The first thing you need to know is that when I was in school I loved English. Loved it with a passion. By contrast, I hated math; hated it down to the marrow of my bones. When I reached high school that hate later turned to utter loathing of vilest description.

This, however, is not the point.

The point is that I loved English and when my English teacher, Mr. Gray, introduced us to Fog by Carl Sandburg I fell in love.

With the poem.

I was already in love with Mr. Gray but that’s not the point either.

You can read the poem here.

You also need to know that after I was married (not to Mr. Gray, alas) my husband and I began to keep cats and I fell in love for the third time. (The second time was with my husband, the greatest guy in the world, which really was the first time if you don’t count Mr. Gray, making my love of cats my second love–or something like that.) We’ve had cats most of our marriage and they are an integral part of our home life. My daughter said, “A cat makes a house a home,” and I’m pretty sure she’s right.

The third thing you need to know is that I love crafts, especially sewing. We live in a house with an extra bedroom which I have made into a craft studio. It’s also a guest room, but if I have pressing matters to attend to with my sewing machine the guests have to move to a tent in the yard, but it’s OK. I let them come in to use the shower.

Just kidding.

I make them use the hose. It can be quite refreshing in the summer!

Kidding. 

Mostly.

Anyway, I have been known to disappear into that room for hours on end and make stuff. Jewelry, cards, clothes, quilts, you name it. Whatever strikes my fancy at the moment or appeals to my sense of creativity is produced there. My cat always comes to keep me company. If she’s not outside catching lizards and other miscellany then she can be found snoozing on the bed while administrating in my studio.

Moving right along in my story, several years ago we moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. I think that is where they have the fog factory for the whole world. I’m not really into the fog, if the truth be told. I’m originally a desert rat from Arizona but even I have to admit the fog can be very beautiful. If I’m inside. With the heater on. And the fireplace. And some tea, a book, the Boss the cat, and for good measure the sound of my husband tapping away on his computer keyboard.

Hence, Cat Feet Studio. The combination of some of my favorite things and the beautiful place I call home.

Edit: In the summer of 2014 my beloved cat passed away. I still miss her every day because she saw me through many major life transitions and was an integral part of my daily life. All the transitions were good things, by the way, but with every change comes adjustment and that cat was a furry little “constant” in the midst of times of upheaval and change. Within days of her passing away I adopted two kittens, because, you know, a cat makes a house a home! The adventures created by these two are hilarious and beyond imagination. You’ll find some of that as it makes it’s way into the blog.