Summer Sewing

My, my.  Look who has taken over as my sewing aide.  Isabella used to love to get in the way help with pattern layout, too!  Doesn't she look nice in navy?  I guess every cat thinks it's an invitation to lounge. 

I'm not sure what happened, but after a long hiatus, I am sewing again. Maybe it's because I am tired of some of the things I've made previously? In any event, I hit up the pattern sales at Jo-Ann's for some new ideas.  My pattern collection desperately needs a good look-through and some organizing.

Much as I like all the colored skinny jeans I see in magazines and on blogs, I don't think they are quite the thing for me.  I decided to improvise with an orangey skirt, although it isn't as bright as it looks in this picture!  All it needs is a hem, and then I'll take some pictures of it in action. 

I love the pockets!

There is MUCH to show, but I will hold off until I have proper photos.  Have you discovered any
new favorite patterns lately? 

Scoop Duty

One of the unexpected side effects of the No-Thing New project is running out of plastic grocery bags. Even though we've been toting our reusable bags to the grocery store for many years, the flimsy plastic ones would find their way into our lives via non-grocery shopping. Now that we're not doing any shopping, the supply has dried up.  Are you thinking, "So what?" 



Two cats, two litterboxes, that's what.  Whenever the subject of plastic bags comes up, someone inevitably says, "But what else can I use for scooping the cat litter?"  We've used bread bags, cereal box liners, even the cereal boxes themselves sometimes.  But, yes, we also used the plastic bags that found their way home with us.  So now what?

Newspaper.  I've had the idea of using newspaper for litter scooping for a long time, but never really had a reason to try it.  Once we ran out of plastic bags and other receptacles, short of toilet training the girls, I had no other ideas.

First I just tried scooping onto a few sheets of newspaper.  Strength-wise it was fine, but I found it hard to keep the everything in the center of the paper.  I started wondering if there was a way to fold the paper into some sort of bag in order to keep the scoopage more contained.   

Failing to figure it out for myself, I turned to the internet.  Finally, I found directions for folding a paper cone called a koolyok.  This is the sort of cone that might hold fish and chips or chestnuts or churros, but it turns out it works really well for this purpose too!

We are making an attempt with the new kittens to be a little more green.  With Isabella, we used the litter at Petco that comes in refillable containers.  Refilling was a step in the right direction, but I always felt awful thinking about all that clay being pulled out of the earth.  New kittens were an opportunity to try new things, so we ran through all the options: Yesterday's News, Feline Pine, Swheat Scoop, World's Best Cat Litter, etc.  The girls cooperated beautifully with all the changes and would be happy with any one of them, but our favorites were the corn and wheat litters.  Petsmart has a line called ExquisiCat Naturals which is wonderful, and we also really like the Arm & Hammer Essentials.  This stuff is light, natural, easy to scoop, and controls odors well. 

(Yes, I really did blog about litter boxes. Can ya believe it?)

Howdy, ya'll!

This is my 600th post, if you can believe it. They certainly haven't been coming fast and furious lately! I've been a little preoccupied with the kittens, the food blog, and just trying to get to a place where I feel on top of things around the house. Today, though, I was thinking that I used to use the blog as motivation to get things done. There was throwing out fifty things, which I could easily do again! And my First Quilt Ever! which would still be fabric in a Jo-Ann's bag if I hadn't been blogging about it.

So I think I am going to go back there and launch some new projects. First up is cleaning out my closet, which I got started on today. That's the pile of summertime skirts I have ready to put away in the attic. Don't the girls remind you of The Princess and the Pea?

I will be back with a post tomorrow outlining the closet project AND, in celebration of my 600th post, I am also going to have a giveaway!

Thanks, Isabella

I was just cleaning up some files and came across a set of photos I took of Isabella in May. None of them were very good, so it's suprising I hadn't deleted them. I am so glad I didn't. Even though it's grainy and out of focus, that's my Is.

We miss you, Isabella. Thanks for teaching the new kitties all about cereal milk, sleeping on dirty laundry, getting in the middle of everything, and holding still while we clip their claws. We can see you in them.

Kitten Gym

Wondering what's new at kitten central?

Here is Abigail lounging on the ottoman I am planning to return to the store, if I can keep it in one piece. The girls were playing on it the other night, so I set it on top of the dining room table, sideways, thinking that would keep them off.

Yeah, that worked really well. The wicker chairs (brand new) are also proving to be favorites for climbing. Check out Eloise perched on the tippy top. You just know there are claws involved in that spectacular feat of balance.

Eloise takes her turn. "Takes" being the operative word. She's a bossy little thing.

Mind the Cats

Back with more kitteny goodness! Do you like our sign? A friend painted it for us a few months back, when we were a single-cat family.
I added the S today. Doesn't quite match, but it'll do!

Don't let them fool you. They aren't always this calm and sweet.

You can see the mischievous glint in Abigail's eye.

Is it time to play again?