MICHA UPDATE

Micha is back at the Emergency Clinic, probably for the weekend. He had a good day at the vet and they were able to get urine for urinalysis and culture to see if anything was going on there. He still hadn't eaten any food. Since the vet would be closed for the entire weekend, he had to go back to the Emergency Clinic.

When I picked him up at the vet, he seemed much more alert though still cranky. I remembered that most of the other indoor cats loved the Purina Cat Chow that I feed the outside cats - they think it's candy! So I put some in a baggie to see if Micha would eat it. Dr. Inman mentioned a possible medication that requires being taken with food.

While we waited at the Emergency Clinic for him to be admitted, I dropped some of the Cat Chow in his carrier and - surprise, surprise - he ate it!! It's not the best thing for a diabetic cat to be eating, even if he is in remission right now. But he needs to eat so . . .

The Emergency Clinic is an interesting place. When we walked in, there was no one else there. The minute we got seated there were three dog brought in, two of which needed immediate attention. So we waited about an hour for admission. But we had people to talk to and I was interacting with Micha. There were two dogs who lived together and were devoted to each other that got in a fight over a knuckle bone. One just had some damage to the face and ears, but the other was in worse shape. I don't know how that worked out. The lady who brought them in was so distraught so we talked about dogs and cats and I hope she felt a bit better when I left.

I will go visit Micha later today with the hope that his bloodwork shows drastic improvement. I also appreciate all the prayers and good thoughts that folks are sending our way. It really helps both of us. I'll post an update later on today when we have the lab results.

KITTY MEDICAL CRISIS

I had to take my dear, sweet Micha to the vet yesterday evening. He's a 10-year old seal point rescue and former foster kitty. Several years ago he was diagnosed with diabetes and very early stage renal failure. Over the years his diabetes has ebbed and flowed as his need for insulin changed. He's been on a "honeymoon" for a while now.

I noticed this week that he was looking kinda ragged and he was dehydrated. I was able to get an appointment with his vet late yesterday afternoon. His blood work showed that he was in acute renal crisis with his numbers way off the charts. The treatment is lots of IV fluids in an attempt to get the numbers down and somewhere close to normal.

Since it was late and his IV usage needed to be monitored, the vet had me take Micha to the Emergency Clinic for the night. He wasn't very happy about it, but that's what we did.

I picked him up early this morning and brought him back to the vet for the day. With a holiday weekend coming up, I'm not sure what's going to happen. It would be nice to have him home for the weekend rather than at the Emergency Clinic again. Or the vet since they don't have anyone there at night.

Micha was his usual (when not feeling well) cranky self when I picked him up and was noticeably heavier in his carrier. He looked good and all his vital signs were normal so he's not in critical condition. I hope we can pull him thru this since he's really a sweetie when he's feeling good.

I remember rescuing Micha and his two sisters 10 years ago. Their mom was a beautiful solid black feral cat. The kittens were in the back yard and I just went out and grabbed them. I can still see their mom on my heels hissing and growling all the way as I ran back to the house. She looked like a miniature panther. I don't know what every happened to her as she disappeared several months after that. Micha's sisters were adopted by a nice lady and I got to keep the little guy.

I have a couple of kitty quilts in my Etsy store that I may switch to Ebay to see if I can raise some funds for his treatment. I'm not sure if my finances can take another major vet bill, but I will see that Micha gets the best treatment.

Anyway, I just wanted to introduce you to Micha and let you know about his situation. He could use all the prayers and healing energy you can send his way.



NEW KITTY FABRIC RAGGIES

I finally got around to using more of the cat fabric that my friends have given me and made two little raggies. The first is made from 42 6" blocks using 21 different fabrics (22 if you count the fabric on the reverse). It measures 29" X 34", the perfect lap quilt or crib quilt or even a table topper. Some of the fabrics are recent and some are vintage and they all combine to make a cat lover's quilt.

The second raggie is smaller - 19" X 19" - and would be a perfect table topper, security blanket or even a bed for your fur person. It's made from several cat prints by Debbie Mumm.

Both raggies are in my Etsy shop in case you just have to have one or both.

I'm sure you remember how all this started. I was trying to raise money to pay for Mimi and Mikey's medical bills. Well, it was all worth it as they are growing into beautiful kitties. Especialy Mimi. See for yourself in this recent picture.

Beautiful, isn't she? And she's quite the talker, too. She wants to thank all of you who sent good wishes for her and her brother's recovery.



WHAT'S GOING ON WITH PAYPAL THESE DAYS? ANTI-CHARITY?

I usually don't write "rant" blogs and I won't do it today, but I do want anyone who has ever dealt with PayPal as a customer or vendor to read these two blogs. You can then decide for yourself on the issue. First go to http://www.regretsy.com/2011/12/05/cats-1-kids-0/ to read about it from the "horses' mouth" so to speak. I've heard from many friends and online buddies who sell online and use PayPal about the heavy handedness of PayPal. This takes the cake. Then go to http://thegreengeeks.wordpress.com/2011/12/06/why-paypal-is-wrong-regarding-regretsy-according-to-their-own-policies/ for a great breakdown of how PayPal is making up the rules as they go along. Emailing PayPal probably won't help as several folks have pointed out, but getting this out to the public and, hopefully, making national news about it just might. So pass this on if you wish or not. I will leave it up to you to decide if it's worth the effort.

GETTING OLDER IS WEIRD

This post isn't about quilts or cats, it's about something I've been experiencing recently. It's the realization that I'm getting old. OLD!! For an early baby boomer, it's an extremely curious happening. And for me it's really a strange feeling. I must admit that as a smaller than average person, I always looked younger than my actual age. Until recently. My mom told me I would appreciate that one day and now that it's gone, I really miss it.

I just turned 64 and it's such a strange concept that I keep looking in the mirror and saying, "really?" And the image that reflects back to me says, "really!" What ever happened to the fresh face and the relatively tight body? What happened to the endless energy? What happened to the hair?

I so wish my mom was around to shed some light on this experience. Does everyone feel this way once you get to the "senior" years? Does it always come as such a surprise? How did I get my mother's thighs and my dad's thinning hair? In my mind I don't feel "old", however that might feel. When I think of myself, the picture I get is of me in my 30's - the prime of life they say. I'm still in what  I think is remarkably good health. My weight is good,  my blood pressure is in the normal range, I'm fairly active, my mind is still sharp (most of the time). Oh, yeah, I have my "senior moments", but my only real medical issue is osteoporosis and I'm taking meds for that.

What is it that they say about knowing then what I know now? I would certainly take better care of my skin. I inherited my paternal grandmother's fair Irish skin. When I was a girl, no one had ever heard of SPF. Now I have what I call chicken skin on the arms and legs. No amount of moisturizing lotion will get rid of it. You just can't "cure" aging - especially retroactively.

Being an adult sucks a lot of the time. I try to tell my grandkids not to grow up too fast. Once you become an adult, that's it. There's no going back. And it's way harder than it looks to be a grown-up. What I wouldn't give sometimes to go back to when the biggest responsibility I had was to get my homework done on time.

But there are advantages to age. You've been there, you've done that and you have the wisdom gained from those experiences. Nothing much shocks me these days. Disgust, yes - shock, no. If I haven't been there and done that, I know someone who has. And you pretty much know what pleases you, what makes you smile and you know what you don't like. You do the former and avoid the latter. You have learned that love and family are soooo very important. And friends. Oh what would I do without my friends?

So, I've gotten this off my chest and made my statement about aging. It's a remarkable journey to be sure. And it's a journey I hope to be on for a long, long time. I want to be really "old". I want to appear on the Smuckers' jar on the Today show when I'm 100. I want to see my great grandchildren and their children. And I hope I can show them that getting older is a privilege, not a burden.  GO BOOMERS!

FINALLY A PROJECT FOR ME!

I'm finally working on a project just for ME! I picked up this kit at the 2010 International Quilt Festival here in Houston. I fell in love with the colors and the pattern and figured the wall hanging size would make a good beginner project. To make it just about perfect, all the pieces were die cut and the kit included the batting and backing. All I needed was the thread!!

This is a picture of the finished top which went together very quickly. I love the earth tones with soft greens and creams. The backing is more soft green. Even though the pieces were fairly small, I found that, with the die cutting, everything went together very easily.

Here's a close up of the different blocks. There were two different patterns. It was fun setting the blocks on point. I've never done that before. I was so lucky that the instructions were very detailed and had lots of pictures. I'm a visual learner so pictures are invaluable for me. Since it's so small and I don't have much experience with machine quilting, I will be hand quilting this one.

I must admit that my hand quilting skills leave much to be desired, but I'm using a neutral thread that blends in with the fabrics so you can't see all the mistakes without looking really close. The videos by Alex Anderson on "The Quilt Show" website have helped me select needles and thimbles and hoops. I even ordered her book on hand quilting and learned more on correct technique. It even has a section on building your own quilt frame from saw horses and 2" x 2" lumber. Cool! I'm seriously thinking about doing that.

I'll make another post when the quilt is all finished and bound. I'll be hanging it behind my bed since it coordinates very well with my round robin friendship quilt.

MIMI AND MIKEY UPDATE

I just realized that I haven't posted an update on Mimi and Mikey lately. And they've had quite the busy month. Just a couple of weeks ago they had their spay/neuter surgery. After a couple of days of convalescence, they are once again flying about the house like a couple of ghosts, but sounding like a herd of horses.

Here's a recent picture of Mikey. Can't you just see the mischief in his eyes? He is very playful and energetic, but he's very sweet when he calms down. He will even accept a kiss or two.

This is Miss Mimi or as she's known formally, Princess Purrypants of Fuzzbutt. She's just as playful and energetic as her brother, but not quite as adventurous. When she's picked up she purrs up a storm and doesn't mind a cuddle or two. When her brother gets sent to the bathroom for a time out, she insists on joining him. They are inseperable.

Here's a picture of Mimi and Mikey eating their favorite treat - Fancy Feast. I took this picture to show how long their tails are. Mimi's is especially notable as it is so furry. When she's happy she carries it like a big, fluffy flag.

All in all, the kittens are a joy. They are happy and healthy. What more could anyone ask for?



***OKTOBERFEST SALE***

I wanted to announce that I am having a month-long sale in my Etsy shop, Grandmabarbara. You can find fall and Halloween-themed fabrics at 15% off and Christmas fabrics at 10% off. They've already begun flying off the virtual shelves so get in soon to find your treasures.

U of OKLAHOMA SOONER RAGGY LAP QUILT

I'm going to be listing this great University of Oklahoma "Sooner" raggy lap quilt in my Etsy store shortly, but I wanted y'all to be the first to see it. It's made from two similar prints and is backed with "recycled" denim from old jeans.

The quilt measures about 40" x 40", a great size for taking to the game to sit on or keep your legs warm. It would also make a great base for that fall picnic. Or you could make it into the perfect wall hanging for the den.

So, if you are a Sooner fan or know one, go check this out at my Etsy store. 

NEW "MAXINE" TOTE JUST LISTED ON ETSY!

I found this great "Maxine" fabric at a local fabric store a while back and thought it would make a great tote for a dear friend of mine. She's a big Maxine fan and this fabric was totally perfect. So I got enough fabric to make her a tote and one for me, too. Well, I had enough left over to make one to list so someone else can have the total "Maxine experience".

The fabric has a great retro-look aqua background with Maxine and her funny sayings on circles scattered all over the fabric. I added a cool orange button for the loop and button closure. The inside is a pretty aqua just a few shades lighter than the outside fabric. Also inside are two great pockets with more Maxine!

Just head for my Etsy store for your opportunity to experience Maxine in a whole new way!!

NEW FAT QUARTER BUNDLES IN MY ETSY STORE

I just listed two new fat quarter bundles in my Etsy store. (To go to my store you can click on the link under the pictures on the right where it says Grandmabarbara.) Both are perfect for those fall projects you are itching to get working on.

First is a bundle of four fall-themed fat quarters. They are full of the great darker tones we like for fall and winter like orange, brown and gold. The themes include leaves, flowers and squash! The squash fat quarter is a design by Debbie Mumm and is very cute.

The next bundle consists of two Halloween prints with the classic motifs of pumpkins, black cats and candy. The pumpkins are full of personality, the black cat is the cutest kitten and the candy is my favorite candy corn. Too cute.

If you go check out my store, I'm sure you will find the perfect fabric for that new project you are planning. I still have more fabric to list so, if you don't find what you're looking for, please contact me and I'll see if I have it somewhere in this stack of fabrics.

MORE DESTASH!!

I'm continuing to list more fabric in my Etsy store. Keep checking in to see the latest. Here are some of my current favorites.

Is this not the cutest cupcake fabric? Good enough to eat, I say!! Nice hot pink with colorful cupcakes everywhere. 

This adorable fish print is so cute, too! I love the mottled sea blue background and the yellow, green and orange fish are too cute to eat. And the starfish . . . what can I say but star quality?



