Art and Sew Forth

Violet, Jeff, and the Banana

2012-01-14T13:57:00.000-05:00

THIS IS VIOLET

Hmmm....this smells yummy....must get a little closer.

Sniff, sniff....not bad.

But THIS is REALLY tasty!!

***

THIS IS JEFF

I see a foreign object in my cage.

Mmmmm.....

REEEEALLY MMMMM!

Jeff is happy.

New Cats and Dogs in Watercolor and Ink

2012-01-04T18:45:00.000-05:00

I hope you have been busy with new projects! Here's some of my recent art from Catcalls and Dogbarks to start the New Year! Click on any picture for more info!

This one is self explanatory!

"I ♥ U"

"Happy Kitties"

"Love One Another"

"Greyhound Moon"

Ending 2011 with a crashed car!

2011-12-29T16:05:00.000-05:00

What a great way to end the year...without a car! But I guess I would rather end a year with a totaled car than to begin a year with one!

It happened Tuesday night. It was the first snow of the year. Living in the snow belt of Ohio, this is a rare occurrence as we have usually been buried a few times by now.

I let my wonderful son (who is highly disguised to protect his identity!) use my car. All was well ....

UNTIL it started to snow.

Roads got covered in slippery, wet, slop

A little slipping...

a little sliding......

a ~~little~~ big telephone pole in the wrong place....

and car loses to telephone pole and lands in ditch.

Bye bye 1994 Toyota Corolla. We had good times....lots of miles....little repair required....good mileage....you were awesome. I will miss you...terribly.

Younger brother with nice shiner....

And so I happily say goodbye 2011 - hello 2012....but how will I get to work on Monday???

Our Handmade Gift Exchange Presents!

2011-12-26T11:29:00.000-05:00

Happy Day After Christmas!

I hope you enjoy Christmas as much as I do! Several years ago our family decided to make a rule. All gifts had to be handmade! We have 11 in the family and have a secret Santa draw in November. We have enjoyed the most unusual, unique, and personal gifts one could imagine over the years. It is a day everyone looks forward to with great anticipation, not just for what you will receive, but to see the reaction of the one who receives your gift! It's the coolest thing ever! It is far removed from the commercialized version of the holiday and completely focuses on the incredibly deep love we have for one another as a family and the gift of God's Son to us which has made such love possible. We all feel so blessed!

This year I had my son-in-law. He and my daughter own a gymnastics club in the community which also employs four of the seven siblings. My husband and one of my sons also received names of members who work in the gym. So we decided to give them all dolls with a wire frame that can be posed as desired. I had never made anything like this before, so it was a great new challenge! The guys formed the frames and wrapped them with blanket strips. I finished them with socks and made clothing that matched the gym clothing they wear. I printed their faces out on my printer by running fabric taped to paper through the printer. I was really happy with the end product!

Mr. Jim

Mr. Judah

Miss Nikki

The Trio

*****

And this is the gift I received from my 14 year old son.

A clock decoupaged with photos of my two little grandsons. I love it!

Psalm 127 says:

3Behold, children are a gift of the LORD,

The fruit of the womb is a reward.

4Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,

So are the children of one’s youth.

5How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them...

I had 7 'gifts' and I have been blessed beyond measure with love. And now they are expanding with 'gifts' of their own.

Life doesn't get any better....

I wish you the same love and joy I have been blessed with for your 2012 New Year!

Charlie Brown and The Guinea Pig

2011-12-20T13:13:00.003-05:00

Yes - Charlie Brown and the Guinea Pig.

You all know this tree. Sad, wimpy, a loser, if trees are classified as such.

And yet this tree probably graces more households this year than ever before and will become one of most remembered in years to come. I know it will for me.

I have a wonderful husband who loves me more than anything. We both knew we were going to get a Charlie Brown tree this year. I had planned on going to a local field to try to find a scrawny 2 foot something that would suffice. But he said he would go to his parents and bring one back. I said that would be fine, of course. And so in the interest of eco-friendliness, he and his dad enjoyed a moment of father-son togetherness as they picked out this dandy, dug it up, and placed it in a biodegradable pot so we could give it to someone else to plant in the hard frozen ground when we are finished with it.

(click photo to see a larger version)

I have decided to call it Herman because "Her" (that's me) "man" (that's hubbs), got it for me.

This is Violet, my guinea pig. Isn't she sweet looking?

Don't let that face fool you!

She can be WILD!

I have 5 guinea pigs that each have their own cage. Violet and her son share the table top where Herman now sits. So I placed her underneath my desk on the rails.

