What does a Bored Kitty do In the Middle of the Night?

In addition to knocking anything that he can move off of counters (which he is not allowed on) or the coffee table, it turns out that he pulls things out of drawers from said counters.

 I must have left the drawer open just a bit or something sticking out.

 He pulled out all of my grandsons' sponge animals.

 They were everywhere. My son said the silly cat spent the day knocking them around.

If he sees you put something back then he jumps back up to knock things off almost faster than you can put them back. When we moved the couches the carpet underneath was covered with pens.

Cushions are done.

All finished - I just need to sew the quilt label on the back of the quilt. The cushions are for the comfort and exclusive use of the kitty boys.

Finally!

I sat down in my sewing area for the first time Friday evening and was sewing the Boxed In blocks into strips - while I watched Supernatural. It had been the worst day possible at work and I just wanted to accomplish something. I stayed up way too late.

I plan on eventually putting up a design wall beside my sewing area.

At about 1 a.m. Stan Lee had had it and knocked down all the strips that I had been piling on the cabinet to the floor. He was tired of waiting for his treats. I gave him treats and then put the strips back - but they weren't as neat this time.

I just finished sewing the last block together and now I am heading for bed. Tomorrow I can lay them out on my bed to see if I have enough. Then I can start sewing the strips together. I am hoping that I have enough because I really don't want to have to piece more together - I want to get the top done!

A Bouquet of Flowers

A couple of weeks ago while sorting through the last of the things in the scrapbooking room I found some fabric roses that I learned how to make years ago when I worked at the City of Longview. They make a great gift for a quilter since they consist of a fat quarter that the quilter can add to their stash.

You take a fat quarter and fold it so it is about 5 inches wide and then you start at one end folding it around and around making petals as you go. You fasten it with a fancy corsage pin (JoAnn's.) It doesn't take long to get the hang of it. I was originally taught to make stems out of cardboard which you then covered with green florist tape. You lay them out in a long box and then give a quilter the bouquet of fat quarters. Dresses them up quite a bit! These were my samples so I decided to make them more permanent and bought stems at JoAnn's and put three stems at a time together covering them with florist tape. I also purchased leaves which I then attached with a second layer of florist tape on the stem after first attaching the rose on top. I have bad kitties who like to eat real flowers, leaves, and stems so this is a perfect answer. I think if I give someone fat quarters again I will do it with stems and leaves because I really like how they turned out.

Quilt Top is Laid Out...

... with much help from my lovely assistants. I wanted to leave it overnight on the floor and check it again the next night for consistency but Stan was trying to sit on every square and Puddy Tat just wanted to roll over the whole thing, so I thought it was safer to get it pinned to sew and pick it up row by row. Since it was over 80 degrees in the house it took awhile. I had such a headache that I was done for the evening.

I am still not sure that I have enough blocks so I will need to get the blocks sewn into rows and then the first four rows sewn together and then lay them out on my bed.

The Boxed In Blocks are Done!

At least I think they are done and that I have enough - or I may have too many. It was too hot last night when I tried to lay them out on my bed - and I had too much kitty boy help. I did start laying them out on the table downstairs but tonight I am moving them to the dining room/living room floor.

Here are the 18 half blocks and 4 quarter blocks

I also managed to get Fishing to Nature and Pets to Work spinders put away in the Scrapbook room. I just have Family spinders left to put away and a few odd spinders that are going on the ScrapRack.

Half Blocks

I started sewing together the centers of the half blocks and then had to cut more. I think Puddy Tat missed me this weekend while I was gone. Stan Lee is as usual supervising.

My Tough Assistant

I stopped by the store last night and picked up box cutters. When I got home I found out that Stan Lee had been sleeping on the Nu-foam all day long - a sure sign that it is super comfortable because Stan Lee goes for the ultimate in comfort.

Stan was eager to get started cutting out the two pieces for the cushions I am making for the bench at the end of my bed. I think he may be planning on it for a future napping area.

He had only a small bit of difficulty picking up the box cutter. He has no trouble picking up the Glad storage container for his treats in his teeth and using his teeth and paws to pry it open - should that fail he just tosses it to the floor and hopes it will break open. The box cutter was something new though.

Undaunted Stan Lee prevails - I don't know about his jaws but my right arm just aches from cutting the stuff last night - two 22.5 inch cuts and one 33 inch cut. The muscles right above my elbow are just killing me.

My Sleeping Companions ~

Here is a picture of my sleeping companions - Puddy Tat, Stan Lee, Ice Pack, and Heat Pack(s).

Such an exciting life I lead....