Cat Lady Diary: A Weird Rambly Blog Post

Time for another dairy(oops, I'm hungry) diary-style rambling.  It's been awhile.  And honestly, this may end up having nothing at all to do with cat jewelry.  I think I'm going to just list some things because I feel like writing and this is my favorite place to write.  You're welcome or I'm sorry, depending on how annoying you find me tonight.

Lately, here are things that I love: Lego Harry Potter for the Nintendo 3DS, LuLaRoe dresses (I could probably write a whole blog post just about this amazingness, but I digress)...

...Sweet Jesus, I already got distracted by cat videos on the internet and quit typing for a good quarter of an hour.

...apparently I also love cat videos on the internet (still), Saturday morning home improvement radio programs, AM radio in general, prepping visuals and floorplans for Fall seasonal transition at my "day" job, double dates, and attempting to read the entire A Song of Ice and Fire book series.

My husband got a gaming PC, so I'm actually pretty worked up to dabble in that as well.  Throughout the history of my nerdery, the gaming bug never bit me when I was younger.  I would watch people play Grand Theft Auto:  Vice City because I liked the soundtrack, and I enjoyed the occasional Tetris binge, but otherwise I would never call myself a gamer.  Even remotely.  Yet here we are. Credit where it's due, as Matt has successfully managed to teach me the ropes over the years, and I've found that I quite enjoy how hard I have to *think* to get through some of these games!  It doesn't hurt that I've met my fair share of adorable in-game cats, so there is also that.  

Hmmm.

OH!  I've been playing with a couple of different ideas for more video content on this blog.  Some cat lady things, or crafty hauls/DIYs, and maybe even slightly unrelated little sit-down vlogs.  Yes, I have the world's most poo poo webcam and close to no editing skills, but filming as opposed to writing is a cool change of pace now and again.  To my surprise, a handful of you weird cat lady friends have even told me you enjoy the videos I've posted here in the past, so I think I may make some more *very* soon.  For the record, you're weird, but so am I and I will totally oblige with more awkward vlogs.

I'm reaching the tail end of working a long string of days in a row, and can't wait for my day off to literally just shut myself in my craft room and work all day and listen to true crime podcasts and make (hopefully) lots of jewelry.  I've worn some of my newer designs out and about lately, and so far very good.  Positive feedback is keeping me super energized to work on more.  I've been loving the direction that I'm heading creatively, and have been *INLOVE* with my newer designs, but you guys know (you know, because I don't shut up about it on this blog), I sometimes can't get on a good roll, especially lately.  So for things to take a productive turn is definitely progress.  And as always, the more I work and hammer things out, the more ideas I continue to come up with.  I'm getting excited for so many things on the visual end, not just with the new jewelry, but also web design and ideas for market/fair displays.  But more on all of this very soon...

Okay, yeah.  It's past my bedtime.  Thanks for enduring this strange post.  I know I enjoyed the verbal vomit session!  Feel free to have your own by leaving a comment below!

Until next time...

Xo*

Jess

...Snail's Pace Wins the Race?

Probably not.




For those of you still alive on the other side of this thing, here is a quick update from me to you...

I've started this blog post at least three times, once with the intention of sharing my (scant) current progress, and twice to just go on a crazy cat lady rant--and I always regret ranting (see: my entire Facebook career), so yeah...

Anyway, enough is enough.  A week or so ago, our lovely aforementioned friend FB notified me that it had been two months since I shared anything on my Lady and the Cat account.  It totally bummed me out.  Being lazy is fun and all, but it kind of starts to drive me batty bananas, and apparently the minions over at Zuckerberg's joint couldn't handle it either.  They had to taunt me about it on my already gross Feed.

Nonetheless, your girl is back.  Meow.

I may or may not have started working on some details for my forever-in-progress//eventual website (still!  I know!).  I've been really digging into the basics of web design...and I suck.  But I'm stubborn as an ox, so I will master it if it kills me to do so!  Also playing around with possible re-branding for my e-Shop//handmade collection??????  Lots of *different* ideas floating around, so......

In other news, I finally addressed the desk-in-shambles situation in my craft room, which means back to business, bum.  I've since found some good podcasts (to listen to my podcast du jour, just click here.) to work along to, and for the first time in what feels like a very long time, I'm having some legit game-changing lightbulb moments, creatively speaking.  These things keep me much more productive long-term!  Dare I say I've gotten my groove back?

So there is that.  

Not complaining at all.  Not one bit :)

I'm so pleased with the direction things are going lately.  If you dig these first few glimpses of things to come, please stay tuned for more!  Pretty positive you won't have to wait months this time, either :)

Xo*

Jess

Art Therapy: May 2016

Hello, strangers.  Want to know what I've been up to lately?  Well, I've made tons of progress in Downton (to be clear, I'm referring to my town in Animal Crossing here, not the best show to have ever graced PBS, although I'm almost finished with the series as well).  I'm reading and loving Neil Gaiman's American Gods after years of insistence by my loving spouse.  And Teen Mom 2 is back, but I mean, I don't need to elaborate there, you guys know how I feel about reality TV.

All of this bumming around has definitely been nice, but as of late, bumming around has transformed into bummer city.  Today I realized how downright despondent and almost depressed I've become from doing so much of nothing lately.  

For the record: "empty" time is enemy #1 of an anxious brain.  

I had to get out all the built up nervous energy from the past few days of my brain eating itself.

So today I decided to get back into my workroom and play around.  Remember that awesome jewelry haul I shared with you a few months back?  Today I finally broke the seal on the new goodies and made a couple pieces.  And it felt SO GOOD.

The work itself was so much easier since I finally have the right tools and a giant range of raw materials.  Not to mention, I've had a number of ideas floating around in my brain that I was itching to get out of my system.  I threw on one of my best Spotify playlists (if you want to get on my level, you can listen to it here) and had my own little DIY art therapy session.  It's funny that I convinced myself that worrying about making more jewelry was a huge cause of stress for me, but yet nothing in the last few weeks has centered me as much as sitting at that desk and working again.

