"Like" Dog Bless You On Facebook

For every 1000 new Likes that Dog Bless You gets on their Facebook page up until the Fourth of July, they will donate a service dog to a veteran.  So far, they have donated 23 dogs.  Please go Like them now.  Thank you!

Get Crafty For The Troops And Homeless Dogs

Stitching Corp is a group that started out sending cross stitched Christmas ornaments to the troops and their families, and now they're accepting other handmade items (bookmarks, greeting cards, key rings, bags for wheelchairs & walkers) all year long.  I heard about Stitching Corp via CyberStitchers.com, which has a list of charities that collect cross stitch projects.  By the way, Stitching Corp, has a huge list of sites that offer free x-stitch patterns. 

I have several ornaments started that I should add to my 2012 WIPocalypse list so I can finish them and send to Stitching Corp.

This was posted back in October 2011 but they need bags for 500 dogs so I'm guessing it's an ongoing project.  Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in England is calling on sewing crafters to make scented bags to hang in their dogs' kennels to keep them calm while they wait for new homes.  You can find out more about making the bags and get a pattern for a Staffordshire Bull Terrier to put on them here.

Did you know that a group of kittens is called a kindle?  I just read that on the Battersea website. I also found a few dogs I want to adopt.  Did I mention they're located in England?  In 2010, they celebrated their 150th anniversary.  Wow!

Download Pumpkin Stencils For A Good Cause

If you download a pumpkin stencil from Better Homes and Gardens, a $2 donation will be made to one of these charities:  March of Dimes, Rebuilding Together, Big Brothers Big Sisters or Susan G Komen for the Cure.  Go here for more information.

Help With A Quilt For Japan

I was just over at Mom Wald's Place and read about the quilt project she has started to raise money for Japan.  She plans to auction or raffle off the quilt and donate the proceeds to the Red Cross.  You can help by stitching up a square with a vintage fruit or vegetable design -- she suggests checking Hoop Love on Flickr for patterns to use.  She's also accepting fruit and veggie themed fabric squares.  This post has all the details.  And, read this one too.

Great idea, Mom Wald!

Adopt The Internet Day 2011

Today is Adopt the Internet Day.

Petfinder is asking us to promote pet adoption by spreading the word online.  You can add a badge to your blog or website, and use your Facebook status or share a link on Twitter to a Petfinder pet who is looking for a home.  In the past fifteen years, Petfinder has helped 17 million animals find new homes.  Help them get even more pets adopted.  Get more inforamation on Adopt the Internet Day here. 

Pumpkin and Lucy say thank you!

Hearts For Christchurch

A blogger named Evie is collecting hearts for people affected by the earthquake in New Zealand. 

"Two heart shapes sewn together, stuffed or not, embellished, embroidered, CQ’d, quilted, plain or fancy, felt or fabric or anything goes. Add a loop at the top."

What will she do with the hearts?  One idea is to hang all the hearts in one place as a show of support so everyone can see them.

You can find all the details on her blog, Hearts for Christchurch.

That's the last link for today but I have more to post so stay tuned.

Hey, Dog People Of Missouri

Edited To Add: It passed! Yay!

If you live in Missouri, please consider voting Yes on Prop B.

"The Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act is a measure that will improve the lives of dogs in commercial breeding operations in Missouri. Specifically, the measure will require large-scale dog breeding operations to provide each breeding dog under their care with the basics of humane animal care including:

Sufficient food and clean water
Necessary veterinary care
Sufficient housing, including protection from the elements
Sufficient space to turn and stretch freely, lie down, and fully extend their limbs
Regular exercise
Adequate rest between breeding cycles"

Honestly, I don't see why anyone would oppose it.

By the way, this will not affect hobby breeders with ten or less breeding female dogs or those who raise dogs for purposes other than breeding them and selling puppies.

If you need more information, please go to the YES! on Prop B website.

Thank you!

Matter Of Trust Needs Your Hair

An organization called Matter of Trust is collecting human hair and dog hair/fur to stuff into nylon booms that can be used to soak up oil from the spill in the gulf.

Seriously.

Watch this video:



Go to Matter of Trust for more information on getting your hair clippings and your dog's clippings to them.

They will also take wool from farmers.

I love this!

Let's Say Thanks To The Troops Part Two

Let's try this again...

