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