Late Caturday : Hobbes

Happy Mother's Day!
Remember to enter the 'Night Was' contest until May 15th (click above)

Hobbes looks a lot like his mommy Pogo

He has a very dark nose.

And is very 'brave' and playful. Mark named him after the tiger in Calvin and Hobbes.

In Other News: I've been working out in the main store for about three days and so far I really like it. I'm trying to learn where everything is and getting lots of specific questions to hunt down the answers for. Being away from home is still very different. Mark is doing a wonderful job with Esme and the Ebay store. He even went out and did some planting and weeding in the garden with Esme along in her seat yesterday ;)


Created by OnePlusYou

Very funny! I got 218 clicks in 30 seconds. And yes, I was halfway through a cup of coffee at the time. I am a Caffeinated Mind (TM). That was going to be the name of the coffee shop a friend and I tried to start out of high school. Sadly, it never got further than the business plan stage because I caved to my mom's 'You can't move into your own apartment, it's too dangerous!'

Caturday Games

Before neck-fuzz smooshing

After neck-fuzz smooshing

That's a lot of neck fuzz!
We told her she looked like Jabba the Hut.
DISCLAIMER: No cats were hurt during this photo session. The worst part was we were laughing hysterically at her and she didn't think it was funny. She stalked off to the corner to flop down and stare at us balefully.

Dreams, Patterns and Scraps

I know it's weird, and the last thing I should be thinking of right now - with Bazooka coming in a month - but sometimes I still feel like I failed Salamander and Willowpede. Sometimes I still dream that they are 'talking' to me in their way, just slight moments that actually stir me from sleep... and I know that sounds weird... Usually I just think it's one of our girls here, Mouse or Pogo, transferring into older memories.

I dreamt last night that I found Sally huddled in a very cold cupboard, she jumped out and was purring and happy to see me. She was lemurish, with her bright eyes and curling tail. As I was sitting with her, Willow came up (with her very distinctive thick furry neck) and also got into my lap. I looked at them both and rubbed them between their ears and down their necks and the dream slipped away. It was two a.m. when I woke up - and both Mouse and Pogo were outside hunting - so it wasn't them messing with my dreams. I know Sally and Willow are okay because a search that came into my site 'Sally says life is so hard' linked up with another picture's text on Flickr - not mine - which showed them in April, safe and sound. :( Dreams are just dreams :(

In the Workshop
I'm working on making my toy patterns more suitable for the sewing machine. A few months ago I was contacted for a book inclusion and even though that lady hasn't talked to me since then it is still a very good idea. We might even see about just making our own little 'booklet' with the local printing place - of about 8 to 10 patterns with instructions.

a bit of writing I was thinking up the other day...

Scraps

---

My mom used to collect scraps of everything she thought was useful. There was the bag of fabric scraps, for quilts that never got made (until I started sewing). There was the bag of 'left socks' that never got matched up. There was the box of paper and ribbon scraps, for making cards. There was a huge box of pennies, that got cashed in once a year. There were meat and grease scraps for making weekly stew and gravies.. (which did get used). Leftovers from the fridge were thrown together into hotdishes every couple of days. I was always taught to keep the scraps just in case they make up to something.

My mom said it was the 'Dutch in us' (not sure where she got that from) - the kind of attitude where you lick the bowl and spoon after mixing a cake. Often her scrap-saving ways would pay off, but just as often there would be mass-cleaning days, which were very stressful, where Mom wanted to 'get rid of everything.' I get some of that from her too - and it's a good explanation of why I clean when I'm stressed.

I haven't been doing as much of that since I've been with Mark, cleaning while stressed that is - I do clean, just not in that hurried 'I'm worried about everything - everything must be clean to make it better' sort of way. I always hated that habit, even AS I was doing it. For a while there, knitting was that kind of habit as well. I would churn out a dishcloth every day - or more, and it was a way of defocusing on what was upsetting me and making the stress into something productive. I don't knit as much as I used to either - but I do sew. Sewing isn't quite the same - it is like drawing, productive and ever-changing, keeping my focus on the project - not letting my hands go over the same repetitions over and over while my mind goes blank.

Not to say I'm giving up knitting - but yes, it has taken a back seat to my sewing simply because of this natural tendency.

