Thursday, August 27, 2015

Did Someone Say Black Cats? #sponsored

This post is sponsored by petMD and ARM & HAMMER™, and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about The petMDCat Care Center, but A Tonk's Tail only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Arm & Hammer and petMD are not responsible for the content of this article.
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Over the past few months, I've shared with you some of the many reasons I like petMD's Cat Care Center. Another reason I like them? They asked me if I would like to write a fun, crafty DIY post, all about black cats. Geez, twist my arm, why don't you...

Given that last Monday was Black Cat Appreciation Day, and the fact that black cats are known to be less adoptable, I was pretty excited to do this. Besides, black cats are über fashionable during the fall season, especially during Halloween time.

So today I'm tossing two ideas your way:
a fun way to decorate, and a yummy way to celebrate Le Chat Noir.

Ready?

Crafty Cat #1: Black Cat Oreos

Here's what you'll need:
  • Oreo cookies (duh)
  • Sprinkles (round, heart-shaped or if you're making for Halloween, pumpkins)
  • Chocolate chips
  • Edible Food Marker

I chose the mint Oreos, mainly because I'd never tried them before!


The chocolate chips are ears, m&ms are eyes, and the sprinkles will be the nose.
I chose the heart shaped ones (too early in the season for pumpkin!).


The food writer marker is a great way to turn the back of an m&m into a cat's eye. You can buy them on Amazon at this link here. (It's an affiliate link, which means I do get a small amount if you choose to buy these).

Step 1:
Scrape out the insides of one of your Oreos.
(No need to waste perfectly good chocolate, so go ahead and eat the wafers. Just sayin'.)
This makes great food glue! HINT: add a spritz of water to make the filling a bit "stickier".

Step 2:

Use the black food marker to draw a slitted pupil on the back side of a blue or green m&m. The front is where the logo is stamped so be sure to turn it over.

Step 3:
Use a dab of icing from that sacrificed Oreo to glue on the eyes, then glue two chocolate chips on for the ears.

A tiny dab of icing will adhere the sprinkle on as a nose.
Hearts are adorable, but if you want to hold off until the pumpkins have arrived in your store, they look very cat-like when turned upside-down. And hey - Halloween!

Step 4:
Well, I would say "eat and enjoy" but I haven't been able to bring myself to eat one - they're just too cute!

Note: While cats aren't always as curious about people food as dogs are, it's worth a quick warning that chocolate and kitties don't mix. To learn more about chocolate toxicity in cats, check out what PetMD has to say about it.


Want to see exactly how it's done? (please excuse the inky fingers - turns out food markers don't come off any easier than Sharpies do!)


Tah dahhhhhh!


Blue eyes for my two boys, and a green eyed girl with a pink heart nose. Purrfection! 


Crafty Cat #2: Black Cat Pillow

Admittedly, this might be stepping it up a notch, but hey - why not give it a try?

For this, you'll need:
  • a plain black throw pillow
  • fabric paints (Here is the set I bought on Amazon - again, it's an affiliate link)
  • a template that you can download here (if it looks like Faraday, yes - he was the model ;-)
  • a soft cotton rag to use as your "paintbrush" (I used a scrap of t-shirt material)
  • a glove if you don't want paint on your fingers (I did not to use one. I discovered I had a bit finer control of the lines without it)


Step 1:
Set a junk towel or rag on top of your work surface to catch any paint drips
Find a scrap piece of material to test your fabric paint so you'll know how fast it comes out of the tube, and how thick the line will be.

Step 2:
Examine your pillow and determine where and how large you want your cat to be.
You can outline your cat with chalk or a sharpie if you'd like. Just be sure you cover the line with the fabric paint once you get started.

Step 3:
Apply your paint sparingly, little dollops at a time, then work the paint in with your cotton rag.


Want to see how I did it?


So what do you think? Ready to give it a go?


Thanks to much to petMD, the petMD Cat Care Center and ARM & HAMMER™ for sponsoring such a fun post!
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We also thank the folks at ARM & HAMMER™ Clump & Seal™  LightWeight Cat Litter for sponsoring the great information found at petMD that is so helpful for our four-legged family members!









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18 comments:

  1. These are fun! My human is posting this on FB for someone she knows!

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  2. I LOOOOVE these black cat oreas. What a fun idea.

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  3. Today we learned there is such a thing as edible food markers! This sounds like a fun craft, but after the head peep's craft results we blogged about yesterday, we may have to share it with friends who are craftier instead of letting her try.

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  4. those are adorable!! love the cookies (and we bet you could use that frosting in a tube stuff to stick on parts....)

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    1. Yeah, that way you wouldn't have to worry about having reeeeeeeally clean hands, or molding the icing. That DID get tiresome!

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  5. How fun!!! I really wish I was a more crafty person...and with fun projects like this I am even more inspired!!!

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  6. You are very crafty- nice job :)

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  7. Wow, those are so cool! Especially the Oreos!

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  8. the oreo kitties would be good for upcoming halloween events at shelters :)

    great job on the pillow, I was horribly impressed.. (and I love how Allie thought you needed better inspiration for your model)

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  9. I'll bet you could make goats out of oreos too. Hmmmmm

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  10. Both ideas were wonderful we love the oreocats!

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  11. Love the oreo idea! Mom may just make some of those!

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  12. We love that post ! Those are great crafty ideas. Purrs

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  13. Whoa! Those is way cool! Hey Mommy! Comes and sees what yous can make!!!!
    Kisses
    Nellie

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  14. Wow, so cute! And we like how some kitty was snoopervising your pillow painting. ;)

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  15. Mmmmm, I might have to make some edible black kitties!

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  16. Those are neat projects, especially the cookies :)
    Purrs Georgia and Julie,
    Treasure and JJ

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Coolio! A comment? For US?