• January 6th - Atlanta Gift Mart - Booth 1327

• January 14th - Dallas - Call for details

• January 15th - Chicago Merchandise Mart - Booth 1478

• January 16th - Los Angeles - Booth 3608

• January 24th - Seattle Gift Show - Call for details

• February 7th - San Francisco Moscone South - Booth 2632

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 12, 2007

Contact: Amy Lacombe, (323-299-9702)

WhimsiClay Cats Come Back Home

WhimsiClay Cats -- those famous feline figurines and designs adorning candle accessories, frames, ornaments, jars, pins and magnets – have found their way home.

The gift line of whimsical bewhiskered ceramic cat figurines is back where it started -- at Aha! Made You Smile, a company owned by their designer, Amy Lacombe. She decided to re-adopt the famous feline family to give them a stable home after they moved around to different licensees.

“WhimsiClay Cats’ enduring appeal and popularity makes them popular and profitable progeny”, says Lacombe. Their distinguishing feature is wire whiskers with ceramic tips.  “These whiskers are copyrighted.  They are our signature and trademark,” says Lacombe.

After designing the ceramic cats, Lacombe licensed them to AnnaCo Designs, a new manufacturer of gift items. AnnaCo introduced the line to the mass market in 2000.

The cats were a hit – sales hit the roof right out of the gate!

WhimsiClay Cats moved homes when Willitts Designs took over the license, but were again homeless when Willitts was sold to Lenox, an established tableware company. Lacombe rescued the Cats from their itinerant life by taking back the rights from Willitts. She is eager to re-launch and expand the line.

“WhimsiClay Cats have now found their ‘forever home’ at Aha! Made You Smile,” says Lacombe.

“We seem to be coming up against buyers and reps saying that they have seen these cats before,” says Lacombe. “Yes, the cats have been around the block. WhimsiClay cats have done their share of moving around, but now they are home forever. They are back with their designer, who is committed to their success.”

In January Lacombe expanded the WhimsiClay line from cats to other offerings called “Fancy Felines and Friends” -- skunks (with the trademark whiskers), frogs (with bugs on wires) and dogs (which interlock with the cats in coordinated pairs).

In July she introduced additional gift, fashion, and functional items, including necklaces, bracelets, pet dishes, new pins and magnets, metal wind chimes and suncatchers, and comical mugs and plates.  With a dynamic new sales force, and a wonderful Intro for Jan. ’08 already in development, you can be sure that WhimsiClay and Aha! Made You Smile gifts will continue to be a reliable resource for stores!