MR.CHEEKS

This is a picture of our stray, Mr Cheeks. He was a real sweetheart- gone but never forgotten.

A Sad Day For Me

Today is a whole different type of post for me. I had to do something this morning that I really hated. I am a big(and I mean big!!!) animal lover. From all the little bittie ones all the way up to those that are so endangered by our uncaring ways as human beings. Boy, am I on my soap box.


I had to have a little girl kitty about 7 months old put to sleep this morning. She was a stray but that didn't make it any easier. She was just a skinny little thing but a lover. Not like so many of the feral cats we've had around. She's been out behind our store for about a month or so. We have some other cats that live out there ad we take care of them. We have a warehouse and they have ways of getting in and out so they have shelter. We also make sure they have food and water all the time. I guess she was just drawn there noticing the other cats. anyhow we've been planning to take her to the vet for spaying (we don't want lots of babies out there) and I decided today was a good day. Always when I take a stray we test them for kitty HIV and feline leukemia. Since those diseases are unmanageable in strays you really can't put then back into the feral cat population. Most of the cats we've helped over the years have not been ill at all. But we begin to forget that things can be wrong. I was thinking about taking her home myself since I only have one cat indoors right now. My cat died in February of this year and my dog died last year. I haven't been able to want to have a new pets yet. I just wasn't thinking and forgot she could be sick. The vet ran the tests and she was positive for the leukemia, so I really couldn't take her home with my cat. I wouldn't even think of putting her back outside because of other cats and because she would eventually get sicker and then suffer. I did the only thing I could and had her put down. We wrapped her in a towel and I held her and rubbed her head till she fell asleep from the over dose injection of anesthetic. She died in peace. This is the second time this year that I've had to do this. In April I took another cat to the vet to get a checkup and neuter. He was a male that had lived out back for about a year. He was showing up some mornings with his face and ears scratched up and we knew he'd been fighting. Thought neutering might help stop that. We hated seeing him beat up. He was sweet and would let us hold him. Never did I think there was anything wrong, but he turned out to have kitty HIV so I went through the same thing with him. His name was Cheeks. I held him in my arms while the vet put him to sleep. It's really hard to make these decisions but it's got to be done and the vet won't tell you what to do. They are very caring and sympathetic. After it's all done they've told me I did the right thing and consoled me. I hurt so badly for them but know their better off.


It's very upsetting to me that there are so many laws governing dogs which make people have to care for them in the best way. In our city the leash laws keep owners from letting their dogs run free. I understand cats are different but they still need love and care. This crap that people think their cats need to be outside to be natural in their life is ridiculous. they don't even take the responsibility of spaying or neutering. Then the females are having kittens everywhere and the males are fighting and getting injured. They deserve a better life. And then there are all the birds that are killed. This garbage about needing to hunt is just crazy. Cats need to stay inside and be protected.

In the last 5-6 years we have had over 30 cats living behind our store at different times. We did our best by trapping them and getting the to our vet for checkups and spaying or neutering and then returning them back outside. Most have been sweet but they are so wild and just afraid to get too close to people. When we get to work in the morning they've always been waiting for us-hungry. Putting them down just because they were strays just wasn't an option for us. We even enticed a mama cat into our store before she had her litter(8) and we were able to find homes for all but 2 so mama and the babies got a home in our store. Then a tiny girl kitten showed up injured. We got her to the vet and taken care of and we kept her. Two more cats adopted us and they moved in. So with 6 cats inside we're at our limit. And everyone has dogs or cats so we can't take any more home.

Oh well, we wish we could do more. But we'll continue to take care of any kittys that come around and get attached to them to.

Time to catch up

Well, here is my dining room table, looking pretty messy. No it's not messy. It's full of WIPs. I learned a new phrase from a fellow blogger. I have so many things going on that I want to do and there just doesn't seem to be enough time . G coaches girls 18 & under fast pitch softball and the national tournament is out of town, all week. So I'm home alone and alone will be OK this time. I've decided to finish or catch up on things I've got going. before I came to work this morning I grabbed everything I could think of and set it all out on the table.

I had done a good house cleaning Friday a straightened up. So when I get home from work, no cleaning, no cooking-only something quick. Just sewing, crocheting, and reading and watching my favorite TV programs or a movie.