These are the two pieces I made today...

(Antiqued chain necklace featuring a neon cat charm, gold accents, wooden trinkets, and round teal beads)

(Pink charm bracelet with trio of kitties and an assortment of glass trinkets)

Today's art therapy session is exactly the kick start I needed, a therapy that bears repeating in the future, for lots of reasons.  I only spent a handful of hours working and I already feel re-aligned somehow.  You know?

Until next time...

Xo*

Jess

 

Cat Lady Coffee Clutch: Real Talk...

Time for a gossip/catch up session, friends.  I've somewhat been avoiding this post for a few weeks now, even though what I'm going to say is actually quite positive.  So anyway, let's do this heart-to-heart, a coffee clutch amongst girlfriends style.

Over the past several months, I've been hemming and hawing in many ways.  If you know me personally or follow me on social media, you may or may not know that I suffer from anxiety.  Over the last several months, I've hit a particularly rough patch for some reason.  What's funny is this recent bout of nervousness has had no explicit trigger...things personally and professionally are going well and none of my "problems" are out of the ordinary, but alas, random and irrational define the nature of the beast that is generalized anxiety.

Anyhow, in the mix of all of this, I've tried my best to keep up with prepping for handmade markets this summer.  And I just can't.  That's not to say I haven't been creating.  Quite the contrary, actually.  I've come up with some really great new ideas and made some important tweaks...but more on that in a second.  What the "I can't" means is simply that I am choosing not to pursue any shows this summer for my own well-being.  Between my day job workload and getting mental health back on fleek after a rough couple months, I really just need some rest.  Yes, creating is therapeutic.  Scrambling and rushing to get yourself ready for a show, while juggling a million other things, is a whole new beast, though.  I'm in need of a proverbial cat nap.

While I'm sad that handmade markets aren't in the cards for me this summer, I couldn't be more excited about what's on the horizon for Lady and the Cat.

The best part of my self-imposed vendor vacation is that now I can really take the time and care to refine some of the new ideas and tweaks that I mentioned a second ago.  In less than two years, I've done more with Lady and the Cat than I originally set out to accomplish in that time frame, and I couldn't be more pleased, but I often beat myself up for not working on my handmade line every day until my fingers are bleeding.  I had to finally remind myself that I'm doing this because I love it.  Because it's fun, and it creates a connection between myself and people with common interests.  Because it was always intended to be a form of therapy/hobby with the possibility of becoming lucrative, and not the other way around.  And truthfully, even exciting new ideas and concepts couldn't stop me from feeling like I was grinding my gears too hard.  Hence, a re-evaluation of priorities and this garbled blog post.

I'd much rather take some time off in order to make my brand better for the long haul, rather than churn out some mediocre cat poop just to say that I have another show under my belt.  I'd much rather get my anxiety in check and re-charge my batteries than drive myself up a wall to bring in a few extra bucks this summer.

I can promise a couple things, though.  One is that I do plan to continue working on my website while I am away from vendor shows, and I can't wait to finally share the finished product with you all!  The second thing is that the accessories you (hopefully) already love about Lady and the Cat will be back and even better as soon as humanly possible.  I am confident that if you already dig my handmade line, you will love what is to come!

As for this blog...while the posts may not be as frequent in the upcoming months, I definitely don't want to stop posting completely.  Writing is another great outlet for me, and I think utilizing the blog for brainstorming and such is going to work in my favor.  So you're in all sorts of lucky if you happen to enjoy nonsensical, creative-type cat lady ramblings and rants.

Okay.  I've yapped enough for all of us.  If you've made it through today's novel, you're a superhero and a gem, and I couldn't love you more.

Xo*
Jess

Fast Fur-ward to Spring!

I'm happy to report that spring fever is still alive in the Midwest!  Not only that, but I recently received an unexpected massive haul of donated goods.  An old friend of mine mentioned a couple weeks ago that he and his wife had some jewelry and jewelry supplies to get rid of.  He asked if I'd be interested in taking them before they just tossed it all.  Of course I took him up on the offer, thinking I'd get a box of old necklaces, a few things a I could use here and there, whatever.  Little did I know, these beautiful, amazing, generous people literally unloaded their entire car of jewelry, beads, findings, display elements, books, and tools for me to use at my leisure.

I may do tons of complaining about life, but in this instance, I'm fully aware of the fact that I'm #blessed.  I will never be able to repay my friend for the generosity, and to think that they were just going to throw this treasure away!  I seriously have almost everything I need to continue making jewelry for years, and the best part is that it is all donated/secondhand, and there are plenty of finished pieces that I can de-construct...all keeping with the upcycled theme that is so important to Lady and the Cat designs.  I'm more thankful than anyone will ever know.

Here is just a small portion of my new haul...

Roland had to be involved, too.  As per usual.

It took an entire day to sort through and re-organize everything, but you guys know me...I'm the biggest dork, so I loved every second of it.

Another project I started this week is ceramic collar charms for cats...this is something I've only recently been thinking about, but executing these suckers has been surprisingly simple so far.  But get back to me when I start to decoupage...collar charms are way more delicate than the charms intended for humans, so I foresee the appearance of tweezers, a microscope, and a swear jar in my future!

This is my first batch of collar charms, shown after drying overnight and right before being sent to the kiln.  My only regret is that my own two cats refuse to wear collars, much less embellished collars.  But for all of you who have fancier cats than I, these charms will hopefully be purrfect for your babies!  If I can't partake in the excitement, I can at least create it!

I will say, though, that my felt cat toys continue to be a hit in the household...the few prototypes I threw together are forever MIA, as my cats keep stealing them from my (poorly chosen) hiding spots.  Best product research ever!  

I can't wait to show these new items for the first time at a show...these "for cats only" items are exactly what I needed to jump start my creative energy.  Between them and my beloved new treasure trove of upcycled goodies, I can barely contain myself.  It's refreshing to feel inspired again.  I hope the rising temps have all of you feeling inspired, too!

Thanks as always for staying updated!  I love you all and hope you have a great weekend!

