Episode 53
Reframing the Way We See Cats with Frame Your Feline
In this episode, we’re joined by Brian Vermeire and Kristina Hughes, the duo behind Frame Your Feline, to explore the fascinating journey of how they merged a passion for cats with high-end interior design. They share the story of how they moved from a creative spark to a rigorous design process that prioritizes feline safety and comfort, ultimately creating a product that treats your cat like the masterpiece they are.
By transforming the way cats are presented in the home, Brian and Kristina’s unique "living art" concept is doing much more than elevating home decor—it is fundamentally changing the narrative around cat adoption. They explain how these frames help potential owners see shelter cats through a new lens, highlighting their beauty and personality in a way that captures hearts. This shift in perception has become a powerful tool for animal welfare, successfully helping more cats get noticed and find their way into forever homes.
Shop Frame Your Feline: https://www.frameyourfeline.com/?peachs_apc=dixie-louviere Note: When you shop through this link, a small commission from each sale goes directly toward the rescue efforts of Unwanted Feline Organization Inc. It’s a great way to style your home and support the cats at the same time.
Support Our Mission 🐾 Every single dollar helps our animals directly. Your donations are processed through our 501(c)(3) non-profit, Unwanted Feline Organization, the power behind the Animal Posse podcast. Your generosity saves lives: 🔗 https://animalposse.com/support
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About Animal Posse 🐈 Welcome to Animal Posse! We share heartwarming stories and crucial insights to make a real difference for animals in need. As a project of the Unwanted Feline Organization, we are a community of animal lovers dedicated to rescue, advocacy, and education.
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Transcript
Welcome to Animal Posse, the podcast dedicated to the
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:people and rescues making a
difference in the lives of animals.
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:Today we are gonna be focusing
on cats as works of art.
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:So I would like to welcome Kristina Hughes
and Brian Vermeire with Frame Your Feline.
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:How are y'all doing?
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:Kristina: We're doing great.
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:Thank you.
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:Doing good.
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:Dixie: I am super excited
to talk about this.
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:Because I did not know that this existed.
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:And Kristina, when you reached
out to me, I went and looked
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:it up and I'm obsessed now.
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:So before we dive into frame your feline,
can y'all share a little bit about
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:your background and what led you here?
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:Brian: Oh boy.
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:I'll be the first to say that
I never grew up with a cat.
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:I had no idea about anything about cats.
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:And it wasn't until Kristina came
along in my life that I've learned the
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:way of the cat and I was a dog guy.
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:My entire life, I am now the cat man.
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:I love
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:Kristina: the cat butler.
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:Brian: I love cats.
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:Like cats are the most amazing creatures.
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:It's amazing.
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:I came with no background in cats.
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:Kristina, you grew up with a cat, right?
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:Kristina: Yes.
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:My parents when they were in college
together my mom was the go-to person.
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:Everyone would say, and I've only just
learned this recently actually, they'd
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:be like, oh, Linda we have a cat.
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:. We can't keep it.
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:Can you find a home for it?
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:Rumor has it, they had eight cats
in a one bedroom apartment, and my
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:mom was rehoming cats, and so , I
always had cats growing up, but
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:actually I only really had one cat.
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:From basically first grade
until I moved to California.
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:That was Misty.
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:She was a Siamese kitty, and
she was the runt of the litter.
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:She was actually all black, and she
was this teeny tiny little kitty.
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:But she was my best friend growing
up, and I could always tell her what
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:was going on in my world and what I
was happy about, what I was sad about.
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:I was an only child, so I either
had my stuffed animal wookie or
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:my living cat mis ty to lean on.
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:But when I moved to LA I left Misty
behind 'cause she was 20 years
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:old and I felt like that was too
old to bring a cat across country.
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:So I let her live out her life with
my parents in Massachusetts and I
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:knew someday in LA I would get a cat,
but I just didn't really know when.
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:And Brian and I moved in together
and the neighbor's cat who was being
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:abused, started taking a liking to us.
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:And that's where we took over.
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:And Brian became a cat daddy.
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:Brian: I did.
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:And then I quickly realized
that cats are like tattoos.
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:Mysteriously, you end up getting more and
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:you
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:Kristina: can't stop.
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:Brian: You can't stop.
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:And next thing you got a
tattoo covering your face.
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:And it's the same way with cats.
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:Kristina: And if you know us,
Dixie, or you don't, those people
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:who are listening, Brian and I do
not have any tattoos on our faces.
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:No.
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:We're actually really anywhere else, but
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:Brian: I don't have tattoos, but I
do have cats that take that place
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:and and so yeah, we loved our cats
when we were living in our apartment.
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:We wanted to, build a cat wall.
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:We wanted to do certain stuff.
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:But we never got around to it.
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:But then we moved out of the apartment
and we bought our first house.
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:And we have all of a sudden, like when
you go from an apartment to a house,
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:like life changes, you're like, wow,
and we were like, okay, we wanna do
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:a cat wall, but now that we have a
house, we don't want it to be tacky.
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:Like we don't
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:Kristina: we don't want just a
bunch of shelves and some, and
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:Brian: right.
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:We wanted something elegant and then
that was how we just started having a
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:conversation about how do we do that?
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:Kristina: Cliffhanger.
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:Dixie: Yeah, I love that though,
because I have cat shelves in my
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:house, just things that we put together
and i've got cat trees everywhere.
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:And I will say it's looks like a
catastrophe for cats, there's no other
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:way to say it because it's cat trees.
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:I think we've got let me see, I've got
1, 2, 3, we probably have about six cat
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:trees, and then we also have the shelves.
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:And then of course they
don't always use the shelves.
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:They like to, either sit in
front of the TV or sit in front
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:of the computer or go in places
where they're not supposed to go.
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:Yeah.
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:But yeah, the idea that the frame your
feline, it is such a unique concept
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:and it is so like aesthetic too, and
Yeah, like from the photos that I'm
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:seeing, like when the cats are actually
like in the frames it's just amazing.
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:So for people that don't know,
just give us a brief overview of
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:what the frame your feline is.
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:Brian: Okay, then this dovetails into
how the idea of the concept came to be.
