AlleyKatsStore.com » Alley Kat Clan

To a new Tune

~Kat~ — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:16:28 +0000

It has been quite a while since I have been able to update our posts. I apologize for all of the delays and continuous absences. When it rains it pours I suppose.

On a personal note we have been battling several illnesses in our house hold. Our four year old son, Wyatt, has had some mysterious issues and what we expected to be an easy do the right thing kind of mission turned into a nightmare. Since he has been ill and his dog that we adopted only 6 months ago had been re-homed with our veterinarian we set out to find him a new dog. One that like Jonas, could be his own and would easily tolerate all the wild concoctions and ideas Wyatt was certain to come up with.

After lots of research and debate we settled on a Golden Retriever that was sadly released to a shelter by his previous owner on Chistmas Eve. On the very day he was slated for a fate that no animal should endure we drove over an hour to meet and assess him. Throughout all the tests I threw at him his temprament remained stable and he passed with flying colors. Satisfied that he would easily fit into our family and lifestyle we made adoption arrangements. Only the shelter would not release him to us until he had been nuetered by one of the agency approved veterinarians. Annoyed that I was unable to use my own vet that I know and trust I reluctantly agreed and we left without dog in hand.

" Pweeease take me home"

After returning to pick him up three days later he immediately went to our personal vet (another 2 hour trip for us) to have a full work up. We then learned the bad news. This one year old Golden Retriever had endured quite a harsh few weeks at the shelter. He had bronchitis (kennel cough), gastritis, esophogealitis, a skin infection, an ear infection, and the canine flu. It has been a bumpy road and throughout the ride he has had to spend many a nights on hospital watch at the veterinary hospital. After several weeks and several thousands of dollars later we can now happily report that this new addition to our family is home, and illness free.

In many ways he and Wyatt have healed together. Along the way we had many people helping us. Whether it be financial support or round the clock care, our thanks go out specifically to Dr. John Roberts, Jenny Haralson and DogStuff.com. Without each of you this poor little guy would have certainly been reduced once again to a shelter environment.

So I am happy to introduce you all to Rooney, affectionately known as Rooney Tunes in our house.

Rooney Tunes and Wyatt, now healthy and happy.

Hearts for Haiti

~Kat~ — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 01:29:16 +0000

In one way or another we have all contributed to the rescue efforts going on in Haiti. Recently we learned of a group of Etsians that had put together an Etsy shop named Hearts for Haiti. The shop is a collaboration of many different sellers. Items are donated by various sellers to go into the shop and then once purchased 100% of all proceeds go directly to Doctors without Borders. AlleyKat’s recently submitted several items to be listed in the shop. We are donating the entire cost and will be offering FREE worldwide shipping as well. We were told that it may take some time for the items to be listed as the shop administrators have been overwhelmed by generosity of donations. One of the best problems a charity can have don’t you think?

Peruse the shop and pick out some favorites. The current running theme right now is Hearts in preparation for the upcoming Valentine’s day holiday. Buy with confidence and know that many people will greatly appreciate your purchase.

Click on the picture above to view the shop. Should any buyers or sellers need information on purchasing items, or donating items for resale feel free to contact us, or Hearts for Haiti directly.

A Season of New

~Kat~ — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:49:43 +0000

We hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday season and are off to a great start to the New Year. We are excited to spread some new news of our own. In the upcoming weeks a brand new AlleyKat’s site will be launching. We have been compiling a large inventory of children’s vintage materials. Everything from clothing to games and books. We even have everyones favorite character linens! We are very excited to open AlleyKat’s Kids and will let you all know when everything is up and running.

AlleyKat’s Kids will be sold exclusively on Etsy and like our other items will be strictly authentic vintage items. A link will be provided when we introduce our Grand Opening.

Thankful Thursday

~Kat~ — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:37:41 +0000

Although virtually everyone we know has been touched by the economic downfall in one way or another, there are still many things in each of our lives to be thankful for. For some of us it is something as simple as a sunset, a cup of coffee awaiting you in the morning, or a time with a great book. For others it may be something more significant, such as the survival of a health scare, or the birth of a child. I think all of us would say that are thankful for our friends and family.

While there are many things that I am thankful for I especially want to say Thank You to all those out there that contribute to AlleyKat’s. There are many people behind the curtain that help to make the magic happen. From our one of a kind fantastically talented web designer to our incredibly informative and ever so witty Guest Authors, AlleyKat’s would not be what it is without you. We are all thankful for our readers, as we are thrilled to be a part of yoru day. Whether you stop in to visit us daily or weekly, you are the reason we are here.

