Monday, December 31, 2018

December reflections

Meezer in a box, on a chilly winter's day.



Kinda warms your heart, doesn't it?

Welcome, 2019!


***

Friday, December 28, 2018

Warm Winter Sunlight



It looks good on you, girlie.


Allie: It would look better on me if I were outside, Mother.
In seventy degree weather.

Sorry, darling. I'll get right on that. Might take a few months, though....


***

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Post Holiday Blues





Faraday: What do you mean, 'the holiday's over'?

This is wrong, Mommy.
On soooo many levels.


***

Tuesday, December 25, 2018

Wishing you ...



From all of us, to all of you....

Thank you for sharing your time with us!

Your comments warm us and make us smile — and we hope that we've brought some warmth and light and laughter into your life as well.



Happy Holidays!

***

Friday, December 21, 2018

More snoopervising!

Momma's spending more tippy-tappy time on the computer, trying to make deadline on book #4, due from her on Jan 8 and publishing on Jan 31.

So I'm helping her. Aren't I the most useful and supportive mancat, like, EVER?


A few weeks earlier, she went to a book signing. I offered up my pawprint, to go alongside the cover artist's pawprint. Don't you think those editions would be sooper valuable, with FOUR signatures?
Author, editor, artist and...and... KITTY MUSE.


Google photos decided my musing was important enough to turn the photos she took of me into a looped video.
Not quite sure why the mama was so impressed by this, something about morphing stills into a pretty credible animation...or something...

But here I am, whacking my tail at her to get her to hurry up with the words, so she can feed me....



What do you think?
Am I a good assistant?

***

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

How to *really* play coy....

Allie: So the Brat thinks he knows how to play coy, does he?



Well, little rattan ball, let's just show those stinky ol' boys how a Professional does it.
First, you show a little back paw....


Then you pause and give the camera a flirtatious look....


And then you stare wistfully as the toy flies from your delicate pink paws.



Coy Level: Expert.

We're not going to challenge that one, girlie. Nope, not at all.

***

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

'Toon Tuesdays






We actually have a house in KC that did this last year!!

***
_____
Toon Tuesdays feature animal (and sometimes human) humor created by the peeps over at Shoebox Greetings (Hallmark approved. Sorta.) - where our mom works, too!










Anyone wanna binge-watch?





Monday, December 17, 2018

Playing Coy

The Mom: Hey kiddo, want to play with one of the toys your Aunt Connie made for you?


Faraday: Seriouslies, Mommy. I'm offended that you felt like you actually had to ask....


*cur flirtatious and coy expression*

Hey, check it out!  Google Assistant's now taking some of our photos and merging them into a pretty decent animated video. The mom is impressed by the morphing technology they're using. She says it's pretty sweet!




And in case you don't know our Aunt Connie, and want to check out some pretty adorable foster kittehs, swing by her blog, Tales from the Foster Kittens and say hello!

***

Friday, December 14, 2018

More Holiday Fun!


We know we've shared this one with you, but it was so much fun to make! 
Here's a peek behind the scenes at the making of the big Snowball Fight:

The metal arm is holding a thread of monofilament that is attached to the little penguin's flipper.
If you look closely, you'll see he's holding a tiny snowball.
The monofilament thread is what we use to simulate his snowball toss.

And here's the finished piece, featuring Jaz and Snowby from the Hallmark Channel animated special, Polariffic.

Enjoy!


And this one is one of our all-time favorites. 
The mom handed a box of gift wrap to the Art Director over the Sound Studio at Hallmark and he took it and sampled all the various sounds gift wrap, trims, ribbons and bows could make...
and then he composed a stomp-like version  of Deck the Halls.

It was soooo much fun for everyone who participated in making this musical treat happen!
If you look really quickly, you can see the mom in the very first few seconds as she pulls the roll of gift wrap out. 
And then her hands can be seen throughout, too — although we'll leave you to guess which set of hands they are! 
(we apologize for the ad that now plays in front of it, but hang in there, it'll only take a second or two until you can click and skip it)

Even though it's a few years old at this point, our mom still doesn't get tired of watching it.
We hope you do too!



But wait! It wouldn't be a cat blog without a photo of a cat...
(and you thought we were dropping the ball today)

Speaking of balls...

Faraday: Seriouslies, Mommy? That's your segue?



