You can truly find anything on Flickr — this post by Ilona is a great example. She talks about her search for an environmentally friendly cat litter both she and her cats could love. Her recommendation? Feline Fresh: “Here it is, almost four months later, and we’re still using the same $13.50 bag of pine litter!!! I figure that at the end of this month I’ll dump the box which now has the last of the bag in it, and start fresh. STILL no odor, still clumping perfectly, still the most amazing stuff around.” What’s more, Ilona says that Feline Fresh lasted four times longer than her usual $9 pail of clumping litter. Sounds like Feline Fresh is definitely worth trying. (Incidentally, Ilona’s other photos are worth a look — she takes beautiful pet portraits.)

Sometimes you just can’t get enough of an animal you love. Dollmaker Yi Li, better known as Cornflakegirl, can craft a custom, miniature plush version of your beloved pet. The plushies above are of our friends’ chihuahuas Dee Dee and Pickles. Our friend Jessica says, “The detail is so uncanny that I think these plushies make Pickles and Dee Dee a little nervous.” Visit Cornflakegirl’s Etsy shop for more information. –Mary T.

There have been several comments lately about how you don’t want to go broke just to go “green” with your purchases. That’s something we do understand here at Shelterrific, especially with recent home purchases and new babies in the picture! So I have a feeling that few of you will be investing in these Greenrrroof Animal Homes from Sustainable Pet Design anytime soon. They’re custom-designed and planted with vegetation chosen to thrive in your particular area, and that costs — the “dog barn,” for instance, starts at $850 in x-small. The photos sure are fun to look at, however. Maybe it will be an inspiration to reclaim some building materials from your garage. (Please note that the Greenrrroof versions are patent-pending.) –Mary T.

If you’re crazy for a certain dog breed, not that we know anyone around here who is (cough, Mary T., cough), you’re familiar with the usual types of “I heart my insert-dog-name-here” decor that’s out there — most of it is a little too precious or, dare we say, tacky. So these Obey the Purebreed! posters, notebooks, and more are a breath of fresh doggy…breath. There are 57 breeds represented to date, plus versions for the cat…and the baby. We could see these in a kid’s room for sure. (Or, who are we kidding, Mary T.’s living room.)

Laissezfaire reminded us that sometimes a tin can is so much more than a tin can, sharing some crafty ideas from HGTV. (We’ve repurposed tin cans of our own in the past.)

The Style Files participated in a group “virtual house redecoration” hosted by Decor8, and all we can say is: when can you come over to do our bedroom? See the rest of the roundup here.

More great giveaways from mod*mom — this time a set of 12 Whole World Books for kids with a singalong CD. It seems songs for kids are a hot topic this week.

Apartment Therapy read our minds, and offered a selection of modern platform beds for under $1,000!

BB-Blog featured some high-design initial mugs, each backed with a related graphic (such as U/umbrella).

Dog crates aren’t exactly high design — until now. The cool (and pricey) eiCRATE we spotted at Better Living Through Design is certainly different…we think in a good way.

And here’s a fun way to end the week: a great laugh from Scribbit, who shares the bookmarks that her son made her for Christmas. We can’t do it justice here — you’ll just have to go see for yourself.

Looking for a Valentine’s gift for that four-legged love bug in your life? Whiner and Diner’s pet feeders and beds, made with salvaged wine crates from prestigious vineyards in California and Europe, could be just what your chic little pup or kitty has been shooting you those doe eyes about all these years. The company will even customize items with your pet’s name, but I’m thinking, given the classiness of these beds (and price: $225), a monogram might be more suitable. Now if only my dogs had middle names… — Meg D.

Read more of Meg’s tips for stylish, green living at her blog, Style Saves the World.

Bright ideas we gathered from your comments.

1. When you’re cooking for a party crowd, there’s no such thing as a diet. As Michelle says, “Cheese and potatoes, can’t go wrong! I make two 9×13 pans and always go home with empty, clean pans.” Read crowd-pleasing recipes and share your own here.

2. Energy-efficient light bulbs are still a hot topic. Our post-off on energy-saving bulbs continues to bring in interesting and helpful comments from readers like sustainability expert Michelle, who writes: “If you prefer a ’soft white’ light, look for a CFL with a color temperature of around 2700K. A lamp burning at a higher temp (around 4100K) will give you a ‘cool white.’” And adds, “Dimmable CFLs are now available and they are getting better everyday (though they are more expensive).” Thanks for the info! Check out more insightful comments and links from Michelle and others here.

3. Cats want Ikea. DJ says, “My cat is seated beside me, meowing non-stop with excitement. ‘Build me the Ikea jump shelf system!’ But alas for her, there is no Ikea in my state.” We’re pretty sure that a capable DIYer could put the cat climber together with shelves from a standard hardware store — any readers want to help DJ out with that? Learn more about the Ikea version here.

4. We’re all kids at heart. And we like paying kid-sized prices, too! Anne enthuses: “I do love my little red iPod Speaker…I got one before Christmas at Delight.com!” To which Tracey adds, “ipod speakers right here for $19.75.” Check out the rest of our Wacky Decor for the Kid Inside of You.

5. Taking the back way can yield greater rewards than avoiding traffic. Pencils was excited to read more about the eco-friendly barrel homes we noticed at Charles & Hudson.: “I’ve seen those barrel houses during my trips out to the Hamptons for years,” she says. “I take a ’shortcut’ that misses a bunch of the traffic of the main artery. I’ve wanted to know their story for years.” See the rest of our blogwatch roundup here.

Finally, pet supplies that will work with your retro-modern aesthetic. This handcrafted cat bed was created by a graduate of L.A.’s Fashion Institute of Design — who happens to possess not only a lifelong collection of retro fabrics, but also a heartfelt devotion to feral cat rescue. The padded bed has a mod boomerang shape that will fit right in with your MCM decor and groovy, vintage linen-cotton upholstery that’s been Scotchgarded for stain resistance. (The whole thing is also fully washable once the detachable birch base is removed.) The pet perch measures about 24 inches long and 18 inches wide, so there’s plenty of room for your puss or small pooch to curl up or stretch out while they snooze.

There you go — cushy comfort for your favorite cool cat, and style in spades for his hip mama or daddy-o. Current bid: $40. (Note: The seller also offers models with different fabric choices and wood finishes, and takes custom fabric requests as well.) — Leah H.

See more of Leah’s great finds on her blog, More Ways to Waste Time.

In the decorating world, we have noted, there seems to be a preponderance of cats in photos. Perhaps it’s because they are so unlikely to move out the camera’s frame if they’re in a comfortable spot. This week Domino’s website sets the score even with this adorable gallery of dogs in rooms. They’re all insanely cute, though Ione Skye’s puppy in her kitchen wins our heart for the biggest awwww. Click here for a little four-legged lift.

In December, I wrote about the super cute, super cheap Ikea litter box and realized that I am certainly not alone in my quest for a stylish, small box. I spotted this one on Pet Sugar the other day and fell in love. It’s the Kitty A Go-Go Litter Box, a covered litter box that comes in spiffy white and black dots that would look perfect in a retro bathroom like ours. I haven’t actually done the measuring to see if it will fit in our small space, mostly because I haven’t yet decided that I can happily spend $100 on a litter box. Yes, it comes with has a pull out tray and comes with a rake, sifter, and heavy duty liner. But it’s all about the look. One comment I saw suggested it might not be tall enough for some cats. That’d be the worst: to spend the dough and then have your cat turn up its nose at it. On the other hand, considering we have to look at the thing every day, it could be a smart investment for some aesthetic peace of mind. What’s your take on it? — Angela M.