A purrfect little cat

Alright. *deep breath*

I've calmed down. Thursday is behind me. We move forward, to the next day and the next activity, which sure beats the alternative.

January 6th was Cuddle Up Day - I hope you were able to celebrate this activity: with a book, a friend, a pet, a child, maybe just cuddling up in front of a fire with a fine piece of chocolate. It was also Bean Day - as in bean bags, bean bag toys, etc. Which led me to my creation.

I had a hard time deciding what to make. By 8 p.m., I was asking my kids "What should I create?? I need to create something!" My oldest pointed out that I made french fries for supper (along with a big greasy mess on the stove when the hot oil boiled over!), but that's just "a) cut up potatoes, b) put them in hot oil" and what do potatoes have to do with beans anyway?!?

Okay. Back to the bean bag idea. A simple bean bag toy seemed like a cop-out; this isn't just about "making something", but about designing and creating, about providing beauty or joy or a happy moment or a lovely memory in my little part of the world. So, yeah, this bean bag toy had to mean something to me.

(Note: I forgot to take "in-process" photos; my bad.) I decided to use a sock as the base of my creation; but not just any old stinky sock. I found a sock that my mom knit several years ago; the mate is missing, so this poor lonely sock has just been waiting around for a new purpose. Then I needed the filler. I thought I had some plastic filler beads (the kind used for Beanie Baby innards);

turns out I used them for some fat padding and manboobs for a costume. So I opened up the belly pad and removed the beads and fiberfill (here's some of them), threw out the rather stinky manboobs, and filled an old white sock. Then I put all of this inside the pretty dark blue sock that would be the body - of what?

Maybe a sock doll? I've made these for my daughters before, and they're fun and quick, but what would I do with it? A sock animal, perhaps? Yes, with green eyes - a CAT.


Lois!

Almond-shaped eyes, a triangle nose, pointy cat ears - cut out of fabric patches and hot-glued onto the sock. I cut off the cuff of the sock, glued the body to a fabric patch base, and rolled part of the cuff into a tail.

A red ribbon bow at her neck, and she's ready. Meet "Lois", the pretty midnight-blue cat who is gracing a corner by the fireplace. Doesn't every home need a cat by the fire?

 Max and Lois