more puppies

Thursday our white pom delivered these three little puppies, 1 white male, 1 white female, and 1 chocolate female.  Mom and pups are doing just fine...

Donate to furry friends

Miss Minnie

Meet Miss Minnie, she is a little Min Pin that we met at our local animal shelter.  Minnie is waiting for her new family to take her to her new forever home.  Minnie is just one of the many furry friends that find their way to the shelter each month.  While the shelter is quite lovely and the staff are really great with these homeless animals there is still a need for YOU to get involved.  Now, I know the not everyone wants to take on a new pet, but you can still make a difference. You can donate to your local shelter, they are always in need of food, blankets, towels, treats, toys, cat litter, food bowls and yes they will even take cash donations.  I see so many people on my freecycle group that are offering old blankets and towels, I always email them and tell them their local shelter would make good use of the items.  What about the stuffed animals that have taken over your child's room and they don't want anymore, YES the dogs and cats would love to play with them while they are waiting to be adopted, after all it can get quite boring just sitting in a kennel looking cute. 

What were we doing at the local shelter, NO we were not adopting a pet, I have in the past, My little min schnauzer came from a shelter, my Dalmatian  was adopted at a shelter, we took Mel to the shelter one year and adopted two husky puppies that went to the grand kids.  As you can see we have welcomed some of the pound puppies into our home, but not this time. This time we were just taking a 50 lb bag of dog food in for the dogs.  We try to drop off 50 lbs every month, I think that next month we will go to the dollar store and pick up a bag of toys for the dogs and cats to play with.

If you have the means of buying toys or food, or if you have some old blankets or towels you are thinking of throwing away, then just load the car and make a trip to your local shelter.. while you are there take a walk down the aisle and visit all the furry friends who are just waiting for someone to love.

If you child is involved in a group like girl scouts, boy scouts, boy or girls clubs or even just as a schools helping hand type project, have them visit the local shelter and host a drive for the furry friends.  One local scout troop took on the shelter as a project and they collected $ 400. worth of supplies for the shelter.

Remember You Can Make a Difference

Quilts in progress

I have been busy these last few weeks taking care of my husband who has had some major health problems.  He seems to finally be doing a little better this past week.  But it will still be weeks before he begins to get his strength back and can get back to his usual activities.
I have been using my time in the evening to work on the charity quilts for The World of Charity Stitching Group. I am slowly getting caught up with the stitched squares that have been collecting here for the past few months.  Here are the quilts in progress, the tops are sewn together and now wait their time on Nellie Belle's frame. Nellie Belle for those of you that haven't met her is my Bailey's Quilting machine, she hums as she turns fabric and batting into warm and cozy quilts.

this is the second of two snow globe quilts, each snow globe represents a month of the year

Designs are by Vee and Company..

A Patriotic quilt for a veteran at the nursing home, this is always one of the most popular theme for senior men

our bird watchers special quilt, this colorful quilt is the second quilt using this technique, stitchers will stitch a square in their favorite color and they select the fabric for the frame. Our members are currently working on a Scroll Pattern for the next quilt of this type

Member Gisela had made the log cabin blocks and donated them to WOCS, I asked members for orphan squares to use in a quilt and together they make this beautiful county themed quilt.

Orphan squares are ones that are not stitched for one of the themes, they are just special squares that members might have finished and never framed or ones they just liked the pattern for.

These beautiful stitched ladies of color were donated to WOCS, the scrappy quilt blocks were also a donation from a reader of the WOCS blog. I love how they come together to make a beautiful quilt for a Senior lady. Kind of reminds me of the quilts my great aunt used to make.  She had a old Singer Treadle sewing machine and she would use any scraps of fabric she could find, as for batting she used old blankets.  

This is the 1st of the two snow globe quilts, I just think the snow globes are so cute, I didn't get to stitch one as our members snatched up the patterns in record time.  They went so fast that it was decided to make two of the globe quilts so more members could stitch a globe.

and I just love the 3D look of this quilt pattern,  a shelf for a snow globe collector.

Snow globe patterns by Vee and Company...

Doesn't my husband's woodworking shop's porch make a perfect backdrop for the quilts. Love the look of the rustic wood as a backdrop for the quilts. Oh and YES that is a hanging flower basket sitting on the porch railing, had to take it down to hold up the quilts..  YES, I did hang three baskets of flowers and two bird feeders on the porch of his workshop, just because it is a manly shop doesn't mean I can't make it pretty with the flowers, he really doesn't mind.. I even placed two chairs and a little table so if he needs a break he can enjoy the porch of his shop. The porch overlooks a small pond that is surrounded with day lilies, a bird bath and more feeders. Birds do stop by for a visit and a snack while you are sitting on the porch.  I hope he will soon be able to use his shop again, I made him  lots of patterns to cutout using his new scroll saw..  He cuts them out and I paint them, the last set was pumpkins and crows that were placed in the flower beds at Halloween time, the pumpkins stayed through November and I later placed the birds back in the flower beds, they are still there. Hubby now has patterns for cardinals, and blue Jays to cut out for the flower beds.

