Celebrating Kitties!

Happy National Cat Day!

Teacup Dainty was the first kitty to adopt our DillyDally family!  She allowed Mr. DD and I assist in raising our children.

She passed away in 2011 and left us with wonderful memories that helped ease the pain of our broken hearts.

Flicka chose us in the spring of 2012 ... after the loss of Teacup, we had been unsupervised for nearly a year ... yep, things were unraveling quickly!

Flicka stepped right in and took charge ... she straightened us out quickly!  The recent arrival of a very silly puppy initially challenged her abilities, but it didn't take her long to have Nissa in line as well!

I am so grateful for the way Teacup and Flicka have enriched our lives!  I cannot imagine life without them!

Do what you love.  Hug your furbabies!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

  

Undercover Work

It's a fact.  Most of my dillydallying has gone undercover!

As Halloween approaches ... I am reminded that the holiday season has arrived!  Gift giving is around the corner, and my dillydallying takes on new purpose!

Supervisor Flicka is always available to lend a paw (or two) ... she is a huge help and keeps me entertained!  Silly kitty!

Design done ... yarn selected ... let's get this undercover mission underway!  After down loading this picture ... the juxtaposition of the Christmas themed yarn on the Halloween tablecloth says it all!

Both furbabies slept in this morning ... and I was able to make good progress.  Quiet mornings are very uncommon around here.  It was a wonderful way to begin the last week of October!

The 2015 holiday season is a big one for these stormtroopers ... even they need to take a break from galaxy politics and dillydally!  It's safe to say ... my dillydallying needs to "jump to light speed"!

Do what you love.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

DillyDally Bits!

Gosh ... cannot believe it has been over a week since my last post!

Today was the first day without rain since then!  Nissa and I took advantage of it and spent the entire morning outside.

Most leaves have hit the ground ... these cranberries are all that is left on this bush.

And all that remains on the willows are the roses.  Fall is nearly over in my remote corner of the planet.  Halloween is fast approaching which means that other holidays and annual events are not far behind!

Our quilt guild's Annual Tea & Auction is November 15th ... sew my undercover work has begun!  This is a panel I picked up in Oregon this past summer.

I love panels ... but it is always a challenge to figure out what to do with them!  This panel has a quilt/sewing theme ... it is sized long and narrow ... so it didn't fit into anything from my extensive somewhat large pattern collection!  Sew ... I am making it up as I go!  Winging it in true dillydally fashion ... of course!  Will reveal after the event!

I've squeezed in a bit of sewing for myself.  My Vintage Farm Girl 6 inch blocks are finished, but I have deliberately put off piecing them together.  Lori Holt is publishing more blocks that I may want to include.  Meanwhile ...

... I decided that I wanted to include a tractor!  I was in third grade when my grandfather taught me to drive our small tractor!  Our large tractor, was a red Farmall ... here is my interpretation!

Flicka has found that sitting on a tractor is very comfortable ... she dreams of being a farm kitty!  Too fun!

My 007 work has required a bit of online shopping ... I couldn't resist and included a Frivols for myself!  Because ... who knows ... I might run out of projects!  ;-)  Plus the tin is super cute!

Most of every day is spent entertaining  and working with this furball!  Puppies have a lot of energy and our goal everyday is to wear her out!  The truth is ... she wears Mr. DD and I out!  She is good for us!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Do what you love.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

Golden Moments

Golden moments are those snapshots of time when the world is still for just a second ...

... and your heart is full of gratitude.

Do what you love.  Be thankful.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

Our Day in the Big Woods

In my remote corner of the planet, it is the season for large coastal storms!  They blast us with all the moisture and wind that traveling across the Pacific Ocean generates.  The winds push all that moisture against our mountains ... the result is buckets of rain!  Such is life in a temperate rain forest.

Yep, she pulled the quilt off the recliner and made herself comfortable!  Geesh!

