If you follow me on instagram or my personal twitter, then you know that my life has been taken over by a second adorable boston terrier. Yes friends, we have decided that three animals just wasn’t enough and finally took the plunge to adopt a buddy for Jax.

He instantly got along with Jax and Trina. Tut is getting used to him. He’s the best little addition to our family.


He is the most catlike  doggie I’ve ever met so he’s pretty much perfect for us. Anyways, if you would like to adopt your own nugget, come to Super Adoption in SLC this weekend.

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You know what I love as much as cats & kittens in fashion? Unicorns!

See what I mean? Unicorns are totally the new kittens.  I especially love the Lauren Moshi prints. And don’t worry, all of Lime Crime’s lipsticks are vegan-friendly and cruelty-free.

Clockwise I’m Really A Unicorn Dress // Unicorn Cardboard Bust // Lauren Moshi Unicorn Sweats // Lauren Moshi Unicorn T // Unicorn Bottle Stopper // Lime Crime Lipstick in Airborne Unicorn

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To end #perlerbeadweek and to round out your jewelry collection, I thought we’d end big, with biggie beads that is. You’ll notice how much larger these beads are than regular perler beads. The larger size make it much easier to make a larger piece like this.

To make this design you will need:

• Biggie Beads
• A set of two biggie bead peg boards
• 4 large jump rings
• Some cord

Place the beads on the peg board according to the pattern above. You’ll want to make 2 mirror images and one small piece that is 2×2. Cover the pieces with the waxed paper and iron them on both sides according to instructions. They will be HOT. Carefully remove them.

Use the jump rings to attach the pieces together.

Attach the cord to the ends, and you are all set!

What do you think? Do you like this 8-bit jewelry look?

The post {DIY} Perler Bead Statement Necklace appeared first on typical house cat.

For the 3rd installment of Perler Bead jewelry week, we’ll adorn our fingers with some rings. You’ll need the same supplies as when you made the earrings except you’ll want ring findings instead of earring findings.

1. Lay out the design on the peg board.
2. Cover with the waxed paper that comes with your beads.
3. Iron gently until the beads appear fused together.
4. CAREFULLY (beads will be HOT), remove the design from the pegboard.
5. These designs are fragile, cover the side you did not iron with the waxed paper and iron that side as well. This will ensure your designs last much longer.
6. Then, carefully use glue to attach the ring finding to the top. I found it helpful to use clothspins to get everything into place.

Voila! A super fun simple ring.

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The Perler beads that are out now are way cooler than the ones when we were young. When I saw the new “shaped beads” I knew they were dying to be made into dangling earrings.

To make these you will need:

• Earring findings
• Perler beads
• Perler Beads Shaped Beads in “Jewel Tones”
• Glue
• Pegboard

1. Lay out the design on the peg board.
2. Cover with the waxed paper that comes with your beads.
3. Iron gently until the beads appear fused together.
4. CAREFULLY (beads will be HOT), remove the design from the pegboard.
5. These designs are fragile, cover the side you did not iron with the waxed paper and iron that side as well. This will ensure your designs last much longer.
6. Attach the earring findings using jump rings and glue as necessary.

I glued these designs onto flat back earring posts and I let the rest of them dangle.

Have I gotten you excited to whip out a pegboard yet?

The post {DIY} Perler Bead Earrings appeared first on typical house cat.

Confession time. Guys, I have been seriously obsessed with Perler beads lately. There is something very nostalgic for me about placing the beads on the peg board and then ironing them out. I could do it all day long, it’s like really inexpensive therapy. After making a lifetime supply of coasters, I finally moved on to my tried and true craft, jewelry. Today I’m featuring Perler bead bracelets, no iron required. Comeback throughout the rest of the week for more Perler bead jewelry tutorials. You will need:

• Jump rings, learn to make your own here.
• Perler beads
• A clasp
• Jewelry pliers

1. Start by opening a jump ring and sliding a bead on.
2. Close the jump ring.
3. Add another jump ring to the same bead, before you close the jump ring, add another bead.
4. Keep repeating the process until your bracelet is the desired length.
5. Add a clasp.
6. Make more.

 Are you super bummed you didn’t get to use your iron or your pegboard? No worries. They’ll both be back in the game for the rest of the jewelry tutorials this week.

The post {DIY} Perler Bead Bracelets appeared first on typical house cat.

One of the most difficult things in jewelry making, is finding findings that all match. Getting jump rings, a clasp and chain that are all the same shade of metal. It can be quite the task. So, I’m a big fan of making my own. I’ve shown you before how to make your own eye pins so today we’re going to go over how to make your own jump rings from wire with one simple tool and a pen.

To make them, you will need:

• Wire
• A flush cutter
• A pen or small wooden dowel the size of the jump rings you want

Create a spring by tightly wrapping the wire around the pen or wooden dowel.

The difference between a flush cutter and a regular wire cutter is that with a flush cutter, one side of the cut is flat or flush to the edge and the other side is pointy. To make your jump rings, you will be snipping off the pointy end, then flipping the flush cutter so that you can snip off one jump ring with the flat edge. Then repeat the process over and over: snip off the pointy end, flip the flush cutter and snip off a jump ring, flip the flush cutter again to snip off the pointy end, flip, and snip off a jump ring.

You can make them any size or metal that you need them, and it only takes a couple of minutes. You’ll be left with a lot of jump rings and some tiny bits of metal that you can recycle.

