Travelling Treasures

Hi everyone,  next month will be the one year anniversary since I started Travelling Treasures. It has been a lot of fun tracking where the parcel goes once a month and seeing how much it has changed.
Thank you to everyone who has played along nicely and sent TT along as per the guidelines.

The giveaway is done on the second Tuesday of each month.  I always email the winner to introduce myself and do a post on my blog around the middle of the month to offer congratulations.  I needed to update my blog with the new winner and I couldn't find the information on the previous winners blog, so I emailed her to ask.   The reply I received yesterday said she is going overseas this morning and will be gone for a whole month.  She did not choose a winner a couple of weeks ago and so the parcel still has not been passed on.  I asked her to mail the parcel to me when she reaches her destination so I could do the giveaway for her, and that won't be happening either.

So, I am sad to tell you that there will be no winner for February.  It appears nothing will be happening until the end of March, so the next earliest chance to win will be April. *sigh*   I need some stitching therapy now.  xx debbie

Some Finishes :)

Hi everyone,

There has been lots of stitching here with plenty more on the list!

On Saturday, I finished the mug rug that all the ladies going to "Let's Get Stitched" have been asked to bring along.  The back is fairly plain so we can sign them for a lovely memento of the trip. 

Also for this trip, we were assigned a partner to make a name badge for.  This is the smallest Dresden plate I have ever made.  I will show a few more that I made at the same time further down this post.

I had a goal to have two Blankets of Love ready to take on the trip too.  I've already shown the green one and I managed to make the one on the left last week.  It has a cute baby print with bottles, ducks, rattles, etc.

Our stitching group has started a row by row quilt.  We made our own first row with the theme of flowers.  Each month we will have a new theme and each month we make a row for someone new.  We won't see our own rows until the end of the year, as we are sworn to secrecy from now on!

I enjoyed doing all this hand applique with silk thread. It's been a very long time since I have done it that way instead of blanket stitch.  The little Dresdens and  Hexies finish around 3" and the row is only 5 1/2" wide.  I've made several full size Dresden quilts, but  I won't be making any more of those mini Dresdens any time soon.  The little Hexies are the 1/2" size and this was my first time making them that small.  I will definitely be making more of these little flowers because they are so cute!

I eyed this thread with suspicion while remembering not so long ago one of the blog ladies posted a tragic picture of a beautiful stitchery she had done, only to have the dye run all over her project.  This is from a variegated collection of 12 DMCs that I've had for years.  I want to do a small stitchery and sew  it onto  something I wash  a few times a year, so....

I pinned it to some fabric scraps and put this and a colour catcher into a lingerie bag.  Then I put that into a regular wash in the machine. I wanted it to be exposed to laundry soap and several rinses just  as it will be after I stitch with it.

 

Here is the final result.  I was so happy it didn't turn in to one giant knot LOL.  The colour catcher was a shade somewhere between pink and lavender.  The thread  label says  "colourfast dyes".  Hmmm.... The DMC number is 4210 and the last picture shows the truest colours.

That's all for now xx debbie

Bittersweet

Hi everyone,

This is a post that I really didn't want to write.  I've had many conversations with myself over the past few days about what and what not to put on my blog.  I thought about last Sunday at our stitcher's meeting, when one of the ladies asked me right away "how is Boy 12"?  I remember saying to her that I didn't know she even read my blog, and she replied that while she doesn't often comment, she always reads because she loves  the dog stories.  Such a kind lady, she is.  I also thought about the emails I have had, telling me personal dog stories, talking about how hard it must be to say goodbye to each one, and enjoying the pictures I post.  Remember the one that got in the bin and made a huge mess? :)  Lastly,  I didn't think it would be kind of me to leave you wondering, so here is the story.

(photo from Pinterest)

 

Last Friday, I took Boy 12 for his vet appointment.  She confirmed what was painfully obvious just by looking at him.  She did blood tests just to be sure and said the results would be in Monday.  On Monday, the call I expected came in and then a second call came Monday night.  His condition was deteriorating rapidly.  They offered to come for him right away to make things easier on me, but I asked them to let him stay with me as long as possible so he wouldn't have to be in a strange place.

 

 

I did manage to get a nice photo of him to remember him by.  Such a sweet old guy.

 

 

I knew that Tuesday would be our last day together and he would be picked up late afternoon.  I made it the nicest day I could for him.  He never lost his appetite, so I gave him extra breakfast.  Late morning, there was a lovely seabreeze, so we went on the deck for a long brushing session.  I talked to him and told him the story of the Rainbow Bridge.  If you don't know the story, you can read about it here.   I told him he would be back with his blind guy soon, and that my much loved dog Greta and my dear friend's dog Maggie would be waiting for him too.  He had a long nap after the brushing session and then he had a treat of his favourite dog biscuits.  I felt so sad for the lady when she came for him as she has come to be a good friend of mine, but we both knew that he was very unwell and it was the best decision.  I gave him a kiss and a hug and said goodbye, and then he was gone.

