Mudpie's Purrsonalized Petlandia Book

Meows from Mudpie!

Today I wanted to show you a book Mommy had made for me last Christmas. She had been wanting to get a Petlandia book for me for awhile, one of those books where your own pet's likeness and name is used to create a purrsonalized storybook adventure. These books were popular when she was a little girl, and it's totally pawsome that you can have one made for your pet now too.

When she saw they had a Grumpy Cat version she just knew that was the one she wanted, plus a tortie was actually one of the color/breed options! It turned out SO adorable, and it's something Mommy will cherish forever. Look at the detail, right down to my name on the suitcase and Instagram account! (Apparently they know I'm a tech savvy tortie!)

So why are we telling you about this now? Since Grumpy Cat has sadly gone to the Rainbow Bridge, Petlandia is retiring her book effective TODAY, July 31st, so you only have a little bit of time left to have one made for your pet.

If a Grumpy Cat-themed book isn't up your alley, Petlandia has a general version too, a purrfect gift for the pet lover in your life (or as a special treat for yourself!)

This is not a sponsored post, and we are not being compensated in any way for spreading the word about Petlandia. We bought our book and love how it turned out.

Lipstick On My Tortie #MewsicMovesMe

We weren't sure what to do for the freebie week in the Mewsic Moves Me blog hop until we noticed today is National Lipstick Day. I remember as a little girl my childhood cat Patch, a tabby, always had lipstick on his forehead from my mom kissing him. Poor little guy. I barely ever wear makeup myself, but on the occasion that I must, lipstick is it for me. She's probably too dark for it to show, but do you think Mudpie would mind if I planted a lipstick kiss on her?

Of course we're starting with Conway, a fun little song called Hey Little Lucy! (Don'tcha Put No Lipstick On) from his rock days in 1959...

Mark Collie was a rising country star in the early 90s. I always liked his voice.

Another big hit from the mid-'90s...

Lastly, a '50s classic...

So there you have it, a pair of picks from my two favorite music genres, country and '50s rock.

Anything catch your ear this week?

Shedding in the Sunlight #SundaySelfie

Meows from Mudpie!

Check out the loose furs on me! Would you believe Mommy brushes me twice a day and I'm still shedding so much you would think I'm about to disintegrate? The other day I sneezed and fur flew up into the air MOL!!!

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

Caturday Art

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

And now our weekly answers (all answered by Mommy this week) for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by 15andmeowing and Four-Legged Furballs!

1. If I had unlimited amounts of money, I would open a cat sanctuary.

2. Cats spark my creativity. I'm very fortunate that all the way back to Kindergarten I had a teacher who encouraged my writing, but if not for cats I'm sure I wouldn't have semi-professional writing gigs today. They're the only things I'm inspired to write about on a regular basis.

3. Not much keeps me up at night. I'm unusual in that even when I'm super stressed, I can still sleep very well. I think it's my temporary escape from whatever I'm having to deal with.

4. I only just recently learned Windows 10 (as I mentioned last week). Nowhere near the learning curve I thought it would be.

Proving Mommy Wrong #PetPhotoFails

Meows from Mudpie!

Another month has flown by (and we're more than happy to see the summer months fly by), making it time once again for the Pet Photo Fails Blog Hop!

I'm labeling one a Mommy fail because she was so very wrong! You may have noticed that this month's CatLadyBox was sized differently than normal. It was deeper and narrower to make room for the large wine glass.

I always love hopping in our CatLadyBox when it arrives and as soon as Mommy saw it she said there was no way I was going to squeeze myself into it. It took a little maneuvering but I proved her wrong!!! (Let's not tell her I'm so stuffed in that an ant wouldn't even fit in here with me...)

Was I being a bit immature here?

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Book Review: Bailey, No Ordinary Cat by Erin Merryn

For fans of Grumpy Cat and Cats on Instagram there's a new cat in town—Bailey, No Ordinary Cat—of the Facebook name, is a special cat with a growing fan base, garnering over 2 million views on Ellen's Instagram and videos that have been shared by Good Morning America, ABC News, CBS News, and more. 

What makes Bailey more addictive than catnip? In addition to his adorable expressions and his hilarious, heartfelt antics, Bailey has a penchant for doing things that are characteristically uncatlike—things like taking bubble baths (and enjoying them), sitting attentively in a chair and being read to (for hours), getting a "pet"-icure, and his unending patience while co-raising his human siblings Abby and Hannah (yes, there is photographic evidence that Bailey helped with potty-training).

If you have a cat you know how independent they are. Bailey, No Ordinary Cat celebrates the unique quirky spirit of this unforgettable feline through four-color photographs and captions from the voice of Bailey himself. Cat lovers will be delighted to peek into the life of their favorite celebrity cat with the huge eyes, huge heart, and huge personality—and an ever-growing following.

