Dina James @dinajames.com · 04/09/2026My daddy grew up in Maryland, so this is not surprising, but the reddest areas (people who talk most like me) are California and the desert southwest, where I spent most of my childhood. Another "most like me" area is the Carolinas and Georgia, and that's Mom's side. Pretty damned accurate. 040
Dina James @dinajames.com · 27/08/2026I may have eaten a second piece, even though the frosting is a lot sweeter than I remember. When I make boxed cakes I usually don’t frost them. 020
Dina James @dinajames.com · 27/08/2026Went into the pantry tonight looking for something sweet to go with my evening cup of tea. Despite my hatred of all things pink, strawberry is my favorite flavor. I had forgotten I’d picked this up on a whim a few months ago. Miss Dolly. She always knew what people needed. See ALT text. 1/2 120
Dina James @dinajames.com · 25/08/2026One of the NPCs in the game I run has Dolly for his patron. Thank you to NeverNotDM for this homebrew stat sheet. 051
Dina James @dinajames.com · 25/08/2026I’ve gotten burned more than a few times with words I think are rarely used only to have them marked as “uncommon.” The game thinks I have a great vocabulary though. 100
Dina James @dinajames.com · 24/08/2026So, remember that sweater I started knitting for myself earlier this year? I finally got the increase rows finished and separated the body stitches from the sleeves. Now I just need to knit in the round for 15” (more or less). The hardest part is over now. bsky.app/profile/dina... 240
Dina James @dinajames.com · 14/08/2026I joined up. I may have bought a few other things as well (10% of proceeds also go to the Little Bitch project). Fuck Elon Musk, fuck AI, fuck X, and fuck SpaceX. 030
Dina James @dinajames.com · 12/08/2026Pequeña: You move. Me: Yes, I did. I need to, sometimes. P: Then I move too. *velcros to legs on top of blanket* Me: Okay but I just— P: *stares in black cat* Me: No move. P: Correct. Me, thinking: “I really have to pee.” (Sometimes I can get away with moving in increments. Not today.) 040
Dina James @dinajames.com · 04/08/2026“Climate change isn’t real.” Photo credit: screenshot of the Watch Duty app, Tuesday August 4, 2026 at 2:17PM 33318
Dina James @dinajames.com · 14/07/2026It’s still Rock Day in my time zone, so here is my rock. I’m not sure where (Arizona, I think?) or when (been with me at least 25 years) I picked it up, but I fits perfectly in my hand and is very smooth. Picture does not do the color justice, as it’s a deep burgundy/purple. Perfect worry stone. 071
Dina James @dinajames.com · 08/05/2026I weighed my ingredients in individual portions just like on a cooking show. Base of my favorite black tea (Ceylon OP-1 from @fridaytea.com), followed by pink peppercorns from a local business, then the strawberry pieces. Shake it up. Huh. So that’s how they get those fancy tea pictures. 6/ 1100
Dina James @dinajames.com · 08/05/2026A few days later they arrived and today I finally had time to devote to my blending attempt. Three ingredients. Um…how much of each? Equal amounts? No, that would be horrible. I looked up how to blend your own tea and followed the suggested ratios on a teamaker’s site. 5/ 140
Dina James @dinajames.com · 05/05/2026Cute little tote bag Petco was giving away when I bought a present for Pequeña last week. She turned two yesterday. She and her siblings had a special wet food dinner and some premium catnip. She also got a new toy she had zero interest in but she’s a cat, so she might play with it later. 050
Dina James @dinajames.com · 30/04/2026Though I’m not an official kitten foster any longer, I do occasionally babysit for those who need a break or have to be away. Today I got to watch these four (there are four, I promise) for a few hours. New intakes, 3 girls and 1 boy. No names yet, but all black. Two will be longhaired. So fuzzy! /1 170
Dina James @dinajames.com · 19/04/2026I’ve been going through various drawers and boxes in an attempt to declutter the house and found these “sexy” novelty dice someone gave us around the time we got married (26 years ago). I’ve got to say, they’re just as hot in middle age as they were back then. 040
Dina James @dinajames.com · 19/04/2026My favorite single origin black tea arrived today and it is blissful. I had run out a bit ago and kept forgetting to order more. Lives were saved today, and I don’t mean my own. Thank you, @fridaytea.com #urgetokillfading 2132
Dina James @dinajames.com · 08/04/2026It has been a stressful several days due to many factors. Last night after my fifth swearing fit: Mr. James: Do you need to eat your feelings? Me:…yes. Him: Emotional support cake? Me: Please and thank you. Him: On it. *20 minutes later* Him: It’s the only one they had. (He’s a keeper.) 180
Dina James @dinajames.com · 08/04/2026I have been seriously considering putting my Christmas lights back up because fuck it all I like shiny objects and deserve nice things! 161
Dina James @dinajames.com · 03/04/2026if you see this, i implore you to post a picture from whatever device you’re using, with no explanation. 010
Dina James @dinajames.com · 03/04/2026A friend sent me this fabric. I made her a cat pillow. This one has eyes. I still hate hand sewing and suck at it. I would have finished this two hours sooner if I hadn’t needed to rip out my stitches three times. 280
