Cute Cats–Cool Gift Ideas for Cat-Lovers

Da Vinci was most certainly right when he said that the smallest feline is a masterpiece! I mean, who wouldn’t stop and stare in googley-eyed awe at the sight of a kitten? Likewise, cats are a popular subject for online entertainment. From YouTube to blogs, nearly everyone everywhere is showcasing or parodizing the cat’s personality and antics in some form or fashion. More popular and successful works have been published, publicized, and franchised—which is convenient if you’re stuck trying to find a gift for someone who adores cats. There are a few cute and cool cats on the internet that I know which also have some of their own merchandise! Their comic craftsmanship and charming nature will make them the gifts you’re looking for to give to that cat-loving friend or family member!

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From left to right: Simon’s Cat, Pusheen Cat, and Gemma Correll’s cat comics

Simon’s Cat—Simon’s Cat is a delightful cartoon phenomenon from YouTube! Hand-drawn frame-by-frame, this feline is aesthetically simplistic, but lives the hilarious and crazy life all cats lead!  Just recently produced for Simon’s Cat are a brand-new cartoon book, an animated short, and even a few iPhone apps!

Pusheen the Cat—Pusheen the cat is a cute, plushy GIF character that lives on Tumblr! In addition to being a blog-able statement, Pusheen is quite a fashion statement too as she is on a number of apparel and accessories.

Gemma Correll—Gemma Correll is a freelance illustrator and cartoonist. Her artistic interests are a wider range beyond just cute pets and her style, especially those of her cat cartoons, is satirical and sketch-like. Her cats can be found on several of her nick-knacks and in her book “A Cat’s Life”.

Naturally, felines are beautiful and graceful creatures. Artistically, they are even more ingenious as a statement on their dispositions is expressed for entertainment! Any feline-fan will appreciate a gift with any of these internet sensations this holiday season! They’re each a masterpiece in their own right, and totally the cat’s meow!

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ASOS

Affordable style is not a really common thing. However, ASOS is one store that is changing that. They ship to most anywhere in the world for FREE and offer a variety of vintage and retro inspired clothing. If you are looking for something that will help you stand out, or please your sense of fashion,then they are the place to look. While some of their clothing is a bit pricy, for instance $70 for a T-Shirt with a screen-printed design, they also offer a large selection of their clothing at discounted prices.

There always seems to be some kind of sale going on or a promotional code or two floating around for ASOS customers to enjoy. While shipping is not the fastest that we’ve seen, it is FREE and efficient. Their customer service is suburb and answers questions and offers support around the clock! One thing that we really love about ASOS is that they have a nice selection for both Men and Women, whereas many clothing companies target one gender.

They offer many methods that you can choose to pay for your order with, personally we love using PayPal, but if that’s not your thing then credit and debit cards are perfectly fine. There is a growing demand for the type of clothing that they offer, and so far no other company does as good of a job of treating their customers great, giving them the best deals, and offering such great prices and of course the FREE shipping is never a bad thing!

Now were not saying that we are in love with everything that they offer, some of their clothing may only be fitting for the more unique and individual, but for the majority they have something for just about everyone. From shoes to sweaters to jewelry and underwear, they literally have it all. The cool thing about ASOS is that they not only sell their brand, but they sell other independent and undiscovered brands as well so that you get the best variety and selection possible. So the next time you want an outfit that helps you stand out or start a new trend, check out ASOS.

Winky Designs Iconic Edition

Winky Designs is a fun and quirky new company that has been delighting people with its slap watches and other cool designer products for a good while now. Their latest addition to the Winky family of products is a line of slap watches that feature icon images rather than numbers like you would find on any other boring old clock. They literally have a nag for taking the ordinary and turning it into something fantastic and functional! The new line features three new and “iconic” designs. These designs are the camera, travel, and computer icons. We got our hands on one of the Iconic Camera watches, and the first thing we have to comment on is their superb packaging. The packaging has vibrant orange and white colors and boasts a neat side label that looks like a nutrition facts label that has useful information about the watch printed on it.

The watch itself is clever beyond words. The iconic images printed on the inside compartment of the watch are crisp and clear. The material that the watch is made of is a very soft and comfortable silicon material that is a pure black color. There is also a classy silver ring around the centerpiece of the watch that draws one’s eye to the watch. You are sure to get noticed when you wear a Winky Designs product, and that’s a good thing because this has to be without a doubt one of the coolest watches to ever be made. This watch along with the other two designs in the Iconic Edition collection are most certainly going to be the next big thing in accessory fashion. Be sure to head on over to their Facebook page and like it or follow them on their Twitter for the latest info on their amazing products!

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Toast Pop Guy’s Favorites: Modern Black

Modern is a great look for anyone, and of course we all have our favorite things. It just so happens that I love modern things quite a bit. I like minimal and simplistic looks as well as items that contribute to the overall style of the modern look.