Part of what makes the holidays so special for us are the traditions we follow. While we don’t have anything elaborate that we do every year for Thanksgiving, the routine we follow is ours. I plan on getting up early to start the cinnamon rolls and coffee. It is an annual tradition to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which we do in our pajamas of course. I also happen to make the single best pumpkin pie one has ever had the pleasure of eating. So, in the midst of the parade watching, coffee drinking, cinnamon bun eating and pajama lounging at some point I will be baking up a storm too. There are lots of people that are thankful for pumpkin pie at our house.

One of our other traditions happens to take place after the big holiday feast. It revolves around getting up at the crack of dawn and actually being happy about it. Can you guess what it is?? No..it isn’t running off the pumpkin pie we ate. Although I was told that one burns approximately 148 calories an hour while going through these motions. It is Black Friday of course! We spend the afternoon on Thursday cleverly plotting our path. Hoping to hit all the right stores at all the right moments. I know that there are a lot of you that do the same. In honor of the upcoming shopping festivities AlleyKat’s will be offering two sales.

Black Friday- 40% OFF of Anything in the store.

Cyber Monday- Free Worldwide shipping

AlleyKat Gift certificates are now available as well. The 40% sale price for Black Friday does not apply to gift cards.

Both sales are only available for use on set specific dates. The only thing you have to do to qualify for the sale price or free shipping is tell us one thing you are thankful for. Send us a short note in the seller comments upon checkout and we will refund the saved amount via PayPal. If you opt to purchase with a check or money order please send us a message from the item you intend to buy so that we may update the listing.

We wish you all a wonderful and restful Happy Thanksgiving. Don’t be afraid to eat an extra piece of pumpkin pie.

~AlleyKat’s~

Obtaining Royal Status

~Kat~ — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:15:21 +0000

Who hasn’t wanted to be a Queen at some point in their lives? As a child I imagined being a Princess, having not fully realized the possibilities of upping the ante to queen bee status. However once older and married I quickly proclaimed myself as Queen of All…within my property stakes of course. As much as I would love to see my Queendom expand, it is not really a feasibility, as I detest politics, and have the birthright of nothing more than independence. Yay me.

For all of those out there that have felt the same way, I have done the digging for you. On this vintage loving site you too can be Queen for as long as you visit..or as often as like. Subscribe to the informative daily emails and the vintage know how you come away with is priceless. We are currently running a special sale for all Queen members. So grab your carriage and head to court!

AlleyKat’s on Queens of Vintage

Hear Ye…Hear Ye

~Kat~ — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:45:32 +0000

Pay attention this is important stuff. We are pleased to announce a new addition to the AlleyKat Clan. The ever so lovely Syd Divine has signed on to bring us invaluable vintage information just in time for the upcoming holidays. We can’t wait to see her top picks!!

The Golden Girl of the West

Ms. Divine is a leading lady of sorts, a fashion maven, and a reigning professional Pinup that appears along side another AlleyKat Author, Miss Amanda Lee on occasion. Her lifetime experience and love of vintage has developed a scrutinizing keen eye that settles on the designer side. She has a knack for finding vintage pieces in some of the most unlikely places. Make sure and stop back by on Friday to see her picks!

For more information on Ms. Divine visit her at Golden Girl of the West.

The Answer is Yes.

~Kat~ — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:41:11 +0000

Since October 1st I have heard the same question over and over. “Is it Halloween yet?”. Finally I can answer yes.

It was a beautiful day here yesterday. The sun was shining, the colored leaves were swirling. It was perfectly lovely. Today however is a a different story. Gloom and Doom has ascended upon us all at once. It is dark, blustery and rainy. Not the ideal trick and treating weather by any means. I am a fairly creative person and can usually “fix” things should the occasional unplanned for event come up. Creative as I am , weather is not something I have mastered yet.

So I did what any mom would do..I made a movie run. The Halloween treat chex has been made. The costumes have been chosen. We all have high hopes that the rain will settle in time for trick or treating this evening, but until then we will be cozily hanging out with Charlie Brown and Stuart Little. I hope that you all have a wonderfully safe and Happy Halloween, no matter the weather.

Alex as The Flash, Halloween 2007

Chicken Little Wyatt, Halloween 2007

Happy Halloween Family, 2007

Extra..Extra…Read All About it!!

~Kat~ — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:49:44 +0000

Thank you all for being patient while we continously update our new website. We are currently in the process of acquiring new experts to add different perspectives, information and techniques to us all. I am sure you have all read over the previous Makeup for Monday post and hope you all take a moment to welcome Miss Amanda Lee. Don’t worry..she will be back next Monday with an all new installment ready for readers to take advantage of. Leave her your questions too, she is the reigning MakeUp queen and knows anything anyone could possibly know about it. Can’t wait until next Monday for your Amanda Lee fix? Visit her at her personal blog for even more great info!

