Pet love

Hello friends,

Well my little pooch got neutered yesterday and I felt SO BAD! I did not want to do this at all, but I was told it's good for everyone but him. Poor guy. He was really sleepy yesterday but he seems even worse today. He's SO SLEEPY and he wouldn't eat any of his dry food so I spoiled him and got him canned food. He glupped it right up like he always does. I put his pain medicine in there after breaking it in two with no avail. He managed to eat every drop except for the two halfs of his pain medicine. So I had to do what he hates and throw the medicine in his mouth. I wish there was a better way to do this? I've seen those pill pocket treats before but to be honest, I don't think that would work! If he skips them in his food, why wouldn't he skip them in his treats? And they are SO expensive.

I bought him new bowls today for my parent's house. At my place I have stainless steel, really nice bowls but at my parents I just bought him some cheap plastic ones. The vet told me that he had a skin infection under his chin and that it happens a lot because of plastic bowls. Dang. Then he said that if the dog chews on the bowls or have ever chewed on the bowls, it's even more susceptible to holding bacteria. Double dang. So I tossed them and got some stainless steel ones for my parents house as well. So now he's on pain medicine AND antibiotics. Hopefully he feels much better by tomorrow!!

I don't know if I mentioned but my little ferret, Paulie (Charlie's absolute BEST friend) was given 6 to 12 months to live. He's has pancreatic cancer which I treat pretty much just like a diabetes case until it will eventually take him. :( I am SO SAD. I don't know how I'm going to get through another ferret passing. :( He's been my little buddy for so so so long now. At college he used to sleep in my bed with me and scurry throughout the place. So when I bought Charlie the bowls I got Paulie a new little sleeping sack. It's a pirate ship that hangs from the top of his cage like his hammock does. I love the little guy, and I want to change the subject.

Sso there is a movie coming out I'm dying to see. Dinner for Smucks. I haven't officially read this, but it HAS to be based off this French movie that I adore, Le Diner de Cons (The Dinner Party). I just officially looked it up and yes, it is. I'm pretty stoked to see it.

Oh and I started watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy this week for the first time ever. My dentist asked me today if I got into the Twilight movies at all and I responded with "No, I'm just starting to get into LOTR, ask me in 10 years and I'll probably be into it." Then she proceeded to tell me that it doesn't even compare to the books. Meaning, the books were way better.

Speaking of books as movies there is also Eat Pray Love coming out in movie form and I'm just as excited to see that as well. The book changed my life. Julia Roberts was a good choice, but I still don't know if it will do the book justice. Especially considering I love the book enough to say it changed my life. I still have to read Elizabeth Gilbert's new book "Committed" which may convince me to change some of my mind set ways.

More on movies, I'm watching Ghostbusters right now, and I pretty much love this movie.

I have been sewing whether you believe it or not. Not ALL my time is spent watching/thinking about movies. I sewed a little clutch for myself and I love love love it. I will put pictures up on my flickr soon which will then end up showing on this blog. I have been too lazy (probably more like forgetful) to charge the battery for my camera. Which I will do today because I can't wait to take pictures of Paulie in his pirate ship.

Alright loves, I'm a little sleepy, my mouth is numb and I have to get ready to meet my mom and my aunt at the promenade. I hope you all have a wonderful evening!

