Scottie Stuffies

Time for something crafty!

Over at All Sorts, you can find a free pattern to make a Scottie dog out of felt.

Making one of these little dogs is on my to-do list. If you ever look out the window and see a pig fly by, it means I actually did it.

There's a Scotty Stuffies group on Flickr where you can add pictures of your own stuffed Scottie (I must spell "scottie" with an "ie" on the end and I don't know why.) I love this one.

Before I start adding links to 27 other stuffies that I like, I am going to go. It's a little early for my 10:30 but I'm ready to eat something.

Pledge Update

It's almost 10:00. Wow, the morning is just zipping right along. Time for a pledge update.

Total pledged: $258.00

Yeah!!

One of my sponsors is my friend, Diane. She has sponsored me in every Blogathon I've done (this is #4). She also co-moderates a Yahoo group for Shih Tzus in need of rescue with me. That's Diane's adorable Shih Tzu, Tukie. I love how he just sits in the stroller.

Thank you, Diane, for all your help with the list, and for always being there for me and the Shih Tzus!

Mae

This is Mae. She was rescued from a puppy mill by Lone Star Shih Tzu and Lhasa Apso Rescue. This what she looks like now. What a cutie pie. I like her short ear hair cut.

And, the photo below is what she looked like when volunteers from the rescue found her. Teresa, the director of Lone Star, wrote this on her blog:

"... the SPCA was called out a home in north Houston and found horrible neglect conditions. Eight tiny little shih tzu living in a small shed in the back yard - breeding!! Horrible conditions - the dogs were all totally matted (surprise!), several had severe eye infections and their eyes were stuck shut with pus and mats. One was in such bad shape, they had to euthanize him."

Do I really need to say or show you anything more to convince you to stop shopping in pet shops that sell puppies? Don't even go in just to buy dog biscuits or cat food.

It's really very simple. Pet stores get their puppies from commercial breeding facilities, aka puppy mills, or backyard breeders, who only want to make a buck.

If someone tells you they know of a pet store that gets its puppies from "breeders," you have my permission to call bullshit on them. Ethical, responsible, reputable breeders do not sell their dogs to or through stores. They do not sell them over the internet. And, they will not ship a puppy to you.

If you're considering getting a puppy, and do not want to do the shelter or rescue group route, please do some research first and find out what makes a good breeder and where to find one. I'll add a link or two when I have time but I gotta go because I am 15 minutes late with my 9:30 entry.

And, dang, we have another sponsor! Hi Kim! Lone Star took five of these puppy mill Shih Tzus and all five are heartworm positive. Your donations today will help pay for treating these dogs. Thank you to all my sponsors for your support and generosity! I am totally blown away by you guys.

I'm Being Watched By A Banana Slug

I thought I might be getting IMs and people would be leaving comments, and I was worried I'd be busy dealing with all that and run out of time to post anything but a picture of beans. (I did that during one Blogathon because I got caught up in an IM with a friend and ran out of time.) But, so far, my only comments have come from my monitor, and there have been no IMs so far. Which is fine with me. It gives me something to write about, which means the 9 am entry is about done. :)

First, though, let's meet Jen, my monitor. Her blog is Justice Rolling Like a River and she is blogging for International Justice Mission. Her favorite snack food is pita and hummus. I would eat that right now if I had some. Read more about Jen. She's also doing a contest where she's going to translate a Bible passage into different languages, and the first person to guess what it is without using the Internet, wins $10 for their charity. This applies to non-Blogathoners too.

That line "justice rolling like a river" sounds really familiar to me. I am going to go Google it.

By the way, I think I've always numbered my Blogathon posts in the past or put the time in the title. I'm not doing that this year. But in case anyone is confused, this is the 9 am entry.

Dogster Dogs

So, there's my progress so far. Can you guess what it is? Here's a hint: It's bigger than a bread box.

Have you ever been to Dogster? If you're a dog lover and owner, you can make a web page for your dog there for free. You can also upgrade to a DogsterPlus account and have access to more features.

I was bored one night and started searching the site for dogs that had names related to needlework. I'm probably the only one who is amused by this but so what. It's my blog and I can post stuff I like (besides, it's not like anyone is reading it).

So, thanks to Dogster: if you're going to Cross Stitch, make sure you have your Needles, Floss, and Aida.

You can see my dog, Maggie, on Dogster too.

My Stitching Project

Since this is a wanna-be craft blog, my plan today was to cross stitch something and have it finished by the end of the Blogathon. I made sure I chose a design that wasn't too involved so I would get it done before tomorrow morning. I'm not to going to say what I'll be stitching , but since I'm blogging for a dog rescue, I'm sure you can narrow it down.

I'm going to work on it now and I'll share how much I've done at 8:30. Here's a picture of the floss I'm using (for you non-cross stitchers, floss is the thread). I'm stitching on white Aida (that's the name of the fabric). The green thing is my needle threader (something I can't live without). And yes, I have kiddie scissors. My name is on them because I took them to work and didn't want another teacher claiming them.

The Scottie dog is my needle holder. I got that on eBay. The seller said her mother and aunt made a bunch of them in 1941 but never got around to selling them because Pearl Harbor happened. (Maybe they joined the war effort and didn't have time to sell what they made.) He's made of felt and opens up so you can put your needle inside. And, he's almost as old as my mother. (Did they make googly eyes in the 40's?)

I'm Cheating a Little

I started writing the Bok Choy entry at 6:37. I posted it at 7:12 and then edited a little more so it really wasn't finished until 7:15.

I have not left this chair since I started the Blogathon. I really need some iced tea so I am going to cheat a little and say this is my 7:30 entry. My clock says 7:20 so close enough. I will be back around 8 am.

Oh yeah, my plan today was to cross stitch something during the Blogathon and post pictures of my progress. Hah! I'll be lucky if I'm able to link to a picture of a cross stitch.

Ok, it's now 7:22 and this is my 7:30 post.

Bok Choy

I am having so much fun this morning, I am ready to shoot myself. I'm able to add images now but putting them where I want them to be and adding text has been a nightmare.

On to happier things...

