Time does pass but not the memories.

November 3, 1999 - September 2, 2011
This was one of Amber's overnight visits so we dressed Mandy up in a nightgown!

So hard to believe it's been six years since we lost our girl, Mandy!  She was a sweetheart...another rescue we adopted when she was about 18 months old.  Mandy went with me every Wednesday to watch Amber and Nick.  We had to leave early Wednesday mornings and it was the only time she would jump out of the bed when I got up.  Any other day, she would lay in bed if I got up first, but not on Wednesday!   We'll never forget.  This is a post I did last year.  What a doll!

Remembering the many faces of Mandy!

Mandy

November 3, 1999 -September 2, 2011

Some of Her Friends

Ben, Cody and Mandy keeping watch!

Betsy and Mandy checking out the backyard!

Cody was Mandy's special buddy!   He still lives next door to us!

Gracie and Mandy spending quality time in Florida sunbathing in the shade!

Mandy was even friends with Flat Stanley!

Some of Mandy's jobs!

Babysitting

Being a Therapy Dog (TDI)

Her first achievement as a therapy dog

Mandy would listen so well to the kids reading!

Getting dressed up! (not her favorite thing)

Mandy was even a Diva when she had her ACL repaired and had to wear 'the cone"!

You will always be in my heart!

Still Missing You.....

November 3, 1999 -September 2, 2011
Mandy

Not a day goes by that I don't think of my little angel...the tears still flow so freely...but the memories also make me smile.   I miss you so much.  

Remembering Mandy

Mandy

November 3, 1999 -September 2, 2011

It's been three years now....so hard to believe our girl isn't here any more....Kalee has filled my heart but there will always be that one spot she won't be able to fill.  It's saved for Mandy and no dog will ever fill it. 

I think of my  Mandy almost daily....we adopted her on March 24, 2001 and she was my best friend...and my companion 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  I  still  miss her so much.  I'm sure she and Kalee would get along...ok, maybe she would teach Kalee a thing or two....or Mandy would just tolerate Kalee!!  Knowing her, she'd be up on Bob's lap hoping we wouldn't make her walk twice a day!  Mandy didn't like to walk!!  She would much rather lay on the couch....but I'd let her do that in a minute!!  I miss her and cry for her often.......  

Back to hex horse!

So today I decided to start piecing the background for my hex horse!  I've shown this 'hex' fabric I made

  

which will be placed under my background piece..yea, that's the scary part is cutting away the horse...I plan to fuse the background (after cutting out the horse!) to my hex fabric...well, it's my thought so far!

I think some of this fabric I dyed and stamped will work good  for the background.  It's a good contrast that's for sure!

So today I started to slice and stitch up the background.  I'm about 1/4 of the way finished.  I need at least an 18" x 22" background piece (my finished piece needs to be 16" x 20").

I cut out the horse to create a pattern to drawn onto the background..yep, that's the scary part I mentioned above.  Anyway...it's getting there.  I hope to finish it up tomorrow sometime then draw on the background and add fusible webbing to the back.
I'm planning on fusing the background onto my hex fabric.  I was going to needle turn but I think it will be best to fuse then I can stitch around the horse or not!
Who knows until I finish!

Also, today I was 'clearning and clearing' out my sewing room!!  I can't believe all the quilts I have finished the past few years!  Geezzzzz   What to do with them!!!   I did decide for my smaller pieces (12"  -14") I'm going to add some D rings to them and make another quilt book!  You can see the diary I created a few years go which was my inspiration here.  Otherwise, these little quilts just sit there!

 Anyway, thinking off my Mandy girl and came across this small quilt I made in 2009, 'Our House is Now a Home'...it was for an exhibit, Lynn Krawczyk curated for her exhibit, Breaking Traditions.   It's a picture of my Mandy girl....she's always in my thoughts....I cried when I found it today.

I used light weight metal for the house designs and of course there are a few beads on it...but mainly stitching and printing on fabric.

Tomorrow I'll post pics of my clearing out I did today!  I'm pooped!!!

Remembering Mandy....

Mandy

November 3, 1999 -September 2, 2011

It's been two years and yet it seems like 2 minutes ago our beloved Mandy was with us.  There honestly isn't a day goes by that I don't think of my best friend...and she was just that...my BFF!  She loved me and was my companion 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  She knew when I was happy, sad, sick or just blah...but she also knew how to cheer me up.  Just that snuggle or wag of her tail was enough to put a smile on my face.  I miss her so much and even as I type this the tears flow.  

