**CATMAS SPECIAL** CRAFTING WITH CATS RERUN ~ HOW WE MADE A Catmas Pudding Pouffe with Catnip Holly Leaves & Pom Pom Berries ~ Difficulty Level Fair to Middling

Supurr Greetings Pawesome Pals

Welcome to the fourth of our Crafting with Cats Catmas Specials. 

All of our previous CWC posts are on the Crafting with Cats Page, and mew don't have to be an expert in anything to make any of them.  Plus we offer workarounds and no-sew projects for those who don't like to sew.

*    *    *

**A quick note before we begin**

All Crafting with Cats ideas and creations are of our own design and we share them fur purrsonal/home use only.

  So purrlease do not copy fur commercial/resale purrposes.

Copyright ©BionicBasil®

*    *    *

This time we're making a pawesome

What Mew Will Need:

Pudding: Brown Faux Fur 

White Faux Fur

Wadding/Stuffing

Lining/backing fabric

Leaves: Green fabric 

Wadding/Stuffing

Catnip - we use our homegrown organic catnip

Berries: Red Wool + pom pom maker, or use 2 x cardboard circles - the old school way

plus

Scissors/Needle/Thread/Chalk/Tape Measure/Sewing Machine

>^.^<

Optional Cat ~ Parsley was today's Craft Room Snoopervisor

Lets Get Started On The Pudding

1.  Gather supplies.

2.  Lay out fabric and place pattern. 

3. Cut out.

4.  Mew should now have 6 x segments.

Fur those of mew who are regulars to our blog, will know that we made a pumpkin pouffe on our Creepy Crafting with Cats Halloween Special; so rather than go through all the steps again, just click here to see entire the step by step construction.

5.  Once sewn together, check size; Parsley says it's good to go!

6.  Stuff to your desired plumpness and mew should now have something that looks like this.

Lets make the Catnip Holly Leaves 

 1. & 2. Use A4 paper, fold in half and draw holly leaf template and cut out.

3. & 4.  Iron fabric, and cut out 4 x leaves.

5.  Take wadding and pin 2 x leaves on top.

6. & 7.  Sew around edge and leave a gap to turn right-sides out, and then stuff with catnip - as much as mew think is necessary! MOL

8.  Sew up gap by hand, and mew should now have a couple of holly leaves that looks like this.

>^.^<

It's Pom Pom Time

1. & 2.  Take your pom pom maker and begin wrapping the wool around tightly.

3. Aftur a few minutes it should look like this.

4. Close and secure pom pom maker with clips.

5.  Take small sharp scissors and cut the wool - do be careful when cutting.

6.  Take a longer strand of wool and secure the pom pom together.

7.  Mew should now have something that looks like this. Most pom pommeee! MOL

>^.^<

Now For The Topping... MMMMMMMM...

1. Cut a circle, or oval in our case - The P.A. only ordered a small amount of the white faux fur - OOPS! 

2.  Cut and pin backing/lining to faux fur - we used an old sheet that had got shrunk in the tumble dryer - note to self: never dry bamboo bedding in the tumble! MOL

3.  Sew right-sides together, leaving a gap.

4.  Turn right-sides out and sew up small gap by hand, mew should now have something that looks like this. Which could also be used as a snuggle mat on its own.

Put it all together and mew should now have this...

EPIC OR WHAT?

Good enough to eat... almost! MOL

We love it! Plus it's calorie free! MOL 

Amber is still trying snort one of the holly leaves... nuff said! [But we can see an intervention on the horizon!]

The Catmas Pudding Pouffe is purrfect for

Snoozing, Snorting and Playing

Now mew know mew want one!

And that furiends furry sadly brings us to the end of our second Catmas Crafting with Cats post, we do hope mew liked it, and if mew decide to make your furry own Catmas Pudding, we'd love to see, so feel free to tag us on social media @BionicBasil - Instagram & Twitter or @BionicBasilCats on TikTok.

So we'll sign off on this bright and breezy Caturday and look forward to your company on tomorrow's Festive Sunday Selfies.

In the meantime

Keep calm and have a niptini, well it is almost Catmas! MOL

Festive purrs

Wing Commander Basil & The B Team

Follow Us @BionicBasil®  at Instacat, Twitter and Facebook

Disclaimer:

We at BionicBasil HQ are not responsible or liable fur any injuries to person/s and/or cat/s, crafting addictions, glue on cats, paper cuts, misplaced pins and needles, cats stealing your supplies, broken scissors, cat fur stuck on your projects, or your project not turning out as planned.  By using this information you hereby agree to indemnify and hold harmless BionicBasil and staff from and against any and all claims for personal injuries or damages of any kind arising from use of any Crafting With Cats posts we may share.

Graphics created with paid licence www.canva.com and www.pizap.com 

**FELINE FICTION FIX** Book Reviews with Amber at The Mewton-Clawson Library #302 featuring **A Christmas Yowl ~ A Cat's Whisker Café Christmas Short Story** by Sarah May Bird **PLUS** Friendly Fill-Ins

Hello Supurr Library furiends

and

Welcome to the Mewton-Clawson Library at BBHQ

Many thanks for joining me in the stacks again, and oh my gosh, the pawty last week was a riot. Literally a riot!

