STUFF For Kitty And You

CUCKOO CATS

2012-02-23T04:40:00.000-08:00

And now a break from all the $%@& in the world to watch something cute......

Absolutely Cuckoo Cats from SINLOGO on Vimeo.

skifcha/sky from xgabberx on Vimeo.

Shinji Cooks for Shio-chan from Nathan Yee on Vimeo.

A Cat's Parade from Dancing Dog Productions on Vimeo.

Ok..... back to work!

Cat Commodities

2012-02-14T12:19:00.000-08:00

This week for Cat Commodities I wanted to share two new fabulous handmade things we bought for our cats Mischa and Sammy.

First is a collar we bought for Sammy from Sweet Pickles' Designs. Sammy was wearing a hand-me-down collar and needed his very own. When we saw the most awesome Gotham collar by Sweet Pickles' Designs we knew it was for him... a super hero collar for our super cat!

It is very well made and has the safety breakaway buckle. You can see more of their groovy collars in the
Sweet Pickles' Designs ETSY shop.

Mischa and Sammy are indoor cats but when they were kittens we trained them to walk on a leash. With more training they began to roam the yard but always under strict supervision. Their collars have their tags and little jingle bells to warn the birds of their attacks :D

The second thing arrived today for Valentines Day! It is a super cool scratcher made by Kitty Jones.

Although we are cat toy makers we always like to treat our babies with new and different toys.

It arrived in a big box (which they cats also enjoy) and wrapped so cute with a groovy drawing!

It is HUGE! Mischa is a big kitty (part Maine Coon) so you can see how big the scratcher is.

This scratcher is very well made and looks fabulous in the house. It is made from 40% recycled cardboard with your choice of fabric colors.

Be sure to check out the Kitty Jones ETSY shop!

BLACK CAT LOVE

2012-02-14T04:28:00.000-08:00

Did you know that black cats are only half as likely to get adopted as cats of other colors? It is true! For some reason black pets have a heck of a time finding their perfect human.

One of my cats, my little baby Sammy, is a handsome rescued black cat. I adore black cats and have always had them in my feline family. I find them most agreeable!

This is my most recent painting for my Rescue series. It is dedicated to Black Cat Rescue. BCR is a no-kill cat rescue organization in Boston, MA. They are dedicated to saving the lives of homeless black cats and kittens by providing quality foster care while actively seeking loving, permanent adoptive homes.

You can learn more about them HERE.

$50.00 of this sale will be donated to Black Cat Rescue.

Click HERE to beam over to the shop and see more photos.

FRONN FLIX

2012-02-12T07:01:00.000-08:00

We have been volunteering with Susan at Feline Rescue Of Northern Nevada (FRONN) by taking photographs of the cats in the sanctuary and making videos to help promote adoptions. It is super fun! Most of the cats are into it, "hamming" it up when we walk in with a camera and such. Some play a little hard to get but that just makes it more fun in my opinion.

Here is one of the videos we have made.....

You can see the others HERE.

FRONN is a wonderful No Kill cat sanctuary here in Northern Nevada. They help care, home, and adopt cats that are surrendered and lost as well as special needs cats. They also help feral cats with a TNR and food program. To top it off they also help so many folks in need by helping when possible with necessities so that people can keep they cats instead of surrendering them. They are all about making life better for cats and those who love 'em.

You can learn more about FRONN HERE.

As artists we do not always have money to donate nor can we adopt so volunteering is a way we can help and make a difference.

You can help local rescue groups in your neck of the woods too!

DERBY LOVE

2012-02-11T10:43:00.000-08:00

I have always been a fan of Roller Derby. When I was a wee kid my mom and I use to watch the T Birds all the time. My pals and I use to play derby during the winter on the pond with our ice skates and in the summer we had bouts in the neighborhood driveways. There was no outlet for derby as I got older but now derby is revived and as awesome as ever!

So when I was recently contacted by MISTILLA #16 Proud Skater for Houston Roller Derby looking for donations for a fundraiser for their team..... how could I resist!

The gals are having an auction for groovy donated stuff to fund equipment, trips, and so on.

