Hope you all have a wonderful weekend full of great stitchting! hugs! and relaxation!
Signing Off for the Weekend With a Little Kitty Humor
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend full of great stitchting! hugs! and relaxation!
CRAFTY WEDNESDAY
Well, now that I've managed to figure out how to upload pictures again, I wanted to share what I've been up to for the last several days! Here are some pictures of some great garage sale finds and some hand-crafted items I've just finished stitching up. They are all listed in my eBay store.
It's a beautiful day here in Iowa, too. Sunny, 62, and a nice breeze! Thankfully, we didn't get a freeze last night! The low was only 39! A bit chilly, but the plants survived! Hope its a lovely day where you are.
BLOG UPLOAD PICTURES PROBLEM
Well, I've spent a good deal of time today trying to figure out what was wrong with the 'upload pictures functions' in my post editor. Seems the problem has been occuring to quite a few other bloggers, too. So, here's what I found out ... to temporarily fix the problem, go into "Settings" and scroll down until you see the choices for post editor. Then, change from the new , updated editor to the old one. So if you are having problems, too, here is a temporary solution until Blogger fixes the new post editor! Whew! What a workout!
New Blog I've Found
Good morning! Hope you are all starting out the day with great things planned! I wanted to share that The Vintage Workshop has their own blog. On it you can find all sorts of wonderful things: giveaways and contests; free images; fabric and paper projects; and vintage art. Here is the free vintage clip art on their site for today. Take a look.
I was over visiting at Karen's blog My Colonial Home to enter her surprise giveaway and saw that she has some information about a new magazine coming out in August called "A Primitive Place Magazine." It looks really interesting and I have ordered their August magazine to see what its all about. If you are interested in taking a peek, just click here .
Weekend Wanderings!
Well, I didn't get too far away from home this weeknd, but I did manage to visit my favorite woolen store a few miles from my house. My mission was to get some spring colors to add to my stash and refrain from coming home with more than I would lift! Its a great place to shop for wool and I feel so lucky to have them so close by. If you get a chance, please visit them in cyberspace at The Woolen Needle. I restrained myself from buying too much wool this time -- only enough for some new projects.
One of my projects is a barter I am doing for Gina at Cat Nap Primitives. She is making a baby bib for me and I am making her one of my sitting kitties. So, Gina the pattern is all cut out and I will be stitching it up this week! The kitty I am making for Gina is my own design and one I've made before - but this time the kitty will be a tuxedo cat instead of a champagne colored kitty. From my new wool, I used the mottled slate blue for the watering can, and the pink check for the middle of the flowers. I also cut out more wool for a second kitty, that I will list on my eBay site when I'm done!
It was a rainy weekend here is eastern Iowa. At the farm we got over 2 inches of rain and here in town about 1.3 inches. Thankfully, that was all we received with a little heavy wind - no damage and no tornados. I took this picture of one of my flower beds -- all the lovely petals are off the crab apple tree (sigh) but the hostas are springy up nicely!
In God We Trust
Did ya know that Congress ordered that the motto "In God We Trust" be placed on American currency in 1864? The phrase replaced "E Pluribus Unim" as the "official" motto of the United States in 1956! Sure hope it never "officially" changes. I like the story about finding a penny on the sidewalk ... it goes something like this, when you find a penny on the sidewalk, stop and pick it up, and realize that we worry and frett about things we cannotchange. Read the words , “In God We Trust,” take a deep breath and say "Yes, God, I get the message!"Dear Santa, I Want One of These!
This litter box is just too good to be true. I would love to have one - check it out here - http://www.catgenie.com/?gclid=CMzq8IaSm6ECFQtM5wodw0d3PA Does anyone out there have anything like this? Does it really work well?In Need of a Suggestion or Two?
A few years ago I came up with these two patterns for wool table mats or wall hangings. I would like to make them again, but was wondering if you wonderful, crafty ladies have any suggestions for improvments? Thanks so much!
FREEBIE SITCHERY PATTERN from CAT HAVEN CRAFTS
Hi all!
These are my first freebie patterns for you. Feel free to use them as long as you give me credit as the designer! Please send me pictures of your finished creations, too! Enjoy!
MORE on KITTY SAFETY!
Food No-Nos!
With its sweet flavor, antifreeze is a common cause of feline poisoning. Oil, gasoline, and other spills should be cleaned up immediately, and cars should be checked regularly for leaks. Fertilizers, cleaning supplies, insect traps and bait, pesticides, and paints all present dangers to your cat. Keep all containers tightly sealed and out of reach, and be sure to clean spills immediately.
