Custom Pet Portraits are the PERFECT Holiday Gift!

 If you are anything like me, you take TONS of photos of your pets. Out of 100s of photos there is a good chance that maybe a handful of them would be photos that you would like to keep forever. Printing photos at home s great, but wouldn't you much prefer turning those pet photos into art?

Through the years I have had a number of custom pet portraits done, that I cherish.

My Quirky Kitchen!!

 I've also gifted myself cuddly cat pillows that look like my pet. Other items I've gifted myself (or have been the lucky/grateful recipient of) include phone cases, mugs, candle holders and more, all made from photos of my pets.  My custom pet portraits that are displayed throughout my home make me smile on a daily basis, they remain my favorites!

It's nearly the end of September, the holidays are right around the corner!!! Get a jump on holiday gift giving NOW for the pet lovers in your life!!!  WHAT ABOUT GIFTING YOURSELF? We are always thinking of unique gifts for the holidays for our pets,    and others, but we shouldn't forget ourselves either!!

Roary the BOUNTY HUNTER!!
My Portrait is a 9x12

I was recently afforded the opportunity to have a custom pet portrait designed by a company called Mr&MrsPaw. (I was contacted by Responsival, the agency who represents  Mr&MrsPaw, I was not contacted by Mr&MrsPaw).

 ABOUT MR&MRS PAW:

"Mr&Mrs Paw creates pet portraits to celebrate your furry loved ones! Mr&MrsPaw creates personalized pieces of art to commemorate your pet. Besides canvas, customers can also receive customized phone cases, throw pillows and mugs. Best of all they offer unlimited revisions until you are happy with your artwork!"

Mr&MrsPaw care about animal welfare. They are proud to be a named partner of The Humane Society International.

The process was easy:

• You choose your costume/theme
• Upload Your Photo
• Place Your Order

 EASY PEASY!! Deciding on a theme was the most difficult part, there are sooo many to choose from!!  It was important to me to take Roary's personality into account when deciding what theme on their website would suit him best. Finally, I decided on the Bounty Hunter because Roary LOVES to hunt and kill bugs! It's perfect!

Once I decided on my theme, it was time to choose a photo.   I already knew I was choosing a custom canvas portrait and once I chose the photo, I was ready to roll. 

I was sent a proof to view before I confirmed the order, (I DID have difficulty viewing the proof initially, which could have been a computer glitch on my end, but the designers worked with me and ended up sending the proof in a format that I COULD open.)

Once confirmed, it took approximately two weeks for my portrait to arrive (WHICH IS WHY YOU NEED TO GET A JUMP ON YOUR HOLIDAY ORDERING NOW!!). It was WELL WORTH THE WAIT!! The Bounty Hunter portrait of Roary is displayed with pride among my other collectibles in my kitchen.

I couldn't be happier with it! I'm hoping you will visit Mr&MrsPaw and gift yourself or the pet lovers in your life with one of their most unique creations!!!

FTC Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post by Responsival. I received a complimentary canvas portrait and financial compensation for featuring  Mr&MrsPaw. That has no influence whatsoever on this review. I am always committed to sharing the good and the bad of all the companies I feature, regardless of compensation. I only share information about products that I have used or would use and only share a product if I feel it is of relevance to my readers.

The May CatLadyBox #catladybox #catladyboxday

 It's always exciting when the CatLadyBox is delivered! I swear Roary smells kitties when it comes because he's always all over it!

This box most definitely didn't disappoint! My favorite item is the "My Kids Have Paws Shirt" love the color and saying, it's pawesome!

Then there was the Meow Zip Pouch (Pink), the Cuddly Cat Throw Pillow (which Roary was all over!), the Meow Block Letter Ring, and the cutest cat toys! Key to Meow Heart Catnip Toy and the Baaabara the Sheep Catnip Toy (Hope Levi doesn't try to herd it! lol)

This month CatLadyBox made donations to:

• Storm's Angels rescue
• Lil Roar Cat Rescue
• Open Door Animal Sanctuary
• Volunteers in defense of animals
• Smitten with Kittens

Thinking of subscribing to CatLadyBox? Don't pussyfoot around and do it MEOW!! (And no, I wasn't compensated to say that!)