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:So when we were hanging artwork on the
walls and we were then thinking about
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:the shelves, and then that's when,
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:Kristina: My, my dad, yeah, my dad is an
avid art collector and he has a lot of.
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:Artwork from Ronnie Wood, from the Rolling
Stones, John Lennon and Jerry Garcia.
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:And he at his house, he has museum
walls, right of artwork everywhere.
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:And he had gifted us a Ronnie
Wood of Rod Stewart, and it's
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:beautifully framed and matted.
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:And I was saying to Brian like, how can
we hang up Rod Stewart, but how can we
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:have our cats hang out around with him?
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:And the concept of just plain shelves,
I was like, oh, it's just not really
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:the look I'm I wanna go for, right?
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:And so I was like, what if we could like
somehow have a frame and like a shelf?
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:And he's do you mean frame your cat?
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:And I said, that is exactly what I mean.
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:And he was like.
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:This is really interesting.
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:I don't know about this.
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:So we went online and
we did tons of research.
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:We are entrepreneurs, we own other
businesses, and we wanted to make
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:sure that nobody out there was doing
anything, like what we were thinking
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:about because we we can't just go, oh,
wouldn't it be fun to just DIY something?
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:We're like, Hey, if we need
this, other people need this.
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:If we're tired of what we had
in our old apartment was gifted
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:from our hairdresser was an ugly
powder, blue carpeted cat tree.
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:The cat sat in, they threw up on it.
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:We would cart it down the stairs,
we'd go rinse it off outside.
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:We'd let it dry, we'd cart
it back up the stairs.
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:We'd put it in our living room
and go, God, that just smells.
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:Why does it smell so bad?
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:Because it has formaldehyde in it.
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:And a lot of people don't know that's
what's mostly in their cat trees.
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:We were just like.
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:Let's see if this is something,
and Brian's dad is an engineer.
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:Brian: Yep.
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:Kristina: And when you have
a problem, who do you call?
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:You call your parents and we're adults.
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:We're like, Hey, we wanna
bounce this idea off of you.
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:And he is I don't know.
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:And we went back for a visit , and his
dad brought it up at the dinner table
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:. Brian's parents do not know about cats.
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:When we go visit them on Cape Cod, brian
and I always go visit this little local
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:animal shelter and we go see the cats and
we come back and we tell them about these
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:cats that are available for adoption.
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:And they're like, yeah,
we're not cat people.
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:But his dad was like, so you really
think that this could be something?
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:And I'm like, yes, of course.
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:Do you know how many people
own cats and do you know how
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:many people own multiple cats?
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:And so we went back to California and a
few weeks later he said, Hey guys, I've
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:got something coming for you in the mail.
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:Don't open it up.
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:Call me when you get it and you have
a chance to, open it up with me.
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:And so we did.
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:And that was when Bill,
Brian's dad had sent us.
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:Like the first version
of Frame Your Feline.
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:Brian: So from concept and then
he said he took our concept
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:and then made it a reality.
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:And that, and so for the people at
home listening, explain what it is.
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:Yes.
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:Alright, so finally, what is it?
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:So Frame Your Feline is the best.
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:Cat shelf perch.
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:You can imagine there's a, we
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:Kristina: call it the
cat shelf reimagined.
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:Brian: There are two shelves, so think
of a shelf on the wall, and then directly
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:above that about two feet above that
is another shelf directly above it.
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:Kristina: An upper shelf and a lower
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:shelf,
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:Brian: an upper shelf.
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:And a lower shelf.
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:Lower shelf is carpeted.
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:Okay.
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:Kristina: Yay.
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:Brian: And then imagine an actual
beautiful art frame that connects
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:to those two shelves and the
artwork panels slide in and.
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:As backdrops.
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:Okay.
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:And so they slide in and out, so you can
always change the artwork in your frame.
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:Your feline, the cat jumps into
the frame and they just sit there
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:looking out at you and they look like
a framed work of art on your wall.
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:They are a living work
of art on your wall.
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:And it's just it.
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:And you see your cat in a whole new
way and it's absolutely a stunner.
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:When cats love being in frame
of your feline, you do not have
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:to train your cat to be in it.
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:You don't have to hope they use it.
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:They naturally, instinctively
will absolutely go in it and
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:they'll hang out in the frame for
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:Kristina: hours,
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:Brian: for long periods of time.
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:And the magic.
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:It's something that we didn't expect.
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:, When we installed it in our
home for the first time after
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:we did several beta tests, did
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:Kristina: it in our garage,
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:Brian: we did several tests in
the garage and we had to figure,
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:modify, modifications, higher,
bigger, wider, like all of this,
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:all that stuff we had to figure out.
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:Then when we finally installed it
in our home, we didn't know how
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:the cats were gonna react to it.
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:We walked away and
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:Kristina: didn't, we didn't pick them
up and put it in it, we just walked
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:away and then we like looked around the
corner and within, I don't know, two or
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:three minutes they were investigating
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:Brian: And then it became a territory.
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:It became a place where all the cats
wanted to be in because here's what
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:we figured out was cats in frame your
feline, they instinctively feel safe.
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:Cats love to be, they love to be high.
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:They get, they love getting that vertical
space, but because of the ceiling,
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:the upper shelf and the lower shelf,
and then having that frame around
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:it, they feel like they're in a box.
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:Even though it's open on
all sides, they feel safe.
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:So I'm looking at our cat.
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:Kristina: Yeah, I'm looking at pop.
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:So we have a cat named Poppy.
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:She's a rescue from the
Palmdale Animal Care Center.
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:We got her in 2019.
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:It's a very high kill shelter and we
just put a new piece of artwork in today,
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:which is of the poppy fields that we
live nearby here in Southern California.
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:So we've got Poppy.
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:In a frame.
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:It's the warm walnut, right?
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:Yeah.
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:That's the new frame with the new frame
style with poppies behind it, and she's
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:giving herself the cat bath right now.
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:So she's just having a great
high poppy, and that is installed
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:in our kitchen actually.
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:People say like.
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:Where do you put these frames?
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:And we say anywhere you hang art is
where you can have, frame your feline.