I have had several piggies sit here with no trouble....

until NOW! This is what I came home to after running. She apparently was doing a little running of her own! But I will commend her for staying IN her cage in spite of the opportunity to run off!

***

And while I am on the subject of guinea pigs....

I received these lovely prints from my dear friend and Petsjubilee teammate, Pauline from PaulinesFashions on Etsy. I LOVE them!

Thank you, Pauline! I love you!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas whether you have a Charlie Brown one or not! And try to stay out of trouble....

IT'S FREE SHIPPING DAY!

2011-12-16T00:00:00.000-05:00

Check this out!! YES! There is FREE SHIPPING today ONLY, Friday, Dec. 16th, at Catcalls.etsy.com!
Use coupon code FREECAT at checkout.
TheCatRack.etsy.com has FREE SHIPPING every day!! Here are a few of the goodies you can get today!

Click HERE to go to Catcalls

and

HERE to got to TheCatRack.

Happy Shopping!

You'll find LOTS more at both shops!

Catcalls (FREECAT coupon code) and TheCatRack offer the coolest cats and cat themed gifts, clothing, housewares, and art!

Small Cat and Dog Art Work

2011-12-12T09:16:00.000-05:00

For those who collect ACEOs and little works of art. Some great options for your dog and cat loving friends! Just click on the picture to go directly to the listing.

Boxers Anyone??

2011-11-30T00:00:00.000-05:00

Who doesn't love a pair of soft flannel boxers? Custom orders always welcome for both pants and shorts and any dog of your choice! Both guys and gals available.

Click HERE to see any of these in Dogbarks!

Mention this blog at checkout and receive 10% off any pair or order! (refunded through paypal)

Good MEWS Christmas Gifts

2011-11-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

Some MEOWY Christmas gifts for kitty and you!

A comfy kitty quilt with two yummy organic candy canes

Tiny nip bits filled with 100% organic catnip

A fun stocking stuffed with lots of catnip goodies for the good kitty!

Plush poinsettia kitty for your holiday decorating....

or perhaps as a gift for your cat loving friend.

Original ACEO watercolor

Dress up for Christmas - cat lover style!

Mewmart, Catcalls, and TheCatRack have many more cat and cat themed gifts for all cat lovers out there!

A Cat's Eye View of Thanksgiving

2011-11-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

Have a

PURRfectly

Happy Thanksgiving!

Feline Lickin' Good!

ACEO by Catcalls

Sunday Relaxation...

2011-11-19T17:34:00.001-05:00

Wishing you your final restful Sunday before the holiday rush hits!

...in your favorite spot, of course!

Cool Jewels from a Fiery Red Headed Cat!

2011-10-03T00:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday to all Kitty Lovers! Time for the weekly edition of Monday MEWsings! This week is being dedicated to our fearless kitty captain of the Cat Avis Unite Team, Miss MABJewelry! I mean - check out that hair! ANY cat mom whose kitty has THAT hair is fearless, don't you think?! She is mom to the handsome Franklin (as seen in fiery photo) and the gorgeous Gus. You can see more of them both HERE. Thank you, Mabs, for keeping the CAU team so fun, friendly, and light-hearted! We all love you!

"All of this started because I wanted to make myself a bracelet. Seriously. From that one single bracelet, an empire grew. Well, a teeny tiny, mini-empire. Unique. Quirky. Joyful. Rich. Those are my favorite jewelry adjectives.

The coolest thing about selling my creations is when a customer discovers their perfect piece of jewelry from the pieces I've made. The second coolest thing is knowing that there are people all over the US, and, since etsy, all over the world wearing something I made. In Sweden! In the U.K.! In Indiana!

The greatest thing about Etsy in particular is the community, both buyers and sellers, people from all over connecting with other people. I've gotten more help and support (and had more fun) here than I ever expected. And I have been so lucky to have such great buyers. I'm enjoying my experience here immensely."

Make sure to click on these photos to go to MABs shop where you find 276 original lovely pieces to choose from! And guess what?? Shipping is FREE to any where in the whole wide world! Now THAT is good MEWS!

Cranky Cat Earrings

Pewter Kitty Cat Earrings

Upcycled Rhinestone Brooch Necklace

Silver Sugar Skull Earrings

Sunstone Art Glass Beaded Bracelet in Copper

Filigree Swirl Necklace in Bright Blue and Silver

By visiting MABJewelry, you are sure to find the PURRfect piece you are looking for!

