My human had two important missions while she was at the BlogPaws conference this past weekend: get enough stuff to fill a box full of swag for my giveaway, and meet some of the famous cats who actually showed up there in the fur! One of everybody’s favorites was Coco from the Curlz and Swirlz blog. Coco was a true star, gracious with her public and a fashionista who wore a different outfit every day!
The first night, my human was kind of bummed because they had a raffle and the guy next to her — a total dog person — won this book. She wanted it because it had a Somali on the cover! She would have bartered for it, but she had nothing to offer since she had just arrived at the hotel a couple of hours earlier.
In years past, the cat bloggers complained because there wasn’t much cat stuff in the swag bags. The BlogPaws humans tried having different bags this year — dog only, dog and cat, and cat only. It was better but not perfect — somebody still put a couple of dog toys in the cat only bag. Dog humans must have assembled the bags, because only they would not understand that toys cats like have nothing to do with small dog toys. There was a table for unwanted swag, so my human left the dog toys there.
The real awesomeness for us kitties at BlogPaws was the Catification lounge, set up by Kate from Moderncat, with some long-distance assistance from Jackson Galaxy. Kate has impeccable taste when it comes to cat things, and she filled a whole room with to-die-for cat toys, furniture, treats and you-name-it!
They even had running water fountains! Coco found that very refreshing.
Even though the cats there got to enjoy all this amazing luxury, I kind of felt bad for them… because they were forced to deal with my human and her incessant photo taking! Yes, other humans were taking photos, but my human took it to a whole ‘nother level. She thinks being a good photographer means taking a bunch of bad photos until a good one happens by accident. This cat was named Zeus and you can tell what he thought of my human’s photographic technique.
My friend, the sweet natured Pumpkin Puddy, was a lot more patient with my human. She is a real class act.
Finally Moki had to put the paw down on my human! He told her that she was out of control and maybe some kitties just wanted a little peace. Moki was actually very gracious about it, though. He had way more tact than my human did.
So did my human pick up enough swag for my BlogPaws Swag Bag giveaway? She did! If you were on my Facebook page Saturday, you saw this photo — and some more stuff was added after she took the photo.
My human got to meet the humans of a lot of my blogging friends — Katie’s Glogirly (Katie also was an award winner at the conference!), Junior, Orion and Sammy’s human and Sebastian’s human among them. She also got to hang out with humans she already knows, including Robin Olson from Covered in Cat Hair, Zee and Zoey’s human, the Catladyland human, Tamar from I Have Cat, Chey’s human, Brewski Butt’s human, Ingrid from the Conscious Cat, Skeezix’s human (Skeezix also won an award!) and Catsparella. I am glad all these humans got to hang out together — it kept them out of our fur during my birthday party/ Cat World Domination Day celebration!
But little did I know, there was more good stuff to come! Coco’s human had these charming, kitty-sized gift bags filled with toys and treats (and even something for the humans)!
AND at the end of the conference, Kate had a drawing and gave away everything in the Catification Lounge (the big furniture and anything else left over went to a Salt Lake City rescue). My human won one of the cool scratchers! So I got an extra big birthday gift when she got home!
So if you will excuse me, I am going to get busy breaking it in!
See all of Summer’s merch at her Designercat Shop, available on Zazzle.
Dare we say it, but that scratcher almost looks like a treadmill!!!
It’s clear that Blogpaws was awesome! #1 says she wishes she could go, but it’s just too far away for us…
Purrs,
The Chans
It sure does sounds like the Blog paws was a huge success. What a huge amount of toys and treats. That is fun.Glad you got an extra birthday present Sparkle. Take care.
Your human did well at Blogpaws! What fun to see those real cats too, as well as so many of the cat humans. So your human didn’t even bring home the dog stuff for the dog?
Nope – her digestive system is a little picky when it comes to food and she is 13 so she doesn’t play much anymore. So there really wasn’t much for her. Although she could use a new leash!
Wow, Sparkle. We woulda wanted everything in the Catification Lounge!! We’ve got that cool scratcher…it’s our favorite…you’re gonna love it!
Mom says she’s going to BlogPaws next year for sure!!
Yay!!!
BlogPaws sounds amazing! I hope I can go next year.
The cat lounge looks and sounds incredible! I’m glad you had a good time at the conference 🙂
Looks like it was a great conference!!!! Sparkle we have one of those infinity scratchers and we all love it, we’re certain you will too 🙂
Your human got to meet Moki?! That is so awesome. We adore him, he’s got to be the toughest cat on the internet, and his mum is wonderful.
