July 4th ponderings

Fourth of July is here - hard to believe! The weather has caught on to its summer, now it seems the summer is half over with July 4th being here! This day carries significant meaning - I feel it gets lost among the general population. We have become a nation that simply sees this as a day off from work, a chance to have a BBQ, watch fireworks (or set them off), with many people not even thinking why this day is a day we get off. Read on for a short history lesson.

July 4th - the birth of the United States as an independent nation. It commemorates our adoption of the Declaration of Independence. This was done in 1776 by the Continental Congress, separating 13 American Colonies from Great Britain. We celebrate this with fireworks, parades, and BBQs. But does anyone truly stop to think about the reason we do these things?

The first celebrations in Philadelphia, PA, began in 1777 with fireworks, marking a significant moment in American history as the nation sought to commemorate its newfound independence from British rule. The event was not just a display of pyrotechnics but a collective expression of joy and patriotism among the citizens who had fought for their freedom. July 4 officially became a federal holiday in 1870, a pivotal step in recognizing the importance of Independence Day across the United States. This designation allowed the

to be celebrated uniformly, fostering a sense of national unity and pride. It was not until 1938 that the day was designated as a paid holiday, which marked a significant shift in how the government acknowledged the contributions of its workers. Before this change, for a span of 68 years, July 4 was considered an unpaid holiday for many employees, meaning that those who did not work on this day would not receive compensation. This situation often led to discussions about labor rights and the importance of honoring national holidays while balancing the economic realities faced by workers at the time. The holiday has become an opportunity for Americans to reflect on their history, celebrate their freedoms, and enjoy the company of friends and family.

This day became a holiday after major events like the American Revolutionary War in 1775. With recent news of the bombing of Iran's nuclear facility, I believe we should pause celebrations and focus on getting our nation back on track. I usually avoid political debates, but my stance is clear: violence is not the answer. There are better ways to resolve issues. While I understand the rationale behind bombing the nuclear plant, I don't think it was the right approach.

I find it extremely ironic that we use this day to celebrate the ability to choose our government and who runs our country, yet (as I write this in 2025) there is major discord among the political parties, people, and our government. How can we celebrate something as significant as this when we are in such turmoil over who our current president is (Trump), the bombings in Iran, and the overall upset everywhere? What are we truly celebrating this year? That we, Americans, have turned our beautiful country into a literal dumpster fire? Do you truly feel that this is something we should be out celebrating? Do you feel that we have lost sight of the meaning behind this holiday?

Which gets me thinking, why are we so excited to have an extra day off work - just to be off from work, attending BBQs and seeing or setting off fireworks? The last 8 years we have

been in turmoil over who's running our country, the economy, COVID, recession possibilities, hiring freezes, layoffs, wage freezes. I know most of us are sick of hearing about this stuff in the news; some feel they can't do anything about the state of the country. I don't think it's too much to ask that we take some time to reflect on what's happening around us, who we have decided to lead our country, and why.

I'm the first person to admit that I don't watch, read, or listen to the news daily. I know, it's not the best practice. I get super stressed and anxious about things that are going on that I can't change. Knowing that, I limit how much I let into my mind. But that doesn't mean I'm oblivious to what's going on; I just choose to keep it at bay instead of it being front and center in my world.

Till our tails cross again,

Mel

#purrfectdozen #July4 #4thofjuly #history #america #unitedstates #USA #landofthefree #celebration #patriotic

Exploring the Magic of Craft Shows and Handmade Merchandise

Part of my blog site is my mostly handcrafted items available for purchase in my online store (as well as on some other online platforms). What has been the result of that? Absolutely nothing. I haven't sold a single item from any place I have them listed online. It could be that I am just slow at getting new (or variations of) items listed or that I just don't get enough traffic to any of the online sites. Building an online presence is extremely hard, and I don't spend enough time building that. I refuse to spend money at this time to pay for marketing or to boost my visibility. I will suffer through this and hope that it changes in time!

The other way I sell my handmade items is at craft shows. I have a friend that has so graciously displayed some items when she is at a show that I wasn't at. (Thank you #rebekahjaneart www.rebekah-jane.com )The shows she was at were slow sales. Not a good sign as a newer vendor trying to make their way in the craft show world. Especially after I have spent lots of money to craft things - I need to make that back.

