March 23, 2009
March 19, 2009
Double The Fun
No, the picture above isn't a clever photography trick. Yes, we have just fallen right off of the deep end. A dog living in a house with three children could get bored, so providing her with a doggy playmate will cure that...Right?
Last week, it was just last week, when we adopted Jenny there were NO plans to add another dog so quickly into the family. Really. There are some who know me who don't believe that, but it is true. A call on Saturday from the same rescue Jenny came from let us know that there were two beagle pups coming up from Georgia the following day, was I interested? **
**Proof of my semi-sanity is that we did not adopt both pups. Thank goodness. The other pup was adopted by a friend.
Amazingly it was husband who was really excited by the thought of getting ANOTHER beagle, even though it had been only three days since Jenny arrived.
This is Maggie, only 10 pounds and about 6 months old. She is a doll, and part flying squirrel when she wants to be.
Interestingly enough there was no posing in this photo session, when left on their own (if this chair is free) this is how they will curl up.
March 14, 2009
The dog gets a bed, and another bed and another...
I have been making beds for our new dog Jenny. During the three trips I made to Petsmart in a 24 hour period, I determined that one thing I would not be buying for Jenny was a dog bed. The orthopedic style, the flat kind with egg crate foam inside is just too easy to make. For less than the price of one such bed at Petsmart I was able to buy three egg foam mattress pads at Target. The way I sized and cut them, I was able to get three Jenny-sized beds and have leftovers. She likes them on the floor and they are easy enough to put up on a chair for her afternoon nap. (I know, it is hard to believe, we have only had her for three days and already she has favorite places and routines.) They are now scattered throughout the house.
Using some fabric from my studio, the top is fleece and the bottom is cotton fabric. I used two layers of foam.
Another benefit of the project? The really nice barrel-shaped zippered heavy plastic bags that the foam came packaged in.
They have already been put to good use.
March 12, 2009
The Family Gets a Dog!
If on Monday morning of this week you had told me that I would be sitting here right now with a new dog, I would not have believed it. Tuesday morning found me trading emails with a friend with two new kittens about how this was probably still not the time for a new dog, but maybe in summer.
It would seem that God had another idea.
Before noon on Tuesday I went to pick up our youngest, Seamie, at nursery school and the mother of one of his friends brought in with her the sweetest little puppy. Seamie was so sweet and gentle with the dog and in talking to the mom she mentioned that she does animal rescue and has opened up her home to puppies and young dogs waiting to find their permanent home. I found myself asking 'what sort of breeds do you have? I love hounds.' A moment later she wrote down the name of her rescue group on Petfinder.com (A Puppy's Friend in Blue Bell, PA) so that I could search and find her puppy listings.
Being a practical person, I thought why not just go home and take a look? There was a sweet female beagle among the dogs she had listed, so I sent her an email asking if the beagle was still available.
She was!
After talking for a while we agreed that 'Jojo' (as she was called by her foster family) would come and spend the day with us, so that we could be certain that she would be a good fit with us before we made it permanent. 'Jojo' is between 1 1/2 to 2 years old was rescued from a high-kill shelter in the South. She still has a little ways to go before she gains enough to reach her ideal weight and she is finishing up some medications.
The boys and I went and met 'Jojo' yesterday morning and brought her back to our house. It took less than hour to be permently sure that she is supposed to stay with us.
Five hours and two trips to Petsmart later, 'Jojo' had become 'Jenny' and was acting like she had been living with us for at least a year. Seriously. Her personality is similar to another dog we had for a decade who we loved very much but who died a year ago.
Little Seamie's reaction at age 3 1/2? "It is super wonderful that Jenny is living with us".
It is.
March 10, 2009
Cashmere Hearts
There is nothing better than repurposing something that wasn't new to begin with.
More than once Abby has told me that I like cutting up her clothes. She's right I really do. Her clothes have great textures and embroidery. And when certain pieces weren't brand new to begin with, I don't feel guilty taking a pair of scissors to them. I have my eye on the fine-wale floral corduroy jacket she wore to school today. I can be patient, she will grow out of it eventually. Last summer I made a great bag out of a pair of her embroidered jeans that had amazing pink flowers on the legs and pockets.
The sweater was Abby's, bought at a rummage sale two years ago and worn faithfully by her until recently when she grew out of it. She was the only elementary school child I knew who wore cashmere sweaters..I hate to think of how I am warping her future tastes for the finer things in life...
I threw the sweater in the washer and dryer to felt the fiber up. And then I began to cut.
Even after felting this cashmere feels wonderful.
A quick trip to one of my embroidery floss cases to pick out a color (really messy!).
After stitching up 90% of the heart, I then stuffed it with lavender buds that I bought through eBay and stitched each one closed.
One heart led to another heart...
...Until there were three, ready to hang in a closet, get tucked into a a drawer, sitting in with a yarn stash to keep away pests or to all-around smell great.
March 09, 2009
Time For Tea
I just love tea and all things associated with it. This past Saturday our church hosted a Ladies Tea and I signed up to host a table and decorate it with items from home. The overall theme of the morning was "seasons of life" and the ladies who attended were encouraged to embrace the season of life that each finds themself in and to remember that God is sovereign throughout each and every one.
