Just For Fun

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 247

November 26th, 2012 by Karen 67 Comments

the makeup and beauty blog monday poll for november 26, 2012 — Currently obsessed with bunnies…

You might be wondering, “So what the heck is this Monday Poll thing anyway?”

Well, it isn’t much of a poll. It’s more just a constantly evolving (devolving?), somewhat random list of questions I’ve been putting out to readers every Monday morning for the past four years. I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.

Mood:
Excellent! 🙂 I love the holidays, even though it’s technically not even December yet.

Do you wear workout clothing when you’re aren’t working out?
I didn’t used to, but then I found Zella, which is like Nordstrom’s in-house, less expensive version of Lululemon.

They make some pretty fashionable stretchy pants and shirts. I mean, they still look like workout clothes, sure, but their little design details and colors make it look like you’re at least trying and haven’t completely given up, LOL!

If you were a pilot, what would be your call sign (like Starbuck, Boomer and Apollo from Battlestar Galactica)?
I’d be 9 Lives, and Tabs would be Big Boy. 🙂

Can you imagine Tabs in the cockpit of a fighter jet with his little helmet on?? It would need cutouts for his ears.

Gawd, I’m such a cat lady…

Are you doing any shopping for Cyber Monday?
I haven’t yet, but if a tube of NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer accidentally falls into my cart during the NARS Friends and Family sale (through Tuesday, get 20% off all orders at narscosmetics.com with code NARSFF2012 at checkout), I wouldn’t take it out.
What are three things you’re loving in your makeup bag now?
Chanel Le Volume Mascara (life changing, babe!), Laura Mercier Creme
Metallic Eye Colour in Gold and Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Moonstone.

I’ve been into that wide-eyed, glowing, dewy skin look lately, and these three have been helping me get there.

Have you done any decorating around the house for the holidays yet?
Not yet, but I can’t wait! I want to get the tree and window lights up by next weekend.

Do you like it when it snows?
It doesn’t snow here in the Bay Area, but I live within driving distance of places that get a lot of snow every winter and don’t feel the urge to visit those places because of the white stuff…

I’m not really big on being cold and wet.

Did you Skype anyone over Thanksgiving?
Nope, not this time. I’ve had to in the past because we’d spend the day with either El Hub’s family in Hawaii or my family here. This time, though, both sets of parents came to our house to celebrate. It was nice having everyone under one roof.

Any plans to go ice skating over the holidays?
Heck, yeah! I may not be into snow, but get me on a pair of skates, and I’m happy as a clam (on skates).

I think I’m that one one annoying person who likes to zip around everyone else at top speed! — because I still haven’t figured out how to stop without running into people or walls.

Weekly goals:
Be mindful of the time I spend on different tasks (seriously, this is one of my biggest challenges week after week), keep the living room from falling into disarray again after it was all straightened out for Thanksgiving, start my Christmas shopping, and try to not be so fearful of change (I’m going to try getting up earlier in the morning to help with my schedule).

Hello, my friend. Happy Monday! 🙂

Okay, kinda random, but you know how I’m a fan of Battlestar Galactica, right? Well, they’ve got this new series of 10-minute webisodes on Youtube right now called Blood & Chrome, which follows a young William Adama, fresh out of flight school, on his first mission in the Cylon War.

I think you’ll like it if you enjoyed the Sci-Fi Channel version of the series that was on a few years ago.

Sorry! Sidetrack over. Let’s get back to the Monday Poll, shall we? 🙂

To complete the Monday Poll, just copy the following list, and paste it with your answers in the comments.

