Tuesday Tidbits!

First of all, I would like to request a favor from those of you who follow Buttermilk Basin's postings. She had a puzzle last week and I got the first two and forgot to grab the third one and she took it down. So if you have the third one, I would truly appreciate a copy.

I also made a pillow earlier, but couldn't show a photo, until it was gifted, so today I will show you what I made.

The saying is from Cheri Saffiote and I added a design by Kindred Spirits to personalize it. I wanted to give it a cleaner look and a ragged edge, so used heavier materials. It was fun to make and I do enjoy making personalized items for friends.

For the back I used an old ticking, that I had grunged up a bit.

This weekend was nice, the sun was out and not too cold. I bundle up and it gives me some time on the beach, before my hands freeze up. Even when I am sick, a few hours on the beach, makes me forget how miserable I am, lol.

There were no people on Saturday, so we had the beach to ourselves and lots of new glass to be found.

Sunday was a little cooler but a warm sun for a few hours. There are also more people on the beach, but no one seemed to be collecting glass, so more for me;) I love the olive greens and the bright greens will be used in projects for next Christmas.

We even found some new colors and pottery. The worn shell pieces will become angel wings.

And as an added treat, we stumbled onto a new friend. Not sure how to tell the sex of a seal, but it was quite happy to share the beach with us, as long as we kept our distance. It was nice to get out while we could and even if it wore me out a bit, it was good for my soul.

I am working on some more colored pencil pieces, so Friday I will have a review on the new products I am using.

Mother's Day Giveaway!

I am working on my projects so nothing new to show you today. Before I get to the giveaway, I wanted to let you know about a few things, first.

I didn't make the top ten in the Stumbles and Stitches contest, not that I thought I would, lol.

The voting for the top ten started today, so make sure you vote for your favorite, there are some wonderful pieces that deserve a vote. I still love the kitty house, something that would be fun to make and design for my kitties.

Another wonderful giveaway is hosted by Teresa Kogut of Creative Whims. She has a monthly giveaway and this month is one of her beautiful prints. I am sure you have seen her wonderful art in the stores and also patterns for punch needle and rug hooking. 

And now for my giveaway. I will draw two winners, first one will get a choice of two of my epatterns and the second name will get their choice of one pattern. You can comment on one or both photos. Give these silly kitties a caption, what would they be saying! I will run the contest through the weekend and draw a winner on monday night. So have fun and leave a kitty comment! 

Happy Easter!

Today was spent, cleaning and cooking and a bit of thumb mutilation with a chopping knife, lol.
I think I over did it and just got tired and wasn't paying attention, but it was a side slice, so no real damage.


We have a bunch of daffodils that started growing under the briar bushes, so today I went out and took what was on it, so I could enjoy them. They are a beautiful pale yellow.

And since I had the windows open to air out the house, the kitties enjoyed sitting in the windows. The problem is, they always want the window that the other one has. Here Moki is giving Izzy the look, and she is keeping her head under the window to keep him from pouncing on her. She decided it wasn't worth the stress and left, and he jumped into her spot;) I hope every one has a wonderful and Blessed Easter.

For tonight's link, Kyra's blog has wonderful postings about african american quilting and Harriet Powers patterns. Tonight she has a free pattern for her visitors.

Kitties get an early Christmas!

Today we went out shopping, did I get myself anything, no....
We got Casey a present and a new bird feeder and seed and the kitties got an early present.
At first Moki was afraid of it, had no idea what it was, but Izzy dug her claws in and started climbing.

Once moki realized it wasn't going to attack him, and saw Izzy having fun, he had to join in.

Once Moki got into the game, Izzy found she could reach the top and hide from moki.

I am not sure who is the biggest trouble maker, Izzy for instigating things or moki, who gets carried away and thinks Izzy is his personal play toy. But, they both love it and he takes the lower perch and she takes the higher and they are content to sleep in the same area for once. Later I will move it to a better spot, but for now, they can stay there and also watch the birders when the new feeder goes up. Maybe now they will leave my rugs alone;)

Kitty Kristmas!

It seems Christmas decorations make the best places to sleep on, as you can see.

And the minute Moki leaves, Izzy takes over.

Life's Simple Pleasures!

I am in week two of my meds and I have my ups and downs. I am working on my ark and added two new animals and tomorrow I will add a border and start details and add birds. My camera doesn't seem to take very good photos of moki with a flash and he wasn't being cooperative. I tried taking photos of the bunnies in the yard, but they looked like devil bunnies, lol. But I was treated to a beautiful sunset this evening and was able to capture the lights in the clouds.

Sometimes we need to just enjoy the beauty around us.



Like the clouds, we are all unique in our own way.



And the simple love and sweetness of our kitties.

Braided Rug!

I decided to get back to my braided rug. I was going to make stair treads, then decided it was easier to buy them, lol.
So, I just kept braiding and this is what I have so far. I am going to put it in my living room, so I am braiding for now and seeing how it fits the room. If it is too long and not wide enough, I will take the first sections apart and make the middle smaller, so it will braid wider, as I go around. I am using mostly thrifts on this one and trying to keep the darks in there, but I like a bit of a pop, here and there.