The Catification lounge looks brilliant.
WOW! We would have wanted everything in that lounge, too — the ModernCat merchandise is fabulous. Concats on winning one of the scratchers!
Too bad BlogPaws seems to be limited to the U.S.!
What a GREAT recap, Sparkle!!! Glogirly didn’t take ANY photos of the cool Catification lounge…which was the absolute BEST!!! Flat Katie & Glogirly tell me that had a blast meeting everyone….especially YOUR human! I’d have been way more impressed had they met YOU. heh heh
They are still vrooming their way home. ETA sometime later tonight, unless they get distracted by Cheese.
xoxo, Katie
That’s a great scratcher! You are a lucky cat Sparkle. Mommie wants to go to Blogpaws next year, but we will see.
Tell her to come! She will have the best time ever, guaranteed!
what fun – mom hopes to be able to go next year…. and we LOVE your new scratcher!!
Blogpaws looks like so much fun. Mom is thinking about going next year!! Enjoy your new scratcher!!
The Florida Furkids and Lexi
I hope she does come – my human would love to meet her in person! Plus it will be on the East Coast next year, hence closer to you guys.
We agreee with Katie, a great recap! Our Meowm was terrible about getting photos!!! She was distracted by the swag, and now we get to be distracted by the swag.
Our Meowm loved meeting your Mom. She just wishes she had more time to spend with everyone. Next time she goes to a Blogpaws she is going to try to go for all the days it runs.
Have fun with your scratcher!
What a fun to meet all these fantastic kitties! And how nice you got such a beautiful scratcher.
Very, very interesting post! First one we have seen about BlogPaws! Looks like it was a lot of fun, and oh what beautiful and brave kittycats!!
We *love* your new scratching …. furniture ^..^
Happy Monday!
~ Napoleon
I want to go to BlogPaws someday SO MUCH
That Royal Canin book is part of a set of 4. They all have a Somali on the cover. Each volume features different breeds…I have Volume One, which features guess what, Abyssinians! And also Siamese and Persians, so the breeds are NOT in alphabetical order in this set.
I can’t remember which volume of the four covers Somalis (it may be the one I have but somehow I think they split the Abys and Somalis into different books); I can look when I am at home because all the volumes’ contents are listed in the front of my copy.
However, I did find Volume Two (Which has articles about cat anatomy and physiology, cat nutrition and the following domestic cat breeds: American Shorthair, American Wirehair, Turkish Angora, Balinese, Bengal, Russian Blue, Bombay, British Shorthair, Burmese, Burmilla, California Spangled, Ceylon, Chartreux, Norwegian Forest Cat and Cornish Rex) on eebay for five dollars (WP keeps thinking my comment is spam!)
what a pawsome conference. you enjoyed the treats from the goody bags now did you?
sparkle my human just got one those scarches on goup on today it look aswom i will have to make it up it me for missing my purrday i am only 11 after all
Oh how nice Moki was tehere, what a special one!
It looks like it was a blast. I am glad you won such a cool prize
Oooo, we likes that scratcher!
HOLY MOLEY!!! You scored big time, Sparkle! Now we are REALLY hissed off at our lame Mommy.
That looks like everybuddy had a great time, well, except for the kitties subject to your human’s photo taking. Our mommy was invited to go along with Isabela from Ooh Leela (Leela is a dog though) but it didn’t work out this year which turned out to be okay since she was able to be here with our sisfur Sadie. Maybe she’ll get to go next year.
What a SUPER GREAT and comprehensive post about BLOG PAWS!!!
You made my Mom feel a little better about not being able to be there.
Mom is BEYOND BUMMED that she didn’t get to meet you. You have been one of her faves for quite some time and she soooooooo wanted to give you a hug!!!!
Love, Cody (even if my brother Dakota DID steal my avi)
Sparkle
We felt like we had been there, that was a superb write up on BlogPaws.
Where is it going to be held next year?
That sure is one cool scratcher you got.
purrs
>^,,^<
♥Abby♥Boo♥Ping♥Jinx♥Grace♥
I have the EXACT same photography method as your Human Sparkle!