Xo*

Jess

What the Cat Dragged In (Late Winter Update 2016)

It's officially March, and while my part of the Midwest has gotten more snow in the past week than we have all winter, I swear I can smell springtime in the air.  I've taken to driving with the windows down and nixing a coat most days, and the hankering for a vase of freshly cut flowers has never been so strong.

I've finally been super-motivated and inspired again, too.  Thank goodness for this, because I was truly getting concerned over the amount of Jersey Shore reruns I'd been tearing through all winter.  Now is the time to ditch the mass trash TV consumption (okay, okay...cut back) and get into the swing of things again.  I have a few weeks left until I submit photos to Hunt and Gather's curator for their summer show in June, and I really wanted to dig into making these cat toys.  I've wanted to do this since I started Lady and the Cat, but the whole jewelry thing took off and I haven't found myself able to re-focus on cat toys until now.

The good news?  These birdy toys are already a hit...before I even added wings or stuffed the first test pieces, my two Maine Coons were hounding the felt cutouts like their lives depended on it.  The bad news?  I now have to hide from my cats while I work, and then hide the finished toys so the cats don't hijack them!

This is just the beginning of my process towards getting a cat toy line ready for my next vendor fair.  I have to admit that they're more work than I expected, from the initial template design to bonding fabrics to the precise hand-stitching involved.  But what else is new?  I'm actually super happy with the end results, so I can't wait to keep working on them regardless.  Time and again, I tend to secretly love a rigorous, meticulous handmade process.

I've also started making more rings in brand new prints, but more about those later.  Now is the time to get into high gear for this summer market, so you can rest assured that like last year at this time, the blog will be filled with prep coverage from now until June.  I can't wait to post more as I keep working, and promise to share more details about my next show as soon as they become available!

As always, thanks so much for reading.  I hope you all have a meowvelous weekend!

Xo*

Jess

Behind the Scenes Vlog: Lady and the Cat Workroom

When we moved into our place almost three years ago, my big project was turning one of our spare rooms into a crafting workspace.  Until we moved here, I was stuck shoving totes of supplies into whatever closet space I was lucky enough to have at any given time.  So while my current craft room is teeny tiny (roughly an 8'x8' space), it is both much appreciated and perfect for my needs.  It is also the same room we used to acclimate Hermione to our household when we rescued her.  Because of this, it still serves as her nap room/safe haven, and she's a constant companion to me when I am working on Lady and the Cat stuff.  And by default, Roland is usually there, too.  He's obsessed with me and Hermione, so work sessions typically end up being a family cat party.

Anyhow, getting this room in working order was a challenge to say the least.  When we moved in, it was a hoarding den of sorts, as the previous tenants of our place decided to just leave a ton of their old (literally) garbage in there.  Let's just say I saw my first dead mouse ever cleaning up that room.  After I gutted, cleaned, and thoroughly disinfected the room, I began the first of many re-styles of the room itself.  It wasn't until Lady and the Cat was born that the room truly started to take shape and become a place that I wanted to spend my time.

Today I decided to film a quick tour of my current workspace, something I've wanted to do for awhile, but never really planned out in detail.  I kind of just got a crazy tick and filmed this out of nowhere this morning, so I apologize if you get a glimpse of any random messes.  I kept my face out of the mix because that thing was definitely a random mess today! HA!  Either way, I had a lot of fun filming this...enjoy!

I eventually would love to upgrade this room even further.  For example, that wood paneling has needed to go since always, and I need new furniture badly (in the video, I chose to ignore the tripod that's underneath my current ratchet desk, supporting its dear, sad life).  I have even thought about doing little vlogs as I find thrifted upgrade pieces, choose paint colors, create cat lady decor for the room itself, etc.  Would you watch a cat lady craft room upgrade?  Let me know in the comments below, or leave a comment on my YouTube video!  Thanks so much for watching/reading today!  I appreciate any and all love, especially considering how awkward I still am when filming (Um City-Population: Me)...you're all the cat's meow!

Xo*
Jess

Neko Atsume: Cat Lady Gamers Club

As many of you can testify, one of the hardest parts about being a crazy cat person is resisting the urge to bring home every cat you meet. Neko Atsume: Kitty Collector is a simple-yet-addicting, first world solution to this #catladyproblem.

Now, if you're more hip than I am(chances are, you are), you know that this game isn't even "new" by internet standards, but I must rave anyway, because it is an absolute unexpected delight.

When I first started playing, I wasn't quite sure if I enjoyed the game. It felt boring and a little slow. Turns out, I didn't yet understand how the game works, much less its intensely addicting nature. Once I got my feet wet, I was hooked. The adorable cat buttholes certainly don't hurt, either. What is it about kitten rectum that is so endearing? Am I alone? Should I stop? Are you still reading? What is life?

But I mean...

I digress.

The concept of Neko Atsume is simple...attract neighborhood kitties using treats, cozy cat beds, and toys. Each time a kitty visits you, it will leave you gifts in the form of fish. The fish are your currency to buy better, more pimped-out cat accessories for your hoodrat feline friends. There are over 40 cats to collect, as well as different "mementos" that cats leave you after repeated visits (a sign of ultimate affection). I now find myself obsessed with the need to collect every cat, goodie, and memento. Not to mention, there is a strategy to the game, as different treats and toys attract different types of cats. Some cats are more rare than others, and you're given a Catbook to keep track of all your pals, complete with photos, descriptions, and stats. It. Is Glorious.

But my favorite part? The cats come pre-loaded with unique names, but you can choose to rename them. So naturally, I now have a backyard full of ragtag cats named mainly after Young Adult fiction characters or members of popular boy bands. Again--Neko Atsume. Is. Glorious.

Have you played Neko Atsume yet? If not, you probably should. It's available for download on iTunes and Google Play, so get on that and let me know what you name your cats...

Xo*
Jess

Dot com kitty

Well, hello again, my feline friends!

How has 2016 been treating all of you?  So far, this new year has brought me a wicked upper respiratory infection, too many work-related tasks (the day job, obviously, not any fun kitty stuff), and family emergencies...but I am keeping my head above water as best I can.