Maxwell: Well, don't just sit there, boy. Play with it.


Faraday: *tap*sniff*
It says it doesn't want to right now.


Maxwell: *scoffing noise* And you're just going to let that ride?
Faraday: Yup, I was napping anyways, Maxie.


Maxwell: Boy, you need a mancat to show you how it's done. Here, watch this:


Maxwell: *COWABUNGA!*

Faraday: Uh, Maxie. That was the white ball. The taupe one's still over here ....
That's okay dood. We're still giving this one to you.
Current tally:
Ball = 2, Maxwell = 1


***

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday





Disgruntled kitty is disgruntled.


***

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

'Toon Tuesdays






#firstworldkittyproblems

***
_____
Toon Tuesdays feature animal (and sometimes human) humor created by the peeps over at Shoebox Greetings (Hallmark approved. Sorta.) - where our mom works, too!










Anyone wanna binge-watch?





Monday, December 10, 2018

A little holiday cheer!


Allie insisted that the holidays weren't complete without spreading a little tuxedo girlcat cheer, so we're sharing a video our mom did for Hallmark a few years back.

It features a certain little gray girl you might recognize... along with a warm holiday tune.

The music for this was written and sung by a friend of our mom's who writes those funny Shoebox cards:  Bill Gray's a pretty talented guy!




Our Chanukah ended early this year (it was from Dec 2 through 8) but it's always a welcome, festive time in our home.


How are your holiday plans coming along?
Ready for the holiday tomorrow?

***

Friday, December 7, 2018

Snow + Cat = Nap.



 Faraday: Hey Maxie!  It's snowing !


 Maxwell: Whu-- whaaa---?

  
Maxwell: Why so it is, boy. So it is.


*Flop*
(pause)
Maxwell
...
...
Whut?
Faraday: That's it? You're just gonna go back and nap an' stuffs?
Maxwell: Got a better idea?
Faraday
...
...
Move over, Maxie. It's cold over here by the window.
What's your favorite thing to do in the wintertime?
***

Wednesday, December 5, 2018

A Very Special Message

Sometimes a post is too good not to share all over again.
This one is one of those.

The story told here is of a journey several in the animal blogging and pet lover community took together.

A journey to deliver a critically important message to the world:

Our hopes and dreams for a better future for homeless animals.

It began in the fall of 2015, when I stumbled upon the results of a study on the type of content people enjoyed and trusted the most when online.

 Turns out we all love funny videos. But ranked #2 are cause videos: those videos that tug at your heart, that rally like-minded people. That reach out to those who believe in—well, a cause.

I'd been working on a ton of video projects for work back in 2015 when this project first came together.
And they were looking for more ideas. More ways to get the word out, to build awareness about Hallmark and our products.

I'd already been jokingly labeled as "the one who will put a cat in any video she can."
Uhm, gee, I wonder why... Hey, I managed to place cats in at least 6 of them. See?


So I asked The Question.

"We're partnering with Best Friends Animal Society to help find loving homes for shelter pets. One that is connected to our plush dog named Jingle, a homeless dog who found his boy.

"What if we reached out to people and asked them to share with us what their hopes and dreams are for the future of companion animals?

"What if that became a video?"

I love it when my vocation and my avocation - my passion for helping homeless animals - align.

Two and a half months, and dozens of Facebook chats and emails later, I had a script. It came straight from the letters, video and audio files sent in from pet bloggers, animal lovers, foster moms and shelter volunteers - from as far away as New Zealand.

A few screenshots from my POV as we edit the video

It took some time to piece it all together. Hunting for just the right music alone was a monumental task. And everyone involved, including me, wondered when it would ever, ever see the light of day.

Do you recognize any of these stars? From left: Glogirly's Waffles, Island Cats' Ernie and Amy Shojai with her Karma.

And then, finally, it premiered.

This video was truly a labor of love.  These are messages from the heart, and I was honored to be able to represent the ones speaking.



