One year ago, one of the contractors I work with brought in an animal carrier with a very small cat in it. He lives up in the surrounding hills of Pocatello where there are lots of owls, coyotes, and hawks. One morning he looked out and saw something funny shaped in his yard. He got a bit closer and saw that it was an injured cat. She was not using her back legs at all and was dragging herself around. He brought her into the cabinet shop to see if anyone could help her. She was so small and so hungry. We kept her at the shop and she loved the attention. She did have issues though because she could only drag herself around and every morning when we would come in there was a trail of where she had explored the night before. There were a few people at the shop that really showed an interest but after a couple of weeks they didn't put as much effort into it as I was. They were hinting that a decision needed to be made because she would never live a full life. We called her broken kitty. I took her into the vet to have her tested for feline aids or leukemia and see what their opinion was of why she didn't use her back legs at all. They didn't take any x rays but said that nothing felt broken and her blood work was fine. I took her back to the shop and a few days later my partner Heidi convinced me to bring her home to try and rehab her in a better environment than a cabinet shop. The day we brought her home we named her Zoe, which means Life. Click on the following link to see this video I made of her life one year later.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SSR5fJg4NQ
Enjoy and pass it along to everyone who loves animals!!!!
My Sincerest Apologies
I owe a very sincere apology.......to my cats. They did the impossible and proved me wrong and now spend the majority of their time out in the new "catio". If any of you have ever owned a cat, then you know how cats are ungrateful, snotty, and in some cases ignorant. Have you ever been at a grocery store or pet store and out of the corner of your eye you spot the perfect cat toy. You pay a ridiculous amount for the toy, because you know that your cat will really like this one this time. So you get home and your loving cat greets you at the door and you can't wait to open the new addition to their toy bin. You even go as far as to go and get your camera and make sure there are fresh batteries in it-because you really don't want to miss this! You get settled, you open their new toy, and you roll it across the floor..... and you get nuthin! They are so disgusted with you they can't even stand to be in the same room with you. Then not ten minutes later, to add insult to injury, you hear them playing in the other room. They have discovered that there was a water bottle lid left on the table and that is their new pride and joy. Cats.
So we decided to build this catio for them to go out and enjoy the sunshine-as brief as it may be in Idaho right now-and now it is hard to get them back in the house.
Here is a view from the tunnel we built. I removed the screen from a basement window and cut a 1/4" piece of plywood to replace it. Then I purchased a small pet door...($20 at Home Depot). I then hung some shelving that I made out of 8" wide MDF and wrapped with remnant carpet, so they jump up on a series of 3 shelves to reach the pet door. The tunnel itself is very simple: the base is a 2 x 6 pressure treated piece of lumber. Which was also purchased at the Home Depot and if you go back to where they cut lumber for customers they have an off-cut bin and you can get shorter lengths of lumber for really cheap. I bought 3 total 2 x 6 that were 5' long for only $1.00 each! I then just used some furring strips to create the U-shape. I used the same furring strips as a top rail support and then just wrap with chicken wire. I used staples to attach the wire to the wood framing.
You will soon find that the cats sometimes enjoy the tunnel more than the enclosure itself. It is almost to the point where I have to build another tunnel to avoid a traffic standstill.
So here it is. You can see the tunnel on the left hand side of the enclosure. The overall size is 11' x 11' x 4' tall. I installed a door with a latch so we can go if we want to. We have some chairs set up so we could coax them out. But once they understood the concept, there was no stopping them! I used standard 2x4's for the framing because I have a gallon of Olympic outdoor paint that I still need to apply to protect the wood from the weather. Pressure treated lumber would have been best to use, but if you are on a budget then you can use standard framing studs like I did....but you will need to apply a protective finish. I used steel fencing for the base exterior, again using the staples to keep it in place. I also used the green fence posts that integrate with the steel fencing. I drove four posts into the ground. Then I built four individual frames to construct the sides, back, and face. Then I just simply bolted the framed walls to the posts that were driven into the ground.
I would highly suggest this to anyone who is nervous about letting your house cats out. If you live on a busy road, or up in the mountains where there is wildlife, or even if you don't have either of these scenarios and you just want your cat to be safe. I can't believe how much they have enjoyed this so far. You will not regret creating your very own catio!