Luckily, Parsley suggested that I got an official Pawty pawtrait with the Library Mice in my private reading room before the festivities really kicked off. It's a good job he did because twenty three minutes and fifteen seconds later I was passed out under my desk! MOL

So here is the official Mewton-Clawson Library Catmas Pawty Pawtrait of 2024. 

Yes, I know my private reading room is rather decadent, but I've worked hard for it, and this was my dream. Anyhoo, I just realised that I've never told mew the Library Mice's names, well, they are a little bit shy, but today I'd like mew to meet:

Top Shelf Left ~ Oswald

Top Shelf Right ~ Snitch

Middle Shelf Left ~ Tootles

Sofa Arm Left ~ Ardvaar

Sofa Back Left ~ Velvet

Sofa Back Right ~ Nibbles

Sofa Arm Right ~ Flora

Sofa Right ~ Chedds (short for Cheddar)

Catmas Tree ~ Lumie

Without my Number One Mouse team, or N.O.M.'s, the library wouldn't be half as much fun. They are epically epic, and maybe we might do a MEET THE MOUSE segment in the New Year.

Oh, and before we dive into this week's book, I have to tell mew this. 

We had a gatecrasher at the pawty. A Mr Hugo Hetherington-Fluff, who apparently resides at Fuskerton Grange in the neighbouring village, anyhoo, it turns out that H-H.F. is a bit of a book fanatic, and he brought me a gift hamper filled with rare books for the library.

Well, mew could have knocked me sideways, twizzled me around the library in a pink tutu and given me an extra large niptini on the rocks, and I don't think I could have been more surprised.

After the introductions and the acceptance of said hamper, H-H.F. stayed for the pawty, and according to Smooch, he had a really great time and is coming back in the New Year, as he'd like to sponsor us! 

There is a lot more gossip, but I will share more of that in my next post in January, so stay tuned for Amber's Dishing The Dirt! MOL

Let's get stuck into this week's book.

Today the P.A. is also joining in Friday Fill-ins Blog Hop with the pawesome 15 & Meowing and Four-Legged Furballs.

1. ________________________at Christmastime is such a pain to me.

2. I can’t wait to see ______________ open his/her gift from me.

3. I _________ on Christmas morning.

4. I _________ on Christmas night.

The P.A.'s answers are...

1. The overtly high and over-the-top expectations of some at Christmastime is such a pain to me. I find it utterly exhausting; my philosophy is to spend time with family, enjoy the moment, and be happy.  

2. I can’t wait to see Cat Dad open his gift from me. The B Team will get a few new toys, and that's about it; we are so uncomplicated it's hilarious! LOL 

3. I like to just chill out on Christmas morning. BBHQ is a no-stress zone. Cat Dad talks to his family in Australia, and we'll just have a super leisurely day. See #4.

4. I like to just chill out on Christmas night. After lunch and clearing up, it'll be a movie in the afternoon, perhaps a few snacks, then in the evening another movie, we like a really laid-back day.

Let's see what I've got to show mew this time!

Mewton-Clawson Library Copy

A Christmas Yowl

 A Cat's Whisker Café Christmas ~ Short Story

Cat's Whisker Café Mysteries

by

Sarah May Bird

 Here's the book blurb:   

A Cosy Christmas Tail

Loki isn’t a bad ghost cat. Just mischievous. What did anyone expect when they named him after a mythical trickster god?

Christmas is the season to spread love, joy and pranks. And Loki intends to particularly focus on the latter this year.

But when he takes a joke too far, he is visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future with a stern warning that has him racing to save a life.

As it's my last review of 2024, I have found the purrfect book for Catmas, which is also part of a bigger series of five books so far, set in a quaint English village.

If mew're looking for a whimsical read to get mew in the festive spirit, look no further than A Christmas Yowl! This delightful short story from the Cat's Whisker Café Mysteries series serves up plenty of holiday cheer along with a healthy dose of whiskery mischief, thanks to our ghostly feline protagonist, Loki. Loki might be a ghost cat named after a trickster god, but he's all heart (albeit a rascally one). As he embarks on a mischievous Christmas adventure, the book encapsulates everything delightful about the holiday season—love, warmth, and most impawtantly, a few well-placed pranks. The plot weaves together themes of redemption and the true spirit of giving, particularly as Loki grapples with the consequences of his actions when the ghosts of Christmas come to pay him a visit. The stakes rise when his antics might spell disaster for another cat and her unborn kittens, leading Loki to realise that maybe it's time to trade in a few heathen pranks for acts of kindness. The narrative is charming and humorous, inviting mew to cheer for Loki as he navigates his way through Catmas chaos. With a cozy setting, a sprinkle of supurr-natural charm, and a heartwarming message, this story is purrfect for curling up with a hot cup of catnip tea and a mince pie. Whether mew're a cat lover or just in need of a bit of holiday spirit, A Christmas Yowl is a meowvellous addition to your festive reading list. Get ready to laugh, gasp, and perhaps shed a happy tear or two as mew discover that even a ghost cat can find redemption and joy in the heart of Catmas! So, grab your favourite holiday treat and settle in for an enchanting tale that reminds us all of the magic that the festive season can bring—even for a cheeky feline spectre.

