Growing up, we had a lot of pets. Not in a creepy animal hoarder way, but always a dog, a few indoor/outdoor cats, and usually a small creature like a hamster, rabbit, or fish. When a pet died, it was buried in our backyard with a proper funeral, and almost immediately replaced. Sometimes I’d find a stray cat and coax it home, sometimes my dad would show up after work with a new dog. My parents liked animals and all, but I can only assume they tolerated running a home for wayward pets because I loved those goddamn animals so much. Loved is probably an understatement. I’ve always been acutely aware that I need them more than they need me.

1980 – “holding” my first cat who we found in a tree.

Although I grew up in the heart of suburbia (30 minutes North of Detroit), our street, and the few streets surrounding it, somehow evaded development until the early nineties. Our tiny piece of town was a rural oasis tucked inside the neighboring suburban sprawl. Our street was narrow, barely paved, and covered in a layer of gravel. My mom & dad’s house, which they still live in, is very old (the title of the home literally states “old” as the date built). Instead of a garage, we had a dirt floor barn and attached to the back of our house was a pump house, which until the early 90’s, was used to supply our well water. Our yard, which contained several apple trees, two cherry trees, a pear tree, and a plumb tree, was surrounded by woods and farmland. My parents allowed a family of farmers, who lived a few doors down, to grow crops on an acre of our land in exchange for free fruits and vegetables. Once a week my mom and I pulled my little red wagon down to their farmhouse, and filled it with tomatoes, corn, lettuce, strawberries, and peppers from their produce stands. In the summer, if I craved a snack, I would run out to the field and pluck a green pepper from the ground or a pear from one of the fruit trees. In the fall, I’d pick my own pumpkins right from the patch just beyond our backyard. Not a dollar was ever exchanged between our families. It was all very Ann of Green Gables and back then I had no appreciation for how enchanting it all was.

The majority of my friends lived in the neighborhood across town, which seemed like a world away. With no sidewalks, no kids, no siblings, and no parks nearby, my pets, and any creatures within a square mile of our house, became my playmates. I often dragged a little wooden chair to a clearing in the woods just beyond our backyard. I would sit and read books aloud to the birds, the squirrels, and my cats. Every Spring, for a stretch of four or five years, one of my outdoor cats gave birth to a litter of kittens, and so would begin a new semester of Tracey’s School for Kittens. I’d teach them how to eat solid food, climb stairs, and use the litter box. They’d all sleep in my bed every night until they were old enough to be re-homed. When I was 7 years old, I got my first camera – a Kodak Ektralite 10. I followed the cats all through the house and neighborhood, shot countless pictures, and mailed all the doubles to my grandmother. She’d reply a few days later with an envelope filled to the brim with pictures of her cats. I realize this probably sounds like a terribly lonely and feral childhood, but it wasn’t. I loved my feline companions, and they loved me back.

A few of my cats, photographed by me, in the 80’s. 

So yeah. All of this to say I LIKE CATS. And dogs, and birds, and forest animals, and well, people too, but maybe I like cats the most? Question mark?

A while back, I posted a throwback photo of myself on Instagram & Facebook wearing this shredded cat t-shirt.

That shirt elicited a bunch of enthusiastic comments, because apparently it was quite popular back in the 80’s. To celebrate my love for you (and cats) (and the 80’s) I thought I’d create a free download so you can make your very own adult sized shredded cat tee! CAT LOVERS UNITE!

Supplies:

A plain white t-shirt, iron-on inkjet transfer paper, scissors, iron, inkjet printer.

Step One:

If your shirt is wrinkly, give it a good ironing so you have a smooth surface to work with.

Step Two:

Download the cat image here. Right click on the image and choose “save image as” to save it to your computer. Print the image at it’s full size onto 8.5 by 11 iron-on transfer paper. Be sure to follow the print instructions included with the paper – it will explain how to create a mirror image in your print dialogue box.

Step Three:

Cut out the printed image leaving a 1/4 inch border all around.

Step Four:

Place the printed image face down onto the front of the shirt. Make sure it’s centered.

Step Five:

Iron the printed image according to the instructions included with the paper. The paper I used called for two minutes of even pressure at the highest cotton setting.

Step Six:

Once the paper has completely cooled, gently peel it away from the shirt.

Step Seven:

Cut off the hems on each arm, the bottom of the shirt, and the neckline as shown below. I like my shirts to have a bit of a scoop neckline, but that’s just my preference.

Step Eight:

Make a series of vertical cuts up each of the arms. I made mine about a third of an inch thick, but you don’t have to be super accurate with this. Then, make a series of vertical cuts from the bottom of the shirt in an inverted triangle pattern (make sure to cut through both layers at the same time so the front and back are identical). Tug down on each strand to elongate them, which will make the edges of the fabric curl in.

Presto!

Add a pair of saucy swants and you have a fierce ensemble. This outfit says you value comfort, but you’re not afraid to party. Meow.

xoxo

For those of you still finishing up your holiday shopping, I thought I’d share a few gift ideas for the animals and animal lovers in your life. Our fur babies give us so much unconditional love, comfort, loyalty, and companionship throughout the year, so why not spoil them a little bit? I can assure you that Eleanor & Celia would be thrilled to receive many of these items (as would I).