Ink and Watercolor Cat and Dog Art

2011-09-28T00:00:00.000-04:00

I'm getting ready to head back to Ohio after spending almost four glorious months in Montana. I'm having moments of breakdowns as I think about driving AWAY from the mountains, the blue skies, the dry air, the milder winters and heading into damp, cloudy, sunless, snow-filled Northeast Ohio. I will go hiking in the mountains one more time before I leave Friday. Hopefully I will be back next spring.

Since I don't want to add much bulk to my inventory that I must take back, I have been painting and drawing. These are all available in my shops and can be accessed by clicking on the art. They are all affordable,original works, not prints.

"I Did It"

"Napping Furkids"

"The Scolding"

"The Righteous Man and His Cat"

"Feline Lickin' Good"

Monday MEWsings - A Vintage Shop of CATS!

2011-09-26T00:00:00.000-04:00

Vintage shops abound on Etsy. You can't look at a Treasury, click on a page of Pounce, or glance at Recently Listed Items without seeing vintage. BUT...you don't often see a vintage shop dedicated almost entirely to one theme. This week, as part of the ongoing Cat Avis Unite Team features, I have found one such shop! Libush is a fairly new shop and a vintage cat collector's dream! You will find Fabulous Feline Figurines from porcelain to pewter in many PURRsonable poses. Click on any of these listings to find more information. Or better yet - just check out the entire Libush shop!

Large Arnart Japan Tabby

Hagen Renaker Ceramic

Vintage Pottery Snooty Cats

1950s Black Lead

Spelter - old!

Late 80s Pewter

>^.^<

(My fave with mama hugging kitten!)

Ink Drawings for Cat Lovers

2011-09-24T14:42:00.000-04:00

For the cat lovers!

Have you ever seen black cats wandering around a pumpkin patch? So intriguing!

Card stock drawing in black and brown ink.

There are so many sad kitty stories out there. Always heartbreaking. I was doodling in bed last night and ended up listing this as it reflected my dreams of a cozy loving place where I wish all kitties could go.

Listed in Catcalls

How to make a Wiener Wonderland!

2011-09-22T23:11:00.000-04:00

I had a fun week creating a wiener wonderland here. I was constantly thinking about the next wonderful wiener I was going to make, whether for Halloween or Christmas. I started with some Christmas wienies.

This is my very warn, holey pattern for the minis.

A close up of how bad it looks! I really need to make another before this totally disintegrates! The tail is about off.

These are my sophisticated stuffing tools. They were free.

Berthold

I started with Christmas doxies. If you have a red wiener dog...

Bertram

you must also have a green. Unwritten rules of wiener creating.

Burchess

And then because I had brown and pink felt , I made this one, which is my fave.

All my Itty Bitties start with a "B"

The Welcoming Crew

I then added some Hallowienies. Boo....

and Batdog. Here is Batdog's description:

"Every wiener dog has large dreams...dreams of being able to look those Great Danes in the eye, of running with the grace and speed of a Greyhound, of flying to the rescue of all fellow wieners and small brothers. Every wiener dog wishes he were BATDOG! "

Now for the bigger boy. This pattern is a stubby version that I just lengthen when I cut. The pencil line is for the leg placement.

Willy

Willy was a bit time consuming as I had to sew together all the pieces (placemats in a former life) and change thread constantly. Then I gave him felt eyes to see with. No one wants to be blind - not even a Hallowiener.

Finally, I decided to make a dachshund skirt. I have plenty of kitty skirts in The Cat Rack, but wanted to add one to Dogbarks since I sold the only one last week. This two piece pattern is also the one I use for pillows. I randomly cut out legs, tail, and ears.

This fabric was a nice find at a thrift store. An unused bit of yardage made of some natural blend fiber. It bled quite a lot when I washed it in hot water. But a cold water wash should be just fine now. The doxie is a wool houndstooth in black and white. Handsome little fellow!

You can click on any picture to see them in my shops.

Hope you all get a chance to have a Wonderful Wiener Week, too!

New Cat and Dog Artwork with New Pens!

2011-09-21T12:43:00.000-04:00

I have been in a drawing mood the last few days. I sold several pieces of artwork in the last week and wanted to replenish. I sold my all time absolute favorite kitty painting to a cat lover which made me happy! I almost pulled it many times, but now I am glad it has a good home.

Full Tummy 4" x 6" Watercolor

I have used the IDenti-Pen and Ultra Fine Sharpie for most of my art.

But I wanted something finer, so bought these two new Micron pens last Saturday.

You can see the difference in these pictures.

