Cross Country Cat Ladies

Yesterday my mom came over and checked out some of my finished jewelry pieces.  I always value her opinion, as she's a pretty brilliant painter/ceramicist/high school art teacher.  Not to mention she's completely to thank for my love of craft.  One of my earliest memories is puffy-painting and bedazzling my toddler-sized acid washed denim jacket under her supervision...craft days were always a regular thing in our household, and there was never a project too daunting for good old Mair to let us tackle.

Anywho, momma mentioned that she's visiting my cousin Jason in Baltimore for Easter. It suddenly hit me that I hadn't shown off my kitty ear hair clips!  I ran to the craft room, threw them into my top knot, and suddenly a no-brainer hit me.  How could I not make Lola and Lucy, Jason's two little girls, each a pair of cat ears to send along with Mair???

So that's what I did today.  Done and done.

I've been so wrapped up in creating cocktail jewelry that I forgot how adorable yet simple the kitty ears are!  I'm so jazzed to be sending these off to the East Coast...I've been working on different cute packaging details, too, so I plan to go all out with the final presentation.  I will definitely have my Mair send me some pictures of the girls unboxing and wearing their ears for the blog!

What do you think?  I feel like these kitty ears, while quite different from my ceramic charms, have major surprise MVP potential at a craft fair.  Let me know how you feel about cutesy cat ears on human heads in the comments below!

Xo*

Jess

Happy birthday, Roland!

Today our Ro turns one, and he's become such a handsome big boy!!!  I made this photo collage to commemorate his birthday, and it's wild to see how much he has changed and grown.

The photo on the bottom left was taken in early June, almost certainly the first day we brought him home.  The bottom right photo was taken just a couple weeks ago.  As much as Roland has changed physically, a few things remain the same.

He's still hilarious.  He still loves to trill rather than meow....although he still meows (VERY loudly) to announce when he's about to use the litter box.  He still loves to snuggle with me before bed and then go sleep either on or between Matt's legs.  And he still makes us so incredibly happy.  This boy was exactly what we needed for our house to fully feel like a home, and I love my little family so much.  I have butterflies always.

Oh, and if you asked Ro what his first year highlights were, he would probably say killing and scaring away mice, begging mom and dad for bacon, spooning, and trying to eat all the library books.  Pretty sure he is living the dream...

...but then again, so are we.  Because we have the coolest, most loving cat around.

Happy birthday, Roland!!!!  You're the bomb, bro.

Xo*

Jess

Hunt and Gather Pop-Up Market

Hello again, cat ladies!

As I mentioned in a couple of my older posts, there is a local antique/handmade market about 12 miles east of my hometown that takes place quarterly.  I was lucky enough to attend on Friday, March 6th, where the Hunt and Gather Pop-Up Market featured over 140 vendors.

Now, I knew going into the event that I was going to love it.  But seeing is definitely believing, and it's now officially one of my personal missions to show my wares at one of the next Hunt and Gather events.  The market features everything from home decor to vintage posters to dolls and collectibles to handmade jewelry to baked goods.  They even have live music, a fully stocked bar, and a bunch of food carts for people to enjoy.

I took pictures to give you an idea of just how lovely Hunt and Gather was.  So without further ado, here are some of my favorites from the night we went.  These photos highlight not only some of my favorite handmade items (umm the bird plushies?  Just you wait...dead via cuteness overload), but also booth displays that I found to be visually appealing and impactful.

Of course we had to take a mid-festivities selfie...

...because the BFF and I are simply adorable.

These pictures are nothing more than a mere glimpse into the magic that is Hunt and Gather, and I'm so glad that I went...often times, I avoid going out because let's face it, I'm a crazy cat lady and I would rather stay home with Roland and Matt snuggling on the couch.  But I knew that going would be a great experience, not only because I'm a giant fan of vintage and handmade goods in general, but because my instincts beforehand were right...this type of market is exactly the kind of venue I'd love for Lady and the Cat goods to be sold.  So attending was great "research" for me!  The majority of the vendors there were selling quirky, one-of-a-kind, niche items, as opposed to your run-of-the-mill quilted potholders sold at church basement craft fairs.  Not that there's anything wrong with quilted potholders or church basement craft fairs...but one of my main concerns going into this whole Lady and the Cat venture was whether or not I could find an appropriate venue to have some success in.  As it turns out, Hunt and Gather was the perfect mix of family fun and hipster, vintage and handmade, and the positive vibes were simply bouncing off the walls.  So now I am more enthusiastic than ever to strive towards a show like that for Lady and the Cat!