I have donated a set of Roller Derby Binky cat toys and a Roller Derby Sleeping Bag in hopes they will bring some funds for the team and to make a gal and her cat very happy.

If you are in Houston be sure to attend the event. You can find out more about the Psych Ward Sirens on their Facebook Page.

KITTY INK

2012-02-05T09:25:00.000-08:00

I do not have any tattoos but I love 'em!

I always said if I got myself a tattoo it would be of a cat....
of course.

Here are some tattoos featuring the art of Gemma Correll cats. Adorable!

Cattoo Design is a showcase of folks cat tattoos with all different styles.

And here are some tattoos featuring Edward Gorey's cats...

OODLES OF NOODLES

2012-02-02T17:16:00.000-08:00

We added lots of Crunchy Noodles to the shop the other day. Noodles are fun interactive toys for you and kitty to play with. All handmade of course, with a fancy bamboo handle and there is even "crinkle" surprise inside the noodle.

Here are some comments from folks who have bought

Crunchy Noodles.......

"Brannigan loves his Binky so much, I often wake to him dropping it on my head :) Thank you."

"Great for kitty cardio. Thank you"

"These Binky cat toys are my kitty's FAVORITES! Stacey and her team know what cats LOVE!!! MAHALO for helping the kitties-in-need too! :)"

"My cat loves it! I especially like that the tail is nice and long."

"AWESOME!!!"

"This is got to be one of the nicest cat toys I have purchased. Cute, well made and my two Bengals love it. I will be back to purchase another for the kitties at CASAS our local animal shelter where I volunteer!"

CLICK HERE to check out the selection in our shop.

CAT COMMODITIES

2012-01-27T22:10:00.000-08:00

This week for Cat Commodities I bring you some fabulous handmade "cat" artists on ETSY.

Nicola Rowlands of Manchester, England, is the creator of this adorable Taco Kitty brooch. Greeting cards, totes, pocket manfriends, brooches, and pillows featuring her fabulous illustrations can be found in her shop.

Linda Bachrach of Honolulu, Hawaii, is the artist of this magnificent piece titled "Tao of Cats" . Linda passions are cats, art and Japan. All these passions are very manifest in her work. You will find originals, prints, cards, and ceramic pendants in her wonderful shop HawaiiCats.

Dandy Lions is a fantastic piece by Kenneth Rougeau of Artfamilia. Kenneth is an artist, poet, musician and computer enthusiast currently residing in Portland. In his shop you will find some amazing digital art prints featuring cats, other animals, and humans too.

This sweet little kitty was made by NotJustCats of Wisconsin. In this shop you will find a great collection of little ceramic cats and some other animals as well. They are all handformed of earthenware clay and hand painted with colorful stains under a glassy kilnfired clear glaze.

JUST CHECKING

2012-01-26T04:47:00.000-08:00

This is a great little video that was brought to my attention via the site LOVE MEOW .

I will purposely hide and find things for my cats Mischa and Sammy so they can slip into hunter mode. Just another reason why I LOVE cats :D

CAT CONVENTION

2012-01-22T08:04:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we attended the Nevada Humane Society's

"All Things Cats" Cat Convention

It was a blast!!!!

An all day adoption event for the NHS and a celebration for cat lovers. Held in a huge ballroom at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino the room so welcoming..... classical music playing, nice and warm (it was snowing outside), vendors like us, local celebrities, and in the center of it all were beautiful and lovable cats all looking for their perfect humans.

It is a custom at the NHS when a pet gets adopted that they ring a bell. Music to our ears to hear that bell ringing all day long and people stopping in their tracks to cheer and clap.

As cat toy makers this event is our favorite. People "get" what we do and we are flattered that they love our toys. The photo above is our table when we first started... by the end of the night it was almost empty! But even more importantly we were making cats and their people very happy! It is a wonderful feeling to have someone walk up to the table and select a toy for their baby or their newly adopted fur kid with such excitement and love.

We also will be donating 10% of our sales from yesterday to the NHS which we are happy to say it will be

"a nice chunk of change" :D

This is a video that a supporter of the NHS made......

We are still waiting for the final number of adoptions to be tallied. But when we left last night it was very close to 50... 50 cats adopted in one day... 50 cats finally going home!