The series, Cat and Spider, was done with the IDenti-Pen and watercolor pencils.

Yummy!

To Eat or Not To Eat

Uh Oh!

*********

This was my first ink drawing with the new pens. It was going to be completely in brown, but I didn't like it so added the black for definition and shading. And I used blue ink for the kitty's eyes.

In a Punk

This one was going to be another complete ink drawing but looked too plain, so I used watercolor pencils, too.

Morning Visitor

I sold both of my Greyhound art pieces in my Dogbarks shop, so added this yesterday. It is a combination of the Micron pen and watercolor pencils.

Is This What They Call A Couch Potato?

These are all ACEOs, or trading cards, 3.5" x 2.5" and are available in my shops. Just click the photos!

I have yet to make any prints of my work. Everything is an original, signed and dated on the back. Sometimes I think I should offer them for those who want art for less money. The original ACEOs are $8-$10. Any suggestions?

Monday MEWsings presents Artistically Created Cat Photo Cards

2011-09-18T23:58:00.000-04:00

JoysBarnLions

Welcome to another week of Monday MEWsings! The PURRson I have chosen for today's post is not only a member of the Cat Avis Unite Team on Etsy, but also a believer in spay and neuter programs for feral cat populations. Her shop is full of charming photos and artistically altered photos of sweet kitties in the form of note cards. ( And one lone dog photo!) Your purchase will serve as a delight to your eyes AND provide help for the feral kitties in Joy's neck of the woods!

"I created Barn Lions to help control the overpopulation of cats. I donate profits to help spay and neuter feral cats. Barn Lions was named after one of my barn cats who looked just like a little lion when it was a kitten. I began taking photographs of cats as a hobby. I work with the images to bring out a more enchanting dimension of the cat. I've been printing my images on note cards and giving them as gifts, now I offer them for sale. You can find out how Barn Lions is helping cats by visiting my website at www.barnlions.com."

Click on the photos for more information and purchasing.

THANK YOU for your kind heart, Joy!

Meet Baron - my first plush German Shepherd!

2011-09-15T21:09:00.000-04:00

A couple of days ago I started offering custom made plush dogs. You can choose a breed I have already made or one that I have yet to make! I received my first order the next day for a German Shepherd. I was pretty excited. I thought I would share what happened so you can see the process I use. Nothing Harvard would approve of, but nonetheless, successful. At least mostly.

First I look at the dog breed. I pull up dozens of pictures on the web: live shots, drawings, silhouettes, clip art. I mostly study the live shots. The hard part about the shepherd is that almost all the photos are of a dog with his mouth open! I had to guess. I then start drawing on whatever piece of paper is available...newspaper, drawing paper, bags, magazines...anything available. I have quite a colorful collection of patterns for dogs and cats! I usually end up piecing the pattern together. This one is a combination of yellow paper and brown shipping paper. With lots of tape! This is actually the tweaked pattern. You can see how I shortened the legs by folding and taping. I'm so creative!

I thought a nice black and white fabric might be kind of cool. The buyer left fabric choice to me. So I carefully cut out the shepherd and sewed it together. I knew from the start that the ears were going to be the most difficult. Something about pointy ears always gives me trouble. As soon as I started stuffing, I realized my mistake. This is going to be a zebra! I could also tell the legs were too long. I always have to remember that fabric stretches, no matter what kind, when stuffing. This is what is left of my first attempt. Go ahead and laugh....

Pathetic dog...scrap that.

I decided flannel is good. I love flannel and have made many dogs from it. I cut again. I sewed it all with a zigzag stitch on the outside like all my dogs. Looked pretty good. I stuffed...and stuffed....and stuffed. BIG dog! Almost a whole pillow! (I use standard pillows for fill) And then.....arrrrrgh! Neck too long, legs too long, not buff enough in the chest. The tail was awesome though! Here's what's left of that one. Head is still stuffed and tail cut off.

I hate to destuff a dog that is almost finished. I feel like I am killing it! I name them all and they become my little buddies, my fosters, if you will. Fortunately, I hadn't named this one yet.

After fixing the pattern, I cut again. I could tell this was much better. But I still had the ear problem. I decided to go with just stitching them on at the top and hope they looked alright. I had tried to place them on the side and hand stitch them on, but they looked funny. After all of that, I finally ended up with a shepherd I approved of.

I decided he needed eyes. I don't put eyes on a lot of my dogs, but this one begged for eyes. Felt eyes and a felt nose. And a nice country collar.

