CHIC BEBE FLANNEL FABRIC - SOFT AND SWEET!

Chic BeBe flannel is in the 44th Street Fabric shop! This blue and chocolate brown and pink and chocolate brown flannel fabric is a refreshing change from the flannel usually used for baby's blankets and clothes. Pictured is one of the receiving blankets I made for Dylan, my new grandbaby.

I've made these blankets for my daughter Gina and she loved them. All her friends asked me to make them for their babies. These are great made in a large size (44" x 44") because they are big enough to lay in the baby carrier and wrap the baby when you go out and they are a nice cover for nursing moms. The flannel isn't too hot.

Making these little blankets is easy-peasy! Just put two 1.25 yard cuts of flannel right sides together and sew 1/2" around the edge, leaving an opening for turning. Then use any decorative stitch on the machine and go around the edges. I rounded the corners of my blanket (using a butter plate for a template) because I like the way it looks. One side of the blanket is polka dot and the other is damask. They are really cute and the more you wash them, the softer they get. Another advantage of their large size is that they can be used through the toddler years. Make some today and have the coolest baby shower gifts ever!

DYLAN - 18 HOURS OLD!

Dylan, who came 2 weeks early, pulled off her heart monitor and put it in her mouth! We humbly thank God for a beautiful, healthy, strong baby!

NEW GRANDBABY, DYLAN CAMPBELL IS HERE!!

DYLAN CAMPBELL was born today weighing in at 6 lbs. 1 oz! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DYLAN-you are an adorable baby girl! Dylan is pictured with her exhausted but proud Daddy, Jason.

THE APRON

Here's a wonderful little piece about aprons written by my friend, Judy Leister, who reminds us that Grandma's apron was one of the most versatile pieces of clothing ever designed! Thanks Judy!

I don't think our kids know what an apron is!

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath,because she only had a few, it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears. From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven. When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids. And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms. Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove. Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron. From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls. In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds. When dinner was ready,Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner. It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that ' old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

REMEMBER: Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool. Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw. They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs was on that apron. I don't think I ever caught anything from an apron!

LOLA'S STORY (as told by Lola)

Today I don't want to talk about 44th Street Fabric shop. Today I want to celebrate little Lola's life and tell her tell her story (in her own words). Lola came to me through a wonderful animal rescue called Pets and People. They are a no-kill shelter and find homes for thousands of cats and dogs every year. They have a lovely facility with a dog park and a paid vet tech. In tough economic times shelters really suffer and we aren't asking for money from you (although they would take it)! You can click on a link on their home page and without it costing you anything (costs you zero) , you can register and when you shop at certain places, they will donate money to Pets and People. Please, please, please take 5 minutes and help out! Here's Lola's story which was written after she had been with us a few weeks!

My Story

by Lola

My name is Lola, I am a shih tzu and I want to tell you my story. I was born in a place called a puppy mill. I lived there with 40 other doggies. We all shared little pens that were built originally to be rabbit hutches. They were up off the ground and had chicken wire floors. We didn't get to go outside our pens very often. When we did, we were taken into a building called a garage and there we were bred to other pups. I was always afraid. My friends and I always got excited when people came around but that wasn't very often. We drank our water out of bottles suspended from the cages. My eyes hurt a lot and I had thick yellow fluid in them and it was hard for me to see. I had some sores and lots of skin problems. I also had a bladder infection. I was very sick. I was grateful that I was not at the puppy mill alone but I was sorry my dog friends had to live this way too.
One day some people called animal control officers came to the puppy mill with some policemen. The people who owned the puppy mill ran away from them. The animal control officers found a big pile of dead doggies that weren't even buried. We were all so happy to see these nice people but were a little afraid of what might happen to us now! We could not understand why the animal control officers and policemen were crying when they saw us. They took us to a place called a shelter. Then some people called volunteers and vets and vet techs came in and they were really nice to us. They gave us baths and hair cuts. That was really scary! They gave us physical exams and even gave us shots. They were very sad that they had to help 20 of us go to the Rainbow Bridge. Those 20 doggies were just too sick. I was sad to see my friends go away.
This is not the end of my story though! Some people from a place called Pets and People came and got us! They called everybody to find us forever homes! They called my Mommy and told her about me and she came right away and took me home! I was so sick that during the first few days I don't remember much. I know I made 4 trips to my very own vet those first 3 days. The medicine I got from the vet made me start feeling better.
I have a brother named Charlie who is also a shih tzu! He was not very happy about me coming to live with him! Everything was new and scary! I did not know how to drink from a water bowl. I would lay down with my paws on each side of the bowl, take a deep breath and plunge my face in the water! I have learned how to drink like a big girl now. I did not know how to go down stairs and had some close calls learning how! I also had never been on grass! Boy, that stuff was weird! I have been watching Charlie closely to learn new things! He does something called playing. That's what I am learning now.
It is hard for my Mommy to take my picture cause I want to be touching her all the time. It feels good to be next to her and I am learning not to be afraid of the people I meet. We went to a place called the dog park and it was very hard for me. It brought back memories of the puppy mill and I was afraid my Mommy was going to leave me there. I know Charlie would not have minded too much if she had. I still shake a lot and new things scare me but I am what Mommy calls a "trooper". I wish I could thank all the people who saved me and the other 19 doggies that lived and found forever homes. I wish I could thank all people everywhere who rescue doggies and kitties from terrible situations and find them homes. They are true heroes. I have to go now. My adventure continues! Charlie has something called a greenie. I'll bet there is a greenie for me too.
Life is good!