Homeostasis--Dining Room

The dining room in our house adjoins the living room and this is another room we thought would be easy-peasy. This is the best before shot we have, which is really too bad because the best thing about the dining room is the huge windows (not shown).

But...  (there's always a but...) the floors were not in great condition and we really wanted a way to delineate the dining room from the living room. Enter: painted dining room floors.

Initially we were planning to paint the living room and the dining room, but I am glad we decided not to in the end.

Remember those dining room sparkle chairs I recovered? Feast your eyes!

Here's a view from the living room featuring, who else? Rupert.

Read More

Official Quilt of Cat Ladies Worldwide

You know how during the Olympics or the Super Bowl there are all of these weird sponsors?  Like the official paper clip sponsor of the rhythmic gymnastics team.  This quilt is like that, only it's a combination that makes sense: quilts and cat ladies.

For her birthday this year I made Ceci (sister-in-law extraordinaire and the premier cat lady in my life)

this quilt (the official quilt of all pro-am cat ladies).

Once again I had this quilting by my amazing friend, Marci, who did a beautiful job.

Just look at those little mice and cheeses!

And the really gorgeous binding.

And the kitty cat backing.

Actually, my favorite thing about this quilt was giving it to Ceci over Xmas and then taking it away from her to have it quilted. It's better to give and then take the gift back than it is to receive.

Read More

Homeostasis--Living Room

Initially, the living room seemed like it was going to need the least amount of work.

However, there was a fireplace. A really ugly gas fireplace with a floor that was falling to China. We got it up to a certain point in a previous blog post before our efforts were entirely claimed by the kitchen reno. Since then, Eddy installed our (much prettier!) new gas fireplace.

I painted a border around the tile (that matches our painted dining room floors!) and we mounted our TV above the mantel.

Also, mustard! The room is mustard (delicious mustard).

With crazy bird flower curtains.

Also a cat bed made from suitcases.

Why do all of these new house posts always end with the cat?

Read More

Procrastination Quilt

This is one of those quilting projects that I started because I wanted to have something fancy for our table before Eddy's parents came to visit and were the first to see our semi-post-reno house.  It's never really a good idea to start a project like this with a deadline like that (and it didn't help that I started it, like, mere days before they arrived...)

The good news is that I have the nicest, most understanding and helpful quilter ever and she did the most beautiful job quilting this table runner at the very last moment because I am awesome like that.

This is what it looks like all bound with its striped backing.

Procrastination forever!

Read More

Ooh, Catio!

Eddy and I listen to the Bridge on Sirius XM.  But a lot.  I can own it.  I'm and oldster.  Anyway, every time I think of the catio (cat + patio) we built for Rupert I find myself singing, "Ooh, catio!" ( a la Van Morrison's "Domino")  Yes, I am ultra cool.  Here's how it happened!

The catio, that is.  Not the song.

This is what the manimals did while we were hard at work.

Testing out the product:

Being mad because I am holding him up for a photo:

Pre paint:

Pre cushion:

Post cushion:

Of all the things we've ever built together, this one seriously gets the most use.

Read More