The old buffet

The old buffet in my dining-room sits next to our table and will hold extra dishes and cutlery at Christmas. It is one of my favorite pieces and although the mirror is smoky from age,  I love it and will never change anything. I have a thing for little drawers and this piece has 2 where I can keep some treasures. Inside the cupboards are seasonal decorations. 

These are napkin rings (a set of 6)

I am off to a book-store today after I cat-sit. Everyone in my family likes to get books at Christmas and this little book store also has great coffee so I plan to stay awhile. The store is called 'Read's Book-store' and it is as cute as the one in the movie, "You've got Mail"

Lots of coziness happening here next to the wood-stove.

Cats are funny, aren't they?

Lily & Mr. Ed

Without a doubt, these two have fallen 'head over tail' for each other. 

hugs, Deb

A cat-sittin' I will go........

Nana & Riley at her first Santa Parade in Carleton Place, Ont. I think this is my 20th.

I am really enjoying the busy times right now. If I'm not decorating, shopping, DIY'ing, looking at recipes or spending time with my new grand-daughter I am cat-sitting. I just returned from looking after these three as their owners are away SHOPPING.
  Meet Buddy.

Buddy is a big handsome boy that meows like a girl.
Meet Molly

Molly is a DIVA - and she told me to be sure you know that.

And Darling Smudge

She's peeking around the corner to watch me get her breakfast

She's a pretty calico

I'm home for a bit to work on some stockings for Christmas. Here is another of my Santas.

Hope you are enjoying your day and here's a cat-tip for the day. Be sure to put all your Christmas gifts away and not in sight of your cats. The bags carry many scents from the stores and the handlers and your cat just may decide to cover that scent to make these bags more cat-friendly. I'm just warning you!

Have a wonderful day

Hugs, Deb

WHO LOVES THE SNOW?

Not much snow here yet. (This photo taken in 2009) Kane says......BRING IT ON!

This is my first Christmas celebrating with all my blogging friends. There are no words to express how much fun this is. I hope you are enjoying the preparations for a wonderful Christmas.

I have 22 Santa's collected over the years and have yet to buy my 2010 one.

I think I am going to go for glitter this year.

hugs, Deb

I 

Guess what I'm doing again?

I'm playing with my cabinet, adding some gold & glitter.

My chippy, antique cabinet

There's more trees to come. The Christmas tree is  my favorite decoration for the holidays. I have special ones my mother left me that I will dig out and show you. They are treasures to me. Next weekend we will cross the road, cut down a 9 ft. pine and drag it home. We live directly across from a tree-farm :)

and home-made raspberry jam from one of my kitty-sittin' clients

Yum!

This weekend it's all about picking recipes for Christmas and celebrating my daughter, Allison's 24th birthday. 

This is Allie with a bag full of donated cat-food for our local animal shelter. She's another animal lover and in her spare time pet-sits for a local dog breeder.

"How can it be possible that my baby is 24?" 

Have a fun weekend Christmas decorating.

Hugs, Deb

Filling the book and checking it twice

My calendar for December is all booked up for cat-sitting. Of course, the week of Christmas is the busiest but many people like to travel before Christmas and be back home for Christmas day. I have some clients that are escaping the whole glittery celebration and they are heading South.  I look forward to cat-sitting at  this time of year. Besides the fun of caring for and lovin' up each and every cat,

Lovely Lucy

  my clients' homes are so beautiful this time of year with all their festive decorations and the star of the home decorating...the Christmas Trees. Oh Joy! Oh Joy!

Each and every one is unique, personal and decorated to the hills and I get to see them all. Of course, there is the down side of having a Christmas tree standing in all its' glory in a house with unsupervised cats for much of the day. BUT...hard as it may be to believe, I have yet to find a tree lying on its' side or any decorations smashed.  No, it's not because the cats are well behaved. Here's maybe why....the owners are aware that certain decorations should not be put on a tree if cats are around. One of course is the popular 'icicles' that hang and flutter with the least bit of breeze. Those are really bad if they get tangled in a cats throat or stomach. BAD,BAD, BAD (for the cats) and they don't know that these are dangerous. Cats have died from ingesting them. And if your cat likes to chew on cords it is best to put all cords up high or cover them with tinfoil. Ornaments should be placed only on the top 2/3rds of the tree while you are away. Glass ornaments should be at the top or how about not using glass at all.

If at all possible, tie your tree to something solid so if the cat does climb it, it will not fall over and the cat will have more fun. hee hee. Then there are those cats that don't give a rat's whiskers about all the hoopla and would rather just snooze like our Sierra.

But I did catch her the night before last Christmas sending up her kitty requests for a few new toys and some nip.

"Really...I've been nice"

I have filled the cat-care bag with some Christmas cards, fresh nip and some toys to leave for my 'nice kitties' although I know I will break down and leave something fun for the naughty ones too. You know they walk all over me.

hugs, Deb

Well, what have we here...

The snow has arrived and I will love it for a few days and then give me Fall again.

 I am running around picking up keys, returning keys and planning my busy weekend of cat-sitting, Santa parade & celebrating my youngest daughter's 24th Birthday. I will venture in to some stores to do more Christmas shopping if the time allows. I hope it does, it's getting close.

"Well, look who's up."

hugs, Deb

Full-speed ahead

It's late and I am tidying up in the kitchen. Sierra has been sleeping in my 'Santa Box' that I sat on the island after decorating the staircase. She has been there all day and evening. I'd better leave her out some dinner cause when she wakes up........SHE'LL BE FAMISHED!!!

