Arts and Crafts Post: Dog Sweaters

Well, this story starts with 2 short haired dogs. One I've been making coats for a while now. I swear manufactures do not believe that big dogs get cold. Dobermans are especially prone to being cold as their short coat is also not very thick. So, between my mom and I we came up with a coat pattern loosely based on a coat I did find that actually fits a Great Dane (he's big but not quite that big, but his chest is HUGE!). I made him one that he wears all the time and I needed to make more. I THOUGHT that the little monster pup was set as I FINALLY could buy one since her chest wasn't too wide and she was small (well, for me she seems small). So she got this sweater which I did NOT make but came from PetsMart:

Sweater from PetsMart (bought)

Isn't she adorable? Yea, looks can be deceiving. Actually she had this through at least 3 wearings which shocked me. After that 3rd wearing... it was put through a shredder.... or it looked like it was shredded. Yea, never trust a bored pup. LOL

So... I had a sewing machine... and I found a fleece blanket for $1 at Wal-Mart. It was small and a bit on the thin side for a blanket but perfect for what I had in mind. I found a free pattern and I had some black fleece on hand which was left over from a long ago project (which I recall I also got for a great deal). The pattern is from Mimi and Tara and is a mash up of the raglan dog sweater and the add-on hood (just click on the links to go to her posts on the patterns and yes, they are free). 

The problem with the patterns is that there really isn't any instructions and I don't sew clothes. Luckily youtube came to the rescue and I figured out how to sew the raglan and the hood was easily figured out with the blog post Mimi and Tara had on her blog. I did add a cuff to the sleeves and because it was so long on her (it fit perfect otherwise) I added a small amount of elastic on the front of the sweater (stomach area) which also helped keep debris out of the inside of the hoodie. 

And yes, there is already a hole after the 2nd wearing on the sleeve. There is now a patch there. LOL

The second one was much easier. It was like coats I used to make my dad's dog and only snaps on one side. This one is VERY easy to make and you could probably find something close to it on the web.

Second coat!

It was also made from a remanent fleece I found. I also don't put it on her that much as I do the other as she has more of a tendency to try to chomp on the back end of it more than the hoodie. Darn pup! 

The big boy's coats

Of course I couldn't leave the big boy out and besides I needed to make him other coats so I can wash the one he loves. The blue one is a thick fleece and it wraps around his chest and is snapped on both sides. I added elastic to the chest piece (like I did on monster pup's coat) to keep it more fitted and debris out. I did the same with the rust coat. I didn't have much of this fabric so I used the fabric I had used on monster pup's hoodie for the collar. I made my $1 stretch! Monster pup is in the photo trying to undress the boy. She figured out the coat comes off from the snaps and now tries to unsnap him as much as possible. As you can see by how he ignores her, he is now used to it. LOL

I'll probably end up having to make more next year, but hopefully the monster pup won't shred them as quickly. 

⛄

Really Late Craft Post: What I Made Over the Holidays

With all the craziness that happened over the holiday season, I did get a few things done. Nothing like I planned, but well... I guess you do get laughed at if you plan. 

One I did get done was for my sweet 90 yr old friend. 

These are done in the hoop on the embroidery machine. This one is from Lovely Leaf Applique (Etsy store) and the small tag was from Buggalena Embroidery. I made the large pouch with a D ring attached to the ribbon on the side and made the wristlet strap on my regular sewing machine. The smaller pouch just has a swivel hook on the end of the ribbon. All this was done with scrap fabric!

The next one I got done was a towel for a cousin who just got married.

 The embroidery file was from Hoop Mama Designs (and was free during the season but is no more but available for purchase at her website). The towel was a microfiber towel. Blue and Yellow (or gold in this case) taken from the colors of her wedding.

A couple of other projects rounds it out...

Eye mask:

This was actually a play mask from Ohana Applique Designs but changed it quite a bit for my eye mask. I flipped the eyes to look closed (a little bit more wrangling than that, but you get the idea) and then made the front from felt and quilting fabric and the back was made with satin. It is then filled with smooth tiny beads for a cooling and relaxing feel. 

Trinket tray

I don't know the designer for the tray (I got it free) but the letter design at the bottom of the tray is from Designs by JuJu. It can be unsnapped flat or partially snapped for a partial tray or fully snapped for a full, but small tray.

Lastly...

