Pottery Cat from Ukraine – Inspired by Murchyk?

Here is cute cat-themed piece of craft – a pottery cat:

Inspired by our Murchyk the cat? (at the picture below) What do you think?

Speaking seriously, the pottery cat is made in Lviv, Ukraine. My friend Olya from Ukraine got it for a gift.

And our Murchyk the cat, despite his Ukrainian name, live in Canada. But Ukrainian pottery crafters have lots of local Murchyks to be inspired (Murchyk is a very typical cat's name in Ukraine).

Anyway. This year – 2013 – my husband and I were travelling to three countries, Ukraine, Denmark and Greece, and each of them has unique cat-themed pottery and glass arts and crafts. So more posts about cat-related gifts to come!

Amazing Kitty-Cats Handbags from Ukraine – Handmade!

I cannot take my eyes off these adorable handbags from Ukraine! Look at those two kitties on the bag! Aren't they adorable?

Or those two:

 The bags are cross-body ones:

And that’s how the bags look inside:

This beauty is made out of leather. All the work is handmade and a style of the bags is traditional to Carpathian Mountains area of Ukraine. Except the kitty images – this is a creativity of the authors of the bags. Amazing creativity, I must say! I am seriously thinking to get one of those bags in one of my travels to Ukraine, which is my home country.

When I used to live in Ukraine, I have few handbags of this style. I preferred them over other bags because of few reasons:

1)     They are ALWAYS in style – everything traditional is never out of fashion

2)     They are very durable and lasted me for years – made out of 100%  leather and the work (sawing, stitches etc) was very high quality;

3)     They are just very beautiful and classy looking! First thing what is catching woman’s eye when she is shopping for handbags and purses

And here, in this case, both of these kitty-cats handbags caught my eye twice, I would say: firstly, as a cat person; secondly, as a woman.

Oh, and a main thing – who is creating this handmade beauty? The bags are made by the artists Kotylasya Torba Studio, here is their Facebook Page.

Music and Cats – at My Friends

My previous post was about music and cats. This one, that I am writing now, is about music and cats as well – inspired by our family’s dear friends Candace and Ron.

Candace and Ron have four beautiful cats at home, and their house full of cat-related arts and crafts. Here is one I like so much – actually, about Music and Cats :)

You can see a musical notation book under the Music and Cats picture – this book is belong to Candace’s husband Ron. Ron is a very good musician and singer; he plays in a local band. Speaking of cats, Ron said, Jessy is his favorite one, here are they both:

Here is Jessy’s close up – he is so cute! And serious at the same time – I caught his face on a picture when he was listening to Ron’s music:

And here is Miley the cat, which is definitely loves the musical atmosphere of the house – no wonder, Miley likes to sleep on a top of Ron’s guitar case:

Here is Miley again – looks like she (Miley is a female) is going to sing something to us :) Oh she can – she is the one talking cat!

I enjoy being around Candace and Ron’s family and their musical cats!

Is your cat (cats) like to sing? Or talk? Or doing something funny and cute?

Please feel free to share your stories and pictures at Murchyks Facebook Page – with a link to your site or blog or social media source.

Thanks for reading us and have a purrfect day!

Candace’s Cat-Related Arts and Crafts

Candace is a very nice friend of mine; she is a cat lady like me :) Only I have one Murchyk the cat at home and Candace got four beautiful kitty-cats, their names are Jessy, Miley, Panther and Poose.

So as we both, Candace and I, are cat ladies, her and mine houses are full of different cat-related stuff, like crafts, accessories, kitchen stuff etc. And every time, before Christmas or Candace’s birthday, if I see in a store some nice thing with a kitty-cat on it and, of course, I want to get it to Candace, the first question that’s popping up in my mind is, “What if Candace is already has it?” Why I ask myself this question – it is because Candace got oh so many nice, cute and marvelous cat pictures, figurines, mugs, plates, etc. etc. that I really afraid I can bring her a duplicate of the one of these cat goodies.