The good news is I've had some free time to start a new collection of decoupage kitty rings, which were by far the biggest hit of all the shows I did last year.  And while I don't sit around timing myself with a stopwatch or anything, I'm proud to notice how much more quickly I get rings made these days.  A year ago, it would take close to an hour to finish one ring.  Now, I can make four rings in that same span of time.  Amazing and awesome and mind-blowing, I KNOW.

#practicemakesperfect and such.

But enough of that.  Let's talk about the reason I wanted to write a blog post. 

I have some big news, and while there's no set date, I simply cannot hold this in any longer!  I believe I hinted at this news last fall, both in a sit-down vlog and on my Instagram feed, so some of my loyal readers may already know where I'm going with this (or at the very least, be chomping at the bit for me to finally spill the damn beans)...so without further ado...

Sometime this year, this blog will be moving to a full-blown Lady and the Cat website!  This is something I tried for a couple months when I first started Lady and the Cat, but I relied on free web hosting and as they say, you get what you pay for, so that inevitably didn't work out for me.  This time I will be paying for my domain and 100% in control of the entire site, from graphics to the online shop to site design to blog integration.  I hope to get the site up and running ASAP, but I'm not a web designer at all, and I don't want it going live too early just because I have ants in my pants.  So once it's ready and fully functional, online shop, blog and all, I will be sharing the link here first!  I'm itchy to get it officially up, but don't want to rush it.  The reason I've done as well as I have with Lady and the Cat is because I've somehow had the self-control to ignore my tendency to rush rush rush every little thing!

And what will happen to this blog once the site goes live?  Most likely, Lady and the Cat blog as you know it will be kept up on the new site in archive format, or as a link, while I continue to blog from my new main URL.  Tentative, of course, but that's my thought so far.

Anyhow, I'm so happy to finally share this with my fellow cat ladies and can't wait to keep working on this exciting project!  Thanks so much for reading, and have a wonderful weekend!

Xo*

Jess

New Purr, New Yurr

Greetings, cat ladies!

I can't believe it is officially 2016 and another Catmas has come and gone.  I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday!  I know I did!  But like so many others at this time of year, I'm sadly not immune to the stress and exhaustion that comes along with the holidays.  Now that all the seasonal craziness is winding down, I'm happy to re-focus my energy from Christmas gifts and family events to the future of Lady and the Cat.

With the new year, I've done lots of reflecting on where this blog (and Lady and the Cat in general) has come since its inception in September of 2014.  In typical fashion, my first instinct was to criticize myself for all of my goals that fell short over the last year.  For example, my dreams of farming mass quantities of catnip (laugh if you will, but this prospect was a thing at one point), opening a hugely successful Etsy shop, and getting myself a paid web domain obviously did not happen.  Not completely from lack of trying, but alas...no catnip farm to speak of.

Sorry to disappoint.

What I can say, though, is that I've actually accomplished a whole heck of a lot.  So now it's time for the gooey, gross part where I talk about all the good stuff.  A year and a half ago, I had the lightbulb moment to start Lady and the Cat as a way to simultaneously express my creativity and connect with other crazy cat ladies.  I honestly didn't know what Lady and the Cat would be exactly, just that I felt so claustrophobic without an artistic outlet of some sort.  So I did a ton of reading on handmade markets, started to blog, networked with other indie crafters online, and quite literally got my hands dirty making any and everything cat-related to see what kinds of creations I landed on.  And while my expectations and realities didn't always align, I'm pleasantly surprised with the things I've pushed myself to do.  While I have slacked for a few weeks here and there, I've consistently blogged over the past 18 months.  I've met other crazy cat ladies and other handmade artists.  I've developed a small yet original product line that, while polarizing, is surprisingly appealing to a particular demographic of people.  I tested the limits of my own productivity and landed a spot as a vendor at my absolute favorite local handmade market.  I've sold at said market twice now and come out having made a profit both times, something I would have never expected during my first year of such a brand new endeavor.  I overcame my social anxiety and actually did these shows despite the strong instinct to throw up and stay home under blankets.  I've taken my failures and come up with ways to improve upon them in the next year, and in fine-tuning these creative adjustments, come up with new and better ideas for the next year.

It's crazy to sit back and look at how far Lady and the Cat has come...and even crazier to think about how this is still just the beginning for me.  There is so much room to continue learning and growing, and the more involved I get with this, the more inspired I am.  Which is wonderful, because for the first time in my life, my deeper involvement in a project has caused my passion to grow rather than falter.  For the first time, I'm enjoying a project so much that the "finish line" isn't the important part, but rather the journey.  And while I still have so much to accomplish, I can't help but feel proud of the positivity I've cultivated in my life all thanks to this little kitten of a project.

So to anyone still reading, thank you so much.  I know I always thank my readers at the end of a post, but I truly do mean it from the bottom of my heart.  I'm a weird, anxious, hermit cat lady artist whose best friends are a couple of Maine Coons.  I never expected to receive so many good feels from all of you simply by sharing what I love.  So to all the people still sticking around on this blog, "Liking" my Facebook posts, sharing these entries, or coming back to my vendor booth to buy another kitty ring, you all are the real MVPs.

I'm so happy that you're still here to continue this ride with me, and I can't wait for you to be part of Lady and the Cat's continued growth.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Now that I've gone and made a huge cornball of myself, I'll give it a rest.  But I can't wait to keep the momentum going in 2016, and will continue blogging and sharing as much as possible with my awesome cat-loving community!  There are still some really exciting announcements that I'm hanging onto that you won't want to miss!

Until next time...

Xo*
Jess

Hunt and Gather December 2015

Well cat ladies, it's almost Catmas time again, and my second Hunt & Gather appearance has come and gone!  And while I'm sad it's already over, I'm extremely happy to be back on the blog!  I really must get better at posting in the last few weeks before a show, but once a procrastinator, always a procrastinator.

