Travelling Treasures Entry and FNWF

Hi everyone,

The lovely Marti has received her Travelling Treasures parcel in Colorado, USA, all the way from Queensland.  She has done her post announcing she is ready to send the parcel on again.

Marti is offering an easy chance to enter.  All you need to do is leave a comment HERE and tell her where you live.  She has shown a picture of a world map in her sewing room and she is placing a pin to show where all her blogging friends live.   I think this is a great idea and I will look into doing this too.  It would be so interesting to actually see all the pins!

Marti is accepting entries until Midnight Friday night (Colorado time).    We are around half a day ahead of the USA here in Australia, so you still have plenty of time.  Good luck to everyone.
Here is a translation:  9am Friday in QLD = 4pm Thursday in Colorado. 

I am also joining in for FNWF.  I have some Christmas sewing to do, so I can't show you anything.

This is being hosted by dear Cheryll and you still have time to sign up at her blog too.

Girl 8 is doing well.  We have 4 days left together.  She will be picked up early Tuesday morning to go to her new adoptive family.   xxx debbie

Comforting Things

Hi everyone,

Thank you for your comments and emails about Girl 8 being adopted.  I also received a poem in the mail...it was so very touching.  Virtual hugs really do matter!
One way to heal a broken heart is to keep busy, so that's what I have been doing.

This old pattern has been in my stash for many years.  It is dated 1972 and the price on it is $1.   Awhile back, I found two pale pink gauze baby wraps at the op shop and I wanted to use this pattern to make them into a  summer nightie.  Do you think of weird ideas like that too?

I only cut the neckline and sleeve shapes, leaving the full size of the wraps for the rest so it would be very loose.  I hemmed some leftover binding for the ties, and it is finished.  Nice for around the house on a hot summer night.  My first finish for December = comfort.

I have a friend who brings me bananas...it's a mystery why, but, it's all good.  I found a new to me recipe for a banana cake made with Greek yoghurt.  It was delicious, but it is a large recipe and I find muffins easier to freeze than a cake.  This morning, I made the muffins.  I did not eat a single one.  They will go straight in the freezer and I will show you why next.      *innocently looks around*          Muffins  + licking the spoon and scoop = comfort food.

Another comfort food I adore and have not had in years is "Impossible Buttermilk Pie".  This recipe was on the box of  a brand of baking mix in USA that I have not ever seen here in Australia.  I looked online and found a recipe to make the baking mix myself and then found the recipe for the pie.

By the time I made 2 dozen cupcakes and the baking mix and the buttermilk pie, I was so hungry!
It smelled so good in here.  Poor dog kept checking to see if I dropped anything ; )
It is comforting to sit down with a fork and just eat some...you can do that when you live alone :)
It was nice warm, but I like it cold on a hot summer day.  I don't know why it looks burnt, it isn't at all.   Finding an old recipe  again after many years = comfort.

I have an ever growing collection of loose papers,  applique designs, patterns shared by friends, etc.  This is only a small fraction of them. They get wrinkled and I can't find the one I'm looking for, so

I bought a supply of these.  When I get tired and just need to sit down,  I sort a few things at a time.

I have about 25 sleeves sorted so far. Now when I want to find  seashells, or a dinosaur or a teddy, I know right where to look.   Finding things more easily = comfort.

 I've already sewn this charm pack into pairs with the intention of making a curtain to cover a cupboard where I wanted the door removed.  I changed my mind and will use a different fabric, so I started sewing the squares from the second charm pack of this to start a quilt instead.
Pretty fabrics made into patchwork  = comfort.

 I also have a party invite tomorrow. The place that trains the dogs is having a Christmas party luncheon  for the foster care givers.  I think it will be great fun and I might even see one of my previous foster "children" there!  xx debbie

Girl 8 Update

Hi everyone,

I've been a bit quiet, but I am better now.  I just needed some time...

If you follow my blog, you know how much I love each of these foster dogs.  Girl 8 was with me once before, then Girl 9 came and left, and Girl 8 came back.  When she returned, they told me I might have her for a long time because she would be hard to adopt out due to her age and multiple health problems.  Silly me, I was hoping she would live out her days with me because I just adore her!

I think she is happy here with me too.   Don't you just love a smiling dog picture? :)

When I was tearful those first few days, she seemed to be sad too. 

When she left me the first time, she lived with another dog. She came back with a bad habit of barking at every  bit of movement she could see. Due to her cataracts, she can't see very well.

Once I knew she wasn't staying, I gave up on teaching her not to bark. I had an idea that if she couldn't see out, maybe that would help.

Like a cheeky toddler, she is still testing to see if I am watching.  She has improved very much though and only really goes nuts if she hears a dog very close or hears a car horn.

Yesterday morning she gave me such a scare!! I saw her like this.... Before I grabbed the camera, I checked that she was breathing....

She didn't move after I took the first photo, so I checked her again...Breathing seems fine...but my heart is pounding I was thinking the worst.

I made plenty of noise and woke her up and then we had a good tugging game with the rope.  Then I reminded myself that it is probably better that she won't live out her days with me...I think that might even by harder than her being adopted now.   So, she is still mine until early next week and I am just going to love every minute with her and accept that what is meant to be will happen.  No more tears, at least until she goes.  I also have some sewing to do.   Have a good weekend and hug your furry friends! xx debbie