MY WIP LIST

1. finish applique Sunbonnet Sue wall hanging for Girls Town
2. work on the next applique block for 2nd Saturday at Miss Millie's
3. make one of the blocks for the 30s series quilt I'm doing
4. work on my ripple afghan
5. make a few squares for my "Babette" blanket
6. cut my 3 1/2 strips of purples and greens for for this weeks
Friday Nite Sew In at Miss Millie's
7. make the "Lucky Dog" contest drawing block for Miss Millie's Quilt Shop
8. work on the current block for my Thimbleberries Club Quilt
9. finish the fringe on the crocheted rage rug I made for my daughter, then it's hers
10. sew the leg on my moms sweater bear
11. Make tags and attach to each granny square and mail to "Share a Square" project
12. Get some of the patterns for crochet want-to-dos in plastic sleeves and in a notebook so I can find them when I' m ready the start a project
13. read some chapters in my current book "Drop Dead Beautiful" by Jackie Collins. A no
brainer of a summer read and a lot of fun
14. friendship block for quilt guild
15. make daisy squares for Krochet Krystals Charity Blog

Oh my! The list really looks daunting. Everything didn't seem to look to bad on the dining table but that list is something. It's OK, though, everything doesn't have to be done this week but some of it will go quickly. I'll complete some projects and lessen what I have to do on others.
But it's a enjoyable and relaxing. Good therapy after a day at work.

Granny's for "Share A Square"

I hurried up and did some granny's for Shelly at "This Eclectic Life." She wants to collect Over 6000 to make afghans for Camp Sanguinity( for children stricken with cancer) in Fort Worth, Texas. In 2008 she wants to have one for every child who'll be there. These are my first contribution but not my last. I'm sure it will take quite a while to collect the number she needs, so I'll just send her a few here and there. If we all helped a little with all the charities that needed help, wouldn't it be great. I support many local charities--Ronald McDonald House, Central Mo. Humane Society, Central Mo. Food Bank, Second Chance( a no kill animal shelter), Rainbow House( a shelter for kids at risk in life situations). And some not so local--Riddell's Elephant sanctuary in Arkansas Shambala Wildlife Preserve in California. One person can't do everything but If all of us do just a tiny bit. We can make a difference.

Jessicas Quilt

Pictures of the second quilt I made during quilting lessons. This one I chose to make for my daughter Jessica-that's her in the photo along with one of her little notes she would write to me or dad or Troy or Kraig. Anyhow I started this one in in the summer of 1980 when she was only about a year and a half old. I did all the applique and construction by hand. The hand work is really time consuming but it there's nothing like it if you have the time. I really take pride in all the quilt pieces that I've done by hand. But now I find there is just not enough time to do everything I want to since I work. I'm learning all aspects of machine work for quilting and everything I've done is really turning out nice, I think. And instead of hand quilting I'm having my quilts done by professional machine quilters. They do the most beautiful work. And even though it costs, things are getting done. I've got tops that were done by hand that I'm going to have machine quilted. I guess I'm feeling my mortality since I turned 60. No sadness or anything, I'm in excellent health but time is passing. I want to finish all the things that have been lying around. And I want to start lots more new things. I still love quilting but I'm lovin' crochet and want to do lots more of it. If I do quilts by machine, I can do lots of crochet, too.

Finished a Block for 2nd Saturday

Here is my first finished block for Second Saturday at Miss Millie's Quilt Shop. This is the first time I've joined one if these. It began on the second Saturday of June. On that day I went to the shop and paid $5.00 for kit 1 which contained the fabric for the leaves and stems. I supply the background. I machine appliqued it with invisible thread and it turned out pretty good for only my second try at this technique. I picked up my second block a few days ago. The rule is that we bring the finished block back to the shop on the next second Saturday and we then get the kit for the next block free. At the end I'll have 6 blocks to put into a quilt. I think I'll do a large wall hanging. Miss Millie's is a really great shop, she's always got something fun going on, and lots and lots of neat fabric.

frriday nite stash buster sew in

Well I picked my fabric for the Friday Nite Sew In at my local quilt shop. We'll get to just sew and eat pizza. Sound like fun? The main idea is to pick fabrics from our stashes and use them if possible. I decided not to buy anything new this time so this is what I came up with. my daughter loves purple so this will be here quilt when done. The pattern will be a mystery until we arrive at the shop, then we'll all know what we're sewing. I think it will be lots of fun. The one hint is that we will be using only 3 1/2 strips to make the quilt but that's all we know. After I've been to the sew in I'll post a pic of what we did. The sew in is on July 27th.