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:So you know, you can have
it in your even kitchen.
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:You can have it in your home office.
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:We have 'em in our
bedroom, our living room.
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:We're putting one up in our
dining room 'cause we're about
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:to do a big install video.
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:Brian: We have one in the home office.
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:Kristina: Yeah.
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:Brian: Yeah, as Kristina said, anywhere
you hang out, you can have your
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:cat hang out and frame your feline.
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:And
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:Kristina: we and the cool thing is.
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:While we've been growing the
product, we get feedback from
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:people on different types of art.
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:They want.
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:Some people want photography,
so we've been supporting some
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:smaller photographers, some fine
artists, some watercolor artists.
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:We got access last year
to the Master's art.
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:So you can have Monet in your home.
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:You can have Rembrandt in your home.
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:So we have some really cool
art that people can feel like
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:they're in a museum and then.
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:The growth of the product is we're
adding new art, we're adding new
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:frame styles, and then what we have
new for this year is we have a museum
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:plaque that goes next to the frame.
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:So it starts to look like you're curating
your own art gallery in your home,
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:Dixie: and you're curating
cats with it, huh?
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:Kristina: Yes.
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:We're we have our own resident cats.
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:And then , we're Hey, , how
are kittens in the frame?
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:Hey, how are being coons in the frame?
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:How are Bengals in the frame?
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:Some of our first beta testers
were a main coon and a Bengal.
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:Paired in Indiana, right?
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:That's where , Maria, the Cadi,
and Clia, the Bengal, they were
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:some of our first beta testers.
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:And Clia has lots of energy
'cause she's a Bengal.
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:And we are like, give this thing a
pounding, and then Maria, the Cadis,
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:she's this big fluffy man, coon, and we're
like, let's see, how do you look when
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:you stretch out and that sort of thing.
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:So here in our home.
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:We, like I said, we live in an area,
we have two very high kill shelters
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:within 10 minutes each direction of us.
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:And so , we started fostering cats
and kittens of all shapes and sizes.
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:We've tried to get cats before
they get dumped at the shelter.
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:We've worked with a couple
of groups who do TNR.
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:And we've personally fostered.
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:And then we have some
fosters who have frames.
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:And what we all do collectively is
we've elevated the adoption photos and
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:videos and when Petfinder is working,
'cause it hasn't been working very well,
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:there's a bug in their system right now.
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:But when Petfinder is working
and when we post on Facebook and
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:Instagram, they'll rescue that.
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:We are involved with.
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:It's called DS Kitty Rescue now
on Instagram and we adopt out of a
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:Petco in Santa Clarita, California.
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:Called Petco Bouquet Canyon, and we have
so many people that come to the adoption
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:events or that message us during the
week and say, I'm interested in this cat.
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:I wanna meet this cat because
they saw these amazing
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:photos and videos of the cat.
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:It's not just like a kitten bolting
through your living room that you tried
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:to snap a photo of or a cat that's
just not happy if you put the cat.
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:In the frame that has never been in
the frame and you give 'em a couple
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:of pets they feel so comfortable
and , we're able to get really
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:great pictures and videos of them.
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:Dixie: I think that's great and I think
that's really what appeals to me about it.
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:Not just that my personal cats would
like it, but because I have a rescue too.
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:I struggle so much with trying to take
photos of cats and kittens that are.
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:Nice, decent looking photos.
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:And so to me, having something like
that , it just makes it so much easier.
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:It takes it to another level.
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:It looks like you have a professional
photographer come in, but you
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:could do it in your living room.
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:Kristina: Yes.
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:There is a cat cafe and rescue in
Wisconsin called the Barista Cat Cafe.
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:I think this is, it's super cool.
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:You can see them on Instagram and TikTok.
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:They installed a frame your feline into a
100 and 50-year-old stone wall, and they
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:have it a little lower so that when people
come to the cat cafe and they sit down
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:in a chair, the cat is like right next
to them at like shoulder, head height.
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:They can have a coffee,
an amazing picture.
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:They can have a coffee with a cat a Milo
Sanctuary which is a big rescue out here.
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:They have a lot of cats, the cats who are
actually like blind cats who can't walk.
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:And they actually purchased from us and
we went and installed it for them so
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:we could meet up with them last year.
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:And it was amazing to see.
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:A blind adoptable cat
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:Brian: in the frame
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:Kristina: in your feline.
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:It's just like super
comfortable and happy.
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:And,
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:Brian: and what's really great, so the
rescues are starting to see that taking
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:pictures of cats in the frames actually
ups the rate of adoption way faster.
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:And and also we have a great vet.
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:Animal Hospital in Maine.
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:Kristina: In Scarborough, Maine.
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:Brian: Yeah.
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:They've installed two.
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:They purchased two.
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:Kristina: Yeah.
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:They bought one and then they bought
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:Brian: another.
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:They bought another, and
they're gonna buy more.
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:They tell me and I'm like, okay.
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:And they have their patient cats and they
put them in the frame and take pictures of
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:the cats and the people love it it's just,
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:Kristina: and it's a great, it's a great
branding moment for them because we offer.
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:Customized artwork panels.
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:So they've ordered actually art that
we have existing on the website,
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:but then they've asked us to
create Scarborough Animal Hospital.
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:So when a person takes a picture
of it and then they post it online,
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:then people start to see it.
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:So it's really cool advertising for them.
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:Really love that.
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:And I have to say, when we
started with Frame your feline.
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:And this has been a
learning experience for us.
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:We were like, oh, we want it made out
of wood and we want it handcrafted.
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:And we were having Brian's dad who
is over 80, make them one at a time
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:by hand, out of wood in his shop.
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:It was time consuming.
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:It was costly because wood warps.
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:And then when we went to an event in San
Diego where there are cat rescues there,
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:but there are also purebred cats there.
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:It's through the Cat Fanciers Association.
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:We went to their West Coast event
and a lot of people who were
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:breeders, they're like, oh, I love
this idea, but your products may not
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:have wood and my cat's not fixed.
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:And he's gonna spray on it and I'm
never gonna be able to clean it.
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:And we were like, aha.
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:Actually that weekend we had already
been doing research for a few months.
