My Life Parenting Pets

Eleanor’s Motto

I Want All of the Cats to Love Me the Best

By Nation of Amanda. Prints (and other merch) available here.

Eleanor and Mabel

Eleanor and Mabel

Sources & Paint ColorsNeed design help? Let's work together.

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  • Kristi
    February 4, 2014 at 10:20 am

    Uhhh… I don’t get it. I didn’t really get the point of yesterdays post either. I’m not trying to be rude in any way. I used to come here and get great content and I genuinely like you and your adorable family. Lately, there hasn’t been much conversation from you to us (your readers)and I do hope all is well.

    • Making it Lovely
      February 4, 2014 at 10:37 am

      All is well, thanks. Just working on a lot of little things here and there, and not feeling like anything is far enough along to share yet. Our next big project will be creating a library (since there are boxes upon boxes of books here with no home yet), but I’ve also been working on the kitchen a little, our bedrooms, the play room, and planning August’s birthday party for this Saturday!

      • Lisa Gordon
        February 4, 2014 at 1:01 pm

        You really handled that well. Bravo.

      • Marcee ... ILLINOIS
        February 5, 2014 at 2:31 pm

        Ditto = re Gordon’s comment.

        Obviously, folks (that have too much time on their hands) expect lots and lots of daily entertainment from you Nicole! Haaha. Jeez.

  • Whitney
    February 4, 2014 at 10:24 am

    Oh my gosh that picture of kitty looking up at her is ADORABLE! Frame that!

  • Michael Wurm, Jr.
    February 4, 2014 at 10:24 am

    Seriously, love this. Us cat people totally get each other. ;) Bought one immediately.

    AND it was a JOY finally meeting you at ALT. Hope we get a chance to see each other again.

    xo Michael

    • Making it Lovely
      February 4, 2014 at 12:05 pm

      I bought one too. And the sloth print. And SO glad I got to meet you!

    • Marcee ... ILLINOIS
      February 5, 2014 at 2:33 pm

      Nice blog Mr. Wurm, Jr.!

  • Aimee E
    February 4, 2014 at 10:29 am

    So cute! When I was her age our cats hated me! I was not as gentle as Eleanor appears to be. That cat is in heaven :)

    -A.

    • Making it Lovely
      February 4, 2014 at 12:09 pm

      They’re only sort of warming up to August, but he’s a little rough with them sometimes, or just doesn’t realize that he can’t RUN! up to them always. I have some sweet photos of Eleanor with our dog, Murray, too. She’s so gentle with the pets.

      • Aimee
        February 4, 2014 at 3:11 pm

        When my niece was younger (2-3) she used to come up behind the cats and Grammie’s house and say “HI KITTY” in a demonic little shriek. They’d jump out of their skins and skid away as fast as they could and then she’d laugh and laugh. . . . she’s going on six, now and she’s much better with them.

      • Marcee ... ILLINOIS
        February 5, 2014 at 2:41 pm

        What are the kitties names?

        I have 2 framed (maybe 7 X 10)watercolor prints Eleanor might enjoy in her room. They originally were hanging in our hallway, going into the basement. Lots of nice colors …. pinks and well, just nice. We had 3 kitties for many, many years. Mollye, Muffee and Martini. It wasn’t always easy, but very fun along with 2 or 3 poochies too.

        Anyway, if you give the okay Nicole, I will send.

  • Laurie
    February 4, 2014 at 10:35 am

    I think this is a noble and worthy goal.

    Also, that would be such a great tattoo for a crazy cat lady to get!

  • Nicole Trimmer
    February 4, 2014 at 10:42 am

    Long time reader, first time commenter here! I had to comment when I read the first comment above. I happen to like when you post about cool stuff you found. I am buying that lovely lady’s sloth sticker. Which I never would have found without you. Sooooooo. Continue please and thank you. Always have loved and still love this blog!

  • Shasta
    February 4, 2014 at 10:44 am

    I’m right there with you, Eleanor! We cat ladies have to stick together and snuggle all the kitties!!

  • Sarah
    February 4, 2014 at 10:56 am

    I love this! And I love the small posts, too. I’m excited to see what you do with this new house and I’m so glad I found your blog!

  • Peaches
    February 4, 2014 at 11:12 am

    1. Love her stuff. I may be buying a sloth tote.
    2. More cats, k? More cat posts up in here. Love cats.

  • Alana
    February 4, 2014 at 11:21 am

    I love this! Very cute print. I think Sophia would love it, though I suspect she may ponder it for a tattoo…somewhere long, long, long down the road. (never)

    • Making it Lovely
      February 4, 2014 at 6:27 pm

      Do you have any? I can’t remember…

  • AnnW
    February 4, 2014 at 11:48 am

    Does Eleanor know about cat videos? Does she know she can make some? You have your hands full with that one. What’s nice is that you have documented all her likes and dislikes on the blog, so she’ll have a record when she is famous.

    • Making it Lovely
      February 4, 2014 at 12:13 pm

      Ha! She isn’t making her own videos yet, but she asks me to take videos all the time, and she gets to use my phone sometimes as a camera.

  • Alison
    February 4, 2014 at 12:03 pm

    Aw, we’re a cat family too. My youngest daughter’s first word was “cat”. She’s 19 months now, and it’s still one of her favorite — and definitely one of her most emphatically stated — words.

    btw, where was this photo taken? Just curious where you have the wall-to-wall carpet in your home, somehow I thought you had hardwood everywhere.

    • Making it Lovely
      February 4, 2014 at 12:15 pm

      The third floor has a carpeted hallway, along with two small rooms under the eaves. There’s also a white wall-to-wall in the former porch, off the kitchen on the first floor, and in our bedroom closet. The wood floors throughout are in decent shape, but I’m assuming that where they weren’t, carpeting got put down as an affordable fix.

