A Holiday Gift Guide for Cats and their Humans: Our Favorites of 2018!

DISCLAIMER: THERE ARE NO AFFILIATE LINKS OF ANY KIND IN THIS POST.  I will not make a dime if you click a link and make a purchase. Some of these items were featured on our blog in 2018, some were not. I received no monetary payment for this post.

FOR THE CATS

Munchiecat

 "Part toy, part decor, this sushi set will stimulate your kitty's

 natural instincts to explore and play." The Munchiecat  toys are non-toxic. They are made using  pet-safe materials so you can feel good about offering them to your kitties! Munchiecat makes their toys in small batches to ensure freshness and quality. 

The Munchiecat Dream:   "Our dream is to make high quality, pet-safe toys that you can feel good about offering to your furry friends. We started with a Sushi set because even the grumpiest and aloofest (yeah, that’s a word) of cats deserve better than cheap plastic balls and rubber mice."

   "As a wife/husband business we hope to continue making fun and beautiful toys for the creatures that continue to fill all our lives with smiles."

Cat Approved! Creative, Attractive and Fun!

Cat Play Boxes from "Cat in the Box"

Aptly described by Designboom.com as being a "“stroke of Warhol-esque genius.”

The darling boxes are made in the USA from recycled cardboard

 and are imprinted with human-grade soy inks

"It's a Bird!!" Wait! It's a Bird in a Cage 

Electronic Action Cat Toy from OurPets®

Eeek! It's a Mouse! It's the Mouse In A Pouch

Electronic Action Cat Toy from OurPets®!

The Cat Amazing EPIC!

 the Ultimate PuzzleFeeder for Cats

Our FAVORITE Pet Feeding,

 Foraging and Exercise Toy for Cats

 and Small Dogs

VISIT THEIR WEBSITE HERE

Cat and Dog Bed: The MYLAP™ Pet Bed

"Irresistible to your pet's nose and heart" 

FOR THE HUMANS

Custom Canvas Pet Portraits By Petsy

 are"Painted Love" 

Petsy creates custom  canvas portraits of pets that are ANYTHING but ordinary. 

These custom canvas portraits are vibrant, fun and EXTRAORDINARY!!

Custom Pet Portrait Jewelry by

 MeowLoverClub

The MeowLoverClub custom pet portrait jewelry

 would make a wonderful gift for the pet lover in your life!

You will not believe the ENORMOUS selection of socks that they have!! They have nearly anything you can think of for adults, teens and children.  Different dog breeds, careers, funny socks, cute socks, soooo many socks!! So many to choose from! And.....the owner couldn't be nicer!! I met her at the Detroit Holiday Boutique last weekend and she gave me a number of pairs of socks in exchange for being featured on our blog. She is incredible and the socks are warm, cozy, and...are just adorable!!

VISIT THEM ON FACEBOOK

 SALENA'S ACCESSORIES

I bought this darling Laurel Burch purse from Salena's Accessories

 who was also a vendor at the Detroit Holiday Boutique.

I also bought a dog purse and wallet,

but they are a gift for someone

so I can't post them right now!

I linked to her facebook page above

and you can find her on Instagram too!

CAT EAR MUFFS

FROM FIVE BELOW!!

Yep! Cat earmuffs!!! I bought these last Monday

when I was out looking for other items.

I LOVE when things like this 

turn up unexpectedly!!!!

Well, there you have it! If you haven't finished your holiday shopping, and even if you HAVE there is always room for just one...more....item!!! Go ahead, gift yourself too!!!!  Once again, there are NO affiliate links in this post, and I am not receiving monetary compensation for this post. I just wanted to share some of my favorites with you! Happy Shopping!! 

Winner!! Custom Canvas Pet Portrait By Petsy and the Petsy Indiegogo Campaign!

Thank you to all who entered our give-away sponsored by:

In total there were 61 LEGAL ENTRIES...(the 61 includes the bonus entries, anyone who came back and commented multiple times, those comments were disqualified.) Only the FIRST comment was entered.

So, out of the 61 comments, I entered the numbers on random.org and the lucky comment number that was chosen is #29

The kitty who was lucky #29 is:

DEZIZ!!!

and her blog is:

DEZIZ WORLD

HUGE CONCATULATIONS!!

WE KNOW HER MAMA

IS GOING TO LOVE THIS!!!

TO THOSE WHO DIDN'T WIN
THERE IS A 
Petsy Indiegogo Campaign:

CLICK TO VISIT THE

PETSY INDIEGOGO CAMPAIGN

TO SEE THE AVAILABLE PERKS!