Well, the picture above that I gave to Candace is really one-of-a-kind and I bought it in Ukraine – at least, Candace never been to Ukraine (yet), so I was absolutely sure, she doesn’t have something like that. Now she does – dancing cats, ceramic picture:

I also was worried if Candace will find a room for this picture at her busy walls – busy with cat pictures, of course :) – but she did! Yay! It was not simple task though, I guess – please take a quick look at Candace walls! Above the door – “Cat Nap on a Dog Day Afternoon”:

At the kitchen – an amazing wall clock with plenty of kittens on it:

Especially I love this part with a quote “Cat Leave Pawprints on Your Heart”:

And I love this one so much, with another famous cat-related quote – “There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: Music and Cats.” Albert Schweitzer

Every piece of space in Candace’s house used very wisely and every cat-related craft is doing some work for a house functioning – like this metal-carved hook:

Or these cute candle holders:

Or the cutest cat-related mug I have even seen – Decatf Catffeinated one:

If you are probably thinking I showed you ALL the Candace’s arts and crafts with kitty-cats on it, you are wrong – this is just a part of her cat-related goodies; I think, not even half of everything what she got during many years as gifts for Christmas, birthdays etc.

Well, I cannot resist showing you few more pieces – a decorative kitty-plate:

Male-female cats figurines:

And that’s about it. For today :)

Have you got some cat-related arts and crafts, my dear readers – cat persons? I am sure you do. Please feel free to share some with us, Murchyks' blog fans – at our Facebook Fan Page.

Thanks for watching, reading and being good cats’ human friends, which, I am sure, you are!

Handbag for a Cat Lady

I am sure, every cat lady, including me, would be glad to own such an exquisite piece! Cross-stitch embroidered kitty-cat! On a handbag! Take a look:

Beautiful, isn’t? The bag is handmade by designer Tanya Klyova from Ukraine. As you can see on a next picture, the handbag is roomy enough, got cute and comfortable straps and can be worn also as a cross-body:

Here is Tanya’s Facebook page – just in case, if you felt in love with this handwork like I did :) and maybe want to get a handbag like this for yourself.

Exotic Cats I Got For Christmas

I knew it and I felt as a cat person that I am going to get some cat-related gifts for Christmas! And I got it!

First one is a beautiful pencil case:

A wonderful lady and a friend of our family Mildred gave it to me. Thank you so much Mildred! This is a really nice piece of art, this colorful leather case with an image of exotic kitty on it – crafted in India and sold in one of my favorite stores, Ten Thousand Villages Canada. The case is very multifunctional – can be used for carrying pens and pencils, also, as a coin purse or as a case for glasses.

Another cute and exotic kitty-cat I got for Christmas from my husband Ron - a wood carved art, handmade and handpainted:

Amazing, isn't? Actually, this is a mail holder, but can be also used as a napkin holder.

Love it so much!

And how was your Christmas, cat lovers? Did you get something with kitty on it, like me? Feel free to tell your stories here, in comments section to this post, or at Murchyks Facebook page. Thank you!

The Best Cat-Related Greeting Card We Got For Christmas 2012

Merry Christmas to your, dear cats and their human friends! Merry Christmas from our Murchyk the cat and from us, happy Murchyk’s owners – Maria (which is me, one of the authors of this blog) and my husband Ron!

Well, it is a big question, who’s own who in our house; I think, it is other way around – our Murchyk the cat owns us :)

Anyway, the warmest greetings to you from us and from our friend, Ukrainian-American artist Daria Iwasko - she sent us this amazing Christmas card! (on the picture below) 

Actually, this is the best cat-related Christmas greeting card we got for Christmas 2012! It is not a simple card – as you can see, it’s got an appliqué on it – the Santa hat and the little mouse :) Beautiful work! And thank you so much dear Daria! Merry Christmas to you, too!

Jamaican Wooden Kitty

Things that make my house a home: a wooden kitty Ron and I brought from Jamaica

Gift Ideas for a Cat Person – Part 2

Yesterday, March 26, I gave you few gifts ideas for a cat person – I shared few pictures and links to cat-related goodies at Ten Thousand Villages Canada. Today I want to go, actually, to a tenthousandvillages.com – a place for USA shoppers.

So, I have found few very, very nice and beautiful and cute handcrafted cat-related things at Ten Thousand Villages. Attention, girls! I would like to show you few cutesy-kittsy purses (if you click on any images, you will be taken to the item page in the store). All made from leather, handpainted. Crafted in India. First item is a Sassy Cat purse: 

Next two are coin purses. Second one is corded:

And these two adorable black kitties below are… bookends! Hand-carved in India from Palewa stone. Those bookends will make a great gift for any cat lover!

