No frumpy cat lady sweatshirts here! Check out these incredibly cool cat-themed tank tops, mini and maxi dresses, and over sized canvas tote bags from Etsy seller So You Think You Can Rock. Coming from Thailand, I wouldn’t expect anything but cool, plus they’re totally affordable. Everything is screen printed by hand. Check out the full selection on Etsy.

Polish artist and designer Marta Chojnacka created the Las Chicas de Manolo collection of fashion accessories by transforming her hand drawings into unique pieces. The collection is inspired by Henri Toulouse Lautrec’s drawings of ladies and classic cameos and pays tribute to women. Each piece is made of hand painted solid walnut, that is engraved and finished with a coat of varnish. Handmade and assembled in England.

Bufon the Cat is part of the Manolo collection. The brooch is available from bottica.com for $39.

Tomorrow is game day, but depending on where your interests lie, that may mean one of two things. The new limited edition collection created by fashion designer Jason Wu exclusively for Target hits stores tomorrow. The collection features at least three pieces (t-shirt, tote bag, and scarf) adorned with a beautiful black kitty named Milu. Jason Wu is a cat lover himself, admitting that his two cats, Jinxy and Peaches, are the “loves of his life.”

Milu has been seen plastered on buildings and billboards as the days count down to the launch. And check out this beautiful Target commercial where she helps out with the design process (if you can’t see the video below in your email, click here to watch it on the site):

Where will you be tomorrow? Maybe I’ll see you at Target.

via Catsparella

Every once in a while we have a fun photo round-up over on the Moderncat Facebook page. Yesterday was “Show Me Your Teeth” day, with pix of kitties yawning, talking, or otherwise showing us their pearly whites. Here are some of the photos that readers uploaded, just for fun! (The stunning image above is from Nynke Wierda Photography.)

I think this one is just begging for a caption. What do you think?

Here’s a fun little craft for you to do this weekend! These sweet 3-D illustrations are from the one and only Tubbypaws, creator of happy things, often involving cats. Now you can make your very own Internet Box Cat or Keyboard Cat. Simply download the free files, print, cut out, and assemble. There’s even a little instructional video showing you the process (if you can’t see the video below in your email, click here to watch it on the site):

Now, you may be wondering “Who is Tubbypaws?” Apparently, it’s quite a mystery. I found this Tubbypaws interview with El Interrogador that is very entertaining. The best discovery, however, is this video by Tubbypaws showing his creative process. Check this out, especially if you’re a graphic designer. This cat has complete mastery of the pen tool!

Thanks to Gaby for the find!

French designers Claire & Arnaud created a lovely line of origami-inspired jewelry, including this sweet silver kitty. Available from boticca.com.

via Dog-Milk

On episode 2 of Animal Planet’s My Cat From Hell – starring everyone’s favorite Cat Daddy, Jackson Galaxy – a fiery Bengal mix named City The Kitty clearly had some excess energy to burn. Jackson brought in The Cat Wheel, an indoor exercise system designed specifically for high-energy cats like Bengals. Well, as you can see in the video below, City The Kitty loves his new Cat Wheel! Jackson saves the day again! Make sure to tune in for episode 3 of My Cat From Hell this Saturday at 8 pm ET/PT on Animal Planet. (If you can’t see the video below in your email, click here to watch it on the site.)

I’m in awe of the stunning craftsmanship on these handmade laptop and iPad cases by Canadian Etsy seller Boutique ID. Each bag is made of 100% wool designer felt that’s sculpted into stylized animal faces. The cat design is currently available as an iPad 2 case for $76 US or a MacBook Air case for $89 US. Both come with a removable strap and you can choose from three different shades of gray. Each bag is made to order.

Looking for some cute kitty style for your feet? Check out these kitty cat Mary Jane shoes from Etsy seller Em and Sprout. I’ve seen other similar kitty shoes, but they’re all leather, while the Em and Sprout Mary Janes are 100% vegan! Fabric uppers with rubber soles are hand embellished with a variety of kitty faces. Available in women’s sizes 4 to 11 from the Em and Sprout Etsy shop.