Feel free to email me if you have any questions about the construction, materials, or need help designing one for your home. kate@kateschorzman.com
So we decided to build this catio for them to go out and enjoy the sunshine-as brief as it may be in Idaho right now-and now it is hard to get them back in the house.
You will soon find that the cats sometimes enjoy the tunnel more than the enclosure itself. It is almost to the point where I have to build another tunnel to avoid a traffic standstill.
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| This is Lucy enjoying the sunshine. |
I would highly suggest this to anyone who is nervous about letting your house cats out. If you live on a busy road, or up in the mountains where there is wildlife, or even if you don't have either of these scenarios and you just want your cat to be safe. I can't believe how much they have enjoyed this so far. You will not regret creating your very own catio!
Feel free to email me if you have any questions about the construction, materials, or need help designing one for your home. kate@kateschorzman.com
Spring Time
I love that spring has finally sprung! I have been extremely busy both at work and at home. Too busy! I haven't had a lot of time to sit down and write a post for weeks. I have been waiting for the Idaho State University Center for New Directions to release photos of the Women and Work conference so I can write about my experience. Also Vision 12 (local public access tv) was there to record the whole thing. Yes, that is right folks-I will have gone from HGTV right to Vision 12! It was a very fun experience though and was very successful, I will post both video and photos just as soon as I can.
Work has been so very busy. I have been working with awesome clients this year so far and it really looks like the construction is picking up. We have sold jobs and are booked clear through June! Everyone seems to be ready for their kitchen and bath rennovations.....which is great for me!
I have been working on quite a few projects at home. I have been taking photos of progress of all of them that I have going....(I love to start new projects) One of which is a catio. Sounds a bit strange, and it probably is, but I care for my animals and my cats really want to go outside and eat grass and enjoy the sunshine....but I am afraid of them getting in fights with other cats or getting out of the yard and not be able to find their way back in. So we are building an outdoor cat patio...or catio. So far I have invested about $200 dollars and about 10 hours, and when it is all said and done I will be very happy with it. And I am absolutely positive that the cats will never use it, but we will see.
Work has been so very busy. I have been working with awesome clients this year so far and it really looks like the construction is picking up. We have sold jobs and are booked clear through June! Everyone seems to be ready for their kitchen and bath rennovations.....which is great for me!
I have been working on quite a few projects at home. I have been taking photos of progress of all of them that I have going....(I love to start new projects) One of which is a catio. Sounds a bit strange, and it probably is, but I care for my animals and my cats really want to go outside and eat grass and enjoy the sunshine....but I am afraid of them getting in fights with other cats or getting out of the yard and not be able to find their way back in. So we are building an outdoor cat patio...or catio. So far I have invested about $200 dollars and about 10 hours, and when it is all said and done I will be very happy with it. And I am absolutely positive that the cats will never use it, but we will see.
Two Weeks until Idaho State Conference
There are only two weeks to finish preparing my keynote address for the twelve annual Women and Work Conference at Idaho State University. I have been given about 40 minutes for my presentation which will be in power point format and I will also be including highlights from HGTV's All American Handyman. There is an expected crowd of 250 local women planning on attending. I am not sure if I will be nervous or not...I have never spoke in front of a crowd that large before, but I am very excited for this opportunity though so I think it will be so fun and I won't worry about the crowd. That is going to be my approach anyway. It is going to be held in the Bengal Theatre in the Pond Student Union Building. I have been sifting through old family photos trying to find a picture of me playing in the sawdust or playing with scrap wood blocks when I was a toddler-but no such luck yet. Apparently my parents only got the camera out when I was naked.....seriously summers in Idaho aren't that warm-why was I always naked? I have put a lot of work into the presentation and I hope that it is entertaining and motivates young women to pursue a career in a non-traditional field. Click on the following link to hear Marlene Darling explain about the conference.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx43FvSAriI
I will also be putting together a hands on career exploration workshop for a group to experience being a woodworker for a half hour. I have a couple of ideas in mind, but either way, they will be able to take a functional piece of woodworking home with them that they created themselves.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx43FvSAriI
I will also be putting together a hands on career exploration workshop for a group to experience being a woodworker for a half hour. I have a couple of ideas in mind, but either way, they will be able to take a functional piece of woodworking home with them that they created themselves.
