Pages

Saturday, February 23, 2013

MEOW-ZERS! Cat Toy Giveaway!

Snakes. Thought I was done with them. Apparently not. My recent Snake Festival posts attracted an interesting comment from fellow grandma blogger and friend, Debra, who writes with charm (often of her cat, Kanga) and photographs with beauty at The Homespun. "You need to make one for the cats now," she quipped. Oh Debra! You shouldn't have! I wasn't able to get that crazy-cute idea out of my head since the second I read it....

Finished my snakey cat toys yesterday. All 18 of them. The resulting embarrassment of riches combined with the guilt of gluttony is an unhappy condition. Time to offer a giveaway and share the wealth!


"I'll take care of that for you!"
Bloggers who know what they're doing host these events all the time. They even download a professional raffle thingie that ensures there's no "cheating" when the winner is selected. I won't bother with that. I have my own in-house assistance for taking care of those matters!

Want to win a set of 6 catnip toy snakes? All you need to do is leave a comment mentioning name(s) of your cat(s). At the last moment of the competition, March 08, 2013 at 12 AM EST I will print out all of the comments and allow Charlie to pick the winning slip by whichever method he chooses. Tap of the paw? Cat saliva drowning incident? Well, that part we don't exactly know yet! But I will announce the lucky cat(s) here on March 09 and request a mailing address for delivery of the prize.





Part of the package is an all green snake - just in time for St. Patrick's Day! The ferocious tiger viper will accompany him.





Now, if I were to enter my own contest, here's what my comment would look like:
Ooooo! I sooo wanna win this! My cats' names are Charlie, Mickey, Iggy, Rosie, Katie and Annie. Pleeeeease Charlie! Pick meeee!




And Kanga? If you're reading this, please email me your address too. I am not a catty kind of person who pounces on a great idea without a purr of appreciation and scampers away to bury it in the cushy warmth of a cat bed, saving it for leisurely disembowelment at a later date. I have this set of three fancy "girly" toys just for you and I'm anxious to see if they meet your royal whiskered approval with a playful swipe or two from a curious paw!



It's ironic that I would be announced as a finalist for a favorite grandparent blogger award during one of the few weeks that I post about cats and not grandchildren. I would like to fix this right now! These snake toys are an easy project for kids to make with a little sewing machine help from grandma. I have added them to the post of instructions for full sized ones. They are suitable as gifts for family members who are owned by cats, as random acts of kindness when delivered to an animal shelter, or as prizes or sale items at a family gift shop, art show, or carnival. Grandma can also guide the planting, care, and harvesting of catnip to stuff inside the toys for a purr-fect finishing touch!



So there! I am back to being a grandma blogger and not just a crazy cat lady! I am deeply grateful to About.com and the professional, well organized, and hard working Susan Adcox for the honor of being included in this prestigious competition. We invite you to visit all five finalists, choose your favorite, and vote. To those who nominated me, to those who will vote in this final round, and to Susan, I am delighted to be recognized among such fine company. Thank you!


Full Disclosure! Charlie wanted to offer his "winner-picker" services to Susan. I told him I suspected she would graciously decline, citing that one of those "professional thingies" has already been installed. He responded by yawning, stretching, and curling up into a giant cotton ball, murmuring, "Tell her to call me first next year!"

52 comments:

  1. Oh boy this is too funny! These are adorable and oh-so-cute but you also have me laughing especially about the timing! Yep Kanga is here with me and she said "Mom, Charlie is a hottie! :) Her email address is SheWhoSheds@comKat.com if he'd like to correspond privately with her.
    You are the most creative person in the world once again and thanks for the shout-out! :) This was a great way to start a weekend morning! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm afraid to give Charlie Kanga's email address. He'd be on Travelocity trying to book an airline ticket and turn up on your front porch!

      Delete
  2. You're making snakes, and I spent yesterday at a Master Gardening class discussing rodents. Funny. I don't have a cat, but if I did I just know they'd love them. I feel privileged to be in your company in the Favorite Grandparenting Blogger contest. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for that lovely comment! I guess there's always something new for grandmas to learn - rodents for you and snakes for me!

      Delete
  3. Thanks for following. I'm following you as well :)

    Have a great day!


    Anne
    http://www.iamannekehn.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! You are a wonderful talent with a beautiful site!

      Delete
  4. So you are going from spoiling the grandchildren to spoiling "our cats'?!! Love it! Twiggy, Twursula and Shebee would LOVE to have a catnip snake. They have even said they will share the other 3 with Amara's cats -- those will have to be shared between Platy, Thumbers, Uri and Peanut Butter Sandwich and you KNOW Bogey is going to want one even though he is a dog! He LOVES toys!

    AND if our cats get one -- you will get photos and videos! Good luck my fellow finalist and have a wonderful weekend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OMGoodness! Love the cats and ADORE their names! What a happy family all around! I wish you the best luck! You are our kind of people!