Mandy was a therapy dog and we would dress up to visit the folks at Hospice.

Posing for Halloween

Dress up time with Amber & Grandma

Mandy never liked to walk but loved when Nick would pull her in the wagon!

Mandy was friends with everyone and every dog she met!  Not a mean bone in her body!

Cody was her BFF

Betsy & Mandy keeping watch

Big Ben, Cody and Mandy

She was even Flat Stanley's buddy!

She was a good listener at the reading program for kids we attended

I'll keep you in my heart forever my friend

Some art work finally!

Well, in between the role of a new 'mom' and 'old' mom, I am starting to get some artwork done. Boy, I sure forgot how much time you spend with a baby! I mean puppy!!
Kalee is coming into my sewing area with me or else I'm doing beading or sewing while she sleeps. I still have to clean, do laundry, cook dinner too so it's hard to space out my time for art work. But I'm learning or remembering how I did 'child' rearing 40+ years ago!
I'm making progress on my beaded butterfly and it does feel good to be back beading. This is a butterfly from Hawaii I think! It's been so long since I drew up the design I'm not even sure if that's where this butterfly makes his home!
I also came up with a few different designs for my daughters table topper.
This is the 2nd or 3rd design. The final piece will be a mix of all I think! I really won't know until I start cutting out the leaves from the organza.
I do have the background sandwiched and I painted on some stems. Next will be the leaves then stitching.
I made this quilt in 2003 for a Christmas gift for Bob. It was our Mandy girl and now it hangs on the wall in our computer room above my desktop. Bob never thought it looked exactly like her but I've always liked the quilt. She's my girl and always will be.

Dunckel’s Veterinarians thanked for attention

This is the letter I wrote to both the Davison Index local newspaper. Today we brought home the remains of our little girl. The hurt is there all over again but at least she is home with us again.
Dunckel’s Veterinarians thanked for attention

Our hearts are broken

Mandy

November 3, 1999 -September 2, 2011

Our hears are broken...we lost our our angel.

I'm a Chico's Girl!

OK, so we ALL know I don't look like this! But I still like the clothes from Chcio's! And guess what the kids got me for Mother's Day! A whole boatload of clothes from Chcio's! Wonder if they think 'mum' needs a new wardrobe! You think! And guess what..no beige clothes in the bunch!!
It was so exciting to come home from a wonderful brunch Dawn and Amber cooked for all of us to celebrate Mother's Day! It's a wonder the clothes didn't fit me because I ate so much! Thanks, Kids!!!

Actually, I do have to return some of the tops for a different size but what fun to go to Chico's! My friend, Carol in Florida, and I would head to Chicio's as soon as we saw any sales along with our coupons! We had a great time and when she comes up to Michigan we're heading to the Chicio's Outlet store! I picked up a pair of white Capri's a few years ago for $8 at the Chico's Outlet store so you can find good bargains if you look hard enough!


Here is our Mandy girl! Actually she looks more pitiful than she really is. Yesterday she had to have four moles removed. One was on her cheek and it was so large they had to cut about a 2" incision.

She's doing really well but I can't have her scratch the incision on her cheek so she's back in her 'decorated' E collar. I'll be home the next two days then off to the kids so I can keep an eye on her. She came home yesterday hungry and running around, which was a first for her after surgery!












I made Mary Jo (DIL in Indiana) one of my beaded rings and she sent me this picture after her manicure! MJ loves pink so I made her a ring in Bubble Gum delica's. It's a little tight so I'm making another one for her in the silver.











My neighbor, Lori, became a grandma this past winter so for Mother's Day I made her and her new grand daughter, Annabella, a fabric picture book. Our kids and even grown kids have had these (I made MJ one when they lost their dog, Betsy a few years ago). I don't do the baby quilts anymore so this is in place of a quilt!

This is the cover

Inside pages

Back cover

Today, I'll work on doing some cleaning and then start quilting my bird journal for April. I found a line drawing of a cardinal so that will be my next journal bird. I am working on 'Georgia' when I'm not beading. Did you see Justin V. get his no hitter the other night!! How cool is that!! Made the game exciting for sure. Let's hope the Tiger's continue on their 'roll'...but nothing lasts does it!