Yesterday I took a good hard look at my fabric scraps. I'm always moving so quickly from project to project - it's hard to realize how fast they accumulate. They pile up in corners, and in bags - and soon you're wondering 'What in the world am I going to do with this?' I've made a few of the bassinet quilts out of scraps from the stuffed animals - and started throwing all the smallest pieces away. I guess I'm not so very frugal as my mom - but my workspace looks a lot cleaner!

Puppies eyes open and (somewhat) walking

Most of the puppies have their eyes open now and they are between crawling and walking. We took a few more pictures of them scrambling around.





Pogo and Misha cuddle up and ask 'Aren't we cute too?'

A horse of a different color
I've been encouraged to keep making these little horses and other things in my shop. I hope to keep putting up at least one item a day for a week or so. We've sold a few paintings on Ebay as well which is very exciting :)

Have a Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Hope you're having a great long weekend!

Sleepyheads hang out together on the couch...

Pogo pictures and a surprise from Mrs.Pao!

DeeDee is doing well with her eight babies. They don't have their eyes open yet but seeing all the pink paws wave in the air is very cute.

Pogo was trying to get away from Bunny puppy this morning and fell asleep in the magazine rack again - she barely fits now!

I've been doing some more painting and listing some more of my art on Ebay


Mark keeps both hands busy with Kelba and Pogo

Pogo: 'Ear Rub! Ahhh....'

'Fox Makes medicine' ACEO card

What a wonderful surprise was waiting for us at the post office today!
Thank you so much Mrs.Pao! I was very confused by the 'New York' address and wasn't sure I was reading the 'from' address right until I opened up the card ;) It's all so CUTE!


Click picture to enlarge - cute onesies!


Equally cute sleepers and a baby shawl

Lots of bunnies and bears and stripes, how cute is that? Thank you from both of us! (well, all three actually)

Assorted Stitches

I made a second, better changing pad this weekend, along with some experiments that didn't work out. I did a lot of sleeping at the beginning of the weekend, but have straightened out a little bit since then.

Instructions for Changing Pad (linked for searchers)

Pogo approves of this one and it's long 'tail.'


Folded up and tied.

I used some of the fancier stitches on the machine to get some practice. This blue fabric had some 'stretch' to it too, just a tiny bit, and it was challenging to work with.

I really should iron the flannel before sewing it up - it would make it look a lot better.

The dogs found this tiny copperhead (poisonous) snake in the house this weekend.
Mark was the brave one who both took the picture and caught it in a jar to dispose of it with. It wasn't too small to strike, and it did try. To get an idea of how tiny this snake is, the black hairs in the bottom right of the picture are dog hairs, and those white spots are spots in the floor pattern!

Bunny Quilt

I made this small 'quilt' yesterday. It is 24 by 32 inches. It's definitely not a 'professional' job, I made it on the fly out of my fabric stash. I'm really liking the quickness of the sewing machine, but will have to work on my accuracy with it more when things really need to be 'exact.'


'Bunny' quilt for Bazooka
Her crib, which we will probably order at the end of the month (since it takes two weeks to get in to the store) will be 34 by 20 inches. This small quilt can also be useful for covering up her car seat carrier or as a playmat. It isn't extremely heavy - just a layer of flannel in betweeen the top and the bottom. I can always make a bit bigger and/or thicker ones as well.


We picked up this nearly new car seat at the flea market.It looks a lot like the one on the shelf at WalMart. We found the instruction sheet for it online at the manufacturer's site and I ordered a new locking-clip for the seat belt on Ebay. If it gets a little cooler tonight maybe I'll take it out to the truck and see how it fits in there.


Pogo shows off her furry tummy and cute black-bottomed paws

Puck and Pogo : Round 10

Mark took these pictures of our 'ferocious animals' at play ;)

Pogo-ing at 50%, check back later for full recharge...

Baby Update: I could swear she has my thermostat on call in there -- in the morning I am freezing cold and sweating, and by the afternoon I am hot enough to strip. She is also MUCH more active the last few days - in frequency and strength. I can see her send the side of my stomach out about an inch when she gets a well-placed kick. I'll probably regret saying this later - but her kicks don't hurt yet, just feel like a hiccup going the wrong way.

My friend from high school suggested this is a good time to start reading to her, so for the past few days I've waited for her to be active and then read a chapter or so out of Little Bear. I've also been walking more than a mile every morning, weather allowing. It's a nice evenly paced walk - no pushing, and I'm not even tired when I get back, just warm, no matter what the temp is. I got an ankle brace for walking with today, hope it works - I have that one ankle I broke as a kid that has went out on me three times so far. No serious falls, and the ankle doesn't even hurt after it bends back the right way, but I end up with a bloody knee and a bit of worrying until I feel Bazooka kick again. Soon enough here, I'm going to have so much scar tissue on that other knee it just won't bleed!