I made myself some pattern weights. The top two were from Buggalena Designs. It was made differently than I did as it required you to use non-fray fabric, but I thought that if I flipped it a bit while making it I could make it out of quilting cotton and have no raw edges. The one that says Pins is also a pin cushion. All have metal washers (get at a farm store) to create the weight. The 3 underneath are smaller and I used other designs I had on hand. The back is foldover elastic (which is part of the original design) to keep things in place and to give something to hold onto. FYI, I used unicorns, peacock feathers and star wars characters since you probably can't see them clearly. The horn on the unicorn is iridescent scale vinyl and the ears are glitter vinyl. 

So have you been crafty lately?

Holiday Post: Halloween!

Hope everyone had a good Halloween!

Thought I'd give you a quick look at how monster pup dressed. 

Pic taken by Terri at PetCo

If you can't tell, she is a Gryffindor student! I made her costume with a toddler's shirt (I really needed a larger one as she barely fit when it was time to wear it! I swear it fit when I tried it on her when I finished... one week ago!).  I did eliminate the hood as it would have been a chew toy. I also made her a collar, leash and poo bag to go with the outfit. 

A better look:

The collar and leash say "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good" and the poo bag says "Mischief Managed".

Heh... I think I was the only one who laughed at that. *sigh* LOL All are done in glitter canvas and I'll see how it all holds up over time.

The big boy didn't dress up so he was saved that humiliation but was ready to share any treats she got. I did take her to PetsMart where they were having a photograph with a big costumed pup (guy in costume) but she took one look at him and noped it out of there. I didn't force it. She needs more bravery so that is why I put her in that house... although she is cunning enough to be in Slytherin. LOL Yea, I put too much thought in it but it is all in fun. 

Hope you all had a safe and fun holiday!

🎃

Arts and Crafts: Memorial Pillow and New Sling Bag!

If you have been around the blog this year, you know I lost one of my puppers. She was a sweetheart and LOVED to wear scarves. I got her into it as she was jelly of my other dog wearing coats (dobies are notorious for hating the cold and have a thin coat). She was a malamute (translation: fur, upon fur upon fur, upon... well you get it) so a coat for her would have been cruel. I decided that perhaps she would like a scarf instead and thus was born an obsession where she hated to go a day without one. She was sad when one was taken off (or walked off depending on how dirty she got it) and was elated when a new one was tied around her neck. Since she was my cousin's dog first and my aunt knew about the obsession I created, I decided to do some memory pillows out of her scarves. One for me and one for my aunt. I made hers first and still have to find the courage to make mine. Anyway, short story long here is the pillow:

This is actually a in the hoop embroidery design from Sweet Pea. You make each section and then sew them together. The grey and the black with paw print fabrics were my base and the rest were parts of her scarves she wore. Hopefully my aunt will get it soon.

And speaking of puppy crafts...

I needed a bag to carry my essentials for puppy classes for the monster pup. I didn't want to end up carrying too much so I took a small bag pattern I had and made it smaller. :) Just enough to fit essentials and my epi pens. This is the Speedwell Sling Bag by Blue Calla Patterns.

I would say this pattern is an intermediate one but the directions are clear so if you are up to it, I say try it even if you are a beginner. My biggest problems is that I reduced it by 15% so some of the details were a bit harder, but it was still doable. The parts I added was a zipper pocket in the back compartment for my epipens. I also lined it with insul-fleece by Pellon. That way my epipens stay at a more consistent temperature. Epipens should not be out in hot weather and never leave them in a car. Hopefully that addition will keep my medical supplies safe as possible.

I also added one of my charms and an embroidered note. If you are noticing the zipper, I added 2 metal zippers and crossed them at the top so it zips up on both ends to the top. I learned a lot about zippers with this one and a previous project. I'm becoming quite knowledgeable about them. More than I wanted to know, in fact! LOL I also added snaps to the pockets to keep things separated. The  pocket was exactly the right size for the epipens and I couldn't have gone any smaller. The bag is not big as it is written either (so it would be good for those not wanting a big bag).