Le List

1. Mood:
2. Do you wear workout clothing when you’re aren’t working out?
3. If you were a pilot, what would be your call sign (like Starbuck, Boomer and Apollo from Battlestar Galactica)?
4. Are you doing any shopping for Cyber Monday?
5. What are three things you’re loving in your makeup bag now?
6. Have you done any decorating around the house for the holidays yet?
7. Do you like it when it snows?
8. Did you Skype anyone over Thanksgiving?
9. Any plans to go ice skating over the holidays?
10. Weekly goals:

It’s the last week of November, so let’s wrap up the month with a bang! 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 219

November 25th, 2012 by Karen 5 Comments

SUNDAY, NOV. 25, 2012 — Today outside

My taller assistant accompanied me on my tour of the grounds this afternoon. I believe the girl refers to him as “El Hub.”

Nice enough fellow, I suppose. Not very talkative though. Our whole time outside, I think he only said two words to me: “Come here,” which he barked repeatedly (how rude!).

I’ve heard the phrase before, but I’m not sure what it means. I assume it’s some sort of compliment…

The tour was uneventful. No cat intruders or dog sightings, and I didn’t see any of those gigantic flightless birds that always yell, “gobble, gobble!” Odd, because I saw quite a few of them before Thursday of last week…

I got hungry while we were patrolling the periphery of the estate, but I didn’t want to break for lunch, so I just had a salad of grass saplings along the way.

This year’s crop has been exquisite; I can’t remember the last year they were this crisp and sweet.

I looked for that tiny tabby who lives on one of the neighboring estates but didn’t see her. I wanted to ask her if she has a kitty modeling agent, because she has great bone structure.

Oh, well. Next time… That reminds me, I should bring some business cards on my walks.

When I got back to the office, I made a few calls and updated my portfolio with pictures from my latest modeling jobs.

Would you care to take a look?

Silly me. Of course you would.

-Tabs

[Continue reading…]

Two Ways to Win a $50 eGift Card From Sephora!

November 24th, 2012 by Karen 408 Comments

WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Carol! Congratulations, Carol! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

World’s Best Programmer: Tabs the Cat.

Programmer, gamer, hacker, creator of famous 8-bit graphical works of art — not to mention world-renowned plus-size kitty supermodel.

Tabs sent a very important email last night…an email that could change the course of history and alter the fabric of space and time, at least as it pertains to plus-size kitty supermodeling and professional gaming.

It was an email sent to Satoru Iwata, the current president of Nintendo corporation, the world’s largest video game company by revenue, and it starts with the line, “Let me resurrect Donkey Kong.”

Unbeknownst to me before last night, Tabs actually has an honorary degree in computer programming from NIT (the Novato Institute of Technology).

You see, back before he got into modeling, even before his stint as a construction worker, Tabs was a famous script kitty… Actually, he was the scr1ptki77y, otherwise known as the cat who hacked the PetCo corporate network, which was believed to be impregnable at the time.

Anyway, Tabs gave up hacking and transitioned to kitty modeling shortly after the PetCo incident, when it started looking like the authorities were closing in on him.

This was a few years ago, and since then the statute of limitations on kitty hacking expired, and so Tabs is now comfortable publicly discussing this part of his past…

In the email to Iwata, Tabs included the first 500 lines of code for his new game engine, which he claims is so sophisticated that it makes Halo and Call of Duty look like Pong.

Time will tell, I guess. If Iwata responds and offers a coding job to Tabs, Makeup and Beauty Blog may be going on temporary hiatus…

If that happens, this could be one of the last Sephora eGift card giveaways for a while. You better enter this one right now, just in case. 🙂

What folks are saying…

“What a lovely surprise it was to see your announcement (after completing one of many exams/papers/projects I have this crazy week)! The eCard will definitely ease expenses for this broke, beauty-obsessed college student. Thank you, Karen and Tabs!!”
-Katie

“Thanks so much, Karen. Just in case you were wondering what I got with it, I decided to go with the Clarisonic Mia–I’ve been wanting it for years now, but have never purchased it because of the price. Your eCard helped me finally buy it! I look forward to using it. Thanks again!”
-Jane