ROCK ON NHS!

FABULOUSLY VINTAGE

2012-01-16T09:37:00.000-08:00

We have been collecting vintage photographs of cats and girl couples for sometime now. That these little snap shots of folks beloved cats and secret loves were kept safe throughout the decades... makes them even more endearing.

We have made some fabulous postcards with some of our vintage photos. They are professionally printed postcards that you can send to your family and friends or frame and hang them in your home.

Right now we have two different sets but will be adding more in the months to come.

Each set has four cards and they come in a cello bag.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Also check out of selection of vintage buttons, magnets, and pocket mirrors.

CAT COMMODITIES

2012-01-14T08:21:00.000-08:00

This week for Cat Commodities I would like to share a few FREE things. YES! FREE!

There are three sites I am always visiting to get my fix of warm fuzzy feelings and to check out some amazing cat art. Kitty Stampede, Cher Cat, and Purrrfect Cats.

These cat dedicated sites are owned by fabulous women located in Canada, France, and Italy. They are Crazy Cat Ladies sharing their HUGE collections of cat images and groovy cat things they find on the web. I have found some of my favorite things through their sites!

There is nothing to purchase, no hidden fees, no contracts to sign..... just free eye candy.

FABULOUS!

Be sure to click over and "follow", "like", and "bookmark" them.

Kitty Stampede

Cher Cat

Purrrfect Cats

CAT CONVENTION

2012-01-11T12:09:00.000-08:00

This January 21st is the Nevada Humane Society's 2nd

"All Things Cat" Cat convention!

Last year we were lucky to be invited as vendors and had the most fabulous time. As a "cat people" we were so in our comfort zone being there in a HUGE ball room full of cat people, cat things, and most importantly.... CATS! To spend a day with folks who "get" what we are about was a great feeling.

It is a big adoption event for cats only. Last year they found homes for 58 cats. 58 in one day! When the NHS adopts a pet they ring a bell and well to hear that bell ring out loud throughout the day was very emotional.

This year we are honored to be invited back as vendors and will have table full of our toys for the kitties and other groovy stuff for cat people. We will be donating 10% of our cat toy sales to Nevada Humane Society.

If you live in the Reno/Tahoe area please mark your calendar and be sure to stop by. You can adopt a cat, shop for your cats, see some celebrities, and spend the day with All Things Cat.

CLICK HERE to learn more.

SPONSOR SOME LOVE

2012-01-06T10:38:00.000-08:00

Many of you may have made your resolutions for the new year already, but if you are still searching for a ideal goal for 2012 I would like to suggest becoming a sponsor to a pet in need.

Many of us already have pets, some of our homes are full to capacity, making the adoption of one more unrealistic. Or maybe you travel to much or your not allowed pets where you live, but have always wanted one.

Becoming a sponsor to a pet is a win win situation for everyone! Many rescues, shelters, and sanctuaries have affordable sponsor programs where you can donate to help a pet of your choice. Some sanctuaries have sponsor programs for animals that cannot be pets such as elephants and big cats.

If you simply sacrificed one of your monthly pleasures... lunch out during work, coffee at the cafe on weekends, maybe canceling that Netflix membership you never use.... you can use that money to help give food, water, care, and a warm bed to an animal down on their luck without breaking your budget.

Please consider this as your resolution this year.... contact your local no kill rescues and shelters or favorite sanctuaries for information on becoming a sponsor.

Oh and don't forget.... you can also sponsor a pet as a gift for someone. A gift that keeps on giving!

Mischa & Sammy In Ping Pong

2012-01-05T18:57:00.000-08:00

LINKS OF LOVE

2012-01-04T14:03:00.000-08:00

Today we added some new Binky Links to the shop. Links are sausage like links of catnip fun. A long and bendable toy that kitty can grab, drag, and wrap themselves up in.

Our links are linned and sealed completely to make them safe. Links actual size may vary ranging from 5 to 6 links long or

19" to 20".

CLICK HERE to see our collection in the shop.

And of course $1.00 of each toy sale is donated to help cats in need.

