A Letter To My Cat

Dear Egypt,
Oh, handsome boy. It's been one week since we said goodbye and I miss you so much. The physical realities of your absence are little needles that keep poking at me. I step extra wide around doorways because you liked to hang out at intersections, I tip toe out of the bedroom in the morning so that I don't wake you up, and I find myself scanning for you before turning in for the night, looking to see that you're okay and checking your bowl to make sure there's fresh water. You trained me well, Egypt.



For twenty years you were my shadow, my familiar. Quietly observing me with those golden, green eyes.

Our last evening together was so peaceful, I think we both knew it was the end of your road.

We all sat under the big tree out back, listening to the birds and the breeze, remembering and talking about all our long years together and the antics you used to get up to. Man, you used to be such a badass! 

More recently it was all about the naps and I don't blame you, you were ancient by cat standards. Dr. Stoops said you would have been over 100 years old in cat time. You deserved all the naps your little heart desired.

This last night you were the picture of somnolent tranquility, accepting enthusiastic doggy kisses from both Lola & Boswell with a dignity rarely seen when being half swallowed by an over affectionate, slobbering dog. Talk about grace under pressure...

This is how I'll always remember you best, solemn, regal. The King of the house.

Not that you didn't have your moments as the jester...

You two and those boxes... You loved them beyond measure. I was sad when we moved to this new house and didn't have a sunny window to put them in. 

You also had the knack of cool headed ironic humor. Is that normal for cats? You were a master, look at you, so serious with that embroidery floss all over your face.

"Look at me, I'm a clown. Yaaaay." 

No one did deadpan as well as you.

You were a good neighbor, too. Always friendly with the neighbor cats who'd come to watch in the windows. All except for that one time when that big ginger came flying over the fence and chased you under the shed for the night. That was scary for me too, I never heard you make noises like that before! We thought you'd run away! I was so worried that night, I made posters and everything. When you finally reappeared I didn't know whether to laugh with relief or strangle you for scaring the shit out of me. I know I wanted to strangle that other cat, or at least blast him with the garden hose. Come to think of it he never came around after that. Maybe I radiated malevolence on your behalf?

You were okay in the end, if a bit disheveled with dusty cobwebs floating from your ears and the tip of your tail. It's kind of funny in hindsight. Badass, forsooth. 

Oh cat, you were one of a kind. I miss your jet engine purring. I miss your cranky maowing, or should I say "MAOWING", because it was never subtle, you meant to be heard when you made your demands and accordingly, you roared like a lion. I still don't know how that much sound came out of such a small cat.

I miss you all so much, you & Chyna & Butch.

We've lost three of you in two and a half years. Ouuuch. Losing you was worth having you, and we'd do it all over again. You gave me twenty years. Twenty years!! I am so grateful for you, Egypt.

I hope you know how much you were loved, and that you carried it with you beyond. 

Til we meet again, tell the others I love them, too.

Your person always,

Me

Dear Friends,

Thank you for indulging me to say the things I couldn't say while he was still here.

~L

Reflecting On 2013

Howdy!
So yeah, I've never done one of these look back mosaics of all the things I've made in the previous year, but this year I thought I would, I think it might help light my fire a bit and help me accept that I'm not quite the lazy chump I sometimes feel like, I've been struggling with that lately.

Less than some years, and more than others. I've only got two hands and I work full time so I can't (and not sure I'd want to) pump out the number of projects a lot of folks can, but then again this has never been a competition. I make things that interest me in the moment, for fun swaps, and gifts for my family & friends - because it makes me happy. Making makes me happy and like the hokey pokey, that's what it's all about.

  I don't really plan ahead very much either. If you'd asked me what kinds of things I was going to make in  2013 at about this time last year, I wouldn't have guessed any of these things. Whimsy & inspiration are powerful joy rides!

I've found it's been fun to take this look back, some of these things (like the Valentine's Day makes) have been packed away for almost a year already, seeing them again has given me some neat "oh yeah! I made that!" moments. Let's peruse, shall we?

These things are more or less in about the order I made them, it made putting these mosaics together a heck of a lot easier, links to details about each photo are listed below.

