Tortie Shorties: Christmas Edition

There's still time to make yourself a mug of cocoa, stick a candy cane in it, and indulge in a festive Christmas read with a kitty (or three!) on your lap. We've been doing a lot of that lately and wanted to tell you about some of our favorites!

The Ghost of Christmas Paws by Mandy Morton

This isn't only my favorite Christmas book of the year, it's going on my list of favorite cat cozies of all time. Over the past year I've fallen in love with Hettie Bagshot and her sidekick Tilly as they live their cozy little lives in a back room apartment of a bakery. In this fourth book of the series the ladycats are summoned to the Cornish coast by Lady Eloise Crabstock-Singe to solve the mystery of Christmas Paws, a servant cat who haunts the Manor intent on killing off all the Crabstocks, and Lady Eloise is the only one left. With their hometown gripped by the cat flu, Hettie and Tilly decide to make the dangerous trek facing blizzards and more than a few suspicious characters, and in the gripping final pages there's a twist I never saw coming but is simply brilliant. Fans of Daphne du Maurier will notice her influence all through this charming Christmas cozy, which will be reread in my home for many years to come!

Christmas at the Cat Cafe by Melissa Daley

Everyone at Molly's, the Cotswolds only cat cafe, is getting in the Christmas spirit: resident cat Molly and her kittens and their adoring owner Debbie. Then Debbie's sister Linda shows up unexpectedly having left her husband, and Debbie invites her to stay not knowing their perfect lives are about to be seriously upended. Not only does Linda have a dog, she also decides to make all sorts of changes to their cozy cafe including introducing a hoity-toity Siamese to the mix who Linda believes should be the new "face" of the cat cafe. Things go from bad to worse when Molly's worries about the future end up driving a wedge between her and the ones she loves. 

Written entirely from the charming voice of Molly, this is a heartwarming Christmas story focusing on family, forgiveness, friendship, food...and some pretty unforgettable cats. The only thing better than visiting a cat cafe is having the opportunity to visit one at Christmas, and this book allows readers to do just that.

Eggnog Murder by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis and Barbara Ross

With the fireplace crackling, the tree twinkling, and the carols humming, few things in life are as picture perfect as Christmas in Maine—until murder dampens the holiday spirit. It must be something in the eggnog . . .The theme of this cozy mystery anthology really made me chuckle because one of the very few foods I just can't stomach is eggnog. All three of these stories are set in Maine (the quintessential place to celebrate Christmas) and feature beloved characters from some of our favorite long-running cozy series at Kensington Publishing. 

In "Eggnog Murder by Leslie Meier, Lucy Stone must figure out who tainted the eggnog served at the town's annual holiday stroll, while also dealing with her adult children back under the same roof and writing a story for the newspaper about an Operation Desert Storm veteran who recently passed away after seemingly being forgotten by the system. 

In "Death by Eggnog" by Lee Hollis, the Scroogy town librarian Agatha Farnsworth dies after dying of an allergic reaction to supposedly non-dairy eggnog. Hayley has her work cut out for her since the victim left no shortage of people who'd like to see her dead. This was my favorite story in the collection. 

And in Barbara Ross's "Nogged Off" Julia goes back to NYC to clear out her apartment only to find the girl sub-leasing it in a total life crisis: she left her job after landing all her co-workers in the emergency room thanks to homemade eggnog and then breaks up with her boyfriend. Julia ends up taking Imogens home to Busman's Harbor for a New England Christmas and everything goes wrong from that point on. Their rental truck is stolen, Imogens boyfriend is found dead in the back when it's located, and Julia starts to wonder what kind of people she's brought to her family home.

A Christmas Tartan: A Scottish Bookshop Mini-Mystery by Paige Shelton

It's just days before Christmas and Delaney's boss at The Cracked Spine in the heart of Edinburgh has brought her a box of items that was left anonymously at his house which he fears were stolen. Among the various odds and ends are a worn copy of A Christmas Carol with an old photo tucked inside. A name on the back of the picture leads Delaney to the flat of an old woman whose granddaughter has gone missing. The twists that follow are unbelievable yet poignant and filled with the magic of Christmas. Fans of historical mystery and the paranormal will enjoy this just as much as cozy readers.

Have you read any great Christmas stories this year? Tell us about it in the comments...we're always looking to add to our reading list :)

#SundaySelfie in the Spirit of the Season

Meows from Mudpie!

Today for my Sunday Selfie I'm getting in the Christmas spirit with my cute pink Santa hat. How do I look?

I also want to introduce you to a little cutie pie who showed up in our Facebook feed last weekend. He was rescued by an all-volunteer group in the DFW area called Averting CAT-astrophe after being abandoned by his mom, landed safely in foster care and needed sponsorship to pay for his vetting once he's ready for his forever home. I asked Mommy if we could donate some money to help get the sweet tot get back on his paws. After all, isn't the true spirit of the season the act of giving, caring, and compassion for others?

We hope that in a very small way we helped him start a purr-fect new life.

Just look at this precious baby!