The opening lines of this book really say it all: Once in a great while, a pet enters our lives, enchants us, and changes everything. A giant soul inside of a tiny creature who most assuredly was sent to us for reasons beyond our understanding. For author Erin Merryn and her 3 little girls, Bailey was that pet. It's impossible to look at Bailey's precious little face and not feel a smile to come to your heart. The love, patience and devotion he showed to his family is captured in every single picture in this darling little book. It's so sad to think that Bailey had to run off for the Bridge before his story was published, but his family has recently adopted a kitten named Carrot, and anyone who follows them on social media can see that Bailey sent Carrot to mend their broken hearts and carry on his legacy. 

I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. This post contains affiliate links.

Whose Voice Is Best? #MewsicMovesMe

The theme of this week's Mewsic Moves Me blog hop is songs by your favorite American Idol or The Voice contestant. To be perfectly honest, I've never watched either show one single time, but a quick YouTube search revealed a couple contestants who chose Conway songs recently so I checked them out. These are my thoughts...

Mudpie says HER voice is best!

Just this past season Gyth Rigdon performed Conway's Goodbye Time on The Voice. I'll let you decide, but it doesn't speak to me. He's just too young to convey the meaning of the song.

Here's Conway's classic performance from 1988's TNN Music City News Awards. The emotion he puts into this song takes my breath away, and the audience reaction when he launches into the chorus gives me chills. He won the Living Legend Award on this particular night with his whole family, even his mother, in the audience.

Back in 2015 Barrett Baber put his own spin on I'd Love to Lay You Down. This one I like...

but it still can't compare to the original. Be still my heart.

Are you a fan of American Idol or The Voice?
How do you feel when a contestant chooses one of your favorite songs/artists?

Too Cute to Handle #SundaySelfies

Can you help me take my Sunday selfie this week, Mommy?

I'm too pooped to do it myself.

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

Rainbow Tortie #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 Four-Legged Furballs!

Mommy's answers:

1. I have been contemplating getting a new laptop. This one is 5 years old and a Windows 7, believe it or not. When I bought it I was trying to avoid getting an 8 because I didn't feel like tackling the learning curve, but now at work I'm using a 10 so I'm tempted to upgrade.

2. I want to write a book about cats. No specific topic in mind yet, but of course it has to be cat-related.

Mudpie's answers:

3. People should worry less about going to work each day and more about spending time at home with their cats.

4. I want to make the world a better place by being my adorable self. It's really not that hard.

Unboxing July's CatLadyBox

The theme of July's CatLadyBox was "Bad Cats"...here's what was inside!

Who can spot Mudpie snoopervising?

Featured Cat Lady Artist: Erin Carpenter

Bad Cat Meowfia Shirt: The color of this shirt is just purrfect and so is the image. I can imagine it's going to receive some attention when I wear it!

"Cat Mama Needs Wine" Wine Glass: This is one impressive wine glass, but if I ever filled it and drank every drop you likely wouldn't hear from me for a couple weeks! I kind of feel sorry for the cat mom who needs to drink that much! LOL 

Cat Bandages: These will likely remain in my bathroom unused...they're too darn adorable to bleed on and toss away!

Meowfia Cat & Jimmy the Jailbird Catnip Toys: Poor Mudpie. I confiscated the Meowfia toy for my cat stuffie collection. She's been enjoying the little jailbird though, especially the ball and chain hanging from his foot.

Can I have my toy back now, please?

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Not a subscriber yet? Visit CatLadyBox today!

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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.

Mudpie Interviews...Bun from J.M. Griffin's Jules & Bun Mystery Series

Meows from Mudpie!

Last week we presented a brand new cozy series, the Jules & Bun mystery series by J.M. Griffin. I was hoping to interview the adorable Bun at the same time as our review but his important detective work kept him hopping (HA! Get it???) and he wasn't able to get back to me in time. I'm excited for you to get to meet him today!

Welcome, Bun! Thank you so much for chatting with me today. Could you start by telling us a little about yourself and how you came to live with Jules?

I'm thrilled by your invitation, thank you. I'm a black and white Dutch rabbit. I don't speak Dutch, I'm just that breed of rabbit. Back a few years, I lived with a very mean woman. I called her Mental Margery. You see, because I can communicate by telepathy with humans, not all of them, but some, I would try to talk to Margery. At first she brushed off my attempts and then became obsessed with the idea that I was the spawn of Satan, because rabbits aren't supposed to talk. Which, mind you, is a purely human misconception. Jules hears me just fine and we have wonderful conversations. The animal rescue people saved me from Mental Margery after they received a call her abusiveness. I don't think I would have lasted much longer if I hadn't been brought to Fur Bridge Farm where Jules took care of me and brought me back to the splendid rabbit I once was.

What is a typical day like for you?