1. Crazy Quilt Heart 2. Valentines Door Wreath 3. String of Hearts 4. Pennie Pockets 5. Scrunchies! 6. Just A Dash Quilted Table Runner 7. Organic Tea Towel 8. Celtic Knot Pillow 9. Hexie Hand Towel 10. Fabric Covered Binders 11. Super Butch 12. Dear Deer 13. Felt Flower Pincushion 14. Homemade Laundry Soap 15. Sashiko Rainbow 16. Mason Jar Soap Dispenser

1. Felt Circle Bunting 2. Burlap Bunting 3. Paulette's Pincushion 4. PAM 5. Hockey Hexies 6. Dez's Tiny Cake 7. Embroidered Birdie Bunting 8. In A War 9. Striped Pants 10. Summer Stitching Club 11. Impromptu Quilting 12. Double Hourglass 13. Pumpkin Pincushion & Fimo Pins 14. Vintage Inspired Halloween Box 15. Halloween Kitty 16. Vintage Trick or Treat Bag

1. Boo Bunting & Pipe Cleaner Cats 2. Coffin Curio 3. Halloween Poppers 4. Embroidered & Beaded Halloween Pin 5. Halloween Door Wreath 6. Lighted Halloween Garland 7. Fancy Witch Hat 8. Fimo Pumpkins 9. Miniature Fireplace 10. Dia De Los Muertos Skull 11. Hexie Mug Rug 12. The boot!

13. Painted Sunflower 14. A Little Blackwork (and scissor obsession) 15. Mermaid WIP 16. Embroidered Candy Cottage

1. Pipe Cleaner Snowman 2. Lil Cow Poke Pillowcases 3. The Big Tote 4. Embroidered Felt Christmas Stocking 5. Batik Dream Pillowcases 6. Sparkly Forrest 7. Whimsy Christmas Pillowcases 8. Vintage Inspired Christmas Ornament

Not too shabby, eh? I've enjoyed seeing these things again, a lot of them have been sent all over the world and live with other people now. That makes me feel a bit warm & fuzzy.

I cooked a few extremely good (read picture worthy) things too!

1. Ham, Potato & Corn Chowder 2. Cinnamon Muffins 3. Salsa 4. Greek Cous Cous Salad 5. Ricotta, Baby Zucchini & Penne 6. Birthday Margaritas! 7. Minestrone 8. Zuppa Toscana 9. Mexican Pizza

(These are all here)

Food is goooood.

 And then there's these guys...

Oh yes, these babies o' mine. They do consume me. I'd bet that dollars to donuts every stitch I've stitched, is equal to one or more kisses on their furry little heads. I love them ever so...

I guess I wasn't as lazy as I thought I was this year... That chunk at the last part of the summer was a real bummer, I don't recommend fracturing any part of your body, friends. Its a drag and that walking boot was no joke. Also, it takes forever to heal. I'm still having problems with my ankle, in fact I'm going back into treatment for it shortly, it's not acting right and I have a lot of years ahead of me, so it needs to get with the program.

I'm looking forward to seeing what will materialize in 2014, there are some big things underway! Ok, so mayybe I plan a little... *wink* 

I hope you'll stay with me on this journey, it's fun to share and I love seeing what you're up to, too!

oxo,

Lisa

Dia de los Muertos

Thank you all so much for your kind words about my sweet kitty, Chyna. I'm so glad to know and there are so many tenderhearted people reading my little ol' blog who feel the same way I do, that our beloved critters are friends, and more than that, they are family. You bless me with your kindness and I thank you most sincerely.

Do you know about Dia de los Muertos? Day of the Dead? Even if you don't, I'm sure you've seen the most commonly associated image, the sugar skulls. Dia de los Muertos is a holiday that focuses on prayers & remembrance of friends and family who have died. The celebration begins on October 31st and ends on November 2nd, and the traditions include building private alters called "ofrendas" to honor the deceased, I think it's beautiful.

Ok, now let me back up a little. Back at the beginning of September, my pal Jacquie hosted a crafty party at her place in Santa Rosa. She had a bunch of cool things for us to try, one of which was painting paper mache skull masks (like these) which sounded like fun. Jacquie and I chatted away the afternoon, more chatting than crafting, but a great time nonetheless catching up with her and shooting the breeze. I left with a good start on my mask, promising myself that I'd get it finished by Dia de los Muertos so that I could share it with you guys. And then, as usual, I got swept up with new ideas - like Halloween swaps! I never forgot about my mask, I saw it every time I walked into my craft room, I'm just easily distracted. 

I was discussing Chyna's passing with some friends the day after she'd gone when one of them reminded me about the Day of the Dead and that it was a good time to remember those who've gone on, which in turn reminded me about that unfinished painting project, so I took it up once again, this time with her in mind specifically.

