Saying Goodbye to an old Friend

Today my family has experienced the loss of our little dog Dezdamona ( affectionately know as Dez or Dezzie). Dez had lived a long life and I want to tell you a little about it. Maybe because I think it she was a special dog, and maybe because I have some great stories about her but mostly because I hope it  will help my heart heal a little.

My sister Anna found Dez at an animal shelter almost thirteen years ago. I remember her driving up in the drive way and honking her horn numerous times. My sister Emily and I ran out to see what all the commotion was about. When we opened Anna's car door we found a scared, skinny little brown dog huddled in the front floorboard. My mom liked to say that Dez was a beagle who ran in to a dachshund somewhere along the line. All I know is for me and Dez it was love at first sight, from that day on we were best friends. I taught her to crawl up in our laps if we were sitting in the floor,a trick she loved to try when you were opening presents, hold/playing with babies or even just tying your shoes. My Dezzie was the sweetest dog. She never bit or snapped at anyone and Oh what a personality she had! I could tell you stories and stories about the times she made us laugh or the funny things she did but I know that some of those memories are just for me, for me to cherish in my heart. The few I will share I think show what a loyal dog she was. I think that's the best thing about dogs, they love you fiercely and for all of their days.

Dez was not always an adventurous dog. She was very skittish when we first got her and seemed to be scared of everything. After a while she to grew out of most of those fears, some of which included the garage door and men wearing hats. But others she always seemed pretty skeptical about, like the stairs. Dez really stayed away from the stairs unless she desperately needed something (to go outside or to eat) or she was so angry and needed to somehow express this emotion. That last statement may not make any sense to you so let me explain. When I first left for college Dez was a very sad and upset little dog. She looked for me everywhere but to no avail. Overcome with anger Dez heaved her then slightly chubby little frame up the steps and walked into my room where she then proceeded to pee in the middle of my carpet. (Just so you know this is not a dog who frequently went to the bathroom in the house, this was an no accident). It was as if she was saying "HA! I'll show her! How could she leave me?!?" Every time I would come home for a visit my mom would have to close my bedroom door after I left or this ritual would be repeated without fail.

Then I got sick and had to have brain surgery (It will be 8 years since my surgery on October 23rd!). After I got to come home from the hospital Dez knew I was in the house but she couldn't seem to find me. My sisters taught her how to put her paws up on the side of my bed and I would reach over and pet her head. After she figured out where I was she came to see me at least once a day. Sometimes I would find her sleeping on the floor beside my bed. The funny thing about this was that Dez never slept anywhere but on her own cushion or in her dog crate. When I was strong enough to walk to our family room and lay down on the couch Dez would sleep next to me all day, very unusual behavior for this little dog. It was if she knew I needed comfort and a friend. It was if she knew I needed her.


But years and years have passed. Dez would have been fifteen years old in December which is 105 in dog years. And all of a sudden things just seemed to be a little too much for our little friend. And today she left this world for another. Oh how I miss her! It feels like a member of my family is missing. I know now what it must have felt like when she searched that big house of ours looking for me when I went to college.

People can argue and say that dogs don't have souls and thus cannot go to heaven. These people have never loved a dog like I have. They can't or else they wouldn't believe that there are no dogs in heaven. My puppy was a friend, a comfort, and someone who loved me even at my worst, my ugliest, my lowest. I think this is a reflection of God and how we should strive to love others. And why would God not want all that exuberance, goodness and love in heaven. I know heaven is a better place today because it has one new member : a little brown baby puppy named Dez.

Stuffed

 Hey did you know September is over? I really don't know where that month got to but I can't seem to find it anywhere. Since I last posted I have been sewing my fingers off trying to get ready for this and this. And somewhere in there I fit in time to have a birthday. And I really feel like I woke up and all of sudden it was October.....and sort of cold....


In other news, my sister and I have been eating a lot of "stuffed things" for dinner recently, with a lot of success so it is about time to share a few of our experiences. First : Goat cheese stuffed baked apples= Amazing. We have actually made these a few times recently. We don't like to have things on the menu two consecutive weeks but as long a there is a week in between its a go (if our Mom is coming to visit, the need to impress her with our really good recipes trumps the nonconsecutive week rule).

We have perfected this recipe since I took the pictures but you get the idea. Basically we stuffed apples with goat cheese and honey and baked them until they were vesicles of perfection ( about 30 minutes at
425 degrees).

Next we tried stuffed bell peppers which was another successful endeavor. I just feel healthy eating an entire pepper (even if it is stuffed with meat and cheese).

Our latest stuffed dinner came after an uncharacteristically helpful moment from my sister Emily. Emily is the greatest but one thing she is not great at is coming up with ideas for dinner. Emily loves food and recently is up for trying new things but ask her to come up with what she wants to have and you will more than likely get a blank stare. Sometimes she will look at you, refer to herself in 1st person and say "Emily is not helpful." and walk away. So a few weeks ago when she suggested we have "sweet potatoes stuffed with stuff", I did all I could to make that happen. And so we had "Dairy Free Twice Baked Sweet potatoes" (we try to stay away from dairy but this recipe could be easily made with dairy products). You can find this recipe here. The only thing we did different is we used dairy free cream cheese instead of soy yogurt.  And these sweet potatoes will probably be making an experience at all the Clarke get-togethers from now on.