      Delete
  5. I tried to tell Raisen she probably isn't eligible because she's a grand cat but you know her and her attitude, she doesn't care and made me put a comment. She also said if she doesn't get a catnip snake she will terrorize Roxie next time she comes over!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Okay! One thing I have learned to never do is mess with my grand-cat, "Raisen!" I think I better dig into my storehouse of cat snakes and bring "Miss Flufferina" a nice one the next time I stop by!

      Delete
  6. I'd love to win for my 4 cats. There names are Ryder, Chester, Little and Bubba. Thank you.

    2dogs5catscrew@att.net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wish you the best, Amy! You sound like a purr-son after my own heart! Hugs to your cats and the pups!

      Delete
  7. Oh, these are so cute!! My cat, Ed, would love to play with these. He has loved helping me make my yarn wreath this week. LOL Thanks for the awesome giveaway and for sharing at A Bouquet of Talent.

    Hugs
    Kathy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good luck to Ed! :) I will look for your wreath this week. If I were to make one over here I'd have to lock myself inside a closet! Waaay too much "help" whenever I craft something!

      Delete
  8. I love this soooooo much!!!! My kitten's name is Princess Cupcake Ninja Sprinkles.....yes that is her name! She is adorable, playful and quite the little helper. She also thinks shes a dog, because my dog Petunia has been raising her. Cupcake would love these toys! She also has 6 appendages on her front paws! You can see her on my blog...which I'm a new follower from the blog meet & greet.

    Xo,
    Eeka

    Live.Love.Random.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have stopped over and seen little Princess Cupcake peeking from underneath your table. She is adorable! Best wishes to her in the snake toy contest!

      Delete
  9. Those are so cute! I linked up just after you on Grand Social and stopped over to visit. God bless you!!

    My cat's name is Sushi!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just came back from your lovely site! Best wishes to Sushi in the raffle!

      Delete
  10. This is what you've been doing all this time...snakes!!!lol...they are so beautiful J! I'm in...you know I have Tango and Cash! They would totally love a couple of them! Thanks for the giveaway!
    Hugs, Lizy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I always love seeing what Tango and Cash are up to! I wish them good luck with the contest!

      Delete
  11. Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving such a nice comment!!

    Hugs,
    Debbie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Debbie, your site is so much fun to visit and there's lots to comment on!

      Delete
  12. Ha! You are one smart grandma who knows exactly what to do with a plethora of snakes. I would LOVE to win the prize. My cats are Isabel (a brindle looking thing with a crooked tail) and Abigail (a tabby whom we most often call Abby). Thank you!

    Good luck with the About.com voting! I'm so thrilled that so many of the grandmas I know were named finalists. Congratulations!

    Thank you for hooking up with the GRAND Social, too! ♥

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good luck to Isabel and Abby! Charlie will think he's "all that" when it's time for him to choose a winner among so many "ladies!"
      I agree with you about the finalists - it's fun when friends are in it together.

      Delete
  13. Congrats on being a finalist!
    Loved reading this about your cats! You could do a regular kittyblog and have tons of tales/tails LOL to tell!
    These toys are cute and easy....but I mostly love your humor! Apparently I'm the only one who has but one cat....Burney. He's only 18 months and more annoying than cute at the moment.....but reading this has helped endear him to me all over again!
    Thanks to all! :)
    Joan/Gramcracker

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for entering Burney in the contest, Joan. Okay, so he's 18 months old and "annoying!" I think that's because in "cat years" he'd be a teenager! This too shall pass!

      Delete
  14. Hi J! Thanks for stopping by my blog, nice to met you,too! You are so creative--love the snakes. It's great that you turned it into a 'family' project! I also liked the muffin pizzas--can't wait till my grandson is old enough to eat them! Take care!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Being a grandma is "the best!" It's even more fun when they get old enough to make things with you.

      Delete
  15. What WONDERFUL snakes! Our cat is named Katherine Elizabeth, aka Kati Kat. Your post actually made her wiggle her whiskers! -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures stone.cottage.adv@cox.net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awww, Katherine Elizabeth is a beautiful name for a cat! I wish her the best when my Charlie decides to pick his winner!

      Delete
  16. I have 2 cats one is Ted E Bear, he is a gray tiger cat. My other cat is Tony and he is an orange tiger cat.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Consider Ted E. Bear (cute name!) and Tony entered in the contest! Best wishes, fellow cat lover!

      Delete
  17. Those are adorable, and I know my kids and my kitties would enjoy them. My kids love playing with the kitties (especially the kitten)! We have three kitties named Creature, Triscuit, and Skippyjon Jones (he is on my blog the most since he is the baby)! Thanks for linking to Mom's Library!

    ReplyDelete
  18. They are begging since they spied not only the wonderful snakes, but also the kitty on your sidebar. So please enter Miss Molly and Azalee in the contest.

    ReplyDelete
  19. My first time visiting you and wanted to say how adorable these are! My cat's name is Kitty and he LOVES toys...although my toddler steals them and thinks they're his!

    ReplyDelete
  20. This is just the funniest post!! Debra @ Homespun jut told me about your giveaway - she said she thought of our BABY right away!! (You were so right, Deb!!!) So I'm entering on behalf of our crazy 3-year old Baby, and our almost 20-year old sweet Tiger, who are just SOOOOOO excited about the possibility of winning Snakes on a Plane... errr... I mean Snakes in a Split Level!

