Kickstarter Success!

And now a word from my studio assistants:

Our "Oh Rats" Kickstarter campaign has successfully ended which means that Snazzy Rat catnip toys will soon be making their way into the homes of fabulous felines around the world!

It also means that the staff here at Susan Faye World Headquarters is deeply grateful to each and every one of the 100 Beautiful Backers of the project!  Not only have you successfully launched a brand new line of handcrafted cat toys, you made it possible to expand the line from the original four designs to a total of NINE!

And not only are you ensuring that an independent artisan can continue to do what she loves to do, you are also supporting other small, independent, earth-friendly businesses like Spoonflower.com, who prints the fabric, and my organic catnip supplier.

I look forward to sending out the reward packages over the next two months.  Thanks again for making this an exciting and rewarding Kickstarter campaign.

You guys are the SNAZZIEST!  

Inka's Snazzy Giveaway

As you probably know by now, Buttonwillow and Inka came to me several weeks ago and demanded a new and improved cat toy.  They demanded that it be big and SNAZZY.

The only problem is, Inka still isn't sure what "snazzy" means.

That's where you come in.  Tell her what you think snazzy means in 10 words or less in the comments section below, and you'll be entered to win one of four Snazzy Rat Junior prototype catnip toys.

 

What is a Snazzy Rat Junior?  It's a slightly smaller version (at 5-1/2" long) of the current Snazzy Rat catnip toy. These were my very first prototypes, but once I got the fabric back from the printer and sewed them up, they just didn't seem quite big enough and I went back to the drawing board. But the four "juniors" are perfectly good catnip toys and here's your chance for Kitty Dearest to own one.

EXTRA ENTRIES: For extra entries to increase your odds of winning, please share my Kickstarter link on your Facebook page or Twitter, then come back and leave a comment saying that you did so for each share. Each comment will count as one entry.  Here is the link to share: http://kck.st/Z05ibL

The giveaway will end Sunday night, April 21, at 5 p.m. PDT, at which time I will select 4 names at random from the entries.  Entries will also be accepted on my Facebook page.

Please make sure that I have a way to contact you if you are the winner, such as a link to your blog or e-mail address included in the comment.
 
You may send the info directly to my email if you don't want to make your contact info public.

Also, if you encounter trouble with the Comments feature, please contact me by e-mail. If you visit www.susanfaye.net , you will find an email link.

Thanks for participating! 
 

How To Get Your Tail In a Twist (In A Good Way)

As the pledges continue to climb in my Kickstarter "Oh Rats!" campaign, we have already started working on production of the first large batch of Snazzy Rat catnip toys, plus other aspects of fulfilling rewards for my Beloved Backers.  Here are some project pre-production notes: 

TAIL TWISTING
As requested by Inka, each rat must have a squiggly, wiggly tail in snazzy colors.
 

To accomplish that, I start by wrapping the yarn around a board that is just the right width, then I cut the yarn at both ends.

  For each tail I use two strands of yarn in different colors.

 Then I tie two strands together and twist the whole length multiple times.

 When I bring the two loose ends together, the pieces "re-wind" around each other into a pretty twist, and I secure it with a knot.

  

Okay, one down, about 200 more to go. :-)

  
There, now that's better.  With help from the very patient man who lives here, we'll have our tails in a twist in no time!

 If you'd like to learn how to  make your own twisted cord for a project, just Google "twisted cord tutorial" and lots of great how-to's will pop up. 

LAMINATION ELATION
I'm not a big fan of plastics, so I don't know what it is about sending a piece of paper through a lamination machine, and having it come out the other end perfectly preserved and impervious to the elements, but I confess-- I LOVE it! In an unselfish act of motherly love, I decided to let my son and studio assistant Christopher share in the joy.  He spent last weekend making up the first batch of generic I.D cards for the project.

 
A COUPLE OF CUT-UPS
As many of my long-time readers know, Buttonwillow has an intense fascination with scissors and continues to try to master the art of using them.  

 

When I ordered the fabric to make my Snazzy Rat prototypes, I made sure I had enough to make about 10 of each to give me a little head start on the project.

So Buttonwillow and I put our scissors to work and cranked out these puppies in no time at all.

 

SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED

Time to put my sewing machine to work.  I love listening to TED talks and to Jango radio on my computer when I sew.  Just look at this happy pile o' grinning rats!

 

Turning these babies inside-out and stuffing them are two more fun tasks that I am sharing with Chris, and he's doing a great job!

Funny story about the catnip. I've been making different catnip toys for several years now and I store these bags of 'nip in our garage where it is dark and cool.  We moved into our new house about 18 months ago and soon had our first garage sale-- in the garage-- and met many of our new neighbors.  About halfway through the sale, I noticed that my four large polybags of dried green herbs were prominently lined up on a back shelf in full view.  I wonder just what might have been going through the minds of those neighbors, but no one had said a word.  Just to be safe, during the rest of the sale I hid the bags inside the house, lest there be any confusion about just what kind of herbs were in those bags....

Next pre-production task: Packaging. I'll show you what I've come up with in the next post.