Say hello to Baron! If the buyer does not want him for some reason, I will put him in my shop. He will be $35.00

Here is one of my listings for a custom dog. There are two so you can see a variety of dogs. Click the photo to go to the listing in Dogbarks. I will add Baron somewhere in the group of photos.

Wearing the Cats and Dogs of Autumn

2011-09-12T22:40:00.001-04:00

I've been adding some more fall and Halloween things to my shops. It is such a colorful time of year that helps us get ready to bed down for winter. Click on any photo to find out more.

Pumpkins in the cornfields
Gold among the brown
Leaves of rust and scarlet
Trembling slowly down
Birds that travel southward
Lovely time to play
Nothing is as pleasant
As an autumn day!

~anonymous

A fallen leaf is nothing more
than a summer's wave good bye

~anonymous

And this was just too cute to pass up!

New Felt Dog and Cat Friends

2011-09-02T22:49:00.000-04:00

I have been busy creating some felties and thought I would share them! It started with a request from Nicole at Brizel4TheAnimals. She makes gorgeous silk art tapestry boxes and the third photo in each has a prop of some kind. She asked if I could make a little dog and cat face to use with her photos. After some thought, I came up with these two, Elmira and Eddie:

I was happy with the way they turned out so decided to add some felt supplies to my shops.

My friend Diana thought they were brooches, since I had mentioned I was going to make some of those. So as soon as my brooch pins arrived, I sewed two of them onto the backs for her.

While I waited for the pins to come, I made a couple of necklaces using black ribbon.

And then I went on to make three more dog brooches which I gave names to.

Simon

Ben

Eldridge

I had read a wonderful story by an Etsy for Animals teammate about her greyhound fosters, which you will find HERE. That became my inspiration for the greyhound who I named Kenny, after Jane's foster dog.

Kenny

So THAT is what I have up to this week! I also made a few skirts for my shop, The Cat Rack

What did you accomplish? Please share!

If you are interested in any of these felties, just click on the picture. I hope to expand my offerings to include other dog breeds.

Monday MEWsings Picks features Peruvian Wool Cat Beds and Toys

2011-08-29T01:55:00.004-04:00

Another Monday brings another feature from the Marvelous Meow lovers over at the Cat Avis Unite Team on Etsy. Often times I feature two or three shops at a time, but occasionally I find one whose story affects me in such a way that it would be unfair to include another shop with it. Today is a case in point. Wraptcats is not just producing handmade for the sake of earning extra income. There is a memory and much love behind each product. Please be sure to click on the listings to visit Wraptcats. You will love what you see. I know I did! Her story:

I was fortunate enough to find my true companion in life. A friend through thick and thin. I didn't know we were going to be bound together the way we were, but she did. She insisted.

I found Jesse and her siblings in my shed when they were 3 weeks old. Her mother had disappeared. So, I took them in. I raised them, and found good homes for her brother and sister. But Jesse stayed with me. She followed me everywhere. She even learned how to turn doorknobs and open doors so she was never left behind. Soon, if she wasn't by my side, I felt incomplete. She passed away on February 15th, 2010. She spent her last Valentine's Day with me, plus 19 other wonderful years. I miss her terribly. In order to honor her memory I started making cat beds. She loved sleeping on my wool sweaters. So, each time I make a cat bed, it is made with love and intention. Something that will last the lifetime of your pet with wishes of good health and happiness.

For the love of Jesse. >^,,^<

Peruvian Highland Wool Felted Bed

Shrimp Creole Organic Catnip Toy

Felted Candy Corn Organic Catnip Toy

Southern Fried Chicken Leg with Organic Catnip

I think you'll find that, not only this, but EVERYthing in WraptCats shop is 'finger-lickin' good!

An Unexpected 4 Legged Drop In

2011-08-20T00:00:00.002-04:00

I cannot have cats where I live. So I content myself with making things for cats and that are cat-themed. But God must know how I feel at times, because twice in the last month I have had visitors. I have no screen on my back door so I often leave it open for a breeze. Here is my interpretation of what happened several days ago.

*****

Hmmmm.....what is this? An open door? I must investigate. Oh - Oh...an itch. Must scratch...ahhhhh.

Isn't this nice. A cozy cushy. Smells OK. Don't sense any other occupants of the fur nature. I'll make sure to give it quite a few rubs and leave some pretty black hairs.

AhHA! There IS another cat here! Why....but wait. It's only a fake. HA! Fooled me. I'll just check out the rest of this place. Not very big at all. Nice lady though. She gave me some good belly rubs and talked very respectfully as she held a funny silver thing in her face.