Love, Jessica of Stitches and Spools

Business and Life

Ah, life!
I contemplated making a personal blog along with this "professional" blog. When I began to think though, I don't have that much to say about both combined let alone by themselves. Also, I think the person I am represents my business, and vice versa. To know me is to know both of my little crazy worlds.
Life has been good. Really good. Lots of enlightenment. Periods of grey but the sun always shines through!! I decided I'm going to start a journal. A simple notebook with a divider will do. In the front half, I will write goals I wish to accomplish and in the second half, I will write the things I love about life. Each time I make an entry in the first (goals), I MUST write something in the second (now). But not the other way around. I think this is because it is very VERY important to be happy in the now. It's something I've been working on now for awhile and nothing I've attempted to do as ever has this great of outcomes. As great as it is to have goals, it is even better to be happy with where you are currently at. So that is my current project idea since the 365 project is on pause. I didn't start it when I said I would, so I will either start it on my first day of fall classes, or I will contemplate a different college-esque photo project.
As far as my sewing business goes, I finally made my first sale in my Etsy store!! I couldn't be more excited! I've recieved projects from all the advertising I've done but I've never sold something waiting in stock before. So I'm very excited!
I bought a bunch of new patterns including dog collars, two pairs of baby shoes and several from Jo-Ann's since they were having a sale. I came up with a GREAT idea on my own and I'm SO SO SO excited to make my first one!! I am waiting for lobster swivel clips to come in the mail and I am on my way to starting my first one! Yay! I will definitely post pictures up and I'm sure dedicate a whole entry to it! I still have pictures to take of some projects I recently completed, like a car bag, clothespin apron and custom dog bone. I'm always procrastinate on taking pictures of projects I made for myself.
I am off to bed, loves. I will post again soon and let you know how life, and the business is going!
Love, Jessica of Stitches and Spools

Round Up! and success!!

Thanks for sticking with me here, friends and strangers.
My life got hectic for awhile and they are slowly on their way back to normal when I realized I haven't blogged in forever! My life got hectic, and my sewing kept up! I've made drapes, aprons, clutches, bandanas, toys, and much more since my last post!
I hope I will soon have the smarts to start tutorials on here and share them with my sewing lovers! I made a couple fortune cookies today for the first time. It took me awhile to figure out how to fold them and everything, some look better than the others. ;)
I would really hope all my readers are keeping up with facebook and my flickr account (the links can be found on this blog). Those are the sites I keep up with the most! Blogging being a second place holder and twitter being next..... myspace being absolute last :\ I don't log on too much and I find when I do log on, I'm on a guest computer and don't have my pictures available to upload.
ALSO! Got some exciting news, check out etsy.com on July 2, 2010 to see my products featured in the pet showcase!! It will be my first time being featured in a showcase and I am very excited! Hopefully it will not be the last!
With the July 4th weekend coming up I wish you all a safe and fun holiday! I'll be BBQing but taking it easy though. No parties this year for me!! Enjoy yourselfs!
Love, Jessica of Stitches and Spools

PS: Let's hear it for the whale ban staying in tact!!!!! The week long meeting in Morocco is finally over and the whale ban hasn't been touched. For those of you who voiced your opinion to help the whales, thank you! I did it as well, but one person is nothing compared to millions. (I believe I talked about this in my last post). So obviously I don't feel personally responsible but I am glad that we could come together as conservationists and help keep this ban in tact.
Don't let anyone fool you. Japan claimed to want to lift the ban in efforts to "conserve" the whales. Here's the thing, Japan, Norway and Iceland are the three countries that continue to participate in whaling through-out the 24 year ban. It has been argued that lifting the ban will allow for stricter regulations for whaling. That does not seem to make sense to me. If Japan is concerned about the conservation of whales, why do they need someone to regulate it? If they are so concerned, can't they regulate it themselves? Hmmmm....
The New York Times reported that failure to lift the ban will "leave management of whale populations in the hands of hunters. A compromise plan...would have allowed the three countries to resume commercial whaling but at significantly lower levels and under tight monitoring."
Why does Japan, Norway and Iceland want this? They are big countries... they can monitor themselves. They are the three countries that continue to hunt for whales regardless of the world's opinion. Their whaling includes endangered whales by the way. I thought hunting endarged animals was a criminal offense?
What the eyes of the uninformed reader fail to see are scientific findings that whale populations are too low to continue commercial whaling. The lifting of the ban would simply give those three countries the legitimacy they desire in light of declining whale populations.
Since the ban has been in tact, whaling catches fell to well below ten thousand a year by 1985 from a high of 70,000 a year in the 1960's.
Without mentioning that little fact, several pro-whaling blinded reports mentioned that 33,000 whales have been killed since the ban took effect in 1986. Wow, 33,000 in 24 years?! That means an average of 1375 whaling captures a year!!!!! But no, no improvement at all since the ban. 1375 captured whales a year? Or 70,0000 captured whales a year? Hmmm....
A repealing on the ban would have led to a tremendous increase in whaling. Not a "controlled" or reduction in hunting. Norways "quotas" of whale hunters went from zero in 1990 to to nearly one thousand in 2010. Obviously they had no intention of using the repeal to "conserve."
Anyway, that was my final rant on the subject. It has been passed and it is reason to celebrate!!! If this happens to ever be brought up again you can count on me to be there to defend it. I just hope everyone who never thought of this topic before now has both sides of the story in mind if it is ever brought up again.