This is Bok Choy. At one time she was one of Lone Star's "Forever Fosters," meaning because of her age, people would not be lining up to adopt her so she would live out her remaining days in one of Lone Star's foster homes. I noticed her on the website because I thought her name was the cutest thing and I though she was equally adorable. If I had been able to, I would have driven to Texas and adopted this one.

Earlier this year, I was very happy to read on Lone Star's blog that Bok had been adopted. And, look, now she has a doggy brother too. :) A huge thank you to the nice couple who gave her a home.

And, check out Bok's "before" pictures here. Hard to imagine, it's the same dog, huh?

My Charity For Today

Well, don't expect to see any pictures here today. For some reason, nothing comes up when I go through Blogger to add an image. Yet I can see open the image files on my computer. Can we postpone this Blogathon thing until next weekend?

Today I'll be blogging (for 24 hrs straight) for Lone Star Shih Tzu and Lhasa Apso Rescue. Lone Star rescues Shih Tzus and Lhasa Apsos from animal shelters, puppy mills, and owners who can no longer keep their dogs. The dogs receive medical care, if needed, and then they are placed in foster homes until a forever home is found.

One thing about Lone Star that I really love is how they're willing to take in senior dogs and the ones with special needs. Many rescue groups only have room for what they consider the "adoptables" -- the young, healthy dogs, In addition, they may only want the purebreds. Lone Star takes the Shih Tzu mixes and the Lhasa mixes and dogs that have no Lhasa or Tzu in them at all. In my opinion, this is what rescue is all about.

Lone Star has a blog where you can read the latest news about their rescue efforts.


Remember: Lone Star is a regsitered 501c3 charity, so your donations are tax-deductible, and they're entiredly "staffed" by volunteers.

(I still have not had any caffeine yet.)

Welcome to the Blogathon

Good Morning! I'm awake and ready to go. Sort of. I think I slept for about 3 hrs. Yay. I'll write more at 6:30. I haven't had any caffeine yet.

Edited to add: I can't get my pictures to load. Fabulous.

Getting Ready for the Blogathon

Well, the Blogathon will finally be here tomorrow. I'm paranoid I won't wake up in time, even though I have for the past three B'thons. The Blogathon will begin tomorrow at 6 am my time (PST) and go until Sunday at 6 am. I will be adding an entry every half an hour. Since this is a wanna-be craft blog and I'm supporting a dog rescue, I'm going to write about dog-related crafts. I'll also tell you about my charity, Lone Star Shih Tzu and Lhasa Apso Rescue, and share some animal pictures from my friends. And, I'm planning on cross stitching something as the day goes on. I found a quick and easy chart just for this purpose and I know I can finish it before the Blogathon ends.

Thank you so much to my sponsors: Nicky, Odean, Diane, Carrie, Lindy, Marg, Susan, Guava (who just pledged an hourly rate), Mom and Dad!! I really appreciate your support and your generosity. Lone Star has recently taken in 17 dogs who are heartworm positive so I know your donations will be put to good use.

Thank you also to my friend, Lorraine, who had trouble signing up to sponsor me at the Blogathon site so she just sent a donation right to Lone Star that day.

My pledge total is $185 plus Guava's donation, which should take it over the $200 limit. That is, if I actually finish this thing. It's now 1 am which was my cut off point for tonight. I have an idea of what to write for 20 posts. I need 28 more but I am too tired to think. Good night!

Free Crochet, Apron, Towels Patterns

Here's a free crochet pattern for a cute bunny. I think I'd do it with different colors like that grey heather shown below the pattern but it's still cute. I think I found this linked on Swap-bot but that was four hours ago so I'm not sure anymore.


Better Homes and Gardens has a pattern posted for a Cottage-Inspired Apron. I really like the fabric they used. If you ever look out your window and see a pig fly by, it means I actually made this one. Here's another cute apron from BHG. They also have an article on rick rack/rick rac/rickrack. They show you a few things you can do with it.

Speaking of rick rack, here's a pattern for some cute hen and chicks kitchen towels. [link via Niki's Ventures]

Random Postcards

Someone please explain why I will give my address to Postcrossing so I can get postcards from random strangers around the world yet I wouldn't do this and this. I wish I could though. I should get a post office box.

Craft Gossip and a Tampon Craft Story

I first read about that Halloween stitch-a-long that I posted about earlier from Heather who's the needlework editor on Craft Gossip. (I forgot to mention that before. I have this thing about crediting someone if they linked to something that I then linked to.)

I was just back at Craft Gossip and discovered a second freebie from Periphaeria Designs and Heather. This one would also make a nice biscornu. Once the Blogathon is over, I am going on a biscornu making spree until I run out of floss and fabric. I really want to do one in all red on white fabric.

I should add that I've mostly been reading Heather's needlework posts but Craft Gossip covers a variety of crafts, like knitting, sewing, scrapbooking, and everyone's favorite activity: crafting with tampons.

I wrote about my own experience with making angels out of tampons on my old blog, and I have to tell you, it sure got me a lot of hits from the Googlers.

Tampon Angel Making and Me

A few years ago, I was at a website dedicated to crafty stuff and found this one project where you took tampons (unused, of course) and turned them in to angels for on your Christmas tree. I got excited by the simple directions and the unusual choice of materials, and decided to make a few for my friends. To make the angels, you first dipped the tampon in some water so it would expand, giving the angel a "dress," and then wound the sting around the top to create a head. After letting it dry completely, you could add a halo, some eyes and a mouth for a face, and voila, you had your Christmas ornament.

So I wet several tampons and hung them by their strings from the faucet in the bathroom sink to dry overnight. The next day, they were all dry and had turned out nicely. I had a "if only Martha Stewart could see me now" moment. I left them hanging there and I guess I went to work or to Starbucks or something. When I went back to the bathroom later in the day, they were gone. It didn't take me long to realize the cleaning lady must have thrown them away. I didn't care that she got rid of them since I had a whole box of "supplies" left but I wondered just what she had come up with when she was trying to figure out why I had dried tampons hanging from the faucet in my bathroom sink. Did she think I couldn't afford to buy anymore or that I was REALLY into recycling? I'm sure she decided I was a major freak.

