falling fast

Weeks ago I had grand plans for Halloween decorations. I thought it was high time we put some of our strange medical props to use and make our place into a creepy mad science lab. But of course, I got too distracted chasing Endeavour around town this weekend to really get things together. We’ll see what kind of magic I can pull of, but for now I’ve just tackled a couple little projects.

I found the pumpkin and candy corn fabric weeks ago and sewed it into a festive table cloth. It works well since we have a lot of pumpkins around. Since my zombie dishcloth has seen better days, I stitched up a brand new werewolf towel. Had I remembered my science lab theme, I would have made a heart or some organs, but in the end I like the werewolf quite a bit.

For the authentic touch, I have this little squirrel skull that we found on a trail. It’s my first time cleaning a skull and it is wonderful how much nature can do on it’s own (thank you ants and bacteria). I have a few larger bird bones but they’re still a little too fleshy and gross to bring inside and I don’t think my neighbors would appreciate me cleaning them in our common areas.

It feels like October is nearly gone already and we’ve only had a single cool day. I wish time would slow down a bit more. Everything feels like it is flying by at lightning speed and I don’t want to miss it.

tablecloths





One of the major points of contention in our home decor adventures has been the dining room table. When we found our dining set on craigslist, we learned that the table had been carefully protected through the years by the grandmother who owned it. The table top is in near pristine condition, shiny and smooth, without a single scratch on its surface. Ever since, I’ve felt some sort of obligation to keep it in this perfect state, which means keeping the custom table pads on top and covering it with a tablecloth.

The only problem is that I’m not particularly a fan of tablecloths, even though they can be quite pretty. Partially it’s that they aren’t so easy to keep clean, but mostly, I hate that they drape so low over the sides of the table. Not only does it hide a lot of the detail of the table, but the cats, who often sit in the dining chairs end up pulling it this way and that. For the past year we’ve had an oilcloth on top, which I’ve been fairly happy with, but Shawn did not like at all.

This weekend we finally found some fabric at my favorite fabric shop that we both agreed would make a great tablecloth and a few hours later we had a cute custom piece. It’s the perfect length, very short, and matches the room while still being cute and fun. I’m very pleased with it and also excited to make tablecloths for various holidays and occasions (I already have one for Halloween in the works). Maybe one day I’ll get over my need to protect the table and just let it be, but for now, I’m quite happy just making a plethora of tablecloths.