A Warning about Holiday Excesses

This is what happens when you give in to the old "just one more" rational: unconscious in a planter full of catnip. Let's welcome December by raising a glass to moderation.  

Sleepy Kitties - Part Duex

Jimmy is Tilly's perfect pillow, as shown here...

And again...

And finally, yes that's drool. 

Sleepy Kitties - The Expanded Edition

Now that we are getting close to the end of NaBloPoMo (and also close to the end of my supply of Minou pictures) let's take a look at some other drowsy felines of note.

Exhibit  A: Parlez Vous Chou-Chou - Lapwarmer Extraordinaire. 

She's a Yoga Cat

My Grandma's Sideboard

She wanted to give our fore-bearers equal time I guess. 

Jim's Mom's Scandinavian Buffett

Pretty sure this is not what the Scandinavians planned to serve up.

Me and My Pine Martin

At the top of the armoire with her favorite talking toy.

All Your Box Are Belong To Us

Large, small, round, square, empty, or full of crap - they are hers for the napping. 

Not So Cozy

This box is not as form fitting as she is accustomed to but she is making the best if it.

Hop on Pop

Don't ask me how she can sleep like that. At one point I think they were both asleep 

Summer Time

Child, the livin's easy. 

Shop Cat

No amount of sawing, hammering or other random loud obnoxious noise disturbs her when she is in garage mode.

Lazy Days

Summer afternoons are made for resting up after a long night out surveying her territory. 

A Penchant for Boxes, Bins, and Bags.

Hat box #2 - We have found her in some pretty cozy spots. 

Classic Tortie

 This is a cat with not a worry in the world. Not one. 

In The Bag

Literally.

T

You Weren't Using This Box, Were You?

On Display

She is not shy about wanting to be the center of attention, on her terms of course. 

She Was A Yoga Teacher In a Former Life

Every time I start a yoga session online I can hear her little feet traipsing up the stairs to join me. The only problem is she wants to do savasana 5 minutes into the practice. Not really so helpful. 

Just Keep Playing...

I'll let you know when I'm done with the case. 

Grandma's Dresses

Second only to sleeping on Grandma herself. 

Life is Short, Nap Hard

This was taken when Minou was still technically a stray. She showed up hungry, got fed, and stayed. We think a neighbor moved and left her behind, and are glad they did because clearly they didn't deserve her. I mean just look at that Creamsicle colored chin and the orange tabby showing through on the inside of her right leg... AWESOME! 

Her Version of Downward Cat

It's nice having someone to do yoga with. 

I'm a Fi-ah Stah-tah

She loves to make a cozy nest in the scrap paper/fire starter bin down near the wood stove.  She really loves it once we start building fires in the winter. There is no such thing as too toasty for this kitteh. 

The Taylor's Assistant

Hard at work pressing some seams.

File Under: That Can't Be Comfortable

The sun has a strong effect on most cats, but it is Minou's kryptonite. 

Another Day...

Another lap. This pose is call "Sack o' Potatoes".

 

Sometimes the Best Place to Look...

... is the most obvious. We call this pose "Boneless Kitty". 

There Will Be No Internets Today

Something has crashed on the computer.

NaBloPoMo - Where's Minou Sleeping Today

This blog has no strict subject matter but this month I am going with a theme. Let's start with an example of the odd places we find Minou sleeping. It's like a full scale 3D version of Where's Waldo. 

The World Painted in Airport Runways

That's a lot of pavement...

The World, Drawn with Airports/Runways infographic by jradavenport.

Argyle Matryoshka What???

Disclaimer - This will become evident if you read any of the below BUT I am not a seamstress. You should know this going in. 

What do you get the girl who loves argyle and matryoshka? How about a custom mod on a Ralph Lauren sweater vest? Yeah, I had my doubts too but sometimes you just have to trust the idea and dive in. Below is a simple tutorial - no pattern, just go with it and keep on until it turns into something.

Start with a wool vest and wash it with super duper hot water and toss in the dryer on high. This will give you more of a felted feel to your fabric and you will feel like a total rebel when you deliberately do exactly what the label says not to. Once dry lay flat and cut just below the lowest part of the neck.