Regardless, I'm back and so excited to share a quick little video from last weekend.  This was my third H&G (second as a vendor), and this event keeps getting better.  As a Grinch turned Christmas-obsessed nut, I was pleased to learn that there were so many handmade holiday decor pieces to be found from a bunch of talented vendors.  Not only that, but frozen hot chocolate is a thing, and was a huge hit with everyone in the building...except for me, sadly.  When I decided to finally order one, they were apparently sold out.  But they looked heavenly!

The coolest thing was talking to everyone who stopped by my table.  I had my first repeat customer--a six-year-old who matter-of-factly told me "I bought a ring here last time!," grabbed one of my felt ornaments, and told her mom that yes, she was going to be buying this for the tree in her bedroom.  There were two different groups of girls who all bought matching cat rings, friendship ring style, and one of them even told me that I was the best thing that could have happened to them on their way out of the market.  Another woman came running to my table to show me a picture of her friend wearing the cat ears she bought for her from my booth over the summer.  Some of my happiest moments weren't even with paying customers, but people who stopped just to take my card or to tell me how much they liked my setup.

How is all of that for some good old-fashioned holiday cheer?

Not enough?

Okay, good.  Because I haven't even shown you the video from the event yet.  Hold onto your Christmas PJ bottoms, you're in for a corny little sweet treat...

As always, I was so inspired coming home from this show, and I'm more than ready to launch some new items as well as get a better webspace going for myself (much more to come on that front very soon!!!  eep!!!).  I even found myself motivated enough to clean, purge, and re-arrange my workspace. With any luck, I will actually start working there as opposed to my sofa.  I'm pretty sure my husband will appreciate the lack of Mod Podge on his recliner, that's for sure.

That being said, this cat lady is off to try and get some more work done.  Thanks so much for reading!  Don't forget to share this post if you support all things #ladyandthecat and have a wonderful week!

Until next time...

Xo*
Jess

Kids with Coons:Another Volume of Little Kids and Giant Cats

Last year I introduced A Kid and Her Coon, a series highlighting the bestfriendship between my best friend's daughter, Stella, and her Maine Coon mix, Henry, who happens to be Roland's twin brother.  I had so much fun writing those posts, and it's been quite some time now since I've followed up with Stella and Henry, so I decided to revisit them.  As I chose photos for this post, I also discovered some adorable shots of Stella's little brother Cooper and Henry, along with a couple of our own nephews Aidan and Austen during a visit with Roland.

Since there was an abundance of cute kids with massive Maine Coons, I decided to broaden this latest installment a bit, and am happy to present to you another dose of Kids with Coons.  Without further ado, here are some disgustingly precious pictures for your viewing delight.

Stella loves to play dress-up using Henry as her model.  According to Stella's mom, Henry is extremely patient and lets Stella do whatever she wants during these play sessions.  When dress-up is over, Henry goes back to his regularly scheduled nap,but during playtime, he is happy to oblige his bestie.  Who knew the best baby-sitter would be furry with four legs?

Not only does Henry love to play games with Stella, he also loves hanging out with his human brother Cooper.  Here is a picture of the two boys coloring.  Just. Ugh. So cute.

This is probably another great time to re-emphasize the sheer magnitude of our Maine Coons!  Henry and Roland are about a year and a half old, and they are already massive!  As you can see, Henry is giving Stella a run for her money!  

Roland is no different!  This is our nephew Austen holding Roland in his arms like the tremendous baby that he is.  It's photos like this that help remind me what an enormous kitty I have, and how majestic he indeed is.

But they really are gentle giants.  Ro isn't around kids very often, but whenever he is, he is extremely friendly and gentle, as you can see in this picture of him with our other nephew, Aidan.  And while he usually hates (hates. HATES.) being picked up or carried, he lets it happen if the perpetrator is under the age of 13!  It's incredible to witness how tolerant these cats are with little ones, and how happy it makes the kids in our lives to have such neat furry friends to love and play with.

Do your cats also have kiddo BFFs?  Send me a pic at ladycatdesignco@gmail.com!  If I get enough submissions, I will do a special Kids with Cats post in the future!

Until next time, I love you all and hope you have a terrific week!

Xo*

Jess

Happy National Cat Day!

Man, do I love crazy internet holidays!  Especially the cat ones (yes, there are several).  So today, in honor, of National Cat Day, I'm here to elaborate on just why I am a loud and proud, shout it from the rooftops, crazy cat lady.

In no particular order, I present to you, my dear readers, my top 10 favorite things about cats.

1.  They're terrific snugglers.
2.  When I talk to myself and they respond in meows and trills, I feel far less crazy.
3.  You have to earn their love.  And when you do, there simply ain't a better feeling on earth!
4.  They eat spiders and scare away mice...and the mice they don't scare away, they catch, so even better.
5.  They share my deep appreciation of bacon, tuna fish, and cheese.  Kindred spirits, yo.
6.  I save lots of money on my gas bills in the winter, because having a cat at your feet is sweeter, cuter, and more effective than cranking the heat up all the time.
7.  No need for an alarm clock.  If cats have a regular morning feeding, they will wake you up without fail at the exact same time every single day.  If you're not a morning person, this may not be an advantage, but since I am, this is a definite plus.  My cats seriously keep me productive.
8.  The sound of my cats purring is one of the very few things that helps ease my anxiety and calm me down.
9.  Cats are sensitive to barometric pressure, and tend to act skittish before rainstorms, which I have found is far more reliable than your average meteorologist on most days.
10.  Kitty headbutts and face rubs.

What about you?  What are your favorite things about cats?  Let me know in a comment below, and don't forget to share this post with your buddies if you liked what you read!

Xo*

Jess

Lady and the Cat October Updates (Vlog)

Happy Caturday (for about another 40 minutes in my time zone!)!

For some odd reason, people told me they really liked my last vlog post, so I'm back with another!  I am actually really enjoying this format and hope to continue experimenting with videos, even if I'm the most awkward individual on camera.  Maybe at some point, I'll even be able to get a better setup happening, but for now, I will take what I can get.