Great Repurrt from BlogPaws! Coco and Teri loved visiting with your human, and we smiled to see you surrounded with our lil swag we sent home with her! She even shared her champagne with Teri and that was ever-so-sweet! And MeWowZa! That is a ginormous cardboard scritcher! Looks like loads of fun! Teri said there is a Speedbump for us in her suitcase!
I was so tickled to meet your mom. The only thing that would have been better would have been you in the fur!
MOWZERS! A kitteh treadmill! It’s a TRICK Sparkle! Mebbe you should let Binga try it out for a bit to see if it turns on unexpectedly or sumthing…?
*sigh* We know Someone who reeeally wanted to go to SLC this year. She’s got the dates in May penciled in for next year though!! That catification lounge looks INCREDIBLE!!
What a great write up. Like Abby, I almost feel as though I got to go , Sparkle, becuz you told us what it was like so well. Fanks you,
xoxox
Well, that was like the old (really really REALLY old) TV show called You Are There with Walter Cronkite! Your Human did an expert job of photography AND narration (oh, wait–yes, I know that was YOU speaking, but she had to tell you about it first). I lubbed reading this.
What a drag that dog people think they’re all that. As if!!! We don’t gots to play wif their stinkin’ toyz!
What a shame your Human didn’t pickpocket that nice book from the unappreciative DogMan.
I can’t help it, but I’m still smiling over that first picture.
Wow, that was pawsome! What a great scratcher you got too! Its too bad our mom didn’t go, but what does she know? She’d probably hang out with dog people.
Sparkle It was an honor for me to meet great bloggers like your human and others that you mentioned. This was my first BlogPaws and was shocked at amount of Swag I received. I had to ship them all to Miami. But I too was lucky to win a prize from Catification Lounge. My kitties are very generous and said the outdoor cats can use the new bowls so they don’t fly away in these storms and they don’t go hungry. But alas they’re not totally unselfish. They just want all the cat food and treats that are coming on Friday–UPS ground shipping.
Great post. Blog paws sounded fantastic. Glad to see all the pics.
Have a great day.
pawhugs, Max
Wow Sparkle – your human got some GREAT photos at BlogPaws! Looks like lots of great giveaways AND how cool she brought you an extra wonderful surprise scratch pad just in time for your birthday!! We hear next years’ BlogPaws is going to be here in Virginia – maybe MY Mom can go to that one…..(and bring me a bag full of swag :D).
Kitty Hugs, Sammy
Great write up Sparkle and your human took a lot of really good pictures!! Our human is completely hopeless with a camera and that is why she always has the male human help her with that, because he is just brilliant!!
Our human loved hanging out with your human and really enjoyed the time they spent together chatting. She is hoping to go to CWA so she can meet you, but she is not sure yet!
Meows from Zee & Zoey
TW has the same photography method only she usually doesn’t get that one good shot! HAH! She’s sad she couldn’t make the conference but assured me she’ll be there for the next one. I’m sure by now someone told you that last year they didn’t even make up cat swag bags because they claimed none of the companies provided cat swag. It would figure that this year, they did a better job. LOVE that huge-o scratcher!
That was a great report about Blogpaws. It is the next best thing to being there. We like the scratcher you won.
Hey Sparkle…do you really like the scratchy thingy?? Dad was thinkin’ about gettin’ me one of those…but not sure I would like it. Oh yeah, he also wants Mom to go next year to BP so she get some swag stuff for me!! MOL
She was lucky to meet Coco and other celeb-cats of the blogosophere if Mom is less buzzy next year Blogpaws is in her plans. That was intrepid of your human to travel with the scratcher on the plane that is a pawsome additional birthday present.
Oh Wow! What a great report! It made me feel like me was there! Which me wasn’t. Me is really going to has to insist that Mommy goes next year!
Kisses
Nellie
interesting cat photos
Finally someone posted a good overview with pics! Thanks and happily shared.
Wonderful recap. And you look awesome with your fancy prize from the Catification Lounge!
Wow, Sparkle ! Me too woulda wanted everything in the Catification Lounge!!
Lookes like your mom had great fun at the Blog Paws
It was excellent to chat with your human Sparkle. However it would have been even more pawsome to say the Woman met you.
I had SUCH a great time at Blog Paws 2012. My favorite room of course was the Catification lounge. Our kitties can’t wait for us to open that huge box that just was delivered today- cause there is a FABULOUS kitty bed awaiting them .. and I know they can read my mind!! LOL
You guys are marvelous!!
Good luck on the Petties, Sparkle! We’re voting evry day!