An Easy Holiday DIY for You + Your Cat

 

If you share your home with a cat (or three) they’re in the Christmas tree half of the time it seems. I took a cue from them and created this two-for-one DIY project inspired by their antics and Fancy Feast Feastivitieshandmade gift guide for cat lovers.

Fancy Feast Feastivities is a celebration of the ultimate ways to delight cats and cat lovers during the holidays. This year’s theme is all about inspired holiday entertaining, so you’ll find the gift guide contains plenty of gifts for the cat-loving hostess in your life. The creativity of the makers involved pushed me to come up with something I knew my cats would love playing with, rather than buying something they’d probably bat around for five minutes and never look at again (like real kids!).

 

 

Your cat can play to their heart’s content with their mega glitter pom pom toy, while just the addition of ribbon turns it into a sparkly decoration that can bring a festive touch to a doorknob or tree branch in your home. I plan on making a few more of the smaller ones to add to the outside of gift boxes as well because they’re just so happy looking!

 

 

Supplies
• glue gun and glue sticks
2-inch styrofoam ball (for the cat toy)
• 3-inch styrofoam ball (for the decoration)
• various sizes of glitter pom poms
• ribbon
• catnip

 

 

After heating up your glue gun, start by distributing the largest of the pom poms evenly over the ball’s surface and gluing down. Work progressively through the other sizes (I used three different ones), using the smallest pom poms to fill in any leftover spaces. If you’re working on the larger decoration, make sure to leave a small space to attach a ribbon for hanging with the hot glue as well. Allow to cool for five minutes before placing in a closed ziploc bag with catnip for a few hours. Your own ornament should be ready to hang after those five minutes as well.

 

 

My cat, Peanut, especially loved this toy. He batted it around the room for at least ten minutes, picking it up in his mouth and giving a good shake before putting it back on the floor and running around the room like crazy again. I may need to make two more for the other cats! And if you have any of the larger pom poms leftover I guarantee your felines will go crazy for those on their own as well.

This post sponsored by Fancy Feast Feastivities. All words and opinions are my own, as always. Thank you for supporting the brands that help Design Crush create fresh content!

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My 3 Cats + Helping Purina Help Cats in Need

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Roxy, age 16

If you’ve been reading Design Crush for any length of time, you probably know that along with having a love for art and design I’m a huge advocate for animals. My five pets are my family and they all have a six week old kitten to thank for it.

At the start of my sophomore year of college I was struggling to find my place and fighting off depression. Attending a school with a huge Greek system that I didn’t want to be part of meant lots of evenings spent in my first apartment with nothing to do besides study or watch TV. (It was just as exciting as it sounds.) About six weeks in my Mom’s neighbors brought two tiny kittens back from their family’s farm in Arkansas, two because one was the runt and they wanted to have a backup plan should the he not make it. He – Ghost – thrived, and they asked my Mom if I might be interested in adopting the other orange and white kitten. I didn’t have pets growing up (aside from fish, a turtle, hermit crabs, and an albino frog) and hadn’t spent much time around cats, but I jumped at the chance to have a companion.

That kitten is about to turn 17 years old next month, and has lived in four different states and countless apartments and houses by my side. Her sass and stereotypical cat-ittude never fail to make me smile and laugh.

 

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Peanut, age 16

A little over a year later we added a second kitten to our family because I never wanted Roxy to be lonely when I wasn’t home. Peanut came along by way of Roxy’s vet, he’d been abandoned in a parking lot inside a covered litter box that had been taped shut. A few weeks of rehab at the vet’s office later and I brought him home, both of us crying the entire car ride. After a cursory walk around his new house, Peanut jumped into an armchair and promptly fell asleep. We both knew he was home. He’s by far my most mischievous furball as well as the only boy in our clan, but he’s also my teddybear.

 

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Rainey, age 3

Some people talk about unexpected pregnancies bringing an extra kid into their lives, I got an unexpected cat instead. After the 2013 tornado in Moore, Oklahoma I fostered two litters – eight kittens in all. One litter of five was all but immediately adopted by friends and family, while the other initially tested FIV positive (as is possible from umbilical blood) and were taking longer to find their homes. A few months later they retested negative and the two boys in the group of three went to their forever homes. Rainey was the last (wo)man standing and acted like she’d just won Survivor or The Hunger Games, and in a way she had. I adopted her after making sure she got along well enough with everyone else and am so happy I did. Rainey is easily the most affectionate of my three cats, climbing onto my lap to cuddle every evening like clockwork.

