Thursday, August 30, 2012

A warning to all the pet lovers in SE QLD

Whilst this may have nothing to do with stitching as such, can you imagine what wonderful delights I could have bought with $1552.25 from any quilting or crafting store with that sort of money this week????

Now we all know our little 'Teddie' the mini schnauzer is a bit of a scruff most days...


Pictured above in his favourite position (head in food bowl) but even his beloved favourite owner (me) did not recognize him today :-(
IT IS NOW PARALYSIS TICK SEASON if you didn't already know.
This is what my 'used to be cuddly schnauzer' now looks like after a week in the doctors...


Now i gotta tell you, i seriously didn't recognize my own dog at the vets!!!
PLEASE for all your sakes and your bank accounts sake, make sure you treat all your pets with anti tick stuff!!!
Around here a few people got slack and boy o boy have we had to pay for it!!!
If you live in a suburban home please be aware that birds carry and drop ticks!
Since the drought and then the floods straight after, ticks are prolific now!

Science says one female paralysis tick has 300 babies!!! If even a half of them are girls then you can start doing the numbers game!!

I've grown up in the bush with ticks all my life and I can tell you, I can't remember them ever being this prolific!
And a factual word that so many people don't understand...
If you find a tick on your pet, pull it off straight away!! Just grab it and rip it off!!!
Try not to squeeze the tick body as you do it, so you don't push the venom that is inside the tick, into your pet, but just rip it off!!!

Some may appear to have 'burrowed in' but this is actually your pets skin swollen from the venom, swelling up around the tick!
If you break the tick and it's head is left behind then THAT'S OK!!!!
The head will just dry out and fall off at a later day when the swelling has gone down on your pet.
Please be aware that the area around the tick bite is EXTREMELY sore and your pet may not want you to touch it, but that 'little sucker' (tick) needs to be removed as soon as possible!!!

Your pet will get sicker for at least the next 24 hours after you remove the tick, so after nearly loosing Monty (our old dog) 18 months ago, I would say, take your pet straight to the vets for a check up even if it only may just be a bit wobbly in the hind legs (one of the first signs of a paralysis tick)

Sadly these rotten insects cause big problems with your animals lungs and because they get worse for the next day or so, this is the part that causes the money and emotional duress!!!


Teddie wants you all to know he's on the mend but please treat your pets regularly for ticks and stroke them a lot so you may feel any little lumps before they get really big.
Here is a small list of symptoms to watch for and even if you can't find a tick it's worth the $70 for a pet check than wait and pay between $1500 and $4000 (yes if you love your pet that's the going rate to save them!!)

Here's the list
-Wobbly in the legs
-Looking and acting very lethargic
-Not wanting to eat
-Not greeting you the way they normally do
-Coughing
-Choking noises like they want to be sick
-Cant stand up, or fall over if you stand them up
-Not being able to move or lift up their head if they are laying down.

Our big dog has now seemed to have learnt to come and drive us crazy seeking attention when he has a tick....I think this is maybe because they are hurting and he wants us either to scratch it or fix it.

Sometimes, if a tick has been on your pet for a while, the bite (with tick still there) will form like a scabby lump over the tick. If you don't know your pet was injured in that spot, it's best to pick off the scab and make sure there is no tick!

I was told yesterday if you feed your pet the tick after you pull it off, it will strengthen your pets immunity.
I'd personally say not to do that but please check with your vet before you ask your pet to ingest a poisonous bug!!! ( I've never in 45 years heard that one)

Like everything you need to get the right advice and 'a stitch in time saves nine'.
I hope some of this information on ticks is handy to know but with a bit of luck you won't need the advice!
Please take my advice and use prevention products!
My last few days have been very upsetting and very expensive! There is no worse feeling than wondering if you should just put your pet down because of the size of the bill and it's all because of a damn insect!!!

Give your pet a pat from me!! They are such great company when you need a friend :-)

Nikki

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Getting back to the basics

Guess what I'm doing this weekend??
I am looking after my two nieces so figured we'd have some fun by having a stall at a craft market!
Come if u r in the area and say hi..