Weather like this isn't usually an issue ... storms that last for days is a dillydalliers dream come true ... we love having the excuse to stay home and dillydally.  However, puppies are full of energy ... and a 1500 square foot home doesn't allow them enough room to exercise.  The only time I get to sew or knit is when she naps ... and napping only happens when she is "dog tired"!

By Thursday, Nissa was going crazy and I could feel myself losing patience.  It was time to wear her out ... of course that means I'll be worn out too!  ;-)  I decided to drive out the road (20+ miles) and take her on one of the many hiking trails maintained by the U.S. Forest Service.

The forest canopy makes a great umbrella and filters the rain in such a way that when it hits us it is more of a mist ... as opposed to a downpour.

It was just what Nissa we both needed!

Fresh air!

Lots of room to explore!

"Hurry up Mama!"

Of course, Nissa reached the end of the trail ahead of me!  So cute!

Our hike was rewarded with beautiful views!

Gorgeous ... even in the rain!

Be. Still. My. Heart!  I look down and she is on the cliffs edge!  Yikes!

I was afraid to startle her ... so kept taking pictures and gently called her to me.  She was enjoying the view as well ... the wind in her face ... finally after promises of cookies ... she came.  The leash went on immediately!  OMGosh ... she scared the baa-gee-bees out of me!

Needless to say ... I was ready to head back ... I kept her on the leash.  When I was convinced she wouldn't go back ... I took it off again ... this is her happy thank you face!

Like all retrievers ... she loves playing in the mud!

She likes eating it too!  As evidenced in the car on the drive home!  Yuck!

I can tell when she begins to tire ...

... instead of running back to me ...

... she lays down and waits for me to catch up!  So dang cute!

Mother Nature gifted us with a bit of sun near the end of the hike!

We were damp.  We were tired.  We were happy.  Our mission was accomplished!  We both took a nap when we got home.  Thanks to the big woods, it was a wonderful dillydally day!

Do what you love. Spend time in the big woods!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

DillyDally Quilt Update!

Since Nissa arrived ... time to quilt has been limited.  But puppyhood isn't permanent, so before long there will be more time available to sew.

Flicka and I have worked hard to squeeze in time to accomplish a few things!  Before the puppy, she had mostly lost interest in my sewing ... but now that time in the sewing room has become limited, she has resumed her supervisory responsibilities!

We've been working on a flower themed quilt for a very special little girl!  It is a Bonnie Hunter pattern that I love and have made before.

Nothing would be possible with out the support and assistance of my cheerleading squad!  Too fun!  Yep ... in my remote corner of the planet one must learn to entertain themselves! ;-)

Here the blocks are laid out ...labeled ... and ready to be pieced.  Currently it is impossible to lay anything out at home, so these tasks must be done during guild events!

This past weekend our guild held their Fall Retreat and I was finally able to piece the top together!

Every piece of fabric came from my stash!  Many of the prints are leftover from clothes I made Sister during her childhood ... so many wonderful memories!  Even the border holds special memories!  I am so happy with the floral version of this quilt ... and hope that it provides years of snuggles for the sweet little princess that will be receiving it!

In other dillydally quilt news ... ;-) ... I recently received two quilts back from the long-arm quilter!  Love how she makes my ordinary quilts look fantastic!

I look forward to hanging this snowflake themed sampler up during our dark winter months!

When looking through my "stuff" I found this top that I had completely forgotten about!  Yikes!  Now you understand why one of the dillydally rules is ... no guilt! ;-)

Again ... the long-arm quilter took a very mundane snowball quilt and made it wonderful ... she is such a blessing in my life!  I look forward to getting these bound!  Complete finishes are the best!

And ... of course I am still basking in the glow of my Vintage Farm Girl blocks!  They were just so dang much fun!  This little stack of forty-four 6 inch blocks represents sew much ... love my dillydally quilty life!

Do what you love.  Quilt for fun!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally