My glitter nutcracker is holding up like a champ!
In our tiny guest bath:
I practically had to sit on the toilet tank to get this shot. Doncha love old house baths?
(The tiger art is a cross stitch I did for John ages ago.)
On the antique radio cabinet:
And on our dining room apothecary:
I found this heavy cast iron owl at Old Time Potter for only 8 bucks, and it's my favorite new decoration. In fact, I think I'll be keeping it out year round!
Here's the other side, with the lights on:
And here's the over all entertainment center and tree in our back room:
I hope I'm not boring you guys silly; it's actually kind of fun cleaning off my cell phone pics like this. Half the time I've already forgotten what I took. Ah! Like here's my favorite wrapping job of the year, for my friend Sharyn:
And way less pretty, but here's my purple breakfast juice from a few days ago:
Cheers!
(Ingredients: 2 big kale stalks, 1 medium stalk broccoli (stalk & all), 1/2 green pepper, 1 medium Gala apple, 1 "thumb" ginger, and 1 crap ton of red cabbage. It's good. Promise.)
I got to open a bunch of Christmas cards from you guys from the PO box; we got them late, so it's been an extended Christmas over here. And - at the risk of looking like an insufferable braggart - I HAVE to show you guys what arrived from Hannah all the way over in Germany:
It's about an inch tall, and quite possibly the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I'm lucky it didn't break when I swooned. ;)
And finally, since you guys can't seem to get enough of her, here's Lily in another baby onesie:
I don't know why, but she reminds me of Cliff Clavin from Cheers in this photo.
"It's a little known fact, Norm, that the first cat t-shirt was made in pre-Neolithic Mesopotamia..."
:D
The bad news is we're still struggling to stop Lily's over-grooming (she started throwing up the Kitty Prozac, so we're taking a break.) The good news is she really doesn't seem to mind wearing ridiculous baby clothes:
D'awwww.
This is why I couldn't get off the couch last night; who could disturb that face?
Well, I'm off to start packing up decorations. Hope you guys have a great weekend!
It was my favorite wrapping job, too! ;)
ReplyDeleteHave you considered rescue remedy for Lily? You can rub it on the inside of her ears or her foot pads or put it in the water. It should calm her down. (She does look adorbs with a onesie - it's my go-to thing whenever a cat has surgery or an overgrooming issue.)
ReplyDeleteFunnily enough I used to have some rescue remedy for ME - but I can't remember if we've ever given the cats any. I may have to get another bottle!
DeleteJust be sure you get the pet rescue remedy. I remember reading on one of my dog forums that rescue remedy for humans has some ingredient (maybe artificial sweetener?) that can be toxic for animals. They do make a pet formula that does not contain that stuff.
DeleteYour onesied Lily actually reminds me of Figment!! Put a little orange t-shirt on top of that purple onesie and BAM! Imaagggggination!! Immmaaaaaaagggginnation!!
ReplyDeleteI'm with Yvette N! And we need pictures!
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw the picture of Lily in the purple onesie, she immediately reminded me of Sir Didymus from Labyrinth! She's kinda got a white mustache going on from that angle. Very cute!
ReplyDeleteThat's the first thing that I thought of too. I'm glad that I'm not the only one :)
DeleteMe too! I couldn't place it until I read your comments, so thanks! :D
DeleteNikki T
Love all your decorations & Lily is gorgeous!
ReplyDeletePS: She does remind me of Cliff Clavin in that picture. :D
Sooo pretty! Poor Lily, our cat overgrooms his belly and feet/legs. We actually went to a cat behaviorist (expensive but worth every penny) who said part of it was his lingering bladder issues, but the other part was just kitty neurosis. I would have never thought to put a onesie on our cat!
ReplyDeletePoor Lily. I custom make pajamas for dogs. I'd be happy to make Lily a pair. Here's my shop if you'd like to see them. https://www.etsy.com/shop/PugjamasbySFP
ReplyDeleteI've made several coats for my pug (who has allergies, and scratched his chest raw. The doctor put him on anti-biotics and steroids, but it only helped for two weeks. We switched to a low-ingredient food, and put coats on him for several years, and he's been coat-free since last November, when I noticed he wasn't scratching much at all). The first few were pretty annoying because he'd wiggle out of them. We put a zipper up the back on one (kind of like a straight jacket), and noticed that he had a sore right where the zipper pull sat. Apparently, whatever they use for zipper pulls is one of his allergies. The last three I made from my husband's old button down shirts, and put the buttons on his back instead of his chest. It worked great!
DeleteAnyway, I never would have thought of onesies (mostly because all of the dog patterns I bought have the sleeves reversed from people clothes, and a little bit because he scratched through the first coat, so all of the rest were denim lined (from old jeans) for longevity). And thanks for sharing your pictures. The closest I get to a vignette is a pile of library books on the table by the front door. I can cook reasonably well, but my house will never be as beautiful as yours!