Rants, Raves and Revolutions

Hello friends,

I am ready for a revolution.

I've been inspired this way and that way and every way lately. This world is not it was supposed to be. Look into your heart and you'll find love. You will. Everyone will. It's our God-intended right to be loved (which is tattooed on my back!)

Anyway, this BP oil spill is something else. Do we know how many lives are being ruined? How OUR lives our being ruined? How many animals are dying from this spill that just continues to spew. I knew it was bad news from day one. Day ONE I was unhappy with the spill. It is only getting worse. Please do not take the out of sight out of mind mentality like so many others do. Someday it will be in sight AND in mind, and what do we do then? When everyone else is having this same out of sight out of mind mentality?

There are things we can do. I registered to volunteer and I can't wait for a phone call. You can donate soap and hair (yes, hair... it soaks up the oil I was told!) You simply have to contact your barber or your salon or your pup pup's salon. They don't need it, but their earth does, so really..... they do.

As if the oil spill wasn't enough, another oceanic nightmare is brewing. On June 20, the International Whaling Commission is meeting in Morocco to vote on a proposal to lift the international whaling ban that has been in tact for 24 years. The ban would be lifted for Japan, Norway and Iceland -- the three countries that have hated the ban from.

The rest of this comes from PETA's blog, where I retrieved a lot of my information:

"Anyone who knows anything about the history of the ban—which has slashed the killing from somewhere between 40,000 and 60,000 whales a year to between 1,200 and 1,700—is outraged that the president is going back on his election pledge to strengthen a ban and instead throwing the country's might behind lifting it.

We know some fascinating things about whales: Humpbacks create "bubble-netting" by blowing a stream of bubbles to surround their prey, and females form long-lasting friendships with each other. Many people know that sperm whales have the biggest brains of any living being, but did you know that they're able to dive more than a mile? Or that they communicate by clicking? Or that some scientists believe that sperm whales "are so self-aware that they might have begun to evolve a concept of religion."

We also know that if the whaling ban is lifted, whale families will be torn apart as more are slaughtered. Act now to help animals: Politely tell President Obama that you oppose the cruel slaughter of sentient beings." -Karin Bennett

As my dedicated readers and best of friends already know, whales are my absolute favorite animals in the whole world. They are fascinating, majestic, graceful and simply amazing. I constantly stare out into the ocean, thinking about it's vastness and how many whales are actually out there. The oil spill threatens them (as well as the world) enough. We don't need the deliberate slaughtering of them. Most importantly, it is simply inhumane. We as humans have to protect the vulnerable; as we do with our children or our pets. "When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace" -Jimi Hendrix

I want a revolution. I want a peaceful revolution. Another Woodstock would be amazing. I sign petitions left and right online but what's more powerful-- A million signatures or a million bodies standing for peace?

Love, Jessica of Stitches and Spools

Bonjour! Oui! Oui!

Hi blog family!

That daily affirmation video came at the perfect time for me! I'm so glad I saw it! I feel like I'm taking a stumble in my personal life and that is always frusterating. I won't get into it, because personal problems don't make for a happy blog, a happy Jessica or a happy reader. :)

I finished making my toy bin and it looks adorable!! I'm just having a little trouble with my snap fasteners! I like the metal ones but they are so much work and now they aren't even clipping for me! :( Maybe I will start to use the sew-on snaps. I feel like they don't look as nice but at least they will work and therefore be worth my time! Anyway, once I get the snap fasteners working, I will take pictures and post!