Visit the CatLadyBox website right meow!

oh and Roary isn't included in your subscription MOL!!

Late Revealing Our July "Mew Are My Sunshine" #CatLadyBox !

 Eeek!! It's the beginning of August and I FINALLY opened my July "Mew Are My Sunshine" CatLadyBox! 

Ok, I have a good reasons to be late.  I fractured my right ankle (multiple fractures) on July 9th ....as of July 13th I do not have to have surgery (thank COD!) but I have to wear an ankle brace (mostly when I leave the house or if I am doing laundry or something that requires a lot of standing when I am inside). I can't take my long walks with Levi, which I do miss and it's pretty much ruining the summer, but what can you do? Things could always be worse! My next appointment is August 24th to check and see how the ankle is healing, so here's hoping it's on the mend!

So, today I am going to briefly show you the goodies that were in this fabulous July box:

The first item is the pawsitively adorable "Mew Are My Sunshine Shirt" As the description states, "Cats are the sunshine of our hearts!" I am crazy about the coral color of this shirt ! It is bright and cheerful and the saying is darling. I honestly think my favorite part of my monthly CatLadyBox subscription is when they include a T-shirt. The shirts are always unique, well-made, adorable and true to size!

The next item is at the top of the photo, it is the "Happy Cats Canvas Bin." It is collapsible and sturdy! I am currently using it for some of Roary's cat toys, but it could also be used as a grocery bag for the store, a bag to store knitting supplies or anything your heart desires!

The yellow item on the bottom right that looks like a sunglasses smiley face emoji, is the "Sunny Sunshine Catnip Toy." Super cute!

On the top right is the "Elbow Meowcaroni Catnip Toy". How cute is that?

Last but not least is the "Cat Nightlight"....it is in the shape of a cat's head and is just darling! I currently have mine plugged in the kitchen, not far from Roary's bowl. It really gives off a lot of light! 

Speaking of Roary, he was taking a nap when I was taking photos so that's why he isn't in any of them. Didn't feel like waking him up to have him pawticipate!

The artwork featured in the collage above on the far left was done by the featured Cat Lady Artist for July: Elizabeth Anderson of Elizabeth Anderson Art.

Some of the proceeds from the July CatladyBox were donated to:

• St.Sophia's Forgotten Felines
• Cedar Valley Humane Society
• A Wing and a Prayer Rescue
• Tabby Tales Rescue

One of the most fun times of the month is when my CatLadyBox arrives! If you haven't signed up for a subscription you should! The CatLadyBox is unlike any other cat subscription box out there. Each month, you'll receive a meowvelous selection of high-quality cat-themed items only available through them. From super-soft shirts and beautiful jewelry to inspired home decor and quirky cat toys, the boxes NEVER disappoint! What a great way to show off your CatLady pride!!!  GET YOUR CATLADYBOX TODAY!!

I was not compensated for sharing this content. I pay for my monthly subscription. Like other bloggers, I enjoy "unboxing" and showing you just how great the CatLadyBox is!!!

First Official Day of Summer and the June Pool Pawty #CatLadyBox #CatLadyBoxDay

 The Summer Solstice officially arrived at 11:32pm last night in the Northern Hemisphere!

SUMMER IS HERE! I now subscribe to get a monthly CatLadyBox and I am so happy to be a subscriber! The June Pool Pawty  box was so pawesome that I wanted to wait til the official start of Summer to share it with you!

The first item I am happy to show you is the Flamazing Flamingo Catnip toy. Too cute for words. Roary loved it and I do too!

Next up is Jilly the Chilly Pop Catnip Toy. Every kitty needs to cool down on a hot day with a cool toy, and this one is just too cute!

There were also a darling set of Cat Lady luggage tags that have the same tropical kitty theme on them as the box.

What cat lady doesn't need another little purse? There was also a nice and squishy Silicone Kitty Purse! (I am using mine for misc. coins), but you can fit a number of different things in it.

My two favorite items I saved to show you last. The first is the Flocking Fabmewlous Tee

If any of you are fans of the cult-classic movie "Pink Flamingos" this shirt and the catnip toy that I shared a photo of above are MUST HAVES! I thought of that darned movie the second I saw this! 