Day 70--Going Strong and Looking Good!
So it has been exactly 10 weeks and counting since I received my Women's Carhartt gear. I have been wearing and testing these articles religiously for the past two and a half months, and I have been very impressed, but you wouldn't expect anything less from such a trusted and tough brand like Carhartt. They are still constructed of the same quality fabric and function as the men's line, only these are especially made for women and designed to fit our bodies. They have performed amazingly!
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| Carhartt is the most durable brand money can buy! |
What I would like to emphasize to women is that Carhartt now makes the same great styles you have been wearing, but in a women's cut. You don't have to deal with the flattened butt. If you are a female carpenter and you do any work in a shop setting or any type of on-site or field work, then you know how important it is to have a pair of good jeans that can take the abuse and also have all the function you need. You don't have to buy pants that are too big in the thigh so it fits in the waist. Lets face it, typically men don't have a tendency to "fill"out the seat of the pants. So they have come up many styles of great working pants that allow us to be fitted and flattered in the correct areas.
So, lets talk about this coat. It is the Sandstone Sierra Jacket with Sherpa lining (blue dusk). The Idaho winter has been non-typical as I am sure it has been in other places as well, but winter has finally hit and I cannot say enough about this coat. It is so warm! It has two side pockets and two interior pockets, one of the interior pockets has a zipper which is very nice. I can wear this coat everywhere....to meetings with contractors or clients, when I am headed out on install, or when I am at home and need to run out to fill up the log dolly for the wood burning stove. I have gotten so many compliments on the color as well. It is a bit shorter on the length so that you can access your tool belt or pockets. I was a bit concerned that the wind would get up there and cool me down, but I actually really like the length. 
All in all, I am a true believer in the Women's Carhartt line of clothing. I want to encourage women to go out buy Women's Carhartt. I give them a high rating. They have so much to offer to fit each body type, and great color choices. Just because we may be women that work in the construction industry, doesn't mean we have to lose our identity as females in the workforce. Embrace that you are a female and you can still perform your tasks as you did each day.....only now you will look really really good!
I will continue to wear and use them as much as I possibly can, and I will update you on their wear and how they are performing.
Let the Plants Have Light!
Another gift I made was to add a shelf to a large picture window in my living room. We have quite a few plants and at our old house we had an enclosed porch with nothing but windows. They loved the sun room! The plants have been placed to try and collect as much light as possible, but it's nothing compared to what they use to have. So, Heidi asked me to make a shelf to hold plants that could be placed about half way up the widow. So this is what I came up with...
It gives the plants the sunshine they need and actually provides some privacy at the same time. They are slowly coming back to life with their new home.
The upcycled part about this gift is that I used an old piece of grey barnwood sitting in the back yard of the cabinet shop I work at. To achieve this look, I used one of my favorite techniques....skip planning. I take set the depth of the thickness planer so it just barely shaves the surface so it will reveal some of the raw wood, but still keep some of the original live barnwood surface as well. I did add a stain to give it some depth, but it is a very beautiful way to bring old grey barnwood back to life!
It gives the plants the sunshine they need and actually provides some privacy at the same time. They are slowly coming back to life with their new home.
Upcycled Gifts
So in this tough economy it is always great to have an eye to re purpose or upcycle items that most would consider to be garbage or no longer have life left in it. This year for Christmas gifts, that is just what I did. I was driving along and saw these pretty neat chairs setting on the sidewalk on their way to the landfill. They had some good qualities and some bad qualities....but I saw past the bad and had a vision of what they could potentially be....
So this is what the before looks like. They are a nice wrought iron looking heavy duty chair. But had really bad vinyl seats.
This is the after result. The center of the seat is Walnut that is put together in a quilted pattern with the grain alternating. The outside of the seat is Rustic Cherry. It takes a long time to get the center of the seat glued up. I would sit next to the fire for hours and hours and glue the blocks together....it is my version of "knitting" by the fire!