I got nothing done today, it is way too hot. So hot that we decided it was time to put the main air conditioner in. So, just as my husband went to slide it in, he hit something and I hear a hissing, so much for that, it is dead. I have a portable one, so I had to put that in the living room and sit all day, with my heart problem, I can't do much without getting dizzy. Tomorrow we will go and get a new one.

The kitties are hot too, they are just lounging around all day. Moki has the sense to go in the basement where it is cool. I would go down there too and sit in my hooking room, but my daughter was over for a few days and it is a disaster. Now, what is wrong with this picture;)

And thank you for the compliments on my latest piece. It does look better in person than in the photo. I was thinking of putting old looking lace around it and making a small pillow. I will get going on my patterns, just trying to get my brain working again, sometimes I need a break and just create for awhile. I already found something new, I just have to make into something;)

Kitty Kapers

Today I got my machine back. It will be so nice to sew with a nice smooth machine again, and I can get back to my art pieces.
A good thing was, I mentioned that I rug hook, to the owner of the store. She just got a kit and has no idea what to do, so I am going to teach her how to hook and she is going to give me free lessons on my machine, so that will be nice.

I finished my new piece, but this time I antiqued it first to see how it looked before I stitch it up. Just in case I want to make any changes, I still can tomorrow.

As usual the cats keep me amused or annoyed, depending on how you look at it;)

Dora does things to annoy me, I can tell by the look on her face and that big smirk, lol.
Today it was opening drawers and making a ladder, then opening the cupboard to get in.
I usually spend the night closing doors and cupboards, no idea why she does it, other then to annoy me and her way of saying, that is what you get for letting Moki live here.



I got rid of the fountain since they weren't that interested in it, so I am back to using the faucets again. Not only does moki like to drink from it, but he takes a bath too. He sticks his head into the water and lets it run all over him, then he cleans himself. I feel like the mother of triplets, if one isn't wanting my attention, another is;)

Don't forget to sign up for the giveaway below!

Fabric, Ferries and Felines!

I did a lot today, compared to the last months, but it sure was nice to get out.
Since we are down to one car, I like to go places that we don't always have time for and of course that means my favorite folk art quilt store. I always hit the sale rack first, I am a bargain hunter. I was hoping to get some more of the gold for my christmas quilt, just in case, but it was gone. Hopefully I have enough. I found some nice historic blue fabric, has a faded look to the blue and some nice hand dyed fabrics for my art pieces. When I went to check out, she gave me the discount for the sale next week, wish I had known before i checked out;)



Then we hit a store and bought the kitties a new toy, a water fountain. The minute I started it up, they all came running to check it out. Dora got there first and went right for the bowl to drink. Then she left and moki checked it out and played with it for a bit and back came Dora, so Moki took to his favorite safe spot, the tub. He was not happy that he had to hide out while she played with the new fountain. You can see that Dora is delighted with herself, she does not like Moki having anything that she considers hers, which includes everything. Izzy wouldn't go near it, she wanted her little drips in the faucet.



To round off the day, we headed to the breakers at Point Judith. It was a beautiful day, nice fresh air and the sun was out.
You can get a nice view of the lighthouse and the coast guard house from the rocks.



A few people were taking advantage of the weather and low tide, you can walk all the way out at low tide.



Bill enjoyed the view, not to mention he is wearing two different black shoes. He realized it when he looked down at them in the store.



We stayed and watched as the ferry came in for the afternoon run. This is the older ferry, which is slower, but who wants to hurry when you are out on the water. A nice end to a beautiful day.

Christmas Kitties!

I haven't been able to put much up for christmas, but I wanted to put a few things up and I had found three alpine trees that I could decorate and put on my chest. Doesn't Dora look so sweet.



I don't even want to think what is going in her mind, right now. Actually Dora helped me decorate, try putting on homespun garland with a cat;)



It didn't take long for Moki to notice the trees and he saw just what he wanted.



Yup, he is a candy cane thief. For the last few days, I find them all down the hallway.



And it didn't take long to come crashing down. I decided I needed a new place for the trees, now they are in a corner, on the floor.



And I decided a new, simpler Christmas display would be better, but they found a way to entertain themselves with that.



Nothing is sacred from kitties, it is all fun and games;)

Stray Cats

Kitty was lonely, so he went out and found some buddies to keep him company.
One kitty looks a bit like him, with pieced scraps for his body.
The other kitty is done with a real cotton ticking.
Both pieces were stained with java ink. It is the black version of the walnut spray.
I thought I would try the darker stain on these guys.
Looks like there is room for one more, so I have an idea brewing for something a little different.

Izzy is learning bad habits

I was too lazy to take pictures of the new blocks I made, so you are stuck seeing my obnoxious kitties, once again. I also worked on a cross stitch piece for fun, mostly hand drawn, so I will take photos of those to show you, tomorrow.

