A Place for Dog Leashes...

We've had this mirror for a long time. It's been used for many things...keys, hats, coats, necklaces etc, but poor thing landed in the basement. What to do with it? We have a blank wall in the back hallway where to take our dog Annie outside.

I thought about these sticky scrap book letters, but

decided on these chip board letters. This was my practice placement.

and here's the finished mirror in the back hall. "Doggonit, I have to GO!!!

Holds here leashes, collars and brush.

Great spot so you always know where her things are when she has to GO!!!



Happy Friday,

~Karen~

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Tool Time Tuesday... Quilt Bungee Cord Cover

Welcome to another edition of Tool Time Tuesday. I've received so many emails and comments asking how I come up with ideas for my posts. Well, some of the time I'm just wandering around Home Depot and something inspires me. Other times things are just staring me right in the face in my every day life.

Here is one instance of something I use in so many ways (or should I say sew many ways!!)...bungee cords.

You remember Annie, our 11 year old yellow lab. In past posts, I've made a gate with pvc pipes for her (click here) and an elevated dog dish made from an old picnic basket (click here). Well, I use bungee cords regularly to wrap up her blanket when she has to go some where. Here she is already to go to the kennel for a couple days when we went on a trip to Maine.

Bungee cords are very inexpensive and you can find them any where...even the dollar store.

Just wrap it around the quilt...

and loop the 2 hooks together.

So here's where the tutorial comes in.

We can use bungees to wrap human quilts for...

• a picnic
• the beach
• children's sleepovers...bungee cord the sleeping bag or quilt with the pillow in one bunch

 The only problem is...these things are not cute!

To start, measure the length of the bungee cord.

Take your measurement and double it to cut the fabric.

Now cut your strip of fabric. I cut mine 3 1/2" wide by the full width of the fabric, which is about 42-44" wide. The length of the fabric happened to be double of my bungee cord measurement.

Fold the fabric strip in half length wise.

Iron the length of the strip.

Now sew the length with a 1/4" seam allowance, but leave both short ends open.

I used black thread so you can see the stitching.

Turn the fabric tube inside out.

Now start feeding the bungee cord through the fabric tube.

Attach the ends of the fabric tube to each end of the bungee cord, just below the wire. You can attach it in a few different ways.

• sew it with a few stitches to the fabric cord
• hot glue the ends to the cord
• use those zip ties that you thread through and pull tight and they don't come undone
• wrap wire around it tightly after you hot glue

Now here you have a really cute bungee cord...perfect to wrap around any quilt. Don't forget to match your bungee cord cover to your quilt though.

I'm off to show Annie her new bungee...she's going to be so excited. Ok, maybe I'm the only one who will be excited that her cord now matches her blanket.

Happy Tuesday,
~Karen~

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Easier For Annie...Elevated Dog Dish

This is Annie! Most of you have seen Annie before. She is our 10 year old Labrador...cute as a button, but getting older. Remember I made the pvc gate for her, because she can't go upstairs anymore. Well, now I made something else for her, so it's easier for to eat.

I found this old picnic basket at a consignment shop for $2.00. It's held plants, old newspapers, toys etc. The top is a cheaper plywood and kind of crooked, so I didn't mind cutting it up.

I used 2 containers that I knew would hold her food and water.

Traced the containers on a cardboard template the shape of the top of the basket.


Cut and trace the shapes on the top.

Make sure you trace it straighter than I did!! lol

The tools you'll need are a drill with a larger bit...

a hand held jig saw, small hand saw or a man to do it for you.

Drill holes at the corner of each area you want to cut out.

The holes need to be big enough for the jig saw blade to fit it.

Carefully cut out the shapes. This top was a cheap plywood, so it splintered alot. I'll have to fill it in with wood glue and either paint or stain it.

Drop the bowls in to make sure they fit.

Inside the basket, I place a canvas bag and filled it up with Annie's dog food.

Just take out the dish and scoop out her dinner!!

and it's all set with her water too. (I really need to polyurethane the top to 1. make it look better and 2. to seal out the water she spills.

I took this picture in my sewing room, so she couldn't figure out why her food was in there.