I am particularly crazy about the T-shirts that are sometimes in the CatLadyBox because they are always well-made, high-quality and extremely unique. Also, if any one is "fluffy" like me, the plus sized T-shirts are PURRFECT!

Now, I saved my most FAVORITE item from the June CatLadyBox til last. It is actually a beach towel, it is named the Cool Cat Beach Towel.  It  is SO BIG I couldn't fit the entire towel in a photo!

Isn't it the cutest ever!? I'm actually not using it for the beach. My bathroom is white, lavender, green, pink and other colors that are in this towel, and I am using it for when I get out of the shower. I will tell you, if a towel fits around ME you can guarantee it is one BIG TOWEL! I can put it around me, tuck in the top and it STAYS PUT! I LOVE IT!

The retail value of each of these items is way more than the monthly cost of my subscription. The items are always fun to receive. It's like receiving a box full of surprises every month!

Each month a portion of what is earned on the boxes are donated to various charities. In June they were able to donate to:

Northeast Missouri Humane Society

Licking County Humane Society

Cenla Cat Project

Catnip Acres

Oh I forgot to mention the art that is shown on the right hand side of the above photo! Look at how precious that is! It was created by the featured cat lady artist for June, Denisn't

If you are on the fence about subscribing to CatLadyBox don't be! There are various subscriptions available for many budgets!! I waited too darned long to be a subscriber, but am happy that I finally signed up!

I was not compensated in any way for featuring these great products or the CatLadyBox.  Like many other bloggers, I just love this box so much that I just had to share!

HAPPY SUMMER ALL!

Cat Lady Goodies and Fun on #NationalCatLadyDay !! #catladybox #catladyboxday

  Today is the PURRFECT day to feature some items that I purchased that all arrived within the past week (except for one item that I ran into at CatCon online which I will be featuring at a later date). I wasn't compensated in any way for this post, I purchased the items myself, and wanted to share them with you because I am so happy with them! What better day to feature them than on National Cat Lady Day!

"April 19 is National Cat Lady Day. First observed in 2017 at the annual CatCon convention in Los Angeles, the holiday is celebrated as a way to debunk the myth that cat ladies are dowdy spinsters, according to CatCon creator Susan Michals."

What fun it was (in spite of some major technical glitches that made me have to leave), to attend a few events at CatCon line Saturday, (and I am hoping to pop in today, which is Sunday, the day I am writing this post).

"CatCon® is where pop culture and cat culture converge, showcasing some of the world's top cat-centric merchandise, conversations with those at the epicenter of the cat world, incredible activations, and one of the biggest adoption lounges ever."

Due to the pandemic, it was held online. I LOVED the segment "Being A Cat Lady in 2021" which featured Heidi Gardner from SNL (the proud cat mama of 3 kitties, all rescues!!) and Georgia Hardstark of "My Favorite Murder." The segment was led by Susan Michals the creator of CatCon and National Cat Lady Day. The segment had the three debunking the "crazy cat lady" title that some have assigned to  a woman who has 3 or more cats, and it was heartfelt as well as hilarious!

Now, on to the items that I ordered and received within the past week. The first is the INCREDIBLE

I have been chomping at the bit for YEARS to get a subscription to the fantastic Cat Lady Box, which is a monthly box for cat ladies and their cats, the brainchild of a person who I have always admired and have known through blogging since about 2011 or so, Dorian Wagner.

The box is a monthly treat, it contains unique, high quality and exclusive cat lady items. You have more than likely seen this box featured NUMEROUS times on various blogs, but the blog that has featured them the most is Melissa's Mochas, Mysteries and Meows, I would sit there reading her wonderful blog wishing I could get a subscription and FINALLY I was able to sign up! (Melissa always featured them on her own without receiving compensation, just because she loves the boxes as well!)

The box contains cat-themed shirts, (the quality of these shirts are NOT cheapo T-shirt material, the ones I have received are unique and well made. The shirt in the April box was a complete delight because it had a V-neck, which isn't that common in T-shirts, especially in a subscription box! ). You could also receive jewelry, home decor, accessories, art and more, all delivered in a box that your cat will love to play with!

