Shelter Cat Project

Recently, a totally awesome gal shared with me the link to her site [Peace Love Adopt] and the link to her outstanding photography of shelter cats.  Be sure to check out her site and how she is saving the world, one cat at a time!

After you've visited her site- or before, it really doesn't matter- you absolutely have to see her photos here.

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I mean, look at this gorgeousness.  She is really talented, and her photos are really inspiring.
She does an excellent job of capturing the cats in a very natural setting.  These cats don't even look like they are in a shelter, they look like they are in someone's home or perhaps in a professional photoshoot.  Either way, she is extremely skilled at getting the cats to look comfortable in front of the camera.  Being an amateur photographer myself, I must say that getting a cat to relax in front of a camera is ridiculously challenging.  Then, once they do relax, trying to get them to look into the camera is a big pain in the buns.
I don't even know how she manages to get the cats to look so perfect.  She is truly one amazing lady.

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I hope that my photography can be this beautiful someday.  Until then, I will keep practicing.
The unique thing about her photography is that it shows shelter cats in a different light.  Instead of trying to get a typical body pose of the cat to show for adoption, she achieves a much more interesting side of the cats.  She shows them as individual beings with fun personalities and distinctive characteristics rather than as mere animals in need of homes.
Her photography is artistic as opposed to the generic photography that is used by 99% of shelters around the world.
Her photos save lives by showing people that shelter cats are more than pitiful animals with sad lives and poor sob stories.  She shows people that shelter cats are beautiful and valuable.  And she does it all without even saying a word.
As they say, a picture says a thousand words.

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Nonetheless, her photos are so admirable.  I really hope that you take the time to look through her stunning set of photos in support of her life-saving efforts.

All photos - Copyright © Peace Love Adopt

Please vote for me!

The animal shelter that I am a part of (Sangamon County Animal Control Center) has been entered in a contest to win $2000. All that you have to do is log in to Facebook and like this picture. I would appreciate it so inexplicably much if you could do that for me.

Thank you so much to all who help us out. I, the shelter, the volunteers, and the sweet, loving animals will all greatly and wholeheartedly appreciate it. God bless.

This beagle baby wouldn't be smiling if it weren't for the SCAC. They saved her from the streets and gave her a second chance. This puppy and I are both so grateful for that shelter.

Psalm 17:1 "Hear, O Lord, my righteous plea; listen to my cry. Give ear to my prayer- it does not rise from deceitful lips."

Super Simple Cat Toy

I was thinking of toys that I could make not only for the shelter cats, but for my cats at home. I wanted it to be simple so I could make quite a few of the same thing. Then, this suddenly came to my mind!

It is simply a chopstick with yarn tied securely around one end. I have an abundance of chopsticks from Asian restaurants and yarn from my mom's old storage, so I can make many of these for virtually free. Plus, I can use different colors, or try adding feathers or other cat-friendly items later. It was very simple, and yet my cats at home went crazy for it, which was a huge bonus since Oddball is typically scared of all toys, especially new ones.

I just used simple knots to tie each piece of yarn around the chopsticks a few times over. The more knots, the stronger the yarn will hold up during play time. I only had one piece of yarn come undone, but it had only been tied with one knot. It was no problem at all to retie the yarn while adding a few extra knots. Since then, I haven't had any complications. Plus, using different textures of yarn was a huge benefit. Oddball prefers the softer craft yarn, while Kady prefers the rough Christmas yarn.

I'm going to make several of these for the shelter kitties. They are sure to love them! Speaking of the shelter, I got to help a lady take home two beautiful cats today, London (a Tortie) and Stevie (a Tabby). It was such a perfect ending to an overall awesome day.

P.S.: check out Crafting for a Cause to find out more about making toys for the animal shelter, as well as this post to find out more about the shelter with which I am involved. <3

[One of my favorite verses.] Psalm 106:1 "Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever."

Crafting for a Cause

Volunteering at the shelter has really opened my eyes to how spoiled my pets at home are.
Don't get me wrong, shelter life isn't so bad. Good food, a nice, warm place to stay, and lots of love and toys are always provided for the animals.
But there is always room for improvement! And the shelter's wishlist makes it especially easy for me to figure out what kinds of things they could use.
Being only 17 and without a job, I cannot afford to buy toys or other supplies for the shelter animals.
So I have decided to make pet supplies to donate to the shelter.
Check back for updates and posts related to Crafting for a Cause.

After all, I wouldn't have this cutie if it weren't for the SCAC.

 I wouldn't have this bundle of fur either if it weren't for pet shelters in general. (she came from a different shelter).

Volunteer, Donate, Adopt.

The Sangamon County Animal Control (SCAC) Center needs help. If you live in this area of Illinois, check them out please. <3

As a volunteer, you are free to do what you want, when you want. You can choose from a variety of activities such as:

walk dogs

socialize cats

snuggle puppies and kittens

groom cats

play with dogs in a fenced outdoor yard

show animals to potential adopters

Plus, the people there are really awesome. Anddd, they have some super cute animals. SCAC is actually the shelter from which I adopted my sweet beagle baby.

Click the Read More to get more info!