Dina James @dinajames.com · 30/03/2026Poly-fil arrived today (I had no idea how much 5 pounds of stuffing was but it was a fabulous deal and a very big box and now I have enough to make several pillows) so I finished stuffing the cat pillow and hand-stitched it closed. I am not good at hand sewing. But I have a cat pillow now. 192
Dina James @dinajames.com · 26/03/2026Someone is having a very happy day. A sunbeam in a box. Her two favorite things. Best day ever! 1100
Dina James @dinajames.com · 26/03/2026The Boi formerly known as Chonky (and baby sister Pequeña). He has gone from nearly sixteen pounds to just under twelve in the year since he started his weight management program. He also got bloodwork to make sure all is as it should be. Doctor said “perfect.” So proud of him. 280
Dina James @dinajames.com · 23/03/2026Finally had some time to spend in my craft room and made a cat pillow. I didn’t have enough stuffing to finish it, but the idea is there. This is my first shaped/stuffed project. The pattern is free here: idlehandsawake.com/diy-no-sew-c... 080
Dina James @dinajames.com · 15/03/2026Okay, new law: No government employee may appear in public or any consumable media (including pr0n) without clothes that cover their entire body from shoulder to knee and wearing shoes that fit. Sleeves must be at least to the top of the elbow. See example below. 130
Dina James @dinajames.com · 15/03/2026So the second I saw a recruitment ad for ICE on Roku I deleted my account, and wrote a scathing Come To Jesus cancellation comment. I had been watching The Great British Sewing Bee and tonight searched JustWatch to see if it was available elsewhere. It’s not. JW offered a similar show though. 030
Dina James @dinajames.com · 14/03/2026Behold! So the 3 pepper spicy cheese is cheddar (curds; also formerly impossible to find outside the city), with jalapeño, orange habanero, and sweet red. The tea cheese is (“Teahive Beehive”) also a cheddar, and the dill curds are dill PICKLE, which is better. 160
Dina James @dinajames.com · 08/03/2026Stupid brain weasels. Kittens run them off. You have the most powerful one—a void. Keep him close and both of you eat good snacks. You’ve got this. Pequeña will add to the void banishment power. 010
Dina James @dinajames.com · 15/02/2026After finishing the ribbing I decided to knit the increase row, which meant not only math (increasing evenly across a set number of stitches), but keeping track of the increases WHILE switching needle sizes. Also remembering how to M1. I got there eventually, with the right number of stitches. 2/ 120
Dina James @dinajames.com · 15/02/2026It took two short sessions over a couple of evenings (I needed brain power and that’s in short supply some nights), but I did it. I managed to get the collar cast on and 1x1 ribbing knit properly. Once it was the appropriate length, it was onto the increases while changing to larger needles. 1/ 140
Dina James @dinajames.com · 09/02/2026Once wound up, I put it in my cat-proof knitting container. Both cakes fit, much to my surprise. Next up, swatching. (Yes, I swatch, because I’m not about to put hours of work into something that won’t fit once I’m finished working. Also, alpaca is expensive.) 5/ 120
Dina James @dinajames.com · 09/02/2026I wound both hanks because I know myself and if I run out of yarn mid-project I’ll set it down and not pick it up again because I have to break out the swift and winder again and it will be too much work and I’ll never finish the sweater. They’re freaking huge. It’s a LOT of yarn. 3/ 120
Dina James @dinajames.com · 09/02/2026YouTube strikes again. I found a new-to-me knitting channel and it gave me feels and long story short I’m about to start a sweater. For myself. From locally dyed and spun Peruvian Tweed I bought about 12-15 years ago at the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival. 1/ 280
Dina James @dinajames.com · 29/01/2026A cozy paranormal mystery about a tea shop with odd hours in a Coastal Oregon tourist town. Murder, tea, fey, a teenage werewolf who bakes amazing croissants, a pickpocketing tentacle monster, a vampire, a hellhound puppy, and a mundane proprietor. Shenanigans ensue. Summer 2026* *theoretically 5258
Dina James @dinajames.com · 16/01/2026Big Poppa is still showing up on the trail cam and we’re supposed to have good weather for a few days. If I’m able to get a TNR appointment, I’ll try for him. The Porch Cats are doing well. Eddie continues to pretend like he wants to come inside, only to yell “Sike!” and run away giggling. /1 1110
Dina James @dinajames.com · 14/01/2026Happy graduation day, Columbia/Buttercup! It took two months to trap you, and two days to adore you. You’ll be snapped up the first time you purr at someone. Thank you for letting us get to know the real you. Have a long and happy life, indoors with no more kittens. 4/4 170
Dina James @dinajames.com · 13/01/2026I think it’s safe to say Buttercup is all about that indoor life now. Keep in mind this is since Friday, and she was stoned for most of the day. A friend visited the studio today and Buttercup came right out to greet her with purrs. I still can’t believe it’s the same cat. /1 3221