Lady With Roses Framed Crazy Quilt

First, I would like to say a special thank you to Debi Huntsman for being my Guest Blogger yesterday.  And I'd like to thank everyone who left comments for us and who entered Debi's drawing.  I will continue to accept entries until tomorrow morning (Sept. 3).  I'll do the drawing before I go to mom's and post the winner's name here.

I emailed everyone who left a comment to let them know that their entry for Debi's drawing is in.  If you didn't receive an email confirmation from me, it's only because I don't have your email address.  Please know that if you left a comment your entry is in!

I'm having some trouble's with my blog button.  Is there anyone out there who can help me get it straightened out?  I've done pretty good with my blog on my own but I can't figure out what the problem is with my button.

In other news, my Lady With Roses Framed Crazy Quilt piece is done and available in my Etsy shop:

Please hop over and take a peek!  We have so many beautiful things in the shop and I'll be adding more of Kathi's work and mom's work as I can.

Finally, for now, I'm working on my next Creatively Coping with Depression & Anxiety article.  This one is about dealing with specific symptoms.  I confess, it's hard for me to write these articles because I have to go back to the depths of hell to remember what I did to get myself through it.  I so much want to help others cope so I just take my time and write as I can.  I'll have it available soon.

Guest Blogger - Debi Huntsman

Hello everyone!  It's the 1st of the month and that means that I have another guest blogger to introduce to you!

 

I met Debi earlier this year.  While surfing around, reading blogs, I came upon Debi's "Life In My Studio" blog and I was blown away!!!   Debi was working on some Marie Antoinette projects and ya'll know I have this thing for Marie Antoinette.   I kept reading Debi's blog and drooling all over her gorgeous photos.  So much pink!  So much charm!  So much sparkle!

I quickly became a follower of Debi's blog and a huge fan of her work.  Please welcome today's guest blogger, Debi Huntsman!

Hi everybody! First, I would like to thank Pam for inviting me to be a guest on her beautiful blog today. I'm both excited and honored to be here.

 

I thought I would share three things with you today. My obsession,

a tutorial, and a giveaway.

 

I am passionate about creating, and try to do something in that area

everyday. I also love blogging. Whether posting on my own blog,

or reading the blogs I follow, I am doing it all the time. And it is through blogging that I became obsessed with swapping.

 

Photos shown in this post, are swap gifts I have made for other bloggers.

 

 

I belong to the Marie Antoinette Mail Art group which offers a large

variety of swaps. I also love to join swaps that are being hosted by

individual bloggers. I am usually involved in half a dozen or more swaps

at any given time. I love visiting bloggers who are new to me, and learning different art forms.

 

 

For those of you who have never joined a swap, it is easy and fun. When you find a swap you are interested in, just follow the hostess' instructions for joining. You will be given a date by which your swap gift should be mailed, and your partner's information. When I'm in a partner swap, I like to visit her blog and find out what her favorite colors, style, etc. are. That way, I can make her gift more personal to her. When my swap gift is finished, I like to wrap everything in pretty papers and ribbons, and add a fun embellishment. It’s always exciting to open a pretty package!

 

 

In some swaps, such as ATC's, you may not

have a partner, but will be asked to create a specific number

of cards and mail them to the hostess. She then swaps them out and sends

you the same number of cards you sent in.

 

 

 

 

 

I am currently involved in a Victorian Cuff swap, so I thought I would

show you how I like to make my cuffs. This is the one I will be showing.

 

 

One of my favorite parts of creating anything, is going through my stash

and choosing the pieces I want to use in my project.

 

 

 

Once I have done that, I cut my pieces to the length and width I want

to use. For this particular cuff, my pieces are 6 1/2" x 2". I cut the

piece of lace about 4" wide. Some people like to finish their edges,

but I actually fray mine a bit because I love that shabby look of the raw edges.

 

 

 

Because my fabrics are lightweight, I'm including an extra piece to thicken it up a little. So, I will stitch three pieces together and save the fourth piece for my finished back.

I have also looped my lace piece through a pretty mother of pearl buckle.

 

 

Now that my cuff is stitched, I will add my bow by hand stitching the center of it and machine stitching the ends.

 

I like to use a button and loop to hook the cuff closed, so now I add a

pretty piece of lace for my loop.

 

I chose some pretty vintage laces, and machine stitched them around the outside edge of the cuff.

 

 

Next, I add my button and begin arranging my embellishments and hand

stitching them in place.

 

 

The last step is hand stitching a pretty piece of fabric to the back side of the cuff. This covers up all of my stitches and just gives the back a nice finished look.

 

 

And Voila! We've created a cuff. These are fun to wear with just about

anything, and they're a great way to add a little bling with your jeans.