It's growing

Another pic of my ripple in progress. It's growing slowly by surely. I realize if I had only worked on it, I'd be finished. Since I work my time is limited, but then there's some quilting and reading to do also. So I just divide my time and it takes a while to get anything done. I have to say though, rippleing and grannying go a lot faster than many thing I've done.

Cotton and the mouse

Cotton got himself a mouse this morning. I was working at my laptop and Cottie jumped up on the table and started rolling around and attacking the mouse. Look hard, though, he is on his side and that pink is his tongue, not his eye. I printed off the photo and brought it with me to work(our appliance store) and when G (my husband ) saw it he thought Cotties eye was hurt. Cottie is a funny guy and he loves being as close a possible to me when I'm sewing, computering, etc. He's always in the middle of everything. Sometimes he makes me crazy.

Charm Quilts. I Love to Make Them!

Here are pictures of 3 Charm Quilts I have completed over the years. I have probably another 8 in various states of completion. I am a quilter who learned all the basics but took years to be able to choose fabrics for planned quilts. We always wanted to be sure to pick colors and patterns that went together. In the 80's I had the chance to join a group that would make Charm quilts. What was really nice was that we traded fabrics at our monthly meetings. There were 14 in our group and we traded 5--6 inch squares each month with each member of the group. I would cut 14 squares from each of 5 fabrics ( I have a stash that won't stop so I didn't have to buy any fabric) as did every one else. We would each pass our squares (a total of 70) out to the other members. When we were done passing we had 70 to take home. Multiply those months by a year and we ended up with almost a thousand different fabric squares than the ones we originally brought to trade. That first group started in 1987 and did last about one year. I made the diamond quilt above at that time. Every diamond a different fabric.
In 1993 some quilters in our guild wanted to start a charm trading group again and of course I joined again. We followed the same rules of trading and I accumulated more charm squares. I realized that I could get more than one shape out of the square. I cut a triangle, rectangle, and a square. I finished the triangle quilt below but the square and rectangle quilts are still in progress. That group lasted for 3 years.
In 2004 another Charm group formed and of course I joined it. I am working on quilts from those tradings. Haven't finished any of those yet.
I've always hand pieced my charm quilts so there is a lot of time involved.
The quilt below, I made for a millennium challenge for our quilt guild. There were many different styles of quilts, but because I liked charm quilts so much I decided on a 2000 piece quilt. I used 2" squares in the trip around the world pattern. I will never do anything like that again!

A Book For A Dollar

Found another neat older book, today for only $1.00. I was at quilters guild.One of my quilting friends husband volunteers with "Friends of the Library." One of the ways they raise funds is collecting books from the library patrons. Everyone brings in books they no longer want and leaves them in collection boxes. A couple times a year they have a sale. My friends husband is the one who sorts all the books. He culls out all the quilting books and most anything that is needlework. Every month she brings whatever books he has found to our meeting and offers them for sale- $1.00 for hardbacks and .50 for softbound. Over the years she's had some really nice books for sale. Today this book was on the table, copyright 1986. I took one look at the cover picture and saw a fancy granny. Picked it right up and handed her the dollar. It does have a number of nice items including a darling baby afghan with pockets for little
crocheted animals, some nice lapghans and lots of small items. But that granny which is called a Victorian Afghan is what I've got to try. The square size is 8 1/2 and they are joined together as they are crocheted. That will be something new for me. So far I've only made single grannys and assembled them at the end.

My First Ripple

Here is my progress on my first ripple. I happened upon the no-end-in-sight-ripple-along and decided I had to try rippling. All the neat things they are doing. I also asked to be invited to ripple along and I was. You can see how far I am and now I have a problem. I want to start another using a different pattern. Being a quilter also, I have more projects started than I can even count but I never get bored. Whatever mood of quilting strikes me, I have something to do. I'm afraid that between the Ripple along and the Granny Along, I'll be having a lot of projects going. If all I ever had to do in my life was read, crochet, and quilt I would be in heaven.

Since I work full time I'm limited in what time I do have but I grab every minute I can for my passions. My favorite time is probably between 10pm and midnight every evening. I'm all by myself with the TV to keep me company-hopefully with a good movie.

I'll post a pic again when more is done.

