Cat Toy Giveaway

Hurry! There's an incredible cat toy giveaway on Moderncat. They have 123 cat toys up for grab. You gotta leave a comment before Sunday night.

I even contributed a little critter myself...

Featured in the press

I recently found out that my Parisian catnip mouse was featured on craftstylish.com. I had almost forgotten about that little guy. He's still available in my Etsy shop 4Paws.

I also discovered a fun website called Then and Now. They feature artist that have pictures of their very first piece. It's really interesting to see the evolution in people's work. I didn't have any pictures of my first sewing attempt but I did have one of a bookmark I made as a child. Thankfully, my crafting skills have improved over the years.

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New batch of mice

I was finally able to finish a new batch of mice. This batch is going to Renegade Handmade in Chicago.

They are also always available in my Etsy shop.

Crafters for Critters

I recently donated these 2 items from my 4Paws' Etsy shop to Crafters for Critters.

Crafters for Critters is about simultaneously supporting handmade, independent businesses/crafters/designers/artists and rounding up money for animal rescue organizations.

All proceeds from items that are currently for sale until the end of June 2008 will be donated to the Greyhound Protection League and Grey2K USA.

The Crafters for Critters shop is not just for pets, it also has jewelry, t-shirts, home goodies and much more. So be sure to check them out.

The making of a catnip mouse

I just wanted to share the fun process of making my Parisian Catnip mouse. Most people probably don't realise how much work goes into making one mouse. This time around I decided to make 10 at a time.

My first step is to gather and cut all the necessary supplies; fabric, ribbon, catnip and jute. Some are pretty small like the noses. I always cut a few extras since they seem to disappear when I'm not looking.




Then I sew all of the mouse's accesories to the fabric. I have to make sure to leave a small opening to be able to turn the mouse inside out and then to stuff it with catnip.




In case you were thinking I was drinking on the job, I use the shot glass to measure the catnip. So with my trusty shot glass and measuring spoon, I make sure each mouse gets the same amount of catnip.

On occasion, my supervisor, Melvin, stops by to do a quality check.



Next thing you know, I've already completed 10. After the final inspection, I package them in plastic bags to preserve the freshness of the catnip.




A few of these lucky mice are heading south of the border to a fun boutique in Louisville, Kentucky called the Makery. They are also always available in my Etsy shop.