Oh Molly!

Miss Molly is a terror with toys. She is an outstanding dog toy demolish-er. I think she has finally outgrown actually eating them but famous last words ~ right? She loves stuffed toys. Petco sells small, inexpensive ones...relatively. They are still $5 for 2 of them. We bought her a couple last week and it wasn't but an hour or two before one had to be taken away. Did I tell you my daughter calls her the "Monster Dog" lol?

Molly especially likes stuffed toys that crinkle. I decided to try sewing some toys. Toys without too many seams. Or ears. Feet. Tails. Stuffing. Anything that can be ripped off. Or out. You know what I mean!

I bought some fleece throw blankets for $3 and some interfacing. Heaven knows I have plenty of salvaged squeakers. Then I saw these fun, brightly colored terry bath cloths. Wouldn't those be easy to toss into the washer when they get all dog-spitty? I bought two, just to try. 

I cut a piece of high-loft batting to fit. Washed the (crunchy sounding) inner plastic bag of a cracker sleeve and cut a piece to fit and sewed it all up with a squeaker inside. 

Presto! A fun, crinkly, squeaky dog toy!

Molly LOVED it! It squeaks! It crinkles! Whee!

Her newest, most favorite-ist toy ever! 

She also demolished it in about 6 minutes flat, pulling out strings of the terry-cloth.

*sigh* 

Back to the drawing board. Maybe the fleece will hold up better? Fabric ideas, anyone?

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Knick Knack Paddy Whack

I swear, pets are as worrisome as small children.

So...I get home from work today after stopping for some groceries. A serious cold front is coming in tomorrow with a chance of wet weather so I sure won't want to go then. I let Molly out to pee and put the groceries away. Then I have go out to scold her for watching-herding-chasing cars along the fence instead of peeing. So she dashes over to run the fence with the neighbor dogs. She's been 9 hours without a bathroom break. I go over, tap her on top of the head as she runs by and tell her, "Go pee!" She does so we head back into the house.

"Hey! What is this all over your front legs?

Blood? 

Stop, Molly! Hold still!"

I grab a gauze pad and some bandage out of the cabinet and wrap up her front paw. I can tell she is bleeding from near her dew claw but there is so much blood I can't tell how bad it is. Off we go to the vet, which is just a minute down the street from our house. Our vet is so nice! I walked in and after the receptionist took our names to pull up Molly's records she took her right in. No call, no appointment. Not ten minutes later they brought her back out...bandaged up with a supply of pain  medicine and antibiotics. There wasn't a ridiculous "emergency visit" bill either. 

Somehow Molly broke off a claw in the five minutes she was outside alone. Sigh. Some day she will be an old, lazy dog!

Uhhh...I'm a Border Collie. Were you expecting easy? 

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Tree Reindeer

I cannot believe it's THAT time of year already! How can it be mid-November already? Wasn't it just Valentine's Day? This year has gone by in the blink of an eye.

Many thanks to Mary T. for the inspiration of this design. I hope everyone enjoys our little deer topping the tree with a star this year!

To receive a copy of the design email me at daffy-cat AT hotmail DOT com. Tell me the name of the design you are requesting. This one is "Tree Reindeer." Don't freak out if a couple of days pass before I respond. I work full time and don't always have time to play on the computer. If you don't receive an email from me within a few days, check your spam folder ~ it's probably there.

By the way...I appreciate comments left here for encouragement!

Please respect my copyright and do not upload my designs to any website or share with other people. Yes, they are free but I still retain copyright.

My designs are published as PDF. You must have the free Adobe Reader installed on your computer to view/print my patterns ~ or a similar PDF viewer.

As always, you can click the cat in my sidebar to see my other free cross stitch designs. They are all still available for the asking.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

When All Else Fails...Show Some Boobies

For lack of a better title. Or photo. Just try Googling "boobies" to find a photo. Or maybe not!

Every October I tell myself I need to get a mammogram done. I'm 45 and I should have had four of them by now but for some reason I keep putting it off. Fail. Busy with this and that. Forget to call for an appointment, only thinking of it when it's late in the evening. Excuses. Excuses!