A TOTALLY TOP PAW READ

This title is also available within the Kindle Unlimited Library if mew are subscribed. And the other books related to this series are available, too; it's the series that just keeps giving, and I will be reviewing more of them in 2025.

Paperback: 69 pages

My Rating Scale

Ratings of:

A Christmas Yowl

Overall Enjoyment

     

That's me done for 2024, I do hope mew've enjoyed all the books I've reviewed this year, and I look forward to sharing oodles more in 2025.

Don't forget, if mew are looking for great books with cats, check out the Book Review page, just click the link here or at the top of the page, as that's the place to visit to get your feline fiction fix.

Wishing mew all a supurr festive

MEOWY CATMAS!

And if mew're feeling a little stressed this holiday season, don't forget to...

Keep calm and read another book

Amber 

Follow me at @BionicBasil® on Instacat

Don't furget to subscribe and never miss another review! 

 graphics created with paid licence www.canva.com 

**CATMAS SPECIAL** CRAFTING WITH CATS RERUN ~ HOW WE MADE The Purrsonalised Catmas Stocking ~ Level Easy Peasy

 Supurr Festive Greetings Pawesome Pals

Welcome to the third of our Crafting with Cats Catmas Specials.  

And apologies for those who were expecting The Purrminator Chapter Eight today. We sadly  ran out of days to share our crating posts, so Melvyn's origin adventure will be back on the 2nd of January. 

All of our previous CWC posts are on the Crafting with Cats Page, and mew don't have to be an expert in anything to make any of them.  Plus we offer workarounds and no-sew projects for those who don't like to sew.

*    *    *

**A quick note before we begin**

All Crafting with Cats ideas and creations are of our own design and we share them fur purrsonal/home use only.

  So purrlease do not copy fur commercial/resale purrposes.

Copyright ©BionicBasil®

*    *    *

This time we're making a pawesome easy peasy 

Ready fur Santa Paws to stuff full of goodies just fur mew!

What Mew Will Need:

Mini pom poms

Faux fur 

Burlap/hessian or a fabric of your choice

Ribbon

Red and white twine or a colour of your choice

needles/thread/scissors/glue gun, or regular fabric glue

optional sewing machine

>^.^<

Optional Cat ~ Smooch was today's Craft Room Snoopervisor

Lets Get Started

1.  Choose your fabrics and trims - get your supplies together

2. Make a simple boot/stocking shape template, ours is A4 sized

3.  Cut out 2 pieces

4.  Take your pom poms and make initial of your choice - glue in place onto one piece - use a piece of card so mew don't accidentally glue it to your table top

5.  Once dry - stitch both pieces together - right sides out - a basic zigzag stitch will be fine or hand-stitching will also be ok

6.  Take your faux fur trim and cut to size - ours was approx 5" or 13 cm deep and just over 2 times the width of the top of the stocking

7.  Make sure the nap [direction of the pile] on the fabric is correct - in this case facing downwards - test this before you sew in place

8. Sew faux fur approx 1.5" or  4 cm from top of stocking

9.  Fold faux fur into stop of stocking, so it looks like this and hand-stitch in place; a simple running stitch will suffice

10.  & 11. Next take your twine and a large needle, and sew in stitch of your choice around the stocking edge, ours is just a basic stitch

12. Finally, take a loop of ribbon and attach to the inside of the stocking, and mew should now have something that looks like this

Isn't is fabulous, and we made a few more so no-purrdy feels left out! MOL

And that furiends furry sadly brings us to the end of our third Catmas Crafting with Cats post, we do hope mew liked it, and if mew decide to make your furry own Catmas Stocking, we'd love to see, so feel free to tag us on social media @BionicBasil - Instagram & Twitter or @BionicBasilCats on TikTok.

Amber will be back tomorrow with her last review of 2024 and she hopes mew can join her in the library. 

In the meantime

Keep calm and have a niptini, well it is almost Catmas! MOL

Festive purrs

Wing Commander Basil & The B Team

Follow Us @BionicBasil®  at Instacat, Twitter and Facebook

Disclaimer:

We at BionicBasil HQ are not responsible or liable fur any injuries to person/s and/or cat/s, crafting addictions, glue on cats, paper cuts, misplaced pins and needles, cats stealing your supplies, broken scissors, cat fur stuck on your projects, or your project not turning out as planned.  By using this information you hereby agree to indemnify and hold harmless BionicBasil and staff from and against any and all claims for personal injuries or damages of any kind arising from use of any Crafting With Cats posts we may share.

Graphics created with paid licence www.canva.com and www.pizap.com