In addition to my duties on Catsparella, I also write a weekly style column for cat lovers over on Catster. In case you missed it, here's a round-up of my latest posts, covering everything from cat ear headbands and iPhone cases, to 5 items made out of cat hair that you can actually buy on Etsy! 1. Be the Cat of Your Dreams: Wear a Cat-Ears Headband Animal-ear headbands have exploded in popularity this season, and I keep you on trend in my top 5 picks for spring. 2. 5 Things Made Out of Cat Hair You Can Actually Buy on Etsy Not ready to take on cat hair crafting duties of your own? These Etsy artists are willing to do the work for you, and offer jewelry, purses, cat toys, and even "Meowmorials" (seen above), created using actual hair harvested from your kitty. 3. Own a Piece of Your Favorite Internet Celebrity Cat Find out where to get your paws on the coolest cat merch featuring your favorite internet celebri-kitties like Henri, le Chat Noir, Lil Bub, Grumpy Cat, Oskar the Blind Cat, and Simon's Cat. 4. Our 5 Favorite iPhone Covers for Cat Lovers I curated a list of some of my favorite feline phone cases around, including this ridiculously adorable Maneki Neko design from ShopJeen. Previously: Catster Style Recap: March
Skip the basic kitty Christmas gifts this year in favor of 10 purrfect presents that any feline fashionista or connoisseur of kitty chic would love! 1. ASOS Christmas Cat Sweater (also available in Green and Petite Sizes) Ugly Christmas sweaters are in style at the moment, but I prefer this cuddlier take on the holiday classic. Looking to purchase one for the cat-man in your life? Urban Outfitters has a Santa Kitten sweater that fits the bill. 2. Marc by Marc Jacobs Rue Kitty iPhone Case and Stud Earrings (sold separately) I'm obsessed with Marc by Marc Jacobs kitty accessories (just check out my current iPhone case), and the latest addition is a cat named Rue, who can also be found on a pendant, or on a pair of soon-to-be-released smoking cat slippers. 3. 20" Big Plush Pusheen Toy Bring home one of the most entertaining cat comics on the web (Pusheen the Cat), in the form of an adorable plush that you'll never want to let go. Pusheen is also available in a smaller version, if you just ain't ready for all that jelly. 4. Cat Eyeglasses Sweater, Cat Eyeglasses Mug, and Cat Eyeglasses Pillow I've wanted this cat sweater by UK-based brand Louche forever, and was excited to see the addition of a mug and needlepointed pillow, that would add a touch of vintage charm to any home decor. 5. "A Cat's Life" by Gemma Correll UK-based artist Gemma Correll is known for her cute, funny, and quirky take of what goes on inside the mind's of animals. Her kitty-themed illustrations are particularly popular, and have been compiled into this 128-page, must have collection, purrfect for any cat lover. 6. Set of 6 Hand-Carved Linocut Itty Bitty Kitty Committee Ornaments Fans of The Itty Bitty Kitty Committee, the gorgeous blog dedicated to Laurie Cinotto's fostering efforts for the Tacoma/Pierce County Humane Society, will recognize the felines featured in this hand-crafted set of ornaments by Anagram Press. There are only 200 sets available, and part of the proceeds will be donated to help stock the Tacoma Humane Society's emergency pet food bank. 7. Meow Meow Tweet Birds of a Feather Set This decadent bath set, which is available in Lavender Lover (yes, plz!), Grapefruit Gang, and Woodsy Wonderland, comes stocked with a bar of soap, soy candle, and liquid soap with a jubilant kitty-printed label. All of the the Brooklyn-based company's products are vegan, 100% natural, 96% organic, and never tested on animals. 8. Cats Are People Too T-Shirt The Em and Sprout Etsy shop is chock full of super cute and creative apparel and accessories, including cat shoes, bags, jewelry and more! I'm always on the prowl for cool cat threads, and this hilarious advo-cat tee is just too funny to pass up. 9. Dogeared Lucky Cat Charm The Maneki Neko, or Beckoning Cat is a Japanese symbol of good luck, and this sparkling charm is ready to wave some good fortune your way! The simple, yet stylish feline bling is made in the USA by Dogeared, and is available in sterling silver, or in 14k gold-dipped sterling silver, as shown. 10. Le Chat Poster Feline-themed art that manages to be cute and chic at the same time? The heart-shaped nose on this mysterious kitty is a nice touch, and the French text makes it a little fancier by default, oui? Still looking for even more feline-themed gifts ideas to help stuff their stocking? A donation to a local animal shelter or national pet welfare organization is a timeless gift that never goes out of style! Sticking to a budget? Check out my Catster guide to 10 Cat-Themed Holiday Gifts for Less Than $25! Also, I'd encourage you to stop by any of my amazing sponsors who help keep Catsparella running, including: Pussies on Parade: Unique cat-themed art, apparel, jewelry, home decor and more. Hey Kitty Kitty: An online boutique dedicated to bringing you the most awesome cat-themed items, as well as fun products for your feline friend. Portraits of Animals: Handmade creations inspired by artist Bernadette Kazmarski's household of felines and the beauty of nature. Hotline Ink: An Austin-based screen printing company that focuses on animal-themed (cat!) totes and apparel. Thirsty Cat Fountains: 100% food safe, handmade ceramic cat drinking fountains. Magic Pots Handmade Cat Bowls: Handmade Polish pottery for kids, pets, cats, special occasions. Shop Miss Ella: Illustration, jewelry, cute dresses, purses, patterns and toys, many cat themed for kitsch cuties and feline fancies! Sweet Pickles' Designs: Gorgeous designer cat collars!