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:We had received our sample of
what is now frame your feline 2.0,
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:which is non-porous.
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:Non-toxic recyclable.
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:It's super easy to clean.
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:So if your cat, throws up on the frame
or the shelves there is no problem
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:with cleaning it and sanitizing it.
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:And that's a big thing with the
cat rescues and the cat cafes.
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:So they need to have, something
that can be easily cleaned.
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:Brian: Yep.
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:And we were so happy with this
material because it's what woodworkers
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:use when they don't have wood.
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:And so it's more durable than wood.
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:It's sturdier than wood.
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:But , it's lighter and it's just fabulous.
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:And everything is made in the USA.
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:All manufactured in the USA.
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:No, my dad is out of a job.
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:Thank goodness.
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:Kristina: Happily
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:Brian: happily.
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:The good news is that it's
better materials and just.
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:Way better for cat cafes to use and
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:Kristina: durable.
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:And that's a big thing
with us, as cat parents.
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:How many times Dixie , you're shopping
at Aldi and you're like, oh, look at
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:this cute little cardboard house, and
you buy it for your cat, you put it
381
:together and within 20 minutes you're
like, oh, this is going in the landfill.
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:I'm tired of buying things that
either my cats are gonna destroy
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:or they're not gonna use, or,
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:Brian: yeah.
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:We got a we have an exercise wheel,
Dixie I'm telling you for the
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:Kristina: cat.
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:Brian: These cats.
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:They it's repellent.
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:I say it's cat repellent.
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:They do not want anything to do with it.
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:We've tried training them to do it.
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:They don't want,
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:Kristina: we have one cat that will
sit at the bottom of the cat wheel,
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:but we bought it during COVID.
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:We thought it was gonna be a fun thing.
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:And we're like, wow, it takes
up a huge footprint in our home.
397
:And nobody wants to
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:Brian: use it and nobody wants to use it.
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:And cat trees are gross.
400
:They're disgusting.
401
:I'm out to deforest the
world from cat trees.
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:They're an abomination.
403
:And it's so great to
have this on your wall.
404
:And I'm telling you, it, when you see
your cat in it, it'll give you goosebumps
405
:because it is crazy when you look
directly at the cat in the framed, it's
406
:just such a neat experience because they
do look like framed art on the wall.
407
:I can't tell you how great it
is to have a product that cats
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:actually wanna be in and use.
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:And it's great when they're not in it too.
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:It doesn't look like an eyesore.
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:It looks pretty cool.
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:Kristina: That's true.
413
:Because some people online will
be like, oh, do you guys just
414
:pick the art and send it to us?
415
:And we're like, no.
416
:We have over 2000 images
you can poke through.
417
:What do you like?
418
:Do you.
419
:Watercolor.
420
:Do you like oil?
421
:Do you like the masters?
422
:Do you wanna support a local artist?
423
:Do you have your own logo or
images that you wanna use?
424
:Do you wanna change it up every season
or every holiday so you can have fun?
425
:With the cat too, even like for Cinco de
Mayo, we have a sombrero that the cat is
426
:perfectly poised in the frame that looks
like they're wearing sore, a sombrero and
427
:they got Moroccans around 'em and stuff.
428
:Fun.
429
:We have a sense of humor.
430
:Brian and I we were out in California
because we started this journey as
431
:performers and we've been known to do
some standup comedy, so that's why some
432
:of the images like the cat who looks
like a damsel in distress, laying on
433
:the train tracks in one of the panels.
434
:Brian: We have a train tracks.
435
:We've got we have a whole bar section
with, funny things like whisker whiskey.
436
:The
437
:Kristina: meowtini time.
438
:Brian: meowtini time.
439
:Yeah.
440
:It's just fun.
441
:Why not have a product that's
fun, but also functional and
442
:just looks fabulous on the wall?
443
:And when you have guests come over,
they're gonna go, what is this?
444
:What is
445
:Kristina: it?
446
:Brian: Yeah.
447
:We, when we first, when we
installed it in our living room.
448
:We had a Halloween,
449
:Kristina: we were hosting
a black and orange party.
450
:Yeah.
451
:For our son and all his little
452
:Brian: friends,
453
:Kristina: 3-year-old friends.
454
:Brian: One of the dads of one of his
friends was walking through the living
455
:room and he, all of a sudden he stops
his tracks, he sees the cat in the frame
456
:and he goes, what the am I looking at?
457
:His brain was like, what is this?
458
:It's moving and then he
was walking closer to him.
459
:He's this is nuts.
460
:And he took out his phone and was
like, I gotta take a picture of this.
461
:And I said no.
462
:It's
463
:Kristina: nothing in development.
464
:Brian: We're in development.
465
:You can't share this, you can't share it.
466
:Don't take any pictures, please.
467
:Yeah, it's just crazy when you have
it and you put it on your wall,
468
:it really is a cool experience.
469
:Yep.
470
:Dixie: So I understand that
y'all were on Shark Tank as well.
471
:Kristina: Oh, that little show?
472
:Brian: Yes.
473
:Kristina: Shark Tank season 16
episode, I think they're calling it 17.
474
:It was 18, but 17.
475
:So 16, 17.
476
:If you go on Instagram through Shark Tanks
profile, you can scroll down our video.
477
:Brian's wearing a hot pink suit.
478
:I'm wearing a bright yellow dress
with like over 400,000 views.
479
:It was a journey.
480
:It was fun.
481
:The show aired last April 18th.
482
:We've had a rerun and people
are discovering us quite
483
:often from Shark Tank.
484
:Brian: Yeah, it's a process.
485
:Dixie: How do y'all balance
being entrepreneurs and still
486
:doing your, creative career?
487
:Kristina: That's a great question.
488
:Brian: That's a good question.
489
:Kristina: And we're also parents
to a 9-year-old who we homeschool,
490
:but we juggle, we focus and we.
491
:Really try to time manage ourselves.
492
:We own a company called One Bike
Creative, where we do logos and
493
:websites and commercial production.
494
:And that kind of came out of being a
performer because when you're an actor
495
:and you're not making, $50 million
a year, you've gotta be really savvy
496
:and start to do things for yourself.
