| A Little bit About Me |
My business is all about you and your furry companions.
Since childhood I've been fascinated with animals, art and sewing. Today I'm very fortunate to be able to make my living doing the things
I love.
I was born a US Navy brat on the island of Oahua, Ewa Beach, Hawaii. We traveled the coasts moving every two to three years from
California, Virginia, Florida, Texas, South Carolina, the Philippines, Iceland and Newfoundland. But that's another story.
When visiting South Carolina as a child, I would sit for hours by the sewing machine watching my grandmother sew. The transformation
fascinated me. She would cut patterns from pictures brought to her from the Sears catalog. Whether it was mens pants, jackets,
dresses, coats or baby clothes, it didn't matter because she could make them all! She just measured their bodies and made the outfit. I
still remember how she did it and got paid only $2.00 a dress. I learned a lot about sewing from my grandmother.
For quite a few years I was the only child so I had to entertain myself somehow! Seems I liked bringing home stray dogs and cats or
letting them follow me home. Dad was very strict to never allow a cat kept indoors so in my later years I made up for that! I bred and
showed Chinchilla & Shaded Silver Persians for 14 years. All of course which were kept indoors in their castle living like kings and
queens I was told. That's how my cattery name, "Castle Paws" came about.
I also worked with the Exotics (aka shorthair Persians), CPC's and smokes. Before that I did rescue work for many years. In those days
we had no animal shelter and we lived in an area that seemed to be the dumping ground for unwanted dogs and cats and their offspring.
I'd nurse the strays back to health, vaccinate then find them all good homes.
My first "real" rescue was at age 6 when I found two baby kittens in a lunch sack along side the road of my grandmothers house. One of
the kittens died but the other one lived 18 years without ever seeing a vet or having his first vaccination. I named that kitty "Tabitha" even
though he turned out to be a male!
Breeding and showing cats is one of the most educational experiences ever! If you stick to it long enough; there, is nothing that you will
not experience in the medical field. Fortunately, I had an excellent vet who was willing to teach me a lot. I also met quite a few vets
through my showing and clubs, Vets school in Athens,GA. Raleigh, NC and tons of other educational information is available. I was able
to participate in several clinical studies with cats including PKD and am currently participating in an allergy study.
Breeding and showing cats is like dairy farming: 24 hours a day/7 days a week only very expensive with no profits. I gave it up in 2007 to
pursue my sewing business.
I attended college at A.T. Mahan; Keflavik, Iceland studying Art & Journalism. I've also studied Business and Banking under several
apprenticeships. I've been in business for myself since 1988. Prior to that I managed several other businesses including what is now the
Health & Beauty Aids Dept. Of a major dept. Store. I built my department up to the no. 1 "Drug department" in the chain causing the
owner of "Edwards" to personally congratulate me for that success. In those days women still had little respect in the business world so
"Edwards" did not promote me even when I asked. They actually did me a favor because I went on to work for myself after learning the
ropes from them and other businesses I managed.
My grooming business stemmed from grooming my own dogs and the rescues I had acquired. Soon friends, family and even strangers
began asking me to groom their dogs and the rest of that story is history. At that time, I couldn't really work for someone else with three
young children so I created my own job once my youngest child started school.
I always dreamed of running my own business. I dreamed of designing womans clothes as a child. I'd make paper dolls and beautiful
dresses for them to wear. I'd dream up designs from the quilt patterns on my grandmothers quilts, yet for some reason I never
envisioned myself making dog and cat apparel!
Sewing for others didn't come about until after I started showing cats. At a cat show, we make our own curtains to cover and decorate the
cages for our cats benching area. It's part of the fun in showing, but even more fun for me. I never took the same set of curtains to a
show twice and after a while I had a huge assortment of curtains. Other exhibitors took notice and began asking if I had curtain sets I'd
be willing to sell. Then they asked me to make specific sets for them and so on and so on until here we are today. I've made all sorts of
things for cats and dogs and even people items. Prior to this I had only made dresses and school costumes for my girls and I once made
the costumes for their dance recital. I had made a lot of quilts and crafts but all were made as gifts and I didn't get paid for making them.
I began showing cats in 1994 and sewing for others some time around 1999. About that time I began maintaining my own website and
including my handmade items for sale. In 2007 I opened my EBAY store. Business has grown a lot since then and continues to grow
today. My items are shipping worldwide. My specialty is pet diaper garments.