As someone who has spent countless hours trying to photograph my own cats, I have nothing but the utmost respect for professional pet photographers like Michael Kloth, who manage to make the art of capturing the perfect feline pose look easy.
Kloth, whose graduate work centered around photographing local adoptable animals, continues to volunteer his skills to raise awareness for shelter pets, by exposing their unique personalities and stories through his captivating images.
In 2010 he released "Shelter Cats," a book highlighting some of the cats and kittens available for adoption from Benton-Franklin Humane Society, Woodford Humane Society, and Tri-Cities Animal Shelter. Michael sells limited edition prints and gallery wrapped canvases of selected images from the book online, but what really caught my attention were his beautifully shot kitten-themed wallpapers, that will give any smartphone an added dose of "aww!"
My cats pretty much declared breading as dead, but one intrepid app designer/loyal boyfriend figured out a way to bring the magic of in-bread cats to those of us whose kitties are unwilling to participate.
Sal tells me his girlfriend told him about breading, and how she couldn't get the cats to sit still long enough to get a slice to stay on their heads. Being the awesome guy that he is, he decided to make her an iPhone app for Valentine's Day, so she could virtually torture bread her kitties to her heart's content!
Priscilla
Now, the app is available for anyone who doesn't feel like wasting a perfectly good slice of bread for the sake on an internet meme. After reading that I had similar troubles, Sal sent me the BreadIt app to try for myself. It features ten different breading options - including whole wheat, raisin and different shapes - and after selecting your material, you can drag, pinch and rotate the bread until you get the purrfect fit. The best part is you don't even have to stick with cats - you can pick whatever picture you'd like, so you can have the pleasure of breading your friends and family, too!
The BreadIt app is available for purchase now in the iTunes Store for 99 cents - and as for Sal, he's currently under consideration to receive a Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of cats all around the world.
Spare Your Cat's Dignity With The Bread It iPhone App
Some of my favorite things in life begin with the letter C: Cats, cupcakes, and crafts, being chief among them. And anytime I can find something that incorporates at least two of those things together, you know it's going to be a good time (See also: Cat Cupcake Tuesdays).
For the technologically encumbered who also enjoy their crafts with a side of cats, witness the DIY iPhone 4 case that allows you to cross-stitch the customized smartphone receptacle of your dreams!
Each kit comes with a needle, thread, and some design ideas, although the shop's site helpfully offers three examples of cat patterns that would look right at home on your phone, or honestly anywhere else you'd feel like stitching them.
The customizable cases are available at Connect Design for $18 each, and come in black, white, pink, blue, green, and orange.
I hope everyone had a great weekend! Yesterday I spent the day with my friend and fellow cat-blogger, Ann Dziemianowicz, in New York City on our first ever cupcake crawl.
We started out the day indulging in delicious macarons at La Maison du Macaron (I highly recommend the pink champagne flavor), followed by visits to Billy's Bakery and Sweet Revenge, to share some more sweet treats. As we roasted in the sweltering heat, we walked The High Line, did some window shopping, and made a stop at Bookmarc, a shop specializing in books, Marc by Marc Jacobs accessories, and other "specialty" items, such as Marc Jacobs- branded lipstick pens, heart shaped mirror compacts, and t-shirts... for dogs.
One item I picked up along the way was the Miss Marc iPhone cover (fits all iPhone 4 models), featuring a crazy-eyed cat woman clutching her two cute, googley-eyed kitties, as some furry mice look on. If you're in the area, you can stop by the store, located at 400 Bleecker Street, to pick one up for yourself, or it's available for purchase online at shopbop.com (where they also have the cover for 3G models) and Bloomingdale's.
No iPhone? No problem! Jessica just let us know that there's a matching tote available at Zappos.
Do you have a cat related phone/tech case? Please share in the comments!
Well, it finally happened. My ancient pink Motorola Razr took a trip over the rainbow bridge last week, and was quickly upgraded to an Apple iPhone.
Razr, we had a lot of good times together, and I'll always look back on those memories fondly. Remember how excited I was when we first met? You were always there for me during those important phone calls, and even forgave me that time I was walking outside, got startled by a spider, and dropped you on your pretty pink head.
Even when your back fell off last year and I taped you up, you kept on trucking, right up until the very end, when the simple act of sending a text message nearly drained your entire battery.