497
:So we had to learn how to
build our own websites.
498
:And then once we were building our
own websites, we were like, oh,
499
:we could do this for other people.
500
:And Brian is a Squarespace specialist.
501
:He's certified and is doing
really great websites.
502
:So we do that.
503
:We, our focus right now
is not on standup comedy.
504
:It's really on what we're doing with
One by Creative and how we're growing.
505
:Frame your feline, that's
like our big focus.
506
:Doing things on social media,
going to in-person events, engaging
507
:people through media experiences,
and really listening to feedback.
508
:What do people love
about Frame Your Feline?
509
:What do they want more of?
510
:And what they want more of is.
511
:Some of them want to experience the
modularness of frame your feline.
512
:They wanna put multiple
frames on the wall.
513
:And so we've had people reach
out to us, how do I do this?
514
:And how do we create a little schematic
about maybe you're gonna install it
515
:here, you're gonna put it over here.
516
:So it's really cool to see that.
517
:Expanding into rescues and cat cafes.
518
:When we did Shark Tank, we we had
tons of paperwork, Dixie, it was
519
:like going to business school and was
like , carrying a baby for nine months.
520
:And we had so much paperwork we
had to fill out and one of it was
521
:like, what's like a wild thing that
you wanna do with your business?
522
:And we said, we actually have
two wild things that we wanna do.
523
:One, we wanna have a frame your feline
at the National Zoo for a big cat,
524
:and we haven't given up on that.
525
:We'd love to see, a lion, tiger,
serval, a panther, or a Jaguar.
526
:Frame your feline and
we think that'd be cool.
527
:And the other thing we wanna do, because
we're so involved in fostering and rescue
528
:and Brian and I also sit on the board of
Mission Meow, where we fund big grants
529
:for small feline centric nonprofits.
530
:And through that we
really wanna have either.
531
:A cat cafe or a cat rescue, or an actual
museum that wants to install a series of
532
:frames in their space, and we wanna have
a fundraiser and a big adoption event.
533
:So we wanna see lots of cats and frames.
534
:People drinking and donating and
celebrating cats and celebrating art.
535
:So that's something we
are really excited to do.
536
:We can't have everybody here at our house
where we practically have a museum now,
537
:but, we're really excited about that
outreach, really getting out there for
538
:the rescues and supporting the fosters.
539
:People love fostering, but there's a point
where they're like, I really wanna get
540
:this cat adopted so I can go on vacation
or, so I can foster another litter.
541
:So we want, people not to feel
like when they're fostering,
542
:they're gonna be stuck with a cat.
543
:Because sometimes they're quote stuck
because nobody's doing the social
544
:media, the networking, the marketing,
having events for, these cats that these
545
:people are fostering in their homes.
546
:Dixie: I think that's why it appeals to
me so much because I have been in that
547
:position, if I don't have a physical
location to go to, to bring my cats to,
548
:I rely on a really good photo and I suck
at really good photos with the cats.
549
:Not anymore.
550
:Yeah.
551
:Yeah.
552
:I could see how they could just go
in it and just be in there, enjoy it.
553
:Because for one thing, something
that I notice is my cats, they
554
:like to be the center of attention.
555
:That's a cat thing.
556
:So it's if I'm watching TV or if I'm on
the computer, they're sitting right in
557
:front of it, so you can't see anything.
558
:So I think, like with the art,
it's almost like the same thing.
559
:Like to them it's oh, I'm
the center of attention.
560
:If I'm here she's gotta
look directly at me.
561
:So I could see how it really elevates
your photos to like that next level.
562
:Because they're so calm
and they're so relaxed.
563
:But in addition to that, you've got
the pretty aesthetics and it looks
564
:like they're like living works of art.
565
:It's really cool.
566
:Yep.
567
:Brian: Yeah,
568
:Kristina: and it's funny you do say
that because , when we eat in our living
569
:room, we will have a cat that wants
to sit on the table in front of us and
570
:look at the TV and it's itty bitty.
571
:She's one of our foster fails.
572
:She's my first ringworm kitten, and all I
do is I pick her up and I put her behind
573
:us in a frame, because we have two frames.
574
:If you see, when we do our lives,
we have two frames and five shelves.
575
:As a super wall.
576
:And so she'll sit behind us
and then she gets to watch tv
577
:Brian: Yeah.
578
:Kristina: As well.
579
:And she's not right in front of
us anymore, so it's funny, when
580
:they're elevated, they can look out.
581
:When our son was little and he had really
noisy toys, this was a way for the cats
582
:to get the vertical space that they need.
583
:So the cats would jump up and sit
in the frame and watch Jackson.
584
:Crawl around on the floor, roll around
on the floor, play with his noisy trains.
585
:They were still around him,
but they weren't, on the floor
586
:running away from the boys.
587
:They could
588
:Brian: observe
589
:Yes.
590
:In a safe distance away.
591
:Yeah.
592
:Dixie: What is the feedback that you get
from most cat owners once they get one?
593
:Brian: Oh, it's tremendous.
594
:, The constant feedback is,
they say it's always occupied.
595
:It's always Occupy.
596
:Kristina: And right before
Christmas we had it's, she, her
597
:handle's something Chantilly.
598
:She posted like an unboxing video
and then she had installed it, and
599
:then Lunabelle, she's in Georgia.
600
:She installed it.
601
:She was like, oh my gosh, it was so
easy to install and we are like, yes.
602
:You know what happens is like it's not
just shelves and it's not just a frame.
603
:Everything is pre-drilled
and it's all accurate.
604
:We supply you with the tool, like
with the drill bit, we supply you
605
:with the screws that you need, the
brackets, because this isn't just a
606
:frame that you buy at Michael's, these
frames are reinforced because they're
607
:made to take a pounding from your
cats, jumping on them all the time.
608
:And so we have a poster that we provide.
609
:We explain how to install it if you
want, at eye level so that you can
610
:partake in some of the illusions.
611
:Other places like the Cat Cafe
may wanna have it down lower.
612
:That's fine.
613
:But we give people the poster, we give
them the tools, and on our YouTube
614
:channel, you can see like our 1.0
615
:video install.