Jen,
ReplyDeleteWhere did you get that beautiful glass standing star? It's just lovely.
Thanks!
Sara
That came from Mexico, along with a matching Moravian star hanging lamp. (My grandparents used to live right on the border, so we'd cross over to shop.) And lemme tell ya, the TSA looks VERY CLOSELY at your luggage when you try to carry on one of those lamps. Ha!
DeleteI love everything about this post! Except maybe the purple juice...not sure I can get on board with that one. Oh, and when you're done with your house you can come de-Christmafy mine. I'll even let you play in the Star Wars room ;)
ReplyDelete-kelly (aka Darth Amethystos)
That seahorse is to die for! Lucky lady you are!
ReplyDeleteEven if you guys never quite get Lily to stop over grooming, she at least looks adorable to baby clothes so maybe she'll just have to start wearing cutesy costumes.
Lily in clothes reminds me of my daughter's cat. Lily -my kid, not your cat- spent most of the last three years of Cat the Cat's life dressing him in onsies with matching hats. Now, eight years later, she keeps a photo of her- at three-years-old with terrible bangs- and Cat the Cat- looking like Dom DeLuise- by her bed.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing! Lilly dahling.... you look mahvelous in that! Simply mahvelous!!
ReplyDeleteI am insanely jealous of the owl. I've been following your coolness for awhile (you are one of the few blogs I follow that I can interested my hubs in). But I had to say something when I saw that awesome owl.
ReplyDeleteYou can't let this post go by with out telling us where you got that awesome steampunk frame! It's beautiful!!!
ReplyDeleteThe one with John's picture in it on the radio? I'm pretty sure that came from Ross. Gotta love all their decorative frames!
DeleteYou don't know how much I was hoping that it was one of your DIY's. I'll just have to be going to Ross then, and buy myself a whole bunch of frames.
DeleteEep, a Cheers reference! Just finished the series yesterday, it was absolutely wonderful :) your house is beautiful, by the way! Very jealous :)
ReplyDelete"I found this heavy cast iron owl at Old Time Potter for only 8 bucks"
ReplyDeleteA very appropriate typo... I'm sure Harry would approve of that owl!
HA! Ok, now I'm tempted to leave it that way...
DeleteWhen I see Lily all I can think is " It's so FLUFFY!!!!". -Melissa R.
ReplyDeleteJen, what does Lily eat? Is she on a species-appropriate diet? Ideally, she needs to be eating raw meat. No fruits, veggies, or grains/starches. I use a commercial food for my dog, but every now and then I'll throw her the heart or liver out of a chicken I'm about to roast. I also give her raw bones. Not sure if a cat needs raw bones but I would imagine they do. Anyway, I can't help but wonder if incessant licking could be pica due to nutritional deficiency like it can be in dogs. May or may not be helpful, but there's my two cents. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's certainly possible! We switched Lily to a special hypo-allergenic food when she first started over-grooming a long time ago, and we *thought* that fixed everything, since she was fine for ages... until she had a relapse. So we've kept her on that food, just in case allergies really are a part of it, but we're still pretty clueless what's set her off again. :/
DeleteOur dog was on limited ingredient food an was fine forever, then suddenly started licking herself. The vet said dogs can develop allergies to food if they've been on them for a long time. We switched to a different brand of limited ingredient food and it seemed to help. Good luck!
DeleteI had a cat who had problems vomiting up her food for years, and we tried all sorts of things, and eventually a pet store employee suggested switching her to a fish-based food (the idea being that it's easier to digest than poultry, beef, etc). It worked... have no idea if it would help Lily, but if you're desperate for ideas, there's my bit of anecdotal evidence for you. Hope she's better soon!
DeleteYour decorations are great.I don't make the effort, being just me and all. Good luck with Lily. And for a nice start of the year, did you follow the World of Steam and their Kickstarter project? They have the first episode available on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08--Ju_JI0Y . I like it.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry your having trouble with your cat. I know when the furbabies are ill it can be really stressful. I'm glad you've found a temporary solution and she is absolutely adorable.
ReplyDelete1. I am sooo jealous of your cast iron owl! I'm an owl freak and that is just beautiful!!! 2. I grew up wrapping with my gmas since I was about 15 and I have always been known to have the pretty packages under the tree; but you blow me out of the water!! I have much to learn Obi-Wan!
ReplyDeleteHow did you alter the onesie for Lily? Our female cat has a bad overgrooming habit; she has licked her belly and below bald, plus the bottom half of her legs. I'd like to try this with her.
ReplyDeleteI really wish i had thought of the onsie thing after our Shop cat Charlie had her "fixin" surgery.. -.- trying to get her to wear the cone of shame was pointless. My boss even when and got an inflatable donut of shame for her to wear... just as pointless. lol.