After I got everything all glued together, mitered, and sanded flat...it was time to dish out the material for the, uh, ummm, for the behind- or the sitters "seat". This takes some imagination, a dust mask, some time, and a very large grinder to get a good dish. But I had fun transforming these into functional chairs and saving them from taking up space in the landfill. I didn't quite beat the deadline of Christmas Eve....I was out in my shop late into the night applying the sixth coat of a 3-part oil finish. They are very smooth to the touch.
The only downside to these chairs now.......There are only 3!
So this is what the before looks like. They are a nice wrought iron looking heavy duty chair. But had really bad vinyl seats.
This is the after result. The center of the seat is Walnut that is put together in a quilted pattern with the grain alternating. The outside of the seat is Rustic Cherry. It takes a long time to get the center of the seat glued up. I would sit next to the fire for hours and hours and glue the blocks together....it is my version of "knitting" by the fire!
The only downside to these chairs now.......There are only 3!
Christmas is Coming....
Christmas is coming! I am very busy this time of year. I try to get most of my shopping done earlier to give myself enough time for the hand made gifts. But no matter how hard I try or how efficiently I work and plan things out, I am always just putting the last coat of finish or final touches on Christmas Eve. I am trying to avoid that this year, but it is almost a tradition in my household now. I have some really neat things in the works right now...but I can't post any pictures yet, because those that I build for will read this post and I don't want to spoil any surprises. I am working on some custom listings for individuals on Etsy and cabinet sales have been amazing this month! People are excited to remodel-but we have quite a few commitments to get people their new cabinets by Christmas. So I will try to post as much as I can, but I am stretched very thin this month. Hope everyone is enjoying their holiday season and whether you're the type of person who can't wait for it to end or the type that wishes is was Christmas all the time....you have to admit it is a fun time of year.
Happy Tofurky Day Everyone!
There are lots and lots of vegetarians that look forward to their tofurky every year....and I am one of them! It isn't hard being a vegetarian at all, and it may seem inconvinient to other people, but once you have figured out what you like to eat-it is a very healthy lifestyle. I have been a vegetarian for about 8 or 9 years now. Our Thanksgiving spread consists of lots and lots of side dishes to create the meal. I am a fan of the Quorn brand of "turkey". As long as you follow the suggested preperation instructions, you really can't even tell the difference. Before dinner, we are going to head into the mountains with the dogs and cut down our Christmas tree. I enjoy this time of year...anyway, just wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and hope you have safe travels if you have to travel.
Carhartt for Women
So, last weekend I received all new Carhartt gear. Just in time for the cold weather! It was like an early Christmas when I was ripping open the box with my new clothing. I got 3 pairs of women's pants, 2 shirts, and 1 awesome coat.
The first pair of pants on the far left is the Relaxed Fit-Straight Leg Jean. They have the standard five pockets and the material is a medium weight.
The middle pair of pants is the Easy Fit Sandstone Carpenter Pant with Double Front. I am very excited to see how these hold up.
The last pair on the right is the Original Fit. These have the standard five pockets and the material is light weight and has some stretch to them.
These are the shirts that I received....sooo cute! The one on the left is a women's Roll-Up Sleeve Button-Front Flannel Shirt in winter white. This is such a cute shirt, very light weight fabric and form fitting. The shirt on the right is the women's Pointelle Henley in Oatmeal Heather. This has a great women's cut and will be very warm on Idaho's coldest days.
This is the women's Sandstone Sierra Jacket Sherpa-lined. This is the Blue Dusk color. This coat is awesome! It is so nice to go to the Carhartt website and have so many choices in women's clothing. There are so many colors, so many styles! I live in Pocatello, Idaho and most retailers are just starting to carry the women's Carhartt line....it is so great that there is a quality clothing line out there designing clothing for women who still need the heavy duty fabrics and functionality that Carhartt has to offer. All too often, I still run into women out in the field who are wearing men's Carhartts. Come one ladies, go and get yourself some women's Carhartts! Still the same number of pockets, still the same fabrics, still the same price, just better cuts for our bodies, and better colors! Log onto http://www.carhartt.com/ and click on the Women's tab. You will be amazed with all the choices, and the customer service on line is impeccable! I look forward to putting my new gear to the test and giving an update on how they are holding up!
