It was cold yesterday. The frost hung on the trees all day. No wind. The world stayed frozen white with a cover of cloud like a stainless steel lid. 
On these still cold sepia days, it is hard not to succumb to malaise. The weather sits there like a big lump. So I went out to make the dogs their new pillows and yes this is an outside job. Which immediately raises the spirits.
I found these jute bags in a store the other day, they were practically giving them away! I was thrilled. I had swooped across to the pile. Exclaimed’ Oh, look John’, then felt them and counted them and smelt them and said to the wide eyed woman next to me .’ They smell like coffee, how delightful. You smell ‘ I said to the lady. Not taking her eyes off me she obediently aimed her nose at the old coffee sack I was holding out to her, hauled in a hesitant sniff, nodded and scuttled off.
And they were as cheap as they should be. What a find. I piled them into Johns cart (he has to push the trolley when we go shopping, and I don’t care to) and off I trotted again.
“You are not in Guatamala now, Doctor Ropata” Sorry, someone had to say it and that Shortland Street (NZ hospital soap opera) line has never sunk below my subconscious.
Oh, before we make the duvets and mattresses for the dogs look. Can you see anything new in the picture. Did you notice my new wobbly potting table from the junk yard! See I knew that John could fix its leg back on! And it looks like it has been there for years. 
Anyway yesterday after a very long wait the dogs finally got their wooly mattresses.
The wool from the last shearing (last spring!) has been sitting waiting for almost a year now, but I could not decide what to make the pillows with. Mama has wool that is too short and coarse for spinning so it is used to make duvets, and pillows and mattresses for the animals! Another example of the nothing wasted sustainable lifestyle. In the absence of old wool sacks the coffee bags are perfect!
So I stuffed the wool into the jute bag. Then slid another one over it from the open side so it is closed. Like a pillow case. Voila!
Something big, soft and warm to lie upon is a popular item in a dogs life. Poor old TonTon was told to lie Down and Stay for this next photo, then The Big Dog decided HE wanted the new pillow and usually Ton would be out of his bad tempered way in a shot. But he had been told to Stay Down. You can imagine his dilemma. 
I have no idea what this morning will bring. It is still just at freezing point. They are forecasting snow flurries so I had better get my eggs into their boxes and after feeding and checking all my animals I will visit my old people early.
Oh there is my coffee! Thank you darling!
Good morning.
c
The Kitchen's Garden 
76 responses to “How to Make Puppy Pillows for your Pooch!”
Good Morning Celi … thanks for sharing your love for animals!
Morning frank, I got you out of spam prison!! poor you.. c
Wonderful post, c – I get the coffee bags for free from our local roaster….I guess he hasn’t figured out that folks would actually PAY a small bit for them!
Alas, no fleeces to stuff them with. mine are used under the mulch in the garden paths, or for cold-weather wrap for plants of a delicate constitution. They compost beautifully!
(Incidentally, if a strange woman in a shop held up a coffee bag for me to smell, I’d have a new Best Friend 😉 )
It was an impulsive moment. She tried very hard to play along though poor dear.. now i am going to have to look for someone who will give them away.. you have given me new uses for them, but a dollar each is not too bad.. c
Between the two of you using the sacks for under the mulch, as plant fleeces or pillows, this is a one stop re-cyling shop. Now I need to find sacks, they are gorgeous to look at (and smell 🙂 )
(laughter!).. c
I can see why you were thrilled with finding these bags. And, of course, leave it to you to already have a creative plan in place to use them. The Ton Ton and The Big Dog (how do you come up w/ these names?) photo certainly captures a dog’s feelings. No words needed. Excellent.
Poor TonTon he was (as usual) trying very hard to be good! c
You always amaze me Celi. You really do practice what you preach my friend and that is so inspiring. Those dog mattresses are awesome! I love the coffee sacks and I would have totally sniffed them as well. It looks like the kitty was pretty happy with those folded up sacks and the pups look like little children landing in a pile of leaves. Delightful as usual!
That cat on the folded bags was a gift (laughter). c
LOVED all the pics today Celi (nothing new). How ever are you going to finalise the ones for your postcards! I like that the kitty had to do a quick quality control on the bags before your filled them, Think you and I would still be chatting if I was the lady you asked to smell your bag in store.
