Score!! I Bought Four!

I'm an extremely practical person, some may say too practical. For my 40th birthday a few years ago, I asked for a new washing machine. Other years, for either birthday or Christmas, I have requested things like a vacuum cleaner and steam iron. My husband laments my wish lists, worried that others will put him in the same camp as those who buy their wives subscriptions to Sports Illustrated for their birthdays. But after 19 years of marriage, he finally understands and appreciates that I like things that will be useful on a day-to-day basis. Diamond rings and pearl necklaces sound good, but they don't meet my pragmatic criteria.

So, all the members of my family were more than a bit flabbergasted when I came home last week with FOUR new dog beds. Ummm, no, we don't have four dogs...just the one Cabana.

Let me explain! After dropping off our relatives at San Francisco Airport last week, I stopped in at SCRAP, which is an acrostic for Scroungers Center for Reusable Art Parts. Some folks may like to shop at Bloomies or Saks, or even pocketbook-friendlier Kohls or Target. But SCRAP is hands-down my favorite store.

Businesses and individuals donate their unneeded but still usable items, complete or just the parts and pieces, and instead of becoming landfill, it becomes whatever someone has the imagination to make it become. You NEVER know what you're going to find there.

Last week, I found dog beds. Nothing wrong with most of them, except that they were unstuffed. They had all kinds of shapes and sizes--and they were each only THREE dollars!! It was too good of a bargain to pass up. Using the stuffing from Cabana's old dog bed (an un-luxurious $15 purchase from Ross) and $20 in new stuffing (using a coupon from Joann's), Cabana has become a pampered pooch.

But I still qualify as practical, since now, I don't have to move Cabana's bed from room to room. She has one waiting for her in just about every room in our house.

The bed in the photo above is my favorite, big and round, made of cozy sherpa. And the bolstered back keeps Cabana from falling off the backside.

This one is in our bedroom. It has cute handstitched detailing and an appliqued bone. It was missing a corner, but using a scrap of fabric, I sewed a new one in.

Her family room bed. Love the mitered plaid border and piping!

And the pièce de résistance--a couch bed with double bolsters. Right now, it's hanging out in the garage, which is where Cabana spends quite a bit of time with me while I sew/work. Behind Cabana, you can see my 40th birthday present--my fabulous front-load washing machine!