Many thanks to:

Connie from Tails from the Foster Kittens
Linda from Savannah's Paw Tracks
Debbie from Glogirly
Jeanne from Random Felines
Julie from Cats Herd You
Marjorie from Dash Kitten
Sam from Vegas Rock Dog
Susan from Life with Dogs and Cats
Stephanie from Snotface Ferret
Dawn from Pet Product Review
Kevin from Animal Shelter Volunteer Life
Sue from The Island Cats
Melissa from Barking from the Bayou
Jenny from Pixel Blue Eyes
Paula from Sweet Purrfections
Jenny from As the World Purrs
Ann of My Pawsitively Pets
Pet behavior consultant Amy Shojai of shojai.com

Special thanks to the non bloggers who also participated, such as Amy's husband Lee, Wayside Waifs' extraordinary cat whisperer, Jen... and Fred & Bison's mom Vanessa.

I hope I did you proud.


***



Tuesday, December 4, 2018

'Toon Tuesdays





(pardon our puns)

***
_____
Toon Tuesdays feature animal (and sometimes human) humor created by the peeps over at Shoebox Greetings (Hallmark approved. Sorta.) - where our mom works, too!










Anyone wanna binge-watch?





Monday, December 3, 2018

DIY Kitty Gingerbread House!

Since last night marked the first night of Chanukah, we were feeling a wee bit festive around the house.
It's honestly been a bit festive this entire week, starting with the Big Blizzard that arrived during the Thanksgiving holiday!

(cue requisite shot of snow from crappy camera phone...and back of kitty's head.
Can you tell how horrified Maxie is about all that white?)



Since it's the holidays, and so many of our friends are talking about the cool holiday cat houses they've found in certain large retailers (whose names begin with T and have a big red circle in their logo)....
In case they were all sold out by the time you made it to the store...
and in case you're feeling a wee bit crafty...
ANNNND on the off chance that YOU TOO ARE STUCK INSIDE IN BLIZZARD CONDITIONS (ZOMG!) ...
we thought we'd resurrect a fun DIY project we did a few years back.

(drum roll PLEEZ!)

We present: Your very own DIY Gingerbread House.

Faraday glares at Maxie from inside the Gingerbread House as he noms on the landscaping.
Maxwell: "Don't mind if I do." Faraday: Are you vandalizing the bushes in front of my house, Maxie?
Where's the Homeowner's Association Police when you need them?


All you need is a nice, big cardboard box, a box knife, and some sturdy tape.
For decor, we have some candies, snow trim and gingerbread men you can download and print (links at the end of this post).
Just adhere them to your house with a bit of white glue and you're ready to enjoy!

Check it out and let us know what you think:





Downloadable Links
for Gingerbread House 



Happy Holidays!!
***

Friday, November 30, 2018

Post-Turkey Retaliation

SOME kitties like turkey, too, Mommy.
And SOME kitties like pumpkin pie.


And if SOME kitties don't get their fair share of the goods....

SOME kitties won't be responsible for where leftovers might appear inside the house.

EXHIBIT "A". 
Found at top of stairs.
Half-eaten.


EXHIBIT "B".
(and no, Mommy will not let us show the evidence, so don't ask.)





***

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Waffles is #sorrynotsorry

Maxwell: DOOOOOOOD.
That laptop looks familiar.

Faraday: Hey Maxie, that's Waffles! What's he doing on Mommy's computer??!?!?

Waffles:



Maxwell: Don't look now, dood, but things are about to get worse. 

SO. Much. Worse.



Faraday: *GASP*
MOMMY, HOW COULD YOU?

Hey, wait. You mean I could sit on Mommy's shoulder like that while she writes? 
Be right back....

***

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

'Toon Tuesdays






GASP!

***
_____
Toon Tuesdays feature animal (and sometimes human) humor created by the peeps over at Shoebox Greetings (Hallmark approved. Sorta.) - where our mom works, too!










Anyone wanna binge-watch?





Monday, November 26, 2018

Selfie #FAIL



*cue the soothing clickety-clack of typing noises*
Suddenly nearby, a camera shutter clicks....


Maxwell: Wha--? Hey wait, Papa. 
Hand that over for a sec. 
Just wanna take a selfie of me and the brat boy....


Faraday: *sigh-h-h* Seriouslies, Maxie. 
Between you and the hoomins, I'm never gonna get my afternoon beauty nap!

***

Friday, November 23, 2018

Post-Thanksgiving Blues

Maxwell: *sigh-h-h* No turkey leftovers. Just cat food.
The same old thing, day in and day out....


Wait....


What do you mean "but it's turkey, too"?
It looks nothing like what was on your plate yesterday.

#firstworldkittyproblems

***





Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Wishing You A....





***