I'm feeling a bit hungry. Nice pad, but no treats. Toodles my friend. I may be back.

(Moseys into the yard where he immediately finds a plump grasshopper for a snack.)

******

I hope I get some more visitors!

Monday MEWsings Picks from the Cat Avis Unite Team!

2011-08-15T00:18:00.010-04:00

Over at the Cat Avis Unite Team on Etsy, we share our new listings with one another. After PURRusing this fine feline friend's shop this week, I decided I MUST show it off on Monday MEWsings! So meet Lilybellesjewels! You will love her jewelry and cute works of art, many of them cat themed after her dear kitty, Lily Belle. But you will also see the following at the top her page, which is another reason why I wanted to highlight her shop. It is only a portion of the announcement which is well worth reading in its entirety. It ends with the quote.

Welcome to our shop! Lily Belle and I would like to mention that 10% of all sales will be donated to Mt. Olive TNR Project, a tiny Flanders NJ based group that is doing amazing work on a very small budget, and a small circle of very dedicated volunteers who are making a huge difference in the lives

of feral colonies in their area.

"The smallest feline is a masterpiece".

-- Leonardo da Vinci

All of the pieces in this shop have been pronounced "the cats meow" by Lily Belle herself! Enjoy your PURRusings!

Colors of Halloween Kitty Bottlecap Necklace

Lilybellesjewels

Lavender Eyes Bottlecap Necklace ST3

Lilybellesjewels

It's All About The Cats Bracelet

Lilybellesjewels

Steampunk Fly ACEO

Lilybellesjewels

Remember that your purchase helps improve the lives of kitties!

Two Sweet Torties Need a Home!

2011-08-13T12:37:00.014-04:00

Chriss, over at The Feral Cat Rescue Project in Oregon, has these two adorable kitties that need loving homes. She is such a sweet heart, that she is willing to drive quite a distance to give them a good home. PLEASE PLEASE take a look and PASS THIS ALONG through twitter, facebook, blogs.....

She can be reached through comments on her blog, @Pagani on twitter, or contacted HERE.

The following is taken from her blog.

All made-up, colorful and pretty ..and no place to go! Aww. Georgia, the four month old Tortie kitten seems like she's looking for love. She and her sister, Non-Georgia, are a pair of friendly, smart, and charming tortie kittens that were rescued.

Georgia (above) and her sister, Non-Georgia, are the cutest things to me! I love them and I think torties in general are adorable. But for some reason they can be hard to adopt out. Which is sad. Personally, I think they are wonderful; they have that special tortie-attitude that is unique to this coloration. I want to have them for my own but I'm already maxed-out on cats. And they deserve some love.

Georgia and Non-Georgia aren't really box trained but you can work with them; they are very smart. They need a loving, safe home. I'd work with whomever adopted them for shots and spaying as they get old enough. I just want them to be well-cared for.

I hope someone will save them! Our rescued tortie from last year was not adopted and became a victim of coyote predation before the summer was over. I still haven't recovered from that one and I don't need more things to cry over.

****

THANK YOU FOR SPREADING THE WORD!!

PUPkins, CATkins and Polly Fillmore!

2011-08-11T00:31:00.006-04:00

Ideas are funny. Where do they come from? How do they get into your head? Do we look for them or do they just happen? If you are like me, you have waaaaay more ideas than time, and sometimes ability, allows. It is a rare day indeed if I can't think of anything to do! These are some of the ideas that came into being this past week.

First, we had CATkins!

THEN...we had PUPkins! After making the CATkins (whose name I changed to go better with pupkins), I decided fair is fair, and a puppy version needed to be made.

A chubby pumpkin body quilted to fleece, a plush head, a little tail and feet and TADA! A PUPkin is born!

Both Catkins and PUPkins are about 12" wide and 8" tall with a zipper back. Perfect for sleepovers, is what I thought! Though I may carry one myself , just because I am not a big purse fan. This would be more my style.

Having gotten into the quilting mode, I made a little cell phone case, camera case, cosmetic bag or whatever you prefer to call them. It is made from a blouse I had from India and didn't wear because it was too big for me. I like this much better! It has a 5" zipper in the back and hooks onto your belt loop, purse, gym bag....

And then I added a couple of skirts to my cat clothing shop. I am really trying to use up some fabric and not buy more. But alas, I must confess, I bought this a few weeks ago because it was on sale. Bad bad.

And this is the opposite of the above.