616
:It's pretty much the same, and it's easy.
617
:I did the install video because it was
during COVID and I had never used a
618
:drill before, and Brian's guess what?
619
:You're doing it.
620
:And we're about to reshoot that in our
dining room because we're going to install
621
:another frame and a shelf configuration
because we actually have our 1.0
622
:version.
623
:Still on our walls in our living
room, and then in our office and in
624
:our kitchen, we've installed the 2.0
625
:version.
626
:But I said, we need to do an
install video because people
627
:don't believe how easy it is.
628
:And it's four screws that mount
into the studs in your wall.
629
:Brian: We've made it
bulletproof because Kristina,
630
:apartment
631
:Kristina: friendly
632
:Brian: Kristina has called the,
talked about the installation
633
:poster that it comes with, which
you simply tape it onto the wall.
634
:You make sure you use a level to make sure
that it's level and we show you exactly
635
:where to put hole number one, hole number
two, hole number three, hole number four.
636
:You tap a little pilot hole into that with
a nail we provide you with, and then you
637
:take the poster down guy, you know where
to drill , and it's super, super easy.
638
:Like you'll always have, it's
straight and looking amazing.
639
:We've had people go, I wish
hanging art was this easy.
640
:Dixie: How high do
people normally put 'em?
641
:Because you said some of
the cat cafes do 'em lower.
642
:So like in your house, are they like
eye level or where do y'all usually put
643
:' Kristina: em?
644
:I am five foot five and Brian is six
foot two and so we split the difference
645
:and so it's just a tiny bit high
for me and a tiny bit low for him.
646
:And when I shoot the foster cat videos,
I'm often just on a little step stool, so
647
:I get myself a tiny bit elevated so that
I can get that perfect illusion of the cat
648
:in the frame, and the art is all seamless.
649
:So if you hang it up too high and
you go to shoot it, you'll see the
650
:illusion is revealed , so people say,
how did the cat get into the frame?
651
:They can get into the
frame three different ways.
652
:They can get in from the right side,
from the left side, or from the middle.
653
:Because it's two shelves.
654
:Cats can sit within the
frame on the carpeting.
655
:But if you have some wild cats like we do,
like Sawyer, who's one of our, we'll call
656
:him not quite socialized cat, 'cause we're
trying not to use the word feral all the
657
:time, but he will jump from the shelf to
the top of the frame while our cat Bodie
658
:will be hanging out on the carpeting.
659
:So you can have two cats.
660
:On each shelf, you can have two cats
on one shelf because like we said
661
:earlier, it's really strong and it's
made to support a lot of weight.
662
:Dixie: And do the cats ever have
difficulty jumping into the frames?
663
:Kristina: No.
664
:So we sell shelves that look just like
the upper shelf and the lower shelf,
665
:and then other people will have a
cat tree or furniture, like a desk,
666
:a credenza, a table that they'll have
underneath it, and they might want
667
:the cat to access it that way, so
they're not jumping from the floor.
668
:Into the frame unless the frame is low.
669
:Like our son Jackson, who's nine, he
helps us foster a lot and we've toyed
670
:with the idea of putting a frame very
low on the floor, like not on the
671
:floor, but a foot up off the floor so
that when he has kittens in his room,
672
:they can start jumping up in there.
673
:And then we can easily take their adoption
photos when we take adoption photos
674
:and videos of the kittens in our home.
675
:And the frames are five feet
up, in the air five to six feet.
676
:Brian and I are underneath making
sure that the cats are safe,
677
:that they don't, wander off the
edge 'cause they're tiny kittens.
678
:The smallest kitten we've
ever had in a frame was a week
679
:old and was really adorable.
680
:And we just make sure,
we're right underneath it.
681
:Brian: Yeah.
682
:Kittens are like, they'll
go back and forth.
683
:They go back
684
:Kristina: and forth.
685
:A one week old just help, what am I doing?
686
:I'm just sitting here.
687
:Brian: But then other cats, you
just put it in there and they
688
:just look at you like, okay,
689
:Kristina: We love it when like they plop
their tail off the side so that when.
690
:Shoot the the photos for the adoptions.
691
:The cat's tail will be dangling or their
paws will be dangling we actually make
692
:beautiful flyers with the adoption photos.
693
:And then on the flyer we have a QR code.
694
:That people can scan to
see the cat live in action.
695
:Because Dixie, if you're at an adoption
event, a lot of the cats are just sitting
696
:in a kennel, petrified of everybody
sticking their fingers in or talking
697
:to them, or sticking treats in at them.
698
:So I'll say, oh, I know Andy
looks really shy, but she has
699
:a really outgoing personality.
700
:Let's scan this QR code and look at her
video on YouTube and make it of her.
701
:Brian: Of her.
702
:Of her in the fridge.
703
:Kristina: Yeah, in the fridge, right?
704
:Yeah.
705
:So that's a cool thing too, to have
the, using it for marketing materials.
706
:Using it for the adoption flyers.
707
:Brian: We've even made the artwork
panels that you have not seen yet, but
708
:we're gonna, have a rescue section.
709
:For artwork panels because we
have ones that say, adopt me.
710
:Kristina: Those are on Instagram
711
:Brian: and adopted!
712
:Kristina: They, so they say Adopt me.
713
:And so what we'll do is when we have
a cat that we're photographing for an
714
:adoption event or that we're fostering.
715
:We'll have them in the frame and we'll
shoot the Adopt Me and it looks like
716
:a little cartoon bubble you call it.
717
:And then at the same time we're
shooting that, we'll switch out
718
:the art panel and put the adopted.
719
:So I just ha hang them in my phone.
720
:And then when the cat gets adopted,
I'll go, yay, Marley got adopted.
721
:And there's the backdrop
that says Adopted.
722
:Adopted.
723
:Dixie: Oh yeah, that,
that's really cool now.
724
:I like your i the idea of the funny ones.
725
:'cause I have a sense of humor, so
726
:Kristina: Yeah.