The other day I noticed some pillow cases on the floor and wondering how they got there.
Then one night I was getting ready for bed and getting a washcloth and there was Dora on the top shelf with the sheets.
And as you can see, I do not fold nicely, I bunch them up and throw them on the shelf;)



I love my kitties, but I do like my sheets, hair free and clean. If I do not close doors tight enough, Dora opens them. I spend half my day closing doors, drawers and cabinets. I guess someone didn't shut it tight enough and the next day, guess who I found copying her adopted sister. Izzy loves Dora and wants to do everything she does, but she does respect Dora's space and took the next shelf down.

Sunday Sillies

The kitties were at it again and for once I had the camera in the same room.
One of Dora and Izzy's favorite activities is wrestling and it is usually Izzy who instigates the match.



Dora is not one to back down and the fight begins.





As you can see, Dora gets the upper hand and pins down her opponent. Considering Dora weighs 3 times as much as Izzy. Izzy is all fur and bones and Dora is all solid muscle. Do not think this deters Izzy, she comes back for more, she loves to play rough, even if she loses.

Scrap Blocks Finished

Today is Sunday and for me, that is a day of rest. It means I do what I want, when I want;)
Today I was in the mood to finish my scrappy quilt, so that is what I worked on. I got all the blocks together and was ready to move onto the borders, but I am tired, so enough for today.

Now I have to decide if I want to make strip colors going around the quilt or strip pieces going sideways.
What do you think? How would you border this piece? It will be finished off with floss ties, so I want to keep it simple and naive looking.

I really liked making these blocks, it is fun and easy. I was thinking they would look great with some scattered appliques on some blocks or some stitchery. It would also be a great way to practice top stitching with different designs in the blocks.



Of course Dora and Izzy had to help out. Dora is mad because Izzy got the window seat. But, they did take turns with the window and bugging me while I quilted. Dora got a bit too close and while I was cutting some fabric with the scissors, I didn't realize she had her tail underneath. So, she got a little haircut, lol. Thank God, that is all I cut. No more kitties in the sewing room.

Dora and one more day till contest ends

I am so so tired tonight. I was working on a new punch, but decided to stop for the night before I mess it up.
The other day Dora was in the right light, so I was able to get a picture without the flash and she actually has her eyes open. She has such beautiful eyes and her fur is really coming in now, way too much;)



One of Dora's favorite games is jump in the laundry basket, even if I am carrying it. She will let me carry her up from or down to the laundry room, she likes the ride. She is way too heavy to keep this up and still growing. She is getting ready to draw the name from the basket tomorrow, so don't forget to leave a comment in the contest blog.

Dora wants you to help!

Dora is my newest Kitty. She fills my life with laughter and love. I adopted her from our local pound when she was seven months old. She was scrawny and scrappy and didn't seem to interested in being taken, but something about her made me want to take her home. Well, it didn't take long for her to fit right in, she loved having a home and loves the freedom of playing without having to worry about outdoor predators.

Dora does not seem to understand water in a bowl, they only way she drinks is from a faucet. I was finally able to get a shot of her strange habit. Today we played with the infrared light on the wall. Izzy, my son's cat was jumping up a few feet to get it, but of course Dora has to show her skills and flew over Izzy in an attempt to grab the light. If only I could take a photo while playing with them, they are too funny for words.

Today Dora is asking you to help others who have pets. Amanda Atkins, daugher of Donna Atkin, a wonderful folk artist is auctioning off a beautiful print on ebay. The proceeds will go to "The Bunky Walton Fund". The fund is set up to help pet owners with the expenses of veterinarian care. In this economy, so many pet owners cannot afford to take their pets to the vet and a lot have had to give them up to shelters, so I think it is a great cause. If you love folk art, Amanda's print is a great way to get a beautiful piece of art and help a great cause.

You can see Amanda's auction here: Amanda Atkins Auction
It would also make a great present for an animal lover. I just wish I could have bid higher myself.

Cats on the Prowl

This week I am making the mad dash to finish up one last present to be mailed and a couple for my kids. I am making a wonky quilt for my daughter and a punched piece for my DIL. I will share photos when I finish.

Today the cats were in their bug mom mode. First Dora decided that 6 am was late enough to sleep in and proceeded to irritate me for an hour until she got bored. Of course I had no intention of getting up, so I ended up over sleeping. Then the two of them spent most of the day tearing through the house, knocking over whatever was in the way. They do not just run, the leap, slide and fly around, so it can be quite a circus at times. I think I should have asked Santa for a video camera, no way will I ever get a shot of them at that speed;)

Dora loves to help with laundry and she was in her stealth mode, hiding in the mesh basket. She makes the cutest face when she is in attack mode, but she always closes her eyes when I take a shot. I thought it was the flash, but realized that Izzy didn't shut her eyes, so it is Dora. She is just being a smart alec and closing them on purpose, haha.

(Dora had too much eggnog;)


This is what we usually call Psycho kitty. She is my son's cat and whenever she comes over she goes into a hissy fit and scares the heck out of anyone who goes near her. He moved and they cannot keep her, so I seem to have gotten stuck with her. She is finally coming upstairs more, and stopped hissing at me. She loves Dora and playing, and dora loves having someone new to harass. I asked my husband to give her a name and he said Isabelle, so she is now Izzy.

( Cat with attitude problem;)