I love the newspaper and blanket ideas, along with the sharpen claws one, as well! I'm sure there would be a market for things like this. I've bought EVERYTHING I can find that has interactions built into it, just to watch my kitties play.
The newspaper would be perfect for end or coffee tables and the blanket would probably be perfect for furniture, or even just for the floor near furniture. I'm sure it would need adjusting if it was on the actual furniture so we don't sit on our kitties, but that's not a problem.