Lay out with the arm holes in the middle, this will be the front and back of your bag - now it's here that I would recommend you do what I didn't and that is cut the tube of the vest into two pieces to make the quilting easier. You will thank me. Cut out a piece of fusible facing for each side and iron on.

I tried to find the sheerest fabric I could to cover and protect the knit and give it some dimension, but ended up using a colored tulle. One note - Tulle is WILEY!! Pin the heck out of it. Again if you took my advice and cut your vest-tube into two this part will be much easier. The lessons we learn...

Now start topstitching over the lines in the argyle, the knit is stretchy even with the facing so try not to pull... you will be tempted. Also, be mindful if your vest is still in one piece that it is very easy to inadvertently sew the back to the front. Don't ask how I know. Keep sewing until all lines are covered.

It is at this point that you will want to use your tortie to press any unsightly wrinkles out of your vest. I know what you're saying, this part probably isn't that important but trust me all the best bags come preloaded with cat hair. If you don't have a tortie at your disposal, I have one I can loan you. 

If you are working with two pieces now is where you will want to sew them back together with front and back facing each other, then turn right side out and move arm holes back to each side. 

The nice thing about good argyle is that the diamonds line up perfectly so you can use them as a guide to place your straps and trim. I used my eye and the knit pattern to determine where to pin the belting. I left a gap in the horizontal strap where it crosses the vertical band so it wouldn't bind when folded

I left the ends loose until I was done with the rest of the trim so I wouldn't have to deal with the handles until it was absolutely necessary. I sewed back and forth a few times to make sure it would hold well.

Now let's turn this thing upside down (literally) and turn our tube into a sack. I turned it inside out and sewed a seam across the bottom leaving the last inch or so open so when it's folded it will lay flat. Then fold each end toward the middle and tack down by hand with heavy duty thread creating a little bucket.

 It's starting to take shape. Next fold your lining in half so you have two layers and lay the bag on top as flat as possible, tracing around it with your pizza cutter scissors. I'm sure those things have an actual name but you know what I mean. The thing that looks like a mini pizza cutter. 

I made a rectangle pocket by cutting out a little pillow case-shaped piece of fabric, folding it in half right sides together and sewing around two sides then turning it right-side out and sewing it to one of the lining pieces turning the raw edge under to clean it up. I also sewed a couple dividers into it for pens, phone, keys, etc. Ok, now put right sides of the liner together and sew around the bottom and stuff it in the bag. I also used a left over piece of the sweater to make a tab attaching velcro on the end. Then I pinned the lining to the periphery of the bag and ran a seam all the way around, getting close to done!

  

To clean up the edge I wrapped it with some black belting and basted all the way around by hand, one time on the inside, one time on the outside. Now if you were feeling brave, or possibly have better sewing skills than I do, you could probably do the last two steps with one seam - securing the liner to the exterior and the belting to each side - but I didn't want to get this far and have a major failure so I played it safe. Sue me. Here is a picture of the belting after pinning and before basting. 

 So! This is it! 

I am pretty happy with how it came out and since this one is a gift to the aforementioned lover of argyle and matryoshka I will now commence to making one for myself... maybe stripes and bikes? 

Father's Day

Sometimes as a child it is hard to see parents or grandparents as people with lives outside of our own limited experience. Maybe it's because our world is so small in those early years that we can't comprehend that life exists outside of it. As an adult I now see my parents and grandparents as people with an amazing range of adventures and my fascination with their lives grows the older I get. Take a minute today and ask your parents about their lives. You might be surprised by what you learn. 

Pet Friendly

El Portal in Sedona is charming...

Sedona

Spent last night in Prescott (apparently pronounced press-skit, who knew) and drove over the pass through Jerome and Cottonwood to Clarkdale and the Verde (pronounced verr-dee, seriously I think they speak a different language) Canyon Train. Gorgeous.






After some chaos and drama at our planned place of lodging we ended up in an amazing inn called El Portal. It's amazing how serendipity can do in 10 minutes what weeks of planning couldn't. This place is restful and gracious and we couldn't be more pleased.


The room even came with a bed warmer named Twyla. Whaaat?