I got a bunch of fun mail this week: two envelopes stuffed with fabric and yarn and a small box of books. It's like a pile of inspiration sitting on my desk.

The fabrics, and the green yarn, are going to become a quilt similar to this one. It'll be a project for after Christmas and early January. Something nice and warm for our bed when the weather gets the coldest, to remind us that spring and green really will come back in just a few months time.

I was very excited to get both of these books. Handmade Home came out in August and must have been sitting in my Amazon cart since then - I can't remember why I didn't order it - and I noticed it when I added Sew U: Home Stretch. I've already cut out a couple of Millie's Hot Pads and can't wait to start in on a new t-shirt.

I realized the other day that Abby has been part of our family for a whole year. It seems impossible to think of our home ever being without her.


Abby likes paper, sticks, Zeke, peanut butter, squirrels, Zeke, snow, puddles, tummy rubs and Zeke.


Her favourite napping spot is the “puppy hammock” made by a blanket over Rob’s knees when he lies on the couch.


She knows how to sit, lie down, roll over and go to her bed and will try to do all at once if you’ve got a really good treat.


Special treats include peanuts, carrots, cucumber, peas and edamame.


She can catch the word “squirrel” if you so much as think it and will look at you excitedly and then rush to the window.


She also knows the word “walk" and will rush to the door and lie down if she thinks you might be getting ready for one. If you’re too slow about it she’ll start making wookie noises at you.


We are getting pretty creative at coming up with other words to refer to going for a walk. It’s probably good brain exercise.


I’d never before been aware of just how expressive a dog’s eyebrows can be (or even that they really had them).

I’ll probably always refer to her as my puppy.

I'm participating in an ornament swap this year. It's being organized by the Small Fox and I signed up a little over a month a go. I spent a little bit of each day last week getting my ornaments made and photographed before sending them off. Each person in the swap makes and sends ten ornaments and gets ten different ones back.

I decided to make Moonstitche's Zakka Style Owls as ornaments (I just thread a piece of embroidery floss through the top of the head and hide the knot behind the face). I love this tutorial and have been wanting to make more of these guys for our decorating this year. I cut out a whole bunch and picked ten particularly cute little guys to send away. I used a bunch of different fabrics for my owls - corduroy, wool, suiting fabrics (that may or may not be wool), and even some velveteen I found tucked away - and made sure that the ten I sent out did not include any duplicates.

There is a Flickr group for the swap where you can see what other people are making and get loads of ideas for making stuff yourself.