She’s Very Smart. Very…Crafty.

Because “She” is part of an on-line group known as Alabama Knitters, she has become involved in another swap.  This one is an ornament swap, and the only stipulation is that the ornament be hand-made.  It doesn’t necessarily have to be knitted, just hand-made.  “She” has elected to do something a little different, and has decided to use wood in the making of the ornament.  Because this is all still very secret, that’s all I am going to say for now.  But in a later post, we will share the new skill she is attempting!

 In the world of knitting, currently there isn’t much of anything going on.  However, she has finished several projects since my last post.  This is her first attempt at illusion knitting:

I know the season has come and gone, but we wanted to share this with you.  Above, you see the dishcloth showing the stripes, but if you look at just the right angle, the image of candy corn appears!

 

This was a cool project and turned out really great.  In addition to the dish rag, she made a halloween themed cell phone cozy:

 

She went a little cell phone cozy crazy and actually made 5 of them!  She made a gray one, a pretty pink one with white fuzzy trim and two red ones with white fuzzy trim for the Christmas Season!

 

So, that pretty much sums up the creative/crafty/knitty activity around The House of 9 Lives lately.  But you can never tell what will come up next. Plans. Schemes. “She” is hatching something, you can count on that. “She” is very smart.  Very….crafty.

For now, the frenzy is on to prepare for the annual family Christmas parties.  His family here on the second Saturday and hers on that Sunday.  I predict a lot of time under the bed!

Lilah

Let the Games Begin!

Well Thanksgiving came and went around here with very little fanfare.  Though, it was really nice to have “He” and “She” around for four days, there wasn’t a whole lot of time for any lap sitting!

Most of their time was spent finishing little projects around the house.  Seems there is always something that needs to be done.  ”She” has also gotten involved in another swap on-line.  This one is among the Alabama Knitters, and each person is sending their partner a hand-made ornament.  She isn’t knitting an ornament for her partner, but is doing something different.  We’ll have to post some information on what it is once the secret is out.

Then, there was the final game of the College Football Season for fans of Auburn and Alabama, so they had company on Saturday night.  That was a lot of fun! Both teams were represented, however, the Auburn fans were happier with the outcome.

“She” also spent some time finishing the Christmas decorating.  This is the first year in a long time “She” has decorated the tree with anything other than lights and candycanes.  Already, the fun has begun.  It’s Nova’s first Christmas tree, and he thinks all the ornaments are his own personal cat toys!  After he had wrestled a couple of (shatter-resistant, thank goodness) ornaments from the tree, “He” recommend that “She” just give Nova an ornament to play with.  So far, it has helped.  He seems content to bat his ornament around and has refrained from stealing anymore from the tree.  But, according to my calculations, there are still about 29 days until Christmas, so we will just have to see if the tree remains decorated!  For Nova, I’m afraid this will all be one big Christmastime game!

Jazz

Smile and say “Catnip”

Santa Claus has come early to zee House of 9 Lives.  “He” has gotten her an early present.  Eet ees a Sony Cybershot 8.1 mega peexel camera.  “She” ees taking peek-tures of everyzing!

“She” has also set up somezing known as a Fleeker account.  Eet ees a place on zee internet to store photos.  Ve vill see how eet vorks out.  Here are just a few of zee peek-tures she has taken.  You may click on any one of them to veesit her Fleeker page.

 

“She” ees steel learning zee settings on zee camera, howev-air, she ees having great fun in zee meantime!  Who knows vhat she vill take a peek-ture of next?

Eef you see her coming at you wif a leettle peenk camera, be sure to smile and say “catnip”!

Casanova

Why Cats are Better than Kids

Jazz says I have to include this:  The opinions expressed here are those of one small gray cat and do not necessarily reflect the positions of other members of The House of 9 Lives. 

Why Cats are Better than Kids:

1. My toys are less expensive, (though I do tend to lose them under the armoire, the stove, the couch…well, you get the idea).

2. I won’t need college tution, (what could an institution of higher learning possibly teach me?).

3. I won’t backtalk, (not in English, at least).

4. I won’t throw wild parties when we are left at home alone for a weekend, (though, I might walk on the kitchen counters).

5. I won’t grow up, and move away.  I’ll always be your baby (when I am not displeased with you for leaving us alone for a weekend).

6. I won’t ask for the keys to the car (as a matter of fact, I hate the car!).

7.  The best gift you can give me is an empty box (even boxes you don’t give me are great).

8. I will give my own self a bath, (and don’t you dare try).

9. I can purr (like a Harley).

10. One Christmas Stocking for nine of us is fine with me (afterall, the toys are all going to the same place…under the armoire, the stove, the couch…well, you get the idea).

Flirt

Happy Veteran’s Day!

With deepest gratitude to those who bravely defend our Country and way of life, those of us here in The House of 9 Lives say Thank You!

This is extended to all Veterans as well as those currently serving.  May you stay safe and return home soon.

Kosmo

Time for Change

Things have been different around The House of 9 Lives, since Sunday.  I don’t know what is going on, but “He” and “She” are sleeping later every day, and they are coming home from work later, too.  But, the most disturbing thing of all is that treat time has been late every day this week.  I mean how is a cat supposed to plan her day when the treats are given out an hour later than normal?  This really interferes with my napping schedule.

It seems to me that just when we get on a schedule, they go and change things.  And, it seems to happen about twice a year, once in the Spring and once in the Fall.  Jazz says it is because of Daylight Savings Time.  Well, that just doesn’t make any sense at all to me. I mean, I’ve never seen where they are keeping all this daylight that has been saved, and what are they going to do with it, anyway?   Jazz says they set the time back by an hour in the Fall and Forward by an hour in the Spring.  Why don’t they just meet in the middle, change the time by 30 minutes and be done with it?  Haven’t these people ever heard of a happy medium?

Alley

The Score: 1-0

Yes, Alabama is the home of “Football as Religion”, but I’m here to give an update on “The Great Mantle Wars“.  “He” and “She” have completed the fireplace makeover with the installation of the new mantle, and man, it looks sweet!  Quite a difference from the original wood-burning stove, wouldn’t you say? The thumbnails below are a little fuzzy, so you can click on each picture for an enlargement.

 

You can tell from the picture the room is still not quite completed.  Once the floor tile is completely grouted, the baseboards will be installed, and the living room can be considered done.

Now comes the task of decorating for Christmas.  This ought to be good!  “She” has wanted a mantle at Christmas since the first Christmas they lived here.  I think “He” is going to have a hard time holding her off on the Christmas decorating until Thanksgiving, which is when they traditionally put up their decorations.

A few weeks ago, Barny wrote about the new mantle, and how it was likely to become a bone of contention because “She” would want to decorate it, and we would want to walk on it.  However, so far, Barny has been off target.  Not even Alley, who can never resist a height, has shown any interest in walking on the mantle.  “She” was careful to decorate with unbreakable items, but as of yet, there hasn’t been a problem.

Therefore, the score as it now stands in the “The Great Mantle Wars”: “She” – 1, Cats – 0.  We’ll have to see how this game plays out!

Blossom