I also added card slots in the front section. Your cards go "sideways" to fit. That way I created 6 slots and a pocket in the back. The original pattern just had the slip pocket. The zippered section is also part of the pattern. I did reduce the grommets to 1/4" instead of 1/2" to fit the ascetics. The grommets are so you can put earphones or electronic cords through. You can still get the earphones to go through it, but you have to slip it through with the plug end. The earphone section will not fit through it but I felt that wasn't needed in my case. I did add charms for bling and the front 2 charms on my bag each represent my 2 dogs. Also, the glitter on the bag is a glitter canvas and not glitter marine vinyl. I have a domestic machine which is good on most things but I still have to watch the thickness. A good canvas backed glitter with a think vinyl coating worked well here and should also wear well.

While this bag isn't recommend for a beginner, I do think that someone who hasn't been sewing long could tackle this bag easily. It looks harder than it is and this was the first time I put together a bag where you use a seam binding. It was much easier than I thought it would be and because of the binding there was no saggy lining. 

Hope this inspires you to tackle your projects! 

🎒

Art Book Post: Everyday Watercolor by Jenna Rainey

Genre: Art Instruction
224 p.
Publisher: Watson-Guptill
Published: 10/10/17
Source: NetGalley and publisher for review

A contemporary paint-every-day watercolor guide that explores foundational strokes and patterns and then builds new skills upon the foundations over the course of 30 days to create finished pieces.

This beautifully illustrated and inspiring guided watercolor-a-day book is perfect for beginning watercolor artists, artists who want to improve their watercolor skills, and visual creatives. From strokes to shapes, this book covers the basics and helps painters gain confidence in themselves along with inspiration to develop their own style over the course of 30 days. Featuring colorful contemporary art from Mon Voir design agency founder and Instagram trendsetter Jenna Rainey, this book's fresh perspective paints watercolor in a whole new light.

My thoughts:

This is probably one of the best beginning watercolor books that I have come across in a long time. I really like how it breaks down skills and puts it in easy to understand format. I would love to see an accompanying video since watercolor is a visual art. I think that it would also be helpful to grasp the concepts much easier. However, once you do the exercises one or more times it should become more clear in what skill the book is trying to impart. For those new to this art, I would suggest taking each project as it comes in the book. The skills build upon the other.

For more advanced artists, the earlier exercises might seem too simple, but it is also good to go back to the beginning and just practice. You should be able to fly through those first chapters or skip around in this case. The last projects were you put the pictures together would probably be more interesting here and I do like how her simple and bright washes keep the paintings clear and high value. Makes the art look very fresh and it seems to be a trend in the watercolor illustration market.

In conclusion, I give this art book 4 stars. I would recommend this book to someone wanting to try watercolor and some good practice for those that have been painting for a while.

🎨

What a month!

Ah, I've been silent again, but for good reason. 

I had a whole post on what my dogs put me through (they are all fine now but seriously dogs...), my health, and Charlottesville. While I was writing it out I realized I really didn't want to talk about all of that. Since Charlottesville I've been angry and tired and let me just say it... racism is bad. How do some people not get that? Even though I was not surprised that violence has happened but what did surprise me is that it has become personal in a way I didn't expect. I won't reveal the specifics but I will state that I have no problems standing with my convictions but it did make me angry. I only wanted to state that since I KNOW I'm not the only one going through it and I want anyone out there to know they are not alone. So many more people are speaking out against racism. Racism has always been there, it will be there after this section in history but we can do what we can to lessen it's impact for future generations. I have no problem believing it will happen because so many people are saying no. It is good to see and hold onto that. 

Now I'm switching gears (but know you just got a virtual hug from me)...

I just became a affiliate for Craftsy. 

I have used this site for quite a while. I often buy patterns or videos from this site when they are on sale. I can now let you know so if you are interested you can get in on the sales. Yep, I'm trying to do more crafting. I'm also previewing a lot of videos for them so hopefully I'll get to share those as well for you. I've been a bit behind where I want to be due to personal issues but hopefully will get to writing those things down.

I am also getting more involved in dog nutrition and training. I have to write some reviews on this and will hopefully have them soon.

It will be a bit before I'm back into full swing, but thanks for sticking around! I hope I end up having something here you will enjoy.

Hope your day gets better (even if it is great, I want it to get even better!) since I think we all deserve it right now.

💝

Arts and Crafts (and Entertainment): Dog Harness and NetFlix

...and a bit of movies and shows as well...

I actually have a few crafts I need to post but because I'm behind and have a few things to work out before I post most of them so this will be short. I do have one I would like to share that I just completed. 

I made a pup harness!