After that, I didn't make any further attempts at tampon angel making. The excitement I had previously felt about the whole thing just wasn't there anymore.

Happy Halloween

Nancy from Glory Bee has started a blog called Glory Bee Stitch. I really like her designs. Some time ago, I stitched Happy Halloween. My plan is to give it to my Halloween loving friend, either framed or as a pillow, but as you can see, it's still a WIP. I also have the charts for Wipe Your Paws and Flying Monkeys (I love that one's frame) but haven't started either one yet.There are some really cute freebies on the website too.

I stitched my Happy Halloween on 14 ct Country Mocha Vintage Aida and used DMC colors. The chart calls for Wichelt 28 ct Coffee Bean linen and Sampler Threads, Anchor or DMC floss.

Speaking of Halloween, Helga of Helga Mandl Designs started a Yahoo group called for both cross stitchers and designers. Helga has also organized a Halloween stitch-a-long. You can find all the information about it here. This is my first SAL and I'm sure it will be fun. And, even if you don't want to join the SAL, join the Yahoo group. It's a very friendly bunch of cross stitchers.

I made Tyler Florence's Eggplant Parmesan earlier this week becasue I wanted to spend 17 hours of my life cooking. Ok, it doesn't take that long to make but the twenty minute prep type on the recipe is definitely a typo or whoever typed it up was given the wrong information. You have to make the tomato sauce, slice and bread the eggplant, fry it and then assemble everything in a baking dish. Twenty minutes, my eye. It's more like two hours and that's with making the sauce the night before. It makes a ton too. I have the leftovers in the freezer. But's worth the time and effort.

Dang. I'm missing The Closer.

Turtles

I have a link on the sidebar that shows animals available for adoption from Los Angeles Animal Services (I forget if they're the city or county shelters) and the last one that was showing was a turtle.

A turtle who needs a home. I don't know why but that strikes me as really sad. I hope he or she (I clicked the link but didn't take notice if the turtle was a male or female) finds one soon.

When I was a kid, I had a goldfish and my sister had a turtle. I don't remember if we got them or if we got Snuffy the dog first. I do remember that the fish died while my dad was away on business and we put it in the freezer so we could show it to him when he got home. Most likely, it was flushed after he paid his respects.

We also gave a home to a turtle that belonged to our neighbors. Their youngest boy used to be mean and throw rocks at the turtle. It died shortly after it moved in with us. Maybe he missed having rocks thrown at him.

A Belated Push

I missed Thursday's publicity push for the Blogathon so here it is now.

Sometime today, post about the Blogathon with a link to the site.
Starting at 6am on July 28, I'll be blogging for 24 hours straight to raise money for Lone Star Shih Tzu and Lhasa Apso Rescue. So far, I have $110 pledged by my friends and family. Please consider sponsoring me, even if it's for $5.00. Every little bit helps! Go here to sign up and make a pledge. If you have any trouble, please let me know.

Tell folks why you're passionate about your cause
There are far too many dogs in need of homes in this country. Cats too. Lone Star rescues small breed dogs from kill shelters, puppy mills and owners who no longer want them. Because of them, a few less dogs in Texas will be put to sleep tomorrow.

or what wacky plans you have for the 'thon this year
I'm going to cross stitch a biscornu the size of a Shih Tzu. Ok, not really but I will be stitching something. And, I'll post pictures of my progress as the Blogathon goes on.

and be sure to link here to the Blogathon hub!
Done!

But wait! If you have a friend who is also a blogger, ask them to post about your Blogathon efforts as well. Besides just having them get the word out and bring YOU more sponsors, you may inspire them to participate, or they may inspire their readers to participate!
Hint hint to any blogger reading this! (Thanks!)

Cute X-stitch Freebie With Hearts

What is today's date? I have a draft post from the 19th that I didn't "publish" because I wanted to add a picture first. The pic is still in my camera though. I should go get it out of there now.

Ok, I am abbaling. Er, I mean, babbling. I think my blood sugar is low. But I wanted to link to a free cross stitch chart from Periphaeria Designs over at Craft Gossip before I forget. It's been made into a little square pillow and I like it, but when I look at it, I think "that would make a cute biscornu!" Maybe for Valentine's Day, I will make everyone I know a biscornu from this chart.

You never know. It could happen.

What an Adorable Apron

Look at this super cute apron from Pout on a Whim.

And, that's all I have this morning. Good night!

JF Ingalls Embroidery Catalog from 1886

EDITED TO ADD: Some of the links in this post no longer work. Please go to J.F.Ingalls for a list of all the scans from the JF Ingalls catalog that Mr. Governale shared a couple of years ago. For the Good Morning and Good Night patterns, click here. They are #106 in the list. Updated: April 29, 2010.


One of the members of the Outline Stitch Yahoo Group that I'm on (in?) posted a link to 254 scans of patterns from an old embroidery stamping catalog. I have no idea how the stamping part of it worked but these patterns could be used today just by printing them out and transferring them to material. You'll need to enlarge them because they print very small. (The lady who posted the link says she uses Photo Shop to do that. I'm going to try the copy machine. ) I've only gone through a page and a half so far but I've seen flowers, children, dogs, cats, horses, owls, dishes, food and birds. And, do you know what else I found? A pattern for a Good Night/Good Morning pillow which I always wanted to do in redwork. It's 105 on this page. All the scans are no longer protected by copyright so this is a real find. Thank you to Mr. Governale for sharing!

