oscar needs a makeover

Been watching the Oscars - Best part of the show was the Bob Hope Clip. Loved him, Johnny Carson and Billy Crystal when they hosted. Although, I don't think I ever saw Hope host the Oscars. I think my memories of him are from USO tours and such. Other good parts -- The "in memoriam" section, Sandra Bullock and Jeff Bridges as presenters and also Colin Firth's acceptance speech and the older man who won for writing the screenplay for that movie. Rest --Pretty B-o-r-i-n-g.

this is fun

I discovered how to schedule posts over the weekend so since this is a busy week and I'm leaving Thursday for a long weekend in MS I decided to write a few short posts and schedule them through the week.  I did a test one when I first discovered the secret of scheduling  and it worked great so hopefully these will work as well.  Anyway, I've been wanting to make the girls some aprons they can wear when helping me in the kitchen and thought kitchen towels would work well.  This is what I've got so far. 

They are embroidered and I've pinned the pleats.  I'm going to use some nice white muslin that I have to make the waistbands with ties long enough to make pretty little girl bows in the back.  They will be big on them now but these aprons should still be usable when they are teenagers and beyond. I hope they will like them.  Maybe they will model them when I get finished.

gibbs update

Gibbs is doing great!  He is getting really good about going in the crate if I need to put him up so I can leave the house for church or errands.  As long as I toss a treat in he is good to go.  He loves to chase his squeaky ball outside.  Since I don't practice my tossing skills on a regular basis, my long throws may be long or may not be either way he runs after the ball and then runs around making it squeak.   We are working on bringing it back to me and leaving it at my feet - still a ways to go.  Inside he likes to chew on his bones.  He will chew and chew and chew and then chew some more.  He's been here for a good week now so soon, he will be meeting Jed.  I'm not really worried because Jed likes to be the boss and Gibbs does not.  He will do whatever it takes not to create conflict so things should go very smoothly:))  So what is he doing right now??

I know -- I'm spoiling him already.  He wants to stay in the room where I am so if I'm on the computer, he naps on the bed or chews his bone at my feet.

He's got a big test this weekend.  We will see how well he does traveling to Cleveland, staying with a dog sitter and then traveling back to Nashvegas.  It will be interesting.

another finish

I got busy on Saturday and finished the table runner I had started. Everything I needed except batting and thread was included in the kit which made it nice.

I changed up the back a little by cutting the two strips of rectangles and ending up with four columns of blocks instead of just two.

shirring sure is easy!

Vail is looking forward to a peasant dress that I'm going to make when it gets closer to summer.  I was looking over the pattern and saw that it involved some shirring of the bodice.  You can't tell from the picture on the pattern front.  Anyway, that kind of discouraged me so I looked it up on the Internet.  I got a spool of elastic thread, wound a bobbin by hand, found a scrap  similar to the fabric the dress will be made from and followed the directions in the tutorial I found.  Easy peasy!   Shirring sure is easy!!

new table runner

I got several "kits" from Connecting Threads a while back. Though nice enough, their fabric doesn't sew as nicely as others I've used and I don't know that I'll order a lot from them in the future but these kits  will definitely be great for practicing free motion since they are  more manageable in size than a quilt. Here is the one I'm working on now.

I think its very springy and it is going to look great on my kitchen table.  I've got to finish stitching down the applques and then I'll add the batting and backing and let the quilting practice begin!

i think he’s a keeper

Gibbs (formerly Fargo) has been here since Thursday afternoon.  He seems to have decided he likes the place.  Like most rescue dogs, he came with some baggage.   I think we can get rid of most of it.  He is very submissive – not shy at all but often if you try to pet him by bringing your hand down toward the top of his head he will cringe or duck away and that’s just one example.  He doesn’t like to get in the car but once in there he travels ok as far as not pacing or jumping around although he does act nervous.  Hopefully time will help with that.
He loves to chew so I’m collecting chew toys.  Lots of rawhide bones and ropes with knots and stuff like that.  He loves the kids and will run with them outside.  He loves to cuddle too.  I’ve already signed us up for obedience classes at Petsmart.  They won’t start for a couple of weeks.



He doesn’t like getting in a kennel either but once in there he just sits.  I’ve left him in the kennel twice and couldn’t really tell that he did anything except lick out all the peanutbutter I had put in his toy.

All in all I think he is adjusting very well to his new home.

it's time for valentines

Jennifer got some t-shirts for her kids and a couple of applique designs and this is what we ended up with
Vail

Katy

Micah

Usually I place the designs too high -- this time they may be a little low but I do think I got them centered and for me that's not all that easy.  T-shirts are not my favorite things to embroider.

Dog News:  Met Fargo today -- liked him very much.  I'm meeting another dog Wed

weekend recap

No dog yet.  Tomorrow we meet Fargo -- here's what I know about him so far

"Fargo is an amazing dog...absolutely easy breezy!!! Fargo appears to be an aussie/corgi mix....he is super laid back. Fargo is 3-4 years old and weighs about 45 lbs. He is a full sized Aussie on Corgi legs, gets along great with other dogs, kids, and everyone in between. Fargo is housebroken, neutered, up to date on shots, microchipped, and current on preventatives."

He's a cutey and I am looking forward to meeting him.

Earlier this week I took some time off from this --
Quilting

and binding --

and made these for my bedroom

I got a super deal from Fabric.com at 4.98 a yard.  They didn't have enough stripe so I used the check on the big window.  I like the eclectic look.  I also made two panels of just the stripe for the bonus room.  I need to do a little tweaking of the clips so that they aren't dragging on the floor (or get so used to seeing them that I just forget about it :)) I'm glad to finally have some curtains in my bedroom.  Kind of softens the windows.  Now I just need to find an old door to clean up and use as a headboard.

I still managed to finish binding the monkey quilt and don't tell Jess but I've finished her quilt except for the hand-sewing on the binding. 

Vail and Kates are asleep in the guest room and I'm going to do a little "hand-sewing" and hit the hay myself.

petey left the country

Petey is so ugly he's cute:)

He looks like a good  old southern boy -- he was described as a boxer but there is some bulldog in there somewhere I think.  I was really hoping to meet him but Petey left for Canada today.  I hope he finds a nice family up there.

In the meantime, I have a "rescue" lady who wants me to meet Sugar

She is a border collie mix and is described as very gentle and laid back.  She is being fostered by a family with three kids.  I might also ask her about this year old cattle dog too.  His name is bandit.

Petey's rescue lady wants me to call her about some other dogs too.   I'm going to see about meeting 

Buddy  a two year old lab

 

 and Benny the beagle

Looks like I'll be lookin' at dogs tomorrow.  Wish me luck.

I took my temperature . . . .

I'm ill.  I have a fever, not the flu -- thank goodness -- but  serious nonetheless.  They call it "dog" fever.  In my delirium I am obsessed with this

and this


and of course this

there are also these


Can you blame me?  All those puppy eyes and pink tongues.  They all look sooooo sweet but one is really tugging at my heart strings.  Can you guess who it is?
I’ve been told to take two aspirin and go to bed – I’ll feel better in the morning.  I hope  so.  I’m afraid I’m wearing out my computer looking at all these faces.