Do you believe in serendipity? The human dictionary Merriam-Webster says that serendipity is “luck that takes the form of finding valuable or pleasant things that are not looked for.”
My human says that was serendipity that brought her to meet Ms. Darlene Margeta of Dream Pillow and to discover her work.

While she was wandering around the East Village in Manhattan a few weeks before we moved, she saw something that caught her attention in the window of a little herb store called Flower Power. There were artisan-made cat dolls with different faces! She entered the store to ask for information, and was given the name of the company that make them: Dream Pillow. She was also told that part of the profits for the sales of these dolls benefit an animal shelter. My human had to learn more! She contacted the furry nice lady at Dream Pillow to discuss her products and they met at the French Market on Broadway and 36th St.

Dream Pillow at the French Market on Broadway – July 2013

Dream Pillow makes products entirely handcrafted in New York: pillows, sachets, and cat dolls, that are filled with herbs and flowers, and they smell sooo good according to my human. Among other herbs, they contain lavender that comes from France! The pictures on each product are pictures taken by Ms. Margeta or pictures sent from clients for a customized work. Ms. Margeta has been making these products with the help of a herbalist for about 20 years.

They also make catnip sticks that we tried and loved!

What about my favorite product, the shelter cat doll? Here’s the description from the Dream Pillow website:

Our new cat dolls are not for cats, but for people.

They are replicas of actual stray and abandoned cats rescued by City Critters, a local rescue shelter and adoption organization. We donate $3 to City Critters for each doll we sell.
The dolls contain lavender and fiberfill. Fabrics used for the coverings are assorted. Like cats.

Dimensions: 15 inches tall, with long tails.

Shelter Cat Dolls

Wouldn’t it make the purrfect gift (hint: Christmas is in 1 month!) for your human or a human’s friend, and for the kitties it may help?

Ms. Margeta, which my human really enjoyed meeting, has loved animals for as long as she can remember. She was raised with lots of animals around. Her grandmother had barn cats that would wait besides her when the cows were being milked.

Of cats, she says they are like “a piece of art” that are very beautiful, have a sense of humor and enable you to relax. As an artist, she obviously connects with us kitties!

The idea of the cat dolls came when she was taking care of several stray cats in the East Village of Manhattan. She was feeding them and caring for them, until the day they were not welcome in the area anymore. City Critters came to the rescue. She herself kept a couple of kitties. With the dolls, she wanted to help City Critters in return.

The faces of the dolls are of shelter cats and dogs and can be customized with a picture of a kitty in your family (or a doggie…).

Of course, she is owned by several kitties: 11 rescue cats live in her studio, 3 in her apartment and she also feeds feral cats outside. A calico kitty is her artist cat too! You can see pictures of the kitties here.

Now in order to help the kitties too, my human has bought two dolls, one of which one of you will be able to win. Another doll has been generously given by Ms. Darlene Margeta. Yes, two shelter cat dolls will find a home among you, my readers.

[Click on the pictures to enlarge]

What do you have to do to win one?
1. Go visit Dream Pillow’s website here and tell me, in a comment below, which of their products – rescue dolls excepted – you prefer. This cannot be the doll, this must be another product.
2. For an extra chance to win, share this giveaway and post in a separate comment the link(s) to where you shared.
You have until Sunday, November 24, 11.59 pm central time to enter!

The winners will be drawn thanks to random.org and will be announced on November 26! The first person drawn will be able to choose which one of the two this person prefers.

If you cannot wait, or are not one of our lucky winners, you can visit Dream Pillow’s website and order the products you like by emailing them. Their contact information can be found here. If you live in the NY area, you can buy Dream Pillow products at the Broadway French Market (information here).

We really like their products and we are delighted to share and think it would make an original and furry nice idea of gift for humans!

Disclosure: We did not receive a compensation for this post. Opinions are our own. We were offered a sachet, as well as 2 catnip sticks, to test the products. Dream Pillow generously donated one rescue cat doll for the giveaway.