The middle pair of pants is the Easy Fit Sandstone Carpenter Pant with Double Front. I am very excited to see how these hold up.
The last pair on the right is the Original Fit. These have the standard five pockets and the material is light weight and has some stretch to them.
These are the shirts that I received....sooo cute! The one on the left is a women's Roll-Up Sleeve Button-Front Flannel Shirt in winter white. This is such a cute shirt, very light weight fabric and form fitting. The shirt on the right is the women's Pointelle Henley in Oatmeal Heather. This has a great women's cut and will be very warm on Idaho's coldest days. 
Regional Bowling Action
She barely missed taking third place and got the fourth place ribbon....but it didn't matter to her what place on the podium she was standing on, she accomplished a goal and had a great time. It is very funny to attend an event on this scale, because yes, the athletes are pumped up and have team spirit. But as you meet and introduce yourself to a majority of the group, they usually have one common response...."Hi, my name is ....
and I am from... .....and we get Pizza when we are done!!" Besides getting a ribbon or medal, one of the main highlights is the free lunches. But the Special Olympics organization is one of the greatest groups to ever be formed and I encourage everyone out there to go and volunteer at, or just attend the next event. Just type in Special Olympics followed by your home state and it will give you information regarding any upcoming events.
Now, we get a little bit of a break until January when the winter olympics begin. Nancy agreed to do something out of her comfort zone and try downhill skiing! This will be great....!
Nancy getting her fourth place ribbon..
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| This is Maggie so graciously accepting her second place ribbon. |
Window, What Window?
Some clients came in recently and were ready to rennovate a create a true master suite. They hooked up with a local contractor and made a plan to sacrifice about 100 square feet of their double car garage to make the perfect on suite. It included a walk in closet, a walk in shower with dual shower heads, and a vanity with double sinks. When I arrived to field measure, there was one obstical in the way of making a functional double sink vantiy-a window. There was only about 65" of space before the window. Sure, you could fit a 5' vanity with two sinks......but the whole point of this rennovation was to maximize and gain storage. So I took the measurements and let it absorb overnight, and this is what I came up with.......
First, it is very hard to photograph a vanity....
This is the upper section of the vantiy. There is a sink centered under each mirror. The mirror on the right is fixed. The mirror on the left however....
slides to the right on a low profile track. (Salice Hardware)
Eventually disappering almost completely behind the center cabinet. It functions very well and maximizes the storage for the client. As well as maintaining balance in the room by keeping the mirror on the right exact size and look as the one that reveals the window. It is projects like this that make me excited to go to work everyday. I wonder what I will come up with next?
11/1/11
Things have been so busy lately! I have been selling jobs and installing cabinets left and right. I have also had to spend some time on my house getting it ready for the winter. We bought our home two years ago in January and right after we moved in we had a wood burning stove installed upstairs and down. There is no better heat in my opinion than a wood stove. Sure, it takes a bit of work to keep it going and cleaning out the ashes, but I love sitting by the fire! And it helps that I have all the access in the world to hardwood fall off and kindling bins. Every year I purchase cords of firewood from local sellers. I used a guy that only cut elm and that is excellent to burn compared to pine or aspen. Elm has a much higher BTU output and they don't burn out as quickly. Well this year he retired from the sport, so I found a new guy that sells silver leaf maple. It is only a couple of slots down from elm on the BTU chart-but still way better than aspen or pine, so I bought four cords to get through the winter.
Yikes-That is alot of firewood!
Well, luckily I have one of the very best helpers to stack this pile of wood-my younger sister Nancy. She is 25 years old and has Down syndrome. She oddly looks forward to my firewood delivery every year. She comes over and its great exercise and "bonding" time, and there is always pay involved. It takes a couple of days to get a pile this size stacked nice and neat.....not because of how much there is, or how far we may or may not have to haul it. Its because she loves to name, identify, and analyze every log before it is stacked! Every couple of minutes its, "Aw, Kate-check this one out, it looks like a foot!" And I cannot tell you how many "perfect Christmas morning logs" that I have set aside because they are perfectly round. But seriously she is so much fun to hang out with and she has great work ethic-as long as there is a Subway kids meal at the end of it! I will have to admit, I actually caught myself checking out quite a few of the logs too. Hey there were some that had burl chunks on them. I couldn't possibly burn those! I could make something out of it one day....