Our products are handmade in the USA from start to finish. I try my best to buy only USA made fabrics, elastics, thread, Velcro and so
on. I truly believe the small business person should remain the backbone of America. The only way to accomplish this is to become
independent Americans again and stop replacing our factories with cheap overseas child labor which is destroying our country's economy.
In 2000 I added holistic food to my retail after doing a lot of research on pet food. The topic peaked my interest after seeing the many
skin and coat issues effecting my dog grooming customers and the stress effects on the kidneys of my own cats. What a difference it
makes when pets are fed the correct diet!
Boarding had always been something I had planned to do but never got around to setting it up until 2006. I set up a section for a
cattery, but it didn't go over too well. I had planned to specialize in cats only. When that didn't go as expected I began offering boarding
to my existing grooming customers. It works out great since the dogs already know me and are familiar with the surroundings. I groom
only small breeds nowadays. At one time I would groom anything anyone could push, pull or drag in! Nowadays, due to my grooming
expertise and capability I can be more selective. I maintain a waiting list and have customers traveling as far as Anderson for my
grooming services. It's no secret I have a natural ability to work well with animals. We have mutual love and trust. Most of my grooming
skills are self taught, because there were no grooming schools close by in those days. Groomers learned from other groomers and at
dog shows. I still believe those methods are still the best teachers.
My shop has been voted Best Grooming Shop, Best Groomer and Best Pet Boarding facility almost every year I've been in business. my
EBAY Store is a "Top Rated Seller & a Power Seller". My cats achieved many awards in CFA & the Southern Region including, Grand
Championship titles, Best Shaded Silver Nationally 1999. While active in the CFA I was responsible for getting the Blue Silvers & Goldens
accepted into championship status; the golden color standard revised & the Goldens included in the title of the USAF CFO Breed Club. I
was the second online editor of the USAF. While I never received credit for it, the program now identified as the Ambassador Program
was my idea and first suggested by me through the CFO Mentors group. I suggested what I referred to as a "kissing booth" for spectators
to actually feel and pet a kitty upon entry at the shows. After all they are so incredibly irresistible! Although I no longer show I still
mentor for both CFO & TICA and hold Registered and Ethical Catteries.
Since childhood I've been fascinated with animals, art and sewing. Today I'm very fortunate to be able to make my living doing the things
I love.
I was born a US Navy brat on the island of Oahua, Ewa Beach, Hawaii. We traveled the coasts moving every two to three years from
California, Virginia, Florida, Texas, South Carolina, the Philippines, Iceland and Newfoundland. But that's another story.
When visiting South Carolina as a child, I would sit for hours by the sewing machine watching my grandmother sew. The transformation
fascinated me. She would cut patterns from pictures brought to her from the Sears catalog. Whether it was mens pants, jackets,
dresses, coats or baby clothes, it didn't matter because she could make them all! She just measured their bodies and made the outfit. I
still remember how she did it and got paid only $2.00 a dress. I learned a lot about sewing from my grandmother.
For quite a few years I was the only child so I had to entertain myself somehow! Seems I liked bringing home stray dogs and cats or
letting them follow me home. Dad was very strict to never allow a cat kept indoors so in my later years I made up for that! I bred and
showed Chinchilla & Shaded Silver Persians for 14 years. All of course which were kept indoors in their castle living like kings and
queens I was told. That's how my cattery name, "Castle Paws" came about.
I also worked with the Exotics (aka shorthair Persians), CPC's and smokes. Before that I did rescue work for many years. In those days
we had no animal shelter and we lived in an area that seemed to be the dumping ground for unwanted dogs and cats and their offspring.
I'd nurse the strays back to health, vaccinate then find them all good homes.
My first "real" rescue was at age 6 when I found two baby kittens in a lunch sack along side the road of my grandmothers house. One of
the kittens died but the other one lived 18 years without ever seeing a vet or having his first vaccination. I named that kitty "Tabitha" even
though he turned out to be a male!
Breeding and showing cats is one of the most educational experiences ever! If you stick to it long enough; there, is nothing that you will
not experience in the medical field. Fortunately, I had an excellent vet who was willing to teach me a lot. I also met quite a few vets
through my showing and clubs, Vets school in Athens,GA. Raleigh, NC and tons of other educational information is available. I was able
to participate in several clinical studies with cats including PKD and am currently participating in an allergy study.