When Cathey's breast cancer returned I thought about it more often. Busy, busy, forget, forget. More fail. Then Cathey died. I promised myself I would get my mammogram done. I stopped being busy and I stopped forgetting to call and make an appointment. I owed it to Cathey and to myself.

Yesterday I went and showed my boobies to a stranger who mashed them flat and took photos. But she was a nice stranger! It was nothing like everyone said. It wasn't painful or even uncomfortable. That said, I have an extreme pain tolerance but it didn't hurt at all. (I still feel pain but it takes rather a lot to bother me.) Plus, it took all of 20 minutes and that included filling out all the forms.

They called today with my results...and everything looks great. Which is awesome but I've already got a reminder set on my phone to make my appointment for next year.

You! Are you over 40? Have you had your mammogram? Tell us!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

November ORT Report

Last month was so depressing I have no words to express. Losing Cathey was heartbreaking. I want to thank those of you that participated in my Pumpkins for Cathey event. I am sure all the blog posts gave our dear Pumpkin a bit of cheer.

My ORT jar greatly suffered my lack of stitching mojo. How sad:

Let's see your ORTs! TUSALers leave a comment on this post with the address to your November update. If I decide to host a giveaway at the end of the year you will receive an extra entry! Are you wondering what on Earth a TUSAL is? Click here for info!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

A Sad Day

I have news I hate to share with you. Cathey has passed away today. Katie posted to her blog today to let us know. 

Read here.

I am heartbroken for her family.

Thank you for visiting my blog today.

xox

October ORT Report

Happy New Moon! It's time to share those ORTs you've been saving for the Totally Useless Stitch A Long! I just LOVE all the creative ways people come up with to share, don't you? Mine are same-old-boring but shown here with a new start:

This is Secret Pumpkin Patch by the Trilogy. With all the pumpkins floating around out there, I was in the mood for stitching a few! I'm using the suggested DMC with a couple of changes so the treads show up on my fabric.

Speaking of pumpkins...thank you all so much for the great turn-out to my celebration of Pumpkin Day event. I am working on getting the link list together so there is an easier way to visit the participants. 

This would be a really boring TUSAL post without mentioning Molly-dog, wouldn't it? She's so grown-up-looking. Still an ornery, mischievous and sometimes downright stupid puppy! Like getting too excited playing I'm-a-vicious-wolf while I was brushing her and getting smacked smart for accidentally biting me. Molly will be a year old in only a few weeks.

This is a peanut butter flavored chew bone. It's been carefully hidden between the laundry hamper and the night table. Shhhh, pretend you don't see the bone! If you see the bone, Molly will have to find a new hiding place! These have become a fast favorite toy. Molly even knows this toys name, it's so special. I can ask, "Where is your peanut butter bone?" and Molly will dash off to find one!

Now let's see your ORTs! TUSALers leave a comment on this post with the address to your October update. If I decide to host a giveaway at the end of the year you will receive an extra entry! Are you wondering what the heck a TUSAL is? Click here for info!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Pumpkins for Cathey

Happy Pumpkin Day!

Decoupage Pumpkins

Pumpkin Day? What is that you ask? It's Cathey's, AKA Pumpkin Patch & Co's blogoversary. 

Mini Crochet Pumpkins

Happy blogoversary, Cathey! Surprise!

Paper Pumpkins

Why am I celebrating Cathey's blogoversary in such a public way? And why on Earth are all these "Pumpkins for Cathey" posts appearing all over needlework blogland? It's my fault! You see, Cathey has cancer and sometimes she gets really upset because she has so much to live for and this cancer just keeps coming up with something else and something else again.

Fall Fabric Pumpkins

I wanted Cathey to know we are rooting for her. I wanted her to know we love her and how much we care. So I sat down one day and emailed everyone I knew and even people I didn't know, "Let's surprise Cathey on her blogoversary!"

Popcorn Ball Pumpkins

And here we are.

