Kitttens Inspired by Kittens 2013

Miss Wylla (Why-la) Stout, the newest permanent member of The Itty Bitty Kitty Committee! Photo by Laurie Cinotto.

Hello! Hello! It's been a while, but we're still not quite ready for a full-on start-up yet. Things are happening, people--those big, life-altering things that suddenly make you realize that you're adulting all over the place. And boy are we ever. 

More on that soon (we hope)...but I wanted to take a moment to plug our favorite cat & kitten donation event: the annual Tacoma/Pierce County Humane Society fundraiser!

Yup, it's that time of year again. Perennial Nicolai sisters' favorite, The Itty Bitty Kitty Committee, is participating in the annual Tacoma/Pierce County Humane Society fundraiser. Laurie and the IBKC gang are raising money to improve the lives of homeless cats and kittens in Tacoma and Pierce County, WA. Last year, the goal was $75,000, and the IBKC community surpassed that with over $87,000! Isn't that amazing?

If you haven't heard of the Itty Bitty Kitty Committee, I'd like to encourage you to head over to the IBKC blog and poke your little nose around. You will be delighted by what you find, I assure you!

Here are some additional items worth mentioning:

Point number one: The headmistress of the IBKC blog, Laurie Cinotto, is a Tacoma resident and a super-talented crafter. To check out her craft blog, Laurie Cinotto: art and craft, mosey on over here.

Point number two: KITTENS! Yup, sweet babies: every day in every way. Laurie and her husband, Craig, foster orphaned kittens for the Tacoma/Pierce County Humane Society. The kittens (sometimes in singles, more often in families) stay with Laurie until they're old enough for adoption. The IBKC blog documents their adventures, from arrival to adoption. So many success stories! It just makes us giddy beyond belief. 

Point number three: Dedication. Laurie gives bunches and bunches of her time at home (kittens are hard work!), keeps the blog updated, and participates in the Humane Society's annual fundraiser, which is in progress right now (hint, hint!). We really admire her selfless, good-hearted nature...and her kitten wrangling skills. Oh, she has skills like you wouldn't believe. 

Point number four: Community. The Itty Bitty Kitty Committee followers are some of the most kind-hearted and generous people I've encountered online. They follow the IBKC through good times and bad. They laugh, and cry, and celebrate right along with Laurie, Craig, and their kitty family. Even if you're not able to make a donation, I encourage you to visit the donation page and read through the comments left by the donors. It just makes my heart go pitter-patter. Every time. 

If you're intrigued by all this talk of kittens and would like to donate to this year's fundraiser--the IBKC is shooting for $100,000 this year--you can go here for details. And if you're uncertain about sending a donation all the way to Tacoma, remember to check in with your local branch of the Humane Society. They can always use your donations, whether they take the form of time, money, or supplies. Good karma for your kitties!

Matilda cannot pass up piles of tissue paper, even if they're for a paper flower project. 

Here's Peanut with the finished flowers. Cats are so nosey!