Puppy Update on Cottontop

Hey, leave me alone

My sweet little Cottontop was only three months old when I got him for my birthday. Now he is well over 13 and is getting old and cranky. It's a bit like living with a 90-year-old man. He eats, sleeps, and waits for me to get home. 

Last night when I got up from my chair, I accidentally tossed my lap blanket over  him. When I returned several minutes later, he was exactly as I'd left him--a little black nose peaking out. 

Really? You had to move the blankey?

Of course, I decided he was too cute to miss the shot. 

And that lead me to consider that since I haven't posted anything about the puppies in a while, it would be about time.

You may notice that in some of these "portraits" he has what looks like a pink bow. It's actually a pink heart that Marley gave him for Valentine's Day. I stuck it in his hair thinking that it would soon fall out. Boy was I wrong! That adhesive is meant to stick.

After a bath

It's going to take a bath and some growling to get it out. I've tried a few times, but he does not appreciate it one bit. Snarls, growls, and snapping ensues. I've let go every time.

Newspaper is always fun

This picture is one I took after he had a field day with the newspaper, a toy and the pages of a children's book. Marley was not happy about her toy or her book. It didn't seem to matter that she'd already written in the book or that the toy had come from McDonalds. 

Don't move the toy...

this is where it belongs

These last two pictures are meant to show how smart he is, but it way work against him. He decided one afternoon that his toy belong in this place on the edge of his bed. I threw it several times. He would not return it to me. Instead he returned it to this place everytime. 
After a few times I gave up and stopped throwing the toy. He promptly climbed in the bed and took a nap leaving the toy perched on the edge. He has never done this since. 


On that note, he will not play with just any toy. He chooses the toy and will fetch or squeak it. Throw a different toy and he ignores it. It annoys the grands to no end, but they annoy him, so it's an even game. 

I hope you enjoyed the update on my sweet, cranky old man. Do you have a pet who's been with you for a long time? How long has it been?

Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Kitchen Utensils

While I am writing this blog post, there are all manner of sounds coming from my kitchen. The red head loves to make how-to kitchen videos while making the daily dessert. Occasionally the dessert consists of three jelly beans (or some other candy) on a slice of bread. Seriously. It's delicious. We thank her profusely and put the bread back in the bag when she takes her bath. 

Anyhoo, all the clinking of kitchen utensils got me to thinking about how those utensils could inspire quilts. Let's give it try, shall we?

Wouldn't these make for some really adorable quilts? Now I'm thinking more for kitchen use, but who knows what we'll find!

There's definitely adorable fabric available.

So there are a few quilts, though not many. I saved my favorite for last. How cute is this little quilted kitchen caddy?

Have a great week while thinking about how you can quilt for your kitchen!

Happy Quilting,

Phone a Friend ~~ another small finish

sitting pretty but too short

A friend recently asked for a sewing favor. Her frail mother has fallen two or three times. In one particular fall, her phone flew several feet away, so she could't reach it and lay on the floor of her kitchen for two hours before a visitor found her. 

The idea was to make her a small bag that will hang across her body and hold her Jitterbug phone. The Jitterbug is a flip phone but has an emergency call button on the outside. 


Should she fall again, the cross-body bag will hold the phone close enought for her reach it, and she won't even have to take the phone out to make the call.

need perspective?

I've worked on this small bag a few times using Richard's flip phone as my model.  Last weekend I completed the bag and realized that it was much too long, so I cut it down. 

Velcro for easy access

 Of course I cut too much! Yes, I measured.  It happened anyway. So tonight I added some of cut off piece back to the bag. I decided to put the stripe fabric on the outside to add a little pizzazz. I consider it a work in progress, so I'll take it to work and have my friend try it on her mom this weekend. 

front of bag after all changes

back of bag after all modifications

My only concern is that if the bag is not quite the correct size, she'll just use it anyway. Such a sweet lady, my friend. It might be difficult to convince her to tell me if the bag needs any more adjustments. Of course, I have the safety issue to fall back on...if I need it.

Linking up with

Crazy Mom Quilts

Finished or Not Friday @ Busy Hand Quilts 

My Quilt Infatuation

Confessions of a Fabric Addict

If this particular one doesn't work, I think it will be time to start with fresh fabric. Don't you?

Pin It Weekly #192

It's time to pin! What are you pinning?

So, my pins this week have been mostly about vintage sewing: machines, items, a darling basket, some kind of strange spinning wheel (did you guess that?), and some not so vintage beautiful quilts and studio ideas. As always, you can find these pins on my Pinterest boards. Have a great week!

#fleurdelisquiltsonpinterest