Admittedly, it was a bit spiteful of you to leave me now since the iPhone 5 is coming out in just a few short months, but it's ok. I forgive you, and hope you don't take how quickly and enthusiastically you were replaced as a sign of disrespect. It's just that me and iPhone 4 hit it off right away, and it just gets along SO well with my other friends, especially my bestie: MacBook!
Plus, I think you can appreciate that a phone that stop being manufactured in 2007 is not very app friendly, and as a blogger of cat culture, I have to stay up to date on these things. I mean, who else is going to report on the latest Talking Tom news, or inform the masses of the Kitty Wigs iPhone application?
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Yes, friends. That was just my long-winded way of saying, "I finally got an iPhone!"
And with the way my brain operates, the first thought I had after the contract was signed was this: CAT APPS! There are, of course zillions on the market, and a cursory search of "cat" in the Apple app store produces an overwhelming, endless list that I cannot even to begin to explore on my own.
So for our purposes, this list is mainly focused on the most popular, interesting, and (sometimes) free cat apps for your phone. Note that it's not in any particular order, and I haven't tried all of these apps myself (yet), so check out the reviews, and use your discretion before buying them. Also, I hope to do more posts on this topic (or add updates) in the future, so please leave any recommendations and/or glaring omissions in the comments!
CatPaint promises that you can easily add a slew of kitties - 8 to choose from in all - to any image. It was brought to the forefront last year by songstress' Katy Perry and Taylor Swift, when the latter tweeted this image of the two palling around, with the caption, "Hanging out with @katyperry is super fun except for the herd of domestic cats that follow her around."
Since then, the app has added laser beams coming out of cat's eyes as an bonus feature, and has been adopted by other celebrity users such as James Franco and Kat Von D.
Kitty Wigs comes from Julie Jackson (love her!), creator and author of "Glamourpuss: The Enchanting World of Kitty Wigs." The cute, photo enhancing app allows you to place multi-colored wigs and funky glasses on yourself, the cat, or dog of your choice.
I'll be the first to admit that when I saw some of these videos of a cat that repeats what you say and responds to your touch on YouTube, they freaked me out (Ok, they still do). But, Talking Tom still deserves a mention for being one of the most popular applications in the app store, and in fact, Talking Tom Cat 2 is currently in the ranks of the top 25 free apps.
It's also worth noting that this week it was announced the maker of the app, Outfit7, signed a deal with Hollywood agent William Morris in hopes of creating books, toys, and more based on the creepy character - He's not going away anytime soon!
Fans of the British comic about a misbehaving moggy, rejoice! This app is one part musical, and one part game: You can compose your own songs and watch as Simon's Cat sings them back, or play the game to have Simon's Cat test your ability to follow his lead in a series of musical challenges.
It's still not entirely clear to me what the game is all about, but this "addictive" app has stellar reviews, and features Nyan Cat's doppelganger, Tac Nayn (aka Tac-9), which seems like it would make it worth the 99 cent price tag alone!
These two free apps by the cat food giant, the first by any cat food company in general, aim to engage the pet owner, instead of the pet. Studies have even shown that they not only help improve sales, but also have a positive impact on perceived taste of Friskies cat food among consumers (really, people?).
Wonderland Quest II is a multi-level game where you must find the hidden game pieces before time runs out, and the recently released Call-A-Cat, reproduces the sound of a popping cat food can, shaking bag of treats, birds chirping, and more, to keep your kitty amused and confused for hours minutes?
MewMew Tower is a Japanese game that challenges you to stack as many cats on top of each other as possible, forming a caterwauling tower high in the sky! I first learned about this fun app while doing a Cat Cupcake Tuesdays post back in March, when I found someone who had created cat cupcakes, inspired by the game!
Cat Translator was created as an "entertaining and useful tool to help you learn Catspeak so that you can better understand and communicate with your cats." The app comes with a library of English phrases that are translated into meows, that play out loud.
Instructions warn against "confusing or stressing out your cat by playing the "angry" phrases while they are nearby." 10% of the proceeds from Cat Translator downloads are donated to Kansas City animal shelters and spay/neuter clinics.
Create you own meow-velous musical numbers using this app that is exactly what its name implies. One intrepid user even recreated Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream," in part, by using the iPad version of the app.
"Digital Photography Never Looked So Analog." While technically not cat related, the popular photography app is worth a mention for spawning its own single serving Tumblr site: hipstamaticat, where users submit pics of their own cats taken under the app's various old-timey lenses. Here, Priscilla got the Hipstamatic treatment with the default John S lens and Ina's 1969 film.
Another similar photography app that's gaining traction in the blogging community is Instagram. The joyously free and easy to use app allows you to take pictures and then pass them through an array of different filters to change the mood and feel of the pic. I took this picture of Charlie and applied one of the filters, and kinda love the dreamy results! The application also enables you to create a profile, post and share your pics Tumblr style (or through Facebook and Twitter), and follow other users updates.
In addition, there's also a companion site, instac.at, where you can view an endless stream of cat photos taken with Instagram, at your leisure.
