STUFF For Kitty And You

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

FOR THE BELOVED CHIMPS

2011-10-21T12:53:00.000-07:00

Salzburg is not only the birthplace of Mozart, but of Gut Aiderbichl, a paradise for animals. This extraordinary sanctuary is the brainchild of Michael Aufhauser, Austria and Germany’s own Doctor Dolittle. Visitors arrive at the complex of gorgeous chalets only to be nudged into considerable interspecies camaraderie with the hundreds of rescued goats, horses, donkeys, chickens, geese, cows and the odd fox. There are few sanctuaries like this one anywhere in the world.

Michael recently opened amazing outdoor enclosures for their ex-lab chimpanzees. When I watched a video of the chimps being let outside for the first time EVER in their lives I was so incredibly moved. I cheered and I cried. Michael is one of my biggest heros. You can learn more about the event HERE.

What Michael has done for these chimpanzees and so many other animals is so extraordinary. I was inspired to paint the piece below ..... a chimpanzee walking out of the turmoil of a life of experiments and torture into the sunlight.

Half of the proceeds of this piece will be donated to Gut Aiderbichl so that they can continue to rescue and

offer an amazing safe haven for animals in need.

CLICK HERE.

FERAL CAT DAY CELEBRATION!!!

2011-10-11T16:18:00.000-07:00

This Sunday October 16th is National Feral Cat Day!

HURRAH!!!!

We are going to celebrate with some cool cats over at Feline Rescue Of Northern Nevada. These rescued cats will be celebrating the grand opening of their sanctuary! It is so exciting!

Susan and Gary have worked so incredibly hard in building a beautiful sanctuary for their rescued cats. It looks fantastic! It is a cabin like place with play rooms, a kitchen, a spa, a sitting area where you can chill out with the cats and watch television or listen to tunes, lots of things to play with, and it is clean and safe!

We will be there with our Binky toys and will donate $1.00 of every sale to help fund FRONNs Feral Cat Colonies and the rescue cats.

If you live in the Reno/Tahoe area please stop by and celebrate with us. You don't have to be looking to adopt but be warned.... the FRONN cats will win your heart over!

Click on the flyer for more details.

Remember October 16th...... of you can't join us doing something fantastic for the cats in your area!

THE FUR BALL IS BACK

2011-10-01T16:05:00.000-07:00

It is that time of year again..... the FUR BALL for Kitten Rescue in Los Angeles, California.

If you live in the area you must attend this fabulous night celebrating Kitten Rescue's 14 successful years of animal rescue in Los Angeles. This year the ball will be at the House of Blues on October 16th. There will be celebrity guests, cocktails and Hors D'Oevres, dinner, live music, a silent auction, raffle and much more! All proceeds of the fundraiser will benefit Kitten Rescue's programs and the Kitten Rescue Sanctuary.

Last year I donated a groovy gift set of Binky cat toys. This year I have put together a fun "Black Cat" gift set in honor of black cats and Halloween. These items will be entered in the silent auction.

You can find out more about Kitten Rescue and where to buy your tickets at this link.....

Kitten Rescue Web Site

Kitten Rescue Facebook Page

LAVENDER KITTIES

2011-09-25T15:12:00.000-07:00

Back by popular demand are the Binky Lavender pillows.

Our Lavender pillows are made with kitty's comfort in mind. Place them in your cats bed to make the bed and kitty smell lovely.

Some say that lavender has a calming and comforting effect on your kitty. If your kitty tends to get a bit nervous when you travel or when there are big changes in the home a lavender pillow can help calm your baby.

They are made with organic Lavender and groovy fabrics.

They make great gifts for the cat in your life as well as for the cats in rescues and sanctuaries. We also have some comfy quilts to help keep kitty snuggly warm.

And of course $1.00 of every purchase will be donated to help those cats in need.

We just added a few in the shop today with more to be made soon.

CLICK HERE to check them out .

FOUR LEGS GOOD PAINTING

2011-09-18T15:26:00.000-07:00

I just added this new painting to the shop. This one is dedicated to Four Legs Good Rescue in New York.
I have been working with Angela of FLG through the Project and cannot say how great this group of rescuers are. They have taught me much and I admire their dedication and compassion for animals.
So half of the proceeds of this painting will be donated to help them continue their work for the homeless and feral animals of New York and New Jersey.
CLICK HERE to beam on over to the store.

MISCHA & SAMMY FLIX

2011-09-10T09:17:00.000-07:00

Here are two short videos I made recently of my cats Mischa and Sammy.
This is a quick peek into the mind of Mischa. A big wild lion in the body of a beautiful tabby/Maine Coon mix :D

This is bunch of shots of Sammy just being adorable.

These two fabulous felines are my inspiration for Binky Cat Toys and the official testers of all toy ideas.

TICK OR TREAT

2011-09-04T19:00:00.000-07:00

We just listed some new toys to the shop.....

Lots of festive toys that will keep your kitty busy while safe inside during Halloween. Also some cute and fun themed toys for everyday :D
Remember a $1.00 of every toy sold will be donated to help cats in need. CLICK HERE to start shopping!