Add just a touch of feline flare to your sweater with this cute kitty shawl pin from Etsy seller Wire Dreams Design. Made of polymer clay with a recycled bamboo knitting needle for the closure. Each one is made to order for just $10.

Get ready for season two of Animal Planet’s My Cat From Hell staring everyone’s favorite cat behaviorist, Cat Daddy Jackson Galaxy! The first of six brand new episodes will air on January 7. This season is full of fabulous felines and the challenges they face with their cat guardians, who sometimes need a little training themselves.

Here’s what Jackson has to say about the upcoming season:

“Season two definitely ups the ante from both the feline perspective and the human perspective. In a couple of the 12 cases highlighted this season, I saw behavior that I have never seen before in all my years working with cats. It was amazingly challenging and equally rewarding. As you watch, I hope you will learn something new about cats in general, as well as the cats you share your life with, because at the end of the day, that’s what MCFH is all about.”

If you’re a regular reader of Moderncat, then you’re already a cat lover and you know the incredible benefits feline family members bring to our lives — challenges and all. There’s no question you should be watching My Cat From Hell, but I’d like to point out that this show has a much broader mission than just entertaining cat lovers. This show can help other people discover just how great the human-feline bond can be. In the show, Jackson helps people overcome the issues they are having with their cats, which might have otherwise led to the cat being given away, or worse, surrendered to a shelter where the cat’s future would likely be grim. Through behavioral changes and environmental modifications, he helps solidify the relationship between guardian and cat. The way I see it, this show can help keep more cats in happy homes — that means fewer homeless cats on the streets and reduced numbers of cats being killed in shelters.

So, I want you to be watching on January 7, but I want you to help spread the word to others outside the inner circle of cat lovers. Do you know someone who has a cat but things aren’t going so well? Get them to watch, too. Like I said, this isn’t just a show for avid cat lovers, it’s for all potential cat lovers, too. And you know, cats make the world a better place.

My friend Luna the Fashion Kitty has a big heart and she’s using her celebrity status to help homeless kitties! Miss Luna is a fashionable Himalayan kitty with a wardrobe that puts mine to shame. I’ve actually met Luna, she and her mom Rocio live here in Arizona, and I have to say, Luna is the best dressed kitty I’ve ever met. If you haven’t heard of Luna before, you can learn more about her on her website lunathefashionkitty.com, follow her on Facebook, and watch all her videos (including a tour of her closet) on her YouTube channel.

This year, Luna made a very special 2012 calendar showcasing some of her seasonable fashions. Proceeds from the sale of the calendar will be donated to the Seattle Persian and Hamalayan Rescue. Luna knows that not all kitties are as fortunate as her, so she wants to do what she can to help. Here is a message from Luna:

I’m so excited about my new calendar! We will be donating to Seattle Persian and Himalayan Rescue because they do a pawsome job rescuing Purrsians and finding homes fur them. Also when they are out of Purrsians they take kitties from the shelters and foster them and find them homes, too.

Purrsians can’t survive fur long outside, because we get matted so bad that we cannot walk, plus our skin can tear and get infected, also our eyes are delicate, they need daily cleaning, we can even loose our sight. This make it impossible fur us to join a cat colony and live happily there.

Purrsons are surprised that there are so many homeless Purrsians, everypawdy thinks that is not possible, but it’s a big purrblem, because purrsons get us and they get “tired” of the care we need, they claim “is too much work” when I know it takes me just 10 minutes a day to look this FAB, and I even wear clothes! So bottom line is they are just lazy purrsons.

Thanks a lot fur purrchasing my calendar, Purrsians in need and I really appreciate it! Also, on my website is a rescue section that lists Purrsians fur adoption in your area.

–Luna

Luna’s 2012 calendar is available from Lulu.com for just $16.00. Luna thanks you for your support!

NYC-based Architects for Animals held their second annual Giving Shelter benefit earlier this month. This event brings together world-class architects and designers to create unique shelters for outdoor cats. Proceeds from the event go to benefit the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals and following the event, all of the shelters are donated to NYC’s community cat caretakers for use by the city’s outdoor cats to help them through the cold winter season.

