Post by Judy Huber-Cogswell
Stop by any booth at a show and sure enough, you will see something creative. Cats are and have always been a favorite among crafters. Stop by a handmade jewelry booth and what do you see... cat earrings, necklaces, and pendants. Stop by a woodworking booth and you might see a cat carving, stop by a painter and you will see paintings of cats. Stop by a photography booth and you will see photographs and maybe if lucky, an offer to take your cat portrait. Stop by my booth and you will see cat quilts and a warm smile. Stop by any of these booths for a big smile, greeting, and exchange of cat stories. A lot of laughter will dominate the silence. These are happy booths with a lot of stories.
Well, I have many stories to share and so do my customers.
I just recently finished a book called Dewey by Vicki Myron. It was about a Small Town Library Cat Who Touched The World. I picked it up at my favorite used book store Bad Rock Books whose owner takes in strays that show up at her back door or the animal shelter. She has three cats on average and the third and latest was a stray who kept visiting the local kindergarten. The school called the bookstore owner asking her to take him and hence Purrcy enters the picture. Usually, the cats are sleeping on boxes and some on chairs in the reading rooms but this particular cat accompanied me in the store and as I reached down to pet him he jumped up and wrapped his front legs around my neck. I thought at first he meant to hurt me but as I leaned forward, his body continued to wrap around me... A 20-pound, solid healthy gray cat giving me a hug. We immediately bonded. I now find excuses to visit the store to see Purrcy. Every time I visit I have to find a stool or box to sit on because the rest of the chairs are already occupied by others seeking the same cuddle time. We all need our kitty fix. I share this story with everyone I meet. Purrcy is the bookstore cat.
When my boys were very little they begged for a cat, so off we went to the shelter. They chose not one, but two cats. My older son named his cat Tom. My younger son named his "S". Yes that's right. His favorite letter was "S". The vet asked how to spell it and I just said "s".They lived long healthy lives and as cats do, their active play time was around midnight when Tom and S would find toy plastic bricks, dominoes, or whatever made noise. They would climb the three flights and knock the toys step by step down the wooden stairs all night or until I grabbed the toys as they came by my bedroom and I tucked the toys under my pillow. Tom and S had prepared a large stash of noisemakers to torment me so it continued through the early morning.
My friend has 2 ragdoll cats (Cody and Cooper) that are opportunists. She had to put all her jigsaw puzzles away because she kept missing tiny pieces. The large parts got wagged off the table. My other friend has Mr. Marshmallo who loves her yarn, fabric, pearl cotton thread, and knitting and sewing implements. We shopped for a sewing basket with a lid, hoping to solve the cute but funny problem. 
Now my cat, Pudder, loved to sit on my shoulder and purr in my ear as I drank my morning coffee. She solved the problem of my getting up to serve the second and third cups to my husband. I think Pudder and I had that planned.
Now Pudder had her day of fame. On a holiday there was a contest among readers of a quilt magazine to answer the question, "How do you get all your sewing projects finished for Christmas?" My winning answer was "I have a supervisor." I shared a picture of Pudder next to me in the sewing room She had a special chair next to mine at the sewing table. She never interfered nor did she ever climb on the table to disturb my projects. For hours she stayed. We won the contest and yards of fabric.
There are happy, funny, and sad stories we all like to share. I finished my book (Dewey) in record time with laughter and tears. I'll return it with a miniature quilt of Purrcy and with a smile knowing that someone else will borrow it as I did.