Happy First Birthday, Bentley

Happy first birthday, my sweet Bentley. You did it! You managed to survive a really reprehensible year. One year ago on January 18th, you were born in Wyoming into a horrid situation and managed get to yourself rescued thanks in part to a hunting dog rescue group. Little did you know that you would go from scrawny, barely surviving, lonely and scared puppy to a loud, always on the go home where you are loved, thriving, with someone, and now working towards a service dog job. Just within these few months of us being together you have taught me so much about myself and the way we can work together as a team. A few months ago, I sat down and wrote a letter to ask for you in my life. 3 weeks later, you and I found each other at the shelter. Your tail was thwapping against the cold, wet cement floor. Your eyes were so gold and begging me, “Hey, lady! Look at me! I’m right here! I’ll be your Forever Dog! Just look at me please!” Thwap, thwap, thwap. I could not NOT look at you! I circled the kennels 5 or 6 times; I kept coming right back to you. The folks that ran the shelter said you were an OK guy, very energetic, good with kitties (WRONG!) and needed a high energy dog/buddy to play with. Hey, lady! Please don’t let me stay here! Please I’ll be good! Look at me! Please I’m so cold and hungry! So you and I walked out together to play for a bit. You liked to play tug with me, you remember? I do. Your tongue lulled out and you looked like you were laughing. My heart was melting…hard. So then you and I went to meet Papa and Charlie. The nano second you and Charlie were allowed to go play, that was it. You had to be mine. But it wasn’t until the other night when I knew within my heart that we were supposed to be together.

It was right after you took off after the deer and Papa found you so very far away from me the other night. I was so scared for you, sad, upset, you name it. When you got back in the house you knew you were in trouble and the look on your face was one of, “Oh yeah, this is much better in here.” Latter that night, I had that night terror about being beaten up. You know, the one I usually have with the bottle being slammed down on the top of my head over and over? Then Papa and everyone else I love gets up and leaves me totally alone and I’m scared. Yeah, that one, except I woke up to you licking my cheek. I was crying, and you were waking me up and licking my cheek. When my eyes opened up you gave me one more lick and then curled back up on my side and forced your head under my numb hand and demanded pets, making the blood to move from my clenched fingers. You then began to snore your loud puppy snores, and I laughed to myself, allowing me take a deep breath. It worked. I was able for the first time in years, to curl up around you and go back to sleep and not get up and “forget” about the “dream” by doing something else starving my body of rest.

I know we have a lot of work to do, Mr. B., but I wanted you to know you are my Hero. You are really doing quite well at getting your Job, and even though we still have lots to do, you are a fast learner. You are starting to get used to not chasing Edelbrock, and last night was an amazing feeling being able to pet both of you at the sometime! I’m so glad you have Charlie as a buddy to play with and model from (even if you do like to use my bed as a trampoline!) Most of all, I want to thank you for your unconditional love and affection, even in this short amount of time. Thank you for your puppy kisses, the cuddles and the foot in my back when we nap together. You are my Rock Star, Bentley.
So, tomorrows birthday breakfast will be bacon and scrambled eggs with a hit of salmon oil and a yogurt/peanut butter/pumpkin cookie. Then we need to go on our Group Walkies with Charlie and Rockie and Legion. After that, you get to do whatever you want. Look at the difference one year makes!

Happy birthday, Bentley. I love you.

Momma

Padded Camera Strap Sleeve Tutorial

This is a lightly padded camera strap cover for DSLR and SLR cameras! Dress up your ho-hum DSLR camera strap with this fun, easy to wear cover. This strap fits over your existing manufactures strap, and is easily removable and washable. The straps are lined with a lightweight fleece to take that harsh edge of the existing strap around your neck.  Each strap has a pocket large enough for most lens caps to fit snuggly, 2-SD card holders and one “ear” to hold things of like a light weight stuffed animal of you are working with kiddo’s! I made these because the the leather tabs were getting in my way and bugged me as I was shooting. I wanted something wide enough to stuff my lens cap in “snuggly,” as I’ve lost 5 with loose pockets, and 2 extra SD cards. This size fits popular Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Samsung, etc. 1.5" straps but if you are using a wider than normal lens, make sure you adjust your width to accommodate for it!


Fabrics and Interfacings:

Cutting Instructions:
 - Main Fabric: 1 strip, 3 ½” x 27”; 1 strip 3 ½” x 5”, 1 strip 3 ½” x 3”

 - Background Fabric: 1 strip, 3 ½” x 27”; 1 strip 3 ½” x 5”, 1 strip 3 ½” x 3”, and 1 strip 2” x 31/2”
 - Fusible Fleece: 1 strip 6 ½” x 25”

 - Lightweight Fusible Interfacing: 1 strip 3 ½” x 5”, 1 strip 3 ½” x 3”


Putting it All Together:

1. Iron the 3 ½” x 5” interfacing to the wrong side of the Main Fabric.

2. Iron the 3 ½” x 3” interfacing to the wrong side of the Main Fabric with a ¼” seam allowance.

3. With right sides together, sew the Main Fabric 3 ½” x 5” to the Background Fabric with a ¼” seam allowance. Turn fabric to right sides out and iron open. Sew ¼” from the top. This is the Lens Cap pocket.