Custom Canvas Pet Portraits By Petsy are "Painted Love" (Give-Away!)

Heads up my pet friends! Mother's Day is right around the corner! Can't think of the PERFECT GIFT for the pet-loving mother in your life? I have you covered!! (Oh and you can gift a pet lover this for ANY holiday, not just Mother's Day!) I was thrilled when I was contacted by Kassy, one of the founders of Petsy, the creators of custom canvas portraits of pets that are ANYTHING but ordinary. These custom canvas portraits are vibrant, fun and EXTRAORDINARY!!

If you are anything like me, there is nothing worse than purchasing art that depicts a generic cat or dog. A cat  or dog that is NOT YOUR cat or dog. Sure, it may be cute, but it doesn't convey the heart and soul of your pet. BECAUSE IT ISN'T YOUR PET. Your artwork, while nice to look at, won't strike a chord, it won't resonate, it won't touch your soul. The personalized pet portraits from Petsy WILL RESONATE WITH YOU, they will make you smile, they will touch your soul. Why?  Because they are unique, one-of-a-kind  portraits of YOUR PETS!

Why Was Petsy Created?

"It all started with a penguin."
"Or should we say, a cat called Penguino."
Alex and Kassy  are a brother / sister duo from New York who realized pretty quickly that their cat Penguino was something special. They  started an Instagram account to showcase his extreme cuteness, and the account exploded in popularity. Before they knew it he had fans all over the globe eager to check in to see Penguino’s daily antics.

"Penguino" Courtesy of Petsy

Inspired by his impact, they began searching for a way to showcase his beauty. The options were limited: generic Tuxedo Cat decor, or artists who’d commission a piece for an exuberant amount of money and long lead times.

So they started making their own.

"Penguino" Courtesy of Petsy

Using Alex’s background as a software engineer with Kassy’s background in graphic design, they set out to create a platform that would transform photos of furry friends into a brand new, sentimental concept:

"Painted Love."

"And that’s how Petsy was born. "

PETSY'S MISSION STATEMENT

"Our mission is to showcase our beloved pets in a new light. Using a mix of machine learning, sentiment mapping, and human-guided design, we are able to capture the very essence of your pet and his personality.  The result?  An experience of Painted Love, unlike you’ve ever felt before."

Petsy Personalization Of YOUR Pet!

One of MANY things I love about Petsy is that their artwork is FUN!! It captures the personality and essence of your pet with bold and fun colors!  All of the canvasses are printed with vibrant, fade-resistant ink!

Ready for this? Your canvas will arrive stretched and mounted on a wooden frame, ready to be hung!! No Assembly Required!! An ENORMOUS PLUS for someone like me and I bet...a number of you are the same!

How Does The Ordering Process Work?

Choose Your Canvas Size

There are 4 different  sizes available:

 8×12″, 16×24″, 24×36″, 40×40″

Choose Your Pet Profile

(You can have up to 8 pets on one canvas but they all must appear in one photo)

Pick A Canvas Style

For inspiration visit their photo gallery.
You can choose from landscape, portrait, or a square-shaped canvas

Choose Your Photo

For me, that was rough. For the purpose of my reviews I submitted a few photos of Cody and a few of  Dakota.

A HUGE PLUS  for me was that I could use  photos from my phone OR my social media!! I didn't have to worry about having fancy, perfect photos, and you won't have to worry about that either! For me that was an ENORMOUS RELIEF and made everything extra easy-peasy!!  You don’t have to stress about finding the perfect photo; the Petsy designers will contact you if they need additional pictures. (Take a look at their  photo guidelines here. )

I didn't select ANYTHING. I wanted to leave the ENTIRE creative process in the talented hands of Kassy and the team at Petsy.  After all, THEY are the artists and I wanted to completely respect their talent, and I was excited to see how my pets would be portrayed. I didn't want the stress of choosing for myself.

In the photo below, the photo that I sent of Cody is on the left and his canvas portrait is on the right.

The photo of the canvas portrait that I took does NOT do it justice. In person it is simply exquisite and it makes me smile. 

After placing an order, your design will be ready for review in less than 72 hours. Below is the proof that I received of Cody's canvas.  The proof DOES show the vibrancy and is true to what I received, unlike the photos that I took.

Cody's canvas size is an 8x8 

You can also have them make revisions on the canvas after you view your proof. I didn't make any changes on Dakota's, but I did on Cody's. On the first proof that I received Cody's eye color was a little off, and we actually changed it maybe 2 or 3 times. Cody has clear green eyes and Petsy did capture the color purrfectly.  The background color I let them use their imaginations and create a piece based on their talent. I am so happy because I LOVE the colors they chose to accent my handsome boy(s)!  