Simple enough, no?

{Hint Hint}  Make about 20 or so now, you’ll want them on Monday.

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Here you go folks, my version of the lunch clutch. I used one of the most amazing fabrics, waxed canvas, to make it. I first of heard of it from one of my favorite lines Vaute Couture. It’s an amazing fabric that wears similar to leather. To make this you will need:

• DIY Lunch Clutch Pattern, click to download.
• 2 magnets
• Super glue or the like.
• Waxed canvas, I got mine on Etsy.
• Sewing notions: needle, thread, pins, sewing machine, scissors etc…

The first thing to keep in mind when working with waxed canvas, is that you CANNOT iron it. So, it’s going to come with some wrinkles and creases. Smooth it out as best as you can before you begin to cut. I still used an iron to help with the creases, I just didn’t plug it in so it was cold. It still worked.

First, cut out the fabric according to the provided pattern. I cut them out one at a time even though I needed two of the same piece. Waxed canvas is very thick and cutting them out one at a time helps keep it accurate. Once you get all of the pieces cut, take the side pieces and fold them in half to create a crease down the middle.

Next, fold the bottom of the side panel up to mark the top of the triangle on the pattern.

Then, use those to folds as guides to create the diagonal folds. Make sure they are very creased, as this is going to help create the paper bag look in your finished bag. Set the sides aside.

Sew the front and the back to the bottom of the bag. Use your cold iron to flat and press the seams.

Line the first side up to sew on. Use pins to mark were the seams are so that you don’t sew over them. If you do, you won’t be turn your bag from being inside out. Once both sides are attached, use your cold iron to press the seams again.

Then, sew up the sides. This is going to be tricky on a machine. If you use a sewing machine, make sure you are using a heavy-duty needle to get through all of the layers. Once your done, turn it right side out and fold it like a paper bag. Press it  so that it’s starts to crease in the correct places.

You can finish the top edge if you like but I liked the unfinished look so I left mine. Use glue to attach magnets on the inside at the top, let dry according to the instructions on the glue.

You are all done!  Next, I want to figure out to create an embossed gold logo on it as a finishing touch. What do you think, as good as the real thing?

The post {DIY} The Lunch Clutch a la Jill Sander appeared first on typical house cat.

Remember when Jil Sander launched her $290 paper sack? Well, it was a waxed paper sack and I’ve been thinking about making it ever since. It’s since been release in a leather version and knocked-off over and over. Unfortunately for me, even the knock-offs are leather.

Don’t worry, compassionate friends, I’ve got a vegan-friendly version coming at you tomorrow and it does not involved taking a paper sack and rubbing it with wax. Although, honestly,  I can’t say I won’t be trying that later on.

So tell me, would you sport the lunch clutch? I must know.

[Images] paper bag//black leather jil sander lunch clutch//pink version

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Saturday morning, my 8-year-old rabbit, Buckley, hopped out of his cage and sat on the floor. I immediately knew something was up. You see, he is quite old as far as rabbits go and he doesn’t come out unless I get him out. Once he’s out, he’s quite active, no sitting on the floor, he runs around or he is in my lap. I scooped him into my lap and immediately knew that I was going to lose him very soon. He was weak and lethargic. We found a vet with an opening in a couple of hours but I knew we wouldn’t make it. The appointment was more about making me feel better than anything.

Less than two hours later, Buckley passed away in my arms. We had pulled over on our way to the vet. Buckley was my first companion animal that was truly my own. I was super allergic to cats (now cured that I’m vegan and GF) and my apartment didn’t allow dogs but I was living alone in my first apartment and needed a companion. For 8 years, Buckley licked my elbows, chewed my shoes and bit my boyfriends. He could be a little terd at times and he hated everyone except me, but he was still my little buddy. In 2011, I lost two of my kitties separately in really tragic and sudden ways. It was so hard that I can still barely talk about either JJ or Theo. The pain comes back sometimes suddenly and just as strong as when I lost them.  The kind of grief I’m experiencing now is different. I am grateful that he passed in my arms of old age. I really think, given a choice, that is the way to go. But after 8 years of living together, there is just a huge hole in my heart and in my home. Our house is way too quiet without the sound of him munching his snacks, drinking from his water bottle or thumping at lightening.

I just kept thinking, how am I going to write about happiness or work on my happiness project when I am so sad? Now, because of the bombing at the Boston Marathon on Monday, and the explosion in a Texas factory as I write this Wednesday  night, I find, I am not grieving alone. Even though the tragedies are far away, the world is so small now, they feel very near. Everyone seems to be affected in some way or another.

I can still do the resolutions that I set out for myself in my happiness project and I’m tempted to be stricter with myself to see if they start helping.  But I’m finding that what was once very valuable to me, doesn’t really matter with my current mental and spiritual state. I know that I will get back to those goals and desires with time. But what do I do in the mean time?

I’m no expert, but I’m finding that a little extra self-care can go a long ways. So, I’m not beating myself up if I skip some tasks each day. I’m reading some guilty-pleasure easy novels, eating my comfort pho, taking extra long hot baths, and trying to find pleasure in the simple things.

These little wild friends were in my yard when I got home from work, I don’t think anything could have made me happier. How are you dealing with the woes of the world my friend?

Don’t forget this is a blog hop, so check out the other bloggers and link up your own post.

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