It was nice to do something creative, even if it was sooner than I would have thought possible after losing her. The previous week had been so stressful worrying and watching her every move, listening for her to make any noise, timing her medicines and foods, keeping the dogs from annoying her too much. It was relaxing to zone out, listen to a book and draw & paint for a few hours.

Her name really was Chyna Cat Sunflower, I named her after a Grateful Dead song, the words of which don't really make any sense, it's just lyrical imagery, fun and pretty. I always loved that song, give it a listen, you might be surprised how nice it is. I picked a few little elements from the song to incorporate in my own way...

Candles to remember her...

Shadow cat, watching butterflies near a shower of pearls.

Diamond-eyed Jack.

And sunflowers, of course there had to be sunflowers.

A giant sunflower for my Chyna.

And an alter for her, and for Butch...

 My furry angels.

Bones & treats for Butch

Beer for Chyna, she loved beer. It sounds ridiculous, but it's true, she was forever trying to mooch from Sean. He indulged her sometimes, it made me craxy... those two.

Water to drink and a soft rug for them to lay on, welcoming & familiar. Everything here was gathered from around the house, much of it meaningful and tied to other happy memories.

I left the alter up until last night, a day longer than necessary, but it made us smile every time we walked past it, and that's a good thing. 

I've only shared this with a small handful of friends, and I was so pleased to learn that many of them also have little shrines to the pets they've lost. Do any of you? I'd love to hear about it if you'd like to share.

Thank you again for being so supportive and sweet, you're the best!

oxo,

Lisa

Chyna Cat Sunflower

Hello Friends,

Sad tidings today... I really don't like writing posts like this, and it doesn't seem like it's been two years since I wrote one like it about our Butchie boy. This was so unexpected and so quick, I almost feel like I still don't know quite what to say about it.  

Last week we lost our kitty grand dame, our beautiful Chyna Cat Sunflower. 

Chyna was a regal queen of a cat. She lived a good life and was in good health her whole life, a sturdy, steadfast feline if ever there was one. Late last week, she rather suddenly seemed unwell, she didn't look herself at all and she was weak.

I took her to the veterinarian last Saturday morning and had a gambit of tests run on her only to find out that her kidney's were rapidly failing and she was indeed quite ill. 

Immediately, we began to do everything we could for her, fluids, antibiotics, B-12 injections, liquid iron supplements, Pedialyte, special foods, but she faded so fast. Cats have the rather awful ability to hide their sickness from you, and when it finally becomes apparent that there's something wrong, it's often too late to do much about it. Such was the case with Chyna.

Just five days after diagnosis, in the early hours of Halloween morning, she quietly made her way out of this world and on to the next. Chyna died here at home with Egypt right by her side, he was her constant companion her entire life. 

This is one of the last pictures I took of them together, the evening before she passed away.

They snuggled together every night from the time we added her to our family, twelve and a half years ago, their last night was no exception. He seemed so protective, so worried that night...

I think he and I both knew that she was at the end of her road. Egypt hasn't been well either, and I'm so worried about him. He's over 19 years old himself, and I'll be honest - I'm so scared that now she's gone he won't stay with me long, either. I hope with all my heart that my worries amount to nothing, only time will tell.

It never, never crossed my mind that we might lose her first, she was seven years younger than he is, and apart from being a hefty gal, she had always been in good health. 

Oh, sweet Chyna Cat, you are missed so much.

When we found her Thursday morning, we sat together for a long time, us at the critters. Egypt of course had been with her, but the dogs had not and we wanted them to see and smell her a bit so that they would understand that she was gone, they nosed her gently, then jumped up on the bed with me and sat very still and quiet. I think they were mourning, too.

I took this picture of the three of them, Egypt, Lola & Boswell that morning as we sat with her, before taking her body to the veterinarians for cremation. Those sunbeams are falling exactly where we found her, just outside her bed, right under the window. I didn't see them until after I'd taken the picture and they struck me as so beautiful... Even though Chyna was already gone, it felt like this quiet, still time was our last moment together. Bittersweet.

Thank you for visiting today and kindly reading about our sweet Chy, I could go on & on about her, she was quite a gal... You would have loved her.

oxo,

Lisa

Gotcha!

We hit a little milestone on Sunday, one year with Boswell! It was his "gotcha" day. 

Last year on St. Patrick's Day he came home with us and became part of our family, a lucky day for us both. It's been a bumpy ride with this little guy, let me tell ya. He sure is stubborn for a wee doggie, he definitely has a mind of his own (not to mention "Napoleon complex"). But he's also the sweetest, snuggliest little bugger you'd ever want to know. He's actually asleep under my elbow as I sit here writing this.