Here is a photo of the items I received in my April box, my FIRST one on the subscription! (I bought one other box recently and was hooked!)

The theme for April is "Neon Vibes" There is an adorable Neon Cat Umbrella, a Neon MEOW Shirt, a Neon Cat Zipper Pouch, for Roary "Rod the Lightning Catnip Toy" and the "Totally Tubular Neon Wand Toy". The darling kitty illustration was done by the featured cat lady artist: Melanie Schultz. I am beyond excited to be receiving my box monthly, there are different subscriptions available which you can check out by visiting Cat Lady Box.

The next items I ordered I discovered when I attended Cat Camp online approximately a week or so ago. 

How cute are these masks? I know, right?  The Catnip Dispensary has sooo many cute items on their site! There are toys for your kitty, (super clever ones!)  as well as the masks. (I didn't see the mask cord adjuster beads until this second and wish I had seen them before because my mask was super loose. I knotted the end of mine because I didn't know about the beads!) Check out my photo below, my eyes look completely crazed for some reason, but ignore that and focus on the mask! I wanted to look like Roary.

Ok, so I could never be as adorable as Roary, but you have to admit that mask ROCKS!!! All orders from their site ship within one to three days. I had a question when I first ordered and they responded in a timely manner.

The last item(s) I am just giving a shout out to, because I just met lovely Jacqueline yesterday in Zoom at CatCon online. I was drawn to the name of these unique cat scratchers called: "Scratchout Hate".  They are Cat Scratchers for Social Impact 

100% SUSTAINABLE • ORGANIC CATNIP TOY SURPRISE INSIDE
DOUBLE-WIDE & DOUBLE-SIDED • PATENT-PENDING
WOMEN-OWNED • CRAFTED WITH LOVE IN U.S.A.
POWERING THE CAUSES YOU CARE ABOUT WITH
EVERY. SINGLE. SCRATCH

CHECK OUT ONE BELOW!!

Scratch Out Covid? bit.ly/3wYViHH

THERE IS ALSO A LASER TOY!!!

Space Laser: bit.ly/3e3MSG0

I hope to be featuring them in the near future, but you can learn more about them by visiting their website here   take advantage of the 20% off code listed above ***some may find the scratchers offensive and some, like me, did not. I am focusing on the positive message.

So there you have it, what a great way to celebrate National Cat Lady Day than by sharing these fantastic products with you! The vendors at CatCon Online were simply amazing,  be sure to check out Hauspanther and Triple T Studios (who have been featured on our blog in the past), who were vendors there as well!

Happy National Cat Lady Day to my fellow female cat lovers!! As for the guys, you will have to wait your turn!!! xoxo

Humorous and Cute Cat Book:"Get Your Butt Off My Face" by Rosa Silva

 Looking for a stocking stuffer for the holidays or a cute book for the cat lover in your life for a "just because" gift? Look no further:

Whether you have been the proud cat parent of one cat or ten, you will be able to relate to being woken by or greeted by a cat butt in your face! Sometimes it's hilarious, sometimes just plain gross.

FROM THE AUTHOR: 

"Have you ever woken up and suddenly realized your cat's butt is right in your face? I know I have. In fact, my cat seems to make an effort to show me his butthole every chance he gets. Instead of getting upset, I decided to laugh it off, and write this hilarious book."

Not only does Author Rosa Silva have a funny take on cat butts in our faces but she also addresses how cats will quite often do the exact opposite of what we want them to do. From treating toys we think they will love with disdain, to biting us when we think they want to be petted. Cat lovers everywhere will be able to relate to the examples of cat quirkiness in this clever book that will put a smile on your face!!

"You are indeed a curious cat,

if I feed you kibble, you want a rat,

If I buy you a brand-new bed,

you sleep on the couch instead."

The illustrations by Diana Necsulescu are just purrfect! Vibrant and funny!

"Get Your Butt Off Of My Face" is a funny bedtime (or anytime) book for all the desperate cat owners ou there. This laugh-out-loud book reveals cats at their wackiest and performing their most exasperating behavior. "

Get your paws on a copy today! Find it on Amazon

Be sure to visit Rosa's blog, Cat Lady Confidential as well!