Actually, since visiting Hunt and Gather, I have gotten in contact with the booker regarding vendor consideration for Lady and the Cat at one of their upcoming markets.  Nothing has gone past the email stage between her and I, but I'm proud of myself for making my first official contact about a show possibility, and I'm quite hopeful that Lady and the Cat will be able to score a booth at one of Hunt and Gather's upcoming events.  It's definitely the motivation I need to get all my ducks in a row and keep producing jewelry, that's for sure!

Well, friends, I hope you enjoyed this post!  I know it isn't as feline-heavy as most of my other posts, but I thought this recap would be a friendly addition to the blog, and since it has everything to do with the evolution of Lady and the Cat as a business, it was more than worth documenting to me.

Until next time...

Xo*

Jess

Lady and the Cat Update for March 2015

On one hand, I really need to get back to blogging a few times a week.  I've really missed you, cat ladies!  On the other hand, putting my jewelry-making skills to the ultimate test and focusing on pretty much nothing else has done me some good!  When I'm not working on a piece, I'm brainstorming ways to better construct items, researching new tools/findings, or watching video tutorials.  In short, I am obsessed with jewelry-making.

For starters, I've been making wire-wrapped rings for the first time ever...

Wire-wrapping and ring-making is a serious learning curve for me to deal with, and I truly don't even know how the idea to make rings came about.  It was definitely not my original intention, but I'm so glad that my jewelry-making has evolved into the ring arena.  These cuties will be a proud addition to the Lady and the Cat shop!!!  They're not quite ready to sell yet, but you can definitely expect to find these on sale later this spring!

I also made a new bracelet and necklace that are both ready now for placement on the Lady and the Cat Big Cartel shop...

This is The Snowbell bracelet.  This piece really taught me a thing or two about upcycling, as the non-kitty trinkets were all pried from other jewelry and re-attached to this chain (also re/upcycled). This may not sound hard, but transferring pieces without damaging them can be quite the task!  Worth it, though.  I am thrilled with the finished product.

This is The Duchess necklace.  The Duchess was also made using components of other jewelry, along with the trademark Lady and the Cat kitty charm.  The pairing of the gold and floral makes The Duchess look super-sophisticated, and this piece in particular makes it really hard to not just keep what I make for myself!!!

It's interesting for me to think about how far this accessory line has already come, and learning new skills in the name of Lady and the Cat has been just what I've needed to get my creative juices flowing.  I have lots more to share with my cat ladies, including some reviews and updated Lady and the Cat Big Cartel shop links, but that will all be added to this blog in upcoming days.  Until then, I really hope you enjoy reading this update.  Feel free to leave me a comment here or on social media and let me know what you think about these brand new Lady and the Cat accessories!!!

Xo*

Jess

Spring Inspurrrations

Today I got the rest of my kitty charms back from the kiln.  I am completely absorbed in experimenting with different textures and patterns on these kittens, from makeup palettes to florals to my current favorite, a charm made using Kate Spade spring dinnerware prints (pictured above).  

I also finally rounded out the official product listings for my first line, which I will be announcing in detail later this month!  The finished line will include items for cat ladies and their cats.  The accessories I've created have certainly evolved quite a bit over the past several months, but I'm really enthusiastic about my final decisions and can't wait to share all the details on this blog!

In other news, as I mentioned in an earlier post, I will be attending a local pop-up market called Hunt and Gather this weekend, where there will be over 140 handmade and antique vendors, live music, and food trucks.  Getting a booth at a market like this is one of my big goals for the next year, so attending tomorrow will be huge in terms of research and networking.  I also got some applications uploaded for a couple of smaller-scale holiday bazaars happening in my area before Christmas, and plan to have my submission ready in the next month or so.  It's time to get my feet wet in the craft fair scene!

With all of this excitement, I've been more inspired than ever, which means (aside from churning out kitty charms) coming up with new ideas, tweaking existing ideas, and designing booth concepts.  This spring has already sprung as far as I'm concerned, and I'm more than ready to spring onward with Lady and the Cat!

Oh, and I have to mention this...I checked out this amazing documentary called Handmade Nation the other day.  The full movie is on YouTube, and since finding it, I've already watched it numerous times.  Seeing other people live the handmade hippie dream is totally motivating.  It just further reinforces my belief that I'm doing the right thing by pursuing this, whether it remains a hobby or something more.

I'm so thankful for all the love and positivity for surrounding Lady and the Cat, especially from my loyal readers.  Creating and blogging for cat lovers makes my heart so full, and promise I will make this product line the very best it can be for you.  After all, it's all my fellow cat lovers who keep me inspired most of all!!!

Until next time, have a great weekend!  I love you all.