I tried putting the widget in my sidebar but it was too wide. Then I added it as a post but couldn't edit it without erasing the widget.

So, just go to Lets Say Thanks.com, pick a Thank You card, and Xerox will print it and send it to a someone currently serving in Iraq.

My Life As A Hamster

I've become nocturnal -- sleeping all day and up all night -- so I keep missing opportunities to take more pictures of my Tubby pillow in daylight-- the first round did not turn out well -- and of my TUSAL jar. So, tonight, I am just going to share some links.

There's a cute 1960's kitty embroidery freebie at Primrose Design. That blog was one of the first "crafty" ones I ever read. I still refer to Janet's Stitch School posts when I need a reminder on how to make certain embroidery stitches.

Look at the cute cute cute Jingle Owls from Eileen's Attic. I have got to make one of these! And, have you seen the adorable Kokeshi stuffie from Melly & Me? [Both links via Freebies For Crafters.]

Speaking of softies, it's once again time to make one or two or seventeen and send them off to Pip at Meet Me at Mikes so they can be donated to The Mirabel Foundation, and then given to kids who have been abandoned or orphaned due to drug-abusing parents. For all the details on making softies, where to send them, and links to free patterns, go to this post. I actually made a small bear last night for this project but I used some eco felt which is kind of rough and scratchy (and would make lovely carpeting in a doll house) and I would rather my softie be, well, soft. So I'm considering him a practice run. My goal is to make at least three softies for Mirabel.

Stop laughing, you guys.

Yet Another Post (Shocking!)

When you have some time, you need to visit Freebies For Crafters, a blog loaded with "patterns, tutorials and links for free crafting, sewing, quilting, scrapbooking, stitchery, embroidery, cross-stitch, redwork, knitting, crochet, dolls, primitives, and much more!" I spent over an hour there yesterday and will go back when I have more time. [Link via Niki.]

Check out the Garland Along going on at Creative Breathing. How fun!

I keep forgetting to mention I've added a few more vintage embroidery transfers to my other blog. The latest are from the same sheet of Artex dog & cat designs. Will I ever finish getting them all scanned and be able to move on to a different set of patterns? Stay tuned.

Look at this cute cross stitch doll that Annie made for the Comfort Doll Project. Handmade dolls are collected and sent to women's shelters in all fifty states and New Zealand. What a great idea. Thank you to Pat for starting it!

Here, Have Some Links

When was the last time I posted some links? I really have been neglecting my blogging responsibilities.

Thanks to plaid & herringbone, I have another hedgehog pincushion pattern to add to my collection. This one is on a French blog and I think you can figure out how to put it together without translating it. The pattern is not a pdf or clickable so I just saved it as a jpg and then printed it out. And, then added it to all the 471 other hedgehog patterns I have saved. [sigh]

Oh, I just remembered, I did start making a hedgehog sometime ago when I was in my pom-pom phase but stopped before I gave my poor hedgie a face/head. Maybe I can get him finished up this week. The tutorial for making a pom-pom hedgehog is over at Zakka Life.

Craft Hope has its second project underway, and for this one, they're collecting handmade dolls for an orphanage in Nicaragua. You can find out all the details here [link via All Sorts]. And, if you need a doll pattern, check out the list at One Crafty Place. The deadline to get the dolls to Craft Hope is June 13th so get sewing!

There's an elephant pattern (another thing I tend to collect and never use) at Cicada Daydream. I like how he's made with all different fabrics. And, Amazing Mae has a great owl applique pattern that you could also use for embroidery [both links via One Crafty Place].

This Japanese site has a bunch of cute coloring pages that could be used for embroidery patterns. Thank you, Kellie, for finding this one!

One Pretty Thing has another great Embroidery Pattern Round-up.

This post was not written while I was under the influence of Vicodin. I couldn't get in to the clinic to have a physical and EKG done before my foot surgery on the 15th so the operation has been postponed for about a month. Knowing I have another four weeks of being stuck in this house in addition to however long it takes to recover from the surgery (2-6 months) depresses me to no end and I'm hoping someone will take pity on me and send me a bottle of vodka and/or some happy pills. Let me know if you need my address.

Happy Monday!

P.S. To clean up my vintage transfer patterns, do I need Photoshop? Or is there another way to do that?