🙂 Mandy
Postcard voting will happen very soon. i am going to do it on the 40,000 hit mark, which will probably be this week, so i had better start making my own choices to add to yours!! c
so wonderfully practical!
Morning Mimo! c
Cecilia, I love how you are so resourceful and bring back to use things most people would toss. And to have sheep wool just hanging around it not typical for most but you will always amaze me and make your animals very happy! For my little chihauhaus I take old sweatshirts and cut off the sleeves (to the elbow) make two holes for their front legs and the wrist band is their neck collar. Keeps them warm and toasty when our weather drops and another use for an old sweatshirt!
This is very true, I am pretty lucky to have a couple of fleeces just lying about waiting to be put to use.. great idea for you chuhauhaus, I might make something like that to have on hand in case i get a small lamb who needs an extra warmie! c
I wish I could see all this – you live an enchanted life. Where do you store your waiting wool? It is fantastic insulation! Those dogs are spoiled to have woollen beds. Did THEY like the coffee scent?
I store the fleeces in big garbage bins with lids. Mainly so mice do not take advantage of the wooly situation! c
Am still laughing at the image of you holding out the sacks to the woman to smell…oh dear, just the kind of thing I would do! And so pleased that you have extra hgappy and cost dogs. Mine would love sacks like that but make do with pillowcases stuffed with old clothes. And they get really huffy when i wash them!
You know i just did that on impulse, sometimes I just want to share.. c
C, I love the coffee bag beds…I wonder if you will have coffee scented pups?!
Enjoy your day!
Jess
Oh you are right, i must go out and sniff the dogs!! (laughter) you have a great day too jess.. c
What a cute idea! Now, to make kitty pillows…
i went out this morning and found a cat AND a dog asleep on the new wooly mattresses so i guess they will be demanding their own soon enough! c
My darned feet are so bloomin’ cold today that I’d not turn down the offer of two of those doggie duvets, one for each of my feet. Not sure what to do about my cold nose though….
What an idea! I could make little wooly bags that you could slip your feet right into, Oh maybe those are called slippers and here was me thinking we had invented something new. (laughter) c
How sweet and cozy! I love the smell of fresh wool (and coffee!) 🙂
Wool has the most evocative scent. It is all sheep! c
Oh, good morning! Loved your photos, the worn farm blues and browns. loved the fresh smells of the foggy farmy morning. and the chickens clucking and scratching. loved the blended smells of coffee, lanolin, burlap and dog. Ahh. it’s sounding like it may be a very good day! Good morning!
Good morning, you are so right. making those pillows had all those heavenly scents on one place.. c
Hello C,
I have been trying to leave a comment on your blog for a week now but for some reason the comment area is not active 😦
I tried logging out and commenting as a guest, unfollowing and then re-following your blog and logging in with my facebook or twitter account..no luck..the only way that worked is to reply to an existing comment.
I will contact wordpress to try and sort this out.
Stunning pictures as always, but the first one is simply enchanting.
I look forward to your giveaway, postcards of your beautiful photography are a wonderful prize that will make the lucky winner very happy..I hope it will be me 🙂
Morning Sawson. How tedious for you to have to do all that just to get to comment, and I hope this is not a chronic problem! if you can’t get through when we are choosing postcard images just send me an email or facebook! I have also had a number of messages dumped into my spam box. So I am giving out ‘Get out of Jail cards’!! Thank you for perservering and i hope wordpress does address the issue for us. c
G’mornin! Your new-old table was meant for that spot. What a great use for the coffee bags, Celi! I’m sure Big Dog and TonTon will love their new beds! Dog beds and Max just weren’t meant to be. I tried a number of them as he grew … and grew … and grew. He’s twice the size the shelter forecast and, within a few weeks, he chewed whatever bed he didn’t outgrow. Now, he’s got his “spot” in each room and no new bed will ever measure up. Stay warm. We’ve got snow in the forecast for the weekend.
SNOW in FEB! What do you mean!.. Fancy you having such a big dog. Is he like that fish in that old story when the little boy fed him too much! c
Oh, I love that story. The name Otto comes to mind; was he the fish or the man in the pet shop?
Ronnie