Spotted Cat Designs

Thinking about scrapbooking, I started to wander the internet. Dangerous….very dangerous, especially for my purse

The Canadian CAT-a-Log.com

Pet Page Memories

The Fabulous Scrapstore

Pages in Time

“Diecuts with a View” Cat Theme Scrapbook Kit

Lots of others out there, just use Google and search under “scrapbooking cats”.

The nice thing about these supplies is that you can use the papers to create gift tags, gift cards, and to paper small craft projects. The stickers and appliqués can be used to decorate notebooks, chore charts, craft projects, clothing (the appliqués you can sew or glue), picture frames, chalk boards, bulletin boards, electric switch plates, even you computer monitor or file cabinet. The possibilities for fun are endless!

I always want to learn more. So I sign up for various free cat email newsletters. Obviously each company has its own products to hype. Nevertheless, many of the articles can be informative and even fun. And the coupons and pre-sale notices are nice, too!

So here are the ones I get for now:

Only Natural Pet Store offers lots of interesting articles in their newsletter. For those who want a holistic, healthy, natural foods online store. Sign up for the newsletter in box on upper right.

Purina’s Petcentric (subscribe on bottom of page)

Iams once you register, you can sign up for their newsletter, get new product coupons

Cat Channel monthly, subscribe box on lower left

September is when I start my holiday gift shopping. I make handmade gifts year round (when I’m not sleeping, eating, blogging or at work… )

I bead, sew, embroider, needlepoint, macramé, decorate cakes, bake, cook and write. I use my bread machine to make a sweet bread dough that I then shape into a cat face. Bake and decorate with a chocolate kiss smile and frosting eyes and licorice whiskers. Yummy! Next time I make one I’ll put a picture up. Did I mention I have a creative streak?

Here are some more interesting books for multi-media crafty cat lovers:

Sassy Cats: Purr-fect Craft Projects interesting ideas

Cat Crafts (Kids Can Do It) Elementary school age cat theme crafts

Pet Crafts: 28 Great Toys, Gifts and Accessories for Your Favorite Dog or Cat some are child friendly. Toys or useful gifts for for your furry friend, or gifts of a feline theme.

A Year of Cats…in Hats: Crafts to Make You Smile a little cutesy, but interesting and fun

Cat Purr-sonalities in Cross Stitch I prefer needlepoint and embroidery, but the patterns in here are nice

For woodworkers and carpenters you can buy inexpensive plans for making cat trees from Cat Furniture Plans.

Or try these two patterns:

Scardy Cats Paper Woodworking Full Sized Plans Great for Halloween!

Cat’s Meow Scrollsaw Plaque Woodworking Plan a multi-depth pattern of jigsaw like cat silhouettes

For Quilters:

Two by the same author, I really like her realistic cats

Cats in Quilts: 14 Purrfect Projects

Kitty Capers: 15 Quilt Projects with Purrsonality

Also take a look at The Cat’s Meow: Purr-fect Quilts for Cat Lovers, 10th Anniversary Special Edition for lots of great ideas!

Cats On Quilts is quite different from some of the static feline representations in quilting. These cats are shown being cats!

China and cats go back a long way. Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese cultural world view involving the flow of beneficial and harmful energies through the world, and how it affects all living creatures (that’s us humans, too!).

In the past 20 years, there has been a popularization of Feng Shui methods and philosophy in the West. Lots of books, articles, talk show segments, and of course, a proliferation of information on the web. You can find books telling you how to re-organize your home (room by room), and your business, garden, and landscaping in order to increase the flow of beneficial life force energies (Chi). This is believed to increase your family’s health, prosperity, and other aspects of personal and family life.

This article by Sharon Callahan, while a bit difficult to read due to the background, has some interesting information regarding cats and beneficial energy.

Carole J. Hyder’s article tells why she believes that cats are experienced practitioners of Feng Shui. Another article clearly explains some of her clients’ experiences and life improvements.

If you are interested in reading more about the basics, try this Feng Shui article. There are many, many articles on the Internet, some easier to follow than others.

A few humorous online articles:

Give Us A Home

Cats in Charge

Feng Shui for Cats

And books:

Feng Shui for Cats

Fang Shui: Feng Shui for Felines (Charming Petites)

Feng Shui for Cats: By Cats, For Cats

More on the serious side of practical Feng Shui:

The Western Guide to Feng Shui: Room by Room

Feng Shui for You and Your Cat

The Direct Path: Creating a Personal Journey to the Divine Using the World’s Spiritual Traditions (mixes many western and non-western traditions)

Not specifically cat-oriented, but easy to follow. One of my favorite writers on this subject:

Lillian Too’s Easy-to-Use Feng Shui: 168 Ways to Success

Lillian Too’s 168 Feng Shui Ways to a Calm and Happy Life

There are other books, too, but many regard cats in a negative light — more fools they!!!!