I accomplished yet another of the projects on my priority list today. The dogs now have some nice mats for their crates. They are even personalized! They were very quick and easy to make.

Materials:

One yard each heavy denim and polar fleece. This is enough to make two mats approx. 35”x28”. I just cut each yard in half down the middle to make two pieces 36” by 30”. My two fabrics were quite the same width so I did a little trimming to match everything up. If you want them to fit perfectly into the bottom of your crate just measure the bottom pan size and add an inch to get a 1/2” seam allowance all the way around.

How To:

If you want to personalize it, hoop your denim and stitch out the name. Because this denim was so stiff I didn’t put an stabilizer in the hoop with it. I did Maizey’s first and some of the stitches weren’t as nice as I’d like them to be so when I did Cas’ I slipped a piece of Heavy Cut-Away under the hoop before I started stitching and that worked great.

Lay the denim piece out flat right side up and place fleece right side down on top of it. Smooth everything out, matching edges, trim any edges that aren’t even.

Round off the corners. I marked them with a chalk wheel and used my magnetic pin cushion as a guide. I chose to round them off to make turning them right side out easier. Pin both fabrics together. Stitch around edge, leaving an opening for turning. I used my walking foot because the fleece likes to stretch under the foot while stitching. I also lengthened my stitch length and made sure I had a jeans needle in the machine.

Turn right side out and clip excess fabric from curved corners and notch seam allowance. (I forgot to take a picture of this step.)

Topstitch approximately 1/2” from edge. Be cure to tuck in the edges of the opening so they get caught in the topstitching.

All done in a couple hour’s work. I like that they are lightweight and easy to wash. No stuffing for the dogs to chew apart and get all over the house. The fleece gives a little cushioning and the denim is durable.

Miss Maizey looks a little less than thrilled with her new digs but that is partly because I moved her crate today from one corner to another and now Cas is in the same room. She doesn’t like change.

In reality the dogs don’t spend a lot of time in their crates. Just while we are out of the house. They are still spoiled and get to sleep on our bed at night. And with my part-time hours and how early the girls get home from school they are rarely crated for more than a few hours at a time. But Cas does like his crate and will just go hang out in their for periods of time. He is also a bit of a hoarder and we will find random things hidden in there. Like the time my friend stayed over to dog sit and after we got home I was cleaning it out and found her bank card still in the envelope from the mail in his crate.

Also, does anyone else think it is weird that two Michigan State Spartans have a dog named MAIZEy? I didn’t ever realize the awkwardness until I embroidered her name in bright yellow on a blue background.

Except that I got my original braces off when I was about 14. That was 30 years ago.  And I couldn’t wait until that day came. But here I am again with a mouth half full of metal. I had braces put on my top teeth yesterday. I may or may not get them on the bottom eventually but for now I wear my TMJ appliance on the bottom at night with rubber bands pulling my bottom jaw forward. The plan right now is that I will be in braces for about two years and when it is all said and done I should be able to close my mouth with my teeth meeting properly in the back and my jaw in the proper position so I don’t continue to have jaw problems. He’s actually gradually pulling my teeth down and growing bone so my teeth meet properly. Sounds kind of painful doesn’t it? We’ll see.

Right now the biggest pain is that the insides of my cheeks are all raw from rubbing against the brackets. I guess I’ll have to put that gross wax over everything for a few days. But the best thing about this time versus the first time; I’m not in marching band anymore. I think playing a brass instrument with braces should be considered a form of capital punishment. Also my skin is a lot better now and I’m not wearing a pair of super thick eyeglasses with tinted lenses.

That’s me with  my Mom & sisters,, I’m the one closest to Mom. (I made that suit!) My sisters were already past their awkward stage, me not so much. And what’s with my hair? Looks like I slept on it funny or something. This was either Easter morning or someone’s graduation. I’m guessing it was Pam’s graduation because she was wearing Raider Red.

But this is where I started. Just look at those jacked up teeth! That’s what thumb sucking for way too many years will do to a face. That was not a home-sewn blouse but I remember it. I think it was from Montgomery Wards and I thought I was the shit in that thing. And those glasses, good Lord those glasses. I was hipster before it was hip.

For some reason all copies of the year I had the really bad perm, braces, big glasses and a permanent scowl on my face are missing. I’m sure one of my sisters has them locked away in a safe for future embarrassment.

But it was time for a more youthful assistant. A new gal with a more useful (if not necessarily youthful) shape. Meet Bertha. I’m sure Bertie and I will get along famously and she will be a very handy friend to have around. I ordered her from here. Unfortunately I haven’t had any opportunity to play dress up with her yet.