Once I moved it to her spot, she was good to go. The bowls are much higher up now and easier on her neck. I saw an elevated dog dish that looked like a wooden stool for $125.00! Yikes. My $2.00 and some crooked cutting will do just fine!

Enjoy your day,

~Karen~

10:14 AM | 0 comments | Read More

Tool Time Tuesday...PVC Dog Gate and Stair Baskets Too

This TTT isn't for everyone...but you could maybe configure it to fit your life in some way. There is also a bonus idea at the end that everyone can use!!
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This is Annie...our 10 year old yellow lab. She is a sweetheart and we love her to pieces.

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I asked her to wave to all my blogging friends!
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spaceThese are our stairs...basket description at the end of the post
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going all the way up there.
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This is Annie on the stairs...

coming all the way down here...

This picture is literally the last time Annie will be on the stairs. She is getting old and has fallen down the full flight twice. Once was in the middle of the night. You can't imagine what that sounded like. We've been lucky and she wasn't hurt, but we're not taking any more chances. She is taking each step as slowly as possible is this picture.

Because of that, I made this. Gates you buy in the store aren't long enough, they are too high, not cute, cost too much...I could go on and on!!

This gate just rests between the spindles of the stairs. We slide it back and forth to get through, but it's short enough to just step over. It's even shorter now since I took this picture, because it seems we have a cat that will scale the wall about 5 feet if you are playing with her with one of her toys, but she won't hop over this. Go figure...that's a cat for you.

I know...this is pitiful, but I sewed her a brand new big bed for the family room and she loves it. We do miss her sleeping in our room, but sorry Annie...no more stairs for you.

Remember the post for the design wall I made with PVC, well same thing. Just measure the width and height that you need, cut the PVC pipe with a saw and add the corner pieces. All can be found in your plumbing section at the hardware store. Ignore that little piece in the middle of one of the long pipes. I just used what I had and that was from another project. You don't need that piece. You just need 4 corner pieces, 2 short side and 2 long sides.

Just tap all the parts together to form the frame.

Now to cover it with fabric so it's pretty!! Measure the height all the way around with a tape measure. This will ensure you get the thickness of your pipe.

My measurement was 41.5 and I added 1/2" for a seam allowance. I cut the fabric 42" in one big piece, because I folded it over instead on cutting 2 separate pieces. You'll see in a second what I mean.

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Now measure the width all the way around and add 1/2" for seam allowance.

I'm calling that 103.5" plus 1/2" for seam... is 104"

Divide the width by 2, which should be 52...not sure why I took a picture of 52.5"

Here's the pieces of fabric that I have folded over (fold at the top) so it measures 21" x 52" (this is just for my measurement though) With right side together, just sew the short sides with a 1/4" seam.

Now it's just like a big slip cover or pillow case. Slide the bottom opening over the PVC frame. You could whip stitch the bottom closed, but I just left it open.

and here you have it...a pretty safety gate for Annie. However, you could use this anywhere for dogs, babies, toddlers. If you don't have spindles to rest it between, you could always tie a ribbon around the PVC and then attach it to the stairs or doorway or wherever you need it. It can keep things in or out. The great thing about this gate is it's cheap, you can make it to any size you need, you can match it to your room and it's cute too. Here's the gate with the baskets that I always keep on the stairs.

I did a post on these baskets a long time ago, but I'll mention them again. These are my "Crap Baskets"...yes "Crap". If I see or collect any one's crap throughout the house, it goes in that person's basket. When they are on their way upstairs, they need to either take their crap or just take the whole basket full of crap with them.

What's usually in these baskets, you name it...hair elastics, jewelry, hair brushes, socks, shoes, makeup, books, magazines, games, receipts, clothes, cell phone chargers. Oh my gosh, I could go on, but you know what crap is.

I used the clear name badge holders you can buy in the office supply section for $1.88 for 12. I just tied it to the basket and slip their name into it.

Hey, that was a Two For Tool Time Tuesday...a gate and the baskets. Hope you like it.

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I've link this post to Tatertots and Jello Weekend Wrap Up Party...pop over for a visit. It's a must see!! So many wonderful ideas.

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Have a great day or should I say Have a Gate day,

~Karen~

10:00 PM | 0 comments | Read More