For The Pug Who Has Everything

Today is Pug's birthday! Or rather, it's the birthday we've given him since his real birthday (including the year) is a mystery. We brought home Pug one year ago today and it has been the best year of our lives. Hopefully it's been the best year of Pug's life too! So we're celebrating tonight, and Pug knows something's up because he spotted his birthday toy the other day when I took it out of the bag and he's been pining for it ever since (it's up on a shelf, out of sight). Besides the usual dog toys, what do you get for the pug who has everything?



A sombrero!



Pug looks stunning in it but only agreed to wear it in exchange for some banana.



And tonight, Pug will get an extra large piece of duck and potato dog food!

Busy Sewing

I've been keeping busy working on my patchwork blanket. I made a border for it from this fabric:



Here's what it all looks like after I sewed the border on.



Next up: quilt sandwich time. The batting (50% cotton, 50% wool) wasn't large enough to cover the length and width of the blanket, so I had to cut out and stitch the batting to size. Then I put all the layers together.



In between the last picture and this next one, I decided to quilt it. And so I started on it, but I didn't like the design, got my handy seam ripper and ripped the thread out. I decided just to keep it simple and thread the corners of the squares with embroidery thread, like I did on my pug quilt (also technically a patchwork blanket).



While I was working on all of this, I wondered where Pug was. I found him sleeping on a pile of dirty clothes.

A Pug In Ashland

After our trip to California, we stopped for a little visit to Ashland. It was a hundred degrees or more, so too hot for a pug. We did find a couple places to help cool us off, including Cafe Namaste. We got sorbet, and wow, it was about the best sorbet I've ever had! We got pineapple, orange and coconut (and each sorbet comes in the fruit shell).



This is what the package looks like. I haven't seen these yet at any grocery stores, but they've got to be out there somewhere! I am on the lookout.



Pug enjoyed a little sorbet too.



Coconut and pineapple were my favorite.



Afterward, we took a short walk in one of the few dog-friendly parks in Ashland. (Ashland, what is up with not letting dogs in Lithia Park and most all of your other parks? It is bizzare and not cool!)



Pug had a nice time playing in the water and getting his toes nice and muddy.

Quilt In Progress

So I've started a new quilt and I'm really excited about it. It's going to be a gift for someone (that is, as long as it turns out okay). It'll be quite a bit bigger than the last one I did, which was pug-sized. Maybe not quite big enough for a bed, but good as a blanket. I'm using "Bar Harbor" from Moda Fabric, as well as red check and blue dot fabric from "Happy Campers" by American Jane. After I sewed my rows together, I pressed the seams open. Last time, I pressed them closed, but I definitely prefer open seams.



I love my new embroidery table that fits onto my Bernina. It gives me a lot more sewing space, and makes working on a quilt so much easier.



The quilt is a bit hodge podge. Some of the rows don't line up perfectly (at all), but I sort of like that. Gives it a real homemade character. I also didn't spend too much time planning out the quilt. I randomly picked out the fabric for the rows, and also randomly sewed them together. So it will be a surprise to see how it ends up looking!



Meanwhile, Pug is having a ball (literally) with his brand new tennis ball/dumbbell toy from Sellwood Dog Supply.

Lazy Days

What we've been up to lately:

Catnip and Surfing Pugs

I have never known a cat that likes catnip until Maui. We brought Maui a little sausage-shaped catnip toy and he went totally nuts.



Note that the package states "Tough withstands mauling."



I found the catnip at our local grocery store in Portland. It's made in Oregon, and it must be some potent catnip because the toy was definitely mauled.



I didn't dare get too close to Maui's prey.



While this was going on, Pug was in another room checking out the latest issue of Reader's Digest. (This was about two weeks ago; not sure if it's still on the stands.)



We were both amazed to read about the surfing pug on Oahu!

You Have Won 2nd Prize In A Beauty Contest

While we were in California, we found out that Books Inc. was having a dog photo contest. So of course we entered Pug! I found out earlier today that Pug got second place as well as a $15 dollar gift certificate. Thanks Books Inc. and all our family and friends who voted for Pug! He'll always be first place to me.



Pug will probably get a book about pugs with the prize certificate. But even if he hadn't won anything, Pug is content just to smell the roses... or lavender, in this case.