April 25, 2010

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

As Cat Lady Debbie can tell you, there's nothing like a Terrific Tonkinese to put a twinkle in your eye. Take Twinkle, for example--a thirteen-year old beauty who is Debbie's pride and joy.

"Twinkle is quite a character -- when her Daddy goes away overnight he has to have a little talk with her beforehand and tell her he will be away and to take care of Mommy. If he does not do this -- Twinkle will come into the bedroom in the middle of the night, jump up on the bed and 'tell me' that Daddy is not home. If he has told her - I don't hear a peep from her until morning!!

"Another thing she does is 'fuss' (that is what we call it anyway). She meows with her mouth closed! However, she uses a very loud meow if she is actually trying to make her wants and needs known."

The Cat Fanciers' Association tells us, The Tonkinese blends the best features of its ancestors into one beautiful, medium-sized cat that is remarkably dense and muscular. Whether appearing in the coat pattern of its Burmese predecessor, with sparkling gold-green eyes, the pointed pattern of its Siamese ancestor, with glittering blue eyes, or the “mink” coat pattern seen in the show ring, with its unique aqua eyes, the Tonkinese is an intelligent, gregarious cat with a sense of humor.

Read more about the Terrific Tonkinese here: Tonkinese Breed Profile



April 20, 2010

A Funny Thing Happened...

Did you ever go shopping and come home with something entirely different than what you set out to find?

It happened to Cat Lady Karen one fateful day...

"My son and I went down to IKEA in New Jersey to purchase some furniture for his dorm room. On the way home we decided to stop at Petco to get some Koi fish. We had just installed a 100-gallon pond and were experimenting with some small fish."

There happened to be a cat adoption event in progress and that's when they made the fateful decision to take a look at the kitties. They saw a darling little black Bombay fellow and, as Karen says, "That was it."

"We left the pet shop with Jet [the new adoptee], food, toys. and snacks. When we returned, my husband and daughter were rolling on the floor with laughter.....Who goes shopping in NJ and comes home with a cat?"

"Jet is a house cat ...I feel very sad that he can not join us, but it is for his health and safety. We have put a gate up on our deck so he can sun himself and be a part of the family when the weather turns nice...When he gets out on the deck he chases the leaves and bugs; it is funny to watch him running around.

"Jet is also under the impression that every plant that I bring home belongs to him. We have a lovely pony tail palm that he can't leave alone. One day we left it out...and by the time we arrived home from work he had chewed every lovely palm frond right down to the trunk of the plant... he was just laying there with a look of satisfaction. He is a great companion, he is a heat-seeker, so he will gladly hog all the covers at night. I wake up at night hanging off the bed...
"

Thanks for visiting!

April 17, 2010

More Cat Lady Earth Day News...

An Earth Day reminder from Cat Lady Linda L: "Speaking of protecting our oceans and marine life, I'd like to remind everyone to never, EVER flush cat litter down the toilet (even if it's the "Flushable" kind). Most cats carry a parasite caused Toxoplasmosis Gondii, which is resistant to standard sewage treatment measures and when flushed will eventually enter the water supply. A couple of years ago, it was determined that about 20% of sea lion deaths could be directly related to TG poisoning. Scary, but largely preventable if we don't flush kitty litter!"

Speaking of cat litter and being earth-friendly,
Cat Lady Kate over at ModernCat is celebrating Earth Day with a giveaway featuring Close to Nature Organic Cat Litter, made with organic materials and in a biodegradable bag. Visit this giveaway link and follow the instructions to be entered for a chance to win!

Skeezix in the Spotlight: Friday night found our favorite fashionista and the Food Lady hobnobbing with cat-lovin' celebs at the“Together We Can” art gallery event in New York City hosted by Fancy Feast and Friskies. The exhibit featured a collection of art to promote the recycling of cat food cans. All of the art pieces were constructed with recycled Fancy Feast and Friskies cans! Read more about the fabulous affair here:
Friskies and Fancy Feast Promote Earth Day with Can Art where you can see the Food Lady's original art masterpiece that was in the show!!

Do you have any inspiring Earth Day tips or stories to share? Send them to me--you'll find my email link under the "About Me" profile link in the right-hand column, or leave a comment at the end of this post...


Show Our Oceans Some Earth Day Love!

Why should Cat Ladies be concerned about our oceans, other than the fact that tuna is probably one of your favorite feline's favorite treats?