“Shut the front door! OMG Karen, you have made my day. 🙂 I’m sick in bed with the flu and this has just cheered me up immensely!!!!!!!! BTW, I’m the one that sent you that pic of my pug in a wig a few weeks back LOL! Thanks again, honestly, I’m beyond giddy right now.”
-Angel

“Thank you SO much Karen! OMG! Wishes really do come true! I can’t believe I won! You have no idea how much this will help me through the holidays. I’ve been an avid fan of your blog for the past two years. Your witty and creative entries, informative makeup information, and beautiful photos have kept me hooked. I look forward to more of it. Goodness, you’ve
seriously just made my week and it’s only Tuesday night!”
-Zharlynne

“Oh my goodness! Thank you so much Karen (and Tabs, of course)! I really appreciate this! I’d been eyeing the Anastasia brow pencil in Strawburn to match my red hair!”
-Chelsea (and Jiji the kitten and Quincy the bunny)

“Hi Karen. Thank you so much, I’m so excited, I’ve never won anything before. My name is Hana … I just turned 25 (today is my birthday!) Yay! Thank you.”
-Hana

One (1) Sephora eGift card containing $50 sent to the winner by email (international readers, you may opt to receive $50 sent by PayPal instead).

There are two ways to enter, and you can do both of them for two chances to win. First, you can enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post, a comment about anything at all, like, what’s your all-time favorite video game (and favorite game of the moment)? Have you ever written a computer program? Do you do more of your makeup and beauty shopping in stores or online? What’s your favorite beauty brand website? Do you use any electronic devices in your beauty regimen (iPhones, Clarisonics, vibrating mascara wands, etc.)? How many bits are in a byte? Just for fun, how do you see technology changing the beauty industry 20 years from now? — you get the idea.
Second, you can enter by following me on Twitter @karenmbb and retweeting (RT) the following message:
- Follow @karenmbb and RT to Win a $50 eGift Card from Sephora! http://bit.ly/UyhKP2

The deadline to enter is Sunday, November 25, 2012 at 11:59PM (PT).
Entrants must enter using a valid email address and/or Twitter account to win.
A maximum of two (2) entries per person — one within the comments at the bottom of this post, and a second entry via Twitter addressed to me @karenmbb.
Contest is open to individuals of any country who have reached the age of majority according to their local laws (18 in the United States with these exceptions: Alabama and Nebraska, 19; Mississippi, 21).
Sephora eGift Certificates can only be redeemed online and are not valid in stores or available for purchase or redemption in Canada. International winners may opt to substitute the Sephora eGift card prize for $50 sent directly to their email address by PayPal instead.
Tabs and I (heretofore referred to as “T-Money and K-Dawg”) will select one (1) winner at random from the entries either left in the comments at the bottom of this blog post or addressed to @karenmbb on Twitter.
The winner will be announced here within 48 hours of the deadline.
Void where prohibited by law.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Carol! Congratulations, Carol! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

Two Ways to Win the New Benefit Fine-One-One Cheek and Lip Trio

November 23rd, 2012 by Karen 220 Comments

WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Mykeshia! Congratulations, Mykeshia! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

You know what would go really well with that second piece of pumpkin pie…?

A new Benefit Fine-One-One Cheek and Lip Trio. 🙂

Silly rabbit, it’s not for eating (although when I see it I think, “cupcake frosting”). This cream brightening stick trio is for illuminating lips and cheeks, and for imparting a glow that rivals the one I had after yesterday’s Thanksgiving meal.

I hope you’re ready to glow, because today’s giveaway start in

Enter now (it only takes a comment and/or tweet)!

