ADVERTISE that cat hair jewelry GIRL!

The buzz has definitely slowed on cat hair jewelry.

It has been over a year since my cat hair jewelry found its way to the internet. I have a steady stream of traffic to my Etsy site, not a lot, but more than previously.

So, what to do? … Try a little advertising! I chose Catsparella. I like the site, it is all about cats and the ad won’t put me in debt. First step—revamped my Etsy site to showcase just cat hair jewelry. Then, make the ad. That was the hard. I wanted a binky ad and I never made one before. After “googling” how to make an animated image, then fooling around in Photoshop — voila! — a few hours later, I had my ad!

And the traffic? it has picked up, still not a lot, but it is a beginning!

Count Down … 52 Days … until … Must Love Cats!

“Things That Make You Go Hmm”

Two weeks prior Animal Plant came calling. I mean, what else could happen?

Press Request – The TODAY Show – VERY URGENT! Another email, this time from the press team at Etsy: I am working with Bobbie Thomas on a segment for The TODAY Show called “Things That Make You Go Hmm”, tentatively scheduled for September 29, during the Kathie Lee & Hoda hour of the show. The nature of the segment is fun. It showcases quirky, unique and uncommon items that Bobbie finds in her travels as a stylist. She would *potentially* like to feature some of your work: brass SPIRALED cat hair necklace.

WOW! And, I had only a few hours to respond to this email!!!  Next day I packed up the necklace and then FedExed it 2-day air to New York. I mean, the shipping was not cheap! The following Thursday the show aired on msnbc. I don’t watch TV, let alone subscribe to cable, so I did’t get to see The Today Show live. But here is a clip that Catsparella included in its blog. Click on this link (TODAY SHOW) to view the cat hair jewelry segment of “Things That Make You Go Hmm”.

Next Up? Count down to Must Love Cats!!!

Keep it Weird—A Hairy Tale

There is attraction and repulsion to the unusual.

In the beginning of June, Etsy had a post on its blog called Keep it Weird: Cat Lady, and “Caged” hair puff necklace was featured. Next came Catsparella (which featured a nice post with pictures), Modern Cat, and Laughing Squid. Then an article in Wired UK, which contributed to the cat hair jewelry phenomenon going viral.

The comments to the jewelry went from one extreme to the other—creepy to awesome.

Some Hair History— hair jewelry was the height of the romanticism and sentiment that characterized the Victorian era. Some pieces were done as mourning pieces or “momento mori”.  While some may find this morbid, for the Victorians death was a common and accepted part of everyday life especially due to the higher infant mortality rate of the time, and the devastation of the Civil War. Hair jewelry was not always mourning jewelry, however, as it was also crafted as love tokens from sweethearts, family members and cherished friends.

victorian “hair” earrings

modern human hair necklace

Flora’s Spiraled Puffs cat hair necklace

It is interesting to note that when hair is on the head, we take pride in it, and the same could be said for hair on an animal, it usually evokes a pleasant experience.                 BUT, once it leaves it roots, aversion can set in and take over.