Tag: Dogs

Finally, some progress…but what a pain

So, I finally was able to work on a bit of quilting.  However, things did not go as planned.  I never like my quilting.  I wanted something very specific for my Dog Bone Dresser scarf, mainly Dog Bones, duh.  So, I decided to use that sticky saran wrap “Glad Press and Seal”.  There were good things and bad things about it.  So, I don’t exactly hate the quilting.  Dog 20170128_205041bones actually look like dog bones.  However, now that I am done with the quilting, I am pretty sure I have spent more time picking out that “Press and Seal” wrap than I actually spend quilting the entire piece.  The other part was that while doing the quilting, I found that the “press and Seal was not easy to re-position.  Once you start quilting and compress your quilt sandwich, I found that the “Press and Seal: needed adjusted and it was not possible.

I put the entire design on, including sqiggely lines.  I found it difficult to follow.  Most of the time I did my own squigglies until I got to the dog bone.  Then I follow the pattern.  I have three other pieces to make for our bedroom.  I think I will make a dog bone template and use a Frixion Pen.  I don’t need a template for squiggely lines.  That I have under control.  The hands are getting better, so hopefully I can get back into my routine and be less cranky.  If anyone has had luck using “cling Wrap”, I would love for someone to tell me why it was so difficult and if there is an easy way to remove all that plastic.  I am curious how everyone else marks their quilts now that I becoming more adventurous with my quilting.

Happy Quilting

Happy Sewing

Treasure your family

The holidays totally got the best of me…..

20170107_184745_resizedI had some time off, but I was not off during the entire holiday season like I am used to. I user a lost (most) of my vacation time with Miranda’s Accident.

As always, I have big plans for my quilting/Sewing and it did not happen. My sewing room is a disaster, because we had company for new years. This means that everything got dumped in my room. I look at it right now and it frightens me. Trying to move stuff a bit at a time, but it seems to be daunting task.

I wanted to make a page for all the items I really need to finish this year. Did not that done either. Of Course On December 30th I was at the Immediate Care with Bronchitis. It figures. Company coming and I am sick. I made it through, and had fun. Two of my sister came for the New year, which had never happened before. We had a Chinese gift exchange which involves stealing gifts etc…. I wound up with a toilet light. It was meant to be funny (and it is) but I also find is useful. Makes me not have to turn on lights when I get up at night. Unfortunately, my nephew Alex got the gift I provided. Cottenelle wipes, Toilet Paper and PooPourri. Needless to say He won for worst gift. It was worth a laugh though.

I did manager to work on my English Paper Piecing and finished the one that will go on my dresser. Dog Bones for the crazy Dog Lady. I have now begun work on the nightstands and will eventually get to Kevin’s dresser. I like to work on my English paper piecing while I am watching TV with Kevin or my daughters. Gives me something to do besides snack.
I plan to attempt to quilt dog bones on the dog bone dresser scarf. Will see how that goes.

Happy Quilting
Happy Sewing
Happy 2017
Treasure your Family

The Christmas Village complete with Quilt Shop….of course

Ha20161213_183932ppy Holidays from my house to yours.  We begin our trip through the Christmas village with a stop at the quilt shop (what else?).  This is one of my favorite pieces.  I hunted/waited for while to find it.

So, my village has multiple places that are important in a special way.  SO, I have the log cabin and wild animals, compelte with an outhouse.  This is Derrick’s place (my late husband)/  He was totally an outdoor guy and wanted a log cabin.  In front of that we have our Ohio State House and Fan center, complete with Tailgate party.  THis is for our biggest OSU an and my manfriend, Kevin.

Over on the other side of the village we have Uncle Donald’s place  Complete with Farm House, Barn, silo and tractor. Yep, the same Uncle Donald that made quilts.  Gong to his farm and visiting him and Aunt Helen was one of my favorite thing20161213_183936s to do.

Then of course we have a few of my favorite things.  A dog rescue and a dog training academy.  We have these in honor of my late great Koko, that spurred my deep love and affection for dogs.  We now have 4 dogs and have rescued many other and a few kitties along the way.  I tried to bring home a baby fox that came to my car one day, and Kevin put his foot down..  They were so cute.  I know he was right.  I am sure Momma was not far away.

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I totally love the fountain Kevin got me this year.  It changes colors and actaully has water in it.  It is so pretty.  He knows the things I love.20161213_184012-1

Of course we have
Bethlehem.  It sets up from the village in a
desert.  The whole village is about 15 feet long.  There are so many build
ings.  I even have more that don’t make it on to the table because I am out of room.

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One of the oldest pieces I have is the ice skating ring,  where there is actual ice skating going on.  I am sure I have had this one for nearly 25 years.  And yes that is Santa flying over the ice skating ring.  Christmas Music also plays as Santa flys above the village.  I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season.  My best to all of you and your families.

Happy Quilting

Happy Sewing

Happy Holidays

Treasure your family

Something for the Fur Babies

20161112_162030_resized_1My dogs usually tear off bandannas.  I think they are cute, but for whatever reason they come untied and I find them in the yard.  So, I decided to make some that slipped over their collar.  Super cute and easy.