Yo, Britney

Dear Britney Spears:

I know you've had some personal problems lately but this is 2007 and no one should be buying a puppy from a pet shop. If you don't know why, go google "puppy mills." You could have bought a well-bred purebred Yorkie puppy from a responsible breeder for way less then the $3000 you forked over to that Southern California pet store. Or you could have adopted a Yorkie from a Los Angeles area animal shelter for less than a hundred dollars and saved a life in the process. Please stop being just another dumb ass celebrity pet owner (shout out to Katherine McPhee, Nicole Richie* and Jessica Simpson).

xoxox,
Patty

*I should add that after Nicole Richie told Jay Leno on TV that she bought a sick Pomeranian puppy for $8000 over the internet, the men behind the website were charged with various misdemenor charges and later pled guilty to "neglecting the puppies, selling puppies that were not in good health, failing to file a tax return, operating as a seller without a permit and operating without a business permit" (according to an update on Pet-Abuse.Com). Their dogs were removed from the home they were operating their business from and later adopted out to good homes through a local shelter. The bad news is these two are now selling puppies through a kennel in Missouri. It really is about supply & demand. Until we stop buying puppies from pet shops and websites, there will always be people selling them. And, yes, you may have a dog that you bought as a puppy who a long and healthy life -- I did too -- but why risk getting one who may turn out to be sick? Why keep these losers in business? Go Google "puppy mills" before you answer that.

Last Year's Peonies

I was looking for a picture of something else and found this one of my dog Maggie and some peonies from last year.

Actually, there are five pictures of Maggie with peonies but I'll spare you from having to look at all of them.

Kreinik has just added three free cross stitch charts to their site: Happy Fourth of July (I had seen this some place else and forgot to print it out before the link stopped working), Uncle Sam (whose beard is all French knots -- yikes!) and Star Catcher.

I got these links from a newsletter but Kreinik has a ton of freebies on their site, and not just for cross stitch but for other crafts too (needlepoint, plastic canvas, quilting, cardmaking, etc.).

By the way, Kreinik and the company that makes Tokens and Trifles is having an ornament contest. I love the look of Tokens and Trifles sewing cards, especially the rectangle. I've seen some lovely needlebooks made from that shape. (Check out their free charts for ideas.) I haven't stitched up any yet but they're on my to-do list.

Guerilla Bagging

"From Morsbags.com: Let’s do something positive to reduce the hideous number of plastic bags being used - 1 million are consumed per minute globally - of which hundreds of thousands end up in the oceans."

I found that on the info about a swap that isn't your usual swap. You basically make a bag or two or seventeen and then give them out to strangers at the store. And, then you tell your swap partner about it.

I would love to do this. A few years ago I talked my mom into getting a sewing machine so we could "make things." She made a few things but I still haven't used it. I think it's time to figure out how to ... what do you do with a bobbin? thread it? Yeah, it's time to learn how to do that and get to making some bags.

There are directions for making a bag on Morsbags.

Before and After Rescue

The videos on Lone Star's blog will give you a good idea of why I'm doing the Blogathon for them this year. The first two clips show the dogs before and the last video is the after. What a difference.

Wow! So far, there are 333 bloggers signed up and $30,084.52 has been pledged so far. $50 of that total is from my sponsors, woo hoo!

Please click here to sponsor me! Thanks!

Cool rick rack

You have to see the rick rack on an apron posted on Sommer Designs (bottom photo). Isn't that neat? (The roses are pretty too, huh?) I love rick rack. I think it's because my mom used to put it on clothes she made my sister and me when we were kids.

Something I Might Do

Floresita has been posting lots of new embroidery transfers. Go see the cute clothespin.

I have a potential plan for the Blogathon: I'm considering cross stitching something during it. I have the chart for Bent Creek's Puppy Dog Row and decided to stitch one of the dogs and make an Xmas ornament. It only took me a few hours one night and a few more the next night to finish the doggy, (I still want to add a border though). I did a second one yesterday, and that wouldn't have taken as long as it did if I hadn't screwed up twice and had to restitch parts of it. So I'm sure could get one done during the Blogathon. And, afterwards, I could give it to one of my sponsors.

I'm still thinking about doing this, but if I do it, I might even make a few of them ahead of time and also give them to my sponsors.

Worth Watching

A trailer for the film "Mine: Taken By Katrina" is worth a look. It's about animals rescued after the hurricane and their owners' attempts to find them and get them back. I had no idea the Dog Whisperer refused to return a Katrina dog to his owner. There's a link to the trailer at their MySpace page.

Not long after Katrina, I was looking at rescued dogs on Petfinder and saw Buster. Buster's foster mom knew the address in New Orleans where he was found and had the names of the homeowners but that was it. Thanks to a lot of internet searching, I was able to track down someone who knew the homeowners who turned out to be Buster's owners. His foster mom eventually flew him to Iowa to be reunited with them. So, Buster's story had a happy ending. And, I helped locate a couple of other owners, which led to reunions with their dogs. But, unfortunately, I know people who are still looking for their missing Katrina pets.

Blogathon Again

So, I am officially doing the Blogthon to raise money for Lone Star Shih Tzu and Lhasa Apso Rescue. On July 28th, I will be adding an entry here every 30 minutes. I'll be doing that for 24 hours straight. You can sponsor me by going here. You will have to sign up first but it's pretty easy to do. Please feel free to tell everyone you know that I'm doing this (thanks!).

If you'd rather sponsor a blogger who has picked a charity you support, check the list of bloggers and the groups they're raising money for here. There's a variety of organizations there.

If you have a blog, and want to participate in the Blogathon yourself, (yeah, the more the merrier!) check out the FAQ for more information. Some people use their regular blog and some create ones just for the Blogathon.

(I just read at the Blogathon site that today is the first publicity push. Funny because I had planned to write about it anyway. I must be psychic.)

(And, I promise to keep the pleas for donations to a minimum.)

Calling All Cross Stitchers

The American Soldier Memorial Project is a group that honors the fallen heroes of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. This includes soldiers, Marines, sailors and members of the Air Force. To show support for the servicemen and women, a finished cross stitch design is given to their family.

We need more stitchers to help. If you would like to help, and you're a hand stitcher, please join the MSN group.
http://groups.msn.com/AmericanSoldierMemorialProject

Machine stitchers can join the Yahoo group.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NoSoldierLeftBehindMemorial

There's a huge list of free cross stitch charts at LaGattaC, including the cute Eggnog Sampler from Casey Buonaugorio (scroll down to the bottom), flowers from Casa Mia (the top chart), and a winter heart from Maryse. I am definitely doing those three.

Stay up late. Make a difference.