Jules feeds me the very best food throughout the day, we shop together, I join the other rabbits for exercise and then I get to relax. When Jules and I happen upon a dead person, that's when life gets interesting.

You and Jules share a very special relationship thanks to how you're able to communicate with each other. How did you discover these special powers? 

I think I was born with them since I've always communicated with humans, especially children, but don't tell anyone that, will you.

How do you feel about sharing Jules with her menagerie of rescue rabbits? 

The rabbits are my pals, but only I get to live in the house with my own room. That began when the rescuers brought me to Jules for care. She worried that I might die, so she kept close watch on me in the house. The first week or two that I was there, she slept on the sofa to be nearby should I need something. I never have to worry about sharing Jules, we have an unbreakable bond.

Do you ever manage to get into any mischief with them? 

I do like to encourage Walkabout Willy to escape the confines of the rabbit yard so he can go walkabout. Shh! Don't tell Jules, though. I'll be in real trouble then.

What will readers find in the debut of the brand new mystery series you star in, Left Fur Dead?

Malice, mischief, a sheriff who is always upset with us, and you'll even get a chance to see how well cared for us rabbits are. Oh, and you'll read about my superpowers, too. Jules can'y solve a mystery without my superpowers.

Can you give us any clues as to what's next for you and Jules? 

In Who's Dead Doc?, book two of the series, Jules and I become involved with Bun nappers, the murder of a cold blooded blackmailing woman, and hare raising situations.

Thanks again for inviting me to stop by for a chat.

Juliette “Jules” Bridge prides herself on the tender rehabilitation she provides for injured or abused rabbits on her New Hampshire rescue farm, but she has a very special relationship with one bunny in particular. Bun is a black-and-white rabbit who happens to have the ability to communicate through mental telepathy. Once she got over the shock, Jules found her furry friend had a lot to say.

One frigid March morning on their walk together, Bun spots a body. The police identify the frozen stiff as Arthur Freeman, aka Arty the Mime. Jules and Arty knew each other on the children's party circuit, where he’d perform magic tricks and she had an educational rabbit petting pen. With Bun egging her on, Jules decides it’s time they hop to it and put their heads together to discover who silenced the mime. But their investigation leads them down a rabbit hole of more suspects and lies, while a killer sets a trap for them.

This post contains affiliate links.

July Retro Country Rewind #MewsicMovesMe

This spring we premiered our new mewsic feature "Retro Country Rewind," a look back at favorite songs that hit #1 during that month from 30, 35, 40 plus years ago. We were so happy that you guys seemed to enjoy it! Now let's take a look at July for this freebie week in the Mewsic Moves Me blog hop...(this month's selections aren't in chronological order because Conway comes first, of course.)

35 Years Ago - 1984, Somebody's Needin' Somebody, Conway Twitty

Two things strike me about this video - first, I would give my right arm to be on the receiving end of the ridiculously sexy smile at 1:45, and if you watch through to the very end he reaches down to shake someone's hand (I assume a female fan) and she nearly pulls him off the stage! Who can blame her???

50 Years Ago - 1969, I Love You More Today, Conway Twitty

"We've already done the things he plans to do

So don't be surprised if late at night 

I'm in your dreams with you."

Classic Conway...

30 Years Ago - 1989, Cathy's Clown, Reba

Probably my all-time favorite country music video. Reba sure made a beautiful saloon girl.

30 Years Ago - 1989, What's Going On In Your World, George Strait

40 Years Ago - 1979, Amanda, Waylon Jennings

Let us know if you have a favorite this month!

Cat Sitting #SundaySelfie

Meows from Mudpie!

We have a guest selfie this week and I am *not* happy about it. Not one single bit.

Mommy is going to be cat sitting this little priss pants that lives next door for the next THREE weeks! Do you realize how much time that's going to take her away from moi? And would you believe Mommy said when she lets neighbor kitty sniff her fingers she scrunches up her nose and backs away? Mommy belongs to ME and my scent belongs on her fingers! 

Mommy says I should feel sorry for her, and how would I feel if she left me home alone for 3 weeks, but I don't care. I'm thoroughly disgusted by this turn of events and will rant if I want to!

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

Caturday Art

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

And now our weekly answers (all answered by Mommy this week) for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by 15andmeowing and Four-Legged Furballs!

1. I am able to parallel park, but I won't. It's something so many struggle with, but I never did. Then when I took my driving test the instructor couldn't find properly placed cars to do it and he just had me mimic the movements as though there were cars there. Still, I haven't done it since and go out of my way to avoid it.

2. I won't ever drive a stick shift again. My father was determined that I learn to drive a stick when he started teaching me how to drive. I could not get the hang of it, and combined with the fact that I wasn't crazy about driving in the first place, it completely ruined the experience for me. Once I got an automatic to drive I loved it.