Duct Tape Pumpkins

Cathey, this is for you! I had so many of our fellow bloggers respond to my, "Let's surprise Cathey!" plea with an, "OMG, yes, let's do it!" I was totally flabbergasted how many responded. Most of the people commenting here will be leaving a link to their own "Pumpkins for Cathey" post.

Cathey, I hope you know how very much you are cherished.

xoxoxox

If you posted a "Pumpkins for Cathey" picture on your blog please leave a link to that post in the comments.

If you never received the email about this event and would like to show your support for Cathey in her fight against cancer, you can post a pumpkin photo on your blog and title the post "Pumpkins for Cathey." Linking to this post and to Cathey's blog would be nice as well. Be sure to come back here and leave a comment so Cathey can find your post when she feels up to it.

The captions under each photo here are links to tutorials to make each pumpkin shown. Have fun!

The following blogs have posted Pumpkins for Cathey:

1. Stitchyangel's Treasures

2. Harmien - no blog, she emailed

3. California Stitcher

4. Annette's Pieces

5. Fée le point

6. At Brigette's Place

7. Creative Thread

8. Fig'n Craft

9. Stitching under the Southern Cross

10. Veronica's Stitching Vault

11. Mii Stitch

12. Lesley's Stitching Diary

13. The Stitching Lion

14. WendyCarol's stuff

15. Lainey's Stitching Hoose

16. The Stitchin' Chicken

17. Fireflies & Cats in the Garden

18. Caixinha de Pirlimpimpim

19. Stitchers Anon

20. Between Crosses with Nina

21. Tot Hill Farm Stitches

22. Needles Pins and Dragonflies

23. Stitching in Lobster Land

24. What's Next?

25. Tatkis - mouse house

26. Annie Bebop's Coloring Book

27. Lisa V's Lounge

28. Butterfly Wings

29. Gr8dame's Place

30. Stitching Dreams

31. The Twisted Stitcher

32. Missyllaneous

33. My world according to me!

34. Giraffe Crossing

35. Julie's Blog

36. Just Stitching

37. cucki stitching cove

38. Samplings From A Blue Ribbon Girl

39. Blissfully Stitching
40. Seasons of My Mind
41. Porcupine Needle
42. BusyHandsCraft
43. A Stitcher's Story
44. Tangled Threads
45. Aimetu's Stitching
46. Stitching Devotee
47. My Stitching Basket
48. Lesleyanne's Life of Stitches
49. Sharon's Cross Stitch Obsession
50. Bonnie's World
51. Riverside Stitching
52. Kearnel's Korner
53. Bramblewood Stitches
54. Petite Armoire
55. Scattered Threads
56. Country Stitcher
57. Dragon Stitches and Stuff
58. Threadwork Primitives
59. Dixie Samplar
60. Taking One Stitch At A Time
61. Whilst Iris Naps
62. Stitch by Stitch
63. Kathy's Sit and Stitch
65. The Inspired Stitcher
66. A Stitch in Time with Jules
67. Being Grammy
68. Something for Me
69. Sew be it!
70. Bits of My Own
71. Momuboocrea Island
72. XXXStitching
73. Willow Tree Stitcher
74. Raised by Poodles
75. Seasonal Stitches
76. Samplers and Santas
77. Stitching in Crosses
78. All XX's
79. Hanging On By A Thread
80. The Craft Room
81. Words and Blooms
82. Stitching Lotus
83. Lizy Lovely Stitches
84. Stitchin with my Furbabies 
85. Linhas Matizadas
86. Moonraker Lampwerks
87. My So-Called Crazy Life
88. Chronicles of a cross stitching hockey fanatic
89. Doll's Musings
90. Larkspur Lane
91. Carolyn's Stitching Chatter
92. Adventure into Lego
93. More than just Cross Stitchin'
94. Chiloe's Corner
95. Shebafudge
96. Sweet Pea Stitches
97. A Cozy Little Place for Stitching
98. Just Another Stitching Blog
99. Crazy Purple Mom
100. The Stitchin' Chicken
101. Hooked on Stitches
102. Julie's Stitchyknitter Journal
103. Tales Of A Stitching Mouse
104. My Frozen Sunshine
105. Casas e Bordados
106. The Snowflower Diaries
107. Stitchy Mc Floss
108. Julianne's Stitching Corner
109. maude and mozart
110. Clydesdale Stitching
111. Stitch n Chat
112. Caring Stitcher
113. Cross Stitch and Other Musings
114. Random Thoughts from Abroad
115. Nutmegger's Stitching Works
116. Karen's Handiwork
117. Keebles World
118. Stitch Bitch
119. Joanie's World
120. An Arizona Stitcher
121. Notes from under the Mountain
122. Garden Grumbles and Cross Stitch Fumbles
123. Needles and Words
124. A Joyful Stitcher
125. Eye of the Needle
126. this and that
127. Debbie's Cross Stitch
128. Stitching Daze
129. Robin Pichelmyer
130. 1897 School House
131. Crafting with the Stitch Witch
132. I Want To Do One More Stitch
133. And This Little Pig
134. Needle In Hand
135. Sweet Sentiments and Stitches
136. Family Business
137. Gert, Tom & Rusty too...
138. Today I found
139. A Little Bit of Stitching 
140. Crossstitch Cottage
141. Stitchabilities
142. The Teakettle Corner
143. My Stitchin-n-Stuff
144. Colorado Stitcher