I got an email the other day about the Blogathon. The Blogathon is an online event where you blog for 24 hrs straight to raise money for your chosen charity. I always do it for a Shih Tzu rescue. This year it will be for Lone Star Shih Tzu and Lhasa Apso Rescue down in Texas. I'm waiting to get an OK from them about doing this, only because they have their own blog now and might want to do the Blogathon themselves. As soon as I know I can blog for them, I'll add some links because I know you all want to sponsor me.

It will be held on July 28 this year. I was just going over the list of participating bloggers (there's 201 signed up so far) and see that a few already have nearly $500 in pledges. Wow! I see a couple of them are raising money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. It's funny because I have done the Blogathon three times in the past and I never once considered doing it for a diabetes charity. A dog rescue is always my first choice.

Some bloggers have a theme, like last year one woman made a skirt during the Blogathon and posted pictures of her progress. (Hmmm, I guess I could cross stitch for 24 hours, couldn't I?) (Or not.) I remember reading another blogger who posted recipes (that made me hungry). I just read my posts from last year's Blogathon and God, was that boring. So my goal this year is to be interesting and fun.

If you want to know more about the Blogathon, check out the FAQ.

A boring picture

Before sitting down at the computer, I opened the window because it was warm in here. You'd have thought I turned on a fan. The breeze coming in from outside is incredible. And, no, you can't see that those leaves are moving in the picture or that I'm actually considering putting a sweater on, but you can see I own a postage scale. How exciting.

It's Better Than Naming It Apple

I was just reading about biscornu again (I'm obsessed, I tell you) over at Needle 'N Thread. There are some links there worth clicking if you've developed a fondness for biscornu as I have. (Did I mention I'm naming my baby "Biscornu"? Well, I am. Just as soon as I have one.)

The World's Largest Collection of Smalls is a blog for showing cross stitched finishes of ornaments, bookmarks, biscornu, scissor fobs, needlerolls, and other assorted items you can make from a finished piece. Let's all ooh and ahh over the needlebooks, shall we? I love those things. [link to the blog via The Peacock's Feather]

Prairie Schooler has a new free chart up on their site. It's a little Santa. (I suggest you save it now because once they put up a new one, the last one is gone.) I've done their last two freebies, and if I wasn't so lazy, I'd get up right now and go take a picture of them. I love their new Cranberry Christmas designs.

Edited to add another freebie: Hedwig's Four Patch from The Sampler Girl. This chart was just put on her site the other day and already some people have stitched it up.

A Belated Happy 4th of July

Ten emails in my spam folder and all from somebody who wants me to put his money in my bank account. I'm sorry but does anybody still fall for this scam? I hope not. It's been around for years. Oh and Microsoft is not tracking your email so please stop forwarding that one. Thanks.

Best line I've read on a blog this week: "I have also updated my myspace…who knew it wasn’t just for high schoolers and pervs?" (courtesy of Domestic Chicky).

Who knew, indeed? A girl I worked with 12 years ago just found me on MySpace and she is neither a high schooler or a perv. I am not a big fan of the MySpace but I couldn't leave comments on my friends' blogs if I wasn't a member so I was forced to join against my will.

I forgot to pop in here yesterday with wishes for a Happy 4th of July. I hope yours was safe and sane. Anybody remember that? Stands that sold "safe and sane" fireworks? My sister and I were trying to figure out what insane fireworks were like and why we couldn't buy them.

I made those cupcakes on Sunday because we had company. My mom added the little flags and did the table. I don't think you can tell but under the coconut is light blue frosting. They're from the Barefoot Contessa coconut cupcake & cream cheese frosting mix. We have a market in town that sells the mix but you can get it at Amazon, Crate & Barrel, Stonewall Kitchen and other online sellers. You can also make them from scratch (that recipe is only available for a limited time so go print it out now so you won't have to look it up later). Between the coconut, the hint of almond extract and the cream cheese frosting, these cupcakes are amazing. I just ate the last one for breakfast.

Freebies, tutorials, and coffee

I was searching for more free Biscornu patterns the other night (and the one I used to make mine -- I had printed out the Google translated version and the URL got cut off) and found some free charts here. I'm not sure what Berlin Work is but these flower patterns are pretty. (Ok, I looked it up: Berlin wool work)

This free chart is what I used for my biscornu. I used the chart called Popular Red Biscornu that's the very first link on the freebie list (right below the directions) here.

And, check out My Half of the Brain, a blog chock-full of tutorial goodness. (That's what I'm having for a snack: nuts!) [link via Domestic Chicky]

P.S. Chock full o' Nuts coffee is still around. I just learned from their website that during the Depression, the founder turned his 18 nut shops into coffee shops and that's how the brand got its name.

Maggie Turns 14 Today

Happy Birthday, Maggie!!

(yeah, Maggie is a dog who likes to sleep in boxes ...)

I couldn't think of a name

Hey, look what I found as a draft post. I don't know why I didn't finish it. Oh yes, I do. See the title.

There are some finished biscornu here (yeah. I'm a tad obsessed with the suckers). I like this one that came from a free pattern that can be found here at Debbie Draper Designs.

After reading the latest Stitch School post and clicking all the links, I really want to go monogram something ... a hankie, a towel, the drapes, the dog ...

There's a gallery here of some great vintage apron patterns (click the pics to see them larger).

I remember having a yo-yo clown when I was a kid. Most likely, it came from my grandmother. I know that I was fascinated by the yo-yos and would try to separate them, in an effort to figure out how the thing was made. I didn't hold on to it though probably because I am not a huge fan of clowns. I wish I still had it because I could take it apart and use the yo-yos. You can make your own yo-yo friend thanks to this tutorial.

Elwood

I forget why I'm here ... oh yeah, to say that Elwood won the World's Ugliest Dog contest at the Sonoma-Marin Fair this past weekend. Congratulations, Elwood!

My New Biscornu

The top of the Biscornu
Originally uploaded by PipStitch

This is the top of the biscornu I just made this week. I stitched it on (I think) 14 ct Fiddler's Lite (I decided not to use linen for my first biscornu) and I used leftover floss from my stash. The button came from Michelle (it was one of many extras she sent for the needlebook swap). I like the little dog's tongue hanging out. (He's an ornament I found in a shop at the mall a few years back.)