CAT COMMODITIES

2012-01-03T08:29:00.000-08:00

This year I thought I would get BACK into sharing some of the most awesome cat "things" that I come across in a new series of posts called "CAT COMMODITIES". They may not be commodities per the definition, but to me they are very useful and valuable things.

To start of I have three groovy things to share.....

For the holidays I made an awesome trade with artist Leila of Illustrated Ink..... art for fur kid gifts.

One of the pieces I selected was the beautiful custom Day of the Dead Cat Dia de los Muertos Print above. I chose to have Frizbee's name added as a memorial to my late sweet boy. I have been collecting art dedicated to all my cats.. past and present.

(yes, I am a crazy cat lady)

This print is even better in person. Lelia's talent is fabulous. I also received another print and one of her groovy Fortune Teller paper dolls.

Visit the Illustrated Ink shop HERE.

She does donate a percentage of her skele-animal print proceeds to Austin Pets Alive.

Artist Aurora Cacciapuoti is part of a fantastic fundraiser in Italy where she and five other amazing illustrators have created a set of postcards to benefit Accociazione Protezione Animali Carpigiana (Association Animal Protection In Carpi) or A.P.A.C.

The A.P.S.C. is a non-profit organisation that deals with the protection of animals, notably cats, since 1989, defending the rights and helping the animals in difficulty, those abandoned, abused, lost, etc...

The Cat's House of Carpi helps alley cats and is it also possible to adopt a cat from distance.

CLICK HERE to learn more.

The artists involved in this magnificent project are :

I adore these cards! I framed them and used them to decorate my cats dinning room....

(Sammy having some Kibble)

You can purchase these postcards for 8 EURO. That is only $10 and some odd change in US dollars. To do so you just need to email apac.volontari@gmail.com

Some art from Italy and helping cats.... how can anyone resist it?!

My cats big gift this past Christmas was this Modern Pet Bed/chaise lounge chair from ModPet NYC.

It has soft memory foam cushions and bolsters with modern styling for any cat to lounge in luxury. It is available in about five colors and is all handmade. I selected the lovely green shown in their photo above.

This bed is super cool and the quality is fantastic. Sammy and Mischa ignored it for the first two days, like any cat would... but now they take turns sleeping on it. The normal routine... my lap to the chaise... my lap to the chaise... food to the chaise... look out the window to my lap... food to the chaise.... a bit of wrestling to my lap.... food to the chaise.....etc.

Be sure to check out all these groovy cat commodities and support these amazing artists.

January/February Charity

2012-01-01T11:28:00.000-08:00

Thank you so much everyone for helping us raise $35.00 for PurrEver Ranch Sanctuary.

The charity for Jan/Feb is Kitty Bungalow Charm School For Wayward Cats. They are dedicated to the rescue and rehoming of feral cats and kittens in the Los Angeles area.

Kitty Bungalow Charm School for Wayward Cats socializes feral kittens, taking hissy little babies and turning them into purring little lap cats. They believe in force love and provide a cage free environment and one-on-one attention to each feral kitten through physical exercises to earn trust and delicious food bribes to earn their love. They bring these scared kittens to the understanding that there is a wonderful human home waiting to give them the love and security they deserve. Upon graduation, these kittens continue to blossom in their new homes growing into the most wonderful house cats a family could desire.

You can learn more about this wonderful rescue at these links.....

WEB SITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

So from now to the end of February we will donate $1.00 of every Binky Cat toy sold (and some specially noted cat themed items in our shop) to the school.

CLICK HERE to start shopping!

CANVAS CATS

2011-12-31T16:58:00.000-08:00

I recently added these two new paintings to the shop as part of my "rescue" series.

This colorful rainbow kitty was made for Blind Cat Rescue. These blind cats live in a world of darkness but provide so much happiness and love to us humans. I tried to capture that in this piece... a kitty full of life inside.

It just sold today on New Years Eve.

Thank you Robin!!!

And this one was made for Doodlebug Manor. I have worked with Doodlebug Manor Rescue for many years and can vouch for the amazing devotion of Lara, the owner. The Manor is an exceptional little house that makes any down and out cat feel "high-class"!

