dear santa....

I have been a good boy.

Really I have!

If you must skip our house though, I do understand.

I know you are very busy this special time of year.

And even more so as the big day draws near.

But hear me for just a moment purrlease....

Because I'm sure my case applies to many other kitties, both far and near.

You see I have no thumbs, although some kitties do.

And so there is no possible way for me to do those things, she tells others I do.

Yes, I am a good boy.  Loving, good and kind.

Ferocious? Oh yes! But never mind.

Because although its very true, I'd never hurt your reindeer or the little birdie in the tree (or dining room wreath or the deer under the glass).

Except maybe those voles, but they eat all her flowers, so only for her I do this, don't you see?

And though she may tell all kinds of stories about my adventures and such.

Please keep in mind that I have no thumbs and so really I can't do all that much. Especially to the Christmas tree in the dining room because the door is kept shut.

So I was thinking just today, because I have been a good boy, surely you had toys and tuna fish for me....

But please feel free to skip our house and deliver my toys to those kitties in need.

I have a warm and loving home, and more toys than I possibly want or need.

And good food a plenty, especially when her plate is full and I see it unattended.

You know too many are homeless, too many are unloved, too many are in shelters

and just as important though....

 I really don't want to be responsible if you take the lane to our house,

and slip and fall on your bum.

P.S. She made me do it.  You'd feel the same way if she tied a cold bell to your tail. Right?

estate of confusion

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Turkey Day!  Mine was lovely.  The turkey was cooked to a golden brown, juicy and tender.  Absolutely purrfect!  And oh yeah, the company was nice to me too, so it was a good day!

However, had it not been for the turkey, I might not have known it was November.  Heck, I'm not even sure it's December right now.  The calendar says it is but..... well, it reached 72 degrees here today.  The fifth of December?!?  mEoW!!!!

Not that we haven't had 20 degree weather last month.  But even that was sandwiched in between days of 60's.  It's really enough to confuse and befuddle this handsome and furry man.  I mean seriously, one day I'm working on growing out my winter coat to it's fullest and the next day I'm outside rolling in the dirt to help shed it.

And I can't even begin to tell you how it's confused her.  Oh yes, very seriously confused.  No, no, not rolling in the dirt or anything.  Although I did see her shave her furry legs last week.  Does that count as an equivalent to the dirt rolling?

Anyway, for Thanksgiving, the pumpkins got a dash of winter greenery.  And then because the Halloween decor was gone in the kitchen, she thought that maybe a bit of a winter display would be appropriate.  It was cool after all and all the leaves had already fallen.  So bare trees equals winter right?

Well no, not exactly because the thermometer was all over the place.  The mercury would drop and then the next day it would go right back up by forty degrees. Something like you would see for Easter.

So due to the confusion (hers not mine) there were mixed decorations for Thanksgiving.  The images above are from inside the dining room.  This one below is just outside the dining room, inside the kitchen.  I suppose she wanted to share her state of confusion with our guests.  If they don't come back next year, there will be no question why.  Assuming that is, that her seasonal confusion didn't seriously damage their brain cells.  These kind of things can be contagious you know!

So then a few days ago, this display (above) changed to this one below.  She had planned on leaving this winter one (above) up through Christmas. (Confused yourself? Thought so.)

 Nothing wrong with the evergreens I know.  But they didn't match with this....

Her beloved not-so-white-anymore vintage tree.

I know you are thinking, so put the white tree in another room.  Well, this year, Dad, in an effort to prolong his life, agreed that there only need be one tree.  In years past, there is nothing short of a forest in this estate small house around Christmas. Green trees, skinny trees, big trees and small.  But only one white vintage one.

So when it came time to choose which tree to use, there was no confusion at all.  Well at least until she pulled it out of the Christmas storage facility and realized that it wasn't going to look quite right since they would be in the same room as the green stuff.  You know what a dilemma that causes.  All that coordination stuff that you humans are taught at an early age when trying to dress yourselves.  Glad I didn't get ruined that way. So anyway, the kitchen greenery had to go.

And she used the red and brown combination last year in the dining room and really loved it.  Although it was on a green tree in there.  Could have done the same thing here, this year and would not have had to take down the "winter greenery".  And she could have used a green tree. But well, remember I told you she was sure she wanted to use the vintage white tree.  And well all this coordinating and matchy stuff was causing serious mental confusion.  Especially when the vintage white doesn't match the new white greenery. (How about now, are you confused yet?)

So with a bit of help and a couple totes full of ornaments and fluff.....

Today the tree looks like this....