And, that would be the bottom of the biscornu. My seams are a mess (notice you can't really see them and that was done on purpose) but I'm happy with it and now would like to do one with red floss. I need to find the link to the place I found the free patterns I used.

Bottom of the Biscornu
Originally uploaded by PipStitch

Always Read the Directions FIRST

Finishing School has directions for making a biscornu. I've been working on one for the past few days and I just found out that I need to backstitch the border. I had cross stitched mine and was quite happy to be finished with both the biscornu's top & bottom. Guess I'll be ripping out stitches later on. Why didn't I check the directions before doing the border? The border wasn't part of the printed out design but I could see one in the pictures. That should have made me think twice about adding an x-stitched one. Oh well.

Animal Painters

You may have seen this since it was linked on Cute Overload but here are some pictures done by animal painters. Their work reminds me of artwork that 2 yr olds in my class did. :) I love "Pigcasso."

Dang, I wish I had some Velveeta

I think we all read the same blogs but in case we don't, I wanted to mention that the Pioneer Woman now has a cooking blog that you really need to go look at. You might want to bring a napkin with you because you will most likely be drooling after seeing the pictures.

Why I wish I had some Velveeta

If you go to the Cross Stitch For Life blog, you'll a list of links on the right side to some free charts, including the Winter House (I have to do that one).

Speaking of houses, Maryse has put up the free chart of her Summer Cottage. I did the Winter one but hadn't gotten to Spring yet. That's my version of the Winter Cottage down below. I turned it into a small pillow. And that's another one of my pigs.

Bad Sue!

I love this quilt. It's called The Sun Sets on Sunbonnet Sue. The blocks show all the ways Sunbonnet Sue met her death. I like the block of her tied to the railroad tracks. [link via Ever Embellished]

That quilt reminded me of the Bad Sue Quilts website. Here's Sue as Lizzie Borden and poor Sue being eaten by a gator. Here she is stealing candy from a baby. I can't stop giggling at that one. Actually, they all crack me up. (The Sun Sets on Sunbonnet Sue quilt is here too.)

Kim Bunchuck, who is behind the Bad Sue site, also has Sunbonnet Sue, where you can find free patterns to make your own Sue block, including ones from some old Sue quilts.

If I was going to make a Bad Sue, I would show her not paying her taxes, or driving with a suspended license, or hanging out with Lindsay Lohan at a club.

Sunday Morning

I went with my sister to Borders last night and saw The Cute Book which has patterns for a bunch of super adorable felt characters. I think I just found my inspiration to really focus on getting a job this week. Seriously. Well, that and the fact that I really need some new underwear.

Celebrating Wildflowers has over 300 line drawings of wildflowers that you could use for embroidery patterns. [link via Outline Stitch Embroidery and History]

Calling all stitchers who own dogs! Please join Sarah's Flickr group and show us your doggy!

Peonies

Here's my peony from the other day (my mom got rid of hers but mine is still looking good) And here's the new one



And, now look at this freaking adorable pig collage [link via Vintage Transfer Finds]

A Biscornu Fest

I'm not sure what disturbs me more: Mia Doll's short dress and lack of underwear or Crissy Doll's flared pink, blue and yellow striped pants.

I think I need a "I Heart the 70's" label.

I'm fascinated by biscornu (a small pincushion or eight-sided pillow depending on who you ask) every time I see one somewhere on the internet. Last night I just happened to find instructions on how to make one while looking for/at something else, but forgot to save a link to the site. I was just on Swap-bot and saw there's a swap for biscornu, and that a helpful Swap-botter shared a link to Own Two Hands where you can find biscornu making directions, plus links to free patterns.

The swap is for biscornu beginners so I'm considering doing it but still on the fence about it for now. I do have some nice green linen that I could use though. The thing is I don't cross stitch on linen because my eyes are so bad and I can't see if I'm going over one thread or two or sixteen and my X's look all distorted. If only I could win the lottery so I could buy a giant freestanding super strong magnifying glass.

Doesn't biscornu sound like something you make for dinner? "Last night we had beef biscornu with mashed potatoes and peas."

I saw a snowman biscornu on Freebie Gallery last night. The free chart can be found here on Helga Mandl Designs where you can also buy biscornu charts -- there's a link on the home page. There are also links to finishing directions for your biscornu. And, click on the Freebies link on the home page for more cross stitch charts.

Edited To Add: I think I was so upset about Mia not wearing any undies that I forgot to include this link to a bunch of free biscornu patterns.

Clogs were all the rage back then.

Why I Stay Up So Late

Have you played with this interactive cross stitch thingy? I first read about here but its also linked at Craftzine where it's described as "an interactive flash cross stitch game to get people aware and involved in the environmental cause" (the cause would be the preservation of the Atlantic and Amazon forests in Brazil). All I know is it's addictive. The final result is always the same yet I can sit there for an hour, moving my mouse and watching the x's fill in.

FYI: My other favorite online time waster is Farm Hustle.

I don't think I've linked to Redwork Info before. They have some free patterns there including a santa, a snowman and some cute kids.

Freebie Gallery is a blog for photos of completed cross stitched freebies. Some entries have links to where the charts can be found too. I really like seeing what people do with their finished pieces. Look at what six different women came up with from one hedgehog freebie. (The hedgehog chart is here.)

My Puppy Apron

Here's an apron I got on eBay last year. I couldn't resist the puppies. I also couldn't find a place to hang it up so I could take a picture. The oven came in handy. I took these at 2 am (actually it was 2:41) last night. If it hadn't been so late, I might have remembered to use something called a hanger.

Homes Needed for Three Lhasa Apsos

This is Myrtle, an older Lhasa Apso, who would like to find a home for herself and her two Lhasa friends.

I know I've mentioned this before but these dogs really need to go to foster homes or be adopted ASAP. Lone Star Shih Tzu and Lhasa Apso Rescue down in Texas has two senior Lhasas, Myrtle and Claude, who they'd like to keep together, and a younger Lhasa boy, Hiram, who all desperately need foster/forever homes. Myrtle is deaf and blind, and Claude doesn't see much (but he can hear), so it will take someone really special to adopt these two. These dogs were pulled from a Galveston shelter and are safe now but they really need a place to go. You can see pictures and get more information on Lone Star's blog.

