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

We Got a Second Cat!

For the last few months, Matthew and I have been talking about getting a second cat.  Right off the bat, though, we decided that we wanted our second kitty to fall into our lap the same way Roland did.  Right place, right time, right cat, and from someone we trust.  When we got Roland, I knew the second I saw him that he was the right cat for us.  He just looked like the Roland kitty we envisioned, and when I opened the carrier, he went right in and fell asleep.  It was just meant to be.

So even though I knew it may take more time, I trusted that we would know when the right cat came along, just like we did with Ro.  And I was correct.

About two weeks ago, I learned that the family I got Roland from had some stray cats that they were trying to find homes for.  A handful of wayward kitties were hanging out on their property, and they felt so bad for them because it was clear that all these cats wanted was some love.  Since the family already has several cats, though, they simply couldn't take the abandoned kitties in themselves.

My interest was peaked when I found out that one of the cats is a female Maine Coon, already spayed, and about the same age as Roland.  The fact that I'd be getting her from the same family who gave us Ro got me even more excited about the prospect of possibly finding "the one."

I was then given this photo and I absolutely fell head over heels.  Immediately.  Undeniably.  Irrevocably.  Intensely.  And then when I met her, the love grew times a million.  

I'd like you all to meet our newest family member, Hermione.  Hermione is the perfect fit for our family, and I can't tell you how obsessed with her we are.  She's such a teeny thing, so sweet, and in her short time on this earth, has already had to overcome abandonment and had to live solely by her wits.  I keep calling her my little ragamuffin cat, because she was essentially just a stray until we got her.  Someone tried to adopt her at one point, but had to give her back because unfortunately their resident cat was beating up on and bullying her.  So even though she isn't an official shelter rescue, I truly feel like we helped to save this little girl's life.

I had my mom come with me when I met Hermione, because there was another cat that this family was trying to home. I am happy to report that I've officially turned my mother, who has previously claimed to hate cats, into an official crazy cat lady.  She bonded instantly with this 9-month-old green-eyed black cat, took him home, and named him Sancho.  Isn't he adorable???  Now my mom can hardly bear to leave the house and her snuggle sessions with her new kitty baby.  Really, who in their right mind can resist kitty snuggles?

I have to say, it's been an adventurous week with these new cats, especially in our household, since we're acclimating Hermione to our family while also making sure Roland isn't traumatized over not being the only cat anymore.  I must admit that my anxiety reared its head a few times when the two cats first met.  They were both clearly a little scared of each other and had a handful of scary sounding hissing matches.  While I know that this is completely normal, I was still so worried that my cats were going to hate each other and I didn't want either of them to be traumatized.  Also, I watch far too much My Cat From Hell, which only convinced me further that fur would fly if we weren't careful.

Luckily, it only took about a day and a half for them to start warming up to each other.  After the first night, they were able to eat next to each other without hissing.  After the second night, we were able to let Hermione roam the house freely and explore.  She and Roland initially kept their distance, but at this point it's only been three days, and I can already tell that Roland is just very interested in Hermione and wants to play with her and be by her.  And it's very clear that Hermione is slowly learning to trust Ro.  She's starting to learn that he respects her boundaries and keeps away from her food bowl and litter box, so she seems to be way less standoffish when he is around.  

Considering the fact that Hermione has had mostly bad experiences with other cats, and the fact that Roland hasn't even been around another cat since he was 8 weeks old, I'm ridiculously proud and impressed with how good both of them have been so far.  I seriously can't wait until they get even more used to each other and start to play together and such, because I know Ro will love having a play buddy!  Today he even tossed a toy at her for the first time!  Hopefully soon she will start to play back!

In the meantime, we are continuing to work with them and help them adjust.  I am extremely happy with how things are going and can't even describe the amount of feels that I've had over my amazing little family.  Especially during moments like this...

I look forward to more adventures with Hermione and Roland, and can't wait to post more photos and fun stories on the blog so you guys can share in the excitement!

On that note, I am going to hit the hay to prepare for a lovely and relaxing Caturday with my two cat children and husband.  I hope you all are having a fantastic weekend so far!

Xo*

Jess

Lady and the Cat on Etsy is Meow Live!

Alright, cat ladies!!!  After months of hinting, previewing, and preparation, I am super excited to announce that my Etsy shop is now officially up and running!!!!!  I absolutely can't wait for all my lovely readers to find a purrfect piece to add to their jewelry collection!  