My First model is Moka.  She was not happy about wearing the bandanna. Not sure why, It complemented her Ohio State collar and dog tags.  She wasn’t happy last Christmas when I put her in a holiday sweater either.  She rolled around on the floor for hours til she wiggled out of it.  She eventually found a way to get it in her mouth and I had to remove it before is got Mokaed (destroyed).

My second model is Snibble.  She liked her bandana.  Especially since it made our resident20161112_154733_resized_1 OSU fan happy (Kevin).  Snibble has been madly in love with him since she met him.  We are all OSU fans, but I have to say, Kevin is the only one that arranges the shirts in his drawer by: OSU Football, OSU Basketball, anything related to New York (that is where he is from) and misc.  Heaven forbid I put something in the wrong pile. LOL.

 

The lucky bandannas must have worked, because OSU won in a smashing victory and some of their top opponents fell also, which should make them rise in the polls.  Which makes everyone at my house happy.

 

Happy Quilting

Happy Sewing

Treasure your Family

Progress, in several areas

Well. my hospital hexies are finally looking like something.  I feel like I have made progress.  I believe my plan will be to make a scarf for my dresser.    Seems fitting since I am the crazy dog lady.  As I type this there is one at my feel and one on the chair next to 20161003_195603_resizedme and one on my lap.  This is a great travel project because everything I need fits into my little dog bag (of course).  In my photo, you can see my Ruger.  This was my late Husbands “Hunting Dog”.  He weights six pounds and is scared of ants, so I am not sure what he would hunt.  Cute as a button though.  He is the only male dog in my herd, so he thinks any female is his.  He frequently rolls all over me as if he is making me his and then gives Kevin the evil eye.  Miss Moka’s paws are on the table where they should not be.

Other progress is with my beautiful daughter Miranda.  I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  It has been six weeks now since her accident and she makes progress everyday.  I update my Miranda’s Journey page often.  It has saved me many many phone calls and texts.  Friends and family know they can go to the page and get an update on how she is doing.  We still have a long road ahead, but we will get their.  Thanks to everyone for their support.

Ahhhh….What I learned this time…

Quilting is always an adventure.

So I finished the piece that I pebbled.  While I was pretty happy with the quilting on this one (odd for me), I learned a couple of lessons, again.

20160813_210935First, I read a lot of stuff.  There were quite a few people that recommended using quilting gloves.  I could not figure out how that would help me.  So, after considerable time, I ordered a pair.  They actually sat on the kitchen counter until I was half way through this piece (I have no idea why).   I happen to pass by the kitchen counter and grabbed them and holy cow did it make a difference. It was so much easier to move the piece around.  I bought Machingers and they worked awesome.  It was a great $10 investment towards my quilting sanity (I need to stop being so cheap).

20160813_210942Second thing I learned is to pay attention to everything.  I used some scraps from a dog quilt I made some time ago.  I hung onto them because I am the crazy dog lady.  I usually use scrap pieces of batting on these small pieces.  I have a giant bag of them in my sewing room.  So, I grabbed one that was big enough without a lot of thought.  Started he quilting and noticed that it stuck to everything.  I had pieces of this batting on everything.  Looking at it after it was too late, I discovered that it was some sort of odd polyester.  Thinking about it, I found it odd that I would have ever made a quilt with it.  I think it might have been a piece of snow from my Christmas village that someone  accidentally stuck in my batting bag.  So, I don’t like how this piece feels.  It is so lightweight.  But, it has my cute dog fabric, so I will have to use it.  Lesson learned.  Pay attention to everything.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

 

Uncle Donald’s Quilt – Yes, he made it.

My Great Uncle Donald and Aunt Helen lived on a farm in Ohio. My sister Karen and I loved to go there. The county pound was on their property and we would go play with the dogs and beg my Dad to take one home every time. I remember my Dad letting my sister drive. She was about 12. IT was a place you could do things that you normally didn’t get to do at home. We would spend hours walking on their white fence to see how far we could get without falling off. Some of my fondest memories as a child.

Well, Uncle Donald was one of nine children. He was the only boy. As Aunt Helen told me when she gave me this quilt. He didn’t have a choice. All the sisters were quilting, so if he wanted something to do, he had to join in. It is funny I have quilts form my grandmother and it wasn’t until I got Uncle Donald’s quilt that I realized how much they all meant. I now had visions of my grandmother, her sisters and Uncle Donald all sitting around quilting. I am not sure that is how it happened, but I like to think about it that way.

Uncle Donald made a beautiful quilt. I will always treasure it. I miss him, Aunt Helen and Monnie (my grandmother).
Happy Sewing
Happy Quilting
Treasure your family

Yes, I got my dog a Birthday Cake

So, it was my Moka’s birthday and being the crazy dog lady, I got her a cake. I also got special treats for the other dogs so everyone could share in the celebration. She is a crazy puppy that feels compelled to sit in my lap in a any chair (including lawn chairs). I think she thinks she is like our little dogs and figures if they can sit on my lap so can she.

Hug your pet.

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.