145. the grey tail
146. Michelle's StitchCraft Place 

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

To Ruth Anne

Hello Ruth Anne!

I see your many, many messages and emails asking for "permission" to stitch my freebies.

On August 30, I emailed you copies of my freebies. I sent them in reply to the email you sent to me, not from your "Blogger" email. 

Please check your spam folder.

This goes for anyone else that ever asked for freebies too. I don't NOT reply or ever NOT send them.

Spam folders are fabulous...unless the email isn't spam!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

September ORT Report

Golly gee whillikers! I nearly forgot it was the new moon! Busy at home, busy at work...just too much going on sometimes. Whew - I made it, I'm not early as I'd like to be but I'm not late!

So much went on the last month, I didn't really have much stitching time. Still haven't finished this Lizzie*Kate but I did put a few ORTs in my jar:

Then I found another project that screamed "stitch me now!" and I listened so that one has been kitted and started. I'm such a loose floozy when it comes to stitching. I promise to show you that one soon.

An example of how crazy it's been here. I had hives last month. Went to the doctor only after my hands swelled to giant proportions. I could not make a fist and had no knuckles. Then my throat was swelling up so I went to the walk-in clinic. 2 injections and a packet of steroid pills set me right to rain.

It happened again this week. Oh no! At the first symptoms of intense itching and wee bumps I went back to the clinic. It's cause is a medicine I've been taking for my Rosacea, I'm allergic and won't be taking it again. It was worse this time than I thought - the swelling in my throat was constricting my airways so my oxygen saturation level was low. The gave me a pill, those 2 injections and another dose packet of steroids. I had to wait in the office while it began to work to make sure I could breath. This treatment stops the allergic reaction pretty fast  and I'm back to normal, whatever that is.

More Crazy, got up at 3:30 this morning, had coffee, got ready & left the house, worked until 1:30. Went and got gas. Got home, took Molly out to pee, changed clothes, started some laundry, straightened up the house a bit, Molly out to pee again and left for the city to pick up my daughter, Jessie, to stay with us a few days. We drove back, checked on our car that is in the shop (still not ready) so came back to town. Liquor store, needed wine. Grocery store, needed food. Because apparently you can do some really crazy things drinking wine if you don't eat. I don't really remember, it's all just a blur.

We finally step foot in the house with arms full of chickens, wines and vegetables and peanut butter poptarts to spot this on the living-room floor. Look it snowed! Molly bit a hole in her soccer ball and must have had a BLAST pulling every last bit of stuffing out. That sucker was e m p t y. I think she was sad being alone all day, that doesn't happen too often! Silly Molly, what a giggle she is. 

Now let's see your ORTs! TUSALers leave a comment on this post with the address to your September update. If I decide to host a giveaway at the end of the year you will receive an extra entry! Are you wondering what the heck a TUSAL is? Click here for info!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox