Saturday, September 3, 2011

… still feels like summer. . .



Somehow. . . when the calendar says that it's September. . . somewhere deep inside me & long for automatic autumn-y weather. . . a bit of a crisp bite to the air, pretty leaves softly floating off trees. . . but none of that is happening here. We are still having our summer storms in the afternoons & evenings (Bailey is actually getting used to the sound of thunder again!) & the temps aren't even near 'crisp'. But that will come. . . my internal clock is just wanting more sooner than later.


Around here, I've been keeping quite busy in the studio, finishing the cover for a new pattern, & having the best time with a new applique wall hanging. I've loved that about this summer. I have been having the best time creating & making new designs. I have to admit that I had lost a bit of that. After several years designing, I got a little caught up a bit in trying to create things that I thought might fit into what the market seemed to saying was 'in'. . . &. . . um. . . that just didn't work for me. I lost the joy of why I started quilting in the first place. . . & I lost track of who I was as a designer & artist. I prayed about it - because it's a little scary to feel like your about to jump off the proverbial 'band wagon'. . . but I kept being reminded to 'do what you love'. . . & not to try & jump through hoops that I may think are there.


. . . & I must admit, it's still a little scary (I do that to myself too easily sometimes). . . but honestly. . . I'm having the best time in the studio. Some days I can hardly wait to get in there! (. . . like right now. . . I have some applique pieces to prep & I can't wait to play with the fabrics & the process of creating something I'm enjoying so much!)


Also, on the studio side. . . I want to thank you all of you who went to the website & helped me with my 'spring cleaning' at my web site's tag sale! There are still a few things left if you hurry! And. . . just so you know I have just cut the remaining bundles of my fabric collections that we will have available on the website. I want to thank you all so much for your wonderful comments on my fabrics (it means so much!). . . & I'm so glad that you like getting to get all of them! 

Durham Collection - Anew

Georgia Lou


We have made bundles of fat-eighth, fat-quarter, & half-yard bundles of both lines. . . but just as a little  'heads-up'  - what we have on the website is all that we have left . . . & when they're gone. . . they're gone! (Yikes!. . . see I meant it when I said "thank you"!) 


On another little (cute & fluffy) note, (but also something I'm praying about). . .


. . . When the groomer brought Bailey back to the house early yesterday evening (she has a little white bus converted to a grooming studio & comes to the house). . . she had Bailey in her arms & told me that, "We have to talk." Nora (our groomer) is someone I take seriously when she notices things, because she really knows her stuff & really cares about the dogs she grooms.  She then came in & showed me where she had shaved a section of Bailey's inside front let leg. He had a little irritation there a couple of years ago - but we treated it & it went away. . . or so we thought. What Nora just found was an ugly, very dark, mean looking area about a half inch across. My heart sank & I know that when Nora is this concerned - that it means something. Unfortunately it's a holiday weekend. . . but we will go into see the vet next week. . . to have him look at it & have some tests run. (That's why Nora shaved the area - so the vet could clearly see it. Until then, I'm keeping it covered - so that Bailey leaves it alone. I can't believe I didn't see it - but Nora said she didn't either until she was cutting the hair there, & it wasn't there until a few weeks ago. So, hopefully, whatever it might be (. . . & I'm too afraid to think of all it might be) will get caught early enough. So, if you think about it. . . please say a little prayer for my little Bailey. Thanks.

For those of you here in the US, I hope you have a  great holiday weekend. . . & for all - I hope you have a great weekend!

 Bren

16 comments:

Denise said...

Sending prayers for Bailey!

bluegecko said...

I do hope Bailey will be ok, my thoughts are with you.

bluegecko said...

My thoughts are with you and darling Bailey!
Ann

Wendy said...

Keep us posted on Bailey, sweet little thing, our dear Moses (128 lb. German Shephard had this little tiny odd looking flat mole on the inside of his front leg, took him to our vet, he was less than a year young, and it was a very rare cancer, it was removed and Moses lived a very healthy 13 more years!
Wendy

Darlene said...

Sending lots of get well smoochies for Bailey.

I've chatted with a couple of other designers who have said exactly what you've said about designing. Be true to yourself, Brenda, it's what so many love about you.

Tina Dillon said...

Sending love and prayers for Bailey - he's such a sweetie. I have a Westhighland terrier puppy called Wesley, whos cute too. Happy holiday weekend to you. TinaD (tina.dillon@iinet.net.au)

Melanie said...

Hugs for you and Bailey....I'm going to have faith that the doctors can fix him up....

Louise said...

Sending good thoughts your way for Bailey and his "owie". Your fresh thoughts on your designing sound good. Lovely photo of the mountains.

luvtoquilt said...

Oh, Brenda, I hope all is well for little Bailey. I know he is your very special friend and seems to really help you through all of life's bumps in the road. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Yvonne & Kevin said...

I have a Bailey too, he is a Bichon & has a best friend Poppy who is also a Bichon, we three are thinking of you at this nervewracking time & sending you so many positive thoughts. Give dear Bailey a big hug from us.
Yvonne, Bailey & Poppy, New Zealand

Samantha said...

I know how special Bailey is to you. I am praying that he will be fine and will be keeping you company for many years to come.
I can't wait to see what you've been making in your studio. I am sure that it will be completely "you" and completely wonderful and you will be very successful with it. It is amazing what God does when we lean on Him instead of ourselves....

Yvonne & Kevin said...

How is Bailey??
Yvonne, New Zealand

petra said...

I send prayers for bailey and light a candle for her.

Yvonne & Kevin said...

How is little Bailey?

Yvonne, Bailey & Poppy NZ

Anonymous said...

Greetings from Perth Western Australia. i just happened upon your website and now your blog and i love it! Thank you so much for sharing with the world... i have been reading your previous blog entries to try to get to know you a bit better and i feel you have such an optimistic and whimsical perspective...i like that a lot. i am a quilter, scrapbooker, mother, wife, friend and in a previous life a teacher...
i just adore your little saying at the bottom of your blog...'from little acorns...mighty oaks grow..' take care and i know we must be kindred we too have a little dog like yours his name is Alfie and we love him so much...i can truly understand how you feel about your Bailey. all the best to you Loads of love
Tanya Hughes and Clan
xxxx

tanya hughes said...

ps i am new to all this blog technology...i did not want to appear snobby or rude by being anonymous i just did not know which button to click on and the anonymous one seemed so much easier
oops...thanks again
Tanya
x