I loved the toy bin SO MUCH that I'm making another one for my Charlie. The first one I made I will put in my Etsy shop and it's aimed more at kids. My mom actually gave me the idea to make toy bins for dogs! And Charlie desperately needs one.

Wow I don't remember the last time I posted so I'll tell you I finished my lunch box, ring bearer pillow and small diaper carrier as well. The only pictures I have so far are for the lunch box and ring bearer pillow.

I have to start on drapes soon, I am making kitchen chair covers, doing a lot of hemming jobs and I need to finish Charlie's toy box. :) I am busy but that is perfect, keep me distracted from everything else!

I though, am taking a weekend vacation! I leave tomorrow for camping with friends and cousins and loves and I could not be more excited!! Too bad we're not roughing it, I love roughing it, but it's not up to me. Since we're not roughing it I can't bring Charlie :( but he is in good hands for the weekend.

Next weekend my best friend Brian comes home from backpacking through Europe!! I am excited to not only see him but to hear all his stories!

French class is amazing! I love speaking French and learning about France!! I speak French only to myself now. And I have a lot of French homework to catch up on before camping.

Au revoir, loves!

Love, Jessica of Stitches and Spools

I am effing amazing.

Bahhhh!!!!! Hello lovers!!!

It's been awhile since a blog but really, check out the Chicagoland area weather... AMAZING! I've been running and walking and playing with Charlie and doing laundry and hanging clothes on my clothes line. Sewing things, making money, jamming tunes and most importantly, hula-hooping.

I have learned that one hour hula-hooping is the equivalent of running for one hour. I am a lover of the running, but only in short spurts when I feel the surge of energy and power to do so. Hula-hooping on the other hand..... I mean come on! Need I say more? Hula-hooping? I used to be quite the champion at it actually. In sixth grade we took a family vacation to Disney World. After hours on our resort they would have Caribbean themed parties. At one of these parties there was a hula-hooping contest and I won! I could hula-hoop like a mad girl! There was once a time when I could hula-hoop until someone told me to stop. I am going to become that girl again. (I also won the limbo contest that year. I credit a lot of these accomplishments to my dancing back round).

Anyway, I am happy. And I am awesome.

Why is it easier to affirm “something’s wrong” than to say “everything’s great?”

Isn’t it strange for us to say, “I’m lazy. I’m fat. I’m no good,” thereby creating our life experience to be one that is late, tired, and worthless. Leave it to our egos to keep us in that small game and hold us back. If you haven’t started yet, I invite you take on affirmations that brighten your day. Create a bigger life for yourself simple by saying things like, “I am tireless, perfect being. I have access to everything and I am complete.”

Check out Jessica’s Daily Affirmation. She’s got it all figured out.

Go shout everything you love about you.

Dear Mom and Dad,

I am whole. I am stoked. I love this day. I love my major. I love my brothers. I love my dog. I love my ferret. I love my city. I love my state. I love my business. I love my iPod. I love my wavy hair. I love my funky natural part line. I love that this is what my life looks like. I love you!

Jessica

Quick Update

I finished my lunch bag in one night! I hope to get the other one done for my Etsy shop in a night this week.

The buyer of the blanket picked it up today and loved it as much as I did!

I posted new pictures of the blanket, fabric, etc, (not the lunch bag) on my facebook page www.facebook.com/stitchesandspools and on my flickr page www.flickr.com/stitchesandspools

So, it was definitely a productive day and I always feel nice after a productive day. I am so very tired though.

I babysat all day yesterday (which was SO much fun!!) and the day before that and the day before that and the day before that.... you get it :) I am not complaining because I love it.

I start my French summer class tomorrow... I'm burnt out. So I hope you all have a wonderful night!!! Nitey!

Love, Jessica of Stitches and Spools