Looking forward to a toasty winter!
2012 Keynote for ISU's Women and Work Conference
The event will be held in March on the campus of Idaho State University in the Pond Student Union Building. It will be $20 for general public and $10 for ISU students. I was even told that there is a traditional "fashion show" at the end of the day......might have to go shopping for some new Carharrts!
Step into my office....
Dorian....I will miss you...
This is Dorian. We lost him on Saturday October 1st at our home in our loving arms.
Dorian lived a wonderful long life. He was only 12 years old when he left us. He had battled and beaten 3 cancer surgeries and was my strong boy. I love him so much. At the end, when his liver was failing him, I was able to take Dorian to work with me every single day. He loved going to work. He would get so ancy on Saturday and Sunday and look at me like "why aren't we going to work today mom?" He would go around town with me and measure jobs and hang out in my office-happy as could be. He is preceeded in death by his brother Rillie. He is survived by his two sisters Millie and Carlie (pommeranians). They miss him dearly and want to have their big strong brother around to protect them.
If anyone has lost a pet recently I am sorry for your loss. Please click on the following link to read the Rainbow Bridge Poem. http://www.petloss.com/rainbowbridge.htm
I also found this one that was almost too heart wrenching to get through. http://www.indigo.org/rainbowbridge_ver2.html
If anyone has lost a pet recently I am sorry for your loss. Please click on the following link to read the Rainbow Bridge Poem. http://www.petloss.com/rainbowbridge.htm
I also found this one that was almost too heart wrenching to get through. http://www.indigo.org/rainbowbridge_ver2.html
I love and miss you Dorian. Thank you for being a big part of my life. Until we meet again.....
The Flower Pot
So, shortly after I returned from my adventures in New York City....I joined up and partnered in a local business--The Flower Pot. It is a drive through coffee, flower, and balloon shop. Our motto is- "Big Convenience in a little shop" Heidi (my partner), her sister Kellie, and their mom have always wanted to start this business and the opportunity presented itself a few months ago. Well due to recent events and some scheduling conflicts, I am now a barrista on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2pm to 4pm. I am getting my legs under me still, but I make a mean frap! So come downtown and support The Flower Pot and I can make you a smoothie, carmel machiato, Italian soda, half dozen wrapped roses, or a balloon bouquet.....all in a drive through! We are located at 203 South Arthur and our hours are M-F 7 to 4 and Saturdays 9 to 11.
6th Place All American Handywoman
The Veritas Tenon Cutter Review
This is probably my favorite and most often used tool in my studio. This is the Veritas Tenon Cutter. I purchased the 1 1/4" cutter about 4 years ago and it has built my chairs and stools. I use it for both rustic furniture with Aspen, and I also have a line of Alder pieces that I use square stock that this tenon cutter has no issues with handling.
Just place your material in a 4" bench vise. I actually wrap the vise in an old T-shirt to protect the material.
Here is the end result. A perfect radius shoulder tenon every time. The blade is even adjustable to cut the exact tenon size you need. I suggest this as a must have for anyone interested in cutting tenons for furniture making!
And as an added bonus, I have discovered that with using this tool so often.....it creates the perfect wood shavings that make excellent fire starter for your wood stove or campfire!
Welcome to my new Blog!!
Welcome to my very new, brand new blog! I have posted my previous blogs for all the newcomers to be able to get up to speed with what I have to say. Don't get me wrong, the blog provided by Fat Cow webhosting is fine, but this site is much more appealing. Give me some feedback and let me know what you think? I joined facebook a couple of days ago...I am very behind the times. But I am trying to catch up. I want to thank everyone for all their support. It is fun to walk through the grocery store and have people say they are cheering for me. Or just last night, I was at our softball game and our team was losing (pretty badly) and a woman came up and said, "You don't know me, but we have been watching you every week and are really enjoying the program." That just made my night! Then she told me that my dad built her kitchen a couple of years ago. It is great to hear from the community. So keep checking in and don't forget to vote! Keep in touch for my reviews of my favorite tools and products!
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