Handmade Help For Bush Fire Victims

There's a new button in the right sidebar that will take you to the Handmade Help blog. They have listings there for eBay auctions, Etsy sellers and others who will be donating portions of their profits to the Red Cross and Wildlife Victoria to help victims of the bush fires in Australia. If you're a seller who would like to get involved, please read this post for more information.

Anyone is welcome to add the Handmade Help button to their site or blog to help spread the word.

Help For Victims Of The Victorian Bushfires

Meet Me At Mikes has a whole list of ways to help victims of the fires in Australia. Donating money is probably the best way to go, but read this post and also check the middle sidebar for other things you can do. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone who has been affected by these horrible fires.

The Diabetes Ornament Tree

Hey! I found a crafty diabetes-related project, and no, it's not gray.

Every year, The Busy Needle, a shop in Rogers, Arkansas, accepts handmade ornaments for their tree and sells them to raise money for local diabetes charities. In 2007, they raised $3400. Belinda of Blue Ribbon Designs says the money was used to buy medication and testing supplies.

From The Busy Needle's website:

Our goal each year is to increase last year's total. It's a huge effort but we give it our best shot. Somehow, we usually manage to pull it out in the end. We accept any type of ornament as long as it is hand-made. We have received all types of needlearts (cross stitch, crochet, smocking, you name it)! You would be amazed at the variety of ornaments we receive and what people choose. Send us your hand-made treasures. We welcome all your beautiful creations.

Ever since I first read about this on Cyberstitchers' charity page, I have been meaning to make them an ornament or two, but have yet to do it. But I'm going to start an ornament for the tree this week. Would anybody else like to join me?

For more information on The Diabetes Ornament Tree, go to their website.

Got Any Spare Change

I know. I know. Two posts in a row about dogs in need. I promise not to make it a regular habit.

If you look at my sidebar, you can see I'm all for adopting from animal shelters and dog rescues. I try not to ask for donations for specific groups or animals too often -- the Blogathon being the exception. I blogged for 24 hours last July in an effort to raise money for a Shih Tzu rescue group. And, I had planned on doing that this summer too but it looks like the Blogathon organizers are taking a year off so there won't be an official one this year. That's too bad because I'm sure some of you would have wanted to join in. It's a fun way to raise money for a favorite charity. Maybe we can all do it in 2009.

Anyway, I received an email from Tammy at Southern Shih Tzu Rescue the other day with the most pitiful pictures of a little dog who had been found by the side of the road covered in motor oil. Since small dogs aren't known for getting under cars to change the Valvoline and somehow getting themselves covered in it, you know this was done to him on purpose. How sad is that? He also has eye issues, is infested with fleas and ticks, has sarcoptic mange and is heartworm positive. If you can spare any amount, even five bucks, to help get this poor little guy well again, please click here for information on how and where to send a donation.

Thank you so much!!!

Donkey News

DMC had a free cross stitch chart of a donkey on one of their websites and I was happy I printed it out when I found it because I couldn't find it again later on. But it's now on the Italian DMC site (or it always was and I was just too lame to figure out how to get to it).

If you click here, you will be taken to the log in page for the Italian version of the DMC Club. If you're a member, your log in and password should work. If you're not a member, go to the USA DMC site and sign up. Then go back here and log in. You should see the donkey chart. Click the picture for a pdf. (This probably seems like way to much trouble for some of you but I like donkeys so I didn't mind.)

I stitched up the donkey last year but didn't do anything with it until the other night.

Donkey cross stitch
Originally uploaded by PipStitch

My original plan was to make a needlecase but I couldn't get it the way I wanted it so I gave up. I did add some brown felt to the back so I can use it to a hold a needle or two. (If I had left on the button, the donkey would not be off-center now.) The chart calls for DMC's Color Variation floss but I just used some of my gray stash, and stitched it on 18ct Fiddler's Cloth.

I also wanted to mention Donkey Dreams: Call for Aprons. (I saw this linked on both tie one on and The Apronista Network.) Artist Katherine Dunn of Apifera Farm (blog: Apifera Farm) is collecting donated aprons to sell for Pino Pie Day on June 28th. (Pino is a cute little donkey.) Katherine is raising funds for her donkey therapy program. How can you resist a donkey wearing an apron and holding a pie?