The theme of my table was 'birthdays' .
The china is Royal Albert's Flower of the Month pattern which I have been collecting on eBay. Since I knew ahead of time who was sitting at my table, each table guest used their birthday month flower pattern, including a friend whose birthday was that very day.
My most cherished item on the table was my birthday candle. I am happy to say that for whatever the reason we stopped burning it in my family when I was around the age of four so I am able to enjoy it today.
We kept the two teapots on the table in constant use.
I'd like to say that my table at home looks like this every time I sit down for tea (it doesn't), but it is such a pleasure to to sit down with friends and make it special.
March 05, 2009
Magical
For several years now I have been knitting a certain baby bootie pattern and the construction of it never fails to amaze me.
There is something magical about starting with two needles and yarn and ending up with a completed baby bootie in wearable form. Since I have made two pairs in the last several days as gifts for new and soon-to-arrive babies of work colleagues of my husband, I thought I would share some pictures. These were made with Blue Sky Alpaca's Organic Cotton. This yarn is extremely soft. One skein is enough for a pair of booties, the i-chord ties and a hat with some left over. The pattern is the 'Stay-On Baby Booties' from Knitting For Baby by Melanie Falick.
Garter stitch soles are knitted first and then stitches are picked up on the three other sides:
The instep is next:
And is quickly completed:
The cuff, with some eyelets evenly spaced for the ties, is the last step, leaving only the i-chord to make:
A sweet baby hat (my design) makes the gift complete.
This final pair was whipped up the other night (they really do go fast) for a new baby girl.
The yarn is Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend (30% silk and 70% merino extrafine wool) and the booties were knit on size 3 double pointed needles. I put a little of a different colorway of the same yarn in it.
I usually don't knit with non-superwash wool for babies when I don't know the laundering habits of the parents, but lately I've been living life on the wild side.
March 04, 2009
Grilled Pizza
Pizza is extremely popular in our house, especially with a little boy who has, shall we say, discriminating tastes when it comes to food. If it were up to Harry, who is 7, we would have pizza at least every other night, if not more often. He won't eat jelly or jam or most fruits or vegetables, yet he loves scrapple. But that's for another post.
Like most people we have a favorite pizza parlor nearby our house, but the cost of several pizzas for a family really adds up. Even though they are really good pizzas with great sauce. After searching around for dough that is good and well-priced (yes I could make it but if we are going to have pizza on a regular basis it won't happen if I am making the dough for it!) our favorite is Trader Joe's for $.99 a bag. However, I don't recommend their sauce, it tastes just like -you guessed it- jarred sauce.
Instead we use this sauce, available at many grocery stores, but amazingly is the cheapest at Whole Foods, for under $2 a can.
Whole Foods also offers a 10% discount when ordering a case (12 cans). One can has enough sauce for two pizzas.
In the past I was never a fan of homebaked pizza. I have since reconsidered.
Once the pizza is assembled (with cornmeal thrown down first on whatever you are assembling the pizza on so that it doesn't stick), I transfer it to the grill using a pizza peel. **Preheat your grill to a med heat (around 450 to 500 degrees) with a pizza stone on the grill, that way your stone will preheat properly.
Close grill and let the pizza cook for about 10 minutes +/-.
And voila! Pizza! My favorite is a white pizza with spinach, Bermuda onion, chopped garlic, goat cheese, roasted red peppers, olive oil and sea salt.
Harry of course will have none of it. But that is what is so nice, everyone in the family gets to have their favorite toppings.
February 28, 2009
Rummaging
There is something special about a Saturday morning rummage sale. If you are the sort of person who enjoys digging through 'treasures' you know what I am talking about.
However this morning wasn't a warm breezy spring morning, it was a cold windy February morning. And still, the line of people snaked its way around the outside of the church building!
This particular rummage sale is special to me. This sale is the very first one of the new year where I live and is a reminder to me that Spring is getting closer. The crowd at this sale is huge and even though I was one of the first 25 people to get inside once it was 9am (and not a second earlier!) the building was quickly stuffed with people.
By 9:30am I had paid for my finds, taken them to the car and was ready for a 'second look' inside. But before I could get in the door I had to get in line, again!
The second time on line was not as long as the first and I noticed quite a number of people there that I had stood in line with the first time around.
There were many lovely finds to be found:
The daisy fabric is going to become a dress for my daughter Abby.
This graphic and fun fabric will be something, someday, I just don"t know what or when.
There is nothing like an old basket, especially when it is $1.
February 25, 2009
Fresh Bread
...They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts... Acts 2:46
There is nothing like the smell of baking bread. Absolutely nothing. I don't know of anyone who can resist the affect of that smell. I love anything that makes the house smell great and the kitchen cozy and warm all at the same time.
The dough I haven't used yet is in the fridge waiting for another day to become bread.
The lunchtime turkey and cheese sandwiches were great and were enjoyed by two little boys with happy hearts.