Because, according to the Nature Conservancy, half of the oxygen in the air is produced by plants in the sea and oceans absorb about one-third of human-caused carbon dioxide emissions.

As Earth Day approaches, here is another Featured Action suggested by the Nature Conservancy: switch to re-usable bags and re-usable water bottles.

Writer Cara Byington recently saw the effects of cast-off plastic first-hand: a sperm whale that died from plastic ingestion whose skeleton is now on display in the Bahamas’ Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. She reports:

"Thousands of animals — especially marine mammals and sea turtles — die every year from ingesting plastic they mistake for food.
  • Last December, seven sperm whales washed up on an Italian beach — all of them dead from plastic (and, let’s be fair, other debris like rope, tin cans and other containers) in their stomachs.
  • In 2008, it was a dead sperm whale near Point Reyes, California. Its stomach contents? An astonishing 450 pounds of fishing net, some kind of mesh, braided rope, plastic bags and one plastic comb.
  • In 2006, scientists reviewed 371 sea turtle necropsies (an autopsy of an animal) since 1968 and discovered that one-third of the turtles had likely died from eating plastic."
"I can’t change what was, but I can help change what will be. The reusable shopping bag is such a little thing, but it matters. And every one of us who bring our own bags can know — from this day forward — that none of the plastic shopping bags that find their way to the ocean ever, belonged to us."

Read more of her article here: Crisis in the Checkout Line

Please check out my re-usable cotton tote bags and water bottles--I have dozens of designs available for Feline Fanatics and Nature Lovers in both of my Cafepress Shops: Susan Faye Originals and Susan Faye for Nature Lovers. Click on each image for more information...





April 16, 2010

Meet Pumpkin The Bee Keeper

"Our new cat Pumpkin would definitely be a bee keeper!
Every morning he cries to go outside. If the weather is nice
I'll let him out and he darts out the back door, quick as a flash,
and chases bees. It's so funny to watch him leaping and
jumping around the yard like a happy child!
"


That's how Cat Lady Jennifer (winner of the 365 Cat Ladies Spring Celebration Giveaway) described the adventurous Pumpkin and what profession he might choose if only he could...

When not outside chasing bees, Pumpkin enjoys life inside the house that he shares with a couple of other special felines and their respective humans. Jennifer explains:

"In our house we all have our own cats. My husband's cat was first. We call him Meemee Doodle. He came from a litter of barn cats and was dropped off at my mother's work. She brought him home and when we would visit, he really bonded with Kevin. My mom gave him to Kevin on Christmas 10+ years ago.

"My cat, Zazu, was rescued from a shelter about 6 years ago. All day long I couldn't shake the thought that I had to go to the Humane League and get a cat. My husband was not very happy with this after working a long day but agreed to go with me. We found Zazu and she was so sick they probably would have put her down (over $400 in vet bills that week).

"Pumpkin is the new addition. He came from a feral mother that was a recent drop off at my mom's farm. When we would visit, my daughter, Zoe, would carry him around and he would just accept everything she did to him like a little rag doll. Once he was old enough to eat on his own, we brought him home. He is the sweetest cat, loves to be cuddled and scratched."

Jennifer is a talented Etsy artist who specializes in beautiful equine art and whimsical Halloween art. You can enjoy her wonderful creations at her website: Gypsy Mare Studios plus see her hand-painted jewelry and more art at her Etsy Shop. Follow her creative endeavors on her blog The Mare's Tales. Enjoy!

April 15, 2010

CCCCLC Member Spotlight...Meet Cat Lady Teri

CCCCL Club member Cat Lady Teri learned to knit and crochet as a girl, then got sidetracked for a few decades with raising a family and such. She recently took up knitting again and enjoys the company of her purrsonal assistants, past and present.

Current helpers are The Twins LeeLou and Zuzu. They arrived as teeny tiny kittens in a Pop-Tart box on Mothers Day 2006, courtesy of Teri's daughter. They had been found in a culvert after a rain storm and the mama was nowhere to be found.