One lucky lady or gent will win a new Benefit Fine-One-One Cheek and Lip Trio ($30 value), a push-up stick trio of brightening pink champagne, sheer watermelon and soft coral creams that blend together beautifully on cheeks and lips.

benefit fine one one swatches — Swatches from the left: Fine-One-One directly applied with the stick (see the stripes?), all of the colors blended together, and all of the colors blended together and buffed out with a blush brush

There are two ways to enter, and you can do both of them for two chances to win. First, you can enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post, a comment about anything at all, like, what are your favorite Thanksgiving (or other holiday) side dishes? Best Benefit products of all time? Which do you prefer, powder blushes or creams? Have you ever been caught rocking out in your car? What’s your all-time favorite face powder? — you get the idea.
Second, you can enter by following me on Twitter @karenmbb and retweeting (RT) the following message:
- Follow @karenmbb and RT to Win the New Benefit Fine-One-One Cheek and Lip Trio! http://bit.ly/QeP66K

The deadline to enter is Sunday, November 25, 2012 at 11:59PM (PT).
Entrants must enter using a valid email address and/or Twitter account to win.
A maximum of two (2) entries per person — one within the comments at the bottom of this post, and a second entry via Twitter addressed to me @karenmbb.
Contest is open to individuals of the United States and internationally who have reached the age of majority according to their local laws (18 in the United States with these exceptions: Alabama and Nebraska, 19; Mississippi, 21).
Tabs and I (heretofore referred to as “T-Money and K-Dawg”) will select one (1) winner at random from the entries either left in the comments at the bottom of this blog post or addressed to @karenmbb on Twitter.
The winner will be announced here within 48 hours of the deadline.
Void where prohibited by law.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Mykeshia! Congratulations, Mykeshia! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

Happy Thanksgiving: I’m Thankful for You

November 22nd, 2012 by Karen 94 Comments

Happy Thanksgiving, love. I know I’ve said it before, but I still can’t believe this is our sixth (!) one together. When they say, “time flies,” girl, they sure aren’t kidding.

I’ve been up for a couple hours already working in the kitchen on the sides for today. There’s a (hopefully yummy) corn casserole baking in the oven at this very moment, and the house smells like nom. 🙂

I really wish you were here (but I’d need a much bigger living room). After so many years together — your stories, graduations, new careers, weddings, kittens, puppies, babies and world travels — I feel like you’re my extended family now. Growing up I always wished I had a sister, and now I have them all over the world! Over the years, I’ve come to realize that MBB is so much more than the lipsticks, eyeshadows (Nutella) and collections we talk about.

Alright, before I get too cheeseball on ya, I just wanted to say thanks…

Thank you for visiting, for all of your comments, your tweets and emails, and for just allowing me to be a small part of your life. It’s a privilege, and I never, ever take that for granted.
Thank you for sharing your stories (and for those great pics of your pets).
Thank you for constantly teaching me new things. Now, I know where to kayak if I should ever visit the East Coast. Thanks to you, I also know a lot more about choosing the right dining room table and interior paint.
Thank you for humoring me and my cat “enthusiasm.”
Thank you for making this blog an exception to the rule that online comments and forums be plagued by rude, inconsiderate remarks.
Thank you for affirming my belief that all of us have a great many things in common.
Thank you for your enthusiasm.
Thank you for your compassion.
Thank you for seeing the beauty in mundane things.
Thank you for putting up with my blabbering about [INSERT HOT MALE CELEBRITY OR TRADER JOE’S PRODUCT HERE].
Thank you for overlooking my typos and grammatical mistakes, and for forgiving me when I repeat myself (repeat myself, repeat myself).
Thank you for expanding my view of the world by reminding me just how small it is.

Thank you for just being you.

When I started this whole blogging thing back in 2007, I never expected this — something that would push me creatively and bring me so much joy. You’ve been there for me through a lot of ups and downs, always cheering me on, holding my hand and lifting my spirits when I needed a friend.

I’m so, so thankful for you. Love you very much. Have a happy Thanksgiving.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Share a Tip Tuesdays: Lost Your Gel or Cream Liner Brush? No Problem. Pencil in This Tip to Try

November 20th, 2012 by Karen 34 Comments

Share your best makeup or beauty tips in the comments! — The new YSL Creme D’Eyeliner in No. 7 Gold Star ($25), and MAC Powersurge Eye Kohl ($15)

My house is like the Bermuda Triangle for makeup brushes.