Thanks again for all of your support and enthusiasm as this project progresses!  There is still time to procure your own Snazzy Rats by making a pledge at this link.  The campaign ends Tuesday, April 23.

Another Stretch Goal Reached!... Please Vote For Your Favorite New Design

 (April 17 update: you voted and "Mellow Yellow" is the winner).

Once again Buttonwillow demonstrates her "doesn't-that-feel-great" stretching technique as we celebrate another landmark in our Snazzy Rat Kickstarter campaign!
 

Thanks once again to our growing number of Beloved Backers, we have arrived our FOURTH Kickstarter "stretch goal", having passed the $1800 mark late last night!  And you know what that means...
 

ONE MORE NEW SNAZZY RAT DESIGN!   

The additional $300 in pledges above our previous goal means that I will be able to print up one more brand new design to add to the current 7 rat designs, but I need your help to decide which one. Here are the prototypes:

artwork and design copyright 2013 Susan Faye

Please vote for your favorite in the comments section of this blog post.  Voting will end Wednesday night, April 17 at 5 p.m PDT.  I will also be accepting votes on my Facebook page and Kickstarter page, but please, only one vote per person.

Now how about another stretch?! Our next Kickstarter goal is the $2100 mark.  If we reach it before the campaign ends on April 23, I'll be able to add a ninth design for backers to choose from.  We are in the home stretch now with less than a week left of the campaign. Help me reach this new goal by sharing my Kickstarter project with all of your favorite crazy cat ladies and cat guys on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. Here is the link:  http://kck.st/Z05ibL

Thank You SO MUCH!!  Buttonwillow, Inka and I appreciate all of your help and support!

Catnip 101

Catnip (Nepeta cataria), also known as catmint and catswort, is a member of the mint family and contains volatile oils, sterols, acids and tannins. It is native to Asia and Europe, and was brought to North America by settlers and used as a tea. Folk wisdom says that it can aid sleep, stress reduction, and relaxation when used by humans.  In the garden, flowering catnip attracts butterflies, the plant is drought tolerant and deer resistant.  It also seems to be a repellant for certain insects.

All that aside, what we really want to know is what is the deal with catnip and CATS?

  

For that we turn to Scientific American and Dr. Ramona Turner :  "When cats smell catnip they exhibit several behaviors common to females in heat: They may rub their heads and body on the herb or jump, roll around, vocalize and salivate. This response lasts for about 10 minutes, after which the cat becomes temporarily immune to catnip's effects for roughly 30 minutes."

[Ms Turner omitted the part about them turning into crazed maniacs, bouncing off of walls.  Apparently she hasn't met Inka.]
 

"Response to catnip is hereditary; about 70 to 80 percent of cats exhibit this behavior... In addition, catnip does not affect kittens until they are about six months old and begin to reach sexual maturity. Catnip is considered to be nonaddictive and completely harmless to cats. "

Well that's good to know!  I'm glad that my catnip toys are not contributing to the delinquency of cats across the country.  Thanks for visiting!

You say your cat is impervious, indifferent, or forbidden to use catnip? 

 It happens.

Luckily, there is a reward in my current Kickstarter campaign that is just for you : It includes a tote bag and a generic I.D. card, but no catnip rats (see the $22 reward).  Click here for details.

The "Oh Rats" tote bag is an exclusive design available only until April 23 through my Kickstarter Campaign

What's Cookin' At World Headquarters...Work in Progress

I think that by now most of you have met my studio assistant Mz. Buttonwillow and junior assistant Inka: 

Recently they came to me to lodge a formal complaint.  They said they were hopelessly bored with the vast collection of playthings in the employee break room.  They said it was time for the staff, perhaps even the entire world, to have a new and improved cat toy.

"What kind of new cat toy?" I asked.

"Bigger," said Buttonwillow.  "Fatter," said Inka.

"Shaped like a rodent," said Buttonwillow. 

 "A big, fat rodent." said Inka.

"What else?" I asked.

"Lots of catnip in each one, you know, the GOOD 'nip."

"And a squiggly, wiggly tail."

"And colors. SNAZZY colors!" 

So I took their suggestions to the drawing board:

 

The staff agreed that it met the big, fat, and rodent requirements.

Then I did some serious doodling

"How am I doing?" I asked the staff.
  
"We'll let you know when we see the colors," said Buttonwillow."Remember to make them SNAZZY."

"YEAH!" said Inka. "Pssst- what does snazzy mean?"

to be continued...

A Catnip Bar With a Good Cause...

Buttonwillow hopes her fellow felines will feast their eyes AND their noses on this beautiful new handcrafted catnip bar made by Cat Lady Dorothy of TheDots on Etsy.com.

Dorothy chose a Susan Faye fabric from Spoonflower.com to create this colorful catnip confection that measures 5 1/4 inches long x 2 1/4 inches wide. It is stuffed with a potent amount of catnip leaves, which have been cut and sifted to remove small particles (stems and dust.)