Stitch Pink

A few days ago, I somehow ended up at Stitch Pink, a blog for sharing cross stitched projects to promote breast cancer awareness. Anyone can join and post photos of their finishes. There's also a lot of good information there with links to all kinds of things, such as a Yahoo group whose members stitch squares for quilts to raise money for breast cancer research. On the right sidebar, is a list of links to free charts. Be sure to check them out.

I love Blue Ribbon Designs' With All Your Heart. This kit is available at needle shops all over but if you buy it from Elegant Stitch, you can be certain 100% of the proceeds will go to breast cancer education and awareness programs.

Hmm. That "eight-cornered pin pillow" looks like a biscornu to me.

Foster Homes in Texas Needed

I need to interrupt the cross stitch party and beg for foster homes again.

The Humane Society of North Texas just removed over 90 Shih Tzus from a woman who could no longer care for all of them. (An article about it is here.) If the HSNT gets custody of the dogs, they will put the healthy ones up for adoption. One of my favorite Shih Tzu rescues, Lone Star, will most likely be fostering some of the ones who aren't quite ready to be adopted. It may take 6-9 months to get them ready to go to homes.

IF YOU LIVE IN TEXAS AND EVER WANTED TO FOSTER A SMALL DOG, NOW IS THE TIME TO STEP UP AND DO IT.

Find out how on Lone Star's blog.

Reading about this makes me so pissed off. The woman who had the Shih Tzus apparently has a husband with Alzheimer's and it was her kids who notified authorities about the dogs. I have no idea what was going on with this family. Maybe the kids didn't visit that often or have much contact with their parents. I sincerely hope that was the case. Because I would like to believe that, if the kids were stopping by regularly, at some point, like when Mom & Dad were up to five or seven or eleven or thirty dogs, one of the kids would have told their parents it was time to spay & neuter every single one of the fluffballs. Honestly, I do not know how rescue and shelter volunteers deal with this day and in day out. It's neverending, it's heartbreaking and it's just really sad. If it were me, I'd be shooting people left and right.

Lone Star is also looking for a foster home for this "pitiful anemic Shih Tzu girl." How sad is that story? A huge Thank You goes to the nice lady who got her out of the shelter. Now the poor thing just needs a place to go. Anyone out there wanna help her?

UPDATE: Speaking of dog rescue, one blog I really enjoy is Penny Sanford Porcelains. I don't remember how I got there but I'm sure it had to do with a link to her tutorial for heart shaped yo-yos. (And, if you're keeping score at home, I still have yet to make a single yo-yo. I am such the crafter.) Anyway, Penny and her husband just fostered eight (that's EIGHT) rescued Westies!! Read all about it. This totally cheered me up after reading about the Shih Tzus in Texas. Thank you, Penny and Gordon, for all you do for rescue!

UPDATE #2: Lone Star ended up with eight of these Shih Tzus. Go here for more information.

More on the Needle and ThREAD Bookmark Challenge

Stitches 'N Things is another needle shop that's participating in the 2007 Needle and ThREAD Bookmark Challenge, so like Nordic Needle, they also will be collecting bookmarks to be donated to local schools and libraries.

From the latest Stitches N Things newsletter:

During September ** Get ideas of what charts/designs you'll be
stitching and get your fabric and fibers and any other materials set
aside. So that on .....

October 1 ** You can Start stitching!!!

October/November ** Turn in your completely finished bookmarks to your participating shop (aka Stitches N Things) ... Attach a slip of paper to your bookmark with your name and the title of a favorite book (after all, needlework is personal) and that will enter you into our prize drawings.

November 10 ** The LAST date to turn in your FINISHED bookmarks.

November 12 ** We'll hold our Prize Drawings for those who participated in this Commitment to Literacy. (SNT has the opportunity to win prizes .. and so do you!) Children's Book Week, November 12-18, 2007.

I've ordered from Stitches 'N Things in the past -- in fact, the other night, while looking for fabric to stitch on, I happily found a large piece of "country something" (or was it "vintage something"?) Aida that had come from them. I haven't bought anything from Nordic Needle yet but I really enjoy reading both shops' newsletters. If I make a bookmark for this challenge, I will have to do one for each store.