In other words, lots of unexplained disappearances. Especially for brushes I use to apply gel and cream eyeliners. It’s like they get sucked into that same alternate universe where all the missing socks and earrings go…

But now I have a trick that’s been saving my booty when I want to wear a potted gel or cream liner but can’t find the perfect brush. I just use a pencil liner as a brush.

Dip the pencil into the cream or gel liner you want to use, and run it along your lash or water lines, as if it’s a brush! 🙂

You can either use a pencil in a color similar to the cream or gel liner you’d like to wear, or use a pencil in a different shade to spice things up.

The color of the pencil in the pic up top, MAC Powersurge, is similar to the shimmery, bronzy gold YSL Creme D’Eyeliner in No. 7 Gold Star (available now at YSL counters and bloomingdales.com) behind it.

That’s an example of the matchy-matchy approach…

But to take a varsity-level dive into the world of eye-lining improvisation instead, use a pencil liner in a completely different shade. I’ve tried that same YSL gold liner above with pencils in black, plum and green and created some really neat duochrome effects. Every one puts its own unique twist on the gel or cream.

Be careful not to overload the pencil if you use it this way (took me a few tries to figure that out), and don’t forget to clean the tip when your done to keep it from getting all icky. I wipe mine down with a clean paper towel or a Wet Ones Wipe.

Oh, and sometimes, when my water lines feel extra sensitive — too sensitive for brush bristles — I find that a pencil feels a little gentler against my skin.

Welcome to another exciting installment of Share a Tip Tuesdays! 🙂 Thanks to you, this series is really turning into a great beauty resource. Last week’s edition received more than three dozen tips! Here are a few…

I have mild rosacea, and so I find it really hard to create the flawless base I like to start with, because no matter what, the red always shows through. I think I’ve actually figured it out now, though. I’ve got a killer combo that ALWAYS gives me perfect ivory flawless skin that I can then layer blush or bronzer on top of. I start with MUFE’s green primer on just the areas of rosacea, and use a different non-colored primer for the rest of my face and an oil-control primer for my nose. I picked up Physician’s Formula green concealer, and I spread that in a thin layer over my rosacea areas. Prior to putting on my foundation, I look pretty weird, but once I use MAC NC 15 (which has a yellow base that helps counteract the red) on top of the primer/concealer combo, it’s perfectly even and gorgeous. Great tip for anyone with extra redness.
— MARY

I have hooded eyes, so I usually favor smudgy eyeliner on my lids and top lash line. It also helps to wear a lipstick that brings out the best in my skin tone. Blue reds and peachy pinks tend to work well for me.
— MEIMEI

Water lining is quicker than trying to do a neat eyeliner. I water line my eyes, quickly smudge a little cream or gel eye liner on my lids and have a killer smoky eye in very little time. Also, tinted lip balms or sheer lipsticks are more forgiving when you only have time for a quick swipe. And grab a pretty berry-colored one to add brightness.
— ABHIPSA

Not using white on the water line. I watched Lisa Eldridge’s video about the makeup for Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and she mentions that they sometimes used a light blue on both George Peppard and Audrey. I picked up a few different very light blues to try it out, and I love the effect! You don’t see blue waterlines. It’s more that it cancels out the pink, but isn’t stark like white. My favourites are Gosh’s light blue liners.
— BRENDA

Best thing ever? Primer + BB Cream + Blush. If you have an extra minute, curl and apply mascara. And extra two minutes? Creamy concealer (for the eyes) + Highlight for the inner corners + cupids bow of your lip. Wakes the face right up! I already have glosses in my purse so I slap those on in a pinch. Gorgeous for little effort!
— MAI

Pagyamanan! 🙂

So, let’s get to it. As usual, any and all of your makeup/beauty/hair/skin tips are welcome, but here are a few conversation starters…

Do you have any suggestions for ways to remove your makeup quickly?