1. Temporary Tattoos $9.23, 2. Hanging Cuddle Pod $19.99, 3. Star Wars Catnip Toy $3.00, 4. Inflatable Unicorn Horn $6.99, 5. Cat’s Trapeze $79.99, 6. Cat Cave $79.00, 7. Fox Terrier Toy $10, 8. Organic Catnip $10, 9. Grumpy Cat Snow Globe $16, 10. Custom Pet Portrait, price varies, 11. Cat Clothes Hanger $12

1.  Ombre Dog Collar $56, 2. Thug Life Hoodie $40, 3. Burt’s Bees Paw & Nose Lotion $12.99, 4. Custom Laser Cut Dog Tags $15.99, 5. Neon Raglan Shirt $12, 6. Bow Tie $20, 7. Canvas Gnome Toy $8, 8. Zombie Foot Dog Toy $10.49, 9. Dog Treats $10.46, 10. Arrowhead Leash $26, 11. Dog Beers Pint Glass $8

I’ve got my eye on that hanging cuddle pod for Celia, the zombie foot for Eleanor, and the custom watercolor painting for Mike D me. Now get to spoiling your fur beasts, even though they’d probably be just as happy with a few balls of crumpled wrapping paper and some belly rubs (but doesn’t that make you want to spoil them even more?).

PSST!  Tomorrow, Tuesday 12/17/2013, is the LAST DAY to order  from my shop for guaranteed delivery by Christmas Eve. Everything in the shop ships for FREE to anywhere in the U.S.! Do you have any Detroit, New York, Paris, or Italy lovers on your shopping list? I’ve got you covered!

xoxo

Hey fraaaands,

I turned thirty four!

I like this age.  I’m feeling motivated, creative, and due to some recent setbacks, so grateful for everyone and everything I have.  I am really, really lucky.  I had the best of fun in my twenties, but my thirties feel… calm.  And right.  Still exciting, but in a more grounded way.  I’m thrilled about the future and I feel like I’m on the right path.  Late early thirties… I think I love you.

Almost every year it’s a million degrees on my birthday, and therefore every year I torture my loved ones with a sweltering outdoor patio party.  But this year it was cold.  In June?!  The horror!

And so we celebrated my 34th atop the freezing cold roof of the Magic Stick where free hot dogs, pizza, and terrible techno music were provided.

Here are some instant film shots from the night.

Those shots were taken with a Fuji Instax Mini.  I.Love.That.Camera.  The photos are miniature, about the size of a credit card.  Find me a person who doesn’t love something miniature!

Actually don’t because they’re probably dumb.

I got some pretty rad gifts too, so I thought I’d share.

This particular gift combines two of my very favorite things – Cats and Organizing.

The pre-printed grocery checklist is extremely helpful as I often forget to buy lard and extracts when I’m at Target.

But wait!

This next gift ALSO combines two of my very favorite things – Cats and Crafts.

You see, you cut out these naked cats…

And you dress them up in these fancy little outfits.

And then you act out conversations between them about Charles Dickens over high tea and lady fingers.

And why don’t husbands understand the excitement over fancy cats in fancy outfits?

Puzzling.

Courtney Fischer necklace? Yes please!

Big, bold, black & gold earrings?  Give them to me!  Wait, they’re already mine.

This adorable print from my list of etsy favorites. LOVE!

Mike D gifted me a white Moroccan pouf which I have been coveting forever.  But in true Mike D style, he didn’t order it in time to arrive for my birthday so he gave me this instead.

What a boob.

But due to the powers of the internet, it has since arrived in the mail and I can show it to you!  hooray!

Put a dog on it is the new put a bird on it.

WHATTAMUFFIN!

On Friday, Mike D and I attended a charity event for the Detroit Opera House called Bravo! Bravo!  This was our third year in a row, and it’s So. Much. Fun.

It’s a lavish party where everyone dresses like it’s prom and overindulges in free boozes and foods.  We wear sparkles.  We eat sushi, tuna tartare, and mini trifles.  We throw back shots of tequila.  We drink every flavor of vodka.  We ogle at local celebrities.  We dance to awful Michael Jackson remixes.  We curse the invention of high heels.

Oh, and photo booth strips!

A free photo booth is provided every year, to which we always oblige.

The theme for each frame is as follows (because there should always be a theme).

1.  Angry woman with a fork
2.  I’m not here to make friends
3.  Grandma
4.  What have I done?!

Alright, enough with the partying, I have things to do. You know, refinish a dining room table, paint the dining room, teach the puppy to stop pooping in the living room, etc.

By the way. Thank you SO MUCH for the thoughtful comments on my last post.  You guys are seriously the business.

Oh, and another thing.  I changed web hosts recently and all your wonderful  comments disappeared!

I know!  I KNOW.

But.

I had already memorized every wonderful comment ever written on this here blog and have them saved in that special part of my brain that can still recite all the dairy queen frozen misty flavors in under 3 seconds and will never forget all the lyrics to every campfire song ever written.

xoxo.