Don't forget to click the links in the video's description for more info on December's Hunt and Gather Pop-Up Market!  Until next time, thanks for stopping by and I love you all!

Xo*

Jess

Catsy--Kapitel Zwei

Pardon my German (see: post title), but with the change of season, I simply had to post my next round of Catsy faves!  If you missed my last Catsy post, Catsy = feline favorites on Etsy.  The best thing about Etsy is that there is never a shortage of cats, so the biggest challenge is narrowing my featured finds down to just a few for each post!

Let's get started, yes?

I found this vintage mid-century cat vase (seller FuzzieFrecklesandCo) when I was browsing the interwebs for examples of kitty cat mugs, vases, and planters.  And while it is much different in style than what I'm making for December's Hunt and Gather, this little baby is irresistible!  Just enough kitsch, yet adorable, feminine, and dainty!  I've actually found a few sellers listing this item, so I'm definitely thinking about scooping one up for myself before they're gone!  

Next up, I simply looooooove this wooden sign from the Woodticks Etsy shop! It would make the perfect Christmas gift for my mom, who just got a black cat over the summer.  This item was listed with fall decor, but if you ask me, I'd keep this up in a kitchen or dining room year round.  Yep...definitely thinking this would be a great gift for my momma!  She's a coffee-lover, too, so added bonus, and the colors actually match her kitchen to a T.

And because I'm obsessed with wall decor in general as of late, here are two framed favorites...

This Stay Classy downloadable print (seller miumicat) is terrific.  First off, the little cartoon Maine Coon (toon coon, guys!) is the cutest squirt ever.  Secondly, all cat ladies are far too well-acquainted with this endearing butthole pose, and, well, I love me some good old-fashioned irony.  The fact that I can simply purchase the download and use it as I wish is just an added bonus to this glorious piece of art.

"Home is with my Maine Coon," indeed. Seller sincerelyally captured my heart with this incredible print!  The silhouette is 100% my cats, and since I'm crazy about my Coons, obviously I just *need* this.  It is not a want.  It is a NEED.  The shabby chic style is perfect, and I love anything that features simple silhouettes.  Even the font is incredible!  This needs to live on my wall right now.  Please and thanks.

So that about does it for this installment of Lady and the Cat's Catsy favorites!  Which of these items is your favorite?  Have you found any good Catsy gems that you want to share?  Leave me a comment and let me know!

As always, thanks so much for reading and stay tuned for more goodies!  I got some surprisingly good feedback on the vlog I posted a few weeks back, so I'm prepping another one, and this time it will actually relate to Lady and the Cat!  You won't want to miss it!  

Xo*

Jess

The Crazy Cat Lady Tag

While perusing the blogosphere, I recently came across a crazy cat lady tag on this wonderful blog.  I've never participated in a tag post of any sort--not counting those beloved Myspace surveys from the days of yore--but since this one is perfect for Lady and the Cat, I absolutely couldn't resist.

So let's just jump right in, shall we?

1)Cutest picture of your cat(s):

This shameless selfie of Roland and I was taken last year on Halloween, when I dressed up like a cat for probably the third time in my adult career (partly because Chipotle was giving free burrito bowls to anyone in costume and partly because I'm five).  Roland tends to hate when I take his photo, and he especially hates selfies, but for some reason, I was able to get him to happily pose with me here--most likely because I smelled like steak.  Anywho, I love this picture to death...it's my phone and laptop wallpaper, and I even have a copy sitting in our living room, in a frame that reads "I <3 My Cat."

The very first night we got Hermione home, we kept her in my craft room before fully introducing her to Ro.  After feeding her, we shut the door and left her in the room to get acquainted with the sights and smells.  I waited about thirty minutes, and when I went in to check on her this was what I found.  She had jumped on my sewing table, bread-boxed my jewelry display case, and started napping.  She was just loving life, purring hard as ever up there.  Of course I had loved her instantly, but in this moment, I knew we had gotten our perfect second cat.  Just as weird as the rest of us...

2)Special kitty characteristics
Both of my cats are Maine Coon mixes, but in Roland, it really shows in his size and stature.  He's a super big boy, and not even overweight, just a big old dude!  He weighs close to 20 pounds and is taller/longer than a lot of smaller and medium-sized dogs that I've seen.

As for Hermione, she has these adorable little wisps of fur that curl around her ears.  They make her look so dainty and, in my mind, kind of like a wizard cat, which is highly appropriate considering her name.  These tufts of fur in her ears are apparently also a common trait in Maine Coons, but I swear hers have a legit personality!

And both of them have what I call "dipped feet," where their limbs are two-toned.  Roland has white on all four paws (on the tips of his front paws, and the entire backs of both legs), while the rest of him is brown, and Hermione has white legs while the majority of her is gray.  She also has one gray round spot on her back left leg.  Oh, and both cats have white chests.  Their interesting coloring is one of my favorite things about both of my cats.

3)Describe the sounds your cats make
A few days after we brought Roland home, he started making noises that I had only heard in pigeons up to that point.  I did some Googling and found that Maine Coons commonly trill and/or chirp, the sound resembling birds more than other cats.  Both my babies trill like crazy, especially when they are happy to see us or want attention (from us or each other!), and Roland most definitely chirps away like a bird sometimes.  And yes, my cats meow, too...but their trills are soooooooo much more frequent, and I've grown so used to all the trilling, I couldn't imagine ever having a cat that doesn't do it!

4)Nicknames
Our household nicknames for Roland include Ro, Ro-Ro, Bubba, Boogey, and Boogaloo.  Hermione also goes by Miney, NeNe, Neenes, or Neener.  Or, of course, the standard "Guuud gurrrrrrrrrrrl......guuud boooooooooooooy" affirmations when we're all in a big snug session together.

5)Confessions
My anxiety sometimes makes me a legitimately crazy cat mom.  I constantly wonder whether my cats have mental illness.  I worry that they will figure out ways to sneak out of the house.  When I clean their litter boxes, I damn near break out magnifying glasses to make sure they have extremely healthy poops.  This is venturing into TMI and is much more telling of my crazy ass than anything about my cats, but hey, we're talking confessions here!  For the record, I realize that I am cuckoo bananas and that believing one's cat has actual clinical depression is absurd, but when I'm in high-anxiety mode, *anything* is possible, and not in a good way!

