Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Dirty Trick

Meows from Mudpie!

One night a couple weeks ago I walked into the living room to find Mommy sitting on the floor with two huge Chewy boxes! Fully expecting to find them packed full of goodies for me, I ran right over to see what was inside.

You'll never believe what I found...

Christmas tree ornaments!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was horrified but Mommy said the look on my little face was priceless, so she grabbed the iPad and captured the moment.


I also need to tell you some exciting news. I finally gently broke it to Mommy that her iPad and Kindle Fire just aren't cutting it anymore when it comes to pictures of me. I am a professional blogger after all, and I need a camera that captures all my tortie deliciousness. I gave her permission to use some of my hard-earned money to buy a "real" camera, and since she's a pretty savvy shopper she managed to score us a pawsome deal!

This is going to be a pretty big learning curve for her because photography is practically a second language, but with a model like me she's sure to be inspired to master our new flashy box as quickly as possible!

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Be An Angel for Anjellicle #GivingTuesday

One of the many things I'm thankful for this holiday season is that because of modern technology I'm able to be a volunteer for Anjellicle Cats Rescue in New York City even though I live many, many miles away.

They're an organization I've admired for so many years as they rescue the sick, the injured and the abandoned cats of the city. In any given year they save from 600 to over 1,000 cats and kittens, most at risk for immediate euthanasia at the city shelter.

Their ability to continue this lifesaving work is directly dependent upon their financial ability to cover these cats' routine and extraordinary medical expenses, as well as necessities like kitten formula and food.

This morning they premiered a video recapping their accomplishments of the past year. I've already watched it three times through bucket loads of tears, in awe of the before and after pictures of those precious little faces in such despair, transformed once they became cherished members of a forever family.



On this Giving Tuesday, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to Anjellicle's Holiday 2016 fundraising drive. 

Unboxing November's Life of the Pawty CatLadyBox

The theme of November's CatLadyBox was "Life of the Pawty"...this is what was inside!

November CatLadyBox postcard

Featured Cat Lady Artist "Hungry Cats" by Venus sapiens: How many of you saw sweet little faces like this peeking over your dinner table last week?

cat wine glasses

Mod Cats Wine Glass Set (CatLadyBox exclusive): I think this is one of my favorite items ever in a CatLadyBox. I don't have any stemless wine glasses so how fitting that my first would have cats on them? These are so fun and festive, just purrfect for holiday entertaining.

Cats Everywhere t-shirt

Cats Everywhere Shirt (CatLadyBox exclusive): Between my real-life "in the fur" kitty and cat-related kitsch taking over my home, this shirt practically tells my life story!

cat head cookie cutter

Cat Head Cookie Cutter (Made for CatLadyBox): One of my favorite activities during the holidays (anytime, actually) is baking, and my cookies are going to be cuter than ever now!

Thanksgiving cat toys

Polly Purrkey and Catnip Pumpkin Pie toys (CatLadyBox exclusive): Mudpie showed off these toys last week, and she adores both of them. Personally, I think the slice of pumpkin pie is the cutest cat toy I've ever seen!

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Not a subscriber yet? Visit CatLadyBox today!

Interested in purchasing individual items from past boxes? You can do that too!

Disclosure: I receive a discount on my CatLadyBox subscription as a thank you for my monthly review. Regardless of compensation received, we only share information we feel is relevant to our readers.

Monday, November 28, 2016

Tortie Shorties on Mystery Monday


Welcome to this week's edition of Tortie Shorties on Mystery Monday!

We hope you enjoy our choices.



From the publisher: As Thanksgiving approaches, Darla Pettistone is preparing for the busiest shopping season of the year. They’ve recently launched their online store, where one anonymous bidder is offering a suspiciously high price for an antique book—and Darla doesn’t need Hamlet’s special senses to know that something isn’t quite right. 
 