 

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Because my cats are like family I want to feed them just as well. This year Purina Cat Chow is focused on delivering great nutrition to cats in the care of animal welfare organizations with its Nutrition to Build Better Lives program, ensuring they’re healthy and ready for their forever homes. During the month of July for every bag of Purina Cat Chow you purchase a meal will be donated to a cat in need (up to 5 million meals!) through Rescue Bank. Rescue Bank is a non-profit organization that operates on a national food bank model to collect and distribute high-quality pet food and supplies to pre-qualified animal welfare organizations throughout the U.S. These organizations are then able to use the savings from their food budgets for critical veterinary care to increase the adoption of healthy pets. Please support shelter cats by buying a bag of Purina Cat Chow now through July 31. Roxy, Peanut, Rainey, and I all thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Visit some of my fellow bloggers to see how they appreciate their cats: Someday I’ll LearnSweep TightDream Green DIYHoosier HomemadeBe Brave Keep GoingMelissa DellThrill of the ChasesThe Funny Mom BlogMaking it all WorkMy Crafty LifeAdventures of 8Saavy Saving CoupleHome Making HacksEat Move MakeIdle Hands AwakeShrimp Salad CircusDesign CrushSweet NicksChaotically CreativeSmockity FrocksPolka Dotted Blue Jay and Ellis and Page

This post sponsored by Purina Cat Chow. Since 2013, Purina Cat Chow has supported animal shelters across the country and has donated more than $845,000 in food, supplies, and renovations to advance the rescue, nutrition, and adoption of cats in shelters. While I received compensation, all words and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help keep Design Crush creating fresh content! 

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Filly Dog Co.

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Right now my two pups are my babies, and I really like spoiling them. Alyson Adams, owner of Filly Dog Co., designs and creates products that are definitely representative of Piper and Bebe’s unique personalities as well as my style. Methinks a pair of new colorful collars might be in order for their summer wardrobes!

 

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A Floral Laden Spring Brunch

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While the temperatures as of late can be described as nothing other than frigid, I’m starting to have spring on the brain in a big way. And nothing says the hope of spring quite like a bounty of florals and lighter cuisine to help pull us out of winter’s grasp. So last weekend I invited some friends over to take advantage of a cold, bright late Sunday morning.

 

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I pulled together the table the day before to make Sunday morning as easy as possible, and the entire house felt instantly brighter! A pink and green striped runner, a dozen votive candles, and two big vases full of flowers were front and center. Then each place setting received a few blooms for a special touch, all tied up with a length of green and white baker’s twine. If you don’t own an affordable set of simple white dishes I couldn’t recommend doing so more – I use them for every single get together.

 

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Because my dining room buffet is overflowing with plants, most of my get togethers that include eating are buffet style on the kitchen island. Waiting around the corner were five simple dishes – sweet potato and spinach breakfast casserole, crispy sweet potato roast with herbed coconut creme fraiche, roasted garlic and tomato lentil salad, strawberry cream cheese breakfast pastries, and brown butter banana pudding. I pulled together most of these dishes the night before so all I had to do was finish up Sunday morning.

 

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I’m thrilled with how simple yet put together everything felt, and my guests seemed to echo the sentiment as we first indulged and then sat talking over coffee through mid-afternoon.

 

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Messy floral arrangements are some of my favorites, especially with a mix of varietals like I used here. I purchased two of these matching vases a few years back and love them because they’re the perfect height, no views across the table are blocked. I’ll even use them for shorter blooms to create a more artsy piece.

 

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Whether you know me in person or on the web, you probably know how much I love my five pets. (Like, a lot.) I’m definitely guilty of spoiling and including them in festivities whenever possible. My youngest cat, Rainey, loves being around the table when it comes time to eat – you’d think she was one of the dogs the ways she sits patiently waiting. But the one way I don’t indulge my cats is by giving them table food. It was easy to keep those laser-like stares at bay by treating her to a can of Fancy Feast Medleys.

 

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We were both excited when Fancy Feast introduced four varieties of pate to their Medleys line. Each can is full of inspired combinations of ingredients that Rainey couldn’t wait to devour. And because they have accents of vegetables, garden greens, or even cheese I can feel like I’m treating her to something special. Check out more information and get a free sample for your favorite feline companion at discovermedleys.com.

 

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This post sponsored by Fancy Feast. I received compensation, though all words and opinions are my own as always. Thank you for supporting the brands that help keep Design Crush creating fresh content!

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Boots & Arrow

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There is so much to love about Boots & Arrow, a brand new line of high quality leather accessories for the socially conscious design lover. They hand make dog collars, with more pieces to come, using the leather of reclaimed cowboy boots. Lots of additional design detail has been added to each piece with hardware, laser cutting and etching, branding, painting, and stitching.

