I'm not quite a crazy dog owner, but nearly. I co-parent a Jack Russell/Mini Foxy dog that is the cutest and naughtiest dog ever. She is full of fun and is bascially the life of the party. When I go to my parents house they are more excited to see Jessie, the dog, than me. She is the favourite grandchild/dog and even the kids know it.Jessie just loves to swim and when we go to my parents on the weekend she dives in the pool and starts doing laps. She gets really irritated when the kids get in the pool as she is a bit of a pool hog. Due to this pool hogging she has had numerous bans slapped on her as she also gets a bit bitey. This summer she progressed from her laps and boogie board riding to full speed swimming races against kids and adults. It's hilarious to watch as she eyes her competitor sideways and paddles as fast as her 3 inch legs will propel her.
As nutty fans of Jack Russells the family did a trip to Vacy a couple of weekends ago for the Jack Russell races. Basically a country fair, it was absolutely hilarious watching these pint-sized dogs racing up and down a make-shift track. Not all the dogs actually finished the race and a lot turned back before the finish line and others had to be picked up and walked to the finish line which made for a great race.
Here is Jessie, a-la Barbra Streisand. My sister took this pic of Jessie trussed up in my niece's cut off ponytail. What can I say - it made us laugh. Poor Jess, what she has to suffer for a few cheap laughs.
The Newcastle Show has been in full swing since Thursday night. Full swing, however, is not how I would describe the show. The show has some fun events such as; the chook competition (where chooks are pitted against one another based on looks and breed - basically a Newcastle's Top Model Chook competition) and the cake competition where it seems cakes and biscuits date back to the 1970's. The cakes and biscuits are placed so aesthetically unpleasing on a crappy paper plate inside glass cabinets swarming with flies. Tasty indeedy!!
So the Olive Tree Market was on the 7th of March and for once the weather was beautiful. The markets have been plagued with terrible weather so it was a welcome relief. My new products at this market were my new tote bags, which I'm loving and toting around. Who knew short straps actually save your back and shoulders. For eons I've been carrying around a sling bag and it has been pulling my shoulder out in all different directions and voila short straps have solved my shoulder woes. An illustration I did a few posts back has been reincarnated as a print on bags, wrislets, skirts and pillows. Above it is shown on a little girl skirt. I'm loving this print and will probably find it's way on a quilt very soon.
And finally here is a quilt I finished way back and never had time to photograph it properly. It's made from panels intended for a soft fabric ABC book. I incorporated some chenille strips, blue linen and natural linen fabric patches with my little girly print. I think this would look fab both as a quilt on the bed or a playmat. I did the stitch in the ditch slack quilter method with log cabin joins at the corners. I must get around to making the mitred corners one day.
Some birthday goodies. Below are the fabulous pics from the 1930's paper doll cut out book. My sister bought this book and said there were also other books in the series from 1920's through to the 1980's.
So I'm one of those people who stretches their birthday out. Love the birthday and will happily celebrate all month given the chance. For my birthday I had a girl's weekend in Sydney with my sisters and nieces. I received some most excellent presents for the birthday, including a jigsaw(of the cutting kind), paper doll book and a quilting book. 
In other news my article "Improv Crafting" is in this month's Mixtape, Issue 8. Justine has once again pulled out another corker of an issue and this time it is in full colour. So go get crafty people and pick yourself up a copy 