(See the blankie he's wrapped up in? I have two exactly like it, one in my KatKabin and one in my Coccolino bed. Mommy just bought me a third as a spare for when my others need to go into the wash. They're SO warm and cozy!)

(Photos: Averting CAT-astrophe)

Crafty Cat Lady #CaturdayArt

One of our favorite new blogs to visit is Cat Lady Alley, a celebration of everything cat-lady related and an offshoot of the award-nominated rescue blog Three Chatty Cats.

Our friend Rachel, the voice behind both blogs, ran an amazing 12 Days of Giveaways this month as a thank you to her readers, and we were lucky enough to win the Day 3 "Let's Get Crafty" giveaway containing three rubber stamps, two sets of clear stamps and a pad of foiled cardstock.

Now I should preface this by saying I consider myself pretty much the least crafty person you'll ever meet; I would never have the patience for things like crochet or knitting, but I'm so in awe of the amazing crafters on Etsy, especially those who incorporate their passion for cats in their creations. I love everything paper-related and have an ever-growing collection of cat stickers, and with this win of cat stamps it's starting to look like paper crafting and card-making might be the creative outlet I've been searching for.

On my next trip to the craft store I'm buying a new stamp pad and my goal for 2017 is to explore my crafty side that I just know is inside me somewhere dying to get out. Thank you so much Rachel, Dexter, Olive and Sophie...your pawsome prize was just the inspiration I needed! Maybe I'll even be brave enough to share some of my creations here at Athena's Caturday Art blog hop.

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

1. My favorite Christmas Song(s) is/are If Every Day Was Like Christmas, All I Want for Christmas Is You (the Vince Vance & the Valiants song), If We Make It Through December, and Merry Christmas Darling, but I could do without hearing Baby It's Cold Outside ever again.

2. My most meaningful Christmas ornaments are the ones personalized with my cats names on them, because even those who are no longer with me can still be a part of my Christmas celebration.

3. My favorite holiday treat is anything and everything peppermint.

4. A holiday tradition in my house is watching Muppet Christmas Carol.

Purr-fect Gift Books for Cat Lovers

I obviously receive a *lot* of cat books to review. (No complaints about that, either!) Some of them I instantly know will be purr-fect for gift giving, so today I pulled together a group of my favorites. From nonfiction readers to photography lovers to coloring aficionados, there's something on this list for the cat lover on anyone's Christmas shopping list.

Makin' Biscuits: Weird Cat Habits and the Even Weirder Habits of the Humans Who Love Them by Deborah Barnes 

There's nothing cat people love more than sharing stories about their beloved furry friends, amiright? Makin' Biscuits is filled with anecdotes from cat lovers worldwide that will leave you alternately laughing out loud, tearing up, and in awe of the precious companions we share our lives with. This book serves an important purpose too through the author's "Purr Points to Ponder" at the end of each group of submissions giving readers an inside glimpse at what makes cats do the things they do that sometimes mystify us, to hopefully enable you and your cat(s) to live your best life possible together! (I have a story in Makin' Biscuits about my childhood cat Patch and my aunt's winter coat that ended up under the bed...you have to buy the book to find out what made him put it there!)

Call of the Cats: What I Learned about Life and Love from a Feral Colony by Andrew Bloomfield 

The author of this memoir was an aspiring screenwriter who moved into a bungalow in southern California only to discover a large colony of feral cats living on the property. He tries to distance himself from their harsh life until one day he faces the grisly sight of a beautiful tortie kitten dead at his feet. 

"Just the day before, I'd observed this little sprite dancing with joy in the backyard, spinning and leaping in air, the enthusiasm of life surging through her tiny body...I tried choking back the tears running down my face as I contemplated the radiant spirit that, only the day before, had animated this kitten but now had departed, leaving her cold and still. It seems cliched, but I wondered about a world where in one moment delicate, innocent beings expressed life with carefree abandon and in the next were viciously struck down. By what or whose design?"

It's in this moment that he discovers his true calling is to do all he can to care for these cats, taking some into his home and leaving others in their natural element, and they become his world for decades. Some parts of this book are hard to read, but in the end it's a beautiful love story that will touch the hearts of anyone who adores all cats, even the ones you might not be able to cuddle in your arms like your beloved housecat.

Brain Games for Cats: Fun Ways to Build a Loving Bond with Your Cat Through Games and Challenges by Claire Arrowsmith 

We all know how important interactive play is for our cats' mental and physical well-being, not only for the fun it provides but also for the bonding opportunity with their humans. This book is filled with exercises that anyone can do with their cat, from sitting up and high fives to more complex challenges like obstacle courses and leg weaves, all with easy to follow instructions and photos. Who says only dogs can do tricks? Cats can do same maneuvers dogs do, their owners just don't take the time to help them learn! Why not make it your New Year's resolution next year to spend more quality time interacting with your cat through fun and games?

Lick Cats by Carli Davidson 

Featuring more than sixty cats caught in mid-lick, a message from the author about the importance of animal rescue and adoption, outtakes from the photo shoots, and an explanation of her photography process, I defy you to look at this book without smiling. This is a must have coffee table book.