3. The current chapter of my life would be titled Is It September Yet?

4. I've been meaning to get a bunch more stuff gathered for Goodwill but haven't yet.

Paper Bag Day Flashback Friday

Meows from Mudpie!

Did you know that today is Paper Bag Day? I'm a huge fan of paper bags when Mommy brings them home from the grocery store. (Don't most kitties love to get inside the bags? Strangely enough, Mommy tells me Angel Tara used to prefer crushing them down and sleeping on top of them! It was one of her favorite nap spots and there was always one on the floor.)

I thought it would be fun to celebrate Paper Bag Day with a flashback to 2015 as we were getting ready for my first Christmas in my forever home. Mommy had come home from Trader Joe's and I ran into a slight problem...

(A word of caution: always remove the handles from bags before letting kitty play with them as they can be a strangling hazard. Mommy hadn't done that yet when these pictures were taken but I was never left unsupervised with the bag.)

Crap on a cracker. My favorite toy just rolled into this bag.

'Scuse me a minute...

Gotcha!!!

We're joining the Feline Friday blog hop hosted by Comedy Plus.

The Mighty Huntress Stalks Her Prey

What are you hunting, Mudpie, a bug or a dust bunny?

Book Review/Giveaway: Left Fur Dead (A Jules & Bun Mystery) by J.M. Griffin

Juliette “Jules” Bridge prides herself on the tender rehabilitation she provides for injured or abused rabbits on her New Hampshire rescue farm, but she has a very special relationship with one bunny in particular. Bun is a black-and-white rabbit who happens to have the ability to communicate through mental telepathy. Once she got over the shock, Jules found her furry friend had a lot to say.

One frigid March morning on their walk together, Bun spots a body. The police identify the frozen stiff as Arthur Freeman, aka Arty the Mime. Jules and Arty knew each other on the children's party circuit, where he’d perform magic tricks and she had an educational rabbit petting pen. With Bun egging her on, Jules decides it’s time they hop to it and put their heads together to discover who silenced the mime. But their investigation leads them down a rabbit hole of more suspects and lies, while a killer sets a trap for them .

I think the highest compliment I can give to this book is that after reading it I want to go out and adopt a rabbit!

In the debut of this wonderful new mystery series we meet Jules, owner of a rescue rabbit farm in a quaint New Hampshire town. Her constant companion is Bun, one of her rescues she's able to communicate with telepathically. On an early spring walk (Bun rides around in his own little baby sling), they stumble upon the body of a man they know from performing at children's parties together. Following numerous break ins at the farm and a physical attack that appear to be linked to the murder, Jules and Bun decide to do a little sleuthing of their own.

I'll admit to being suspicious of the person who ended up being the killer early on, even though I had no clue as to the motive. I enjoyed learning about the care bunnies require through Jules' activities at the farm, and I couldn't help but fall in love with Bun. He's sweet and innocent, wise and observant, a hysterical chatterbox and sometimes downright self-centered, yet he's beyond adorable and a total scene stealer.

If you're looking for a different take on the typical pet-centric cozy, you can't go wrong with Left Fur Dead. By the end of the book Bun is already looking forward to their next mystery, and so am I!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. This post contains affiliate links.

Remembering Two Precious Souls

Today is the fourth anniversary of the day my baby girl Truffles flew off to the bridge, and the sixth anniversary of the day her big sister Tara paved the way before her. 

It goes without saying this is the hardest day of the year for me. I've tried not to dwell on the anniversary approaching as much as I have in previous years, but that doesn't mean the pain has lessened in any way. Comprehending the tragic set of circumstances that took Truffles from me far before her time is something I will always struggle with, and most likely something I will never be able to accept. She deserved so much more from life. And the fact that I lost them both on the same day two years apart makes me wish I could scratch this date right off the calendar.

In honor of my precious girls, please give your own fur babies a little something special today. Maybe an extra hug or kiss, a few more minutes of play or cuddle time, extra treats wouldn't hurt either.

Our time together is so fleeting; their fragile lives all too short. Never miss an opportunity to show them how much they're loved.

Caturday Art

Meows from Mudpie!

This week we did something a little different with our art and applied two different effects. We started with the Photo Lab app, then applied the Film Stock effect in PicMonkey. I think I look quite ravishing!

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 Four-Legged Furballs!

Mudpie's answers:

1. I like my wet food with gravy. Lots and lots of gravy. Preferably all gravy.

2. Love is a risk worth taking.

Mommy's answers:

3. When I was 6 years old, I had to have a Cabbage Patch Doll. When they first came out I had no interest in them at all. Of course once they became hugely popular and scarce in the stores I had to have one. Thankfully a family friend who worked at Kmart was able to get one for me. I still have her too! Her name is Felice.

4. I spend the most time thinking about cats (Mudpie in particular), books, and Conway. In other words, my 3 favorite things in life.