Here's the best part. Do you know 'who' is modeling? You'll never ever guess. When I came to Montana for the summer, I didn't bring everything since I drive a '94 Corolla, and there really isn't much room in there! So I left my lovely half bodied, hollow gal at home. I was just hanging clothes up and taking pictures, but really was not happy with they way they looked. So, as they say, Necessity is the Mother of Invention -

close your eyes

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Here she is!

POLLY FILLMORE

Isn't she lovely? She is extremely agreeable and allows me to squeeze her and shape her into various sizes. She is made from what I have left of the pillow polyfil I use for my plushies. She hangs from a floor lamp which I place on a chair. She is deaf and dumb, but always seems to understand.

So there you have it! My secret is out! If you wish to borrow Polly for your own photo shoots - well....too bad! I'm not sharing! Get your own!

Have a happy Thursday!

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Monday MEWSings from the Cat Avis Unite Team

2011-08-08T01:10:00.001-04:00

Mondays sure do come quickly! At least I have a few things to look forward to, THIS being one of them! Today I am featuring two shops from the Cat Avis Unite team on Etsy. The requirements to be on this team are few. In fact, there's only one! At some point in time you have had a cat as an avatar in your shop! Many of us keep our kitty avis up all the time. And if you are like MABJewelry, the captain, your avi will often sport interesting hair styles from Donald Trump to Farrah Fawcett! Such a fun team! Hope you enjoy my picks today from TheCheekyGirl and CelticCatPhotos!

Handknit Gray Cat Earflap Hat

TheCheekyGirl

Here Kitty Kitty Baby Hat

TheCheekyGirl

Lil' Pumpkin Baby Hat
TheCheekyGirl

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Birthday Cat Tabby Blank Greeting Note Card
Celticcatphotos

Carousel Horse Dapple Gray Vintage No 2 Matted Art Photograph
Celticcatphotos

Zebra Butterfly 5 x 7 Metallic Paper Fine Art Photograph
Celticcatphotos

Happy Monday all you kitty lovers out there!

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PumpCATS anyone? A cat-lovers handbag!

2011-08-07T10:06:00.000-04:00

I admit to having waaay too much fun making these! Confession time. I talk to my creations! Do you do that in the process of making things? "You are so cute! OH - I suppose I should give you a tail. Do you want yellow eyes?" LOL! Anyway, by the time I am finished with many of my projects, they are not just items. They are kitties with purrsonality! And these are no exception. They are both chubby, happy kitties that are sure to draw the same attention a real cat would! What do you think?

They are in my Catcalls shop.

CAPTCHA!

2011-08-06T11:49:00.001-04:00

Adding a little fun to your Saturday!

TVC defines and illustrates all those crazy captcha, or verification words, you must type in before commenting!

These can all be found in The Verification Cat shop!

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Where Did "Dog Days" Come From?

2011-08-03T01:45:00.003-04:00

Have you ever wondered where the term "Dog days of summer" came from?

In ancient times, the Chinese, Native Americans, and Europeans all drew pictures in the sky by connecting the stars. Not all came up with same pictures, but all did connect stars and named their "star art", as I call it. Today we call these 'constellations', and the European pictures were adopted as the preferred star art. The brightest of the stars in Canis Major (the big dog) is Sirius, which also happens to be the brightest star in the night sky. The ancient Romans thought that the earth received heat from it. In the summer, Sirius, the “dog star,” rises and sets with the sun. During late July Sirius is in conjunction with the sun, and the ancients believed that its heat added to the heat of the sun, creating a stretch of hot and sultry weather. They named this period of time, from 20 days before the conjunction to 20 days after, “dog days” after the dog star. The constellations today are not in exactly the same place in the sky as they were in ancient Rome, but the time period for dog days occurs at about the same time, which is now designated between July 3 and August 11.

As we celebrate (or dread!) the Dog Days of summer, here are some great Etsy shops to help us enjoy them!

This is my grand dog from a year ago in Chicago!

Monday MEWsings picks from the Cat Avis Unite Team!

2011-08-01T00:06:00.004-04:00

It's Monday! Which means it's time for some more fabulous finds from the Cat Avis Unite Team! PURRsonally, I could spend hours going through all the shops from this team. Not all have cat related items, but all DO have cats or at least a love for cats. So stop in and have a peek at these fine shops for today. I know you'll be aMEWsed!

Click on the pictures to take you to the listings.

TheCleverCat

TheCleverCat
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Modred12

Modred12
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ToScarboroughFair

ToScarboroughFair
Remember to give your kitties a hug today!