(sorry for the poor lighting on this one - hard to find a good photographer now days)

And so, even in this estate of confusion, the kitchen area is looking like Christmas.  Albeit, in her strange kind of decorating way.  And now at 9 p.m. the temperature here on the computer still says 68 degrees.

There is still the dining room to decorate and the living room.  I wonder what I'll find in those rooms when I get up in the morning. The Easter bunny maybe?

Further still, I wonder if today's color scheme will change and I will wake up and find myself in a tropical looking locale complete with pink and bright green lighted palm trees.  As if I'm not confused enough!

Hoping you're having a nice pleasant week filled with purrfect clarity.  If however, you're feeling low on confusion, just come on over and she will fix that!  Over here, at the estate of confusion.  A state of confusion.  Oh heck, just plain "confusion".

Purrs to all of you!

post show horrors

Sometimes when she returns from a show, she becomes a no-show.

How's that you may ask.  Well being older than dirt and dinosaurs, she is quite simply about as good as what you find in my litter box.  If you need a photo, leave me your email and I'll send you one.  A picture that is. Not the litterbox contents.

Anyway, so as I was saying..... it may take a few days to get back into the daily order of life and responsibilities.  Things like remembering it's time for my snacks, plumping up my bed, fixing my dinner, and other such critical matters.

This time however, things were different when she got home.  Her show space was outside and included (at no extra charge) rain during set up on Thursday.  Storms were rolling in Friday evening which meant that some of the merchandise was put back in the trailer, the tent lowered and everything else sheltered as much as possible.  During the night, a generous thunderstorm left 3 1/2 inches of rain during Friday evening and early Saturday morning.  Saturday arrival was a very pleasant challenge.  Rain drenched merchandise due to a collapsed canopy on the tent.  The recovery time of approximately 2 hours needed to remove water from everything.

So you can fairly presume (notice I didn't use the word "assume") that I needed to go into hiding before she returned home.  No, I am not a coward, simply a very smart feline.  Indeed!

To my great surprise, she was still functional and went right to work cleaning the screened in porch.  Pulling the garden hose in and moving furniture out.  To the driveway and deck.  I suspect that if the driveway display had been more appealing, we probably could have had a sold out garage sale.  Instead, I believe I saw several cars speed up.  No doubt for fear that something might jump out in front of them from our driveway.  Can't say I blame them. (Sorry, no photo...some things just should not be shown for fear of liability from shock, heart attacks and other such mental trauma induced ailments)

After two days of cleaning pollen, dust and unknown specimens of alien life from every surface on the porch, things began to take shape again.  A new.  Some things did not return into the porch, some did and there was even a new addition when the loveseat from the kitchen area was banished moved out there.

And this year, Halloween decor would make a comeback.  Last year, I sent her to the Country Living show in both Columbus, Ohio and Atlanta, Georgia so Halloween didn't stop here.  This year however, out came boxes and bags and a bit of imagination that was still left after the show.  And here's what she accomplished.....

And....she added a little bit of Halloween inside the house too!

And if I wasn't already scared.... she took the time to make two handmade medallions.  Check out the black one below and the cat on the pumpkin in the following photo.

Okay, so now I've shown you a large part of what took place right after she returned home.  With energy.  And her mind intact.  Well at least a good percentage of what she left with (which isn't necessarily alot but...)  Is it any wonder at all, why my whiskers are trembling?!?!  I mean this is unprecedented!

And I was even thinking of placing an ad here, requesting a temporary vacation with any one of you wonderful souls.  But I needed to clear my mind as to find the right words so as to invoke great pity......

....... so I went for a walk through my catnip patch......

......and that's when the real horror hit me.  My catnip was gone!!!! Every last leaf and twig of it!!!!

.......She's been into my catnip!!!! 

.....certainly explains A LOT.....but no worries.....

.....that patch of catnip was still there because.....

....... I'd seen the neighbors dog in there. Standing on three legs......

.......now who's horrified.... MOL...... yes, a very smart feline indeed!

Honk, honk, yeh beep, beep!

Yeah, I know.  Where the heck have I been?

Well it's not so much where I"ve been as much as where I am going.

Places.  And big wide open spaces.

On the road again.  Just can't wait to get on the road again.....

Going places that I've never ever been.....

Just can't wait to get on the road again....

Officer, what'dya mean I need a license?

Well kitty turds. He's probably just jealous cause I've got it all going on.....

Fine.

I'm goin' take my catnip and go home.  "She" on the other hand is going to have to drag this load to Springfield, Ohio for the Fall Extravaganza.

Can't ever say I didn't try and help though.....