This last bundle is two half-yard cuts of the prettiest blue and yellow fabrics. They remind me of Provence and the beautiful sunlight they have their. And the bright blue is just gorgeous. This would be the perfect stash builder!

So go check out my Etsy store and you may just find the perfect fabric for your stash. Not only do I have yardage, but fat quarters and some charm squares, too.



SUPER GO!BABY GIVEAWAY

You have just enough time to get over to Brassy Apple blog and get in on this great giveaway. Hey, if I don't win, I'd sure like to see you win. Here's the place to go http://brassyapple.blogspot.com/2011/08/accuquilt-go-baby-giveaway.html

IT'S TIME TO DESTASH!

Yes, it's way past time for me to destash. For the uninitiated that means selling off some of the fabric you just had to have several years ago that's just been sitting in a drawer or a bin ever since and you forgot what you were going to make out of it. So, that's what I'm doing. I've listed several fat quarter bundles and some fabric and flannel yardages in my Etsy store. I've still got a ways to go so, if you don't find something that interests  you right now, keep coming back. And if you are looking for something in particular, please email or convo me and I'll let you know if it's somthing I have.

This cute flannel with pastel handprints would be perfect for something for the nursery. I have a half yard of it.

I have two yards of this polar bear print flannel. Can't you see some cute PJ's for Christmas? And a red tshirt to go with them? Hmmmm!

I also have these assorted floral fat quarters in one bundle. Might they be just the thing to add into that quilt you're planning?

And I have three partial bolts of really nice homespun plaids in red (above), green and blue. Perfect for so many projects.

So go check out my Etsy store and keep checking back. I know I have just what you're looking for in a drawer or bin just waiting for you.

YOU WANT BEADS? I GOT BEADS!!!

I almost forgot to tell y'all about the beads and stuff I have listed on Ebay. I'm trying to clear of stuff I don't use or need any more. I found all of these beads, containers, findings, tools, wire, etc that are just taking up space that I need for fabric and quilting/sewing stuff. So I listed the lot on Ebay. I've been told by those who know that there may be as much as $75 worth of stuff in the lot. And I'm offering free shipping!!!

 This is the whole lot in one picture.

 Three different jewelry pliers.

 Metal storage boxes filled with beads.

 More storage containers with beads.

 Beading wire, cord and thread.

 Layout board.

 Bead mats.

 Another storage container with beads, findings, charms, wire, needles, etc.

Everything fits in this great carrying case.

The beads range from tiny seed beads to bigger fashion beads. There are silver- and gold-toned findings of all sorts and some great silver-toned charms. Here's the link to the auction:  http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320739626605&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

If you're an experienced beader or wanting to try it out, this is the lot for you. If you know anyone who might be interested, please let them know.  There are a couple days left on the auction and right now it's going for peanuts!!!

KITTY TOTE #4 IS ON EBAY!

Ok, here's another nifty tote from the great Debbie Mumm fabric I was given. I just love the prim colors - gray, gold, dark red. So pretty. And all the great cats!!! This is what I would call a "wallpaper stripe" fabric with all the kitties in a row. This tote is one you can carry now and straight into winter!!

Inside I used more of the kitty print I used in the first rag quilt. It's a cream with cute gray, orange and black kitties. The inside pockets are more of the outside fabric and I used another Mumm gray print for the bottom stabilizer.

To get a look at the auction and more pics of the tote, use this link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320735635002&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

MY FAVORITE TOTE BAG YET!

As promised, here is the first of two totes I'm making from the beautiful Debbie Mumm cat print fabric I received. I swear this is one of my favorite totes ever!! I love the colors and the little cat "portraits".

 front

The inside is cute, too. The fabric has all sorts of words and sayings pertaining to cats. I used some of the same fabric as the outside for the great pockets.

inside

Here's a link to the ebay auction for this tote:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320734278721&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

MORE KITTY FABRIC ITEMS

Just when I thought I was totally out of kitty fabrics, my wonderful friend, April of Frog Hill Farm, sent me a big package of kitty fabrics by my favorie designer, Debbie Mumm. Of course they are in those lovely prim colors of gold, blue, green and that great dark red. Again the proceeds from these projects will go toward paying Mimi and Mikey's mounting vet bills.

