Lucky Cat guides, written by the person who paints them
I'm Diana, and when I'm not at my table in Barcelona painting Maneki Neko, I'm writing down everything people ask me about them. Pick a topic below — the meaning behind the colors and the raised paw, where to place your lucky cat, and how a hand-painted one actually gets made.
Culture & Symbolism
The history, the superstitions, and what these little cats have meant to people long before they reached my studio.
5 Lucky Cat Color Meanings You Probably Didn't Know
What each Maneki Neko color carries — white, gold, black, red, and green — and how I help people pick the right hand-painted lucky cat for what they're wishing for.
Read article→Good Luck Figurines From Around the World vs. the Maneki-Neko
How 8 good luck charms from around the world — horseshoes, the Hamsa, Daruma, the Laughing Buddha and more — compare to the Japanese lucky cat I paint every day.
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Feng Shui & Placement
Where to put your lucky cat at home or on your desk so it's actually doing its job.
5 Ways a Custom Lucky Cat Can Transform Your Workspace Energy
What the raised paw really means, which styles suit which desks, and why a custom hand-painted Maneki Neko does something a mass-produced one can't.
Read article→How a Lucky Cat Can Help Your Small Business
Which paw, which color and where to place a hand-painted Maneki Neko in your shop, café or home office so it's actually doing its job.
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Art & Commissions
The making side: the artists I'd point you to, how to commission a lucky cat, and where to find one that's truly hand-painted.
Best Lucky Cat Brands and Artists to Commission
My honest, hand-picked list of the Maneki Neko makers I admire — custom painters, traditional Japanese kilns, and modern designers — and where each one shines.
Read article→Personalized Lucky Cat Gifts: 9 Occasions When a Custom Maneki Neko Is the Perfect Present
Nine occasions when a custom hand-painted Maneki Neko is the perfect gift — from new business openings to Lunar New Year, birthdays, and just because.
Read article→Custom Cat Portraits — Your Cat, Hand-Painted as a Lucky Cat
Send me a photo and I'll paint your own cat (or dog) as a Maneki Neko — a one-of-a-kind, hand-painted pet portrait lucky cat, made to order in Barcelona.
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