Welcome to BBHQ, home of Basil & The B Team! Dive into our epically epic cat blog covering feline enrichment, adventure stories, book reviews, blog hops, cat hacks, crafting & colouring fun. From stylish cat fashion to brain training, we celebrate all things cat! Join us most days for updates on feline lifestyle & fun. Purrs from your furbulous hosts, Wing Commander Basil & The B Team! 🐾🐾
Welcome to the first of our Crafting with Cats Catmas Specials.
If mew missed any of our previous CWC posts, stop by the Crafting with Cats Page and see all our previous projects, 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.
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**A quick note before we begin**
All Crafting with Cats ideas and creations are of our own design, and we share them for purrsonal/home use only.
So purrlease do not copy for commercial/resale purrposes.
Optional Cat ~ Smooch was today's Craft Room Snoopervisor
Normally, we share step-by-step instructions showing how to make things, but in this post we thought we’d show mew exactly in almost real-time how the sled was created from start to finish, letting mew see how a mid-size cardboard box was transformed into a supurr festive sled for cats.
There are 6 videos in total, approximately 10 + minutes each
Melvyn did pull the tree off the back at the end of the final episode! MOL
What a fluffing heathen, anyhoo, it's all back together now as the P.A. has used a lot more glue. She thought it was secure enough, but sadly, it wasn't quite fully Melvyn-Proof, which he pointed out when it landed in the sleigh bed - OH DEAR!
But that little incident aside, we still think it turned out epically epic.
FYI - We are not allowed to use the sled without pawrental guidance, purrlease be aware of safety issues and the safety of your cat at all times if making this or any other crafting projects.
And that furiends sadly brings us to the end of our first Catmas Crafting with Cats post. We do hope mew liked it, and if mew decide to make your furry own Santa Paws Catmas Sled, 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 Monday and look forward to your company on Wednesday's Midweek News.
In the meantime Keep calm and have a niptini. Well, it is almost Catmas! MOL
Festive purrs
Wing Commander Basil & The B Team
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Disclaimer:
We at BionicBasil HQ are not responsible or liable for 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 stafffrom 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.
Thanks for joining us for Part Six of our Halloween Crafting with Cats Rerun. Mew know we have so much fun making all this stuff, and we hope mew enjoy seeing it!
**See Gordon the Ghost link below, and just reduce the pattern size**
Let's Get Started
CHAOS IN THE CRAFT ROOM
1. & 2. We had bought these five cardboard scratchers from Amazon with the intent of making something totally different. However, they were much smaller than we thought, so idea one was literally tossed out of the window. A few minutes later, we had another idea, and that needed one large Amazon box, too.
3. Making it up as we went along, this is what we decided. First, we cut all the flaps off. And cut the side of the box out.
4. This is what it looked like.
5. 6. We repeated on the other side, and this is how it looked.
7. & 8. Next, it was spray-painted - always use a mask - and #8 was after a couple of coats
(we didn't have time to apply more paint).
9. & 10. Next, we glued four of the scratchers in place on the back.
11. Then, we glued the last one to the bottom.
12. Using one of the flaps, we measured to make an infill piece.
13.14.& 15. This is what the infill looked like, we scored the sides along the line and bent them into postion, before gluing in place..
16. We repeated the previous steps to make infills for the other side and front.
17. 18. & 19. Wetook a long wrapping paper cardboard tube, cut it in half, and glued it along the sides of the other scratchers. This filled in the tiny gap, and this is what it looked like.
20. Next, we scored and folded the top flap in half.
21. We glued it together.
22. Then, we glued the flap down, securing it to the edges of the box. And we painted the rest of the cardboard black.
23. If mew look at the top corner, mew can see we added a corner piece, as when we initially cut the flaps off in step 2, we were a bit slapdash and didn't cut it level, so we were left with a small gap, and this piece just covered up our butchery! MOL
24. And this is what your Two-in-One Cat Scratcher should look like now.
And there mew have it, only 24 easy peasy, supurr simple steps to making your very own Two-in-One Cat Scratcher! MOL
It took just over a couple of hours to make, so not that long. And that's us making something that we've never made before, so it should take mew much less time.
Plus, we made the two small catnip ghosts and added the catnip pumpkins from the Haunted House project. See links below for instructions and other Halloween crafting projects.
And we know mew're wondering why it's a two-in-one cat scratcher, well it was initially designed to go up a wall, thereby offering a nice tall scratching scenario, but then we realised that it could also be used flat, and it makes a wunderpurr bed and scratcher, so the choice is yours on what your purrsonal preference is, vertical or horizontal! MOL
Smooch and Fudge demonstrate the horizontal position, and there's more than enough room for two cats, ghosts and three pumpkins!
And Fudge demonstrates the vertical position.
Fudge has pretty much claimed ownership of it, and is currently reclining (Sunday Morning - we only finished it late on Caturday) in the horizontal position in the sitting room! MOL
And for those who'd just like to watch us make it, here is the video - it's only 28 seconds long for those short on time!