Teri explains: "For being twin sisters, they couldn't be more different. ZuZu is probably 12 pounds of solid muscle and still afraid of her shadow but can be a sweetie when she is in the mood. She tends to be a watcher more than a lover though. LeeLou is maybe 8 or 9 pounds of pure sugar. Loves to sit in my lap or lay next to me in bed. She is my main knitting assistant." Teri's feline angels are Red and CC. You can read more about them in this post: Cat Lady No. 279

Teri has started a knitting group on Ravelry.com called the Amazing Flying Squirrel Karma Team. Projects have included an afghan for a grandmother's 100th birthday, making gators (kind of a cowl for men) for the soldiers stationed in Afghanistan, making an afghan to be raffled to raise money for RAINN, and making lapghans and afghans for residents of LANDAHAM State Psychiatric Hospital. "I am very proud of this group and the work we are doing!! Members of Ravelry.com are welcome and encouraged to stop by (http://www.ravelry.com/groups/amazing-flying-squirrel-karma-team) and help with a project or offer moral support. "


Thanks for all your good works, CCCCCL Teri (that's Card-Carrying Crazy Crafty Cat Lady Teri)! You are an inspiration to knitters and cat ladies everywhere!

It's easy to join
the Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady Club! The membership kit includes a personalized I.D. Card, a members-only pinback button, Club Guidelines, and Club Creed. Gift memberships may also be purchased--just provide name, city, and hair color of the recipient.



April 12, 2010

Work in Progress...Under Supervision

Remember our winner from the 365 Cat Ladies Spring Celebration Giveaway? It was Cat Lady Jennifer who told us what her cat Pumpkin might like to do if he had a profession:

"Our new cat Pumpkin would definitely be a bee keeper! Every morning he cries to go outside. If the weather is nice I'll let him out and he darts out the back door, quick as a flash, and chases bees. It's so funny to watch him leaping and jumping around the yard like a happy child!"




Jennifer's prize is a custom portrait of Pumpkin and here it is in progress. First some basic colors and some stripes on Pumpkin; then the sky and more details are filled in below:


Stay tuned for the finished version in the next day or two!
Speaking of cat professions, one of Buttonwillow's jobs around here is to inspect my artwork periodically...



It helps to inspect it from as many angles as possible!

Sometimes she feels the need to take matters into her own paws.


Now if only she could just figure out how to make this brush thing work
without the benefit of opposable thumbs! She's working on it...



Earth Day Approaches...

Garden Enthusiast Lupe and Garden Cat Sarafina like to garden in the most earth-friendly way possible.

Earth Day is celebrating its 40th birthday this year on April 22, and to celebrate, the Nature Conservancy has been suggesting a weekly action.


This week's featured action is: Green Your Garden

Lupe was interested to learn that "even while you’re gardening in your very own backyard, you can make a big difference in the health of the ocean. Fertilizers and other chemicals used in conventional gardening are washed into watersheds and eventually to sea, where they can harm coral reefs and other marine life".

Visit this link to learn more about composting, square-foot gardening, reducing chemicals, plus many more tips: Green Your Gardening

Lupe hopes you will join her and Sarafina in making EVERY day Earth Day this year!
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

I need your vote!

This is a photo that I've entered in the Cafepress & iVillage Earth Day Photo Contest...
A tiny baby lizard that was found sunning himself on the tire of my car in Southern California. I was so honored that he let me hold him for a short while to enjoy his preciousness!

Click on the photo to see details and if you enjoy the photo, I would certainly appreciate your vote! While you are there, you can enter your own photo and/or receive a free canvas Earth Day tote bag (you just pay shipping charges for the tote). Contest ends April 30.


April 10, 2010

What Color is YOUR Tux?

The tuxedo cat controversy rages on...So far in our poll, the purists outnumber the non-traditionals, believing that true tuxedo cats are black and white only. Make your opinion heard in the poll located in the top right corner of this blog.

Crazy Cat Lady Carm goes with black and white only for tuxedo cats, and this spills over into the rare Tuxedo Cat Guy breed. Here is a photo she sent of a Tuxie Feline Fella in his finery (Cat Lad Randy is a concert violinist- as Carm puts it "The Cat with the fiddle!) with Puffy, the matriarch of the 8GR8CATS
.

Thanks for visiting!

[photo courtesy of CCL Carm. Please note the copy of her custom portrait - PLUS her Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady Club documentation on the door...]

Look for ten original mini watercolor paintings of tuxedo cat variations that are up for auction this week at the link below. Each painting was a part of the 365 Cat Ladies series featured in this blog during 2009. Here is your chance to collect original artwork without breaking the bank, plus you will own a little piece of 365 Cat Lady history!

Place your bid today at:

http://myworld.ebay.com/whim
sysu

April 5, 2010

A Rainbow of Terrific Tuxies or Is it Simply Black and White?