Romeo's studio tour....Where Bloggers Create 2013

I had planned on participating this year in Karen's, Where Bloggers Create.  Things in the studio were about the same.  But no matter, because some of you have never seen it before and those who had, probably didn't remember it much anyway.  So I was going to participate and it was going to be a relatively simple task.

Key word: was

Relatively simple post. Until she found a piece at her last show.  Measuring 30 inches deep and 70 inches long and rusted to purrfection.  Not exactly something that could be squeezed in the corner, hung on a wall or stuffed under something.

But she was not leaving this one behind especially since Dad offered to pay for it.  She was so excited about this piece that before she left the show plans were being made regarding what would have to be moved out and sold.  And what would have to be moved to another place in the studio.

All the while, I was home, never suspecting the incoming upheaval that was about to occur.

Never. Saw. It. Coming.

Comparable to being run over by a goat with tin can lust in it's eyes.

Thanks for the warning Dad. I survived the shock but paybacks are a coming.

As you might guess....in the end, most of everything had to be moved and nothing left the room.

Except me.  And that was a matter of self preservation - tails and paws are a precious thing you know.  And if you've ever experienced one of her "re-arranging adventures" you know that you have to go wash the dog or read a book in the litterbox. In a different room. At the other end of the house.

And before I forget..... for those of you who follow along on my adventures, the answer is "yes" - she went from painting and rearranging the office, immediately to the studio project.  Which also meant that she was so busy that she had to admit she did not actually see me doing anything wrong (accused of evils against tiny innocents in the previous post). So it could not be proved that I was the evil do-er.  And for those of you who backed me and were willing to boycott on my behalf....we are victorious!!!!  Oops. Sorry, this is about the studio right?!  My studio! Sorry got a little excited there for a moment......

Back on track.....let me show you my place.  Let's start as we walk in the door from the office and look to your left....kind of hard not to see this unless of course you are looking to your other left and you run into it.  Then you see it. Up close and personal.  If you eye isn't swollen shut.  Because it is solid industiral metal.  No forgiveness from this piece.  Do you suppose that's why she put it here? To discourage visitors?!?

We are not discouraged though.  I gotta tell you though that it was hard to get a decent picture of this because of the angle at which it is placed.

So because it is hard to discern what this contraption is let me help.  This is a rolling industrial shelf with pull out steps in that blue that she loves.

It was one of the pieces slated to go before she found a place for it.  Just as well because on my bucket list is getting to the top so I can nap in that basket of vintage eiderdown comforters.  And I have not completed that task yet.

One day I will though.  Just as soon as I figure out how to pull out these steps and knock the books off.

Right smack next to it is the new piece. Well not so new.  Actually old enough to have rusted to a fine patina.

Anyone know how long it takes something to rust out in the rain?

No? Me neither but it's probably a bit older than that.

I think.

Oh wait.  I should warn you.  Viewer discretion is advised.  To properly view this post, you have to love rust or risk fainting away at the overwhelming amount you'll find here.  So for those of you who seek perfection and sleek shiny surfaces, look away now before it's too late! Although everything was cleaned extensively before bringing it inside, it is still going to be purrfectly....imperfect, rusty and old!

However, for those of you who do appreciate this type of impurrfection, don't forget, you can click on any picture to see a larger version.  Just letting you know in case you don't have feline vision.

With the exception of the young orange fuzzball, Tessa (appearing in the above photo), you'll find a scattering of old stuff currently on the counter....

The Dazy churn frame has been re-purposed so that doll clothing hangs there patiently waiting for her next creation idea utilizing these purrfect little cuties!  I would like to point out that I had no problem with the addition of doll clothes.  It was either here on the frame or on me.  Need I tell you - no problem at all with where they are?

My addition was the lamp from Target.  Well actually, the idea for the contents.  That was my idea.  Totally all mine - such creativity, yes?

On the other end of the counter.  Books that she thinks make her knowledgable.  

Purrsonally, if she is supposed to be intelligent, why would she need the books???!?  

Just one of the many things I ponder.

 

And balanced on the scale is a colander of shells and a few tubes of vintage paint.  

Perched at the base of the scale....

You think of vintage sand shovels.  

I think of emergency pooper scoopers.  

It's all purrspective.

And speaking of purrspective....this is the view while sitting at the counter.

On a rainy day.  One of many during the past month.

In back of the counter is the stepback that she purchased in southern Georgia.  On the bottom of one of the drawers the maker signed his name and dated it, 1940.

Sorry but I am not going to dump the drawer out so I can show you.  I'd never get everything back in there.  So purrhaps you can just trust me and use a bit of imagination?