I’m not sure how practical some of these designs are, but there are certainly some stunning concepts, and the use of materials is definitely inspiring. I love the giant ball of twine and the layered industrial felt cocoon, both from last year’s event.

Participants have included design teams from H3 Hardy Collaboration Architecture, FXFOWLE, Co Adaptive Architecture, Tietz-Baccon, Cannon Design, Davis Brody Bond, Steelcase, The Switzer Group, Mauricio Lopez, The American Street Cat, Gage / Clemenceau Architects, RMJM, Ryall Porter Architects, and Zimmerman Workshop.

Some very lucky cats will be getting a housing upgrade! I look forward to seeing more designs next year.

If your style is more “cool cat” than “crazy cat lady” you are going to love the new online shop Hey Kitty Kitty. It’s a one-stop online marketplace for only the coolest cat-themed items around. They have a nicely curated selection of everything including housewares, apparel, art, stationery, accessories, and of course, fun stuff for kitty. The collection focuses on work from independent artists and currently includes items from Moderncat favorites Cathy Peng, Gemma Correll, Kitty Baby Love, Susie Ghahremani and lots more. You’re going to love everything and you can get 10% off your first order with coupon code moderncat.

ENTER TO WIN A $25 GIFT CERTIFICATE!

One lucky readers is going to win a $25 gift certificate to Hey Kitty Kitty! To enter, please head on over to Hey Kitty Kitty and check out the selection, then come back here and leave a comment on this post telling us what you’d spend your prize on. The winner will be chosen in a random drawing and announced on December 27, 2011. One entry per person. Since Hey Kitty Kitty ships internationally, this giveaway is open to readers everywhere!

These handmade clay tags from woodworker and cat lover Branda Watts will make the perfect addition to any holiday gift. The tags are made from earthenware that is rolled on linen, hand stamped, and kiln fired. Each one features a sweet cat illustration, with four different designs to choose from. Add one to a package or tie one to a wine bottle. They would also make cute Christmas tree decorations.

The tags are available from Brenda’s online store for $10 for a set of 4 tags. Choose from three different sets. Plus, 20% of your purchase goes to the TNR group Cat Action Team in Prince Edward Island.

ENTER TO WIN!

One lucky reader is going to win their choice of two packets of Brenda’s pottery tags! To enter, please leave a comment on this post telling us which designs you like best. The winner will be chosen in a random drawing and announced on December 21, 2011. One entry per person. This giveaway is open to readers everywhere!

I’m having a blast at Unique LA this weekend, and right next to me are the guys from Arm the Animals. I love this company and I was excited to learn more about their mission and to see their products in person. Arm the Animals was created specifically to raise funds for small, struggling animal rescues. They create edgy, hip t-shirts and other items that make a statement and raise awareness about responsible animal stewardship. The company was created out of a true passion for helping animals, and this is clear when talking to the founders.

They have two awesome kitty-themed designs in the collection at the moment. Cat-Astrophy and 9 Lives 2 Lose, both available on t-shirts, sweatshirts, tote bags and stickers. Check out all the designs in their online store.

I had to snag one of the Cat-Astrophy shirts for myself, and my friend Jackson Galaxy stopped by to say hi and pick-up one of the men’s t-shirts for himself. Arm the Animals goods are perfect for holiday gift giving!

Moderncat will be in Los Angeles this weekend for the fabulous Unique LA show! We’ll be there selling goodies from Moderncat Studio and we are loaded with all our most popular gifts for cats and cat lovers. This was an incredible show last year, packed with every kind of cool handmade holiday gift you could hope for. Come see us this Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 6 pm both days at the California Market Center. More information at stateofunique.com.