If you’re a busy mom, do you have a streamlined beauty routine?

For the single ladies, any tried-and-true date-night makeup (hair or fashion) tips?

Best waterproof products for rain, sleet and snow?

What’s your routine (if you have one) for flawless red lips?

Leave your tips/tricks/suggestions here in the comments, or tweet ’em to me on Twitter @karenmbb using the hashtag #shareatiptuesday. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 246

November 19th, 2012 by Karen 43 Comments

the makeup and beauty blog monday poll — A peek into my makeup drawer…

You might be wondering, “So what the heck is this Monday Poll thing anyway?”

Well, it isn’t much of a poll. It’s more just a constantly evolving (devolving?), somewhat random list of questions I’ve been putting out to readers every Monday morning for the past four years. I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.

Mood:
Really good. I’ve got some of that holiday spirit coursing through my veins. I’m excited about hosting Thanksgiving at my house this year (first time since moving in). Still no dining room table because it’s on back-order for a few more weeks, but we’ll make do. I’ll just requisition Tabs’ office desk and use it for the dining room. 🙂

I get a thrill from…
1. Cleaning the house from top to bottom (I’m so my mother’s daughter)!
2. Plucking those stiff, little hairs on my chin that seemingly appear out of nowhere (they’re like mushrooms).
3. Singing on the treadmill.
4. Wearing my blue Katy Perry wig around the house.
If you could instantly change your hair right now, what would you do?
I’d add 6 inches of length, darken the base to something close to black and give myself chocolate highlights.

I’ll probably do that anyway in the not-to-distant future, but I’m still enjoying my current caramel highlight phase.
Are you cooking anything for Thanksgiving this year?
A few things. It’s potluck, so folks are bringing some of the sides, and Whole Foods is taking care of the turkey (I didn’t want to use this year for my on-the-job training).

I’m making a fish dish, corn pudding, roasting some broccoli, and baking my world famous blueberry peach cobbler!
If you had two tickets for the Oscars, whom would you bring as your date?
El Hub, of course! (Tabs is already going.) Or my mom, if El Hub can’t rent a tux in time, LOL!

What’s one of your favorite ways to veg out?
Twitter, for sure (I’m @karenmbb). I like the chatting back and forth, and it’s a great way to get instant feedback about things.

I can’t keep it on all day, though. If I do, I don’t get anything done.

Are you a flirt?
I think sometimes I can come across that way, but I’m just friendly. Okay…maybe I’m a little bit of a flirt.

Do you bite your nails?
No. Hasn’t held much allure for me, but I am guilty of picking at my cuticles.

And now that we’re talking about it, I’m having to use all of my willpower to resist the temptation to do it now…

If you could change anything about your life right now, what would it be?
I wish I could say I wouldn’t change anything at all, because that’s the stock answer, but…I wish I already had kids.

Weekly goals:
I’ve really got to manage my time wisely this week (yes, I realize that that’s one of my recurring weekly goals). I also need to paint my toenails, because they desperately need some love. Other than that, I just want to keep a positive attitude, no matter how busy I get, and have a nice Thanksgiving holiday with my family.

All pretty basic stuff.

Good morning, sweets. 🙂

Guess who stayed up waaay too late last night reading a riveting new novel by the Pulitzer Prize winning writing team, Fluffy & Bonkers, called The Devious Book for Cats?

LOL! Okay, maybe not. MBB reader Michelle, who pet assists for two tuxedo kitty sisters, sent this link to what sounds like a purrrfect book for cats and the ladies who love them.

It addresses tabby-friendly topics like, how to lay claim to boxes, how to wake up humans, and what to do when you find yourself stuck in a tree.

Riveting topics!

While I read a few excerpts to Tabs, please let me know how you’re doing by filling out today’s Monday Poll.