The shop as it is at this very second is still quite small, but worry not!  I will be adding new pieces every single day throughout this week.  I have quite a few more rings to add, not to mention kitty ear hair clip, pins, and a few more statement pieces.  Because I will be adding so much to the shop this week, I probably won't be linking every single update on the blog.  I will be writing a follow-up post as soon as my shop page is full, though, just in case anyone misses this post.

I hope you like what I have to offer on Etsy!  This shop has been in the making for a long time, so I really do look forward to feedback and responses about the collection.  I love you all and hope you have a great week!

CLICK HERE FOR LADY AND THE CAT ON ETSY!

Xo*

Jess

Summer 2015 Featured Cat Lady

One of the best parts of being married is gaining family members.  Especially when those family members are crazy cat ladies.  I hit the in-law jackpot, not only in general, but also in sheer abundance of fellow cat lovers in Matt's family.

So when our cousin Rachel sent me an Instagram photo of her cat several months back, I knew I had to eventually feature her on the blog.  She said something that really struck me at that time, about the way cats leave bits of food in their dish all the time.  Most people think it's because cats are a real bunch of jerks, that they are insistent and finicky creatures, demanding more food before they finish what they have.  Right?  Rachel said she thinks cats actually leave this food for their humans, as an offering of love.  Like, "here, mom, you feed me all the time, so I am going to leave you a bite.  Thanks and I love you."  I. Love. This.

I'm pretty sure if more people looked at cats (and, not to mention, life in general) through those lenses, we'd be far better off and a hell of a lot happier.  Rachel is one smart cookie, and she isn't even in high school yet!  To say it's high time for her to get featured on this blog is obviously an understatement, am I right?!

Rachel is pictured above with her 4-year-old black cat wonder, Mario.  Back in the winter when I first asked Rachel about Mario, she told me that he's very nosy and has a lot of attitude, but loves to be around her and tends to pose at the camera.  As you can see, the above picture proves the last statements to be extremely true.  Come to think of it, Mr. Mario seems to be intentionally posing in every picture I've ever seen of him!  And clearly he loves his human!

Rachel is the coolest because even at a young age, she is fully unafraid to embrace her cat lady ways and unique sense of style.  A woman of my own heart, I tell you.  Plus, she tags me in anything cat-related, so I find her to be a wonderful source of feline pop culture goodies, especially since I'm a self-proclaimed geriatric at heart.  I have to stay in the loop somehow, guys!  

Anyhow, because Rachel is the coolest, she decided to visit me at Hunt and Gather this past weekend!  I knew she was going to die over my embellished kitty ears, and I was right!

I've been telling Rachel for ages that I wanted to feature her on Lady and the Cat, so when she snagged her kitty ears at Hunt and Gather, I asked her to take some pictures for the blog.  As you can see, she went above and beyond, not only tagging me in her selfie after the market, but took another adorable picture with Mario since they had matching kitty ears.  I am obsessed with this photo of them!  So cute!

I've really missed my featured cat lady posts, so getting Rachel and Mario on the blog after so long makes me very happy.  I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that it's always nice to feel a sense of community among other people with similar interests.  This is particularly true in the case of cats.  To most, we are a bunch of crazies, but truly, we are a special breed of unique women who are able to understand an often misunderstood animal, and I swear, we tend to be more creative and "outside the box" than everyone else in general.  Rachel is no exception, and I hope you all are as happy to meet her as I am to introduce her!  

If you want to be a Lady and the Cat featured cat lady yourself, shoot me an email at ladycatdesignco@gmail.com!  I'm always happy to get to know my readers, and love writing these feature posts, so don't hesitate to get in touch with me!

That's all for today, but don't forget to keep checking back for more updates.  I will be adding lots of items to my Etsy shop over the next couple of days, and all of the links will be posted here the second they go live.  If you missed me at Hunt and Gather, then Lady and the Cat's Etsy shop will be the perfect place to scoop up your very own pair of kitty ears or a ceramic decoupage kitty ring!  My Etsy shop is something that I've been waiting to share with my blog readers for such a long time now, and I promise the wait will have been worth it.  Stay tuned for links later this week!

Until then, be safe and have a purrfect Monday evening.  

Xo*

Jess

June 2015 Hunt and Gather meets Lady and the Cat!

Well, cat ladies, your beloved author has survived her first pop-up market!  I'm super excited to report that Hunt and Gather was everything I was hoping for and more!  I met so many new cat lovers, spread the word about the fun we have on this blog, and introduced the public to my jewelry line.