727
:Dixie: I would love to see a cat with
a sombrero hat, but what are your most
728
:popular prints and then like, when you're
doing them for say the adoption photos,
729
:aside from the ones that might say Adopt
me, which prints seem to I guess get
730
:the most views or the most attention?
731
:Kristina: Great questions.
732
:We have two artists.
733
:That are very popular on our website.
734
:One is Michael Powell, he's
a photographer, and the
735
:other one is Janine Carini.
736
:She's a watercolor artist and a
lot of people love their images.
737
:Because we have access to fine art, the
masters, a lot of people, they want.
738
:Their cat hanging out with Vincent
Van Gogh or Whistler's Mother
739
:Brian: or the Mona?
740
:Kristina: Lisa.
741
:Lisa.
742
:Brian: Yeah.
743
:Kristina: Those are fun.
744
:And for the Cats for Adoption.
745
:We started noticing,
something interesting, like
746
:a lot of people will say.
747
:Oh, nobody wants a black cat.
748
:Don't bring them to the adoption event.
749
:We have too many black cats.
750
:The black cats aren't moving.
751
:And I go, oh, contrare mon frere because.
752
:In September to October, we fostered
eight black cats and they got adopted.
753
:And the cool thing was we experimented
with gradients and solid colors
754
:that we sell on the website.
755
:So the hot pink magenta, like the Barbie,
we had whole bunch of little black kitties
756
:with that and yellow, bright green,
757
:Brian: so contrasting color to the black
cat and it just it's wow, they really pop.
758
:And
759
:Kristina: Orange kitties.
760
:If you follow Abram Engle on Instagram
he has an orange kitty named Kurt
761
:and he had one artwork panel that he
picked up that was just like a bright
762
:blue backdrop with his orange kitty,
and it he popped it looked amazing.
763
:So , that's fun.
764
:We experiment, with what looks
great behind this color cat, or what
765
:girl looks great behind that one.
766
:So I try, when we're
fostering, we try to shoot.
767
:The Adopt Me and then the adopted, and
then we'll try to get one other artwork
768
:panel that's just a regular artwork panel.
769
:So we print everything on demand.
770
:So we're not sitting on,
10,000 images of art.
771
:So when we're running the orders
for the people who have purchased
772
:from us, we're slowly adding
to our own personal collection.
773
:So like last week we did
this one image I'm looking at
774
:right now at the Poppy fields.
775
:I forget what the other one was
last week, but, it's neat to get
776
:the new artwork and change it out.
777
:And that's the fun thing
is like you're never bored.
778
:Because sometimes people are like.
779
:Yeah, I've had this painting on my wall
for a while and I feel like I shouldn't.
780
:I really love to change it up,
but I don't wanna take it down.
781
:I don't know what to do.
782
:And we're like that's what we do.
783
:We swap our artwork out.
784
:Brian: You can swap it, you
785
:Kristina: know, daily, weekly, quarterly,
786
:Brian: And it can't go any faster.
787
:Literally in under two
seconds you can swap it out.
788
:Do you have another one?
789
:And what's great too, Dixie, is if you
get bored of the frame style, let's say.
790
:So let's say you got the gallery
gold, and then a month later you
791
:are like I really want the silver.
792
:All you need to do is go to our site.
793
:You don't have to buy the
whole feline frame gallery set.
794
:All you need to do is go to our
accessories and just buy the frame.
795
:And the all frames are
interchangeable, just like the art.
796
:So you could take off the
gold frame and then you could
797
:just put the silver frame up.
798
:So that we've really made it so that,
you're not stuck at any point in time
799
:with art or with the frame style.
800
:You can always change it out.
801
:Dixie: Now since you do print on
demand, what is the lead time then?
802
:If somebody orders it?
803
:I guess from the time, they
order to the time it ships.
804
:Brian: Typical turnaround
time is about two weeks.
805
:Two weeks?
806
:Kristina: So if you order on a
Monday, then, not that Friday, but
807
:the following Friday it'll be going
out and sometimes people will reach
808
:out to us like, oh, I need this for
a birthday, or I need this tomorrow.
809
:We're like, if you need it
tomorrow, it's not gonna get there.
810
:But we have little like gift certificate
kind of things you can present
811
:people with that says you have a,
like at Christmas time, people were
812
:ordering the day before Christmas
or two days before and we're like.
813
:You're not gonna get it in time.
814
:But we're happy to accommodate and give
you something that you can print off.
815
:And then, if sometimes if someone's
I really need this, but I need
816
:it in 10 days if you communicate
with us, then it's possible
817
:Brian: we can make that,
we can make it work, right?
818
:So , we just need to hear
okay, how fast do you need it?
819
:And we could probably get it really quick.
820
:But typical turnaround time
is you put your order in,
821
:you get it within two weeks.
822
:Yeah, , it's a matter of , what print
run you get into when your order's placed
823
:, Kristina: We live in the
Antelope Valley, so we're an
824
:hour north of the Hollywood sign.
825
:And our printer is actually here in the
Antelope Valley and our manufacturer.
826
:So we moved from Brian's data on Cape
Cod, and then we had a manufacturer in
827
:Nevada and they weren't working for us
the way we wanted to be worked with.
828
:And so we left them and we.
829
:Secured a great manufacturer
in our own town.
830
:On the east side, we're on the west side.
831
:And so that's really great because now
you know, when things come up at the
832
:last minute, we're able to accommodate.
833
:'cause as the business grows, now we
have inventory and we're not relying
834
:on Brian's dad to make the product.
835
:So that's a nice growth in our
business that we're proud of.
836
:Dixie: As far as the artwork, 'cause
this was something that I guess maybe
837
:other cat people might be thinking about.
838
:Yeah.
839
:So you said that you don't use the porous
wood, so that way you can clean it.
840
:What about the actual art?
841
:Kristina: Yeah, so the material
that we used for the art
842
:work panels is non-porous.
843
:Non-toxic Scratch and fade resistant
and there's a Cat family, they also own
844
:some cat products called the Meow Mob.
845
:And they have a cat named Buddy.
846
:They actually wrote a book about
fostering two books about fostering,
847
:and they have a video of Buddy.
848
:His little kink is that he loves
to scratch at the artwork panel and
849
:he can scratch all he wants because
it's never going to have any issues.