6)Tips for crazy cat ladies
Invest in some good brushes.  Everyone has been raving over the Furminator de-shedding brush on social media, and as the owner of medium-hair cats with super thick fur, I was extremely curious to see what all the hype is about.  After snagging our own de-shedding brush, I have to say, it is hands down one of our best pet care purrchases.  It not only gets into their undercoat and removes fur that most brushes don't reach, but also removes mats almost instantly.  Our cats' fur looks so much healthier, and they even look happier because they're so much lighter.  The amount of fur that we are able to brush out every single day makes me feel awful for every day we didn't have this amazing brush!  Oh, and if you don't want to dish out $42+ on the Furminator, Oster's ShedZilla works just as well (I now own one, so I'm not just saying that!) and is less than half the price.  Now, in terms of lifespan, I'm sure the Furminator probably wins, but I haven't gotten enough evidence to prove one way or the other.  Either way, get a de-shedding brush, whether you have a long or short-haired cat.  You won't be sorry!

...I hope you enjoyed the Crazy Cat Lady Tag!  I know I did!  Stay tuned for lots of exciting updates in the next several weeks...I have more vlogs planned, behind-the-scenes of my winter line, and so much more!  Until next time, have a lovely Caturday and a beautiful first weekend of autumn!

Xo*
Jess

Testing, Testing, 1-2-3!

Well, hello, my dear cat ladies!  Today I have something quite different for you.

I've been wanting to test out the webcam on my laptop for awhile now, and just haven't had a chance or reason to so far.  Lately, though, I've come up with some cool ideas for vlogs that I can then post here on Lady and the Cat...cat lady shopping hauls, reading feline-friendly literature, Lady and the Cat product show and tells, and so on.  So while I had some *mediocre* natural light this afternoon, I threw together a quick test video.

I will warn you now, other than a couple of cameos from my two kids, there is nothing cat-related in this video, so I apologize in advance for the lack of kitties.  But I figured since I made it through the entire video, I may as well post the finished product here for posterity.  And if any of you happen to like haul videos, then you're in luck!  I wanted to keep the content straightforward and simple so I could just get a good idea of the sound, quality, and lighting...so what better way than a good old Bath and Body Works fall fragrance haul?!

I love how I look like I'm totally not having any of anyone's shit in the thumbnail, and am astounded by my lack of motor skills in the video, but all of these things were exactly the point of this test.  I expect to be gross and awkward in my first videos, but I am still excited, and sincerely look forward to posting some more vlogs!  For a crappy webcam, I'm actually fairly happy with the quality, at least for the simple content I plan on posting.  And I promise that all my upcoming blogs will cater 1000% to all my cat ladies!

Thanks for watching!  I look forward to feedback, and can't wait to get better at vlogging!

Xo*

Jess

Fall/Winter 2015 Inspurrations

Hello, kitties!  I figured I'd hop on and write another journal-style blog post, since I haven't done one in awhile.  Also, I have been brainstorming like crazy.  Re: product line additions for winte, since Hunt & Gather December is already right around the corner!!!

I still have a bunch of ceramic rings, pins, hair clips and necklaces to sell, but my goal for this holiday show is to create a couple new items to appeal to a wider range of people.  Since people will be shopping for holiday presents and such, I want to incorporate some more "gifty" type of items.  

My first lightbulb moment occurred almost immediately following June's Hunt and Gather, when I decided to create a line of kitty Christmas tree ornaments.  Since then, I've been Pinning different patterns and silhouettes.  I went back and forth between ceramic or fabric, and decided that fabric ornaments are probably the best choice as they won't break if they fall off a tree, can double as cat toys (YES!  Another reason for kitty to climb the tree!), are lightweight, and can be made using really fun upcycled textiles.

Plus, in the last year or so, I've toyed around with embroidery a bit and think that embroidered details on a fabric cat ornament would be sooooooo adorable!  I was originally inspired when I saw this photo on Pinterest...

Obviously, I will be making ornaments and not pillows, and I haven't even created a pattern yet, but I love how stinkin' cute this printed fabric looks, and incorporates really well with the embroidered kitty face.  Kinda reminds me of my original prototype for my cat necklaces!  Oh, and if you are so inclined to create the pictured kitty pillow, here is the link.

The nice thing about working with fabric is the fact that I can use a sewing machine and get some ornaments made in a probably one-tenth of the time it takes me to make my ceramic pieces.  With ceramics, you have to sculpt each piece, let it dry, fire it in the kiln, decoupage and seal it, and string it onto a necklace or wire-wrap it.  The entire process can sometimes take weeks!  Whereas with these ornaments, I will literally be able to embroider the face (probably the most tedious part), and then whip out the sewing machine and crank out a bunch of finished ornaments in a matter of a couple hours.  The lack of hand cramps for this project will be beyond exciting!

But apparently I must want arthritis, because my second winter project is sculpting intensive like nothing I've ever done...ceramic cat planters!  I decided to do this because I keep getting hired on freelance basis to make paper bouquets for people, and every time I post pictures of these works-in-progress, I get requests to put them on my Etsy shop.  The problem is, I need items in my shop to fit into the cat lover theme...so naturally, I decided create some little cat planters to house each paper bouquet!!!  Problem solved.  This way, shoppers are getting a two-for-one....a beautiful, one-of-a-kind mini paper bouquet, and an adorable, hand-sculpted cat planter!

This is what my bouquets look like, in case you are wondering :)  I love using old book pages and recycled buttons!  The pictured bouquet is a commission I'm currently working on that features old Harry Potter books (basically my dream project!).