Boots & Arrow was started by the ever-talented Kristin Moses. An animal lover at heart, she got the idea to design a line of one-of-a-kind handmade leather goods that help abused animals after adopting a pup who’d had a rough start. Her dog Arrow was severely injured, had a disfigured face, and required a good deal of reconstructive surgery before she rescued her. Five dollars from every collar purchase will go to assist in providing a injured rescue dog in need of a surgery or treatment, Boots & Arrow‘s first partnership is with the Austin, TX rescue Arrow came from.

 

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Photos by Nick Simonite

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Happy Weekend

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This week on Design Crush:
Fill my kitchen with the ceramics of Elnaz Nourizadeh and call me when you’re done.
In love with the structural bags in Candamill‘s fall 2015 collection.
Lucy Williams‘ architectural collages are so intricate it hurts.
Ondu pinhole cameras are wooden, handcrafted, and on my wish list.
This month’s PGH Maker Profile is a good one on tin artist Worker Bird.
Sleek and modern jewelry from Metalepsis is beyond perfect.
I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy of Carson Ellis’ Home.
Lindsay Stead’s Collection Quilts are sure to be heirlooms.

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Happy Weekend

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This week on Design Crush:
Ten fresh prints to change up your art game this month.
Crazy about the design for the Pot Cradle.
We revealed the brand new Design Crush logo and site design!
Simple, beautiful watercolors by Satsuma Shibuya.
Tomás Saraceno’s Becoming Aerosolar installation is like candy.
Fall in love with Sunny Eckerle’s Brooklyn Bodega Cats.
Then get your own cat a new bed from Siamese Social Club!
Colorful, experimental paintings and sculptures from Louise Zhang.

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Siamese Social Club

 

We’re big cat fans here at Design Crush, so today we’re going to keep the feline momentum going! All three of my cats appreciate a good bed, and I appreciate these minimal handmade ones from Siamese Social Club. (That name! That logo!) Shop owner Kristen coils the rope beds and brands the leather tags on her own, she also releases new interchangeable covers each season with linen being the current option for summer. Stay tuned because Siamese Social Club will be releasing more cat toys and ceramic bowls soon!

 

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Happy Weekend

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01/ Elemental Turntable is the best looking simple turntable for vinyl newbies.
02/ Artist 1010 created a giant optical illusion on a highway – Le Périphiérique.
03/ Check out Kit Animalium – a 3D chocolate animal kit!
04/ Mimi O Chun’s Stuffed Hipster Emblems are detailed and awesome.
05/ I’m convinced these paper clips would up my organization game.
06/ Crushing on Christoph Niemann’s Brush Girl.
07/ Take a peek at 12 of the best in coffee brewing technology.
08/ Explosive dance portraits by Alexander Yakovlev capture powerful movement.
09/ Akilah Hughes documented her week in a visual diary of used makeup wipes.
10/ A government building in New Mexico has a cat library where workers can check out adoptable cats!

This week on Design Crush:
Let your playful side out with these Scribble Rugs.
Download this desktop wallpaper that was inspired by summer + HP Sprout!
Incredible architectural reliefs from Chisel & Mouse.
Definitely snatching up my sign in the Good Twin’s Zodiac Pin + Post.
Cosmic Nuggets’ Maskz series is colorful and dark – in other words perfect.
Admit it, you have a summer wish list all thought out too.
Laura Agusti’s Ashdown Cats are amazing.
Fourteen Father’s Day cards… because it’s this coming Sunday.
Bryan Ray‘s incredible work is teeming with color and loads of momentum.

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Happy Weekend

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01/ This dog’s nutritional pyramid is hilarious.
02/ An entire collection of tools made out of chocolate.
03/ Fascinating satellite photos of seaweed farms in South Korea.
04/ Check out these whimsical book covers created by Aniko Koleshnikova.
05/ The BAM breathalyzer necklace can help you not drink too much.
06/ I’ve had campers on the brain lately, and the Hütte Hut is adorable.
07/ Canismo captures adoptable dogs as they shake non-toxic paint onto canvases.
08/ My friend Emily McDowell has created the BEST collection of empathy cards.
09/ The WINKpen lets you write with wine, beer, tea and more.
10/ America’s oldest shopping mall was converted into microapartments.

This week on Design Crush:
Ten fresh art prints to up the art ante of your walls.
I’m pinking up the office for a much needed facelift.
Beautiful sugar and watercolor stained glass by Sipho Mabona.
The Kame is giving me some major suitcase envy right about now.
Loving these overhead POV paintings from Ida Badal.
I’m obsessed with my Life & Type custom letterpress poster!
Sylvia Baz’s Typeworks alphabet prints are graphic and amazing.
The perfect summer grilling aprons by Hedley and Bennett.
I’d love a few pieces of this cement pottery from Studio Twocan.

Design Crush elsewhere:
I paired up some bare rooms with their perfect floor rug matches.

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