Hope you are having a happy day
Nikki

Monday, August 13, 2012

Who says I love chocolate???

Dinner for two...


A dinner out with my youngest son, Mike


Table for two


Fruit is good for you


So is banana


So we did..


No grubs in there but that is a strawberry so we did eat fresh food


Needless to say i got covered in it..


No that isnt a straw...


Sadly like all good things it came to an end...


I was very sad...


But we checked before we left, and there was heaps of left overs...


So if you need a chocolate fix... Heres where to go


10 outta ten!!!!Hope you are having a happy day
Nikki

Sunday, August 12, 2012

My Lucky Day!!!

Did you know I am a total nutcase over birds?


Well I am. Meet Henry...


He loves me, he laughs like me and he loves Earl Grey Tea. Always have to share (ojust do not tell my mum as shes convinced im gonna die from a bird disease...)


Henry even loves my glasses...
He whistles the dogs, he calls for Michael, he rings like the phone and is our welcoming committee / door chime when we have customers or visitors.
You can look absolutely horrid in the morning and he will still give you a wolf whistle!


Well guess what??? You're not seeing double...
Henry just got a girl friend and she lovely Earl Grey Tea too!! Meet Tilly..:-)


Now isn't she just the cutest little girl you've ever seen?


My perfect little feathered children... I'm told i can look forward to being a granny bird in about 12 months!!
Im so excited!!
I've been looking for a girl for nearly 2 years...

Now off to paint more buttons...

David Attenborough is on tomorrow night so I gotta get some work done!!
Go Tilly....


Hope you are having a happy day like me :-)
Nikki

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Mystery still to be revealed

Here's some blocks, quilt not quite done but on it's way...


Robyn's bright


Val's pretty pink and green


Margs lovely yellow, blue and green


Leonie's looked gorgeous! Straight out of a box of chocolate...

I'll make sure I get some finished quilt tops up soon.
Hope you are having a very happy day
Nikki

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

A few laughs

Went out tonight and in my travels saw some minor funnies...


Tree outside restaurants in busy street. This was the sign nailed to it...


Some one is clever at picking their bill board sites...
Ever wondered why you should tip the staff in a restaurant???


This has to be my favorite lamp base! And yes it did work!


Yes these are lamps and yes they are made from shells...


Hundreds of little white shells glued together so they looked like roses. WOW
This was the sewing display for people who are into miniatures...


The buttons in the button box were beads and the balls of wool were smaller than my piniest finger nail...
And a photo that makes me laugh..


Hope you are having a happy day
Nikki

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Mystery Quilt weekend

Stitching up a storm this weekend teaching a mystery quilt here in my classroom.


This is my lot of fabric


And here are the rest of the students. Watch this space to see them by the end of the day..


Pretty


Luscious..


Hiding the accents..


Chocolate and pink..


My daughter Miranda, stitching up a storm..


Miranda loves pinks and pretties..


A striking color way..


Loving the blue and light chocolate..


Rolling out a completely new color range..


And of course we always need a bright one to add to the mix..

No one knows how they turn out so there is becoming a hum of machines to get them done now.
Go girls..

I hope you are having a happy stitching weekend too..

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Disgusting dietary habits

Ok!
I surrender!!
I admit to being a sugar addict who is MENTAL about sticky bun!!


Ask any one who knows me well and its the icing i want not necessarily the bun bit....

So here's my thing...

If you think that is disgusting, then lend a thought for me and make sure it's packed with sympathy!!!
Today, in comes my bucket of Earl Grey tea


And yes it is as big as it looks!
Bun on plate, 3 slices to satisfy the sugar craving.
Please note in the above picture there is two slices on the plate...

Now ever heard the silly joke: what's worse than a grub in your apple? Answer: half a grub in half your apple.

Now NO JOKING!!!
It nearly happened with me and my bun...
Look what I found curled up, dead (thank goodness) , and pressed into the underneath of my bun!!!!


YES ITS A FULL GROWN GRUB!!!!
Only saving is PLEASE NOTE IT IS STILL A WHOLE GRUB...

Hope you are having a happy grub free day
Nikki