Xo*

Jess

Cats in Pop Culture

I've been pondering on famous cats lately.  Like, a lot.  Sounds weird, I know.  But I'm naming each of my products after felines in literature, movies, music, advertisements, and the like.  So, yeah...research.

That being said, as of late I have done an obscene amount of kitty-Googling, outdoing even myself (see: self-proclaimed Google champion of the Midwest territory).  My results yielded some fan favorites, like Tony the Tiger or Garfield; some kitties previously unbeknownst to me, like Casper the Commuting Cat and Dewey Readmore Books; and some that I plumb forgot about, like Heathcliff!!!  How could I forget Heathcliff????  Blaspheme. 

So I have plenty to work with when it comes to naming each product in my jewelry line.  Which is great.  But the greatness need not stop there.  I said to myself, "Self, you should probably write a blog post about famous cats.  Because who doesn't love famous cats?  Nobody."  I picked five cats for this post based on nostalgia factor, sheer personal preference, and their influence on pop culture in general.

Here we go...In no particular order, five of the coolest cats in pop culture.

MC Skat Kat

If you're a cat lady who spent their childhood or teen years in the early 1990s, you are no doubt familiar with MC Skat Kat.  You know, the bad-to-the-bone rapping kitty featured in Paula Abdul's music video for "Opposites Attract."  Who didn't love this dude?  If you don't know or remember Skat-licious (I'm on nickname basis with this cat), I suggest you watch the video.  Because he's a bad ass, and 90s pop is disgustingly awesome in that retro sort of way.

Grumpy Cat

(Image Source: dailymail.co.uk)

Part of me feels like choosing Grumpy Cat is a cop out, considering this little baby's extreme level of fame on the web.  I mean, not everyone will remember MC Skat Kat, but I'm pretty darn certain that Grumpy Cat is known and loved around the world in this day and age.  But, come on...Grumpy Cat is not only freaking adorable, but her featured memes pretty much top every meme in existence.  Maybe it's just because I'm a crazy cat lady, but nothing beats a Grumpy Cat meme.  Also, her real name is Tartar Sauce, which is one of my personal favorite condiments of all-time.  All hail Tartar Sauce.  

Holly Golightly's "Cat"

                                                 

(Image Source: lafilledepaille.tumblr.com/)

Orangey (real name), or Cat (as most of us know this beloved kitty) was featured in the film adaption of Breakfast at Tiffany's, landing an enviable spot in the Feline Hall of Fame.  I love Cat mainly because of his purpose in the movie, which is one of my all-time favorite films.  Holly, like the Jess Berg of years past, fought so hard to not belong to anyone.  She didn't even want to name her cat, because the name would represent some form of ownership.  I won't spoil the movie for anyone who hasn't seen it (and if that's you, what the eff???  Kindly get off my blog, hop onto Netflix, and freakin' watch Breakfast at Tiffany's!  You can thank me later), but it is very clear by the end of the movie what good old Cat symbolizes in terms of human relationship, love, and self-worth.  You have to admire a cat who is cute and symbolic of something more.

Stimpy

(Image Source: giphy.com)

Again, the fact that I'm a 90s child really shines through in this list of faves.  Nine-year-old me most definitely found Stimpy to be equally disgusting and endearing, my tried and true favorite combination.  When I learned that the neighbor kids weren't allowed to watch The Ren and Stimpy Show, because its gutter humor was a bit too much for their mother to allow in the household, Stimpy and his irate chihuaha sidekick also became extremely punk rock.  Not to mention, the cartoon itself has truly stood the test of time.  Give it a whirl (it's available streaming on Hulu Plus right now, and I'm pretty sure you can find episodes on YouTube as well), you'll see what I mean!

The Cat in the Hat

(Image Source: indiebound.com)

As a lifelong bookworm, this list would be amiss without the inclusion of Dr. Seuss's main man.  Aside from being one of the first cats I ever loved, The Cat in the Hat is simply one of the first characters period that I ever loved.  One of my earliest memories in life is when my mom put herself on some mail order list, and every month we would receive a new Dr. Seuss book.  Obviously this was the first book that came, and I can tangibly remember how excited I was to get each new book, add it to my bookshelf, and read it with my mom.  The Cat in the Hat is legitimately the reason I wanted to learn to read so badly, and why I love it so much to this day.  Oh, and if you're between the ages of 25 and 32, you probably owned a version of this cat's headgear in the late 90s.  90s, 90s, 90s.

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What do you think of my favorite famous cats?  Which cats in pop culture do you love the most?  Leave a comment and let me know!  

Xo*

Jess