Thanks for all the comments on the little shoes! I have plans for a few more small pairs (with alterations to the pattern) for back-ups :) They are so easy and fun to make!

Happy Fourth of July!

We have Fireworks! (they are legal in Tennessee, but are not in Minnesota)

Yesterday was a long day, we went to the flea market in the morning, a town trip in the afternoon and at about 8:00pm we decided to go to the Transformers movie in Murray, KY with a stop at the fireworks store while we were up there.

Tranformers was extremely fast visually, hard to see things because they were moving so fast. It was like a video game, with everything going on all over the screen at once very fast and hard to track it all. Plot-wise it wasn't too bad, but it was funny to see Ebay used as a plot device ;)


Our Pogo-face
When we were at the flea market we saw a kitten that could have been Pogo's twin. She was very small and scared of dogs, though. I'm sure Pogo is glad we left her there for someone else to adopt.


Cotton Shirting Fabrics
I also picked up some men's cotton dress shirts from one of the flea market booths. At 25 to 50 cents apiece I don't mind using them for fabric - they'll be great for toys!

Wishing you all a happy and safe Fourth of July!

'Magical Lights and Messages' 07/04/2007

Pogo Swim and Proud Mama Alien

Be sure to see our custom color cute alien softies at The KnitOwl Toy Shop

Pogo 'swim'

A close up of those back feet

Alien Monster Dolls: They're breeding!
Babies stick to Mom with velcro ;)

Ahh.. aren't their 'baby eyes' cute? They'll bud more later.

Browsing today:
Little owl dpn case from Loveoneworldzero
Fishy Wishy in a Dishy Yarn from See Jane Knit Yarns
Grace Giraffe from Thistletown
Little Fawn from cornflakegirl
Useful Little Things shop with marbled notecards and journals

Alien Invasion and Pogo Tigers

Eek! What Have we Here?
Stay Tuned for more information...


Pogo is preparing for the invasion by attacking those pesky packing peanuts (say that ten times fast).

Enlarge this picture and you can see her white toes on her back feet! She has two toes on different feet that are entirely white!

Gotcha!

Blurry, but look at that tiger paw action!

Kitten Sweetness then Utter Humiliation

Early in the day I was knitting on the circular shawl, and caught these 'kitten love yarn' pictures. I told her she could have the purple one if I could keep using the blue one that was dancing around.


She reluctantly agreed.

Then went to sleep.
Later in the evening, we find a very different looking Pogo outside. At least, different in the volume of nose she possesses.


I fundt a wasspf & my nozsh hurtshes.
The tongue thing was because I caught her at the food bowl. She seems to be eating and drinking fine. However, I could have sworn Mouse and Yeller (the outside boy cat) were laughing their paws off at her.

Is it Friday already? weekly roundup.

Wow, where did this week go? It seems we've either been dead-tired or moving non-stop since we got back, alternating between the two. However, we keep getting things done :)

We're starting to sort through our inventory (new and old) from the trip and redo counts. We bought a variety of cool antique electronics to Ebay as well as the toys we bought to keep. There are lots of switches, cables and connectors to restock on as well.

Last night we made Chex Mix and ate too much of it. Also watched Apocalypto - bloody movie but it had a good plot. It was cool to hear the Mayan language (or an approximation of it) spoken. I did recognize a few words from when I was studying the heiroglyphics like 'balam' - 'jaguar.' On the shortwave radio I was able to get Deutsche Welle, a German radio station. However, I can only get it outside because of our metal roof. Listened to that while weeding the garden a few days ago.

And now the pictures!
On Tuesday we went to the Huntingdon fleamarket and picked up these little peepers for Mark's mom.

Chinese Topknot chicks and assorted friends.

Epic Battle: Kitten (Pogo) vs Puppy (Pixie)
Pogo and Pixie are both growing fast - and when Puck and Mouse get sick and tired of them, they find each other to chew on.


Pixie attempts to eat Pogo's feet - thinking that will give her an advantage.

But the kitten is quicker than the polar bear puppy, and escapes.

And our winner, Pogo the kitten, for finding the high road.