This is the project I’ve been working on this week. A friend of mine and the breeder of my dog, Castiel, asked me to make ribbon quilts a while back. She offered to help promote them at dog shows and among her dog training friends and customers. I agreed but the “business” hadn’t really taken off. Which has been okay with me because I had been plenty busy as it was and to be honest, these aren’t that much fun to make. The ribbons are stiff and difficult to work with. But I’m not one to say no to a challenge and any time I can make a little money using my talents is always welcome. This order came in right before Thanksgiving when I was in the midst of directing a show, holiday work hours, going on vacation (Hawaii! I should share photos!) and general Xmas craziness. I honestly didn’t spend more than a few hours in my sewing room from Thanksgiving until New Years. I made the green wool jersey top and a stuffed owl for my Grand-niece (which the dogs got a hold of before I could mail it and I have to redo) and that was it. So this week it was my main priority and in my usual time-crunch manner I got it done in just over two days and change.

Now I can focus on new project for the New Year. I’m not sure where I’ll start. I’m kind of in the mood to crochet something. I have a friend that really wants a “Roseanne Blanket” and I found a pattern that I really like that will also help in the goal of working through some stash: Wool Eater Blanket. I’m also working on these, When Jack Met Sally Mitts.  Winter is always good for having “lap” projects to work on while watching tv with the family or riding in the car.

What are your new projects for the new year? Did Santa (or UPS) bring you any fun new tools to use in your sewing room? I got a bag full of new Bernina feet that I intend to try out and post about their uses in the next few weeks.

Happy Labor Day!

It’s been a pretty low key day around here. Got up early, fed the neighbor’s cats for them while they are on vacation and came home a made a dress.

This particular dress is nothing all that exciting. I pick up the fabric (polyester ITY) in Grand Rapids last spring. Bought it with the intentions of making McCall’s 5974. I had attempted this Perfect Knit Dress before but didn’t have enough fabric to make the ties so I made the scoop neck version and was less than happy with it.

I also discovered in a rather “well duh!” moment that the basis of this dress is pretty much the same as the tunic (McCalls 6120) that I’ve so far made two of and loved. This led me to start to wonder if I really wanted the ties at the waist after all. But I had the material and decided, “what the hell” and put them on. I like them. Also the skirt on the dress is pleated and it isn’t in the tunic. In the future I make modify the dress to be more like the tunic and eliminate the waist pleats.

Okay now for the interesting part of this post. You see it was in the mid-50s this morning when I got out of bed. Fall is definitely right around the corner. I was inspired to come up here and sew some plaid skirts and turtlenecks. But you see, last night I did something kind of awesome. Something I’ve been thinking about doing for a few years now and it inspired me to grab this black and grey swirly print instead.

Some of my friends took me to get my first tattoo. I’ve wanted one for years but after Shadow, then Heidi died I knew for sure that I wanted a tribute tattoo, But I didn’t want big ol’ portraits of my dead dogs on  my back or something. I wanted something pretty and delicate and something that I could add to in the future when the inevitable happens with Maizey and Castiel. If you look closely there are three tiny pawprints incorporated into the design. One is red, for Heidi. One purple, for Sophie. One Black, for Shadow. There is room to add more paws as needed.

I had been warned that foot tattoos in particular were quite painful. I’ve been asked numerous times already how bad it really hurt. I’m sure most of you won’t believe this but it really wasn’t all that bad. Sure there were moments that I had to remember to breath but overall it was nothing. Does this mean I’d be up for a total, full color back piece? No. Not because of the pain, because I’d get bored out of my mind sitting still for that long.

On the way home after it was done (I won’t bore you with the LONG dramatic story of how the entire evening went) and my friend was driving us back to my house I was still kind of quiet and in a weird place. He kept asking me what was wrong, I think he was worried that I already regretted it. I explained that I wasn’t the same woman who had left my house with him and our other two friends a few hours earlier. I was now a middle aged woman with a fucking foot tattoo! But seriously, this is kind of life changing. Not only is it literally permanent, it does change who I am in a very slight but very real way.

Do you have tattoos (I know MANY of my friends who read my blog do) and did getting them change you or how you perceived yourself? How? I know that having a visible to the world tattoo changes how others perceive you, I’m just waiting anxiously for the first day I work this week, do you perceive people with tattoos differently? Of course there is a difference between a tasteful foot tattoo and a prison neck tattoo right? Tell me your tattoo stories, here in comments (not on facebook comments, not all my readers are my facebook friends and I want everyone to participate in the conversation.)

A week ago today the girls went back to school. They are both in high school now, a freshman and a senior. To say it has been bittersweet for me would be an understatement. They are both so bright, creative, smart and beautiful it makes my heart explode with rainbows, glitter and unicorns. They are also growing up and the end is in sight which makes my heart implode with Smiths songs, pond scum and larva.

I was never one of those mothers that wanted to keep her kids little forever. Quite frankly, when they were able to feed themselves, sleep through the night (and now day), poop in a toilet and yes, even drive, I was very happy. I’m nothing if not a little lazy. I’ve always seen my job as a mother as that of preparing them to be independent, doesn’t mean I have to like it when it inevitably happens. It is also inevitable that there will be regrets. Looking back and wishing I had done things differently. Worrying that at times we are too close and at other times wishing we were more connected. Goes with the territory I guess.

