Random Thoughts....

That was the look on Baxter's face when I told him I hadn't blogged in 10 days!!!  Or maybe it was just the look on his face when I pulled out the evil vacuum cleaner and he and Sammy ran and hid in the kennel together.....

Anyway, here are a few random, scattered thoughts on what I've been up to lately.....

Not much sewing going on because I have a new, big, super exciting, non-quilting project in the works and my head has just been spinning and going at mach speed with ideas for this new thing.  Sorry to be so secretive......but all will be revealed in due time, my dear!

I ran 20 miles for the second time ever last Saturday.  You may have already guessed this but running 20 miles is really hard.  I mean really, REALLY hard.  Like crazy, huge, am I totally nuts to be doing this kind of hard.  But I did it.  And I felt like some sort of invincible, running superhero after I did it because I never in a million years thought I could do something like that!  I also felt completely exhausted and sore beyond belief after my run.....but lets just focus on the invincible superhero part, o.k.?

Baxter and I celebrated our 3 month anniversary together last Friday.  Yes.....I remember these dates.....and yes.....I feel they need to be celebrated!

And wow.....that's about it!  What's new in your neck of the woods?

Hugs,
Jenny

Baxter Is A Big Deal!

Baxter has been in desperate need of a new harness and leash for a while now.  He was rapidly outgrowing his "baby boy" harness....it's been getting tighter and tighter......and the last time I put it on him he yelped as I shut the clasp!  Eeeek!  I immediately unhooked it fearing that he was going to break a rib if he took a deep breath while wearing it!

I searched all over the internet for weeks looking for the perfect harness......because that is what a sane person does with their time.  You obsess over finding just the right harness for your dog.  I found so many cute ones but I really wanted to find one that matched his personality even though Col Sew Fab said that Baxter doesn't really have a personality yet.  And I guess he's kind of right....Baxter's personality right now consists of generic sweet, happy, loving, air-headed puppy.  But there are small sparks of a real personality starting to shine through. And as I searched high and low for the perfect harness there were so many that were cute but they just didn't mesh with his budding personality....

Sailboats???  Cute....but it just doesn't "say" Baxter.  And he's kind of afraid of the pool so he definitely won't be taking up sailing or any other water sports anytime soon.

Squirrels???  Again....it's cute.....but Baxter isn't a big squirrel chaser.  He kind of chases anything and everything right now.  He doesn't favor squirrels over the cats over the dust bunnies over the laser pointer.  If it moves he'll chase it.

Argyle???  Totally cute.....but is Baxter a prep?  I just don't know yet.  Maybe he's more casual.  Or more modern and trendy.  Or more outdoorsy and rugged.  Who knows!

Well....it got to the point that I couldn't put this important decision off any longer.  When I went to PetSmart today I told myself that I couldn't leave without getting a new harness for Baxter even if it was just plain old solid blue.  He HAS to have a new harness NOW.

And then I saw it!  The one! After searching through the rows of leashes and harnesses something caught my eye......and the angels sang.....I had found the perfect harness that just screams BAXTER!

Yup.  "I'm Kind Of A Big Deal".  

Why yes, Baxter......you are!  You are a VERY big deal.

Hugs,
Jenny

P.S.  If any of you have seen the movie "Anchorman" you will understand the multiple layers of funny coming from the fact that I have a dog named Baxter and he now wears a harness and leash that say "I'm Kind Of A Big Deal."

Throwback Thursday - Prom

Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned the big haired prom picture yesterday because now it seems like everyone wants to see it.  And since it is "Throwback Thursday" I guess today is the perfect day to share it.  This "Throwback Thursday" thing won't become a habit.......I'm only doing it just this once.....but I guess it won't be too horribly embarrassing to show you a little blast from my past!  So....here it is....me.....at 18 years old....in 1992....all ready to go to the prom in my re-decorated Laura Ashley bedroom.  With our giant, fluffy, orange cat photo bombing the picture by rolling around on my bed in the background....

And me being me I just couldn't leave well enough alone when I bought the dress.  You know......since it obviously didn't already have enough going on with all that lace and the big satin bow and the layered tulle skirt, I just haaaaad to sew sequin trim to the neckline and add individual sequins scattered across the skirt.  Even back then everything needed to be a craft project! 

But my most vivid memory of that night happened shortly after we left the riverboat restaurant in Cinncinnati where we had dinner before prom.  The area was full of prom-goers and a random woman came rushing up to me and enthusiastically semi-whispered into my ear "That is THE BEST dress I've seen ALL night."  