We want to introduce a new AlleyKat Author to the group. Fellow Etsian, Vintage fashion lover and blogger, House of Heart will be offering tons of juicy fashion couture advice and style picks on Thursday!! This witty, informative, and utterly fascinating writer offers a one of a kind window pane peek into the world of fashion. Like us, her heart reigns vintage..so stop by on Thursday to see what she offers us!! In the meantime get to know House of Hearts by clicking here.

For regulars and newcomers alike the new themed post will be up tomm. What will it be?? Any thoughts? Check back tomm to see….

Goodnight All

~Kat~

A new addition to the Family

~Kat~ — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:24:24 +0000

Most people that know me, know that I am NOT a technology person. While I like what I like..that being Apple computers and iPods, I am new to the constant online chatter. I am not a Facebook, Twitter, Myspace or Chat junkie..although given the right topic could probably be easily converted..say gardening, vintage shopping, or McDreamy and you are certain to get my attention.

Luckily for me, I have a friend that is a guru when it comes to all things graphic. Not only can she make custom banners at the drop of a hat (she did mine in less than 2 hours), she rolls her eyes at even the thought of having to look up html code. She designs, cuts, pastes and inserts with magical qualities. We recently enlisted her help with the newest addition to our family. The Vintage Village. Brought to us not by stork, but rather recommendation from a fellow vintage seller.

Merrily we trotted thru cyberspace and what was surely cobblestone pathways to a pristinely kept and captivating market. With over 800 members the information on vintage pieces and advocacy of reputable sellers is all abuzz in the air. Though we are new establishment within these walls brimming with history, we have been met with warm welcomes from all. Whether you are a vintage buyer looking for great items, or a seller looking for help on dating a piece this is a great place to start. All souls are welcome, the only requirement is that you be an “old soul” with an affinity for vintage…

Come peruse the shops with us. We know you will find something, or someone new. Make sure and stop by AlleyKat’s and say hello too.

The Line has been Drawn

~Kat~ — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:18:40 +0000

It’s official. Even I, myself and me have bounderies. Of course I have always had personal bounderies..I am talking about shopping bounderies. I am a pro shopper. I know what I want and can scan a room faster than most people can walk in and walk out. What can I say, I have been doing it for a long time. I have acquired personal favorite stores that I stop in and check weekly, and others that are only on the once a month list. In my neck of the woods (yes, I did just say neck of the woods.) I know just about every store and shop owner around. Most know me too. On occasion I pack up and head to the vicinity of one of our AlleyKat buyers to check out the stores that they have listed on their once a week list.

Recently I took a trip to Charlotte, North Carolina. It was actually a pleasant drive and I was looking forward to seeing a long time friend and one of our East Coast Buyers. During the visit we perused glitzy shops and high market thrift stores in search of long lost treasures. While tooling down the road we noticed a sign for a thrift store we hadn’t noticed before. Perhaps there was a reason for that. You will understand why in a moment.

Now I realize that most people don’t get excited about thrift stores, I however am an exception. I don’t just get excited, I get downright giddy. So happily, no..make that giddily..I skip my way into the newly found thrift store in a fashion that only Mary Poppins could compete with. It didn’t take me long to realize that I was in uncharted territory. I know my way around thrift stores, but this was a new experience even for me.

We found ourselves surrounded by bins…no troughs..of clothing, shoes, handbags, hair…yes, I said hair. I am assuming that they were wigs, but I didn’t verify that. After taking a moment to stop dead in our tracks, close our mouths from the sheer horror and remind each other to breathe, we made a step towards one of the bins. No troughs. An awkward step, but a step none the less.

Ever find yourself wishing you had an extra pair of latex gloves in your purse? We were there. I am a mom and there are unimaginable things floating around in my purse, sadly, latex glaves is not one of them. We tried desperately to pick thru the pieces all the while using as little of our bodies to do so. I almost enlisted one of the children floating around to sort things for me. I happily would have paid him..but then the Child Labor Law lights went flashing off in my head.

Before long we figured out that this store in particular didn’t sell items per pieces, but by the pound rather. I suddenly had the urge to jump on their scales and find out how much I may be worth in pounds..but managed to resist. I am sure my shopping companion appreciated that, although she would never say so publicly. We did fairly well, I thought and managed to last for an entire 10 minutes in the store. But somewhere between the obscenities being yelled, the oozing unidentifiable liquid on the floors, and the beyond describable icky contents in the troughs we couldn’t do it.

We, the pro shoppers of thrift stores everywhere had been defeated. Up until that point our stats were rivaled by none. We had a flawless record. Defeated by none. All it took was one little thrift store to bring that glorious record crashing down.The lines have been drawn.

I have to say….I was there..and I can live with that.

Goodnight All

~Kat~