1. Chicken Crib
2. Eglu Cube
3. Modern Chicken Coop
4. The Saltbox Coop
5. Eglu Go
6. Portable Chicken Coop

Design*Sponge recently wrote about keeping chickens, and Apartment Therapy wrote about the subject a couple of years ago. As people are becoming more aware of their food sources and sustainable living (both things I’m working on), it seems chicken keeping is making a big comeback. I haven’t met anyone keeping them in an urban (or suburban) setting, though it seems they’re out there! Do you or any of your neighbors have chickens?

© 2010, published by Making it Lovely as Cooped Up | 146 comments

The kitchen door leads to the basement, which we’ve always left ajar for the cats. We had thought about cutting a hole when we initially moved in, but we were hesitant because we didn’t want to mar a 100 year old door. Recently though, I’ve become less afraid of ‘ruining’ our house in the pursuit of making it work for our family. Paint the woodwork? Yes, please. Cut a hole in the door? Don’t mind if I do.

And speaking of painting the woodwork, we’re getting there. All of the baseboards and doorways are done, one of the windows and one of the doors have been finished, and we still have one window and three doors to go.

© 2010, published by Making it Lovely as The Pet Door | 64 comments

The last time I was able to get a photo of all three together was over three years ago. Violet was still a kitten, and we were still living in our apartment.

Every so often, all of us are in a room at the same time. Me, Brandon, Eleanor, our dog Murray, and our cats, Violet, Mabel, and Kili. I get pretty excited whenever it happens and I announce it. “We’re all in the same room! We’re all in the same room!”

Remember this? Our dining room FLOR is finally down (Feelin Groovy in Pewter).

I think it looks a little too blue.

We’re keeping it because I haven’t found anything better*, it was cheap, and we need a rug in the space. I like the bare wood floor, but our dog Murray would disagree. He has no traction and has already suffered the consequences of slipping badly (he’s fully recovered now). Oh, and he likes to eat his treats while standing on a carpet (he’s odd). When we had the bare floors he would go from the kitchen through the dining room and end up in the living room on the zigzag rug. We can’t have that, now can we?

* OK, there was one rug that I liked better: JORUN from IKEA. But it only comes in 5′x8′ and I don’t think two of them together would be as seamless as I’d like. Plus I don’t think it would be wise to add yet another pattern to the main area of our home… even though it would look excellent with the wallpaper.

© 2009, published by Making it Lovely as Feeling Slightly Blue in the Dining Room | 51 comments

I’ve been looking for a ceramic garden stool to go next to my egg chair as a little side table, but I haven’t had much luck finding a good inexpensive one. Now I have a bizarre little elephant to set my drinks on instead.

Murray’s a little creeped out by it.

He’s resting a lot, and he whimpers and makes moaning sounds every so often. He’s getting around well on three legs for now though, and we’re looking forward to seeing him get back to his normal self.

* I did take a photo in which you can see Murray’s incision. I didn’t want to post it here, but it may be helpful to see for anyone that needs to have this surgery for their dog.

I’m waiting to hear from the vet, but it looks like the earliest we can get him back in is next Tuesday. It’s just awful to see that he’s in pain (and has been for several days already).

We try, over and over. Murray can’t catch.

He just opens his mouth and hopes the ball will end up in there somehow.

He is however, justifiably afraid of Italian stereotype toys.

It’s OK, Murray. We’re all afraid of Pizza Papa.

© 2008, published by Making it Lovely as FAIL. | 36 comments

The Owl (a vintage cookie jar)…

…and the Pussycat.