Click on the image for purchase information

With each purchase, Dorothy donates a portion of the proceeds to her favorite pet causes, including:

The Milo Foundation (animal rescue)
The Acme Foundation (helping seriously ill cats and dogs belonging to the elderly and disabled)

Be sure to check out Dorothy's Etsy shop where you will find photos of her formerly-feral-rescued cats: Corm, Stig, Sox and Travis. Dorothy says, "Each cat has given their 'Drool of Approval' (but not on the toy I send you, of course!)"

Vote For Your Favorite Pet Item at Handmade Top 10

I need your input! Please rate my handcrafted catnip toy at the Handmade Top 10 website...You'll find lots of other great pet items to rate; just advance through them until you find my catnip toy...Click here to vote:
Top 10 Pet Items

As always, your input and feedback are greatly appreciated!!

One Happy Customer Hits the 'Nip

Thank you to Cat Lady Lisa for sharing this product testimonial from ginger kitty Soma, an 8-year-old rescued alley cat from New Jersey.

Catnip is a matter of personal taste and not the indulgence of choice for every cat, however. Lisa explains: " Soma has a brother who is almost identical to him, but you don't see Ravi in the video because he doesn't seem to notice catnip."

Soma and Ravi share their home in Indiana with Stella, a five-year-old rescue bunny. Stella is a Harlequin Rabbit-- a tricolor bunny with a particular set of markings. "Since all three of them are mostly orange and white, I like to say we have a color scheme!"

Check out Lisa's fun blog:
Happiest Vegan Alive
Each day Lisa shares a really great reason to consider a vegan lifestyle. Not ready to take the plunge yet? How about taking baby steps? Consider eating less meat or giving it up for one day a week. Although I still eat an occasional egg or dairy product, I weaned myself off of meat four years ago and I'm healthier and happier for it! I'm also convinced it's healthier for the planet, too.

Thanks for visiting!


Chock-full of intoxicating fun...You'll find catnip toys just like Soma's new best friend in my online Etsy shop:
Deluxe Catnip Toys

The Catnip Chronicles: Photo Verification of Customer Satisfaction

My studio assistant Buttonwillow takes her job as quality control supervisor very seriously. Each new batch of catnip that arrives is thoroughly tested for aroma, potency, and crazy-making properties.

That's why she (and I) are always delighted to hear from satisfied customers and particularly pleased when photo verification is received.


Cat Lady Sue recently wrote: "I ordered some of these to give to friends with cats -- and, oh my goodness -- I gave one to our cats three days ago and the kitties take turns with the toy -- I have never seen them like ANYTHING this much! "

"Hello, Kitty is the one who most 'appreciates' your handiwork. She lies on her back and holds the little catnip pillow over her face, using both paws -- she looks the way I do when I have a headache and am using a heating pad."






Hello Kitty shares her life with a small zoo of other cats and dogs. Sue says, "A friend who saw the pictures says that Hello, Kitty is doing a zen-like mantra of 'I am an only kitty' when she holds the catnip pillow to her face!" Wishful thinking!

"Hello, Kitty came to us after being rescued from a car engine . She had ridden at least 12 miles in the engine before the people discovered it -- she evidently joined them when they were at the grocery store and parked near a dumpster. The girl who got her out said that they had no clue what her 'real' color would be as she was totally covered with oil. She is very affectionate but is not the 'brightest bulb on the porch' -- engine fumes,probably!"

Here is one of Hello, Kitty's housemates, Tig --"The Three-Legged Wonder Cat". According to Sue she appreciates the catnip toys also, but is taking some time out from all of the fun to help with the laundry.



Thanks for visiting!

Studio News and a Giveaway

Brand new in my Etsy Shop:

Four new catnip toys have joined the line-up!

Delight your little darling with these deliciously colorful hand-crafted catnip toys that looks like a ravioli and spaghetti all rolled into one. Chock-full of high-quality catnip, they are made of durable 100% cotton canvas twill and feature yarn "spaghetti noodles" at each corner for extra enticement. The toy measures 4.5 x 5 inches (not counting "spaghetti").To see complete selection of catnip toys click here: Deluxe Catnip Ravioli

Thoroughly tested and whole-heartedly endorsed by my Studio Assistant Buttonwillow

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Select Items Now Available in Wholesale Bulk Lots
These items have been specially Priced for Resale, Fund raising, or Group Gifts-- You choose the assortment!
For details, click on an image below...

Dangle Earrings

Square Glass Pendants

Rectangle Glass Pendants

Catnip Toys

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OCTOBER GIVEAWAY
Do you Have a Favorite Cat-Themed Boutique or Pet Lover Gift Shop?

If so, I'd love to know about it! As my business expands, I'm looking for several high-quality brick and mortar retail outlets. Do you know of a cute shop that might be interested in carrying any of the items pictured above? If so, let me know in the comments section of this post or on my facebook page, or send me an email. Please let me know the name and location of the shop; also if possible, I'd also like to know the name of the owner or buyer, plus their website, if they have one.

As a thank you, your name will be entered into a drawing for this month's giveaway: a $25 gift certificate to my online Etsy shop. Giveaway ends on Friday, October 29 at 8 p.m. PST when one name will be drawn at random.

Thanks for participating!