(1.) Sony Piiq Earbuds – Sony has developed a new line of earbuds by the name of Piiq that not only look great, have great sound, and offer neat functions not accompanied by most other earbuds, but they also have a wide variety of choices at a very affordable price. ($13 directly from Sony)

(2.) Blackberry Bold 9650 – I’m not necessarily suggesting that you go to your cell phone provider and switch your phone over for a Blackberry, you still have to have a phone that works for you and what you like (ex. keyboard, touch screen, camera, etc.), but do keep in mind that a good looking phone is half the battle most of the time. ($550 w/o contract)

(3.) Capsule Case Wallet – Capsule Case has been making a great alternative to the traditional wallet for quite some time now! Though I have trouble fitting cash in mine sometimes, it is perfect for credit and business cards. Keep looking classy and modern while saving the functions you need in a wallet. They offer many different colors in their line of modern wallets, but I like to keep it simple and so I went with a traditional black color. This wallet not only looks fantastic, but feels sleek and appropriately sized in your hands and pocket. ($15 varies by store)

(4.) Moleskine Sketchbook – If you’re like me, you love to sketch, but you hate carrying around a huge sketchbook with pages that smudge your wonderful works of art. Well, that’s where this little guy comes in handy. Moleskine makes my favorite line of books on the market, their paper is top of the line and does not smudge your work, especially when you use a sharpie pen (I love those!). They offer notebooks, planners, and many other types of books, as well as sizes, but you can’t go wrong with the medium sized Moleskine Sketchbook. ($15 varies by store) 

 

Paperwallet

If you’re like me, you have a hard time finding a wallet that works for you. I myself am environmentally conscious but hate to sacrifice great style. Surprisingly, not many companies are looking into ways to make accessories and functional items, environmentally friendly, with the exception of one very cool company called Paperwallet. This company is true to its name, they make wallets made out of Tyvek, a material that is 100% recyclable!  How cool is that!? We think it’s probably the best idea we’ve herd in a very long time. Now, Paperwallet is all about keeping the green going, so that’s why they offer a really cool program where you can send in your old wallet and get a 15% coupon from them to use towards a Paperwallet!

Sounds pretty good right? It is, but we aren’t just saying they are awesome, we are using their products. The best part for me is the room and space in the wallet for all of my cards and cash. The quality of these wallets is another big point of discussion for new buyers. They look fantastic, but do they stand the test of feeling and using as high quality? Yes, they sure do. Upon first touching one of these artistic wallets you get the gist that it is a very durable and thick paper stock. A great company that is moving forward for our environment always deserves support, and that’s why we fully support Paperwallet 100%!

 

Check out the pictures of our Paperwallets!

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UZO Umbrellas

One doesn’t generally take into consideration what kind of umbrella they are using in todays market. There is such a problem with mass production of cheap quality products, that the most functional are left unnoticed. UZO Umbrellas is making a large impact in changing that. The way you see umbrellas will never be the same. Think about it, an umbrella is quite possibly one of the most useful accessories to have when leaving the house on a dreary day, but it can be a frustrating one if you are using a cheaply made one.

Taking the umbrella a step further, UZO Umbrellas is turning this useful accessory into a fashion statement with their brillant line of colors to choose from. One major feature that makes a UZO Umbrella better than most all others is it’s ability to protect the user from rain completely by leaving no part of the area above your head exposed. It was brilliantly thought of and conceived by Ronald Obmaces, a fantastic designer and engineer.

What other umbrella company with those features can boast about owning 24 patents worldwide? None come to mind. It’s quite easy to see why the UZO Umbrella would be a magnificent choice to keep you dry and looking better than anyone else holding an umbrella on a rainy day.

NOOKA Mindstyle

Looking for something different to accessorize with? Nooka has the answer! They have created an entire company based on the idea of being different and looking great while doing so. The products that they sell boast a modern and simplistic look, while also pertaining to the functionality of everyday use. They create fun and creative ways to make everyday task, such as checking the time on a watch, more exciting. Their lines range from watches, to eye-ware, all the way to other types of apparel. Their product lines have grown over time, and new and innovative products are definitely in the future of Nooka.

While some may say their products are a little too ahead of our time, meaning they look too futuristic, Nooka thinks otherwise and is proving that with their continuing success in the world of modernism. Most of their products are a little more expensive than their competitors, but that is simply because the quality and design is superior at Nooka. It may cost a little more to get a Nooka product, but you seriously get the look that you pay for. While I must admit some of their products will more than likely make you stand out everywhere you go, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, Nooka makes products specifically for those who want to stand out.