However, there’s no time to think about that after Darla’s roped into helping bridezilla Connie Capello get ready for her big day. After looking at wedding dresses, Darla and Connie head to an antique store to find her “something old”—but they find someone dead instead. When Darla learns that the shop carried a copy of the book that her mysterious bidder is after, she suspects she’ll need Hamlet’s help to discover who penned the poor soul’s final chapter, before someone else is read their last rites…

Tortie Shorties Review: Sadly, there have been many cozy mystery series cancelled in 2016, and learning this is the last book in the Black Cat Bookshop series is one of the hardest for me. Over the past several years Darla and Hamlet have become dear to me, and turning that final page was very difficult.

The holiday season is looming ahead as Darla agrees to help her good friend Reese's fiancee Connie prepare for their wedding. A trip to Bygone Days for the "something old" requirement in the popular saying finds Darla's good friend and neighbor Mr. Plinski dead, clutching a vintage needlepoint pillow. The old man didn't have an enemy to his name (except for his sister's beau, recently back in her life after decades apart), but soon Darla begins to wonder if the murder is tied to a book the siblings recently acquired in an estate sale, another copy of which is in her own online store with bids going through the roof. Once again sweet little Hamlet is on the case, providing his own clues by pulling relevant book titles from the store shelves. The identity of the killer and their motive isn't terribly hard to figure out, but I clung to every word on every page, entranced as always by the goings on at Pettistone's Fine Books. A great cozy doesn't just draw you into the mystery, but also into the lives of its characters, and that's exactly what happens in these books.

As the series comes to a close some of our beloved characters get closure while other parts of their lives remain open-ended. I guess author Ali Brandon said it best on the dedication page,
"But the wonderful thing about books is that, once written, their characters live on in the imagination forever. And so, Hamlet and Darla and James and Robert will always be hard at work at Pettistone's Fine Books, with Jake and Mary Ann and Reese popping in for their regular visits. And super-feline sleuth Hamlet will never give up his book-snagging ways. When it comes to murder in Brooklyn, he and Darla will always be on the case."
If you're anything like me and your life revolves around cats and books, treat yourself (or a loved one) to all five books in the series. I guarantee you'll find them as purrfect as I do.



From the publisher: Maintaining good personal relationships with their suppliers is one of the secrets of the Cackleberry Club café’s success, so Suzanne doesn’t mind going out to Mike Mullen’s dairy farm to pick up some wheels of cheese. She’s looking forward to a nice visit with the mild-mannered farmer before heading back to their hectic kitchen.

But when she arrives, Mike’s nowhere to be found. The moaning of his cows leads her to look in the barn, where she discovers a bloodcurdling sight—the farmer’s dead body. Apparently not everyone was as fond of Mike Mullen as the Cackleberry Club.

Churning with grief and outrage, Suzanne, Petra, and Toni vow to find the farmer’s murderer—but as they get closer to the truth, the desperate killer gets whipped into a frenzy and plans to put the squeeze on them...

Tortie Shorties Review: Laura Childs' Cackleberry Club mysteries is one of my favorite concepts for a cozy series. A trio of ladies who run a café that specializes in eggs and becomes a local gathering spot for the citizens of Kindred...imagine the juicy gossip that could be overheard in a small town where everyone knows everybody else's business?

It's just before Halloween in this seventh book in the series and Suzanne has gone to Mike Mullen's dairy farm to pick up her order of cheese when she instantly discovers something is wrong. The cows are moaning from not being milked and she sees why when she finds Mike's bloody body in the back. It makes no sense who would want the kind farmer dead but when confronted by a widow all to eager to sell the farm, a troubled teenager next door, and a new cheese vendor at Suzanne's door before the body is even cold, our sleuth has her work cut out for her this time. I was kept guessing just like Suzanne until the very end and found the conclusion to be swift and completely unexpected!

One of my favorite things about any Laura Childs mystery is how atmospheric they are; I always feel like I'm a part of the action. I love how this book takes place during Halloween and includes all the fun activities the holiday entails.