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New Listings This Week from The Cat Rack and Catcalls

2011-07-30T01:32:00.001-04:00

I was in a Mermew mindset at the beginning of the week!

Mermew blouse - everything is painted free hand.

Mermew skirt - this sold after a day, so the blouse is all by itself now!

I created my own hand painted fabrics this week, this pocket being one of them. I thought it looked good on the gray fleece, so I made this sweatshirt tank top.

This little jacket is made with a lovely pink linen - cotton blend fabric. I love the color!

And here is the other fabric I created and listed as fabric! One large fat quarter and one smaller piece about 6" x 7". These are made from a white cotton sheet - vintage sheet, I should add. Vintage sheets seem to be thicker.

So that's a little of what I accomplished this week! How did you do?

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Petsjubilee Christmas in July Sale is Almost Over!

2011-07-28T13:39:00.002-04:00

Only a few more days to get some fantastic sale deals from the Petsjubilee Team! If you want unique, quality, handmade goods for your pet and yourself, visit these shops! Collars, clothing, cards, and even cakes await you! Portraits, pouches, pillows, and puppy tree skirts - all discounted anywhere from 10% to 50%! So shop for Christmas, for birthdays, or just for fun! You'll find everything you need for your pet right here...and lots of people goodies, too! Just click on the title below the picture to take you to the listing and many more sale items available in each shop.

Mickey and Minnie Mouse Pajamas Christmas in July 20% off Sale

Paulinesfashions

Summer in Bloom Collar Flower

20% Off everything
(Mention you saw the"Christmas in July" sale on this blog before you purchase and she will, along with the 20% discount, also ship FREE! -be sure to use coupon code: EARLYSANTA20)

Earlybird454

Puppies Galore Christmas Tree Skirt

25% off anything in store
Coupon Code: CIJ2011

AnnieKChristmas

WINTER WONDERLAND skirt-ter - 2 to 20 lb dogs - red or green skirt

20% OFF anything in my "Christmas in July" Section

DianadesignsNY

Dog Sweaters Hand Knit BONUS BOX No. 3 -two items for 24.00

All BONUS BOXES on sale

Jenya2

Dog Collar Bow Tie Holiday Plaid

15% off entire shop

CamargoCreations

Felted Tapestry Keepsake Bowl

Entire shop has 50% off

Sensoryfelteds

July SALE pink felted basket to put things in.

COUPON CODE: july2011 20% OFF

Kceknits

Boxer 8x10 Print

10% off any new custom ordered painting

AliVStudio

20% off SALE- custom portrait of up to three pets by Spoon Popkin 24" x 36", 120 bucks off with coupon

PopkinsPortraits

Southern Spoiled Diaper Shirt or Tee

Coupon Code: FS0711

Rhoadworks

Catnip Toys

All purchases at regular price receive FREE ornament!

Forpawsandhome

Hot Pink Tie Dyed Tshirt w Paw Print Rhinestone Transfer

CH1NJULY coupon code = 10% off

BlingitonbyVanessa

Whimsical Flower Notecards in Blue set of 4

Free handmade Christmas card and set of 3 gift tags with every purchase.

PaniEva

JULY SALE Calico Cat Wooden Photo Frame

Prices reflect discount

CatCraftsMo

Custom Dog Collar -Pawsitively Green

20% off all orders Coupon Code: ChristmasinJuly

Freyasstudio

These sales will continue to either July 30th or 31st - so hurry! Your pet can't wait!

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Monday MEWsings picks from the Cat Avis Unite Team!

2011-07-25T00:56:00.002-04:00

I am having such fun PURRusing the shops of the Cat Avis Unite Team on Etsy! So many fun things for today! Although not all members have cat related items in their shops, they DO all have a love for cats. I love this group of mewsers and hope you will take a look at what they have to offer.

Small Cat Blanket with Toys from SmudgeKitty

Cell Phone Pouch, Smiling Flower from SmudgeKitty

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CELESTIAL Catnip Toy Eggs 4 Pack from TheDots

FURRY MONKEY MICE Catnip Toy 2 Pack from The Dots

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Cats and Flowers Ceramic Mug from GoodNiteGracie

Black Cat With Rainbow / Sunset Square Covered Ceramic Box from GoodNiteGracie

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Bottle Cap Necklace, Artists for Animals Team, 100% will go into our non profit C.L.A.W.S.

from TheCatSlave

Filigree Mask Necklace with Blue Crystal Eyes from TheCatSlave

Now don't you agree that these are just amazing? Hope you enjoyed shopping!