Life In The Dog House

April 23, 2018 · 20:31

Comfort Quilt-a-Long

This week marks the start of the Comfort QAL (Quilt-a-long). As soon as I saw this quilt I knew who I was going to make it for. I am not normally a fan of the “scrappy look” but something about this one appealed to me. I hope the recipient will like it too. Week 1 has us cutting all the medium and dark fabrics. I am making the lap quilt so I needed to cut enough fabric to make 79 small and 30 large blocks. Our second goal was to purchase and/or source from our stash all the neutrals that we will need.

Week 1 goal complete. Here are my bright fabrics all cut and ready to go. Quite an eclectic mix of prints and solids (436 pieces).

ComfortQALWeek1

I’ve even got a head start on next week’s goal since I have already cut up all my neutrals as well (872 pieces).

ComfortQALWeek2Neutrals

#ComfortQuiltQAL

17th Birthday Treats

Wally17BdaySmall

I can’t believe that Wally, our old Goldie, is celebrating his 17th birthday today. We are so very blessed to have had him in our lives for this long. His favourite treat in the world is a Timbit so every year on his birthday he would get one for each year. As he started approaching his double digit birthdays we began cutting the timbits in half. This year we cut them in quarters and then gave him one whole one to make 17. As usual, he inhaled them all.

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Filed under Wally

Tagged as Golden Retriever, Tim Hortons, Timbit

March 25, 2018 · 17:21

More Rally-O fun

BrodieCamroseRI

We spent Friday, Saturday and Sunday driving back and forth to Camrose to participate in the Battle River Canine Association rally obedience trial. It was a very tough weekend for Brodie. As a 13 month old, teenage intact male, this was his first exposure to a smorgasbord of intact females and he lost his mind. I’ve lost my sweet, calm and focused boy. He has been replaced by this wild child who has zero interest in his Mom. I’m heart broken but I knew it was coming. Hopefully this phase won’t last too long.

Friday was a complete disaster with a NQ in advanced and then we got excused from the ring during his Intermediate run because he decided to have a poop in the ring…totally out of character for him. Saturday was a bit better. We squeaked by our Intermediate run with a 73 qualifying score and a 4th in trial ribbon. Sunday I saw a brief glimpse of my sweet boy and we walked away with an Intermediate score of 88, our second Q and a Second in Class ribbon.

Thank you to Judges Karen Brearley, Margaret Chandler, Marie-Johanne Cloutier.

SaveSave

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Filed under CKC Title, Rally Obedience

Tagged as CKC Rally Obedience, Coppermoon Golden Retrievers, Golden Retriever

March 25, 2018 · 11:15

First CKC Title for Spirit

SpiritCamroseRN

I signed Spirit up for 3 days of rally novice just to give her some experience in the trial environment. She can get anxious and reactive around other dogs so I wanted her first trial to be somewhere relatively close to home giving us the opportunity to just take her home if she was overwhelmed. She amazed me. There were only minor signs of stress and I was able to quickly focus and redirect her. Not only did she successfully complete her trial each day with a qualifying score, she earned her Novice title with scores of 92, 96 and 95. On Friday she also got a ribbon for Second in Class. She is now officially known as Tailspin’s Winter’s Spirit RN . Not bad considering we just finished our introductory rally course a couple of weeks ago. Yahoooooooooo Thank you to Judges Karen Brearley, Margaret Chandler, Marie-Johanne Cloutier.

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Filed under CKC Title, Rally Obedience, Spirit

Tagged as Berner, Bernese Mountain Dog, CKC Rally Obedience, Tailspin Bernese

March 9, 2018 · 15:43

More Pet Therapy Time

Tilly and I went to Fort Saskatchewan High School this afternoon. The kids are participating in a 24hr bike-a-thon to raise money for the Stollery Children’s Hospital. They took breaks to relax and chill out with the dogs.

365 Finish…..finally

365Front

I did it!!! Only a year late but it is done. We have had such a cold, snowy winter that I had to wait for a milder day to get some pictures. It was definitely a challenge to make some of the 3 inch blocks but I am glad that I did it. Would I do it again….probably not. Now it is just looking for a good home.

I did some custom quilting in the 4 corner blocks and the centre medallion….otherwise I just used a simple e2e design called Deco Vine.

As with all of my quilts, when I sit down in the lazy boy to hand sew on the binding….my cute little fur ball always has to plant herself in the middle of the pile making it more challenging to accomplish my task.

365Tilly

Here are few closeups of some of the blocks:

365Close3 365Close2 365Close1

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Filed under 365 Challenge, Quilting

Tagged as 365quiltchallenge2016, Quilting

February 24, 2018 · 10:58

2015 BOM

2015BOMFront

This quilt took a long time to finish. The 12 multi-coloured blocks were made as part of QuiltEssential Co’s 2015 block of the month program. This colour way was called ‘Bridges of Madison County”.

2015BOMs

I knew how I was going to design the quilt top long before the 12 blocks were even finished. My inspiration for the quilting came from some of the designs in the 12 blocks. I wish I had kept track of how long it took me to do the longarm work because it was substantial. I am really happy with the finished product.

Close up of the centre medallion and some of the long arm work:

2015BOMMedallion

2015BOM2 2015BOM1 2015BOM3

I like using pieced backings on my quilts. I think it makes for a more attractive back that gives you the option to flip it over so you have two quilts in one.

2015BOMBack 2015BOM4 2015BOM5