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.

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!

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!

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.