my daughter Haley. While she is totally a handful, there is nothing like being a Mom. Secondly, I love dogs. Currently, I have four and they are my fur kids. Thirdly, I love to sew and make things, especially if they are functional. I also love to cook. I wish I had more time to do it, but I do a lot of work on how to make really good stuff in a short time.

So, I am a widow, twice. Pretty sure I have some useful information to pass on here. This is multiple articles all in itself. Yes, there is man out there crazy enough to be involved with the black widow, so I may have some useful advice for dating late in life. I have actually considered writing a book titled the Widow’s Tale, telling of my experiences. Who knows, maybe one day I will.