Paw Prints onthe Canal Vendor Event

I was a vendor at an event recently (Paw Prints on the Canal). I didn't do horribly; it could have been better. We got rained out the last hour (I missed a sale as one person got there just as it started to rain; all the other vendors packed up, so I followed). I made back my vendor fee, which is always my number one goal. Did I make as much as if I had gone to

work for that same amount of time? Nope! But as Gene said, I made some connections, talked to people, and got ideas. So it wasn't a complete bust.

After that show, I went to update my website - saying where my next shows are, only to realize, in typical form, I had double-booked myself. The drive time between events is 2 hours one way! Not to mention that one event starts earlier. Decision time, which one to cancel... Never an easy choice. So I won't be attending the Apple Cider Festival in Grantville this year. Instead, I'm going to a women's retreat for some self-help/self-care!

Two of my best sellers were not handmade items, but something I buy in bulk from a vendor site. Granted, both items were something I would have purchased if I had been there as a shopper. My spot was next to someone who did T-shirt pressing (she had 600+ designs to choose from and multiples of each design), and I feel like she did slightly better on sales. Hers were in a way handcrafted, but not in the same sense as some of my items. It left me wondering, is the handcrafted item truly a dying item that will never sell, and if it does sell, will it sell way under its true value?

As I ended the craft show day, feeling mostly satisfied, I wondered what I could do differently. What changes would benefit me, how to boost sales, etc. This led me to think, what are people truly looking to buy? Especially if it's not close to the biggest gift-giving days (Christmas/Hanukkah). Are you looking for that unique gift to tuck away for someone, buying for yourself, your pets? Is it that you prefer the mass-produced items (thousands of the same item to be found anywhere), or do you like the uniqueness of handmade, one-of-a-kind items?

I love crafting, so finding a way to put all my crafted items out in the universe seemed ideal. However, it's hard! I definitely don't need all the unpaper towels, cloth napkins, bookmarks, cat beds, and cat toys and assorted items I make.

When you are at a craft show, are you looking for those handmade, unique items, or are you looking for something that is more picture-perfect? Drop your thoughts in the comments, I'd love to hear what you have to say! (Be sure to check out my merchandise for sale after reading today!)

Till our tails cross again,

Mel

#crafting #craftshows #handmade #madewithlove #vendor #crafty #craftycats #cats #fyp

Top 10 Trending Cat Names from 2024

As a multi-cat owner, deciding on names has always been difficult—I want the name to

match the personality of the cat, which can be hard. By the time we need a name (1st vet visit), they are too young to get to know the personality (or have come with a name, and

we rarely change it). I also want the names to be unique, not something that gets used all the time.

Coming up with a single name is hard enough, but we recently had to come up with six names! That was hard—Ash literally got named in the parking lot at the vet's office before her first visit.

The personality has always played a big part for me in naming them (along with not wanting to be embarrassed telling people the name of my pets). Only one time have I named a cat in honor of someone else. Tanner - he got named for my great-grandmother who passed away a little under 4 years ago. She had an orange cat named Tanner. My little tribute to her and her cat is having my own Tanner. However, our Tanner is so different in all the ways from her Tanner. The one thing they share is they do like attention. Our Tanner just takes a bit to warm up to you to get the attention. Her Tanner was happy to get attention from anyone and liked to go for car rides!

Where does your pets name fall on the top ten list of 2024 pet names?

Top 10 Male Cat Names:

1. Milo

2. Oliver

3. Leo

4. Charlie

5. Loki

6. Max

7. Simba

8. Jack

9. Ollie

10. Jasper

Top 10 Female Cat Names:

1. Luna

2. Lilly

3. Bella

4. Lucy

5. Callie

6. Nala

7. Kitty

8. Willow

9. Cleo

10. Daisy

Surprisingly, we have one on the list - Jasper! From house sitting, I know quite a few Milos, Lillies, Lunas, Lucys, and Kitties. I wonder all the time about people who land on Kitty and say that's the name. Were they thinking, "Oh, we aren't keeping this cat, it's a temporary name until we find something better," or just pure naming laziness?

What is your pets name?

Till our tails cross again,

Mel

#purrfectdozen #catnames #cats #feline #trendyname #top10 #bestnames #catlife #catlovers