I've got kitty socks, kitty jewelry, kitty clothing, and now, I've got kitties for my feet; Happy Kitties, to be exact.
One never knows what treasures one might find when exploring Etsy, a, 'marketplace for handmade goods, vintage items, and supplies for making... made up of independent creative businesses from around the globe.' Searching for interesting cat-related items, I found Em & Sprout, a shop offering whimsical items, all handmade by southern Californian, Lindsay Gibson.
Gibson began making cat shoes when she decided to decorate a pair of plain, black Mary Jane shoes she wore all the time. She enjoyed them so much, she decided to open an Etsy shop named in honor of her cats, Emily, a.k.a., Em, and Beansprout, a.k.a., Sprout. The decorations on each pair of shoes are hand-crafted and made to order - something all to rare in this day and age. Finishing touches, such as embroidery, are done by hand, too.
A variety of shoes are offered at Em & Sprout besides cats, such as Chihuahua, Panda, hedgehog, red fox, deer and bunny rabbits. One may also find peanut butter & jelly, Happy Cloud and monster-themed shoes.
Ms. Gibson says her cat shoes are the most popular item she sells. A self-described cat lady, she enjoys
making products that both I and other cat lovers would enjoy. I love making things that I would buy myself! I have multiple styles of cat Mary Janes and five different screen printed cat-themed designs, including Magical Kitten Paws, Moody Cats, In Naptime We Succeed, Cat Lunchadors and Cats Are People, Too!
Besides shoes, Gibson offers screen printed t-shirts, sweatshirts and tote bags. One may also find handcrafted headbands and hair clips made from felt, greeting cards and art prints, and pins and buttons featuring Gibson's illustrations.
What's easy for most people is quite difficult and frustrating for me because it's quite rare for me to walk into a store or shop most web-based businesses and find shoes I like in a U.S. size 5 1/2. So, I was really happy when I found Gibson has shoes from U.S. sizes 4 to 11. She doesn't have any half sizes, but that was no big deal. I measured the bottom one of my flat shoes and contacted Gibson, inquiring as to the length of her size 5 shoes. The shoes run big, so a size 5 is really size 5 1/2. They were reasonably priced at $25 plus shipping.
I eagerly awaited the arrival of my special kitty shoes. I felt like a child again when I tried them on - such cute little details like red bows on the ears and green eyes much like my cats' eyes. The shoes adjust very well because there aren't any pre-punched holes in the straps, and the inside of the shoes are nice and padded. The only down side is a matter of geography, because, living in snowy, cold Michigan, I must wait to wear my cute shoes until warmer weather.
Once warmer weather arrives, nothing is going to keep me from wearing my kitty shoes. I think, if my feet could purr, they would.
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