    Donna @ An Enchanted Cottage

    ReplyDelete
  21. The family furball's name is Peter and he's asked me to enter on his behalf! Meow!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Aw, they are so, so very cute and the cat is adorable :)

    Hugs

    ReplyDelete
  23. What a delightful giveaway!
    My cats would be thrilled to win these and I'd much prefer them to the "real" gifts they honor us with after their hunting excursions: My indoor/outdoor as they please cats are: Chloe, Shadow, BooBear (special needs) and Angel. My semi strays whom I feed (and are getting friendlier) Tempest, Rocky and Marzipan.
    Cheers!
    Christina
    Pennywiseblogspot

    ReplyDelete
  24. Good morning! This is my first visit but definately not the last!! Handsome, Lucy, Baby Boy Chuck, Jonathan and Daisy would love to be winners and they might share with Miss Bubbles and Miss Beatle!! They are all rescued/adopted Siamese, and I am fostering 2 kitties for our local humane society:) The toys would be much used!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Oh my goodness! Do grand kitties qualify? If they do then I enter Ducatti! Your post has me laughing, you are so creative! Congrats on the nomination, you are an awesome grandma blogger :)

    Btw, I really love that kitty in your side bar. I played with him for a while.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Congrats! That is so exciting for you!
    You "snake-lady!"

    hugs x
    Crytelle

    ReplyDelete
  27. I'd love to win for my daughter's cat, Lady Godiva. Godiva is a calico, hairless cat--definitely strange-looking, but with a lovely, friendly personality.

    By the way, I've nominated you for a Liebster award: http://www.thankfulme.net/2013/02/thursday-thoughts-id-like-to-thank.html

    ReplyDelete
  28. OMGosh...those are just adorable. My son and I kinda adopted and took care of a feral kitty, even got him fixed. He became very people friendly and loved to play and tease the dogs. He disappeared about 2 weeks ago...he's never done that before in the 5 years we have known him. We just purchased a kitty angel for our garden. I'm sure whoever wins these wonderful toys will be so pleased. Found you thru the Meet and Greet Blog Hop. A new follower via GFC. Hope you will stop by my blog as well.

    Anne Marie
    http://moanasuniquedesigns.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  29. I am a new follower! I am a Grandma and love it and I have cats or they have me as the case may be. My Grandson is Tiger....and my cats are Charlie and Mr. Toes....all boys! I know my kitties would love some catnip toys. Mr. Toes is young and our oldster Charlie puts up with him pretty well but toys help. I'm going back to read more of your blog posts and get ideas. I love being a Grandma!!
    hugs, Linda

    ReplyDelete
  30. Saying hi from the bloghop! Love the cat toy idea, I don't know how long it would last in my house because apparently my St. Bernard dog thinks he's a cat too and always steals the toys. Beautiful cat too!

    - Maria @ keepingitstepford.com

    ReplyDelete
  31. Congratulations J! You so deserve this nomination! I hope you win too!! I love these snakes and all of the wonderful activities you do with your grandchildren!

    Thank you for sharing at Party In Polka Dots!!

    Shelley
    piggyinpolkadots.com

    ReplyDelete
  32. I am owned by the awesome, lithe, devastatingly beautiful Seraphena. She thinks the little creatures would look wondeful in her heartshaped basket. Thank you for sharing these. She has informed me I shall be making several to take to PAWS for her less fortunate brothers and sisters to enjoy. Regena in TN.

    ReplyDelete
  33. So Cute!! I hope he drools on my comment!
    My cats names are: Sumo, Iggy and Ruby :)
    I am glad to finally see a giveaway for cats somewhere as they are the best!
    cmarquez482@outlook.com

    ReplyDelete
  34. You are one crafty grandma! These are adorable. Unfortunately, I can't enter...I have a yorkie who would mutalate these in a nanosecond. I think these would make cute baby newborn toys to hold up while they are young and seeing the world for the first time or two.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Dear J,

    This is Legend and Tsunami over at Create With Joy. Do you know that our Mom has been holding out on us and we had to hear of these AWE-SOME PAW-SOME toys from a reader? These look like the best toys EVER! It's obvious they were made with LOVE!

    No wonder you are a Reader's Choice candidate with these wonderful delights!

    We would LOVE to win these snakes. Think how colorful they would look on our blog (you DO know we blog when Mom's away, don't you?)

    We promise (paws crossed) not to leave one on her chair or in her bed if we win. Honest. ME-ow!

    Create With Joy
    http://create-with-joy.com

    (we obviously need to set up our own email acct - but we will check mom's at createwithjoy (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  36. Thank you to EVERYONE who entered this giveaway! The comments were absolutely delightful and I loved reading about how much joy your cats bring to your lives. We do have a winner - Polly - who not only is owned by a nice handful of rescued cats, but also volunteers as a foster home for her local Humane Society. A very worthy winner, I think!
    Now, let's all go hug our cats! (If they'll let us!)

    ReplyDelete