P.S. You know, if you're a pissed off Sopranos fan, adopting a fluffy little dog or two would make you feel much better. Really. It would.

P.P.S. You can still apply to foster or adopt if you don't live in Texas.

UPDATE: Unfortunately, Myrtle passed away on July 18th. :(

Here's Another Pig

I really need to hire someone to remember things for me. I'm only 43 (I know I write like a 12 yr old most of the time) but there is so much I forget. Like, I had planned to post pictures of my pig collection every week. I was just reminded of that after seeing the 4th photo down in this post on PAMKITTYMORNING.

That piggy bank came from an antique store in Dana Point years ago.

So, there's another pig and now I can go to bed.

Free Redwork Patterns

Pat at Quilter's Muse has added a couple of free redwork patterns to her site, a dog and a bird. I just found her redwork pigs freebie in my stash which led me back to her site.

There's a lot of great information at Quilter's Muse. I love looking at the virtual museum of antique designs, especially the Adorable Puppies Minature Quilt.

While looking for something else, I found some free charts on the Kooler Design Studio site. They also sell bibs with an Aida pocket to stitch something on. And I like their felt embroidery kits.

For more links to redwork patterns, check the REDWORK label in the left sidebar.

I Am No Longer Peony Challenged

Peony 1
Originally uploaded by PipStitch

There is a peony bush in my backyard that is full of lush green leaves but there won't be any flowers this year. I've been seeing pictures of peonies on different blogs and I was getting jealous but I finally got a peony of my own today. My mom bought five of them at a local market and I claimed one.

I think I forgot to link to a tutorial for making embroidered buttons the other day. I really need to give this a try. This how-to is by Amy of Ibby Bee Quilts. I was just looking at her embroidery posts. I love the flowers she put on her daughter's shirt. Amy shared some information and some tips for embroidering clothes on Feeling Stitchy. I tend to buy white shirts, mainly because if I wore them to work and a child got paint or marker on me, I could bleach the stain to remove it. I should add some embroidery to one of my shirts and see how it goes.

Janet of Primrose Design recently asked on her blog for help with answers to questions she had gotten about embroidering on t-shirts. There are some good suggestions in the comments including one from elizabethdee to use Sulky Solvy Stabilizer. You can put your embroidery transfer right on it plus it dissolves in water when you're all finished. I also like the idea of embroidering the design on to fabric and then blanket stitching it on to the shirt.

Somewhere I have a clip art graphic of a peony. Maybe I could use that for my pattern...

Apronpalooza is Nearly Over

All but one Apronpalooza giveaway is ending tonight at 11:59 Pacific Time so go enter while there's about five hours left. All the contest posts are here. The very last contest ends on Tuesday June 12th so if you're reading this over the weekend, you can still enter that one.

I am drooling over this Red and Blue Apron from Made By Tess. And, the Rosy Half-Apron from Nana Company. And, the Funny Doggies apron by Dustpan Alley.

Close up of Rainbow Sampler

Close up of Rainbow Sampler
Originally uploaded by PipStitch

I've been adding some pictures to Flickr of my finished cross stitching. This was a stamped design that had both crewel and x-stitch which I did over 20 years ago. I learned how to do some of the embroidery stitches from the instructions and I had no idea if I was doing them correctly.

Yay, Anaheim Ducks!

I haven't paid much attention to hockey since the US team won the gold medal at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics but I did see the last few minutes of the Ducks/Senators game last night. Congratulations to the Anaheim Ducks for winning the 2007 Stanley Cup! It's been awhile since we had a winning team in Southern California, and I sure don't remember one with so many beards.

Foster Homes Needed in Texas

Every animal rescue group out there is always in desperate need of foster homes, and if you've ever considered being a foster, please stop thinking about it and just go do it. And, if you're a small dog person in the Dallas area and you'd like to be a help, please contact Lone Star Shih Tzu and Lhasa Rescue and fill out an application. They've just been asked to take five dogs from a "breeder" and will need foster homes for these dogs and funds for medical care. They're also looking for forever foster homes to place three senior Lhasa Apsos.

I do get good news from Lone Star too and the latest was about all of their recent adoptions, including Bok Choy who I thought was the cutest thing. I'm so glad a couple from Lousiana decided to give her a home.

Another rescue group I know of, New Beginnings Shih Tzu Rescue, is holding a quilt raffle to raise funds for their rescue efforts. Hmmm. I wonder if anybody reading this would like to donate a quilt for a fundraiser for a Shih Tzu rescue organization.

Hokie Healing Project

I went back to the Mosaic Yarn Shop blog for an update on their Hokie Healing Project and saw they've collected 4512 knitted or crochet squares to make into blankets for the families of the Virginia Tech victims. Check out the pictures from when they had 2017 squares. Their goal was 2000.

Don't Forget to Enter Apronpalooza

One of today's Apronpalooza giveaways is for an apron from Apron Memories which is EllynAnne Geisel's website. She wrote The Apron Book. If you don't have it yet, go get it.

And, if you don't want to enter the contest because you aren't into aprons (what is up with that?), you can always give me your prize if you win. :)

Apron Plans

This is interesting. I saw this apron while entering the Apronpalooza contest tonight and thought it was really cute. The more I looked at it, the more I realized I was planning to make something very similar. I have a set of placemats that are made from some cute fabric with cherries on it and it's already trimmed with rickrack. I thought I could add a couple of embroidered pockets to one of the placemats and some ties, and I'd have an apron. I finished the embroidery on one pocket the other night and was about to start on the second one.

The doggy design is from a child's pinafore apron pattern where they show the puppy with ears made of yarn. They also included ears in the pattern so I cut two ears out of some white felt and sewed them the puppy's head.

I'm sure I'll stitch up the other pocket. I have another puppy transfer to use for that. But since I haven't touched a sewing machine in about 30 years, I may never get to actually finishing the apron. I guess I could always buy the Sprinkle one.

