BIGGER sale.

Tomorrow we'll start an even BIGGER sale.
60% off!!
I'm not joking.  I didn't slip.  I said 60% off.  This is the biggest sale we've ever done.  It is time to close the doors of Cat in an Apron, and I'd like to send our inventory out to all of you!
This will start at midnight tonight - July 10 - and last for one week only.

just enter:  thankyou60    at checkout.

Thank you for supporting Cat in an Apron.  It has been a fantastic ride.

The Big SALE!

Yippeee!  A sale!  I love sales.

I'm going to start with a 50% off sale.  As inventory gets lower, I'll add more incentives, but we are already running out of almost all of our blankets, so if you have your eye on something, order it now. 

When you check out, enter: endofdays  in the discount window, and you'll get 50% off your ENTIRE order. 

Now is a good time to get onesies for your baby or stock up for gifts! 

 And we have brand new Flipside Hats for older girls that have just been put on the site and THEY are 50% off, too. 
Everything is. 
Your whole order. 
50% off.

(Did I already say, "YIPPEEEEE"?)

A Sad Day...

I've come to a decision that has been bubbling for some time now.  I haven't been posting because I've been trying to figure out WHAT is going to happen with Cat in an Apron.  After many tears and lists and pacing, I've decided to close it down.  I'm working on new things, and I'm going to keep this blog open after all. I still have so many things I see every day that I would like to share.  I'd love it if you would stick around with me and see the new blog and the new direction.

I'm working on a giant sale to finish the rest of our inventory.  I'll have the details VERY soon.  And I'll share the new project I've been working on as well.

Cheers to you all, and thank you so much for supporting Cat in an Apron!

Yahoo!

Our super awesome reversible hats from Flipside Hats (designed JUST for us) are featured in the denim section of Cool Mom Picks Back To School Guide!

We are beyond excited here!

And if anyone wants to find gifts for me or the kiddos, let's just say we want everything ELSE on this list!!  Make sure you check it out before you go school shopping - the prices are fantastic.  Our Flipside hats are all currently 50% off and there is a code to get 25% MORE off on their guide.  Happy shopping!

More Photos of the Swaddle Blankets

Here are some of the prints you can choose from. I'm just saying...

Giveaway at POSH LITTLE

I'm going to give away a Flipside Hat to one person - drawn at random - who comments to the Win it Wednesday page at Posh Little. You can choose the hat and the size. These hats are SO cute! They are reversible, so they are really two hats in one! The contest goes for one week, so be sure to post! I'll get it in the mail next wednesday, so it should ship out in time for Christmas!

On The Fourth Day of Christmas

My true love gave to me:
Four Calling Birds,
three french hens,
two-oo turtle doves,
and a PARtri-idge in a pear treeeeeee.

This can represent the four gospels, the four evangalists, 'colly' birds which were black birds (and eaten), or just really cute birds for the whole BIRD theme of the first part of the song. Okay, i have to interject here. I'm a total etymology nerd, and this series is just fascinating!! check it out here. I'm going to keep pointing to these post throughout these twelve days. Another interjection: I sing to my kids when we are done reading books at night and they are falling asleep. One of the songs in our rotation is Hush Little Baby. Every time I sing "papa's gonna buy you a mocking bird", my daughter corrects me and says, "no mama. it is ROCKING bird!" She just won't believe me when I try to explain what a mocking bird is, and why that is part of the song. Why do 3 year olds and 6 year old argue about things like this? I'm sure I have NO idea where they get it - must be their father...

ON TO OUR CHARITY of the day. World Vision - www.worldvision.org - does so much, there is no way I can get it all into one post. Through World Vision, you can sponsor a child, buy supplies for emergency relief, even buy things like goats and ducks and clothing for families in need.

We can help them with as little as $10.

On The Third Day of Christmas....

My true love gave to me:

Three French Hens,

Two Turtle Doves,

and a Partridge in a Pear Treeeeeeeeee.

Once again, this can mean either the three theological virtues: faith, hope and charity, or it can just be ANOTHER reference to all of the eating people used to do during the celebration from Christmas to Epiphany. Or, I guess it could just sound really great with the short syllables and conjure images of nice fat little chickens.

So today, since we've been talking about feasts, our most deserving charity is Loaves and Fishes / Meals on Wheels. The name is obviously taken from the miracle of the loaves and fish where Jesus fed the masses with one boy's lunch. There seem to be a Loaves and Fishes groups all over the country. Here in Portland the focus is on seniors and disabled people who live independently. When I was pregnant with my daughter, my son and I delivered Meals on Wheels. It was such a profound experience. It was heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. Little H charmed everyone he met, and we would stay and chat a little with most of the people. It doesn't seem like a big deal, delivering meals to people, but what it is really providing them is independence. They are able to live on their own and not have to worry about fixing three meals a day.

As always, during our 12 Days of Christmas, donate 15% of any sales from Cat in an Apron to the Portland Loaves and Fishes - just email me at marne@catinanapron.com and I will take care of it. If you would like to do more, check out these options.

On The First Day of Christmas....

Oh! This makes me so happy! I am SO glad to be researching and discussing charities! Cat in an Apron will donate 15% of every sale to one of the charities I'll be profiling - you choose which one - for the first 12 days of December.

Now, the whole twelve days of Christmas song seems to have all kinds of history associated with it - it seems no one can agree. One truth for sure, is that it counts down the days from Christmas to Epiphany. We are going to visit them BEFORE Christmas, so we can get lovely gifts to you in time for gift giving, and so the money we are donating gets in the right hands before Christmas.

On the FIRST day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: A partridge in a pear tree!

This should not conjure an image of a redheaded little boy in bell bottoms climbing a fruit tree, but peace, or Jesus, or MUCH more you can find here if you are so inclined. Very interesting!

Our first charity I'll be profiling is Casa Cards. Casa cards produces cards featuring artwork by children. They are just beautiful. (click on the image above to order the cards.) They contain that purity and heart that we adults are always trying to get back to. The sale of these cards funds their goal: "to raise awareness and funding for Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) programs, which provide individual advocacy for children who have been abused." Here is their statement:

• Founded in 1989 by board members of then Multnomah County CASA, the project is currently operated by CASA for Children, serving Multnomah and Washington Counties in Oregon. Over the past 1 9 years, more than 5. 5 million CASA Cards have been sold from our office in Portland and through participating CASA programs nationwide. Proceeds from the sale of our products directly fund the training and support of volunteers who advocate within the juvenile court and child welfare systems. In Multnomah and Washington Counties, every $1500 that CASA Cards generates provides a full year of advocacy for one child. The more cards we sell, the more kids we can help.

This started here in Portland, but there is a national casa, too.

You can also help by buying cards, or by becoming a volunteer advocate. If every child had an advocate looking out for them, I'm sure the system would work so much better! I really want to do this when my kids are a little older.

Remember, we'll give 15% of every sale during these first 12 days of December to one of our 12 charities. If you'd like it to be Casa for Children / Casa Cards, just email me at marne@catinanapron.com and I will take care of it.

If we are feeling this economy as much as we are, I can only imagine the charities are feeling it more, let's support them. I wish you the very best this season!

Coming Soon! Twelve Days of Christmas

Starting December 1st, I am going to be showcasing a different charity a day for 12 days. If you make a purchase at catinanapron.com, I will donate 15% of your purchase to the charity you choose from my list. I know this holiday season is difficult for many of us, and I'm afraid the charities will also be taking a hit. This way, you can buy a great gift for someone you love (or yourself!) and know that you are supporting a wonderful charity during this difficult time. However you celebrate this season, I hope it is warm and filled with people you love!