I put an extra D ring on the front to make it a no pull harness. Will see if it works soon. It is also an no choke harness as well. She needed another one and I made this one so I could wash the one I had on her. LOL 

Here she is modeling the harness. She is growing! Her face is starting to elongate a bit and now I can see more of the shepherd that she is supposed to have in her. Still looks nothing like one though. 

I have also been catching up on a few movies from time to time. Finally saw Moana (and now it has been in the background now and again... LOL) and I also finally saw Kubo and the Two Strings.

I knew about this one a long time before it came out because Toby Froud (yes that Toby from Labyrinth) worked on the film and I saw a bit of it while in production. If you haven't seen it yet, you should. 

I also got my mom into Sense8 and about the time I knew she would be hooked they announced that it would be cancelled. I warned her but she had already been hooked enough to continue and by the time it was over she was cursing with me about Netflix stopping production. Soon after it was announced that there would be a 2 hr ending in the works and it should be available next year. *whew*

I also have been getting into Wynonna Earp. It is a campy-ish sci-fi show with demons and other odd characters. It is fun and I'm just in the first season. It comes on the Sci-Fi channel but the first season is on NetFlix.

Hope everyone is doing well! I'm going to try to catch up on my blogging and blog visiting one day soon... 

🐕

Arts and Crafts Pinspiration: Electronic Charging Station

I actually became inspired by a pin in Pinterest on making an electronics charging station. Here is the pin and my result...

This was the pin by Design Sponge I was inspired by:

There were a few things I changed and this was my result:

Sorry for the lighting, but it was the best I had at the last moment and where I have it, it is too dark for pics. I still need to set up a spot to take better pics, until then, please bear with me. 

The case is something my mom got me a million years ago from Hobby Lobby when they were on sale (I have no idea if they still have these) to store things in but I thought it would be perfect for this project. 

I used grommets for the opening in the back like the pin suggested. It was a good sized opening and I'll be able to not only fit the large plug from the surge protector power strip, but I'll also be able to thread wires back out for those things that I wouldn't put in the box.

Back of box

The headphones were attached to a shower hook that I had which fits semi-securely on the top (not for a lot of movement, but stationary it will be fine). The box can be closed (without hook) just like it came.

Front of box

The part where I deviated the most was the place where I will lay my ereader on. In the pin they had you use white peg board and it already had a place to lay this top piece. I just glued (Gorilla wood glue and a couple of small clamps) a couple of 1 1/2" boards cut to the side areas for my shelf just under the metal pieces they had to give the case stability. I then used foamcore cut to the size of the shelf (cutting a section out for the hinge so it didn't interfere with that area), minus the 1 1/2" board in the back for a bit of extra stability, added one layer of batting on top of that and then hot glued the fabric on top of it and then added a piece at the bottom to make it look nicer even though you won't see it. The fabric I used is a very thin microsuede I got from the remnant section at Joann's (hint: the remnants are usually 50% off and if you find the fabric in in a section that is on sale, you get that % off as well). Also, because I used foam core and the box isn't completely square in the front, I have a small space which I can thread my wires through to the items that need to be charged. I did add a small tab so I can easily lift it to sort things out in the storage area.

inside which shows the glued shelf and where the cords are going. Ignore the extra wood piece..

Hope you liked my wordy explanation! 😊

So this is my pinspiration! Have you done any projects from Pinterest?

📌

Arts and Crafts: Creative Maker Case

With everything going on, my crafting has also suffered. However, I was able to get one pressie done before it was due! 

It is a case for my dad. The patten is from Sew Sweetness (affiliate link) and is the Creative Maker Case. The way it is written it is made for those that want to carry a lot of pencils, markers or just create a bunch of pockets. I would say to alter the pattern, it would be an intermediate project, but if you make it as written, it is surprisingly easy.

The outer shell is made with navy canvas and the inner parts are made with mostly quilting cotton fabric. I added a handle on the top spine with 5/8" nylon webbing (which was not a part of the pattern, but he likes handles) and the Bronco logo is a machine embroidery design. I also added a back pocket and made pockets that I hope satisfy what he needs in a case. This is the medium (approx: 7-1/2” long x 9-3/4” tall) which will just barely hold an ipad (average size) and easily hold most ebook tablets. It is also a double zip closure.