Boswell loves everyone he meets, men, women, children, and the feeling is nearly always mutual. People love him. He's a small dog, only 14 pounds, but he doesn't have that shaky nervousness about him. He's a happy, confident, easy going guy. 

He's so chill he even lets me do stupid things like this, hang great big, sparkly shamrocks on him and take his picture, not that he likes it. Notice that he's not looking at me in any of these pictures?

And how he keeps yawning? He was annoyed with me because I was giggling my butt off. But he endured it, he was humors me and I made it worth his while, he was paid in kisses and corned beef.

Here comes my public service announcement, are you ready?

There are so many hundreds, no, thousands of terrific dogs (and cats, meow!) just like Boswell waiting in shelters and in foster homes all over the country. Fancy purebreds and wonderful mutts alike, they are waiting for a forever home where they can live and love and learn and thrive! 

♥

When and if you're in a position to add to your critter family, I urge you to please consider pet adoption from an animal shelter or rescue group. This is a cause close to my heart, and I know many of yours. We animal lovers have to be advocates for our little friends because they don't have a voice of their own. Petfinder is a fantastic resource where you can  begin your search as it pulls information and pet profiles from shelters and rescue groups all over the country. Petfinder lead us to Boswell. 

♥

Lest you might think I've forgotten about my other dog, Lola... oh no, she's just not as patient as Boz, I tried to get a shamrock picture of her too... this was the best I achieved, which I caption as follows:

"Don't even think about it, lady!"

At any rate, we made it a year, yay us! Yay Boz!

Here's to a hundred more!

oxo,

Lisa

Super Butchie!

Happy Saturday, Chummies!

Here's one of the secret projects I've been working on recently. I finished up last night and entered my project in the challenge, now I can share, and you can vote! Heehee, only if you want to.

You guys remember my darling, little pal, Butch? You were all ever, so very sweet when he went over the rainbow bridge last year and I shared about our life with him, and saying goodbye. I'll never forget that kindness. Recently, I learned of an embroidery challenge on Craftster and thought this was as good a reason as any to do something fun to memorialize our doggy friend, hence the Altered Photo Needlework Challenge... and Super Butchie!

 Years ago, on a muggy summer evening, we were in our backyard goofing around with our dogs, Lola & Butch, and taking pictures. I was down on the grass at dog-level and they were playing around me, wrastlin' and such. I happened to get a shot of Butch that looked like he was launching himself into the air (in reality he was launching himself at Lola). Once I had uploaded the picture to my computer, I added a little cape with a big, yellow "B"  in MS Paint to amuse myself, and christened him Super Butchie! It's been in our family photos that way ever since. I have another one where he looks like a bucking rodeo beast that I added a little saddle and a tiny cowboy to, but that's another story.

Here's the original photo, and my stitched, altered photo.

Butch did in fact turn out to be a superhero. As you might recall, he fought a long, hard battle with cancer and he was a trooper right to the end. 

A bit of technical info about the project; I printed my photo on Photo-fabric, but the image didn't "stick". I think the printer I used was the wrong sort and the ink just did not adhere to the fabric. I was horrified when I rinsed it, per the instructions, and much the the image detail washed down the drain! After consulting with a friend, and a bit of brainstorming, I decided I'd use that ruined fabric anyway, fill in the image with color pencils, then add embroidery over the top to really alter the look of the original photo quite a bit. It really challenged my ideas of how this project would look in the end. I've taken Super-Butchie in a semi-comic book sort of direction. I still may add a few things before I'm done, but I dunno, I kind of like him it 'as-is', too.

Butch had the craziest fur, it went in every direction and was every known shade of brown, as well as black, silver, white and even some blonde. for this project I used 9 different colors of floss, and made lots of little crazy stitches to represent my fuzzy fella.

So, voting you ask? Why yes, you can, please & thank you!

Right here!

There are some fabulous entries in the challenge, I especially love this one, by Xperimentl, who makes, rad, rad stuffs. It's awesome, and I LOVE rainbows. 

I'm so glad this week is over and it's the weekend, this week seemed to drag on & on. Sean and I are thinking of scooting up the a Celtic Faire this weekend, woowoowoo, men in kilts! If I do I'll be sure to take lots of pictures.

What are you up to this weekend, anything fun? Do tell!

oxo,

Lisa

p.s.

Go vote!

♥