Shopping blog featuring products made by people not factories.
Like it or not, most pets (of the feline and canine varieties, anyway) need neckwear, to keep them safely identified or likewise on a leash. Collars might not be a pet’s favorite thing, but they don’t have to be unfashionable – or uncomfortable, for that matter.
Whiskerkisses offers white button-down collars to combine with regular and bowties for a most fashionable statement (and just in time for Independence Day.)
I love the idea of pet beds – specifically dog beds, in my case, since that’s the only kind of pet I’ve had. I bought my dog a few beds over the course of his life, from the tiny basket that I brought him home in to a cozy padded fleece version that I thought he would love. He didn’t. No matter how enthusiastically I patted the bed and mimed how lovely it would be for him to sleep on it, what he liked was a mattress, and sleeping with me, or with any other human being in the house who would indulge him his ability to expand his 22-pound self enough that he took up the entire bottom of a queen-sized bed. Meanwhile, his beautiful bed sat idle, used as a repository for his toys when I decided to pick them up and organize them for the five minutes they stayed that way.
But perhaps you’re a better alpha than I am, or at least have better boundaries. Maybe you have an intolerant partner who can’t stand sharing space with an animal, or you are that intolerant party. Whatever the reason you decide to set bedtime boundaries for your pet, there are tons of sleeping options for pets of all sizes and needs, including some very cool hand-crafted choices.
Cody’s Creations – custom apparel for pets – features items like this cool “take me along tote” and travel bed. I like the camo version in particular, for the pet who’s trying to keep a low profile.
Vintage Renaissance believes in “recycling, upcycling, repurposing and reviving older styles to work for design today,” including cat beds fashioned out of vintage suitcases. If I had a cat at the moment, I’d own one of these pronto – and whether they actually sleep in it or not, it’s an excellent conversation piece.
For smaller pets who like to snuggle, Toni’s Desirables makes the Pawket Blanket in different shades of faux fur. Very sweet, very warm.
AngelCats offers hand-crocheted cat beds made with a cat’s need for a cozy space to curl up and a supposedly keen aesthetic sense.
Have a small pet like a rat or a small rabbit? Tree of Life has just the indoor hammock for them, made from two layers of alpine fleece.
It’s been a wet spring where I live outside of Washington, D.C., which means that boots, raincoats and of course umbrellas have gotten a workout. The good news for pet friends is there is plenty of gear to help them face wet weather too.
Beantown Handmade offers the Kelly Upcycled raincoat, made from a gently used human raincoat, replete with giraffe-print trim.
Please welcome new columnist Laurie White to Try Handmade. She’ll be writing two times per month on great handmade goodies for pets. They deserve greatness too! Laurie also writes at LaurieWrites and BlogHer.
Do you have any questions about where to find great pet items? Looking for something in particular? Leave her a comment and maybe she can help you out!
[hLaurie]I’m happy to join Try Handmade to share the best handcrafted goods for the animals who share our lives and homes.
The American Pet Products Association estimates that Americans will spend approximately $45.4 BILLION on products for their pets in 2009 alone, a $2.2 billion increase over 2008. $45.4 billion, yes. This might seem shocking in tough economic times, but a look around at the people in my life and in the wider world shows that no matter what corners get cut, pets still occupy a special place in our hearts – and apparently our budgets.
Pet owners who care about quality and crafts can surely spare more than a few pennies of those billions for locally made, handcrafted items, and that’s what I’ll be sharing with you each week. [Read more…]
