Calling all craftiest creative ideas please!

So I've lived in my home for 7 and a half years and we have a great view of our lake and woods so I've never wanted to cover it up with drapes, blinds or curtains. Until now. I am tired of it looking like I'm getting ready to move. The edges look hard to me and pokey. ha ha I guess that is a word. These pictures are of my kitchen where I'm lucky enough to have 10 windows! Not so lucky when you figure up the cost of window treatments.

Pokey

For all these years we've suffered through the sun coming in and blinding us during this time of year when the sun is low all the way through spring. Our kitchen table is along the long wall of windows that are south facing and it gets hot, too. Since we have our big meal at noon, the sun has always been a problem during this time. I've finally had enough. Maybe it's the added aggravation of the twin kittens! (Which one by the way peed twice on the floor last night and once in the box that has trash bags in them!!! arrgh!!!) So this photo is what I've come up with to be a makeshift sun block for the 30 minutes we sit there and eat. Pretty sad.

Make shift tacky

less tacky but isn't working

Ok, so here it is a little prettier, but when the sun is coming in, it only shades the chair on the right. I absolutely love paprika color and I think it looks fabulous especially with the sun coming in gently right now, but my walls are very close to this color so I want more contrast. I have touches of black everywhere and a dark sage-y green and black countertops.

So I've been looking online and found a valance from JC Penny and I think I really like it and want to commit to it. I can hide a shade under it and pull it down as needed. Here it is.

Love this!!

I think I'm in love with the black and white, it's just a tad French-y looking and I kinda like that. I really love this fabric and I want it!!! Unfortunately, it is not big enough for my windows plus they are $29.99 each, and that is on sale! Normally they are $55. Oh boy. I cannot afford that. That would be $160.45 which really isn't that bad for the whole room, but it doesn't matter, because they are too short by 10".

This is Waverly fabric called Bluebell I think from what I read on the valance description So I thought to myself I could just buy the fabric and make some myself. I've made several sets of simple curtains for myself in the past. So I've been on a mad search for this fabric and cannot find it! Could it be Waverly made this fabric just for Penny's? Surely not! I hope not! Has anyone got any ideas on what to do next??

Long wall of windows

still pokey but cute with kitten on couch ;)

speaking of kittens, here's my attempt to keep them out of plants (below)

foiled!

If anyone has ideas on how to get ahold of this fabric, I'm all ears! I may have to settle for something similar, but I really want to try my best to get it. I may even try to make my own fabric with some fabric paint and a brush or maybe stamps? I'll take all the ideas I can get... HELP!

It's Wild Kingdom around here

Ok, if it weren't for the twins being so cute, they might be out the door today! I don't know which one is doing it, but I think it's the boy cat. I've been having to clean up little pee puddles around the baseboard in the kitchen. I had a towel on the floor by the kitchen door to wipe Zoey's feet off with and I caught Thunder scratching around it and low and behold I picked it up and a turd fell out and Zoey ate it as fast as she could and then I found the pee spot as I picked it up... with my hands. Ugh.

Then as I'm cleaning that all up and get started on something else I notice a bucket that has a bag full of shells in it has pee in it. I have to clean that all up. As I'm cleaning that up and washing the bucket I hear the water bowl fall over. Water spilled all over the floor. Again. This is not the first time, you would think I would learn. I use a large Country Crock margarine bowl for Zoey's water bowl and the kittens climb up on it to drink out of it and if it's not really full and heavy, it falls over. The kittens have their own low non-tipping water bowl but of course they want Zoey's water.

I also cannot keep them out of my plants, so I've put aluminum foil over the dirt only to have them walk all over it and poke holes in it with their razor like claws. Today I'm standing at the stove making a ham and cheese and Lightning climbs my leg like its a scratch post! It's like Wild Kingdom in here. They are wild cats! Last night I had to roll up my curtains because one of them is climbing them like a rock wall. They think my couch is their speedway and it sounds like velcro ripping apart from their little claws.

AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Am I a glutton for punishment?

What have I got myself into with these new furry babies!? I now have 3 times more animals, including Zoey our dog and about one hundred times more the work. Before July, I was down to just my one princess cat, Glove who really has been the easiest fur baby to have besides a few fur balls here and there. Now between Asher, my Tasmanian mess making 4 year old and Zoey the ever shedding inside dog that loves mud and dirt and the twin kittens who have discovered my plants and love to hurl the kitty liter a good 3 feet all the while totally missing the stinky pile they just left... whew... It never stops.

Come on, how cute is this?

If it weren't for their sweet loving faces and purring little selves I would be a basket case. Just yesterday about 5 minutes before I had to leave the house (in a dead run) one of the kittens decides to pee in my book bag. Ick. You wouldn't believe how hungry these little kittens are either and boy they make a huge mess when they eat. Little pieces of Kitten Chow everywhere, que the living Hoover... Zoey. I have given Zoey about four different toys now and she methodically shreds them to pieces to retrieve the little squeaky thing in the middle while leaving stuffing all over the house. Last week, I stepped away from my dinner table with pizza on my plate, to come back with an empty plate and a sheepish looking dog. I've had an outside dog for the last 12 and a half years so when I got Zoey, I wanted her in with me not thinking about all the extra work that's involved. It's like having another kid. We just had some much needed rain the other day. Did I mention she loves dirt and mud? Well in she came with brown muddy paws. Her feet are white. I had to take a bucket and stick each one of her feet in the water and wash them off before I let her totally in. She didn't understand what all the fuss was about and looked at me as if I needed professional help.

Blink, blink... sleepy babies

I won't even mention all the toys that are strewn from one end of the house to the other. I've lost the use of my couch because it's where Asher runs his cars and he freaks out if you mess up the track. Ugh... Calgon take me away. And all 4 of them are jealous of each other. It's just crazy.

What? This isn't mine?

Thanks for letting me vent ;)  I love my readers! MWAHH! There's a big smooch

Til later! Have a wonderful Sunday and don't forget to turn your clock back.

You Spin Me Right Round Baby Right Round

Some autumn fun in Murphy Park on the infamous merry-go-round that he chipped his front tooth on.

It's times like these that make me think, ok... time is going too fast and I'd like to stay just in this moment.

Of all the events and times I won't remember, I hope I never forget the feelings.

If you can't tell, I'm not getting much of anything done but playing around and it's great.

I voted! Did you?

My vote counted and so did yours. I hope everyone exercised their right to vote on this important day.

God Bless America!