Cut it out!

Between kitchen renovations (see Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3) and Pugtastic Tuesday, and a whole lot of work stuff going on at work, there has not been too much quilting getting done at Chez Pug Pack. However, this weekend, I cancelled all my activities because I had some important cutting to do!

I'm participating again in Val's Conversation Print Swap. I participated last year too and had a great time. I used a lot of the fabrics I received in the quilt I made for Logan last year. This year, I'm going to use my bounty to make quilts for Cameron (Logan's little brother) and baby Cousin Nate.

This batch has blue jays, golf balls, paw prints, raccoons, cupcakes, dogs, rain clouds, butterflies, tractors and owls.

As of this minute, Val still has one spot left in the swap. You can start cutting right now and join in the fun! This post shows my fabrics that are getting packaged up and being mailed on Monday. Click here for details on Val's Swap. (Brown Bagger buddies--some of these goodies are coming your way.)

This batch has sunglasses, blueberries, foxes, vehicles, crabs, tennis rackets, Shopkins, kitty cats, lobsters and Jack O' Lanterns. The Shopkins fabric is of dubious quality, so after taking the photo, I substituted a different fabric.

Being no dummy, I also organized a Conversation Print Swap among my Brown Bagger Quilting Buddies. Although I only got seven participants, if you multiply that by 10 different fabrics, I'll get 70 conversation print squares from them.

I also signed up for two spots in Val's swap, so if the math gods align, I'll receive 470 four-inch squares! Yippee!

I'm also trying to finish a quilt, so there may even be an actual quilt-related post later this week. Watch this space!

Here are the Pug Boys at 5:30 a.m., which is when Caesar likes to wake up and greet the day!

Of course, when lunch time rolls around, all three pugs are sacking out on the patio.

Happy Father's Day and Happy Birthday to my Mom!

Thanks for visiting!

Pugs and kisses,
Nancy

Kitchen Renovations, Part 3

Progress is being made!

For two weeks work came to a trickle, and then a halt, as we still waited and waited for our kitchen permit to be approved. As I mentioned in a previous blog post, I'm on a first name basis with most of the members of my City Rep's staff and I've even invited young Walter over for dinner once our kitchen renovations are complete.

Completely unrelated to the renovations, our water heater joined our stove in the back yard.

Our cabinets were delivered on June 1st! Unfortunately, since we were still waiting for our permit, they sat around for a couple of weeks.

Since one box was open at the top, we could at least peek inside to see them.

The plasterer came last Sunday morning at 7 a.m.

No more hole in the ceiling!

Or the wall!

I'm assuming that the pipes will be hidden by the refrigerator and the cabinets...

Just waiting for cabinets!

The paint lady from Babel's came to our house and did an on-site consultation.

Naturally, I prefer the color grouping at the top while Mike prefers the color grouping at the bottom. I'm not sure why Mike doesn't want me to paint the kitchen purple. I think it would look smashing! We have still not reached a consensus on paint colors. I need to go to the paint store this week and purchase some sample sizes to paint on the wall.

At last, our permit came through. Ironically, while we had to wait 65 days for the approved permit, the inspector came the very next day, viewed our kitchen in progress and signed off on the permit. I have nothing nice to say about the Boston City Inspectional Services Department. Most of my neighbors have told me they don't bother getting a building permit and now I know why!

Finally, the big day arrived!

My contractor texted me this photo and told me he was done for the day!

When I came home from work, I had some cabinets! Hooray!

LarryPug does not appear to be impressed!

Caesar wants to know why we have cardboard on the floor.

After three steady days of cabinet installation, the sun is shining on our partial kitchen!

This is Mike's kitchen island.

Another view of the island. I think it's gorgeous! I added the side cabinets to the island as a surprise for Mike. We will use one to hold cutting boards and the other to hold trays and cookies sheets. Mike loves them!

We removed a closet and replaced it with a built-in cabinet. I was hesitant to do it, until I saw the one that my friends Jeff and Dorothy had done in their kitchen. I hired their contractor and kitchen designer, so I went ahead. I'm so glad I did. It looks great!

The cabinet had three rolling trays and two deep drawers. I think that Mike is going to use it to hold his collection of kitchen appliances.

I chose some hardware (finally!) for the cabinet doors. Mike and I prefer handles (instead of knobs).

We are also getting some snazzy cup pulls for some of the drawers.

I have my fingers crossed that our kitchen may be finished by the 4th of July!

Thanks for visiting!

Pugs and kisses,
Nancy

Pugtastic Tuesday: The Father's Day Edition

My husband Mike was not born a dog lover. As a child he was afraid of dogs, so his family doctor suggested that his parents get one. Enter Abigail, a lovable Basset Hound. So Mike grew up with Abigail and got over his fear of dogs.