Pillows from 1978

The three pillows in the old picture were made in the
first quilting class I ever took-in February of 1978.
Each week there was a different technique. We
learned cutting, template making, piecing,
applique, quilting. All the basics. When I was learning everything was mostly hand piecing. I later gave one each to my mom, gram, and aunt.
Most all of the quilt projects I did through about
2000 were all by hand. Recently sewing machine work has become very acceptable so I am learning all the aspects of quilting by machine. I have realized if I don't, all the ideas in my head will never get done. Also less hand quilting gives me more time to crochet. I get the best of both of my favorite pastimes and of course more time to read. If I ever get to retire and stay home all the time I'll be able to do more hand quilting work, again.

My first color cordinated quilt

This I would consider my first planned and color coordinated quilt. I made the scrap quilt that I showed earlier having no idea what I was doing.

This is called a sampler quilt, in fact it's a "Missouri Sampler". I took a class in 1978 and learned how to make all these blocks (all were designed and named for something to do with Missouri where I've lived all of my life). I started the class in March. I had just found out I was pregnant. So my qulting classes followed my pregnancy. We did one block a week then worked on putting it togeather. I did it all by hand. That was mainly how quilts were being done. My quilt top was done befor Jessica was born, but it still needed to be quilted, another major job. I had been taught how to hand quilt but I really hadn't done it enough to be good at it. I had a friend who did quilting jobs so I hired her and she did a beautiful job. So I finally got the quilt completely done. That's Jessica in the picture. She was about 18 months old. This quilt and Jessica are pieces of history that go togeather and always remind me of a very nice time in my life.

My daughter Jessica was just a little girl back in the 80's when the Cabbage Patch craze started. We had to put our name on a wait list at the store to even get one. We were lucky and were able to get one in time for Santa to bring it at Christmas. That year the shortage of Cabbage Patch dolls was like a few years ago when Elmo was what everyone wanted. Jessica continued to love and collect Cabbage Patches so I took some crochet lessons and made the outfits for here at Christmas one year.

COTTON

Here's a bigger picture of my kitty, Cotton. I cannot believe all the cats everyone has, let alone all the black ones. Aren't cats just the best. The photos on the right side of my blog, along with Cotton, are my babies that I've lost." Brown" was my dog and " Maizee" was my calico. Brown died about a year ago and Maizee(who I took my blog name from) died this past February. They were the most special to me, as is Cotton. As all my kids have grown up and moved out, I still had them. I see my kids most every day, since we all work togeather in our appliance store, so I don't have the empty nest sadness. But my animals have always just really been my best friends. Because I am away from home so much I haven't gotten any new pets. When Brown and Maizee died I didn't just want to go to the animal shelter and bring pets home and then leave them alone every day. When I'm working a few less days or am retired I will make a beeline for the shelter and bring home as many as I think I can love at one time. Some times I think Cotton is a little lonesome, but when I am home he gets lots of hugs and love.


I saw a really sweet ( and very true) writing when I was last at the veternarian's office with Cotton and I think I'll post it. Anyone who's an animal lover will definately appreciate it. It has no title.

If you can start the day without coffee
If you can get along without pep pills
If you can always be cheerful, ignoring your aches and pains
If you can resist boring people with your troubles
If you can eat the same food everyday and be greatful for it
If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time
If you can overlook when your loved ones take it out on you, when through no fault of yours something goes wrong
If you can take criticism and blame without resentment
If you can ignore a friends limited education and never correct him
If you can resist treating a rich friend better than a poor friend
If you can face the world without lies and deceit
If you can conquer your tension without medical help
If you can relax without liquor
If you can sleep without the aid of drugs
If you can say honestly that deep in your heart you have no prejudice against anyones creed, color, religion, or politics
THEN MY FRIEND, YOU ARE ALMOST AS GOOD AS YOUR DOG!

( I think we can add cat to that description)

PICTURES FROM MY RAINY DAY

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEWER

Here ae my two granny afghans. The rose colored one was made by my Grandma Haley. I has actually led two lives. In the late 193o's my mom, Eileen knitted a two-piece sweater and skirt outfit. When she no longer wore it Gram took it apart and crocheted the granny. She added the gold center and black framing yarns. It was what covered all of us when we were sick or just needed to cozy. Luckily I'm the one who got custody of it. Yeaa!
The multi colored one I made. My neighbor was crocheting ripple and straight stitch afghans and when I saw them I really wanted to learn how to crochet. I asked gram to teach me but I wasn't very good. That's when she thought of grannys and taught me those. I made all the squares between about 1972 and 1976. It took me until the late 90's to get them togeather. I took a detour and became a quilter. I still did a little knitting and crocheting(mostly baby afghans to give away) but I really got into quilting as you will see as I start to chronicle everything I've been doing over the years.