I was sent a complimentary copy of this book by the author MANY months ago! I was not compensated for featuring this book.

Help BOBS, Skechers and The Petco Foundation Create a Better World For Pets "Love Changes Everything"

Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this post. I first learned about this initiative on the blog of our friends over at Wag 'N Woof Pets. When I saw the dog sneakers  and the dog slippers they posted on their blog I KNEW I had to check these items out!. So happy I did! (If you click on the links above, Jan from Wag 'N Woof Pets may receive a commission from Amazon. I am NOT affiliated with Amazon in any way and will earn nothing if you click on her link or any other links in this blog post.) I did attempt to get a pair of Skechers shoes with dogs on them, but the pair that I wanted were not available (Amazon told me they would email me when they become available) I did purchase the cat items that you will be seeing below. 

WHEN YOU PURCHASE BOBS, SKECHERS

WILL MAKE A DONATION

TO HELP SAVE THE LIVES

OF CATS AND DOGS

After reading Jan's post, (it is often through other bloggers that we find the most interesting and "must-have" items, isn't it?)  and reading the above, how could I NOT make a purchase? I am always on the prowl for darling and well-made cat/dog items and Bobs from Skechers surpassed my expectations! 

Those of you that have met me in person, know that I collect unusual sneakers. I have a purple pair of Batman sneakers that I have worn for YEARS (that were featured in a photo at a blogging conference), and I have a pair of emerald green glitter sneakers. When I saw the sneakers below I KNEW they would be joining my collection soon!

Skechers Women's Beach Bingo-Alley Cat Scrunch Back Sneaker

The color in this photo is NOT doing these shoes justice! They are the most adorable and COMFORTABLE sneakers that I own. You can choose to tie the laces (or not), it is totally up to you. Even the BOTTOMS of these shoes are darling!

See what I mean? Too cute! I wear a 7 and a half (but my feet are on the wide side since I have gotten older), so I ordered a size up to an 8. They fit PURRFECTLY!!

I also ordered:

Skechers Women's Too Cozy-Cuddled Up Slipper

The quality of these slippers is just fantastic! (I  ordered a size up on these. I normally wear a 7 and a half but I ordered an 8). They are cozy, warm, offer support, are comfortable and I love those soles for if I happen to have to run outside (which translates to taking Dakota to go potty), if I have my slippers on. No need to take them off!

Both of my items came snuggled up in their boxes with this DARLING packing paper:

and they even threw in some stickers! 

In my 10 years of blogging I can honestly say that these two purchases that I made as a result of a recommendation  from another blogger, are right up there on my list of favorite pet items that I have purchased. 

To be completely candid I would have purchased the sneakers and the slippers even if BOBS from Skechers didn't make a donation to the Petco Foundation, but the fact that they do is icing on the cake! Especially since Cody was adopted from a Petco adoption drive in 2007!!

I want to thank Jan for blogging about BOBS, Skechers to begin with, otherwise I wouldn't own those darling sneakers and slippers, and if I were you, I would grab a pair or two of these darling items today!

Thankful Thursday:Unboxing Secret Paws Gifts (Boxing Day and National Thank You Note Day)

Hi my furiends!! It's Cody pawing out the blog today! Well the long wait is OVER!!!! Today is the day that I am going to reveal the most pawesome gifts that I received from the incredibly STUNNING (and brilliant and kind), Cathy Keisha and TW (who we call "Mom").

Mom, Dakota and I opened our gifts on Christmas (oh yes we did!) because I thought it was appropriate to blog about it on Thursday, which happens to be Boxing Day and National Thank You Note Day! (Technically a hand-written note should be written, but we think a blog post is equally as good in this case!) It's the purrfect day to express our immense gratitude!

Ok my furiends, sit back and relax while I show you all of the goodies!

As you know, when the box arrived we all were so excited!

CK and TW had some lovely cards that I was excited to read:

But I just couldn't control my excitement and I wanted to see what was in that box!

When I peeked inside I found a beautiful kitty bag

Inside that adorable bag were wonderfully wrapped presents!!