Celebrities are more than willing to wear Nooka products and show off the brand, in fact Miley Cyrus has been seen wearing their sunglasses with everyday clothes, making them the focal point. It’s not hard to see how Nooka is taking this generation by storm, and it’s not too hard to see how they will only continue to succede in a world where being different and looking ahead of your time is not only acceptable, but celebrated. With the mindset of “mindstyle”, Nooka is making a lasting impression.

Pura Vida Bracelets

Are you looking for a great stocking stuffer for the holidays or do you simply just want something unique and hand-made to complete your favorite outfit? If you answered yes to either of those, you  should check out Pura Vida Bracelets! The bracelets are very pretty and hand-made, they are 100% water proof and, to top it all off, the profit the company makes goes to a good cause.

Pura Vida started out when two friends went to Costa Rica in celebration of their college graduation. While there they met a man named Jorge who was peddling bracelets on the streets. It turned out that he had made the bracelets himself and was selling them to support his family, who were living in a single room and sharing three beds. This inspired the two friends to help. They took some of the bracelets home with them and sold them to some friends. Before long they had many people wanting a bracelet. They contacted Jorge and ordered more bracelets and before long it was a business.

The phrase “Pura Vida” is Spanish for Pure Life. It means to live life to its fullest and not let things worry you so much. This is a great name for this company because the bracelets are simple yet beautiful and each one is hand-made and unique. It is also a fitting name because for every bracelet sold, Pura Vida donates 1% to the Surfrider Foundation through 1% for the planet. They also provide full time jobs to the talented artisans of Costa Rica.

These beautiful bracelets are great for completing outfits, stuffing stockings, and even starting conversations. They are durable and water proof and completely unique. If you’re interested in learning more, visit the Pura Vida official website at PuraVidaBracelets.com!

KO Couture

You may or may not have heard about the new craze in pet fashion, KO Couture. This doggy clothing line was started in 2009 by a dog owner named Kelly Owens who was going through some hard times and desperately needed some creative outlet. She never imagined that just two years later her little hobby would take off earning her the title “pet fashion expert.”

The clothes and items carried by KO Couture are beautiful and great quality items ranging in price from $4 to $700 depending on the size of the item and the amount of detail. The clothes are both elegant and functional, and are guaranteed to make any pet feel like a superstar. The clothes are mainly created for dogs but judging by some of the pictures of the items, some can also be worn by cats or young children (mainly the hats).

KO Couture is definitely worth checking out, especially if you have a special canine in your life. The items can be bought on esty at www.kocouture.com/etsy. If you have any questions check out the f.a.q. at www.kocouture.com/faq.

Shop Michelle Rose

It is almost impossible to find cool things that are different and unique anymore, with all of the chaos of industrialized clothing and gifts. Yet, we sought out an amazing artist who creates unique things, and guess what? We found one! This jewelry creator describes the style that she creates as “Retro Futuristic Rock Star Style”.

Michelle Rose is a Los Angelas based entrepreneur who is making quite the impression on those who buy her jewelry. While her main talents consist of jewelry making, she also does her own graphic designing and promoting, and she does it well! We had the opportunity to get the inside scoop on what is behind this amazing artist with jewelry’s self made store.

When asked what got her started with jewelry making, Michelle told us,”I’ve been dabbling in jewelry making since I was a kid but was frustrated by my lack of training in creating components of my own design. Soon I found a way to laser cut plastic, which excited me, but that method has its limitations. I hope to take a metal casting class soon so I can create my own designs in three-dimensional metals, and perhaps other materials.” The fact that she uses different mediums when creating her jewelry is perhaps what makes it so unique.

We were curious if she does it for just a hobby or as a career, so we asked her and she responded with,”I left my job in the garment industry this year to pursue self-employment as a sole source of income. It’s been tough, but I am hoping to see an upswing within the next year as I realign myself and use my time to explore more creative outlets including creating more artistic clothing & jewelry pieces, handbags, paintings, and home decor items.” It’s possible to have a career in a field that you do enjoy working in, and Michelle is living proof of that. She currently only sells on the website called Etsy, but it appears that this business plan is serving her well.

Finally, we were curious as to what her plans are for the future of her business. We assumed that a business this creative has to have plans for expanding. She told us,”You’ve caught me in a major stage of transition! Many new things are coming up. It’s hard to say what exactly they will be, but as I said I want to work in a lot of other mediums. My new goal is to create more unique pieces with plenty of artistic value.” We can’t wait to see what is in store next for this artistic entrepreneur, but we have no doubt that it will be creative and surprise us all! With her unique sense of style and drive to make her brand successful, we know we will be hearing more about her in the future!

If you want to learn more about her business and where it is headed just check out her website at Michelle-Rose.com or to buy some of her uniquely styled jewelry pay a visit to her shop on Etsy by going to ShopMichelleRose.Etsy.com!