I checked her....she's still breathing :)
Have you ever seen a two-spout creamer? I'm playing again.

Cooper

So did everyone have a fabulous Thanksgiving and now they are stuffed from dinner and lying around?

It's time for Christmas Creativity - full-speed ahead.

Hugs, Deb

My festive staircase & A Winner

OK- so it didn't snow last night but I hear it's comin'.

I am playing with my staircase. 

It's nothing fancy, just fun and I think Riley will love it.

These are all wooden with moveable parts when you pull the cord.

A Santa for every step on these 120 year old stairs.

"Hi, Ginny. Your eyes look crazy with a flash"

I hope you are decorating or sitting back full to the eyebrows from a big Thanksgiving feast.

I am so happy to announce the winner of my Christmas Give-away..

http://www.blogger.com/profile/05378404296509825325 The winner is Bloggin' bout my boys.

Congratulations Sue from Michigan as you are the winner of a Christmas gift from our home to yours. I can't show it to you because it is Christmas after-all and it must go under your Christmas tree.

 So, please send me your address, Sue and I will get your gift shipped off to you in time for Christmas giving.

It's never easy to put a box away in my house.

hugs, Deb

Flurries are coming so hunker down and decorate

The wind is blowing and snow is on its' way tonight. I am just back from cat-sitting and feeding the ferals and the house is quiet. I can smell the garland that is dressing up the stair-rail and anxious to finish my decorating. Sierra is making a nuisance of herself but that's ok....she is great company. I was going through some old photographs today and came across this one of our cats Patches & her off-spring, Tina. Patches was found starving, pregnant and homeless and she came to live with us in that condition. She had 5 kittens and we kept Tina. They were inseparable for 15 years and then Patches passed away. Tina followed 3 months later. They were two lovely and well-loved cats that we still miss today.

Rae-Rae & Joe are doing well. I visited them yesterday and they look happy.

You haven't met Mimi yet....here she is

"Happy Thanksgiving all my American blogging friends. I hope your day is filled with faith, family, friends, food, fortune & of course, your furry-friends."

Tomorrow evening I will announce the winner of my give-away. You still have time to post a comment and I will add you to the rest of the names. Good Luck! 

hugs, Deb

I learn something new each day

 Here's a real stinker for  you. Did you know that a dominant, aggressive cat will more than likely not cover their business in their litter box. Why? I just discovered the answer. In the wild, a cat leaves its feces out in the open to ward off any predators and show its dominance to other cats. That little house-cat of yours will do the same if it is a dominant cat living in a multi-cat household. Many cats are of a more submissive nature and would never think to leave the box with it's personal business exposed. But not that one with the cat-itude.

I have 2 of these wild-cat wannabees and have never seen them cover their business in 15 years. So, now I know why.

Cat-tip-for-the-day=^..^=sock it to 'em with catnip

Here's a little tip for you if you want to make a fun, in-expensive toy for your cat. Take a sock that you are ready to discard because it may have a hole in it or you have lost its' mate *sniff* and just put a pinch of catnip in the toe part. Tie a knot in the sock and throw it on the floor. Watch kitty go!

Another idea that is similar is to purchase baby socks at your local thrift store and put a teaspoon of catnip inside. Tie the top with a ribbon and VOILA! ...very cheap kitty toy that your cat will delight in. These make cute Christmas gifts for your kitty friends if you find some festive looking socks. Oh so Cheap!!

Sierra is only so much help and then she passes out.

Busy day today. Cat-sitting, visiting with little Riley and quality time spent with my dog. We have a secret place we play ball and no one there seems to mind (no complaints, anyway). Off to the cemetery.........

Don't forget to enter your name for a chance to win a "Christmas surprise" at the end of this post and it will be added to all the others. Draw is Thursday (tomorrow) at 5pm. Good Luck!

HUGS, DEB

Purrs of Wisdom

I am in heaven looking after Mimi & Sydney. I can still hear the purrs in my head as I post this. Both these cats were throw-aways. One appeared at the shelter with 1/2 a tail, the other with 1/2 an ear (frozen off). Now they live in the lap of luxury and the best part is, they know it. Thank God for that.............

Syd lost 1/2 his ear to frost-bite.

Christmas is such a special time for me as a cat-sitter. I will be very busy, of course, and some days I will have to stop and tell myself to breath because I seem to be racing here and there but I LOVE IT and look forward to the craziness.  I have such  special people using my service. People from all walks of life; business-men & women, jewellers, doctors, artists, teachers & retired folks. And they all LOVE CATS or they wouldn't be looking for professional cat-care.

We all know there are those who think cats can be left home alone and they will do fine. They are expected to lay around, eat from a pile of dry food left in a big bowl meant for popcorn with a couple of bowls of water and that's that. WE (the cat lovers who really KNOW our cats' needs) beg to differ. Cats get lonely and they need human contact daily. Even if there are 2 or more cats they still miss having the attention bestowed upon them by their mushy cat-lovin' owner. They need their litter boxes cleaned and kept fresh or they may decide to leave gifts for you where you least expect them. Also, they can get into things and sometimes those things can be of danger to them so they need to be checked on every day. AND WHO WILL GIVE THEM TREATS??

OR READ TO THEM.....

they love the attention and I'M DOING WHAT I LOVE... SPENDING TIME WITH COMFY CATS. 

"How's your decorating coming along? I'm  doing my stairs this weekend so hope you pop by to take a peak.

Still 2 more days for my give-away so just leave a comment after this post and I will add it to the others. The winner will be announced on Thursday evening. Good Luck! 

hugs, Deb