A Second Home So Far Away

As I mentioned the other day, when we get our sprinklers blown out we know it’s time to go on a cruise. But for the second year in a row here we are, still sitting at home. I shouldn’t be so mopey about it but I am. With 88 cruises under our belt and over 600 days at sea, the ship has been our second home and the crew our family. And we miss it. And them.

So the other day on our cold and cloudy day I tried to keep myself busy - and my mind occupied - by working on Christmas projects. Even played some Christmas music. But in my mind it was just too early so I had to switch to something else.

Fall projects. Unfortunately, even fall sewing hasn’t gotten me out of the missing-my-second-home funk.

Appliqué didn’t cure my ills.

Time to try something else.

Living in Two Seasons Instead of Four

We used to have two seasons in this house, Christmas and not Christmas. I realized this morning when my mind was spinning at about 4 AM those seasons have changed. We now have sprinkler season and non-sprinkler season. 

Sprinkler season means we stay home, garden, and tend to the lawn (and the weeds). Non-sprinkler season means it's time to bring out the suitcases, the passports, and get ready to head out for a long cruising adventure. Get those sprinklers blown out and we are outta here! Even though the sprinklers did their part yesterday, we won't be doing ours. Because of the health of us, the country, and the world we'll have to wait a bit longer. Thanks to Princess Cruises' easy-to-initiate COVID cancellation policy we have a nice chunk of money just waiting for us when we're healthy and strong enough to use it. (During non-sprinkler season, of course.)

So on this cold and cloudy forty degree day instead of dreaming of snorkeling I guess I'll be moving into the non-sprinkler season Christmas season. 

Christmas projects, here I come.

Soon-to-be snowman and Santa mug rugs.

Carry Your Vaccine Card in Style with a Fabric Cardholder

If you've had your Covid vaccination somewhere in the United States, you know they issue you a paper card with all the information on it. Nothing laminated, nothing sturdy, and certainly nothing small enough to fit in your wallet. As important as the vaccine card is becoming, and with many places requiring original proof of vaccination to just get in the door, you need to keep the card on hand and safe. You want to be able to quickly find the card inside your bag or purse and have it protected in a vinyl pocket so you can show it without needing to take it out of the case. And you want a cardholder to be stylish and fit your personality.

Which is why I've been sewing vaccine card holders these last six months. I'm getting close to the 3,000th card holder sewn (whew!) so you aren't the only one wanting a fun and stylish way to keep the vaccine card on hand. 

If you need a vaccine card holder, or

you know someone else who could use a card holder, or

you're looking for a way to encourage someone to get vaccinated, or

you need a cute gift idea, or

you are looking for items to sell at holiday bazaars,

the time is now.

5 star rated? Check.

Over 100 fabric choices available for men, women, teens, and kids? Check.

Coupon code just for my blog readers? Check. 

Use coupon code DEB15 at checkout to receive 15% off my handmade vaccination card covers or vaccine card holder sewing patterns in my Etsy shop. 

Click on the photo or use this link to buy your stylish vaccination card holder today!

How to Make Handmade Bookmarks from Fabric Scraps - Great Last Minute Gift Ideas Sewing Pattern

If you are looking for quick and easy ways to use your fabric scraps, or need a quick little gift for a book lover, check out this week's 20% off sewing pattern. It's a four pack pattern bundle of some of my most popular bookmark patterns! 

You'll get written step-by-step directions, photos, templates, and links to the tutorial videos. Remember to add NEW20 to get an extra 20% off the pattern this week.

Click this link or on the image below to get your instantly downloadable patterns now! 

Sewing My Way Through Life

The last you heard from me I was in the middle of trying to get little foster kitties healthy and ready for adoption. From when I got the three boys as one day old kitties way back on May 7 until the time they left my home, it was a rough go for all of us. For them it was a life of oral antibiotics, antibiotic ointments, three separate rounds of oral anti-fungal medications, and never getting to leave the isolation room (AKA my bathroom). For me it was a whirlwind of multiple changes of clothes a day, boxes and boxes of disposable gloves, gallons of bleach, and containers of laundry detergent. When we finally got the ringworm at bay, they headed to Simply Cats' adoption floor. Unfortunately, two of the three have still not been adopted. So they sit - and play and run and climb - at Simply Cats as they continue to wait for a loving forever home. A bit of a bummer situation.

Only one thing to do to keep my mind off those kinds of things I have no control over...

Sew. Well, sew and write. And goodness, have I been doing a lot of both!

As for sewing, the popularity of the vaccination card holders I've been making has exceeded anything I could have ever imagined. As of today, I have sewn - and sold - 1,283 of them. Wow.

Sew, sew, and sew some more!

If you're interested in getting your own vaccination card cover, I have 100+ fabrics available over several listings:

• Dozens of fabrics here
• Dozens more here
• Animal fabrics
• Cats and dogs
• Pinks and purples are here
• Blues are here
• Kids and teens novelty fabrics are here
• Slim holders are here

It has been fulfilling being able to provide something to support the health and safety of individuals and the community.

All of the Work and None of the Fun - Foster Kitten Friday

One of the biggest benefits to being a foster parent to bottle baby kitties is they think you're their mama. They love on you and snuggle with you and follow you wherever you go. You have a constant companion and a constant source of entertainment. 

But not so with these little fellas.

With the boys still in the isolation room (also know as my bathroom) I don't get to see them all that much. With their ringworm - and since they aren't bottle babies anymore - the contact I have with them is limited. Feed them, clean their litter and blankets and tub and floors, and give them a bit of loving. Each time I step in there I have to change my clothes, get gloves on, and have bleach water on hand and washing machine at the ready. It's a lot of work without a lot of payoff for the foster parent.

But the payoff for the kitties will be huge. They'll be ringworm free (hopefully) and ready to go into their forever home someday. They are just so darn cute someone will be thrilled to snap them up.

Just like most weeks, I'm only taking my phone in (and sterilizing it afterwards of course) one day a week to get some photos. Today's pictures are pretty representative of what I see every day when I'm in there.

Face full of food? Yep.

Trying to find a way out again? Yep.

Boxes are the best play toy.

Foster mama just can't keep my white fur white!
But I'm still a cutie, right?

Party in Your PJs Tonight!

Remember, tonight is the Quilted Cow's Party in Your PJs Facebook Live Party. Fun fabrics and patterns for sale - including my most popular vaccine card holder pattern - and giveaways as well! 

Get registered and be ready at 7 PM CST (6PM for those of us in Idaho). I don't have Facebook or I'd share it properly, but you can find them right here: www.facebook.com/thequiltedcowmo

Happy shopping (and sewing)!