Yard No-Nos!
Cats who walk or play on pesticide or fertilizer treated lawns can be poisoned by eating treated plants or through absorbing the pesticide/fertilizer through their skin/paws. Treated lawns should be off limits to pets until they are deemed safe (read pesticide/fertilizer label). Check your lawn-care products for specific safety instructions. If you suspect your cat has had external contact with a poisonous substance, whether it's fertilizer, insecticide, or other outdoor poison, it is important to bathe your cat thoroughly and immediately.
Household No-Nos!
Additional household items that are highly toxic even in low quantities include potpourri, pennies, mothballs, fabric softener sheets, automatic dish detergents, toilet water, batteries, homemade play dough, and all forms of nicotine.
- Milk - large intakes of milk may cause diarrhea in cats who lack the enzyme lactase which is necessary for dairy digestion.
- Raw Fish - a raw fish diet can lead to a vitamine thiamine deficiency which can lead to a total lack of appetite, general weakness, abnormal posture, and seizures (as well as death).
- Raw Eggs - a diet high in raw eggs can increase a cat's risk of biotin deficiency which can cause loss of hair, dermatits, and poor growth.
- Raw liver - liver is high in vitamin A and too much can be toxic to cats.
- Small, soft bones - chicken or pork chop bones pose a serious chocking threat and should never be given to cats!
- Table scraps are not nutritioanlly complete for cats so restrict scraps to less than 10% of your cat's daily food intake.
With its sweet flavor, antifreeze is a common cause of feline poisoning. Oil, gasoline, and other spills should be cleaned up immediately, and cars should be checked regularly for leaks. Fertilizers, cleaning supplies, insect traps and bait, pesticides, and paints all present dangers to your cat. Keep all containers tightly sealed and out of reach, and be sure to clean spills immediately.
Yard No-Nos!
Cats who walk or play on pesticide or fertilizer treated lawns can be poisoned by eating treated plants or through absorbing the pesticide/fertilizer through their skin/paws. Treated lawns should be off limits to pets until they are deemed safe (read pesticide/fertilizer label). Check your lawn-care products for specific safety instructions. If you suspect your cat has had external contact with a poisonous substance, whether it's fertilizer, insecticide, or other outdoor poison, it is important to bathe your cat thoroughly and immediately.
Household No-Nos!
Additional household items that are highly toxic even in low quantities include potpourri, pennies, mothballs, fabric softener sheets, automatic dish detergents, toilet water, batteries, homemade play dough, and all forms of nicotine.
99 CENT DAYS at MY EBAY AUCTION SITE!
I was so thrilled to open my email this morning and find out that I was the lucky winner of The Crafty Crow giveaway! I honestly never win anything (although I just love entering). Thank you Rhonda! I will return the favor of a giveaway on my site when I reach at least 35 followers (Hint: the giveaway will include on of my signature kitty face pillows!) so spread the word.
SOME FANTASTIC GIVEAWAYS!
Please check out my links to some fantastic give aways and blogs at left! Enter before its too late.
FIREBALL IN IOWA LAST NIGHT
Hubby called me on his way home from the farm last night about the fireball in the sky. Darn it! I was too late to see it, but he said it was amazing! Here is a webcam that caught it. Unbelievable how bright the sky was!!! He saw it break up into two pieces before it disappeared. http://www.necn.com/04/15/10/Dashcam-Fireball-streaks-across-Iowa-sky/landing.html?blockID=216722&feedID=4215
MEET MS. B!
A Working Weekend!
Whew! I'm glad to get back to work!!! This weekend was spent spring cleaning the back porch, spray painting the wicker furniture, and working on getting the yard and flower beds in order! I can hardly move! But it was well worth it! Here are some pictures of the back porch. The garage-sale wicker pieces have been freshly painted a brick red, the old oven cleaned of winter grime and a few plants are on display. The couch pillows are still in the dryer and I need to add a few more homely touches, but it makes it feel like spring has finely arrived here in Iowa! I didn't get much stitching done this weekend, but I'm loving the way the yard and porch are looking (clean, at least)! Do you have any pictures of your favorite summer sitting place to share?
FREE PRINTABLES!
Eight Foods Your Cat Shouldn't Eat
The idea for today's blog came from a conversation my work colleagues and I were having this morning about poisonous foods as a result of talking about raw peanuts as a result of talking about smart crows (yeah, you can follow that chain of logic, right!). If you are interested in learning about the top 10 poisonous foods we eat go to this website.