There is also something else that happens in a mother/daughter relationship that rarely gets talked about, the breaking apart. I’ve asked many of my friends who have already gone through it if it happened to them and some have said yes and others no. But I think it is pretty common. What happens is that your daughter, when faced with burgeoning independence, goes all crazy and hurtful toward you. It happens. It has happened to me a couple times over the past few months. It is similar to the “I hate you” tantrums that happen during early adolescence, but for me it is deeper and more painful. This isn’t a big explosion of angry words, no, typically it is only a well placed put down, dismissive look or biting retort that ends up with me hiding in the bathroom wiping away tears and her going on as if nothing ever happened.  It signals that she is trying to find a way to breakaway and by hurting my feelings in some way it will be easier. Because she knows me in a way pretty much no one else does, she can cut to the quick much easier. But like the many summer thunderstorms we’ve had this year it passes as soon as it strikes, often leaving some kind of mess in its wake.

Then on Saturday (mid holiday weekend!) I had friends over for pool time and food. I went to flush the good stuff and, nothing. Crap. (No pun intended) Steve was out of town visiting family. I called him. Then I called the well company. I got instructions for resetting the well pump. That worked for about 24 hours. Then it didn’t.

Monday, July 4th, the well guy comes over to try to fix it. It doesn’t work. More crap. He pulls the well. Looks like the pump was either hit by lightning (not out of the realm of possibility) or damaged by an earthquake. I choose to go with the earthquake, makes for a better story.

In order to pull and replace the pump we have to dig up or cut down half of my perennials. Most notably, the daisies and bee balm that just started blooming. The huge clump of pampas grass was also a victim. To top it all off, because we have no water and it has been hot and dry, the rest of the garden and potted plants are really suffering. Piss.

In order to make lemonade out of lemons when I had to cut all my beautiful summery daisies I decided to make a huge bouquet.

It’s not the most elegant bouquet but it is very summery. I love that the daisies and bee balm both bloom on the 4th of July. I think they look like fireworks.

Summer is in full swing at the Land of the Shiny Island.

    We’ve had some weird weather here in the middle west. A very wet and mild spring and early summer. But we’ve been lucky the past few weeks. But Saturday was a typical July day. I woke up to all the doors and windows to the porch steamed up because of the humidity vs. air conditioning. Looking out my bedroom door to the pool I encountered this adorable wild child. She was just strolling along casual-like munching on weeds. She didn’t mind when I opened the door to take her picture. This explains why most mornings when I blurry-eyed open the door to let the dogs out they tear off barking their fool heads off.

Sunday was a beautiful morning. I love having fresh flowers in the house but I haven’t been as successful growing them as I used to be. The cool weather and lots of rain has been good for not only the mosquitos. So many of the flowers were finally reaching their peak.

Hydrangeas are some of my favorites.

The daisies and snapdragons are just getting going.

A bouquet next to the commode always screams “Klass”!

Who doesn’t love roses? These are from the two new rose bushes I planted around Mother’s Day in the new bed behind the new screened porch. They are David Austin English Roses.

Last Sunday was Melissa and Derek’s 1st anniversary. When I took on this project I told myself I wanted it done in time for that date. I did get it done, labeled, and shipped on time. Then I had to sit on the photos until it arrived. Unfortunately it didn’t arrive on Friday as I had planned because I had mailed it with a Signature Request so it didn’t get dropped on a front step somewhere at Missy’s house and then rained on or damaged. Of course as luck would have it, she wasn’t home when it was initially delivered so it went back to the post office and she had to pick it up on Monday. It’s all good. It arrived, Missy loves it and my heart is full.

		I’ve Got Your Back VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

I made this quick and easy but very cute towel for a friend’s birthday last weekend. She is one of my theater friends and played Miep in The Diary of Anne Frank with me this spring. Miep was known for bringing the Frank’s supplies while they were in hiding and there is a scene in the play where she brings them spice cake for the New Year. Heidi is also known for bringing us all baked treats during the run of the show so this design was quite fitting for her. I got the design from Urban Threads. I really love their designs and the prices are very good.

This is a raw edge applique design and I stitched it on a waffle weave towel. Here is the direct link to the design: Take the Cake

I took this photo this afternoon on our roof. Yup, I let my youngest child crawl out a bathroom window onto our roof. Do I get bonus points because she asked first? After she asked I was faced with a dilemma, because she asked I should probably say no. If she had just done it I could later get “angry” and chastise her for it once I knew she was okay and didn’t get hurt. If I gave permission and she fell, well now, I’d be in a pickle wouldn’t I? But in reality, the roof has a low pitch, the weather was perfect, she has great coordination and who doesn’t want to climb on a roof when they are 13? 

Once she was out there and I had to go supervise, I saw that the light was perfect and she had that glow that kids get when they are doing something that makes their souls sing, I couldn’t not capture it on film SD card. I mean really, she was experiencing one of those moments in youth that come oh so rarely and it gave me great pleasure to be the one to grant her that moment of pure joy. I was blessed to be there to witness and capture it.

		Up on the roof VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

She has promised me that if I let her hang out on the porch roof this summer she will read and “do her homework” out there. Beats tanning naked and smoking cigarettes.