 

 

I've been thinking about how many dogs I have said goodbye to this past year.  I even wondered if I should keep doing this for about a nanosecond.  I thought about all the cuddles, the different personalities,  the tears every time one leaves me.  It didn't take long to decide that the joy far outweighs the hard parts and I know that the special dog place needs a quiet home like mine for the dogs that are unwell.  Yes, I will do this as long as they let me. I can't imagine my life any other way.  xx debbie

 

Initial Heart Swap, Travelling Treasures

 

 

Hi everyone,  Hope you had a nice Valentine's Day.  I joined in this swap for the second time this year and once again, it was a lot of fun.  Many thanks to dear Cheryll  for being the swap mama.

 

 

I received this beautiful gift from Melanie and I just love it!  There are 25 hearts, each stitched by hand in the sweetest little flower print  fabrics.

 

 

 

There is a special heart in the middle, with my initial on it.  Melanie also include some yummy chocolates which are gone now :)  Thank you so much, Melanie, I love my gift. xx

 

 

I made another project bag with the cutest sewing themed fabric. These are the inner bag pieces before assembly. It's a nice size bag to carry a handful of hexies on the go.

 

This is the front pocket.  I cross stitched the "M", two hearts, and two rows of tiny spools of thread.

 

 

All finished.  I think this is bag # 5 for me. 

 

 

It's time for Travelling Treasures to go to a new home soon.  It is currently with Kaye . 

Kaye will be choosing a winner tomorrow, 18th of February.  If you live in Australia, please pop over and leave her a comment for a chance to win.  I was stunned when I saw the latest photos of the current contents. WOW!!! There is some very cool stuff and I want to be the next winner!!  haha.

That's all for now. I've been doing lots of stitching and I will show you in my next post. xx debbie

 

Boy 12

Hi everyone,

Boy 12 is here.  There are many things I really want to say but I can't. 
His health is not good due to age and other reasons I can't speak of.   He was in the same home for 10 years until he came to me on Tuesday.  I'm sure he is a bit confused.  I really need to go out and do some errands, but I can't bear to leave him today, even for an hour or two.  He is keeping very close to me.  We have an appointment with a Vet tomorrow and it cannot come soon enough for me. 

 

I took more photos, but I cannot show them.  I have edited this one just so you could have a little peek.  Please send this old guy some kind doggy thoughts, if you are so inclined. xx debbie

 

FNWF, BOL, It's a BOY!

Hi everyone,

Hope you were able to have a fun night of stitching.  I did some hexie paper piecing, traced a few baby Dresdens, and made a Blanket of Love quilt.  I always seem to work on one thing for a short time, then on to something else.  My hands get tired with the paper piecing, then my back hurts if I sit at the sewing machine too long...sigh... Thank you dear Cheryll for being such a lovely hostess.

 

 

This is my sweet little dolly model. She measures just between 8 and 9 inches long.

 

 

 

 

Cheryll recently posted that smaller Blankets of Love are also needed.  So, this one was much quicker to make than the ones I have made in the past.  The lining is a soft lavender with tiny white dots, and the outer part is like a kiwi fruit shade of green with little purple lady bugs and daisies.  I am happy to say that this one is completely finished and will be going in my suitcase for the Melbourne trip.

 

 

 

 

Beach House by Moda is one of my all time favourite fabric collections. While cleaning my sewing room recently, I found these long forgotten templates for all sizes of hexies and Dresdens.

Our stitching group is starting a row by row quilt project that will last all year. The first row is made by us and the theme is Flowers.  Those hexie flowers are only 2 1/2 inches tall when finished.  I haven't totally finished any Dresdens yet, but they will be similar in size.

 

 

I am expecting a boy as my next foster pup and he will be arriving Tuesday arvo.  We will call him "Boy 12".  I don't know too much yet, other than he is 10 years old, (which will make him my oldest dog so far), he is a Black Lab, his blind person has recently passed away, and he has multiple health problems.  I presume, but don't know for sure, that he will be staying with me until he is adopted by someone seeking an older dog.  I am looking forward to meeting him and having some doggy companionship once again.  I've had another update on Girl 11. She lost nearly 4kg while staying with me (which was the plan), and she is not limping any more. Happy! xx debbie

Blog help, please?

Hi everyone,

I will be the first to admit that I am rather challenged with technology.  Thank you dear De for changing the text message tone on my phone for me since I couldn't work it out myself LOL.

I would like to tidy up my blog a bit and make some tabs across the top.  I've clicked on a few things, but then I chickened out.  I'm afraid I will stuff it right up!  Can anyone point me in the right direction, please and thanks?!

 

I was feeling like this for a week or two, with various swap deadlines to meet.  I still have a few more stitching deadlines currently, but the swaps are posted and I am taking a little break for now.  I have plenty of pics to show, but I can't just yet until they are received.

My dear Girl 11 left me on 15 January and I have not had another foster pup come yet.  I just have to wait until there is one with medical problems that needs a quiet place to stay.  I am still missing her though, such a sweet girl and definitely an "old soul" who has been here before.

I know she is home safe and back to working again, guiding her guy, and that does make me happy. I took this pic on our last Friday night together.  She was watching me sew.  *sniff*

If you have any advice to help me work out making tabs,  that would be so helpful. xx debbie