I can't imagine anything more enjoyable than chatting with the ladies of the Cackleberry Club over coffee and a delicious pastry, and I eagerly look forward to their next adventure. In the meantime I'm planning to try out some of the yummy recipes at the end of the book!

Disclaimer: I received free copies of these books from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Searching #SundaySelfie

Meows from Mudpie!

Today for my Sunday Selfie I'm looking out the window in search of Mommy's common sense.


You see, earlier this week her wonderful boss sent her a Walmart gift card for Thanksgiving.

Did she use it to buy a turkey? Nope.

The fixings, the pumpkin pie, turkey flavored cat food? No, no and no.

She bought three Christmas shirts with cats on them...


What do you think? Does Mommy need to get her priorities straight?

And in case you were wondering, yes, we still had a turkey feast at our house.

Actually, the humans did. I don't like turkey.


We're joining our friends at The Cat on My Head for the Sunday Selfies blog hop!

Saturday, November 26, 2016

Lacy #CaturdayArt


Visit more artsy kitties at Athena's Caturday Art blog hop!


And now our weekly answers for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by 15andmeowing and McGuffy's Reader!

1. Yesterday, I did some shopping online, but did not leave the house.

2. I never regift anything. I've never needed to. I only exchange gifts with close family members and they know what I like.

3. My favourite holiday leftover is turkey to make sandwiches.

4. The best part of a long, holiday weekend is sleeping in and quality Mudpie time.


Friday, November 25, 2016

Black Cat Friday Deals from Triple T Studios and The Mountain

Meows from Mudpie, and Happy Black Friday morning!!!

You're not going shopping today, are you? We're sure not! As a matter of fact as you're reading this Mommy and I are most likely still lounging in our bed nursing a turkey hangover!

Don’t go out and brave the crowds; get cozy with us in your jammies and check out some pawsome Black Cat Friday deals from two of our affiliate partners!



Our very favorite place to indulge our love for feline style is Triple T Studios. Their line of handbags, jewelry, accessories and cat toys are certain to make any stylish cat lady drool.

Grab your human's credit cards because everything on their site is 35% off today using the code "BLACKCATFRIDAY" at checkout! 

Here are a few items that would make the purrfect gift for the cat lover on your shopping list...













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And from our good friends at The Mountain...



PS: We have a pair of pawsome giveaways from both Triple T Studios and The Mountain coming up in December so make sure you visit us regularly throughout the holiday season!

Disclaimer: These are affiliate links which means if you click on one and buy something Mudpie gets a little money for her piggy bank!

Black Friday Book Bonanza


Welcome to the 6th annual Black Friday Book Bonanza, hosted by Kimba at Caffeinated Book Reviewer and Marlene at Reading Reality!

Here's the box of cozy mysteries and Christmas romances we're giving away to one lucky reader in the US...simply fill out the Rafflecopter below to enter and good luck!!!

And check out the linky list below for many more chances to win some great prizes!





Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Washing Up For Dinner

Sorry Mommy, I don't have time to pose with my new toys today.


I'm washing up for dinner. 

Gotta get this last bit of toe fuzz out...


I just don't know which one to dig into first...the turkey or the pumpkin pie!


Thank you so much for the pawsome toys, CatLadyBox!!!

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Tortie Tuesday: Sugar Plum Needs a Home for Christmas

Meows from Mudpie!

Today I'd like to introduce you to a beautiful tortie lady currently available for adoption at my Alma mater, North Country Animal League in Morrisville, Vermont. She's been looking for her forever home for quite awhile now, and we'd love to help her find a family for the holidays!


Sugar Plum is outgoing and loves being carried around. She's very affectionate and super playful. She also could live in a home with a calm dog. She is on a special diet (grain-free, easily found in grocery stores) and an every other day medication regiment. Sugar Plum, or Sugar, for short, doesn't ask for much. She spends a lot of time in the admin offices and wants nothing more than to hang out with the staff.