850
:Brian: And if a cat throws a hairball
up on it, you can just pull it
851
:out and wipe it down with a white
cloth, the colors will not run.
852
:You
853
:Kristina: can have it near a window.
854
:It's not going to fade.
855
:Brian: Nope.
856
:And it's a thick material.
857
:It's really sturdy.
858
:It's a semi rigid material, so it's
got a nice little weight to it.
859
:It's really great.
860
:Yeah, we do everything high quality,
like it really is top notch for sure.
861
:Dixie: I love it and I love too, that
you give back through mission Meow
862
:and that y'all are on the board of
Mission Meow and you help with the
863
:fostering and getting kittens adopted.
864
:So before we end the call,
I do have another question.
865
:Yeah.
866
:If you could frame one iconic cat, real
or fiction, who would it be and why?
867
:Kristina: I would love to go back in time,
and it's just because we just watched this
868
:movie the other night on Amazon Prime.
869
:Brian: Okay.
870
:Kristina: I would love to go back
and frame Freddie Mercury's cats.
871
:Brian: Oh,
872
:Kristina: see, did you see That's a good
873
:Dixie: one.
874
:Kristina: Yeah.
875
:Did you see the Freddie Mercury movie?
876
:Dixie: I did.
877
:Yeah.
878
:Kristina: When that movie came out, we
had, I think just moved here and, and it
879
:was pouring rain and I dropped off Brian
and my dad at a regular movie theater.
880
:Because we work in entertainment,
we usually go to really great,
881
:amazing movie theaters that
are very private in Hollywood.
882
:And I was like, I want you
guys to see this movie.
883
:'cause my dad loves rock and roll.
884
:And I dropped 'em off and I
was like, have a great time.
885
:And afterwards Brian's you
really gonna wanna see the movie?
886
:You're really, and I'm so
busy being a mom, like I.
887
:Never had time.
888
:And the other day he's oh, look at
the Freddie Mercury movie is on tv.
889
:So we sat and watched it and you
had said when you first saw it, oh,
890
:there's something you're gonna really
love about it, and then the film
891
:opens with him and these little cats
eating out of their little dishes.
892
:And I was like, oh, I would love
to frame all those little cats.
893
:I know if Freddie Mercury was alive.
894
:He would have so many frames
in his house for all his cats.
895
:Brian still thinking of a famous
896
:Brian: cat?
897
:No.
898
:No, because this, now this brings me
up to who else was a lover of cats
899
:and it was, who invented the cat door?
900
:The original cat door.
901
:It's a famous, it's like Michelangelo.
902
:It's like what?
903
:It's a big inventor.
904
:Kristina: Really?
905
:Brian: Yes.
906
:Oh, who is it?
907
:. I
908
:Dixie: can't help you on that one.
909
:Brian: This is gonna drive me mad, but
like a major historical, this is I Albert
910
:Kristina: Einstein.
911
:Brian: No.
912
:This is way old.
913
:And I remember reading, where's your
914
:Kristina: phone?
915
:Brian: I got, I have to Dixie
come up with another question.
916
:Kristina: I, I will say it's really fun,
like when people send us pictures and
917
:then we've had these moments happen.
918
:In our home where people who have
multiple frames and the shelves,
919
:it'll be like the Brady Bunch.
920
:So they'll have one cat in a frame, or
one cat on top of the frame, one cat
921
:on the shelf, the other cat in another
frame, the other cat on the shelf.
922
:That looks really cool.
923
:You don't remember the Brady
Bunch with the Squares?
924
:Dixie: Yes.
925
:I was just thinking about that.
926
:Like you could set up the whole Brady
Bunch theme in your living room.
927
:Kristina: What's the artwork piece?
928
:Is it by Rembrandt where it's
creation and one person is touching?
929
:It's like God is and
man are touching almost.
930
:Yes.
931
:Dixie: I know.
932
:I know which
933
:Kristina: one you are
934
:Dixie: talking about.
935
:I can't think of the name of it.
936
:Okay.
937
:Kristina: Yeah, I think we're carrying
that now, but we had a Abram Engle
938
:and then freezy Kershaw on Instagram.
939
:They had the same moment where the cat
is on the frame hanging its paw down and
940
:the other cat is on the shelf trying to
reach the other cat, the creation artwork.
941
:Oh no, that's awesome.
942
:It's funny.
943
:It's funny to see these little
trends with cats and prince.
944
:Brian: Okay, Dixie, I got it.
945
:Kristina: You got it?
946
:Brian: Okay.
947
:All right.
948
:All right.
949
:Alright, here we go.
950
:Kristina: I'm not gonna say it.
951
:Brian: Here we go.
952
:According to well-documented antidotes.
953
:From his time at the University
of Cambridge, sir Isaac Newton.
954
:Kristina: Newton Uhhuh really
955
:Brian: was frequently, yes, Newton
was frequently interrupted while
956
:working because his cats wanted in and
out to avoid getting up constantly.
957
:He cut a hole in the door so the
cats could come and go freely.
958
:Legend ads that he even made two
holes, one for the mother cat.
959
:The smaller one for the kittens, which
hilariously would, was unnecessary
960
:'cause there was a bigger hole, right?
961
:While there's no patent or formal product
launch that he ever did, the story has
962
:been repeated in academic histories
and Newton's biography for centuries.
963
:So I would love to have, go back
in time and install a Frame Your
964
:Feline for Sir Isaac Newton.
965
:His mind would be blown.
966
:He would be like, whoa.
967
:What?
968
:Dixie: Thank y'all for joining me.
969
:It has been fun.
970
:I enjoyed our conversation and
learning about Frame Your Feline
971
:Kristina: thank you.
972
:Brian: Thank you.
973
:Dixie: That's it for today's episode.
974
:I wanna thank everybody for
listening and supporting us.
975
:If you wanna take that an extra
step, consider becoming a member.
976
:We just added this to our
website, animalposse.com,
977
:scroll down, look for the support tab.
978
:Our membership program is going to
help us directly support animals
979
:in need, whether that be through
vaccinations, food or spay neuter efforts.