Breeding and showing cats is like dairy farming: 24 hours a day/7 days a week only very expensive with no profits. I gave it up in 2007 to
pursue my sewing business.
I attended college at A.T. Mahan; Keflavik, Iceland studying Art & Journalism. I've also studied Business and Banking under several
apprenticeships. I've been in business for myself since 1988. Prior to that I managed several other businesses including what is now the
Health & Beauty Aids Dept. Of a major dept. Store. I built my department up to the no. 1 "Drug department" in the chain causing the
owner of "Edwards" to personally congratulate me for that success. In those days women still had little respect in the business world so
"Edwards" did not promote me even when I asked. They actually did me a favor because I went on to work for myself after learning the
ropes from them and other businesses I managed.
My grooming business stemmed from grooming my own dogs and the rescues I had acquired. Soon friends, family and even strangers
began asking me to groom their dogs and the rest of that story is history. At that time, I couldn't really work for someone else with three
young children so I created my own job once my youngest child started school.
I always dreamed of running my own business. I dreamed of designing womans clothes as a child. I'd make paper dolls and beautiful
dresses for them to wear. I'd dream up designs from the quilt patterns on my grandmothers quilts, yet for some reason I never
envisioned myself making dog and cat apparel!
Sewing for others didn't come about until after I started showing cats. At a cat show, we make our own curtains to cover and decorate the
cages for our cats benching area. It's part of the fun in showing, but even more fun for me. I never took the same set of curtains to a
show twice and after a while I had a huge assortment of curtains. Other exhibitors took notice and began asking if I had curtain sets I'd
be willing to sell. Then they asked me to make specific sets for them and so on and so on until here we are today. I've made all sorts of
things for cats and dogs and even people items. Prior to this I had only made dresses and school costumes for my girls and I once made
the costumes for their dance recital. I had made a lot of quilts and crafts but all were made as gifts and I didn't get paid for making them.
I began showing cats in 1994 and sewing for others some time around 1999. About that time I began maintaining my own website and
including my handmade items for sale. In 2007 I opened my EBAY store. Business has grown a lot since then and continues to grow
today. My items are shipping worldwide. My specialty is pet diaper garments.
Our products are handmade in the USA from start to finish. I try my best to buy only USA made fabrics, elastics, thread, Velcro and so
on. I truly believe the small business person should remain the backbone of America. The only way to accomplish this is to become
independent Americans again and stop replacing our factories with cheap overseas child labor which is destroying our country's economy.
In 2000 I added holistic food to my retail after doing a lot of research on pet food. The topic peaked my interest after seeing the many
skin and coat issues effecting my dog grooming customers and the stress effects on the kidneys of my own cats. What a difference it
makes when pets are fed the correct diet!
Boarding had always been something I had planned to do but never got around to setting it up until 2006. I set up a section for a
cattery, but it didn't go over too well. I had planned to specialize in cats only. When that didn't go as expected I began offering boarding
to my existing grooming customers. It works out great since the dogs already know me and are familiar with the surroundings. I groom
only small breeds nowadays. At one time I would groom anything anyone could push, pull or drag in! Nowadays, due to my grooming
expertise and capability I can be more selective. I maintain a waiting list and have customers traveling as far as Anderson for my
grooming services. It's no secret I have a natural ability to work well with animals. We have mutual love and trust. Most of my grooming
skills are self taught, because there were no grooming schools close by in those days. Groomers learned from other groomers and at
dog shows. I still believe those methods are still the best teachers.
My shop has been voted Best Grooming Shop, Best Groomer and Best Pet Boarding facility almost every year I've been in business. my
EBAY Store is a "Top Rated Seller & a Power Seller". My cats achieved many awards in CFA & the Southern Region including, Grand
Championship titles, Best Shaded Silver Nationally 1999. While active in the CFA I was responsible for getting the Blue Silvers & Goldens
accepted into championship status; the golden color standard revised & the Goldens included in the title of the USAF CFO Breed Club. I
was the second online editor of the USAF. While I never received credit for it, the program now identified as the Ambassador Program
was my idea and first suggested by me through the CFO Mentors group. I suggested what I referred to as a "kissing booth" for spectators
to actually feel and pet a kitty upon entry at the shows. After all they are so incredibly irresistible! Although I no longer show I still
mentor for both CFO & TICA and hold Registered and Ethical Catteries.
| Copyright 1-2011 Pamela R. Martin/Castle Paws Designs All rights reserved. |