Dreaming of a Green Christmas by Anne Zoet 

Purrball the cat and his friend Burrball the sloth continue their online friendship at Christmastime with Purrball's family deciding to celebrate Christmas in a more environmentally-friendly way in order to help protect the habitats of their forest friends, such as decorating a live Christmas tree and making their own wrapping paper. The illustrations of Purrball creating paw print paper and helping bake the gingerbread cookies are completely adorable, and the clever rhymes teach kids an important lesson in the guise of an enjoyable story.

Kitty Sketch Coloring Notebook: Adult Coloring Journal from Color Cats by Margaret Gates Root 

Already the artist of two popular cat coloring books, this one has a bit of a twist and is very inventive. Not only can this little sketch book be kept in your purse for those interminable waits in doctor's offices, but once you're done coloring the completed page can be turned into a greeting card or used as a journal, notebook, or just a fun spot to jot down your grocery shopping list!

Do you have any cat books that you hope to receive for Christmas or plan to give as a gift?

Disclosure: Some of these books were sent to me by the author/publisher for free in exchange for a fair and honest review (others I bought myself). 

Thankful Thursday #TBT

Mommy here.

Mudpie and I spent Tuesday afternoon on the living room floor wrapping Christmas presents, both for family and our Secret Paws. Cat moms know it's not the easiest undertaking with little paws getting into everything but for me, the little bit of inconvenience is worth it.

Later that evening I was looking through pictures on my computer and discovered that 3 years ago on the exact same day I was doing the exact same thing in the exact same spot...with Truffles.

I had adopted Truffles not quite four months prior, and getting ready for her first Christmas was so exciting.

We didn't have nearly enough time together, but I am so incredibly grateful for every single moment that we shared.

Visit Brian's Home for more thankful kitties and doggies!

Our Christmas eCard 2016

This is the third year I've had a Christmas card designed by the amazing Ann at Zoolatry. 2014 was Truffles' first and only card; Tiny Truffles Christmas Carol was born from my love of the classic story. Last year I wanted Mudpie's first card to double as a Truffles tribute, and Ann's creation of Mudpie reading Tiny Truffles Christmas Carol by the fire completely took my breath away.

This year I found my inspiration in a Christmas card I saw on Etsy featuring a kitty popping out of a plum pudding. A fan of all things British I challenged Ann to recreate it.

We are so proud to present our 2016 eCard — feel free to take it if we haven't already sent you one! (Two sizes are available, regular and one sized for sidebars.)

We'd like to thank everyone for all of the wonderful snail mail and e-cards that we've been receiving. Each and every one of them means so much to us.

Make Christmas Memories with #Colorwear Wearable Art

I have an ever-growing collection of cat coloring books even though I seldom have the opportunity to put pencil to paper. As a member of a Cat Coloring group on Facebook I'm constantly amazed by the masterpieces people are churning out, but when you think about it it's kind of sad that such talent is hidden inside the pages of a book. Our good friends at The Mountain® apparently had the same idea because they've created the next phase of the adult coloring book art craze:  Colorwear™ t-shirts that enable colorists to design and wear their own coloring creation.

With each t-shirt, customers receive their choice of design, a six pack of Tulip® Fabric Markers®, and a colorboard. Each shirt is dyed using organic dyes with designs printed using soft, non-toxic water-based inks. Colorwear gives everyone the opportunity to show their unique, expressive creations by choosing from a vast range of animals, mandalas, inspirational, fantasy, gardens, holidays, and aquatic life. Customers can choose the design and t-shirt color combination that best speaks to them, and then simply begin expressing their own personal style through coloring.

No surprise, I headed right for the pet section to check out the cat designs and was happy to discover there are three: the Miaow shirt, Missy and Sleepyhead Outlines. Each shirt is as comfortable and vibrantly colorful as tees from The Mountain are known to be. I've been debating between starting a coloring project myself or waiting for upcoming holiday get-togethers with my family for a group project. Whether you're new to the coloring craze or a longtime pro, these shirts make great holiday gifts and the purr-fect opportunity to create memories with those you love. (And a soft t-shirt is a much more comfortable place for kitty to hang out while you're working than a coloring book!)

Colorwear stems from The Mountain, the original Artwear company founded over 20 years ago in my neighboring state of New Hampshire and well known for the iconic Three Wolf Moon and Big Face® t-shirts. Colorwear t-shirts are manufactured by the same people, in the same facilities, which means sharing the same values. They have a Green philosophy when it comes to their production process, striving to operate their company and produce products in a way that protects the environment while providing high quality apparel to their customers. There's a reason why they're called "the greenest t-shirt company in the USA," after all!

Thanks to our friends at The Mountain one lucky reader in the US is going to win their choice of TWO Colorwear t-shirts! To enter simply fill out the Rafflecopter below! (If you're planning to make a purchase act fast because through tomorrow (Wednesday, December 14) all shirts are Buy 2, Get 1 Free!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Colorwear is on social media: Visit them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Make sure you tag #Colorwear in any pictures your post while wearing their products!

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by The Mountain and Colorwear. I am being compensated for reviewing these products but we only share information we feel is relevant to our readers.