My Other New Needlebook

And, here is my other new needlebook. This one is just perfect. It's made of wool, it's got a cute bee button on it and a cute watermelon, and blanket stitching all around. These are a few of my favorite things. I love it. This was made by the lovely and talented Michelle, and you can see a better picture of it on her blog, Tangled Threads. I am jealous of Michelle because she has two donkeys, Mutt and Shaggy.

I have a picture of the inside of the needlebook but that one is too blurry so I'll have to take another one. I was stuck in my bedroom this afternoon with a small dog while the Maytag repairman fixed the freezer (actually, it's a GE fridge), and while she was barking her head off, I was taking pictures of past cross stitch projects and my new needlebooks.

Apronpalooza

Life is Like a Lunchbox is having an apron giveaway. The rules are here. You bet I'm entering this one.

There are already seven contests going. You have until Friday to enter each one. All the apron posts are here.

One of My New Needlebooks

I don't know what is up with posting pictures here. I just took these and they look great on my computer screen. You can see the beads and it's very clear. Then I look at them on Blogger and they don't look all that great. And, try clicking the pictures to see them larger and they look all weird.

So, the photos don't do it justice but that is one of the lovely needlebooks I received through a swap at Swap-bot. I love the fabric (you can't really see it but the inside fabric is pretty) and I like the beads in the middle of some of the flowers. Maybe if you put your nose right up to the screen, you can see them. I like that this one has several pages inside. I have some needles that are still in their original packaging, and I was thinking I could organize them by size on each page and get rid of the cardboard & plastic thingy they came in.

I had second thoughts about doing this swap only because I wasn't sure I could make a needlebook that someone else would be happy to get, but I am really glad I joined because I ended up with two great ones.

X Stitch Freebies

Here's a free chart of a dog who says voff instead of woof. And, some more freebies from the same site.

Six Strand Sweets has a bunch of free designs that use their hand-dyed floss. I was just reading over the list of the colors and now I am really hungry. Such pretty colors and yummy names.

Maybe I Should Just Make a Really Small Yo-Yo Pillow

I found a list of links for free patterns in an email that I sent myself. I have no idea how I first got to the list but it's here if you want to look. From there, I ended up at Sew & Sew's Patterns. They have some free patterns there, including a Poodle (you can buy the entire set of dog patterns too) and some cups, teapots & pitchers that you can use for redwork or applique.

UPDATE: The site owner is no longer sharing free charts at that website. I haven't been to this French site for quite awhile. Many of their free charts are cows but not all. You can access the freebies by clicking on the archives at the bottom of the page. The galleries are worth looking at to see what other people made from the free stuff.

And, if you haven't been before, go see all the cool stuff at Knitting-and.com. I think I found that through a Google search because of the embroidery patterns. I especially like this one. Or it might have been due to the needlecase.

Sarah of knitting-and.com also has a blog, Mostly Knitting. And, look: she is making 1600 yo-yos for a coverlet. Wow!

Nice Bangs

I never cut Mia's hair. Never ever. I swear.

Ok, maybe I did a little.

Here's a 12 second video of my Look Around Crissy doll in action.

Friday's With Crissy Doll

My memory is not what it used to be but I knew that at some point in my life, I had made a red & white checked apron for my Mia doll. So a month or so ago, I went through the box of clothes for Mia, Crissy, and their black haired friend in the god-awful satin blue dress that I had kept for over 30 years, and sure enough, I found the apron. I guess I was maybe 10 or so when I made that.

Crissy was 18" tall and her cousin Velvet was 15" tall so they were bigger than Barbie dolls. (I thought Velvet was the sister but a little internet research has her as Crissy's cousin.) I remember a friend getting a Velvet doll for her birthday when I was about 6 or 7 yrs old and after that I wanted a Crissy doll very badly. Crissy dolls had hair that "grew" by pushing their belly button. A knob in their back could be turned to make the hair shorter. Eventually, I got Mia, (that's her in the middle wearing the apron) and my sister got Kerry, who was tall and blonde and not in that photo below. Wikipedia says Mia was Velvet's friend and Kerry was Crissy's friend.

By the way, the one on the left in the picture with the black hair and god-awful blue satin dress is Tressy. And, I don't just have Tressy, I have Posin' Tressy. From Wikipedia: "In 1971 "Posin' Tressy" also a Sears catalog exclusive was issued." That doesn't surprise me. Back then, we came up with our Xmas lists by going through the Sears catalog.

One year my mom took my sister and me to the toy store at Fashion Island because we both had some Christmas money to spend (most likely from my grandmother) and we both bought a Crissy doll in the orange-y red dress. Wikipedia: "In 1973 Ideal released 'Beautiful Crissy with the Swirla-Curler.' This doll came packaged with a hair curling attachment designed to be inserted into the head’s opening. This Crissy model came wearing a one piece dress that was fashioned to look like a white and orange plaid jumper with a red-orange blouse underneath." I don't remember my Crissy having a Swirla-Curler but mine does move when you pull a string.

According to Wikipedia (what would I do without them?), what I had was the "Look Around Crissy" model. "This version was released in 1972. This doll . . . was different from previous Crissy models as it employed a mechanical apparatus, set in motion by pulling a pull-string . . . the doll’s head and waist were geared to turn and give the impression of "looking around" when the doll’s string was pulled." My sister's Swirla-Curler Crissy did not have a string to make her move, so at the time, we just thought I got a moving Crissy in the wrong dress and wrong box. But, on Crissy and Beth, it says that leftover inventory of Look Around Crissy was used for Swirla-Curler Crissy, so that explains why mine could move.

My mom and I both made clothes for these dolls. My mom did a much better job (she used a machine, I hand stitched everything) but mine are scary. I'm going to designate Friday as the day to post pictures of Crissy, Tressy and Mia in their groovy 70's outfits. Except for the apron, my dolls are wearing their original clothes and shoes in the picture (Tressy is missing a shoe). Crissy and Tressy both have their underpants on, but the 1972 elastic in poor Crissy's is all stretched out. I was hoping they'd fall down when I pulled her string and got her to "look around."

Stay tuned for a short video of my Look Around Crissy in action. I have to figure out how to upload it here.