 

4. With right sides together, sew the Main Fabric 3 ½” x 3” to the Background Fabric. Turn fabric to right sides out and iron open. Sew ¼” from the top. Fold the left and right edges together to make alight “middle crease (you’ll use that as a sewing guide when you pit it on the Main Fabric Strip!)

5. To make the single folded tape piece for the “ear,” with the right side facing the ironing board, fold the long bottom edge to the middle and press. Then fold long top edge to the middle and press.

To make the double-fold we need to iron it over one more time. Fold the tape in half, so that one side is just slightly wider than the other…about 1/16 of an inch….very small. (FYI, you just made a mini binding for a quilt. Kinda cool, huh?)

 Sew two lines down each edge as close as you are comfortable doing in order to keep the tab closed.

6. Sew the 3 ½” x 5” pocket to one end of the 3 ½” x 27” Main Fabric with the seamed side towards the middle using a scant ¼” seam allowance.

7. Place the 3 ½” x 3” pocket on the other end of the 3 ½” x 27” strip with the seamed side facing toads the middle, just like you did for the last pocket, and pin in place. Using the middle crease you made, sew up the middle towards the center of the Main Fabric and give yourself a few back stitches where the top of the pocket and the Main Fabric meet. This is where you put in your SD Cards and these pockets will get a lot of pulling.

8. Fold the “ear” tape tab in half. With the raw edges on the right edge of the fabric and the fold towards the center tack/sew it ½” up from the Lens Cap Pocket on the right side very, close to the edge and no further in that you ¼” seam allowance.

9. Layer the Main Fabric and the Background Fabric, right sides together, and pin to hold into place. With a ¼” seam allowance, sew the two together down the side that has the “ear.” Once sewn, open up and press towards the darker fabric.

10. Place the fusible batting, fuzzy side sewn, bumpy side up, on the ironing board and layer the strap, wrong side down (to the bumpy side). There should be ~ 1” of strap overage to the batting. Slowly press the fusible batting to the strap. Do not push or pull on the strap fabric as it will slide around in the beginning. More of an up and down pressing motion. Be careful, this stuff retains a LOT of heat, don’t burn your fingers!

11. Once it has cooled off, take fold over the lens pocket edge ¼” and iron. Fold it over again and iron for a nice hemmed edge. Sew as closely as you are comfortable with to the edge towards the middle of the strap first (to hold the sewing into place) then again sew near the edge of the outside . Repeat this same process for the SD Card pocket side.

12. Fold the raw strap edges together with the fuzzy batting side up and pin into place. With a ¼” seam allowance, sew the sleeve shut.

13. Carefully turn the strap right side out without pulling too hard on the just sewn edges. Take a wooden spoon handle or a thinner sewing ruler and once the sleeve is turned out, run the handle/ruler up and down the inside seams to help “shove” things back into place. With a warm, steamy iron, press it flat, manipulating the Background fabric to the underside and the Main Fabric to the top.

14. Using your sewing foot as a guide, move the machine needle all the way to the furthest right side it will go. Place the sleeve with the right edge up against the right side of the foot, using it as a guide. Very carefully and slowly sew, back up, and sew again the ends of the strap and then up the side. Once you get to the other end, sew, back-up and sew again the ends just like you did when you started this sewing run. Repeat the same process for the other side of the strap.

And there you have it!  These make WONDERFUL gifts to bring to your family photographer or just for yourself! I mean after all it IS a moral imperative that we coordinate with all of our GirlyGeek Gadgets! If you wanted to, you could even embroider your initials on the main Lens Cap pocket, or what ever suits your fancy! Enjoy! 

Happy Birthday to Our Schnoodle

On 31 March of last year I received phone call from Shari while Steve was on his way down to train with K9’s For Warriors.
“I know who we are going to place with Steve,” Shari all but hummed in a very zen tone.
“Oh? A Lab? That German Shepherd that we kept seeing photos of?” I replied. I know he was hoping for a shepherd or a bigger lab, something with some “heft” to it.
“Our Schnoodle. Charlie,” Shari answered.

My mind came to a screeching halt, and I suddenly had visions of Steve in the High Alps drinking schnapps out of a clear glass and a plate of strudel with a dog in the chair next to him. “What in the hell is a Schnoodle?”

