DIY With Maryann: One More Item in My Home That is Designated Solely For Domesticated Felines

Reminder:

Rules of 'DIY With Maryann'

1) Spend more money than you would if you've just bought something already made by a professional.

2) Do not use any professional tools.

3) Do not consult any professional advice or helpful hints on the internet.

4) Use the most inefficient method possible to complete the project.

5) If the completed project didn't turn out perfect, leave it as is.  You tried.

After reading an article about women living alone and safety precautions those women should take, I decided I needed living room curtains. Partly for privacy, but mostly to assuage my deep fears of being murdered in my sleep. Or my waking. Either is a terrifying concept. Apparently if I have curtains that block people from seeing into my home, stalkers and murderers might live under the apprehension that I have like, 6 burly guys living with me in my polyandrist home, and therefore it should not be breached in any way. Unless, of course, they're into stalking and murdering burly men.  Then I have a problem. Back to the drapery.

I promise, I looked for professionally made curtains.  I scoured the internet for thick, colorful, detailed, inexpensive curtains, and nothing met all my criteria. So in keeping with my rules of DIY, I decided to blow about $100 on fabric and make my own.

I bought 84 inches of two different fabrics.  Why 84 inches?  That seemed curtain-y.  Why two different fabrics?  I got to the fabric store about 20 minutes before they closed, couldn't make a decision, and would rather overspend on shit I don't need than make another trip! When I got home, I decided on my favorite of the two, but then had a whole other fabric to do something with.  

I had been looking for a second cool cat bed and thought about buying one like this but why buy one when I could...anyone? MAKE one.

So I lightly searched the internet for an easy cushion pattern, and this one seemed the most logical to me. I did not follow the pattern very closely, and unlike the creator I didn't use a sewing machine, which means that if you ever see it in person, you will find it structurally 'lacking' in several aspects.

Back in January I had purchased some deeply discounted fake snow to use as stuffing for a project I have since abandoned.  But the pillow was a bit too big, and the snow couldn't completely fill it.  What was I to do? The solution: dig into my goodwill bag and take out some soft-ish clothes.  A fleece bathrobe, a sweatshirt, a scarf or two.  The cats wouldn't be able to tell the difference--they sit on my clothes all the time anyway.

To the finished product! 

Closer!

Throw a cat on it and make the photo blurry!

Oz sleeps on it a lot more than Norm, but...CAT BED ACHIEVED! I'm quite proud.