Half of the proceeds of my paintings are donated to the rescue that inspired them.

CLICK HERE to see more.

NEW STUFF FOR A NEW YEAR

2011-12-28T10:36:00.000-08:00

Mischa and Sammy have decided that I must add new magnets and mirrors of them to the shop this year

They want to to do more to help cats in need.... and to please their fan club!

So I have posted some new gear like the King Sammy magnet above which is a new illustration I created with an actual photo of Sam. And also more photograph gear like Mischa's sweet magnet below.

We also added these cool magnet featuring the Cat Hobo sign. The great American Hobo... once a romanticized group of traveling strangers, the classic "hobo" hopped the rail and criss-crossed the United States with just the clothes on their backs. The hobos used signs and symbols to communicate with each other and help out fellow travelers with tips on the area and the friendliness of it's inhabitants.

A sign of a cat meant a kind woman lived at that residence. You could count on some kindness, some food, and rest. That's Cat!

There will be more magnets and mirrors to come throughout the new year. $1.00 of the proceeds of these items that have cats on them will be donated to cats in need.

Of course more toys and other cool stuff for us humans will be added to the shop as well.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

2011-12-21T20:12:00.000-08:00

Mischa, Sammy, and I would like to wish you all a very happy Holiday season!

Thank you so very much for choosing to shop with us and for helping us help other cats in need.

We have exciting ideas for the new year and plan to continue to making groovy stuff for kitty and you.

GIFT BAGS

2011-12-05T04:41:00.001-08:00

We just added some new gift bags to the shop.

These are fantastic ways to wrap your gifts for the holidays. Fill them with toys and treats for your cat. Fill them with gifts for the animal lover on your list. Fill them with gifts for your local cat rescue. Or keep it for yourself and use it all year long!

Each bag is handmade of course. They are fully lined and some have an extra pocket on the outside. The one above also has decorative jingle bells on the drawstrings to make it even more festive!

To see out entire selection CLICK HERE.

1000 SALES 1000 THANK YOUS

2011-11-19T19:33:00.001-08:00

We just passed 1000 sales in the STUFF store today!

Thank you everyone for your support and for helping us help cats in need.

NEW BINKY MATS

2011-11-05T17:07:00.000-07:00

We just added some new Binky mats to the shop.

A Binky is a special toy/mat filled with catnip that will drive your kitty wild! Just open it, add the nip, and shake it up. This toy will provide you with endless entertainment and your kitty with euphoric bliss. You may find that your kitty will spend their day playing, sleeping, wrestling, and odd enough, licking on it. Just like Mischa is demonstrating in these photos.

And remember that $1.00 from every toy sold will be donated to help cats in need.

Click HERE to see the new toys.

November/December Charity

2011-11-01T12:09:00.000-07:00

Thank you everyone for helping us raise a fabulous $47.00 for Black Cat Rescue! HURRAH!

The charity for November/December is PurrEver Ranch

PurrEver Ranch is located in Somerville, Tennessee, and rescues senior felines from shelter euthanization. They Provide a safe hospice where the homeless, senior cats live the rest of their lives. They welcome the "unadoptable", feed feral colonies, gentle spirits and soothe broken hearts and bones.

PurrEver Ranch opened it's cat doors in June 2004 when Rita Wood realized that even though there are numerous animal rescue groups in her area, none of them focused on the homeless, senior felines. Most cats over 12 are considered "unadoptable" at shelters are euthanized.

Their Mission...

(1) management and maintenance of a safe and loving sanctuary for homeless, geriatric cats; (2) provision of proper medical treatment and care; (3) education of the community about proper feline care, behavior, and ways to prevent cruelty and neglect; (4) the establishment of partnerships with other animal rescue groups in order to increase access to resources and to provide information and referral support regarding feline rescue; (5) gentling of feral kittens & placement into loving homes, and (6) spay/neuter of feral cats.

So from now until the end of December $1.00 from all Binky cat toy sales and some other selected cat themed items in our shop will be donated to Rita and the cats of PurrEver Ranch!

You can learn more about PurrEver Ranch at these links..

WEB SITE

FACEBOOK

Start shopping now! CLICK HERE