“He’s a half giant schnauzer half standard poodle. He’s cream colored and right now he a little rough looking because we had to shave him all the way down, but I am certain this is the guy Steve needs.”

No truer words have ever been said. 2 years ago today, Charlie came into this world. He did not know he was going to have a purpose or even be a working dog. I have a sneaking suspicion, that he was probably one of the movers and shakers in the litter knowing his personality.

His first years were not easy, nor did he cave in and just give up. Had it not been for the right time and the right people, Charlie and Steve would have never have found each other, and I can not even imagine our world without him. We have our various nicknames for him: SchnoodleDoodle, Charlie Brown, SchnoodleFish, Muttonchops, and when my brain comes to a screeching halt, Hey You. He always, ALWAYS has a smile, a butt wiggle, and the softest eyes. When he sees Steve your heart melts, and now when Steve sees him, you automatically sigh and take a deep breath. You feel the rightness with their connection.

Charlie is intelligent, inquisitive and a force of nature pushing Steve to have to get back into life again because “This Dog ain’t gonna just sit around.” He’s won the hearts of a university President, Dean, Facility and Staff. When Steve graduates this May, a large part of it will be because Charlie physically hauled his butt to and from classes even when he didn’t want to go or was too upset to go. Charlie had his people to go check in with, and therefore Steve has to go to and there was nothing he was ever going to let happen to his Papa, he has his back. When Steve gets his diploma, I’m hoping I can work something out and give one to Charlie too; he’s earned it.

Happy Birthday to our Schnoodle dog, Charlie. You are the softest, kindest, most bull-headed and stubborn animal I’ve ever met. Your job here has been a tough one, but you’ve settled in nicely and you are so very dear to our hearts. Thank you for your butt-wiggles when we need to laugh. Thank you for being a tuba and annoying the crap out of us with your “I’m bored lets go do something.” Thank you for being a part of our lives. Thank you for giving me Papa back. Now, scrabbled eggs and bacon with a pumpkin/peanut butter/yogurt cookie for birthday breakfast today?

              

A Little of This...A Lot of Sewing

158 orders. 27 Days. 5 International orders. All shipped out before Christmas. 150 were chevron fabrics, the rest were either damask, or florals. As of 21 December my brain turned to a yummy blob of tapioca. That was hands down the most intense 27 days of my life. It was both exhilarating and demanding, and now I know how to plan for the holiday season in 2014! Game on!

About 6 hours before we left to see family in Seattle for the holidays, and I had *just* wrapped up and mailed off the very last envelope, I decided that *I* needed my own camera strap for my Nikon.
So I splurged.
I cut into my Bobbins and Bits by Pat Sloan for Moda Fabrics layered cake and make one fore me. Can I just say, these straps are pretty darn comfy and I'm not to bad at making them? (grin) I kinda rock at this!

At the same time as this I also started working on several clients quilts, which I'm happy to say are finally getting started on this week! I have a great pattern by Cluck Cluck Sew called "Pow-Wow" that has just been a hoot to play with and I'm working on my second attempt into finishing up a Moda Bakeshop's pattern called "Simply Woven" for some very, very patient clients. I've also been working on 3 quilts for the Patchwork for Paws quilt group and hope to get a few images up of these here shortly, but here's my bragging tid bit.

So, even though I managed to get myself into some sort of WTH moments with client quilts, I took the night off to go play with the newest Canoe Ridge Creations Fresh Mini Quilt Club BOM and got one more knocked out, just for me. It's proudly hanging in the bedroom waiting to be quilted. Someday. I'm going to call it "January's Northern Lights."

However, today belongs to more sewing and an afternoon with Boys. I can't begin to tell you all how much these two animals have made a difference in both Warrior Husband's and my life. Each with their very own different personality, each with their little qwerks, and each very much wanting nothing more in return than love and affection, which the receive in spades. If it had not been for so many of the right things to happen at the right time, well, I don't want to think about that part.  Needless to say, the Boys have made a huge difference.

Cold and snowy tonight.  2 dog/1 Kat kinda sleeping weather. Love it.

SchnoodleFish Quilted Dog Bed {January 2014}

Met the puppy, and I must become his Auntie Keri; moral imperative. Made the bed/sleeve in less than a day because it was just a series of charm squares. My two are pretty jealous they don't have something as cool as Indi and it turned out better than I anticipated. Thinking about making this into a tutorial for others to use?

Size: 40.5” x 31.5”
Pattern: Simple patchwork (random color draw)
Materials: Benartex Fossil Fern Charm Pack
Backing and Sleeve: Kona Solids - Navy
Batting: Warm and Natural 100% cotton batting
Thread:Aurifil 40wt - Silver
Internal Pillow: Boots and Barkley Dog Bed Insert X-Large