Sharp End eats the inedible

Okay I know dogs are renowned for tucking into things that make us go "euw!" but yesterday Sharp End really did something amazing. On returning from a trip out with my neighbour yesterday I found DS in the kitchen preparing me lunch. How kind, thankyou DS. It was just about ready to serve up and he had a bit of an accident with a jar of crushed chillies...in that the lid came off and he ended up tipping the entire jar into the food! What a disaster...I felt so sorry for him...I did taste it (rather foolishly) and it was truly inedible...I even tried rinsing it under the tap, which I know is not ideal for a stirfry lol, but it made no difference. Anyway we just joined forces and between us we knocked up another one speedy quick. The HOT one was left on the side in the kitchen whilst we ate...and yes you've guessed, Sharp End took a sneeky trip to the kitchen and the next thing I knew I could hear a plate chinking away...he had polished the lot off!!!

The oddest thing is that the stinkiest, windiest canine in history does not seem to have had any side effects whatsoever!

Doxie

New bird feeder

We bought a new bird feeder yesterday. Woody the ( yes you guessed ) Wood pigeon is so cheeky just lately. He used to come and sit on the garden screen near the kitchen window and peer in until I was persuaded to go and put some grain on the bird table...now however he just ignores the rules, which means if he gets to the bird table before me, meaning it is empty on his arrival, he doesn't hang around and wait to be fed... he goes to the small bird feeders hanging from the tree and noshes up from them. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't begrudge him a bit of seed, it is just that he finishes it all up and there is none left for the little birds who patiently wait their turn.

The solution is we HOPE...one of those feeders incased in a large wire ball, so only the little birds can get to the food. Woody still has the same choices, I just hope the little birdies realise that they have a new choice.

I wonder how long it will take them to realise there is a new food source out there...we will see...

Doxie twitching through the window.

Update: The finches and Tits have found the new feeder already! I wish the sparrows would cotton on to it though...Even Woody found it, but luckily it worked and he couldn't get his head through the holes.

Bluebell hunt

We are off on a bluebell hunt Today. Apparantly they will be at their best this weekend, although after the rain we had last night I don't know if that will be the case. Whilst Mr Doxie is lying on the ground getting close up and personal with the flowers ( with his camera I should add ) I shall take Sharp End for a nice stroll through the woods, and then retire to the car with my flask of coffee where I shall indulge in some outdoor embroidery. :o)

Have a lovely day,
Doxie

Les Petits Moineaux

We have had real petits moineaux in the garden. It is funny but I never think of them as being babies, as soon as they get their colouring they look old. We have been very amused this week watching a family of 3 baby boys and 1 girl playing on the Acers by the kitchen window. I am not sure what they are up to on there because there doesn't appear to be any bugs, buds or seeds. The boys look really funny as they are not quite fully feathered on their bonces and look like they only have half a head, if you have ever seen them in this state you'll know exactly what I mean. Come next week we probably won't be able to tell them apart from their parents...for now it is a nice distraction whilst doing the washing up. :o)

We also have a darling baby robin. I hope he will become as tame as his Mum and Dad who like to follow me around the garden when I am working out there.

Doxie the twitcher

xmas card pennant

I had an idea.

Instead of every year swopping Christmas cards. I thought it rather nice if you have a word with your friends to make you a fabric card/in the shape of pennant in 2009 to keep and re-hang every year. It would be enviro friendly, the postman might not be too pleased at not sending all those cards but with email etc these days it probably won't make much difference to him.

If there was a uniform size chosen you could hang them on a line or whatever so they look rather like a pennant it could be quite spectacular, and if you are ever apart and out of contact in the future, you not only can remember them by hanging something with their name up, but if it was made by them, in their own style it would be like a little piece of them right there at Xmas each year.

Each person could decorate with things or in a style that reflects who they are or your connection/friendship. For example my friend J has a spaniel...she could make a fabric pennant with a pic of a spaniel on it.

Doxie, scratching her head trying to think of old and new Christmas traditions

sewing gauge V tape measure

I have had a pair of thrifted trousers in the wardrobe for a few months now, waiting to be turned up. I despise taking up trousers. Recently I bought a sewing gauge so am keen to see if this makes it a more pleasureable job.

Please imagine the delights of muzak playing gently in the background whilst I whizz off and do the deed!
back....Williams on the packaging. It is in a red and grey packet with the wording " Sewing Gauge, ideal for marking seam allowance." It has a ref no: CWH8.

10/10 the sewing gauge wins over the tape measure.

Doxie the pleased. :o)

Translating non fabric designs to fabric

I thought you might like a look at one of my recent challenges. Something for Mr Doxie and learn a new process. I wanted to see if I could turn a design from a non-fabric material into an image on fabric...this would also be a lesson to myself in how to use bondaweb. :o)

Whilst looking for something suitable to translate into an applique I found one of Mr Doxie's old key rings ( see below ). He LOVED LOVED LOVED this keyring's little devil. This really fired me up as I usually do more feminine stuff. BTW if anyone knows where we can buy another one of these ( it broke after much use ) please let me know as this was his favourite and the shop has since closed...There was no name on it when I looked, or if it was once there it has worn off...it is made of rubbery type stuff.

If I am making something for just us I like the challenge of recycling so this was a good excuse to dive into the used clothes pile.

Next came the drawing.

The plan was for this little devil to feature on a dinner mat. I thought the devil on the left and then "Dad's Hot Stuff" embroidered next to it would look fun.

Next came the Bondaweb. Amazingly it was the first time I had used this product.

This is where I say always go with your gut feeling and have confidence. I followed the instructions to a T...but it didn't feel right and I pondered on marking it up as a mirror image...but on double checking and checking the Bondaweb instructions again, I saw no mention of this, so I just went ahead...and yes it turned out that I should have done a mirror/reverse image...but luckily it did not make a big difference to the design...although it was a little exasperating when it came to the eyes ( I had to re-cut them ). It is not a bad thing though, it was a learning experience and something I will remember next and every time from now on!! :o)

The mouth worried me a bit. the blue outline was cut as just that, an outline. I thought if I attatched a solid piece under the white cotton I used for the mouth it would be a nightmare trying to embroider the teeth through that many layers of fabric. Thankfully going slow I managed to position it all okay and everything fitted with none of the under fabric showing through between the blue lips and the white material.

Well, I had given myself 2 tasks, make something for Mr Doxie and learn something new. I reckon it turned out pretty well. I not only learnt how to use the Bondaweb but also how to break an image into layers...he is made out of t-shirt material. I am not sure how that will fair with repeated washing when adhered to a dinner mat. I think that I would have to finish the edges in zig zag or button hole stitch to stop fraying, but I don't know if that would spoil the crispness and clean cut look of the image.

The only thing is... Mr Doxie decided that the little devil might be wasted on a dinner mat and suggested to wait a bit and maybe put him on a cushion or something...we shall see.

I will say that I am a real fan of Bondaweb now and have already used it a few times since...infact I feel a slight obsession looming on the horizon. I can't believe I hadn't tried it before... if you haven't, go for it, we've really been missing out. The posibilities are endless. I think it would be great fun applying favourite characters for your children on their bags or t-shirts. One assumes if it is for personal use and no money is being made that it is fine...In my case it was definitely educational! :o) I think I will have the confidence to start working on my own designs now that I have learnt about layering and the order that you would have to apply the layers...it will be fun making up designs with that process in mind. :o) ...On that point I want to make clear just in case it wasn't at the beginning of this post that I am not the artist who created this devil image and do not want to or plan to take any credit for the image itself...this was purely for personal use as an education for myself...

Try something new today.

Doxie :o)