Wednesday, July 11, 2012

WHERE'S THAT DARN CAT!

Let me tell you how the above wall hanging came about.

I have a new cat.  I got Moe in May and we are still getting used to each other.  She loves to go outside, but she really shouldn’t because she is defenseless.  I live near a wooded area and all kinds of vicious looking creatures come strolling through my yard.  One year a woodchuck with claws about a yard long, decided to take up residence between the walls in my garage.  Critter Control had to take care of that problem.  Then last summer something was digging beneath my garage.  My neighbor put out a trap and sure enough he caught something.  A big raccoon!  When I called our local nature center and asked if I could bring it to them,  I was told they didn’t want it and that it would be best if I just killed it since they carry a disease that is harmful to humans. 

Another neighbor said that he thought a fox got all the turkey eggs and that is why they aren’t coming around anymore.  Gads!  I cannot let my poor defenseless kitty roam the neighborhood.  It’s no telling what kind of trouble she could get into.  Thus, I’ve been training her to stay on the deck.  The first thing she does when I get up in the morning is run through the house, her little paws thumping and sounding like a baby elephant.  Then she stands at the slider meowing to go out.  I warn her to stay on the deck. However, there are times when her natural instinct takes over and she just can’t resist dashing after that bird, that chipmunk, or  the baby rabbits.  I keep a constant watch on her and the minute I find her off the deck, I bring her inside where she has to stay for a while.  It’s like putting a kid in time out. 

However, there is a problem.  ME!  Lately as she has become more trustworthy, I have become somewhat forgetful.  A couple of times I can’t remember if she is in or out and I run through the house like a mad woman yelling, "Here kitty kitty."  I can only imagine what the neighbors must think as I’m racing around my yard yelling, “Moe come here!”  I say this because most of them don’t even know I have a cat.  I wonder if they are thinking, that poor old woman has lost her mind, running around talking to herself. 

One time I found Moe under my bed, another time she was hiding in the bushes near the bird feeder.  I decided I needed to do something to remind me where she is.  So I made the above little reminder.  When I was blog hopping the other day I saw that Carol of mamacjt had a nice tutorial for making a little wall hanging using crayons and black stitching and decided to try it. 
This is what my drawing looked like before it was quilted and I put on the binding.  It’s not nearly as cute as what Carol does.  I love her work.  But I like it and it sure helps me remember where that darn cat is.  Now when Moe goes outside, I put the cat face (which is inside the big O meaning she is outside) facing me.  When I bring her in, I just turn it over so I only see the black and white back. 

It was fun to make.  You should give it a try.  I just had an idea…this would also be a nice way to preserve my great grandson’s art work.  I’m going to give it a try next.   The tutorial is here

REMINDER:  Don’t forget that the Happy Scrappers Quilting Bee meets this Saturday at the Attic Window Quilt ShopBRING YOUR PANDORA’S BOX!  I’m trying to decide which one to bring.  I’m sure not bringing them all.  Buffie promises some good information.  I have a scrappy pattern to distribute.  And there will be a short demo for a new way to use your scraps. 

Stay Calm! Stay Kind! Stay Positive!
Caroll

8 comments:

Allie said...

Well now I want to see a picture of Moe! She sounds adorable! And I love your kitty reminder, Caroll that is way too cute. I love using crayons with quilting. Great job!

Mama Pea said...

What a great solution! Your little quilt is so cute, and your story cracked me up. I can just picture it!

Mary said...

Your kitty quilt is just adorable. Great idea for keeping track of her!

Barb said...

sooooooooooo cute

Pattilou said...

That is quite the story! Those racoons can be persistent. My daughter thinks she had some staying under her house in Newport Beach, CA as they would stride out--the whole family. She finally found another place to rent and is now by the ocean--good trade I think.

Your kitty is adorable!

Kat said...

"Moe" is adorable. What a fun yet practical idea. So cute!

Quiet Quilter said...

Clever idea! You could also add a hind end and a tail on the back so it won't be so boring to look at....

Lynn said...

What a clever idea! And very cute too! We have begun looking for a new kitten or young cat to adopt. We haven't found the right one yet but I know it is just a matter of time.

lkjlkj

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