I now have enough of the Hens and Roosters that members stitched for the quilt, the leftover birds will be made into a barnyard animal quilt, members are hard at work stitching for that quilt.
Also in the works is the Scroll Square multi color quilt, similar to the birds that is shown above, the pattern was designed just for that quilt by one of our WOCS members Kell.
There is also my Birthday quilt request which is French Country Designs by JBW Designs, there will be a quilt with animals and one with fashion. The squares for the French Country quilt have started coming in and they are beautiful, this will be a great quilt.. Members are also stitching sports equipment for a quilt, and the newest theme is stitched cupcakes, we also have a tropical fish theme in the works. Our members are always stitching and what a great job they are doing..
As for me, I will be heading into the quilting room and spending time with Nellie Belle, quilting the night away...
So as you can see, WOCS Members, Nellie Belle, and Myself are all working hard to bring smiles to ill children and seniors.  If you are interested in learning more about WOCS or becoming a member and stitching for a great cause you can visit, our facebook page, our blog or our yahoo website just follow the links below... and don't forget while visiting the WOCS blog, take time to go to the contest page and enter the current contest.  We just gave a $ 50. gift certificate to the Fat Quarter shop to a lucky winner..  We try alternate between stitching and quilting giveaways monthly.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WOCS/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?v=feed&id=758182021#!/pages/World-of-Charity-Stitching-Cross-Stitch-Quilting/208593035822435

http://www.worldofcharitystitching.blogspot.com/

0nce again my blog is suffering, I have neglected my postings but I do have a reason.  My husband has been in and out of the hospital this past month.  He is back home now, but his recovery is a slow process.  So for now my blog will take a back seat to him. We have doctor appointments and appointments for tests almost daily.

I had wanted to write a post about my favorite artist's passing, but I didn't get to it.  Thomas Kinkade passed away at a very young age. His work was collected and loved by many who found inspiration in the beautiful scenes that came from his paint brush.  I am sadden to hear how he had fallen into the bottle again and how his life was in such turmoil. I hope he will be remembered for the beauty he created rather then the trouble he had in his life. 

Lizzy's Fund Raiser

my favorites, the Easter Eggs cakes

I am sure you all know that my grand daughter Lizzy met her goal with 1,000 cranes, she was able to present a check for $ 1,000 to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation at their kick off.  Saturday she had a bake sale which I made some items for.  I worked this week on making cake, cupcakes and candy for her sale.  This was a real family project as hubby helped me in the decorating. Jen made cupcakes, candy and cookies.  Another Success for Lizzy, she sold almost every item on her table...
We took the items I made to the school yesterday and the minute I unloaded the car the volunteers working on the sale swamped the table and were asking Jen for prices... She sold almost all the Egg shaped cakes while setting up... I was amazed that things went so fast, they also made a announcement to the teachers about the cakes for sale. 

Here are some of the items I made and took in to the school...

dozens & dozens of cupcakes

A few cookie shaped cakes

they look like a giant Oreo Cookie with a lovely cream filling

a Easter cake

more Easter cakes

and even more Easter cakes

 Our SIL came over and installed new faucets in the master bath so we didn't get to go to the sale, school was having a Relay for Life rummage sale too. 
What I just realized was that I did lots of baking this week, even baked and worked all day on the cakes on my birthday and I didn't even make ME a cake.. Oh well, guess you could say my birthday cake went to a good cause.... have a look at some of the items I made for the sale... You won't gain a pound by just looking....

and I had to make some peanut butter eggs, a favorite in this family

Happy Birthday to ME

Today is my ?? birthday and I decided that I would celebrate my birthday this year with a special Quilter's Request Quilt challange for my Charity Group  The World of Charity Stitching.  I found a delightful series called French Country by JBW Designs.  One of the groups members had stitched a Scotty Dog for our dog themed quilt and I just fell in love with it, so I went searching and found the JBW Designs web site.  I contacted the designer and owner of JBW Designs and asked her permission to use her French Country Designs in a quilt.  She agreed, so I checked in with the WOCS owners and recieved their permission for the quilt.  I picked out patterns and sent off for them.  I selected some of the animals and birds from the French country line..  Plus I also bought a high heel shoe and a purse pattern for another quilt. I have been teasing the members of the group with the coming quilt design and today I open the database, I just know the members will sign up for all the slots in record time.   I thougth your might like to have a look at what they will be stitching...

and for the fashion quilt if all the animals are chosen they will have the option of stitching
either

don't you think these will make wonderful quilts for the Seniors at the nursing home?