So even though September managed to slip by me and I feel like I have stumbled into October  slightly shocked and somehow a year older, I did emerge with something valuable- 3 news ways to stuff foods into other foods and have it turn out amazing!

Isn't She Lovely?

Okay so for a few months now I have been making clutch purses (I call them "Fancy Flounces" after my bigger Flouncy Bag). Some of you may have seen them as one of my friends, Melissa, gave one away on her blog last month and I had a few at my grand opening. I still only have a few because, while I have made a bunch in the month of July, I sold them all to Lilly at Petal Boutique. This is a great new Boutique in Greenville that you really need to check out.

SO I just finished this Fancy Flounce and I LOVE IT! It is a little bit autumn meets "A Midsummer Night's Dream".  It (and hopefully a few others, if I can get them sewn) will be at my studio this Friday August 5th from 6-9. If you live out of town and are interested in one of my clutch purses just send me a message or comment on this post. I think they would make great bridesmaid's gifts or would be a one of a kind accessory to add to any outfit!

And remember,  my studio which is off of Pendleton street right under the Pendleton Art District Sign will be open this Friday from 6-9pm. The address is 1279 Pendleton Street. Hope to see you there!

Project Pajamas

The most recent episode of Project Runway has reignited some "Is it a good idea to be wearing this to bed?" anxieties within me. This may sound weird but let me explain. I learned the hard way that wearing whatever you want to bed can have consequences while I was working at summer camp. The reason why I was woken up in the middle of the night is a secret camp tradition that I am not at liberty to write about BUT I can tell you that around 10 pm putting on a matching pajama shirt and shorts with purple stars on them (that my great aunt gave me because she never really had a firm grasp on my age) seemed harmless. I don't remember how those pajamas got put into my camp trunk or why I needed to wear them (I definitely had other pajamas) but I do remember the embarrassment I felt when every other counselor I saw at that late hour asked me "What are you wearing Julia?!?"

 Consequently, for several years after that (at camp or at home) I was very conscious of what I slept in. Who knows who would be waking you up in the middle of the night. This continued to be a concern when I worked at the residential treatment for troubled teens. On average, I got woken up after I had gone to be about once a month and the teenagers I lived with were not always known for their kind words as it was so I really didn't want to be caught dead in anything humorous.

It had been over a year since I have been in any sort of situation where there has been a possibility of me being woken up in the middle of the night and this I have become less diligent about making sure I don't look ridiculous. Now don't get me wrong I have not brought back the purple star pajamas but I have  sometimes chosen comfort over cuteness.

Then I saw the first episode of this season's Project Runway. If you have never seen an episode of Project Runway, (You need to) I will explain it to you. Project Runway brings together a group of colorful clothing designers and gives them challenges. At the end of each challenge there is a runway show and someone is eliminated. It is hands down one of my favorite shows. This past weeks episode involved the designers being woken up at 5 am being told (by Tim Gunn- The shows lovable mentor) to bring with them one sheet off their bed and the clothes off their back. Once they arrived at the workroom they were told that they were to make an outfit using their pajamas and the sheet as materials. And so as I got ready for bed the other night and pulled on some brightly colored, heart printed shorts I honestly thought to myself "What if Tim Gunn wakes you up in the middle of the night Julia? Do you really want to have to make an outfit out of this?"

Finishing Touches

I am finishing up some projects for the new studio today (and tomorrow and probably Friday!) I can't wait to show all of y'all what Elizabeth and I have been working so hard on the last few weeks.  Until then, I fell in love with this song a few days ago so this is what I am humming as I sew today!

Have you Heard?!?

Yes the rumors are true!! I have recently joined forces with my friend Elizabeth, from Yellow Elm, and we are opening a studio together! Sew Sew Lovely will very soon have a location! We are planning a grand opening in a few weeks and you are invited! Why not stop by and see our new space before you head out of town for the fourth of July?

Hopefully over the next few weeks I will have a few sneak peak pictures to show you! Stay Tuned!

Things that make me happy.

It has been sort of a dreary day today so I thought I would blog about somethings that make me happy.

I love blue Mason jars. I have been collecting them for years so I have them all over the house. Some of them have lace or buttons in them, some have money I am saving and some have loose beads. This one however, had beautiful yellow roses in it. Are these colors just delicious?

My all-most two-year-old nephew, Mateo, loves to be outside with his daddy and big brother. My brother-in-law has found that it is a lot harder to work on the family's cars and do other yard work with Mateo in tow. Usually, Mateo is allowed to come outside anyway, except when my brother-in-law is mowing the lawn. So to avoid whining, my sister has set him up chairs (one at the front of the house, and one at the back of the house), and provided him with a snack and a sippy cup. As my brother in law rides the mower around the house, Mateo moves from chair to chair with his snack. No way he is missing the action!