Sweet Phoebs

Phoebe is our sweet but bossy female Yorkie. She rules the roost around here and tells us what to do and when to do it.  If we don't do as she wants, she will not so gently and very loudly remind you until you see things her way.  ;)

Over the years, we have battled with weight issues, skin issues, and allergy issues.  She had an issue with her adrenal glands that not only made her hungry *all the time* (which made her overweight too) but her skin was itchy and she would have terrible skin rashes that I had the worst time trying to  keep under control.

 Even with bathing her a couple times a week, her skin would sometimes get so bad it almost looked like someone was putting cigarette butts out on her.  It was heartbreaking and frustrating that I couldn't keep her feeling good.  Occasionally we would resort to steroids and antibiotics but I didn't want to keep doing that either - first it's not good for her and second, it's expensive.  Finally we tried a drug that would suppress her adrenals and hopefully help with her skin and her appetite.  It worked for a while and then suddenly it sent her into an adrenal crisis.

I went into panic mode when I could see that she really wasn't feeling well. She spent the night at the doggie hospital and was able to come home once she stabilized.  Adrenal crisis is just that - a crisis.  She could have suffered a heart attack, respiratory arrest - a number of things had we not caught it in time. But we did and our vet assured us that now, she would be easier to "maintain".
 So, every 25 days for the rest of her life, she will get an injection to keep her "up".  Her skin is 98% better and her appetite is no where near as ravenous.
Things were cruising along nicely for about 3 weeks when the other night when we were getting ready to go to sleep, her eyes looked "funny" to me.  All I could think of was the look drug addicts get when they are way past high and ready to pass out.  Her eyes were half closed and half rolling back into her head.  I rationalized that maybe she was just overtired and trying to go to sleep and I was bugging her.  But then, about 10 minutes later, she got sick.

Again, panic set in.  I jumped out of bed and rushed her to the emergency vet.  
Once we got there she was alert and acting fine (of course!) but would still do that crazy thing with her eyes.

Turns out, she has a corneal abrasion which can be quite painful.  We got medicated eye drops and she is now on the mend and quickly getting back into her supervisory mode.  Thank goodness!

June 2012 Back Yard

Last year we had the flagstone patio put in and although I didn't really love spending all that $$, I'm so thrilled that we went ahead and splurged.  It's so much nicer being in the back yard now.

Once the patio went in last year, it seemed like we were constantly traveling and getting to the actual landscaping part of the back yard got put on the back burner.  That, and it got to like 115 degrees and seemed to stay that way.  

 There is still so much I want to do in the backyard and time is quickly getting away from me (before the 100 degree temps start next week!) but hopefully my schedule will lighten up a bit and I can focus on getting the back yard more complete.  I've got to mulch - that is for sure.  Plus, we lost one entire half circle garden last year so I have to do something with that.

 I did plant two butterfly bushes and look who came to visit!  This beautiful creature has been hanging around my lavender, and my phlox too.  It makes me so happy!

I planted seven more lavender plants this year.  Some day, I'd love to have a huge patch of lavender.

I've also got a bunch of hummingbird feeders in the backyard.  I love watching the hummingbirds zoom around.  We've got one that is almost all shiny green, one that has a ruby throat, and this little one. 

It's so nice to sit on our back patio and listen to the birds and look at the beautiful surroundings.

4th of July Canvas Class

Last Thursday, Jackie taught this cute 4th of July Canvas Class at the Paper Crown. Isn't it cute?

The class was so fun (as always!) and Jackie treated us to a fabulous chocolate wafer cookie cake.  Go to her blog and check out her pictures.

Friday night, Doug took me to see Barry Manilow at the BOK.  We saw him last year in Vegas and this show, although a little different from the Vegas show did not disappoint! I love Barry Manilow...

Saturday, I went to the Quilt Show here in Tulsa. The Tulsa Dolling Dames had a booth to display our dolls and sell some pin dolls for a fundraiser.

Saturday night, we went downtown to watch the Tulsa Tough bike races.  The speeds those racers got up to on the bikes were incredible.  We didn't actually see any crashes (thank goodness!) but we did see some racers all bandaged up after biting it.  Ugh... Not pretty.

Sunday, I finally got the rest of my lavender planted, gave all four dogs a bath, cleaned this house a little and that was it.

Last night, Monday, was our BUNCO night and I was the winner with the most BUNCO's!  For six months I haven't had a single BUNCO but in one night, I got three!  Whohooo!

Pin Dolls

Several months ago, our Doll Club decided we would each make 5 pin dolls to sell at the Quilt Show next week as a fundraiser for our club.  Last year, we spent several meetings each making doll parts and then assembling the dolls.  This year, we decided to do them individually and our completed dolls are due today.  

Five dolls - piece of cake, right?  Not for me.  The dolls you see are my finished dolls and I do really love them now that they are done.  But these dolls were a real struggle for me to get going on.

 I thought,  "I'll have my doll pins done in NO time!" But that's not exactly how it went.   I thought I would branch out and make my dolls be different than the ones we've done in previous years (although these are always great sellers).  I thought about what my dolls were going to be like.  I researched pin dolls on the internet.

 I went to Hobby Lobby more than once and purchased materials for the different dolls I was "going to make".  I went back to Hobby Lobby and bought the mold for the face of the pin dolls we originally made.  I even molded the faces out of polymer clay - and then left them sitting, unbaked, on my craft table for almost TWO MONTHS! Ugh...

 I was determined NOT to make the same dolls this year.  But guess what - as it usually does, time ran out on me.  Honestly, I procrastinated up until the very last minute.  I've been stressing about these dolls since they first announced we were to make them and I let it stress me for months. Crazy, I know.

 So, late yesterday afternoon, (I still wasn't going to make these!)  I went up to my craft room and started on a different doll.  I got halfway into it and didn't like it at all.  So, angry at myself for waiting so long, and disappointed that I would have to make these dolls, I set to work. I baked those clay faces (finally!) and cleared up that spot on my craft table.  I selected some pretty papers, beads and embellishments and started enjoying the process.

 Hours later, as these girls were coming together, I was happy, calm, and the time had flown by! Once I got over myself, stopped dragging my heels and set to work - I LOVED IT! I love my pin dolls.  In fact, I don't really want to give them away.  But I will - and I hope someone will love them too.

Guess that is my lesson that I needed to learn once again - just do it - it wastes so much energy to stress over small stuff - and once I get going on something, it's usually no where near as bad as I've made it up in my mind to be.

Jackie's Firecracker Class

(Click on the picture to make it larger and see the detail of this cute Fourth of July Firecracker.) 

I'm never disappointed to drive to Oklahoma City to take a class at the Paper Crown, and last night's class with Jackie was no exception. 

If you click on Jackie's blog you can see all of our creations.  Our options for embellishments were limited so we all pretty much not only stayed on track with Jackie's original, but we also finished in record time. I tend to get overwhelmed when there are too many variables on a project because I *way* over-think my choices and of course I want to use everything!

You'll want to check out her recipe for the cookies she made for class.  They were delicious!

While browsing around the store, I saw the sample for the July 4th Canvas we are making next Thursday night.  I can't wait!!