DIY Kitten Korner for #Paw2014

My love for Tractor Supply Company almost borders on obsession. Up until a couple years ago my nearest store was a couple hours away, but now that there's a store just 15 minutes down the road from me, Tractor Supply is my first stop whenever I need something for a home or yard project, or animal supplies for either Truffles or the birds and squirrels that I feed because Truffles demands her Bird TV :)

Tractor Supply makes its home in rural communities all across America and is your one stop shop to help you care for your animals. They carry an extensive line of pet food and supplies including premium brand food, treats, flea & tick control, beds, wireless containment, crates, kennels, collars, leads, bowls, grooming supplies, toys and more.

For the 4th year, Tractor Supply is having their annual Pet Appreciation Week (P.A.W.) event from September 17th through September 21st. The store will celebrate our furry friends with five days of savings, plus a special one-day main event in stores Saturday September 20th. Come in with your leashed pet (where allowed) - stores will be hosting local pet rescues, and you can register for your chance to win $200 in pet products from Tractor Supply Co. (given as a gift card), $100 towards your next vet wellness checkup courtesy of Hill's Science Diet, or a doggie bag worth over $35!

In honor of this special event I was challenged to create a project or craft for my local shelter that would have an impact on the health or well-being of the animals in the shelter, their ability to get adopted, the communities' desire to adopt from the shelter, or the shelter staff’s ability to care for the animals, using supplies purchased with a $25 gift card from Tractor Supply.

I've written before about the Red Shed™ covered wagon planter that I purchased at Tractor Supply that sits in my living room holding my cherished collection of Little House on the Prairie books. About a month ago, just prior to my being chosen for this campaign, I went on a short road trip into New York State and stopped into the few Tractor Supply stores that I passed. In one store I was stunned and delighted to find another of those precious planters, and I instantly purchased it with the intention of using this one in my yard one day. Being end of summer it was even on clearance along with many other cute planters, including one shaped as a wheelbarrow and another as a hollowed-out log. I just love cute, unique decor like this, and that's one of the great things about TSC...you just never know what you're going to find when you walk in the door!

Now while I don't consider myself a "make something from scratch" crafter, I do like to find unique ways to repurpose items, so when I learned about this campaign I instantly starting thinking of fun ways that I could repurpose the planter into something that my shelter could use. (After all, what are the chances that I would ever use the planter to grow anything? I have such a black thumb that I once bought a chocolate mint plant on Mother's Day and it was dead by Father's Day!)

So here's what I came up with: of course, it can be used the way it was intended. I had enough money left over to pick up some cat treats and supplies that I am going to donate along with the planter. After it's unloaded it can be put outside in their yard and filled with some of the beautiful fall flowers that we are currently enjoying. People sometimes think of animal shelters as sad places, so why not beautify the outside with something fun and colorful to make it look more inviting?

It could also be used inside the shelter to carry grooming or cleaning supplies. Since it's on wheels and has a handle it can easily be rolled around to dog kennels and other areas that need to be cleaned up.

The last idea I come up with is my favorite, though. My shelter has a large room that allows the cats to come out of their cages and play among themselves. It is also the place where volunteers go to socialize the cats, and the room where potential adopters can visit and watch the cats "in action". So I created a "Kitten Korner".

While at TSC I picked up a four-pack of cat balls with bells inside. Using sisal twine I tied them to the bars of the planter, along with an extra feather from one of Truffles' wand toys. I also added a soft blanket for extra coziness. (Since this project is geared more towards kittens and smaller cats, Truffles was a bit too big to demonstrate, so she enlisted a little outside help.) This is going to look SO adorable sitting in one corner of the cat room. Can you think of anything cuter than a kitten or two inside the planter batting at the toys, then cuddling up into a kitten pile for a nap? It's a total win-win: a project that adds something cute and inviting to the shelter setting, and enriches the lives of the felines waiting for their forever homes.

While I used the wagon planter, this exact same project could easily be reproduced using a simple round planter or metal bucket. The next time I visit TSC I'm going to pick up one of these to make another Kitten Korner <==== Simply stuff cozy blankets inside for a unique cat bed, and add sturdy cording to the top to hang some toys from to create a kitty play center! Gardening season is coming to an end so many of these containers are on sale too!

I hope I've inspired you to think outside the box and create some fun projects of your own to help out your local shelter without breaking the bank. I encourage you to visit Tractor Supply and think of ways to create your own projects. I have a feeling your creative juices will begin to flow as soon as you walk in the door!

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This post is sponsored by Tractor Supply Company and the Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Tractor Supply Company, but Mochas, Mysteries and Meows only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Tractor Supply Company, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article.