You may remember my friend Heidi Abrahamson, the designer I collaborated with to make the infamous hairball jewelry. In addition to being a fabulous modern jewelry designer, Heidi, along with her husband Douglas, own one of the coolest mid-century modern furniture stores in Phoenix, Phoenix Metro Retro. Heidi and Douglas are also big cat lovers and they have a new addition to their family, a little Siamese kitty names Tanoshii. Tanoshii and Phoenix Metro Retro are hosting a fun photo contest that I wanted to share with you. They are collecting photos of cats on mid-century modern furniture to post on the PMR Facebook page and the photo with the most likes will win a $50 gift certificate to Phoenix Metro Retro, or the $50 can be used towards Heidi’s gorgeous modern jewelry, which you can see at heidiabrahamson.com or in Heidi’s Etsy shop.

Submit photos of your cats on mid-century modern furniture to tanoshiiPMR@gmail.com. The contest deadline is November 20, 2011. Keep an eye on the PMR Facebook page for updates. Here’s a little video of Tanoshii introducing the contest (if you can’t see the video below in your email, click here to watch it on the site.)

Simple and elegant, this kitty cat ring by Etsy seller iluxo is the perfect way to show your love of our feline friends without going overboard. Available in ivory or black acrylic in sizes 5 – 9. $9.99 in the iluxo Etsy shop.

via Rare Bird Finds, thanks to Cherise

If you’re in the Phoenix area, please stop by Moderncat Studio tonight for a sneak peek at our new holiday toys! They’re not even available in our Etsy shop yet (coming soon!). This is your chance to get an early start on your holiday shopping for all the moderncats in your life.

The studio is located at 1301 W Grand Ave inside Bragg’s Pie Factory in downtown Phoenix. We’ll be open tonight for the First Friday artwalk from 6 to 10 pm. Free parking is available in the lot at Grand and McKinley. Look for the sign at the entrance facing McKinley. We’ll also be hosting cat and kitten adoptions from All About Animals Rescue!

Here’s a recent feature that ran on the local news about the studio (if you can’t see the video below in your email, click here to watch it on the site):

Cute kitty Halloween cards from I Can Has Cheezburger.

Italian illustrator Eleonora D’Erme creates wonderful drawings including these sweet cat portraits available on little pins from her Etsy shop.

Master puppet designer — and cat lover – Stacey Gordon has some adorable feline-related creations for all you puppet collectors out there. These little guys are from her collection of handmade cat finger puppets, each with their own special name and personality.

Colorful felt and tiny little details make these puppets awesome gifts and collector’s items. Each one comes in its own little plastic display box. Available from Stacey’s Etsy shop for $12.

Finger puppets are great for kids (these are for ages 3 and up, because of the small parts). Here’s what Stacey says about puppets and kids:

“Puppets help kids build language and social skills in an imaginative, fun way. They facilitate healthy communication for all age groups, giving kids and adults an emotionally safe way to express themselves. They enhance story time, classroom learning, and are overall just plain fun.”

DISCOUNT CODE!

Get 10% off your order from Stacy’s Etsy shop by entering coupon code MODCATYAY at checkout! Offer expires Oct 31, 2011.

French designer Geraldine de Beco created these elegant ceramic bowls for the porcelain company Bernardaud. The bowls are sculpted to reveal a cat silhouette when three-quarters full with opaque liquid. Such a lovely way to have your breakfast cereal!

I can’t find these for sale online anywhere, but they may be available through one of Bernardaud’s points of sale.

Thanks to Zoie for the reminder.

Real tattoos may not be everyone’s thing, but you can test-drive some body art with temporary tattoos. You may have visited my other new website CattooDesign.com to check out some of the cat tattoos that readers have submitted. Getting a real tattoo is a pretty big commitment, so I thought it would be fun to create a line of temporary tattoos for cat lovers, and here they are!

These tattoos are really fun to wear and super easy to apply and remove. They last three to five days, plus they’re safe and non-toxic. All of our temporary tattoos are made in the USA.

Each pack comes with two sheets of tattoos. Choose from five different designs for $5 each or get a set of all five for $20. Available for purchase directly from CattooDesign.com.

Perfect for Halloween and they’ll make great holiday stocking stuffers!

We’ll be adding new designs to the collection so stay tuned for more!

A big thank you to my beautiful models Justine, Alex, and Tyler and thank you to Jasmine and Vicki for getting them ready!