Ok so I opened a few before Mom took the photo! Give me a break, I was excited!

CK has known me for my entire ten years of blogging, (she has been blogging ten years too and if you aren't familiar with her blog it is named after HER! It is Stunning Keisha and you MUST visit!) CK is a kitty with a lot of street smarts and general life smarts. She is insightful and she writes quite well. Her intelligence  just shines through her blog posts and she would never admit it, but she is also a sensitive kitty. Caring too. I knew since CK has known me so long, she would pick out gifts that would make me purr! She most definitely made me purr!

There were some little toys that I could swat around, a few of them were from the fabulous Catlady Box, and one of them had "World's Cutest Kitty" printed on it. Yep, that would be ME!!!

There was also a cool Tipsy Nip Pickle (I had one many years ago but could no longer find it, so I was thrilled to get another one!) but I think my FAVORITE gift of all came from Meowijuana!!! It was their Catnip Spliff with catnip and valerian root and I went NUTS when Mom let me open it!!! You can see in the short video below:

When it comes to Meowijuana I don't mess around, that's for sure!!! Mom said she was so happy because I don't play as much as I used to, and when she opened that toy I played like a kitten! In fact, all of that playing gave me the munchies. Thankfully CK had me covered!!! She had gotten me Party Mix too! (That CK thought of EVERYTHING!! But then again, that's how she rolls!!)

 I had so many fun toys and I am so grateful!!

After all of that playing and eating it dawned on me that I hadn't opened EVERYTHING yet! I went back to scope out the box

Sure enough, I had missed two presents! There was one for Mom and one for Dakota too! Wait til you see what Mom got! OMC!!

That is NOT a rug but it is quite large! You know what that is? It's a GORGEOUS  scarf from Cat Lady Box!!!! Mom nearly died! She LOVES IT!! The photos don't do it justice, it's even prettier in pawson!

The colors are just beautiful, it is like artwork on a scarf!!!! Mom is just so excited and practically cried when she opened it. Mom thought it was sooo thoughtful of CK and TW to give her such a beautiful scarf. She is crazy about it!

Speaking of thoughtful, there was even an adorably wrapped present for Dakota!!!

Dakota kept staring at it because he couldn't believe that he was lucky enough to receive a gift!! Many of you know Dakota is getting up there (Mom says "God-willing he will be 13 on February 28th, I will be 13 April 1st, but for kitties it's not usually as bad as it can be for a 13 year old woofie), and he is having some issues. He doesn't hear as well as he used to, he doesn't play like he used to and doesn't even smile as much as he used to. He is still having some blood pressure issues but Mom is convinced (because they fluctuate so much), that it is white coat syndrome, (we truly think so!). Anyway, things have been tense with his issues, and everyone has been worried, so we are so grateful and happy that CK and TW thought of Dakota too. Boy oh boy, CK and TW said they had never bought a dog a gift before, but wow did they ever pick a good one!

It's the cutest stuffed Beaver from a place we never knew existed. It is from AKC Select (we know AKC obviously, but we never knew there was a line of toys! Leave it to a smart kitty like CK to figure that one out!) It is so cute and it squeaks!

It is just the cutest!!! Mom tried to get some good pictures but Dakota has a tendency of taking off the second he senses Mom wants to take photos of him.  A super cool thing that happened was a few hours after Mom took photos, Dakota went over to the beaver on his own and started running around the room with it. That made Mom and Dad soooo happy! CK and TW Dakota LOVES IT! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

So there you go my furiends! Mom, Dakota and I cannot thank CK and TW enough for their incredibly thoughtful and generous gifts!!! They are just the best! Taking part in Secret Paws is ALWAYS fun, but it is extra fun when your Secret Paws is a kitty and human that you have been furiends with for 10 years and have admired just as long. CK is one of my first blogging furiends and it just made this extra, extra special. They touched my furry heart and Mom is just over the moon! Dakota too!

Love you CK and TW!!!!!!!! Thanks for making us so happy!!!

And...of course we just have to pawticipate in the Brian's Home Thankful Thursday Blog Hop we are beyond thankful so how could we NOT?