Now that this is all said and done, I need to admit (happily) that I was shocked over how many of my gut instincts were right.  The two items that I banked most on were indeed my biggest sellers.  Going extremely niche and catering to cat ladies only may have narrowed my prospects, but 100% ended up being worth it, because the cat ladies flocked to me from across the room.  After a couple of hours, I could instantly tell the difference between casual browser and cat lady.  The cat ladies bee-lined to me every time, and I could have cried happy tears, because that means I am doing something right with this.  I even had the cutest girl take my card and tell me she wanted to tweet about Lady and the Cat, because "even though I don't like cats, I just love you and think you're so cute and you deserve recognition."  Cats may have nine lives, but I must have many more than that, because I died about three hundred times from all the love this weekend.

I really have all of you to thank for what Lady and the Cat is turning into.  My blog readers have been loving and loyal from day one, and I felt like we were all gaining a victory when I did well over the weekend at this market.  I just kept thinking about how excited I was to post pictures from the event and fill all my readers in about how it went.  

So yes, overall, super successful times at H&G.  My original goal was simply to make back my table fee, and I did that in the first night.  This market was such a learning experience, too.  I took notes throughout, asked questions, listened to feedback from shoppers, and met a bunch of new contacts and other makers.  I've heard some nightmare experiences about selling at big markets, but I am certain that this show is probably the exception and not the rule--a true testament to the market itself and the wonderful people involved.  I would love to get to be part of it again in the future.

Before I go, I need to say hi to anyone who is reading that I met at H&G!  I loved meeting everyone, it's always a great thing when cat ladies can unite!  Also (and I'm realllllllllllllly purring over this one), I will be adding all of my leftover inventory to my Etsy shop!  I will provide links once everything is live.  I can't wait for this, because this will be the first time that I've had most of these items stocked online, especially the newer pieces!  

And as you already know, I have missed my regular blogging schedule so badly.  That being said, I already have another post ready and waiting to go live.  I haven't featured anyone else in this lovely community in quite some time, so I am pumped to announce that tomorrow you can come back here and meet Lady and the Cat's newest featured cat lady.  You won't want to miss meeting her!  

But I'm a fan of creating some anticipation, so until tomorrow...

Xo*

Jess

June Update

Cat ladies!!!!!

Well, it seems my streak of being a bum blogger has continued...this Hunt and Gather prep is no joke!  But the pop-up market is mere weeks away now, so my focus has never been more intense and I am proud to say that I've stuck to a legitimate schedule.  I really don't think one day has passed where I haven't checked something off my Hunt and Gather checklist, and for that, I need to thank Hulu Plus for providing me with every episode of Nashville (I mean....Mrs. Coach.  Enough said.  Right?!  Friday Night Lights anyone?  Oh, tv binges...).  Also, and more importantly, one Greg Miller and the boys at Kinda Funny.  Hubs introduced me to the Game Over Greggy podcast several months back, and these dudes have become my absolute favorites to listen to while crafting.  If not for these genius aforementioned internet wonders, I would have probably been an all-around bum and done no designing until the last minute because I'm the worst.  Thank you, internet binge fuel.

But really, though.  I have lots to share after Hunt and Gather, and will still be hanging out on this blog when I can before the market, so don't go anywhere!  My Etsy shop is under construction, and I'm finally doing a bells and whistles launch pretty much immediately following Hunt and Gather, for one...

...so lots of good stuff for this cat lady.

I hope everyone has a purrfect weekend!  I will bid you adieu, but before I go, here are some obligatory artsy/obnoxious Lady and the Cat workroom pics...

(Bonus props to my local Salvation Army and destiny for pairing me with this $2 massive lot of vintage 1970s sequins)

Xo*

Jess

Cat Tchotchkies

One of the coolest things about being a crazy cat lady is buying adorable cat tchotchkies for the household.  And in this day and age, getting your hands on some cool cat merch is a mere Google search away.  It is probably no surprise to all of you that my house is littered with feline fancy decor, especially since I work for a popular home furnishing store that loves to adorn pieces with cats, cats, and more cats.  And while I've been known to do some shameless posting on Instagram anytime I acquire a new piece to my cat decor collection, I haven't shared toooooooo much of it on this blog yet.

And I've been running my own one woman sweatshop trying to get ready for next month's pop-up market, so basically I have sucked at blogging.  I really wanted to change that, but didn't want to just keep posting photos of my works in progress (as much as I love them!).  So I decided that featuring some of my favorite cat decor items would be a welcome change.  Hopefully you will agree!