That comment just made my night. I felt so special because of a sweet compliment from a stranger.  And 21 years later I still remember it as if it just happened moments ago.  It's kind of nice to realize that you might not be able to change the world....you might not be able to fix all of your problems overnight.....or help everyone who is struggling.....but you CAN make a huge difference in one person's life with just the smallest act of kindness.

Hugs,
Jenny

P.S.  I know it totally looks like the wall color didn't match the Laura Ashley wallpaper in my bedroom.....but trust me....it looked GREAT in person!  Do you really think I'd ever tolerate mismatched colors - Gasp!

Work In Progress Wednesday - Memory Lane....

Working on this hexie quilt has made realize something......my style and interests haven't changed much in my 39 years on this planet.  Everything that I loved as a little girl.....pink and green, cats, crafts, baking, Hello Kitty, dollhouses and anything very, VERY girly are still the exact same things that I love today.  

My hexie quilt in progress today.....

And a corner of my bedroom when I was about 12 years old.....

Muffy the Cat - around 1986-87

Wouldn't my hexie quilt fit in perfectly in my old bedroom?  Don't you just love the wall paper?  And oh my gosh.......the chevron crochet afghan!  I was sooooo ahead of my time with that one!  And the antique quilt on the wall.  Oh wow.....how I wish I still had that......

Isn't it funny how the smallest things can send you on a happy, little stroll down memory lane? 

Soooo.....other than a new found love of running and the fact that I'm no longer painfully shy (Yay!) or extremely impatient (I'm only moderately impatient now!) I really haven't changed much since this picture was taken over 30 years ago. 

Me and Kitty Paw - around 1979-80

And now I'm going to go hide the photos I found of my huge prom hair....some memories are best left hidden away in a closet!

Hugs from Memory Lane,

Jenny

Work In Progress Wednesday - Sabotage!

I'm almost there!  Only about 20 more white hexies to go!!!

But as expected.....it get's a little monotonous making white hexie after white hexie after white hexie.  Next time, I'm going to set up some sort of rule or system where I make 10 white hexies for every colorful hexie flower.  The colorful hexie flowers will be like a decadent dessert after a healthy meal of white hexies.

It's really starting to come together....

And if a furry, little sabotuer would quit jumping up on the coffee table and stealing white hexies and my spool of thread I might have this quilt done in a week or two.....

Happy Sewing,
Jenny

If The Pets Went Back To School.....

Have you ever wondered what your pets would be like if they were people?  All of this "back to school" talk online has made me wonder what my furry children would be like if they were going back to school now like all of the human children.....

First off.....Cassi really wouldn't be going back to school.  That girl is 19 so we'll just say that she's already graduated and retired and now spends her days watching birds and puttering in her garden and telling stories about the days before canned cat food had easy open pop tops!

I think Bailey would be in high school.  He'd wear skinny jeans, a black leather jacket and sunglasses and he'd ride a motorcycle.  He'd be in the drama club and I'm pretty sure I'd be getting frequent calls from the school about him skipping class to go smoke catnip under the bleachers at the football stadium with his friends.

Emma would probably be in the 5th grade.  She'd wear pleated, plaid skirts, cardigans and bows in her ears.  Her favorite subject would be lunch and I think she'd take ballet lessons just so she could wear a pink tutu and a pretty tiara.  She'd volunteer for the school fundraising bake sales so she could eat all of the cookies.

 

Sammy would be my super social, tom-boy in the 3rd grade.  She would wear blue jean overalls and she'd be captain of the soccer team, the yearbook photographer, class president and a Girl Scout.  She'd have the most badges and sell the most cookies out of everyone in her troop.  I'd end up having to buy half of her cookies every year because Emma ate them.

And Baxter.....sweet little Baxter.....he'd be starting Pre-K and he'd definitely be the most popular boy in the class.  Everyone would want to be his best friend.  He'd wear shorts with a button down shirt and suspenders.  He'd excel at nap time and recess but would refuse to color inside the lines!  And he'd definitely be the ring leader of any mischief that occurred in his classroom!  Baby powder on the ceiling fan???   Yup - that was Baxter's idea!

Maybe you're just like me and have an inner monologue about these things too.  Or maybe I've now confirmed what you've been wondering for a while now......is this girl totally nuts?  Maybe I should just get back to sewing hexies now so I can fool you into thinking I'm completely normal tomorrow....

But seriously.....if you think like this too don't be shy!  Tell me all about it!

Hugs,
Jenny