Ok, this is a ridiculously cute post featuring my Scottish Fold kitten in a bow tie…

Yes, I’m a cat-lady. I take a zillion photos of Basil Farrow, and his round head graces the logo of my TV / coolhunting company, La Carmina & The Pirates.

My iPhone’s on/off button stopped working, so I recently upgraded to an iPhone 5. When Caseable invited me to design my own cellphone case, I took this opportunity to hoist my ship’s flag, designed by First Mate Naomi.

I also custom-designed a laptop sleeve, with Joanna’s winning design from my La Carmina Goth Travel contest.

It was fun and easy to make custom designs using Caseable’s website. I selected the iPhone 5 template, then uploaded the high-res images and moved them around until I was satisfied with the layout. There are also options to change the background color and add text.

You could save and share the designs before placing your order. If you’re not feeling creative, you can choose a pre-made design by a modern artist (see examples above).

And then the goods are delivered to your door. As you can see, the printing job was spot-on, with no color mismatches or blurriness. Everything’s hand-crafted in Brooklyn, from recycled materials. The materials and stitching are solid; I can tell they’ll last through my journeys.

Ah, the joys of having a one-of-a-kind mobile phone case! Thanks Caseable for providing this treat; they’re on Facebook and Twitter too.

I haven’t been doing many DIY or home decor projects recently, since I’m always on the road. Luckily, Basil Farrow’s grandma is picking up the slack — and made him this special bow tie for his birthday.

Aren’t the colors and style a perfect fit for this gentleman?

Basil doesn’t mind wearing costumes or hats, or even cat wigs.

The bow-tie had to be extra, extra large to accommodate his fat neck… I think it suits his personality perfectly.

As for home decoration, do you remember the pop printmaking lesson I had in Arizona? Artist David Manje sent me a few of the prints we made together. You can spot angry Basil in the mix.

I also arranged the stencils into a pattern, and pasted them on these boards. To see how we achieve these colors, watch my pochoir print-making video tutorial.

For daily photos of my dapper, folded-eared cat, follow me on Twitter and Instagram (@lacarmina).

Have you done any crafts or sewing lately? How do you decorate your home and cell phone?

PS: I updated my press page with the latest clips, magazine covers and interviews. View it here.

PPS: Off to the Maldives and Middle East! Be sure to follow my Instagram for plentiful updates.