So, with all that fabric right in front of me I started planning. First I made a nice 32" x 47" rag quilt using four coordinating fabrics. On the front I used matching fabrics with a gold and a blue background, combining solid and four-patch blocks. For the back I used two additional coordinating fabrics in that pretty blue. There's white flannel sandwiched in the middle. I love all the different kitties pictured in the prints. Anyway, I posted the quilt on ebay. You can find it at http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320733351547&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

front

close-up

back

 A couple of the fabrics in April's generous gift are more like border prints and lend themselves to super tote bags so they will be coming soon. One has a green background with "portraits" of cats in different sizes. The other is in the same colors as the quilt. I will let you know as soon as they are listed. Please go check them out and pass the link on to anyone you think might be interested in something like this.

Thanks to all of you who have supported me in this effort to get these precious kitties back on the road to good health and a long and happy life.

TOTE BAGS ON AUCTION FOR VET BILLS

I almost forgot to tell y'all about the two totes I have listed on ebay. The proceeds of these, like the quilts, will go toward Mimi and Mikey's vet bills. Both are kitty themed, of course.

This one also has a bit of a crafty theme, too. It's all lovely pastels on cream with a turquoise lining.

It has two inside pockets and a magnetic snap closure. It also has a smaller outside pocket.

The second tote is a cat print in shades of pink and green with a pink lining. It also has an outside pocket with a big pink button.

I used a pretty window pane plaid in shades of pink and green for the inside pockets. This also has the magnetic snap closure.

These totes both have a few days to go in the listings so go check them out. Please pass the info on to anyone you know who might like to bid on one or both of these totes.

ANOTHER BABY CLOTHES QUILT DONE

I recently finished and shipped another baby clothes quilt that I am very proud of. The customer sent enough clothing that I was able to have an embroidered or printed design in every block. It looks like a miniature tshirt quilt. There were a number of sports-related blocks and I used a cute blue fabric with multicolor stars to play off that theme. At about 32" x 47" it will make a great crib, bed or lap quilt. And a great wall hanging, too.

I so enjoyed making this quilt that I'm going to ask for more clothing items for quilts in the future so I can have more of the solid blocks with a design. With all the cute baby clothes out there these days I don't think that will be a problem.

A BIG THANKS!

I just wanted to thank all of you who bid on the two kitty fabric quilts I listed to help pay the vet bills for my rescued kittens. The bidding is over now and the proceeds will make a dent in the bills.

I will be posting more pics and an update on the kitties in the next few days. They will be returning to the vet on Thursday for a recheck. I think she will be surprised at their progress.

Again, thanks so much to everyone who bid and who promoted the auctions. I love y'all!!

KITTY FABRIC QUILTS JUST LISTED

Well, I finally got the kitty quilts finished and listed on ebay today. These are the quilts made from kitty prints donated by my great quilting buddies to help pay Fuzzy and Mikey's vet bills.

The first is a lap quilt size - 34" x 34" - and is made from more than 20 different prints. The back is a cute print with black, gray and orange cats on a beige background. There is a soft while flannel in the middle. It would also make a great wall hanging.



The second quilt is a bit bigger at 41" x 48". It would also make a great lap quilt. It would also look nice draped across your bed, chair or sofa. The back is a cute Debbie Mumm print of cats and fish on a deep red. The red in the fringe really makes the blocks pop. There are at least 12 different prints in this quilt.

Please check out the auctions and tell any of your kitty-loving friends about them.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320717698517&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320717704944&ssPageName=STRK:MELELX.IT

KITTY UPDATE

Guess I've been a little late in getting an update on the kittens posted. What can I say, it's been a bit busy around here.

Here are their pictures taken about June 2, 2011. They were a little more active, but still on mediation.

Mikey

Fuzzy

This second set of pictures was taken June 11 and the change is remarkable! They finished their medications and were eating like little monsters! They have been playing and love the balls with bells in them. And, of course, the cardboard scratcher is the first place they go when they get out for play time.

Mikey

Fuzzy

They do need to go back to the vet for their first kitty shots and a recheck. I weighed them the other day and they are both up to at least 24 oz and probably more by now. I can't believe the recovery they made. Now I will be looking for a home for them and, yes, I would like them to go together. They will still need spay/neuter surgery, but they aren't near big enough for that yet.

If y'all know anyone in the Houston area who would like to give a home to these two miracle kittens, please let me know. They are adorable and playful and love people. They seem to be afraid of nothing!