The corner flap has a magnetic catch to keep everything in and the small blue line in the spine is fold over elastic which can hold a pen. I also have slip pockets, zippered pocket and a mesh pocket. I hope there is enough! 😁 

I really enjoyed making this one and it was easier than I thought. The hardest part was deciding what I needed to put into it (pocket wise). I think if I make another for him I will lengthen it just slightly and perhaps add more flaps to the slip pockets. 

Hope he likes it. *crosses fingers*

🏈

Craft Corner

Thought I'd show one last (I think) holiday pressies I did as well as a couple of other things.

I stitched this out on towels for my aunt:

Not the best pic but I kind of got it done at the last minute. It was the first time I did towels. :)

I also did some napkins for my neighbor, but that one was REALLY last minute so I didn't get a picture of it. I was behind but got it done! 😅

I also did a wreath for my mom. 

I also made a couple of scarves for my dogs.

The last thing I'll share is something I made for another bee I know. This one is for the soon coming baby bee. I made sure the patch on the big bee's tummy was something the mom loves and the little one is a rattle. I also made the bib in the hoop and the burp cloths were sewn on the machine with an appliqué on the embroidery machine. I bought the onesie but embroidered the bee. 🐝

So done anything crafty? 

✂

More Holiday Crafts/Gifts

Here are a few things I embroidered for the holidays:

I did a few of these. One I'm keeping 😉 and another I'm giving to an artist friend of mine. I've also done those butterfly zip pockets (like I did on this post) for others.

These are for the hair and there is a barrette on the back. I used a fixative with my hot glue that I cannot find anymore but it works to keep it solid. 

This is a tooth goblin. I thought I'd show him with something in the pocket and without. there is a story that goes with him (the rolled up paper has the story on it) and he is an alternative for the tooth fairy. I'm giving this one to a little boy who is just about ready to start losing those teeth. Thought this one would be fun to give and can be passed onto his sisters when they are ready.

And lastly... a Grinch candy cane/pencil ornament holder. :)

💝

Have a great holiday in however and whatever you celebrate! Just go have fun! :) I hope to see you all next week (That is what I'm shooting for!) Don't forget to enter for the Puppy Birthday prize! It's almost over!

💝

Arts and Crafts Corner: Holiday Crafting

I've been complaining that the holidays come WAY too soon, but in crafting it can begin as early as July (Christmas in July... sound familiar?) to get everything done. I've been doing a few things and I thought I'd share.

 The first thing is actually for me. Had to try this out and see how it works. 

EOS holder:

This holds those EOS lip balms. I could not resist this one. Too funny! :)

I had mentioned that I used the glow in the dark embroidery on my wreath. I also did that to these unicorn skelanimals. I tried to get a pic of them. If you squint just right... you may be able to see it (you might have to click on the pic to make it bigger)...

I also made some key FOBs for the vet's office:

For the vets, vet techs and office workers. They get to decide who gets what... although some are more obvious than others. :)

And last for today is some key FOBs I made for a cousin and his boys. They love the ninja turtles and so I made all the colors. They get to chose who gets what color. :)

So, anyone crafting for the holidays already? I'm not done yet... *wipes sweat off of brow* ;) Will have more of these posts as I start to take pics. :) I'll try to do better pics.

💝

Got a question as to what to do besides donations. Here are some actions:

1. Call Senator Lindsey Graham's office at (202) 224-5972, push 2 if you get the recording. Tell the staff member "I support Senator Graham's investigation into Russia's participation in the election of Donald Trump."

I have not been able to get a hold of someone yet. Both mailboxes have been full as of this writing.

2. Call the House Oversight Committee tell them you support the call for a bipartisan review of Trump's financials and conflicts of interest. (202) 225-5074.

Still haven't been able to get it through... yet.

3. Call Paul Ryan's office and take his survey about the Affordable Care Act. You'll hear a short pause (sometimes the dead air is more than a minute), then press 2 to opt into the survey. You'll a short speech about Ryan's stance, then press 1 to support the ACA. (202)-225-0600. You don't have to talk to anyone here, it is all a recording.

4. Find your representatives. Calling is best as I posted a link (HERE) who is a Republican staffer and tells you how you get heard. House Representatives: http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/ and US Senate: http://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/

5. Sign the petition for Standing Rock at the ACLU's site: HERE. The DOJ's comment line is: (202) 353 1555 

The fact that the mailboxes are full. That is good. Keep trying!