P.S. Buying things at Ten Thousand Villages, we support artisans from all over the world, paying them a decent price for their hard work making arts and crafts for living. 

Gift Ideas for a Cat Person – Part 1

I am a cat person and I like cat-related gifts so much! I enjoy giving such goodies as gifts to cat people I love and I am always happy receiving cat-themed gifts myself. Now, when I do cat blogging, I have a great opportunity to share with you some gift ideas for your cat-loving friends and family.

First place where I want to take you is Ten Thousand Villages Canada – so, this review is mostly for Canadian cat lovers. Ten Thousand Villages Canada is one of my favorite stores – they have amazing crafty things from all over the world. The items are very unique – you can get them only at Ten Thousand Villages Canada. I want to show you my finds over there - cat-related goodies! Yay!

First of all, boxes! This cat puzzle wooden box below made in India. Such a cute box – in a shape of a sleeping kitty! Good for storing jewelry or other personal belonging. It is tricky to open this box, by the way – that’s why it calls a puzzle box. My friend Candace got this box for Christmas – she loved it! Here is the box (just click on the picture, if you want to go to the item’s page in the store):

I also felt in love with these two cat-shaped boxes at Ten Thousand Villages Canada, which are on the pictures below. They made in India in papier mache technique. Here we go – black and yellow boxes-kitties:

And finally, if you happened to know someone who is sawing and who is a cat lover as well, here is a perfect gift idea for him/her – a cat-shaped measuring tape! Made in Vietnam and… so cute! Take a look at the picture below:

That’s all gift ideas for today. Hope you liked it! More cat-related goodies to come.

P.S. Buying things at Ten Thousand Villages Canada, we support artisans from all over the world, paying them a decent price for their hard work making arts and crafts for living. 

We Had a Very Purry Christmas

So, how was your Christmas? Hope you had a good one.
Our Christmas was really warm and cozy and very purry :) As a family with a cat, we got few nice cat-related Christmas gifts. This cute Kitty-Santa ornament is from our friend Lisa:

Our friend Candace, who is a cat person too, just like us, gave us this lovely picture of three cats

and a Cat’s Meow Christmas CD with special carols for our Murchyk cat – "We Wish You A Merry Kitty", "Oh Come! All Ye Persians!", "Kitty Bells" etc.

Murchyk was listening to it and his ears were moving – he was definitely curious who is meowing to the carols tunes.

My husband and I also got a cat-related gift for Candace – a German Riesling in a cat shaped bottle. Here is our Murchyk, helping me out to decorate a Christmas present for Candace:

I had a Riesling myself in a cat-shaped bottle, it was two years ago. When wine is gone, I decided to keep the bottle - it is because 1) I am a cat lover; 2) bottle is too cute to be thrown away; 3) it can be used as a one flower vase – and it is being use as a one flower vase. Or for Christmas decorations, like this year:

So, when I saw the same cat-shaped bottle in store, only in a different color – just before this Christmas – I had no doubts what to get for Candace. I am glad she liked our gift. She also got a cute cat-shaped wooden jewelry box from her sister-in-law.

Candace and her family have two dogs and three cats! Pets are very smart and friendly and fun. They all adore Candace – she is very good with them.

Back to our gifts talk, I wanted to tell you, that Candace’s family and friends have no big troubles what to get her for a Christmas or birthday present – they know that something cute and cat-related will work just fine! Therefore Candace has an amazing cats ring on her finger, and wonderful earrings (I’ve never seen anything like this before: a cat in one ear and a mouse in another one); and plenty of kitties pictures at her home; and cats magnets on a fridge; and a cat candleholder, and… Anyway, Candace said, it is okay with her, if I will tell you more detail story about all the cat-related goodies she got, here, at Murchyks.com

And, of course, I will introduce you Candace’s cats – they are so cute and funny!

I also have a question to you, cat lovers: what did you or your kitty (kitties) got for this Christmas? Please feel free to post your pictures and stories at Murchyks Facebook page – with a link to your cat blog or website, if you have one.