The handling of my changes couldn't have been easier!  I received communication from Petsy EVERY STEP OF THE WAY, more importantly, in a FRIENDLY, PATIENT, PROFESSIONAL AND CARING MANNER!

Once you confirm the artwork, your Petsy will ship directly to your doorstep via UPS.
When I say the ENTIRE process was stress-free, professional, friendly and fast, I am NOT exaggerating!

Whether you have a concrete idea, or, like me, you want the Petsy artists to inspire you with their own ideas, they will bring the spirit of your pet to life on a GORGEOUS, one-of-a-kind canvas.
When my canvasses arrived, I shrieked with joy and...I had tears in my eyes. From the photos I submitted, Kassy chose (without my influencing her decision), my two favorites photos of my boys. The only sadness I feel is that the photos on this blog do NOT do these canvasses justice. They are EXQUISITE.

The photo below shows where my portraits are hanging in our kitchen, (the ugly painting on the right is one that I did at one of those painting parties).  The color of our kitchen walls are actually more green than these photos convey. I hung them in our kitchen so I can see them first thing in the morning, at every meal, EVERY SINGLE DAY. They are the most BEAUTIFUL pieces of artwork of my boys that I own. Their personalities shine through these portraits. I will cherish them always.

When you order your canvas you will be as thrilled and as emotional as I was. I am CERTAIN you will be. Using your guidance, the Petsy artists will digitally paint each order to create a stunning, personal work of art. Just like your pet, your Petsy is unique! REMEMBER:Petsy never uses templates or filters. Their team has years of experience in graphic design and computer vision, allowing their art to evolve and innovate. Whether you want a timeless classic, something trendy, or a modern conversation piece, they will bring your vision to life!

Get Social With Petsy!

Petsy on Facebook 
Petsy on Instagram

GIVE-AWAY!!!

Kassy is kind enough to offer our readers WHO RESIDE IN THE U.S. AND ARE 18 AND OVER the chance to win a 8x12 canvas! (ONE WINNER an approximate $100+ VALUE!!)

I normally would use Rafflecopter for the give-away but today I will make it easier (for those who don't like Rafflecopter ).

JUST  LEAVE A COMMENT THAT CLEARLY STATES THAT YOU WISH TO BE ENTERED!!! (IF YOU DO NOT CLEARLY STATE THAT YOU WISH TO BE ENTERED INTO THE GIVE-AWAY YOU WILL NOT BE ENTERED). 

EARN BONUS ENTRIES FOR LIKING PETSY ON FACEBOOK AND FOLLOWING THEM ON INSTAGRAM (I linked to their accounts above),  AND STATE IN YOUR COMMENT THAT YOU DID SO (INCLUDE YOUR INSTAGRAM NAME AS WELL).

 Winner will be chosen by random.org and will be announced on or around May 9th, 2018. (The Give-away is open now and will end May 7th, 2018 at 5pm EST) Good luck!

 

 This  review and give-away is sponsored by Petsy. I received an 8x8 canvas of Cody and a 8x10 of Dakota. I also received monetary compensation for writing my reviews and administering my give-aways on both of my blogs. 

"Creativity is Contagious....." World Art Day

Today is World Art Day!! On April 5-6, 2011, the General Assembly of AIAP/IAA World held its 17th annual meeting in Guadalajara, where they voted to make the birthday of Leonardo da Vinci, April 15, “World Art Day.” Galleries and museums are encouraged to have extended hours, hold conferences and panel discussions during the day, and host celebratory events in the evening. Due to Leonardo da Vinci’s multifaceted talents – he was a renowned painter, sculptor, writer, innovator, philosopher, and thinker – his birthday was an ideal selection for a day celebrating all things creative.

Art has always been an important part of my life.  I am the daughter of a renowned Editorial Cartoonist (Ray Osrin). Most of my childhood memories involve either watching my father draw, or I would be drawing or coloring as well. I drew voraciously until college, now I barely draw anything! It is something I must get back to.

Today in honor of this special day, I would like to share a quote by Albert Einstein, " 

“Creativity is contagious. Pass it on.” 

That's what I am doing today! I am sharing a sneak peek of a sponsored give-away  that we will be having on FRIDAY, APRIL 27TH.  It is being sponsored by our new and dear friends at Petsy, You will NOT want to miss the give-away and our complete review of this fabulous company!!!

"Petsy is PAINTED LOVE............."