As a matter of fact, here's what a shelter employee had to say about Sugar Plum on her PetFinder page: "As I sit at my office desk right now, Sugar Plum is sleeping soundly next to me. From the moment I arrive to work to when I leave, she is next to me getting as much cuddle time as possible. And who am I to choose work over a loving kitty? Sugar Plum's only downside is that she hinders doing actual work (many could argue this though). Sugar Plum wants nothing more than your love! She is one of the most loving torties I have come across. She loves to play when its playtime, sleeps when its quiet time, and comes looking for love all in between. Sugar Plum is about 8 years old, would be fine with kids but would like to be the only pet in the house!"


Doesn't Sugar Plum sound like the purrfect addition to your home for the cold winter nights that lay ahead? Give her a home for the holidays and you will enjoy her love & companionship throughout the year. And at 8 years old some might say she's a senior (did you know November is Senior Cat Month?), but we say Sugar Plum is in the prime of her life at 8!

Here's a little bit of Mudpie trivia: When Mommy adopted me she had a long list of potential names for her new little girl. In addition to chocolate-related names she also pondered Christmas-y sounding names (because it's her very favorite time of the year) and Sugar Plum topped the list! Obviously she went with her sweet tooth, but I wouldn't have minded being Mommy's sweet 'lil Sugar Plum either!

Interested in adopting Sugar Plum? Information on how to contact North Country Animal League can be found here.

Monday, November 21, 2016

Book Review/Interview: Cat Got Your Diamonds by Julie Chase


Grandeur and opulence are everything in the famed New Orleans Garden District where pets are family and no bling is too big. Opening Furry Godmother, pet boutique and organic treat bakery, is Lacy Marie Crocker’s dream come true--until the glitter gun used to make her Shih Tzu tutus becomes a murder weapon. And Lacy becomes public enemy #1.

Now Detective Jack Oliver is hounding Lacy, and her Furry Godmother investor wants out before his name is tarnished by association. To make matters worse, a string of jewel heists with suspicious ties to the murder case has New Orleans residents on edge. To save her dream, Lacy must take a stand, put her keen eyes to work, and unravel what really happened at her shop that night. But can Lacy sniff out the killer cat burglar in time to get her tail-raising designs on the catwalk?

Witty and whimsical, Cat Got Your Diamonds, the first in a new cozy series by Julie Chase, will be the cat's meow for fans of Rita Mae Brown and Miranda James.


I've been looking forward to this book since I first saw it listed on Amazon. A new cat cozy taking place at a couture pet shop in New Orleans...how fast can I get there???

Following a nasty breakup Lacy has opened The Furry Godmother, a pet boutique and organic treat bakery. Even though her parents are well-off she's struggling but getting by thanks to an investment from the local jewelry store owner. Things start going downhill when an unpleasant man visits her shop and gets himself killed there later the same day. The murder weapon? Lacy's glitter gun. She not only finds herself the main suspect, but she's in even bigger trouble when her investor pulls out until the murder is solved. Is the killing tied to a series of recent jewel thefts? Lacy has a lot of work ahead of her to keep her business afloat and her dream alive.

I enjoyed the detailed descriptions of Lacy's various creations, both couture and cuisine. The various relationships in her life, from her parents to her romantic interests, promise more intrigue to come. And now that Penelope the cat is back home where she belongs, Lacy has a live-in model for her fabulous feline fashions!

And speaking of Penelope, here's Mudpie's interview with the little ladycat!


Mudpie: Welcome Penelope! Thank you so much for chatting with me today. Could you start by telling us a little about yourself and how you came to find a home with Lacy? 

Penelope: Hi, Mudpie! Thank you for inviting me over! I’m a tabby from Virginia. I was taken from my mother when I was very small and abandoned in the city. I was very scared. And wet. It rained a lot then. Lots of people ran past, splashing me with puddle water. Cars honked at me when I tried to find my mother. Then, a lady stopped. She told me her name was Lacy. She asked me if I was okay and why I was out in the storm. I told her everything, and she took me home. We never found my mother, but Lacy became my best friend. She took care of me until I grew up. Now, I take care of her.