In this photo below can you see a glimpse of the paint?  

This is the way it was found - honestly aged and crackled! 

Moving toward the window, in the left corner, is my back door to adventures and next to it the fireplace.  I warm my fur here in the winter.

Nestled into the fireplace surround on top of the fireplace..... yes, a surround on top.  Hey, I never said she was normal or that she follows the rules for how things are to be used.  Should I have warned you earlier?!

Then we come to the dead tree solidly rotting away in a pile of books.  

Did I say "rotting"??!?  Oops, rooting.  It should say "rooting".

Reaching up towards the 16 foot peaked ceiling, one can only imagine how she got this inside.  Actually, I wish I had a video of that one.  It was entertaining to say the least.  As a side note, if it ever has to go out....well it will be in pieces. Many small pieces.

Under the tree, is my workbench and an antique medical chair.  Which by the way is quite handy for jumping up on the workbench.  It also has a nice glass top that feels wonderfully cool after sunning myself out on the deck.

The warmth is good but sometimes I fall asleep and get a little toasty.  Too toasty.  I mean have you ever fallen asleep outside in the sun wearing a fur coat?! Go ahead and try it for the proper perspective and a new appreciation of my glass top workbench.  But no, you cannot use mine to cool off.  You're on your own. Nothing purrsonal, I just don't think we would both fit on there.

I've worked hard to make this piece uniquely mine.  Bird books, bunnies and bird nests.

I'm telling you I should start my own decorating service just for us cats.

 Being not only talented but generous,  I did allow her to put a few things on the

 industrial rolling ladder next to the workbench.

I'm not all tough and stuff.  I do have a few kind whiskers for her.

In back of the workbench we find....

more rust.....

and old cabinets....and not so old cabinets filled with jars of buttons and supplies for creating.

And windows....in case you are wondering or had not noticed, the entire wall is one of windows.  

Yes, this is why this is my favorite room if I have to be inside.  And why I have deemed it as mine.

Above is another bucket list locale.....

One day I will scale that mountain  of antique hand loomed linens!  

They will be mine I tell you!  

My cat fur will reign supreme on their once pristine surfaces!!!

Next to the wardrobe are the boys, more fabric and stacks of children's books.

I am hopeful that one day she'll make me a huge blankie and 

read me some of those stories.

Now on the other wall is this huge stepback. 

Oops just realized, this is another exception to the rule of old.  

This is a reproduction but a good piece because it holds lots of junk stuff.

It used to be by the doorway to the office but had to be relocated to make room for the counter.  Works better over here anyway because in the winter you can see the neighbors house.  Which is a rental and a mere ten foot off our property line.  Ew.  Yuck.  Shove that over here, I yelled!

And now it nicely blocks the view.  And their view.  MOL (meow out loud). Nothing worse than working and having the feeling someone is watching over your shoulder.

Not to mention that should the neighbors see all this old junk stuff, they might call and have the house condemned, deeming that it looks abandoned and haunted.

And so completing the circle on the last wall, opposite of where we came in, is the big blue cabinet that is nine foot tall and was a gift from.....my Dad.  It was a surprise and while I'm not the syrupy kind of cat you might think, it was a pretty sweet thing he did.

You see a friend had this cabinet at mall she used to sell at (10+ years ago).  But it was out of her price range.  So she worked hard to sell her stuff to get enough money to buy this monstrosity.

And she lusted over it every time she came into the shop,  hoping that the cabinet was not sold yet.  Because well, maybe she would have enough sales and maybe be able to buy it.  Maybe.

Then the inevitable happened.  The cabinet was sold.

And she was so disappointed.  So she told herself it just wasn't meant to be.  Even though deep down she was still sad about not being able to get it.

Until she saw a card with her name on it.  It was from Dad and he had bought it for her and left a card that said, "just because".  Pretty sweet husband, yes?!  But she still loves me best.  Of course.

Next to the cabinet is my chair. Which I might add seems to be continually occupied by someone other than myself.....

How is it this three legged cat seems to be everywhere at once?!??

Guess I'll just have to go rest somewhere else. 

There is a table in the center of this side that I love to sprawl out on.....

When I can get there first.

Sheesh, I think I need to make some "reserved seating" signs!  I'll save a seat for you should you decide to stop back by.  I really appreciate you stopping by today even though there wasn't a chair for you to sit down in.  I'll fix that for you next time!

Now however, I think purrhaps we should head out for an adventure!  There are many more studios out there waiting for us!  They probably even have a chair we could sit in.....

And of course a special thank you to Karen for your continued dedication and your initial vision to create this  fun party! We appreciate you!