Hi, This is "Cats Meow" as I understand it, correct me or add to it if I am incorrect.... What started out as a "cottage industry"( in ones home) has grown to a multi million business. An artisan will sketch a towns buildings, then to the drawing board and a flatten mold or pattern is made, a piece of wood is cut, usually 1/2" thick. outlining the building. A person hand paints the building onto the piece of wood. A CAT is perched somewhere in or around the building. Thus, "Cats Meow' is created. People buy them much like the Hummel's or Precious Moments. The cat is a trademark of these wooden items. They have extended into nursery rhyme characters to fences and oil barrels. I think! :-) SEE seruffe@bgnet.bgsu.edu