Camouflage Dog

Didn't you know that not all dogs are white, brown, grey. etc ? Nope, some service dogs need to be camouflaged, just like this guy, he will be in my shop ready to go to a happy home. Where he may or may not blend in

Crochet Mudkip -finished project

I was in the middle of crocheting a reindeer for a Christmas decoration when the kid asked me if I could make him a Mudkip. First I told him after the reindeer but since he's only here for the weekend I put down my project and started on his.

This is  Mudkip from the Pokemon game:

This is what I made (yes only the head, I ran out of wool) :

Since it was short notice, I pulled wool from my stash - the kid has no idea that he has butter soft Italian wool - it's actually too nice of a yarn for something that'll dangle from his backpack but the colours were right. The head is about 4" across. I did not create it from scratch - I did use a pattern, why reinvent the wheel right?

I have had the buttons for years, always wondered what I could do with them - they seem to be perfect for this project. Again, a detail lost on a kid but that wasn't the point, was it? I'm pretty pleased with this one.

And by the way  - I still have't finished that reindeer....

Little Dog Ornament

Here's a little dog that I made for my shop. I think he would look really cute hanging in a Christmas tree, don't you?

Leatherman Tools are for the dogs!

Okay, they aren't really. But last week Jp and the kid went down to Portland and took a tour of the Leatherman factory. They treated the boys really nicely and even gave us the sweetest toy for Eco. Yes in our house, even the dog has a Leatherman tool!

I actually don't want her to play with it too much because I wanted to keep it, but alas, one cannot keep everything. Besides it has a great squeaker and dogs are like kids - they can have a bucket full of old toys, but they like the new ones the best!

Look at her little ears flapping as she runs:

And here she is, flying through the air: 

I broke it!

As you know I am always knitting or crocheting something. And when doing either one there are tools that are needed, items such as stitch markers, or rulers, scissors and counters. For several years, I have been happily enjoying an all-in-one tool called The Knit Kit. That is until yesterday.

That's when I was having trouble getting the measuring tape to fully retract - it would stick out about an inch or so and just wouldn't go back in. I put on my best pouty face and passed it to Jp to fix. He pulled the measuring tape all the way out expecting to reset it, but the button broke and then I was left with 3' of tape sticking out. Well that wasn't good either!

No problem, I thought and went to get the mini screwdriver. I undid all 5 screws, and pulled off the back when SPROING!!!! a metal coil popped out like one of those joke peanut cans with the snake (of 1950s-1960s pranking humor). So glad it didn't hurt anyone and so glad it was me and not him.

But the bad news, I couldn't get it back together. Plus besides not fixing the measuring tape, now I messed up the counter tool as well. Boo! I need those tools. Now I'll have to assemble a bunch of the parts in an old Altoids tin or something. And I am extra sad because  the company that makes them doesn't ship to Canada (who doesn't ship worldwide these days? sheesh).  Now I have to go hunting to find out where I can get another one, good thing I have a birthday coming up (hint hint LOL)*

I guess I don't have my father's skills or reputation of "Mr. Fix It"

*PS - Having more that one would NOT be a problem either! 

Projects - one done, one to go

I finished my mom's shawl/wrap and it couldn't have come at a better time since she fell and broke her left arm and cracked her wrist on the right arm - now she's having difficulty getting her arms into coat sleeves so perhaps just pulling a wrap around her shoulders will help her while we still have some chilly spring days. Here's the finished piece :

I've also been working on this Marie Antoinette doll. I don't normally make toys but I fell in love with the curls and so I had to make it. Ravelry is a site where knitters can log in their projects as well as record what yarns they are using and what patterns they are doing. This is helpful because you can see all the different projects make with a certain yarns or how other people interpreted patterns. I don't like to be negative but if I had've seen how other people were making this pattern before I started, I probably would never have made this pattern, here's an example:

It's nice to see their interpretations, but I intend to follow the pattern as closely as I can. This is what I have so far: 

Her hair curls and bottom skirt still need to be sewn in place, 

plus an outer skirt, arms, leg and face are needed

Soon I will get off the computer and pick up the needles again. It's a cold and rainy day so no need for gardening yet, and I did all my housework yesterday. What are you doing today? 

Bootie Call

I decided to switch things up a bit and have been making baby shoes/booties instead of hats. Here's a sneak peek of what I've been working on:

They range in size from newborn to 1 year old. Some need to be finished and some need embellishments and all need better photos, but you get the idea. And after making several of these I think I might soon be able to win the title of Bootie Queen, no? LOL!

And because it's Friday and I haven't posted a picture of Eco in a while, here she is playing with her Christmas snowman toy

Dogs sure know how to express their delight! 

U.S. patent No. 6,360,693

Did you know...... that today is Stick Invention Day? In 2002, a person received U.S. patent 6,360,693 . What was his amazing invention? An animal toy that includes an apparatus with a "main section with at least one protrusion ... that resembles a branch in appearance." In other words, a stick. ;-)

This is most curious to me. Doesn't it cost a lot of money to obtain a patent? What would be the motivation to do so? So many questions, so many sticks....

More info here. 

Celebrity Endorsements Don't Mean Much

While Christmas shopping yesterday I picked up a toy which I was going to give to my brother's dog for Christmas, but I decided I'd test it out on Eco first. I bought the toy more for it's shape and novelty and I wondered what being a Cesar Milan dog toy really meant.

Well let me tell you that this toy didn't last more than two hours before it tore and soon pieces started to come off (including a very small piece that could choke a dog or cause blockages if swallowed).

For someone who runs a dog psychology centre and has over 40 dogs in his 'pack', I would have thought he would have tested this toy on a couple of his dogs before it went to market - but then others just don't think like I do and I'm pretty sure that 90% of the dog toys out there are tested on chihuahuas and pugs only because I have yet to find a dog toy that could withstand an adolescent Labrador - and if I have found said toy, no dog I know wants to play with it! (Except maybe a Kong  but then they are more for food delivery than a toy.)

I'm just glad that I didn't send this toy as a gift.

(P.S. I changed my banner and the background to something more wintery - do you like it? Is it beginning to feel a lot like Christmas? ) 

The Life Span of a Dog Toy

Eco has some favorite dog toys so I decided to re-buy them when they wore out. Here are the befores and afters:

The bottom one is a tube that's supposed to be able to float, but Eco manages to get holes in the plastic float tube fairly quickly - the toy on the bottom has been split in 2 lengthwise. We still play with all the pieces.

Below, is her favourite new toy - Mr. Octopus! Can you believe the squeaker has lasted 3 weeks?! I've never had a dog toy squeaker go for that long. I'm a nice neighour, I take it away at night so I don't drive everyone nuts. To me a dog with a squeaky is the happiest sound in the world (next to a baby laughing) and makes me almost pee my pants (baby laughs don't do that to me though).

And now, somebody say "ACTION!"

Squiddly Dudley - WIP

I'm working on another amigurumi as a quick 'in between' project, here he is, with only 5 legs made:

 

From "Super-Cute Crochet" by Nicki Trench (details on my Ravelry page under "wayoutwear")

If you'd like to know more, a book review can be found here.