As with the ornaments, I have been Pinning my inspirations for planter shapes and designs, but when it comes to sculpting, I never really create templates or patterns.  I tend to work much better when free-form sculpting, and kind of think it might even be cool to make each planter in a slightly different design.  As always, though, I promise to post some "in-progress" pictures as I start to create these new items, so you can get an idea of what they will look like far before they hit the Etsy shop.  I'm currently loading up on new supplies as we speak, and plan on having all my new pieces ready to go by Halloween, so make sure to keep checking back for photo updates and more journal entries!

I can't wait to show you the designs and ideas come up with!  Make sure to subscribe to this blog, leave a comment, and share this link with your friends if you love what you see here!  I hope you all had a lovely weekend!!!  Get some rest so you can pounce on the upcoming week like the majestic tigers that you are!

Xo*

Jess

Funko Pop Cats!

Unless you've been living under a rock, you most likely have heard of Funko's Pop! Vinyl figurines.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, click the link and I can *almost* guarantee that you may recognize what you see.  They literally sell Pop! Vinyls almost anywhere, and carry collections for cartoons, movies, TV shows, video games, and other facets of pop culture.  This is awesome, but dangerous, because chances are, no matter what your pop culture obsession is, you can most likely find a Pop! Vinyl version!

Hubs and I randomly decided to start collecting Pop! figurines earlier this month, when local game shops started carrying the brand new Harry Potter Pops.  We already have all seven of the HP collection, plus a Hot Topic exclusive variant of Harry with the sword of Gryffindor.  We have also snagged a handful of other cuties along the way...it is a legit addiction at this point.  And you can get these guys for only about $10 a Pop (punny), plus we have gotten all ours on BOGO deals, which is better than spending $10 on stuffing my yap with cheeseburgers as per usual, an advantage that my skinny jeans truly appreciate!

Now that I am obsessed with these vinyl beauties, I of course had to run through the rosters to find my favorite Pop! cats.  And while I haven't found any of these in person yet (I am not really about buying these online, as the IRL hunt and gather is much more special to me than simply Googling for one), one day I will own these three adorable feline Pops....

Oh....I know I just said that the IRL hunt is the best, and it really is, but I am including links with online purchase info for anyone that prefers web-shopping :)

Without further ado...

#1: The Cheshire Cat

I have to say that the Disney Pop! line as a whole is pretty spectacular.  And while this guy was also released in other exclusive variant forms, I am simply smitten with the classic purrrrrrple Cheshire.  I love that they kept his eyes as they were in the cartoon while still retaining the uniform Pop! Vinyl aesthetic.

#2: Chococat

As a woman who had Hello Kitty bedding into her mid-twenties, I can safely say that anything Sanrio wins the cute war any day of the week.  Especially good old Chococat.  I have no words, as I am overcome with severe nostalgia.  Again, I'm loving how the Pop! aesthetic blends with Sanrio's simplistic style, resulting in pure plastic purrfection.

#3: Catwoman

Where do I begin with this one?  While Catwoman is not your typical four-legged feline, she more than deserves her spot on this wishlist!  First of all, I grew up loving the 1960s Batman series that this Pop! line was modeled after, so again, major nostalgia comes into play.  But the glittery costume, winged liner, and lashes all put me over the edge a million percent!  I have to have her!!!  Heck, I want to BE HER!  AmIright???????

Do any of you share my love for Funko Pop! Vinyls?  Which ones do you have?  Leave me a comment and let me know, and don't forget to share this post on social media if you loved what you just read!

Thanks for tuning in!  Until next time...

Xo*

Jess

Catsy--The Cool Cats of Etsy

Since I am now an official Etsy shop owner, I've been conducting serious official market research.  In other words, I'm using Lady and the Cat's shop as an excuse to peruse all things cat on Etsy.  Thank goodness I'm dirt poor, or I'd become dirt poor from spending all my money on kitty treasures.  But I mean, what type of businesslady would I be if I didn't check out the competition?

And because there are so many awesome goodies out there, I decided to start a new feature called "Catsy!"  Catsy posts will feature some of my current favorite feline fancy items on Etsy, and because there are always awesome new items being posted, I figure I can spread the handmade love and share all of my favorites with my cat lady family!

And you know what?  The limit does not exist.  THE LIMIT DOES NOT EXIST!!!!  That's right, Cady Heron, Catsy posts will not only rave over other sellers of cat jewelry (in fact, this first post features absolutely no jewelry).  I'll also be sharing links to my favorite handmade cat toys, kitty treats, clothing, home decor, you name it!  The limit.  Literally.  Does not exist.

So without further ado, my current Catsy wish list...

Okay, okay.  I realize that I am jumping the gun here with the tree skirts, but #1 I am completely over Midwest summers, so I truly don't care and #2 who can resist these adorable prints from Kay's General Store on Etsy?????  I might need both of these this Christmas.

Vaiva and Indre sell gorgeous, colorful handmade felted wool creations, including these cat caves that had me basically urinating all over myself in delight.  I legitimately squealed for a solid two minutes over these suckers, and truthfully, I am pretty sure my cats wouldn't use them.  But guess what?  I kind of don't want them for the cats.  I want one in every color for me.  Or a tiny house that resembles one.  Regardless, these kitty caves are as majestic as the day is long.

Last but not least...

Even after getting a crap ton of IRL tattoos, I still have a strange fascination with temps.  And these days, there are some seriously kick-tail designs out and about.  The Netherlands' own Tattoorary is my personal favorite in all of Etsyland, hands down.  Their 3-piece cat lady set is obbbbbbbbviousllllllllly my top choice, but seriously, if you are like me and love "temporary tats, bro", you must check out Tattoorary.  The designs are all ridiculously pretty, and promise much more than just cats.  But I mean...the cats.  Look. At. Those. Cats.

Well, that's all I've got for you today.  Go visit those Etsy shops, visit mine while you're at it, and leave me a comment with some of your cat lady faves on Etsy!  If you like this post, make sure to share it on Facebook or Twitter!  I really loved writing this one, so I definitely want to keep sharing my Catsy favorites every month or so.

Oh!  I also just realized that next month marks one year since I created this blog.  We'll just have to do something fun and exciting to celebrate, won't we?  Stay tuned...

Xo*

Jess