 

 

Now, I have a little giveaway gift. I've put together a few

of my favorite things for crafting, as well as the cuff, and will be giving them to one of you.

 

Just leave a comment on this post, and on Friday, a winner will be drawn.

 

Hey, I've had a good time and hope that you have too. Thanks again for inviting me Pam.

Stop by for a visit anytime....www.lifeinmystudio.blogspot.com. I’d love to see you!

Hugs!

 

I hope you all enjoyed meeting Debi and seeing her gorgeous work!  I will be doing the drawing and announcing the winner on Friday.  Debi will be away from her computer for a few days .  She will be shipping her prize to the lucky winner on September 7th.  Please do hop over to Debi's blog and say hello.  She's sweet as can be, just like her work!!!  

Thank you so much Debi, for being my guest today and thank you for your lovely tutorial and drawing prize!!!

 

 

Notes From Mom - On Seeing Eye Dogs

As promised, the following is Mom's 2nd blog post.  Today Mom is writing about her seeing eye dog.   I have only corrected a few typing errors. 

Hi Everybody,


This is my second bloggin.  I promised that since I have already discussed my vision loss that I would cover my beautiful and wonderful dog guide,so here goes.


She is a beautiful pure-bread Golden Retriever from Leader Dogs for the blind in Rochester, Mi. Her name is Honey- B.

I used my white cane for ten years before I was certified as legally blind.  When my doctor told me I immediately knew what I was going to do because I was never comfortable with the cane and had walked off curbs and over cracks and that is because I never had confidence in myself. After that diagnosis I asked my doctor for a note.
 
Then I called Leader Dogs to get an application never expecting to have to go through so much just to apply. After getting the application, I had to have letters and forms filled out by a Glaucoma specialist, my regular ophthalmic doctor and my General Practitioner. Then I had to have a video made of me walking and using my cane. Whew! I expected to have to wait a long time for them and their doctors to decide if I qualified.  I DID.  I was so excited when they told me on the phone that they had a dog for me and that I could come in two weeks for training with the dog.  That was 4 ½ years ago.


I had no idea of what to expect even though my totally blind friend filled me in on a few things.


The school is very large.
Every one has their own room with a bath and shower. There is also a TV and a very small refrigerator. There is a double bed, a nightstand and a wood special built chair bolted to the floor so that it can,t move if you should miss a little in sitting down.  There is also an outside door that is security sea so no one can get in at night because if it is touched from the outside alarms go off all around the building.  The door is there to be able to take your dog out at specified times or if a quick out is necessary for the dog.  Everything outside is fenced in and everyone has there own spot for their dog to use about the width of your room.


They have a very big dining room with large round tables  that holds ten people along with your trainer who helps with any thing that might have to be read or explanations of any kind.


I am sorry because I am getting somewhat ahead of myself.


I went to the school by train (it took 6 ½ hours) I they wanted me to take a plane but I have always been terrified of planes even tho I was on one to Miami when I was 20. (Because I always felt that if God wanted me to fly He would have given me wings and if he wanted me on a boat I would have fins)
 I left very early in the morning on a Sunday from downtown Chicago, my husband took me down to the train station.  I arrived at the school about 3:00 p.m.  After getting settled in they told me that training would begin on Monday morning.  We would be getting up at 6a.m. by the ring of a clock that you could hear back in Chicago and a talking voice that kept saying “it is now 6 a.m." If it were a person I could have killed it but as I said before everything is bolted down.  

They told me that Wed.  
was the day I would receive my dog.  Oh did my heart skip a beat.  At lunch that day they told all of us the names of our dog.  HONEY-B was mine.  We do not name our dogs.  Leader Dogs has volunters who raise these dogs for their first year of life starting at 8 weeks old.  The get the prevlidge of naming the dog.  In my case I couldn,t have picked a better name.  We were also told to sit in our chair in our room.  They bring the dog to you, open the door and tell you to call your dog.(Ididn,t know her breed at the time.  All of a sudden I heard her feet on the floor coming down a small hallway.  She took one look at me and said (SUCKER) All of her jumped into my lap – good to have a bolted down chair.  She licked and kissed me and snuggled into my lap and instant love was born.

We didn,t train for the rest of the day because they wanted us to start bonding.That was about 1:00 in the afternoon. I just hugged her and petted her and talked to her and cried at how wonderful God was to give such a precious gift. We did not bring them to dinner that nite because they did not have a harness as yet. Speaking of dinner, the food was very good. When we finally started training the next day, what fun but so much work.  The dogs knew better what to do than we did.  The trainers (l for each 6 of us) took us to every place imaginable that we would possible need to go when we got home. Malls, pharmacies, Meyers food stores, restaurants, RR crossings, the trainer took me to a local library for which I said why here, I can hardly read people will laugh. Then she told me that the aisles were very narrow and they have many things in the way.  Did you know that it takes about 2 weeks for the dog to learn the size of you and they will make the judgment if both of you can fit through some of the small spaces?   If the dog doesn,t think so they will stop dead until you figure out what it could be and can tell the dog which way to go.
That is really something and best hope it is not a person too stubborn to move and you have to pat down the object to figure it out! 