This morning's lively discussion got me thinking about what is safe for cats to eat and wondering if there was anything besides chocolate that was a no-no for them. I found some information that I will share with you. Keeping our cats away from alcohol, for example, is a no-brainer. But did you know that onion powder can cause anemia in cats and dogs? Because of their different metabolisms, many common foods that are safe for human consumption are not safe for your cat. Reactions can range from upset stomachs to severe illness or death. The following list spotlights eight common foods your cat should never eat:Baby Food
It's hard to imagine that a food that's safe enough for a baby's tender tummy would hurt our fur-kids. But what makes baby food so dangerous for cats is that it might contain onion powder which could lead to anemia. Also, baby food doesn't meet your cat's nutritional needs, and could result in malnutrition if she eats too much of it.
Most people know that chocolate is bad for dogs, but many of us don't realize that it's harmful for cats as well. Chocolate contains theobromine, a chemical compound that humans can eat safely. But cats and dogs metabolize theobromine more slowly; as a result, even small amounts of the compound can lead to theobromine poisoning, which can cause vomiting, diarrhea, excitability, panting, abnormal heart rate, tremors, seizures - and even death. Theobromine poisoning is treatable if caught early enough. But to be safe, keep chocolate away from your kitty.
Caffeine is toxic to both cats and dogs, and there's no antidote. According to ProVet Healthcare, it only takes about 8 teaspoons of coffee to potentially fatally poison a cat that weighs 3 kilograms (that's about 6.6 lbs). Signs of caffeine poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, panting, hyperactivity, restlessness, muscle tremors, increased or decreased heart rate, irregular heart rhythm, increased body temperature. But most scary of all: caffeine poisoning can lead to seizures, coma and death.
Scientists aren't sure exactly just what substance is in grapes and raisins that make them so toxic for our pets, but according to the ASPCA Poison Control Center, dogs who've eaten large amounts of grapes and raisins have suffered renal (kidney) failure. Although it's unclear what effect grapes have on cats, to be on the safe side the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center "advises not giving grapes or raisins to any pets in any amount."
Raw, powdered and uncooked onions and garlic are especially harmful to cats because they damage red blood cells, which could cause anemia. Not only does anemia make your kitty pale and lethargic, it can be a life threatening illness.
The jury's still out on whether or not spinach is bad for cats, but scientists do know that spinach leaves contain a small amount of calcium oxalates (a chemical compound that makes needle-shaped crystals), which is a major component in kidney stones. If your cat eats enough spinach, it could lead to crystals in her urine. Cats with a history of urinary problems such as infections, crystaluria and kidney disease, should definitely avoid eating spinach.
Everyone knows that tomatoes are good for humans. But did you know that they can be toxic to cats? Tomatoes are a member of the deadly nightshade plant family and contain a poisonous alkaloid called, solanine. Solanine is toxic to humans too. But you have to eat it in large amounts for it to hurt you. That's why you shouldn't eat green potatoes - a potato that has gone green has higher levels of solanine inside it. And it can make you sick, causing a bevy of symptoms that range from nausea, diarrhea and vomiting to hallucinations, paralysis and in the worst cases, death. Unlike humans, however, only a small amount of solanine can hurt your cat. According to FelineFuture.com, "traces of Solanin, like those found in just a 100g of cherry tomatoes, can be fatal!"
Raw or uncooked yeast dough should never be fed to your cat. What makes it so dangerous? Yeast (the single-celled fungi that causes bread to rise) isn't toxic per se, but if your cat eats the raw dough, it might continue to rise inside your kitty's stomach. And you can imagine what that could lead to: painful bloating, gas, and in the worst-case-scenario, possible rupture of the stomach or intestines.
GIVEAWAY SITES ADDED
Please visit some of the blogs (see left column) that are giving away some fantastic things. Don't delay and enter soon! You never know.
Just Musing!
I don't always remember not to end my eBay auctions on holidays, so I was unable to sell one of my originals this weekend. BUT, it is really okay because I like this little pillow and I am going to keep it all for myself! I am even going to make a little hand stamped tag from a stamp I have that paraphrases Proverbs 15:1 "a soft answer turneth away wrath .... ".
I haven't done much stitching in the past few days because I'm still getting over a really bad sinus infection, but this morning at 1 am I cut out a pattern (couldn't sleep) for a little bunny pillow that I will stitch while I relax tonight.
I hope all my readers had a very nice weekend! And I promise, as soon as I can get Ms. B to pose for the camera you will have a story about my next cat!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)