Friday, October 13, 2017

More Puppies! (and a Travelogue)

A few weeks ago, I made a couple of puppy blocks (Dog Gone Cute pattern by Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts) for Karen at KaHolly. She is collecting them to make wallhangings and other items for an auction fundraiser to support a pet rescue agency in Texas that is helping victims of Hurricane Harvey. 

I just could not stop at two puppies. I had a couple more ideas to try. My first idea was to make a husky with blue eyes. Well, it turned out looking more like a Border Collie or an Australian Shepherd. Oh well. 
I tried again with some cream and gray Grunge fabrics. In my mind, the block was awesome, but my placement of fabrics was just wrong, and block was so hideous that I'm not even going to show you. Puppy fail. Funny how that happens.

I also wanted to try a brown dog--I don't know what they're called, but I know I've seen them--with blue eyes and a pinkish nose. That one turned out more like what I was imagining.
I wonder, though: do these puppies look a little vacant? A little zombie-ish? Maybe I should have used a slightly darker blue for the eyes. I love them anyway, and I'm sure someone somewhere will love them, too. I probably should have named them, but then they'd be harder to part with. Wait, I'll name one. The Border Collie is Fly, of course, from the movie Babe. Love that movie! You can name the others if you want.

I have other ideas, but I think I need to stop  eating potato chips  making puppy blocks now. These little pups will soon join their playmates for a little trip to meet up with all the others at KaHolly's quilty dog party. Oh, now I have a Go Dog Go earworm. Remember that book by P.D. Eastman? I must have read it a million times by now. It's a fun book. 

I'm linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish It Up Friday. Have fun with your puppies--whether furry or fabric. And thank you, Karen and Lorna, for making this project possible!

Okay, since this has been a tiny post, how about a few lot more vacation photos for those of you who like armchair travelogues? These are from the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail, in the rural district, which is an area that I think of as ghost farms--a rural museum in the National Lakeshore (hard to explain). A lovely area. I think they are considering some heritage farming there in the future. We rode the newest part of the trail this year. 


A peek through a window of the farmhouse--layers of wall paper and linoleum printed to look like carpet.

Rest stop tree



Narada Lake


Do you see the beaver cuts? Two trees about to be toppled and one pointy stump where one has already been felled (way on the left)

Log school house from the 1800's (right across the trail from the beaver work)


A peek through the window. This is one of my favorite pictures from the ride. I love the dusty light.


I wonder if this could be a Native American trail marker tree.



The brightest spot of color we saw on the trail.




Okay that's it for this post. Bye bye.

6 comments:

Kaja said...

Great photos! I like that you are making your dog blocks with specific types of dog in mind.

Val's Quilting Studio said...

What a wonderful Fall bike ride! Your favorite picture is mine too! GOtta love this time of year....it's just so beautiful.

Louise said...

Your puppies look great! I'm having a hard time imagining one so hideous that you wouldn't show it to us, though! Hm, maybe you used some really odd fabrics.

Love the bike ride photos! Gosh, that trail is going to be so gorgeous when the trees turn a bit more. Thanks for pointing out the beaver-knawed trees. I've only seen beavers in person in the wild a couple times, and it's always so cool. The peek through the window at the wallpaper reminded me so much of my grandparents' house...

Bernie Kringel said...

Cute puppies Janine. I am sure Karen will make some great projects with thes blocks.
Love the photos. Those beaver cuts are really great. ☺️

KaHolly said...

Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! You are such a sweetie! I love them! And these pictures are gorgeous! They would make a beautiful calendar!

Preeti said...

I see puppies everywhere and yet I am not complaining. Because there can never be too many dogs. They are so doggone cute. Posted mine today.
You may have just convinced me to ride again. It is indeed a lovely time of the year.