Never did I think about the playfulness of Honey-B . Oh Boy!  When they got their harnesses they came everywhere with us. The first nite she came to dinner with me the fun began.  She was put under the table and we sit on their leash so we know when they move she decided to play with all the other 6-7 dogs also under the table. When any dog moved away from us and we usually didn’t now it because were new at this our trainer would take the dog and put them in the office next to the dining room.  I was always looking for her. I think she was the most friendly dog in the group. Another gal at my table had a Golden also but that dog never left the spot.  To this day H-B as I sometines call her is friendly with anyone that comes to our home.  Without the harness on they are not working so they can be petted.  With the harness on they know they are working and have a totally different kind of demeanor.  All I have to do is tell her she is working and she follows me to the closet where I keep her harness.  I take her outside when we leave put her in the dog run and tell her to PARK- that is the word for potty which is not classy enough for a dog guide. 

When I hold her harness out, she walks right into it.  After that, she pays no attention to anyone but me.  After that, no one is allowed to touch her-talk to her-or make eye contact because all of that can break their concentration and they will then walk us into something and it is no fun to walk into a wall or into something in a store.  I have had it happen often.  Then I explain the problem to the person so it doesn't happen again.


I have never fallen or gotten hurt on her watch and that is 4 1/2 years.  I don't think I would ever want to be without a dog guide.

Below are some of the things she is trained to do.  All I have to say is find:


(verbal)


a door
a chair
turn right or left
go straight
easy (means don't pull)
stairs
bathrooms
find curbs
come close
leave it
go park (and they don't fool around)


(hand signs)


forward (also verbal)
straight
left or right
sit
down
come close

Thanks for listening about my precious H-B.  My next blog will be about my 17 years of Hell with Bi-Polar.


Pam's Mom

If you would like to learn more about Leader Dogs For The Blind, click here to visit their website.

Tomorrow is September 1st.  That I means I have another Guest Blogger to introduce to you.  I know you will love my next guest!!!  She's so sweet!  And she ix offering a lovely surprise to my readers!  Be sure to stop by and meet her.

Victorian Halloween Tussy Mussy's and a Sneak Peek

Bubba and I went to 2 Flea Markets this morning.  I found some little bits and bobs.  A few vintage millinery flowers, a bit of old lace, an old mirrored dresser tray and a couple of gorgeous frames for my crazy quilting.  I didn't take any photos because it isn't anything all that exciting but you'll see everything eventually as I use them.

When we got home, I packaged up 2 orders, washed some dishes and sat outside on the deck for a little bit.  It's a hot one today!!!!  Very humid again!

I just finished adding a couple more of Mom's Victorian Halloween Tussy Mussy's to the shop:

Mom is having some surgery the end of September to relieve a pinched nerve and wanted to get her Halloween things ready early.  I believe mom has some Thanksgiving Tussy Mussy's ready for the shop too.  I'll be seeing her tomorrow so I'll know for sure then.

And speaking of seeing Mom tomorrow, I'll take my laptop over and mom will write her next "Notes From Mom" post.  I can upload it when I get home tomorrow.

So let's see, what else is happening here?  Well, Bubba snapped a few photos of Nightmare sleeping in the rocking chair:

Scott and I learned a long time ago, never to wake up a sleeping Nightmare!  LOL!!! 

In other news,  I've decided to take a little Pink Saturday break for a few weeks.  I want to get back to writing my Creatively Coping articles and I have some new project ideas that I want to work on.  I have to remind myself that I'm only one person and can only do so much so I'll take a break from Pink Saturday for a few weeks to do some other things.

I'll leave you with a sneak peek of my Lady With Roses Crazy Quilt piece:

Happy Pink Saturday Everyone!

Another lovely Pink Saturday!!!  I have 2 things to share with you today.  Both of these gorgeous Victorian Tussy Mussy's were made by mom:

These were custom orders.  I love it when mom does kitties!  If anyone is interested in a custom order for Tussy Mussy's, please drop me an email.  Mom is thrilled when she's asked for something special!!!

Before I head out for today, we're really getting close to 300 followers.  That means we can have our drawing for my Sewing Art Quilt soon!! 

If you would like to enter to win this quilt, please click here for the details.

I would like to say thank you to our Pink Saturday hostess Beverly at How Sweet The Sound.  Please take a moment to visit Beverly's blog and while you're there, check out some of the other sweet Pink Bloggers!