DIY Weekend: Sock Kitten Plush

Originally, I had wanted to make a black kitten for this Halloween-themed blog post, however, for whatever reason, my sewing machine refused to let me sew the black sock (I guess it doesn’t like black cats much). Eventually, I got the black sock to work with the machine—just in time for Halloween!

These sock kittens are really cute and easy to make, perfect as little gifts for any cat-lovers you may know or just to decorate your desk or home. In addition, they’re also really inexpensive, because chances are, you’ll already have everything you need at home!

DIY Weekend: Build a Small Animal House for under $10

A few weeks ago, we adopted a chinchilla which came with a cage, plastic ball house, and two plastic platforms with ramps. After doing some research online, we learned that chinchillas need to gnaw on things inside the cage in order to file down their continually growing teeth, so chewing on plastic would cause many problems to their health. As such, we wanted to replace all the plastic in the cage with wood.

There are several kinds of wood that are not harmful to them (as well as guinea pigs) such as pine, poplar, aspen, willow, and any wood from a tree bearing fruit with seeds (apple, pear, grape, etc.) but NOT pits. We chose to use pine because it is easy to obtain at a reasonable price.

In addition, glue, screws and nails can be harmful to small animals, so we decided to build a chinchilla-safe house. This DIY project can be adapted for any small animal; just remember to research the types of wood that are safe for your pet, and adjust the size of the house accordingly.

DIY Weekend: Michelle’s Japanese Cheesecake (Website Launch Special!)

  

I’ve been asked for this cake and recipe on many occasions over the years that it’s quickly become my signature dish which I bring to almost every potluck event because not only is it easy for me to make, but everyone seems to love the light and fluffy texture of this cheesecake.

I even bought a KitchenAid stand mixer last year, after burning out my electric hand mixer trying to whip up some soapy frosting for my deliciously inedible soap cupcakes, to make my baking interests more efficient (I admit that it’s made cheesecakes more than everything else combined).