I also talked with Judy Whitman, the designer and owner of JBW Designs and here is what she had to say on her designs


                            My Interview with Judy Whitman designer and owner of JBW Designs

ME:  Judy thank you for allowing WOCS to stitch a quilt using only your French Country Designs. When finished the quilt will go to a Senior at the Century Care Center in Alabama.

Judy: I'm just delighted that you have fallen in love with the French Country designs, and would be proud to have them used in some of your quilts for charity. I'm so impressed with what you and your fellow stitchers and quilters are doing. Thank you for asking permission to use the designs.  This is so exciting and meaningful on several counts. Especially since my mom is in a nursing home with Alzheimer's and her birthday is in April also! Quite a co-incidence.

ME:  Judy, How did you get started in designing patterns.

Judy:  I have been involved in stitching for 40 years, I have been designing for over 25 years. I started out with Needlepoint, I took classes and decided I would love to share what I learned. I started teaching needlepoint and designing for my classes, I then converted my patterns for Counted Cross Stitch and JBW Designs was born. I love designing as I get to work from home.

ME:  Of all the wonderful patterns you have to offer, which ones are your favorites?

Judy:  I love all the designs, but I must say that the Country French Line is my favorite. I select a shape or outline of a item or animal, lets say a squirrel. I then think of things that remind me of a squirrel and add those little motifs to the design. If you look close you will find a S for Squirrel, hearts, squirrels, birds, nuts and whatever I think of when I think of a squirrel, then swirls and lines to fill in the rest of the pattern. French Country are just so much fun to design... I have a large selection of patterns in the French Country Line.

Some of my other favorites are the Alphabet of design, Homeward Bound and To The Sea.

ME: Thank You Judy for all your wonderful designs. We at WOCS look forward to a beautiful quilt made with your French Country Designs.

 

 

 

JBW Designs can be purchased at your local needle work shop or online at any of the online needle work sites. Check out all the beautiful designs by Judy Whitman, she has something for every style of stitching.

 

If you are interested in joining in on the stitching fun, you can go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WOCS/ and join the World of Charity Stitching  group. 

Been busy lately

I have been really busy lately and my poor blog again is left on its own.  I have been working like crazy to get the flower beds and gardens ready for spring. Cleaning out the beds, turning the soil, pulling up those pesty vines with thorns, and the wild blackberries that are everywhere.  I planted the beds out front and the porch pots, added mulch and it looks so nice... I also cleaned out the ponds, scrubbed them down and filled with fresh water and separated the pond plants. I got the ponds down just in time as we had a rainy weekend and that always bring out the toads and frogs looking for their mates. I even spotted eggs in the pond so it won't be long and the tadpoles will be enjoying their temporary home.

Hubby hadn't been feeling all that great and two weekends ago he got so short of breath that he spent the entire day Sunday sitting in his chair.  Monday he said he wanted to see the doctor as he knew something just wasn't right... so I called the ambulance and off he went. Jen and I spent the entire day with him in the ER as they ran test after test... he was admitted and he ended up spending the entire week there... Lots of tests, lots of medicine changes,  lots of injections, poor guy is black and blue all over from their needle stabs..  But he is home, on new meds, and we have lots of follow up tests and doctor appointments. We were told it might take him two or three months to regain his strength.

This coupled with the fact that DD had her own medical emergency's, two major surgeries and a month of recuperating for her, she is now back at work. 

Then my son called and his wife also had major surgery, hers was gall bladder, but she had problems, seems she had a leak and she is again in the hospital on a pain med drip.. she may have to have either one or two more surgeries.

Lizzy's 1,000 cranes

Our Grand daughter Lizzy, who did the cranes for a cure, she made 1,000 cranes for those who paid a dollar to have their name on the crane..  The cranes hung in the art room at her school and last week she presented a check for $ 1,000 to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation at their kick off.  Buy Lizzy didn't stop, she is still collecting for JDRF and she is selling the green tennis shoe cards for $ 1.00 and this weekend at her school's rummage sale she will be having a bake sale.. Which I am making cakes for this week...   This little girl is only 10 years old and she is such a go getter... We are so proud of her and her fund raising, we are also proud of her Mother and Father who are taking the time to help her in her endeavors...


                                             Lizzy presenting a check for $ 1,000

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Lizzy got a big thank you card and a bouquet of flowers