Yet for the majority of Cat Got Your Diamonds, you and Lacy are separated by many miles. How did that happen? 

Lacy and Pete-the-Cheat had a big fight, and Lacy said we were leaving Virginia. She packed our things and cried for three days, then on the morning we were moving, Pete-the-Cheat took me on a long drive. When I got home, Lacy was gone. She’d gotten on the plane without me. For a long time after that, Pete-the-Cheat would call Lacy and tell her to come home to me, but she didn’t. Then, one day, Pete-the-Cheat got a letter that made him really angry. He called Lacy to yell at her, then put me on an airplane the next morning. Lacy was waiting at the end of the ride. Whatever was in that letter must’ve been good!

It must be incredibly difficult being the innocent victim in a bad break-up. How have you been able to handle such upheaval in your life? 

It wasn’t easy, but everyone has a job to do, so I stay busy. For example: While I was trapped in Virginia, I spent my time making sure Pete-the-Cheat knew he’d messed up when he made me miss my plane. I was diligent. I knocked his glasses off the table, overturned his bowls, unraveled his toilet paper and mistook his pillow for my litter box as often as possible. Now that I’m back with Lacy, I take good care of her. I comfort her when she’s sad and keep an eye on Buttercup, my new fish-sister that lives in a tank in our kitchen. Plus, I work at Furry Godmother.

Now that you're back home where you belong, are you going to be a model for Lacy's kitty couture? 

My official title is PFA. Personal Feline Assistant. It’s a very prestigious role. For example: Lacy uses me as a muse to design all her kitty couture, and I model the pieces at her shop where I work. She’s provided a robot vacuum to carry me around. I only have to sit tall and let the shoppers see how fine their cat can look too.

Will you be playing a larger role in the second book in the series, Cat Got Your Cash, due in April 2017? 

Absolutely. Now that I’ve made it to the Big Easy, Lacy and I are inseparable. I work with her at Furry Godmother, and ride in my carrier to visit her parents and friends. Lacy and I are a dynamic duo, just like Catman and Robin.

Lastly, would you like to share your favorite cat treat recipe of Lacy's with my readers? 

Lacy’s the best baker. I love everything from her kitchen. She uses bags and containers from the cupboard and refrigerator that make my mouth water. I even like some of the stuff she makes for herself! You can find three of her Furry Godmother recipes at the end of each Kitty Couture Mystery, but her Kitty Yum Yums are the best. In fact, I think I sniff her baking some now. Gotta go!

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About the author: Julie Chase is a mystery-loving pet enthusiast who hopes to make readers smile. She lives in rural Ohio with her husband and three small children. Julie is a member of the International Thriller Writers (ITW) and Sisters in Crime (SinC). She is represented by Jill Marsal of Marsal Lyons Literary Agency. Julie also writes as Julie Anne Lindsey.


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Sunday, November 20, 2016

Bummed #SundaySelfie

Meows from Mudpie!

Mommy and I are a little bit bummed today. It's NASCAR's Championship Sunday and for the first time in years our driver isn't a part of it. Kevin earned a hard fought 4th place finish last Sunday at Phoenix, but with 6th and 20th place finishes in the two weeks prior he didn't earn a spot in the Final 4.

In a way I'm guess I'm sort of relieved because I remember the basket case Mommy was on this day last year...and Angel Truffles told me it was even worse the year before when he won the big trophy!

So we'll spend the day crying a bit in our Harvick coffee mug, sad that it's the last race of the year...and crossing our fingers and paws that Kevin spoils the show and wins the race anyways!


We're joining our friends at The Cat on My Head for the Sunday Selfies blog hop!


