49 - what two things go together: felines and fieldguided

this photo of a cat in glasses by Toronto photographer and cat-lover Robin Sharp of instantt just made my day! the sophisticated feline pairs perfectly with this handprinted tote bag that i recently purchased from Fieldguided, which is becoming something of a collective sign among fans who carry the unmistakable lyric totes around the world. also based in Toronto, the lovely Anabela Carneiro of Fieldguided (which she runs together with her partner Geoff) is a self-professed cat lady in the best kind of way. in addition to occasionally writing about cats on her ever-inspiring blog, she also co-curates a collection of dreamy cat photos together with Erin Gilkes of Atlantic Treefox, called Dream Cats, and has a feature in this playful cat zine produced by Little Burgundy. the magazine also features wonderful illustrations by (and an interview with) Canadian artist Melinda Josie, another one of Canada's leading cat ladies. so much cat love!

naturally, when i unwrapped my lovingly packaged tote, my cat hunter inspected it for approval (i think the photo shows that it definitely met his standards!). i'm waiting to find him curled up on it one day so that i can snag more dreamy photos....

43 - kitty love

so hunter has been extremely sick and has been hospitalized since Monday. when we brought him to the vet Monday evening, there was a high risk that he was facing kidney failure, in which case there would be very little that could be done to save him. i have never been so stressed out and sick with worry - i came so close to accidentally killing my cat because i brought a beautiful bouquet of flowers into the house, which included lilies, and he ate its leaves. LILIES, it turns out, ARE EXTREMELY TOXIC TO CATS. if the toxins are fully absorbed into the system, it often results in kidney damage, acute renal faliure, and in many cases death. it is virtually a miracle that hunter did not suffer kidney failure given the length of time that passed from when he first ingested the plant leaves until we sought veterinary care. while it is possible that something other than the lilies made him sick, i have learned a valuable life-saving lesson and am actively informing cat owners and lovers of the toxicity of lilies. if you have a cat, never bring lilies into the house!

the little survivor is pulling through and he's coming home tonight! i can't wait to snuggle and baby him. i am so thankful and relieved. his warm, gentle, and loving presence in our lives is irreplaceable. i know i am biased, but he is the most amazing feline i have ever known and anyone who meets him immediately falls in love with him. we figure he has already been through 3 of his 9 lives (he was incredibly sick when we first saved him as a kitten, and he was just sick with a urinary tract infection this winter) and only has 6 remaining. he's such a little heartbreaker, i love him to death - or in his case, a strong, healthy life.

41 - friday favourites // happy weekend

what are you doing this weekend? i have SO much work to catch up on before i head to visit andrew next week, and given that i have a minor injury to my foot (which, it turns out, might be tendonitis), i will be staying in for a quiet weekend filled with research and reading. my kitty is also sick from eating the leaves from the beautiful bouquet of flowers i bought last weekend, so i want to stay home to keep a close eye on him. i just realized that i have yet to properly introduce him - his full name is dr. hunter s. thomcat, although we typically call him hunter or any one of the following nicknames: stinkles, sir meows-a-lot, count scratchula, superbad, professor pukaface, mr. snuggle-up-with-us, general good boy, and simply, the kitten. he is a true sweetheart and is the best animal personality i have ever known. the above series of photos was taken on our balcony this summer as he was eyeing his backyard friend, squirrely. he is an endless source of snuggles, love, and happiness.

here are a few of my favourites from this week:

this photo from this portfolio. it makes me feel so grounded.

this organic cotton dress in olive green. comfy & chic.

this sweet birch wood decor for the future baby bear.

this classic 1959 song. always a favourite.
this nightwood bedroom makeover video. 

this inspiring photo blog.
these small stumps.

have a wonderful weekend! xo