There are some purists who insist that for a feline to be considered a tuxedo cat, it must be solid black in coloring with white limited to the paws, belly, chest, throat, face, and possibly the chin. Others have a more (dare I say) contemporary view that we should embrace tuxedos in ALL hues in both the fashion world and in the cat universe. What do you think?


Please take a moment to make your voice heard in the Very Scientific Poll in the top right column of this blog. Your input will be greatly appreciated. In the mean time, take a gander at some of the possibilities for tuxedo variations:














Each one of these ten original mini watercolor paintings was a part of the 365 Cat Ladies series featured in this blog during 2009. All ten are being auctioned off this week on Ebay...here is your chance to collect original artwork without breaking the bank, plus you will own a little piece of 365 Cat Lady history!

Place your bid today at:

http://myworld.ebay.com/whim
sysu

Thanks for visiting!


April 4, 2010

Cat Ladies in the News

Happy Easter Day!
If you are a regular follower of Crazy Cat Lady Carm's blog, you might have noticed that her header changes with the seasons.

That is thanks to the creativity and talent of fellow blogger Cat Lady Ann, who, with the help of assistants Maggy and Zoey and her magical mouse, transforms Carm's original custom portrait...


into seasonal delights!





Our hearts go out to Cat Lady Ann this week, as she lost her mom Helen who passed away at age 96 on April 2. You'll find a link to a wonderful tribute if you visit Ann's
blog Zoolatry.


Thanks for visiting!

April 2, 2010

Corsage Kitties...Ready For Spring!

Remember pinning those giant, lavish, ribbon-festooned corsages on Mom's shoulder for special occasions like Easter or Mother's Day in days gone by? I have very happy memories of visiting my brother's greenhouse filled with fragrant orchids, and picking out the perfect blooms and greenery to create a special corsage for Mom in springtimes long ago.

All of these happy memories came back to me as I was creating these little springtime brooches:

Introducing my "Corsage Kitties", handmade soft sculpture brooches to brighten your day. Just like Mom, each of these fanciful felines is ready for Spring in her tiny corsage of delicate silk flowers, hoping to adorn your sweater, jacket, hat or handbag on your next special occasion.


Each 3-inch-tall brooch is hand-crafted from eco-friendly cotton fabric printed with my whimsical artwork, then stuffed with bamboo fiberfill. Silk flowers and a sturdy clasp bar pin are hand-sewn onto the back.







The brooch is a purr-fect gift idea for your favorite Cat Mom, Feline Fanatic, or Veterinarian and will arrive in a jewelry gift box, ready for gift-giving!



I've just listed them for sale in my Etsy Shop! Click on an image for details. Thanks for visiting and...Enjoy!


April 1, 2010

Twins in The Tulips Fabric Needs Your Vote

...I am delighted that one of my fabric designs is featured in the Spoonfower Garden Fabrics Contest for this week! It features a pair of fanciful felines enjoying the wonders of nature in a tulip garden. Click on the link below and look for my fabric called "BIRD BRAIN 05 Twins In the Tulips" then cast your vote (pretty please with sugar and cream!).
Spoonflower Garden Fabrics Contest


I've been having lots of fun designing fabric items recently (sachets, bookmarks, quilt block etc) and have added a few fabric designs for sale, just for fun. You can see them at this link:
Susan Faye's Fabric Designs

Here is a sneak peek at two new kitties in the works for my new line of fabric gift items, soon to be sachets, pomander, bookmarks, and more:

What do you think?

Thanks for visiting and thanks for your continued support!

We Have A Winner! Bee-lieve it!

I'm not foolin'! One name was drawn at random and the winner of the Spring Celebration Giveaway is: Cat Lady Jennifer MacNeil Traylor!! I will be creating a custom portrait of Pumpkin in his chosen profession as described by Jennifer:

"Our new ca
t Pumpkin would definitely be a bee keeper! Every morning he cries to go outside. If the weather is nice I'll let him out and he darts out the back door, quick as a flash, and chases bees. It's so funny to watch him leaping and jumping around the yard like a happy child!"

Jennifer is a fellow Etsy artist who specializes in beautiful equine art and Halloween art. You can enjoy her wonderful creations at her website: Gypsy Mare Studios plus see her hand-painted jewelry and more art at her Etsy Shop.



Be sure to read all of the fun entries at the end of the Giveaway blog post. Cat professions included: drill sergeant, personal valet, ballet dancer, mattress tester, Reiki Master, paper shredder, office manager, concierge, security guard, baker and bread kneader, food critic, and more... Thank you to everyone who participated and made this such a fun giveaway!