I must admit that in preparing this blog post, I had a really tough time narrowing down which items I actually wanted to feature.  Don't get me wrong, I did consider picture-spamming the heck out of this post just to show off my kitty collection, but a top 3 is probably much more tolerable.  Less is more, yes?  And if you enjoy this post, then at least I will have more goodies to show off in the future rather than spoil them all in one obnoxious post.

Without further ado, here are some of the fancy cats (besides Prince Roland, of course) of my household!

This Cat and Birdcage Bookend Set from Pier 1 is by far one of my favorite items.  I love that it has a Victorian feel to it, and it's extremely well-made.  The cat/bird combo also tickles my fancy...growing up, we had lots of pet birds and I still love them almost as much as cats.  But my husband hates them, and I'm pretty sure Roland would eat a bird were there one in our house.  And I love both of them much more than birds, so I'm cool settling for the inanimate version!

Here is a good story (maybe?  by my standards, it's good, at least...) about these prints.  First off, I recieved them sooooooo randomly.  My dad renovates mobile homes, and often times, the old owners leave things they don't want rather than take them to a dumpster...and every now and again, there lies a hidden gem in the rubble.  These two prints were such gems, and my dad brought them home to see if I wanted them.  I have to say that usually the man doesn't choose things that match my taste, but he scored a major home run with these babies.  Pretty sure he had no idea that these are totally in line with my aesthetic, either!  The girl in these prints looks a lot like a Blythe doll, and I have collected those for years now.  And the addition of the orange tabby makes these vintage prints almost too cute to handle.  So happy to have scored these, and the way they look in my kitchen with the yellow walls reminds me a lot of my grandma (always a good thing in my book).

This silicone kitty ice tray was a Christmas gift from my sister-in-law this past year.  There is nothing more whimsical than sipping (or slugging) a lovely ginger ale filled with numerous swimming kitty cats.  I would also love to eventually use this tray to make molds of some sort for Lady and the Cat.  Maybe wax melts or bath bombs?  It would be a brand new venture for me, as I've never done anything like that, but I'm definitely into the idea.  Would you buy a bag of kitty bath bombs????  Let me know in the comments!

Well, there you have it.  I hope that you had fun reading this post, because it was a lot of fun to write!  Don't forget to comment and/or share this post on social media if you liked it, and please let me know if you would like to see another post like this one!  Thank you SO MUCH for reading, especially those of you who have stuck around despite my recent blog hiatus!  I love you all to the moon and back!  You're the cat's meow!

Xo*

Jess

May Mews and Zen: Cat Lady Style

Meow for May!  Here in the Midwest, this is basically the very beginning of spring, which means there's only like a 15% chance of snowstorms over the next few months.

So with the true onset of warm weather, I've been inspired by floral prints far more than usual...which is kind of saying a lot.  Give me any and everything floral, the gaudier and more colorful, the better!  Luckily, my summer issue of Midwest Living arrived a couple weeks ago, just in time to start pulling swatches for Hunt and Gather pieces...and for once, I decided to not be a giant Pig Pen...  

I cut, labeled, and organized all my swatches into teeny envelopes. This way, they're ready to go when my next batch of ring charms (close to 100 more pieces!  Holy carpal tunnel, Batman!) gets back from its bisque firing.  Let me just add, too....sooooooooooo many pretty floral prints in Midwest Living this summer!  I could eat the whole magazine, it's so good.

As for the aforementioned carpal tunnel, hand-sculpting is like, so zen, man, even if it does cause cramps...I love it so much that I will try to take breaks when my hands start to cramp, and all the sudden realize mere minutes later that I've started sculpting again without even thinking about it.  It's like the clay just appears in my hand.  Zen, man.

Really, though.  This is why Lady and the Cat/creating in general keeps me from going nuts.  Making things from scratch, and now doing it in large quantities, is such a challenge and at the same time, so natural...it's relaxing, yet such a perfect exercise in focus.  Hand-sculpting in particular is so cool because that tiny bit of difference in each charm makes the finished pieces that much more like real cats--no two are the same.  I've gone back and forth eight million times about creating some sort of template for my jewelry, but I simply can't bring myself to do it.  Anyways. Zen Movement 2015: Cat Lady Style is a thing, and it happens every time I get on a roll making ceramic jewelry.

But can zen sculpting include simultaneous Buffy the Vampire Slayer marathons on Netflix?  Because I've been considering throwing that into the mix also.  Just sayin'.

Until next time, love and kitty kisses.

Xo*

Jess