To complete the Monday Poll, just copy the following list, and paste it with your answers in the comments.

Le List

1. Mood:
2. I get a thrill from…
3. If you could instantly change your hair right now, what would you do?
4. Are you cooking anything for Thanksgiving this year?
5. If you had two tickets for the Oscars, whom would you bring as your date?
6. What’s one of your favorite ways to veg out?
7. Are you a flirt?
8. Do you bite your nails?
9. If you could change anything about your life right now, what would it be?
10. Weekly goals:

Happy early Thanksgiving! Can you believe this will be our sixth together?! 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 218

November 18th, 2012 by Karen 16 Comments

Dear Tabby is written by Tabs the Cat, commonly regarded as “the world’s first plus-size kitty supermodel.” Founded in mid 2012, it has quickly become the most widely syndicated cat advice column on earth — known for its fresh, feline perspective on lifestyle, fashion and style issues affecting cats and humans.

A plant sitter’s dilema

DEAR TABBY,

A feline friend of mine recently left on a month-long vacation and put me in charge of her favorite catnip plant. The other day, in a moment of weakness, I ate it…

The entire plant, leaving nothing but stems.

And my friend had left detailed instructions on the plant’s proper care. Nowhere on her list did it say, “Eat plant.”

What should I do?? Should I come clean and admit my crime, even though it’s too late to save the plant, or secretly have my assistant bring home a replacement from the gardening store?
— Not So Green Thumb

A cat-friendly deck garden — Fiber is your friend

DEAR NOT SO GREEN THUMB:

Believe it or not, yours is a very common problem, and I’ve been on both sides of the situation.

On a vacation last year I left my cherished catnip plant, which I use strictly for medicinal purposes, under the care of the Russian Blue next door.

Upon my return, all I found was an empty pot lying on its side.

Robbers? I thought, but then the Russian Blue confessed. He admitted to eating it, which angered me at first, but then he offered to purchase me a new one.

I accepted his offer and appreciated his honestly. After all, we all make mistakes. I’ve certainly made a few of mine…

So, yes, I think you should come clean. Apologize, and offer to buy her a new plant. Maybe also include a few cans of gravy to make peace.

Truthfully, even if you tried to replace the plant without your friend knowing, chances are she’d figure it out. It’s not easy to find thriving, mature catnip plants at local gardening stores (trust me, I’ve looked).

New roommate rocks one cat’s world

DEAR TABBY,

My landlord/assistant (don’t ask) recently invited a new kitty roommate into our home, and let me be frank — I hate him.

He hogs the bed, the bathroom, steals my toys and even sleeps in MY stinky sock drawer. Oh, and he likes to nap in the same sunny patches that I like to nap in on the floor.

On top of all that…he’s always trying to be cute, so I feel like I have to be in “performance mode” all day long, constantly flashing my tum and looking adorable.

It’s exhausting!

What should I do? I’m tempted to just run away, but I still have a pretty sweet thing going here. There’s a steady supply of gravy, daily walks, and my pet assistant is also a licensed massage therapist.
— Roommate Troubles in Rohnert Park

Tabs and Marmalade spooning — Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer

DEAR ROOMMATE TROUBLES:

You know the old saying, “Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer”? Truer words were never spoken. I believe every cat should have that phrase crossed-stitched on a pillow.

In your case, I think you should make the next move. Do something nice for the intruder, like offer to groom him or spoon the next time you’re both napping.

Build up some trust, because not only will it bring you peace of mind, it’s also a good way to carefully monitor the new cat’s activities.

And who knows? Maybe one day the two of you will become real friends.
[Continue reading…]

Just For Fun

Le List

What folks are saying…

Welcome to another exciting installment of Share a Tip Tuesdays! 🙂 Thanks to you, this series is really turning into a great beauty resource. Last week’s edition received more than three dozen tips! Here are a few…

Le List

A plant sitter’s dilema

New roommate rocks one cat’s world