TravelJoy

I'm the kind of person that will obsess over one thing, usually a project or some form of home decor.  Most of the time I get an idea and can't leave it alone until it comes to fruition. Lately, for some reason, my ideas have revolved around my cats (probably because my boyfriend hasn't been around to obsess over).

 Anyhow, while poking around the internet a couple weeks ago I saw this on ModernCat, cute right?

And suddenly, my life was taken over by the need to make a cat bed out of a vintage suitcase. Consumed by this urge I began scouring Etsy, Ebay, and local shops for a suitable valise. I found some lovely cases, many too lovely and too pricey to deconstruct. 

Finally, I found something that would work. While browsing at a local flea market I mentioned to the owner my poor luck at finding a suitcase that wasn't in perfect condition. He left the shop and returned with a couple options, I chose this one,  a TravelJoy, which he gave me for free!!

Though larger than what I needed and without the decorative hardware I'd hoped for, this case was going to be the one. I loved the red interior, the grey exterior,  and darker grey trim, especially since the case would be going in my black, white and red eat-in-kitchen. 

After detaching the lid and cleaning up the interior and exterior, 

I was ready to turn this suitcase into a bed. 

In order to make a cushion for the bed I redistributed the fluff from an old, cheap, overstuffed pillow so that it would fill the suitcase and be cushy and not too firm. I then made a pillow case from fleece and some furry fabric that was on sale at the fabric store. I chose to make a pillow case because I know that the bed will get very furry and need to be washed so the pillow case allows for easy removal and cleaning. 

This is what I ended up with:

It fits them both and they actually use it! 

I had made tiny pillows a few weeks before I got the idea for the bed but they fit and they looked cute so I threw them in! 

I didn't put legs on the bed as it's sitting on top of the "kitty washroom" (a table/cabinet that houses the litter box) but I always can add some later on, if I find a different spot for the bed. The cats like this spot because they can bird watch out the window and because it's right under the heat vent so I figured why not put it where they like to be! 

So, yesterday afternoon, while cleaning the house and picking up numerous cat toys, I had a brilliant idea for the use of the lid of the suitcase- it was just too lovely to throw out and so I was incredibly pleased to find a use for it. 

Finally we have a nifty place to store all the toys and a suitable apparatus to hold all the kitty fishing poles we have accumulated. Yes it's just a cardboard tube and the lid of the suitcase, but it works! The best part of this project was I had all the supplies at home. Nothing better than those projects that can be completed when inspiration strikes, without a trip to the store!

I suppose I will feel the need to paint the tube at some point, likely when I decide what color, but for now the cats are enjoying it just the way it is.