  • Alisa
    February 4, 2014 at 12:05 pm

    I also am a long time reader, and love your content no matter what. I’ve noticed a shift in content of all of my blogs since the first of the year, and I love to think “they are writing from their heart, not their pocketbook. ”

    Perhaps the first commentor should have read that great article by DS that you had in your Honor Roll last week. I am making a point to comment on all posts I read now, even if it’s just a “I’m still here!”

    Xo

    • Or
      February 4, 2014 at 3:34 pm

      Writing from the heart is fine, but when your modus operandi is design and “transforming the so-so” and the closest thing you have had to a design post in the last two months was about putting dvds on shelves from ikea. your audience is only going to stick around so long.

      i know bloggers feel like our friends, but nicole has been public about how MIL provides a large part of her income (supporting her entire family and this expensive new home in a very pricey neighborhood). so as a longtime reader, after a while you have to wonder. is a post about nicole’s favorite movie really supposed to keep me coming back to the blog, providing her the traffic that gets her ads and sponsorships? because i don’t think that’s sustainable. those design posts might come later, when they are ready to share, but who knows if i’ll still bother checking by that point.

      • erin
        February 4, 2014 at 7:59 pm

        That was the “closest thing to a design post”? The changes to the entryway, hallway runner options, darling third-story bathroom (which I loved), suggestions for using pink in a boy’s room, etc.–none of those count?

        Not trying to be rude–I’m truly baffled by this comment.

  • kate
    February 4, 2014 at 1:12 pm

    Too adorable for words! Eleanor looks just like you.

  • Erin
    February 4, 2014 at 1:14 pm

    Aw, I love this!

    Our cat LOVES our younger son (18 mos) but runs like hell whenever our oldest (3 yrs) comes within earshot. I have never understood it! He is much gentler with her than his younger brother is.

    That print is just the best.

  • Shannon
    February 4, 2014 at 1:18 pm

    worlds colliding! I have been reading your blog for years, and I am facebook friends with Amanda’s fiance, Mitch Clem. He is a comic artist, as is my husband. I love her stuff! They are doing portraits now, where he draws your family and she watercolors it. Love it!

  • Ariane
    February 4, 2014 at 1:20 pm

    I’ve always had cats and I remember when I was 5 or 6, my sister (who is 14 months younger than me) and I would dress the cat with doll clothes. My mum would undress her and we would dress her again … Sweet memories with my 4-legged furry friend (and I still have a cat, another one, who is almost 15 !). Take care.

  • Jessica S.
    February 4, 2014 at 1:29 pm

    Nicole,

    Now that the subject of pets is being opened up for discussion, I’d be curious to hear your thoughts/suggestions on decor that’s pet-friendly.

    Case-in-point…

    My husband and I have two dark-colored dogs. While I’ve wanted to buy new bedding for the longest time, our furry kids like to sleep on the bed with us; and I’m having a tough time finding a new duvet that’s pretty, affordable, and easily washable.

    I’d love to hear your thoughts on rugs that are pet-friendly. (I know this topic was also covered on Design*Sponge last week; but, I also really respect your opinions and taste.)

    Not looking for a reply on all this. Just a suggestion for a future post.

  • Kristin
    February 4, 2014 at 2:27 pm

    A laudable ambition, and it looks like she’s well on her way!

  • Merry
    February 5, 2014 at 8:11 am

    I just had my awwwwww-moment for today. The picture where the kitty looks at Eleanor is so preciously heart-melting. It is great when children and pets make good friends.
    Greetings,xoxo

  • Kim // Yellow Brick Home
    February 5, 2014 at 10:18 am

    I’m trying to remember if I’ve ever seen a photo of your cat (cats?) before… but OMG. SO CUTE.

  • Blair
    February 5, 2014 at 1:11 pm

    Darling picture, thanks for posting it.

  • Jessica
    February 5, 2014 at 1:45 pm

    – its your blog. you don’t owe anyone anything.

    – (more importantly) – Eeeeee! Had no idea you had pets! The last picture is so beautiful! Wish I had picts like that from when I was little with my favorite pets! Now I work in the veterinary world and love every day I go to work, even after 10 years! You never know what will mold someone’s future. Thanks for the smile! Go kitties!

  • rebecca
    February 5, 2014 at 4:57 pm

    eleanor’s jammies remind me of this adorable sanderson wallpaper

    http://webtex.walkergreenbank.com/images/PRODUCTS/DOPWDA104.JPG

    i love how often you post, and always look forward to what you write. i’m actually shocked at how far you’ve come in the new house so quickly, and think it looks wonderful. you always manage to handle the haters with grace–well done.

  • Karin
    February 5, 2014 at 8:39 pm

    Hi Nicole,

    Do you know about the Jenny and the Cat Club books by Ester Averill? If not, you should definitely find them! THey are age appropriate now for your lovely Eleanor, and such fun books (and this, coming from a dog family!).

    See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esther_Averill

    And of course: http://www.amazon.com/Jenny-Cat-Club-Collection-Childrens/dp/1590170474

    Love your blog!

  • Meegs
    February 6, 2014 at 10:03 am

    Love that picture. Looks like both Eleanor and the pretty kitty are in heaven. Also, I adore her PJs, where are they from?

  • powwlita
    February 6, 2014 at 1:14 pm

    aww, Eleanor’s hair is getting darker! I’ve always been fascinated by hair color changes in kids. My husband was such a blondie when he was a kid and now he’s a salt and pepper brunette! Were you and Brandon the same way?

  • Veronique
    February 10, 2014 at 7:46 pm

    So cute. Love the little girl with the cat. It is an amazing photo.

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