Saturday, November 19, 2016

When You Wish Upon a Star #CaturdayArt


Visit more artsy kitties at Athena's Caturday Art blog hop!


And now our weekly answers for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by 15andmeowing and McGuffy's Reader!

1. One Thanksgiving tradition I have is watching the Macy's parade.

2. Black Friday I sleep in and any shopping I do is online!

3. The best part about Thanksgiving Day is the family time. And my favorite part of the meal, the cranberry stuffing.

4. One Thanksgiving, Angel Tara slipped out of the house. A few days before the holiday I'd put my turkey in the garage to thaw and was bringing it back into the house on Thanksgiving morning. Tara was waiting at the door and snuck out. Thankfully I saw her, threw the 15 pound turkey in the door and grabbed her. My dad was at work in the kitchen and missed the whole thing. It was quite funny after I had my heart attack.


Friday, November 18, 2016

Fun Feline Finds: Kitty Christmas Ornaments from Etsy

A week from today is Black Friday, a day many people choose to put up their Christmas tree (ours will have been up for 2 weeks by then though!) As we told you last week, our entire tree is decorated in cat ornaments and my favorite place to shop for new additions to the collection is Etsy. There are so many creative people out there creating pawsome kitty items, and we thought we'd share some of our favorite finds with you today!


KittyCatStudio Ornaments These little treasures were the star of their very own post last week, but I'd be remiss to not include them in this round-up as well. 

Huge concatulations to our sweet friend and long-time reader Patricia T, the winner of our ornament/tree topper giveaway. Pat has had to help her 2 torties and a dog to the Bridge this year, but earlier this week she adopted a beautiful new tortie named Hope. Hope was likely just days if not hours away from not leaving the shelter alive before Pat rescued her. We wish Hope and Pat a purr-fect life together!


Personalized Cat Head Ornaments by crochetkittycattoys I had these 3 ornaments made last year for my most recent little girls. Each is approximately 4"x4" and they come in a choice of seven different colors: black, white, tan, brown, orange, light grey, and dark grey. I didn't put them away at the end of the season either; they hang in my bedroom year 'round.


Felt Cat Ornaments by MSMURIEL This little cutie pie is a new addition to my tree this year too! The artist has lots of different colors and breeds available both with angel wings and without.


Pet Memorial Ornament by ConvertibleGirlShop I like how you can personalize this ornament with both a digital photo and commemorative dates. My kitties at the Bridge all have their own ornaments but nothing as detailed as this.


Ornaments by blablablaura I couldn't pick a favorite ornament on this seller's page so I'm including all 3 here!


Vintage chenille ornament by StanleyAndStewart I'm a huge fan of vintage-inspired ornaments and the purple/silver color scheme is non-traditional but so beautiful.


Kitten's First Snow by GlakLove With a bit of snow in the bottom this ornament is like a snow globe to hang in your tree! I love the pure whimsy depicting the joy so many of us feel when it snows for the first time.


Day of the Dead Christmas Ornaments by CreativeGitana I know many of our readers are huge fans of Day of the Dead items so I'm really happy to include these in our list.


Handpainted ball ornament by GraphicsbySally This seller has many different colored balls available...I'm just featuring this one because it makes me think of tortie colors :)


Tortie playing with lights by TheMagicSleigh True story: when I hung the lights on my tree last weekend Mudpie was trying to bite and play with the cord. I distracted her with a toy of her own and she hasn't done it since but my tree is never plugged in when I'm not in the room to monitor what she's up to. This ornament made me think of that moment though!


Crochet ornament by MossMountain These kitties are fat, round, and jolly like Santa himself!


Meow Scrabble Tile Ornament by TheHolidayCorner Wouldn't this make the cutest gift for the Scrabble or Words with Friends addict in your life?

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We hope you enjoy our picks, and don't forget, if you find something here you like and make a purchase using our affiliate links, Mudpie gets a little money for her piggy bank!

Do you decorate your Christmas tree with cat ornaments?