When I met Mike, I had Romeo and Elvis. The Pug Boys liked Mike right away and the three of them grew to love each other very much. When Romeo passed away last year, both of us cried. Mike was very supportive when LarryPug joined our household six years ago. And he loved Caesar from the very first minute that the Pug Rescue of New England brought him to our house last summer.

We don't own any of the following items, but we thought they would make swell gifts for Mike for Father's Day.

Elvis said that if he got an allowance he would buy this shirt for his Pug Daddy Mike.

LarryPug said that this sign was his choice for Mike's Father's Day gift.

Caesar chose this shirt and he said that his Daddy is much better looking than the model.

I think that Mike would enjoy this sign.

 Here are a couple of pictures of the real Pug Boys.

Triple decker pug sleeping in Mommy's office.

Here is Pug Daddy Mike at the Pug Rescue of New England 5k race.

Here's a funny selfie of Mike, Caesar (in Mike's lap) and LarryPug.

Mike--I think that you will be relieved that we did NOT buy you any of those items for Father's Day. Happy Furry Father's Day to all the other Dog Dads in blog-land.

Thanks for visiting!
Pugs and kisses,
Nancy

The blessings of June 8th

50 years ago today, my Mom brought me home a gift, my baby brother Gary. I was hoping for a sister, since I already had a brother. But Gary turned out to be way better than any sister could have been. He is smart, funny, compassionate and a good friend besides being my sibling. And I am extra lucky, because I have another brother who also has these same great qualities. What more could a sister ask for?

Here's my brother back in elementary school. Isn't he a cutie pie?

Gary has changed careers a couple of times, but has found his true calling and is teaching junior high school math at a school in the Bronx, NY. He loves teaching and he loves his kids. Looks like they had some fun today in the classroom.

Gary is the one in the middle wearing a birthday crown. I love that several of the boys in his class are sporting birthday tiaras.

Meanwhile in Florida, my darling friend Anna had her third baby and she finally got her girl!

Mom, Dad and baby girl are all doing well. Big brothers Logan, age 5, and Cameron, age 2, got to meet baby sister tonight.

Meet Adalynn Audrey. Born 6/8 at 4:23pm; 8lbs 4oz, 20” long. Beautiful, happy and healthy! Her birthday will be easy to remember since it is the same as my brother Gary's!

Adalynn has asked for a ballerina baby quilt. I have the fabric and was just waiting for her to make her appearance. I guess I better get sewing!

Thanks for visiting!

Pugs and kisses,
Nancy

June Sunday 2018 with the Brown Baggers

Newsflash! We interrupt this blog to announce that we finally have a signed building permit from the City of Boston. Now we can finish our kitchen remodeling project. Hooray!!

Here's a recap of some of the projects being worked on at our Brown Bagger quilt meeting last Sunday.

I finished a quilt! I put the binding on this great big beauty. It is a gift for my Cousin Liz. My blogging friend Val did the machine quilting. I finished this quilt top in November of 2017, so it hasn't been languishing for too long.

Jo Ann S. finished this marvelous star quilt, complete with binding.

Marion got her t-shirt quilt back from Kim P. who did the machine quilting. She is putting the binding on this week. It is a gift for her son Michael.

Here is Kathie showing off one of her blocks in progress. We are so delighted that Kathie has moved back to Boston from Texas.

Here is Debbie posing with one of her star blocks. This is a Missouri Quilt Company pattern.

Valerie was working on a cross stitch project.

Sally was putting the binding on her Row by Row quilt.

Debbie had an almost finished quilt to share.

Nancy D. had two finished quilts to share!

This quilt was made from our Dresden Squared birthday blocks. This is a free pattern from Missouri Star Quilt Company.

I love the summery colors in this quilt. Nancy D. bought the fabrics and chose the pattern when we made our pilgrimage to Quilters Mecca aka the Missouri Star Quilt Company in March of 2017.

Sally just has to hand sew the binding down on this cute conversation print quilt. Easy and fun pattern!

Here is Lori peeking out from behind the adorable sail boat quilt that she is making for her grand nephew. She is in the process of machine quilting it.

Intrepid world traveler Kim G. is in Thailand for business and sent us some snapshots from the city.

Here is Kim G. recruiting for the international chapter of Brown Bagger quilters. These are not treadle machines. They are powered by electricity.

Another street-side sewer as seen in Thailand!

Maybe Kim G. will bring us home some fabric from Thailand!

Thanks for visiting!

Pugs and kisses,
Nancy