ReplyDeleteI am insanely jealous of the wrapping skills. I have none.. so i put a crap ton of tape on the gifts to make me feel better bahahah >:)!
We still have a bit of Christmas out. My mom last year started liking nut crackers and she puts several out on a mantle and with all the moving and rearranging of the house this last two weeks we havent even taken them down. (though the tree is put back up)
Just gotta say this: I love your knockers! The ones in the juice picture, of course. ;)
ReplyDeleteI would love to have your talent for vignettes, I have none. I take hours and it still looks like "stuff put down on a flat surface".
ReplyDeleteBut I had to chip in here: one of my cats overgroomed because of some chemical in cleaning fluids and laundry detergents. I switched to soda and vinegar for stuff he came in contact with, and added extra rinse cycles. It might be worth a try?
How is it possible to have a cat AND suce beautiful decorations???? My boys would have destroyed everything in 15 seconds
ReplyDeleteI was wondering the same thing. We can't even have a tree skirt because they use it for hide and seek and knock the tree over.
DeleteI still can't figure out what you to about litterbox time. Does she stand there screaming until someone undoes the snaps? Anyway, two of my cats had a problem with over grooming (because apparently some long haired bob-tails go thru a phase where their tail needs to be bald). A friend told me to spray the area with hydrocortisone spray twice a day. It worked. Don't know if it's still considered safe for a cat though.
ReplyDeleteMy foster kitty looks like your Lily! Have you ever tried T-Touch? I used it for awhile (along with the Rescue Remedy) for a schizy cat I had some years back. It's easy to learn and very soothing for both you and your kitty. I was taught to put the Rescue Remedy in some hot water to cook off the alcohol before administering it.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm going to try the juice! Where did you get the recipe?
One of my favorites is my R&R-- Raspberries and Radish leaves with some other stuff (like the ginger and kale)
Your decorations are beautiful! And your cat is adorable! She reminds me of Sir Didymus from the movie Labyrinth. So cute!
ReplyDeleteAnother idea...if the kitty prozac pills aren't going down, you might try getting them compounded into a form she'll be able to take. I know Dr. Fosters and Smith will compound medicines into gummies, liver bits or even transdermal application...
ReplyDeleteI have a cat who over-grooms. It started about a year after my son was born. For her, it's a stress thing, but allergies can set it off and so can any sort of irritant, physical or mental. She does the hypo-allergenic food (but tries to sneak the stuff the other cats eat), and we can't do any flea prevention. That first time she had licked herself bald on the belly and had gone totally bald from neck to mid back with crazy sores to boot. We did have success with covering it, and tried about a million treatments. Steroid shots are what finally worked for us, but they do so only if we catch her early in the cycle. Our vet gives her depo medrol. It's probably terrible stuff, but after watching her suffer for 3 months and only narrowly escape surgery to remove the scar tissue from the sores, we drink that Kool Aid every time. Good luck to you and your sweet Lily!
ReplyDeleteKitties can have inhalant allergies as well. Sometimes doing immunotherapy they have both injectable and oral or atopica (specific cyclosporine) can help. Some pets are allergic to storage mites so I will often recommend that when you get a new bag of food that you place smaller portions into ziplock bags and put them in the freezer.
ReplyDeleteMy friend has a cat with the same problem. How did you change the onesie so it fit the cat? How does she go to the bathroom. I was planning on sharing this solution with her. It'd be better than the cone they have around her head now.
ReplyDeleteare those labyrinth door knockers behind your smoothie??! oh how i want a set of them!!
ReplyDeleteMy cat used to pull out fur all over her stomach and then she started going to her paws. Our vet mentioned that some cats are allergic to chicken/poultry. We switched to a salmon based dry food with no chicken and she's been fine for 5-6 years now. We've noticed that even cat treats with chicken in them will start her to pull out fur, so we banned those from our house a long time ago as well. Maybe that will help???
ReplyDeleteHave you tried Rescue Remedy for Lily? They make a pet version in droplets that you give them in their water and it's supposed to help with nervous behavior and anxiety, and result in a more confident pet. I've heard some people say it's really helpful. And it's completely herb-based.
ReplyDeleteMy cat has been on thyroid meds since this Summer and it was a trial getting her to take them. She'd had no problem at all taking antibiotics in Greenies Pill Pockets right before that, but she was being stubborn about these for some reason. At the same time she started the thyroid meds, her appetite was very poor, so I found that mixing about a tsp of wet food with the crushed up pills helped to get her take the meds and make sure she got the whole dosage. Once she's finished her "magic food" as I have dubbed it, she gets the rest of the serving of wet food that's her meal. It's the easiest way I've found to give them to her twice a day, especially since I also give her compounded liquid meds every other day, so it's less manhandling of her little senior kitty body that we have to do. Good luck with your adorable kitty.
ReplyDelete