Don't furget to subscribe and never miss another post!
Disclaimer:
We at BionicBasil HQ are not responsible or liable for 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 stafffrom and against any and all claims for personal injuries or damages of any kind arising from the use of any Crafting With Cats posts we may share.
Graphics created with paid licence www.canva.com
Music used under license from SoundStripe. Track: Rave Kids Artist: PALA
Thanks for joining us for Part Five of our Halloween Crafting with Cats Rerun. Mew know we have so much fun making all this stuff, and we hope mew enjoy seeing it!
Small round cardboard scratcher for steering wheel mount
Sticky back plastic
Pumpkin stickers
Long play wand with a feather and a bell for the aerial
Small cardboard reel for steering wheel
Silver paper for side windows
Let's Get Started
1. & 2. We only had a small square box and a long, shallow one when we started. And to be honest, we had no idea what to make, but then inspiration struck.
3. We cut halfway down on one side of the smaller box.
4. Then we cut out the window screen. Leaving the bottom edge attached.
5. 6. & 7. We glued the windowscreen at an angle to the side flaps and cut off the excess. Then, we folded the top edge down and glued it to the edge of the windowscreen.
8. & 9. We used the windowscreen flap to make the nose of the truck and added a couple of pieces of leftover cardboard from the flaps of the shallow box.
10. Next, we cut out the back of the box and opened up the cab.
11. 12. & 13. Then, we cut out the end of the shallow box and glued the flaps down, securing the cab to the truck bed.
14. At this point, we decided the top of the cab needed a light bar.
15. 16. 17. & 18. So we created a long, narrow box out of some spare cardboard we had in the craft room.
19. 20. & 21. We glued the light bar in place, and this is what our Unimog looked like with no wheels.
22. 23. & 24. We cut 12 circles from the remainder of the shallow box flaps and 6 long strips to construct the wheels.
25. 26. & 27. We gently scored the edges of the long strips and carefully cut with scissors to the scoreline, creating lots of little tabs. Then, we gently bent the strips and glued them to the circles, creating the wheels.
28. 29. & 30. We glued the wheels to the Unimog, and this is how it looked.
31. Realising that we needed to add a bit of strength under the chassis so the truck bed didn't sag when we cats got in it, we used some long wooden dowels we had in stock and punched holes through the inner wheels and glued the dowels in place.
32. & 33. This was our finished mog pre-spray shop. Oh, we did add a jerry can, as we thought the back looked a bit flat.
34. 35. & 36. The Unimog went into the spray shop and came out black.
37. & 38. We used some old paper stock to create the number plates and glued them to some small cardboard rectangles.
39. The Unimog was ready for customisation.
40. & 41. We used some plastic jar tops for the hubs and sprayed them silver.
43. 44. & 45. We used a large piece of black felt to line the inside of the cab floor and truck bed and glued it in place using non-toxic PVA glue.
46. 47. 48. & 49. Deciding that we needed a steering wheel, we found a small cylindrical cat scratcher in the craft room, which was purrfect for our needs and just changed the colour on the sides with some sticky back plastic that we had in stock.
50. & 51. We used a small cardboard reel, leftover from some hemp rope and pulled one end off, and sprayed the remaining part silver and glued it into the existing hole in the scratcher before glueing it to the inside of the cab just below the window.
52. 53. & 54. Next, we added the number plates and silver hubs to the wheels.
55. No Unimog is complete without a tow rope, so we added that next, glueing it under the truck nose.
56. Then, we added the battery-operated headlights and sidelight reflective stickers.
57. Then, we decided it needed a grill, so we used a small rectangle of cardboard and sprayed it silver before adding a pumpkin sticker.
58. & 59. We attached the lights to the light bar and tested them - EPIC!!!!!
60. 61. & 62. Using some silver paper, we created the side windows and then made the sills from leftover cardboard sprayed with silver.
63. Finally, we added the rear light-reflective stickers, and a sticker to the jerry can, plus the long aerial toy was glued to the back of the truck bed. Mew can see Melvyn attacking in the video.
And there mew have it, only 63 supurr simple steps to making your very own Unimog! MOL
But seriously, it didn't take long at all to make and considering we pretty much made it up as we went along, it didn't turn out too shabby. We also added one of our lovely snuggle mats in the truck bed to make it extra cosy.
And for those who'd just like to watch us make it, here are the videos.
Or check out ourYouTube Channel for all our fun DIY Cat Stuff videos.
And that epic furiends furry sadly brings us to the end of our fifth Halloween Rerun post. We do hope mew liked it, and we'll be back tomorrow with more Midweek News!
Until then....
MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAA
Wing Commander Basil and The B Team
Don't furget to subscribe and never miss another post!
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 stafffrom and against any and all claims for personal injuries or damages of any kind arising from the use of any Crafting With Cats posts we may share.
Graphics created with paid licence www.canva.com
Music used under license from SoundStripe. Track: Wax on Wicks Artist: Empyreal Glow - each video has its own content-id code.
